Sony VGN-TXN15P / B

The broadband-ready VGN-TXN15P/B is good for travel and a battery champ, but it performed poorly in tests and has a cramped keyboard.

The featherlight Sony VGN-TXN15P/B supports broadband and lasts a long time on one battery charge. Roving professionals who need to write short notes and answer e-mail in the field might enjoy this 2.9-pound unit with a built-in DVD drive and a gorgeous little LED-backlit screen. But mainstream users will find its snail-like performance and cramped keyboard a compromise.



The VGN-TXN15P/B is impressively feature-rich for a laptop that measures 10.7 by 7.7 by 1.2 inches (width by depth by height). It includes the standard connections--such as network and modem jacks, a monitor port, two USB ports, and a PC Card slot--plus welcome extras, such as a fingerprint reader and a FireWire port. Our test unit's instant-on AV button saved time and battery life by bypassing the Windows Vista Business operating system, allowing us to view thumbnails of photos on a Memory Stick or SD Card or to play a CD or DVD. For the latter activity, however, you'll need headphones, as the stereo speakers are shrill.



Icons are tiny on the 11.1-inch WXGA screen, but text and graphics are bright and easy to read and see, thanks to an antireflective coating. A combination keystroke lowers and raises screen brightness; unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to disable the annoying high-pitched beep that sounded each time I used it.

The VGN-TXN15P/B offers excellent battery life but slow speed. Our test unit's 7800-mAh battery lasted a little over 6.5 hours on one charge in our battery performance tests. Its 1.2-GHz Core Solo U1400 processor combined with 1GB of DDR2-400 SDRAM produced a relatively low WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 32. (That score, however, matched the mark of a Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 equipped with the same processor.) The VGN-TXN15P/B seemed zippy enough to handle e-mail, word processing, and surfing the Internet, but not much more.

A couple of design problems also prevent a wholehearted recommendation. The keyboard is very small, with Chiclets-size keys that are flat and slippery. My petite hands partially covered the touchpad, repositioning the cursor repeatedly as a result. The VGN-TXN15P/B might have the world's tiniest optical drive eject button, too: It's so small, I had to use my fingernail or the end of a pencil to press it.

While you might be able to overcome these annoyances with practice, the VGN-TXN15P/B should not be your first choice if you need to do heavy-duty word processing. For anyone looking for a no-wires, all-day-battery laptop, though, the freedom this $2300 unit (as of 6/6/07) offers is attractive.

(source: pcworld.com)

RIM Blackberry 8820

The exterior of the new BlackBerry 8820 may look familiar. After all, the device has the same sleek black design as the BlackBerry 8800, which was launched earlier this year. The new phone has one important upgrade under the hood, however: Wi-Fi.

This is the first BlackBerry with Wi-Fi support, and the addition is a welcome one, as it means the phone can provide wireless voice and data access over both cellular and Wi-Fi wireless networks.



Like the 8800 and the more consumer-oriented BlackBerry Curve, the 8820 will be available from AT&T. Starting tomorrow, you can get the 8820 for $300 with a two-year service contract. In addition to Wi-Fi, the quad-band GSM phone includes support for the carrier's EDGE network--but not its true 3G HSDPA service.

Easy Setup

The 8820 can connect to 802.11a/b/g networks; connecting to my 802.11g wireless network at home was a breeze. I simply launched the Wi-Fi Setup wizard, selected my network from the list of available choices (you can either scan for available networks or manually enter the name of the network to which you'd like to connect), typed in the WEP key, and was connected in seconds. You can choose to automatically connect to your favorite wireless networks when they're available, and also can store any login info that is needed to connect to public hotspots.



The device will default to a Wi-Fi connection when one is available; a small icon on the top of the screen tells you which network you're using. Surfing the Web and sending and receiving e-mail messages via Wi-Fi was speedy, especially where the EDGE network coverage was spotty--as it often is inside my house.

When the 8820 connected to my Wi-Fi network, I was able to send an e-mail message and surf the Web while on a phone call without a problem. You can't, however, make voice-over-Wi-Fi calls on the device just yet. RIM says that this feature will be offered at the discretion of the carrier; AT&T says that the Wi-Fi capabilities on the 8820 are "data only" at this time.

Other than the Wi-Fi support, the 8820 is almost identical to the 8800 (which will be replaced in AT&T 's lineup by the 8820). The phone includes built-in GPS functionality (no hardware add-ons required) and comes with access to the easy-to-use TeleNav GPS service from AT&T, which is available for an extra $10 per month.

E-Mail Is Easy

Also like the 8800--and all BlackBerry devices--the 8820 is a champ when it comes to e-mail. The phone supports up to ten e-mail accounts, including POP3, IMAP, and Web-based e-mail. Corporate e-mail access is available through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server; I tested the personal e-mail capability with the BlackBerry Internet Service and a POP3 account. I simply entered my e-mail user name and password; within minutes, mail from my personal account was arriving in my hand. The inbox is neatly organized and superbly easy to read.

The 320-by-240 display is gorgeous, and navigating the device via the small--but very usable--QWERTY keyboard and BlackBerry Pearl-like trackball is quite comfortable. At 4.5 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick and 4.7 ounces, the 8820 can feel slightly boxy when held next to your ear. Call quality was quite good, though, and the included speakerphone worked well. We are currently in the process of testing the phone's talk-time battery life; we'll add that information (and a PC World rating) to this review as soon as it is available.



While the 8820 lacks the camera found on the Curve, it does include a media player for playing back audio and video files and a microSD card slot for storage. In addition, it includes AT&T 's Mobile Music service, which lets you access subscription services such as eMusic and XM Satellite Radio.

The business-oriented 8820 lacks a camera and some of the other consumer-friendly applications (such as access to popular instant messaging clients) found on other BlackBerry devices. The support for Wi-Fi is an excellent tradeoff, however, and the result is a sleek cell phone that delivers speedy data service even when your cellular coverage is spotty.

(source: pcworld.com)

Nokia Unveils Dual-Mode E51

Nokia Corp. released on Tuesday the newest addition to its E-series lineup of mobile phones for businesses, revamping the user interface for easier navigation, executives said during a London product launch.

The E51 is a dual-mode model, working with GSM networks and Wi-Fi hotspots for businesses eyeing or already using so-called "converged" services -- VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) technology alongside traditional phone networks.




Nokia is hoping to spur businesses to adopt its E-series phones by convincing IT managers they'll save money over the long term by using the mobiles in combination with VOIP software. The unsubsidized price of the E51 will be ,350 (US$485) and should be available in the last three months of the year.

Cost savings through converged fixed line and mobile networks are a "door opener" for IT managers, said Mary McDowell, executive vice president and general manager of Nokia's Enterprise Solutions division.

Expensive data plans -- which increase the total bill for companies every time employees read e-mail -- remain a barrier, although Nokia has brought the issue up with operators, McDowell said.

Still, Nokia sees big opportunities, as 44 percent of businesses still lack plans for mobile usage by their employees, said Antti Vasara, senior vice president for the mobile devices unit of Enterprise Solutions.

Nokia simplified the E51's main navigation window and added setup wizards for functions such as e-mail to make it easier during the initial set-up, Vasara said.

Those improvements came to address user complaints that those functions were "more difficult" than on other models, Vasara said. Another improvement lets users access frequently used features, such as e-mail or their calendar, with the push of only one button, he said.

The E51, which runs the S60 series operating system, may be built for business, but it's shiny, slim and attractive, forgoing a fattening QWERTY keypad to keep its figure. It has a 2-megapixel camera and an FM radio.

The device will perhaps fill the void caused by Nokia's E70 mobile. Despite the full, fold-out keyboard that extended to the left and the right of the main screen, the E70 has not been very popular despite doing well in initial user trials, McDowell said.

The E51 is compatible with Nokia's Intellisync Call Connect software for businesses using equipment and software from Cisco Systems Inc. and Alcatel-Lucent SA. The Intellisync software enables desktop phone functions -- such as call forwarding, extension dialing, hold and conferences, among others -- for mobiles.

BT Group PLC will test a client version of its BT Corporate Fusion software next month on the E51, with expanded trials by the end of the year, said Rakesh Mahaja, global director of mobility for BT Global Services.

BT's Corporate Fusion software uses Wi-Fi to let mobile devices communicate with the fixed network, and runs applications and other calling management functions through an IP network.

(source: pcworld.com)

Halo 3 leaked online for modded Xbox 360

I don't think Microsoft's too happy about this: a pirated copy of Halo 3 has been leaked online for download.

Gameindustry.biz reports that various files-haring sites around the Internet are hosting the 6.14GB file; however, the file is only usable on modded 360s. So unless you're a t3h u1tim4t3 pirate, you're not saving yourself $60 if you're planning to play Bungie's latest masterpiece.

The pirate(s) who leaked this onto the net may have obtained a copy of Halo 3 when game retailer, Argos, accidentally began selling copies of Halo 3 early.

If you're looking to get the full unadulterated experience of Halo 3 with downloadable goodness and all, I wouldn't recommend going down this route as it can likely earn you a permanent ban from Xbox Live.

But if you can't resist, you can easily find it at the PirateBay or MiniNova, although, I warn you, this is quite illegal.

(source: gamer.blorge.com)

Watch out Wii, Sony outlines "astounding" PS3 rescue plan

Sony has outlined a plan to rescue the PlayStation 3 (PS3) from oblivion. Disappointingly, the plan has already received a thumbs down from a leading Japanese games expert.

Contrary to wide speculation, the plan does not include a price cut. Instead, Sony wants to work on relationships with third-party game publishers to improve the range of games available for the PS3.



"The most important thing for me at this point in time is to ensure that we have the breadth of software," the chief executive of Sony's video game unit, Kazuo Hirai, told the Wall Street Journal at the Tokyo Game Show industry conference.

"Price alone does not drive any product."

Hirai said that he would improve communications with publishers, so that they will have a better idea of what Sony was planning. Publishers would also have input into Sony's marketing strategy.

In an astounding move, Hirai also said that Sony will start marketing the PS3 as a games console, rather than as a super computer/home entertainment device. Apparently he's realized that gamers above everything want a games console first and foremost.

This is obviously something that Sony has painfully learnt from Nintendo, which from day one has marketed its popular Wii games console, as a games console.

The president of market-research firm Enterbrain, Hirokazu Hamamura, expressed doubts about the rescue plan, explaining that he was disappointed that there was no price cut. As he pointed out, many game developers want to see more PS3 sales before they start working on new games.

Clearly Sony is trying to fix at least some of the criticisms being leveled at the PS3, but is this latest rescue plan too little, too late?

Tokyo Game Show 2007: Square Enix Booth Insanity

Walking around the Tokyo Game Show this morning, I witnessed firsthand just how crazy Japanese gamers are about Square Enix.

The show officially opens at 10:00, but they start slowly letting people in at 9:00. I snapped this photo right before 10:00 to show you just how nuts it had gotten at the Square Enix booth within that time. This is the line to get into the Square Enix closed theater, where there were new trailers for such titles as Final Fantasy XIII and Kingdom Hearts. It stretched all around the entire booth -- several hundred people, easy. Yeah. Not going anywhere near this booth today.

(source: gametab.com)

The Gigabeat U201: Toshiba’s Latest Answer to the MP3 Player Market

The latest MP3 player from Toshiba, the Gigabeat U201, is loaded with features, comes in blue, white and pink and is 2GB. Not only can you listen to music, you can store photos as well, and do so much to fit your lifestyle. Its features include:



enhanced audio playback time of 20 hours
FM tuner with 10 stations
FM recording
Built-in equalizer with 6 modes
Line-in recording
10 minute charge that will allow users to enjoy 3 hours of constant music play
JPEG photo format for storing photos
Choice of automatic scan or manual scan
32 hours recording time
128 kbps bit rate
For an mp3 player that weighs only 36 grams, the U201 is heavy in functionality, without sacrificing design and practicality. Its ultra compact design allows users to enjoy music or photos on the go, and its sleekness makes it extra convenient to put in your shirt pocket, pant pocket, or hang from your neck. It has simple buttons, making it very user friendly, not to mention all the features for a friendly price of $199.Its impressive weight, design, and features capacity makes it a good bet for mp3 players of all generations. You can run, work, listen to it at a party, or even while in transportation.

Not only that, users can also directly transmit music to the U201 from a cd simply by using its line-in jack. Thus, being away from the computer poses no problem when it comes to adding music.

(source: mp3player.com.au)