You can now change your Google number - for a fee - says Google

Although the Google Voice service hasn’t allowed you to change your original Google number, you can now do so–in exchange for $10. Don’t be surprised, you knew Google would piggy-back paid enhancements on top of the free service, didn’t you?

Google Voice, an advanced telephony service, now lets you change your number. Despite the fact that the search giant originally pitched fixed Google Voice numbers, beta users have been pressuring the company to allow the phone number change.

“Maybe you’d prefer to have a local number after moving to another area code,” said Google. “Or maybe you’d just like to find a more personalized number than what you have now to keep for the long term. For situations like these we have added the ability to change your Google Voice number.”

Google transcribes your voicemail.

However, there’s a one-time $10 fee charged for changing your Google phone number, although something tells me it’ll be a small price to pay for people with the pressing need to change or personalize their Google numbers.

The change becomes effective immediately–what a far cry from the last century paper work and bureaucracy involved whenever you asked your landline operator to change your number.

Google will also keep your old Google Voice number in use for another three months so you can update your contacts about the change.

During this transition period, calls and SMS to both numbers will show in your account. Finally, Google will also inform you who’s still calling your old number just before it expires so you can update them individually.

Read more at the official Google Voice blog.

Christian’s opinion

If you haven’t yet checked out the Google Voice service, now is the time (here is a review). Besides the fact that it’s free, Google Voice gives you one phone number that links all your cellphones and fixed lines. This means that your contacts can call only your Google number. You decide where incoming calls route, depending on who’s calling, region, phone number, and other custom settings managed via the web interface. The service is currently available by invite only but existing GrandCentral customers can upgrade to Google Voice by following the link in their account inbox.

The service link all your cellphones and landlines to one Google number.

The key appeal of Google Voice is its free-roaming phone number that follows you wherever you go. It doesn’t matter if you move, change jobs, or switch wireless carries, your Google Voice number always goes where you go. Because only your forwarding phone numbers change, your Google number remains the same. A host of advanced features greatly extend the service appeal, the call forwarding, conference calls on the fly, call switching, voicemail transcripts, etc.

If you ask me, Google Voice is a potential gold mine. I have no doubt in my mind that the service will explode when Google rolls it out to more users in a “matter of weeks” and, especially, to international markets. Because it’s free and convenient, Google Voice certainly appeals to millions. Combining the concept of Google Voice with the Android platform is the next step that could create an entirely new market.

If you ask analysts, the whole point of Google Voice is to extend Google’s footprint in the mobile space. More eyeballs mean more page and ad views, which drives the advertising revenue up. Yup, it’s a revenue game.

Which this Google Voice introduction on YouTube.

Google Voice is getting louder, more users get inGoogle Voice is getting louder, more users get invitesvites

Google is wooing more users over to its Google Voice service. Those with GrandCentral accounts were the first users able to open an account, but the service is being expanded now to the general public. If you requested an invitation check your e-mail inbox because Google is in the process of getting those out to everyone.

Google Voice is a service that gives you one number for all your phones. If you move, or switch wireless carries, no problem. Google Voice goes where you go. Google claims that its voicemail is easy as e-mail. All the features of Google Voice, such as conference calls on the fly, temporary call forwarding, and Gizmo calls are listed on its support page .

GrandCentral account holders were told that instructions would appear at the top of their inbox on how to upgrade their account to Google Voice. Invitees will be provided with a link, and instructions to set up their accounts. Google will search its number picker by area code and text, to help you find a personalized number, with perhaps your name, or a selected word combination.

If you want an invitation, it’s not too late. Just fill in your name and email address in the form Google provides. Google Voice, like Google Mail, is free.

Making Google Voice free encourages more users to participate. Analyst Ben Schachter, of Broadpoint AmTech, thinks Google is betting the new service will accelerate the company’s mobile penetration giving it a larger target for selling ads. An integration with Android is not ruled out.

To use Google Voice, you need a touch-tone phone; Windows XP, Vista, Mac, or Linux; Flash 8 or higher, and a web browser, IE6, Firefox 3, Safari 3, or, of course, Google Chrome. In its known issues, you’ll find: “Google Voice inbox not loading in Internet Explorer 7.” The immediate work around given was: “If you’re using Internet Explorer 7 and Google Voice is loading a blank or partially blank screen, please refresh your browser, or sign out of Google Voice and sign back in.” Yup, the standard fix for Microsoft products.

Read review at PCWorld and The Official Google Blog

Meet your new carrier: Google

Google goes mobile with style, putting forth a new app for Android and BlackBerry devices that lets you do things carriers hate: Transcribe voicemail in a karaoke style, make cheap international calls, and send and receive free SMS messages - all without even using your cellphone number. Is Google beating carriers at their own game?

Google’s young service dubbed Google Voice could significantly alter the mobile landscape down the road. Basically a clever telephony service that routes your calls while providing the universal voice mailbox, Google Voice gives you one phone number to rule them all, linking all your cellphones and fixed lines together. This way, your contacts call only your Google number while you decide where incoming calls route on a per contact basis or using a broader criteria based on a region, phone numbers, groups of people, and other custom rules set in the web interface.

The service links all your cellphones and landlines to one Google number.

Advanced features allow you to record calls, make free conference calls, and switch phones during a call. The universal voicemail mailbox feature turns each audio message into a piece of text. The service came to light in June as an invite-only limited beta, adding new features like the ability to change your Google Voice number. It’s still in beta (request an invite) and available only in the US, but Google promised to eventually roll it out internationally.

With a native mobile client for Android and BlackBerry devices unveiled Wednesday, Google Voice went mobile, and in a big way too. The app puts the service right where you need it - on your cellphone - allowing you to use your Google Voice number to place outgoing calls and text people. The app is intuitively integrated with a default address book and dialer programs built-in to your phone.

SMS messages sent and received through your Google Voice number are totally free and international calls are way cheaper than your carrier’s minutes. The app transcribes your voicemail in a “karaoke style,” highlighting the words being read. Here’s how Vincent Paquet and Marcus Foster of Google Voice and Mobile teams, respectively, described the app in a blog post:

Previously, to place a call using Google Voice, you had to dial your own Google Voice number from your cell phone or use the Quick Call button online. With this new mobile app, you can make calls and send SMS messages with your Google Voice number directly from your mobile phone. The app is fully integrated with each phone’s contacts, so you can call via Google Voice straight from your address book.

Google Voice on Android: Automatically transcribed voicemail messages.

You can also access a combined call history and read SMS messages sent to your Google Voice number, even if your phone doesn’t receive SMS messages. The app integrates with Android’s native dialer, unlike the BlackBerry version that comes with a separate dialer app.

Best of all, outgoing calls and SMS messages display your Google Voice number, rather than your underlying cellphone number. Previously, people retrieving your return calls would have seen your cell, home, or office number, depending on where you received incoming calls.

Google told the NYTimes that it’s “working with Apple” on an iPhone version. Wired noted that the iPhone maker and AT&T could seriously cripple the app so it doesn’t lure users away from the carrier’s pricey minutes and text messages (AT&T’s unlimited texting option costs $20 a month).

Apple’s App Store agreement with the AT&T already prohibits VoIP and video calls, giving the carrier the power to prevent apps like Skype and Slingbox from placing VoIP calls or transferring video over its cellular network, although AT&T does allow limited video streaming in some apps.

Until Google Voice app for the iPhone becomes a reality, iPhone users can either play with GV Mobile, an unofficial Google Voice app, or access the web-based Google Voice interface using the Safari browser. Android users can download the app by searching for “Google Voice” in the Android Market. BlackBerry owners are advised to visit m.google.com/voice. People who don’t own an Android or a BlackBerry device can still operate Google Voice from the mobile Google Voice site at http://www.google.com/voice.

Beating carriers at their own game

Mobile Google Voice indicates Google’s intention to enter the voice market through the backdoor. Traditionally a bastion of carriers and phone companies, the technology behind voice transfer has evolved a lot over the past decade. The biggest change came from ubiquitous IP protocols and software codecs that enabled cheap or free VoIP calls to leverage the existing Internet infrastructure. Although VoIP calls don’t share the same underlying technology as voice calls, cool services like Google Voice blur this distinction.

Carriers block programs like Skype from making cheap VoIP calls over their networks.

As a result, average consumers may no longer see phone companies and carriers as exclusive communication providers. With pervasive VoIP and video calls now the norm on desktop PCs, mobile devices, and even gaming consoles - but still not on cellular networks - carriers are finding themselves frequently bashed and accused of stalling innovation and cherry-picking services that will run on their networks.

While it’s true that things aren’t black or white, there’s some truth in these accusations. For example, most carriers block mobile Skype clients over their networks, limiting VoIP calls only to WiFi networks.

Mobile Google Voice app may not be a disruptive technology that changes everything, but it does indicate how broad Google’s reach is these days. Perhaps the fact that carriers allow Google to route cheap international calls and free SMS messages through their networks has something to do with Google’s decision to pass 30 percent of the Android Market’s revenue directly to carriers, the policy that I dubbed the carrier tax.

Regardless of deals struck behind the curtain, Google Voice enhances the user experience. The fact that Google Voice features are baked in right where you expect them, in your phone’s address book and dialer app, is especially important for average users who may go with Google Voice instead of the mobile Skype. What fascinating times we live in. It’s remarkable that such cool features excite only those of us coming from the last century because for today’s teenagers Star Trek-like communication is the norm.

Google Voice mobile app features:

• Access your voicemail: read message transcripts, follow along with “karaoke-style” playback of messages, read SMS messages sent to your Google Voice number (even if your phone doesn’t receive SMS messages) and access your call history
• Place calls: your Google Voice number from your address book is displayed to people receiving your calls
• Dialer app: integrated with Android’s built-in dialer, a separate app on Blackberry
• Send SMS messages: all sent messages display your Google Voice number
• Cheap international calls: place outgoing international calls using your Google Voice number at low rates

Google Caffeine: New version of Google search inbound

Google has announced that it has been working on a "secret project" to improve the company's core product: its search engine.

"The new infrastructure sits "under the hood" of Google's search engine, which means that most users won't notice a difference in search results," says Google on the company's blog.

Promising to “push the envelope on size, indexing speed, accuracy, comprehensiveness and other dimensions,” in a move, uncharacteristic with Google, the company has reached out to webmasters and "power users" to help it test the new infrastructure to make sure there are no anomalies.

"Right now, we only want feedback on the differences between Google's current search results and our new system. We're also interested in higher-level feedback ("These types of sites seem to rank better or worse in the new system") in addition to "This specific site should or shouldn't rank for this query." Engineers will be reading the feedback, but we won't have the cycles to send replies," the company says on the blog.

Googler Matt Cutts says that the move isn't in response to recent search engine developments from Wolfram Alpha or even more recent moves by Facebook, but merely on the "focus [of] relentlessly on pushing our search quality forward."

The new search is available to all web users however currently won't work on mobiles or international versions of the website like Google.co.uk.

Epson Stylus SX415 printer

The SX415 is an all-in-one printer, scanner and copier from Epson. For about £100 you get a printer with a print resolution of 5760 x 1440dpi, using Epson’s Resolution Performance Management and a 1200 x 2400dpi scanning unit. The SX415 uses four separate ink tanks with DURABrite ink meaning the results should last. The Epson has a digital memory card reader and an LCD screen as well as a PictBridge port so you can print from nearly every digital camera ever made with ease.

The low-slung profile of the SX415 means it takes up the minimum amount of space, but in use the paper trays have to fold out so when you’re using it it’ll be a bit larger. With a shiny black finish to the plastics we have to admit that the SX415 is a more attractive device than most all-in-ones that said it’s hardly a thing of beauty. The buttons are a touch plastic for our liking but they do the job.

We tested the Epson with a range of documents and in the main it performed well. Probably the best of the bunch was a mixed text and graphics document whose 8 pages were ready to go in just under 3 minutes. Colours were accurate and text sharp enough. We’d have liked to see a bit more punch to the brighter colours in the document, but overall the result was good.

A page of best text took a fairly pedestrian 1 minute and 15 seconds, however, it was worth the wait as the results were excellent. Sharp and deep black each character was excellently defined and pretty impressive for an inkjet like this. Draft text was a bit poor by today’s standards as it lacked any degree of sharpness and was very, very gray.

In its defence it only took 4 seconds to make it out, but we’ve seen better results from similarly priced and as speedy all-in-ones. Photos are very good for a device that only has four inks and the pictures we chose stood up well against dedicated photo printers with specialist photo inks. They’re not quite up to the highest photo standards, but you’ll not be disappointed by the results.

A colour copy at A4 took 30 seconds exactly and the results were poor with colour accuracy suffering. Bright colour was almost entirely washed out and overall the end result was only just acceptable. A scan of the same image took a couple of seconds more than the copy, however, colour accuracy was much better with a much more realistic capture. It wasn’t all good news though, as detail was lost and sharpness not up to our standards.

LG HB354BS Blu-ray home cinema system

4 August 2009 - We've been impressed with LG's Blu-ray offerings of late, offering good value for money and an impressive feature set. The HB354 is the little brother of the HB954, offering a 2.1 system playing off a similar central Blu-ray player.

But what a Blu-ray player it is, typifying the move away from just being something that spins-up and churns out movies from your optical media. The main unit of the HB354 offers not only the Blu-ray drive, but also and iPod dock and a USB connection, making this a versatile player.

To the specifics of the player itself, it is something of a big beast, measuring 375mm deep (which you'll have to add about 50mm to for all your connections), 73mm high and 428mm wide.

It is attractively designed however, with the central unit being mostly black, save for a bluish tint swiping across the bottom-front edge. There is an informative display on the front, which lets you know what is going on. A large volume is also present, which is largely superfluous, but lends itself to quick volume changes at parties and so on when playing music.

We like the design of the speakers too, with smart chrome-effect feet and main drivers paired with tweeters for left and right. They are a good size too, but are something of a feature, rather than being discrete. They do have a screw fixing on the back, so could wall-mount them too.

We're not so sold on the looks of the subwoofer. As we found with the HB954, it's a little cheap looking in its construction, with the MDF cabinet and cardboard vent tube a little too visible for us – it doesn't have the same solid looks that the other speakers have, so is best tucked out of the way.

The connections around the back are where the LG HB354 exposes itself to a certain degree. You get the 2.1 connections for the speakers mentioned above, but goes no further, so in terms of future expansion, your options are limited and if you might want a 5.1 or 7.1 system in the future, you'd be better off looking elsewhere.

The HDMI output is present for connecting to your TV, as well as Component and Composite for those with older displays. An Ethernet connection is present to take advantage of DB-Live services as this is a Profile 2 compliant player. There is an FM aerial connection too for the built-in tuner.

But it is the inputs that excite us even more. Not only do you get coaxial and optical digital audio inputs (and an analogue stereo input), but you also get two HDMI inputs as you did on the HB954.

This makes the LG HB354 much more of a compelling option because it can function as a hub to a certain extent too. Sure, you don't get the full range of connection options you would from even an entry-level AV receiver, but it does mean you can connect your other devices, such as a PS3 or Xbox 360 (or both!) through the HB354 to take advantage of the 2.1 speakers, which is something we like a lot.

The iPod dock drawer pushes neatly away with a satisfying click, so if you don't have an iPod, it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. We like the way the iPod is handled, both charging your iPod and giving full control via the remote so you can navigate via LG's high quality menu systems. There is no support for cover art, but that's a point we’re willing to over-look.

The USB connection functions principally as the store for any BD-Live content you might choose to download. But it also gives you a range of further file format support, so you can play back files from a USB drive, but it music, video or photos.

The menu system is praiseworthy on the HB354. Large crisp icons on-screen allow you to choose between Movie, Photo, Music and Setup. (LG has also told us that YouTube support will be included here, but wasn't on our test player.) Finally Setup lets you configure various settings, including the likes of engaging the 24p mode, enabling HDMI audio (for whatever reason) and so on.

These menu options apply across the range of media you connect, so if you insert a data disc it will attempt to play this back, as well as when you plug in a USB drive. Cited format support includes the most common variants, AVCHD/MPEG4, WMV, as well as DivX, with MP3 and JPEG support for audio and images.

It's a convenient system and so long as you stick within the confines of the supported formats, you'll have a fairly comprehensive range of options open to you, and it is well worth trying out the formats that work best for you from the start.

Blu-ray performance as you'd expect is excellent. It's relatively fast to start-up and get playing, and the DVD upscaling performance is fairly reliable, even if it doesn't quite match the top offerings out there.

Sound performance is very good too. It can be a little heavy on the bass at times, but this is easy enough to control. The built-in sound profiles make it easy to switch through different modes, which some will like and others will ignore. The option we found the most useful, however, was Night Mode, which suppresses the bass and dims the illumination on the front of the player, which is both thoughtful and practical.

The supplied remote is a little cluttered with buttons, but controls is simple enough. We like the fact that when you open the HB354 packaging, you'll find everything you need inside, including the speaker wires and an HDMI, so it really is a one-box solution.

ChefStack lets you say yes to 200 pancakes an hour

Like pancakes? Fancy eating 200 of them in an hour? Thought you did. Well that's what the ChefStack promises pancake fans unable to make it to their local diner or ihop.

Called the ChefStack, the machine, which is the size of a microwave oven and is easily operated without supervision, promises to cook "hot, fresh pancakes in a matter of seconds," reads the blurb on the company's website before going on to say that: "97% fat free pancakes emerge at a rate of up to 200 per hour." Yikes.

The $3500 (2880,75,0 PKR) automated commercial pancake cooker isn't probably designed for your home kitchen (man vs food anyone?), but it does, once loaded with pre-filled bags of batter, get to work to create a production line even Mr Ford would be proud of.

The best bit? That neat pile at the end ready to serve your hunger.

World of Warcraft gets 3.2 patch

World of Warcraft servers in Europe are - at the time of writing - down for a substantial content update. The patch - titled Call of the Crusade but known to most players as "patch 3.2" includes a brand new dungeon and battleground, as well as plenty of other improvements to the levelling process.

The new dungeon is designed for groups of 5, 10 and 25 people and is called the Crusader's Coliseum. It sees players teaming up to defeat "fierce beasts" and lieutenants of Arthas the Lich King. The new battleground, the Isle of Conquest, is for players between levels 70 and 80.

Most of the new content is for top-level characters only, so Blizzard has also increased the pace of levelling to help make sure that players don't miss out. Mounts are now available at level 20, and flying mounts have dropped ten levels to 60. Mount training is cheaper, too.

As you'd expect, there's plenty of new loot too, along with improvements to existing dungeons and nerfs to make the previous top-level raid - Ulduar - a little easier. Lastly, the user interface has been improved to add several features that players previously had to mod in via add-ons.

Players can download the update now by just starting their WoW client, and it'll automatically patch to the latest version.

Mini car USB charger

Being both useful and cheap, today's tech deal ticks all the right boxes and it can be yours for under a fiver.

The Santok mini car charger is just £4.95 from e4deal.com (that's the cheap bit) and can replace you car's cigarette lighter with the plug-in USB socket to create a simple way to charge mobile phones or other gadgets (the useful bit).

The device's space-saving design also gives you the benefit that if your car's cigarette lighter is located inside an ashtray or has a flip down cover it should still fit.

Suitable for any gadget that's compatible with a USB - so good for most MP3 players and certain phones - this appears to be a good solution for keeping any power-hungry equipment topped up while you're out and about.

BMW City: Eco-friendly electric car coming 2012

BMW has plans for an electric car designed for the city according to BMW chairman and CEO Norbert Reithofer.

Dubbed the "City" the new electric eco friendly motor will launch in 2012 and offer owners a 100 mile range in a four seater, small three door hatchback design.

Reports suggest it will be smaller and cost less than the next BMW 1-series or Mini Cooper, both of which will come to market in 2011.

"According to BMW chairman and CEO Norbert Reithofer, the City is designed specifically for the U.S. market to meet California

Philips new PET744 portable DVD player

Philips has launched the PET744 portable DVD player with a two-in-one, 180-degree swivel screen design that means it can be used as a clamshell or a tablet-style device.

It's a 7-inch model with a high resolution (800 x 480) widescreen LCD display and a decent 6-hour battery life that means it's not going to conk out before you can even get through one film.

Parents will be happy to note the inclusion of a remote control, smart car mount and in-car charger so its use as a back seat pacification device is assured, while two stereo jacks for two sets of headphones means those not watching the device won't be plagued by the noise.

There are two built-in speakers and the device can also play content from CDs, SD/SDHC memory card or via a USB connector.

Format playback encompasses DivX, MPEG 4, DVD, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, SVCD, Video CD and Picture CD for video and CD, CD-RW, MP3-CD, CD-R and WMA for audio.

Sony Cyber-shot TX1, WX1 and Party Shot

Here are a few images of Sony's latest compact cameras, as well as the company's is-it-wonderful-or-is-it-insane "Party Dock" product.

The cameras have a new type of sensor, which Sony reckons will massively cut down on the noise you experience when cranking up the ISO in low light conditions. There's also a selection of blur-reducing tools for similar situations.

The full specs are in our main news post on the subject, but during our brief play with the devices, we actually really enjoyed the well-implemented sweep panorama feature. We didn't get to test the low-light effectiveness, but have been promised a taste of that before they go on sale in September.

Oh, and the Party Shot is brilliant. Though massively paranoia-inducing. We were shown it in a small group, and everyone switched to trying to smile and talk at the same time when it was pointing at them. You just have to forget it's there, really. It has 10-11 hours of battery life, Sony says, which sounds to us like one hell of a party.

The TX1 will cost £330, with the WX1 setting you back £350. The Party Shot costs £130, but only works with the TX1 and WX1, so you'll be shelling out the best part of £500 if you want one at your next all-night-rave. All will arrive in September.

Sony Alpha A380 DSLR camera

In the new 14.2 effective megapixel A380 digital SLR, topping a new trio of consumer Alpha models also including the A230 and A330, manufacturer Sony is attempting to deliver its most lightweight and portable DSLR to date.

Aimed at both beginner and hobbyist, the APS-C model features a host of creative functions, yet intuitive, user-friendly operation that includes large, well-labelled controls, plus on-screen help guide for the uninitiated.

We were provided with a kit that included an 18-55mm zoom for our test, currently retailing for a total of £720 via UK Sony Centres.

While that’s the good news, upon picking the A380 up for the first time we were disappointed with the lack of effort made to hide a mainly plastic, if robust, construction and that only three fingers can be wrapped around the smaller than average grip.

While diminutive can indeed be beautiful in the world of digital technology, this seems an obvious compromise for size. A control dial is squeezed in directly above, where on a more positive note it’s only a short stretch for your forefinger from the springy shutter release button.

Users of the A380 get a choice of composing images using the optical viewfinder or 2.7-inch, 230,800-dot resolution adjustable LCD screen with Quick AF Live View situated below. A top-plate mounted switch is provided for self evidently and quickly swapping between them.

Unlike its rivals, when it comes to accessing Live View there’s no wait while the Sony’s mirror mechanism flips up and out of the way, as a feed is taken from a second sensor implemented for that very purpose. While this ensures it is quick and unfussy – the optical viewfinder automatically blacked out while the screen is in use – the image provided isn’t as sharp to our eyes as the likes of the more technologically conventional Nikon D5000.

Still, it’s perfectly adequate for the purpose – being clearer than the somewhat murky optical viewfinder – while being able to tilt the LCD up or down affords a greater variety of framing options than a fixed screen model. And, with a single press of the "AF" button at the rear, in Live View mode the camera will continue to automatically determine focus for the user if required.

If we’ve a gripe with the A380 in this regard, it’s that said monitor is a little stiff to adjust and only pivots about the one axis. So it can’t, for example, be angled left or right or faced screen inwards to the body for added protection.

Another raised eyebrow is prompted by the fact that Sony has not included a facility to capture HD video on its latest DSLR, when the most recent consumer releases from Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Olympus have done so. As it is, there is an HDMI port hiding behind a sliding door compartment at the camera’s left hand flank – if viewed from the back – for hooking the camera up to an HD TV set or monitor with optional cabling.

The above is not to say the Alpha is without innovation, or should be discounted. An eye sensor positioned below the viewfinder, as something of a throwback to the DSLR’s Konica Minolta heritage, causes the camera to immediately determine focus as an eyeball comes within reach, so in theory the user is immediately able to take the shot. At the same time it also switches off the information display that "lives" on the LCD beneath. Said display also flips through 90° if the DSLR is turned on its side to shoot portrait fashion. Each time the camera responds very promptly to the user’s actions, so no faults there.

Beginners are eased into the A380’s functionality by virtue of on-screen explanations, the default screen showing the effect for example of adjusting shutter speed and aperture. Twist your way through the options on the shooting mode dial and a "speech bubble" of text pops-up on-screen by way of explanation of what each setting does. More experienced users can disable this function if it becomes tiresome by delving into the neatly legible menu screens.

Of course, constant use of the back screen, and Live View, depletes battery power. Whereas the camera will deliver up to 500 shots if the viewfinder is utilised, switch to Live View in the main and this more than halves to just 230 images from a full charge.

Also worth mentioning – if only because it’s inclusion appears unusual – is a dedicated button for a "smart teleconverter". With subsequent presses, this digitally crops into an image when your own lens won’t stretch that far. Since this is utilising only a portion of the image, overall resolution suffers incrementally.

Verdict

Image wise, Sony’s A380 delivers evenly exposed pictures with naturalistic colours when left on its default settings. There are further pre-optimised Creative Style settings accessible for those who prefer the more vivid look. We weren’t convinced however that the supplied standard zoom made the best of the sensor’s high pixel count, since overall detail was softer than we expected.

However, lightweight enough at 460g, body only, to carry around all day with the aid of the provided shoulder strap, the A380 is a DSLR that won’t put you through pain for your photography – either physically or mentally.

The compromise is ignoring a more plastic feel construction than rivals in Canon’s 500D or Nikon’s D5000, and some quirky as well as innovative features. But, for now, Sony has price in its favour, being some £80 cheaper than its closest competitor at the time of writing – and that includes the lens we had for our test shots.

Though not an outright bargain, for those who are prepared to ignore the obvious lure of the "big two", Sony’s A380 tethers a high resolution, creative features, and innovative technologies to ease of use. The result is a reliable performer delivering richly detailed and colourful images, though you might want to trade up from the kit lens fairly quickly.

Creative intros Inspire T3130, T6160 speakers

Creative has introduced the Creative Inspire T3130 and Creative Inspire T6160 speaker systems.

The new systems promise "smooth audio at high decibels" for music lovers, movie fans and gaming enthusiasts alike.

The Creative Inspire T3130 2.1 speaker system is said to be suitable for use with PCs, laptops and MP3 players.

The Creative Inspire T6160 speaker system is particularly aimed at gamers and movie fans offering "vivid" 5.1 cinematic surround sound.

Nokia's XpressMusic 5530 gets priced and dated

Nokia has announced that its XpressMusic 5530 handset will be arriving in the UK on 11 August. Billing it as a rival to LG's "Cookie" handset, Nokia's new phone is a low-end touchscreen aimed at teenagers.

It's going to cost £130, or it'll be free on a £15 per month contract. Which networks will be carrying It hasn't been announced yet, but we'd guess it'll be showing up as widely as possible. It'll be available in black/red and blue/white colour combos and Nokia says the phone offers "superb value for money".

As previously reported, it's a 2G handset, but it does pack Wi-Fi alongside its 2.9-inch resistive touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera and 3.5mm headphone jack. It runs at the same resolution as the N97, but the screen is smaller, so expect crisp images compared to Nokia's flagship handset.

Keep an eye on Pocket-lint for a full hands-on video and review.

Zune HD images emerge

Microsoft's Zune HD has been revealed pictorially with what appears to be the slightly early release of some official images.

As Zune fans will know, the new player will come with a 16:9 widescreen format OLED touchscreen display, the ability to ouput 720p HD content to an HD-Ready TV via an optional dock and Wi-Fi with a full browser.

Microsoft has said the new player will be available in the autumn in the US, but has yet to set a price or a UK launch date.

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Nokia RX-51 tablet surfaces

Nokia is to have another go at convincing customers they need a tablet PC in their house according to spy shots that have turned up on the internet.

Called the Nokia RX-51, the handset, which looks like an XL version of the N97 just released are from an Indonesian website claiming to have got their mitts on a prototype.

According to the forum where the details were first posted the new model will have a screen resolution of 800 by 480 pixels, 5 megapixel camera with Carl Ziess lens on the back, slide out qwerty keyboard and Wi-Fi. It will run on an OMAP3 ARM Texas Instruments chipset. A SIM card slot also looks to be present.

Not surprisingly considering the history of the company's N800 and N710 models it will run the Linux Operating System based on Maema 5.

Nokia is expected to launch a range of new devices at Nokia World in September.

Pocket-lint's own sources within Nokia have previously told us that the 2009 roadmap shows some interesting devices rather than just more handsets.

Could this be launching next month? Pocket-lint will be at Nokia World at the beginning of September bringing you the latest news as it happens.

Stay tuned.

'Boooming sales' of memory cards predicted

Forecasts look bright for flash memory

Global sales of flash memory are due to skyrocket, if predictions from market research company iSuppli are accurate. The firm reckons that sales will increase six-fold between 2008 and 2013 as sales of high-end smartphones increase.

"Soaring sales of smartphones, combined with the increasing density of NAND Flash in each handset, is causing sales of the memory in this area to boom" said Michael Yang, senior analyst for mobile and emerging memories at iSuppli.

The company pins the iPhone as the source of the boom, spurring the growth of the smartphone market and fuelling consumer demand for more storage on mobile handsets. The expansion of smartphones into the third world is another important source of growth.

iSuppli predicts that the average amount of memory in all mobile phones shipped worldwide will hit 6GB per handset in 2013, up from less than 1GB in 2008. Revenue forecasts for 2013 are predicted to hit nearly $1 billion.

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Get clean with the Palm Pre Soap

One soap maker has taken their love affair with the new Palm Pre a little too far with the launch of a Bourbon and Coke scented soap in the shape of the new smartphone.

Etsy, through seller twoeggplants, is now selling the Palm Pre soap, for those who fancy cleaning themselves with replica of the new smartphone from Palm.

We can see the thought process:

You love your phone, you don't want to be separated from your phone, trouble is you can't take your phone into the shower.

According to the blurb the soap is pretty close to the actual phone in size, has the small black button at the bottom and the "screen icons" in its "flat screen".

The phone will weighs about 3 oz and rather randomly be scented with a Bourbon & Coke fragrance and made with Shea butter.

Luckily users can request the soap without fragrance.

But wait, if the Palm Pre isn't your gadget of choice, the seller is happy to make one that is, already stocking an iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry and a range of Sony PlayStation gadgets too.

Price start from around $13 including worldwide shipping.

Happy washing

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7 iPhone Apps that let you ditch your GPS

So you've got yourself an iPhone, who hasn't I hear you ask, and you want to get from A to B, so what are your choices? Here are a couple of apps you should take a look at: TomTom Car Kit TomTom's navigation service on the iPhone via an app and bolt on accessory rumoured to be costing around £114 when it launches later in the year. The kit will come in the form of a new windscreen docking station that offers a loudspeaker so you can hear the directions, the ability to place the iPhone on your windscreen and a charging option so you aren't out of juice at the end of your journey. It will also enhance your GPS signal so you can see when to turn at the right moment rather than 50 yards to late. CoPilot Live for iPhone ALK Technologies' CoPilot Live is already available in the UK for Apple iPhone 3G and 3Gs for a one-off payment of £25.99 for UK/Ireland or £59.99 for European maps. The GPS software promises to bring full featured turn-by-turn navigation to iPhones, complete with automatic route calculation by post-code or street, 3D map displays in portrait or landscape mode and turn-by-turn voice directions. Features include lane assistance, "realistic" signpost displays, speed limit alerts and CoPilot's "ClearTurn" for a more realistic display of junctions. In addition, there's "Live" services such as a 5-day weather forecast and a location-sharing feature called CoPilot LiveLink that allows users to check the location of friends on-screen or online. CoPilot says real-time traffic information will also be available later this year as an option. Navigon MobileNavigator Available in both Europe and the US, the fully fledged GPS app for the iPhone costs £54.99 and includes 2D and 3D maps of Europe and doesn't need an internet connection to work, instead storing all the map data on the device. The software can be used in portrait and landscape format, offers "Precise voice announcements" and allows users to access contact details in the iPhone address book. The application does require the latest 3.0 software update. Sygic Promising turn-by-turn voice guided GPS navigation for £59.99, the software comes with full postcode search and a list of nearby parking areas within the usual array of Points of Interest. Like the other applications listed here you can opt for landscape and portrait views as well as getting lane assistance, 3D maps and no monthly fees. B.iCyle Who says you need to be in your car to use GPS. The difference here is that B.iCycle, has been designed for bike riders rather than automobiles. Doubling up as a bike computer at the same time, you get current speed, average speed, maximum speed, total distance, trip distance, current altitude, climbed attitude, burned calories as well as trip time in the package as well. But it's not just road users that get the benefit of a map to see where they are going. According to the developers, B.iCycle comes with support for the OpenStreetMap community maps that has over 70,000 people mapping trails around the globe. Impressive. And yes you do get to download your map into a spreadsheet afterwards so you can geek out. Google Maps It's not going to give you turn by turn directions on the fly, but it will give you a chance to have some notion of where you are heading by simply looking at where you are on the map. You can get directions, access public transport information and show traffic in some of the more major cities in the world. Oh and it's already on your iPhone. Compass Satnav, smapnav. What you need to do is go old school and just use the compass like a Boy Scout or Brownie. The 3GS has a digital compass built in, which means that as long as you have some vague idea of which direction you are supposed to be heading - north or south of the Watford Gap - then this will get you there in no time, well unless the road runs in the other direction of course.