Mighty Gadget Blog: The latest technology news & reviews in the UK

The 3D revolution is now in full swing with companies such as Sony future-proofing and readying its new AV tech ready for our 3D future. We’ve seen the up-coming Bravia TV’s that Sony are coming our way, well now we have some Blu-Ray players to match them.

The BDP-S470 and BDP-S570 will both be 3D compatible the first requiring a future software update and the latter will be compatible straight out the box. Both will achieve this with Active Shutter 3D technology delivering full 1080P HD quality 3D images to your peepers.

Also designed much like its new line of Bravia TVs, these black beauties will be internet enabled. The S470, the obvious entry-level one, will connect via ethernet or can go Wi-Fi with the help of a Sony wireless dongle. The S-570 will do this all by itself. Once connected they can hook up to the Bravia Internet Video service we’ve spoke of before, allowing catch-up TV playback like BBC iPlayer, YouTube  or stream from LoveFilm’s new service. Both can play media from USB but S-570 is DLNA compatible for home network streaming.

Both are arriving sometime this month the BDP-S470 is currently on the US Sony store for $199.99 and the S570 for $249.99.

Although officially not released by Sony yet, Tesco had put up a new Sony Vaio M Netbook for sale for just under £300 but now it appears to have been removed from the site probably due to the fact Sony are keeping quiet about its official release, oops.

A nice little black number the Sony Vaio M if pricing is true will be the cheapest Vaio we’ve seen to date and if you’re looking for a netbook this offers some pretty decent spec and the obvious recognition of quality Sony craftmanship. Inside the 10.1” Netbook will be Intel’s latest Atom chipset the N450(an improvement in speed and power consumption) powering a 250GB HDD, 1GB RAM and Windows 7 Starter Edition.

As said Sony haven’t confirmed it for sure and are still staying coy about it and although it appeared on Tesco the other day, I’m struggling to find it now but surely it won’t be long till it’s in officialdom.

Freeview HD is still in it’s first steps. Although the signal is being broadcast in some regions, the sheer lack of set top boxes available to catch the signal seems to be hindering it hitting the mainstream. Sony though have announced that new lines of TVs incorporating the subscription-free Freeview HD tuners will be launched this week.

The NX803 will be available in 40”- 52” screen sizes capable of LED backlit 200Hz images and future-proofed with 3D support. With built in Wi-Fi this model can stream media from your PC but also incorporates the Sony/LoveFilm widget, allowing subscribed users to stream movies from the DVD rental people(when it gets launched)and Skype and Bravia Internet Video(a TV catch-up service).

Also for the more budget/eco conscious, there’s the HX803 and Bravia Essential EX703. The HX803 same as the above but minus the networking options and the EX703 will have the networking options only a less responsive 100Hz screen and energy saving features. Both the latter models will be available in 40” and 46”

Obviously Samsung are straight out the blocks with the future of their phones in Barcelona. After the Wave S8500 comes the I8520 “Beam” phone.

Again we’ll see the new Super AMOLED this time at 3.7” of super sharp colourful greatness. However what differs this from the Wave is the “I” part of the model number. This means it’s OS will be Android. Packing a 5MP camera which shoots 720p video, 3G a-GPS and N-Standard WiFi.

What really makes this phone special though is sat right at the top of the phone……… A pico-projector! This allows you to show your videos and photos onto a white wall.It might well attract a business clientele is the ability to open MS Powerpoint documents and project them onto a wall, helping out in those board meetings and conferences. Now it won’t project HD video but you can hook it up to your HD telly and watch your captured movies.

Price and date are still TBC………

With Mobile World Congress happening right now in Barcelona, expect a plethora of new mobile phone tech to bombard us over the coming week.

Firstly we have Samsung’s Wave S8500. Basically this is the updated version of its popular Jet phone that debuted last year. What makes this better you ask? Well it’s Samsungs first phone to have its brand spanking new Super AMOLED display. The original AMOLED screen was great, sharp details and deep colours, but was difficult to see in sunlight. Now that’s been dealt with what you’re getting is a 3.3” WVGA screen that works superbly.

Next its also the first Samsung phone announced that will use its brand new “Bada” operating system. This works alongside TouchWiz 3.0 to provide efficient touchscreen use and widgets with a high end smartphone UI. One thing that looks great is the “Social Hub”. This is a collective inbox that puts all your messages, whether they be from IM, text or email all into one inbox.

Loos wise its a lot like a thinner version of the Jet. Specs wise it’ll pack a 1GHz processor, 3G, Wi-Fi HSDPA and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, a 5MP camera capable of 720p HD video recording. It’ll also have GPS and have support for MP4, WMV, DivX and H.263 and H.264.

No prices yet but we’re looking at a release time of April.

The two Korean Electronic giants are both looking at launching their 3DTV screens as soon as next month. Samsung’s LED9000 Series 3D TV will be its first release where LG will be shipping its 32-52” Infinia LE9500 range of screens.

With so much in the 3D world appearing within the next year (Sky 3D, 3D gaming and more 3D Movies) now is a good time for the release. With the obvious popularity rise in 3D now at its highest since the 80s 3D revolution the question asked we need to ask is “will people spend the money on what could be the next fad”. Samsung seem to think so but maybe not as highly as first anticipated. Samsung Visual Display Division chief Yoon Boo-Keun said that Samsung had dropped their target of 2.6million 3DTV sales to 2 million(still a lot of sales)

Only problem is they’re keeping shtumm about prices but i wouldn’t expect it to be anything but ludicrous!

Quite possibly the best thing i’ve heard this year and if it’s true i may actually wet myself. The Zune is Microsoft’s answer to the iPod. Despite the Americans getting every version we here in the UK seem to keep missing out on the PMP. Now it’s rumoured(quite strongly) that Microsoft will be bringing out a phone equivalent and hopefully this will be revealed at Mobile World Congress in a fortnight.

NVIDIA have supposedly confirmed that they will be attending the the Congress with Microsoft (reports come from MuyComputer). Now NVIDIA make the TEGRA chip which powers the latest Zune HD. Also it is believed that Windows Mobile 7 will be launched at the congress too so it certainly looks promising.

Taking into account what the Zune HD does you’ll be looking at a very good phone, depending on Windows Mobile 7 software being good, but should pack a lot of features better than what any current iPhone could achieve. The UI of the Zune HD is easy to use and will look great on the low power, sharp OLED capacitive touchscreen (Multitouch oooo yeah!). Powered by the TEGRA chip HD content and multitasking will be done effortlessly and can be shipped to your TV via its HDMI out. If it’s planning on going into the gaming world like the iPhone, Zune is already a part of Xbox Live and that would mean a very large market of gaming enthusiasts with access to content and massive multiplayer functions.

Will keep you all updated if and when i learn more.

The Galaxy 2 is an up and coming phone from Samsung to battle against Google’s Nexus One for the top Android phone.

Like the Nexus One this baby is powered by the 1GHz Snapdragon and will deliver the goods through a 3.7” AMOLED screen and then alongside this will pack a pretty modest 5MP camera, a whopping 32GB of storage space and will all be run with Android 2.1 . This could be seen as a bit of a breakthrough with Android phones as up to now they generally sport the microSD memory expansion rather than hard storage.

Like most Samsung phones it’s easy on the eye not too fancy. One downer is the headphone jack on the side of the phone but unless you’re using it as an mp3 player or your bus faring “boom-box” this won’t pose too much of a problem.

The phone is due in Q2 and no doubt we’ll get more info probably at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2 weeks.