Google Street View Now Covers Whole Of UK (Almost)
March 10, 2010
Initially, Google Street View was fairly controversial with many people complaining about invasion of privacy and such issues. However, those concerns have not stopped Google from expanding the service, because as of tomorrow (11th March 2010), you lucky (or unlucky depending on which side of the fence you’re sat) people in the UK will have access to a total 96% of all roads, streets and avenues across the isles.
The infamous camera cars have been out and about over the last year busily snapping up everything from busy city streets to little lanes in the middle of God knows where, there’s even been some Google Path View images captured using specially equipped trikes.
In some parts, such as the village of Broughton, the journey of the car has been somewhat treacherous with outraged protesters lining the streets creating human blockades preventing the car from snapping their streets. None the less, Google got their way in the end and we’ll all be able to go spotting more strange Street View sights in the UK with all these new images.
Continue reading »LG InTouch Max (GW620) Review
March 6, 2010
The LG InTouch Max (GW620) is LG’s first attempt at an Android smartphone. Serving the budget end of the market, the GW620 is available from free on a £20 a month contract with T-Mobile in the UK. This is the same headset that Zath got to have a hands-on test with a few months ago when we attended the LG Mobile Event (November 2009), we liked the look of it and wrote up our own LG GW620 (Android) preview about the handset, so be sure to take a look at that first – it would appear our hope for a better name has in fact happened with LG playing up the social networking possibilities of this handset by calling it the LG InTouch Max!
Hardware
The LG InTouch Max (GW620) is the first Android device I’ve used with a hardware keyboard, which naturally makes the device thicker than others available on the market, although it doesn’t feel unnatural when holding it without the keyboard slid out. On the front of the device there are 2 soft touch buttons for home and back, and a physical button in the centre, allowing you to access settings of each app open.
Continue reading »Google Buzz – Do We Need Another Social Network?
February 21, 2010
Well Google recently released Buzz (didn’t Yahoo do that a few years back?) upon GMail users and anyone else who wants to sign up for a Google account, but the question is will it be the thing to beat Facebook and Twitter? I’m sure Google now hopes so, but I’m yet to be convinced.
Besides, I already use Twitter and Facebook, do I really need another social network? Don’t know what I’m talking about? You can read all about it in this Google Buzz features review.
I’m really not sure about Google Buzz, it seems strange for a company who keeps services in beta for years upon end (like they did with having Google Mail in beta for around 5 years), to release a previously unheard of product onto the world…and one that seemed to care little about your privacy of the contacts that you email regularly, but that perhaps just says more about a bunch of engineers creating and testing Google Buzz and their naivety over how it could be used for more malicious activities, take a look at our most recent technology roundup for more information on that.
Continue reading »Zath’s Technology & Gadget Roundup (20/02/2010)
February 20, 2010
It’s the end of another week in the online world of hi-tech gadgets and technology blogging and as usual there’s been a lot happening out there, so here’s a quick roundup of some of the stuff that we’ve found particularly interesting this week, let us know what you think to them too!
Linux Training Week on Zath – I’m sure we’ve all heard of Linux, but for me personally it’s not something I’ve ever seriously looked at because I always assumed it wasn’t worth the hassle of installation for something that wasn’t that worthwhile, well clearly I was wrong on that one! As you can see from this useful series of articles about the Ubuntu distribution of Linux – it’s easy to setup Ubuntu, it’s an easy to use the Ubuntu interface and there’s lots of software available for Linux.
Heineken Beer-Serving Robot of the Future – oh yes that’s right, in the future we won’t need to get up from the comfort of the sofa, instead the robots will bring the beer to us! This particular robot makes for a great novelty, but it does make you wonder about the potential of robots in the future.
Buy Walkie Talkie Watches? – admittedly walkie talkies aren’t exactly hi-tech these days or even that wanted by people now we all have modern mobile phones such as the iPhone 3GS and Nexus One, but these particular ones can be strapped on your wrist and would make for great free-to-use communication devices if you like to be out in the great outdoors or perhaps having a multi-car roadtrip given they have a range of up to 5km. I just wish I had some of these back when I was a kid!
Continue reading »Windows Phone 7 Series Announced By Microsoft
February 15, 2010
Microsoft have just announced their re-branding of Windows Mobile; the Windows Phone 7 Series at the 2010 Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona. The name may be a bit of a mouthful, but it’s clear that their new mobile operating system has taken a drastically different approach than previous efforts from Windows Mobile.
Every Windows Phone will have three buttons on the front of it: Start, Search and Back. This consistency will allow for a better experience for the user with hardware and software working together better – it’s a theme that Google’s also been chasing with their Android devices (such as the Nexus One) by encouraging manufacturers to use their 4 button template on the front of their devices, offering consistency across the board. This is definitely a step in the right direction as not only does it allow hardware and software to work better together, but also allows a much easier transition between Windows Phone devices.
Continue reading »Google Nexus One Review (UK)
February 15, 2010
Google’s new ‘superphone’, the Nexus One, has been the topic of many conversations since its release a day before CES began in January. Released subsidised in the US, and also available unlocked to the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong from Google directly, it comes packed with a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512MB RAM and a 5MP camera (more on that later on).
Shipping and Initial Setup
The cost of the phone from Google is $529, although you’ll also have to consider international shipping costs of $29.65. DHL’s tracking service was great to have when biting my nails to see where my phone was, although it took an extra day to arrive after landing in the UK due to a shipping mix up – it was destined for Gatwick instead of Manchester, but I was just grateful that my Nexus One didn’t end up in Uganda…
Continue reading »Google’s Nexus One Gets Multi-Touch & Vodafone UK Release Date Soon?
February 2, 2010
Huge news for all you Android fans out there, especially in the States – the Google Nexus One mobile phone received a software update earlier today enabling multitouch on not only the default browser, but also on the Google Maps and Gallery apps.
There was speculation of whether the European version of Google’s latest phone would have multitouch enabled by default like Motorola’s Droid (known as the Motorola Milestone in Europe), but few expected a US software update so soon enabling multitouch.
Continue reading »Google Chrome OS Tablet Concept? (Rumour)
February 2, 2010
With the press announcement of the Apple iPad come and gone, the fallout finally settling down, now there’s rumours beginning to arise of a potential Google ‘Chrome OS Tablet’. The rumours emerge from within Google themselves as they have shown mockups of such a device on a developer site.
With the release of the web-based Google Chrome operating system growing ever imminent, the world has been pondering over what the ideal device for the OS is. Originally, it was seen as the perfect netbook OS. A lightweight, web based OS would be a perfect fit for lower end netbooks which don’t possess the required power to get the best of Windows 7. Obviously netbooks are still in with a shout as Acer are apparently planning to release a Chrome OS netbook later this year.
Continue reading »Invisible Hand Review (Cheap Online Shopping Price Finder)
January 19, 2010
Invisible Hand is a remarkable piece of software which is lightweight and extremely efficient. It is an add-on for your web browser that works as a real time price comparison tool. As you browse products on the web, the invisible hand automatically finds you cheaper deals elsewhere. For expensive retailers, it’s a nightmare, but for us consumers it’s a dream come true. After all, everyone loves to get a cheap bargain when they’re looking to do some discount shopping online.
The software browses through 115 different retailers spanning the USA, UK and Germany. Obviously I can only comment on the UK as any others are unnecessary for me. In the UK the software browses major retailers such as Amazon, Curry’s, Dixons, HMV, Play.com, John Lewis and Misco. There are in total 46 UK retailers within the software’s capabilities.
Continue reading »nuTsie Mobile App (Sync iTunes Playlists & Stream To Mobile Phones)
January 15, 2010
Android’s been in the news a lot so far this month, with the release of the Nexus One just before CES 2010 and with more devices on the way, there hasn’t been a better time to switch to Google’s open source mobile phone platform. The only thing putting me off the purchase of an Android device has been the inability to take my music with me. My iTunes library is over 32GB in size, and the Nexus One comes with a measly 4GB storage via MicroSD, which caps out at 32GB.
For me to be able to carry around my music with me is essential in my decision to purchase a new device, and it seemed that my only option was to sync only certain playlists at a time, which is inconvenient at best. Why Apple don’t have an iTunes streaming application for the iPhone is a mystery to me, but why Google themselves don’t is a major question, with Google being very cloud-centric in their future plans.
Continue reading »
