topgadgetreviews.com http://www.topgadgetreviews.com Top Gadget Reviews Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:05:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Modern Warfare 2 smashes industry records http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/28/modern-warfare-2-smashes-industry-records/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/28/modern-warfare-2-smashes-industry-records/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:04:00 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=608

Call of DutyThe latest in a parade of hits, Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has sold an estimated $550 million in the first five days of its release, bringing the entire The Call of Duty series $3 billion in sales between its six titles.Modern Warfare 2 officially smashed opening-day sales records with 4.7 million copies sold in its first day in the U.S. and U.K. alone. To put that in perspective, James Bond has been a franchise for 47 years and grossed just over $5 billion.Activision isn’t the only company growing fat on Modern Warfare’s success. GameStop, an online gaming retailer, sold 2.5 million copies of MW2 within three days of its release. Not coincidentally, GameStop’s Q3 sales rose to $1.82 billion, up from $1.7 billion in Q2. Activision ended the day’s trading up 0.09 percent, closing at $11.57.“If you consider the number of hours our audiences are engaged in playing Call of Duty games, it is likely to be one of the most viewed of all entertainment experiences in modern history,” says Robert Kotick, CEO of Activision.MW2 includes over 40 types of weapon and presents the player with the option of participating in a civilian massacre — a controversial move that VentureBeat reporter Dean Takahashi examined in his review of the game. This scene has inspired some outcry: There were early reports that it was banned in Russia. In fact, the game was released there, but without the massacre scene. To help offset some of the outrage over the massacre concept, Activision has donated $1 million to veteran’s groups in the U.S.MW2’s launch beat every previous-best first and five-day launch in the entertainment industry: box office, book releases and video games launches alike have been humbled by its sales. Previously, the five-day sales of Grand Theft Auto IV held the record at 6 million units and $500 million dollars. MW2 has been so successful, in fact, that a special edition of the game is being offered with full functioning night vision goggles. So far, no handgun edition has been announced.

via VentureBeat.

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/28/modern-warfare-2-smashes-industry-records/feed/ 0 Daily Edition E-Reader Might Come Up Short For Holidays http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/daily-edition-e-reader-might-come-up-short-for-holidays/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/daily-edition-e-reader-might-come-up-short-for-holidays/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:19:41 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=600 Sony's new Daily Edition e-reader may not be available in time for Christmas, Sony confirmed Wednesday. The Daily Edition e-reader, with which Sony will compete with Amazon (NSDQ:AMZN)'s Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook for holiday shoppers' e-reading attention, will ship between Dec. 18 and Jan. 8, but as Sony acknowledges on its Sonystyle.com site, “the actual delivery date cannot be guaranteed.”

“Sony is doing everything possible to ship the devices for the holidays, but as Sonystyle.com states, we want to make sure consumers understand that due to overwhelming demand, we can't make a guarantee,” said a Sony spokesperson in an e-mailed response to ChannelWeb.

The Daily Edition e-reader sports a 7-inch touch-screen display and is smaller and cheaper, at $399.99, than Amazon's large-screen Kindle DX. It's the high-end model of three new e-readers Sony debuted this fall, the other two of which, Sony Reader Touch Edition, and Sony Reader Pocket Edition, are already available for $299.99 and $199.99 respectively.

Sony has yet to reveal news and media partners for its Daily Edition, which is designed for large-size publications and periodical viewing. Perhaps its most important feature, however, is one that both the Touch Edition and Pocket Edition lack: Wi-Fi connectivity.

According to Forrester Research, Sony will close 2009 with about a 35 percent share of the U.S. e-reader market vs. Amazon's nearly 60 percent. Without the Daily Edition's crucial availability guaranteed for the holidays, however, Sony may find itself on the e-reader sidelines yet again next year as Amazon continues to dominate with its Kindle and Barnes & Noble says it expects the the Nook, which goes for $259, will ship in time for Christmas.

Forrester expects U.S. sales of e-readers to be about 3 million in 2009 and continue to grow next year.

via Sony: Daily Edition E-Reader Might Come Up Short For Holidays – Retail – IT Channel News by CRN.

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/daily-edition-e-reader-might-come-up-short-for-holidays/feed/ 0 Nook sold out for the holidays http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/nook-sold-out-for-the-holidays/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/nook-sold-out-for-the-holidays/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:30:41 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=596 nook

“The hottest holiday gift is out of stock,” a message at the top of the page reads. “Order the Nook today to be first in line for the new year.”If this sounds familiar, its because last year Amazon had a similar message on its site when it stock ran out of the Kindle. However, in the case of the Nook, the company hasnt shipped a single unit yet, and its a little unclear what day it actually will. Weve yet to receive word when well get our review sample.The New York Times Bits blog has a quote from Sarah Rotman Epps, an analyst at Forrester Research, explaining what a lot of us already knew: that Barnes & Noble had rushed to announce its product to compete with Amazon and it wasnt really quite ready to begin selling its device this year–at least not in huge quantities.”Even without specific problems in the supply chain, the manufacturing process takes time for new products–it could be three months from the time they place the orders with their factories until they actually ship,” Epps said.This is probably good news for Amazon, which should have plenty of its e-readers available. But its worth noting that if you do want to hold out for a Nook, you shouldnt have to wait too long. The B&N Web site says that if you order a unit today, youll get it shipped to you by January 4.

via Nook sold out for the holidays | Crave – CNET.

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/nook-sold-out-for-the-holidays/feed/ 0 ARM Alliance Formed; Droids Fix Themselves? http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/arm-alliance-formed-droids-fix-themselves/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/arm-alliance-formed-droids-fix-themselves/#comments Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:22:34 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=592

Android is like a snowball rolling downhill — it won’t be long before it’s moving too fast for anything to stop it. That movement is surely going to spread from the smartphone sector, where Android has its roots, to that of smartbooks. Knowing this, ARM and the Android folks have put their heads together and formed the Solution Center for Android Alliance.

The sole aim of the group, which was unveiled this week, is to help make it easier to put Android on ARM-based devices, of which smartbooks are the emerging choice. The group of 35 companies will pool resources and make them available for developers to get Android systems going with the ARM chipset, which is particularly well-suited for the consumer electronics market.

In the meantime, the Verizon Droid, produced by Motorola, is the hottest Android phone on the market. But early adopters of the Droid were reporting that the auto-focus feature on the device’s powerful camera wasn’t working properly, resulting in lots of fuzzy images. This week, however, many Droid owners found the focusing difficulties to be a thing of the past, prompting suspicions that Verizon had pushed a secret fix over-the-air to the phones. There seemed to be no other explanation for how such a serious bug could suddenly disappear.

In fact, the auto-focus code that Android 2.0 uses reportedly has a bug that makes for fuzzy photos in 24.5-day cycles. The camera works poorly for 24.5 days, then works properly for the next 24.5 days. This is based on the improper use of a timestamp by the focusing code, a strange cause to be sure. Hopefully Verizon will have the formal fix for this bug before the 24.5-day “good” working cycle ends.

via Android This Week: ARM Alliance Formed; Droids Fix Themselves?.

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/21/arm-alliance-formed-droids-fix-themselves/feed/ 0 Revolutionary Ricoh’s GXR http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/revolutionary-ricoh%e2%80%99s-gxr/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/revolutionary-ricoh%e2%80%99s-gxr/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:48:53 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=571

Revolutionary Ricoh’s GXR is a unique digital camera system that integrates the image sensor and the lens into a lens unit. By integrating the lens, image sensor and the image processing engine into a lens unit, Ricoh developed a single optimized unit with interchangeable lenses. Naturally, the image sensor is not exposed when lenses are changed and since the lens unit is self-contained it is inherently difficult for dirt and dust to enter. Image quality is enhanced by coupling the right image sensor to the right lens. There are two lens units: GR LENS A12 50mm F2.5 MACRO and the RICOH LENS S10 24-72mm F2.5-4.4 VC.

via DisplayBlog — Making sense of displays one post at a time..

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/revolutionary-ricoh%e2%80%99s-gxr/feed/ 0 The iPhone virus now has a payload http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/the-iphone-virus-now-has-a-payload/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/the-iphone-virus-now-has-a-payload/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:18:17 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=549 iPhone-3GiTWire has published a number of stories on the recent iPhone / iPod Touch virus Ikee and it was alluded in these that the naughty boys would pick up on the basic code and make it do something useful.

Guess what, they have already!

Reports are flooding in from a variety of virus research organisations that a new virus, called iPhone/Privacy.A is definitely stealing user data.  Peter James, of Intego, writing on his blog observes that, “When connecting to a jailbroken iPhone, this tool allows a hacker to silently copy a treasure trove of user data from a compromised iPhone: e-mail, contacts, SMSs, calendars, photos, music files, videos, as well as any data recorded by any iPhone app. Unlike the ikee worm, which signals its presence by changing the iPhone’s wallpaper, this hacker tool gives no indication that it has invaded an iPhone.

“Hackers using this tool will install it on a computer – Mac, PC, Unix or Linux – then let it work. It scans the network accessible to it, and when it finds a jailbroken iPhone, breaks into it, then steals data and records it.”

James also observes that there is no reason why this wouldn’t make a wonderful addition to a display PC in a computer store, after-all, computer store visitors are probably more likely to have jailbroken iPhones in their pocket!  Intego estimates that around 6 – 8% of all iPhones have been jailbroken.

David Harley, writing on his ESET blog confirms that the host-side data collection tool, being Python-based, will run on pretty-well any computer from MS-DOS, through Windows, Linux and Mac-OS.

By the way, for the (currently smug) non-jailbroken iPhone owners, noted virus researcher Charlie Miller of Independent Security Evaluators (interviewed by Computerworld earlier this week) observed that “While jailbreaking your iPhone puts you at risk for this particular bug, its not the case that non-jailbroken iPhones are immune to attack.  The SMS vulnerability I talked about at Black Hat [last July] also would give root access to an iPhone whether it was jailbroken or not. And I certainly didn’t find the only bug like that.”

Instructions on changing the SSH password are contained in the cooments to the original iTWire article on the subject.

via iTWire – The iPhone virus now has a payload.

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/the-iphone-virus-now-has-a-payload/feed/ 0 Modern Warfare 2 breaks UK record http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/modern-warfare-2-breaks-uk-record/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/modern-warfare-2-breaks-uk-record/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:14:04 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=551 84584_call_of_duty_modern_warfare_2_0Much-hyped video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has smashed UK sales records on its first day of release. The first-person shooter sold an estimated 1.23 million units and grossed around £47m, according to industry body Elspa.

The game sold almost double that of the previous record holder, Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV).

Hundreds of gamers gathered at shops around the world ahead of its release at 00:00 GMT on 10 November.

“These first day sales figures are astonishing and clear evidence that videogames are now mainstream in the UK,” said Michael Rawlinson, director general of the entertainment and leisure software publishers association (Elspa).

“Our form of interactive entertainment has completely come of age.”

The publishers of Modern Warfare 2, Activision, have predicted total sales of 3m across the UK while some analysts believe it could sell 10m copies globally in the run up to Christmas.

Robert Kotick, CEO of Activision, described it as “one of the largest entertainment launches of any media of all time”.

Modern Warfare 2 is the sixth instalment in the Call of Duty series and gives players the chance to be a member of a military strike force that takes on a Russian ultra-nationalist terrorist group.

The game has drawn criticism because one section, prefaced by a warning screen, involves a player joining a massacre of civilians at an airport.

Labour MP Keith Vaz condemned the game saying he was “absolutely shocked” by its violence.

In response, Activision said the scene was “not representative of overall experience”.

Labour MP Tom Watson has set up a Facebook group to defend games such as Call of Duty from their critics.

“This is specifically intended for an adult audience and accordingly has emotional, adult content,” said Mr Rawlinson.

“As an 18-rated videogame, it is important that this game is not played by children, and parents should be appropriately vigilant.”

Here’s the official Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Trailer (HD):

via BBC NEWS | Technology | Modern Warfare 2 breaks UK record.

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/modern-warfare-2-breaks-uk-record/feed/ 0 Motorola marks a milestone with the announcement of its first Android-powered device in Canada http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/motorola-marks-a-milestone-with-the-announcement-of-its-first-android-powered-device-in-canada/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/motorola-marks-a-milestone-with-the-announcement-of-its-first-android-powered-device-in-canada/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:01:06 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=525 Motorola Android Launched in Canada

Motorola Android Launched in Canada

Motorola Milestone(TM) delivers the experience you’ve always wanted on a mobile device with the world’s thinnest QWERTY slider

TORONTO, Nov. 10 /CNW/ – Motorola Canada today announced it will bring its first Android(TM)-powered device, the much-anticipated Motorola Milestone, only to TELUS customers in early 2010. Motorola Milestone, powered by the newest version of Android, sets a new standard for what a smartphone should be with a richer mobile web experience, superior messaging and top-of-the-line multi-media features in an innovative design that could only come from Motorola.

Milestone features the best of both worlds with a full QWERTY keyboard and touch-screen capabilities, as well as the opportunity for users to customize their mobile like never before with widgets and the freedom to run multiple applications at once.

“With Motorola Milestone, Canadians will no longer be limited in what they can do with their smartphone,” said Rick Gadd, vice-president, Motorola Canada Mobile Devices. “They will experience the web the way they’ve always wanted on a mobile device, with lightning fast speeds and pages that show them more.”

via MOTOROLA CANADA LIMITED | Motorola marks a milestone with the announcement of its first Android-powered device in Canada.

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/12/motorola-marks-a-milestone-with-the-announcement-of-its-first-android-powered-device-in-canada/feed/ 0 Dell Mini 9 modded into motion sensitive, touchscreen tablet http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/11/dell-mini-9-modded-into-motion-sensitive-touchscreen-tablet/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/11/dell-mini-9-modded-into-motion-sensitive-touchscreen-tablet/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:44:40 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=521 True, this ain’t the first Dell Mini tablet hack we’ve laid eyes on — but what we do have here is a pretty sweet mod by MyDellMini forum member “rock99rock” (must be his confirmation name). In addition to replacing his Dell Mini 9 display with a touchscreen kit, our man re-jiggered an ActionXL motion sensing controller to allow the screen to rotate as you rotate the device. Not bad, eh? Hit that read link for some real radical instrucciones — but not before checking out the enthralling video after the break.

via Dell Mini 9 modded into motion sensitive, touchscreen tablet (video).

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]]> http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/11/dell-mini-9-modded-into-motion-sensitive-touchscreen-tablet/feed/ 0 Nokia starts delivery of top model N900 http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/11/nokia-starts-delivery-of-top-model-n900/ http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/2009/11/11/nokia-starts-delivery-of-top-model-n900/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:40:32 +0000 TGReviews Team http://www.topgadgetreviews.com/?p=523 Nokia N900

Nokia N900

Nokia (NOK1V.HE) has started deliveries of its new top-of-the-range model N900, a key product for the world’s top phone maker in its battle against rivals iPhone and Blackberry.

Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in a speech the company started deliveries of the phone on Tuesday.

The N900 model is Nokia’s first phone running the Linux Maemo operating system, which analysts see as a key for Nokia to regain ground in the coming years.

Nokia has kept its overall market share stable, close to 40 percent, but it has lost share among more expensive models to the likes of Apple (AAPL.O) and RIM (RIMM.O)(RIM.TO).

High-end products are important for Nokia because the company has not only lost market share there, but its average selling prices have declined faster than the industry average.

Goldman Sachs has said it expects Nokia’s value share — a measure reflecting average prices and underlying market share — for phones costing more than $350 to decline to 13 percent this year from 33 percent just two years before.

via Nokia CEO says starts delivery of top model N900 | Reuters .

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