Friday, January 22, 2010

Apple iPhone 4 review

Apple iPhone 4 angleApple iPhone 4 front and sideApple iPhone 4 back and sideApple iPhone 4 sideApple iPhone 4 iBooksApple iPhone 4 FaceTime

Good

  • Insanely high-resolution screen
  • Improved email handling
  • Longer battery life
  • Wonderfully easy to use
  • Blazingly fast
  • Simple multitasking functionality
  • Much improved camera

Bad

  • Video calling that only works between iPhone 4 handsets over Wi-Fi
  • Signal drops when you hold the phone in a certain way
  • Doesn't feel as thin as it is
  • Expensive
  • Tied to iTunes software
At the start of summer, geeks stock up on sunscreen and mentally prepare for the annual reboot of a phone they either love, or love to hate -- Apple's iPhone. Wisely, Apple hasn't sought to reinvent the wheel with the iPhone 4, but its sleek new look, handful of exciting new hardware features, and refreshed software has still managed to make us fall in love once more.
But the iPhone 4 will leave a substantial dent in your wallet. If you buy it directly from Apple, SIM-free and unlocked for use on any network, the iPhone 4 will cost £499 for the 16GB version and £599 for the 32GB version. It's also available from free on a £45-a-month contract. You can find the best deal for you by checking our price-comparison article.
Glass and steel
The previous iPhone reboot, the iPhone 3GS, kept the same appearance as its predecessor, the iPhone 3G. This time, it's a whole new ball game, with the curved back of previous iPhones replaced by a flat, glass rear.

Apple's case protects the phone and should help with reception problems caused by obscuring the antenna
Apple says that glass is more resistant to scratches than plastic, but we've smashed enough screens to think that this change could be a boon to case manufacturers. For the first time, Apple is even flogging a case when you buy the phone from the online Apple store -- it's a 'bumper' that surrounds the edges of the phones with rubber.
Despite its flat front and back, and a case that's only 9mm thick, the iPhone 4 feels surprisingly solid and sturdy. But it doesn't feel as thin as it really is -- considering that it's the thinnest smart phone out there, it feels much like the 3GS, which is about 3mm thicker at its widest point, but rounded so it's thinner at the very edges. That's not to say that the iPhone 4 feels chunky -- it just doesn't feel as wafer-thin as we expected.
Appearance is always a matter of taste. Some may adore the iPhone 4's more industrial appearance, but others will prefer the rounded curves of the older models. We fall into the latter camp. Maybe that's just because we miss spinning the 3GS on its back when we're bored.
Call me quick
The glass back should also help the iPhone 4 to hold its network connection, since it should be transparent to radio signals. Although we adored almost everything about the previous iPhone, it was terrible for making boring old phone calls. The overloaded O2 network, which suffered from congestion when O2 was the only carrier to have the iPhone, was partly to blame for that.
The glass front and back are trimmed with a steel band around the edge, split into two pieces -- hence the seams that Gizmodo revealed when it leaked an iPhone 4 prototype. The seams have a purpose: the two pieces of steel act as antennas -- one for Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth, and the other for the mobile-phone network.
It sounds like a genius idea, but it didn't take ZDNet UK editor Rupert Goodwins long to figure out a flaw -- when you grab an antenna with your hands, it adversely affects reception. We tested the iPhone 4 with a Vodafone SIM card and, although we usually have five full bars of delicious Vodafone coverage in our elite testing tree house, the signal dropped to one lonely bar after a minute or so when we held the phone normally in our left hand. That means answering your phone in a one-bar environment could reduce the signal to zero bars, although we didn't experience that problem, thanks to Vodafone's solid coverage in our area.

Obscuring the seam on the iPhone 4's left side can lead to a reduction in signal strength
The drop in signal strength only seemed to occur when we held the phone in our left hand, with the bottom of our palm slightly covering the bottom-left corner of the phone. Holding the phone in our right hand, or along the top, didn't seem to affect reception. We lost one bar just by pressing a fingertip against the seam that's on the bottom-left corner, so perhaps this is where the trouble lies. We'll be getting our crack team of antenna engineers to investigate the issue more thoroughly soon.
We did experience one call that failed to connect and went straight to voicemail, so it seems that the iPhone's call issues haven't been totally resolved. We'll be keeping our eyes on this issue during our long-term test of the phone, during which we'll use other networks, so stay tuned.
The iPhone 4 includes an extra microphone for noise-cancelling purposes. We compared the phone to a Google Nexus One, which also has noise-cancelling microphone, by making a call next to a TV playing vuvuzela-blaring World Cup coverage. We called the same landline phone from both mobiles, and both calls were clear and audible, although the Nexus One did a marginally better job of cutting out background noise. We also found that the output of the iPhone 4's speaker was easier to hear than that of previous iPhones, and we didn't have to place it as accurately against our lugholes.
Look into my retinas
Besides its glass makeover, the iPhone 4's dolled itself up with a spectacular-looking new display. Apple's calling it a 'retina display', and it has a 960x640-pixel resolution, which is quadruple the number of pixels sported by the iPhone 3GS in the same 89mm (3.5-inch) area.
The 3GS' 480x320-pixel screen is lovely and very usable, but the iPhone 4's display is noticeably better. Even compared to the stunningly clear, 480x854-pixel screen of the Motorola Milestone, the iPhone 4's display has the advantage because of its bright whites and midnight-dark blacks.
The screen makes everything look crisper, and, since user-interface elements like buttons are vector graphics, many parts of apps will look better without developers having to rebuild them to take advantage of the increased resolution. But, ironically, the extra resolution reveals the fuzziness of icons and images that haven't been scaled up to handle it.
It's definitely a case of the more pixels the merrier as far as ebooks and Web pages are concerned. The text on Web pages looks as sharp as a razor -- no matter how closely you zoom in -- and ebooks also look wonderful.

Apple's iBooks app has made it to the iPhone 4. The super-sharp screen means ebooks look great
That's good news given the revelation that Apple's ebook app, iBooks, is coming to the iPhone from the iPad. If you're a proud iPad owner, the ebooks that you buy on there will be available to download again for free on the iPhone 4. But you may be annoyed by one quirk of iBooks on the iPhone 4 -- the buttons to open the store and edit your library are reversed compared to the iPad's, for no good reason we can see.
Fourth time's the charm
The iPhone 4 runs the latest version of the iPhone operating system, iOS 4. We're fervent fans of the iPhone's intuitive user interface, and iOS 4 adds some features we've been craving, including a light dusting of multitasking. That means you can theoretically listen to Spotify while you surf, or make a Skype call at any time -- once the companies have updated their apps to take advantage of the feature --  because the app is always running in the background.
The multitasking feature already offers advantages, even without updated apps. For example, Web pages will load in the background while you go off and do something else, and you can stop writing an email to look something up in your notes, without losing what you've written.
It's basic stuff compared to what's offered by a desktop computer, since only a few, restricted program types can run in the background, such as VoIP and music apps. But this feature is easy to use and doesn't drain the iPhone's battery as much as true multitasking would.

FaceTime lets you make video calls to other iPhone 4 owners -- but only over Wi-Fi
The iPhone's email app has also received some polish. You can now read new emails from all your accounts in one combined inbox, and group conversations as in Gmail. The Palm Pre Plus and BlackBerry range of phones also handle email very well, but these improvements put the iPhone 4 up there with the best touchscreen smart phones in this field.
Finally, Apple has given us some power over our home screens with iOS 4. Previously, the only thing you could do to make your phone your own was to slap an image on the lock screen and order your apps. Now you have the option to add wallpaper to the home screens and sort your icons into folders. It's not much, but it's a welcome change, especially since there are apps that you may not have any interest in, such as Stocks (especially once you've blown your nest egg on the latest iPhone), but are unable to delete.
You can also get iOS 4 on the 3GS, so it's not unique to the iPhone 4. For more information on what's new, check out our full iOS 4 story, and also see our detailed comparison of iOS 4 and the latest iteration of Google's Android operating system, version 2.2.
LED light, camera, action
Apple has bumped up the resolution of the iPhone's camera to 5 megapixels, and added an LED photo light to help out in dark situations. With a steady hand, it's easy to get decent shots with the iPhone 4 and, thanks to the LED light, shots in dim conditions are surprisingly good. The on-screen controls for the LED light are easy to use. We also love the touch-to-focus feature, which does just what it says on the tin, providing a quick, intuitive way to let the phone's automatic focus and brightness controls know what you really want to capture.
Naturally, the phone's snapper can't compete with a compact camera in terms of photo quality or exposure controls, but we'd be happy to have the iPhone 4 in our pocket for those Facebook photo emergencies.
The biggest bonus of the iPhone 4's camera is its super-fast shutter speed. It takes only a split second to capture a shot after you've pressed the on-screen shutter button. That's a big bonus in those situations when you really need to take a photo.
The iPhone 4 also records 720p, high-definition video at 30 frames per second, and video has the same tap-to-focus feature that previous iPhones only offered when taking still photos. In our tests, the video quality was fine, but film suffered from extreme shutter roll, with the world seeming to wobble like jelly because the camera's processor can't handle motion well enough. Don't expect the quality of a dedicated camcorder, and you won't be disappointed by mobile-phone video that's good enough for capturing occasional shenanigans.
iTunes makes it easy to sync your photos, along with music and apps, as long as you don't mind being locked to one computer and one program. Other phones offer much more flexibility. For example, you can't store just any file on your iPhone, as you can with many other phones that work as external flash drives. But, if you just want to keep it simple, iTunes will do the job, and it also gives you desktop access to Apple's huge music, video and app emporium.
Face up to your calls
The iPhone 4 also treats us to a camera on the front. This camera does take stills but it's mostly meant for video calling -- a feature that Apple has dubbed FaceTime. FaceTime seems to have impressed the Americans more than the concept of bacon weave, but we're not so easily wowed, since we've been basking in video calls in the UK for years.
Once more, Apple offers an easy-to-use interface that makes video calls easy to make and control. FaceTime has plenty of pleasing features, including the fact that the image of your friend's mug rotates automatically when your chum rotates their handset. But FaceTime only works between iPhone 4 handsets and only over Wi-Fi. We don't expect that FaceTime will usher in a new dawn for a feature that's failed to take off in the past.
Chat marathon
The major drawback of the iPhone has always been its paltry battery life, but, despite its thin case, the iPhone 4 promises to make improvements. Apple says we'll get 7 hours of talk time over 3G, and 300 hours of standby time from the new, bigger battery. We'll soon be putting these claims to the test, with a full battery showdown, so stay tuned for our results.
The iPhone 4 also ramps up the Wi-Fi speed, with support for the latest 802.11n standard. HSPA connectivity enables fast downloads and uploads over 3G.
The prize for the most unpredictable new feature goes to the iPhone 4's gyroscope, which helps out the phone's accelerometer when it comes to games and apps that need to know the exact orientation of the phone. We're looking forward to seeing what developers of augmented-reality apps come up with to exploit this quirky new toy, but, for now, it doesn't add much to the experience of using the phone.
Happily, Apple hasn't skimped on speed to support all of these new tricks, and the iPhone 4 is as nippy as a trip down a water slide covered in K-Y Jelly. Everything from apps to text messages pops up quickly, and the on-screen keyboard is thrillingly responsive. It also adds a spell-checking feature to make one of the best virtual keyboards in the business even better.
Conclusion
Apple had plenty to live up to after making three of the highest-rated phones on CNET UK, and, with fantastic Android-powered handsets such as the HTC Desire on the market, the competition is stiffer than ever. But we think Apple has done enough to stay ahead of its rivals, thanks to the iPhone 4's improved camera, the useful software tweaks in iOS 4, and a simply stunning screen. With a price that's often double that of competing handsets, the iPhone 4 is very expensive, but no other phone can offer quite the same sheer, silky pleasure. The iPhone 3GS is dead -- long live the iPhone 4.

Compare Nokia N70, N73, N90, N93

 
Nokia N70

Nokia N70

Nokia N73

Nokia N73

Nokia N90

Nokia N90

Nokia N93

Nokia N93

Change company and product
Review date 13 February 2006 25 August 2006 22 December 2005 31 August 2006
Editors' rating
3.5 out of 5
4.0 out of 5
4.0 out of 5
4.0 out of 5
Price range
Review summary The N70 and Nokia's 6680 are rather similar in looks and you could, on visuals alone, think the N70 is more of the same. But you'd be wrong. This is an altogether more advanced handset, with better specifications all round, and in most respects its quality shines
Read full review
The Nokia N73 has a 3.2-megapixel camera and one of the largest screens we've seen. However, this isn't totally aimed at snapshot photographers. If you're a feature fiend and want a 3G camera phone with smart phone extras then the N73 is worth checking out
Read full review
This is a big handset, but, unlike other clamshells, it is made up of three sections. Nokia has gone to town to incorporate the high-end Carl Zeiss optics and the company has come up with a camera phone that is superior to the competition, in terms of its image quality at the very least
Read full review
The N93 is similar to the N90, but it offers improved specifications all round and a new star attraction -- video capture. A Carl Zeiss 3.2-megapixel camera lens is fixed into the top of the clamshell for fun and games with moving images. If you want a tidy phone for your pocket, though, look elsewhere
Read full review
User rating
3 out of 5
Rate this
3 out of 5
Rate this
4.5 out of 5
Rate this
4.5 out of 5
Rate this
Camera resolution 2 megapixels 3.2 megapixels 2 megapixels 3.2 megapixels
Form factor Candy-bar Candy-bar Clamshell Clamshell
GPS No
No
Product type Feature phone Feature phone Feature phone Feature phone
Screen size 0 in. 0 in. 0 in. 0.1 in.
Weight 126 g 116 g 173 g 180 g
  Full specification Full specification Full specification Full specification

Philips 9000 LED Pro


Philips 40PFL9704H/12 anglePhilips 40PFL9704H/12 frontPhilips 40PFL9704H/12 backPhilips 40PFL9704H/12 logoPhilips 40PFL9704H/12 corner

Good

  • Great picture and sound quality
  • Picture-processing system works better than that of any other Philips TV we've seen
  • Ambilight is superb
  • Freeview and Blu-ray movies both look epic

Bad

  • Expensive
  • DLNA capability isn't up to much
Philips TVs usually leave us in something of a quandary. They're generally very capable sets with an enormous number of useful features. The problem is that these extras come at a pretty high cost, so, while the 40-inch, 1080p 40PFL9704H/12 LED-backlit LCD TV has every extra you could hope for, it also has a price tag that most of us simply won't be able to stretch to -- £1,800.
The 40PFL9704H/12 is expensive, but does it earn its keep? Is it the next Pioneer Kuro -- would we sacrifice everything we own for another 5 minutes looking at 1080p footage on its award-winning screen? Let's find out.
What you get for £1,800
Out of the box, we defy you not to be blown away by the look and feel of this TV. Its build quality is second to none. The brushed metal case looks fantastic, and the TV feels like it's been built out of materials that could last forever. The remote matches the glorious style of the TV, and feels like a premium product.

This TV's build quality is phenomenal. If nuclear war takes place, it'll probably survive
As with most Philips TVs, you'll also find the Ambilight lighting system included here. It's the newer, three-sided system, and we really like it. If you've never owned an Ambilight TV, then you won't know what you're missing, but trust us -- when you have used an Ambilight TV, you'll miss this feature when you watch a TV without it.
On first impressions, then, the TV isn't merely a rip-off -- it's actually a brilliantly designed and constructed set that screams quality. It also has enough features to make us think that perhaps it's worth the price tag.
LED backlights cost a packet
Sadly, it's a fact of TV design and manufacture that LED-backlit sets, particularly fully dimmable models with an array of LEDs behind the screen, cost more to make than normal tellies. The electronics are sophisticated, because the TV not only has to produce an image for the LCD panel, but also calculate which LEDs need to be turned on and which need to be left off at any given time.

As well as an HDMI port on the side, you get four on the rear
Are we defending the price? No, but you can at least see where your money's going. If you see a cheaper TV that has an 'LED backlight', then it's likely that it will use the cheaper edge-light system. In this simpler design, the LEDs are placed at the sides of the TV, and their light is diffused across the rear of the panel using reflectors. This has a cost and size advantage, but it's not possible to finely control the backlight, as it is in locally dimmable screens.
Network connectivity and YouTube
Like many modern TVs, the 40PFL9704H/12 can display video from online services like YouTube, or even over your home network using the DLNA standard. Sadly, we weren't impressed. YouTube worked okay, but video didn't play smoothly --we have a very high-speed network-- and the interface was pretty slow and sluggish.

Best Android phones

Choosing an iPhone is easy: do you want black or white? Buying an Android phone is more challenging, but potentially also more rewarding. Google's operating system can now be found on dozens on mobile phones, not to mention tablet computers, ebook readers and even televisions.
Whether you're looking for a palm-spanning multimedia powerhouse or just a compact, competent smart phone, there's an Android handset for you. But not every Android phone is created equal. A good place to start is to look at the version of Android a phone is running. Anything running version 1.6, 1.5 or -- we shudder to think of it -- older won't be able to run many of the latest, shiniest apps, like Google Maps Navigation. And it'll only get more frustrating in the future.
Versions 2.0 and 2.1 add smoother menus and better keyboards, while version 2.2 enables phones to share their 3G connection as a Wi-Fi hotspot (depending on your network) and (finally!) browse Flash websites. Some makers put their own software skin on top of Android. When this works, it can give Android a welcome dash of style. When it doesn't, it can be a hi-tech car crash, so try before you buy.
Also, spare a thought for the processor at the heart of the phone. The speedier the chip, the faster everything will work, from flicking through contacts to surfing the Web. A 500MHz processor should be able to handle the basics of calling, texting and undemanding apps, but 800MHz is a safer bet if you don't enjoy hanging around waiting for apps to open. Look out for 1GHz phones for the speediest service and real multi-tasking muscle.
The next step is to take a tape measure to your pocket to see how much space you've got for today's super-sized screens. Rampant display inflation means that 89mm (3.5 inches) is now nothing special, 94mm (3.7 inches) is the norm, and there's a bevy of fabric-bulging 109mm (4.3-inch) screens. Bigger screens are easier to navigate, great for viewing websites and superb for perusing videos, but they'll also munch through battery power more quickly.
As important as size is, a screen's resolution and touch technology are also key. Think twice before buying any phone with less than a 320x480-pixel resolution -- squinting at the screen eliminates virtually all of Android's cool factor. The sharpest phones max out at around 480x850 pixels, which is less than the iPhone 4's resolution but more than crisp enough for viewing photos and videos.
Cheaper Android phones tend to have resistive touchscreens. Manufacturers may gush about how you can use the screen with gloves on, but don't be fooled. Capacitive screens are faster, more responsive and offer true multi-touch capabilities. If you're lucky enough to find one of the few handsets with an OLED display, you'll enjoy brighter, richer colours than most LCD screens can provide.
Whether you'll want a slide-out Qwerty keyboard depends on how much texting and emailing you're likely to do, but consider this: the amazingly fast Swype for Android app can match most cramped physical keyboards for speed and looks approximately 1,000 times less geeky.
Finally, think about extra features. Do you want high-definition video recording or are you happy with a VGA resolution? Do you really need 8-megapixel photos, or will 5 or 3 megapixels do? Also, accelerometers and a digital compass are used by a surprising number of cutting-edge augmented-reality apps and games.
Now check out five of the best Android phones reviewed here at CNET UK. You'll never look enviously at a boring old iPhone again.

Motorola Milestone

The first smart phone to run Android 2.0, the fast and powerful Milestone packs tonnes of features into a hefty body with a stunning screen and slide-out Qwerty keyboard. While it lacks the style of the iPhone or Palm Pre, it's a great choice for users seeking a heavy-duty handset Read more
£450 check prices
Reviewed on 18 December 2009
Editors
4.0 stars out of 5
Users
4 stars out of 5

Google Nexus One

If you prize flexibility and freedom over style and smoothness, then Google's first handset, the Nexus One, may very well be the iPhone killer you've been looking for. A whopping, responsive touchscreen, speedy Snapdragon processor and the improved Android 2.1 operating system are among the abundant delights on offer Read more
£320 check prices
Reviewed on 19 January 2010
Editors
4.5 stars out of 5
Users
4.5 stars out of 5

HTC Desire

The Desire is an Android smart phone that fills our hearts with lust. It packs in every feature under the sun, along with a slick user interface, plenty of processing power and a whopping touchscreen that's a beauty to behold. If the iPhone isn't your cup of tea, you should check this handset out Read more
£400 check prices
Reviewed on 29 March 2010
Editors
4.5 stars out of 5
Users
4.5 stars out of 5

HTC Legend

The Legend takes everything that was great about its predecessor, the Hero, and makes it even better. The tweaked Sense user interface is slicker than ever, the handset's a feast for the eyes and it's a speed demon too. If you're seeking an alternative to the iPhone, check it out Read more
£380 check prices
Reviewed on 8 March 2010
Editors
4.5 stars out of 5
Users
5 stars out of 5

Samsung Galaxy S

The Galaxy S rocks a huge Super AMOLED screen and the Google Android operating system, but it looks like an iPhone 3GS both inside and out. Check out our review to find out if the Galaxy S is a smart phone with brains or just another iPhone wannabe Read more
£450 check prices
Reviewed on 28 June 2010
Editors
4.0 stars out of 5
Users

TVs Best TVs with a Freeview HD tuner

Freeview HD is the best-ever argument for the digital switchover. For the 50 per cent of the country that can currently pick them up, the high-definition channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and S4C are a razor-sharp, colour-saturated glimpse into the future.
Just like standard-definition Freeview channels, the HD ones are terrestrial broadcasts and free to everyone. All you need is a Freeview HD box -- or preferably a TV with a Freeview HD tuner already built in. Think of it this way: one less box in the living room means space for another inch or two on the screen.
It's still early days for Freeview HD, though. A postcode checker lets you see if your neighbourhood has upgraded yet. If it hasn't, you could be waiting until the digital switchover in 2012. Even if it has, most Freeview HD transmitters are operating at lower power levels until analogue telly is dead and buried, so you might experience dodgy reception, or need a better aerial.
At the moment, most Freeview HD sets have 40-inch screens and above. That makes sense. You can only really see the benefits of HD at 30 inches and above, and larger sets tend to have a fatter price tag that hides the added cost of an HD tuner.
Screen size and type should always be your first considerations when buying a TV. While larger screens can often mean more enjoyment, bigger isn't always better, especially in smaller homes or if you're going to watch plenty of standard-definition material. If you thought VHS image quality was bad, just wait until you've seen a dodgy SD Freeview channel blown up to 55 inches.
Many people think the battle between LCD and plasma technologies is over. It isn't. Plasma tellies may be hotter, heavier and more power-hungry than LCD sets but they still deliver gorgeously rich colours and butter-smooth high-speed action. LCD TVs have the edge in brightness and skinniness though, so test both before making your mind up.
Although super-sharp video is Freeview HD's most obvious benefit, don't forget that it also comes with multi-channel surround sound. But this is where it gets technical. Most Freeview HD broadcasts today are in the AAC format, which isn't supported by many existing home-cinema receivers, leaving you with plain old stereo sound.
Some Freeview HDTVs automatically transcode surround sound to the widely accepted Dolby AC-3 format, but this isn't obligatory for Freeview HD devices until April 2011. Until then, read spec sheets carefully before you buy.
All Freeview HDTVs also support subtitles, audio description, automatic software updates and have an Ethernet socket for vague 'future interactive services'. As these are still up in the air, don't expect on-demand viewing or widgets from Freeview HD anytime soon.
What you can expect, though, is more and better Freeview HD channels as analogue TV fades away. That's as good a reason as any to invest in a Freeview HD telly today. Here's a selection of the best ones out there.

Toshiba Regza SL (46SL753B)

The 46-inch, 1080p Toshiba Regza 46SL753B LCD TV with LED edge lights isn't exactly beautiful, but it could be a good choice if you want a TV for watching hi-def movies and playing games. As with most flat-screen TVs, you'll need an external speaker system to get decent audio, though Read more
£1100 check prices
Reviewed on 21 June 2010
Editors
3.5 stars out of 5
Users
0 out of 5

Philips 9000 LED Pro (40PFL9704H/12)

At around £1,800, we think the 40-inch, 1080p, LED-backlit 40PFL9704H/12 LCD TV is too expensive, but, as long as you're good friends with your bank manager, we're happy to recommend this set. Its construction, picture and sound quality, and feature set all scream class Read more
£1800 check prices
Reviewed on 29 January 2010
Editors
4.5 stars out of 5
Users
5 stars out of 5

Sony Bravia NX703 (KDL-46NX703)

Sony hasn't endeared itself to us in recent years with expensive TVs that weren't up to its former high standards, but the NX703 is part of a new wave of Bravias with a smart 'Monolith' design, Freeview HD and some very high-end Internet-connected features. Has Sony finally justified the price tag? Read more
£1700 check prices
Reviewed on 1 June 2010
Editors
4.5 stars out of 5
Users
4.5 stars out of 5

Sharp Aquos CT2 (LC-40CT2E)

The 40-inch, 1080p Aquos LC-40CT2E is an impressive budget LCD TV. Its standard-definition pictures could be better but it's a very good high-definition performer, and its built-in Freeview HD tuner is a welcome bonus at this price. It doesn't look as cheap as it is either Read more
£750 check prices
Reviewed on 21 May 2010
Editors
3.5 stars out of 5
Users
0 out of 5


Camcorders Canon Legria HF M32 camcorder

 
  We have a terrible memory. Many's the morning we find ourselves stumbling into work with no recollection whatsoever of the previous night. No such problems for the Canon Legria HF M32 camcorder, which gives you not one but two memory options.
As well as 64GB built-in flash memory, the M32 takes new high-capacity SDXC memory cards. It also supports Eye-Fi Pro X2 Wi-Fi cards for wireless image transfer.
Under the bonnet, the M32 packs a 3.3-megapixel CMOS sensor. It boasts an 18x zoom and 69mm (2.7-inch) touchscreen. A face-detection feature finds up to 35 faces in the frame.
The M32 lets you create montages of 2-, 4- or 8-second clips culled from longer videos. You can add music to the montage and save the full playlist, with music, as a single standard-definition movie file.
The Legria HF M32 arrives in September. Pricing is yet to be confirmed.