The Charming 710

The New Sony S Tablet

The new fastrack watches!

The New Arc S

Xperia Arc S – slim, stylish and faster than ever The Xperia Arc was a highlight in Sony Ericsson’s portfolio this year: a super-slim, über-stylish handset with a high-resolution display. So, the news that it’s now available in a version with a faster processor should be welcome, even if the new chip is the only upgrade.

The new Arc S model comes in a fetching, fashion-forward white gloss livery, though in all other ways it’s cosmetically identical to the Arc. Well, almost: the power button on the original Xperia Arc drew criticisms because it was too flush with the case to be easily pressed.

That power button issue has been addressed and it’s now easy to turn the phone on and off, which is something you want from any gadget. Note that the sleek Xperia Arc S’s edge-mounted camera button also attracted criticism and this still requires a firmer press than is properly comfortable.SONY BRAVIA DISPLAY ON A PHONE That dazzling high-resolution display is intact, and continues to use a version of the image-processing Bravia engine found in Sony TVs. As before, the display sits right up at the surface, not recessed underneath it, adding to the Xperia Arc S’s brightness and sharpness. Sony Ericsson has mounted an impressive 8MP camera on the Arc S and though shutter lag wasn’t entirely absent, that slightly finicky dedicated camera shutter will take a shot near-instantly given a full press. As a bonus, the Arc S has the half-press autofocus familiar from most dedicated cameras. A nice, ahem, touch. Image results are strong, though at the full 8MP resolution you can’t shoot widescreen.

Video recording remains as impressive as it was on the first Arc, with autofocus active as you film, which is cool. It includes image stabilisation among its features, which is always handy/ ARC S POWER AND PERFORMANCE But what does that extra-fast processor the Sony Ericsson’s packing really mean? Well, for one thing, it enables you to shoot 3D images on the camera using Sony’s Sweep Panorama function. You can’t play the images back in 3D on the phone – it’s not lenticular like those of the HTC Evo 3D or LG’s Optimus 3D – but a 3DTV will do it, or you can see them in 2D on the blower.

The Arc S also has Sony’s new video and music download services built in, so you can watch movies on the handset. Of course, a service is only as good as its offering but it’s a great feature to have.XPERIA ARC S MAGIC BUTTON FOR SCREEN SHOTZ... And there’s one more feature, though it’s not something everyone will want. A long press on the power button gives an extra option: to take a screenshot. Journalists and bloggers love the ability to capture what’s on screen, and maybe you’ll be glad of this too, occasionally.

There’s no doubt the Xperia Arc S is one of the best-looking Sony Ericsson has yet delivered, and the bonus of the sprightlier chip means an already accomplished handset now has more strings to its bow. If you admired the first one, you’ll like this even more. Tech Features Bluetooth: Yes Main camera resolution: 8MP Operating system :Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Screen resolution: 480x854 Screen size: 4.2in Standby time: 470 hrs Storage: 1GB Talk time: 7hrs 30minVideo Resolution: 720p @30fps Weight: 117g Wi-Fi: Yes Xenon: 

Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption

The New Mafia 3

Mafia (also known by its full title, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven Underworld) is a third-person shooter video game initially made for Microsoft Office in 1998 (and later ported to the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox in 2004). It was developed by Czech company Illusion Softworks and published by Gathering of Developers. The game allows the player to take on the role of a mafioso who has to accomplish various missions in order to advance in the game. It received strong critical reaction and continued to maintain a loyal cult following. As of March 12, 2008, Mafia has sold 3 million copies according to Take-Two Interactive. On August 21, 2007, Take-Two Interactive announced Mafia II at the 2007 Leipzig Games Convention, developed by Illusion Softworks, now renamed 2K Czech. As of September 7, 2010, the game is available via Steam.

Gameplay Mafia's storyline gameplay consists of driving, mainly easy city cruise between different locations, as well as chases and races; the rest of the game is based on third-person on-foot navigation and shooting - all inter-connected with cutscenes. In addition to the photo-realistic city and a huge countryside, detailed interiors like the city's airport, a museum, a church, a hotel, an abandoned prison, restaurants and Don Salieri's bar are included. Weather changes and day/night cycles are also in use. 51 classic American cars around the city can be driven in Mafia, plus 19 bonus cars (of which 5 are racing models) unlockable after the main mode and the opening of a new game mode. Cars are introduced periodically - in the beginning of the game, early 1920s models drive on the streets of the city, while models from 1930 begin appearing in later game stages. Police book players for minor offenses such as speeding or running a red light, and car accidents cause physical harm to the driving player. While other forms of transport are available, such as trams and elevated rails, they are only ridable and not drivable by the player. Mafia is also noted for having comprehensive damage physics on nearly all vehicles. While substantially more robust than their real counterparts, smaller and weaker vehicles stand less abuse before breaking down and finally exploding, than large armoured vehicles. More realism is added here compared to other games in the same genre, such as the ability to puncture the fuel tank, overheat the engine, and the ability to break transmission gears. Many exterior components (such as windows, tires, headlights, and bumpers) can be removed from most vehicles with physical means such as crash-driving, hitting with blunt weapons (fists, baseball bat) as well as firing weapons at them.

Law and order The police department in Lost Heaven uphold the various laws that have been set. When these laws are broken in view of the police, they will respond by booking the player with offenses that can be "minor" or "serious". Minor offenses (such as speeding in a vehicle or running a red light) will end up with the player being fined (-$1,000 in Freeride mode, no monetary value in campaign mode), and serious offenses (such as physical assault, or visible display of a weapon) can lead to the player being arrested for the first offense, or a shootout with the police until the player or they are dead. A series of four successive minor offenses qualify as a "serious" offense. Police force increases with the severity of the player's disregard of the law to a point where now well armed police form blockades with tire spike strips in attempt to defeat the player while firing from behind their cars. Certain criminal acts most people would expect to warrant a response from the police do not, such as driving on the sidewalk or on the wrong side of the road. In the early stages of game development, ignoring "yield" and "do not enter" signs were to be considered as offenses, but this was later changed. The police AI do not recognize computer AI violations. In freeride, the police will ignore violent actions against the player.

Sony Xperia S

The new Polymer phones

The New Xperia S Specifics.!

The Brand New L.A.Noire...!

The game takes place in the year 1947 in the city of Los Angeles, a city of glamour, fame, and wealth, but also where crime, vice, and corruption are rife. The player assumes the role of Los Angeles Police Department Officer and later Detective Cole Phelps.[27][28] The game starts with Phelps as a uniformed patrolman,[29] and follows his career as he advances through the police department bureaus of Traffic, Homicide, Vice and Arson. Instead of missions or levels, the game assigns the player with cases. Each desk gives the player a new partner who will help Phelps in his investigations. After each case, the player will receive a rating of 1-5 stars depending on their performance in both interrogations and searching for clues. When searching an area for clues to the crime, in some cases, players can also find newspapers. Besides reading the story, the newspapers give access to a short cinematic that covers a part of the game's overarching plot or a flashback to Phelps' war memories. Near the end of the final desk, Arson, the player assumes control of Phelps's old Marine comrade Jack Kelso, who becomes the protagonist for the rest of the game; although different in appearance and personality, he controls identically to Phelps. The game blends investigative elements such as mystery and crime solving, with fast-paced action sequences, including on-foot and car chases, hand-to-hand combat, interrogations and gunfights.[27] In addition to the storyline cases, the player can work on optional side-investigations known as Street Crimes, which are 40 unassigned cases that are not related to the case that you are working on. The player can travel on foot, as well as in various vehicles. The player also has a total of ten detective suits available; an initial six, plus four downloadable ones. The suits are equipped with special abilities, such as increased damage protection.

Phelps interrogating a witness at a crime scene. Part of the gameplay includes interrogating both witnesses and suspects in order to progress through the case. When the player is interrogating suspects and witnesses, the player must listen to the story that he or she gives. The player will be given the option to either believe them, doubt them or accuse them of lying. (If the player accuses them of lying, the player must have evidence to prove that they're lying.) If the player interrogates two people at the police station, the player will be able to decide who to charge for the crime. The captain's attitude will tell if the player charged the right person. If the player is having trouble completing an action sequence, after three failed attempts, they will have the option to skip past and continue through the narrative.[30] Weapons are only allowed in appropriate circumstances and only when a player is working on a case where a weapon is warranted. However, players are allowed to commandeer civilian cars. The game features a free roam mode called "The Streets of L.A.", which is unlocked on completion of a desk. In this mode, players can solve street crimes, search for gold film reels, landmarks and badges (some of which contribute to 100% completion of the game) or just drive around the city

With iPad 3 Coming, New Tablet Price Wars Pending? Barnes & Noble bows cheaper Nook, BlackBerry upgrades PlayBook tablet OS, pre-iPad 3 released

It now looks as if Apple will announce its next-generation iPad tablet PC – the iPad 3 – on March 7 (although Apple hasn't yet officially set the date), with availability likely the week after. Other than the much-speculated upgrades ("iPad 3 To Go On Sale In Early March?"), possibly the biggest boon to consumers looking to buy their first tablet will be the likely iPad 2 price drop, at least for a limited time (i.e. as long as supplies last). When Apple started selling the iPhone 4S, for instance, it dropped the price of the still-impressive 8 GB iPhone 4 from $199 to $99. I don't think Apple will slice the price of the iPad 2 in half, from $499 to $249 for the 8 GB model. But even at, say, $300, iPad 2 beats all other cutting-edge Android tablets and could trigger a price war – good news for nouveau tablet buyers. Barnes & Noble and RIM, the makers of the BlackBerry PlayBook – are being a bit more proactive prior to iPad 3's pending profusion. Barnes & Noble has just announced an 8 GB Nook priced at $199, which, to be honest, is more a reaction to the 8 GB/$199 Kindle Fire e-reader/tablet than to iPad 3. Kindle Fire has outsold every other tablet other than iPad, and especially the over-priced $249 Barnes & Noble Nook. Since you can add memory to the Nook (and you can't to the Kindle Fire), and since you can buy a 32 GB memory card for $30 or less to boost the Nook's memory capacity, spending $50 for just 8 GB more memory for the $249 16 GB Nook makes no fiscal sense. In addition, Barnes & Noble has further slashed the price on the original Nook Color from $199 to $169.

The "Dazzling" Xperia - S

The Sony Xperia S is the first smartphone to feature Sony without Ericsson and with a HD screen, 12MP cam and NFC technology, it’s clear that the Xperia S is a serious statement of intent. But has Sony Mobile’s latest smartphone got what it takes to become Android’s new champion against potent rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Apple's iPhone 4S?

Sony Xperia S – design This is a big slice of smartphone, but one that looks undeniably swish. We’re not completely sold on the clear bar that labels Android’s navigation buttons above and lights up in use, but that’s just our taste. Given the size, the Xperia S is comfortable in the hand and the positioning of the volume controls halfway up the body is a thoughtful ergonomic touch. Only a slightly rattling plastic back cover lets the side down, a flaw that is not shared by the iPhone 4S whose build quality is exceptional.

Sony Xperia S – screen When on standby the Xperia S fools you into thinking it has a bezel-less screen. The genuine HD resolution of 1280x720 was the norm for full-size TVs not so long ago, and although the 4.3in screen offers a smaller viewing area than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus’ 4.65in screen, it more than bests Apple's iPhone 4S in the size department. Sony Mobile’s superior picture processing tech also results in a movie-watching experience that other smartphones simply can’t match.

Sony Xperia S – processor and battery With a 1.5GHz dual-core processor the Xperia S serves up more power than the both the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus and is a seriously pokey smartphone that’s able to rip through demanding games, HD movies and general multi-tasking without breaking a sweat. That substantial power matched to the big HD screen may equal fun times, but they can be relatively short-lived – daily recharges are vital and under intensive use you’ll be looking at more like 7-8 hours.

Sony Xperia S – OS and usability Sony’s new flagship phone uses an aging operating system, but Android 2.3 does look especially crisp and clean here. Operation isn’t always quite as silky-smooth as you might expect though, with a little jerkiness creeping in from time to time, especially when switching orientation and quickly navigating the web. We’re assured that Ice Cream Sandwich is on the way, and we expect that to make the user experience more tasty.

Sony Xperia S – camera Smartphone camera pixel counts have been creeping inexorably upwards forever, but Sony’s taken a running leap ahead with a stupendous 12.1MP lens. The shots it takes are superbly crisp and naturally coloured, but perhaps most impressive is that the phone will go from standby to capture in just 1.5 seconds. Video is similarly excellent, with fantastic shake removal. The Sweep Panorama mode works well, too, and there’s even the option to take 3D panoramas, although in our tests those didn’t turn out well. It’s no biggie.

Sony Xperia S – SmartTags And the prize for doing something interesting with NFC goes to... Sony! Four coloured SmartTags come in the box with most Xperia S handsets, and these can be stuck anywhere you like and used to automatically activate particular profiles when you wave your phone within range. How about one in the car to automatically open Google Maps and connect to your Bluetooth stereo, and one next to the bed to activate your alarm?

Sony Xperia S – media sharing If you can tear yourself away from its gorgeous screen, you can choose to display photos or play movies stored on the Xperia S on your telly via a HDMI cable. Alternatively, Airplay-style wireless tech can have you streaming video to your TV at the press of a ‘Play On’ button, which is a very neat trick.

You can also use the ‘Play On’ icon to send music to your web-connected AV and hi-fi equipment. Sony’s Music Unlimited is another viable choice, combining the on-demand music streaming of Spotify with the library-aping skills of iTunes Match. There’s even a Shazam-style feature that adds any song you ‘capture’ straight to your library. All of these apps should work almost as well on other DLNA-enabled TVs and network music players, and if they don’t for your kit, the Android Market has many other DLNA apps that will.

Sony Xperia S – verdict The Xperia S may be the first Sony smartphone to drop the Ericsson moniker, but make no mistake – this is not a greenhorn smartphone. The combination of a powerful dual-core processor, a stunning 4.3in screen and smart NFC and media sharing capability make the Sony Xperia S one of the best Android devices currently available, besting the flagship Samsung Galaxy Nexus in most areas bar the lack of Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. If you want to stray over from the Apple camp and try the very best that Android has to offer, you couldn't go far wrong with the Sony Xperia S