Kinect officially coming to Windows this February

Kinect is officially coming to Windows this February and depending on which camp you’re from, this could mean good news or news you really couldn’t care about. Microsoft’s answer to the Wii started off primarily as a gaming peripheral but has now become so much more than that. In fact, as a gamer I personally feel Kinect games just plain suck. They’re unresponsive, juvenile and forgive the stereotyping but they try way too hard to appeal to either women or children.

Will you pick up Kinect for Windows?

SEGA tried giving Kinect its first M rated game but that failed miserably. With the move to Windows, I’m hoping developers make better use of Kinect’s hands-free functionality and move beyond Wii sports knock offs. CEO Steve Ballmer may have confirmed Kinect’s existence for Windows at CES 2012 but he did not divulge any price. Amazon seems to think the device will sell for $249, $100 more than its console counterpart but once again, this isn’t official.

So how do you feel about this? Will you be picking up Kinect for Windows this February

1mm Bezel 3D Cinema Screen LCD HDTV Unveiled By LG

If you are one of those people like myself that aren’t too keen on bezels around the edge of your HDTV screens. You might be interested in the new Cinema Screen LCD HDTV unveiled by LG this week at the Las Vegas CES show which sports a tiny 1mm bezel.
The new LG Cinema 3D Smart TV has been created to sport the tiny bezel to help viewers comfortably slip into immersive 3D viewing, says LG. Providing the perfect display for either viewing 3D movies, TV or gaming.

It also features great gaming technology allowing two different players to only see their perspective whilst gaming, during gameplay with games that support the new technology. Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Home Entertainment Company explains:
“The 3D experience is still evolving and we at LG intend to push the limits of what 3D can deliver,”-”With our 2012 CINEMA 3D Smart TVs, we have been able to take a significant step forward, thanks to a series of new and upgraded 3D features led by the CINEMA SCREEN Design.”
More details about the new range of 1mm bezel HDTVs are expected to emerge during the next week at CES.

Sony Xperia Ion Android Smartphone Announced

Sony has announced their first Xperia smartphone that will be produced under their Sony brand rather than the Sony Ericsson brand, the Sony Xperia Ion and it features a 4.6 inch HD Reality display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.
The Sony Xperia Ion is powered by a dual core 1.5GHz processor and it features 16GB of built in storage, there is also a 12 megapixel rear camera which can record full HD video in 1080p, and the camera uses Sony’s latest Exmor R sensor.

The Xperia Ion comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, although Sony has said it will get an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, it also features  LTE, NFC, HD sharing with DLNA, HDMI and Sony’s Bravia Sync.
The Sony Xperia Ion will be available in the US with mobile carrier AT&T in the second quarter of 2012.

Basis B1 band hands-on

The folks at BASIS Science, Inc have let loose a device by the simple name Basis B1 band, a fitness armband with a display which shows off your accelerometer-based health statistics – the things going on in your body here on your wrist, that is. This is certainly a much more simple version of what we’ve seen in, for example, the Motorola MOTOACTV, and wont give the WIMM a run for its money, but then again – perhaps that’s what people want! Have a peek at our hands-on look and let us know if you want to get simple with your health collecting.


What this band represents is the simplest way to get the beats of your body, it able to connect to your profile through mybasis.com and update you on how your body is working out. This Web dashboard is updated by data you feed to it through the microUSB port on the side of the face of the band. The whole thing is also waterpoof for you sweaters out there.
You’ve got an accelerometer, Galvanic Skin Response sensors to track perspiration and body temperature, and your ambient temperature as well.

Asus Eee Pad MeMo ME370T packs in Tegra 3 for $250

Nvidia and Asus have a really good thing going on and products like the Transformer Prime are a perfect example of the synergy between the two teams. At the ongoing CES 2012, they seemed to have upped the ante and quite simply, have struck a blow to the competition. Nvidia CEO, Jen-Hsun Huan, unveiled a new 7-inch Asus tablet called the Eee Pad MeMo ME370T, which is said to pack in Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chip, Ice Cream Sandwich and still cost only $249!

Cant wait for this!

The ME370T will features a 1280 x 800 IPS display, 1GB of RAM and 16/32GB internal storage options. The primary camera is either a 5MP or an 8MP shooter and is capable of 1080p video recording while the front facing camera is 1.2MP. More importantly, Nvidia showcased a new feature of Tegra 3 called DirectTouch, which uses the chips companion core to sample touch on the device more frequently, which makes it more responsive. How, this will affect the battery life is yet to be seen. Other details are still very sketchy at this moment as Asus is holding their cards close to their chest until it officially goes on sale in Q2 2012.

Sony takes the wraps of the Xperia ion

The Xperia handsets have been officially rebranded and now go solely under the ‘Sony’ only moniker. The first handset from the Sony stable is the Xperia ion and it was officially introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. This handset was released alongside the Xperia S and it will be the first handset from Sony with LTE capabilities. The Xperia ion boasts of some incredible features, which include a 4.6-inch display, the ability to access to Sony services like Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited as well as being a PlayStation certified handset.

First Sony branded handset announced

Here is a peek at the highlighted features of the Sony Xperia ion:

• Android 2.3 Gingerbread
• 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 with an Adreno 220 GPU
• 4.55-inch Sony's BRAVIA Engine Reality display with a resolution of 1280 x 720
• 16GB internal storage
• 1GB RAM
• MicroSD card support up to 32GB
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi, LTE
• Bluetooth v3.0, microUSB v2.0,
• 12 MP AF rear camera with 1080p video recording at 30fps
• VGA front facing camera

The Xperia ion is set to make its U.S debut in the second quarter of 2012. but as of now there is no information on when the smartphone will launch globally or at what price.

India accused of hacking into U.S commission's emails

In a startling volley of allegations, India has been accused of being guilty of hacking a U.S commission's e-mail communications, which primarily dealt with the economic and security relations between U.S and China. Reports confirm that hackers from an Indian government spy unit managed to post on the Internet, what is being understood be an Indian military intelligence document on cyber-spying. The document, reportedly discussed at length on ways to target the U.S - China commission aided with the expertise lent by western mobile phone manufacturers. The document, reportedly, also included transcripts of the emails exchanged between members of the commission.

Investigations are on

While investigations to verify the report are still on, members of the commission have shockingly revealed that the emails are genuine. A spokesperson for the commission stated that, "We are aware of these reports and have contacted relevant authorities to investigate the matter. We are unable to make further comments at this time."

Kyobo Mirasol eReader with Android

Here at CES 2012 is the Qualcomm Mirasol color e-paper technology. We’ve seen this before with the Kyobo eReader that is currently available in South Korea, but today we received some hands-on time with it for the first time in the US. This color e-paper technology is delivering unrivaled battery life to eReaders lasting up to 3 weeks while running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Check out or hands-on below.


We’ve been tracking the Mirasol technology for some time and all our coverage is available at the links below. With Mirasol Qualcomm has brought color e-paper technology to eReaders while managing to offer stunning visuals indoors and even better outdoors, while not letting up on battery life.
Qualcomm’s color display technology promises color, video-capable e-paper with battery life akin to monochrome E Ink screens. This particular panel is a 5.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display using Qualcomm’s front-light technology that uses LEDs to make the eReader usable in darkness, and better in direct sunlight. Being front-lit rather than backlit enables the display to not fight with incoming light sources and instead harness the light to enhance and brighten the on screen image. Refresh rate is a big concern with eReaders and from our hands-on video you can clearly see Qualcomm and Mirasol have made some huge strides to their technology.

Kyobo, Korea’s largest bookseller — offers over 100,000 ebooks for the Mirasol eReader, as well as video education content and many other educational options, integration with social networking services and English text-to-speech support. With magazines for the down-time between study classes and possibly 3 weeks of battery life this will be one interesting eReader. The Kyobo eReader is available already starting at $310 USD in South Korea but finally seeing it here in the US means we could be enjoying this technology in markets here soon.

Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX hands-on

Motorola earlier today announced the rumored DROID RAZR MAXX. For those confused as Motorola just recently launched the original DROID RAZR, the RAZR MAXX is almost the same phone only slightly thicker and offering unparalleled battery life — especially for a 4G LTE device. This new addition comes complete with a 3,300 mAh battery and manages to stay almost RAZR thin.


The original RAZR that has only been available a few months is about to get replaced. Sound familiar Bionic/Droid 3 users? The RAZR comes in at 7.1mm thin while being powered by a 1,780 mAh battery. The new RAZR MAXX offers hours and hours of heavy usage with the largest battery of any recent smartphone — coming in at 3,300 mAh. Motorola has managed to keep the size down to keep the RAZR name and the new MAXX is only 8.9mm thick.
MAXX top, RAZR bottom

All the specs are exactly the same with the new MAXX other than the thickness but I’m sure most wont complain as it still holds its own against most current offerings from Moto’s competitors. The specs include the same 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 4.3″ qHD 960 x 540 resolution, Android 2.3 Gingerbread (ICS coming soon) 1GB of RAM and that 8 megapixel camera around back. Once more nothing has changed other than it gaining a few pounds and getting that huge 3,300 mAh battery.
Motorola has confirmed this will NOT replace the current RAZR and only be an additional option for the business or power user that demands more than all day battery life. The RAZR and new MAXX will be available in white, black, and purple in the coming weeks.

Canon unveils new PowerShot cameras and VIXIA camcorders

Canon unveiled a new line of no less than, six VIXIA HD flash memory camcorders, including three compact VIXIA HF M-series models (HF M52, HF M50, HF M500) and three entry-level VIXIA HF R-series models (HF R32, HF R30, HF R300). These  include improved functions and features to capture HD videos with high-resolution and superior quality. Canon has also equipped select models with Wi-Fi connectivity and DLNA compatibility, as well as the option to capture videos in MP4 format. Through the new Wi-Fi functions, users can share, view and store videos wirelessly, including the ability to upload videos directly to YouTube and Facebook, or to mobile devices such as an iPhone or iPad.

Flash based camcorders FTW!

In the world of point-and-shoot cameras, the Canon PowerShot G1 X, features the largest image sensor to date for a Canon PowerShot model. The camera packs a large 1.5-inch (18.7 x 14mm), 14.3-megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor, delivering exceptionally shallow depth of field, a wide dynamic range and incredible light gathering ability up to ISO 12800. The camera is also equipped with an amazing 4x Optical Zoom lens, featuring a 28mm-equivalent wide-angle setting, with a f/2.8 to f/16 aperture. The PowerShot G1 X shoots 1080p Full HD video with optical zooming and continuous AF, includes HDR Shooting and comes fully equipped with Canon's latest DIGIC 5 processor that enables the High-Speed Burst HQ feature.

The new PowerShot GX1

Last but not the least, we have two new chic PowerShot ELPH models, the ELPH 520 HS and ELPH 110 HS. Both PowerShot models are equipped with Canon's leading HS SYSTEM, featuring Canon's exclusive DIGIC 5 image processor that allows the cameras to achieve quality images in low-light settings, faster operation and improved spot-on colour accuracy. The contemporary looking Canon PowerShot ELPH 520 HS features a 10.1-megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor, an ISO range up to 3200 and the world's thinnest 12x optical zoom with a 28mm-equivalent wide-angle setting. The ELPH 110 HS shoots 1080p Full HD video, includes a 24mm-equivalent wide-angle 5x Optical Zoom lens and offers a High-Speed Burst Mode to help ensure the perfect shot.