Blu-ray disc of the week: The Nightmare Before Christmas

October 24, 2008 · Filed Under Blu-ray, Movies, Uncategorized · Comment 

Nothing has ever looked better in Hi-Def

 

Plot

Bored of his yearly Halloween conquests, scare-master Jack Skellington branches out by kidnapping Santa Claus and adding a frightful flavour to the Christmas festivities.

 

 

The Review

If High Definition video ever needed a character witness in court, then we’d call to the stand that misguided old festive thief, Mr Jack Skellington.

 

 

Quite simply, the Pumpkin King and his town of Halloween offer the finest exponent of the Blu-ray format to date. Tim Burton’s classic stop-motion musical has always been visually stunning, but this re-mastering could take the breath away from a corpse.

 

 

We brushed off the festering cobwebs off our old VHS copy and it’s easy to see how blessed we are by this technology. Paired with a HDTV boasting decent motion flow, the spider-like staccato movements of characters like Sally and Sandy Claws are accentuated spellbindingly

 

 

The film itself spawned (and continues to spawn) a legion of macabre teenage obsessives, mostly sporting decapitated Jack heads on tatty black hoodies. Its appeal as a witty, dark and beautifully idealistic, romantic movie remains absolutely timeless. Who could grow out of watching this?

 

 

The original score from Danny Elfman cemented a relationship with Burton that followed them through Batman, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands and 15 years later Nightmare’s amimation is still a flag bearer for stop-motion.

 

 

All together now: “Kidnap the Sandy Claws, beat him with a stick, lock him up for ninety years, see what makes him tick.”

 

 

A Blu-ray buy?

The most compelling argument for upgrading your movie collection yet. Buy it.

 

 

Extras

An excellent selection here, including two fledgling films from Burton and an extensive making of documentary, which shows the painstaking precision needed to create Halloween Town. There’s also a spooky reading of the poem from Christopher Lee.

 

 

The Nightmare Before Christmas is available on Blu-ray now from Play.com

Also available in standard def in this aweseome Jack bust set

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Apple MacBook review (plus video)

October 24, 2008 · Filed Under Uncategorized · Comment 

Does this silky silver lappie stand up to the T3 test? Read on…

 

Before the launch last week, the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines were separated by a couple of whopping features - namely, the aluminium body and faster processing power. Now however, with the entry-level MacBook range looking and feeling exactly the same as the Pros, there’s very little reason you’d have to plump for the more expensive range.

 

 

The MacBook we tested far out-performs the top of the range black MacBook, with the hardware getting a complete overhaul. The aluminium body provides a more luxurious user experience, and there’s now no chance of the corners cracking like the plastic cases are prone to doing.

 

 

See our photo gallery of the MacBook here

 

 

The black keyboard and matching glossy screen bezel, whilst controversial, at least ensures the dirt from your hands won’t be visible like on the white keyboards of the plastic beasts. And the illuminated keys? Possibly the best trick stolen from the MacBook Air.

 

 

One of the disadvantages with an aluminium body - and what a pretty body it is, cut from a single piece of metal - is that it interferes slightly with Wi-Fi signals. When testing it, there were little problems with our three home Wi-Fi signals (yes, a little over the top perhaps, but essential for when BT drops out), however it could no longer connect to the pub’s Wi-Fi next door, whereas our four month old black MacBook has no problem. Not a huge disadvantage to be honest, as we shouldn’t be trying to steal the pub’s internet anyway, but it may prove more troublesome for others.

 

 

Moving on - the screen. There’s no denying the LED screen is more eco-friendly than the previous TFT one, and that it conserves the battery, yada yada yada. However, it’s ever so reflective, and sometimes a real pain to use under strip lighting. Guess we’ve got to give a little in order to save the environment, eh Apple?

 

 

Still, watching movies are a treat on the 1280 x 800 pixel screen of our 13-incher, although occasionally the reflections do get in the way. It’s far better than the previous MacBook’s visual experience anyway, and undoubtedly the new GeForce 9400M graphics cards play a huge part here, as it’s 5x faster than and noticeable it is - phwroar!

 

 

Further adding to the mixed bag of emotions with the new MacBook, the trackpad has received a lot of attention due to its, err, lack of buttons. Finally Steve Jobs can wreak his revenge on those who dared criticise the Mighty Mouse’s one-button format! Admittedly it takes a good full day to get the hang of not having a button to press, but after a while, you don’t even notice the button is missing, as clicking the bottom half of the glass trackpad feels as responsive as the previous MacBook’s button.

 

 

Multi-touch functionality has been thrown into the glass trackpad mix as well, and what a treat it is. Using four fingers, you can slide down to enable the exposé screen, and sliding those four fingers from left to right brings up the various programs you’ve got open currently. Forget balancing your pint glass on your lower back - this is the best party trick ever, guaranteed.

 

 

Battery life is never quite what any notebook manufacturer promises, and here Apple claims the MacBook will deliver five hours of wireless productivity - in theory, it was almost four hours. Considering the new LED-backlit screen is meant to enhance the battery life, it’s not much better than the previous incarnation.

 

 

Still, it’s ever so fast. Have we mentioned the speed of the new processor yet? Because that’s truly the best thing about these new MacBooks. It’s made our four month old black MacBook hulk in embarrassment, and made us ever so productive when whizzing from the browser to iTunes, and over to the photo editing suite.

 

 

Whilst there are a couple of flaws with this slinky silver sliver of a notebook, when are there not at least two disagreeables in a product? The fact of the matter is, with the new MacBook you’re gaining quite a few added bonuses, but are relinquishing the non-reflective screen and slightly better battery life of the previous plastic cases. A fair trade off, we think.

 

 

Link: Apple MacBook


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SWINXS console review (plus video)

October 24, 2008 · Filed Under Uncategorized · Comment 

Kids these days…

 

Replace scraped knees, scuffed shoes, muddy trousers and ripped t-shirts with an electronic armband and you’ve got the SWINXS. It’s a children’s games console that’s scooped childhood classics like hide and seek, tag and snap and tossed them into the digital fray. Think Bop it! but as a multiplayer game console.

 

 

The console itself looks like an unlucky clover (the ones with three arms) fresh from the dales of Emerald City. Roughly the same size as two Nintendo Wiis stuck together it’s slightly on the chunky side, but it’s pretty light.

 

 

Switch the contraption on and the voice of Captain Patronising will greet you. “Hello, I’m SWINXS and I’m going to bully you to play with me for the next few hours” or something along those lines. Enter the game by “tagging” your wristband on the console. Up to four people can play, and each one can opt to tag in or out of each game. Flipping from one game to another is a breeze but turning the darn thing off is a bugger. We kept hearing it tempting us to another round of snap.

 

 

To be honest we were bored of the SWINXS within 20 minutes, there are only so many places you can hide in a “grown up” office before starting to arouse suspicion, especially as you sprint back to the SWINXS screeching and screaming “I’m going to get my access point there first”. It is for kids though, so we’re sure they’d get away with it.

 

 

A game console it may be, but a serious competitor for the Nintendo Wiiit is not and at a £130 it’s pretty steep for a glorified game of hide and seek.

 

 

Check out the video of our big kid Chris Smith having a go on the SWINXS.

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IXOS releases tiny XMM238 speakers for Christmas shoppers

October 24, 2008 · Filed Under Uncategorized · Comment 

£12.99 speakers designed for those lonely nights in hotel rooms…

 

Just in time for Christmas, IXOS has unveiled its newly improved XMM238 Cube Travel Speaker.

 

 

Measuring just 7cm in each direction and a mere 130g in weight, the XMM238 Cube can be connected to your laptop, iPod, generic MP3 player or any other audio source that houses a 3.5mm port.

 

 

The two sideways firing drivers, either powered by four AA batteries or by connecting to a USB port, provide 2 watts of speaker power and are claimed to “deliver a surprisingly spacious sound”.

 

 

If that wasn’t good enough value for the £12.99 price tag, the good folks at IXOS have decided to throw in a 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack so you can connect up the tiny cube to your audio source and a USB power cable to ensure that your listening pleasure doesn’t need to be interrupted by drained batteries.

 

 

Although no replacement for your home iPod dock or stereo setup, due to the XMM238 Cube’s tiny size and ease of portability, it would prove a useful gadget for music fans who find themselves staying in different hotels night after night. Despite its low cost, the Cube Travel Speaker, available in white, black and pink, is a good looking piece of kit with all colours being finished with a metallic top plate. All for £12.99, what a steal.

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Sony is auctioning off a batch of Bond themed VAIO TTs

October 24, 2008 · Filed Under Sony · Comment 

Real secret agents don’t tend to advertise the fact on their laptops, you know

 

Are you a big Bond fan? Are you on the lookout for a lightweight, ultra-portable laptop with all the horsepower of a full sized model? And are you prepared to pay way over the odds on an already expensive bit of kit because it has a three digit number on it? That’s good - Sony has just what you’re looking for.

 

 

Sony’s holding an auction on eBay where you can win one of a hundred, limited edition James Bond Quantum of Solace VAIO TT series laptops. This isn’t Sony being greedy either - all the proceeds will be going to the 1% for the planet charity.

 

 

One lucky winner will get the 007/100 model and that means they a special engraved 007 gun logo and a matching leather case.

 

 

Each of the VAIO TT series, Bond branded or otherwise, sports Intel Centrino 2 processor, 64GB SSD, and an 11.1″ widescreen XBRITE LCD.

 

 

Bidding had reached over $1,000 at the time of writing and is probably set to go a lot higher by the time it closes on the 21st November. The competition is only available to the US, which we’re a tad miffed about seeing as BRITAIN INVENTED BOND and we think that means we should get first dibs on any Bond related goodies. But at least that gives you almost a month to organise a safe house in the States to have the thing sent to if you win.

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Nokia’s “Comes With Music” arrives on 3 Mobile network

October 24, 2008 · Filed Under Uncategorized · Comment 

3 is the musical number

 

Clearly very much in tune with Nokia’s “Comes With Music” service, the phone network provider have duly jumped onto the mobile musical bandwagon to give access to Nokia’s online music store.

 

 

3 Mobile will give its customers with a compatibleNokia N95 and computer, free reign to devour the very innards of Nokia’s 4 million track superstore whenever you get that audio bug.

 

 

Boasting a range of tuneage covering the radio playlist dominated chart busters, to the lesser known independent musical outings, 3 look like they are bagging a potential number one in the music download domain.

 

 

Owning your downloads until you kick the proverbial bucket, or at least until your ears cannot sustain the drum and bass carnage any more, will also be sweet music to the ears of 3 Mobile customers and Nokia fans.

 

 

“Comes With Music” is up for grabs on the 3 Network from November 3rd.

 

 

Nokia Comes With Music N95 8GB is available on an 18 month contract with 300 mins/texts and 1 GB of inclusive internet access for £35.

 

 

3 Mobile

 

 

Nokia


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Spoon Scale

October 24, 2008 · Filed Under Uncategorized · Comment 

Spoon Scale 2
When I cook I’m trying to complete my meal in the quickest time possible. Sometimes weighing and measuring the ingredients can be the largest hindrance to an expeditious meal. Enter the Spoon Scale. Shaped just like an everyday spoon, it features a built-in scale that can switch between ounces and grams and can measure from .0005 to 10.5oz.

Available here for $35.


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Nokia n95 review

October 19, 2008 · Filed Under Nokia · Comment 

The N95 is Nokia’s flagship mobile device so far in 2007 — we say mobile device as Nokia shies away from labelling its N series “mobile phones”. You’d be forgiven for asking the question, “What is the Nokia N95?” In the inescapable advertising blitz around, we’ve seen the Finnish phone giant touting the N95 as “this thing in my pocket” or “what computers have become”, but we think the marketing department takes the cake with with its description in the manual: “your personal gateway to a world of endless possibilities.”

Despite the hype, the N95 succeeds in taking the bar and raising it barely within the grasp of other manufacturers. HSDPA-enhanced 3G downloads, a 5-megapixel camera, GPS and entertainment applications a-go-go are but the tip of the iceberg for this mobile multimedia marvel.

Design
Nokia’s N95 isn’t much wider or taller than most compact phones, but its thickness makes it slightly hefty. Measuring 99 by 53 by 21 mm when closed, pocketing the N95 in tight jeans creates a slight lump — about as much as a compact camera like one in the Canon IXUS range.

The N95 is the first device we’ve seen with a two-way slider design: slide it up to access the keypad, or down to get to the dedicated multimedia controls (FF, play/pause, stop and RW keys), which also puts the 2.5-inch screen into landscape mode.

On the back is a 5-megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, auto-focus, and a lens cover switch that activates the camera — again, turning the large and bright screen into a viewfinder. The LED flash isn’t as good as a Xenon flash, like the one found on Sony Ericsson’s K800i, but does a decent enough job for close-range night shots. The pictures we’ve taken on the N95 are, without a doubt, the best we’ve seen from camera-phone to date. Recorded video is excellent, too, at 640×480 pixels and 30fps (which is technically DVD quality in the US — NTSC).

Around the edges of the N95 are stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an infrared port, a microSD card slot, a mini-USB port, and some volume and media shortcut keys. Nokia includes a 1GB card in the box.

Features
The Nokia N95’s wireless abilities include 3.5G (aka HSDPA) for fast downloads through your mobile operator, 802.11g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and infrared for archaic devices. The N95 also doubles as a wireless broadband modem for connecting your laptop while you’re on the road, say.

The Web browser renders pages very well, the only fault we could find was the lack of flash support for looking at sites like YouTube. Multimedia treats include an MP3 player, video player, FM radio and support for Bluetooth headphones. A custom large-icon menu also appears when you slide out the multimedia keys. A zippy sci-fi racing game called System Rush can also be found here.

Photos taken with the N95 can be uploaded to Web sites Flickr and Vox with ease, or shared via the traditional methods like Bluetooth, MMS, e-mail or infrared for really old phones.

See what the Nokia N95 can do connected to a TV
There’s an AV cable in the box that lets you hook up the N95 to a TV or stereo to browse photos or watch movies on the big screen, or to listen to music through a stereo. Nokia includes a pair of average-sounding headphones in the box, which doubles as a hands-free headset, thankfully you can swap these out with any other standard 3.5mm pair. A mini-USB cable and a Windows software CD is also bundled for fast PC or laptop data transfers.

Performance
The N95 biggest flaw is battery life — we rarely got more than a single day’s use. If you are using something as your MP3 player, email device, Web browser and phone, it’s no surprise, really. Nokia rates talk time on 3G at only 2.5 hours, music playback 7 hours, standby time 9 days — but who would pay over AU$1000 for a device just to sit there. With minimal usage — a couple of texts per day — we got just under three days.

While the battery is our number one gripe, another is the sluggish processor when multiple applications are running. Adding to the problem — or causing it — is the N95’s Symbian-based operating system, which keeps multiple applications open unless you specifically hit exit, each taking their own slice of system memory.

GPS mapping on the N95 looks promising; the second phone after the Mio A701 to have sat nav built-in. However, we weren’t able to lock onto a GPS satellite for some reason during our test period — perhaps the areas we tested in didn’t have a clear enough view of the sky. Regardless, maps and routing info are downloaded over-the-air and on-the-fly (for over 100 different countries Nokia tells us), but beware this attracts data charges from mobile operators — maps are not pre-loaded or included on the memory card.

You can “upgrade” the N95’s navigation abilities to support automatic voice instructions for each turn, but this attracts an additional charge per region — it costs from AU$12.45 for a 7-day licence to AU$132.94 for 3 years. Other premium services include city guides — the Sydney one costs AU$13.28, for example. Thankfully local points of interest like restaurants and attractions are included for free, and you can easily make a call to make a dinner reservation at any eatery you find.

Despite battery and performance issues, the N95 sets new standards for mobile connectivity and we award it Editors’ Choice for its innovative design, the best imaging we’ve seen in its class, and support for standards such as UPnP, mini-USB and 3.5mm audio output.

Business users might balk at the lack of a QWERTY keypad, but there are viewers for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files. Synchronisation of calendar, contacts, to-do, notes and e-mail is also supported.

Nokia’s N95 carries a relatively high price of AU$1,379 (RRP), but considering the converged nature of this device, the ease of operation and integration with the operating system, we’re not too fussed. Until Apple’s iPhone hits the shelves in Australia next year, the N95 will be hard to top.

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