But what is goal-line technology? We think the video below explains well enough.

Until you actually think about it, finding out the location of a ball (without a satellite) may not be as easy as one would first imagine.

The technology’s there, so how come we’re not using it?

So What Is Goal-line Technology? is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

RIM’s Blackberry Curve 8900 was perhaps the first of its range of handsets to find mainstream success. Unlike the Pearl and previous Blackberry devices, the Curve manages to seamlessly blend the functionality of a business smartphone with the aesthetic of a mainstream mobile. The Curve may not boast the same features as the iPhone or other contenders in the touch screen market, but with full QWERTY keyboard it has found its success with casual and business users alike.

Review:

For me, the defining feature of an accessible smartphone is its keyboard. I’ve never been properly able to work those three-letters-to-one-key mobile phones, and touchscreen often ends in frustration or embarrassing typos. The Blackberry Perl tried to combine the two by offering a two-letters-per-key QWERTY keyboard but, for me, Blackberry’s first mainstream success was due to its sleek execution of the keyboard on the Curve.

The Curve also boasts a trackball, useful mainly for browsing the web. Rather frustratingly, the trackball doesn’t allow for free-scrolling through image galleries and can become hard to navigate if not cleaned. On the whole, however, the feature is something unique to Blackberry and gives you that little bit more control.

More for your money from novice to veteran: The Blackberry Curve 8900

With a 3.2 megapixel camera included, the Curve has a handy tool for quick snapshots on the go. The images are clear and look fantastic on the Curve’s hi-res screen. Coupled with downloadable apps for Facebook and Twitter (TwitterBerry being one of the most prominent), the Curve can be used to update your social networks on the move.

In terms of business, which can also be utilised for pleasure, the Blackberry comes with the ability of Push email – allowing your mail to be delivered instantly to your phone. Blackberry messenger allows you to connect with and message other Blackberry users via a unique PIN that identifies your phone. This is usually free (or comes part of the Blackberry plan on most networks) and provides a cheaper alternative to SMS.

Along with video recording capabilities, built-in GPS with Blackberry Mpas (other apps can be downloaded too) and Wi-Fi support, the Curve packs in  enough features to keep you busy.

Business people buy these phones, but so do 15-year-old girls. Their appeal, it seems, is limitless.

The phone is free on most networks with prices starting at around £15.00 per month. <—saf, this is where the link should go. I didn’t know whether to just copy and paste the link on mobile shop or whether there’s some sort of redirect URL you need to use to make sure the site gets paid?

The Gaj-it Verdict:

Design: 9/10 (sleek yet robust)
Usability: 8/10 (scroll-ball can be a bit irritating at times)
Features: 9/10 (wide-array of features for every user)
Value: 9/10 (comes as part of some fair packages with different networks)

We say:

This phone is one of the best smart phones on the market. It’s features are simple enough to use for the first time Blackberry user but robust enough that even the most seasoned Blackberry veteran can feel at home.

Blackberry Curve 8900 Available at MobileShop.com

Review: Blackberry Curve 8900 is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Apple iPad test Facebook fanpage hoax?

A Facebok fan page has attracted thousands of users of the social networking site in the hopes of getting their hands on a free Apple iPad.

The page, attracting just shy of 50,000 members, tells users they could be one of a lucky 10,000 to test and keep the highly-coveted touch-screen gadget.

Users in the UK flooded to become a fan of the page, even though no UK network has yet been confirmed to stock the iPad.

The page is expected be just one of many Facebook pages set up aiming only to attract large numbers of ‘fans’ that fall for untrue promises.

At the time of writing, no-one at Apple was available for comment.

iPad ‘Keep it and test it’ page too good to be true? is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

The poll is now open to votes, comprising of the best in tech such as Facebook, Macbook, YouTube, Wikipedia, iPod, Spotify, Blu-ray, Nintendo Wii, Singstar, iPhone, Blackberry, Nokia’s 3310, the USB and World of Warcraft amongst a cavalcade of others.

I now throw down the gauntlet to Gaj-it bloggers, and tech bloggers across the globe, to name their five favourites as I have below.

Best computer gadget of the decade: MacBook

In the list provided I was torn between this and Facebook. I have had my MacBook for only one fifth of the last decade- a present for birthday number 18.

In the relatively short space I’ve had it I have been converted from a PC to a Mac with such ease it’s impossible to describe. My primary computer (or computers if I ever manage to get myself more than one) will never again be a PC.

I always wanted one of those bubble back Apple Macs when I was younger and just find the aesthetics and ergonomics of Apple to be far superior to any other offering on the computer/laptop/notebook market- hands down.

Best photography gadget of the decade: Flickr

Unfortunately for me, I have had very little hands-on experience of most of the products in the photography category.

Flickr, however, I can be sure, has revolutionised the way photography is shared and distributed.

Critics of digital photography will tell you that the art of the photo is dying, with people more likely to take bad pictures and less likely to print out hard copies.

Flickr has built one of, if not the biggest community of photographers in the world- amateur and professional alike- and has evened the playing field across the spectrum.

Best entertainment gadget of the decade: Sky+

This was a harder choice but is one that I now feel resolved about and fully confident in saying.

I do not have Sky+ and have no love for Rupert Murdoch or his questionable media empire, except perhaps the Times (and even then it’s hit and miss). As a V+ user, however, I still find myself instructing family members to ‘Sky+’ programmes. The word has become a part of language and therefore deserves its place in gadget history.

I shiver as Rupert Murdoch wins a small victory, in my head anyway. Maybe I should have stuck with blu-ray or PS2 as originally planned? (how odd that they’re both Sony products)

Best music gadget of the decade: iPod Nano

Rupert Murdoch nearly won again, as MySpace music is (though he didn’t own it at the time) one of the defining web-based music platforms of the 2000s, launching the careers of Arctic Monkeys and several other artists.

The winner, however, lays in my beloved family of Apples. Perhaps the first generation of iPod deserves the title for doing to music what Sky+ did to TV? I never owned a first gen iPod, to my shame, though. So Nano will have to do.

Long live Apple.

Best phone gadget of the decade: Nokia 3310

Though seemingly only recently getting back to their previous sucesses, Nokia ruled the mobile phone roost for a long time.

At the age of 12 I knew Nokia was the best of the best when it came to mobile phones. I knew this with my £30, no-frills Motorola mobile purchased from Morrisons.

Why did I know this? Because at sports day, when all my Nokia-clad peers had their phones stolen, my sim card was removed and the unwanted handset placed carefully back in position.

I wanted a 3310 for so long but, in the end, it paid monetary dividends, if not social ones, not to have one when it came to high-theft areas.

THE BIG ONE: Gadget of the decade

Obviously one of the hardest decisions to make, I will have to stand by the trusty iPod.

With this one, Apple has revolutionised music forever. Brand-name MP3 players are referred to as iPods, even if they bare no resemblance. More than Sky+ it has passed over from being an everyday gadget to a part of language, which has given it the longevity necessary to continue its growth into the next decade.

That scroller navigation has become pretty iconic too.

The next generation, we have been told, come complete with video cameras. What ever next?

To have your say, leave a comment below if you agree or disagree with my choices. Don’t forget to get your vote in for all six categories too.

My gadgets of the decade is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Sharp PC-Z1, Photo from GadgetVenue

Extreme Netbook- email and internet only

The Sharp PC-Z1 is the first stop in our list. This mobile internet device is lightweight both physically and technologically. It runs Linux and has instant ON functionality.

The spec is decent for a product of its type but should only really be used for web browsing and email collecting. It seems to do its job well but shouldn’t be thought of as a laptop- or even netbook, to some extent.

Toshiba well and truly jump ship

Toshiba took their first steps into the world of Blu-ray by announcing their first ever blu-ray disc player.

Toshiba, the company behind the HD-DVD, announced it would be creating Blu-ray products some time ago but, at IFA09 unveiled their first actual blu-ray product, announcing it would be released in October.

The BDX200 offers 24ps and 1080p Full HD picture and 1080p upscaling for DVDs that aren’t blu-ray. Toshiba, it would seem, want to be back in the race.

Portable HD TVs

On display also were Sony’s new 19-inch Bravia screens. These are effectively portable HD TVs that can be carried from room to room.

With a USB 2.0 port and various HDMI connections, the S Series can be easily used to watch blu-ray discs, play video games and can even be used as a digital photo frame- however expensive a photo frame that might be.

Clock functionality also means that, when not in use, the screen doubles up as a handy household object that blends into the background.

Cameras in iPods

Rumours had been floating around for a while but before Apple had announced it, nothing was concrete.

At the IFA, however, a few keen-eyed bloggers noticed that the next-gen iPod cases (or sleeves) contained camera holes. Big giveaway.

Philips in the kitchen

Philips showcased a group of robust kitchen appliances including a juicer, a blender and a hand-blender. They look pretty sturdy and fit together well.

Not the most exciting of electrical equipment for the gadget-lover but the ‘tools’, inspired by amateur home chefs, provide the reliability, robustness and flexibility required to make home cooking a much easier and more enjoyable process.

The laptop to end all laptops

This one seems to be getting a lot of techies hot under the collar. A Samsung laptop with a reported 9-hour battery life.

The X3 weighs in at under 4 lbs and has a 14-inch screen. Even for video playback, Samsung say the device will last up to 6-hours.

Not only that but the laptop manages to fit in a 3-in-1 card reader, 3 USB ports and a HDMI port. On startup, the laptop takes a photo and shuts itself down if it is not the rightful owner. This is an amazing security feature but, be warned. If you get a haircut, you may be unable to access your emails until it grows back.

IFA09 Round up: The best of the rest is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Details of Sony’s 3D plans had already been freely discussed across the internet, taking some of the shine from what should have been the best platform to launch it. The 3D experience offered, while full of potential for nature programmes, seemed to fall flat at its implementation into football matches- understandably, yet nonetheless disappointingly, unimpressive.

One of the redeeming, innovative products displayed by Sony was ironically not one of their own. The Xplod (pictured below) is still somewhat steeped in technological mystery.

The launch of the Sony Erricson XPeria X2 was something that was saved for IFA. The new Windows Mobile 6 device seemed a little complicated to pick up but was stylish and packed in enough features to keep anyone busy.

Sony Erricson XPeria X2 prototype

“We can’t comment on future products,” was the response when Sony Erricson’s PRs were questioned about the X3, rumoured to run with the Android OS.

Personally, my attention was grabbed more by a simple, yet relatively unrealised, product. An alarm clock with docking ports for phone charging and music playback from either phone or walkman. While connection to this dock was, in true Sony fashion, non-standardised (only other Sony products can be attached) the product is something I have not seen a competitor for.

IFA also provided an opportunity for displaying the Cybershot cameras we reported on a few weeks ago. Several cameras were set up to capture three skilled footballers performing ‘stunts’ with a ball (part of the Twilight Football campaign).

Twilight Football promotion with Cybershot cameras

Finally, perhaps leaving the best until last, the X Series notebook prototypes from Sony were mind-blowingly thin. One is left wondering where the circuitry is stored but, without shadow of a doubt, laptops of this size will gain popularity- fast.

IFA09 Roundup: The best of the Sony stalls is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Even after the boom in media centre PCs, the concept of internet TV has been relatively unrealised until recently. Thankfully, the BBC released their iPlayer to huge success, opening the flood gates for 4oD and ITV’s Net Player.

At IFA Berlin 2009, Sony announced one of the latest jewels in its crown, Bravia Internet Video, that will feature support from YouTube, Wired, DailyMotion and a whole host of other sources.

Channel Five in the UK, and a host of media companies across Europe, will join the array of content providers and use the technology to stream their own programmes on demand.

With Samsung also adding YouTube capabilities to its blu-ray players, internet TV seems to be coming to fruition.

Bravia Internet Video: IFA 2009 is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Sir Howard Stringer addresses delegates at IFA Berlin 09 with a new vision for his company

At this year’s IFA tech fair, Sony was never going to get away without mentioning the great strain the recession has had on big businesses such as theirs. So, when Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President of Sony, took to the microphone, we all knew what to expect.

Sony has this year gone through some big changes and, with the launch of its new tag line, Make dot believe (Make.Believe when written down), Sony is repositioning itself as less of a product manufacturer and more a producer of cutting-edge, creative content.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, the flagship film promoting their new 3D projector, didn’t blow the congregated bloggers away- but none of them were its target audience. 3D footage of stunning nature documentaries, fast-paced football matches and Gran Turismo, on the other hand, seem to excie most of the crowd.

3D, Sony proclaim, is the next big thing in home entertainment. Many have tried to steal the home 3D viewing crown (Shrek 3D, Spy Kids 3D, etc) but none have really scratched the surface. Now, with Sky launching a 3D channel in 2010, and Sony’s new range of Bravia TV’s perfect for 3D gaming, the crown seems to be slipping from its perch.

How many think-tanks and millions of dollars did it take to shift from Imagine everything we wonder?

Make Dot Believe: Sony re-brand at IFA is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

One of the systems we're previewing. The Sony HTP-BD36SS

This week, if you’ve been following, we’ve been previewing some fantastic, all-in-one Blu-ray surround sound home cinema systems from Sony. Today we’re looking at some more systems from Sony, based around the S360 Blu-ray disc player.

Sony’s BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc player is already attracting a whole host of praise and approval. Now, Sony have created four new sound systems built around the player- fantastic. For starters, each of the systems boast surround sound features of all the all-in-ones we’ve reviewed this week but, according to Sony, have even more flexibility, courtesy of three HDMI inputs for extra AV sources and a wider choice of speaker systems.

The BDV-360FS is a 400W 2.1-channel system with S-Force Front Surround technology, while the BDV-360IS uses five of Sony’s amazingly tiny ‘golfball-sized’ speakers to create a truly immersive surround sound experience.

The HTP-BD36SS packs in a bigger 1000W and features compact satellite speakers. The system is wireless-ready, allowing cable-free operation of the rear speakers with an optional amplifier model.

The HTP-BD36SF takes the same concept and partners it with four floorstanding speakers for the front and rear left and right channels for those of us who like a bit more visual for our money.

We’re hoping to see and review some, if not all, of these systems when we attend the IFA in September. To stay tuned to all future updates on Sony, or any part of Gaj-it, why not subscribe to our feed? If you want it all sending in an email, you could always subscribe to our newsletter too.

Four more home cinema solutions from Sony is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Sony BDV-Z7 blu-ray home cinema system

Yesterday we looked at the Sony BDV-E800W and on Tuesday we previewed the BDV-E300, two blu-ray surround sound home cinema systems we’re looking forward to seeing at the IFA in Berlin this year.

Today’s offering, the Sony BDV-Z7, offers most of the facilities of the two systems we’ve reviewed this week but is more suited to smaller rooms or apartments.

The BDV-Z7 is stylish and compact with a 2.1-channel format creating great surround sound using Sony’s S-Force Front Surround technology. This gives a virtual 5.1 surround sound experience.

There’s no need for rear speakers for the sound to wraparound and is therefore suited more to smaller rooms or just keeping the number of speakers floating around your room to an absolute minimum, while still getting some great quality sound.

Somehow the Z7 manages to pack in a 350W power output, BD-Live, 24p and x.v.Colour, Full HD video with the latest HD audio codecs, 1080p upscaling for DVDs, BRAVIA Sync (so you only need one remote control) and a Digital Media Port. We’re not quite sure where though- it’s so compact.

Tomorrow we’ll take a look at three other systems built around Sony’s BDP-S360 Blu-ray disc player. So you don’t miss out, subscribe to our feed now.

Sony’s compact blu-ray home cinema system with clout is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com