BBC iPlayer app comes to BlackBerry

The BBC has released an application that will allow users of BlackBerry smartphones to access the iPlayer catch-up television service on their handset.

The iPlayer application is compatible with the BlackBerry Storm 2, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and the BlackBerry Torch 9800.

Customers who have monthly contracts with Vodafone and Three will be able to access iPlayer via the 3G mobile phone network, while those on other networks will only be able to watch EastEnders and The Apprentice, or listen to Woman’s Hour, over Wi-Fi.

The BBC iPlayer application for BlackBerry devices is available to download free of charge from BlackBerry’s app store, BlackBerry App World.

A similar service is already available for Apple’s iPhone, and although no official iPlayer client has been released for Google Android devices, several workaround exist to allow users to access the catch-up television service.

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Blackberry ditches new phones to focus on ‘London’

The troubled company had previously been working on handsets codenamed ‘Colt’, ‘Milan’ and ‘London’, but the Canadian firm is now focusing all its energies on one device, according to BGR.com.

It is currently being shown to networks, and BlackBerry has already confirmed to journalists that demonstration of BlackBerry 10 will take place at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona next month.

BlackBerry is also set to demonstrate the updated version of the BlackBerry Playbook software at the Consumer electronics Show in Las Vegas next week, but it has yet to publicly announce a launch date for integrated email into the tablet device. It recently slashed prices in a bid to boost sales of the 7” device.

The London is likely to ship late in the summer. RIM has been working with Porsche Design on a handset that is currently on sale at Harrods in London, and some leaked images suggest that the new handset could take its design cues from the £1,275 P'9981.

It has been a difficult year for RIM, with its share price declining sharply. With pressure growing on the company's joint CEOs, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the firm has reportedly been examining the appointment of a new chairman.

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RIM updates BlackBerry PlayBook

The new BlackBerry PlayBook operating system will allow it to recieve email without being connected to a BlackBerry smartphone. The lack of built-in support for email has been one of the main criticisms that have dogged the iPad rival since it was introduced last year.

RIM also said a new operating system for its smartphone, version 7.1, would be available from today.

Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said at CES 2012 that "with BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 we are building on this strong foundation, as well as leveraging our strengths in communications, social integration and productivity, to allow people to use their BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day."

The update will add native email to the PlayBook and will finally remove the need to tether the device to a BlackBerry phone.

A new unified inbox will allow users to mix work and personal email accounts, while multi-tasking will let users have multiple email messages open, either in plain or rich text.

Like Microsoft's Windows Phone, RIM will also integrate social networking calendars and contacts. It will now also allow a BlackBerry handset to act as a remote control, for instance movies streamed from a PlayBook to a TV, or as a keyboard for the PlayBook.

RIM said it is also updating corporate and Office features, as well as improving the App World and its US Video Store and introducing a new 'reader' web browsing mode that shows just the text on a web page.

Blog Techcrunch wrote that the update provided "everything and more that the PlayBook was previously missing. Had the so-called BlackBerry tablet launched with the proper email support, it might not be on a fire sale right now".

BlackBerry OS 7.1 will add sharing via NFC as well as the ability to turn a phone into a portable wifi hotspot. BlackBerry Traffic and Travel apps will also be updated, while users with a BlackBerry Curve 9360 or 9380 smartphone will now be able to use the already built-in but previously inactive FM radio.

 

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Tablets, e-readers closing book on ink-and-paper era

Tablet computers and electronic readers promise to close the book on the ink-and-paper era as they transform the way people browse magazines, check news or lose themselves in novels.

Online retail giant Amazon has made electronic readers mainstream with Kindle devices, and Apple ignited insatiable demand for tablets ideal for devouring online content ranging from films to magazines and books.

In 2011, digital books earned about $3.2 billion in revenue, an amount that the combined momentum of e-readers and tablets is expected to triple to $9.7 billion by the year 2016, according to a Juniper Research report.

Readers are showing increased loyalty to digital books, according to the US Book Industry Study Group (BISG).

Nearly half of print book buyers who also got digital works said they would skip getting an ink-and-paper release by a favorite author if an electronic version could be had within three months, a BISG survey showed.

"The e-book market is developing very fast, with consumer attitudes and behaviors changing over the course of months, rather than years," said BISG deputy executive director Angela Bole.

Concerns about e-book reading are diminishing, with people mainly wishing for lower device prices, according to the survey.

Owning e-readers tended to ramp up the amount of money people spent on titles in what BISG described as a promising sign for publishers.

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Android Applications Downloaded 10 Billion Times

Android seems increasingly prevail. Reportedly more than 10 billion apps have been downloaded from the Android Market. However, some analysis suggests Google to address the programs that are less good.

Not only is Google’s operating system that is all the more brilliant, but it was interested in the Android Market applications is increasing.

Google will hold the celebration of ’10 billion ‘it for 10 days, and will provide a series of popular programs and provide a cheaper price.

Based on the data, as long as 22 months Android managed to reach 1 billion downloads, but then it only takes a month to increase from 9 billion to 10 billion.

Instead, Apple reaches 1 billion downloads after 9 months. “Apple announced a 15 billion times the download in July, so it is clear that the momentum of Android on the activation device to download applications and explain the use,” said Geoff Blabber, analyst at CCS Insight.

“We expect Android will overtake Apple to download the application in the first half of 2012,” he continued, as reported by the BBC (12/07/2011).

Blabber added, rapid growth has raised the challenge of how to help customers find the software useful of all that is offered.

“This is something that must be considered developers and consumers, but a significant opportunity for anyone who solved the first problem,” he continued.

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10 Best Gaming Laptops

Even though companies like Razer may be fighting the cold hard truth that, when it comes to gaming, the platform of choice goes to the consoles. But enthusiasts know that if you want to experience the true quality that a game has to offer, then PC gaming is the way to go. Desktops will give you that extra oomph, but sometimes portability is a necessary factor for LAN party-goers or traveling pros. For those looking to take their game mobile without sacrificing too many frame rates, PCMag has rounded up the best gaming laptops.
Most gaming laptops aren’t what we in the business call “ultraportable” (the Acer Aspire AS3830TG-6431 is one exception). The smallest designated gaming rig I’ve ever encountered is Alienware’s M11xr3; a 3.3-pound laptop. It packs quite a punch, managing 55.6 frames per second (fps) on our Crysis (DirectX 10) benchmark test—a respectable score considering its 11-inch size. However, if you want to bump up your frame rates high-end components need room, which is why its 17-inch brother, the Alienware M17x (Sandy Bridge), can pump out Crysis at 93.3fps on medium quality.

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It’s important to remember that what a laptop lacks in high-end components, it makes up for in battery life. Big GPUs and CPUs require lots of power to keep running. That’s why the Alienware M11xr3 will give you 8 hours 3 minutes of relative computing life and the Alienware M17x will give you a mere 2:24. Unless you’re the type to carry around an extra battery or two, road warriors may want to factor this in when considering what gaming laptop to buy.
For those looking to game on the lighter end of the 3D graphics spectrum there are laptops with lower-end GPUs that cost a little less than the higher-end stuff out there. If you’re a World of Warcraft enthusiast, fan of games like Torchlight, or into older titles like Team Fortress 2, you might go for a laptop like the Dell Inspiron 17R (N7110) or Acer Aspire AS3830TG-6431.
Below are 10 of our best gaming laptops. All have gone through our Crysis test and all have come out around 30 frames per second or better. Pick one that will help you get your game on.
Featured in this Roundup:
Dell Inspiron 17R (N7110)
$1,039.98 direct

The Dell Inspiron 17R (N7110) gives you some 3D performance through its Nvidia GeForce GT 525M graphics chip, creative control of both your virtual media and the laptop’s physical appearance, and features to make this desktop replacement laptop pop.
Acer Aspire AS3830TG-6431
$750 street

The Acer AS3830TG-6431 is one of the most powerful ultraportables on the market, equipped with an Nvidia GT 540M graphics chip. This laptop will not only play Crysis, it has enough battery power to get you through a coast to coast flight.

Asus K53SV-B1
$990 street

The Asus K53SV-B1 desktop replacement laptop packs high-end performance without the price tag, offering quad-core Intel Core i7 processing and powerful Nvidia GeForce graphics for under $1,000.

Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839
$1,499.99 street

Gamers will love the Acer Aspire AS8950G-9839 laptop’s big 1080p-resolution screen, built-in Blu-ray drive, and crisp-sounding speaker system. The AMD Radeon HD 6850M powering the system impress, with playable frame rates on Lost Planet 2 and Crysis.

Dell XPS 15z (Microsoft)
$999 direct

The XPS 15z (Microsoft) is available from Microsoft’s Store and every bit as luxurious as the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch, but it won’t cost you nearly as much.

Asus G74SX-BBK7
$1,199 list

The Asus G74SX-BBK7′s huge exterior speaks volumes: Intimidating to the casual consumer, but speaks to the gamer saying, “The bigger I am, the better I game.”

Alienware M17X (Sandy Bridge)
$2,254 direct

With outstanding gaming scores and the most wicked design, the Alienware M17X (Sandy Bridge) is the best gaming laptop, period.

Alienware M11xr3
$1,099 direct

Need a portable gaming device to keep you sharp while you’re on the road? Look no further than the Alienware M11xr3.

Asus G74SX-A2
$2,000 street

The Asus G74SX-A2 holds its own against top gaming laptops with its quad-core processor and Nvidia graphics, and its stealthy cooling system kicks in when those components get hot.

Samsung QX411-W01
$799.99 list

The Samsung QX411-W01 is a mainstream laptop that includes top-notch battery life and a sturdy design among its features. It’s Nvidia GT 520M won’t get you far when it comes to high-end titles, but for those who like to play games like World of Warcraft, Portal, and Indie games like Limbo and From Dust, the QX411-W01 will suit your needs.

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