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n an attempt to snaffle the legions of ex-HTC Desire users with a more budget model, HTC has announced the Desire X.

The phone itself is unremarkable when it comes to specs, with a dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon S4 processor powering a Super LCD screen that measures a now-average 4-inches.

This has also been raised up and laminated to help cut down on the glare when looking at the screen and improve clarity, which seems to have worked given the impressive display on offer.

It's more 'smartphone' than the 'superphone' One series, according to Graham Wheeler, director of product commercialisation for HTC, but still manages to pull in design language from a number of models in the company's history.

The shell feels very similar to the polycarbonate of the HTC One X, but instead of a unibody chassis we're treated to a removable back cover that hides slots for a normal-sized SIM and a microSD card too.

More details surrounding the rumoured Samsung Galaxy Note 2 have surfaced, pointing towards an earlier release date than first expected.

According to a GSM Arena source Samsung has moved the release date for the Galaxy Note 2 to September – which is a month earlier than previous reports claimed.

Apparently the reason for bringing the announcement forward is so Samsung can flaunt its new device ahead of Apple's expect iPhone 5 announcement in October.

Samsung launched a raft of new tablets at IFA 2012, with the Ativ Tab being the most tablet-esque.
Shorn of the keyboard of its Ativ Smart PC brethren, the Ativ Tab is a pure tablet running Windows RT – and it's certainly got the design credentials you'd look for in something like this.

The 10.1-inch HD screen is impressive, and certainly adds a level of crispness to proceedings that others might not manage, which really helps when looking at the IE browser installed or scrolling through the reams of apps on the (now not so-called) Metro interface.

The design is impressive – it's not metallic, which does detract somewhat, but coming in at just over half a kilo in weight and less than 9mm in thickness, we can't say we're disappointed too much.

There's the dedicated Windows button at the bottom of the screen for flicking back and forth between the most recently used app – but it's very much just standard Windows RT flavouring from there.

The chances are that 4K on a whacking great television will be a familiar site before long, but Panasonic was showing off the impact that many pixels can have in a 20 inch television.

The 20 inch sets are currently envisioned as being more useful to business users where detailing is vital or small text is necessary.

Of course that's a limited audience, but the prospect of using this minimal pixel size across larger televisions is obviously hugely appealing.

After showing off the XPS 12 Duo here at IFA 2012, Dell turned its attention to the Windows RT variant of Windows 8, announcing this – the Dell XPS 10.

It's a 10-inch (you guessed it!) tablet that's less than 10mm thick and comes complete with a keyboard dock that makes it seem almost like an ultraportable laptop.

The XPS 10 feels as good and as lightweight as a high-end Android tablet in the hand, while the screen is extremely (and surprisingly) bright and crisp - far more so than many Android tablets we've seen at IFA 2012, though the screen size here is smaller due to the large bezel.

As you can see there's a Windows Start button on the bottom of the tablet itself - this does the same as the Start button on the keyboard and takes you back to the Start screen.

The 10 inch tablet, powered by a 2 dual core processor by Nvidia Tegra and boasting of 1GB RAM, better known as the Thrive, has been doing quite well in the market-despite being run on the older Android platform, Honeycomb.

This is because it has proved to be a pleasure to work with, as it is very responsive, a quality that many will appreciate. It is also easily customizable and has clearly been well built. All the same, everyone has been greatly anticipating the update of the device’s OS to the Android Ice Cream Sandwich as this promises to enhance the experience with the tablet even more.

The update, which months earlier had been announced to be scheduled for end of spring which was being eagerly anticipated by Thrive owners was delayed at the last minute by the manufacturers due to unforeseen circumstances. It was announced that the predicted time of release would be in early fall. This came as a big blow to all those who had been eagerly waiting for the update but the good news is that it is now finally here – for real!

Released by DevSwift1, XDA senior member, it shows that the tech community never neglects some out-of-favor phones such as the LG Optimus GT540.

This particular model has been in the market for quite a while, remember that it comes with the Android Donut which is far, far back in time. Many geeks have assumed that the Jelly Bean will not work on this phone but kudos to DevSwift1, the Android 4.1 operating system comes very much alive in this LG phone.

It is my duty to remind you that the ROM is pretty much in a basic testing phase and is honestly unstable still. You should take this only as a way to preview what Jelly Bean/CM10 can do as there’s lots of gaps in its functioning as of now.

Well, as with all jailbreaking instructional articles, I need to stress that this guide might cause damage to your phone if you are not experienced with jailbreaking. Techzek will not be responsible for any damage to your phone so please proceed at your own discretion.

Although Optimus L3 was unveiled much earlier in the year together with its brothers, L5 and L7, it wasn’t a dual SIM version at that time of unveiling. Just a few days ago, LG decides to announce its LG Optimus L3′s availability to India as a dual SIM smartphone, coined with the phrase extending to include “Dual” in its product name.

It isn’t hard to guess what is happening here. We know that the users in India have a special preference for dual SIM phones and that is exactly what LG has aimed to do to please the Indian users. Moreover, HTC also has just launched their dual SIM phone, HTC Desire VC, in India and that’s why LG decides to join in the fun with the L3 Dual. In case you didn’t know, dual SIM phones can allow users to switch networks on the same phone and this can actually contributes to better call cost savings as well as attaining better network coverage in certain areas.

If you are interested to get this phone, you should be happy to know that it isn’t expensive. Currently, the suggested retail price is about Rs. 8299 and the specifications are almost the same as the L3 version, with the main exception being that this LG Otimus L3 Dual can support dual SIM capacity (Duh!). I would say that it also has a very minor facelift, making it slightly to look like Optimus Chic actually.

Here’s the news – Mobile computing has just been revolutionized! Honeywell announced the release of their first Android based handheld PC recently which is an enterprise digital assistant (EDA) like no other. This nifty device empowers workers to get a wide variety of tasks done from whichever location they may be in, in a very limited amount of time.

What about the features then? Well, the Dolphin 7800 is very well built, with the mobile workforce in mind. It is scan intensive and features warehousing and in-premise retail applications. It also features ergonomics that are user-focused. It is a wireless computer that greatly enhances the productivity of the workforce, and is thus the perfect device to help you maximize on your enterprise ROI.

It is a very durable device as well, built on industrial grade specifications. Figure this out – it has been built to be able to withstand the impact of a fall upon concrete from a height of 1.5m and a whole number of tumbles, talk about a hardy device!

Honeywell’s Dolphin 7800 is, in addition, compact and lightweight despite being so hardy. Its VGA 3.5 inch color screen offers high resolution which results in easy visibility even in extreme lighting conditions such as where the sun is shining directly in the device.

When it comes to Wi-Fi capabilities, the device has a built in connection with the added ability to switch between CDMA and GSM networks, thus giving a better assurance of uninterrupted connection as you can easily switch from one cellular carrier to another with a better connection. It also allows for real time access to critical data with its 802.11 a/b/g/n, 3.9G network.

Perhaps what truly sets this device apart is that it gives users the same enjoyment in using it as personal devices do. It boasts of highly sophisticated security features also which can give the organization peace of mind while using it. Be prepared to pay dearly for it though, the device ranges in price depending on the exact specifications as well as the retailer so do expect the rates to be anywhere around $1200 to $1500!

Lenovo have just given another reason to check out their latest product. There is no denying that with the latest gadget wars, the best way forward for a company is to send them out bigger, bolder and better. It is no surprise that even when the dust has not settled on Microsoft Windows 8, we have tablets already out. Well, if you don’t have the news yet, here it comes.

Lenovo, the computer maker, now has a 10.1 inch ThinkPad Tablet 2 running windows 8. Whoosh! That came fast. I mean, we all expect the retail version of Windows 8 to hit out stores in October, right? Anyway, here is what you need to know about the newest tablet on the block.

First, it is a tool for your business life and of course, what the tablet does best is complement your social life. So picture the following specs, which make it quite a darling. I think all other tablet manufactures are rushing to their research and development labs to become organized, especially the surface tablet.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 will have the best that Windows 8 has to offer, the touch functionality. Therefore, it is your laptop turned into a tablet. Think of your original ThinkPad. Make it lighter, more portable and very intuitive to use. The tablet comes at a slim size of just 0.39inches by 10.3 inches by 6.5 inches.

Earlier on this month we gave you the first details on the LG Optimus Vu, LG’s answer to the popular Samsung Galaxy Note and Verizon’s first chance to get hold of a phablet on their network

Now though, it appears as if LG and/or Verizon has had a change of heart as we’re now hearing that the device is heading to Big Red with a name called the LG Intuition instead. Packing a 5-inch display, the LG Intuition is going to provide a Galaxy Note-like experience for consumers who are looking to stay on Verizon and aren’t interested in the upcoming Galaxy Note 2.

The success of the Galaxy S3 is undeniable with well over 10m sales and now the focus of some fans has turned to the next incarnation, which will almost certainly be named the Samsung Galaxy S4. There has been a few details emerging already, even though the S3 launched just a few weeks ago, but what should we expected from the upgraded model?

Samsung Galaxy S4 specs to make a worthy upgrade – we have heard that the Galaxy S4 should feature improvements primarily for multimedia, which would be supported by 1080p video recording and a 12-megapixel autofocus camera on the back. The key difference between the Galaxy S3 and S4 will be the sound quality when recording video and playing music through the stereo speakers, which are likely to be found on the side.

It is one thing for the iPhone 5 and 5th generation iPod touch to share the same cable, dock connector, and screen changes, but when would the iPod touch be considered too similar to the iPhone? Both Apple products could almost be the same at some point and would leave some people wondering why both product lines are needed, although we see a need for both devices all the time we see the iPhone used mainly for phone calls over a phone network.

When we start making phone calls with the iPod touch 5G – there are ways to do this with apps over Wi-Fi and the lines blur even more with FaceTime video calling coming to 3G/4G, which means the iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5G could be used for almost all the same tasks in the near future. It must be a difficult balancing act for Apple to create a need for both iPhone and iPod touch, but it is worth noting this could be progression that is inevitable and part of the process of change.

Would you be happy with the iPhone and iPod touch becoming one product in the future? It makes sense for Apple to combine the abilities of both of these devices in the future, and we could see the iPhone 6 / 7 become much thinner like the iPod touch is today, but also with a bigger screen. This would mean one of the products would need dropping, most likely the iPod touch, or the name would change and become known as much more than a “phone“.

If you are still on the fence as to whether to pick up FIFA 13 or PES 2013 for this year’s football season, Konami has stepped in with a rather sneaky tactic. Despite already releasing a demo for PES 2013, the developer will be releasing a second taste of the game in an attempt to prize those who may have become tempted by recent media unveils for EA’s game.

We told you at the end of last month, that the first PES demo had arrived on Xbox 360 and PS3. However, some of you may have been disappointed with the lack of Premiership teams on show, as the demo only included countries and Brazilian teams and not some of your well known favorites that were included on previous PES demos.

Konami is putting things right though with their second demo, as they’ve announced that 11 fully licensed teams will feature in the demo and although they haven’t mentioned which ones are coming, we’re guessing that one or two Premiership teams will now be available for preview at last.

Info on the Sony Xperia J has leaked before, but now the smartphone followed in the footsteps of the Xperia T (Mint) and Xperia XT (Hayabusa) and got a preview before its official announcement, which should happen at IFA (starting at the end of this month).

The Sony Xperia J borrows design cues from the T and TX, but is a low end device. The screen is a 4" FWVGA LCD, but has narrow viewing angles and isn't very bright, according to Mobile-review's early impressions.

“I would like to talk about how the Hart Audio D&W Aural Pleasure loudspeakers feature crystal-clear highs and sternum-shaking lows, but I can’t stop staring at them long enough to actually care how they sound.

The speakers look like a cross between a jelly bean and something an elephant left behind. But really, these speakers aren’t about the looks. They’re about being able to tell people you spent $4.7 million on 18-karat-gold speakers.

There will only be one set of gold speakers available. Otherwise, you’ll have to settle for spending $315,000 on one of five pairs of silver speakers or a mere $63,000 on one of 99 pairs made from solid phosphor bronze (you cheapskate).

Today the folks over at Nikon have beat Samsung and many others to the punch by announcing their all new Android powered smart camera known as the Coolpix S800c. This 16 megapixel shooter surely will beat anything else in your pocket running Android, oh and did we mention it’s a Nikon?

We pretty much knew this was coming after countless leaks over the past few weeks all but confirmed the smart camera. Then late last week we got our first actual photos of the phone which match what Nikon has posted up on their site. At first glance this is just a regular point and shoot camera, but on the back is a 3.5-inch touchscreen powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Microsoft's been pushing tablet computers for the best part of a decade, so you can imagine how happy the iPad's success makes them.

But Microsoft doesn't give up easily, and Windows 8 tablets will be with us on the Windows 8 release date - 26 October. And before you dismiss Windows 8 tablets as a flash in the pan, it looks like we'll be getting a huge variety of them, ranging from simple slates to fully convertibfle ultraportable laptops.

Got a new smartphone? You’re probably dying to check out all its capabilities, including the options available for streaming or caching music. Who needs to carry around an iPod when you can do all that and more from a single device? Of course, you’re going to need a data plan in order to transfer information and store music through the Internet. Not crazy about the idea of paying outrageous fees for all that data usage? Get information on prepaid phones for options on paying only for the minutes and data usage as you use it.

Whether you choose a monthly data subscription or opt for the prepaid route, there are several rockin’ apps that will enable you to either stream or cache your favorite music right on your smartphone. Check out the top nine apps for streaming music to your mobile device.

Google Play Music

Google Play Music stores all your songs online, so there’s no need to sync and you won’t use all your storage space just for music. That said, you can save your favorite songs for offline playback – so should you get caught in a (gasp!) dead spot, you can still jive to your favorite tunes. You can also upload up to 20,000 songs already stored on your computer to the app, and of course, like all things Google, you can share it all with your Google+ network. Download Cost: FREE

Spotify

After making its debut in Korea, the Galaxy Note 10.1 fever has now hit the US. The larger variety of Samsung’s Note series is now available for purchase and a new advertisement from Hollywood’s James Franco casts a glowing light on the iPad competitor.

If you are thinking of getting the Galaxy Note 10.1, it’s a good idea to read through a collection of the reviews that have now been plastered online. The device is getting mixed reviews, with some early criticism slating a lack of programs which utilize the included S-Pen.

You won’t find any criticism in Samsung’s new commercial though, which bigs up the device to the extreme with the help of the Green Goblin himself, James Franco. The ad is a very cool one though, with Franco adding various elements of humor to the clip and even going out of his way to highlight his multitasking capabilities by directing the video himself.



We also see Franco tout various features of the Note 10.1, such as solving a complex algebra formula, to shooting a quick video with notations and sending it off to various social spaces. If the ad has pushed you over the edge into a purchase, you’ll be able to order one via Samsung’s website for $499 – that relates to the 16GB version and is available in a variety of colors.

What are your thoughts on the ad? We’ve seen a lot of comments on how the ad is very similar in the style to Apple’s commercials, both with the way it was filmed and with the use of big name celebrities which Apple also started doing recently. Would you like to see more celebrities in future Samsung commercials?

There is no doubt that Apple fans will be looking forward to the second half of this year with both iPhone 5 and iOS 6 about to launch, and it will be a part of the year that’s likely to benefit Apple more than Android. This is due to Apple’s software getting one major update a year, iOS 6 up next, and the fact they launch just one phone a year, which has an expected release date this fall.

Some recent research has looked at Android’s market share before the iPhone 5 launches, and it clearly shows Android is peaking while iOS has gained a lot of ground. You can see the facts and figures below, but in a nutshell you will notice a massive jump for iOS from 23.2% to 33.2% year-on-year. In this same period we see that Android has dropped from 60.6% down to 56.3%, although Google’s OS is still the clear leader where mobile operating systems are concerned.

Motorola has announced that the release of the Motorola RAZR Maxx outside the US will begin in May 2012, so those looking to get a little more life from their Android are in luck. The phone will be landing across select markets in Europe and the Middle East. 

The Motorola RAZR Maxx takes the Kevlar and Gorilla Glass-clad RAZR and packs in a higher-capacity battery, aiming to outlast other large-screened Android smartphones.

Marketed as a 4G device in the US, the 3G version takes the design of the original Motorola RAZR launched back in October 2011 and boosts the battery, adding a couple of millimetres to the thickness of the device.

It's only a small increase, however, moving the handset up to 8.99mm from the original 7.1mm. Motorola has officially confirmed that the battery capacity will be 3300mAh like the US model. Motorola says we'll get 17.6 hours of talk time from the RAZR Maxx compared to the 10 hours of the original.

If nothing else, 2011 has been an exciting year for phones that aren't the iPhone. Android continues its evolution, new handsets are popping up all the time and many of them are stunning. Two of the biggest this year are the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and this, the Motorola RAZR.

It's a new design, but a really old name. But it's got form because the original RAZR sold by the boatload. Pre-iPhone, it was the phone that everyone had to have. So is the new RAZR the phone that everyone will want to be seen with, or is it just another massive Android phone?

Going for the iPhone

It's clear from the design of the RAZR that Motorola has the iPhone in its sights. Indeed, the phone has a lot of the less desirable quirks of the iPhone. For example, it uses a micro SIM, which is a massive pain for anyone who switches SIM cards a lot - phone reviewers, say - and it's got a non-removable battery too. In reality, neither of these things will put many people off buying the phone, although both are less than desirable.

On the plus side, the RAZR beats the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus in one crucial regard. It has expandable memory. There's 16GB of in-built storage, which is pretty generous, equalling that of the Nexus and there's a microSD slot too, which can add another 32GB. If you love music, then that's about as good as things get.

Reports indicate that Sharp will begin sending LCD panels to Foxconn in the year's third quarter to start production on the Apple iTV.

According to Chinese news site 21cbh.com, which was translated and summarized by analyst Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets.

The Chinese site allegedly spoke with Sharp executives, as well as other sources with the company, that indicated the upcoming LCD TV panel shipments are meant for an Apple television set, often referred to as the iTV among the rumor mill.

The ninth major version of OS X adds more than 200 new features. A few major additions stand out from the crowd, but there are many more small tweaks tucked in for good measure. Download it now from the Mac App Store.

Just like its predecessor, OS X Mountain Lion draws much inspiration from iOS, the operating system that powers the iPhone and the iPad.

The only place to get it is the Mac App Store. Unlike OS X 10.7 Lion, Apple won't be selling this version on a pricey USB flash drive, so you'll need access to a fairly good internet connection to download the installer.

Getting it is a cinch. Open the Mac App Store and you're sure to see Mountain Lion listed prominently on the front page, just a couple of clicks away from purchase. It installs right over the top of your current version.

Canadian carriers are not exactly known for their small prices. The prices of phones on contracts may look reasonable at first sight, but the contracts last for three years, and the carriers make sure they make a lot more money on a phone than they are investing in subsidies. This is why it’s a little surprising to see Bell selling a decent Android 4.0 smartphone for only $200 unlocked.

The LG Optimus L5 specs include a 800 Mhz Cortex A5 processor, which should be significantly faster than ARM11 (by 20% or so). The good news is that it seems we’re finally getting to the point where we can get rid of ARMv6 processors in our phones, and we’re moving fully to ARMv7 processors, even for the low-end of the market.

Cortex A5 is an ARMv7 processor and the phone comes with Android 4.0, which means that Chrome should run on it (Chrome doesn’t run on the low-end ARMv6 chips). Alternatively, if Chrome doesn’t run on ARM v7 right away, Google can implement support for it much more easily, than if they were to port Chrome to the ARMv6 architecture.

The storied ThinkPad line has just turned 20 and, over all those years, the brand has established itself as something that (mostly) successfully straddles the line between boring corporate accessory and classy consumer choice. Stoic is an apt term for the machines and, through those two decades, they've only gotten better and better -- well, most of the time, anyway.

Welcome, then, to what is the latest and, therefore, what should be the best: the $1,499 ThinkPad X1 Carbon. It's an evolution of last year's X1, thinner and lighter than that pre-Ultrabook despite having a larger display.

The Carbon moniker here not only describes this machine's matte black exterior but also applies to the woven and resin-impregnated composite structure within, delivering a rare mix of light weight, svelte dimensions and durable construction. It's a wonder to behold but can it improve on the previous ThinkPad X1's shortcomings? There's only one way to find out.

We declared Google's new flagship tablet, the ASUS-made Nexus 7, to be the best slate that $200 can buy -- as well as one of our top choices for students -- and while it's hard to beat the price, we're going to give four of them away regardless! 

This week's contest is all thanks to NVIDIA, the folks behind the quad-core Tegra 3 that powers the Jelly Bean tablet and turns gaming into a smooth and pleasant experience. These little guys are definitely worth a grab, so add a comment to enter!

The rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. Duplicate entries will be filtered out and discarded, so adding additional comments won't increase your likelihood of winning.
• Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. For anyone in the United Kingdom, we will feature UK-only contests on occasion.
• Winners will be chosen randomly. Four winners will receive one (1) new Google Nexus 7, valued at $200 each.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. NVIDIA, Google, ASUS and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties or customer service.
• The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.

Ever since before the launch last fall of the iPhone 4S, Apple fans have been clamoring for the incredible, mythical creature known as the iPhone 5.

This device would feature a new, totally different form factor—4G capability—and everything else that’s been missing from previous versions of the device.

But then, rather than the iPhone 5, Apple introduced the iPhone 4S, with a similar form factor as the iPhone 4, and no major new features other than Siri. And even though the device broke sales records, the arrival of the 4S didn’t stop enthusiasts from clamoring for the lost iPhone 5.

We start with semantics. There’s absolutely no reason for the next iPhone to be called the iPhone 5, simply because it’s not the fifth iPhone. It’s the sixth. The iPhone 4 was the 4th, the 4S was the 5th, and the next, whatever it’s called, will be the 6th.

The next version of the software will probably come out this summer, and if previous naming conventions continue it’ll likely be called iOS 6. If that’s the case it wouldn’t make much sense for it to run on the iPhone 5, especially if the phone comes out months later.

Coming off the recent rumors of a Black Galaxy S III smartphone, it looks like the handset will indeed be coming available.

Well, at least for those in the UK anyway. Mobile Fun, a UK retailer has confirmed the upcoming availability of the Black Galaxy S III. The announcement comes with some pricing, the ability to place a pre-order and a rough idea of when the handset will begin shipping.

That being said, the Black Galaxy S III is priced at £499.95 (which includes VAT) and is “expected” to be in-stock and begin shipping in 4-6 weeks.

Let’s welcome the new member of Samsung Galaxy Series. Its name is Samsung Galaxy Prevail. As we know, there are many Samsung Galaxy Series in the competitive smartphone market. Does this new offering have something interesting to offer? Let’s take a look for a while.

Samsung Galaxy Prevail comes with shimmering appearance. That’s why we like it. The design has solid feel and polished looks. The colaboration between Boost Mobile Samsung has developed this very lightweight smartphone. We can say that its design is superior.

For its performance, Samsung Galaxy Prevail relies on Android 2.2 Froyo as its operating system. This smartphone features 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen with good colour production. To satisfy your “greed”, Samsung Galaxy Prevail also offers 2 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, and 2GB microSD card.

One of the most interesting point of this new offering is its jaw dropping no-contract price. The price is $179.99. For those who expect impressive design for the smartphone, this new choice is highly recommended. But,you should give toleration for its performance.

iPod touch takes fun to the next level. It now comes in two colors: black and white.It includes iOS 5, which gives you over 200 exciting new features. And with iCloud,whatever’s on your iPod touch is automatically on your other devices, too.

FaceTime
Your answer to “No way. Prove it.”

Some things are just better explained face-to-face. Even when you’re miles apart. On the front of iPod touch is a built-in camera perfect for making FaceTime video calls.1 Your smile, your laugh, your gasps, your “sad panda” face, even what’s in front of you. Your friend sees it all, live and in full effect.

HD video recording
Director’s chair not included.

iPod touch features a second camera on the back, which lets you shoot amazing 720p HD video. And with its advanced backside illumination sensor, it captures beautiful footage even in low-light settings. All while the built-in microphone records conversations, music, or any audio at the same time.

With an updated interface, more fitness features, and new clock faces, iPod nano is Multi-Touch. And multi-talented.

From $129.00

Multi-Touch and music. Smart ways to stay fit. Clock faces.A built-in FM radio. Everything about iPod nano is a huge hit.

Your greatest hits. And taps. And swipes.

The best things in life have a soundtrack, and that’s where iPod nano shines. The easy-to-use Multi-Touch display gives you total control of your music experience. Tap to play, or tap Music to browse your collection by songs, albums, artists, playlists, genres, or composers. You can even customize your Home screens so your music is organized just how you like.

Clip on some tunes.

With the built-in clip, you can walk, run, ride, or dance with your favorite songs on your sleeve (or pocket, jacket, or bag). The album art of the song you’re listening to fits perfectly on the display.

SONY VAIO E SERIES 14P

• RRP incl GST: $1,400
• Contact: sony.co.nz

AT A GLANCE

• 14-inch, 1600 x 900-pixel screen
• Intel Core i5-2450M, with an AMD Radeon GPU
• Good performance scores for the specification
• Some nice colour touches and included keyboard skins

Skinning is a popular term for adding a whole new look for software, but its not often that you get an actual skin with your gadget. The Sony Vaio E Series 14P laptop comes with a silicone keyboard skin that goes atop your keyboard, protecting it and changing its colour and feel.

DELL XPS 14 (XPS L421X)

• RRP incl GST: $1,799 - $3,499 depending on model, $2,599 (as tested)
• Contact: dell.co.nz

AT A GLANCE

• Intel Core i7-3517U dual-core 1.9GHz CPU (Turbo Boost up to 3GHz)
• 8GB RAM
• Nvidia GeForce GT 630M GPU with 1GB dedicated memory
• Weighty for an Ultrabook at 2.15kg

Dell’s latest series of 14-inch Ultrabooks brings a little of the American company’s trademark customisability to the form factor. While you can’t pick and choose processors, RAM and storage individually, there are five models of XPS 14 ranging from an entry-level $1,799 model, with Intel Core i5 CPU and 4GB of RAM, up to a top-end $3,499 model, with Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD and dedicated Nvidia GeForce GPU.

Our review model had a third-generation (Ivy Bridge) Intel Core i7-3517U dual-core CPU, 8GB of RAM, 500GB 5400RPM hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce GT 630M graphics card with 1GB of dedicated GDDR5 video memory. It retails for $2,599, and is one step down from top-of-the-line.

We’ve seen a few rugged phones over the last six months, and it seems to be a niche that does well here in New Zealand. That’s possibly in part because of our dramatic and technology-destroying scenery. Another factor is that rugged phones have a tendency to assume you’re out in the wilds and boost signal reception to cope. Kiwis wanting good phone signal strength seems like a no-brainer.

Samsung’s entrant into this arena is the Galaxy Xcover – I think it might be intended to sound a bit like ‘discover’, though I’m not sure how. It’s an IP67-certified smartphone, meaning that it is dustproof and waterproof for up to one metre for 30 minutes. The concession to this in the design is a textured rear panel that has a large lock to prevent ingress of dust or water. Beyond that, it’s a fairly standard mid-range smartphone both in its uninspiring plasticky surround and overall shape. At 12mm thick and 100g, with a 3.7-inch screen, it fits snugly into hand or pocket without being too hefty. As you might expect from a rugged phone, it has a Gorilla Glass screen.