Author: Stuart Dredge
Blu-ray bigwig: "Toshiba sealed HD DVD's fate with $99 pricing…"
The high-definition war is all over bar the shouting (and trust me, the Blu-ray camp is doing plenty of that). At least, it’s over until Blu-ray comes up against digital distribution, which may wipe the smile off their faces.
Panasonic launches P905i Viera TV phone in Japan
Nowadays, it’s the done thing for big consumer electronics firms to take their home entertainment brands mobile, with dedicated handsets. Think Sony Ericsson with its Walkman, Cyber-shot and (in Japan) Bravia phones. Panasonic is at it too, with its Viera TV brand.
Snoop Dogg twizzles his nizzle on Twitter
Imagine the problems Snoop Dogg would have if his keyboard’s ‘z’ key packed up. He’d be stuck! Thankfully, it’s not happened yet, and Snoop is proving his Web 2.0 credentials by launching his very own Twitter feed.
Tryphone lets you test out new phones online
Buying a new phone? You don’t want to let a smooth-talking mobile salesperson decide which one you want for you. Nowadays, it’s pretty easy to bone up on new handsets online before making a purchase, whether that’s reading reviews, watching hands-on videos, or surfing forums to see what other people who own a handset think of it.
Classic Jeff Minter game Gridrunner++ goes live on Facebook
Great news for retro gamers with a penchant for llamas. Classic PC game Gridrunner++ has been released as a Facebook application. The original was developed by legendary game designer Jeff Minter, and the new version seemingly has Jeff’s blessing.
LinkedIn goes mobile with new WAP site
There’s been a lot of talk about mobile social networking in recent months, but it’s mostly focused on the big consumer sites like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo. However, business-focused social network LinkedIn has just announced its move into mobile, with a new WAP site.
Japanese designer unveils cool augmented-reality tablet
Check this out. It’s not got a name yet, but it’s a concept product created by Tokyo designer Mac Funamizu, which includes a camera, a GPS module, and internet connectivity.
Harley Davidson owners get their own social network
Good news for men with big hair, big beards and big bikes. You’ve now got your very own social network based around Harley Davidson bikes. It’s called Harley Social, and it lets you create a blog, and upload photos and videos of your glorious vehicle.
Order whisky on the blocks with Tetris ice cubes
Hurrah! Someone’s invented Tetris-themed ice cube trays. Simply fill ’em with water, and icy Tetromino-based fun is yours for the taking. If you’re really clever, you could use different flavourings to make coloured blocks, just like the latest versions of the game.
Qype claims Facebook falloff is due to "group spam and pointless pokes"
Earlier this week, it was reported that Facebook saw its visitors fall in January for the first time in 17 months. Has the bubble burst for the social network? UGC site Qype reckons it might have.
