Author: Simon Perry

Pinnacle Video Transfer Gives PC-Free Ripping

Pinnacle Video Transfer Gives PC-Free RippingPinnacle are launching the Pinnacle Video Transfer analogue to digital video ripper at CES.

If you’re fed up with having to switch on your computer to rip a video to play on your digital media player, your life could become a little easier.

The pocket-sized device can take any S-Video, Composite video and stereo audio analogue source as an input and cleverly the digital H.264 output is stored on any USB storage device, including Apple iPod Video, iPod nano (3rd generation), iPod classic, Sony PSP, Sony PSP slim, USB flash drive or USB hard drive.

The quality of the video can be set to one of three different levels – Good, Better, Best – depending on their preferences for video quality or the actual size of the video files.

Uses run through the obvious of capturing TV, DVD player, PVR, camcorder or set-top box directly to the less obvious, like capturing video game sessions for showing to their mates later.

Priced at £100, it’s expected to be available in the UK soon.

London Police Raids Reclaim Stolen Mobile Phones

London Police Raids Reclaim Stolen Mobile PhonesThe UK National Mobile Phone Crime Unit carried out a number of raids around London last month – under the grandly titled, Operation Prestige – seizing 324 stolen mobile phones and carried out 56 arrests.

The actions were take in Lambeth, Lewisham, Croydon, Brent, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Camden. The police believed that many of the handsets were stolen by street gangs and pickpockets.
Continue reading London Police Raids Reclaim Stolen Mobile Phones

£27,000 Mobile Phone Bill Shock

£27,000 Mobile Phone Bill ShockA Vodafone customer in Darlington got the shock of his life before new year, when he learned from Vodafone that he’d racked up a huge mobile data bill.

A ‘friend’ of his had told him that he could wire his mobile phone to his laptop to use it as modem. After signing up for a £41.50/month deal, Ian Simpson from Darlington, thought he could use it without limit.
Continue reading £27,000 Mobile Phone Bill Shock

BBC Micro Designer Gets CBE

Steve Furber, CBEThose of a certain age will wax lyrical and glow slightly when the BBC Micro is mentioned in a conversation. It was a computer – along with the Sinclair ZX80/81/ Spectrum – that introduced a generation of the UK to computing.

In Gordon Brown’s first New Years Honours List, Steve Furber, a principal designer of the BBC Microcomputer received one of the 32 CBE’s that were given this year.
Continue reading BBC Micro Designer Gets CBE

Orbit Speaker Review: Altec Lansing Mini Marvel (80%)

Orbit Speaker Review: Altec Lansing Mini Marvel (80%)We get lots of stuff sent to us for review, and sometimes we can get a little blase about it.

When the Altec Lansing Orbit iM207 arrived, we were aware of they long background in providing speakers for computers, but were only moderately excited when it arrived.

Over the month plus that we’ve had it, this has changed quite a bit as it’s proved itself to be a compact, highly capable bundle of fun.
Continue reading Orbit Speaker Review: Altec Lansing Mini Marvel (80%)

HowTo Select a Broadband Provider

HowTo Select a Broadband ProviderGiven the disappointment of many broadband customers in the UK, we though it might be helpful to put together a list of suggestions when considering signing up for your next broadband contract.

If you’ve got more gems of knowledge, please add them.

Our painful experience has taught us …. Continue reading HowTo Select a Broadband Provider