Welcome to Brand New Technology Update. We are a UK Gadget and Technology Blog. Great stuff for all you Gizmo Gadgeteers.

Thursday 28 June 2007

New Grand Theft Auto 4 Trailer And Screenshots

Tonight the guys at Rockstar Games are dropping us with another mouth watering trailer for the new GTA IV game but before the main course is served, they have brought us out a starter. They have given us these 2 new screenshots of the game just to work us up even more.

One shows the games new top dog, Niko Bellic, in what looks like an evading of the law after some sort of madness! and the other is a camera shot of Niko from behind, where he is probably about to go out for a spot of midnight car jacking.

The graphics for the new game look amazing so be sure not to miss out on the 2nd serving of GTA IV trailers tonight. The trailer will be put online at 6PM UK time and I'll see if i can get it up for you right here! Check back for more details.

Tuesday 26 June 2007

The Bike To Beach iPod Speaker For Your Bike

Ever been out for a cycle on a Sunday morning and realise that your Bike is missing its very own Jukebox? No, neither have i, but, it does sound pretty cool huh? iPod dedicated company, iHome on the other hand HAVE thought about it and have seen the idea through with their iH85B Speaker or "Bike to Beach Bicycle Speaker for iPod" as it's dubbed.

The speaker case is water resistant and is clamped onto your bike just like a water bottle. The remote control is mounted to your handle bars so you can easily change tunes while cycling! The speaker can also be used at home and comes with an AC adaptor and will charge your iPod while it is connected.
So its an "iPod Home Dock" and a new type of Dock, the err... "iPod Bike Dock".

Friday 22 June 2007

Manhunt 2 Video Game Banned In The UK

Video Game News


Manhunt 2, the sequel to the violent video game "Manhunt",
has been banned from being sold in the UK. It is now illegal to supply the "stalk and slay" style game anywhere in the UK.
The last game to be refused classification from the censors
board was "Carmageddon" back in 1997. Which was later overturned after appeal. Rockstar games will have 6 weeks
to appeal their case on Manhunt 2, also hoping for an overturn.
The heart of the controversy seems to come from the version available on the Wii, due to the consoles interactivity with the game through the numchuck controllers. It is felt that the game is pure and simply practice for serial killers!

On the other end of the argument however, Parents of a schoolboy from Leicester who was murdered at 14 years old, blamed the original Manhunt video game for their sons murder. They are delighted that the game has been banned. They believed that their sons killer had become obsessed with the game.

All i can say is that, whatever way is right or wrong, Should it be released? Shouldn't it be released? All us sane people are missing out on a really good game. The game is an 18 and is designed for adults. If young kids are being allowed to play these games then i blame it on the parents. Keep control of your children.
Related Links:
Rockstar Games

Wednesday 20 June 2007

Motorola MOTO KRZR K1 Pink Mobile Phone: Another Carphone Warehouse Exclusive

If you are the kind whose mobile phone is their favourite fashion accessory and it just has to stand out from all the rest, then you can't get much more "outstanding" than the MOTO KRZR K1. Its reflective pink shiny face and its size zero frame make this one hell of a phone to look at! Unique in every way, the Motorola KRZR K1 is in a class of its own, the Heidi Klum of mobile phones if you will.

Nowadays though, a "Great Mobile" cannot be a "Great Mobile" based solely on its looks, no matter how luscious they are. Which is why the MOTO KRZR is packed with awesome features. It comes with 2 screens, one on the outside of the phone and of course your main screen. Even better though, its 2 mega pixel camera with 8X digital zoom will work on both screens! with photo AND video! It also comes with an MP3 Player, Quadband and all the rest of the must have mobile technology.

As the KRZR Pink is exclusive to the Carphone Warehouse, they give you a great deal as well. They are giving you the handset for FREE, discount on the whole 18 months of the contract plus they are giving you £15 cash when you order online.

Check it out at the Carphone Warehouse.

Tuesday 19 June 2007

Tefal Quick Cup: The Environmentally Friendly "Green" Kettle

At the moment, the whole planet is caught up in this frenzy to fight against Global Warming and so on. We now live in a world where the "tree hugger" is no longer just the local weirdo or a hippy, and even those spoiled celebrities are doing their bit to fight the cause, swapping their Range Rovers for the likes of the Toyota Prius. Now we have sorted the biggest problem of them all!... The Kettle?

This may sound silly to some folks but kettles are one of the planets biggest energy wasters. Tefal have saved the day though, with their new very unique and "Green" Kettle. The Tefal Quick Cup.

Compared to your standard Kettle, the Tefal Quick Cup reduces 65% of energy consumption, saving you valuable pennies on the electric bill whilst also aiding to the cause of saving the planet from death!

Most impressive of all though, the Quick Cup will deliver hot water in just 3 seconds! hence the title "Quick Cup" making it the "Tea Jennies" ultimate fantasy, and if you aren't a Tea Jennie then you can enjoy the cold filtered water that it produces instead, there you go! two for the price of one!.

The Quick Cup will cost £59.99. It will be available from July and will be on sale in pretty much any of your usual electrical stores.


Related Links:

YouTube Launches 9 New International Versions Of The Network

As of today YouTube has launched 9 different new sites. The 9 different sites have been launched across Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. This is apparently only the first step in YouTubes quest to go completely international. So expect even more to come! Each site will be fully translated to the specific country and searches, content and homepages will all be localised.

YouTube have also unveiled new content partners from all around the world. They have struck deals with companies including France 24 and Antena 3 in Spain not to mention football giants such as AC Milan, Barcelona, Chelsea and Real Madrid! Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace have also struck deals with the video sharing network.

YouTube Local Sites List:

YouTube France - http://www.youtube.fr/
YouTube Ireland - http://www.youtube.ie/
YouTube Italy - http://it.youtube.com/
YouTube Japan - http://www.youtube.jp/
YouTube Netherlands - http://www.youtube.nl/
YouTube Poland - http://www.youtube.pl/
YouTube Spain - http://www.youtube.es/

Astronaut Sunita Williams Sets New Space Endurance Record

Female astronaut Sunita Williams has set yet another record, this time for the longest unbroken space flight by a woman. On Saturday morning at 05:47 GMT, Sunita surpassed the record of 188 days and 4 hours set by Shannon Lucid in 1996.


Sunita who is aboard the International Space Station also set the record for the longest female spacewalk at 22 hours 27 minutes. The previous record was just over 21 hours set by Kathryn Thornton. During her time aboard the International Space Station Sunita has also ran the Boston Marathon on a treadmill!.


“She truly is a space marathoner who shows young women everywhere that there's a place in the space program for them.” said fellow astronaut Eileen Collins. Sunita returns to earth on June 21st which by then will giver her a total of 194 days in Space.

Monday 18 June 2007

WND Wind DUO 2000: It's Double Sided, Its 2 Mobiles In 1

Its the answer to the business man's prayers. With the man in the suit nowadays running multiple mobile contracts at once, this latest phone creation could just sort out a few of his problems. This year we have seen the start of the double sided mobile phone craze with creations such as Samsung's F300 mobile phone but this one from WND Telecom is a little bitty different. It's not a phone/music player or phone/Internet browser. It is a phone/err.... phone!


The Wind Duo 2000 from WND Telecom has 2 screens, 2 keypads and 2 Sim cards. Completely and utterly 2 phones in 1. This means swapping between phones for work and leisure time are a thing of the past. Just flip it over and Voila! different mobile!

When i first saw this i thought it was yet another Moto Creation but it ain't. It is very similar to the Motorola SLVR though as you can see for yourself. WND Telecom have announced that this is heading for the UK but the exact date is not yet set.


Related Links:

Tuesday 12 June 2007

The Nokia N77: Live Television Broadcasts Via Mobile

About a month ago i wrote a post on how Mobile TV was going to be the next big thing on mobile phones, with Italy, Japan and South Korea already in the Mobile TV game. Now Nokia have announced that their Nokia N77 Multimedia computer phone has been released in Finland and is also heading to Vietnam and India later on in the month. Now the guys in Finland can keep up to date on the latest news and see their favourite team in action while on the move. Damn them!

The Nokia N77's TV key gives users direst access to a whole world of TV programs. You can even set a program reminder just like on your Sky box at home! and a 7 day program guide! The N77 also comes with an MP3 player, 2 megapixel camera, web browsing, email access and a 2.4 inch flatscreen.

Check Out The Nokia N77 Here

Monday 11 June 2007

Panasonic DMC-TZ3EB-K Lumix: The World's Smallest Digital Camera With 10 x Optical Zoom

It is the latest addition to Panasonic's Lumix digital camera range and it is the world's new smallest digital camera with 10X Optical Zoom and 28mm Wide Angle Leica Lens. It is the Lumix DMC-TZ3EB-K which is a bit of a mouthful and memorising the code to the Halifax Building Society's main safe would quite frankly be easier so for now we'll stick to "World's Smallest Snapper".

When you combine the features of the 28mm Wide Angle Leica Lens, 10x Optical Zoom and Panasonic's MEGA Optical Image Stabilizer, it makes this camera a top piece of technology, not just another camera with a world's first title. Not to mention its 7.2 Megapixel capability and its 3 inch High Resolution LCD Monitor.

The "World's Smallest Snapper" comes in its usual color options of silver or black, although Blue is an option in some countries.


This camera is available now available at Panasonic.

Related Links:

Panasonic eShop

Saturday 9 June 2007

Top 10 Fathers Day Gifts For Gadget Dad

Are you never quite sure what to get Dad for Fathers Day and feel you just cant possibly buy him yet another pair of slippers? Don't worry, I've sorted it all out for you right here. Here's a list of cool gifts and gadgets that the old man wont be able to leave to rot in the cobweb infested space at the back of the cupboard.

1) The Sharp Shootin' Remote Control

Here is a top gift for "Couch Potato Dad" or "Wild Wild West Dad". It is the Sharp Shootin' Remote Control . Now Pops can blow those annoying adverts and sickening soaps away with one sharp pull of the trigger with this TV remote/Gun.

Price - £9.95

2) Self Stirring Mug

Yes you heard it right, it is the Self Stirring Mug. Is he too lazy to stir his own own cuppa in the mornings? No problem, as long as he has enough energy to push a button on a handle he's sorted!

Price - £9.50



3) Slippies

OK so you might be thinking, "No! Not more slippers!" But don't be too hasty, there is a catch. Not just your average Joe pair of slippers these, Slippies can be microwaved to provide extra warmth and comfort to those old feet at the end of a hard day. Do you believe that? Microwaved!

Price - £13.99

4) Wireless TVR Tuscan Computer Mouse

Is his favourite TV Program Top Gear? Is he constantly shoving his head under the car bonnet and claiming to have "fixed the car". Then he'll love this cool new Wireless TVR Tuscan Computer Mouse.

Price - £19.95

5) Digital Photo Frame

Want to make sure he has a nice picture of the family? Why not make sure he has loads of nice family pics to look at. Give him this Digital Photo Frame and he can display a different picture of the family every day if he wants to.

Price £69.95

6) USB Missile Launcher

If your old man is the life of the office and is a bit of a prankster then he'd love this next gift idea. This USB Missile Launcher is enough to give anyone the chance to stir things up a bit in the office or at home with the kids.

Price - £29.95





7) Beer Chill Dispenser

Here it is, in my opinion, this is the greatest Fathers Day gift ever! (Hint, hint. Wink, wink) With this brilliant Beer Chill Dispenser you can give your own local a run for its money. Forget your can or your bottle in a glass, pull yourself a proper pint of draught!

Price - £139.95

8) The Daddy - Wine & Puzzle Gift Pack

This Wine & Puzzle Gift Pack is sure to get the old noggin ticking with its "Don't Break the Bottle Vice" Find out just how smart Dad is, see whether he can work out the puzzle or not.

Price - £19.95

9) Plus Deck Cassette Converter

Has your Dad struggled to keep up with iPod mania and doesn't have a clue what MP3 is all about. Well if he's still listening to all his cassette classics, at least give him the chance to listen while he's trying to figure out what this Internet thing is all about with this Cassette Converter Deck.

Price - £99.95

10) Personalised Beatles Book

Great for Beatles fans or folks that wish we were all still living in the sixties, revisit some of the sixties with your very own Personalised Beatles Book. The book is personalised with the words "Researched for and presented to (name of Dad)" in gold on the front cover. Cool!

Price £49.99




Tuesday 5 June 2007

Digital Talking Paper Created By Swedish Scientists

Researchers from Mid Sweden University have constructed an interactive paper billboard that emits recorded sound in response to a user's touch. The prototype display uses conductive inks, which are sensitive to pressure, and printed speakers.

The researcher's display model shows its possible use for marketing holiday destinations.

One interesting idea would be to use it on cigarette packaging
Mikael Gulliksson

Mikael Gulliksson, who led the research project, told BBC News: "When you approach the billboard and put your hand on a postcard that shows a picture of a beach, you can hear a very brief description of that beach."

Via BBC, Check Out The Full Story Here

Check Out The Digital Paper In Action

Monday 4 June 2007

Sony Cut The Price Of BDP-S300 Blu Ray Player

Sony have tried to gain the advantage once again in the "Next Generation DVD War" by cutting the price of their new BDP-S300 player. Sony have cut $100, the equivalent of £50 off their Blu Ray Player which cuts the price down to $499, half the price of the first Blu Ray Player. However, with Toshiba's rival HD DVD format player going for less than £300 at websites such as Play.com, there's no real advantage. Blu Ray does seem to have slightly more backers than HD DVD though, with Samsung, Dell, Apple, Disney and 20th Century Fox backing Sony Blu Ray while company's such as NEC, Sanyo and Universal Pictures prefer HD DVD.

Samsung SGH-E590: Samsungs New Unique Phone Designed By Jasper Morrison

Samsung have teamed up with top designer Jasper Morrison to give us their new unique mobile phone, the Samsung SGH-E590. The E590 has a great blend of quality features and great design. The E590 boasts a 3.2 mega pixel camera with auto focus, half shutter and Panorama Shot which even out does certain digital camera's. The E590 is dual faced. One side has you keypad and your LCD screen (your phone basically) then the other side has all your digital camera functions, cool huh? It even has an extremely unique tripod! Samsung have called it the "Bean Bag" (very fitting). Other features include Bluetooth, Music Player and Voice streaming & Messaging.

The Samsung SGH-E590 will be available throughout Europe, China and South East Asia from this month, check back soon for more details.

US Apple iPhone Release Date Is June 29th


Apple iPhone News

Release details of the Apple iPhone have been unveiled. June 29th is the date set by American ads. The ads show off the iPhone's hottest features which make them real teases so watch at your own pearl. The ads show everything from answering phone calls and using the iPod to checking out your photos and browsing the web, you can check out the ads here.


The UK release is STILL not known but as soon as we have it will be up so check back for more information on the iPhone.


Saturday 2 June 2007

BBC News Show Click Check Out New Motion Sensitive Laptop Technology

BBC News 24's technology show Click takes a look at new Motion Sensitive Laptop technology, plus, "Why magnetic PDA screens are no good", the new Samsung SGH-F300, double sided phone and music player and Samsung's new very unique carry case/battery charger. Check out the video below.