Netgear ReadyNAS 104 Review

What is the Netgear ReadyNAS 104?This is the long-awaited four-bay version of Netgear’s impressive, bargaintastic ReadyNAS 102. The original two-bay 102 caused shockwaves when it offered a fully blown NAS for little more than £100, and now Netgear is making the next logical step. Netgear ReadyNAS 104 – DesignWhile very similar, the ReadyNAS 104 isn't quite the simple enlarged 102 that you might expect.The...
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Withings: Activité will not compete with Apple Watch

The Withings Activité will not challenge the Apple Watch for smartwatch supremacy, the device’s manufacturer has predicted. With the smartwatch market quickly becoming a crowded space, Withings has suggested that its upcoming Activité wearable will target an entirely different area of the market to Apple’s upcoming foray into the wearable tech space.“The Activité is aimed at Mr and Mrs Smith,” an...
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Nintendo suggests UK doesn’t need the new 3DS yet

Despite Nintendo having recently launched its all-new 3DS handheld in Japan, the console will not hit British shores until 2015. Why? You might justifiably ask. Well, according to Ninty, the UK market doesn’t need a new console yet, the old one is still selling just fine.The ailing gaming giant has claimed that 3DS sales in the US and UK are strong enough to survive the upcoming, and highly lucrative,...
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Plantronics Rig Surround Review

What is the Plantronics Rig Surround?The Plantronics Rig Surround aims to be the ultimate all-rounder headset, combining gaming-friendly features such as a desktop amplifier and 7.1 virtual surround with more on-the-go touches like foldable earcups and a modular cable design.Plantronics Rig Surround – The HeadsetThe Rig Surround consists of two main components: the USB sound card/amp and the headset...
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US cops can demand fingerprint, not passcode, to access your phone

"Hand over those digits, son!"A US court has ruled that it’s fair for police to demand your fingerprint to unlock a smartphone, as part of evidence acquisition. It’s an interesting ruling largely because they can’t demand that you hand over a passcode.This means that if you’ve opted for fingerprint security on your blower, US law enforcement could make you hand over the tips and dig through your phone.The...
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Vivo teases world’s thinnest smartphone at just 3.85mm thick

Vivo's paper-thin smartphone resting atop an Apple iPhone 5SVivo has just teased the most svelte smartphone we’ve ever seen. Seriously. This thing makes endurance runners second-guess that next donut. The eastern smartphone maker’s mystery blower measures up at a nigh-on invisible 3.85mm thick, trumping its Chinese pal Oppo’s new R5.It’s all very hush-hush right now – the only glimpse we’ve had of...
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GAME to open stores early for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare launch

GAME has revealed its plans for world dominati- ugh sorry, plans for the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare midnight launch. The game retailer says it’s going to open all of its 316 stores across the UK from 11pm on Sunday November 2 so gamers can snag an early copy of the new shooter.Gamers will be able to get in 24 hours of play-time as soon as midnight strikes with the exclusive Advanced Warfare Day...
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UK Gov promises 1000 new Wi-Fi hotspots by March 2015

The UK government has pledged to transform over 1000 public buildings across the country into free Wi-Fi hotspots. By March 2015, museums, libraries, sport centres, and other public hubs will offer up free net access to any willing entrant.The news comes courtesy of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, in an effort to ensure UK cities ‘boast world-class connectivity’.Ed Vaizey, the UK’s...
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Warblr is an app that identifies birds from their songs

So it wasn't a flamingo after allHeard a bird tweeting away (no, the other kind of tweeting) and wondered what it is? Now you can find out with a new app called Warblr. It's an audio recognition app for birdsong. Basically Shazam for birds. Start the app, hold your phone up to the sound, and it'll tell you what kind of bird you're hearing.The UK has between 400 and 500 species of birds, so you could...
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G-Paws cat-tracker makes it easier than ever to stalk your feline

Is your furry friend always running off under the cloak of darkness? Reckon the prized puss is dealing dodgy catnip to unsavoury alley-cats? Don your deerstalker, Sherlock – there’s sleuthing to be done. The G-Paws cat-tracker has just undergone a revamp, bringing better hardware, more features, and a sure-fire way for you to find out if your cat’s picking up extra meals in your neighbour’s back garden.The...
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Global PS4 sales top 13.5m units

It’s almost a year since the PS4 launched, and now Sony has confirmed its latest console has shifted an impressive 13.5 million units to date. With the PS3 follow-on having consistently outsold the rival Xbox One since the two consoles were released last November, Sony’s PS4 sales have been bolstered by a strong Q3 showing.With gamers getting ready for the pre-Christmas onslaught of AAA games, the...
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HTC predicting strong Q4 thanks to One M8 and Nexus 9

HTC reckons its Christmas quarter will trump its last three months of sales by around $150m in revenue. The Taiwanese tech firm just posted its earnings for Q3 2014, revealing around $1.4 billion.Not content with mobile mediocrity, the company’s crystal ball is now saying Q4 will see earnings of up to $1.54 billion.Profits posted for most recent quarter totalled $19.7 million, which isn’t bad for...
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Best games to play on Halloween

Get the spooks in this HalloweenAll Hallows Eve descends upon the UK this week and if you haven’t been invited to a party or event, it’s worth breaking out the games and scaring the living excrement out of yourself. Here we present the most frightening titles available across the different platforms.New Gen: Xbox One, PS4, Wii UIt’s been a pretty slow year for the horror crowd on the new gen. Developers...
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Sony Xperia Z4 release date, rumours, news, specs and price

Everything you need to know about the Sony Xperia Z4The Sony Xperia Z4 release date has already become a hot topic on the tech scene despite the Xperia Z3 having only been on retailers’ shelves for a couple of weeks.Given the company's ridiculous habit of launching updated flagship phones every six months, the Z4 release date could be closer than you might expect. Keeping time with these launch expectations,...
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Xiaomi reportedly plotting own 9-inch iPad rival

Xiaomi could be working on a brand new tablet in its quest for world mobile domination. The Chinese firm recently described as thieves by Apple design lead Jony Ive for copying iPhone design may be gearing up to take on the iPad.A benchmark result has emerged over on GFXBench, giving an early debut to a 9.2-inch tablet tagged up as Xiaomi fare.The secret slate seems to be boasting a decidedly underwhelming...
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Sony’s loaning out 4K movies to 4K TV customers for free

Sony is playing at Santa, with the Japanese firm promising to give away five 4K movies to customers free of charge. To qualify for the pre-crimbo goodies, you’ll need to have purchased one of Sony’s Bravia 4K UHD TVs.There’s ten 4K movies on offer as part of the '4K privilege' promo, although only half are available to pick up for free.You need to make sure to redeem the movies by Christmas Eve, and...
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Amazon admits to Fire Phone pricing error

An Amazon executive has admitted that the company made a mistake when pricing up its Amazon Fire Phone flop. The Amazon Fire Phone launched in the US back in July for a standard $199 up front free on a two year contract, which ran contrary to Amazon's former habit of undercutting its rivals on hardware.In a recent Fortune interview, Amazon Senior Vice President of Devices David Limp has acknowledged...
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Samsung Galaxy A5 and A3 officially announced

Samsung has officially taken the wraps off a new duo of affordable metal phones, the Samsung Galaxy A5 and the Samsung Galaxy A3. Following this week's disappointing quarterly results, Samsung promised to address the threat from China by refocussing on more affordable smartphones. Right on cue, it's done that very thing with the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy A5 and A3.As per the leak at the beginning...
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Epson EH-TW6600W Projector Review

What is the Epson EH-TW6600W?The TW6600W is a new LCD projector from Epson, designed to up the spec of last year’s TW6100W without significantly upping the price. Key features include Wireless HDMI connectivity, 3D playback, extensive colour-calibration tools and a dynamic iris system that will hopefully run a bit more quietly than the TW6100’s did!Epson EH-TW6600W – Design and FeaturesFor the first...
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Google Play Books updates makes skimming non-fiction a breeze

Google has updated its Play Books app today in hopes of improving the experience of reading non-fiction content. The new update offers up a raft of new features that’ll make hunting down your favourite recipe or skimming through top holiday destinations easier than ever.First up is skim mode, a new option that lets users shoot through books with a scrollbar. It should mean flitting between e-book...
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Apple’s NFC chip-maker wants you to unlock your car with an iPhone

NXP, the company that built the NFC chips that debuted in Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, has revealed it hopes the tech will be picked up by car makers. The firm is apparently in talks with the automotive industry’s top brass about the possibility of smartphones replacing car keys in the future.Drue Freeman, Senior VP for global automotive sales & marketing at NXP, said: “Once they saw...
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UK Gov: Britain to have 15 fuel stations for hydrogen vehicles by 2015

A Honda FCX Clarity being refuelled with hydrogen at the firm's Swindon HQThe UK government wants to help kick-start hydrogen fuel cells as a viable alternative to petrol-glugging motors. Kate Warren, who deals with hydrogen and supply chains at the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, said the government is aiming for “fifteen publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of 2015.”Warren...
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