Hasta La Gadget!

We’re still days away from Nokia’s London media event, but the comapny’s apparently got a real taste for teasers. A new 20-second promo clip aired today in the UK, and although it doesn’t outline any outright specs or model numbers, we we get a (very) up-close look at a dual-flash arrangement (unlike the xenon flash seen on Verizon’s Lumia 928), a glossy white shell and some metal detailing. We’re relieved that Nokia has something new to unveil in the UK next week, but we’re now itching hearing exactly how this Windows Phone will differ from the now-public Lumia 928. We’ll have all the details on Tuesday morning.

Update: The Verge has managed to upload a digital copy of the ad. See it for yourself right after the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia

Comments

Source: Pocket-Lint, The Verge

BT’s plan to match Sky on sporting rights has already seen it spend big to buy ESPN UK, but how does it plan on recouping that cash? By giving away £738 million ($1.1 billion) worth of live Premier League games for “free” to new and existing BT customers. The headline-grabbing move will see 38 games available to BT Vision and BT Broadband customers, while the latter can upgrade their streams to HD for £3 ($4.70) per month. Customers will also be able to watch 69 live Aviva Premiership rugby games, as well as football soccer matches from the Bundesliga, Ligue-1 and Serie A. Of course, while it may sound great, there is a catch — BT has decided that Tim Lovejoy will host some of the channel’s coverage.

Filed under: Internet, HD

Comments

Via: BTLife

Source: BT Sport (Twitter), BT

Barnes & Noble’s refusal to open its ecosystem has long been one of our primary complaints about the company’s tablet offerings. The Nook HD and HD+ are extremely nice pieces of hardware that have been held back by their own walled software offerings — having a fast device with a nice screen only gets you so far without the proper apps. The company line up to now has been that walling off content allows for a sort of quality control, assuring that apps are developed specifically for the unique form factor of its devices. And while there’s perhaps something to be said for that sentiment in the sometimes-fragmented world of Android devices, it was hard to ignore the fact that offering up exclusive access to content through your own marketplace assures better cash flow. It also, unfortunately, means that without extensive developer outreach, there are sure to be plenty of popular apps that just never make it over to your side of the fence.

With its announcement tonight, B&N acknowledges that, in this case, open is better. The company has responded directly to user feedback and will be issuing a software update to its Nook HD and Nook HD+ devices (sorry Nook Tablet and Color owners) that brings Google Play directly to the desktop. The software will come pre-loaded on new devices and will be available as an over-the-air update. If you can’t wait that long, you’ll also be able to download it directly from the bookseller’s site. The update also brings a few other tweaks to the system, but this is far and away the biggest news. The first question we asked upon getting a quick demo: will you be able to buy content like books, magazines and movies through Play? Yep, that’s coming too.

Filed under: Tablets, Software, Google

Comments

For many, there’s nothing quite so comforting as cracking open a good book. The texture of the pages combine with the smell of ink and paper, as the writer pours their imagination and soul into a world that’s apart from your own. While e-books have won over a number of people, the latest stats from The Publishers Association suggest that the majority of Brits still prefer the printed form, which accounted for 88 percent of all book sales during 2012. The winds of change are working in the background, however, as digital sales — consisting of e-books, audio downloads and digital subscriptions — now account for 12 percent of the pie; an increase from 8 percent just one year ago.

As a whole, the UK publishing industry shows modest signs of growth, with combined physical and digital sales rising by 4 percent to reach £3.3 billion ($5.1b). Meanwhile, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but e-books continue to gain popularity and show tremendous promise. Here, consumer e-book sales have risen 134 percent in 2012, which now account for a £216 million ($336m) share of the UK publishing industry. Regardless of whether you prefer print or digital formats, we reckon that all readers deserve a hearty slap on the back. Here’s to keeping the story-telling alive.

Filed under: Alt

Comments

Via: The Telegraph

Source: The Publishers Association

The notion of a physical store dedicated to 3D printing is still new to us, and Solidoodle’s Asia-focused plans didn’t give much reassurance that we’d see more shops in English-speaking countries all that soon. iMakr may have just come to our rescue by opening what it claims is the world’s largest 3D printing store in London’s Farringdon area, occupying 2,500 square feet across two floors. The showroom has both workshops as well as printers to buy on the spot, including the Solidoodle 3; we’ve reached out to get the full selection, although iMakr’s online channel already sells MakerBot’s Replicator 2 and a few less immediately recognizable brands. We’re still far from having a 3D printing store on every corner, but the London store gives the retail concept some legitimacy.

Filed under: Peripherals

Comments

Source: iMakr