WHS Techno Gadget Reviews

Write reviews about all your favourite techno gadgets here. You can tell us your thoughts and opinions about games consoles such as the Xbox and PS2, handhelds like the Nintendo DS and PSP, mp3 players like the i-pod and zen and any of the latest range of mobile phones.

Look in the bottom left hand corner for the gadgets we've already listed for review. At the end of your review why not give the gadget a star rating out of 5 like this: * * * * *

# posted by WHS Admin @ 3:43 pm 0 comments

Witness the evolution of the revolution. First it held songs. Then photos. Then podcasts. Now iPod adds video to change the way you experience your music and media. Again. The new lighter, thinner iPod is music to your eyes.

Time for the world’s best music player to take the stage for another encore. Available in two colours, the 30GB model will hold up to 7,500 songs and full-colour album art. Yeah, you’ve heard that tune before. Only now, you can watch it, too. With MPEG-4 and H.264 video support and a 6.35-cm colour display, the new iPod lets you watch up to 75 hours of video. Oh, and don’t forget your photos. The new iPod stores up to 12,500 of them.

More and LessThe new iPod boasts up to 14 hours of battery life. Plus, you get a bigger display and one more iPod colour — sleek black. But here’s the kicker: at under one and a half centimetres thin, the new 60GB model is thinner than the fourth-generation 20GB iPod. More features in less space? Sounds like iPod.
Hold EverythingNow you can put all your music in your pocket and still have room for, well, practically everything else. Catch up on your reading with audiobooks. Browse your memories with photo slideshows, complete with music. Watch video podcasts and your favourite music videos. Consult your calendar or look up an email address. Even check the time in another city or time your fastest lap. The new iPod keeps it all close at hand.

Spin some TunesThe Apple Click Wheel gives you access to your entire music, photo and video library — from one thumb. Control volume and browse using the touch-sensitive surface. Play. Pause. Rewind and fast-forward. Rate your favourites. Create playlists on the go. Launch photo slideshows. The Click Wheel puts everything at your fingertips, so you can keep your eyes and ears on the music.

Sync, Look and ListenPlaying your iPod is only half the fun. Try filling it with downloads from the iTunes Music Store. Choose from over 1.7 million songs, 15,000 podcasts or 1,000 music videos, download them to your Mac or PC and sync them to your iPod. Add an optional S-video cable and use iPod to play VJ on your TV. You can perform the same big-screen feat with iPod photo slideshows. And you can do it from across the room using the optional Universal Dock and handy new Apple Remote.

# posted by WHS Admin @ 6:12 pm 0 comments

Manufacturer's Description

The 2GB iPod nano is a revolutionary full-featured iPod that holds 500 songs yet is thinner than a standard pencil and less than half the size of competitive players. The iPod nano features an ultra-portable, lightweight design with a gorgeous colour screen, Apple's patent pending Click Wheel and the ability to hold 500 songs or 12,500 photos. iPod nano works seamlessly with the iTunes® Music Store, the world's number one digital music service.

iPod nano is the perfect combination of innovative design, storage capacity and ease of use. iPod nano features Apple's innovative Click Wheel for precise, one-handed navigation, and its ultra-portable design fits into even the smallest pocket making it easy to take iPod nano to the gym, in the car, travelling, commuting or anywhere you go. The most fashionable and wearable iPod ever, the iPod nano features optional accessories including lanyard headphones, which integrate the headphone cables into the lanyard, so users can wear their iPod nano around their neck without dangling headphone cables. For customers looking to personalise their iPod nano with colours, an optional set of iPod nano Tubes in pink, purple, blue, green and clear offers fashionable protection in a sheer casing while enabling full operation of all functions including the Click Wheel. Optional armbands available in grey, pink, blue, red and green allow users to wear their iPod nano as the ultimate fashion and sports accessory.

Featuring seamless integration with the iTunes Music Store and the iTunes digital music jukebox, iPod nano includes Apple's patent pending Auto-Sync technology that automatically downloads a user's digital music collection, photos or Podcasts onto iPod nano and keeps it up-to-date whenever iPod nano is plugged into a Mac or Windows computer using USB 2.0. With its stunning, high-resolution colour screen, iPod nano allows users to display album art while playing music, view photo slideshows or play games in full colour. iPod nano features up to 14 hours battery life and completely skip-free playback, as well as new stopwatch, world clock and screen lock applications.

iPod nano features the same 30-pin dock connector as the iPod and iPod mini, allowing it to work effortlessly with a wide range of over 1,000 accessories developed for iPod, including home stereo speakers and iPod car adapters for an incredible music experience at home or in the car.

# posted by WHS Admin @ 6:04 pm 0 comments

Manufacturer’s Description

With high-quality graphics processing capability equivalent to that of PlayStation 2, in addition to rich stereo sound, PSP offers the joy of playing full-scale 3D-CG games and viewing high resolution video images anytime, anywhere.
Equipped with a wireless LAN feature, PSP enables users to connect to the Internet through access points, making it possible for users to download game characters and content and also to play games on-line with families, friends and on-line community members. For a more intimate gaming experience, a maximum of 16 PSP systems can be connected wirelessly through the ad-hoc mode allowing family and friends to create an instant yet powerful local on-line entertainment community.

PSP features an integrated high output lithium-ion battery that provides play time of between 4 and 6 hours for game titles and continuous 4 to 5 hours for video viewing.

With PSP, the world of PlayStation is further enhanced. A 4.3 inch wide 16:9 high resolution LCD screen, the largest in a handheld gaming device, creates a personal environment in which to enjoy games, music and video anytime, anywhere, with a dynamism that has never been possible before.

# posted by WHS Admin @ 5:53 pm 0 comments

Amazon.co.uk Review

The Nintendo DS is no ordinary console. What on the face of it appears to be merely an upgraded Game Boy Advance is packed with a suite of never-before-seen features which make it unique within the gaming world.

The most obvious new feature is the two screens (DS stands for dual screen), the bottom of which is a touch screen. This makes an enormous difference to the way you play and interact with the game, as you use a stylus or the handy thumb strap to control the action.

The way this works in a game varies enormously, with first person shooter Metroid Prime: Hunters using the touch screen and D-pad to create a control system that’s just as responsive as a PC keyboard and mouse. Other games, like Yoshi’s Touch & Go, have you actually drawing on the touch pad to create platforms, while other games use the extra screen to display inventory or map info.

But there’s more to the DS than even that. It also has a built-in microphone (one new medical game has you operating on patients with the touch screen and reassuring them everything’s going to be okay via the microphone) and it can be connected wirelessly to sixteen or more other consoles. Not only that but some games and utilities even allow it to connect online via Wi-Fi.

Although the DS is far more powerful than the GBA – it can display 3D graphics somewhere between a Nintendo 64 and the GameCube--it is still backwards compatible, so you can play all your old GBA games in single player mode on the same console.

With a battery life of between 6 and 10 hours the Nintendo DS gets pretty much everything right. With a range of games that seem to offer far more originality and imagination than any other home or portable console this is could well be the most exciting new console of 2005.

# posted by WHS Admin @ 5:52 pm 0 comments

Manufacturer's Description

While inheriting the basic functions and design philosophy of the current PlayStation 2, the internal design architecture has been completely overhauled, resulting in a slimmer and more lightweight design. Internal volume has been reduced by 75%, overall weight has been halved and thickness trimmed down to 2.8 cm (current thickness is 7.8cm). Its size is almost as small as a hardcover book, making it easier to carry around and enjoy games and DVD videos anytime, anywhere. The system is equipped with an integrated Ethernet port for network gaming.

# posted by WHS Admin @ 5:51 pm 0 comments

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is Microsoft's successor to the Xbox console, and is the first "next generation" games console to hit the market.

The Xbox 360 comes in two different packages: the deluxe package includes a wireless controller, 20GB hard drive, and a number of other accessories. Alternatively, the Core System bundle has a standard wired controller and no hard drive. The Xbox 360 offers an online gaming experience via Xbox Live.

# posted by WHS Admin @ 5:30 pm 0 comments

Manufacturer's Description

Bring gaming to life in your living room with the Xbox Video Game System, the essential centre-piece to any home entertainment set up. Beneath the cool, tough exterior is a system capable of powering the very best single and multiplayer gaming experiences available today.

Designed to push gaming to the absolute limit, the Xbox console delivers incredible graphics and cinematic sound that will drop you and your friends deep into the heart of the action. The immense range of top-class games and online gaming with Xbox Live mean there will never be another dull moment.

# posted by WHS Admin @ 5:21 pm 0 comments