Evoke Mio by Orla Kiely DAB radio

Following the success of DAB specialist Pure's first collaboration with renowned designer Orla Kiely, the maker has introduced a further update of the Evoke Mio radio featuring a new print, and we were invited along to the designer's flagship store in central London for a sneak preview.

The new radio will sit alongside the existing model and boasts the slate grey Abacus Flower print, along with a walnut-veneered cabinet, a mirror chromed handle and a cream-coloured plastic fascia. The radio includes both DAB and FM tuners, along with an 3.5mm input for iPods and other MP3 players. As well as a mains power supply, the radio can be used with Pure's optional ChargePAK so that it can be moved around without being tethered to a plug point. Along with an OLED panel with automatic brightness adjustment, the new Pure Evoke Mio includes an alarm, kitchen timer and 30 presets.
The fact that the pattern stretches round to the back of the chassis - which also reveals a mirrored chrome plate bearing the designer's name - means that the radio can be placed in the middle of a room without an unsightly back panel runing the fancy aesthetics.
Boasting not just style, but substance, too, the new model also packs some impressive green credentials as it's park of Pure's EcoPlus range and has already received a recommendation from the Energy Saving Trust.
Designer Orla Kiely commented: "Since my first collaboration with Pure has been so popular, it made perfect sense to add a second radio to the range. I chose the slate grey, abacus flower print for this radio as it contrasts well with the first radio and fits in with my passion for creating quality and functional down-to-earth designs that complement any home interior.”
The Pure Evoke Mio by Orla Kiely Abacus Flower Edition will be available exclusively from John Lewis from 10 August with a price tag of £149.99.

Alienware M11x R3

Gaming laptops don't need to be great hulking brutes. They can be small and (relatively) light while still giving you the power you need, like the Alienware M11x which packs a Sandy Bridge Core i7 and an Nvidia GT540M graphics card into an 11.6-inch frame with alien looks - and a keyboard that might have been designed by aliens.

Design

Alienware devices have a distinctive look, with dramatic angles and recessed lights you can configure to glow in different colours and patterns. The matte black plastic case (also available in red) has gloss highlights - though these will need polishing if you want to keep the M11x looking ship shape. That same gloss surrounds the reflective screen, and there's a strip along the front of the notebook, around the headlight-like illuminated panels. There's even a metal plaque underneath that you can have engraved with your name. Overall there's something a little disconcerting about the M11x's fit and finish though, as it feels a little on the cheap side.

This is a game machine without an optical drive, so if you're not using a service like Steam, you're going to need to invest in an external optical drive. That's not surprising, considering just how small the M11x is, not much larger than a high-end netbook. Squeezing in a DVD or Blu-ray drive would be impractical. However there are plenty of ports, with two USB 3.0 ports on the right, and a powered USB 2.0 port on the left along with a small IEEE 1394 connector. Other connectors include Display Port and HDMI, as well as a Gigabit Ethernet connector on the left. And separate speaker and headphone ports on the right. While most of the M11x's connectors are each side of the notebook, the power socket is on the back, along with a large cooling vent. There's another large vent underneath, with a large illuminated fan.

Taking control

We weren't impressed with the M11x's keyboard. While it was distinctive, with a tuneable backlight, we found it uncomfortable to use. It was small and cramped, and while the keys had plenty of travel the flat surfaces made them awkward to use. They're an odd shape too, much longer than wide, which can be difficult when trying to find the right key combination for a game. The standard WASD movement keys are marked with characters from an "alien" alphabet, all part of Alienware's science fictional trappings. There's even a key marked with a flying saucer that can be used to manage the system lighting effects, along with another to quickly turn them on and off. Other special functions, like media controls, are on the function keys.

The touchpad isn’t huge but it’s large enough to use comfortably, the ridged surface is comfortable, and its slight recess makes it easy to quickly locate. It's a Synaptics pad, and while it doesn't have the full range of multi-touch features of some of the pads on the market, you do get support for pinch zoom and two finger scroll. The buttons are large, with a good positive action.

Display and performance 

Games need a good screen, and the M11x's 1366x768 screen has plenty of contrast, and responds well. It's bright and clear, and works well for both games and video. Video performance is good too, with deep blacks and plenty of definition with a streamed 720p movie, thanks to the GeForce GT540M, which is a strong mid-range graphics card and comes with 2GB of graphics memory in this system. Games run well, at consistently high frame rates even at full screen resolution, even on battery, and multimedia content plays well.
Overall performance is good, much as you'd expect from a Core i7 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. There's a lot packed into this small machine, and it's impressive that the cooling fan runs as seldom as it does - especially when running 3D games. Sound quality is good, with a pair of large Klipsch speakers under the front of the machine, with good quality sound for both games and media.

Battery life from the 8-cell 63Wh battery is surprisingly good. We ran a mixed load of games, video, and downloads while connected to Wi-Fi and saw 4 hours 30 minutes of use. Part of that was down to the 256GB Samsung SSD, which meant we weren't using power keeping a disk spinning; you’ll notice the performance boost from this when loading games too. One thing to note: the M11x doesn't have a removable battery, so you'll need to carry the hefty power supply with you if you're planning on gaming on the move.
Alienware doesn't bundle much software with the M11x. You'll get tools for the webcam, and to help manage power plans and handle touch sensitivity while playing games, as well as controlling lighting effects. Set the multicolour LEDs to give your M11x its own look, with the option of pulsing or morphing colours. You can choose your own colour scheme or pick one from a library of predefined lighting effects. You also get Alien Respawn, a gaming-themed system restore and backup tool - but you'll need to upgrade from the free to the paid version to get the most from this tool.

Nokia N9 coming 23 September

MeeGo fans hold on to your hats, things are about to get real. The countdown to the Nokia N9 release is literally ticking - with the Nokia site in Sweden stating that a 23 September release date is on the cards.

The N9 packs a 3.9-inch, 854x480, 2.5D curved display and has scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass.

On the connectivity front you'll get NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), 3G and HSDPA options. Other specs include 1GB of RAM, a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 OMAP3630 processor, an orientation sensor (accelerometer) a compass, a proximity sensor and an ambient light detector.

Talk time is 11 hours and there's 450 hours of standby. Video playback is around 4.5 hours and music playback is a whopping 50 hours. 

The Nokia N9 will be available in three colours - black, cyan, and magenta - with storage options to accommodate plenty of content; 16GB or 64GB.

There's no word yet whether the 23 September date is Europe wide, we'll let you know as soon as we do.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Keyboard Dock

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (mark 2) goes on general release in the UK tomorrow (4 August - read our review here) and along with the tablet device itself, there are several accessories hitting the stores at the same time.

One of those is the Keyboard Dock, a sturdy, reasonably weighty keypad that has a slot and connector just begging to be coupled with the new Tab. It's excellently built, has a full QWERTY key layout (naturally), but also carries some proprietary buttons to make navigation on the touchscreen device that bit easier.

For starters, there are keys for "Home" (in the shape of a house icon), "Internet" and "Mail", all of which bringing up their respective screens immediately. And accented letters are available and flagged on the dock in order to aid the typing of Franglais phrases and words; such as café.
The Tab connects via its pin socket, rather than Bluetooth, so, therefore, the dock is passive (non-powered independently). However, it also carries a port to be hooked up to your Galaxy Tab's own power/PC cable, so you can recharge the tablet as you use the keyboard.
In addition, there is a speaker line out around the rear, allowing you to hook up headphones or speakers for while you work.

The final feature is that the guide - the plastic strip that holds the Tab in place - can be removed and replaced, which suggests to us that you can upgrade to thicker, thinner, or, more likely, smaller screen-sized tablets sometime in the future.
It's not exactly a light accessory, but the Keyboard Dock and a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 together weigh no more than a conventional netbook, so we'd expect it to travel with those who need to work from afar.
Certainly, I would say that it's essential for Tab 10.1 owners - specifically those with a journalistic bent - and at around £60 it won't break the bank either (just your foot if you drop it).

iPhone 4 price drops begin - preparation for iPhone 5?

The iPhone 4 price drops have begun in what could be a possible stock clearance in preparation for launch of a new Apple handset. 

The US has seen significant reductions in cost of the iPhone 4 at major shops like Radio Shack and Target. Trade-ins are now also being offered as an incentive to pick up one of the current generation Apple handsets to further draw customers in.

All this price reduction has helped debunk rumours that the iPhone 5 would be out in October, as current sales would suggest things are being prepared for a September release.

September would also mean that Apple could post its next quarter sales reports and include the iPhone 5, which will likely sell extremely well at launch. 

iPhone 5 hardware still remains largely unknown although we do expect to see plenty imported from the iPad 2, including the dual-core A5 chip from the tablet. Possible thinner form factor and a slightly larger display is also rumoured. A camera resolution jump is also likely.

iOS 5 will ship with the new Apple handset, bringing with it improved notifications and wireless syncing as well as added iCloud functionality. The new iOS is set to feature a large number of improvements and should help contribute to making the iPhone 5 even more exciting to consumers. 

Apple has remained traditionally quiet about the new iPhone 5 launch, ensuring that the rumour mill almost implodes in the build up to release. When exactly that will be however, is difficult to say. 

SLR Lens Adapters for iPhone

iPhone SLR Mount: $249
It seems fair to say that Apple's iPhone is at least as much a camera as it is a phone. It's no single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, however, which is where Photojojo's new iPhone SLR lens mount comes in. This new case-adapter combination lets users mount a Canon or Nikon SLR lens to the iPhone 4, turning the ubiquitous mobile device into the high-powered camera of every aspiring photographer's dreams.
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Constructed of sturdy aluminum, the iPhone SLR Mount features a tripod attachment and two strap loops, so it can be hung around the user's neck just like a real digital SLR camera. The Nikon version is an F-mount adapter that works with all Nikon lenses; the Canon version is an EF-mount adapter that works only with EOS lenses. Either way, a special UV filter is also included. Telephoto, wide angle, macro and fixed 50mm lenses can all be attached, giving users virtually infinite choices along with true manual focus and a powerful depth of field.
Photojojo's lens mounts are due to ship in mid-August. The only catch? Because neither they nor the iPhone has a mirror inside, users have to rotate the photos they take using an editing app. Small price to pay for some serious iPhoneography muscle.

Binatone ReadMe Mobile

Binatone has unveiled a bonkers device that it is describing as an eBook reader, but what we'd call a tablet / ereader / personal organiser hybrid - the Binatone ReadMe Mobile.

The ReadMe Mobile really is a case of a jack of all trades in that it specialises as an eBook reader - although the colour screen isn't E-Ink so there are reflection issues - but it also offers an Android OS (2.1, Éclair), Wi-Fi connectivity, web browsing, email and media playback. There's also 2GB of storage for your digital shizzle.
There's no touchscreen though - the display is a 7-inch, 800x400 one. Controls are via the BlackBerry-like trackpad and the full physical QWERTY. This is not only something that we don't think we've seen before on an Android tablet - it also makes for a wacky looking device.
Still, at £129, it's a device that may find a market amongst more budget conscious tech fans, who aren't too bothered that it may be spreading its features a little too thinly. Battery life is also a bit of issue - 6 hours "reading time" is stated.
The Binatone ReadMe Mobile is out now - as is the updated version of the iHomePhone packing "a whole range of enhancements". The iHomePhone 2 is priced at £99
.

Vodafone 555 Blue

The first thing to say about the Vodafone 555 Blue is that it's not blue at all, it's white.

Actually the most important thing to say is that the 555 is not a handset to match the likes of the HTC ChaCha - another mobile phone built firmly with Facebook in mind, but definitely more smart than featurephone.
Oh no - it has neither the engine room nor the operating system to compete, being built on a propriety OS with a minimal chipset and just 2G and Edge connectivity.

But it is an official Facebook phone. Well, as official as you're likely to see for a while with Facebook's MD and VP EMEA Joanna Shields telling Pocket-lint: "This is as official as it gets, we're here right? We're here to support. It's a brilliant phone."

And it's a phone that will open up Facebook to millions of mobile users world wide, at least that was the message at the 555's official launch in London at which Pocket-lint was in attendance.

Group director of terminals at Vodafone, Patrick Chomet, spoke of the developing markets in India and the townships in South Africa where Facebook is a growing trend, but where access is limited to those with PCs, or those willing to visit Internet cafés regularly.

In the UK, where it will go on sale in August, the target market will surely be the social network-obsessed tween market whose parents aren't willing to equip their kids with a £500 handset just so they can update their pals with the latest Justin Bieber gossip.

So what exactly are you getting with Vodafone's Facebook phone? Well, it's a slimline QWERTY packing BlackBerry style handset with Facebook integrated at every step. And we mean every step. In fact, the first thing you do when you turn on the phone is log in to your Facebook accounts.

Then, you'll find Facebook around every corner. It dominates the home screen, it lingers in every menu and the customisable Facebook key allows you to update / share / stalk at just a touch of a button.

Your Facebook content is synced every 20 minutes, so there's no refresh times, and you can even set what content is synced if you're worried about data usage. Although Vodafone is keen to stress the 555 will be bundled with a decent enough data package so this won't be a problem.

In terms of other apps, it's fairly basic. You'll get an FM radio, an MP3 player and browsing with Opera mini 5.1. Included Facebook app fun is just a Java based Chat client at present, although more apps (Places and Events were mentioned) should be coming down the line through pushed OTA updates.

In terms of hardware you're looking at a 2.4-inch display and 2-megapixel camera with flash that can also shoot videos. It can play MP3s, WMAs and AACs through built-in music software, and its 40MB of on-board can be upgraded through SD card support (up to 16GB). There's also Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity.

The Vodafone 555 Blue will be hitting UK shops in August. Prices are still TBC but a Vodafone bod at the launch said to expect a phone and data bundle of around $100.