Want to know what the Electricpig staff think about the latest tech issues and products? This is that time of the week where we roundup their thoughts, opinion pieces and review verdicts. Mobile phones, cameras, games, it’s all here.
Windows Phone 7: Why celebrity does not equal trust
Reviews editor, Ben Sillis fired up the HTC HD7 earlier in the week only to be met with the smug facial features of Dappy from music band, N Dubz, without him asking for it. Further probing revealed that the artist was there because the band have a new album out. Ben wasn’t pleased.
“Microsoft has only just kicked its Marketplace into gear for the full launch, it seems, as the Marketplace background has been black most of the time until now – but the company has decided that featured music downloads deserve to take up the whole of your background: by the looks of things, they have a new single out, called Best Behaviour.
“This obviously touches on one of the current flaws with the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace – that it doesn’t do much to distinguish between apps and media, especially when you search. But more pressingly, it’s simply an assumption too far.
“Of course Microsoft should make some money by having a featured apps section in the Marketplace, especially since discoverability on mobile app stores is such an issue (Looking at you, Android Market). But to then plaster the background with these pics is a leap too far.”
Plonking celebrities in our faces isn’t so wise, Ben argues. Especially divisive ones such as Dappy. Our phone backgrounds are our personal space, Ben adds.
“Does Microsoft really think users’ reaction will be “Gosh, a current band, I like Windows Phone 7 for showing me pictures of them without asking?”. If so, it’s a pity Redmond thinks its new users are that fickle.
“And perhaps it sounds petty, but your phone’s background is a personal thing, with emotion tied up in it – it might be a picture of your family – and at any rate on the HTC HD7 it’s also bloody massive, making N Dubz’ presence all the more intrusive.”
Does the HTC HD7 live up to expectations?
Ben Sillis ran the rule over the HTC HD7 earlier in the week. So, what did he think. While he loved its generously large proportions, its simplicity and speed, owing to its 1GHz processor he was disappointed with its screen.
“All in all, the HTC HD7 is the spruced up slab of hotness we were expecting. What really surprised us about the HTC HD7 however, we’re almost sorry to say, is the screen. While it’s perfectly responsive and sharp, at 800×480 resolution, it’s also unfortunately washy for something so top of the line, and the Windows Phone 7 default black background only shows it up even more.”
But it’s not all bad: “…we’d go so far as to say that it still makes it a better choice than the fugly Samsung Omnia 7, despite its clearly inferior screen. It’s big, beautiful, and for better or worse, has all the pros and cons Windows Phone 7 brings with it.”
Early nineties adjectives aside, our reporter, Jennifer Allan got to grips with the Amazon Kindle e-reader. It might not be able to compete with the likes of the iPad, and indeed Samsung Galaxy on the media and overall entertainment front, but it is a damn good e-reader, so says Jennifer. She loved it enough to give it five stars. She loved how light, compact and easy to use it was, calling it a “bargain” from £109.
“After almost a week with the new Amazon Kindle, I can say I’m almost converted. It is easy, so easy, to buy and read a book on it, and as much as I love books, you don’t get less immersed in a novel on a Kindle than its physical equivalent.”
Samsung Omnia 7 reviewed: Best screen in the business
That was the verdict of Ben Sillis. “Glorious” is the word he used to describe its 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED screen.
“Where Samsung really steps on the gas though is with the Samsung Omnia 7’s screen. It’s beautiful. Just like the 4-inch, WVGA Super AMOLED screen on the Samsung Galaxy S, it will quite possibly cause your eyeballs to implode.”
However he wasn’t so keen on the rest of its design: “The problem is the rest of the Samsung Omnia 7’s build. If you’ll recall in our glowing Samsung Galaxy S review, we said Samsung needed to drop its piano black plastic design ethos – it has, but what it’s gone for instead is the worst of both worlds.
But is the Samsung Omnia 7 worth a punt? “If you know you want a Windows Phone 7 handset, you’re left to choose between great screen or great design – it’s a pity we can’t have both just yet.”
Looking for a Freeview HD PVR? James Holland has the answer
Electricpig editor, James Holland started the week crowing about the delights of the TVonics DTR-HD500. He was suitably impressed.
“We’ve seen boxes that struggle with HD playback at speed. Those with awkward interfaces, and some that’re just plain noisy. It’s refreshing then to see TVonics, a small British firm, leading the way with a dynamite 500GB Freeview HD recorder in the TVonics DTR-HD500, jam packed with smart features and clad in a wonderfully eye-catching design.”
It’s menus might be the stuff of horror movies, but the TVonics DTR-HD500 is one of the best around, says James. “As Freeview HD recorders go, the TVonics DTR-HD500 might not be the cheapest, but it is the best looking, quietest and, assuming you can stomach those eye-jabbing visuals, the best Freeview HD PVR we’ve seen to date.”
Sam Kieldsen put out his photography feelersto review the Nikon D3100. He loved how small and light it was, and its quick autofocus and photo quality. He hates its lack of stereo sound and manual video controls. It records 1080p video, but “you have to kick the quality down to 720p just to achieve 30fps,” says Sam.
“None of this is to say the Nikon D3100’s video quality is poor. In fact, it’s actually packed with detail and crisp, natural-looking colour, even using just the included kit lens.
“It’s a great camera for beginners, sure, but it lacks that knockout feature to truly set it apart from the many rivals in its price range. Its video performance is good, but could be made much better with the ability to record stereo and adjust settings manually.”
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare DLC is looking dead good
It has zombies in it after all. But far from being a lazy add-on stuffed to the brim with tacked on zombies extras, Undead Nightmare offers a new single player campaign and an almost addictive multiplayer mode where you and up to three other players attempt to stave off hordes of zombies.
Yours truly got the chance to visit Rockstar’s London HQ and can safely say ahead of our planned review that it’s looking good so far. If the single player campaign is anywhere near as Rockstar told us then Red Dead fans are in for a treat. But do look out for our full review, where we will be giving out full verdict. In the meantime check out our multiplayer and single player previews of Undead Nightmare.
