GadgITs

Carphone Warehouse launch anti-bully phones

EXCLUSIVE

A MOBILE phone that blocks bullying text messages sent to frightened kids and also fires off an SOS to parents is to be launched in time for the new school term.
Samsung is to sell four new devices in partnership with the Carphone Warehouse chain that incorporate a range of safety features to combat the surge of so-called cyber-bullying, where victims are harassed via SMS messages sent to their handset.
The phones allow up to 10 telephone numbers to be blocked, any of which can be added or removed at anytime. There's also an SOS message feature that allows the owner to summon help.
By clicking the volume button four times, the caller automatically sends an SMS help alert to up to five numbers of parents, family and friends.

Take your pic

 

HERE’S a super snapper that’s just smiles better than the competition. It’s the new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T200 (below) and it comes armed with a clever function using hi-tech face-recognition software that allows it to automatically take a picture when someone in the frame grins. It’s just one of five great new cameras about to hit the market. And each one gives you something different when you pack ’em with you on your hols. The Sony, out soon at around £299, is great for party people who love posting their group shots on myspace. Simply set the “smile shutter”, walk calmly to join the group photo and when you’re ready to take the picture, smile and it snaps. The camera also has beautiful slim styling, a 3.5 inch screen, 8.1 megapixel sensor and 5x optical zoom. But for those who are deadly serious about quality and want to capture the scenery in all its glory the CANON DIGITAL IXUS 960 IS is the way to go. This 12.1 megapixel beauty (left) can produce poster-size prints. With touch control and a 2.5- inch LCD screen, it will set you back £369 when it hits the shelves in September. For similar features at more than £100 less, have a look at SAMSUNG’S NV20 (below). It also has 12 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom and, like the Canon, it has a 2.5-inch screen. If you’re more of an adventure fan and are planning an extreme holiday the £200 OLYMPUS µ 790 SW is the perfect companion. With an exterior that’s waterproof to a three-metre depth, shockproof up to a 1.5 metre drop and freeze- proof to minus 10°C, this model (left) is practically indestructible. The 7.1 megapixel camera comes in four loud colours and costs £200. However, if if you’re looking for a dcent buy get hold of KODAK’S  EASYSHARE M753 (right). For just £99.99 you get 3x optical zoom, seven megapixels and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. Links :Sony  Canon Samsung Olympus and Kodak

Nokia opens future shop

PHONE giant Nokia is opening a flagship UK shop in London's Regent Street where they are promising customers the “ultimate shopping experience” for their amazing selection of mobile devices. Simon Ainslie, Managing Director for Nokia UK said: “The store will be dynamic, original and beautifully designed with world-class customer service.” When it opens in November, shoppers will be able to play with all the latest Nokia mobile phones and multimedia computers, surrounded by futuristic LCD screens and dynamic translucent walls.
www.nokia.com

Ad's out of this world

ENERGY company Npower have registered their own constellation as part of an advertising campaign. They use 328 individual stars to form the npower logo, which you can see on Google Sky here. David Axe, Manager of International Star Registry, London said: "Since 1979, the International Star Registry has been naming stars, enabling anyone to have their own special place in the Cosmos. People have bought stars for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries but what Npower has done is an exciting initiative."

WIN drive of your life with Freddie

HERE’S your chance to sample life in the fast lane. The News of the World is offering one lucky reader and three friends the opportunity to win a ride with Formula Ford star Freddie Hunt. Our amazing prize, courtesy of Freddie’s official online sponsor Mobyko.com, is an adrenaline-fuelled driving experience at Thruxton Race Centre in Hampshire. To enter our fantastic Freddie competition just answer this question: Who was Freddie’s racing legend father? Email your answer and contact details to comps@notw.co.uk by midnight next Saturday (Sept 1). Mobyko.com is the simple, free way to safely store your mobile phone contacts, photos, texts and videos online and access them from anywhere in the world 24/7. And Mobyko is also offering 250 News of the World readers a free Mobyko Premium account (worth £24.99) including 100 FREE texts. Simply click here and type in ‘NOTW’ into the promotional box. If you are one of the first 250 to do so, you win!

Join the Elite

COMPUTER giants Microsoft are launching their awesome new Xbox 360 Elite gaming console this  week and we have ten to give away. (to enter, read the next post, below). It’s their latest bid to outdo Sony, who launched their amazing long-awaited PS3 console in the Spring. Coupled with the imminent release of the Xbox game Halo3, which already has 1 million preorders worldwide, Microsoft can expect to enjoy massive demand for their new console, especially if bugs associated with the first Xbox 360s become a thing of the past. Xbox users already enjoy some of the best games out there, including Elder Scrolls: Oblivion; Gears of War; and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas. But the Elite is much more than a gaming console. Kitted out as a media hub, it has a 120GB hard drive, twice as big as Sony’s PS3, and owners will be able to download top movies, music, pictures, extra game levels direct to their Xbox from a new website Live Marketplace which will start up in Europe soon. The Xbox Live marketplace is a digital media lover's dream. You'll see game demos rolled out before their retail release on a try-before-you-buy basis, along with plenty of original and retro titles available for download. Also on offer are downloadable movies, television shows, and music videos—the majority available in both standard definition and HD.  If you want to know what to expect, just have a look at the American version of the site here
The new console also has an HDMI port and cable, allowing simple connection and playback of downloaded high definition content to a compatible TV.

Win the new Xbox

        

HERE'S your chance to win an Xbox 360 Elite. Top prize is an Elite, Samsung 32-inch LCD HD ready TV and Samsung Dolby 5.1 surround sound system. And nine runners up each win an Elite. Simply tell us the answer to this question on an email. Who makes the Xbox elite? a) Microsoft, b) Sony, c) Nintendo? Send your email to comps@notw.co.uk by midnight next Saturday August 25th. First ten correct answers selected at random win. Usual rules apply. Editor's decision is final. Please remember to include your address and phone number on the email.

Splitting the sound barrier

OLYMPUS have released these funky little audio recorders which split open to reveal a USB plug.
This allows you to load voice notes or interviews straight into your computer and send the files back to the office via email.  The WS-311M has half a gigabyte of memory, stores music and other media and will cost £79.99 in shops next month.

Fall for this brown beauty

SNAP up SONY Ericsson’s cool “truffle brown” K770i Cyber-shot phone when it’s released in the autumn. It’s just  14.5mm thin and packs a 3.2 megapixel cam. Also stores your music. Following hot on the heels of Nokia’s Prism range, it’s aimed at meeting the rising demand for fashion accessory handsets. And we reckon it will be in big demand this Christmas.

Tail your dog

ORIGINALLY developed for hunting dogs, this Garmin tracker will keep tabs on any wayward pet pooch as well.  The wireless transmitter straps to your dog’s collar and has a five-mile range.
The wireless handheld tracking device (right) feeds information on what your pet’s up to via GPS satellite sent to the handset every five seconds. It even tells you whether the mutt is running or sitting and a map  reveals exactly where he’s doing it. To watch the video, click here