Humax 32in HDTV For Those On A Budget December 11, 2007
READ MORE Entertainment , Gizmodo UK , HD , HDMI , HDTV , LCD , TV
Humax has extended its range of LCD TVs with another pocket-friendly model, the 32in LGB-32DST.
At £440 – on Amazon UK – it’s certainly one of the cheaper ones out there from a company with a decent track record in making affordable HDTVs that don’t completely suck. Humax is well-known for its HDTVs with internal 160GB hard disk drive recorders.
The display has a resolution of 1366x768 so its capable of handling 720p/1080i HD video and there’s a 8ms response time. Contrast is rated at a reasonable 1200:1 and there are two, all important HDMI inputs for hooking up your Sky HD box, HD player or games consoles. Other hook-ups include component, Scart, composite and S-Video.
It comes with a single digital TV tuner, can display picture-in-picture and there’s also a PC input. Could be good for anyone looking for a second TV without sacrificing on the size or burning a hole in your pocket. OK, a bigger hole in your pocket.-Martin Lynch
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PURE Dreams Of Green Christmas December 11, 2007
READ MORE Digital Audio , Gadgets , Gizmodo UK , MP3 , Music , Radio , iPod
Have yourself a DABby DABby Christmas. OK, sorry. PURE is on the ‘green’ offensive this festive season by hoping some of you out there have plans to minimise your environmental impact with the gadgets you are about to buy.
The company has expanded its EcoPlus range of green DAB radios to 15, comprising DAB clock and portable radios, a micro hi-fi and DAB radio with iPod dock, the Chronos iDock [pictured].
The EcoPlus family now consists of: Move; ONE; PocketDAB 1500; Élan DX-40; Élan RV-40; EVOKE-1S; EVOKE-2XT; EVOKE-3; Oasis; TEMPUS-1S; Siesta; Chronos II; Chronos CD; Chronos iDock and DMX-20.
“The only environmental impact our customers want to have this Christmas is a little noise pollution as they blast out the festive hits,” said PURE General Manager, Paul Smith, “and with a full range of radios and a new CD-microsystem with reduced environmental impact we’re glad to be able to help them give a present to the planet.”
The EcoPlus range boasts power consumption during use and standby that's "significantly lower than the industry average”.
The packaging is equally planet-friendly with cardboard boasting a minimum of 70% recycled material, and finished using water-based varnish. The internal pulp trays are 100% recycled, as is the user documentation which is written in soya ink.
So, if you need a good solid, feelgood reason to convince yourself to buy even more gadgets this year, then green is the way to go.-Martin Lynch
Manhunt 2 Beats UK Ban December 11, 2007
READ MORE Consoles , Entertainment , Games , Gizmodo UK , Technology
Rockstar Games has managed to win its appeal against the BBFC’s ban on the controversial Manhunt 2 game.
We recently covered Rockstar’s appeal - and tongue-lashing of the BBFC - to the Video Appeals Committee (VAC), who have now come back 4 to 3 in favour of the game getting a release and a classification from the BBFC. Rockstar stated:
"We are pleased that the decision of the VAC has recognised that Manhunt 2 is well within the bounds established by other 18+ rated entertainment."
A less pleased David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:
“The BBFC will carefully study the judgement by the Video Appeals Committee when it becomes available. The BBFC exercises great vigilance and care in ensuring that all violent games which are submitted to us are correctly classified.
“The BBFC twice rejected Manhunt 2 for its focus on varied and cumulative killings. We recognize that rejection is a very serious step, in which the desire of publishers to market their games, and that of gamers to buy them, must be balanced against the public interest, including the full range of possible harm risks to vulnerable individuals and to any children who may be wrongly exposed to such games.”
While this might be a major victory for Rockstar it does not mean that gamers will get to see Manhunt 2 on UK shelves anytime soon since the BBFC will not issue it a rating (18+) until a full report of the decision has been examined. Even then, there is the possibility of the BBFC taking this matter to the High Court.-Martin Lynch
UK Gets Xbox 360 Movie Downloads December 11, 2007
READ MORE Consoles , Entertainment , Gadgets , Games , Gizmodo UK , Movies , Online , Xbox
Over a year after Microsoft introduced video downloads on the Xbox 360 in the US, the service is coming to the UK. From today, UK gamers [along with those in Ireland, Canada, France and Germany] will be able to download standard definition and high-definition movies via the Xbox LIVE service, for viewing during a certain window of time before it expires.
The line-up, to begin with, is paltry with 27 movies on offer but Microsoft is promising to flesh it out quickly. Movies on offer today include 300, Training Day, The Matrix Reloaded, Swordfish, Mars Attacks, and Superman III – that last one for those who missed being hugely disappointed the first time around.
Standard definition movies will cost 250 Microsoft Points (£2.13), while HD movies are priced at 380 (£3.23) Microsoft Points. With the addition of DivX support recently, the Xbox 360 really is being re-positioned as a one-stop movie box, as well as gaming console. Pity it's still so damn loud though.
Jump now for the full list of movies.-Martin Lynch
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