Motorola Xoom price slashed

Will UK gadget fans also be getting price cut?

Motorola has cut the price of its Xoom Wi-Fi tablet in the US, knocking $100 off of the price of the entry-level Wi-Fi model. It now costs $499, matching the most basic iPad 2.

Related links

• Motorola Xoom review
• Motorola Xoom in the Hot100
• Motorola Xoom hands-on video
• Apple iPad 2 review

In an official tweet, Motorola said, “Looking to save some money? Motorola XOOM with Wi-Fi now only $499. Order now.” However, there’s no news on whether the 3G version will also be coming down in price.

The drop will be seen as a bitter pill for Moto to swallow, but a necessary one seeing as the iPad 2 is taking all before it and a slew of new Android slates have hit shelves since its debut. Chatter about the release of a Xoom 2 before the end of 2011 is already rife.

Sadly, Moto has not confirmed whether this price drop will be coming across the pond to us here in Blighty. Here’s hoping.

LG Optimus 3D targets gaming market with 17 new 3D games

LG has joined forces with Gameloft to release 17 mobile 3D games as the world's first 3D phone the LG Optimus 3D targets Nintendo 3DS

LG has announced that the world’s first 3D phone, the recently launched LG Optimus 3D, is to target the handheld gaming market with the release of 17 Stereoscopic 3D (S-3D) games from Gameloft.

Whilst three S-3D games are to come pre-installed on the LG Optimus 3D handset, a further 14 are to be made available for purchase as additional content as LG’s glasses-free 3D smartphone looks to take on the likes of theNintendo 3DS in the on-the-move gaming stakes.

Related links

• LG Optimus 3D review
• LG Optimus 3D pictures
• LG Optimus 3D video
• LG Optimus 3D specs

“The era of dedicated handheld gaming platform is over,” declared President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, Dr. Jong-seok Park. He added: “Today’s smartphones have the horsepower to compete with the best portable gaming devices and LG Optimus 3D is our proof. We think 3D is the natural next step in portable entertainment and LG is eager to throw its hat in the ring with the Optimus 3D and Gameloft’s ‘must-be-seen-to-be-believed’ titles.”

Asphalt 6: Adrenalione, N.O.V.A. (Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance) and Let’s Golf! 2 are all set to come pre-installed on the LG Optimus 3D with owners of the world’s first 3D phone able to snap up the other 14 S-3D titles that include Shrek Kart, Modern Combat 2 and Real Football 2011 for discounted prices.

“The most recent data shows iOS and Android devices capturing a growing part of the portable gaming market by revenue,” said Michel Guillemot, President of Gameloft. “With the next generation of smartphones offering 3D capabilities, the bar has been raised to a new height. On the Optimus 3D, we’re able to offer our most popular titles to an entirely new audience at very competitive price points.”

Nintendo Wii U release to see console host 3D gaming

Nintendo has said the Wii U will support 3D gaming although Nintendo will not push its 3D capabilities

The Nintendo Wii U will host the ability to support 3D gaming when it officially launches in 2012 although Nintendo will not put much emphasis on its extra-dimensional abilities, new reports suggest.

Speaking with Mercury News Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has revealed that the Wii U will sport 3D gaming capabilities but that unlike the company’s portable gamer the Nintendo 3DS, this is not an area in which the Japanese firm will be focusing its efforts.

Wii 2 News and links from E3

• Nintendo Wii U officially unveiled
• Wii U: 8 Things you need to know
• Wii U games: The tech demos we played
• Wii U review: Exclusive hands-on 

"If you are going to connect Wii U with a home TV capable of displaying 3D images, technologically, yes, it is going to be possible, but that's not the area we are focusing on," Iwata announced.

Speaking on why Nintendo is to put the Wii U’s 3D skills on the backburner Iwata pointed at convenience stating: "When it comes to 3D, we already have the 3DS, and each owner of the Nintendo 3DS is capable of viewing 3D images." Adding: "However, when it comes to the home console, it depends upon the availability of 3D TV sets at home, which, unfortunately, is not expanding enough,"

The Nintendo President concluded: "And rather than pouring a lot of energy into that kind of area, with the Wii U we'd like to focus more on each Wii U owner being able to have an equal opportunity to enjoy it."

BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 UK release date confirmed

Mobile phone network operator 3 Mobile has confirmed it will stock the new BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 handset on its 15 September 2011 UK release date

Mobile network provider Three has confirmed that it will officially launch the recently announced BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 handset in the UK.

Unveiled by RIM (Research in Motion) in May, the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 will officially launch in the UK on September 15th, with Three to follow-up from the standard black handset with an October launch of a lighter-toned white handset.

Related links

• BlackBerry Bold 9900 official
• Best BlackBerry Apps
• BlackBerry PlayBook review

Whilst O2 and Vodafone also intend on selling the upcoming BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 handset, UK pricing and tariff details have yet to be formally announced.

Boasting a touchscreen display atop BlackBerry’s standard and still brilliant physical QWERTY keyboard, the RIM's new device will land sporting a 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor, a 5-megapixel rear mounted camera and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology as standard.

Apple iPad 3 or iPad HD pen to launch

Apple has filed two new patents that suggest it's possibly working on a new electronic pen, which is rumoured to be launching in conjunction with the Apple iPad 3 or iPad HD in September

Apple CEO Steve Jobs famously dismissed tablets that don’t use solely touchscreen technology last year, saying: “If you see a stylus, they blew it”. But now it seems US-based Apple is coming around to the idea of bringing a dedicated pen to its iPhone and iPad devices, with the release of two new patents.

The first shows a heated electronic pen or 'stylus' - which could give better precision when used with iOS devices - that all pack capacitive touchscreens. Word is the heat will stop the end of the pen from wearing out, while the pen itself could possibly be docked in the iPhone or iPad to charge.

More interestingly, the second stylus wouldn’t work as a traditional virtual pen. Instead it will wirelessly communicate with the iPad or iPhone, allowing users to write information onto another source and have it instantly appear on their iOS device. The patents were filed back in January, prompting rumours it could be launched in conjunction with theApple iPad 3 or iPad HD in September.

3D chocolate printer made in the UK

Valentine's Day gifts just got a lot more interesting.

Love chocolate and designing? Researchers in the UK have got just the thing for you.

Related links

• iPad 2: 3D model glasses-free display demonstrated
• Toshiba unveils world's first glasses-free 3D laptop
• HTC Evo 3D vs LG Optimus 3D
• Wimbledon finals confirmed as first BBC 3D broadcasts
• Xbox 360: 3D gaming to be announced by Microsoft at E3?
• LG Optimus 3D now on sale at Carphone Warehouse

The University of Exeter's research team has developed a printer that is able to create 3D chocolate, which can be personalised.

The printer creates the 3D chocolate by building up successive layers. Once a layer solidifies, the printer moves on to the next layer. It has apparently received a lot of retailer interest in its prototype stage.

"What makes this technology special is that users will be able to design and make their own products. In the long term it could be developed to help consumers custom-design many products from different materials," said Dr Liang Hao, lead researcher.

People may soon be able to upload their own designs for 3D chocolate printing and delivery, as the team is aiming to develop a consumer interface.

The project is funded as part of the Research Council UK Cross-Research Council Digital Economy Programme and is managed by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC).


Would you be interested in creating chocolate designs in 3D? Let T3 know what kind of designs you would come up by posting on our Twitter and Facebook feeds, and follow us for more techilicious news.

3 UK now with a Nokia Ovi channel

Posted by Devina Divecha on Sat 9 Jul 2011

3 UK partners with Nokia's Ovi

3 UK has announced its dedicated channel on the Nokia Ovi store, following in the footsteps of Vodafone which has partnered with Android.

Related links

• Nokia X7 UK release sees Three offer Symbian handset
• Nokia Windows Phone 7 tie-up official
• Nokia Windows Phone 7 concept handsets surface
• Nokia X7: new Symbian smartphone detailed
• More new Nokia Symbian smartphones leaked
• Nokia Symbian Anna out next month

The channel by 3 UK will include 40 apps, which can be downloaded to Nokia's Symbian^3 powered smartphones.

When apps are purchased on this channel, the charge will automatically be passed on to the mobile bill, which implies zero transaction charges or SMS fees.

Smartphones that can benefit from this channel includes the Nokis C7, Nokia N8 and Nokia E7, along with the upcoming Nokia X7, which will launch with an integrated version of the Ovi Store with the Three channel.

The Nokia X7 will be exclusively available in the UK with 3 UK.