A break down in communications earlier today, has almost sealed the end of one of the biggest partnerships in the business world today. Since the start of 2010, communications have been heated, with Google wanting to run an unfiltered Google.cn, which was met with harsh opposition from the Chinese government.

China’s leading IT Minister, Li Yizhong, stated over the weekend that “I hope that Google will abide and respect the Chinese government’s laws and regulations. But, if you betray Chinese laws and regulations it means that you are unfriendly, irresponsible, and you will have to pay the consequences.”

China is the world’s largest market place with an estimated 384 million internet users. The Chinese government implement strict restrictions, and obliges that providers block all words and images that the Communist Party deems to be unacceptable. Website favourites such as Facebook and Twitter are also blocked entirely in China, using a firewall to block content from overseas users.

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The DSi XL has a number of unique features, not available in previous models. It has a large 4.2” screen size (resolution remains the same), pen stylus, ability to play built-in-games, a wide viewing angle and also a camera dictionary.

Like previous models, the DSi XL has a camera, web browser, SD memory card slot, demo downloads, music playback, internal storage, with access to the DSi Shop. Weighing in at 314g, it is the heaviest DS yet, but with a 14-17 hour battery life, and 16MB of RAM, the DSi XL is packed full of exciting tech, competing with the new PSP Go, but also previous DS models.

So far, the DSi XL can only be bought in to colours; ‘Chocolate Brown’ or ‘Wine Red’. Early indications suggest the ‘Wine Red’ to be the most popular colour. The cheapest price we have found for a DSi XL is through Amazon.co.uk at £149.73, with the cheapest DS console in the range available for £110 (DS Lite).

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BlackBerry users do not currently have the same quality of apps available to them as the iPhone and Apple users, with quite a small library of variety available in comparison. BlackBerry being the traditional business mobile, this recent development will see a push into entertainment and media sector.

The app will only work through the Smartphone’s wireless connectivity, instead of using the 3G connectivity. Compatible with almost all BlackBerry mobiles, but as yet the app cannot be purchased through the BlackBerry App world; instead it is directly available from the BBC – click here to get the iPlayer App

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/bbapps/     

Recently launched from the BBC is a range of free iPhone apps, including BBC News which is due for release in April, with BBC Sport to follow shortly after.

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The U500 EX-1 takes full advantage of Windows 7 touch screen feature, and offers its user a fully touch sensitive 13.3-inch screen, with a resolution of 1280×800. Meaning the reliance on a mouse and keyboard function is minimised as the user can directly interact with the screen itself. 

The laptop also comes with up to 8BG of onboard RAM, a 320 GB Hard-drive and it is powered by the Intel Core i3-330M processor. Other features are as you would expected, a 5in1 media card reader, two USB 2.0 ports, HD built in Web Cam and Microphone, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.  

The U500 EX-1 can be purchased for £649 (exc VAT) and currently is only available to purchase in the UK. If you are looking for a new notebook which has all the features you would expect and more, then this is definitely a contender. And with its multi-touch screen capability, the Toshiba stands out from other notebooks in the market.

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The iPad has a massive 9.7-inch LED backlit multi-touch display, with a 1024 x 728 resolution. U can choose from either a 16GB, 32GB or 63GB capacity, powered through a 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed processor, with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Included is a 25-watt-hour rechargeable lithium polymer battery, capable of giving up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video or music playback.  

Apps from the iPhone can be used on the iPad: they can be either run in miniature or doubled up in pixels to fill the screen. There are bespoke iPad games that are bound to impress, and e-book reading through iBook (similar to iTunes) means the iPad can really can diversify across several market needs.

One feature to note is the pop-up touch keyboard, which will support the same gestures as the iPhone, and if that isn’t enough, you can also get a keyboard docking accessory that’ll charge the iPad but also provide a prop for movie playback.

Unfortunately the iPad won’t be available to purchase in the UK until April, and as yet there has been no confirmed price, so we will have to wait until then before the iPad can be truly reviewed.

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Tom Alexander, Orange Chief Executive, boasted about the new technologies ability to make it seem like you were talking to someone in the same room. It is expected to be trailed early this year, before being released to the mass market.

This could spark a new generation of mobile phone pioneering, current emphasis has been around style and added features that your phone entails; providing HD calling goes back to the essence of what you originally used a phone for and aims to improve this experience immensely.

It is not yet known how the service will work, it is likely a new handset will be needed to benefit from this technology and then there will be the issue of price. This is something we will be looking out for in the coming months.

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Working together with Apple and iTunes, it will enable DRM free downloading, offering complete access to huge catalogue of artist, from both major record labels and smaller independent organisations. MySpace music currently has around 13million users in the UK alone, and can act as a spring board for new talent. Most famously, this is where Lily Allen sparked her career as a leading UK artist.

MySpace, although not as big as Facebook, once had the buzz and attention that Facebook now receives. However MySpace has also been more music focused, giving fans the opportunities to directly communicate with their favourite artists and use their music on their profile pages.

MySpace Music will provide streaming audio, video, original content and editing facilities. Like other streaming music providers, there will be adverts popping up from time to time; however, one thing to note is that the adverts will not interrupt the music being played! Something to look out for as a real market contender.

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In the US, the buzz surrounding the new Droid has been immense, with queues of people waiting to get their hands on the new Motorola handset outside both Motorola and Verizon Stores.

O2, T-Mobile, Orange and Vodafone have all decided against a Droid launch, with not one of the four big market players confirming a UK launch for the phone. O2 the leading network provider in the UK, has stated they decided not to launch because of tests on the device, and Orange has not confirmed whether they will be taking the phone on, but they are however selling the Motorola Dext instead.

So with a launch for the Droid looking extremely unlikely, the effect on Motorola will come as a huge blow. They were keen to push this phone to the UK market, to increase UK sales figures. The Droid itself is a sound phone; it boasts a 5megapixel camera, 4x digital zoom, up to 32GB internal memory capability, GPS, USB, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. However the phone is not without its down-falls, the phone needs some intuitive apps, an easy to use app store, and a solid network base before it can be compared in the same league as the iPhone.

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The pulse runs on the highly acclaimed Google Android OS, which is also available on phones such as the Samsung Galaxy and HTC Hero. The phone is light, weighing in at only 130gm, with a claimed 300 hours of standby time and 4 hours 30 minutes of talktime. 

Some of the phones main features include:

• 3.5-inch Touch Screen Display
• 3.2 Megapixel Camera
• Video Recording Capability
• 2GB SD Card
• Trackball Navigation for Browsing
• USB Port, Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth Connectivity 

The Pulse can be bought on a £30 per month for 24 months contract from T-Mobile, which includes 100 free minutes and unlimited web access. A £40 per month contract for 18 months and you will get the Pulse for free plus unlimited web and £225 credit to spend on calls and texts.

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