Rock Band 2 patched to work with Lips mic

As slightly oversized foreheaded presenters, Ant and Dec, once sang: watch us wreck the mic! Luckily for us, Microsoft and MTV Games have done exactly the opposite, improving the mic. The mic for Xbox 360 singing game Lips to be precise. How? Well, the two companies are working on a patch to make it work with Rock Band 2.

…continue reading Rock Band 2 patched to work with Lips mic

Geek In A Box protects and serves your gadgets

Is your iPod iDying? laptop giving you lip? Throw away your warranties: the Geek Squad are coming to the rescue! This time, the friendly gadget mechanics are offering their services in a box – Geek In A Box – for a whole year, and it’ll fit fine in a technophobe’s stocking. …continue reading Geek In A Box protects and serves your gadgets

Ask the expert: Christmas shopping

Q. I’m Christmas shopping for the family. My kids are gadget mad, but my partner is more of a gardener. What presents would you recommend?

…continue reading Ask the expert: Christmas shopping

Gears Of War 2 gearing up for Christmas carnage

Think every worthwhile videogame on the Xbox 360 comes out on the Playstation 3? Guess again. While a brand new PS3 may be future proof, there’s still a reason to shell out on Microsoft’s older console, as Gears Of War 2 makes brutally clear. Plus, it’s out this Friday! Read on to find out why this is the hottest shooter gearing up for Christmas.

…continue reading Gears Of War 2 gearing up for Christmas carnage

Top tips for picking the perfect stocking-friendly Christmas gadgets

Getting the perfect gadgety gift this Christmas needn’t cost the Earth. Choosing the ideal high-tech stocking filler is simply about matching the gizmo to the gift recipient. Follow our top tips and we’ll have you buying grin-generating gadgets without emptying your wallet in the process!

…continue reading Top tips for picking the perfect stocking-friendly Christmas gadgets

Ask the expert: Family-friendly Wii games

Q. I’ve just bought a Wii for the family for Christmas, but want to get a bunch of games that we can all play together. What are the best ones for family action. Nothing cheesy or naff! I’m looking for exciting innovative stuff. Any advice?

…continue reading Ask the expert: Family-friendly Wii games

Top tips on the hottest gadgets for Christmas – part 2

In part 1 we brought you top tips on picking the hottest LCD TVs, mobiles, toys, laptops, MP3 players, camcorders, GPS receivers, games consoles and Blu-ray players for Christmas. The stuff that’s going to be ultra popular and inevitably tougher to get your wooly mitts on closer to Xmas. Part 2 of The Insider’s Top tips on the hottest gadgets for Christmas ticks off another top ten product categories you’re sure to be eyeing up for the family (or your wishlist), including upscaling DVD players, compact cameras and gadgets! Read on for the ultimate Insider tips…

…continue reading Top tips on the hottest gadgets for Christmas – part 2

Top tips on the hottest gadgets for Christmas – part 1

Christmas shopping for gadgets and gizmos can be a real pain in the baubles. Fail to spot the hottest product before it becomes so scorchingly popular that it’s out of stock and you’ll be left putting an IOU under the tree. We don’t want any repeats of last years Xmas Nintendo Wii crisis!

Don’t worry though. The Insider is here to help, and save you spending a fortune in the process. Our first in a series of Christmas top tips, read on for a list of must-have high-tech goodies in a few of the most popular categories, and get ordering with plenty of time until Christmas day!

LCD TVs
If you’re buying a new TV this year, make it a black Christmas, with Pioneer’s new Kuro LCDs. They use special filters and screen technology to produce dark tones better than any other LCD around, although that excellence can come at a price. For similar performance, try a brand new Sony Bravia KDL-40V4000 or Samsung LE-46A786. The Samsung even features next-gen LED backlighting, for deeper blacks and lower power consumption.

Mobile phones
Mobiles make great Christmas presents, and your loved ones can always call you up to say thanks later on! There are tons of new handsets headed for wrapping paper by December, but top of the pile is the Apple iPhone 3G. Its touchscreen abilities are second to none, but beware, its camera is a little on the weedy side.

More megapixels can be found inside the 8 megapixel LG KC910, which also packs a touchscreen, or the Samsung i8510 which also has an 8 megapixel camera, but uses more traditional buttons.

If you’re really looking for the latest phone to wow your loved one, bag a T-Mobile G1. It’s the first to challenge the iPhone in terms of extra applications, even if its megapixels aren’t the most.

Laptops
Shove a laptop under the tree for guaranteed merriness this Christmas, and for added brownie points, make it a tiny ultra-portable model. Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 should be top of your shopping list, since it’s a full-blown laptop in a titchy shell, as well as better designed than most. But there are other options.

The MSI Wind is just as powerful, but not quite so pretty, while the Eee PC 1000H, although similar in specs to the Dell and MSI models, looks less polished, but is still highly coveted.

Toys
Predicting the hottest toy each year is tricky, but you can’t go wrong with a cuddly toy, and this year they’re more advanced than ever. The FurReal Biscuit toy dog is more than just a loveable stuffed puppy. It’s a robot that’ll respond to voice commands and noise, as well as responding when it’s touched. It’ll sit up and beg, bark, react to toys and treats, and best of all it’s life size! Less girly toys bound to be a big hit this year include the Razor Electric Scooter, reaching up to 15mph for up to 45 minutes a time!

MP3 Players
The quirkiest MP3 player ever will hit the UK just before Christmas: The Sony Rolly. It’s a combination robot and music player that’ll even stream sounds from a Bluetooth-capable phone. It’ll dance too, using motorised wheels, and includes built-in speakers.

There’s also the new iPod nano, available in more colours than ever, or the Wi-Fi equipped iPod touch, now refreshed with a built in speaker. If you don’t fancy handing over an iPod, check out Archos’ new Series 5 MP3 players, with bigger screens and more features than ever!

Camcorders
Give a camcorder as a Christmas present and you’ll guarantee the day’s captured for all to see. Top of the list this year is Sony’s HDR-TG3. It’s small, light and records in full HD. It’s also made from scratch-proof titanium, and features ultra-advanced anti-shake and image stabilisation technology. Sony even includes memory and a docking cradle into the bargain. For a more traditional design, check out the Canon FS100. It packs in a whopping 32x zoom, but doesn’t capture recordings in HD.

GPS Receivers
Next-gen satnavs will be huge this Christmas. The new TomTom Go 540 Live doesn’t just serve up maps, but gathers live traffic information, local information and even offers Google search on the go. Also consider the Navman S30 3D, which features new 3D maps with pop-up style landmarks.

Game Consoles
Plonking a games console under the tree is a dead cert for gleeful squeals on Christmas morning. The Wii sold out in record time last Christmas, and since Nintendo has struggled to meet demand ever since, there’s a good chance of it selling out again. Of course, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 will also score you a double thumbs-up too.

Blu-Ray players
Dodgy Christmas TV can be avoided by shoving a Blu-Ray player into the arms of your loved one, but make sure it’s Profile 2-ready to be certain it’ll get the most from every disc put inside. A good choice is the Sony BDP-S350. It supports all the latest Blu-Ray technology, as well as loading films faster than its predecessors. Also consider the Panasonic DMP-BD50 and Sony BDP-S550 Profile 2 compatible.

Watch this space over coming weeks as we explore even more gadget categories, loaded with top tips on the hottest products to cross off on the Christmas list.

Get chatting about what to get for Christmas over at the PriceRunner forum.

How to do all your Christmas shopping on your phone!

Forget schlepping around town looking for Christmas inspiration. Pull up a chair in a quiet cafe, whip out your mobile, and get your Christmas shopping done without all the traipsing! We’ll show you how to pin down the closest stores with the right presents in stock, avoid getting ripped off, and even buy direct from your mobile phone!

…continue reading How to do all your Christmas shopping on your phone!

IFA 2008 round-up

IFA is Europe’s biggest gadget show, and it’s just closed its doors for another year, after introducing tons of new tech for us to lust after. The biggest splash this year was made by the TV manufacturers, with acres of flat panels boasting next-gen wizardry, all due to launch before the end of the year. So what’s in store for Christmas? Read on to find out.

…continue reading IFA 2008 round-up

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