You sound different over the phone

If you think instant language translation is a thing of science fiction movies, then think again, thanks to a new interpretation system launched by Hitachi and Samsung. The free trial version of the automatic Japanese-to-Korean telephone interpretation system was launched on November 14 and is expected to last for two months. Users dial into the service and then speak one of 1,700 model Japanese sentences. ...more

HP launches 8x write speed DVD burners and new Media Center PCs

HP has launched an armada of new kit in the UK including 8x write speed DVD burners and more Media Center PCs. The DVD drives start at ?129 for the internal IDE drive, ?179 for the external and ?219 for the new Movie Writer dc4000 which includes all the ports, wires and software you need to back up your VHS tapes too. The m400 series of Media Center desktops cost either ?1,199 or ?1,299 depending on specification although both are based on Hyper Threading P4s and offer large disks for storing media files. ...more

UPDATED: Apple unveils the new iPod

Apple has unveiled a re-designed iPod, slimmer and lighter but capable of storing more music than ever. Although the basic look and feel of the iPod remains the same as before, there are a number of significant changes. The single track pad control remains, but the play, forward and back buttons have been moved and are now located in a row above the wheel. ...more

Apple patent filing details double-sided iPod

Documents coming to light at the US Patent Office show details of a possible forthcoming iPod-like device from Apple that uses touch-sensitive surfaces on both sides to control a cursor and work the embedded operating system. The filing indicates that the technology could be applied to a mobile telephone, a hand-held computer system, a PDA, a video display unit or a digital music device. It then goes on to specifically name the video iPod, on which it says the 'liquid crystal display ("LCD"), is often to [sic] small to make effective use of finger based touch input'. ...more

Microsoft video codec gets Blu-ray approval

Microsoft has had its video codec accepted as a requirement for the next-generation optical disc format Blu-Ray. It means that the Windows Media VC-9 compression/decompression technology will have to be included in Blu-Ray disc players, along with another advanced video codec - the MPEG-4 AVC High Profile - and the older MPEG-2 codec. The company is keen on having its Windows Media formats accepted as industry standards as it seeks to capitalise on the march of IT on the field of consumer electronics and entertainment. ...more