iPod has 'hidden' sound recording feature

Apple's new iPods have a hidden sound recording feature that enables you to record through the headphone socket. iPoding.com has discovered that if you enable the devices' Diagnostic Mode - hold MENU and PLAY, and when the Apple logo appears hold down the PREVIOUS, NEXT and CENTRE buttons - you can scroll down using the NEXT button to option J. ...more

Nildram remains broadband pacesetter

Nildram was the fastest ADSL broadband provider in December, the fourth month in a row that it has outpaced its rivals. According to results from tests by ADSLGuide, Nildram delivered an average downstream speed of 444Kbps over the course of the month, narrowly beating the 432Kbps recorded by Eclipse Internet. Of the big name ISPS, Demon slipped from third place in November despite delivering almost the same speed while neither Tiscali or the 'no frills' BT Broadband made the 10. ...more

IT stocks recover in results week

In the week that Apple will announce its latest set of quarterly results, IT companies' stock prices rose to their pre-11 September level. Despite the current downturn in the computer market and fears that the events of 11 September may precipitate an economic recession, shares in the leading PC manufacturers have returned to or exceeded the level they were at before the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Apple, Compaq and Hewlett-Packard are back where they were, while Dell's price is now at a higher level. ...more

Sony puts Blu-ray into its Vaio range

Sony is powering its Blu-ray campaign with a new Vaio notebook and desktop complete with the next-gen optical plumage and HD features. The Vaio AR-Series totes a double-layer Blu-ray Disc optical drive, coupled with 200GB of hard disk space. Even so, that's only four of the 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray discs. ...more

Company develops paper-like LCDs

We've already covered electronic ink on this site, but now an LCD manufacturer has developed a screen that has the familiarity of paper. Three-Five Systems has developed "paperwhite" LCD screens, a high contrast screen that mimics the look of ink on paper, and hopes that PDA manufacturers will want to implement this technology into their machines. "Through improved fluid technology and cell construction, we have designed a display with a high degree of contrast and a black and white look that enhances users' viewability," explained Rob Harrison, Three-Five's vice president of Direct View Displays. ...more