This week on TechRadar saw Microsoft criticising OEMs who fill new PCs with ‘crapware’, while Lovefilm announced that its movie service is coming to the PS3.
But the big news was the announcement of Windows Phone 7, and we got hands on with a whole bunch of handsets.
Read on for this week’s most popular stories on TechRadar…
Top five news stories
Apple’s new iPhone won’t be the iPhone 5
Rumours that Apple is planning a new version of its iPhone before the ‘normal’ upgrade cycle appear to be true – although it will only signify the end of the exclusivity deal in the US.
Like in the UK when O2 lost its exclusivity deal for the iPhone when Vodafone and Orange came on board, Verizon looks likely to be joining AT&T in offering the iPhone for sale in the US, according to the WSJ.
However, Apple will need to modify the wireless tech used inside the phone, as Verizon uses different network technology to its rivals AT&T.
The hardware margin is far lower for PC makers than it is for Apple and the revenue Microsoft gets from a Windows license looks trivial in comparison to the £250 Google makes from search advertising in the UK for every PC sold (according to Gary Hearns of Dixons).
That also makes it clearer why PC makers seem unwilling to give up the extra money they make from bundling all that extra software that clutters up new PCs.
For a few extra dollars per system you get short-term thinking that hurts the entire industry, says Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president of the Planning and PC Ecosystem team at Microsoft.
Official: Lovefilm comes to the PS3
Sony has teamed up with Lovefilm to offer the movie subscription service to PS3 owners.
There have been a number of rumours that Lovefilm would be coming to the PlayStation 3 – especially when the service started appearing on connected Bravia televisions.
But both Sony and Lovefilm remained tight-lipped, which meant that PS3 users in the UK could only look on as their US counterparts got access to Netflix and all its downloadable goodness.
Apple fanboy Stephen Fry rolled out for Windows Phone 7 launch
Self-confessed Apple fanboy Stephen Fry has surprised the technology world by turning up to the launch of Windows Phone 7 – Microsoft’s new mobile phone operating system.
Fry has made no effort to mask his love for Apple in the past, so for him to take the stage at a Windows event is pretty impressive for Microsoft, especially as he was not getting paid for the event.
The reason Microsoft got Fry involved was because of a previous quote on Windows Mobile where he compared the designer of Windows Mobile to the designer of a 1960s concrete tower block
The eagerly awaited T3 iPad edition has gone on sale through the Apple store, with the TechRadar stablemate offering up a high-tech tablet version of its monthly magazine.
The T3 iPad edition is not merely the magazine content, but also a host of extras including videos and images.
On this occasion we’re willing to risk cries of bias to tell you that it is, honestly, a very cool addition to your iPad – and well worth a look if you like your gadgets.
Top five in-depth articles
iPad 2 rumours: What you need to know
The internet loves Apple and it loves ill-founded speculation, so it’s hardly surprising that iPad 2 rumours were flying before the first iPad even reached the UK.
As ever the iPad 2 release date, specifications and price are closely guarded secrets, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some juicy rumours, inspired guesses and possibly even Apple leaks to consider surrounding the next iPad.
Here’s our pick of the current iPad 2G rumours.
Hands on: Windows Phone 7 review
Microsoft might have been working on Windows Phone 7 for a year and a half or so, but only now is it getting to the point where it can be considered ready for market.
We bagged some hands on time with a near-final version of the software and gave it a thorough test ahead of our final Windows Phone 7 review.
HTC is clearly setting its stall out with Microsoft on Windows Phone 7, as it brought out five handsets for the platform. This, the HTC HD7, has a UK release date of 21 October. So what’s it like?
The HTC HD7 is by far the biggest of them, with a Desire HD- and HD2-matching 4.3-inch screen atop the near-identical hardware specs of its other WP7 brethren.
Hands on: Samsung Omnia 7 review
Samsung’s take on Windows Phone 7 was always going to be tech-heavy – and that’s proved to be the case.
Featuring a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and a cool industrial design, the Samsung Omnia 7 is a slightly different take from the LG and HTC crowd.
Top 20 best iPhone apps – paid apps
Apps for the iPhone and iPod touch now number in the hundreds of thousands.
And when Apple claims “there’s an app for that”, it really means it.
We trawled the App Store, looking for the very best paid apps, and we present the cream of the crop below. If your favourite app is missing, tell us about it in the comments.
Top five reviews
Alcatel makes no bones about the aim of the OT-980. This handset is about the mass market, and its £99.95 pay-as-you-go price from Carphone Warehouse indicates that it is a pretty affordable option as far as Android is concerned.
The Packard Bell Dot U is being marketed by the company as its latest netbook, but while it definitely shares some features with those mini machines, some of the components used here place it more in the ultra-portable laptop category.
In 2010, Samsung has produced a strong range of laptops, spanning from entry-level portables that offer fantastic value for money, such as the Samsung R730, to excellent Blu-ray multimedia machines, such as the Samsung R780.
Despite the new iPod touch being even thinner than last year’s model, Apple has managed to squeeze into it a super-sharp Retina display, two cameras and the A4 processor that powers the iPhone 4 and iPad.
Nokia’s gone back to the drawing board to bring out the Nokia N8, featuring a new OS and a huge amount of high end tech packed under the hood.
Also reviewed this week
Graphics cards
Hi-Fi Accessories
van den Hul The Teatrack Hybrid review
Laptops
Mobile phones
Projectors
Software
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 review
Jolicloud Jolicloud 1.0 review
Lonely Planet Compass Guides review
TVs
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