Into Tech

Almost two-thirds of TV sets sold recently in the UK are not adapted for digital switchover, figures suggest.

Among the saving graces of hyper-expensive factory-installed GPS systems are niceties such as steering wheel-mounted controls. LG adds that convenience with its LAN-SD460, a combination GPS navigation system and portable media player which also has DMB to receive those digital broadcasts in Japan. All of that video content shows up on its larger-than-average 4.1 inch screen. That steering wheel control lets you adjust the volume, channel, and zoom, keeping your hands where they belong. Just don’t be watching that digital TV while you’re driving.

Although this particular device may not show up in the States, we’re hoping the idea of including a steering wheel-mounted control device with these portable GPS and PMP units will become a commonplace feature. We’re big fans of most GPS devices, but have noticed that sometimes they can be distracting to the point of being dangerous. Well, especially when you’re using four of them at the same time. – Charlie White

LAN-SD460, the LG Portable Navigation Device [Akhihabara News]

NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s number-one phone provider, went buck wild at a Tokyo press conference this morning and unveiled no fewer than 14 new handsets, all of ‘em 3G wonders. The lineup consists of 11 high-end FOMA 903i series models, two dumb-but-nice Simpure phones and the N902iL Wi-Fi-ed smartphone.

There’s far too much phonetastic goodness to go into here (check the press release at the link below if you dare) but standouts include IC cards preloaded with DoCoMo’s RFID credit card software, One-seg digital TV, 3.6Mbps HSDPA, interoperability with Napster Japan and – get this – the Keitai-Osagashi service, which uses GPS and a PC to find lost or stolen phones. – Jonny Hiratsuka

Press release [NTT DoCoMo]

LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC on Wednesday lowered its request
for an increase in the funding it says it needs to pay for new
online services and the switchover to digital TV.

The headline says it all. If you are not one of the Sky+ horde and tend to like freebies like Freeview digital TV then this is certainly going to appeal. The sexily-monikered Sharp TU-R160H is a slimline silver and black deck with funky blue lights that houses a 160GB hard drive and dual-Freeview digital…

The headline says it all. If you are not one of the Sky+ horde and tend to like freebies like Freeview digital TV then this is certainly going to appeal. The sexily-monikered Sharp TU-R160H is a slimline silver and black deck with funky blue lights that houses a 160GB hard drive and dual-Freeview digital…

The headline says it all. If you are not one of the Sky+ horde and tend to like freebies like Freeview digital TV then this is certainly going to appeal. The sexily-monikered Sharp TU-R160H is a slimline silver and black deck with funky blue lights that houses a 160GB hard drive and dual-Freeview digital…

The headline says it all. If you are not one of the Sky+ horde and tend to like freebies like Freeview digital TV then this is certainly going to appeal. The sexily-monikered Sharp TU-R160H is a slimline silver and black deck with funky blue lights that houses a 160GB hard drive and dual-Freeview digital…

LONDON (Reuters) - More than one million Freeview digital TV boxes or televisions with built-in digital tuners are being sold every three months as Britons prepare for the digital switchover, industry regulator Ofcom said on Wednesday.

More than 500 million homes around the world will have digital TV by 2011, according to a report.