New Technology Reviews!.: Industry

In Depth: 5 best programs to speed up your PC Easily

5 best programs to speed up your PC</h3>
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The way Windows handles software is far from perfect. Every time you install a program, bits of it are scattered all over your system, and the end result is a slower PC.</div>
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You've probably encountered this; old computers tend to feel clogged up and sluggish. The parts inside haven't degraded - they're still as capable as the day you bought the PC - it's your programs that are to blame. This even applies to programs you've already uninstalled, which leave traces of themselves behind like litter after a particularly fine picnic.</div>
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It's not surprising, then, that the primary method of speeding up a system is to clean it thoroughly. Remove the artefacts of past programs and you remove the dilly-dallying of Windows looking for things it will never find.</div>
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But there's more to a fast system than a tidy hard drive. There are many subtle tweaks that can be made to Windows itself that lead to a slicker experience.</div>
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In this test, we're looking at a selection of programs that do both. We're judging our subjects based on some real-world tests, such as system boot time and the time taken to load Internet Explorer 8, although these are subjective - your results may vary from ours depending on the content of your system.</div>
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Each time we test an application, we're starting from the same point: a worn-in Windows 7 installation with apps such as RealPlayer, AVG Antivirus, OpenOffice and Apple iTunes installed - a selection of the most treacle-like applications you can install on your PC. We're also looking at how easy these programs are to use.</div>
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It doesn't matter how effective software is if it looks as though it's written in Sanskrit, because you're unlikely to understand exactly what you're doing to your computer. A good system speed-up is one done without much prodding from you; you wouldn't take your car to a mechanic and expect to be referred back to a Haynes manual, would you?</div>
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Avanquest Fix It Utilities 11 Pro</h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Price:</span> £31<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Web:</span> www.avanquest.com/uk</div>
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<img alt="Avanquest" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.fixit1-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.fixit1-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Fix It Utilities, obsessed with doing everything it possibly can, digs its claws in deep to your computer. It leaves a little program running in your taskbar at the bottom-right of the screen that doesn't seem to go away even if you ask it to, and pushes the option to use its built-in antivirus facilities even if you've already got your own antivirus software installed. It's not the best of starts, frankly.</div>
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The language used within the app is also a bit weaselly - it lists scans not yet run as problems with your system, for example - but we can't fault it for simplicity. There's a single button marked 'One click fix all' which seems to do just that, running through its battery of tests and fixes to make sure your computer is in tip-top condition with little input from you.</div>
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It's not entirely concerned with system speed-ups, but that's definitely a large amount of Fix-It Utilities' remit. There's an internet optimiser, a section dedicated to Windows speed-ups, and a scan that promises to shuffle your computer's memory into a fast order.</div>
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Go deeper than the one-click option, though, and you might start getting a bit baffled; the presentation of deeper sections such as the Startup Commander are tough going to say the least, full of check boxes and changes that don't immediately shout about what they might do to your computer.</div>
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Leave them to run on their own, though, and you're unlikely to be disappointed - Fix-It Utilities did a good job at making our system feel quicker, and its active protection facility (which monitors your computer regularly for issues so it doesn't get sluggish again) is an excellent touch.</div>
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You shouldn't have to go in and run programs like this - they should look after you.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Pros:</span></div>
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Ostensibly simple interface<br />
Great hands-free tweaking</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Cons:</span></div>
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Too pushy<br />
Can be surprisingly complex</div>
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Does a lot of things well, but it's too simple in some places, too complex in others.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Score: 79%</span></div>
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Iolo System Mechanic 10</h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Price:</span> £28<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Web:</span> www.iolo.com</div>
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<img alt="System mechanic 10" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.systemmech1-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.systemmech1-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Where other apps might over-simplify things, System Mechanic makes a good stab at saying exactly what it's doing with the clearest language possible. You won't be mystified as to what any of its functions do, but be prepared to read for a while; everything is described in excruciating detail.</div>
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Compared to, say, Fix-it Utilities, System Mechanic seems a bit more honest; when it says "problems", it means problems with your computer rather than problems with the way you've used the software.</div>
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You're given complete control over the way you go about fixing issues, too. You can certainly whack the Repair All button and let the program do all the work for you, or you can methodically go through System Mechanic's repair sections and fix your issues one by one.</div>
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System Mechanic also has what it calls a tool box, containing a bunch of mini programs sorted by category, so you don't need to know that you want a registry compactor, for example - if you know you want to improve your computer's performance, you just go to the appropriate section.</div>
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OK, System Mechanic isn't for everyone. If you're completely averse to any kind of technical language, you'll probably turn away in horror, even though it does a competent job at explaining things clearly. But if you want a piece of software that's going to speed up your PC and make sure it's in tip-top shape, this is definitely it.</div>
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Iolo's ActiveCare technology sensibly keeps an eye on things when you're not using your computer, which means it doesn't slow down when you're in the middle of something, and with a year of updates included and a three-PC licence we'd even go as far as to say this was a bit of a bargain.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Pros:</span></div>
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Best speed improvement here<br />
Clear explanations throughout<br />
Great interface</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Cons:</span></div>
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Can be overly wordy</div>
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Easy to use, well laid out: this is an app with speed at its very core, and we love it.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Score: 90%</span></div>
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IObit Advanced System Care Free 3</h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Price:</span> Free<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Web:</span> www.iobit.com</div>
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<img alt="IOBit" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.asc1-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.asc1-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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There's a lot to be said for clarity. IOBit's AdvancedSystemCare Free 3 needs a little digging before you can work out what each of its sections do, and the language used in its tutorials isn't really very friendly.</div>
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Run a scan and you'll probably be told your Windows system has an amazing number of problems - ours had about 10,000. But those problems were a lack of individual 'immunisations' from the program's security section, something we'd have lumped in to a single issue. Scare tactics.</div>
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ASC has its advantages, though. The Turbo Boost option scales up your processor and helps you switch off everything unecessary for when you need a litle more performance. The one-click Care button runs through its litany of tests and solutions (without explicitly bothering you with any details of what it's actually doing) and it certainly offers a wide range of potential refinements to be made to your PC.</div>
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Its focus is on increasing your computer's speed and safety by cleaning it up rather than using any specific tweaks, however. Strangely, IOBit has chosen to spin many of the tweaks that would work well in ASC - features that many other apps include by default - off to separate packages. Want better games performance? Get Game Booster. Faster web connection? You need to download Internet Booster.</div>
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This isn't exactly efficient, and the way IOBit goes about encouraging you to download these apps - including a confusingly labelled tick box in the installer and a whole page of seemingly useful options in the main app acting as Trojan horses - is just cheeky. There's no box. There's an installer, and a sneaky one at that; not only does it suggest installing a browser toolbar, but IObit tries to get further software on your system at the same time.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Pros:</span></div>
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Single-click</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Cons:</span></div>
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Tries installing rubbish on installation<br />
Uses scare tactics<br />
Doesn't actually do that much</div>
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Does a decent job in the tasks it covers, but that doesn't cover too much ground.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Score: 42%</span></div>
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CCleaner</h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Price:</span> Free<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Web:</span> <a href="http://www.piriform.com/" mce_href="http://www.piriform.com/" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;">www.piriform.com</a></div>
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<img alt="CCleaner" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.ccleaner-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.ccleaner-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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You may think it's a bit of a strange move, including CCleaner in this test. We'll admit it; we've thrown in a bit of a curveball.</div>
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This is not explicitly a speed-up tool. The name is a dead giveaway - it's all about cleaning up your PC. But you really won't find a better representation of why cleaning up is the best way to make your system run faster than CCleaner, one of the most widely respected and widely used free applications on the web.</div>
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It's the industry standard for a reason: the results speak for themselves. Of course, we're not suggesting that it's perfect. CCleaner is not exactly friendly if you don't know what you're doing with your computer. Nothing is sugar-coated, and there's a lot in there that won't be obvious to novices.</div>
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But that's only on the surface; look carefully: there are two buttons. One says Analyze, the other says Run Cleaner. You don't actually have to know anything beyond how to click a mouse to get the most out of CCleaner, so don't be too intimidated.</div>
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Click the Registry button on the left and you're similarly equipped - two buttons get the job done. Doesn't matter if you know what's going on or not. And while other applications do more to spruce up your computer, or do it in a flashier way, they're either paid-for apps or they're slathered in sneaky add-ons. Glary Utilities tries to install the Ask toolbar into your web browser. AdvancedSystemCare makes a stab at installing its own Yahoo-based toolbar, and tries to get you installing a host of extra apps, too.</div>
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CCleaner is, appropriately, clean of sneaky installers, and we applaud publisher Piriform for making it that way. Nothing. No box, no tricksy installers, just an honest computer cleaner that does its job perfectly.</div>
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Piriform's other applications cover alternative aspects of PC efficiency, so check the website.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Pros:</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Does the job well<br />
Simple interface</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Cons:</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Can be a little intimidating<br />
Won't boot your machine quicker</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Intensive system cleaning that will lead to a much faster PC in the end.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Score: 84%</span></div>
<h4 style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">

Glary Utilities</h4>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Price:</span> Free<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Web:</span> www.glaryutilities.com</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<img alt="Glary" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.glary1-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.glary1-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Free for non-business use, this has one of the widest ranges of tweaks, speed-ups and cleaning tools we've seen in an application. Particularly a free one.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
GU's one-click section focuses on cleaning potentially threatening files and tightening up the areas of your PC that get a little loose with time, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. There is a whole host of additional modules that do way more than straight cleaning.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
There's a memory optimiser, a start-up manager and a registry defragmenter; jargon-filled sections which, we assure you, all help to shave microseconds off that vital boot time.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
That jargon, unfortunately, runs all the way through. So while you might get on well with the one-click section, if you're not an experienced user, you probably won't have much luck with the rest of the program because the complexity of its modules increases along with the complexity of its language. And its AutoCare section, which should schedule automatic cleaning and fixing, isn't available in the free edition.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The commerical version, which also adds a 24/7 technical support system, will set you back $40, or around £30 - for that money, we'd gravitate towards System Mechanic any day. That said, we'd rather endure free Glary's direct use of jargon than AdvancedSystemCare's rather confusing interface, and there's a lot here worth using.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Pros:</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Good selection of utilities<br />
Works well to improve performance</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Cons:</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Can feel overly compelx<br />
Free version doesn't have scheduler</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Probably the best system cleaner and speed up app you'll ever find for free.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Verdict: 80%</span></div>
<h4 style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">

And the winner is... Iolo System Mechanic 10</h4>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<img alt="system mechanic 10" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.systemmech2-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20257/PCF257.w_roundup.systemmech2-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Are you willing to pay money? Then go straight to System Mechanic and do not pass Go. It's got all the features you need for a fast, clean computer, and a team working on it that's completely dedicated not just to cleanliness but to firing up your PC's turbocharger.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
That's not to say that Fix-It Utilities is in any way poor; if you're not up to speed with computer lingo, it's well worth a shot.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
On the free side, as long as you're careful to avoid the tag-on toolbars offered in the installation packages of Glary Utilities and AdvancedSystemCleaner, you can't really go wrong installing all three; it's certainly not going to hurt.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
CCleaner does the neatest job of tidying things up, and Glary Utilities' more advanced tweaking modules really are top notch if you're looking to add that final extra lick of speed.</div>
</div>
</div>

In Depth: 5 best programs to speed up your PC Easily

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EA founder rehashes 'Apple will falter without Steve Jobs' and other memes

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In a recent interview with Edge Magazine, Electronic Arts founder and current Digital Chocolate CEO Trip Hawkins gave his opinions on Apple's App Store and the company's post-Steve Jobs future. In the process, Hawkins managed to cram several tired Apple-related doom-and-gloom memes into only a few hundred words. Let's do a checklist and see how many we can find.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Apple is "closed," and closed is bad:</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Yep, right in Hawkins's opening remarks.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
"I think it would be an incredibly positive thing for the industry if Apple decided to support all of the web standards, because then Apple could be the best about everything. Right now they make a conscious choice. They want you to be in the App Store rather than the browser, so they cripple the browser."</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Odd, my iPad doesn't feel particularly "crippled" when I use it to browse the web. Neither does my iPhone. Hmm, what could Hawkins possibly mean?</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Apple is a big meany boo-boo head for not supporting Flash Player in iOS:</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Ah, there it is.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
"Flash can actually make a really good game, and with HTML5 you can't do that. But give HTML5 another few years to mature, and that could solve the problem. Or Apple could be more generous about deciding to support more de facto standards like Flash, or at least let it run its course."</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Look at the statistics for mobile video and try to convince me Flash hasn't already run its course. As for games, I'll take a native app that doesn't slow my iPhone to a standstill and chew through 2/3 of my battery in an hour over a Flash-based in-browser game any day. The idea that Apple's ditched Flash because it wants to control the iOS experience is correct, but not for the reasons Hawkins and others have provided. In an interview with Adobe's CEO a couple months ago, Walt Mossberg pointed out that he hasn't used<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5;">one</span>smartphone that provided him with a positive experience with Flash Player, and Mossberg has pretty much used them all. Apple's "generosity" only goes so far, and anyone who expects the company to sacrifice positive user experience to placate third-party vendors is fooling themselves.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
But that's far too logical of an argument, and logic has no place here, because...</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Steve Jobs is a tyrant, and Apple is a dictatorship:</span>Variations on this constitute the bulk of the Edge interview's excerpt. Hawkins is certainly in a position to know about Steve Jobs's personality traits -- he used to work directly with Jobs -- but where this crosses into meme territory is Hawkins's insistence that Apple as a company is directly tied to the whims of a tyrannical dictator. It's the same story we've heard thousands of times before: Apple is the Chocolate Factory, Steve Jobs is Willy Wonka, and every other soul in Cupertino is a faceless Oompa Loompa without any input into the direction of either the company's products or its overall future. Sure, that's<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5;">exactly</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>how a business consisting of thousands of individuals becomes the most successful tech company in history. Right. Speaking of which...</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Apple's growth is unsustainable:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>This is the kind of thing that people used to thinking about Apple as a scrappy underdog like to repeat like a mantra. Hawkins isn't any different.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
"If you look at any institution in history -- look at the Roman Empire -- anything in history, and what it looks like when it's peaking. Look at Apple, and how can you say it's not peaking? The CEO is still alive, let's start there. They invented this tablet thing that's going to be really big. They've done really well by reinventing the phone. They breathed new life into the Mac. They've got this super-high marketing. All these things are about as good as they ever can be -- how much better can it really get?"</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
I'm no history major, but even I know that the Roman Empire was already in a centuries-long decline before the Visigoths trashed the place. And if Apple is peaking as Hawkins says, I'd love to see which numbers actually support that theory. Virtually every quarterly financial statement from Apple over the past year has had the word "record" somewhere in the first paragraph. Apple takes in the majority of profits from the smartphone industry while having a relatively small slice of overall market share. It's the same story with PCs; Apple dominates profits in the $1000 and up category. The iPad dominates the tablet market to an even greater extent than the iPod ruled the mp3 player market.</div>
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Apple's overall worth as a US-based company is second only to Exxon, and Apple's even closing in on them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5;">Exxon</span>, the company responsible for pumping liquid gold out of the ground and transmuting into the life's blood of modern society. And as a widespread meme from last week points out, Apple's cash reserves recently bypassed those of the US Treasury.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
You might look at all this success and conclude that Apple has nowhere to go from here but down. But the only way to do that is to completely ignore the past four years of financial data. If Apple was truly peaking, the influx of dollars would be slowing down, and its profit graph would be either plateauing or declining. The thing is, that's not happening at all. Not even close. But what about the future? Get ready for another meme.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Without Steve Jobs, Apple is doomed:</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>How many times have we heard this one? I've lost count. But here we go again:</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
"The thing is, it may take another year or two before it starts to decline, but it has to -- everything does. Everything revolves so much around Steve, and no matter how good his lieutenants are, they're not Steve. None of us is going to live forever, though I hope he lives for a really long time."</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Steve Jobs got the ball rolling on this, yes. But even while he's been on extended medical leave, Apple's momentum hasn't slowed. Like Hawkins, I hope Steve Jobs will be around for a long time, but Apple will not wither on the tree without him. Apple as a company is nothing like Microsoft, where all the forward-looking vision and drive to succeed went out the door with Bill Gates. Steve Jobs has surrounded himself with fellow visionaries, and that's the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5;">real</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>key to Apple's business success. The idea that one man and only his ideas has made Apple what it is today might make for a compelling David Fincher film someday, but it doesn't jibe with reality.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The only way I see Apple facing the kind of decline Hawkins talks about, even without Steve Jobs at the helm, is for someone to start<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5;">deliberately</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>mis-managing Apple and its assets. How else is a company sitting on a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.5;">$76 billion pile of cash</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>supposed to decline? Don't answer that.</div>
</div>
</span></div>

EA founder rehashes 'Apple will falter without Steve Jobs' and other memes

In a recent interview with Edge Magazine, Electronic Arts founder and current Digital Chocolate CEO Trip Hawkins gave his opinions on A...

Industry reacts to BT site blocking ruling

Industry reacts to BT site blocking ruling

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Web TV audiences to be measured by Barb

<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="90" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///Review%20images/What%20Video/WHV%20356/WHV356.freeiplay.xtra-200-200.jpg" width="120" /></p><br/>Web TV is to finally get an audience measurement system, with Barb (the Broadcaster's Audience Research Board) announcing that it will begin monitoring web TV viewing figures.<br/><br/>Barb will initially trial the monitoring in 100 homes in 2011, but this will be rolled out in 2012 to 1,100 homes with this reaching around 2,500 viewers.<br/><br/>"The rollout of the web TV meter demonstrates our long-standing commitment to the development of TV audience measurement," said Bjarne Thelin, Chief Executive of Barb.<br/><br/>"We will continually consider and verify the web TV measurement technique so that we can confirm the appropriateness of this approach for Barb.<br/><br/>"Following this initial stage we'll evaluate the value of proceeding further and with the industry we will assess how this data can best be utilised and applied."<br/><br/><strong>Learning over time</strong><br/><br/>Barb has already been trialling its measurement software in 75 homes and it is hoping that the expansion will help with understanding how users watch web TV content and on what devices.<br/><br/>"The prospect of a measurement which enables web-TV viewing to be examined alongside television set viewing, from a single source, will have a number of applications," said Thelin.<br/><br/>"It's likely that the greatest initial learnings will come from data aggregated over time."

Web TV audiences to be measured by Barb

Web TV is to finally get an audience measurement system, with Barb (the Broadcaster's Audience Research Board) announcing that it will b...

In Depth: 3D gaming: what the future holds

<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="150" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/3d2011/Alienware%203D%203-200-200.jpg" width="200" /></p><br/>Where next for stereoscopic 3D gaming? And, by extension, what is that first <em>properly</em> 3D game - that title that will be the benchmark for all the subsequent 3D games to follow - going to be like?<br/><br/>These are vital, timely questions for hardcore gamers and games developers alike, as a familiar haze of cynical disinterestedness settles over the first batch of 3D games on PC and PlayStation 3.<br/><br/>Indeed, a recent report claims that, despite the concerted push from the TV and display industry to leverage 3D as an added-value feature on your new telly or PC monitor, many users will still rarely watch or play with 3D content in future.<br/><br/>Informa Telecoms & Media claims that, despite 3D soon set to become a default feature on our TVs and PC monitors, 3D TV will not be a mainstream success, with less than half of the 11 million 3DTV-ready UK homes in 2016 set to be active, regular users of 3D TV.<br/><br/>"We do not share the view that 3D represents the obvious next  evolutionary step for TV, in the same way that colour followed black and  white, or HD is following SD," reads Informa's damning report on the  future of 3D.<br/><br/>"Colour and HD offer noticeable enhancements to the  technologies that preceded them. But 3D TV is less of an enhancement  and rather more a new type of viewing experience - one that many people  will enjoy, but some way from becoming ubiquitous."<br/><br/><strong>3D gaming: our only hope</strong><br/><br/>Yet while those types of findings may well trouble the likes of Sky or Virgin Media, many gamers and games creators argue that it is the latest developments in 3D PC and console gaming that are really set to drive uptake of 3D tech in the home. However, some detractors of 3D in the games industry are beginning to argue that the heavy PR focus on 3D gaming tech and content from the likes of Nvidia and Sony in recent years may well have been misplaced.<br/><br/>"I  think for a large number of consumers, stereoscopic 3D (in its current  technological implementation) will remain incidental to gaming," says games analyst Nick Gibson, from Games Investor Consulting, "a fun  option to have but just that, an option not a gaming necessity. This may  change gradually as 3D becomes more ubiquitous but I think it will take  a different technological implementation of stereoscopic 3D to make it a  widespread must-have for gaming."<br/><br/>Unphased by such criticism, Sony recently unveiled its own competitively-priced PlayStation-branded 3D monitor at E3 2011, following major 3D marketing campaigns surrounding recent PS3 titles such as <em>MotorStorm: Apocalypse</em>, <em>Killzone 3</em> and <em>Gran Turismo 5</em>.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="PlayStation 3d monitor: sony introduced the latest hardware at e3 2011" class="aligncenter" height="189" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/3d2011/Sony%27s%203D%20Playstation%20Monitor%20hit%20the%20headlines%20at%20E3%202012-420-90.jpg" title="PlayStation 3d monitor: sony introduced the latest hardware at e3 2011" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>3D SCREEN: </strong><em>Sony introduced the latest hardware at E3 2011</em><br/><br/>Additionally, one leading British developer that begs to disagree with Informa's rather negative take on 3D content development is Andrew Oliver, CTO of Leamington-based Blitz Games Studios.<br/><br/>"Up to now there's been a real chicken-and-egg situation with the uptake of 3D in the home," argues the 3D gaming evangelist. "The TV manufacturers have been pushing the technology further and the price is starting to lower but the installed base won't increase until there's a good spread of 3D content available.<br/><br/><strong>3D gaming starting to gain momentum </strong><br/><br/>Oliver points out that the catch-22 for  3D  gaming  is  the  fact  that  entertainment  companies  won't  bother  investing  in  pushing  out  new  3D  content  until  there's  a  big  enough  installed  base  of  equipment  to  make  it  worth  their  while.<br/><br/>"I personally feel that this process is starting to gain some momentum now, though - more and more animated features are becoming available on 3D Blu-Ray, because they're being produced for the cinema anyway, and broadcasters are starting to commit to some 3D content too.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Invincible tiger: blitz games was the first to market with a stereoscopic 3d console games" class="aligncenter" height="189" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/3d2011/Invincible%20Tiger-420-90.jpg" title="Invincible tiger: blitz games was the first to market with a stereoscopic 3d console games" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>INVINCIBLE TIGER:</strong> <em>Blitz Games' groundbreaking stereoscopic 3D console game</em><br/><br/>Out of all the major gaming console manufacturers, it is clearly Sony that has the most to gain from convincing gamers and TV-buyers that 3D is a viable tech for them to invest in right now.<br/><br/>"Sony is best placed to progress both sides of this scenario, " says Oliver, "as they have a stake in TVs, projectors, Blu-Rays, games consoles <em>and</em> content creation - so if anyone can get this moving it's them! And as soon as glasses-free TVs become affordable too then we'll really start to see 3D hitting the domestic mass market in a big way."<br/><br/><strong>Microsoft's 3D reticence </strong><br/><br/>However, over in Redmond, Microsoft appears to still be "surprisingly reticent about actively embracing 3D," argues the Blitz CTO. "They've recently updated the Xbox 360 to include stereoscopic 3D as standard so that's a great leap forward but I'd personally like to see more of a commitment in the coming year or so."<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Nintendo 3ds: the latest auto-stereoscopic 3d gaming " class="aligncenter" height="252" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/handhelds/3DS%20top%2010/Metal%20Gear%203DS-420-90.jpg" title="Nintendo 3ds: the latest auto-stereoscopic 3d gaming " width="252" /></p><br/><strong>NINTENDO 3DS:</strong> <em>The latest auto-stereoscopic 3D gaming </em><br/><br/>Nintendo is currently leading the handheld 3D charge with the recently launched auto-stereoscopic 3DS, which Oliver thinks is "a great introduction to 3D for a lot of people, but the limited screen space and the nature of the glasses-free experience on the device has sadly put some people off.<br/><br/>"I think it's a great piece of kit, though, and when the content embraces 3D properly, the effects do look really cool on it - I hope that it ultimately helps people to see the potential of what 3D can bring to a gaming experience."<br/><br/><strong>3D iPad gaming</strong><br/><br/>The market for hardcore gaming is no longer <em>all</em> about the traditional three big console manufacturers, of course, with development of quality mobile and handheld gaming expanding and fragmenting at a phenomenal rate right now.<br/><br/>So what of the new movers and shakers in the handheld and mobile 3D gaming market? Specifically, will Apple soon embrace 3D on the iPad and iPhone?<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="3D ipad 3? apple could be the next gaming brand to push new 3d content" class="aligncenter" height="189" src="http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4567/icademainzoom42090.jpg" title="3D ipad 3? apple could be the next gaming brand to push new 3d content" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>3D IPAD 3?</strong> <em>Apple could be the next gaming brand to push new 3D content</em><br/><br/>"Apple has been surprisingly quiet in this space and I'm actually a little surprised," says Oliver, "because they're always at the height of technology. Given there are already technologies that can display 3D with no comprise to 2D, it's surprising that they haven't exploited this yet.<br/><br/>"After all, an iPad that could display 3D movies perfectly, probably without glasses, would not only sell very well at a premium price, but would also sell a lot of premium-priced 3D content on the movie and app store too."<br/><br/>There has already been a number of 3D tablet devices announced for the consumer market, with the likes of the next Asus Eee Pad MeMo set to arrive with glasses-free 3D, which leads the Blitz Games CTO to speculate that "maybe Apple will join the fray with the iPad 3?"<br/><br/><strong>Quality content and innovative design</strong><br/><br/>The bottome line is this. While 3D gaming developers such as Andrew Oliver are impressed  with  the likes of Samsung's  latest  active  shutter  3D TV  tech  and  LG's  latest  passive  polarisation  offerings,  he  agrees  that  the  real  battle  is  to  provide  quality  content  and  innovative  3D  games  design.<br/><br/>"It's very difficult to tell people why 3D will make such a difference to game design, although I really do believe it makes a big difference," he says.<br/><br/>"The problem we'll continue to face is that, until you've experienced 3D gaming done well, or good 3D content of any type, it's very easy to be dismissive of its impact. Just as when movies went into colour for the first time, 'non-believers' dismissed the new technology as unnecessary because they couldn't see what it would add to the overall consumer experience.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="3D gaming: quality content required" class="aligncenter" height="189" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/3d2011/Alienware%203D%201-420-90.jpg" title="3D gaming: quality content required" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>CONTENT IS KING: </strong><em>Quality content is still required</em><br/><br/>"I think people are now starting to see that it really does add something, though. Broadcasters such as Sky have realised that content such as sport can really benefit for the extra detail and clarity that 3D brings, just as they did when HD was first entering the mainstream.<br/><br/>"Likewise, in games, sports titles (including racing) could well be one of the genres that gets people more interested. Ultimately I think game designers will start to consider designing for 3D as just another technique in their toolbox and it will be factored into all types of games."<br/><br/>Oliver is still realistic about the fact that 3D will continue to have a lot of sceptics in the gaming market because of the many associated technical challenges and the costs, "although both of these will become less of an issue as time goes on."<br/><br/>In the Blitz CTO's opinion, the fact is that the hardware is finally coming now ("as people upgrade their TVs over the next few years, everyone will eventually have a 3D set whether they planned to or not") added to the fact that the console manufacturers are doing what they can to allow 3D content to appear on their machines means that, "it's now down to game developers and publishers to take the leap of faith, and the financial commitment, obviously, to make the content happen. However, I believe that it will start to become more prolific, and probably sooner than most people expect."<br/><br/><strong>3D casual and social gaming </strong><br/><br/>Elsewhere, in terms of 3D gaming in the thriving casual and social gaming markets, we spoke with Joe McCormack, CEO at Adotomi, who reminds us how the concept of 3D gaming has been all the rage since <em>Avatar </em>reignited the prospects for 3D in the entertainment marketplace.<br/><br/>"2010, especially, was supposed to be the year of 3D, with television makers rushing their 3D models to stores. 3D gaming was soon to follow, with Sony announcing early plans to support the technology, and Nintendo's 3DS acting as proof of concept, even wowing us along the way for the lack of accompanying glasses."<br/><br/>Neatly summing up the current state of 3D gaming, Adotomi's in-house analyst, Adam Taylor adds: "The question underlying all of this, and all the talk, is whether or not 3D gaming is simply a gimmick mixed with marketing hype, or whether or not it really is the future of gaming. We're of the opinion that while there's certainly gimmicky aspects to the technology, 3D will indeed be central to the future of gaming."<br/><br/><strong>Immersion,  immersion </strong><br/><br/>In an increasingly mature and crowded marketplace,  the  big  three  console  makers  are  looking  for  the  next innovation  to  get  their  consumers  excited, notes Adotomi's analyst.  "The  Wii's  motion  capabilities  shook  the  marketplace,  and  Sony  and  Microsoft  hustled  to  innovate  alongside,  producing  the  PlayStation  Move  and  Xbox  Kinect.  Yet,  for  the  core  gamer,  the  heart  of  the  gaming  experience  lies  with  one  word:  immersion.<br/><br/>"Core gamers want a more immersive game experience, and if you look at the industry's history, that's where the real exciting innovations have been - from better physics engines, to increased interaction and destruction of the game world, to increased persistence of online worlds. The future of gaming lies in the continued breaking down of the line between player and the gaming world of their choice. This is where 3D comes in, and why motion technologies will only ever be an adjunct to the industry, as opposed to its beating heart."<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Immersion: the key to the future of 3d gaming" class="aligncenter" height="189" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/3d2011/Alienware%203D%202-420-90.jpg" title="Immersion: the key to the future of 3d gaming" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>IMMERSION:</strong><em> The key to the future of 3D gaming tech and development<br/></em><br/><br/>Still, Taylor is the first to accept that we're not quite there yet, arguing that there still needs to be a stronger penetration of 3D televisions in the marketplace, improved standards adoption between the various proprietary 3D technologies on offer and, most importantly, the current availability of quality 3D games.<br/><br/>"Some of the ones that we've seen have been fantastic," Taylor enthuses. "But again, they still occupy a niche role in the market. Money and resources in game studios are still flowing to mainstream 'tent-pole' games and with most gamers unequipped with a 3D-enabled TV, or otherwise not willing to wear cumbersome glasses once the novelty wears off, games publishers are going to be hesitant to throw the budgets into developing the 3D aspect."<br/><br/><strong>3D graphics tech from Nvidia and AMD</strong><br/><br/>Back in that place where most new hardcore gaming developments take shape, the PC gaming market, Dell's gaming subsidiary Alienware recently launched its first 3D gaming laptop, the M17X, with the company's manager for EMEA, Eoin Leyden, explaining the company's 3D strategy to TechRadar:<br/><br/>"In terms of the technology, Alienware is pretty much vendor agnostic when it comes to the specific technologies. So, for example, we don't necessarily have any preference for Nvidia over AMD when it comes to graphics. All we are about is trying to deliver the technology that people want.<br/><br/>"At the moment, on the 3D side, Nvidia has somewhat of a head start. AMD's solution right now is a little bit more complicated as it requires some middleware, which doesn't make it an ideal thing for us to offer directly. This is why all the 3D offerings in our portfolio are Nvidia-based, because that's just the way the market is at the moment.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The alienware m17x: a powerful beast of a 3d gaming laptop" class="aligncenter" height="189" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/3d2011/Alienware%27s%20M17X%20is%20the%20gaming%20specialists%20first%203D%20laptop-420-90.jpg" title="The alienware m17x: a powerful beast of a 3d gaming laptop" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>ALIENWARE M17X: </strong><em>A powerful beast of a 3D gaming laptop</em><br/><br/>"In terms of demand, we have only just recently launched our first 17-inch 3D laptop and the uptake is pretty strong. However, remember that not all 3D monitors are being used by PC gamers for 3D content. Many of them are more interested in the fact that it is a 120Hz monitor, so you can get 120 frames per second - and for serious hardcore gamers and competitive players, it is ALL about frame-rate."<br/><br/>The Alienware exec thinks that most high-end monitors will all soon be 3D enabled, and that "the number of 3D capable PC systems is going to explode, but whether or not people actually use them for 3D content is a different thing altogether.<br/><br/>"The biggest challenge in all of this is that nobody likes to see competing technologies holding back adoption rates, as people are afraid to invest in hardware that might become obsolete very quickly. So that's the biggest negative to what's going on. Right now you have polarisation or you have active shutter, and they pretty much net out to the same thing, in terms of the experience."<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Crysis 2: will we look back and laugh in 10 year's time?" class="aligncenter" height="202" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/games/pc/top%203d%20games/crysis2pc9-420-90.jpg" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>CRYSIS 2: </strong><em>But will we look back and laugh in 10 years?</em><br/><br/>So far, it seems that 3D PC gaming has not had the same amount of media coverage in 2011 compared with the initial wave of hype and excitement back in 2009 and 2010.<br/><br/>"The nub of this whole conversation about 3D gaming is about content," says Leyden. "Games are effectively created in 3D. Yet, historically, the last step developers do is to then go and render that on a flat 2D surface, which is quite a bizarre way of doing things, really!<br/><br/>"However, that said, he problem with the current approach to creating a 3D effect by games developers is that it still tends to render the 3D <em>into </em>the screen. So the 3D effect goes into the screen as opposed to popping <em>out </em>of the screen at you."<br/><br/><strong>3D gaming versus IMAX 3D</strong><br/><br/>The Alienware rep compares this to the experience of going to an IMAX 3D cinema, where you feel like grabbing the virtual objects floating in front of you. "The challenge, of course, from a gaming perspective is that you cannot do that with the current types of 3D tricks that developers use. You almost have to direct the scene to create this 3D effect.<br/><br/>"These scenes in the cinema are very, very carefully orchestrated and directed. Within current gaming, that is something that is <em>almost</em> impossible to do. You can do it in cut scenes, or in a game where you are on the rails - where you lose that degree of control of your character - because otherwise the pop-out from the screen is unpredictable and you can get all sorts of artefacts and things like that.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="IMAX 3d: can home-based gaming ever beat the hollywood blockbuster?" class="aligncenter" height="189" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/home-entertainment/gaming/3d2011/Shrek%203D-420-90.jpg" title="IMAX 3d: can home-based gaming ever beat the hollywood blockbuster?" width="252" /></p><br/><strong>IMAX 3D:</strong> <em>Can home-based gaming ever beat the Hollywood blockbuster?</em><br/><br/>"So the problem today is that most of the 3D gaming content has basically been created by that first stage easy fix, which creates 3D into the screen as opposed to popping out, which is less compelling. And I think that is why the initial hype around 3D gaming has dampened down a little bit."<br/><br/>That being said, Leyton is also quick to remind us that there are still some titles already out that look fantastic in 3D. "<em>Crysis 2</em>, for example, especially if you can do multi-monitor 3D, looks the business. Yet it is still into the screen, not out of the screen. So at the moment, that is where we are a little bit stuck.<br/><br/>"The first big breakout 3D hit is going to be the first game that is actually going to target 3D as its platform of choice - instead of just creating a game, and offering 3D as an add-on, which is what is currently happening. So elements of the game will be designed specifically from a 3D standpoint, which will set the benchmark for the next wave of 3D games."<br/><br/><strong>Let the 3D creatives run free!</strong><br/><br/>Clearly, right now, we are still in the undecided phase of 3D game development, where the true creatives are not being given the free reign (or, crucially, the financial backing) to create 3D gaming experiences that will truly take the experience to the next level.<br/><br/>"It's the old chicken-and-egg situation," Leyton agrees, arguing that when the installed base gets bigger, because everybody has 3D, "then there will be a more compelling argument for the studios to put more effort into their 3D work - very much like the situation with affordable 'home theatre in a box' around ten years ago, when people started paying more attention to the audio on their DVDs. It's all about that installed base hitting critical mass."<br/><br/>What else might augment and improve our 3D gaming experience in the future? Might we see a move to 4D-style peripherals and add-ons offering wind and ambient-lighting effects in addition to flashy, fully-rendered 3D graphics that pop right out of the screen into your eyes?<br/><br/>"Ha! I think there is still an awful lot of work to be done on the basics, before we get into that stuff," laughs the Alienware exec.<br/><br/><strong>Still scratching the surface of gaming</strong><br/><br/>PC gaming has only been around for around 25 years, and Leyton thinks that "we are still scratching the surface in terms of what we need to be doing, we need to get the realism in the games, because all games still have that kind of cartoony feel to them, in the way that they are rendered. I've still to see a game that can convince me that it is anything other than a game.<br/><br/>"I mean, if you look at a good, pre-rendered 3D animated movie, like the recent <em>Shrek, </em>for example, that stuff is rendered on huge server farms to produce a very realistic-looking thing, modelling hair on characters on a strand-by-strand basis, or whatever. I mean, even to do that kind of thing on a PC, we would need hardware thousands of times faster than we have today.<br/><br/>"And even that, if you think about it, is just a cartoon! So what you really want is photorealistic rendering. You want ray-tracing. You want reflections and refractions of light. You want proper physics, at a particle level. You could go on forever on this…<br/><br/>"But if you look back at games from 10 or 15 years ago, you almost laugh at them and think how primitive they were. So 10 or 15 years from now, we will look back at laugh at <em>Crysis 2 </em>and say, "that was sooooo unsophisticated and naff-looking!<br/><br/>"10 or 15 years down the road, <em>Crysis 2 </em>is going to look like <em>Pong </em>looks to us now."<br/><br/><strong>Kinect-controlled holodecks</strong><br/><br/>Most excitingly, all the indications from the hardware experts and 3D gaming developers TechRadar has spoken with recently suggest that 3D-out-of-the-screen gaming is soon going to be technically possible in mass market game development.<br/><br/>When we eventually reach the point where developers start to marry that technology up with something like Xbox 360 Kinect, then, in theory, gamers will soon be able to realistically manipulate objects in front of them - reaching out and interacting with something in the game that appears in-between themselves and the screen.<br/><br/>"Theoretically, this is all possible," says Leyton. "And that would open up an awful lot of very interactive potential. You know, it's all there. Just that at the moment it is too hard to try and do it.<br/><br/>"But also, it first needs a mind-set change amongst developers. To figure out how to use the technology in a meaningful way that adds something to the experience, to really create something compelling out of it."

In Depth: 3D gaming: what the future holds

Where next for stereoscopic 3D gaming? And, by extension, what is that first properly 3D game - that title that will be the benchmark for a...

Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know

<img alt="iOS 5" class="aligncenter" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/Mobile%20Phones/iPhone/iOS%205/ios5_hero-420-100.jpg" width="420" /><br/><br/>iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already.<br/><br/>Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.<br/><br/>But first, our colleagues on T3.com have rounded up the latest rumours in the iPhone 5 video below.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 release date</strong><strong><br/></strong><strong> </strong><br/><br/>This year's WWDC was about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OS<br/><br/>A new report from China later stated that Q3 (which still includes July) is now the earliest we will see the iPhone 5, after the disaster in Japan pushed back supply of key components.<br/><br/>On 20 April 2011, it emerged that the iPhone 5 release date may be September 2011 rather than June/July. This date was cited by three sources who spoke to Reuters. As iOS 5 is set to be out in the Autumn, it's a safe bet that the iPhone 5 will make its debut sometime then.<br/><br/>On 17 May, we reported that Phones4U outed the iPhone 5 release<br/><br/>date as 21 November 2011. We're not sure how Phones4U would know the release date at this stage, though, so take this particular snippet of information with a pinch of salt.<br/><br/>Rumours which surfaced on 21 June suggest that the iPhone 5 is set for an August 2011 release. Speaking to BGR, a source claimed that thew iPhone would feature a "radical new case design" and a release date of the last week of the month.<br/><br/><strong>The iPhone 5 will debut alongside iOS 5 in the Autumn</strong><br/><br/>iOS 5 will ship in the Autumn, says Apple. Could this coincide with the iPhone 5?<br/><p style="text-align: center;"></p><br/><strong>iPhone 5 will be iCloud-based</strong><br/><br/>Apple says it is "cutting the cable" with iOS 5 - just as well, as it claimed the iPad 2 was the first post-PC device earlier in the year. OS updates can be delivered over the air - you'll just received what's changed rather than the usual 600MB download - and devices can be activated without plugging them into iTunes.<br/><br/>You can also now create and delete iOS calendars and mailboxes too, so you really can devolve your device from your PC or Mac.<br/><br/>"You can activate on the device and you're ready to go," explained Apple's Scott Forstall.<br/><br/>"Software updates are now over the air. So you no longer need to plug in to update your software. And they're now Delta updates. Instead of downloading the whole OS, you only download what's changed," he continued.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 form factor</strong><br/><br/>The Wall Street Journal reported that: "Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers."<br/><br/>This has since been backed up by reports from Engadget, which state the design will be a 'total rethink'.<br/><br/>Of course, since the iPhone 3G was followed by the 3GS it's possible the new iPhone won't be a total refresh and we'll see an iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4GS) before an iPhone 5.<br/><br/>An iPhone 4S looked more likely on 16 May 2011 after analyst Peter Misek wrote: "According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support."<br/><br/>However, earlier reports from China backed up the larger-screened, metal chassis-sporting iPhone 5 rumours, so the redesign still seems firmly on the cards.<br/><br/>On 22 March 2011, China Times also reported that the iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch display.<br/><br/>A rumour we covered on 7 March 2011 suggests that the new iPhone will do away with the glass back and opt instead for a metal back which will act as a new iPhone antenna.<br/><br/>And an Apple patent that we reported on on 7 April 2011 suggests that we could see the bezel put to good use on the new iPhone. The patent describes how visual indicators and touch-sensitive buttons could be incorporated to the space around the iPhone screen.<br/><br/>Rumours that we covered on 3 May 2011, suggest that there may even be two versions of the new iPhone: a 'standard' iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5 'pro'. Apparently, Apple is buying in components of differing quality, and those parts wouldn't be required for a single phone.<br/><br/><strong>A cheaper, smaller iPhone 5 - an iPhone nano<br/></strong><br/><br/>A prototype version of a smaller iPhone is said to exist, built to ward off competition from cheap Android handsets.<br/><br/>Rumours around an iPhone nano picked up again on 13 February when the Wall Street Journal claimed that the so-called 'iPhone nano' exists and may even be on sale later this year.<br/><br/>Those iPhone nano rumours may hold little truth, though. As we reported on 18 February, the New York Times cites an anonymous source who says there will be no smaller iPhone from Apple. "The size of the device would not vary," says the source.<br/><br/><strong>A white iPhone 5</strong><br/><br/>The Economic Daily News is reporting that white iPhone 5 glass is being shipped, with a supplier called Wintek being the sole touch panel vendor for the white iPhone.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 will support 1080p HD</strong><br/><br/>It's fairly likely - given that the iPad 2 supports Full HD - that the new iPhone will do the same.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 specs</strong><br/><br/>According to the Chinese Economic Daily News (via AppleInsider), with the exception of Qualcomm chipsets - which would replace the current Infineon chipsets in the iPhone 4 - Apple's sticking with the same suppliers for the 2011 iPhone 5G components.<br/><br/>We'd expect the basics of the iPhone 5 specs to get a bump - more memory, faster processor, and more storage. The A5 dual-core ARM processor from the iPad 2 is extremely likely to be included.<br/><br/>The specs? A new antenna, 1.2GHz processor (possibly dual-core) and a larger screen: 3.7" instead of 3.5". The iPhone 5 may also be made from a new kind of alloy, or maybe meat.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 screen</strong><br/><br/>In other rumours which surfaced on 15 February 2011, Digitimes is reporting on information supposedly leaked from component suppliers that claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size "to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market."<br/><br/>On 23 May, we reported on rumours that the iPhone 5 could feature a curved glass screen. These rumours also came from Digitimes, which said that Apple has purchased between 200 and 300 special glass cutting machines because they're too costly for the manufacturers to invest in.<br/><br/>The iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S will also get a massive graphical boost as it moves to a dual-core GPU - this could herald true 1080p output from the new device, according to our news story on 18 January.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 digital wallet</strong><br/><br/>There's been some speculation that Apple might include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 5G, turning it into a kind of credit/debit card. However, as Techeye.net notes, "Apple has looked into NFC before" so this might not be imminent.<br/><br/>However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S, the time for NFC may finally be here.<br/><br/><strong>UPDATE: </strong>On 24 February 2011, we reported that an Apple patent has revealed an e-wallet icon on the iPhone homescreen. This adds credence to the rumour that iPhone 5 will feature NFC.<br/><br/>However, on 14 March 2011, reports in <em>The Independent</em> cited sources from 'several of the largest mobile operators in the UK', who said that Apple told them not to expect NFC in the iPhone 5. So perhaps we'll have to wait for iPhone 6 for that.<br/><br/>But who to believe? On 22 March 2011 China Times reported that the new iPhone will include an NFC chip.<br/><br/><strong>LTE support</strong><br/><br/>At least one analyst thinks the iPhone 5 will support LTE, super-fast mobile broadband, in the US. That would make the iPhone 5G a 4G phone, which won't be confusing at all. LTE is certainly coming - AT&T plans to roll out its LTE service in 2011 - but an LTE iPhone has been rumoured for a while. USA Today floated the idea of an LTE iPhone on Verizon last year.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 camera</strong><br/><br/>Speaking at a live <em>Wall Street Journal </em>event, Sony's Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company's camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami.<br/><br/>According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, "Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn't that something? They buy our best sensors from us."<br/><br/>Other sources have also said that the new iPhone could have an 8MP camera.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 price</strong><br/><br/>If the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS then we'd expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag.<br/><br/><strong>iPhone 5 pictures<br/></strong><br/><br/>A spurious photo of an iPhone 5 front case has been unearthed by a Chinese reseller, suggesting that the next Apple handset will feature an edge-to-edge display. We're not convinced it's a genuine Apple part, though.<br/><br/>On 17 March 2011, we reported on another supposed set of leaked iPhone 5 cases, this time looking remarkably similarly to iPhone 4 cases.<br/><br/>Whatever the iPhone 5 looks like, it appears Samsung wants to see it.<br/><br/>Apple has accused Samsung of trying to harass it, as the Korean company demands to see top secret future iPhone and iPad devices including the new iPhone and iPad 3.<br/><br/>What do you want to see in the next iPhone? Hit the comments and share your thoughts.

Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know

iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already. Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to ...

Interview: Twentieth Century Fox admits confusion over benefits of Blu-ray

<p><p>Blu-ray is <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/video/blu-ray/blu-ray-celebrates-its-fifth-birthday-968433">five years old</a> this week, with the first discs coming to market way back in June 2006. While the format may not yet be in the public conscience as DVD and VHS before it, there's still no better way to watch movies in the home at 1080p quality.</p><p><p>With high-def downloads still some way off hitting mass market and DVD sales on the wane, Blu-ray is a format that's here for the long run.</p><p>To celebrate the technology's birthday, TechRadar spoke to Danny Kaye, Executive VP, Global Research & Technology Strategy at Twentieth Century Fox about Blu-ray, where he reveals his favourite discs, why he thinks Blu-ray is the perfect hybrid between digital and physical media, and how the studio is trying to address customer confusion about the benefits of the format.</p><p><strong>TechRadar:</strong> <strong>How has Blu-ray changed the home entertainment market?</strong></p><p><strong>Danny Kaye:</strong> Blu-ray discs and players have provided consumers with more affordable choice and a way of future-proofing their living rooms. We talk about Blu-ray as the perfect hybrid - bridging the gap between physical and digital for consumers - the player ups the resolution of your existing DVDs, provides the best available HD through Blu-ray discs and is the best way to make TV an internet-connected device. </p><p>Blu-ray brings better quality and value for the Home Entertainment market as with Blu-ray you 'pay once, play anywhere'.</p><p><strong>TR: Is Blu-ray sales expectation where you think they should be at the moment?</strong></p><p><strong>DK:</strong> Sales are strong. Blu-ray sales are 20 per cent higher than DVD sales were four years after that format was introduced. By the end of 2011 over 159.3 million Blu-ray discs will have been sold in Western Europe with 83 million last year. </p><p>On titles launched simultaneously on DVD and Blu-ray, such as <em>Avatar</em> and the <em>A-Team</em>, we are seeing around a third of our sales on Blu-ray. </p><p><strong>TR: Blu-ray is still seen as a premium product, when will we see it become more affordable like DVDs?</strong></p><p><strong>DK: </strong>We think Blu-ray is already an affordable option and we've seen players drop to under £100 recently. The discs themselves are good value with combo/triple play packs giving people a DVD, a Blu-ray disc and the digital copy. </p><p>We know that two thirds of those buying the Blu-ray disc want the digital copy as it future proofs consumers' home movie collections. It's a versatile pricing model and, we believe, the fairest way to buy movies as you 'pay once, play anywhere'. </p><p><strong>TR: What's been your favourite Blu-ray disc?</strong></p><p><strong>DK: </strong>My personal BD choice has constantly been updated as we improve the technology. Currently I have to go with our first release of <em>Avatar</em>, which was encoded at the highest bitrate possible and was an amazingly pristine version of the movie. </p><p>The details, especially the colors, were so vibrant that for me at least the experience was better than anything I could have seen in a large movie theater, and that was an incredible experience on its own.</p><p><strong>TR: Do you think there is still some confusion over value added extras, like BD-Live?</strong></p><p><strong>DK:</strong> We do think there is confusion in the market over several things and we're working with industry bodies alongside other studios and manufacturers to help educate consumers on the benefits of Blu-ray. To help minimise consumer confusion one of the things we talk about is Blu-ray as the 'perfect hybrid' – bridging the gap between physical and digital for consumers. </p><p>It allows consumers to own a physical disc which we know there is demand for but acts as a gateway to the digital world now, with electronic copies in the box, and in the future with Ultra Violet. </p><p><strong>TR: How is the triple format (DVD, blu-ray, downloads) working for consumers, is it causing confusion?</strong></p><p><strong>DK: </strong>Although triple play is the industry term, we also like to call it 'multi-screen' as the real benefit is consumers get to pay once and play their movie anywhere – it isn't just across three screens anymore.</p><p>We know that two thirds of people buying Blu-ray discs think the digital copy in the box is important – and we think it's the fairest, most versatile way to buy movies today. </p><p><strong>TR: How do you prioritise older films coming out on Blu-ray?</strong></p><p><strong>DK: </strong>It's our close working relationship with filmmakers that determines our catalogue Blu-ray releases. The likes of Spielberg, James Cameron, Ridley Scott and George Lucas all back Blu-ray as delivering the best high definition experience of their films.</p><p><strong>TR: What's the situation with 3D Blu-ray – where in the world is leading 3D in the home? </strong></p><p><strong>DK: </strong>Significant improvements have been made in 3D technology recently, including full 1080p resolution per eye, that today allow us to fully exploit the benefits of Blu-ray's inherent data capacity. We have already started releasing Blu-ray 3D titles in store this year with more to follow. </p><p>The US and UK are the leading 3D markets, both in terms of early 3D TV sales but also in leadership for 3D broadcast channels and distribution, from Sky to DirecTv, Comcast/Xfinity, ESPN, etc. And of course 3D on Blu-ray as the best way to enjoy 3D in the home.</p></p><img border="0" height="1" src="http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/9429/55899809.gif" width="1" /><div><table border='0'><tr><td valign='middle'><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/sendemail2.html?title=Interview%3A+Twentieth+Century+Fox+admits+confusion+over+benefits+of+Blu-ray&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Fnews%2Fhome-cinema%2Fvideo%2Fblu-ray%2Ftwentieth-century-fox-admits-confusion-over-benefits-of-blu-ray-969533%3Fsrc%3Drss%26attr%3Dall" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/8633/emailthis2.gif" /></a></td><td valign='middle'><a href="http://res.feedsportal.com/viral/bookmark.cfm?title=Interview%3A+Twentieth+Century+Fox+admits+confusion+over+benefits+of+Blu-ray&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Fnews%2Fhome-cinema%2Fvideo%2Fblu-ray%2Ftwentieth-century-fox-admits-confusion-over-benefits-of-blu-ray-969533%3Fsrc%3Drss%26attr%3Dall" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3051/bookmarkl.gif" /></a></td></tr></table></div><br/><br/><a href="http://da.feedsportal.com/r/106215387984/u/49/f/9809/c/669/s/161d8547/kg/216-221/a2.htm"><img border="0" src="http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/2598/17706062.gif" /></a><img height="1" src="http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/7959/64483801.gif" width="1" /></p>

Interview: Twentieth Century Fox admits confusion over benefits of Blu-ray

Blu-ray is five years old this week, with the first discs coming to market way back in June 2006. While the format may not yet be in the pu...