It may still be the height of summer, but manufacturers are already getting ready for the back-to-school rush on electronics. Samsung, for example, recently presented monitors in its 30, 50, 70 and 70HD ranges.

Monitors in all four ranges have a TN panel with 1920 x 1080 pixels and LED backlighting. The rest of the spec, such as response time and connections, varies from model to model.

30 Series: BX2235 & BX2335: 2 ms, DVI

BX2235	BX2335
MARCHANDS €     John lewis  99.00  Dixons  99.00  Pc world  119.99  Amazon mark...  135.00  Amazon mark...  168.15  Amazon.co.uk  590.40  Compare prices	MARCHANDS €     Amazon.fr m...  54.17  Pixmania.com  54.90  Surcouf  54.99  Dealopro  57.25  Ldlc.com  59.96  Rue du comm...  59.99  Compare prices

  
50 Series: BX2250, BX2350 & BX2450: 2 ms, HDMI(x2), VGA, headphones

BX2250	BX2350	BX2450
Find the best price	Product Unavailable Our suggested alternatives: Editor's Choice Asus PA246Q Our Top Active 3D Monitor Asus VG278H Affordable 28'' Display HannsG HZ281	MARCHANDS €     Dixons  99.00  John lewis  99.00  Pc world  119.99  Amazon mark...  135.00  Currys  499.99  Laskys.com  529.99  Compare prices

70 Series: XL2370 & PX2370: 2 ms, DVI, HDMI, audio output
 

XL2370	PX2370
Product Unavailable Our suggested alternatives: Editor's Choice Asus PA246Q Our Top Active 3D Monitor Asus VG278H Affordable 28'' Display HannsG HZ281	Product Unavailable Our suggested alternatives: Editor's Choice Asus PA246Q Our Top Active 3D Monitor Asus VG278H Affordable 28'' Display HannsG HZ281

70HD Series: XL2270HD & XL2370HD: 5 ms, VGA, DVI, HDMI, Digital TV tuner, SCART, component, 2 x 3-Watt speakers

XL2270HD	XL2370HD
MARCHANDS €     Amazon mark...  209.97  Compare prices	Find the best price

Some of these monitors may seem familiar to you, as we've actually already tested a couple of them. Follow the links to read full reviews and you'll see that the PX2370 and XL2370 offer good responsiveness and colour reproduction. As for the other models, we'll have to hope Samsung sends them to us soon.

We're particularly keen to test the brand's new hybrid TV/monitors (70HD series). Currently, our tests show Samsung's P2x70HD series hybrids to be the best TV/display combos currently available. Let's hope the new models are just as good!

MARCHANDS €     Amazon.co.uk  6.49  Amazon.co.uk  7.12  Amazon.co.uk  7.48  Amazon.co.uk  7.60  Pixmania  15.65  Amazon mark...  42.28  Compare prices

The Micro Mouse has its name for a reason. It measures just 7.5 cm long, while a notebook mouse is usually at least 9cm and longer models 13 cm.

But what impresses you on this budget mouse is that even when we crushed 70 Kg down on the top of it, it wasn't affected. Resistant or what!

> Test: the Trust Micro Mouse stands up to anything you throw at it!

> Computer Mice Reviews

It's been more than a year since Apple announced a new monitor. Now they have, and the LED Cinema Display 24-inch is soon going to be joined (as long as stocks last), and then replaced by the 27-inch LED Cinema Display.


Like on its 24-inch model, Apple has opted for an IPS panel. This technology gives wider viewing angles and good colour homogeneity. In addition to the extra few inches, the new LED Cinema Display has a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution against 1920 x 1200 for the 24-inch. You can therefore display 60% more information on the screen, which is always a plus when it comes to web browsing and office doc work.


There's no change in terms of connectors,however. To link it to a computer, you still have to make do with a single Mini DisplayPort connector (with audio support). Once again, you'll only be able to connect it to the MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro and MacBook Air generations which have this connector.
Nor have the accessories changed much. You still get your built-in 3-port USB hub, webcam and microphone. On the audio side, Apple has included a 2.1 kit (speakers and subwoofer) of a total power of 49 watts (without any detail on how this is distributed). We expect something like 2 x 15 watts +19 watts for the subwoofer.

If the results of the 24-inch are anything to go by, this monitor is full of potential. What's more, the arrival of IPS panels should give good contrast ratios and lower energy consumption. We hope that Apple will get it to us rapidly so we can tell you about it in more detail.

Apple has announced a retail price of $999.

Samsung Galaxy S (i9000) Product Unavailable Our suggested alternatives: Editor's Choice Samsung Galaxy S II A Classic! Apple iPhone 4S Nokia Teams Up With Microsoft Nokia Lumia 800

Samsung is continuing to expand its range of Android phones with the Galaxy S (i9000), a high-end smartphone running on Android 2.1 (updates to 2.2 (Froyo) due this summer). It also has a surprisingly affordable price tag ... so long as you get it on a contract, of course.

With its 4-inch screen and heavyweight spec, easily worthy of the current cream of the crop (Google Nexus One, iPhone 4, HTC Desire), the Galaxy S is out to impress. Plus, with a decent range of multimedia functions and the Samsung TouchWiz 3.0 user interface pasted over Android promising greater comfort of use, this new smartphone looks seriously promising.

So is the Galaxy S worth snapping up? Can it match the HTC Desire and run circles round the Google Nexus One?  Time to find out if the Galaxy S really is out of this world!

> Review: Samsung Galaxy S

> Phone Reviews: Mobiles & Smartphones

Following the growing popularity of 3D movies, Blu-rays and television sets, Panasonic is the first manufacturer to unveil a consumer 3D camcorder. The HDC-SDT750 can film both 2D and 3D footage by the simple attachment of a convertor lens.

Good ideas are often surprisingly simple. So instead of starting from scratch and manufacturing all the components of a 3D camcorder, Panasonic has simply taken the body of one of its pre-existing AVCHD camcorders and stuck on a 3D converter lens, which can be clipped over the regular lens.

The 3D lens simultaneously records separate images for the right eye and the left eye thanks to its two internal lenses. Images for the right and left eye are both captured in a resolution of 960 x 1080 pixels. However, without the 3D converter the camcorder films footage in 1920 x 1080 pixels to a memory card, like any other AVCHD camcorder.

With or without the 3D lens?

The SDT750 has the same spec as the HDC-TM700, released earlier this year (and which got a very good score in our product review). There's the same 1080/50p mode (50p progressive scan at 28 Mbps), as well as the same 1/4-format 3MOS sensor, 12x optical zoom and wide angle with a focal length of 35 mm in 24 x 36 equivalent. However, the camcorder's performances differ when the 3D lens is hooked up. With the 3D lens, the angle of view is reduced to just 58 mm in 24 x 36 equivalent. Similarly, the aperture of the built-in Leica Dicomar lens drops from f/1.5 to f/3.3 with the 3D lens. Note that the SDT750 doesn't have an internal flash memory and only records to SD memory cards (SDHC/SDXC).

One thing I'm sure you're all dying to know is whether it'll be possible to buy the 3D converter lens separately, so you can clip it onto another camcorder (given that it has a diameter of 46 mm). Panasonic, however, said it had no plans to make the lens available separately.



The SDT750 is expected to launch this autumn. Although UK pricing is still to be confirmed, the US RRP is a advertised at $1,400. Like with the onset of high definition in 2005, you'll have to make sure you're kitted out with compatible devices if you want to watch back 3D footage at home. As the 3D images are captured in 'side-by-side' mode, you'll have to make sure the 3D TV you buy to go with it can display 3D images captured in 'side-by-side' format ... like Panasonic's Viera 3D TVs, for example.

The AMOLED screens that notably equip the latest HTC Desire and Google Nexus One smartphones, are now to be replaced with LCD screens. The reason for this is that Samsung, the manufacturer of these panels, cannot cope with demand.

With the growth in sales of Android smartphones, a system strongly supported by HTC, Samsung can no longer keep pace and produce enough AMOLED panels. As you may be aware, this screen technology gives better contrast, wider viewing angles and lower energy consumption.

HTC is instead having to turn to Sony to supply Super LCD (SLCD) screens, especially for the Desire, which is proving a great commercial success. So what advantages does an SLCD screen have? SLCD technology should give better legibility in full sunlight and be less demanding in terms of energy consumption.