Tim Hanlon

Korg has been a big player in the democratization of music production in recent years, with the mini Kaoss Pad effects device, the Kaossilator phrase synthesizer and the incredibly affordable nanoSeries USB MIDI controllers finding their way into the kit bags of countless budding rockstars (and many actual rockstars). Its latest noise maker is the monotron, a dead simple analog synthesizer featuring a ribbon controller (essentially a touch panel instead of keys, which is incredibly "playable" even for amateurs) and the same filter used in the classic MS-10 and MS-20 analog synthesizers which are still some of the most sought-after vintage synths on the planet. Read More

After a gradual build-up throughout 2009 the roll-out of Android mobile phone handsets is really starting to snowball - and that means more choice for consumers. If the iDEN Motorola i1 and the WiMAX HTC EVO 4G aren't your thing (or your network), you might want to take a look at the multimedia-savvy Samsung Galaxy S, the Dell Aero and the budget-friendly Kyocera Zio. If the waiting game isn't your thing, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and the HTC Desire are just about to drop in the UK and will arrive shortly in the US. Read More

It's one thing to build a 4G network, but it's another thing entirely to offer a drool-worthy 4G handset that can make the most of it - and Sprint has delivered a real doozy with the HTC EVO 4G. Read More

Having spent around five hours with the single player campaign and around 15 hours on multiplayer, I still feel I've only scratched the surface of what's on offer in Bad Company 2, so I'm not going to call this a full review. My impressions focus on the multiplayer aspect of the game. In short, it's the new high-water mark of multiplayer gaming on the Xbox 360. Read More

Nokia has announced the upcoming release of a new, free version of Ovi Maps for all its smartphones, which includes turn-by-turn voice navigation for 74 countries in 46 languages, real-time traffic updates for 10 countries, and maps for over 180 countries. Read More

Harmonix has opened beta registrations for the Rock Band Network, a service that allows independent labels and bands to publish songs as paid downloadable content for Rock Band and Rock Band 2. For now, it's Xbox 360 only, with plans to launch on PS3 eventually. Bands can "suggest" a price point of either US$1, $2 or $3, and take home a 30% revenue share. Read More

They first showed it in June 2009, then teased us with a Q2 2010 release, now Sony Computer Entertainment has pushed back the worldwide release window for the still-tentatively-named Motion Controller for the PlayStation 3. Wii-less gamers won't be waving their arms around like lunatics, or smashing their expensive HDTVs until some time in Q4 2010 - presumably in time to catch the Christmas retail wave. Read More

With the Wii's MotionPlus already old news, and Microsoft's Project Natal and Sony's PlayStation Eye-based equivalent likely to hit this year, it's easy to wonder when motion controls will find success in the PC world. ASUS's Eee Stick tried, but merely proved that strong software support for new hardware peripherals is absolutely crucial for success - which is why we're excited to see Valve, developers of hit series such as Half-Life, Left 4 Dead and Portal, showing support for Razer and Sixense's new, as-yet-unnamed motion control hardware for the PC. Read More

Qualcomm has revealed what's in store for the Snapdragon platform, which powers Google's Nexus One smartphone, among other things. By the end of January, the 45nm 1.3GHz Snapdragon 8X50A will be available to manufacturers, and should be appearing in products by the end of 2010 - but where things get really exciting is the move to dual-core. Read More