GADGET UPDATE powered by Stuff: Asus, Amazon, Google and more

Asus Eee Pad Transformer hands-on

Is it a tablet? is it a netbook? No, it's the Eee Pad Transformer - a hybrid laptop/tablet with a 10.1-inch screen. It's also one of the first tablets to hit the market running the delectable, and highly anticipated Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Read more...

New video! Sky news for iPad app review

Since Sky News unveiled its dedicated iPad app, it's received nothing but mass amounts of adulation for its brilliantly designed interactive news portal. With stunning graphics and dedicated hubs for visual and audio content, it really is a great way to get your daily news fix when you're nowhere near a TV. Watch video...

Google makes a play for the Facebook Like button

 

Remember Google Buzz? Could Google be doing it again? This time, the Big G is aping Facebook's "Like" button. The new "+1" feature lets punters using search boost up stories or sites they like. You'll need to be logged in to do it, and you'll also see what you Google Contacts mates, chat buddies and (soon) Twitter contacts have been bigging up. Thoughts? Watch the video...

 

Windows Phone 7 to get NFC update

So, Apple, you don’t think you’ll bother putting NFC in the iPhone 5, eh? Well, not only has Google jumped the gun by baking the contactless payment/data transfer tech into Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) as seen in its Nexus S, now it looks like Microsoft might follow suit by adding the touch-and-pay wunderkind via a Windows Phone 7 update. Admittedly, there’s a haze around who Businessweek’s nameless sources might be, but it’s one way to give your new OS a leg-up.

Need to know – Nokia Push

Nokia has teamed up with Burton Snowboards to merge real snowboarding with virtual reality. Using a set of sensors that allow a snowboarder to record a real-time run, anyone can compare their results online with the pros – just like gaming. Beware Shaun White, the competition is about to get a lot bigger. Here’s everything you need to know…

Nokia redesigns Symbian… but why?

A strange development over at Forum Nokia, where forum VP Purnima Kochikar has posted an open letter to devs working on the Symbian platform. It’s strange because this is a letter that promises an exciting new future for Symbian phones starting this summer with a redesigned home screen, new icons, a faster browser, new nav strap and overhauled Ovi Store and Ovi Maps, despite the fact that Nokia recently announced it was dropping its in-house OS for Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7. Read more...

Amazon Cloud Player is live

The cloud has been a long time coming to the mainstream. It’s been little more than a wispy unformed idea until now. The Amazon Cloud Player is the first fully free online music streaming service, and it's available to computer and Android users. Read more...

New video! Sony Ericsson X8 review

It's small and affordable, but as far as mid-range handsets go, the X8 barely musters a "meh" from us here at Stuff Towers. It has all the features of a fully-fledged smartphone, while maintaining a pocketable frame that won't damage your wallet; but it's facing tough competition. Mid-range Android handsets like the LG Optimus One and HTC Wildfire are not only more advanced when it comes to the OS, but offer better features and a more intuitive user experience.

It's a solid enough Android handset, so if you are on the lookout for an affordable smartphone, the X8 isn't a bad choice. It's just not brilliant. Watch video...