Tablet hard to swallow

Nokia is daring to go where several others have failed - into the realm of the web tablet. But then the Finns are no stranger to wacky and fruitless ventures (N-Gage, MMS jewellery, etc). The 770 will never be a mass-market phenomenon but it's an interesting proposition if you're looking for internet access on the go. Read the full review in today's paper.

You can also read a little about Sky's launch of its high-definition service, which is due to go live in May. After watching a little high-def, the improved quality is clearly visible up there on the screen - but only if you've an expensive telly.

In games, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (Xbox 360) is our first true glimpse of next-gen gaming, a sensory assault disguised as a squad shooter. Drakengard 2 (PS2) somehow makes a dull game out of an enraged airborne dragon and Buzz: The Big Quiz (PS2) fails to build on the potential of the amusing PS2 game show, with questions wildly variable in difficulty or relying on badly designed visual cues.

Little prick that won't hurt

Inoculation against the net's nasties is mandatory these days and a little injection of PC-cillin is one of your best bets. The latest version of the antivirus/spyware/spam suite performs its duties well without taking a toll on your PC's performance. Read the full review in today's paper.

In games, Fifa Street 2 (PS2/Xbox) returns with more four-on-four freestyle footy - better than last year's stunted version but still missing a few tricks. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (Nintendo DS) revisits the GBA classic Superstar Saga for the DS. Although it fails to really take advantage of the DS hardware, it's an engaging romp, mixing simple RPG, platforming and the familiar M&L humour.

Tak 3: The Great Juju Challenge (PS2/Xbox) is another perky installment in the kid-friendly platforming series, augmented by multiple playable characters. Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (PS2/Xbox) gets points for possibly the most convoluted title in a videogame, though it fails to explain it's about a kid earning respect from gangs as a grafitti artist. While it's an intriguing mix of Prince of Persia acrobatics and Def Jam Vendetta brawling, it's undone by an unwieldly camera and tedious grafitti tagging.

Fresh slice of iLife

Apple's iLife suite of "digital lifestyle" programs is a tremendous-value package which comes free with every new Mac but is also annually updated with new features - for a fee, of course.

The dilemma for users is whether the extra bells and whistles is worth the €80. Trouble is, if you already own iLife 05, the 06 version may not be sufficiently improved to justify the outlay. Read the review in today's paper.

In games, Star Wars: Empire At War (PC) offers a real-time strategy take on the SW universe - a slightly simplified RTS it may be but there's no denying the appeal of its sweeping style. Day of Defeat: Source (PC) revisits the timeless WWII multiplayer shooter that spawned from the original Half-Life but applies the stunning HL2 engine and a pile of gameless improvements.

ATV Offroad Fury 3 (PS2) does the motocross-on-quadbikes thing (again) and, though only moderately different from v2, retains its wacky sense of fun. Super Monkey Ball: Touch and Roll (DS) is, paradoxically, brutally unsuited to the touch-screen control but with the D-pad makes for a familiar blast of SMB action.

Portable oomph

You've got your iPod but you don't wanna use headphones. There are plenty of portable speaker solutions but many are a bit weedy. If you want a little more oomph, try Creative's new GigaWorks T20 speakers. Read the full review in today's paper.

In games, Black (PS2/Xbox) has been hyped beyond belief as the shooter to top all shooters - but while it's an enjoyable romp it's not the genre-buster we'd been expecting. Tales of Eternia (PSP) does the Final Fantasy thing cleverly in portable form.

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2) has several of the right ingredients from its Ninty heritage, and even throws in some new ones, but the foot-slogging through endless samey corridors drains the fun. Finally, Zathura (PS2) is a typical lazy movie tie-in, even given its target audience of the under-10s.