Overtaken in the fast lane

Phones are the next iPod, they say, and it was clear what Nokia was thinking when they created the new N91. Except it was designed well over a year ago and things have moved on since, in both iPods and phones. Read the full N91 review in today's paper to find out why this valiant attempt has been overtaken.

There's also a brief look at Eircon's new cordless home phone, the 7010.

In games, Pirates of the Caribbean: Legend of Jack Sparrow (PS2) is a typical movie tie-in: lazy, shoddy - and doing well in the charts. Astonishia Story (PSP) is as generic an RPG as they come and Over-G Fighters (Xbox 360) is simply muck.

Jack of all trades, master of none

HP's new Photosmart R927 camera is a rum beast. The flagship of the range, it tries to be all things to all men and fails to be the king of any. On the one hand, it has the helpful built-in hints about picture-taking common to all Photosmarts, plus tons of "useful" (read: gimmicky) features such as special effects. But unlike many other compact digital cameras, it has full manual control (aperture, shutter priority, etc). So it's aimed at complete novices and keen amateurs alike.

But novices aren't going to need eight megapixels and semi-pros won't like the so-so image quality. A few other niggles (very average battery life and a poxy printed manual) mean it's hard to recommend the R927 with any conviction. Read the full review in today's paper.

In games, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is a back-port to the PS2 of the PSP portable crime simulator - and it shows. Low-res graphics, limited missions and a general whiff of cash-in. But at only €30 it's cheap entertainment.

Super Monkey Ball Adventure (PSP) tries to make the classic puzzle game into a free-roaming collect-em-up, without much success. And 1 Streetball (PS2/Xbox) apes NBA Street but misses out on the fizz and outrageousness of the gameplay.

A telly in your pocket

Nobody is more cynical than me about 3G - specifically, the networks' foolish belief that people will pay buckets of cash for entertainment on the move. But there are signs that they're moderating their expectations (and their prices).

Vodafone has just launched Sky Mobile TV and, whaddya know, it's a good 'un. Never mind that they promised us mobile TV at the launch of 3G in November 2004. This one's the real deal and, best of all, it doesn't cost a fortune. Free until the end of August, it will cost, at max, just a fiver a week thereafter. Read the full review in today's paper.

In games, New Super Mario Bros may not be the most innovative game ever to hit the DS (in fact, it might be the least innovative) but this port of the classic Mario platforming adventure is stunning in its execution and thoroughly addictive.

FlatOut 2 (PS2/Xbox) revisits the Destruction Derby-style mayhem of the original racer and, bar a few glitches and over-sensitive handling, is well worth a test-drive. OutRun 2006: Coast to Coast (PS2/Xbox/PC) brings the coin-op classic back to life: nothing really new here but glorious fun in short spurts.

3G goodness, shame about the clobber

Nokia's new 6280 phone (available exclusively from Three) is a punter-friendly 3G phone which gets all the basics right, except maybe the rather mundane design. A slider with a beautifully large screen, the 6280's got a useful two-megapixel camera, FM radio and expandable storage. Read the full review in today's paper.

In games, Shinobido: Way of the Ninja (PS2) does the Splinter Cell thing, except with ninjas. Not nearly as polished as SC but entertaining nonetheless. Tenchu: Time of the Assassins tries to pull the same stunt on PSP but fails miserably due to a very short draw distance. World Tour Soccer 2 avoids a confrontation on PSP with Pro Evo and FIFA by moving away from full matches and towards tricksy. gimmicky play (eg, get a shot in within 10 seconds of gaining possession). Not bad but hardly essential.