Super 3G ... but for what?

Both Three and Vodafone have upgraded their 3G networks to what is variously called HSDPA, 3.5G or Super 3G - anything up to 10 times faster than vanilla 3G. Using HSDPA with data cards for laptops is very effective but less certain is what Super 3G brings to phones.

Sure, it makes browsing faster and downloads noticeably quicker but the limited content on the networks' portals makes you pine for the broader internet. And with only one phone on the Irish market, the Motorola V3xx, impregnated with 3.5G goodness, the limited display and control options show that the internet on handsets has a long way to go. Read the full V3xx/Super 3G review in today's paper.

In games, WarioWare: Smooth Moves (Wii) continues Nintendo's mission to offer an alternative to gaming's stereotypes of drivin', shootin' and fightin'. The motion-controlled micro-games come fast and furious, shot through with madcap humour, and the only misgiving stems from doubts about its longevity. Arthur and the Invisibles (PS2) is that rare beast, a kids' game better than the original CGI movie. Fuzion Frenzy 2 (360) returns for more party games but somehow manages to be more pants than the original.

Pretty vacant

The first iPod Shuffle didn't look like much and its features weren't much better - that didn't stop it selling a packet. Now Apple has revised the Shuffle with new colours and a pretty, clip-on design. It's still makes more sense as a secondary, part-time player, though. Read the full iPod Shuffle review in today's paper.

In games, think of Crackdown (360) as a giant leap for GTA. Or more specifically, a high-jumping bad-ass superhero who's taking out the trash in a gang-infested metropolis. Bodacious fun, just a little repetitive. Resident Evil 4 comes to PC with the stonking survival-horror epic intact, but is saddled with a poxy control system. Marvel Ultimate Alliance sidesteps onto the Wii, with (of course) motion control tacked on. Fans will like it.

Lost and found

GPS navigation devices are no longer the preserve of taxi drivers and couriers thanks to falling prices, better maps and shrinking sizes. The TomTom One fits the bill if you're looking for a handy and helpful companion on road trips, both in Ireland and around Europe. Read the full TomTom One review in today's paper.

In games, the steamroller that is World of Warcraft (eight million subscribers and counting) gathers extra speed with the launch of expansion pack Burning Crusade. Kiss your (real) family goodbye and dive into a compelling new adventure with your virtual clan of warlocks, mages and monsters.

Red Steel drops hints about how the Wii could take squeaky-clean Nintendo in a new direction of murder and mayhem, but this so-so hack'n'slash/shooter hybrid has too many gaping flaws for it to be worth more than a rental. Shinobido: Tales of the Ninja brings the feudal Japan Splinter Cell schtick to the PSP, to poor effect.

Big screen on a budget

The heart-stopping price tag on big-screen TVs larger than 42 inches puts many people off trading up but a projector offers an affordable way to get the cinema experience in your own home. Although not great in daylight and probably requiring a rethink of your living room, projectors such as Epson's TW-700 offer an impressive high-definition alternative to mortgaging your home for a 50-inch plasma.

Read the full Epson TW-700 review in today's paper.

In games, Rayman Raving Rabbids proves the Wii's motion controls do have a great future, if only in quirky/insane mini-games like these. Star Trek Legacy (X360) attempts to unite all five generations of the ST universe but its real-time starship combat sim has trouble firing on all engines. Happy Feet (Wii) is insulting dross whichever way you look at it.