HTC has released its new smartphone, the Sensation XL, which runs on Google’s Android operating system (OS) with HTC Sense’s user interface (UI).

At its press bash last week, Cheryl Cole, Lady Gaga and Wil.i.am all turned up to support the release. The Sensation XL has bigged up its screen-size, camera mega-pixels and audio.

The smartphone will be released on the UK market in late November. Pricing and network provider details haven’t been released yet.

Here are Witch Tech’s top five features:

1. HTC Watch

Being first available on HTC’s Flyer tablet, the Sensation also includes HTC’s video streaming technology, HTC Watch. This application allows users to buy movies and stream them on the phone without waiting for the film to download first. Really cool feature but I imagine users will struggle to use it via Wi-Fi until 4G broadband is rolled out across the UK.

2. Quick snap camera

The eight mega-pixel camera has an instant capture feature, which removes the delay between clicking snap and taking the photo. The camera also has a 28mm lens and panorama feature to take wider sky-line shots – and fit everyone in on group photos.

The Action Burst Scene is also good to capture a series of shots in quick succession.

3. Beats Audio

The smartphone comes with a specially-designed ‘Beats’ headset as part of the team-up with Beats Audio. According to HTC, the Beats Audio technology optimises music tracks to match the smartphone’s hardware so you get a better sound.

The Sensation XL also syncs with iTunes accounts.

4. Video recording

The Sensation XL also has a 4.7-inch screen, SRS surround sound and two built-in microphones to improve HD video recording. It also includes LED lights to capture video in low-light environments, although I’m not sure how well this will work considering camera LEDs usually blind their subjects rather than illuminate them.

5. Dropbox cloud storage

The smartphone comes with additional Dropbox cloud storage to let you access your music from anywhere.

Gadget Glamour is Witch Tech’s website of the week. Having proved popular in the US, Gadget Glamour has finally launched in the UK. The skins for Apple’s iPads, iPhones, iPods and Macs have matching downloadable wallpapers and come in a range of 30 artwork designs. Designs can even be custom-made.

The adhesive skins are made from vinyl and come with a matte or gloss finish. This protects your gadgets from scratches too, which is a godsend for my poor iPhone, which always ends up at the bottom of my handbag.

Prices start from £10 for an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 skin.

VERDICT: Witch Tech got sent a couple of skins to try out. I’m always a little wary of sticking stickers on my preciousgadgets. Not only am I completely clumsy and anticipate to make a bodge job of glamming up my stuff, what if I change my mind about the design?

What’s good about Gadget Glamour’s stuff is it comes with idiot-instructions on how to apply them. The vinyl skin actually does more than look good, it protects gadgets from scratches (which is a godsend for my poor iPhone that always ends up atthe bottom of my handbag).  AND, the skins peel off beautifully so they won’t leave a sticky, gluey residue behind when you want to change it up again.

I reckon Gadget Glamour should extend beyond Apple products, though.

COMPETITION TIME: Witch Tech is giving away one iPad and one iPhone skin from Gadget Glamour. Details on how to enter will be posted on Friday 21st January 2011.

So far, it’s making me think about games in a whole new way.

Until I get a review up, take a look at Jane’s 20-minute TED talk:

Join the movement here.

At this year’s 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Polaroid have unveiled its Polaroid Grey Label, co-designed by the one and only, Lady Gaga.

Polaroid Grey Label Line includes the GL10 instant mobile printer, GL30 instant digital camera and GL20 camera glass.

“I consider myself to be a visionary, not just a songwriter and a singer. I am an artist,” said Lady Gaga, Polaroid’s creative director.

“I brought my vision and love of fashion, technology and obsession with the future into all my work with Polaroid.”

“Polaroid has put a pair of Lady Gaga’s trendy big pants over its sagging bottom in the hope that fresh young faces will grab for its vintage product”

Polaroid said the product line stems from “griege goods”, a fashion-industry term for fabric in its purest form. The company said the line encompasses Polaroid’s heritage of delivering simplicity with the style, wit and sensibility of Lady Gaga.

The glasses are my favourite. My favourite comment is from YouTube user Amalgamation25, which reads, “Polaroid is a dead technology just like lady Gag.” Something to ponder.

Polaroid has put a Lady Gaga’s trendy big pants over its sagging bottom in the hope that fresh young faces will grab for its vintage product.

My bet is for Lady Gaga’s next shocker outfit to be made from retro Polaroid cameras while she sings an adapted version of Paparazzi.

We are the crowd, we’re c-coming out
Got my [Polaroid] flash [unit] on it’s true, need that picture of you
It’s so magical, We’d be so fantastico
Grey Label Line, garage glamorous
Not sure what it means but this photo of us
It don’t have a price, ready for those flashing lights
Cause you know that baby I

I’m your biggest fan
I’ll follow you until you love me, Pola-polaroid
Baby, there’s no other superstar
You know that I’ll be your Pola-polaroid
Promise I’ll be kind, but I won’t stop until that boy is mine
Baby you’ll be famous, chase you down until you love me Pola-polaroid.

See a video of Lady Gaga’s announcement at CES 2011 below.

See here for a photo gallery of the development process. Product photos and reviews to be published on Witch Tech soon.

Lead image sourced from Maximum PC.

Sex, suicide and…young carers? MTV’s new web-only drama series, Being Victor, is promising a Skins-style show all about pregnant 16-year-olds who are promiscuous (and possibly young carers).

MTV digital media director Dan Patton told The Guardian, the platform allows young people to deal with subjects including , “sexuality, promiscuity, suicide and young carers”.

“It is very on the money for us at the moment following shows like 16 and Pregnant, which seem to be resonating. MTV’s audience wants gritty issues and they don’t just want to watch them – they want to discuss them with their friends and family.”

Behind the scenes footage via band, Pooch, who feature in the series:

Being Victor will run 20 five- to eight-minute shows from 7 September. Until then, Victor has his own character Twitter account and blog.

Samsung’s new Tic Toc, motion-controlled MP3 player is aimed at young ladies with a penchant for a fashion accessory and offers 12 hours playback for only £39.99.

Georgina Franklin of Samsung told Pocket Lint, “The Samsung Tic Toc is perfect for young women who want the latest fashion gadgets. With so many features on such a small MP3 player, it really is the latest must have colourful and fun accessory for music fans”.

LatestGadgets.co.uk concluded, “With a 2GB version at £39.99 and a 4GB option also available, the Tic Toc is set firmly at the iPod Shuffle crowd, coming in a few quid cheaper than Apple’s offering, but its candy colours and cute design (plus its novel control system) will definitely help it appeal to a younger crowd.”

While Electric Pig praised its design, “The Samsung TicToc makes the special edition iPod shuffle look positively boring.”

It’s due for release in September and is also available in pink, blue, black – or even with a Hello Kitty theme. I say no more; it’s cheap and cheerful and a must for tech-loving, fashion-conscious tweens.

You’ll need to sign up as a Groupla subscriber today to receive their email alerts (although you can ditch these once you’ve bagged your sparkly iP4). Wait for links to be posted to you. Then, you’ll have the opportunity to grab one at 9.30am tomorrow (2nd July) morning.

Mark Pearson, managing director of Groupola, told The Guardian, “Given that the iPhone 4 sold out through pre-orders alone in just 48 hours through the Apple store, we thought it was only right to offer loyal Groupola.com discount hunters another bite of the cherry. We’ve proved that the concept of group buying can work within the UK.

“My advice is to open the link the second the clock ticks over at 9.30am – by 9.31am you may already have been too late,” adds Pearson.

Groupla are able to offer such low prices through group-buying, a phenomenon happening all over the internet at the moment (great article by Dork Adore about group-buying).

Mouse-clicking index finger at the ready…

1. Desire to Inspire

One Canadian lady and one Australian woman have combined forces and interior design passions to form, DesiretoInspire.net. This wonderful blog shares inspiring interior design. It really is the most consistently inspiring stuff I’ve seen.

2. Alkemie

Karen Olivia from California in the US writes blog, Alkemie and brings homes & interiors gems at the peak of chic to her readers’ attention.

2. Creature Comforts

With a motto to provide ‘design and inspiration for all creatures great and small’, editor Ez celebrates the details of design. My favourite posts are the simple collection of images in ‘Inspiration Daily’.

4. The Scoop

The blog for shop, Orange Beautiful, this site is a mix of interior, graphic and, generally, interesting design work.

5. Urban Grace Interiors

I’ve chosen this one for all the fantastic photography on here. Have a look for yourself.

First published on Your Gaff

Aimed at women of all ages – including your mum and your nan – The App Show series will be broadcast on a weekly basis, offering assistance through the barrage of apps on offer.

Founder of LadyGeek, Belinda Parmar, told Witch Tech, “Research has shown more women bought smartphones than men in the last six months.

“In a Top Gear-style programme, we’re bringing technology to women. From the finding out the pollen count to choosing the right wine for a meal, our App Show aims to help women choose one or two apps that make a difference to their lives.”

Each episode will showcase the latest and greatest apps for the leading smartphone brands, following YouGov Sixth Sense research. Last month, Lady Geek and YouGov Sixth Sense released the first of a series of surveys aiming to discover what Britain’s smartphone users are downloading. The survey found women’s favourite apps were for social networking and, more surprisingly, six of the apps in the women’s top 20 were games.

“What our research highlights is that women are becoming engaged and getting excited about the app world and what it can do for them,” says Belinda, “Everyone seems to think it’s a young, bored male who spends hours on his iPhone. The reality is, that in the future, it will be as likely, if not more likely, to be your mum, sister and grandma. And contrary to received wisdom, women are not looking for horoscope apps- women are using apps for gaming, shopping on ebay, getting their Twitter fix and messaging their friends.”

But what is Belinda’s favourite app? While a fan of apps like Spotify or Twitify, her current favourite app is Sit or Squat. And to find out more, you’ll have to watch the first App Show below.

Don’t forget to follow @LadyGeekTV on Twitter or join the Facebook group to keep updated with the latest must-know-about apps. The show will be hosted at Lady Geek TV or YouTube you can download videos directly from the Ovi Store.

The Lady Geek team are also keen to hear from you. They’ll be giving weekly prizes to participating audience members, including the latest Nokia smartphones such as the X6 and the E72 in white.

Got a favourite app? Let Witch Tech know. Drop us an email.

As reported by The Guardian’s Charles Arthur, owners of Apple’s latest innovation are turning to duct tape or nail polish in light of antenna problems.

To celebrate the verstaility of nail polish and it’s new found glory in the technology industry, here is a list of its other uses (beyond being nail, er, polish):

1. Screens: Repair small holes in window screens by applying several layers of clear nail polish. Or, for bigger holes, stitch the hole closed with fine wire or nylon thread, says South Bend Tribune
2. Tights: Stop that ladder in its tracks; apply clear nail varnish to laddered tights to stop the hole getting bigger (disclaimer: please allow to dry before dressing)
3. Contrary to old wives tales, don’t put nail varnish on ticks (or any other living creature for that matter)
4. Match your gadgets: Dell offers nail polish colours to match their consumer laptops through a partnership with renowned nail lacquer maker OPI
5. Make your new £499 iPhone 4 work without holding it in a certain way: Add a dab of nail polish, and, boom, signal is restored

Got any more uses? Drop Witch Tech a line.