Edgelinks: Catch up: this week's most popular posts

The big news this week is that Apple has finally confirmed the launch of the iPad 2 - 2 March.

And amid that news, rumours around the iPhone 5 and even the iPhone 6 continued to surface.

We also learned that the HTC Desire update to Gingerbread is on its way for Three customers. Now we just need the other networks to follow suit.

Read on for this week's most popular stories on TechRadar?

Top five news stories

iPhone 5 won't be smaller but could be cheaper, insider claims

Insiders claim that the iPhone 5 will be smaller in price but not in stature than the iPhone 4.

Many rumours have suggested that we'll see a slimmed-down, budget version of the Apple handset, a so-called iPhone Nano.

But the New York Times cites an anonymous source who says there will be no smaller iPhone from the company.

Apple iPad 2 launch confirmed for 2 March

Apple has sent out press invites confirming that the new iPad 2 will be revealed on 2 March.

Confirming a rumour first circulated by AllThingsDigital yesterday, the press invites see an Apple iOS calendar icon peeling away to reveal the top right hand corner of an iPad.

The UK event is set to take place at the BBC Television Centre in London - could this be a clue to some of the new functionality..?

Apple planning massive battery life boost for iPhone 6?

Apple - you know the company, the one with all the silver and black expensive gadgets - is looking at the age old problem of battery performance in phones.

The new technology has been uncovered in a patent by AppleInsider, which looks at increasing the power density in batteries - essentially keeping the same volume while improving the amount of juice inside.

This is achieved using a "multi-step constant-current constant-voltage (CC-CV) charging technique", which is science-speak for 'more sparky, same size-y'.

Hackers now unbanning themselves on PS3

PS3 hackers have figured out a way of circumventing Sony's PSN bans on those that jailbreak their PlayStation 3 consoles, as the war between the hacking community and Sony rumbles on this week.

Sony moved to block PS3 hackers from accessing the PlayStation Network recently, as TechRadar reported late last week.

Mere days later and a new jailbreak has reportedly been released that lets hackers unban themselves and continue accessing PSN's online services as before.

HTC Desire update to Gingerbread incoming from Three

The HTC Desire Android 2.3 update is on its way to Three customers, according to a tweet from the numerical network.

Although Three UK couldn't confirm when the update will hit, the network was quite clear about the fact that it is on its way.

When asked if they will be releasing Android 2.3 for the original HTC Desire, Three UK replied, "Yes we will but we don't have timescales yet."

Top five in-depth articles

Top 20 best tablet PC iPad alternatives

This year is going to be the year of the touchscreen tablet, of that there can be no doubt.

While tablet PCs have been around for yonks, only now are they becoming the desirable, usable and functional devices that we've always wanted them to be ? and it's about time too.

The iPad is currently the most obvious example of how tablets are going mainstream, but that's not to say that all tablets released from now on are guaranteed to be super awesome.

iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know

iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 5G, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already.

Will there be a rush release to erase memories of the iPhone 4's antenna problems? Maybe not - with the Verizon iPhone 4 Apple showed it wasn't afraid to tweak the current iPhone design.

Will the 5th generation iPhone deliver ultra-fast mobile internet? Will it ever end up on Verizon in the US?

Let's raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.

iPad 2 launch: what to expect

The iPad 2 launch has been confirmed by Apple and is taking place on 2 March.

To keep you as informed as possible we've picked through the bones of all the internet rumours and speculation to come up with what we reckon the iPad 2 will be like.

First the details of the announcement: TechRadar has been invited to the UK relay of the event, which kicks off at 1800GMT at BBC Television Centre. Why there? It's a satellite relay and the BBC have some pretty big satellite dishes.

Best TV 2011: choose the best HD TV for you

Which is the best TV? Which is best out of LCD and plasma? Which screen size is best for my living room? What's the difference between LCD and LED TVs? What's the best LCD TV?

These are the kind of questions that millions of us have to ask every year. Buying a new TV can be a confusing experience even for the tech-savvy.

It doesn't help that technology is moving on at a rapid pace and we're constantly being treated to new tech which comes hand in hand with new jargon.

10 cool things you didn't know your Mac could do

The number of cool things you can do with your Mac will probably surprise you. For example, did you know you can use it to catch a burglar, take over somebody else's Mac or even save the world? Yes, it's all true!

Here we'll show you some of the cool tips and tricks the MacFormat team have picked up over the years, using Macs day in and day out. Of course, seasoned pros will know most of these tricks, but we expect there could still be a few in there that will surprise even the most gnarly old Mac expert.

Top five reviews

Hannspree Hannspad review

Despite the score and the savaging we've given it on certain counts, we're actually quite fond of the Hannspree Hannspad.

Dell Streak 5 review

The Dell Streak is a memorable device. It doesn't really have any direct competitors on the market, with the closest in screen size at this point being the HTC Desire HD

Shure SE535 review

These earphones are brilliant, and if you can afford them they'll do your music justice in ways most earphones can only aspire to.

Sony BDP-S470 review

With BBC iPlayer, Lovefilm and Eurosport, excellent digital file playback, and an all-round easy to use interface, it's worth reminding ourselves that the S470 is, at its heart, a Blu-ray player of some standing.

Panasonic TX-46VT20B review

Don't be fooled by the TX-P46VT20B's uninspiring looks. Tucked within the bronzed body are some real cutting edge moves, including, rather handily, 3D pictures that represent the current state of the art.

Also reviewed this week?

Hands on reviews:

Laptops

Hands on: Sony Vaio C Series review review

Hands on: Sony Vaio S Series review review

Mobile phones

Hands on: Red Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo review

Hands on: White Google Nexus S review

Hands on: Samsung Wave 578 review review

Tablets

Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 UK release model review

Touchscreen PC