House of Lords permits use of iPads and other electronic devices in debates

A new report from the Lord Administration and Works Committee has said that restrictions blocking the use of electronic devices in the House of Lords are “incomplete, outdated and contradictory”, proposing that peers can refer to iPads, smartphones, ebook readers and other tablet devices during debates as long as they are remain silent.

Restrictions will be placed upon what content can be accessed during debates, members will be required to accesss only Parliamentary papers and documents which are relevant to the discussions taking place. Internet searches will not be permitted, especially as it could be used to alter the course of House proceedings.

The relaxation in the rules follows a similar move by House Republicans in Capitol Hill, who broke longstanding traditions to permit the use of iPads, iPhones and BlackBerry devices on the House floor, as long as they didn’t “impair decorum”. Bans were kept in place for matters that weren’t House-related like phone calls or internet shopping but the use of such devices would end up being greener and able to help inform Members of different pieces of legislation and also allow them to receive communications.

It is not known if the ruling will make its way across the corridors of Parliament to the House of Commons – currently ministers can access their mobile phones to check emails and messages but they cannot access documents or browse the web. The Commons’ ruling committee is considering whether it too will relax its rules.

Xperia Play Commercial Leaks: “Android Is Ready To Play”

If you didn’t think there was anything left to know about Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play (PlayStation Phone) handset, you would be wrong, for a new video has emerged showing us what looks to be a TV commercial for the device.

Telling us that “Android is ready to play”, the advert is quite dark but effective, also showing a “PlayStation Certified” logo at the end of the spot. The game shown is created by Gameloft, we don’t know whether this is an Xperia Play exclusive or is available for general release on the Android Market.

All that is left now is for Sony Ericsson to unveil the device, or show us the array of games that could be available on the device when it hits the market. All will become clear once Mobile World Congress begins – oh how we can’t wait to stop saying that.

Samsung States Galaxy Tab Return Rate Is Less Than 2%

Samsung has been busy fighting numerous allegations that its Galaxy Tab device has been under-performing, stating today that analyst predictions suggesting the return rate for the device were as high as 15% are not true, when in reality Samsung puts them at “below 2 percent”.

Posting in a blog post (the same blog it used to deny Galaxy Tab sales were “quite small” ), Samsung issued the following statement:

Samsung will hope that the performance of its tablet device will be set aside as it intends to release a new range of Android tablets and smartphones at this years Mobile World Congress event. We expect Samsung to announce an upgraded Galaxy Tab, which is thought to have a 10-inch screen and be powered by a dual-core processor.