The World Health Organisation has now declared it to be the technological standard, and DataDyne is in the process of loading it onto ordinary mobile phones for use in poor countries everywhere, says Joel Selanikio, a doctor who co-founded the organisation.

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Other downsides of the Kindle HD 8.9 are that it lacks a rear camera and its browser, called Silk, remains in my tests a bit slower at loading Web pages than either the iPad or standard Android browsers.

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We're also not a fan of the player's non-standard width, but we do actually like the fact that it's slot loading.

ENGADGET: Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player with Google TV review

This is the higher-end of the two new HD DVD Toshiba models, and gets high marks for its improvements on the previous model, with faster loading times, 1080p support, a smaller form factor, and a much-improved chipset for upscaling standard-definition DVDs (the HD-A2 lacks 1080p and the improved upscaling chip).

ENGADGET: Toshiba's second-gen HD-XA2 reviewed HD