If you've been stung by roaming charges in the past when using a U.S. cellphone abroad and you've recently heard about new, supposedly fair roaming caps in Europe, beware: It's not what it seems.

As of July 2013, European-carrier SIM card roaming rates are capped in Europe at 0.45 euros, or about US$0.60, per megabyte for data and 0.24 euros, or about $0.32, for one minute of voice.

You'd think that should mean that if you buy a SIM card in one EU country for use in an unlocked phone, you would get the same super-duper voice and data rates as you travel around Europe.

The truth? Well, yes, you do get the same rates. However, they're not good rates. These new EU capped rates are the "rack rates" -- to use a hospitality industry term. They are the inflated standard retail prices, not the discounted price you get if you negotiate or watch for offers.

Think of it like an airline increasing its time-tabled flight times to make on-time records look pretty. It ain't real.

Watch Out

The EU bureaucrats are lauding it around like these new rates are some kind of gift from God. They're not, and here are the numbers: At those prices it still will cost 614 euros, or a shocking $814 per gigabyte of data -- not including taxes -- if you take advantage of this supposed EU gift.

In other words, official EU roaming rates are still a ripoff. Here's how to obtain the best voice and data prices when in Europe.

Step 1: Understand the Market

Despite the 1957 Treaty of Rome creating the EEC, or European Economic Community -- later renamed the EU -- that was supposed to usher in a unified common market across Europe, it didn't do that when it came to many things, including cellphone deals.

Each country has differing phone companies and consequently schemes. Even pan-European outfits, like Vodafone and Orange, have separate entities that set their own discounted prices.

Step 2: Look for Local Deals in Each Country

Perform an Internet search for website landing-page deals before you go, or use free hotel or cafe WiFi when on the ground. Look for prepay rates rather than any kind of contract.

Don't bother trying to order anything on the Internet in some countries, like France -- many operators' websites don't take foreign cards. Again, welcome to the EU.

Aggregator stores with fair prices include Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4U in the UK, and The Phone House in eight countries. Major pan-European carriers with their own stores include Orange and Vodafone.

Country-specific carriers include T-Mobile, EE and O2 in the UK; SFR in France; Hutchison 3 in the UK.

Tip: Reckon on paying Pounds 10, or about $15, for a T-Mobile SIM card with 1 GB of data and 100 local minutes that lasts 30 days in the UK.

Step 3: Purchase a Country-Specific SIM Card

This doesn't have to be an onerous exercise because all major phone companies have a brick-and-mortar presence on the best shopping streets. So, combine a pleasant morning perusing a city center and drinking a street-side coffee while waiting for your number to come up in the usually long lines at the phone shop.

Tip: Bring your passport for identity verification, and you'll likely need cash if you don't have a non-swipe, chip-and-PIN-enabled, European-style credit card.

Step 4: Get the Clerk to Set Up Your Device

See the SIM card functioning in your phone or tablet before you leave the store. Some stores, despite the branding, aren't company-owned, and you'll have no redress if there's a problem. Indeed, even if they are company-owned, management can be ruthless, so reckon once you've walked out, that's your lot.

Tip: Some hole-in-the wall outlets, despite major-label branding, are open to haggling.

A Few Warnings

Things to watch out for include how long the credit lasts; how long the SIM card lasts if you don't use it and want to on a return visit; and whether all usual services are included. For example, Orange France charges extra for Web-client e-mail on its Mobicarte SIM card, yet Web-browser e-mail is included.

If you buy a bucket of service, find out how long it takes for services to become provisioned and start, so you don't snort up available credit at full rates. Often you'll get a confirmation text -- assuming it isn't lunchtime. Keep the phone turned off until then.

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Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a thermometer that is so thin it is being labeled as a tattoo thermometer patch. The thermometer bonds with the skin and is only 5- microns thick, which is approximately half the width of a human hair.

Thermometer As An Indicator

While the thermometer is designed to detect the temperature of the skin, the fact that it can detect temperature changes around the area of skin where it is placed means that the tattoo thermometer can track heat flow. This information can indicate the way heat is moving around the blood system as well as how blood cells are contracting and relaxing. This in turn indicates cardiovascular activity.

Precise Readings

The ultra-thin thermometer is a spectacularly thin rubber sheet that’s been perforated to allow the skin to behave normally. On the top of the rubber sheet are tiny gold wires and silicone membranes that will read and convey the information from the skins temperature. The tattoo thermometer is so precise that it can measure temperature to within a thousandth of a degree centigrade.

With a simple tweak, the thermometer can be transformed in to a heater that is able to heat the skin to the same precision as it uses to measure the heat. By warming the skin and blood to optimal temperatures, nutrients and prescription drugs may be absorbed more easily.

The Future

Researchers are already excited about the information that could be gained from the tiny tattoo thermometer. The lightweight, easy to use thermometer means that a person’s temperature may be monitored over an extended period of time in everyday life without any discomfort or inconvenience for the user. By watching the trends in temperature, people may be able to catch health problems earlier than before.

The tiny patches can also be produced with a larger surface area to cover other parts of the body. Eventually researches would like to use the tattoo thermometers in a completely wireless way on internal organs as well external to give people a clearer picture of how their body is working.

Orbital Sciences Are Second Private Firm To Resupply The ISS

More than four years after winning a contract, alongside SpaceX, to resupply the International Space Station, Orbital Sciences has finally docked its Cygnus capsule with the space outpost. The achievement makes it the second private outfit to have run a resupply mission to the station, with Elon Musk beating them to the goal last October.

Achieving the rendezvous with the International Space Station did not go without a hitch, however. As a data format bug delayed the planned September 22nd docking until a software fix was applied. The unmanned Cygnus spacecraft was berthed to the ISS at 8:45 a.m. EDT after successfully demonstrating the final manoeuvres for NASA as part of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program. The spacecraft, which is roughly the size of a commercial delivery truck, had to demonstrate that it can autonomously approach the station from below and complete a series of scheduled approaches and retreats. Eventually it came to a rest 10 meters from the station and then astronaut Luca Parmitano manoeuvred the robotic arm to bring it the rest of the way into the ISS. Then the craft’s bounteous hatch was opened to reach 1,300 pounds worth of supplies by the six man crew of the ISS. The cargo includes clothing, food and student experiments.  In 30 days’ time, the cargo vessel will detach and head for a destructive re-entry over the Pacific Ocean back here on earth.

Having successfully performed the final demonstration mission, Orbital Sciences is expected to fly the first of its eight contracted NASA cargo missions (worth $1.9 billion) in December. In parallel news the SpaceX Company was initially expected to make the flight, but the development of recent upgrades to its rocket pushed the California company’s schedule into 2014. SpaceX completed its demonstration flights for NASA last year, and has already completed two of its 12 contracted cargo flights to the ISS (worth $1.6 billion).

Brush Your Teeth In 6 Seconds With The 3D Printed Toothbrush

I remember when I was younger the dentist telling me that to keep my teeth in tip-top condition, I needed to brush my teeth for 3 minutes, twice a day. I don’t know if you’ve ever actually timed yourself brushing your teeth.


The Blizzident custom 3D printed toothbrush looks a little strange but promises to clean your teeth in just 6 seconds. So what would you choose, 3 minutes or 6 seconds?

It is actually custom-made and involves you having a 3D scan or impression of your teeth. If your dentist takes an impression, then it needs to be scanned into a 3D file. This is then sent to Blizzident, which 3D prints your own unique toothbrush.

You place the 3D printed toothbrush into your mouth and make biting and chewing motions. Lots of soft bristles are angled so as to thoroughly clean teeth and gums. The way the bristles are angled and the fact that it is a perfect fit for your mouth, mean it is able to clean properly but more efficiently.

The downside to this is cost. Whereas you can pick up a normal toothbrush very cheaply, the Blizzident’s more complex manufacturing process means it costs you $299. It is recommended that after one year you replace the custom toothbrush, which then costs another $159. Plus don’t forget you need to pay for that 3D scan. Rather alot of money for keeping your teeth white, especially when the same result can be achieved with a cheaper alternative.

Blizzident has promised to share clinical studies on the efficiency of the product, which will certainly be interesting. But as for me, I’ll be using to my good old fashioned toothbrush, for 3 minutes twice a day of course!

Cisco, Google, SAP discussing BlackBerry bids

BlackBerry Ltd, on the block as its smartphone business struggles, is in talks with Cisco Systems, Google Inc and SAP about selling them all or parts of itself, several sources close to the matter said.

Such a deal would be an alternative to the preliminary agreement reached weeks ago with a group, led by BlackBerry's biggest shareholder, Fairfax Financial Holdings, to take the company private for about $4.7 billion, a bid which has faced some skepticism because of financing questions.

The company, based in Waterloo, Ontario, has asked for preliminary expressions of interest from potential strategic buyers, which also includeIntel Corp and Asian companies LG and Samsung, by early next week.

It is unclear which parties will bid, if any. But the potential technology buyers have been especially interested in BlackBerry's secure server network and patent portfolio, although doubts about the assets' value remain an issue, the sources said.

Google, Intel, Cisco, LG and SAP declined to comment. Samsung was not immediately available for comment.

Possible bidders are proceeding with caution given the uncertainty around BlackBerry, which last month reported a quarterly loss of nearly $1 billion after taking a writedown on unsold Z10 phones.

The value of BlackBerry's patent portfolio and licensing agreements is likely to halve in the next 18 months, a company filing from this week shows, potentially limiting its attractiveness.

According to analysts, BlackBerry's assets include a shrinking yet well-regarded services businessthat powers its security-focused messaging system, worth $3 billion to $4.5 billion; a collection of patents that could be worth $2 billion to $3 billion; and $3.1 billion in cash and investments

Private equity firms that have showed interest in BlackBerry - which also include Cerberus Capital Management - have asked the company and its advisers to provide additional financial details about its various business segments, two of the sources said. That process could take another few weeks, as BlackBerry focuses on taking bids from industry peers, the sources said.

In August, the company said it was weighing its options, which could include an outright sale, after first reported that BlackBerry's board was warming up to the possibility of going private.

At that time, it formed a five-member special committee chaired by board director Timothy Dattels. Other members include Chairman Barbara Stymiest, Chief Executive Thorsten Heins, Richard Lynch and Bert Nordberg.

A spokesman for BlackBerry said in an emailed statement "The special committee, with the assistance of BlackBerry's independent financial and legal advisors, is conducting a robust and thorough review of strategic alternatives." He declined to provide further comment.

Nearby Alien Planet Has “Plasma” Water

Astronomers researching the nearby alien planet called Gliese 1214 b have determined that the atmosphere of this super-Earth has an atmosphere that is water-rich, including a strange “plasma form” of water.

However, the high temperature and density of the planet mean that it is drastically different from Earth.

“As the temperature and pressure are so high, water is not in a usual form (vapor, liquid, or solid), but in an ionic or plasma form at the bottom the atmosphere — namely the interior — of Gliese 1214 b,” principle investigator Norio Narita of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan told SPACE.com by email.

An artist rendition of the super-Earth planet

Gliese 1214 b is located 40 light-years from the solar system in the constellation Ophiuchus and orbits its cooler, low-mass M-type star once every 38 hours, 70 times closer than Earth is to the sun.

It is the location that causes temperatures that can reach as high as 540 degrees Fahrenheit. It is possible that these temperatures affect the hydrogen and carbon chemistry, producing a haze in the atmosphere. However it is not easy to discover whether the weather is clear or overcast because the differences in the two atmospheres are small.

“At high pressure and high temperature, the behavior of water is quite different from that on the Earth,” Narita said. “At the bottom of the water-rich atmosphere of Gliese 1214 b, water should be a super-critical fluid.”

Because this planet does not have a solid surface, it is difficult to define the height of the atmosphere. So atmospheric scientists have come up with a concept known as scale height,  a height determined by changes in the increase or decrease of atmospheric pressure by a set amount. According to Narita, the scale height of Gliese 1214 b is three times deeper than that of Earth.

“We predict that ionic or plasma water can be seen deep inside the planet,” he said. “However, we may not be able to find hot ‘ice’ — high pressure-ices — inside of Gliese 1214 b.”

Scientists often feel that water is a necessary ingredient for life but Narita thinks that due to this planet’s close orbit, there isn’t much chance of the planet being habitable.

“Although water vapor can exist in the atmosphere, liquid water — namely oceans — would not exist on the surface of this planet,” he said. “So unfortunately, we do not think this planet would be habitable.”

It was the MEarth Project that originally discovered this planet. They track more than 2,000 low-mass stars in order to search for new planets.

Narita and his team will continue to study Gliese 1214 b using spectroscopic observations in the visible wavelength.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 Released In The Cloud

Konami Digital Entertainment Co. Ltd. strives to create unique and thrilling products for customers globally through the planning, production, manufacturing and sale of online games, home video games, arcade machines, social media content, card games, mobile phone content, toys and music/video software.

In the cut throat gaming industry, consumers require new and innovative ways to play their content.  It seems as though Konami and G-cluster have worked in collaboration to bring us the latest in sports gaming entertainment as G‐cluster Global is to be part of the official release date of Konami’s new title Pro Evolution Soccer 2014.

This famous soccer title will be delivered through the normal channels;  online download for PC, and purchased as normal through retailers for hard copy versions for Xbox and PlayStation .  This year, however, the Pro Evo game will be delivered via a cloud platform also, from G-Cluster and Orange, who is the largest IPTV provider in Europe, and other G-cluster platform partners. G‐cluster offers to the operators the most deployed cloud gaming service that allows users to play across the TV without the need to buy costly equipment.  “G-cluster and Konami push innovation further in Cloud Gaming” said Sevan Kessissian, Senior Vice President of content and strategy at G-cluster.

G-cluster was founded thirteen years ago and is the first and largest cloud gaming platform accessible to more than ten million game players worldwide. G-cluster provides a fully-featured white label service offering casual and AAA games playable over broadband networks, regardless of the devices used to access the service.

G-cluster and Broadmedia also launched The Game Machine in Japan which gives subscribers the ability to play games with a plug and play machine for their TV and home Wi-Fi network, without the need for a gaming console.

The company’s client base includes Broadmedia Corporation, NTT Plala, SFR and Orange, and content partnerships with leading game studios such as Konami, Electronic Arts, Disney, Ubisoft and many more. G‐cluster is headquartered in Tokyo.

Gadget of the Week: Nova, the wireless flash for your smartphone

Our gadget of the week presents you with some cool gizmos that are there to make life easier or simply just to have some fun, like the recently visited Cybershot QX10, keyprop and the Structure Sensor for capturing 3D. Today we are taking a look at another Kickstarter Project called Nova, a flat LED flash to stick into your pocket and is connected via Bluetooth to your smartphone.

What is a Nova?

Nova is a flat, pocket-fitting LED flash that’s the size of a credit card. It uses Bluetooth in order to connect to your smartphone. By using a customized app, you are able to adapt the the color of light  of your environment, so that Nova flashes in all light conditions with the appropriate light temperature. When the flash isn’t needed, the gadget can be stowed easily in your pocket, purse or wallet.

How does it work?

Like mentioned above, Nova can easily connected to the smartphone via Bluetooth, which presents the advantage of not have a cable constantly being in the way. What’s more, energy consumption is so low that the flash hardly affects the smartphone battery. The range of the Bluetooth connection can attain about a 6 meter radius, within which Nova can be positioned at will.

The light temperature can be determined thanks to the flash app: there are three levels (soft, warm or bright) or an advanced mode depending on your preference (''choose from a mix of golden to white and soft to bright light, for super artistic shots.'') 40 small LEDs with a brightness of 65 lumens ensure sufficient light while a matte plastic covering ensure that the light is evenly dispersed. To achieve certain special effects, you can connect and control up to ten Novas from one device. The Nova comes with an included USB Micro B cable for charging.

Tech Specs 

Dimensions	86 x 53 x 6.3 mm (3.4" × 2.1" × 0.25")
Weight	150 g (5.3 oz)
Supported systems	Android 4.3 coming soon, iOS 6/7
Supported devices	HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4, Nexus 7, iPhone 4S, 5, 5c, 5s, iPad 3/4/Mini, iPod Touch 5G
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy
Battery	built-in, up to 150 flashes, 4 weeks on standby
LEDs	40 x 65 Lumen, white LEDs What makes it so cool? The smartphone has long been viewed as a camera by many users. We capture moments and take snapshots, though often in low light conditions. If you use the LED flash on your device, the results are mostly disappointing, including washed out colors, harsh shadows and overexposed areas of the image, not to mention the red-eye effect and an ugly mix of cold flash and warm artificial light. Nova has tried to improve these spontaneous photo-taking moments which often result in the terrible pictures mentioned above and has opened up many new possibilities thanks to their separate flash and customizable light temperature. Not only that, the flash is really compact and it is so easy to just carry it around in your wallet. It costs 54 USD. Link to the Kickstarter Project with video

 What do you think about the portable LED flash?

Net Power & Light have just announced the launch of Spin, which they say is the first mobile video communications experience capable of delivering truly immersive real-time ‘together’ experiences.  On closer inspection, I for one, am inclined to believe their claims.   NPL seem to be truly dedicated to delivering a new kind of powerful technology platform that gives people the freedom to have fun and connect on a deeper, more intuitive level than previous video calling apps have allowed.

Spin’s technology exceeds all quality benchmarks in the three main areas of audio, video and image.  To add to this, the interactivity is not too shabby either, making the Spin experience true to life, the technology itself almost seems to fade into the background.  With Spin, people get all the benefits of real-time mobile video communications coupled with fully synchronous photo and video viewing, along with fun animated emotion effects and more, all with the highest possible quality available in this day and age.

“We designed Spin’s technology platform from the ground up to amplify how people naturally act and engage when they’re deeply connected and together, whether it’s watching a big game, throwing a party or engaging with a favourite teacher, colleague or mentor…We call this Human Fidelity™ because it feels so immersive, so real, so true to life. Spin finally gives people the freedom to be themselves and have fun together while being fully mobile and without the distraction of technology.” said Tara Lemmey, CEO and co-founder of NPL.

Spin’s Human Fidelity™ delivers the best-combined audio, video, voice, image and touch quality that exists on the market. For example, with ultra wideband and 44 kHz, Spin’s audio is close to recording studio quality and with interface animation at 60 frames per second, the visual experience is light, cinematic and fluid, close to the highest quality High Definition TV. Spin connects up to 10 people simultaneously and, unlike other group video services which are available, the quality remains at a high level, no matter how many people are connected.

Spin is powered by a powerful technology platform that brings about the amazing advances in the ‘together’ experience. Spin allows several ways to get together in live Gathering™ sessions with up to 10 people. On Spin, people can bring in friends to a live Gathering right away or invite them to a planned event with a Spinvitation™.  Whilst in a Gathering, people can also show and watch YouTube videos together and with Group Remix™ people can share all the controls for pause, play, and rewind and fast-forward, and they can add their personal photos and videos from Facebook,Flickr or their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Multi-touch enables Gathering participants to zoom in, zoom out and flick through photos and videos, just as they would if they were physically together.

Spin also allows people to engage deeply with others and express themselves vividly. ListenUp™ is Spin’s audio mixing and attention management system.  With it people can divide their attention just as they do in life, simply by making Gathering participants larger to make them louder or smaller to make them quieter.  To amplify emotion during a Gathering, Spin features FXP™s (Fun Experiences), which let people ‘throw’ paper airplanes etc, and give standing ovations.  There is also a feature for the doodle happy, called ChalkTalk™, which enables people to doodle on shared photos and videos.

Spin is built on the powerful NPL LUX™ Operating Environment.  Spin was designed and tested for scale and has been piloted successfully with Harvard University, TED, and DC United. Spin is available for free on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch  at the Appstore.  For more information about the company, head over to getspin.com.

7 Inch Android Tablets

GO CLEVER TAB R75 Android Tablet with Keyboard Case

The perfect entry level 7" Android Tablet

• Cortex-A8 1GHz (RK2906, GPU GC800)
• 7" LCD TFT 800x480 LED. 16:9
• 512MB DDR3
• 4GB MLC NAND flash

GO CLEVER TAB R75 Android Tablet with Keyboard Case Description

The 7 inch tablet that feels like a laptop

The new Go Clever R75 Keyboard bundle gives you all the power of a great 7 inch Android Tablet with the ease of use of a laptop.
Use the capacitive touch screen to click, pinch, swipe, and drag. When you need to type, use the integrated keyboard to type as naturally as you would on a laptop or desktop PC.
When you need just the tablet, remove the keyboard case and hold your Android Tablet in the palm of your hand.

Big Budget Performance at an Entry Level Price

The GOCLEVER TAB R75 Android Tablet is a powerful and universal internet device with capacitive touch screen. Browse the web wirelessly (802.11 b/g/n) or access thousands of applications from the device's marketplace.
The R75 Android Tablet is powered by the a performance Cortex A8 1GHz processor, and has hardware acceleration for very low power battery consumption when watching HD video.

7" Capacitive 5-point Multi-Touch screen

The R75's 7" TFT LCD LED backlight screen runs at a crisp and comfortable 800 x 480 resolution and supports five point multi-touch, allowing you to tap, pinch, drag, and swipe your way through applications.

Google Play available

Access an almost endless range of applications, games, movies, and books from Google Play, all installed to your R75 Android Tablet wirelessly!

What's in the box?

You will also be presented with a USB charger, USB to PC cable, USB OTG adapter, manual and a warranty card.

Frequently Asked Questions about the GO CLEVER TAB R75 Android Tablet with Keyboard Case

Can I use my R75 Android Tablet as an eReader?

Yes! The Google Play Marketplace contains a huge range of books, including the latest blockbusters from best selling authors. For even more choice and value, install the Amazon Kindle app (via Google Marketplace) for access to the complete range of Kindle titles.

Can I use my R75 Android Tablet to listen to music?

Yes! The R75 Android Tablet can play a wide range of audio files that can be download to your tablet from your PC or copied via WiFi. For even more music, try installing Spotify and streaming music via WiFi. The R75 Android Tablet even has built in speakers for sharing your music with friends.

Can I use my R75 Android Tablet to watch movies and TV?

Yes! The R75 Android Tablet can play movies downloaded from your PC or from the Google Play marketplace. For even more variety, try installing the BBC iPlayer application for access to BBC TV via WiFi.

Can I use my R75 Android Tablet for work?

Yes! The R75 Android can work as well as play. Connect your email account within minutes and access Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint files on the go. For even more options, access thousands of productivity focused applications from Google Play.


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Dell Reveals New Tablets

Dell has just revealed its latest tablet devices with two of them being Android devices and the other two devices being Windows devices. The Windows devices will come in 11 and 8 inch variations while the Android offerings will come in 7 and 8 inch variations.

The Dell Venue 8 Pro, which is going for $180 when it comes out, is a Windows 8.1 based tablet which will have the ability to integrate with an existing corporate environment and will also work with existing Microsoft applications and will also integrate with Microsoft Office. The other more expensive Windows tablet, the Dell Venue 11 Pro, will be going for $500 and will also have the same features.

The other Windows versions of the tablets are the Dell Venue 8 and the Dell Venue 7.

With these product lines, Dell made it a point to emphasize how stylish the devices are and how they also will have a long product life.

"If you buy (a Dell tablet) in holiday 2013, you should still be happy with it in holiday 2014 and 2015" Neil Hand (Dell Vice President for Tablets and Performance PC's)

These new Dell tablets will be based on a new family of Intel's Atom based processors called Bay Trail chips. They will be expected to deliver about 3 times the perfomance of the chips that are out right now and will also be able to combine low power use and better perfomance.

Dell will also be offering a desktop dock which will allow the tablet to be plugged into a much larger display as well as two keyboards for the devices.

The new tablets are expected to be online in the coming weeks.

Many of Google's Android hardware partners, including Samsung , LG, and HTC, have been caught inflating their benchmark scores. According to AnandTech, several Android handsets, like Samsung's latest Galaxy Note 3, are loaded with code designed to cheat common testing software.

Fortunately for Google, these underhanded tactics should make little difference to Android's advance. Ironically, they highlight one of Android's greatest strengths -- a fundamental advantage the mobile operating system has over Apple's iOS.

The average smartphone buyer doesn't care about specsSimply put, the average would-be smartphone buyer doesn't care about benchmarks. They don't consider clock speeds, or think about the number of cores the processor on their latest smartphone sports.

Apple's newest iPhone, the iPhone 5S, is unique in that it has a 64-bit processor, making it the most powerful smartphone on the planet. Yet, this is one fact that you won't find emphasized in Apple's advertising: Apple understands that numbers don't sell phones.

This year, at a Goldman Sachs conference, Apple's CEO Tim Cook explained why Apple doesn't care to talk about specs:

"The PC industry over the years, the way that companies competed were two things: specs and price. And so people would want to say, 'I've got the largest drive,' or, 'I've got the fastest processor,' ... The truth is, customers want a great experience, and they want quality ... that's rarely a function of any [specs] ... These are things ... companies invent because they can't have a great experience ... Do you know the speed of an [iPad chip]? ... Does it really matter at the end of the day?"

Cook's reasoning isn't confined to Apple. Motorola's latest phone, the Moto X, is underpowered compared to its Android rivals, and yet, the phone has been well reviewed. Rather than spend money on improving the device's internals, Google's subsidiary chose to do something different -- offering a stripped down interface with a highly customizable exterior.

So why do companies like Samsung care?That raises the obvious question: If consumers aren't swayed by clock speeds, why go through the trouble of trying to game them? I can't speak for the companies in particular, but I think it's reasonable to assume that boosting benchmark scores is simply another way to get ahead of the competition.

Although it may be tiny, there is undoubtedly some subset of smartphone buyers that considers hardware performance. Among these consumers, better benchmark scores might just result in a few extra sales.

Cutthroat competition produces innovationAs Samsung's Note 3 is an incredibly powerful handset, even factoring out Samsung's special software. Although it sports the sameQualcomm processor as the rival LG G2, an extra gigabyte of RAM gives it the edge. Samsung's willingness to inflate the scores of an already powerful phone highlights something about the Android market: competition is cutthroat.

Unlike Apple, Samsung has to worry about consumer defection. For Apple, consumers looking for an iOS device have only one choice: the iPhone. But Samsung's Galaxy phones run Android, just like literally hundreds of other handsets. If the latest Galaxy handset isn't up to their liking, they can easily make the jump to a phone manufactured by LG, Sony, HTC, or any other Android OEM. Although Samsung phones account for the majority of Android handsets sold today, that might not always be the case.

While the threat of competition may not benefit Samsung shareholders, it's great for the Android ecosystem in general, and by extension, Google. With multiple Android hardware makers competing so fiercely against one another, Android handsets have improved rapidly.

Phablets, for example, came out of the Android universe, as Samsung tinkered with different screen sizes. Motorola, with its Droid Maxx, has pushed the limits of smartphone battery life, while Sony was the first company to offer a water-resistant smartphone and tablet. In China, upstart companies like Xiaomi have been able to offer powerful, dirt-cheap handsets.

Google is leveraging the power of the open OS modelBy letting multiple hardware manufacturers use its mobile operating system, Google is leveraging the basic laws of economics against Apple. Sure, Google's hardware partners must compete with the iPhone, but the true competition is against each other.

That intense competition may occasionally result in some unfortunate outcomes, such as Samsung's alleged rigging of benchmark scores. Yet, more important are the innovations that have been produced by that competition; in the end, that could give Android the advantage over iOS.

Sony's Shuhei Yoshida has expressed his admiration for Microsoft's decision to change the Xbox One, saying competition is healthy.

In an interview with Games Industry, the Sony Worldwide Studios boss acknowledged the company faces a fight to make the PlayStation 4 the dominant console in North America, but he's glad that Microsoft changed aspects of the Xbox One to make things harder for Sony.

It's always great to have two companies fighting each other," he said. "People like it; it creates a news story. The games media will cover any platform launch, but the general media - a big Sony versus Microsoft battle is a bigger story. Microsoft launching Xbox One in the same year, the same Christmas - people compare them, lots of news stories are written."

When the interviewer suggested strong PS4 pre-orders were due to Microsoft mis-marketing the Xbox One, Yoshida was quick to disagree, calling the rival company's efforts "great". Asked to expand upon this further, he explained that the swiftness with which policy changes were embraced showed Microsoft was committed to gamers, which can only be a good thing for consumers.

We never took [Microsoft] lightly Especially in the States, we are the challenger - we're trying to compete with them.

We know they're very smart people," he said. "It's great that they were able to quickly realise that some of the things they were doing were not popular, and were able to make really quick decisions to change some of those things - even things that their engineering group must have spent a lot of time preparing before the launch. It must have been a very tough time for them. That shows how smart they are, and it shows their dedication to making Xbox One successful.

"We never took them lightly. Especially in the States, we are the challenger - we're trying to compete with them. Some of the messaging that they stumbled on just gave us more chances to compete with them in the States. Other markets are very different - in Europe, we have a larger market share and in Japan, we have a much longer history of being here. Being consistent and persistent helps; the legacy and people's associations with the brand, their memories of having a great time before.

Despite this appreciation for Microsoft, Yoshida is keen to emphasise the strengths of the PlayStation 4; specifically the fact that the console is completely gamer-focused, with a hardware design that'll enable developers from all walks of life to coax the best out of the machine in the years ahead.

We continue to say what we've been saying since February," he said. "PS4 is really designed for consumers and focused on how people want to play games. At the same time, we've really made sure that it's hardware which game developers will enjoy making games on. We want consumers to look at how much fun it is to use this system, not just for playing games but for finding out about games and sharing the experience with other people.

Something that can be a weakness but can be a very strong asset for the PlayStation team is the management team that we have. Many of us in key positions have gone through all the transitions from the launch of PS1. Andrew House, Jack Tretton, myself and many of the executives were all there at the beginning. We've gone through great times and pretty difficult times together. I've never worked for another company, so I can just imagine, but we have a very efficient way of discussing issues and being open and honest. We make quick decisions when necessary, and that's something that's very fresh to me.

The Xbox One is due to launch globally on November 22, while the PlayStation 4 will be available in North America on November 15 and in Europe on November 29. Both are available to pre-order/reserve now at online retailers in multiple territories.

Scientists Charge Nokia Phone With Lightning

Bringing something to life through the power of lightning sounds more like a theme from a novel or movie but scientists  have been able to charge a mobile phone with the help of a lightning bolt.

Scientists from the University of Southampton have got together with Nokia and carried out a proof-of-concept experiment. It is hoped that by harnessing this natural power source, areas with a short electricity supply could use this as an alternative energy source.

The team used a transformer to recreate a lightning bolt in the laboratory by passing 200,000 volts across an 11-inch air gap.

“We were amazed to see that the Nokia circuitry somehow stabilised the noisy signal, allowing the battery to be charged,” said Neil Palmer, from the University of Southampton’s high voltage laboratory. “This discovery proves devices can be charged with a current that passes through the air, and is a huge step towards understanding a natural power like lightning and harnessing its energy.

Do Not Try This At Home

Lightning is not something to be messed with and Nokia’s executive vice-president for sales is keen to point out that it is not something people should try at home.

“We obviously aren’t recommending people try this experiment at home, but we are always looking to disrupt and push the boundaries of technology,” said Chris Weber.

But for the mobile industry, finding ways of charging and improving batteries is a priority. Ben Wood from the analyst firm CCS Insight, thinks that they are on to a good thing with this breakthrough.

“Nokia has been among the forerunners of device-charging technology for some time. It’s also very committed to caring for the environment. So it’s perhaps not surprising that the company’s involved in what might appear to be a wacky idea.”

He also thinks that it could benefit those living in rural areas.

“If you live in a remote village in any part of the World you might welcome the possibility of a communal device that charges phones.”

There has been alot of hype recently over certain smartphones being developed with bendable screens. Samsung, LG and Nokia have all been reported to be experimenting with kinetic displays, but contain your excitement because it is more likely that these smartphones will have a contoured display.

So what is the difference? Well a bendable screen is one you can actually wiggle and bend, a contoured display is a screen that has a glass topper molded into a subtle stationary arc.

Some devices already feature the curved display, such as the Samsung Galaxy Nexus S. The YotaPhone, which is curently in development, achieves the desired curve through formed Gorilla Glass 3 as the cover glass material.

Seeing as Samsung can already produced contoured displays, it is likely that the new smartphone, which is expected this month,  will feature a curved screen allowing its face to fit to your cheek, making it  alot more comfortable to conduct long phone conversations. It will also help the smartphone to stand out from its competitors, changing the standard shape of phones from a box-like form and into something far more interesting and appealing.

But what about bendable displays. Well unfortunately that is still something for the future. A material that is flexible enough but still strong so as not to break is a big ask.

Major advancements in engineering and the necessary materials are needed before the tech industry can start to think about selling us a truly bendable device.

Tesco Hudl Tablet Priced At £119

Shopping giant Tesco launches a seven inch tablet computer very reasonably priced at £119; the name of this low end piece of kit is the Hudl.  The supermarket retailer is in high hopes that the colourful Android-operated gadget will attract customers who might not have been able to afford a tablet computer beforehand.

The device itself is not too bad, with fairly ok specifications: It has a high-definition widescreen display, is capable of nine hours of video battery life, and has under the hood, 16GB of storage memory which can be extended to a massive 48GB!  It also comes with a whole range of in-built apps, including YouTube and Google Chrome and users can download new apps on the Google Play store.

Tesco’s tablet comes in a variety of colours (blue, red and purple), has wifi, Bluetooth and a micro HDMI port and is designed to be easy to use and handle.  Tesco Clubcard customers will be better off than non customers as they will be able to get their hands on a Hudl for less than £100.  The tablet has an in-built Tesco launcher button, which allows users to shop, see their Clubcard points, listen to music and watch movies on Tesco’s Blinkbox system (the streaming service similar to Lovefilm or Netflix).  The service has no problems with no issues whatsoever.

Tesco chief executive, Philip Clarke said: “Hudl is a colourful, accessible tablet for the whole family to enjoy…The first stage in our tablet offering, it’s convenient, integrated and easy to use with no compromise on spec…Being online is an increasingly essential part of family life and whilst tablets are on the rise, usage is still quite limited…We feel the time is right for Tesco to help widen tablet ownership and bring the fun, convenience and excitement of tablets to even more customers across the UK…The digital revolution should be for the many, not for the few.”

For a small amount of cash, you get a lot of tablet

Japanese NTT Docomo unveiled augmented reality glasses that are able to translate menus and signs in real time.

The company, which showed off the device at a Japanese gadget fair, says the glasses will be ready when foreigners descend on Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics.

The glasses work by overlaying someone's native language onto unfamiliar text. This could be especially valuable in Japan, which doesn't always have translated menus at the ready.

The glasses do more than just read, though: They also have a facial recognition function that can determine a person's identity and job title from a smartphone directory.

Dead Trigger 2 on Android and iOS

Dead Trigger 2, one of the most highly anticipated sequels for any mobile game, is coming out October 23rd on iOS, Android and Steam. The best news of all? It will still be free, although it will be supported by in-game microtransactions
On September 18th Madfinger Games shared the news of the impending release along with the opening cutscene, and fans are excited for the big launch in three week's time. But you won't be alone when it launches because Dead Trigger 2 takes the FPS global, offering online multiplayer. The game will be free in the Play Store but it will be undoubtedly be a pretty huge install, so you had better start deleting other apps if you're low on space, because you're going to want to be on the pointy end of this wave of the zombie apocalypse. Why? Because it will also be offered in real-time.

On the day of release, we will unveil a world that has battled the ravages of a zombie plague for the past two years. The first players of 'Dead Trigger 2' will enter into the conflict at this precise moment, while additional players will essentially be stepping aboard a moving train. New players, who download the game a year from now, will find themselves joining in at the third year of the apocalypse - Marek Rabas, CEO, Madfinger Games

Link to Video

The game is optimized for Tegra 4-equipped devices like the Tegra Shield and the upcoming Tegra Note as well as some other tablets (currently only the Xiaomi Mi3 and ZTE Geek pack the Tegra 4 in a smartphone). If you have a Tegra 4 graphics chip you'll be able to switch on Tegra-enhanced graphics options like real-time reflections, better ragdoll effects and so on via the Unity engine, adding an extra layer of realism and sparkle to the release. It will also be launched concurrently on PC, Mac and Facebook.