WHADSPOPPING

IPHONE 5 LIVE BLOG WHADSPOPPING

2012-09-12T09:14:00.001-07:00

add this link to check out the eargerly anticipated Iphone 5
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Starts at 6pm GMT UK LONDON TIME
WHADSPOPPING: LIVE AT IPHONE 5 LIVE EVENT

Rumored Hugely Apple anticipated iPhone 5 pre-orders to begin September 12, international sales to begin early October

2012-08-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

apparent iPhone 5 screen and design

According to a new report from Rene Ritchie of iMore, who has been correct in the past, Apple is set to begin pre-orders of the next-generation iPhone on Sept. 12, which is the same day the device is expected to be announced. The device is then expected to be released Sept. 21, as several publications reported (and subsequently confirmed each other) a few weeks ago. At the same event, Apple is expected to introduce its new 7.85-inch iPad Mini. It is believed to compete directly with Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. iMore further added in its report this morning that the international launch of the next iPhone will take place in early October, with Oct. 5 being the most likely day. Apple has been known to delay the launch of its devices internationally to ramp up sales. For example, the launch of the iPhone 4S internationally was two weeks after the U.S. launch.

The sixth-generation iPhone is pegged to include a longer 4-inch design and rock a 640-by-1,136 resolution, redesigned nano-SIM card slot, LTE connectivity, larger battery, NFC, and 9-pin connector. Apple is believed to update its entire iOS device lineup this fall to support the smaller connector, as several publications noted. You can check out our diagram from last night that showed all of the leaked sixth-generation iPhone’s parts laid out, adding a bit of context to what is expected to come. Furthermore, last week we showed you apps running at the 640-by-1,136 resolution in both portrait and landscape mode.

We think it may be difficult for Apple to process the mass amount of pre-orders during the day, especially after a huge event with new products hitting the store. Pre-orders have historically begun in the middle of the night. Even at that, Apple has had trouble keeping its servers up-and-running. Mid-evening sounds likely, if iMore’s report stands true. If history repeats itself, we are only a few weeks away from Apple sending out invites to a press event. We will keep you updated.

Source: Imore

USA Basketball Dream Team Win Gold against Spain

2012-08-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

The stars of Team USA struggled in the first two quarters, but managed to narrowly defeat Spain for the gold medal in men's basketball on Sunday.

The 107-100 game earned the Americans their second-straight Olympic championship -- in a rematch of the final game in 2008 in Beijing.

Russia claimed the bronze.

Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez dunks the ball during the London 2012 Olympic Games men's gold medal basketball game between USA and Spain at the North Greenwich Arena in London

Spanish forward Pau Gasol charges for the basket. The Spaniards have keep the stars of Team USA on their toes -- despite claims of being the new 'Dream Team'

'Spain is a better team than '08,' LeBron James said. 'We understand that they're a better team, so it's going to be a good game. So we look forward to it.'

Who wouldn't, given the Olympic classic they staged in Beijing.

The US completed its climb back to the top of international basketball with a 118-107 victory, pulling away after Spain was within four points in the final 2½ minutes. The game was 40 end-to-end minutes of all offense, all the time, and the Americans could be even more potent now.

They are averaging 116.7 points --- just slightly off the Dream Team's record of 117.3 per game -- and set the Olympic record with 156 in an 83-point victory over Nigeria. They are averaging 10 points more than the '08 squad and winning by eight more points per game, and with James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony, the US has enough hot hands to occupy an octopus.

'We obviously have a lot of talent. Our team here is pretty ridiculous,' Bryant said.

Big star: This is likely Kobe Bryant's last appearance in the Olympics -- and he's hoping to make the game memorable
In the final minute, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski , in his final international game, took out his top stars who came to London determined to keep American basketball on top. When the final horn sounded, Krzyzewski locked James in a tight embrace as Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The USA" rocked the arena.

So far USA Basketball has kept on top of their game and have showed other countries how to play ball. With the Olympic motto "inspire a new generation". Us at WHADSPOPPINg Hope that basketball inspires you to maybe even take it up professionally and become legends such as the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James.

Let us know your views on how the game went by leaving us a comment or tweet us on twitter and we'll RT.

London 2012, Labelled the Best Olympic games in History draws to a End.

2012-08-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

With less than 24 hours to go to the Closing Ceremony , London so far has hosted the best Olympics so far.
The dedication both the Team GB home team and the games maker do is immense. Their passion and dedication to make London 2012 the best Olympic games have payed off. With the game makers having a great sense of humour and interacting with spectators. While on the other hand Team GB have had a great Olympics so far as i write they have clinched 60 medals in which of them 27 are gold. Athletes such as the likes of Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah ,Sir Chris Hoy and many other great British athletes have put in so much time into their training to reach their lifelong goals of either winning gold medals or becoming Olympic champions in their own area of their Olympic sport.
Over the past 2 weeks what has astonished me was seeing the great Olympic champions Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt winning their medals which indented them in Olympic history books as legends

The Spice Girls get back together for a dress rehearsal for the London 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony Photo: Flynet

London 2012 closing Ceremony is set to be spectacular with the likes of many British music artist performing such as the hugely anticipated return of the spice girls,George Michael, Jessie J, Pet Shop Boys, Tinie Tempah, Brian May, Jessie J, Pet Shop Boys,Adele,Ray Davies,Ed Sheeran and Kate bush. Also International female music star Beyonce is rumoured to perform at the closing Ceremony called A Symphony of British Music which starts at 9pm on Sunday and will feature over 4,000 performers. It will end with the extinguishing of the Olympic Flame.

Now onto my thoughts on the Amazing Opening Ceremony.The 10,000 volunteers who created the opening ceremony gave up four months of weekends to rehearse, 10 hours per day. Their enthusiasm at being here was properly rewarded with the biggest cheer of the night. That enthusiasm, given and received, continued in the spirit of the 70,000 other "Games makers", of all backgrounds and from far and wide, who quickly became the human face of these Olympics, welcoming and marshalling with unfailing good humour, proud just to be involved.

Music director David Arnold said on his views about the Closing Ceremony : “It’s going to be beautiful, cheeky, cheesy, camp, silly and thrilling.

So, with the Olympics nearly over, the parlympics edges its way to London!.

Tell us your views on the London 2012 Olympics and if you wish for it to come back gain

Update 12 August inside olympic stadium as it gets ready for tonight

Our Home Nation: Team GB Up to 3rd Place in the Medal Table.

2012-08-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

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Team GB up to 3rd in medal table!As Hugh Grant said in Love, Actually: 'We may be a small country, but we are a great country.

Katherine Grainger has finally realised her Olympic dream and captured the nation's hearts as she branded her first gold the "people's medal".

Grainger feared she would always be the bridesmaid at the Games after clocking up three consecutive silver medals. But she put those days behind her as she stormed to victory at Eton Dorney with her double sculls partner, Anna Watkins.

Their stunning victory gave yet another boost to Britain, pushing Team GB up to fourth in the medals table with 19 - six gold, six silver and seven bronze.

It came just hours after Britain's Jessica Ennis made a sensational start in the heptathlon, setting a new record in the 100m hurdles which propelled her to the top of the leader board.

On the water, the rowing duo were roared to victory over Australia in a thrilling race which saw them lead from the start. The scene could not have been further removed from the devastating defeat in Beijing four years ago when Grainger, 36, missed out on gold. Then, she was left distraught and contemplating retirement.

Their win followed more rowing triumph for Team GB which came when George Nash and William Satch took bronze in the men's pair and Alan Campbell took bronze in the men's single sculls.

Another bronze went to veteran British judo heavyweight Karina Bryant, who finally claimed an Olympic medal in a fight against Iryna Kindzerska of Ukraine.

Back at Stratford, a rapturous crowd in the Olympic Stadium saw Ennis embark on the biggest two days of her sporting life in glorious style.

In the first day of athletics at the Games, only a handful of seats in the 80,000-capacity arena were empty as the 26-year-old recorded the fastest time ever for the 100m hurdles, smashing her personal best with an exhilarating run of 12.54 seconds. A sensational performance in the high jump followed, giving the athlete a 25-point lead after two events.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Adlington is also looking to become the first British swimmer to successfully defend an Olympic title in the 800m final.

Non-functioning next-gen iPhone prototypes/fakes surface in Bangkok?

2012-08-02T14:47:00.001-07:00

Today though, we have a hands on with what appears to be a prototype finalized design casing of the iPhone, in a mall, somewhere in Bangkok, Thailand.

The pictures seem to confirm what we saw in the video, and after reaching out to the source (who is an ex staff member from a long time ago) he confirmed that the iPhone is not a working device, but a "non functional replica prototype" and in his own words, "pretty accurate too."

So we can fall back on what we already know, which is that the unibody case appears to be redesigned to feature an aluminum shell. The glass backing that appeared in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S is notably absent; instead, the entire exterior is a single piece. The casing appears to feature the rumored elongated design of the new iPhone, which is said to be around 4 inches in height. Additionally, a new docking port appears to be in place, and the headphone jack has been moved to the bottom of the device similar to Apple's iPod line.

This certainly must be a first, the general public getting a look at what's to come. One has to wonder if this sort of thing would have happened if Steve Jobs were stilll head-honcho at Apple.

Source:neowin

It's beyond dispute: Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time

2012-08-01T00:04:00.000-07:00

Swimmer Michael Phelps stands alone at the summit of Olympic history after becoming the Games's most successful ever athlete. The US star's gold in the men's 200m freestyle relay brought his all-time tally of Olympic swimming medals to a record 19, one more than Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. Baltimore swimmer Phelps now owns 15 gold, two silver and two bronze medals. The 27-year-old still has three races to come in the Games and is odds-on to finish his Olympic career with 22 medals. He paid tribute to his three relay team-mates after clinching the record. "I told those guys I wanted a big lead in the last leg and they gave it to me," he said. "I just wanted to hold on, I just wanted to thank them for allowing me to have this moment." The phenomenal personal feat came on the day when the Olympics witnessed another piece of history when Zara Phillips became the first royal medal winner. The Queen's granddaughter said it was "amazing" to be presented with silver by her mother the Princess Royal. Phillips received a rapturous reception from the home crowd at Greenwich Park, which also included the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry as members of her family turned out in force to support her. She beamed and kissed the Princess Royal, who is herself an Olympian, on both cheeks after receiving her medal. As Chariots Of Fire played in the background, Zara could be seen mouthing "oh man, oh man" as her mother began presenting medals to Team GB's eventing team, including Nicola Wilson, Mary King and Kristina Cook and William Fox-Pitt. The last time a British eventing team won gold was when her father Mark Phillips, now US coach, competed in Munich in 1972. He also won a silver in 1988, but he was not then a member of the royal family. In 1976, the Princess Royal came 24th in the individual eventing and the team came ninth. The team's success today came despite Zara admitting "I messed up" after a disappointing round in the showjumping - but her team-mates came to the rescue to ensure the silver medal. "We wanted the gold but to get an Olympic medal is incredible anyway," Zara said.

Apple reportedly to unveil iPhone 5, iPad Mini on Sept. 12

2012-07-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Apple consumers could perhaps see the debut of both the new iPhone and an iPad Mini come September. Citing "sources who have proven accurate in the past," blog site iMore says that Apple will announce the two devices at a special event on Wednesday, September 12. The iPhone 5 itself would then go on sale 9 days later on Friday, September 21. This latest report follows a tidbit last week from French site App4Phone.fr (English translation), which pointed to a September 21 release date based on intel from Chinese manufacturing sources. The spacing itself jibes with last year's schedule when Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S on October 4 and then released it 10 days later. iMore's sources were apparently mum about a launch date for the iPad Mini, but the site says it could reach consumers on the same day, a logical assumption. The smaller iPad would reportedly be exactly like its 9.7-inch brother, but just on a 7-inch scale. Reports have surfaced about a new iPod Touch in the works, which could also be announced on September 12 as part of the upcoming lineup. A new iPod Nano may also be part of the mix. That promises a busy day launch day for Apple, but the company typically spruces up its iPhone announcement with updates to the iPod and other products. iMore's sources also passed along information already reported by others. The new iPhone would offer a 4-inch, 16:9 screen, while all new iOS devices would come with a smaller Dock connector. This report is still firmly in the rumor category. But a September release date for the next iPhone would make sense financially for Apple. Last year, the company launched the iPhone 4S in October. Demand for the new phone rewarded Apple with a gangbuster calendar fourth quarter. But the third quarter suffered as smartphone buyers held off purchases in anticipation of the new iPhone. Releasing a new phone in September ensures that Apple ends the calendar third quarter on a high note, with the expected heavy demand extending into the fourth quarter.

London 2012 Day 3: Great Britain scrape bronze in men's team gymnastics

2012-07-30T13:55:00.001-07:00

An extraordinary and controversial finale to the men's team final ended with Britain securing a bronze medal – their first medal since 1912. They had initially been awarded the silver, but an inquiry into Kohei Uchimura's final score on pommel horse resulted in a revision of the final scores and pushed Japan above them into second place. China retained their Olympic gold medal, maintaining an adamantine grip on the competition throughout, and there was a 10 minute wait before the final placings were decided. In the end, however, Britain's bronze, hard fought and stylishly won, will be a result that goes down in the history books. There had been a sense, even before the competition, that the British men had fulfilled their ambitions simply by reaching the final and all the gymnasts reiterated that their aim for the final was simply to enjoy it. That relaxed attitude showed as they made their way around the apparatus. They had begun on their strongest suit, the pommel horse, where Louis Smith lowered his difficulty level to ensure a routine of care and precision and with fine contributions from Daniel Purvis and Max Whitlock their apparatus total of 45.932 was a fantastic start to competition. By the halfway point, they were in third place and within 0.8 of a point of second-placed Japan and Smith was wearing an extremely large smile. Then Sam Oldham fell on the high bar, and suddenly Ukraine were back in the hunt. Vitali Nakonechnyi put in a clean routine on pommel and Kristian Thomas responded with one of his best ever performances on high bar, to keep Britain in touch. It came down to how well they could perform their floor routines, while Ukraine, also fighting for bronze, went on rings. Both Max Whitlock and Dan Purvis turned in high scores, before Thomas finished the job with not a trace of nerves. China, meanwhile, were nothing like the team that had shambled sheepishly through qualification. The errors that were shot through that performance, leaking points from their total, were gone, and there was something new in their attitude here – a focus and determination that showed itself on their faces as they performed. After a strong start on rings, they recorded the highest score on vault and by the time they were on parallel bars they looked completely in their stride. Japan had also recovered their composure after a disappointing qualification and fought them hard in the final three rotations. Uchimura, their star package, was back on world champion form. His high bar routine was without doubt the most spectacular event of this final, Uchimura hurling himself so high above the bar that he had time to somersault and twist in inhuman combinations. The USA, by contrast, had a nightmare. Having qualified their men's and women's teams in first place for the only time in history, they had a veneer of invincibility and their first team title since 1984 seemed a likelihood. But they had problems on pommel horse, putting in two low scores, and after a recovery on rings, all rested on the vault, where they were expected to score high. But the 19-year-old John Orozco missed his landing on his very first vault, and as he sat on the crash mat, his legs splayed before him, he knew his team's dream was over. It was a miss from which the American team would not be able to recover.

Mysterious Rumoured 10-inch BlackBerry PlayBook appears in Vietnam, Will it ever Launch?

2012-07-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

The last we heard, all notions of a 10-inch PlayBook had been shelved, with rumors suggesting that RIM wanted to concentrate on its BB10 plans and next-gen smartphones instead. However, we've just received these images from Tinthe, showing off something that looks very much like the bigger BlackBerry slab. A handful of photos, comparing the tablet to the existing 7-incher and an iPad, were sent in by forum member quang3g, who appears to be involved in BlackBerry sales. Looks-wise, the hardware's largely unchanged, aside from the bigger footprint and a screen ratio that appears closer to the iPad competition, rather than the widescreen shape that arrived on RIM's first tablet. According to the brief teardown shot, there's a potent 7,250 mAh battery housed in the still-slim 10-inch frame, while it's worth noting that the tablet also includes a SIM holder and cellular radio -- though there's not enough meat here to discern whether it deals in 4G or 3G (HSPA+) radio waves. While we wait for the official word on the existence (or cancellation) of this flavor of PlayBook, you can take a skeptical sideways glance at several more pictures of the tablet at the source below.

Day 2 London 2012 : Team GB wins first Olympic medals

2012-07-29T13:52:00.001-07:00

Team GB's Lizzie Armitstead won silver in the women's road race, while other events on Sunday included basketball and fencing

Team GB has won its first London 2012 medals, with cyclist Lizzie Armitstead taking silver in the women's road race.

Swimmer Rebecca Adlington has taken bronze in the final of the 400m freestyle.

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe insisted Olympics venues were "stuffed" with sports fans, after a row about empty seats on Saturday.

However, on Sunday empty seats could be seen at several sports, including basketball, volleyball and tennis.

Armitstead, 23, from Otley near Leeds, was beaten to the gold at the end of the 140-kilometre race by Holland's Marianne Vos in a sprint finish on The Mall.

She said: "I'm really, really happy. Maybe later I'll start thinking about that gold, but I'm happy with silver at the moment."

Adlington, 23, who lost her title to Camille Muffat of France, said she was glad she had won a medal at a home games.

"The crowd were just absolutely amazing, this is what I wanted, this is what picks you up, this is what gets you from fourth to third and gets us on that podium. I know so many people wanted me to get the gold and sorry about that, but I tried my absolute hardest, I'm so pleased with that."

Her battle to hold on to her 800m freestyle title will begin with heats on Thursday morning before Friday night's final.

ADIDAS CELEBRATE SPORT ‘THROUGH A CREATIVE LENS’ WITH MIADIDAS CUSTOMISERS

2012-07-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

Art meet Sport meets Style for the miadidas Customisers campaign...

As part of their Olympic celebrations, adiidas have launched miadidas customisers a real-time art project uniting some of the most most passionate artists, athletes and fans from around the world to produce unique customised shoes that will embody the London 2012 Olympic Games.

17 days, 9 artists, 34 artworks. Every day of London 2012, live at the adidas Olympic Lounge, two artists from a carefully hand-picked shortlist of nine will customise the Performance footwear of select Olympic athletes, inspired by the day’s winning ‘all in’ moment. As congratulations, one artwork will be awarded to the chosen athlete daily, a unique and personalised trophy for their journey; the other will be given away online, an inspirational gift to the next generation of potential adidas Olympic athletes who have suggested their day’s most outstanding sporting moment.

Check the source belowfor info on the miadidas Customisers designers.

SOURCE: RWD

HTC explains decision to skip Android 4.0 for Desire HD: we'd rather not wipe your data

2012-07-28T15:35:00.001-07:00

HTC damaged a few spirits when it dropped the Desire HD from its Android 4.0 upgrade list. The company might feel your pain, but it claims to have a good reason for denying the update that it's been doling out elsewhere. There's no way to shoehorn a new version into the device like there was for the Desire's leap to Android 2.3, the company says. Fitting all that Ice Cream Sandwich into the Desire HD would require repartitioning the internal space, and repartitioning risks overwriting personal content; needless to say, the company isn't keen on explaining why it might nuke our family photos just so we can run Chrome. Even if that weren't an issue, a nebulous set of "other technical limitations" might not rub upgraders the right way. All of the explanations add up, although it's nonetheless easy to sympathize with Desire HD owners now stuck in Gingerbread land and are void access to updating to the official android 4.0 updates.

So if you own a Desire HD what are your thought and feelings will you be rooting your phone or be avoiding htc in the future let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

London 2012 Olympic Games: Billions tune in to watch spectacular opening ceremony, Inspires the Next Generation

2012-07-28T13:53:00.002-07:00

Fireworks illuminate the sky over Olympic Stadium during Opening Ceremonies at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

It had been shrouded in intense secrecy in the run-up to the Games, but the wait for the London 2012 opening ceremony seemed to be worthwhile as viewers around the globe heaped praise on Danny Boyle's epic showpiece.

Billions of people from across the world tuned in to watch the £27 million spectacular, while thousands of others travelled to the UK to witness the official start of the sporting celebration in person.

The three-and-a-half-hour show seemed to be an instant hit with many, with its British sense of humour and vibrant soundtrack celebrated by viewers from other countries.

The Queen's cameo appearance was a particular highlight for the non-British audience as she took part in a comical segment filmed in Buckingham Palace with Daniel Craig, before seemingly parachuting into the Olympic Stadium with the James Bond star.

Los Angeles Times sports reporter Bill Plaschke tweeted: "James Bond and Queen Elizabeth II 'parachute' into the stadium, then kids in pyjamas sing the national anthem... works for me."

Another LA Times reporter, who tweeted shortly after Harry Potter author JK Rowling read from Peter Pan, said: "The Queen acting, JK Rowling reading in public, can you top this?"

The appearance of Mr Bean also got viewers from the other side of the Atlantic chuckling, with Rowan Atkinson's comical character seeming to go down well with the US press.

Mr Plaschke tweeted: "Mr Bean hams it up during playing of Chariots of Fire... hilarious.. this is becoming can't-miss ceremony."

A fellow LA Times reporter wrote: "Rowan Atkinson segment, very clever."

Another wrote: "Mr Bean one of the night's scripted surprises."

The ceremony's showcasing of Britain's rich musical history was another highlight with the use of songs from UK's finest singers and performers seeming to be a massive hit.

KC Johnson from the Chicago Tribune tweeted: "The Jam has been played. I can go home now. Oh, wait, Arctic Monkeys and Sir Paul still to come. Musical heaven."

Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times journalist Philip Hersh tweeted: "Did MTV produce this?"

He also heaped praise on the upbeat nature of the athletes' parade.

"This parade of athletes has much more of a party atmosphere than in past... feels like closing ceremony mood," he said.

The cinematic element of the ceremony was singled out, with the New York Times describing the show as "visually stunning".

Australian journalist Karen Tighe said that Boyle had "hit the nail on the head" with the opening ceremony.

The Perth-based ABC Sports presenter told BBC Radio 5Live: "It was a fantastic start to the Games. I'm so glad there was no temptation to be better and bigger than Beijing - it was wonderful in its own way and it all came across so well."

She added: "Visually it looked spectacular, there was humour and the overall picture - I think he (Boyle) hit the nail on the head."

Mrs Tighe said the length of the show was a negative point and also expressed disappointment over the lighting of the cauldron.

"I really loved the inspiration of a new generation, but it kind of felt a bit of an anti-climax at that point."

Meanwhile, The New York Times described the "hilariously quirky" celebration as a "noisy, busy, witty, dizzying production".

It added: "Britain presented itself to the world Friday night as something it has often struggled to express even to itself: a nation secure in its own post-empire identity, whatever that actually is."

The LA Times also heaped further praise on the occasion.

It said in a review of the ceremony: "An atmosphere of whimsy and party won out over pomp and circumstance during an Olympic opening ceremony that allowed an economically beleaguered Britain to pat itself on the back.

"The ceremony could not have been more of a contrast from Beijing's four years ago, replacing Chinese militaristic precision with British fancifulness."

The Times of India called the ceremony "dazzling", adding that London had "presented a vibrant picture of Great Britain's rich heritage and culture".

Meanwhile the China Daily said the pageant was "kaleidoscopic".

"Britain's Queen Elizabeth declared the London Olympics open after playing a cameo role in a dizzying ceremony designed to highlight the grandeur and eccentricities of the nation that invented modern sport," it said.

The decision to ask former Beatle Paul McCartney to sing out the ceremony was well received.

David Haugh from the Chicago Tribune said: "McCartney can still bring it... Na, na, na, na, na,na, na, na... show ending appropriately on a high after confusing cauldron lighting."

A number of users of China's social network Sina Weibo posted messages in support of the opening ceremony.

One person, writing under the name Timo in a dream, wrote: "Compared to the Beijing Olympic Games, I like the opening ceremony of the London Games which interprets the culture in a simple way and it's easy to understand."

Another, called Onlooker, said: "I was most impressed by the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games which cost only 42 million US dollars (£26.7 million) - less than half of what was spent at the Beijing Olympic Games."

Keith Duggan of the Irish Times wrote: "The three and a half hour show illustrated the fact that the British do pomp and pageantry better than the rest of the world."

He also praised the turn by Wallander star Kenneth Branagh, who read from Shakespeare's The Tempest in the historical section.

"Does anyone quote the Bard better than the Belfast boy?," he asked.

Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper described the event as a "long, eccentric opening ceremony".

The Toronto-based publication reported: "The message wasn't just that Brits are an odd folk; it was that Britain's past is more important than its future.

"But what a past! Your country should be so lucky."

Apple ordered to run Samsung "did not copy iPad" adverts

2012-07-18T11:24:00.002-07:00

A UK judge has ordered Apple to publish announcements that Samsung did not copy the design of its iPad, according to the Bloomberg news agency.

It said the judge said one notice should remain on Apple's website for at least six months, while other adverts should be placed in various newspapers and magazines.

It follows the US company's failed attempt to block sales of the South Korean firm's Galaxy Tab tablets.

Apple and Samsung have not commented.

The order did not feature in Judge Colin Birss's judgement published on 9 July, but Bloomberg said the matter was discussed in the court following the verdict.

It said the notices must make reference to the court case and should be designed to "correct the damaging impression" that Samsung's tablets had aped the look of Apple's products.

"They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," said the judge at the time.

"They are not as cool. The overall impression produced is different."

However, the judge refused Samsung's request that Apple be forbidden from restating its claim that its design rights had been infringed.

Judge Birss said that the US firm was "entitled" to hold the opinion that his judgement was wrong.

So when will the patent wars between these two great companies end. Do you think Samsung is stealing apples ideas let us know by posting a comment.

Disgraced O2 to compensate customers hit by network disruption

2012-07-18T11:09:00.002-07:00

Mobile phone company will give pay-monthly customers 10% off bill 'as a gesture of goodwill and to say sorry'

Hundreds of thousands of O2 customers were hit by network disruption last week. Photograph: Andy Hepburn/PA

O2 is to compensate hundreds of thousands of customers following more than 24 hours of disruption to its network last week.

Customers who pay monthly will receive 10% off their July subscription, which will be applied on their September bill – the equivalent to three days back.

Pay-as-you-go customers will get 10% extra on their first top-up in September.

The mobile phone company said it recognised that the problems, which it claimed affected one-third of its customers, had caused "inconvenience and frustration".

The company said: "We have now identified all those customers directly affected (those whose devices could not connect on our system) and we are giving them the equivalent of three days back for the disruption as a gesture of goodwill and to say sorry."

All customers, including those who were not affected, will also be given a £10 voucher to spend in O2 stores.

NEW A BATHING APE OLYMPIC T- SHIRT COLLECTION

2012-07-18T11:05:00.001-07:00

A Bathing Ape are releasing an exclusive olympic collection of T-shirts available in their London store and online

A Bathing Ape have produced an exclusive t-shirt range available from the Bape Store, 4 Upper James Street, London and their online store. The tee's are priced at £70 and are made especially for the London 2012 Olympics later this month. Limited numbers are available as per usual.

So Grab the limited edition t shirts fast before they run out.

Hotly ANticipated Rumored iPad mini rumored to be manufactured exclusively in Brazil

2012-07-08T09:45:00.004-07:00

Image Credit: Imore

iPad mini rumors will not go away, with the latest set centering around it being manufactured exclusively in Brazil. According to Macotakara, this information comes from a "Chinese reliable source". Here's just some of what they had to say:

This source, who seems to look a prototype, told that new tablet (iPad mini?) had same hight with Nexus 7 and slight larger width. Even though front projection size is larger than rivals, thickness of that new tablet is considered to be thinner than current most thinnest tablet Kindle Fire, and to be similar with iPod touch (4th generation) by this source.

Foxconn has invested heavily in iPad production in Brazil.

With regards to the 7-inch iPad being same height as the Nexus 7 but slightly wider, the width increase would make sense as Apple prefers the 4:3 aspect ratio for iPad screens where as other manufacturers seem to like the 16:9 ratio. 16:9 is the standard for movies but not the best ratio for apps, web surfing and most other tasks.

iMore reported on the 7-inch iPad pricing and release date back in may. The date we are hearing is October 2012, which would put it right alongside the new iPhone. Our sources also told us that the iPad mini would be identical to the current iPad but, just a scaled down version.

Source: Macotakara

Dappy releases sequel to orignal Tarzan-Tarzan 2

2012-07-03T13:50:00.004-07:00

N dubzs member Dappy widely known in the UK. Has released his sequel video from his smash hit single Tarzan in collaboration with SBTV. The controversial N-Dubz star has just released a new video called I’m Coming: Tarzan 2, and it’s not one to watch if you’re quick to blush or take offense easily.

For one, it’s very rude. Highlights include some nice ladies romping on a bed, the appearance of some blow up sex dolls, and one of Dappy’s mates sat on the loo!

Check it Out and let us know your opinions through posting comments

Spain Crushes Italy In Euro 2012 Final

2012-07-01T14:12:00.004-07:00

Spain trounced Italy 4-0 in the European Championship final on Sunday, extending its reign as the best team in world football.

Goals from David Silva and Jordi Alba in the first half gave Spain a convincing lead. Fernando Torres and fellow substitute Juan Mata added late goals.

Italy was down to 10 men after the 64th minute. The team had used its substitutes when Thiago Motta was taken off due to injury.

The victory lifted Spain to a record third straight major title, after winning Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

Spain even allowed Italy the majority of first-half possession, yet its trademark quick passing game was lethal when required.

Spain captain Iker Casillas was outstanding in keeping Italy's attack at bay.

FOOTWEAR FRIDAY: ADIDAS DROP LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC TRAINER COLOURWAYS EXCLUSIVE TO JD

2012-07-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

In the original adidas London colourway and the blue and yellow style, adidas pay homage to the summer games.

At for the forefront of this summer's Olympic Games, adidas have been paying homage to the once in a lifetime event in the capital with a number of designs, drops and colourways and today we take a look at their exclusive trainer range in the original adidas London colour-way of Red and Black which was one of the first from the City Series range and the Blue and Yellow style which has been utilized in the 2012 logo.

The trainers will be available in July from JD stores and jdsports.co.uk

Why Students Should Gain Entrepreneurship Experience Before Graduating

2012-06-30T16:54:00.001-07:00

More and more students are realizing that they can’t pass their degree in for a job upon graduation anymore. The old promise made by our education system was that if you worked really hard in school, you would be almost guaranteed a job as a reward for your efforts. Furthermore, corporations used to hire most of their interns into full-time positions. Both of these promises have been broken due to economic constraints and global competition. Based on a recent report by my company, we found that employers expect students to have at least one internship, yet only half of them are bringing on new interns and few have hired them into full-time positions. The normal path to growing your career is non-existent. In today’s world, you can’t rely on anything or anyone to make you successful – you have to be accountable for your own career and create your own path.

Students are stressed out because there are few paid internships and it’s even hard to get unpaid ones. To me, the solution to this mess is clear: Students who can’t get internships should start a small business or a side project, both of which can act as an internship. If the business fails, they still learn something and have experience on their resume. If the business is successful, they don’t have to worry about getting a full-time job upon graduation. Instead of sending resumes, praying and begging your friends, you can do things your way. Years ago, it would be rare for a student to have entrepreneurship experience on their resume because the cost of starting a business was so high and because they didn’t have the resources or expertise to pull it off. Times
have changed!

Now, hundreds of colleges offer entrepreneurship courses and employers are starting to understand the importance of that type of education. In our research, we found that some employers are actually looking for students with entrepreneurship experience when hiring for entry-level positions. Why do you think? Well, it’s because students who have an entrepreneurial mindset are accountable for their own actions, aggressive and know how to execute. They also have the communication and sales skills that are necessary to be successful in business today. Smart companies fully understand that if they don’t innovate, they won’t exist in the future. By recruiting young entrepreneurs, they bring new perspectives and youthful ideas into the workplace.

When speaking to employers about this phenomenon, some of the top executives said that they would rather hire a student with entrepreneurship experience over a student that had five internships. Entrepreneurs naturally develop soft skills, such as communication skills and teamwork skills that employers are desperately looking for right now as they scout to find the next generation of leaders at their companies. If you’re a student right now, make it your mission to take your career into your own hands and start a project or small business, whether you’re selling clothes on eBay, selling products to fellow students or you come up with the next big Facebook idea. Employers don’t care if it succeeds or fails, just that you gave it a shot and learned something from it. If you want to graduate with a job, then you better brush up your entrepreneurship skills today – your future depends on it!

Android Jelly Bean vs. iOS 6 vs. Windows Phone 8

2012-06-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

A quick comparison on all the new 3 major Operating systems being released this year by 3 big companys

(For the record, this is not a review. There will be no review until we have spent some quality time with the final versions of iOS 6, Android 4.1 and Windows Phone 8. This is, instead, a look at how these three stack up on paper in 12 key categories.)

Apps

iOS: 650,000 apps. 225,000 for iPad. Still tops as far as smartphone platforms go.

Android: Android is currently at 450,000 apps for Android. Most apps will run on tablets, but the number of tablet-optimised offerings is significantly lower than iOS (Google won’t give an official number, but a quick run-through Google Play makes the situation abundantly clear).

Windows Phone: Windows Phone currently has 100,000 apps available for download, which is considerably less than the other two. And since there’s no Windows 8 tablet yet, well…

Maps

iOS: Apple now has a maps service of its very own like Google and Microsoft. Not only does it deliver traffic updates, points of interest, and turn-by-turn navigation (which is well integrated throughout iOS 6), there are 3D maps which both look cool and might be helpful when lost in the middle of a crowded metropolis. But the lack of public transit directions hurts, even if they’re offering a third-party API solution.

And iPhone users reared on Street View might sorely miss it; Apple hasn’t presented an equivalent.

Android: Google Maps in Jelly Bean will likely be unchanged from what Google showed off a few weeks ago at its dedicated maps event: 3D buildings, offline caching and Yelp integration will all be added to supplement the top notch combination of search, turn-by-turn navigation, and Street View. Plus, the search giant is going crazy with mapping the insides of notable locales—Compass Mode employs a phone’s gyroscope to give you 360-degree interior views—so expect to see more of that over time.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone 7 was a showcase for Microsoft’s Bing maps, but the mobile navigation turf will belong to Nokia on Windows Phone 8. The good news is, that means terrific NAVTEQ maps, turn-by-turn navigation, 3D buildings, offline caching, and dynamic routing for public transit. There aren’t many bells and whistles here, though, for better or worse.

Browser Sync

iOS: iCloud Tabs are new in iOS 6, and unify your browsing across all of your iOS and OS X devices. It’s not a full cloud browser that offers the same tab view across all devices, but rather a list of tabs tucked behind an icon or sub-menu, along with your bookmarks.

Android: The Chrome Beta on Android offers tab syncing with your desktop as well, but throws bookmark and search syncing in the bargain. And since there are more desktop Chrome users in the world than any other browser, a lot of people will be taking advantage of this feature.

Windows Phone: Browser sync is conspicuously absent from Windows Phone, which is odd considering it will run the same version of Internet Explorer that Windows 8 will in the WinRT environment. Then again, with Windows 8 and WP8 both not expected until this fall, there’s a lot of time for Microsoft to make this work. Fingers crossed.

Facebook Integration

iOS: Facebook is integrated throughout iOS 6, which means you can update your status and upload images from various apps (not to mention notification center), sync contacts, and have your Facebook events coordinate with your iOS Calendar. Plus a third-party API is on the way, so all apps can integrate Facebook into their wares.

Android: Android has always been good for Facebook sharing, and there’s no reason for that to change with Jelly Bean. You can share and upload from pretty much anywhere in the OS, or inside most Android apps. Plus you can pull Facebook data for your contacts already stored on your phone, or pull all your Facebook friends into your contacts.

Windows Phone: Facebook integration has always been one of Windows Phone’s selling points, as the platform seamlessly integrates features like status updates, images, Contacts, Chat, and Events into Microsoft’s own sections (People, Messaging, Calendar, etc). It’s as well-designed as Facebook integration can get.

Voice Commands

iOS: Siri wasn’t amazing in iOS 5, but it worked. In addition to being able to dictate texts and emails, schedule calendar events, and set timers, Siri in iOS 6 has much more promise, given its ability to pull data from even more sources (sports scores, movie times, dinner reservations), in more useful ways. Plus, Siri will be able to interface with car audio and navigation systems once iOS 6 goes live in the fall.

Android: With Jelly Bean, speech recognition is about to get a big update. Google has always allowed for voice search and dictation across the entire OS, but now it taps into Knowledge Graph and a built-in speech recogniser that will be in future devices. Not only should Android voice recognition improve dramatically, but it will recognise voice input even while offline and, like Siri, can spit back Wolfram-like semantic search results (with or without your voice).

Windows Phone: Windows Phone also has voice commands, allowing you to place calls, send texts, search the web, and launch an app all from your device. It may not have the depth of Google and Apple’s efforts, but it’s there.

Mobile Payments

iOS: Surprise! The iPhone doesn’t have NFC, which means Apple doesn’t have much to offer in terms of mobile payments. But Passbook is Apple’s way in. When it’s up and running, it will collect tickets, rewards cards, debit/credit cards and more into a single app relies on both GPS and QR codes to work. It can also deliver updates and notifications for the items you have stored in Passbook (flight updates, expiring deals, etc). It’s clearly been designed with NFC payments in mind; we just have to wait a few months until Apple makes it official.

Android: For the time being, Google Wallet—which includes mobile payments, deals/rewards/offers, and more—remains unchanged. But it is a HUGE question mark for Google. Sprint is still the only official Google Wallet mobile partner (and even they’re rumored to be parting ways), MasterCard is the only card company on board, and the number of devices NFC is available on is limited. Google announced new NFC-based features today unrelated to payments; hopefully it’s enough to entice hardware partners to include the tech in future devices.

Windows Phone: With the arrival of Windows Phone 8 will come Wallet, which is Microsoft’s full-fledged attempt at, well, a digital wallet. You’ll be able to store credit/debit cards and rewards/loyalty cards, not to mention the ability to access deals. But what might set Windows Phone apart from Android and iOS is that it will make use of secure NFC elements stored on SIM cards, which will allow for more flexibility—and security—when it comes to the preferred standards of card companies and mobile carriers (Google Wallet has hit a wall because of resistance to its own built-in secure elements). Save for Apple strong-arming everyone into playing by its rules, this may be the most frictionless way for NFC-based payment technologies to succeed.

Video Chat

iOS: Apple has FaceTime, which can place calls over 3G or Wi-Fi, and works fairly well. But its also a pretty insular app that only works with other Apple devices.

Android: Android’s Gmail/Google Talk-based video chat system is a bit more universal, considering you can video chat with anybody who has Gmail on a Mac, PC, or Android phone. And yes, you can chat over 3G or Wi-Fi. But Google’s ace in the hole, surprisingly enough, might just be its Google+ app, which features Hangout support and will be available for both Android and, some day soon, iOS.

Windows Phone: Microsoft’s secret voice chat weapon is Skype, which is arguably the most universal standard of them all. There are already proper Skype apps for Macs, PCs, iOS, and Android—and Microsoft owns all of them.

Call Features

iOS: iOS 6 lets you decline a call with a canned SMS response; filter out calls annoying contacts, and includes a Do Not Disturb toggle, all of which will prove useful for power users.

Android: Android lets you compose a series of texts you can use as quick auto-replies when declining a call, and also lets you filter out calls from specific people, but it lacks the ability to enter into a Do Not Disturb mode.

Windows Phone: This is another weak point in Windows Phone, as there are no pre-composed texts you can fire off to people you don’t want to talk to, nor is there any sort of Do Not Disturb functionality. But there are advanced filtering and call block options for those people you’re trying to avoid.

Messaging

iOS: iMessage is a beta feature with a lot of promise, given its ability to trade messages between phones, tablets and laptops. But it’s hardly seamless, and barely reliable, and not exactly intuitive. There’s currently no real way to link a phone number and iCloud account of a contact and have texts and iMessages appear in a single thread. Nor do messages always arrive to all your connected devices. And there’s no way to instant message with non-Apple users. We have yet to see the final implementation of this cross-device integration, which probably won’t be settled until iOS 6 is officially out, but there’s definitely some work to be done in this regard.

Android: With WebOS all but dead, Android has the best native instant messaging platform hands down. Sure it doesn’t integrate with AIM or Facebook, but AIM has a foot in the grave anyways, and Gchat is every bit as ubiquitous as Facebook Chat. When you’re logged in to Gchat, messages always arrive on all connected devices reliably and quickly. That’s more than can be said for iMessages. Plus, Google Voice is well integrated throughout Android, which means text messages sent from your phone or laptop stay perfectly synced.

Windows Phone: The messaging effort on Windows Phone is solid and well considered, allowing you to seamlessly send texts, Facebook messages, and Skype messages to a given contact from a single window. No, there’s no Gchat or AIM, but that’s not particularly shocking, given the trend towards walled ecosystems with each platform.

Smarter Icons

iOS: When it comes to dynamic app icons, Apple is sorely lacking. Sure it has badges that let you know when there are new messages, emails, or notifications, but they don’t really tell you anything else.

One of the things we’d hoped for was that Apple would smarten up its app icons. Let them change to display information. Unfortunately, Apple is still stuck in the past on this one.

Android: Android doesn’t really do much with app icons either, and that doesn’t change with Jelly Bean. But since the App drawer is pushed into the secondary layer of Android, it doesn’t matter. Android employs widgets to take on the task of real-time updates, which allows for a fair amount of customization when it comes to getting your mail/weather/calendar updates from your home screen in a quick manner. They can sometimes be messy and unruly, but when properly implemented, are quite useful.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone 8′s Live Tiles are the cream of the crop amongst smartphones. Not only can they display notifications and vital info (such as texts, mail, weather calendar events), but they arrange into a neatly-organized grid that is now bolstered by the ability to break tiles into three different sizes depending on how you want info displayed. Microsoft is way ahead of everyone else in this regard.

Media Streaming

iOS: iOS 6 has AirPlay, which has been one of the easier, more intuitive implementations of media streaming we’ve seen so far. You can push music from your computer or iOS device to AirPlay-approved speakers, AirPort Express routers, and Apple TV (which also accepts video and iOS device mirroring, and soon OS X mirroring). And if you’re streaming from a computer, you can push to multiple AirPlay devices. But like some of Apple’s other features (FaceTime, iMessage), AirPlay doesn’t really extend past the Apple product ecosystem. That said, you’ll find AirPlay baked into more and more devices with each passing month.

Android: With the introduction of the £200 Nexus Q, Google just provided its own streaming standard for Android-based devices. The hubs will be able to take audio and video streams, and spit them out to televisions and speakers (powered by the Q’s 25-watt amplifier). Plus you can link hubs together for more robust multi-zone streaming than what Apple offers. Think of it as Sonos for Android, complete with the modest sticker shock.

Windows Phone: Windows Phone will have SmartGlass to serve as its media streaming portal to the Xbox. Though built directly on top of DLNA streaming standards, the app simplfies and visualises the process of pushing content back and forth between the Xbox and Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 devices. Plus, SmartGlass can beam supplimentary content to your device while watching a TV show, such as Game of Thrones. Toss in the possibilities for gaming and support for Windows, Android, and iOs, and you have yourself a very intriguing streaming platform.

Does Google Have Any Social Skills at All?

2012-06-30T13:52:00.004-07:00

Google revealed a lot at Google I/O: a shimmering tablet at a good price, a sci-fi home theater orb, seriously sophisticated search, and Jelly Beans. It also revealed an unsettling lack of human understanding.
We’ve had privacy concerns before, but could it be more? Could it be that Google just doesn’t get real people?
The keynote sounded one futuristic clarion call after another: Glass, the wearable computer; Google Now, a smartphone system that provides intricately tailored life information; the Nexus Q, a social media streamer; and a fancy new way to throw parties with Google+. But underneath each of these feats of technology you could see a hollow, lurching weirdness that makes you wonder: Who will use any of this stuff besides the actors in Google’s promo videos?
Everything new from Google is prima facie fantastic, and served with the best intentions. Google is a monolithic company, sure, but it’s filled with geniuses who want to make your life easier through technology. Nobody’s faulting their ambition, or questioning its motives. But we have to wonder: Are these new things meant for regular people, or the data-obsessed, grace-deficient Silicon Valley nerd vanguard? As much as we wish it weren’t so, the answer seems a whole hell of a lot like the latter. That the company responsible for Android is still building for robots. In each case, Google has balanced on golden fingers a product — clearly with a lot of time, thought, and money behind it — that just doesn’t seem to jibe with the way we, or at least me, actually live our lives. There isn’t any lack of effort or innovation here, but rather a gaping disconnect between the way data geeks and the rest of the “normal people” see the world.
Despite the face we’re not actually getting it, consider the Nexus Q. It’s a beautifully machined object, with pulsating lights, a face that’s both futuristic and friendly, and the ostensible goal of making it easier to listen to music and watch movies with friends. Who could oppose that? Only some sort of monster! But look at the way Google envisions us using it: you go to your friend’s house, bump her Q with your Nexus (reread that sentence a few times) for NFC access, then sit on the couch taking turns streaming media to the home theater. Uhhh.

This is a strange take on the decades-old practice of sitting around listening to and looking at things. Is it defeating the whole point? Q asks us to stare and contemplate software, to be ever conscious of our phones and tablets, and to pull ourselves out of enjoyment for the sake of interaction. Blech to all of that — don’t people just want to throw on a playlist or Pandora and have a drink? Injecting so many menus, no matter how gracefully designed and modern, between your friends and the things you like, seems downright antisocial. It’s doubtful will buy or use the Q because it just doesn’t sound like any fun unless you’re an Android engineer.
The same empathy vacuum threatens the rest of Google’s reveals. Glass is tremendously neat, in that it takes movie scenes and active imaginations common to all of us and makes them a real thing out of plastic and metal. First person videos are a genuinely cool idea. But Google thinks that we’re all ready to walk around wearing the things. Which, you know, we aren’t. Not everyone is a somewhat eccentric data maven billionaire, too rich and lost in a world of giant ideas to care how he looks walking around all day. Are you? This presents not just a leap in technology, but in culture.
For many of us, a computer that’s literally sitting on our face for every waking moment sounds really socially alienating. Say what you want about the punctures smartphones have delivered to everyday interaction, but at least those things go back to our purses and pockets when they’re not being used. But Glass is there to stay, becoming a part of your face, and turning you into a baby-scaring cyborg. Unless everyone in the world gets a pair and simultaneously agrees this is no longer weird, what functionality is worth being the guy with the robo-face? While we struggle to imagine Google Glasses reconciled with normal life, Google isn’t sweating it — normal life isn’t an issue. The question is, should we laud their futuristic boldness, or wince at uncomfortable expectations?

Google’s making similar declarations about the way our lives should be with its new software, too. In the grand scheme of things, especially when compared to Facebook, not that many people actually use Google+ (rightly or wrongly), and this week’s flagship addition — a new way to organise and share parties — makes it hard to believe that’ll change. The new Google+ will be just as earnest and kindly-intentioned as it’s ever been, designed to share moments and thoughts and insights with people you care about. If only it worked that way for the masses. Instead, Google+’s “party mode” is as painfully dorky as it sounds, and bizarrely opposed to the entire point of a party for the vast majority. Where’s the humanity in that?

Facebook’s event invites might be bare, but that’s fine — we just want to broadcast the information and get the word out. A means to an end (fun). We don’t want to spend time agonising over which GIF of a sparkler or peach cobbler to send to our uninhabited Google+ circles so that our guests can in turn upload photos of the jump off in real time, providing some bastardised function halfway between party and panopticon. We don’t need realtime visuals of a kegger or BBQ. Our social lives don’t need analytics. The people at our events should never be equaled or bested by the advanced software that got them there — but Google risks putting an internet Hangout on the same plane as celebrating an IRL hangout. We normals don’t want software that brings us into a circle around LCD screens as a party climaxes; we want to be around each other, right? Google should be making things that facilitate this, not some overwrought invite system more complex than actually planning a party. It’s enough to make you a little uncomfortable
Same deal with Google Now, which is incredible, but similarly wince-inducing. It’s probably the best mobile search ever seen — and sure beats the shirt off Siri — but what happens when that awe and lustre rubs off? Google told us Android’s search would be stellar because it would know everything about our lives — where we eat, where we live, where we work, constantly following our moves and tastes in order to provide intricate answers when we need them. But the whole deal presumes we’re comfortable being followed and memorised like that. To Google, it’s a non-grievance. Who would ever care? Why would you turn down a computer that knows the details of your personal life, and can predict the next one?
Google might be blinded by its own smarts. It’s an honest to god braintrust, filled with people who want to make the future. But here’s the thing about the future: it should make the way we live our lives better, not dictate the way we live our lives. It’s unintentional — the company truly thinks Google+ is super cool, whether you agree or not; maybe it is, to the engineers behind it. But for those of us who aren’t data-crazed boy geniuses, it’s a nerdy imposition when butted up against the likes of Facebook.
Precision and power shouldn’t supplant personality in the things we use, and if there’s an opportunity to get more information, we shouldn’t rush to say yes. But Google’s keen to say yes for us all: even if it makes us feel funny, or lonely. Even if it could have the opposite of the intended effect. The idol of technology and the marvels it could yield towers over us, wearing a computer on its face, letting a phone predict its lunch, and sitting in the corner of a party looking at pictures of other people having fun. Google’s making plenty of impressive things — but are they impressive things that everyone actually wants?
We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will update with any responses.

RITA ORA ANNOUNCES MANCHESTER AND LONDON DATES

2012-06-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

After hitting top spot with her Tinie Tempah featured R.I.P, Rita Ora is headed to Manchester and London for dates in August.

Technically her first headline tour, we're not sure two dates consitutes a proper jaunt so we're referring to them as two dates. Rita Ora has already seen number one hits with Hot Right Now and R.I.P and is hoping for the hat-trick ball when she releases How We Do (Party) on August 12. To mark the release, the sexy songstress will perform two of her biggest headline dates thus far in Manchester and London.

Having torn down the Capital Summertime Ball, Lovebox and Radio 1's Hackney Weekender as well as touring with Coldplay around Europe, Ora is bringing with her a hefty live reputation to Sound Control in Manchester and Scala in London.

Fans who want to get a copy of the album and be the first to buy tickets for the Manchester Sound Garden or London Scala shows as well will be able to do so via an exclusive fan club pre-order link right here from 9AM on June 27.Tickets will go on general sale on Friday June 29.

Wednesday August 29 - Sound Control, Manchester

Thursday August 30 - Scala, London

Tickets will be available from Friday June 29 from livenation.co.uk