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Taylor Swift covers student's $30,000 tuition fees

2020-08-22T03:20:00.006-07:00

Taylor Swift has assisted a teenager in the U.K. with her university dreams by donating more than $30,000 (£22,700) to cover her tuition fees.

Vitoria Mario, who moved to London from Portugal as a young teen, had recently created a GoFundMe page online to solicit donations, after learning she wasn't eligible for a student loan or grant to help pay for her mathematics course at the University of Warwick.

Describing herself as 'a young Black 18 year old with a dream' who had found herself 'in a position of uncertainty', Mario explained why she was trying to raise around $53,000 (£40,000).

"Sadly, my father has passed away, and my mother remains in Portugal," she wrote on the campaign page.

She added that: "Moving away from her was a challenge but it was a sacrifice worth being made, in my family's eyes. 'If you can get a university education in the UK, you will be set apart for life'."

Mario had only managed to raise less than a third of her donation goal by Thursday, when Swift, who is known for her charitable fan endeavours, suddenly stepped up and opened her cheque book.

"Vitoria, I came across your story online and am so inspired by your drive and dedication to turning your dreams into reality," the ME! hitmaker wrote.

She declared: "I want to gift you the rest of your goal amount. Good luck with everything you do! Love, Taylor."

Mario has yet to comment on the singer's generosity, but a friend shared the news via Twitter, writing: "So taylorswift13 donated £23K to my friend who needed funding for university and she's met her target?! THANKYOU JESUSSSSSS!!!!! GOD IS SO GOOD (sic)!!!!!!"

Britney's conservatorship extended to 2021

2020-08-22T03:18:00.004-07:00

Britney Spears' conservatorship will continue until at least 2021.

The 38-year-old pop star was placed under a conservatorship in 2008 following her breakdown, and after her attorney recently filed a request on her behalf to ask that her father, Jamie Spears, be permanently removed as her conservator, a judge has now extended the terms of her conservatorship until February next year.

Britney's attorney, Samuel Ingham, was authorised to file a petition no later than September 18 and have it set for hearing on October 14, and the temporary letters of conservatorship were extended until February 1, 2021.

The 'Toxic' hitmaker's father was appointed conservator of her personal affairs when she was placed under the conservatorship in 2008, but temporarily stepped down in 2019 citing health issues, when he was replaced by Jodi Montgomery.

In Britney's filing earlier this week, she insisted she was "strongly opposed" to having her dad return as sole conservator and would "strongly prefer" for Jodi to stay in the role.

The singer and her attorney stated they would prefer a "qualified corporate fiduciary" to take charge of her affairs.

However, a few days after her filing, Jamie also filed documents requesting he and lawyer Andrew Wallet both be reinstated as Britney's conservators.

Jamie has asked that he and Andrew be granted the "power to obtain all documents and records" relating to Britney's estate, including "all contracts, information relating to credit cards, bank statements, estate planning documents, receivables, and any and all powers of attorney."

Related Slideshow: Interesting facts about Britney Spears (Provided by Photo Services)

Sevilla 3-2 inter Milan - All Goals And Extended Highlights

2020-08-22T02:55:00.004-07:00

Taylor Swift Asks Anna Wintour 8 Questions | Go Ask Anna | Vogue

2019-08-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

NASA To Return Humans To Moon By 2024, Build Way Station To Mars

2019-07-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

The next manned mission to the moon will require leaps in robotic technologies and a plan for NASA to work with private companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX.

NASA officials say exploration of the moon and Mars is intertwined.

Unlike the Apollo program that put astronauts on the moon 50 years ago, NASA is gearing up for a long term presence on Earth's satellite that the agency says will eventually enable humans to reach Mars.

"Now, NASA is working to build a sustainable, open architecture that returns humanity to our nearest neighbor," Jim Bridenstine, the administrator of the U.S. space agency, said in a statement to a Senate committee on Wednesday.

"We are building for the long term, going to the Moon to stay, and moving beyond to Mars."

The next manned mission to the moon will require leaps in robotic technologies and a plan for NASA to work with private companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX or Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to help cut the cost of space travel.

Using NASA's Space Launch System, a heavy-lift rocket being built for a debut flight in late 2020, the agency is aiming to return humans to the moon by 2024 in an accelerated timeline set in March by the Trump administration.

No humans have launched from U.S. soil since the space shuttle program ended in 2011.

NASA officials say exploration of the moon and Mars is intertwined, with the moon becoming a testbed for Mars and providing an opportunity to demonstrate new technologies that could help build self-sustaining extraterrestrial outposts.

"We are working right now in fact to put together a comprehensive plan on how we would conduct a Mars mission using the technologies that we will be proving at the moon," Bridenstine told reporters on Monday, adding that a mission to the Red Planet could come as soon as 2033.

Technologies that can mine the moon's subsurface water ice to sustain astronaut crews, but also to be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen for use as a rocket propellant, could be crucial for missions to Mars. The planet is reachable in months-long missions when at its closest orbital approach of 35.8 million miles from Earth.

"It's utilization versus curiosity," said roboticist and research professor at Carnegie Mellon University William Whittaker, comparing the Artemis program, as the new lunar mission has been dubbed, with Apollo. Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the moon in Greek mythology.

Political Priorities

The last manned mission to the moon was almost a half-century ago in 1972, when Cold War era tensions underscored President John F. Kennedy's push to prove technologies that landed the first humans on the lunar surface.

"That's 50 years of non-progress; I think we all ought to be a little ashamed that we can't do better than that," said Buzz Aldrin, who joined Neil Armstrong in walking on the moon on July 20, 1969.
Bridenstine said shifting political priorities were the key reason NASA had not returned to the surface of Earth's natural satellite since then.

"If it wasn't for the political risk, we would be on the moon right now," said the NASA chief, who is working to woo Republican and Democratic lawmakers to approve additional taxpayer funds for the program.

Development of NASA's flagship rocket, Space Launch System, whose main contractor is Boeing Co, is taking years longer than expected with cost overruns of nearly $2 billion, a federal audit released in June found. Those delays could push the rocket's first launch to June 2021, potentially endangering NASA's plan to reach the moon by 2024.

"Cost and schedule matter," Bridenstine said. "So we are working rapidly to put together a team that can assess the cost and schedule of these programs and create a realistic baseline that we can work toward."

Bridenstine, under mounting pressure to meet the White House's 2024 deadline, demoted two longtime heads of NASA's human exploration division last week in a slew of administrative shakeups amid dwindling congressional support for the lunar initiative.

Charlie Duke, who piloted the lunar-landing module during the last lunar mission, Apollo 16, said leadership in the Apollo missions was "bold without being careless."

"Don't be so risk averse that you don't fly," he said.

He added that the decision to put astronauts on top of a massive Saturn V rocket, the launch vehicle used by NASA for the Apollo program, "was a very gutsy call. They went through it carefully and they determined it was OK."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Balkan TV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Taylor Swift made $185 million in 2018, making her the highest-paid celebrity

2019-07-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Taylor Swift can add highest paid celebrity to her list of accomplishments.

Forbes recently announced that the 29-year-old singer clinched the top spot on its annual Celebrity 100 list, which ranks stars based on annual, pretax income.

Swift brought in $185 million in 2018, according to the magazine, beating out “youngest self-made billionaire ever” Kylie Jenner.

The 21-year-old held the No. 2 spot with $170 million and was followed by, Kanye West, her brother-in-law, who made $150 million last year.

Soccer star Lionel Messi and Swift’s sometimes-collaborator Ed Sheeran rounded out the Top 5, with $127 million and $110 million, respectively.

Swift’s income got a boost from her 53-stop Reputation World Tour in support of the album of the same name, which grossed a total revenue of $345.7 million, according to Billboard, and was the singer’s highest grossing tour.

On her first headlining world tour, which ran between 2009 and 2010 in support of her debut album “Fearless,” Swift managed $63.7 million. To date, all of Swift’s tours, plus a handful of other headlining performances have raked in $935.4 million.

Swift's 'Reputation' is out of her hands

“Reputation” was Swift’s last album released under Big Machine Label Group. The singer had been with the label since beginning her career, but left in 2018. She eventually signed with Universal Music Group/Republic (CMCSA). For the extent of her original contract, UMG acted as distributor for BMLG, so the company was already familiar with Swift’s body of work. Upon leaving the label, Swift did not gain ownership of her master catalog.

Big Machine recently sold for a reported $300 million to Ithaca Holdings, a media holding company under the umbrella of mega-manager Scooter Braun, whose clients include Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. Swift found the deal unfavorable, as it leaves her “musical legacy...in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it,” a reference to Braun.

Swift reportedly did not want to re-sign with BMLG for fear of being sold off to another label. Larry Miller, director of the music business program at NYU’s Steinhardt School, explained that once it was clear the label’s biggest artist would be leaving, “it became a foregone conclusion that Big Machine would sell to someone.

The sale has opened up a conversation about who has the rights to an artist’s masters. Miller put it bluntly.

“Fundamentally, here is the trade that artists make who sign a traditional record deal,” Miller said. “In return for taking the risk of signing — whether they’re a new artist or an established artist — the label retains control of sound recordings under that agreement. The artist’s work becomes the property of the label.”

On Wednesday, Big Machine announced that it would be releasing a limited edition vinyl featuring five songs off Swift’s self-titled debut album.

AI could help curb youth suicide

2019-07-16T14:07:00.005-07:00

In suicide-prevention literature, “gatekeepers” are community members who may be able to offer help when someone expresses suicidal thoughts. It’s a loose designation, but it generally includes teachers, parents, coaches, and older co-workers—people with some form of authority and ability to intervene when they see anything troubling.
Could it also include Google? When users search certain key phrases related to suicide methods, Google’s results prominently feature the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. But the system isn’t foolproof. Google can’t edit webpages, just search results, meaning internet users looking for information about how to kill themselves could easily find it through linked pages or on forums, never having used a search engine at all.
At the same time, on the 2019 internet, “run me over” is more likely to be a macabre expression of fandom than a sincere cry for help—a nuance a machine might not understand. Google’s artificial intelligence is also much less effective at detecting suicidal ideation when people search in languages other than English.

Ultimately, search results are a useful, but very broad, area in which to apply prevention strategies. After all, anyone could be looking for anything for any reason. Google’s latest foray into algorithmic suicide prevention is more targeted, for people who are already asking for help.
In May, the tech giant granted $1.5 million to the Trevor Project, a California-based nonprofit that offers crisis counseling to LGBTQ teenagers via a phone line (TrevorLifeline), a texting service (TrevorText), and an instant-messaging platform (TrevorChat).
The project’s leaders want to improve TrevorText and TrevorChat by using machine learning to automatically assess suicide risk. It’s all centered on the initial question that begins every session with a Trevor counselor: “What’s going on?”
“We want to make sure that, in a nonjudgmental way, we’ll talk suicide with them if it’s something that’s on their mind,” says Sam Dorison, the Trevor Project’s chief of staff. “And really let them guide the conversation. Do [they] want to talk about coming out [or] resources by LGBT communities within their community? We really let them guide the conversation through what would be most helpful to them.”

Currently, those who reach out enter a first-come, first-served queue.Trevor’s average wait time is less than five minutes, but in some cases, every second counts. Trevor’s leadership hopes that eventually, the AI will be able to identify high-risk callers via their response to that first question, and connect them with human counselors immediately.
Google’s AI will be trained using two data points: the very beginning of youths’ conversations with counselors, and the risk assessment counselors complete after they’ve spoken with them. The idea is that by looking at how initial responses compare with ultimate risk, the AI can be trained to predict suicide risk based on the earliest response.
“We think that if we’re able to train the model based on those first few messages and the risk assessment, that there’s a lot more things that you don’t see that a machine could pick up on and can potentially help us learn more about,” says John Callery, the director of technology for the Trevor Project. Counselors will continue to make their own assessments, Callery added, noting that Trevor’s deescalation rate is 90 percent.
Algorithms have incredible potential to recognize unseen patterns, but what’s essential to being a good gatekeeper is agency—stepping forward and intervening if something’s wrong. That may or may not be a thing we want to imbue technology with, though in some ways we already have. Public-health initiatives in Canada and the U.K. mine social-media data to predict suicide risk. Facebook uses AI to quickly flag live videos to police if algorithms detect self-harm or violence.
We query Google on everything from hangover cures to medical advice to how to get over a breakup. The results can be mixed, or even misleading, but the search bar doesn’t pass judgment.
“[Students] go home, they get online, and they can disclose any of this stuff to anybody in the whole world,” says Stephen Russell, the chair of human development and family science at the University of Texas at Austin. Russell has been conducting pioneering research on LGBTQ youth for decades and says that while troubled students “shouldn’t have to go to Google” to address these problems, training real-life gatekeepers to be open and engaged allies doesn’t always work, because of decades of stigma and bias against the queer community. “Even today I hear [administrators] say, ‘Well, we don’t have kids like that here.’ That’s been an ongoing dilemma,” he says.
Which is where the Trevor Project comes in. Eventually, the nonprofit’s leaders want an AI system that will predict what resources youths will need—housing, coming-out help, therapy—all by scanning the first few messages in a chat. Long term, they hope to evolve the AI so it can recognize patterns in metadata beyond just scanning initial messages. For example, if the AI could determine reading or education level from the messages, could it make inferences about how structural factors affect suicide risk? It seems impossible that following a tangled field of “if, then” statements could save someone’s life, but soon enough, it could.

PSG chairman threatens Neymar

2019-07-16T14:03:00.001-07:00

Paris Saint-Germain chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has lost his patience with Neymar's on-going attempts to leave the club, 'threatening' the Brazilian with solo training sessions and telling him he won't play again until 2022.
Neymar has garnered plenty of attention this summer, thanks to his desire to engineer a return to Barcelona. Following controversial comments by Neymar regarding the 6-1 victory over PSG while he was at Barça, the chairman is said to have lost it.
According to a report from El Pais, al-Khelaifi threatened the 26-year-old with solo training sessions at Paris, as well as no football until his contract expired in 2022.

Neymar is yet to return to the Ligue 1 champions scheduled pre-season training sessions, which began last Monday, after remaining in Brazil to work on his NJR Institute project in Sao Paulo, for which the club have opened disciplinary proceedings against him.
In response, the forward has claimed that former sporting director Antero Henrique granted him permission to miss the first week of training before his departure.
In any case, the Brazilian has not helped himself in recent times, after telling reporters his favourite footballing moment of his career so far is Barca's against-the-odds comeback against PSG in the Champions League.

Inside Demi Lovato's Recovery: How She Plans to Fight Her Way Back to Sobriety

2018-08-17T00:36:00.000-07:00

Turns out Demi Lovato's fans are just as perceptive as they are devoted.

Because while most concertgoers at the California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles noticed the singer flubbed the lyrics to her latest hit "Sober" during her July 22 set—one that took place less than 48 hours before the pop star would be rushed to an L.A. hospital suffering from an apparent overdose—a few dedicated attendees paid heed to the verse that she missed. "We all laughed because she laughed too," spectator Fernanda Martinez told People, but they also listened: "The words she left out that night were, 'I'm sorry that I'm here again. I promise I'll get help.'"

Those in her immediate vicinity wondered aloud about the potential significance, Martinez noted, but as Lovato brushed it off, admitting to fans, "F--k, I forgot the words," they did too. Said Martinez, "We said we were probably overthinking it."

Or perhaps it was some sort of Freudian omission. Because while the former Disney star had no problem admitting to fans that she wasn't "sober anymore" with the release of her June track, she also wasn't completely interested in getting back there. This was not the same person who skipped out on the after-party for the 2016 Met Gala to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting because one star in particular ("a complete bitch," she said) left her wanting to reach for a drink. At 25 and on her first world tour in three years, the "Complicated" singer "wanted to be more social and out and about," one source reveals to E! News of her mindset.

As she began imbibing more and more—her July 24 overdose followed a night that started with shots at West Hollywood's Saddle Ranch Chop House where she was celebrating backup dancer Dani Vitale's birthday—friends voiced their concerns: Was she sure she should really be drinking? Did she want to try and mend fences with former sober companion Mike Bayer? Maybe a meeting would be a good idea? But Lovato—nearly eight years removed from her first rehab stay—insisted everything was under control. "Everyone has been urging her to get help with her life coach, and to seek treatment again," an insider explained, "but Demi thought she could handle it on her own."

An 11-day stay at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center that saw her battling constant nausea thanks to the life-saving Narcan in her system convinced her otherwise. With her closest companions (mom Dianna De La Garza, sisters Dallas Lovato and Madison De La Garza and former boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama were bedside fixtures) filling her in on just how close she came to death, Lovato realized how dire her situation had become. As she shared in a message to her 71 million Instagram followers, "What I've learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet."

Much like everything she shares with her fans, those words were Lovato's honest truth. She really thought she had it. Years had passed since she'd received her diagnosis—bipolar disorder in addition to substance abuse, bulimia and anxiety so severe it led her to self-harm—and she'd transformed herself from the type of person who could hardly go 30 minutes without doing cocaine into an inspiring beacon of hope to hordes of other survivors, many of whom flooded the Internet with the hashtag "#HowDemiHasHelpedMe" in the wake of her overdose.

She began to resent the short leash her team kept her on, a pal revealed to People: "She wanted more freedom and started breaking away." She reasoned she was strong enough to be out with friends and resist the urge to sip on a cocktail or dabble in drugs, but it was "a very slippery slope," the pal continued. "The disease Demi has is a vicious liar. It's been telling her for some time that she can use just a little. It led her to believing in the myth of moderation and controlled consumption, which absolutely does not work if you are an addict."

So now it's back to square one. Following her Aug. 4 discharge from Cedars-Sinai, Lovato headed straight to a treatment center. And save for a brief trip to Chicago to meet with a therapist who specializes in sobriety, mental health and wellness, she has no intentions of leaving. "She will be in rehab for several months," a source predicts to E! News, "and is doing an extensive program to ensure she gets the help she needs."

Initially a little resistant to undergoing another stint in professional treatment—"She is very embarrassed," notes the source—Lovato relented when she got the hard sell from her loved ones. "Demi's family says rehab is the only answer," says the source, "and are not letting her say no."

As she heard them out she knew they were right, of course. She was terrified by how close she came to losing her life and grateful to be alive and thus, insisted another insider, was taking her recovery incredibly seriously. She also recognized that this was a practice what you preach moment. She had long been open about her recovery, not shying away from even the most humiliating of details, like the time she was sipping vodka out of a Sprite bottle at nine in the morning "just to get on a plane to go back to L.A. to the sober living house." So why would she opt for anything but full disclosure now? Says the source, "She wants to make a statement to fans, family and friends that she is strong and can recover."

But not everyone will be along for the ride. For years, Lovato's crewhad been light on the Hollywood types. There were a few stars, the kind who were willing to chill out at home with her and didn't need to plaster their friendship all over social media. She'd sometimes hang with Hailee Steinfeld, "super chill" Ariana Grande and Iggy Azalea who "doesn't drink or party," she told Billboard. And of course longtime bestie Nick Jonas—a bold-faced name she doesn't really count as a celebrity because they've been close their entire lives. "I have my core group, and they're the type of people that will be there for me in the middle of the night," she raved to Complex in 2015. "They're the type of people that are like, 'You're being a bitch right now. Don't talk to me in that way,' and I'm like, 'Whoa. Sorry. I didn't realize it.' I don't have anybody around me who kisses my ass."

Times change, though, and in recent months, Lovato's cell phone had been filling up with a new group of cohorts who, for the most part, were more focused on having a good time than guarding the Texas native's sobriety. "She's been hanging out with the wrong mix of friends," a source insisted shortly after her hospitalization, "who didn't have her best interest."

Not anymore. In a move reminiscent of the time longtime manager Phil McIntyre smashed her phone and dunked it in water—dubbing it the "gateway" to dealers, hangers-on and other unhealthy influences—Lovato's mom and management team "have made sure that she has cut ties with all of her friends right now," reveals the source. "She hasn't been in communication with anyone and is really focusing on herself."

In addition to weeding out the type of pals less willing to tell the Grammy winner when she's being out of line, the move ensures that Lovato remains fixated on recovery. "The family is trying to make sure they eliminate all distractions," explains the source, "and want her to be focusing on her health right now."

That means her ex Valderrama, the guy Lovato has said she'll compare all future paramours to, isn't likely to drop in for rehab visits. But he has remained in touch with her family to get regular updates. And those close to Lovato haven't ruled out the possibility he could be by her side when she completes treatment later this year.

"They could definitely end up back together," a source told E! Newsfollowing their 2016 split. "They have crazy love for one another and a very special place in each other's hearts. When you have history like theirs, things are so comfortable and familiar. Nothing can really compare."

Any possibility of a reconciliation, though, is on the back burner for now, with Lovato singularly focused on her heath.

A dedicated student, the "Confident" singer "is happy she is getting the help she needs," says the source, adding she's aiming for a full recovery and a return to the studio and the stage. (Dates for the remaining shows of her Tell Me You Love Me tour have been canceled.)

"I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery," she explained in her Aug. 5 Instagram post. "The love you have all shown me will never be forgotten and I look forward to the day where I can say I came out on the other side. I will keep fighting."

Scarlett Johansson Dethrones Emma Stone as Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actress of 2018

2018-08-17T00:28:00.000-07:00

Scarlett Johansson has landed the top spot on Forbes' list of the world's highest-paid actresses of 2018.

According to the site, Johansson has quadrupled her 2017 earnings, raking in $40.5 million this year thanks in part to her role as Black Widow in the Avengers films. This news means that Johansson has dethroned 2017's top earner, Emma Stone, who didn't make the top 10 list this year.

Coming in at No. 2 on the Forbes list this year is Angelina Jolie with $28 million, with a majority of her earnings stemming from her role in the upcoming Maleficent 2 movie.

Jennifer Aniston has landed the third spot on the list for 2018, earning $19.5 million. The Friends alum rakes in most of her earnings from endorsement deals with Smartwater, Aveeno and Emirates airlines. Following closely behind Aniston on the list is Jennifer Lawrence, who landed the fourth spot with $18 million.

Coming in at No. 5 on the Forbes list is Reese Witherspoon with $16.5 million thanks in part to her turns in A Wrinkle in Time and the upcoming season of Big Little Lies 2. Mila Kunis follows close behind Witherspoon with $16 million, with Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Melissa McCarthy and Gal Gadot also scoring spots in the top 10.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout 5 star review: Better than Bourne and Bond

2018-07-29T02:47:00.002-07:00

Well, now, isn’t this something? Who’d have thought that, 22 years after the release of the first Mission: Impossible film, we’d still be looking for Tom Cruise to come and rescue us from a summer of big-screen mediocrity?

Who’d have dared imagine that, six instalments in, the Mission: Impossible franchise might still be relevant? Not me, anyway. But here we are, struggling to make sense of a series that, against all odds, seems to improve with age. A bit like Cruise himself, eh?

It’s hardly the story that keeps things going. If you were to ask me to condense the plot of Fallout into a single sentence, I’d tell you that our old chum Ethan Hunt is tasked with locating some stolen plutonium, and spends two-and-a-half hours, travelling the world, trying to keep it out of the wrong hands. That’s it.

But these things don’t really rely on plot, do they? We have the bare minimum of scraps to keep us ticking over, and to justify the real sell, which is Tom Cruise and his buds getting themselves into all sorts of spectacular shenanigans. Cruise getting into fights in toilets. Cruise jumping over buildings in London. Cruise jumping out of airplanes. Cruise getting into scraps with helicopters. We could go on.

Does it work? Oh, you had better bloody believe it works. How so? Bold, exhilarating and crisp-clean direction, a convincing leading man, who does his own stunts, astonishingly barmy yet fully coherent set-pieces, and a fabulously-assembled cast might have something to do with it.

Indeed, with Mission: Impossible — Fallout, returning writer/director, Christopher McQuarrie, presents a phenomenally well-crafted, cinematic blockbuster that fully utilises the medium on which it’s supposed to be experienced.

It makes all the difference when Cruise high-tails it through Paris on his motorbike — chased by police, bad guys and IMF team members — because, well, this is genuinely happening; Cruise is genuinely being chased through Paris.

These are real set-pieces — CGI is kept to a minimum and the results are outstanding. Are there other film-makers who work this way? Christopher Nolan, perhaps — and there is a touch of Nolan in this here display (Lorne Balfe’s deafening score has more than a whiff of the Hans Zimmers about it, too).

Not a second of McQuarrie’s 147-minute running time is wasted. Again, the story is simple. The IMF unit, which Hunt (Cruise) continues to front, is in trouble for misplacing that aforementioned plutonium. They’re up against the clock. They’re also up against some crazy terrorists with nuclear Armageddon on their minds.

Alec Baldwin continues to give orders where they’re not needed. Angela Bassett has entered the equation as the new director of the CIA. To make matters trickier, the CIA has enlisted a moustachioed muscle man named Walker (a capable Henry Cavill), to keep an eye on Hunt, as he and his mates (Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames and the always remarkable Rebecca Ferguson) try to save the world.

Did I mention those beautifully-orchestrated action sequences? Yep, Fallout will rattle your back teeth. It boasts more ups and downs than a theme-park ride, and more deliciously staged twists and double-crossings than we have any right to expect. It may be daft, but it’s also

outrageously entertaining.

As for the man of the hour, well, I don’t know how Tom Cruise (56) is still doing this. He looks amazing. He continues to take more knocks to the noggin than Conor McGregor. He still runs faster than Usain Bolt. He still exudes more movie-star magnetism than any of his peers.

This dazzling and dizzying exhibition of breathless blockbuster magic is, perhaps, the film he was born to make. Honestly, I don’t know who’s bigger — the series, or its leading man. But they’re a match made in heaven.

This is better than Bond and Bourne. This is everything a blockbuster is supposed to be. This, folks, is the reason we still go to the cinema. See it on the biggest screen you can find.

Zabranjena jabuka

2018-04-30T06:26:00.003-07:00

Zabranjena jabuka 1. epizoda

Zabranjena jabuka 2. epizoda

Zabranjena jabuka 3. epizoda

DNO

2018-04-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

Dno 1. epizoda

Ferrari Portofino (2018) review: California is so last year

2018-02-18T02:24:00.002-08:00

The Portofino is Ferrari’s replacement for the California T. Like its predecessor, the Portofino marks the entry point to the Ferrari range – this time at £166,180, an £11k increase – and remains a front-engined, two-plus-two-seat convertible with a folding hardtop. But despite being identical in concept, there are some big changes beneath the thoroughly redesigned skin, including a new bodyshell, and the entire folding hardtop, including its mechanism.

Most striking at a standstill is the design. Far more aggressive and F12-like than the softer, more approachable California, it suggests this is an altogether more serious driving machine.

That’s no coincidence – Ferrari has focussed on making the Portofino more exciting to drive, while being even more useable and comfortable for the typically new customers that a folding hardtop attracts to the Prancing Horse. First owners will take delivery in July 2018.

Does the California T engine carry over here?

Essentially, yes. It’s still the 3855cc twin-turbo V8 that’s closely related to the slightly larger unit in the 488. Key improvements over the California T include new pistons and con-rods, a new variable displacement oil pump to reduce hydraulic power losses by 30%, a single-piece cast turbo manifold, a new intercooler to boost performance and a new exhaust with reduced back pressure.

As a result, the V8 now delivers 592bhp and 561lb ft, up 40bhp/4lb ft on the California T, while efficiency increases from 24.1mpg/273g/km to 26.4mpg/245g/km. Power still feeds through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the rear wheels, but there’s a helping hand from a third evolution of Ferrari’s electronically controlled E-diff, and adaptive suspension that talks to a new ESP calibration. All combined, the Portofino now does the 0-124mph sprint in a claimed 10.8sec, 0.4sec faster than its predecessor.

Ferrari has targeted incremental weight savings throughout the Portofino, with that detail extending right down to shorter welds, so the Portofino is 80kg lighter than the Ferrari California. Insiders point out that the reduction in weight and increase in power is comparable to the shift from a 458 Italia to the far more hardcore 458 Speciale.

Can you operate the folding hardtop while driving?

At last, yes – California drivers had to pull to a stop to raise or lower the roof. The new roof – new skin, new mechanism remember – takes the same 14 seconds to open or close, but can now do so at up to 25mph. The mechanism is impressively quiet in its operation, but there are a few clunks as the panels lock into place, especially on closing. But, really, it’s very good.

You’re more aware of road noise from the rear 20-inch tyres than wind noise with the roof up, but even then you’ll appreciate the coupe-like refinement at higher speeds. It makes the weight and bulk of the folding hardtop almost worth it, because this is a bulky chunk of metal to put in your boot, as the still-quite-high bootline attests. Still, a claimed 292 litres of boot space is up 52 litres on the California T.

What’s it like inside?

Again it’s a big improvement. The wheelbase is the same at 2670mm, but the seats are all-new and built around slimline magnesium frames. They can drop you right down on the deck in max racing driver mode, and the 18-way items we tested electrically adjusted to squeeze and support where required. They also help unlock a claimed extra 50mm of legroom for occupants in the Isofix-compatible rear seats.

There’s a new leather steering wheel to frame the central rev counter, a new air-con system, but – more crucially – a new 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system too. Those ruthless Germans still do it better, but it now feels a better fit with the six-figure price tag.

It’s not all good news – the air-con controls are flimsy, the graphics in the instrument binnacle look a little dated, and you’re still not exactly overwhelmed by the standard equipment – but overall this is a good quality interior, with a suitably special feeling design.

How does the Portofino drive?

Throttle response is incredibly sparky, to the point of edginess at part throttle, but it does give the Portofino a likeably hungry impatience. Turbo lag is well disguised too, to the point where you only really know this is a turbo motor because of the thumping mid-range urge – and this is a genuinely rapid machine – not because of the sizeable pause before the punch. But where this engine really scores over its predecessor is how full-bodied it feels at higher revs.

The California T would rev to 8000rpm but it felt like it did so reluctantly, where the Portofino feels and sounds rich and hungry when you chase the redline, encouraging you to do so. For such a luxury-focussed machine, the bassy exhaust growl on start-up and at lower revs is perhaps surprisingly extrovert, but there’s no doubt it adds a sense of drama.

The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is typical Ferrari brilliance, slipping smoothly between ratios on moderate throttle, but punching in shifts more like you’re pulling a trigger than a paddleshift when you’re flat out. Downshifts are particularly impressive, engaging with real crispness as the revs flick up instantly, and underlining just how keen this engine is to rev.

What about the chassis?

It’s worth noting that we tested the Portofino on some pretty rough roads in southern Italy. Considering the poor state of the Tarmac, the suspension coped very well, and rounded off the worst of the bumps – especially in the essential ‘bumpy road’ mode – while still feeling firm and focussed enough to impart a sporty feeling.

A low-frequency jiggle remained throughout the structure, though, so while it’s far from poor, I found myself craving extra torsional stiffness – though Ferrari claims a 35% increase in stiffness over the California T. It’ll be interesting to see how it fares on smoother surfaces.

The Portofino is the second Ferrari after the 812 Superfast to get electric power steering. The lightness of the new system immediately makes the Portofino feel nimble and responsive, without being as hyperactively responsive as other Ferrari systems. The engineers have managed to dial in some road feel and a well-judged increase in weight to convey the increasing load on the chassis.

Drive at a moderate lick down a good road and the Portofino turns in promptly, carves through quick corners deftly, puts its power down well – though provides plenty of opportunity to paint black lines down the road when you provoke it – plus it stops smartly thanks to standard-fit carbon-ceramic brakes, and genuinely thrills with its ferocious speed and incisive gear shifts. Arguably, this is all the Portofino needs to do to satisfy its target audience.

But when you really light the blue touchpaper, the Portofino starts to unravel. The front pushes into understeer a little too readily, and the rear end feels lacking in stiffness, both in terms of the suspension springs and the rigidity of the body structure. It loses its composure just when keener drivers will really want it.

Despite behaving almost impeccably, the electric power steering demonstrated just how difficult these systems can be to get right– with the car loaded and on opposite lock through one reasonably quick corner, its weighting suddenly increased in a unnatural way.

There’s no doubt the Portofino will entertain and satisfy even quite exuberant owners, but similarly it lacks the togetherness of Ferrari’s best products when really pushed, and would probably feel pretty terrible around a track.

Will the typical Portofino owner ever push the car so hard? Probably not.

Verdict

The Portofino represents a solid improvement over its predecessor, the California T, particularly when it comes to the driving experience.

The engine in particular is much more inspiring – and closer in spirit to the similar 488’s – than the rather strained-sounding unit in the California T, even taking the very worthwhile boost in performance out of the equation. It’s also sharper and more together dynamically, making this a much more enjoyable car to drive hard down a challenging road, and we’d say it’s more aggressive design makes it more covetable too.

That it does all this while offering more of the daily-driving practicality – larger boot, extra rear legroom, better infotainment, improved efficiency, a new roof that operates on the move – that owners value so much in this segment means these improvements come without drawback.

The Portofino still lacks ultimate focus when it comes to driving at ten tenths, but for the target audience we suspect the Portofino strikes a pretty sweet balance.

Check out our Ferrari reviews here

Specs

Price when new:	£166,180
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	3855cc 32v V8 twin-turbocharged, 592bhp @ 7500rpm, 561lb ft @ 3000-5250rpm
Transmission:	Seven-speed dual-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
Performance:	3.5sec 0-62mph, 200mph, 26.4mpg, 245g/km CO2
Weight / material:	1870kg/aluminium
Dimensions (length/width/height in mm):	4750/1950/1300mm

Rumour: GeForce GTX 2080 and GTX 2070 Ampere Launch in April, GTX 1080 Ti Production Halts

2018-02-16T07:29:00.001-08:00

It’s coming up to two long years since Nvidia has graced us with a new graphics card family, and it’s now an inevitability that the GeForce GTX 20xx or 11xx Series will launch within a matter of months. The latest rumours come from 3DCenter, who claim that mass production of the GeForce GTX 2080 and GeForce 2070 GPUs is already underway, with a launch planned for April 12th.

Nvidia’s next-generation graphics cards will allegedly be based on the Ampere microarchitecture, rather than the Volta architecture rumoured last year. The Ampere GPU will replace Pascal and will allegedly be ready for a reveal in March, before launching in April 2018.

As for the current-gen, the Pascal-based GP102 GPU used for the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and the GeForce GTX Titan XP has allegedly reached end-of-life. EOL status was apparently reached as long as November 2017, which would mean supplies of these graphics cards is going to be extremely limited (as if they weren’t limited enough). Typically, EOL would indicate that manufacturing has halted entirely, leaving only a modest number of GeForce GTX 1080 Ti’s manufactured and ready to head to market. If true, supplies of the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti are going to become increasingly slim over the next 4-8 weeks. Considering the current demand from cryptocurrency miners, it’s a possibility that you may not get the possibility to buy a GTX 1080 Ti again.

Suffice to say, if you’re on the hunt for a high-end GPU then you’re almost assuredly going to better off waiting for this next crop of GeForce Ampere graphics cards. While the nomenclature has yet to be confirmed, it's thought the next-gen will be either follow the GTX 2080 or GTX 1180 formats.

Nvidia’s typical release cadence would suggest the GTX 20 Series will launch with the GeForce GTX 2080 and GeForce GTX 2070. This would be followed by a more affordable GTX 2060 later in 2018, before the flagship GeForce GTX 2080 Ti subsequently launches in 2019.

The next big question is just how powerful the GeForce GTX 2080 and GTX 2070 will be. We’re still running on fumes in terms of rumours on this front, but conservative estimates peg this next generation as a potential 20-30% performance gain over Pascal. It’s thought both could make use of the upcoming GDDR6 memory standard, which has the benefit of being comparatively cheaper than HBM2.

With new GPU launches right around the corner, is this upgrade time for you? Or are you anticipating it may be next to impossible to get your hands on a GeForce Ampere graphics card if crypto mining demand stays strong? Let us know!

New Audi SQ7 review: physics-bending fun with cutting edge-tech

2018-02-16T07:23:00.003-08:00

Some cars are big, some are fast – but some like the Audi SQ7 break the rules and decide to do both. Audi’s hot-SUV is based on the regular Q7’s MLB modular architecture and uses a 48-volt backbone that powers both an active anti-roll set up, and a third compressor for the SQ7’s 4.0-litre diesel motor. Throw in Audi’s advanced headlight tech, Virtual Cockpit and infotainment systems, and you’ve got a car that wants to be both responsive and techy.

So just what is the Audi SQ7 like? Is it a peanut butter and jam, best of both worlds delight – or is its mixture of technology and power a recipe that doesn't gel? To find out, read the CAR magazine review of the new Audi SQ7.

New Audi SQ7 review: what's it like to drive?

Basically, the SQ7 sounds like a V8 and goes like a V12. The diesel engine absolutely dominates the experience.The electric compressor exists to fill in any holes in the response time of the V8’s two conventional turbos off idle, which are already plumbed in sequentially but still rely on exhaust gases to build boost; the EPC simply pulls power from the SQ7’s new 48-volt electrical system whenever it needs to spin up, meaning it hits 70,000rpm in about a quarter of a second, sending a short pulse of motivation into the intake to help get the party started.

You never get bored with the near-instant throttle response and the accompanying torque tsunami.

It does a very good job of feeling like a 12-pot thanks to the extra flexibility afforded by the third blower; clearly this actually works (unlike those hairdryer-spec items advertised on certain popular auction sites...), albeit only at very low rpm compared to conventional turbos. Its not-inconsiderable task is to help get the 2.3-tonne SQ7 moving in the first place, rather than supplement the prodigious performance already on tap.

The noise it makes is also to be applauded. It’s a dirtily purposeful V8 burble at lower speeds. Your neighbours will love it in the morning. Probably.

New Audi SQ7 review: what about the performance?

The performance of the new Audi SQ7 is... mind-bending. Put it into Dynamic mode and the claimed 4.9-second dash to 62mph seems eminently believable, which truly is remarkable because the Q7is a huge SUV.

This setting also shunts the active roll-stabilisation system into its stiffest setting, resisting the wallowing evident in softer modes eerily well. It corners so flatly that it’s almost incomprehensible. Your mind expects pitch and roll, yet the car delivers very little of either. You could play fantastic tricks on your six passengers if you switched modes without them noticing.

Said powered anti-roll bars come as part of the snappily titled Driving Dynamics Sports Pack, which also includes a sports centre diff (try as we might, we couldn’t sense this working, such is the sheer grip and traction on offer on our blast through the narrow lanes of the Cotswolds) and rear-wheel steering, so it’s easy enough to park the thing once you’ve scared yourself silly.

In fact, we found ourselves driving the SQ7 in Dynamic for the majority of the time. It’s a little on the firm side like this – the air suspension struggles to maintain the SUV’s composure over lumpy roads – but everything else seems to be far better.

The steering in particular really needs the extra weight of the sportier driving mode, because out of the box it’s so wildly over-assisted that it’s difficult to judge its response. You want to feel in control with this engine under the bonnet; and since you’ve paid for it, you might as well have it turned up to 11 while you’re driving.

New Audi SQ7 review: and the interior?

We suspect this is one of those ‘because they can’ kind of deals. Only a sadist really needs a seven-seater SUV that can out-sprint all but the three most potent hot hatches currently on sale before attempting to out-corner them. The visual makeover is likely to be as endearing to other motorists as Jeremy Clarkson at a Greenpeace convention, the interior is finished to a high standard but totally devoid of charisma, and despite the 70 grand price tag you still need to spend more to make it really behave like an animal.

New Audi SQ7 review: consider the e-tron

Clearly this seven-seater S car isn’t a particularly relaxing machine, then, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The real spec secret in the Q7 line-up is actually the e-tron version, which is a plug-in hybrid. We found it better to drive, far more refined, cheaper and miles better on fuel.

Oh, and it’ll still sprint from 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds. Do you really need your SUV to go quicker than that? How many races do you get into in while waiting for little Crispin and his mates to finish their polo lessons? You’ll sacrifice a pair of seats to make way for the batteries, but the boot’s still usefully cavernous.

The e-tron also packs a very entertaining kick-down function that unleashes all 338bhp and 516lb ft on offer in one go, and thanks to the electric motor’s assistance it feels like that bit in Star Trek where the Enterprise makes the jump to warp speed.

But slow it down and it’s a seriously serene machine – especially running in silent EV mode, which it can do for a claimed 35 miles. Audi’s stated 157mpg average is frankly unlikely, but 80mpg certainly isn’t out of the realms of possibility.

Compared to the SQ7 we tested, which clocked in at £95,160 with options, the e-tron looks a veritable bargain priced at £64k. Audi reckons sales figures will favour the S, but we reckon the plug-in’s preferable.

New Audi SQ7 review: verdict

A colleague described this car as physically impressive but difficult to love. We’re not so sure – there’s just something so hilariously endearing in the way this massive bus can charge along a twisty bit of road that it might just ignite the spark of permanent passion. Perhaps not least because in spite of all its toys, this is still borderline madness and requires a fair degree of input from the driver to manage and maintain. And in isolation the SQ7 is a wonderful thing. It’s a total techfest and certainly houses one of the best (and most interesting) motors you can currently buy. It’s a reflection of the way electrification is barging its way onto our roads, however, that the more compelling car in this instance has a plug.

Read more Audi reviews

Specs

Price when new:	£79,070
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	3956cc 32v sequential twin-turbo diesel (with electrically powered compressor) V8, 429bhp @ 3750-5000rpm, 664lb ft @ 1000-3250rpm
Transmission:	8-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Performance:	4.9sec 0-62mph, 155mph (limited), 39.2mpg, 190g/km CO2
Weight / material:	2330kg / aluminium and steel
Dimensions (length/width/height in mm):	5069/1968/1741

Rimac Concept Two: autonomous tech for new electric hypercar

2018-02-16T07:10:00.002-08:00

Last month Rimac revealed the Concept Two, a brand new electric hypercar that could be faster than the Tesla Roadster. Now we’ve got some more details about the Concept Two, and they’re not what you’d expect.

According to Autocar, the new Concept Two will feature a 120 kWh battery, over the 82 kWh unit in the Concept One – and it’ll also have

Level four autonomous technology will allow the car to drive itself in specific, geo-fenced areas with HD-mapping, more timely data and car to car comms. Expected to come in the next decade, it’s not the sort of thing you’d expect to see this soon – let alone in a hypercar.

We’ll find out more about the Rimac Concept Two and its autonomous functions at this year’s 2018 Geneva motor show.

Rimac Concept Two: everything else we know

Rimac is already known for the Concept One, a spectacular 1207bhp all-electric hypercar Richard Hammond famously binned on The Grand Tour – but now it’s ready to unveil a follow-up. Likely to be called the Concept Two, Rimac hasn’t actually told us much about the performance or specs of the car – but it has released this tantalising teaser video.

As you’d expect, the teaser is a shadowy dark affair, and looks more night club than motor show. However, it’s possible to make out a squat, low hypercar that slightly resembles the previous Concept One.

o what can we expect?

The Rimac Concept One was the fastest electric car on the road when it was released, but now the Concept Two will need to outperform the Tesla Roadster for the fastest EV title. If that’s what Rimacs is aiming for, the Concept Two will need get from 0 to 60mph in 1.9 seconds, feature a top speed of over 250mph and push for at least 600 miles of range.

When the Rimac Concept One was first unveiled, it was easy to see the Croatian automaker as yet another brand making ridiculous EVs, but things have changed in the last few years. Now Rimac makes batteries for Koenigsegg and soon Aston Martin, and that means the Concept Two might be a more refined and impressive car than you’d expect.

Whatever the Concept Two is like, there’ll be more of them than the Concept One. Rimac says it’ll be making 20 examples of its new hypercar, more than double the eight – including the one Hammond drove – Concept Ones made.

We’ll know more about the Rimac Concept Two when it’s unveiled at the 2018 Geneva motor show.

Mercedes-Benz S500 L (2018) review: too clever for its own good?

2018-02-16T07:05:00.001-08:00

Luxury saloons may only represent a small portion of the car market but it’s a hugely important part, due to the huge amount of new technology that makes its debut. With a still-impressive BMW 7-series, plus a fresh Audi A8 and Lexus LS.

The Mercedes S-class was facelifted towards the end of 2017 but this is far more than just a facelift, including 1600 new components. It’s the first car to get Mercedes’ new inline-six petrol and diesel engines and revised V8 petrols.

Some of the driver assistance equipment now fitted to the S-class is already on the E-Class, but some is new. In a fast-evolving field, the tech is close to the limit of what is currently permitted by law; it will drive for you in certain circumstances, but you need to stay alert and ready to retake full control at any moment.

What’s in the S-class range?

The UK gets a relatively straightforward range. The entry-level S350d (which we’ve also tested here) is available in both short- and long-wheelbase versions, and the S500 petrol.

If you fancy something hotter, there are AMG S63 and S65 variants at £125,690 and £187,240 respectively.

Everything comes with air suspension. All models get a new grille, new lights, new bumpers, a choice of new wheels and an all-LED interior. Detail changes inside include new smartphone-style swipe controls on the steering wheel for the infotainment and cruise control (and the ditching of Merc's familiar cruise-control stalk).

Talk me through the S500 engine

It’s the most innovative engine in the range, making 429bhp and 384lb ft. It has a 48-volt electrical system supplementing the conventional 12-volt system. Instead of a conventional alternator, it has an integrated starter-generator (designed into the engine from the off, with no drive belt, making it compact).

This performs many functions, including powering an electric booster to give quick bursts of assistance to the engine to overcome any turbo lag. It provides the power for energy-sapping items such as the water pump and air-con compressor, giving consistent air-con performance whether the car is moving or stationary. It regulates the engine idle, allows a more sophisticated start-stop system and it's integral to the braking energy recuperation system

This is a 'systematically electrified' engine – an inelegant phrase employed to avoid any confusion with the impending plug-in hybrid with an electric-only range of up to 30 miles.

Start it up and you’re greeted by hardly any aural or physical intrusion into the cabin; you sort of expect that from a £100k+ luxury car anyway, but the S500 wakes up in an almost eerily silent way.

Give it a bootful and progress is suitably strong but unlike the diesel, this straight-six petrol needs to be revved out to get to the juicy bit of power at the top end. That’s almost an entirely different way of doing things to the low-rev, torque-focused S350d and as much as the S500 has a tuneful growl, the whole point of the S is to waft and surge effortlessly – not resorting to dropping cogs and making the engine scream.

So, this assistance tech… what’ll it do?

Much of it is focused on making your driving experience smoother, simpler and more relaxing. Think of it as being the best cruise control system imaginable.

Your S-class will follow other traffic at a safe distance (the distance itself can be adjusted by the driver), speeding up and slowing down without you touching the pedals. It will slow down for bends; the degree to which it slows is influenced by which of the dynamic modes you’re in. It will also change lane for you; you just indicate at a suitable moment and it will move out, pass and move back in.

All of this depends on various factors, chiefly the type of road. If you’re on a motorway with clear markings easily read by the cameras and radar (backed up by GPS and built-in mapping) then it will usually work, although even then it will demand that you prove that you’re not napping by clutching the steering wheel every few seconds. If you’re on a country road, it’s less likely to function. But the transition between working and not working soon becomes natural, with a system of lights and beeps making it readily obvious who’s driving.

Road Surface Scan is technology that's been fitted since 2013, but a newly upgraded stereo camera now scans more thoroughly, over a longer distance, at higher speeds, in darker conditions, meaning it works more effectively – in conjunction with sat-nav data and built-in mapping – to help the driver. For instance, it can slow down when you're nearing a toll booth or a motorway exit. And, cleverly, if it spots that you're approaching a queue of traffic that has started to move, it will aim to slow down and match the queue's speed rather than come to a halt and then pull away again.

The car’s self-parking ability is hugely impressive too. It will check whether a space is suitably big, and then once you’ve confirmed that you want to park it'll handle everything else for you, whether it’s parallel or perpendicular, forwards or backwards. And then it will get you out again. It goes much, much closer to parked vehicles than you’d dare (and doesn't beep at you, which it would if you were parking manually).

The other group of aids, the stuff designed to avoid (or reduce the impact of) accidents, was vividly demonstrated for us on an airfield. A variety of static and moving dummies, and a moving mock-up car, showed the S-class’s prowess at knowing when to emergency brake for you, when to help you steer around a pedestrian, and when to carry on.

Verdict

Is the S-class a car for driving or being driven in? Both. All the new S-classes maintain the excellence of previous versions, while benefitting from some very impressive electronic aids and the petrol engine in this S500 is a technological triumph.

In the back, in the long-wheelbase version, it’s roomy, relaxing and has a wealth of climate, massage and infotainment systems for you to play with, while at the front it's superbly comfortable and easy to drive, if (obviously) a bit on the large side.

With the S500 in particular - as much as it’s a clever engine, we do wonder if there’s much point when the ‘entry-level’ S350d suits the laid-back driving style of the S better, and gets slightly better fuel economy to boot but, regardless, the big S is still a wonderful luxury car.

Specs

Price when new:	£0
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:
Transmission:	9-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Performance:
Weight / material:
Dimensions (length/width/height in mm):

Samsung Galaxy S9 price confirmed as £739 by mobile industry insiders

2018-02-16T03:16:00.002-08:00

The new Samsung Galaxy S9 will cost £739 in the UK when it launches on Sunday February 25, if the latest S9 price leak from the mobile phone industry correct.

That's £50 cheaper than the only other S9 price information we've been given to date, which claimed that you should expect to pay "£100 more than the S8 cost at launch" and would have resulted in a price of around £789.

"Expect the S9 to be priced roughly £50 cheaper than what everybody is saying," says our inside source. "A £100 price hike from the S8 is no longer on the cards and it's looking much more like a £50 increase instead."

To be clear - this comes from someone we trust in the UK mobile industry who would certainly be in a position to know this information.

This is far more encouraging if you're intending to snap up a Galaxy S9 deal as soon as possible, but still signals a 7% increase from last year's Galaxy S8 - which launched at £689 - and almost 25% higher than the Galaxy S7's £569 price24 months ago.

Samsung Galaxy S9 deals: how much should you expect to pay?

Going up: Samsung Galaxy S9 price leaked

The minute that Apple priced the iPhone X up at a thousand pounds in November, the writing was on the wall for rising prices on the S9 and every other new flagship phone. But we're glad that the inflation at least isn't as bad as originally reported.

It's still a big leap from the last couple of years, but we had an inkling that a further £100 increase sounded excessive. That's why we wanted to verify it with a few more of our industry contacts.

Now that we're a couple of weeks closer to the release date and with the big S9 reveal just around the corner, it seems retailers are more confident to narrow down the expected sale price.

The Galaxy S9 is due to be unveiled at Samsung's 'Unpacked' event at the MWC trade show in Barcelona later in the month. It follows the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which became the Korean tech giant's most expensive mobile phone when it was released last autumn - a considerable £869.

Galaxy S9 Plus price and contract deals predicted

The price leak only tipped us off about the standard handset, which the latest Galaxy S9 rumours suggest will have a 5.8-inch QHD+ screen, smaller bezels and easier to use finger scanner.

But it follows that the S9 Plus will see a similar uplift, taking it to £829 upfront. By the same logic, we'd expect to the S9 and S9+ to cost around $800 and $875 in US stores on launch.

If you were planning to splash out on an unlocked Galaxy S9 handset, then we advise that you click through to our run down of today's best SIM only deals to make sure that you get the best possible plan to team up with it. Otherwise, we've dived into previous years' data to take an educated estimate of what the Samsung Galaxy S9 deals will be on contract as well.

How to watch the Winter Olympics 2018 opening ceremony NOW: Live stream every event online from anywhere

2018-02-09T04:14:00.004-08:00

Today, the 2018 Winter Olympic games, the biggest event in the global sports calendar, gets underway in PyeongChang, South Korea with the Curling Mixed Doubles.

With 2,500 athletes from 90 nations competing for supremacy over ice and snow, the Winter Olympics 2018 is set to be one of the most-watched sports broadcasts of the year, with over one billion viewers worldwide set to tune in.

Whether you want to stream the Winter Olympics 2018 online, watch it live on your television via cable or watch it, mostly without having to put up with any commercial breaks - we've got you covered.

The 2018 Winter Olympics is underway in South Korea, where 2,500 athletes from 90 nations will compete for supremacy over ice and snow - here's the entire schedule of the Winter Olympics 2018.

The official Winter Olympics opening ceremony is taking place now in the grandiose PyeongChang Olympic Stadium.

Oh and just bear in mind that there's a nine hours time difference between PyeongChang and London and 17 hours with Los Angeles.

Here is TechRadar's quick and easy guide for how to watch the Winter Olympics 2018 (or PyeongChang 2018 as some call it) online from anywhere in the world!

If you are in the UK and have a TV Licence, you can watch the opening ceremony on BBC One or online NOW. See details below for the UK, the US and other territories.

1. How to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics online

This is the best way to watch the Winter Olympics 2018 online - from absolutely anywhere in the world - without any commercial breaks:

1. Download and install a VPN
If you don't have easy access (and you don't live in the UK or the US) to watch the Winter Olympics online in your country, the best way to watch it for free is to download and install a VPN. We've tested all of the major VPN services and we rate ExpressVPN as the absolute best. It's compatible with all of your devices, supports most streaming services and ranks amongst the fastest. You can even install it on devices like an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation. Check out ExpressVPN here

2. Connect to the appropriate server locationSimply open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location - it doesn't matter which one and it's super easy to do.

Choose UK if you want to watch it on TVPlayer (use the link below)

Choose US if you want to watch the Winter Olympics 2018 via Youtube TV (use link below)

3a. Go to TVPlayer.com
TVPlayer is a free, legal, online streaming service based in the UK which offers hundreds of channels - and you don't even need to sign in to get some Olympics coverage without commercial break. You will need to do a fair bit of channel hopping though. Continue scrolling if you want to experience a fuller and richer version of the Winter Olympics.

Watch the Winter Olympics 2018 opening ceremony on Friday 9th of February, between 10:30 and 14:00 UK time

3b. Go to TV.youtube.com
Many online US-based TV streaming services offer NBC Sports as part of their bundles and a few of them offer trials and the best one is YoutubeTV, an official Google product. You can trial it for 30 days; the ability to record to the cloud and hold up to six accounts per household (and 3 simultaneous streams per membership) are its most alluring selling points. You can watch it on most devices and there are no fees for canceling.

However, you will need a US IP address in order to access all of the above and if you are outside the US, you will need to get an IP address located there by using a VPN.

Watch NBC's 2018 Winter Olympics coverage via Youtube TV

Where can I watch the Winter Olympics 2018 using a VPN?

A VPN will enable you to watch the Winter Oympics from literally anywhere. So that obviously includes: US, UK, Israel, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Denmark, India, Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Belgium, Romania, Mexico, France, Sweden, Italy, Portugal, Czech Republic, Ireland, Poland, Kenya, Hungary, South Africa, Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, Japan, Egypt and more!

Google has also confirmed that it will be playing video highlights from official Olympic broadcasters on Youtube in more than 80 countries worldwide including NBCUniversal (USA), BBC (UK), NHK (Japan), France TV (France), and Eurosport (Rest of Europe).

In the U.S., YouTube TV will also show NBCUniversal’s live coverage of the Olympic Winter Games and in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal, the Winter Olympic games will be for the first time live and free on the Olympic Channel on YouTube.

2. How to watch the Winter Olympics 2018 in the US in its entirety:

Good news! If you are in the US, that’s straight forward, NBC will broadcast the XXIII Winter Olympics on its website and through its NBC Sports app for free (Android, iOS, Windows, Roku, Chromecast, Xbox, Samsung, Amazon Fire TV).

It is not known whether NBC will allow anyone to view the 2018 Winter Olympics without registration or existing subscription as it was the case previously. NBC's Olympics site is currently up with content from the previous Sochi games of 2014.

NBC Sports is available on Youtube TV.

3. How to watch the Winter Olympics 2018 in the UK in its entirety:

If you’re in the UK and if you have a TV licence, then BBC iPlayer is where you should go for Winter Olympics 2018 as the official broadcaster for the games; you may be asked to register for free in order to watch it though but it is a doddle and once you do it, you can enjoy it almost anywhere.: on your mobile, your media player, tablet, your web browser, streaming device, gaming console, TV, cable and satellite operators etc.

Just note that the BBC will not cover ALL the events - just a selection of them - and while you can record locally on your PVR, you won't be able to record to the cloud.

However, if you want to get the full Olympian experience, you will need to get a specialist channel like Eurosport, which is the global official broadcaster for the Olympics. You will be able to get all the live action on Eurosport for as little as £3 with 7-day catchup and the ability to record live programs to the cloud to watch whenever you want.

You will need to use the code OLYMPICS50 when signing up and you can cancel after the first month. Otherwise you will be auto-enrolled on a subscription.

Copyright: http://www.techradar.com/

Kim Kardashian Lands Her Second Vogue Cover as a Blonde — See the Photos!

2018-02-09T02:49:00.002-08:00

Kim Kardashian West has landed her sixth Vogue cover!

The Keeping Up with the Kardashians reality star, 37, graced the front page of Vogue Taiwan‘s February Beauty issue in which she models six glamorous looks for the inside pages.

Kardashian showed off her latest fashion publication picture on Instagram and Twitter, writing, “New @voguetaiwan beauty cover shoot talking all about @kkwbeauty.”

This marks Kim’s second Vogue cover as a blonde, following her June 2015 spread for Vogue Brasil which was inspired by Marilyn Monroe. (Kardashian West debuted her icy platinum hair back in September during New York Fashion Week.)

For the cover story, Kardashian West discussed her latest beauty release, KKW fragrance.

The new mom of three’s Kimoji Hearts KKW Fragrances just dropped eight days ago on KKWFragrance.com. To promote the latest business venture, the star mailed out boxes filled with a large, hollow chocolate heart made by Chef Chris Ford (with the fragrance stashed inside) to special people in her life. Each recipient was mailed a box filled with one of the three new scents: BFF, Bae and Ride or Die.

In November, Kardashian West launched her fragrance empire with three different perfumes: Crystal Gardenia, Crystal Gardenia Citrus and Crystal Gardenia Oud.

The announcement of her Vogue Taiwan cover comes three weeks after Kim and husband Kanye West announced the birth of their third child, daughter Chicago via surrogate.

The couple is already parents to 4½-year-old daughter North and 2-year-old son Saint.

Taylor Swift Spends $50 Million on One New York Block

2018-02-08T05:00:00.001-08:00

Taylor Swift is accumulating properties in Tribeca at an astonishing pace – and for astonishing prices.

Her most recent purchase – a second-floor apartment at 155 Franklin St. – brings her total spending on the block to an eye-popping $47.7 million.

Sources confirmed the latest acquisition, a 3,540-square-foot unit that she bought from financier Jeremy Phillips for $9.75 million in an off-market deal. We previously reported Phillips had found a buyer for his unit, but the buyer’s identity was shielded behind an LLC.

155 Franklin is where the pop star already owns two top-floor units that she combined to create a monster penthouse duplex measuring 8,000 square feet. She paid $19.95 million for the penthouse properties, which were formerly owned by “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson, in 2014.

Other celebrity residents at 155 Franklin include comedian Aziz Ansari, who bought his $5.7 million unit from Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh last May. Former owners in the building include Steven Soderbergh and Orlando Bloom.

Swift also owns an $18 million townhouse next door, at 153 Franklin St., which comes with its own paparazzi-proof garage.

The Tribeca Citizen was the first to notice that the LLC Swift used to buy the three-story townhouse shares an address with the LLC that bought the second-floor unit at 155 Franklin St.

Selena Gomez Says Depression and Anxiety Is a 'Battle' She Will Face for the 'Rest of My Life'

2018-02-08T04:49:00.002-08:00

Selena Gomez recently sought treatment for her ongoing battle with depression and anxiety, and now the star is speaking out about putting her health first.

In Harper’s BAZAAR‘s March cover story, the “Wolves” singer opens up about focusing on her “well-being” in 2018.

“I’ve had a lot of issues with depression and anxiety, and I’ve been very vocal about it, but it’s not something I feel I’ll ever overcome,” she told the magazine. “There won’t be a day when I’m like, ‘Here I am in a pretty dress — I won!’ I think it’s a battle I’m gonna have to face for the rest of my life, and I’m okay with that because I know that I’m choosing myself over anything else.”

Though Gomez has had plenty of new hits — including “It Ain’t Me,” “Fetish” and “Wolves” — since she released her last album Revival in 2015, the entertainer, 25, says she’s deliberately taking her time on her next record.

“My next album has been forever in the making. When people ask me why, I’m honest about it: It’s because I haven’t been ready,” said Gomez, who underwent a kidney transplantlast year. “I mean, point-blank, I don’t feel confident enough in where my music is yet. If that takes 10 years, then it takes 10 years. I don’t care. Right now I just want to be super intentional with all of the things I’m doing.”

And that includes what she’s posting on her social media accounts, which she’s been known to take private on an occasional basis.

“I have a complex relationship with Instagram, to say the least,” Gomez admitted. “It has given me a voice amid all the noise of people trying to narrate my life for me and allows me to say, ‘Hey, I’m gonna post this, and this is gonna take care of the 1,200 stories that people think are interesting but actually aren’t, and aren’t even true.’ So it empowers me in that way because it’s my words and my voice and my truth. The only thing that worries me is how much value people our age place on social media. It’s an incredible platform, but in a lot of ways it’s given young people, myself included, a false representation of what’s important. So, yeah, it’s a complex relationship. Probably one of my most difficult relationships.”

While she’s one of the most-followed celebrities on the platform and is in a high-profile relationship with Justin Bieber, Gomez says her typical Saturday nights are surprisingly low-key.

“If I’m in the mood for sister time, I’ll be with my sister, Gracie. She’s more mature than me in a lot of ways, and she’s 4,” said Gomez, who’s the face of Coach. “If I want to hang out with my friends, I don’t really go to a lot of trendy places, so people know they shouldn’t really invite me to those places ’cause I’m not gonna go.”

The 13 Reasons Why producer says one of her favorite restaurants is Chili’s but she also loves hitting the dance floor for a fun night out.

Says the star: “I also love dancing. I really do. I love looking like a fool with my friends.”

Copiright: https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celebrity/selena-gomez-says-depression-and-anxiety-is-a-battle-she-will-face-for-the-rest-of-my-life/ar-BBIO8oz

5G could change everything from music to medicine

2018-02-07T05:53:00.003-08:00

5G is going to be a really big deal.
The lightning quick "next generation" wireless technology is expected to power self-driving cars, virtual reality, smart cities and networked robots.
But what else can it do?
Ericsson has joined up with researchers from King's College London to dream up futuristic applications for 5G. They're looking at everything from music to medicine.
The team is focused on using the technology to transfer physical skills across networks, creating something they call the "Internet of Skills."

One example: A surgeon with virtual reality equipment and haptic gloves, which sense motion and pressure,could operate on a patient on the other side of the world via a robot.
Remote surgery has been possible for a while, but 5G speeds should eliminate all delays and lag. That means the surgeon could get instant feedback via the gloves.
"With 5G and the new networking architecture we're building, we're hoping to get this delay down to just the speed of light," said Mischa Dohler, a professor of wireless communications at King's College.
© Ericsson.com Dohler wears a haptic feedback glove to track his movements.
Dohler, who moonlights as a composer and pianist, also plans to digitize his piano skills and teach people remotely to master the instrument.
Related: What is 5G?
Haptic gloves can be used to track and record the movement of Dohler's fingers, and the position of his hands. The data would be stored on the skills database, ready to be downloaded by an aspiring pianist.
"They would download that in real time on to an exoskeleton, which would start to move their fingers until the muscle memory is trained," said Dohler.
"They could actually practice their muscle memory anywhere they want," he added.
Dohler also imagines a surgeon could upload their skills to a database to train students around the world.
But he said it might take another decade for this "Internet of Skills" to be fully functional.
"We need to get security rights and the best practice of this technology right, because the moment you start moving things on the other side of the planet, you can do a lot of harm," he said.

Get a first look at the newest Coach x Selena Gomez Campaign.

2018-02-06T13:55:00.001-08:00