Top 5 Tips on How to Secure your Computer

Let’s get one thing straight before we start- The internet can be a spooky place. There are viruses potentially around every corner and nothing to give you a heads up about them other than experience. So before we go any further on how to protect your computer from the nasty little buggers, let’s get right on that experience!

Tip One:
First off, common sense. Common sense may prove to be your greatest ally when battling the baddies of the internet and the viruses they may throw your way. If you find anything fishy or overall just… not “right” looking, it’s probably best to look away and avoid it at all cost. Remember: The first step to getting a virus relies heavily on you, the person in control. A virus won’t knock on the door to let you know it’s coming in, but it will surely wait on the front porch for you to open it before slipping in unnoticed.

Tip Two:
Now, that’s enough for cheesy metaphors. You want to know how to secure your computer! Chances are you know about anti-virus software. Anti-virus software is a must have when browsing the web, even when you’re searching trusted websites. Viruses and worms have no bounds and can infiltrate just about any corner of the internet, so keep this in mind. Most anti-virus software is cheap and reliable. You can find hard copies of it all over the internet, or if you’d rather get a look see in person before you buy, you can always check your local pharmacy – PC world or Wal-Mart. They always have anti-virus software.

Tip Three:
No shady sites! Shady sites are as follows: They won’t have standard URLs (this is the address of the website at the top of the web page) meaning that they often won’t have “.com” or “.net” after them. These are always good places to avoid unless you are absolutely sure that you can trust the website in question.

Tip Four:
Scammers! Scams are abundant throughout the web. If someone you don’t know contacts you via email or perhaps social networking site asking you for personal information or insisting that you know them, do a little research and NEVER give your personal information to anyone on the internet unless you are shopping and see the green “https” lettering before the URL address. The internet is full of hooligans who will do anything to get what they want.

Tip Five:
Pop ups. Ignore pop ups. Pop ups are classified as follows: They pop up! And then they inform you (usually) of some sweepstakes that you’ve one, one that you’ve never entered to begin with, or how you’re the lucky visitor- Ridiculous! Never click a pop up advertisements for any reason. Not all ads are bad, but chances are that you’re not going to come out unscathed when clicking one of the ones implying you’re a winner.

Now take these five tips to heart and get out there brave internet warrior! Set up your anti-virus software and practice these steps so that no one may harm you or your computer.

Tags: Computer Security, Software Security

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com

A whole lotta clickin’: Microsoft launches its first Surface ad

A week before its new Surface tablet hits the market, Microsoft has launched its first ad for the device, giving nothing away about its price....or anything else for that matter.

OK here we go, it’s lift-off for Microsoft’s Surface ad campaign, a week before the tablet is due to launch.

Microsoft’s first ad for its new tablet is a stylish 60-second skit, an all-clicking, all-dancing affair featuring, among others, young families, business workers, dancing schoolgirls, smooching senior citizens and a whole lot of colorful Surface tablets. The wide range of participants in the ad is the Redmond-based company saying, “Hey, this tablet’s for you (oh, and you and you and……).”

It’s more of a teaser than anything else – there’s nothing about specs and no pricing information – designed to create awareness and make those who haven’t heard about Microsoft’s first foray into the tablet world look up and say, “What’s that all about then?”

The ad starts in silence – you might think your video player is on mute at first. Then things start to make sense. It’s all about the click – the click the tablet makes when it connects with its magnetic Touch Cover keyboard; the click it makes when the kickstand is put into action. Within seconds, the screen is filled with a mass of dancing people clicking their tablets to the music. And, well, that’s about it. You can check out the new ad below.

Microsoft’s upcoming Surface tablet has a 10.6-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and comes together with the Touch Cover click-on (yes, it clicks on, did we mention that?) keyboard. The tablet comprises two models, one powered by Windows 8 Pro and a more basic version running Windows RT.

The RT model launches next week while the Surface Pro is expected to be available early 2013.

The Surface’s price tag is still a mystery, though last month Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer dashed hopes of a cut-price tablet when he suggested a likely launch price of between $300 and $800. C’mon Steve, you could’ve narrowed the range a little, no?

Next week looks set to be a busy one in the world of tablet computers, with Apple reportedly unveiling (no, really, it might be happening) its iPad Mini on October 23, three days before the launch of the Surface.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Well-timed rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is being prepped for MWC 2013 appear

Rumors of the Samsung Galaxy S4 suggest an increase to a 5-inch screen size and an MWC 2013 release date.

There’s nothing like a good rumor to get the week started and this time it’s a big one, as it concerns the follow-up to the current darling of the Android world, the Samsung Galaxy S3.

According to a report in the Korea Times, Samsung is readying the Galaxy S4 for launch during Mobile World Congress next year, before going on sale in March.

The quote comes from an unnamed Samsung official, who adds that the next Galaxy flagship will have a similar design to the S3 — keeping its “popular rectangular shape with rounded corners,” but potentially increasing the screen size again, this time to 5-inches.

A quad-core Exynos processor will power the device, Android will be the operating system, and it will support 4G LTE networks all over the world. The article makes particular mention of Europe here, where 4G is beginning to become more widespread, plus the UK will hold its 4G spectrum auction early next year too.

The report continues to say that Samsung is still considering using its flexible screen technology for the S4, but hasn’t made a final decision, although talk of production problems make it sound unlikely.

To counter Apple and the release of the iPhone 5, Samsung has already struck out with set of provocative newspaper adverts, and the timing of this leak couldn’t be better either.

Is it true?

Samsung is almost certainly working on a follow-up to the Galaxy S3, and it could well be named the Galaxy S4, but what about the rest of the report’s speculation? It’s equally as likely to use another Exynos processor in the S4, but whether this will be another quad-core chip, or the Exynos 5 Dual with its high resolution screen support, isn’t quite so clear cut.

Android and 4G LTE are also obvious features, while a push to a 5-inch screen isn’t that unlikely either. Remember, the S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 aren’t that much larger than their predecessors, despite the respective increase in screen size.

What doesn’t sound right is the Mobile World Congress unveiling. Samsung made a very big deal out of the S3’s launch in May, deliberately moving the release from February’s Mobile World Congress to a separate event later in the year. It worked really well and anticipation quickly built to fever pitch, while the glitzy event captured plenty of headlines, so we doubt Samsung would decide against doing the same thing again next year.

A March 2013 release would also see the S4 go on sale less than a year into the S3’s life, which seems very early for such a capable device.

But then, accuracy isn’t the point of this leak, it’s about letting everybody know that Samsung is hard at work on the next big thing, and not to be distracted by shiny offerings from the competition.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Apple has enough money so it announces nothing in a cool parody video, and one more thing

What if at yesterday’s event Apple announced nothing? Literally. Check out this hilarious College Humor parody video of that exact thing happening.

College Humor’s Christopher McDonald takes the stage as Apple’s CEO and shocks the audience with his statement that the guys over at Cupertino need a well deserved break, so they announce… nothing. Here’s the video in question.

This is so well made that if you show it to someone who is not so up to speed with Apple’s latest endeavors they might actually believe it. In any case, if you have 2 hours to spare, you can watch the real deal as well.

Hopefully you found it as amusing as we did.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

What I want to see from Apple on September 12: Absolutely nothing

Apple doesn't need to debut the iPhone 5 on September 12 -- it needs to debut nothing at all.

Less than a week from today, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook will take the stage at the obnoxiously named Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco to drop yet another bomb on the U.S. mobile phone industry: The so-called iPhone 5. 

If the rumors are to be believed — and this year, they are — the only major difference between the iPhone 5 and the two previous models is a slightly bigger 4-inch screen. That’s it — a change of just 0.5 inches. Yes, there will be some hardware upgrades, battery-life improvements, and other nuts-and-bolts tweaks. But as far as a “wow” factor goes, it looks like we’re going to have to settle for a screen size that Android devices have had for years. And you know what? People are going to buy the crap out of it. 

As bored as I am by the new iPhone’s purported growth spurt, I’m not particularly interested in any of the other realistic features Apple might add to some “dream phone” either. NFC? Yawn. Quad-core processor? Psh. Wireless charging? Whatevs. All these features would be great, I suppose — but they have been done before, and will be done again and again and again by the time the iPhone 6 makes its way into the world around this time next year.

No — what I really want to see from Apple is something so mind-blowing, so thunderously outrageous, that it would send shockwaves around the globe and immediately earn a place in the history books.

I want to see Apple announce absolutely nothing. 

You heard me — nothing. I want to watch Tim Cook stand before the entire world and say, “Good morning, folks. You’re probably all expecting us to announce an extraordinary new iPhone packed full of life-changing innovations that will add excitement and energy to lives of millions of people around the globe. But we’re not going to do that — because we don’t have to. Our iPhone business alone is — get this — bigger than all of Microsoft. We have $117 billion in cash just sitting around. That’s enough to put an end to world hunger four times. We could find a cure for cancer with that kind of loot. But that’s just not our style. Instead, we’re going to sit back for a year and laugh at the peons as they try their very best to out-design and out-sell us. So that’s it: The iNothing, or whatever you idiots want to call it. Thanks for coming. Exits are to your rear. There’s punch and pie in the lobby.” 

That’s what I want to see from Apple on September 12 — the will to simply not give a damn. 

I say this not because I dislike Apple and wish for it to commit suicide — an entirely possible outcome of such a move. To the contrary — I am an Apple fan, through and through. I am writing this on a brand new MacBook Air, which is connected to a massive Thunderbolt Display, which sits next to my iPhone 4S. If Apple made pants, I’d probably wear them. 

Rather, I say this out of tough love. As I see it, Apple sits on the brink of losing its greatness. Not because Steve Jobs is gone and Tim Cook is screwing things up (though he very well may be), but because people are simply worn thin by this Apple-dominated world we live in. We’re tired of Apple winning year after year, whether it deserves to or not. We’re tired of its lawsuits and its “most-valuable” status. We’re tired of minor refinements sold as innovation. And we’re tired of Siri not knowing how to properly look up directions to the nearest liquor store.

What I’m saying is, Apple needs some time off because we need some time off from Apple. 

Giving up a year of its product life would give us time to miss Apple, to wonder what it’s up to, like a summer vacation fling. And it would make whatever devices the company releases after its hiatus that much more anticipated and appealing. 

Alas, Apple will keep releasing iPhones, and people will keep buying them. It will keep suing companies to maintain its competitive edge. And its stock price will just keep going up and up and up. It shouldn’t — but it will.

One of these days, however — maybe as soon as next week — Apple is going to release a flop just as a rival comes out with something that genuinely deserves our adoration and hard-earned dollars. Crowds at the famous Apple Stores will begin to thin out. Geniuses will stand around twiddling their thumbs. The torrent of rumors will slow to a trickle. The stock price will fall. And there will be poor Tim Cook, slouched on his white Peruvian alpaca leather couch, sipping a glass of neat brandy, slowly caressing the head of his precious Ashera cat. And he’s going to think, “Shucks, if only I’d listened to that bald bastard Andrew Couts, then maybe we’d still be on top.”

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Windows Phone 8 camera interface to support pinch zooming and third-party addons

Adding pinch-zooming to the camera interface is nothing to shout home about, but the addition of third-party plugins certainly is. All smartphone users have their favorite photo apps, but imagine having them all inside the main camera interface. That’s what the new camera lenses feature on Windows Phone 8 promises.

As Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore demoed today, when you install a new camera-centric app from the Marketplace, it integrates as a sort of a lens, an add-on inside your main camera app. So when you start the camera, you have all the special effects, panoramas and image manipulation tricks, in one place.

I love using all sorts of camera apps on my iPhone. Of course, I have several favorites, and I use them interchangeably. They all do the job of taking pictures just fine, but each comes with its own set of nice little features or filters so I just can’t pick a single all-time favorite. Of those, the standard vanilla camera app on the iPhone is the least feature-rich, but unfortunately, it’s the quickest to launch of all, thanks to the always present lockscreen shortcut.

So Microsoft has achieved something I’ve long thought is quite overdue both on iOS and Android – the capability of enhancing the stock camera app with new features via plugins. Some examples shown on the stage by Joe Belfiore include Bing Vision, CNN’s iReport plugin, a regular Panorama plugin, a Photosynth plugin, which lets you take 360-degree panoramas, or even a plugin, called Blink, which lets snaps multiple portrait shots and automatically suggests the one with best facial expression.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

2013 Lexus GS 350 review

It’s been a while since Lexus turned many heads. But the new design language from the luxury Japanese automaker is nothing short of spectacular and has allowed the sleepy “L” to leap back into the same league as the  many breath-taking designs coming out Germany.

Of course, dominating any market is never an easy endeavor, yet Lexus managed to do so for years. What’s more, they did it with seeming effortlessness that one can only imagine irritated its clear-cut rivals. But like its parent company, Toyota, Lexus has suffered as of late. In 2011, we saw the brand suffer and slip down the pecking order, with many of the German luxury brands, such as BMW and Audi, compelling customers to jump ship.

After having taken a break in the U.S. market for the 2012 model year, the Lexus GS 350 is back for 2013. Has the Japanese luxury marquee finally decided to show up to the dance and appeal to the more visceral sensibilities of its customers — or will it continue to play it safe and forgo what has driven customers to its rivals?

Building bold and stylish momentum

People don’t often like to admit it, but looks matter — especially with an automobile. Even if they can go fast, handle like a dream, and sport some insane sound system that reverberates throughout every inch of your body, that “dream car” needs to be easy on the eyes, or nobody is going to think twice when something prettier comes along. We’re superficial creatures in a lot of ways – and that’s OK.

For the 2013 GS 350, it seems like Lexus is finally hip to this harsh truth; the GS 350 is a beautiful creature, one that immediately grabs your attention and refuses to let go. A lot of that credit has to go toward what Lexus is calling its new spindle grille.

Like BMW’s iconic double kidney, Audi’s interlocking rings, and Mercedes three-pointed star, the new up-front design element Lexus has added instills a flair and character we assumed was long forgotten at the company — though we have seen glimpses of life over at Lexus recently, in the form of the LFA supercar and IS sport sedan.

For the better part of a decade, however, Lexus has been operating on cruise control. Lexus has always built quality, reliable cars. But for the price, people want more than just that. They want fun. They want passion. And they want something that’s going to turn heads. Honestly, when was the last time you were truly impressed by how great a Lexus looks…that far back, huh? Yeah, that’s what we thought. Thankfully, the invigorated style of the GS has breathed new life into a brand that seemed content to wallow in exceptional mediocrity.

In addition to its mean mug, the GS 350 features a host of styling refinements that we truly appreciate. Our undying love for smartly lined LED lights has not gone unanswered, with the GS 350 featuring an integrated strip just below the headlamps. The dimensions up front have been widened by a couple of inches, which helps give the car a more aggressive look head-on, while to the side and rear designs offer more subdued styling. Some might argue that the design isn’t bold enough, but we disagree. Come off too harsh and Lexus would miss its mark. And, like it or not, that spindle-grille has been described by the company as “the new face of Lexus,” so expect to see it on many more upcoming models.

In the end, the exterior design of the 2013 GS 350 manages to be a lot of things: aggressive, elegant, athletic, and subdued. There really is something here to satiate a wide array of tastes. But more than anything else, it’s fun and fierce — and those are two adjectives we haven’t used to describe a Lexus in way too long.

The momentum continues…

We’ve grown accustomed to compromise while reviewing cars. As with most things, there are aspects we enjoy and others we don’t. This is typically dealt with a modicum of civility on our part because, after all, nobody is perfect. This unfortunate reality is often most prevalent when examining the exterior and interior of a vehicle. Thankfully, this isn’t an issue in the 2013 Lexus GS 350.

The styling momentum carries over from the exterior into the cabin of the GS 350. Lexus has long been known for its quality cabins. And while traditional styling sensibilities can be witnessed throughout, there is a far greater degree of modernity as well. Whether it’s the soft and contemporary hue of the ambient LED lighting throughout the cabin, the electro-luminescent gauge cluster, or the 8-inch LCD control display with touchpad interface (more on than in a bit), the cabin is as smartly dressed as it is comfortable.

Adjustable 10-way power seats come standard on the 2013 Lexus GS 350, but our loaner upped the ante to 18 courtesy of its Luxury Package ($6,530). And while that might seem like overkill, the GS 350’s firm seats up front manage to cradle both driver and passenger making it the most comfortable cabins we’ve sat in to date, with the BMW 335i coming in at a close second and the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque awarded the bronze.

Altogether, there is cabin space aplenty, both up front and in the rear. For the 2013 model year, rear passengers have been afforded nearly three more inches of hip room, and leg room is hardly an issue, measuring at 36.8-inches. While cargo space has been an issue in past iterations, Lexus has managed to address that thanks to the new redesign, which now allows for 14.3 cubic feet that should fit a set of golf clubs or a decent amount of luggage.

We wouldn’t expect a Lexus cabin to look cheap, and this one doesn’t. The mix of leather and real wood enhances the cabin a great deal, and breaks up the endless sea of leather found on the seats and wrapped around almost the entirety of the dash.

The price is wrong… for navigation

There isn’t exactly a tech drought when it comes to mid-size luxury sedans. And considering our review car hovers north of $60,000, we assumed our loaner would naturally fall into that category. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case here. While our review unit features some bedazzling tech of its own, curiously absent was the optional navigation system, upgraded 12.3-inch wide LCD display, and Lexus’s Enform system, which is similar to BMW’s iDrive.

This, more than anything, has us rather miffed. The 2013 GS is a strong showing from Lexus. But overlooking one of the most quintessential technology features found in even the most pedestrian of vehicles nowadays is unacceptable. Apparently 60 grand will get you a lot, but it won’t get you a navigation system. Rubbish, Lexus, simply rubbish.

That gigantic misstep aside, the GS 350 does manager to muster an impressive showing in the tech department. While Lexus Enform offers its own apps suite with Pandora, Yelp, and a host of other integrated apps, moderately savvy owners can work around this by utilizing the vehicles simple Bluetooth connectivity feature to connect a smartphone or tablet.

On top of effortless voice commands to make hands-free phone calls, you can also stream music apps like Pandora and Spotify with ease. The GS 350 features a USB port housed in the middle console, so charging your smart device is easy. But be warned: operating apps like Spotify, or even connecting your iPod in order to listen to your library of music, doesn’t always work as smoothly as it should. Lexus’s system has a hard time keeping pace with track changes, and will often display the wrong track altogether. Often we were told to wait while the system accessed our iPod’s library. It’s annoying. This type of problem isn’t just confined to Lexus vehicles. However, given the vehicle’s price, it’s much less easy to overlook or forgive.

The GS 350 also features Lexus’s handy Remote Touch interface. This square-shaped controller sits in front of an elevated wrist pad, and makes navigating the vehicle’s menus a breeze. While it’s not quite as accurate as a mouse, which is the closest comparison we can think of, it does offer an unprecedented level of control and accuracy for an in-car computer system. There is a corresponding icon that shows up on the display, and selecting various functions is as simple as clicking down on the button. This is, by far, the best system we have had the pleasure of operating, and we hope more automakers follow suit.

Soft-spoken performer

The 2013 Lexus GS 350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 306 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Transmission options are limited to a six-speed automatic with manual shift paddle controls, but customers can opt for either a rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive system. EPA rating for the rear-wheel-drive version is 19 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined. Our all-wheel drive review unit earns a little less at 19 mpg in the city, 26 on the highway, and 21 combined. For comparison, the BMW 535i xDrive with 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder and the Audi A6 with Quattro all-wheel drive and a 3.0-liter V6 earn comparable returns with 21/30/24 and 19/28/22, respectively.

We were pleased to discover that the GS 350 isn’t hindered by the ghost of its subdued forbearers. The engine is exquisitely vocal, and the rumble and growl crept ever so blissfully into our aural canals at every push of the ignition or spool of torque being blasted through. However, it never manages to match the sound sensation emanating from some of its German rivals — namely, BMW’s 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder — but is a raucous step in the right direction for Lexus.

A refined road warrior

The 2013 Lexus GS 350 features some truly impressive driving dynamics, and in many ways keeps pace with the German performance-based luxury sedans. Its uncanny ability to grip the road, even when power is being sent viciously to the wheels, is admirable and offers a truly engaging ride for those that seek it out. When not stopping the accelerator, the GS 350 provides a supple and composed ride. And although we expected as much, the ability to weave in and out of each driving scenario was a feat, and sensation, that instilled in us even more confidence that Lexus has the potential to rival the best of what Germany has to offer.

That said, we still have a minor qualm: The GS 350 has a tendency to release its revs too early in the powerband, even when in manual shifting mode. This becomes more of a nuisance for enthusiasts that want to push their vehicle harder than most are likely to do — but it’s something Lexus should better tune for upcoming variations.

Speaking of upcoming variations, while we thoroughly enjoyed Lexus’s finely-tuned 3.5-liter V6, the fact that it is only available as a six-speed automatic reeks of a rush job. So many of its competitors are swapping in seven- and eight-speed transmissions, and the GS 350 should be no different.

Finish Line

At the risk of sounding cheesy, the 2013 GS 350 is not just a new model — it’s a statement. As with its remarkable LFA concept, Lexus is looking to show the world what it can do. We might be able to accuse the luxury automaker of many things, but it finally seems we can no longer criticize it for resting on its laurels and being smacked around by rivals it managed to best with relative ease for so many years.

In the 2013 GS 350, we have a real contender in the mid-size luxury segment. It features bold styling, a finely-crafted interior, and a satisfying mill that has left us incredibly impressed — even if it does need some further refinement to truly content with those pesky Germans and their proverbial symphony on wheels.

And yet, for all its quality, the GS 305 can do more. Mileage and powertrain efficiency needs to be ironed out. And while we are smitten with its design, we can’t help but think Lexus has a greater degree of room with which to explore.

Suffice to say, Lexus has our attention once again and rightfully so — now that it does it must hold onto it. That may prove easier said than done. But if the GS 350 is anything to go off of, that goal appears well within Lexus’s reach. For those seeking out a solid performer across the board, we recommend the 2013 Lexus GS 350. For those of us seeking out an edgier, more raw experience, however, it might serve us well to hold off on emigrating from the Rhineland for a while longer.

Highs

• Style — yes, a modern Lexus with style and flair!

• Solid performer across the board

• Excellent interface controls

• Comfortable and stylish cabin

• Exceptional road manners

Lows

• Lack of navigation system despite luxury package add-on

• Somewhat recycled powertrain

• Unimpressive fuel economy

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Miimo: The robotic mower from Honda that loves your lawn

Meet Miimo, a new lawn-loving robot from Honda that mows the grass so you don't have to.

Chores, chores, chores. Sometimes life seems to be nothing but time-consuming chores. The folks at Honda appear to agree, for they’ve just unveiled Miimo, a robot-on-wheels that’ll take care of your lawn, leaving you to do more important things like read a book or drink a beer.

Miimo incorporates what Honda calls a “continuous cutting system”, trimming 2-3 mm of grass at a time, several times a week. That sounds pretty measly at first, but if Miimo starts off with a well-cut lawn (OK, I guess you’ll have to do that), then it should have little problem keeping on top of things from thereon in.

The small robot cuts in a random pattern, thereby creating “less stress” on the grass, though quite what stressed grass looks like, I’m not altogether sure.

Cuttings are not collected, but are apparently so small (ah yes, 2-3mm) that they’re comfortably “dispersed into the lawn root system, breaking down quickly to act as a natural fertilizer which improves the health and quality of the grass,” Honda’s says in a news release about its robotic mower.

Before you can send Miimo on its way, you first have to bury a special wire around the perimeter of your yard. Sensors built into Miimo will detect the wire, thereby preventing it from disappearing off down the street, never to be seen again. The sensors also stop Miimo from bashing into any large objects located around the yard.

Power comes in the form of a lithium-ion battery, but you needn’t worry about it running out – Miimo’s got it covered. When the juice starts to run low, this clever device will trundle over to its docking station for a power boost all by itself.

Miimo is Honda’s first commercial product for domestic use, and will go up against a number of other robotic mowers already on the market. The company hopes it’ll prove popular with those who have no time (or inclination) to mow their lawn. It could also be useful for the elderly, or for those with some physical impairment preventing them from taking on the task.

The Japanese car company has also gained attention in recent years for another robot, Asimo. The advanced astronaut-looking humanoid robot can run, walk across bumpy surfaces, hop, and even pour a coffee. It can’t, however, mow lawns.

Miimo is coming to the European market first, in early 2013. There’s no word on price yet, though machines of a similar type cost from around $1,600.

[Ubergizmo via engadget]

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

The Best Fashion Apps

Getting an invitation to a wedding is always exciting. There’s nothing better than a proper family knees up and everyone loves a wedding.

However, the invitation also comes with an obligation – to look good yourself. Finding the perfect outfit for a wedding can be tricky!

Some people have natural style and manage to look effortlessly perfect whatever the occasion. However, the rest of us mere mortals can find the task a little more difficult and when you consider the various rules that come with dressing for a wedding – don’t show too much flesh, don’t wear white, keep it colourful, and so on – it’s little wonder that many people wish they could have a little help.

Sadly, we can’t all afford a stylist and the chances of getting on a television programme are slim to none, but there are many more technological ways of ensuring that whether it’s a small intimate wedding or a more lavish affair, you’ll look picture perfect and know exactly what to wear to a wedding.

Apps

One of the biggest problems with technology is that those who know about it assume that everyone does. Therefore the phrase App is often used with few people knowing what it actually means. In very general and simple terms, an App is short for application and is a software application or programme which you can load into your phone or computer to give you a new programme.

Businesses use Apps as mini websites in cases where the hosting technology (such as a phone) can’t support their entire website. The App gives select information or abilities but doesn’t use up the entire memory.

Best Fashion Apps

Thanks to Apps, deciding what to wear for a wedding couldn’t be easier, and stylists and insiders have selected some of their favourites.

ChicFeed

Simply put, Chicfeed is a collection of photographs taken from around the world of ordinary street-style shots. The app is put together by some of the most established and respected fashion bloggers in the world so you can trust that what they say is gospel!

Snapette

Snapette is another gallery App which lets you see some of the best in fashion, divided into categories, so finding the perfect outfit for an interview, a day out or what to wear for a wedding is simple and efficient.

The Cut On The Runway

This is the best App on the market for dedicated followers of fashion. This features updated clips and photographs from fashion shows as and when they happen as well as scores of hidden extras such as blogs from the designers, beauty tips and front row images.

 Go Try It On

This is the perfect App for when you’re shopping alone but want a second opinion from someone who’s not a pushy sales assistant. It couldn’t be easier to work either. Simply upload a picture of yourself wearing the outfit in question and the network of users will rank your style. If that sounds a little embarrassing, fear not as the blurring feature lets your face stay completely anonymous.

Amy Mitchell is a freelance writer and fashion blogger.

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com