Microsoft will pay you $100 to upgrade from XP

If you're still contentedly plugging away with Microsoft's 13 year-old Windows XP operating system, the executives at Redmond have an offer for you: Upgrade to a brand new Windows 8 machine, and they'll put $100 in your back pocket. Head to the online Microsoft Store if you're tempted.

You also get 90 days of free support and a free data transfer service thrown in, though the deal benefits Microsoft as well as users — with official support for Windows XP ending next month, computers that are still running the operating system will no longer receive the security updates and patches required to keep online dangers at bay.

To qualify for the discount, you'll need to fork out for a shiny new Windows 8 machine costing $699 or more, and there are a variety of all-in-ones, laptops and tablet/laptop hybrids to pick from (including Microsoft's own Surface Pro 2). Check the FAQ pages on the Microsoft Store website for more information — you've got until June 15 to get your order in.

The fact that so many people are clinging on to Windows XP is getting to be something of a headache for Microsoft. The figures suggest that around 10 percent of U.S. government computers are still running the ageing operating system — that's hundreds of thousands of PCs at risk once the automatic patches stop coming. One of the executives at security firm Avast has urged Microsoft to reconsider.

In terms of overall usage, XP still accounts for nearly 30 percent of the Windows share of the market. According to a reader poll we ran earlier this month, more than half of you are going to stick with Windows XP once the support window has passed — if you fall into that category, check out our essential survival guide.
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Chinese imaging company creates the largest 150-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor

What you see here is not some type of high-tech harmonica, but a 150-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor. Created by Chinese imaging company Gpixel, the sensor is the world's highest-resolution CMOS sensor. Looking at the size (6.59 x 11 inches), it is not going to make its way into any DSLR, as you've probably guessed – not the ones we use today, at least. No, the sensor is designed for cameras used for medical, industrial, and scientific imaging. (Just imagine the high-res selfie you could have taken, if it had been a consumer product.)

The sensor, known as the GMAX3005, is based on the TS18IS technology from TowerJazz, which partnered with Gpixel in the development. The monochromatic sensor can achieve 10 frames per second at full-frame, and is designed to capture images with high sensitivity. According to Gpixel, there is a growing demand for high-end image sensors, particularly in industry, and it wants to play a huge role in that growth. TowerJazz, an Israeli company with a big presence in Japan, recently made news by entering a joint venture with Panasonic on an imaging semiconductor business; Gpixel says TowerJazz technology is crucial in the sensor's development.

Gpixel said the sensor will be available at year's end.
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Microsoft will pay you $100 to upgrade from XP

If you're still contentedly plugging away with Microsoft's 13 year-old Windows XP operating system, the executives at Redmond have an offer for you: Upgrade to a brand new Windows 8 machine, and they'll put $100 in your back pocket. Head to the online Microsoft Store if you're tempted.

You also get 90 days of free support and a free data transfer service thrown in, though the deal benefits Microsoft as well as users — with official support for Windows XP ending next month, computers that are still running the operating system will no longer receive the security updates and patches required to keep online dangers at bay.

To qualify for the discount, you'll need to fork out for a shiny new Windows 8 machine costing $699 or more, and there are a variety of all-in-ones, laptops and tablet/laptop hybrids to pick from (including Microsoft's own Surface Pro 2). Check the FAQ pages on the Microsoft Store website for more information — you've got until June 15 to get your order in.

The fact that so many people are clinging on to Windows XP is getting to be something of a headache for Microsoft. The figures suggest that around 10 percent of U.S. government computers are still running the ageing operating system — that's hundreds of thousands of PCs at risk once the automatic patches stop coming. One of the executives at security firm Avast has urged Microsoft to reconsider.

In terms of overall usage, XP still accounts for nearly 30 percent of the Windows share of the market. According to a reader poll we ran earlier this month, more than half of you are going to stick with Windows XP once the support window has passed — if you fall into that category, check out our essential survival guide.
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Chinese imaging company creates the largest 150-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor

What you see here is not some type of high-tech harmonica, but a 150-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor. Created by Chinese imaging company Gpixel, the sensor is the world's highest-resolution CMOS sensor. Looking at the size (6.59 x 11 inches), it is not going to make its way into any DSLR, as you've probably guessed – not the ones we use today, at least. No, the sensor is designed for cameras used for medical, industrial, and scientific imaging. (Just imagine the high-res selfie you could have taken, if it had been a consumer product.)

The sensor, known as the GMAX3005, is based on the TS18IS technology from TowerJazz, which partnered with Gpixel in the development. The monochromatic sensor can achieve 10 frames per second at full-frame, and is designed to capture images with high sensitivity. According to Gpixel, there is a growing demand for high-end image sensors, particularly in industry, and it wants to play a huge role in that growth. TowerJazz, an Israeli company with a big presence in Japan, recently made news by entering a joint venture with Panasonic on an imaging semiconductor business; Gpixel says TowerJazz technology is crucial in the sensor's development.

Gpixel said the sensor will be available at year's end.
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How do you make a Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 even better? A Callaway supercharger.

The Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 has everything a high-performance car should have, including an aerodynamic grille badge. However, there's one thing it doesn't have: a supercharger.

Chevy figures that buyers who want ultimate power should buy the blown Camaro ZL1, and leave the Z/28 to people who measure their lives by the tenths they shave off lap times.

Connecticut's Callaway Cars hopes to give drivers the best of both worlds with its latest creation, the supercharged Camaro Z/28 SC652.

No prizes for guessing how much power this monster muscle car has under the hood. The addition of an Eaton TVS supercharger to the Z/28′s 7.0-liter V8 nets 652 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque, which is more than the outgoing Corvette ZR1, the SRT Viper and the new Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4.

It's also enough to get the Callaway Z/28 form 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, and through the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds.

In addition to the supercharger, the Callaway treatment includes a retuned ECU, less-restrictive intake and exhaust systems, a liquid-to-air intercooler, and other tweaks.

That's on top of the changes Chevy made to the standard Camaro to make it into a dedicated track car. Those include stiffer suspension, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, enhanced aerodynamics, and an interior stripped of every luxury and convenience.

The Callaway SC652 conversion costs $19,995, on top of the $75,000 base price of a stock Camaro Z/28. Only 10 will be made, and Callaway says two have already been spoken for.

If you can't get your hands on one of these rare beasts, Callaway also offers supercharger kits for the Camaro SS, as well as a litany of performance upgrades for the Corvette, SS sedan, and full-size Chevy trucks.
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Guess again: Honda’s NM4 Vultus isn’t a scooter, electric, or Batman’s new ride

Check out the newest bike from Honda, called the NM4 Vultus. Just don't make the mistake of thinking it's an electric bike – it isn't.

What it is, however, is another extension of Honda's beginner-centric NC and CTX lines, which we had a chance to step astride last year. And while the Vultus looks more like a concept bike, Honda says it's headed for showrooms. As for the styling, Honda says the Vultus is "a ground-breaking machine inspired by futuristic machines seen in the anime and manga television and film styles, known collectively as 'Japanimation.'"

To us, the Vultus (Honda says that's Latin for "face" or "expression") looks like a mashup of the NC700, the F117 Stealth Fighter and something Batman would dream up in his spare time chilling in the Bat Cave. While the look may rub traditionalists the wrong way, new riders might find its menacing, blacked-out stance just the thing to separate them from the retro-cafe and scooter crowd.

Like rest in the NC and CTX line, it's powered by Honda's friendly lay-down, liquid-cooled P-twin, this time punched out to 745cc from the 670cc version found in most of the other variants. If it's in the same state of tune as the plant in the upgraded Euro-spec NC750, it should pump out 54 horsepower and a stout 50 pound-feet of torque. Not a rocketship by any stretch, but enough juice to satisfy everyone from beginners to commuters to experienced riders who no longer need 200 horsepower for everyday riding.

To further bolster its novice appeal, the Vultus will include Honda's 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. When we tried it last year, we found the automatic to be typical Honda: polished, highly functional, robust and easy to operate. Along with Drive (for max MPGs) and Sport (more performance), the DCT also features push-button "manual" shifting for more control over the fun.

The bike also features a digital LCD dash with a gear position indicator and a tach redlining at a lowish 6,000 rpm due to the motor's torque-enhancing long-stroke design. Geometric pods on either side feature the usual array of indicators. LEDs illuminate most of the lights on the bike, including the front indicators mounted like fangs on the fairing.

The Vultus also looks to up the ante comfort-wise, with canted floorboards up front and a passenger seat that flips up for use as a backrest – and it's adjustable at that. Disc brakes front and rear will likely feature ABS if Honda's past options for other NC and CTX bikes remains in place.

So will the Vultus be coming stateside? Honda's American arm gave us the typical "there is no more information at this time" response, but I'd be willing to bet it's headed our way to join it's NC and CTX brethren as part of Honda's bid to attract new, younger riders.

Will Honda's latest stab at creating an easy-to-ride-but-out-there-styling beginner bike catch on? If it's anything like the rest of the NC bikes, it will perform up to Honda's high bar, but it's going to be a matter of whether buyers can relate to the anime-influenced style. One thing for sure: Honda definitely needs to hire a Batman lookalike to cruise around on one at Comic-Con.
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Make your 2014 Mini Cooper even more distinctive with these all-new accessories

MINI would be the pièce de résistance of all hot hatch backs, if it were French.

It might not seem like a whole lot has changed from the MINI platform, but now there are more than a million ways to customize your 2014 Cooper hardtop.

The ability to completely personalize your MINI is a huge appeal for buyers who feel the need for their hatchback to suit their own style. BMW is aware of this and has provided the opportunity for an even larger list of options.

If you head to the showroom, prepare to sit down for a whole day in order to create your perfect MINI. The expansive range of options includes (deep breath): mirror caps, side scuttles, roof graphics, floor mats, door sills, center hub caps … the list goes on and on. Every option has different color variations or choices in patterns.

A MINI customer can also buy luggage and lanyards to match their car. Is it possible to offer too many options? MINI seems to think the sky is the limit. Besides all of these minor options, there are also a few noteworthy upgrades for the new 2014 Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S.

The base Mini Cooper will come with a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, but the 17-inch multi-spoke standards are still available on the S model. A brand new 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo engine will be powering the standard 2014 Mini Cooper, while a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo making 189 hp powers the Mini Cooper S.

These new Mini's are the standard for a host of BMW front-wheel-drive cars to come, such as the BMW 2 series Active Tourer for example. The base 2014 MINI Cooper starting price is $20,745, and the MINI Cooper S starts at $24,395. Both models are available now, but don't expect to get any of those sweet add-ons for anything less than a significant premium.
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Apple reportedly working on a Spotify rival and iTunes for Android

Even with iTunes the digital media juggernaut that it is, Apple apparently doesn't want to sit on its laurels — the company is rumored to be working on both a streaming music service and an Android-compatible version of iTunes to catch those people jumping ship to alternative platforms.

While Apple already has its iTunes Radio discovery service in play, the new product would be a Spotify-style music-on-demand app that gives users access to millions of tracks instantly. According to Billboard, Apple has "opened exploratory talks with senior label executives" about putting together its own streaming service to fend off competition from Spotify, Rdio, Google Music and others.

Getting its information from "people familiar with the talks", Billboard said that iTunes support for Android and a dedicated iTunes app for Google's mobile operating system were also being discussed. Android now accounts for around 80 percent of all the smartphones in use around the globe, so Apple executives may well consider the move worth the extra revenue. It took five years for iTunes to make the leap to Windows from Mac.

Both moves would make sense for Apple, but the Billboard report emphasizes that talks are at "a very early stage." So far in 2014, digital album sales are down 13 percent and digital track sales are down 11 percent from the same period last year, while revenue from streaming music services is on the rise. In total, iTunes still accounts for more than 40 percent of U.S. recorded music revenue.

Would you like the ability to sync your iTunes library to your Nexus device? Could Apple build a service that's better than Spotify? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Wendy’s now lets you pay with your mobile

The next time you're enjoying a burger and fries at Wendy's, you'll be able to pay using the official mobile app the fast food outlet is rolling out the feature to the majority of its 5,800 stores across the U.S., letting customers transfer cash using a six-digit code.


Wendy's has been testing the scheme over the past year, and executives say it has resulted in an increased number of visits to the chain. The company is particularly keen to attract younger customers who have a stronger attachment to their mobile devices: "If they want to come in and give us business, we want to allow them to pay the way they want to pay," Chief Marketing Officer Craig Bahner told AP.


It's not all good news for tech-savvy Wendy's fans, though — for now, the app doesn't include any promotional offers or discount codes, and you can't use it to order deliveries either, so you won't be able to order a meal from your sofa just yet. The app does include nutritional information about each item on the menu though, and of course there's the option to find your nearest outlet.


As for the two bigger burger chains, Burger King is launching its own mobile payments service next month, and McDonald's says it's looking into the potential of the technology too. "We're going to have to put some things out there that we know are not 100 percent perfect," said McDonald's Chief Financial Officer Pete Bensen. "But if you wait in this space until everything is 100 percent figured out, then you're going to miss the whole opportunity."


Any questions? Check out the FAQ page that Wendy's has put up. You can get hold of the app now for iOS and Android.
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Happy Hour! Style Pick- Blackberry Q10

Huge discount on our style pick: Blackberry Q10!


Blackberry Q10- Black. Get it here at a huge discount!


Get the White Blackberry Q10 at a whooping 35% off! Available here


Stating that blackberry Q10 is a stylish and functional smartphone is stating the obvious, the uber sleek blackberry is a must own.


A definitely better blackberry 10 series; compared to the Z10- this rugged but stylish smartphone has been redesigned for a stress free/ effortless typing experience‎.‎ With its 3.1inch OLED display screen‎,‎ the images appear in stunning details‎.


With features including; Blackberry 10 operating system upgradable to v10.1, 8 Megapixels Primary Camera, 2 megapixels Secondary Camera, 3.1 Capacitive OLED touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard amongst others the blackberry Q10 is a definite must have.


Shop here to get a whooping discount of 35% by using the discount code ENG1QB before check out!
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Top 5 Nollywood actresses in their 40's

Let's take a look at those gorgeous Nollywood actresses who are unbelivably in their 40's.

Nollywood has lots of gorgeous, young looking actresses who get to look younger everyday. We decided to make a countdown of our top five ever young actresses. here we go:

Shan George

Shan George, at the age of 43 is still young looking and fresh. The Nollyood actress and producer who is popularly known for A Second Time (2004), Blood Diamonds (2004) and Outcast (2001) is a mother of two grown young men.

Kate Henshaw

kate Henshaw at the age of 43 is obviously still young looking with a body to kill for. The Nollywood actress is popular for movies like 'When The Sun Sets', Stronger Than Pain amongst other movies and her role as one of the judges on Nigeria's got talent.

Iretiola Doyle

Iretiola at the age of 47 looks way younger than that. The actress, Producer, and presenter is popular for her role as Sheila in M-Net's series Tinsel. She is married with kids to patrick Doyle.

Bimbo Akintola

Bimbo Akintola at the age of 44 still has a young look. The actress is popular for movies like Diamond Ring, Dangerous Twins amongst so many others. She is single.

Ayo Adesanya

The beautiful actress who is divorced from her huisband Hassan is in her 40's. she is popular for her role in movies like most wanted'. She fits into any role assigned to her.

They are gorgeous, in their 40's with bodies to kill for. We sure want to know their secrests.
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Sarah Michelle Gellar Slams Kim Kardashian's Vogue Cover: "I'm Canceling My Vogue Subscription"

Buffy the Kimye slayer! Sarah Michelle Gellar threw some serious shade at Kim Kardashian and Kanye West 's first-ever Vogue cover on Friday, March 21, shortly after the Anna Wintour. approved April issue was revealed .

"Well……I guess I'm canceling my Vogue subscription," Gellar tweeted . "Who is with me???"

PHOTOS: Biggest celebrity feuds
While many fans agreed with Gellar, the Crazy One star's comment also elicited a defensive quip from Kardashian's bestie, Jonathan Cheban. "Do u matter?" he said, retweeting Gellar. Cheban, along with Kardashian's closest family and friends , celebrated the couple's fashion bible coup Friday afternoon.

Vogue editor Wintour also defended her
controversial choice to place the reality TV star and rapper on the issue's cover in her Editor's Letter.

"As for the cover, my opinion is that it is both charming and touching, and it was, I should add, entirely our idea to do it; you may have read that Kanye begged me to put his fiancée on Vogue's cover. He did nothing of the sort," Wintour, also the creative director of Conde Nast, wrote .

"Kanye is an amazing performer and cultural provocateur, while Kim, through her strength of character, has created a place for herself in the
glare of the world's spotlight, and it takes real guts to do that." then and now Gellar, for her part, has never covered Vogue. The Cruel Intentions star, who rose to fame in the '90s
along with fellow teen heartthrobs Reese Witherspoon , Ryan Phillippe and husband Freddie Prinze, Jr. , has fronted many other magazines in
the past, including British Elle, Self, Allure, InStyle, and Seventeen.
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L'Wren Scott's Funeral Will Be Held In L.A.

Larry Busacca/Getty Images Full Size Image.

L'Wren Scott's funeral will be held in L.A., Mick Jagger's rep confirms to Us Weekly. The news comes just days after the fashion designer was found dead at the age of 49 in her NYC apartment on Monday, March 17. The medical examiner ruled the death a suicide two days later.

PHOTOS: L'Wren Scott's designs

Scott's body has been at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on Manhattan's Upper East Side since Wednesday. Her body will be flown to L.A. this weekend.

PHOTOS: Rockstar romances

As previously reported, the Rolling Stones rocker returned to L.A. from Perth, Australia to begin funeral arrangements earlier this week after canceling multiple concert dates. In a March 18 Facebook post, he opened up about his tragic loss.


Credit: Jon Furniss/WireImageL'Wren Scott and Mick Jagger
PHOTOS: Stars we've lost in 2013

"I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way. We spent many wonderful years together and had made a great life for ourselves," he wrote. "She had great presence and her talent was much admired, not least by me."

Jagger and the beloved celebrity designer had dated for 13 years.
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A Fashion Miracle! Kim Kardashian Covers

Vogue in a Wedding Dress

#OMGKimKardashianLandedVogue!
The supposed rift between Kim Kardashian and Anna Wintour seems to be out like last year's trends. On Friday, the magazine posted their April cover and the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star is front and center with her fiancé, Kanye West.

The 33-year-old is wearing a strapless wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline and ballgown bottom and her massive diamond engagement ring
in the cover photo, which was snapped by famed shutterbug Annie Leibovitz. Kanye, who's dressed in a suit, is standing behind her with his arms
locked at her waist.

The cover line reads: "Kim & Kanye: Their fashionable life and surreal times" with the hashtag #WorldsMostTalkedAboutCouple (which is already being poked fun of online). A video accompanies the
cover announcement and features Kim, wearing at least five different dresses during the shoot, behind the scenes with Kanye and their daughter, North.

Both Kim and Kanye were celebrating Wintour's decision to put them on the cover. As soon as the cover hit, she tweeted:
This is such a dream come true!!! Thank you @VogueMagazine for this cover! O M. GGGGGG!!! I
can't even… http://t.co/CbD5ThUqor
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) March 21, 2014

And that was followed by his post:
#TRILL Thank you @voguemagazine http://t.co/ C4O8XOeJjS
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) March 21, 2014
Of course, not everyone was thrilled.
Well......I guess I'm canceling my Vogue
subscription. Who is with me???

— Sarah Michelle (@RealSMG) March 21, 2014
Love it or hate it, the fact Kim is covering Vogue is huge news because, by many accounts, the Vogue editor was not a fan of the reality TV icon. The
drama between them is said to have started in 2012 when Kardashian was reportedly banned from the Met Gala by Wintour, who chairs the hot-ticket
event and has final say on the guest list.

Fashion lover Kanye, who is said to have lobbied hard to have Kim on the cover of the style bible, brought the women together last year, breaking
bread at a dinner party at Wintour's Manhattan apartment . And the next night, the couple — who plan to marry in France this May — attended the
swanky soiree together, making a big splash on the red carpet, mostly because of her eye-catching, head-to-baby bump floral Givenchy ensemble.
[Related: Memorial Weekend Wedding: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Set a Date ] However, when the photos from the annual bash appeared on Vogue's website after the party, Kardashian was cut out of the 77-slide photo gallery
of the event's best-dressed guests.

Kanye was in the picture, but Kim was cropped out with only a sliver of her dress showing. So rumors of a rift
started up all over again.

Not only does Wintour shut down those rumors by putting Kim on the cover, but she addresses them in the editor's letter of the magazine. She also
explains why Kim and Kanye were Vogue cover material.

"Part of the pleasure of editing Vogue, one that lies in a long tradition of this magazine, is being able to feature those who define the culture at any given
moment, who stir things up, whose presence in the world shapes the way it looks and influences the way we see it. I think we can all agree on the fact
that that role is currently being played by Kim and Kanye to a T. (Or perhaps that should be to a K?)" she wrote. "As for the cover, my opinion is that it is
both charming and touching, and it was, I should add, entirely our idea to do it; you may have read that Kanye begged me to put his fiancée on Vogue's cover. He did nothing of the sort.

The gossip might make better reading, but the simple fact of the matter is that it isn't true."

She added, "There's barely a strand of the modern media that the Kardashian Wests haven't been able to master, and for good reason: Kanye is an amazing performer and cultural provocateur, while Kim, through her strength of character, has created a place for herself in the glare of the world's
spotlight, and it takes real guts to do that."

So, like banana clips and acid-washed jeans, talk of drama between Kardashian and Wintour is out.

What hashtag would you give this cover of Kim and Kanye? Let us know in the comments below.
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