Beyonce goes 'topless' for Out Magazine

In the May Power issue of LGBT magazine, Out, Beyonce channels Hollywood sex symbol Marilyn
Monroe and tackles the double standard between men & women regarding sexuality, telling the mag,
"There is a double standard when it comes to sexuality that still persists.

Men are free and women are not. That is crazy."

"You can be a businesswoman, a mother, an artist, and a feminist - whatever you want to be - and still be a sexual being. There is unbelievable
power in ownership and women should own their sexuality."

Beyonce's Out issue hits stands at the end of April.
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Scientists developing high-energy camera that detects the faintest atmospheric light

One of the CHEC photomultiplier modules currently being tested. Credit: Fabricio Sousa/SLAC
Scientists at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, in Menlo Park, California, are currently building and testing unique components designed to collect the smallest traces of light in the sky. The end-result of this extensive research will be an innovative camera meant to complement a telescope capable of measuring wide-ranging gamma-rays.

The CTA will be able to detect ultra-high energy electromagnetic radiation, also known as gamma-rays. This radiation is so powerful that it breaks into small particles over our atmosphere faster than the speed of light, which necessitates the development of a specialized type of camera called the Compact High-energy Camera (CHEC); current CCD-based cameras in observatories are nowhere fast enough. The CHEC would be stronger than the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope that's currently in orbit, and allow scientists to capture the faintest, fastest flashes of light in the night sky. As light is one thing scientists use to search for faraway objects in space, the CHEC's development could aid in space exploration.

According to SLAC, the CHEC camera will consist of several electronic components including photomultipliers, which are tiny modules able to collect and amplify individual particles of light. Another component is the TARGET chip, created by the combined efforts of University of Hawaii and SLAC researchers. The TARGET chip is an integral circuit chip that is able to read 16 pixels of photomultiplier signals up to one billion times a second.

Luigi Tibaldo, a researcher working on the CHEC project, said the prototype camera would utilize 32 different modules with 64-bit photomultipliers in addition to four TARGET chips. University of Hawaii researchers are currently working alongside Japanese electronics firm Hamamatsu Photonics in an effort to mass-produce the necessary modules for the new camera and telescope array.

The 32 photomultiplier modules that make up the camera.
SLAC seeks to install the first CHEC into a prototype telescope that will be used in the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), a ground-based open observatory still under development by a consortium of more than a thousand members from countries such as Japan, Germany, India, the U.S., and others. The observatory will actually be comprise of two separate arrays, one in the Northern Hemisphere and the other in the Southern Hemisphere. There will be a total of more than 100 telescopes of three different sizes.

Researchers are set to continue testing the modules throughout the month of April before installing them into the final assembly of the CHEC camera. The CTA telescopes are currently in development.
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Borderlands 2 PS Vita release confirmed for May 2014

The PlayStation Vita version of Borderlands 2 is officially set for release on May 13, though you'll be able to snag it a week early (on May 6) if you pick up the Borderlands 2 Limited Edition PlayStation Vita Bundle for $199.99. The bundle includes the newly redesigned PS Vita and an 8GB memory card in addition to the game. 

However you choose to get Borderlands 2 for Vita, there's an assortment of extras to complement the main game in Iron Galaxy Studios' port. The Vita release includes a total of six content packs that were previously released for the console game. You get the Psycho and Mechromancer character classes, the Ultimate Vault Hunter's Upgrade Pack, the Collector's Edition pack, and two story DLC add-ons: Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty and Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage. There's no word on if or when the other DLC packs will be making their way to the Vita release, but you'll be able to carry your progress over from your PlayStation 3 saves.

Those that opt for the bundle will also get the redesigned PS Vita. In addition to being smaller and lighter than the original model, the Vita refresh also sports an LCD screen (replacing the former's OLED), improved battery life, and 1GB of internal memory. You can find more details in Sony's latest PlayStation Blog post.
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The Raid 2 arcade game is bloody, brutal, and totally free

The Raid 2: Berandal is a bloody and vicious film with flashes of brilliance. Critics love it (check out our review), but  sadly, the movie is still unknown to most American filmgoers. That may not change overnight, but the marketing for the film isn't about to say die, as evidenced by the existence of a browser-based arcade game inspired by the movie (spotted by Ain't It Cool News).

It's free to play, so there's no risk in checking it out if you're interested. The game doesn't come close to recapturing the frenetic, yet almost balletic fight choreography of the film, but it tries, bless its little heart.

The Raid 2: Arcade Edition is an old school beat 'em up with a ridiculous amount of 8-bit blood. You can find it at TheRaidArcade.com. The game isn't exactly deep in terms of gameplay, but it pays homage to the film with plenty of Easter Eggs that fans should appreciate. There's also another good reason to try it out – developer eOne is promising a free Xbox One console to the person that records the highest score by April 30, 2014. 
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New study finds that e-cig vapor affects cells the same way as tobacco smoke

Electronic cigarettes have experienced a pretty sizable uptick in popularity over the past few years, partially due to the fact that they're sometimes touted as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. But a newly-published study — one of the first to examine the biological effects of inhaling vaporized e-liquid, suggests that this might not be the case.

The study, which was recently published in Nature and presented at the American Association of Cancer Research's annual meeting this week, found that bronchial cells grown in a medium exposed to e-cig vapor showed "strikingly similar" gene mutations to those grown in a medium exposed to tobacco smoke.

Further research is needed to draw clear-cut conclusions, but these similarities may be an indicator that e-cig vapor could potentially increase a user's risk of cancer, despite the fact that it's completely tobacco free and doesn't require combustion to be consumed.

"They may be safer [than tobacco], but our preliminary studies suggest that they may not be benign," said study author Avrum Spira, a genomics and lung cancer researcher at Boston University.

The next step is to conduct further experiments on the genes altered by the e-cig vapor to discern their cancer-causing potential. "These studies will determine the impact of e-cig exposure on lung carcinogenicity and provide needed scientific guidance to the FDA regarding the physiologic effects of e-cigs," Spira added.

In spite of all the uncertainty surrounding their potential health effects, the FDA has taken its sweet time in regulating e-cigs, which have risen from relative obscurity to become a multi-billion dollar industry in just a few years time. Without any federal regulation, the e-cigarette market is basically the Wild West right now. There's little if any quality control, and marketers can peddle e-cigs  however they want — be it to kids, or as a smoking cessation method.

Proposed federal rules on how to regulate e-cigs are exptected to come down soon, but considering what research has shown thus far, in the meantime it's probably a good idea to approach e-cigargette use with caution and not assume it's completely safe.
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The Crew opens up the throttle to show off new screens and a trailer

Ubisoft is set to introduce us to The Crew, an open world racer that turns the continental United States into a racer's playground, this fall on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is an RPG on wheels, with experience earned that you use to improve your whips and deck out your garage. You earn this experience by completing missions, either on your own, with friends, or by simply teaming up with some of the numerous players you'll encounter in the game's persistent online world. 

We won't be able to get our hands on the game until later in the year, but Ubisoft was kind enough to tease us with a few peeks in this new set of screens and gameplay trailer. The Crew features several different types of races that will test you on dirt tracks, winding roads, and flat out straightaways. As you'd expect from any racing game worth its salt, especially one with multiple terrains, there will be plenty of cars to help you complete your missions. 

The Crew isn't the first open world racer, but it is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious. Expect to hear plenty more about this game as it nears release.
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Atletico Madrid knocked Spanish rivals Barcelona out of the Champions League as Koke's early goal gave them a 2-1 aggregate win over the Catalan giants

The midfielder's close-range shot put the Spanish league leaders into the semi-finals following the 1-1 draw in Barcelona last week.

Hosts Atletico struck the woodwork three times in the opening 20 minutes.
Gabi wasted a fine chance for Atletico after the break while Neymar went close with a diving header for Barcelona.
The result puts Atletico into the last four of the competition for the first time since 1974, and with Diego Simeone's side heading La Liga by a point from Barcelona with six games remaining, a domestic and European double is a distinct possibility.
Barcelona counterpart Gerardo Martino, by contrast, must contemplate the fact that his side have become the first Barca team to fail to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League since 2007.
Four previous meetings between the two sides this season - in La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup and the first leg of this tie - had all ended in draws, but Atletico began the match positively rather than being content to rest on their away goal advantage.
Adrian Lopez, in the side for Diego Costa with the prolific striker ruled out by a hamstring injury, shot against the post in the fifth minute, but within seconds Atletico were ahead.
Former Barcelona forward David Villa collected the rebound to cross from the left, and after Raul Garcia nodded back across the face of goal, Koke - recently called "an extraordinary footballer" by Barcelona's Xavi - stabbed the ball past Barca goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto.
There was no respite from Atletico, who came close to killing the tie off before the 20-minute mark, with Villa hitting the post and then the crossbar.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi had headed just wide in between Villa's two efforts, and although the Catalans improved as the game developed, they failed to consistently test Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Diego, scorer of the crucial away goal in the first leg, forced Pinto into action with a fierce shot from a tight angle after Atletico had soaked up Barcelona's pressure in the early part of the second half.
Gabi's weak shot at the feet of Pinto wasted another chance for the hosts, who soon had a penalty claim ignored by referee Howard Webb after Villa had gone down under a challenge from Javier Mascherano.
Neymar's header, 13 minutes from the end, was inches wide of Courtois' right-hand post with the on-loan Chelsea player struggling to get near the ball, but Pinto was the busier of the two keepers in the final stages as Atletico claimed a memorable win.
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Bayern Munich 3-1 Manchester United

Manchester United's hopes of redeeming a poor season with a surprise Champions League semi-final place were ended as holders Bayern Munich fought back to record a dominant second-leg win.

David Moyes's side had held Bayern to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford and stunned the hosts when Patrice Evra rifled in.
But Mario Mandzukic nodded in a swift equaliser before Thomas Muller's scuffed finish put Bayern ahead.
Arjen Robben then wrapped up the 4-2 aggregate win with a fine solo goal.
With United already out of the Premier League title race, FA Cup and League Cup, the Champions League had been Moyes's final chance to redeem what has been a hugely disappointing season for the 2012-13 league champions.
They had been given little chance against a Bayern side who have been imperious this season, but United had produced a dogged defensive display at Old Trafford to give themselves hope heading into Wednesday's encounter.
United needed to score at Bayern to have a chance of progressing and, with that in mind, Moyes named an attacking line-up with Wayne Rooney, fit after recovering from a toe injury, leading the line in front of Danny Welbeck, Shinji Kagawa and Antonio Valencia.

It almost paid dividends inside the first 10 minutes when a long ball over the top gave Rooney space to run at goal but the England striker hesitated on the edge of the area and his shot was blocked.

Valencia had an effort ruled out for offside soon after, before Bayern took control of the game. But for all their dominance in possession they did not force United goalkeeper David De Gea into a save in the first half.

Their short, sharp passing was creating opportunities but decision-making in the final third was letting them down, although Robben caused an all-too-brief moment of excitement just before half-time when he pounced on a loose ball and jinked his way into the area, only to see his shot deflected wide by Chris Smalling.

That pattern of play initially continued in the second half, but just as the hour mark approached the game finally exploded into life.

United stunned the home crowd when Valencia beat his man on the right to cross into the box where the ball was cleared only as far as Evra, who raced to the edge of the area and smashed a fine strike off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

The goal had Moyes and his coaching staff punching the air with delight, but the celebrations were all too brief as Bayern responded immediately.

From the kick-off, the ball found its way to Ribery on the left and Mandzukic stooped in front of Evra to head his low cross beyond De Gea.

Suddenly the game opened up as Rooney failed to connect properly with a shot from a promising position, while Bayern's Mario Gotze saw a header saved.

It was the home side, though, who got the crucial second goal when Robben's low ball into the area was turned in from close range by Muller.

That strike galvanised Bayern as they set about harrying a rattled United defence, Evra earning a yellow card for bringing down Robben when he charged towards the area.

But Robben could not be stopped from putting the game beyond the visitors when, with defenders backing off, he ran across the edge of the area before slipping a low shot just inside the post.
United famously scored twice in injury time to overturn a one-goal deficit and beat Bayern in the 1999 Champions League final, but there was to be no repeat of such heroics in this game.

The home side eased to victory without further alarm to join Atletico Madrid, Chelsea and Real Madrid in Friday's semi-final draw.
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Liverpool Hillsborough inquests: Disaster 'ripped pages from life'

The court heard from the relatives of nine of the victims of the disaster
The Hillsborough disaster "ripped out the pages" of a 23-year-old man's life, his sister has told his inquest.

Andrew Sefton was one of 96 fans who died after a crush at the ground during Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final match against Nottingham Forest in 1989.

Julie Fallon said her family "no longer have an inkling what life without Hillsborough looks like".

Statements from the relatives of all 96 victims are being heard at their inquests in Warrington.

Ms Fallon said the Skelmersdale security officer's life had been "like a book".

"There's a title, an introduction, a description of the characters - then someone ripped out the rest of the pages.

"Hillsborough made an incompleteness which continues to be, for my family, the central, longest and most overriding topic of the last 25 years and of our lives.

"We no longer have an inkling what life without Hillsborough looks like and ironically neither does my brother."

Police 'turned their backs'

Louise Brookes, from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, told the court about her brother Andrew, who was "the apple of my mum's eye" and who had never been in trouble with the police.

"My mum said 'the only time Andrew ever brought the police was when they brought his clothes home in a plastic bag [after his death].

"Andrew was brought up to respect the police. When he needed them most, they literally turned their backs on him."

She said after his death "the whole dynamics" of the family changed. Her mother later died of cancer, then "Dad just shut himself away", she said.

"I didn't just lose my brother on 15 April 1989, I lost my parents too. The whole Brookes family died that day."

Earlier, Stephen Clark delivered his mother Jacqueline Gilchrist's tribute to his father, Joseph Clark.

He told the hearing she said life had "never been the same since he died that horrible day".

"Our lives changed and I never really got on with my life. I am still the same to this day," she said in her statement.

Mr Clark was one of several relatives who was moved to tears while reading what the families have called "pen portraits".

Amy McGlone also cried as she read her mother Irene's words about her father, Alan McGlone, a Liverpool machine repairer she said had "loved being a dad".

In her statement, Mrs McGlone said her husband had played with his daughters on the street before going to Hillsborough and that the family had been due to go to a party when he returned.

Instead, she said she put her daughters to bed and Amy asked "Mummy, will you tell Daddy to come in and wake us up when he gets home?"

"I am still waiting to wake my girls up out of this nightmare and send their daddy into them," she said.

'World at his feet'

Michael Brady spoke about his brother Paul, a 21-year-old refrigeration engineer from Liverpool who had a "very bubbly and outgoing personality".

He said his brother had been "a people person", who excelled at working with his hands and had loved football, fishing and his job.

"He was fun-loving, the joker in our family, always smiling and a joy to be around," he said.

A statement was read from the recently-deceased father of Stuart Thompson, before his sibling Martin spoke of his "brother and friend" who had "the world at his feet at the time of his death" and was "determined to be a success".

He said that when he died, the 17-year-old "wasn't a child but he wasn't yet an adult. He didn't have time to blossom."

Teenage brothers Carl and Nicholas Hewitt travelled with a supporters' club to Hillsborough
Speaking about her son David, Jennifer Birtle said he liked music and had been to the Glastonbury festival, but that "once David could run, there was always a football attached to his foot".

"David became an ardent fan of Liverpool Football Club. Sadly that decision was to cost him his life," she said.

Mrs Birtle, who was in Oman when she heard about the disaster.

She said she had "had to listen to two ex-pats reading the paper and saying 'oh, the police say it was hooligans' as if that was OK then, that it was their fault".

She added that her family was "owed an explanation sooner rather than later of how and why David died that day".

The final statement of the day came from the mother of Carl and Nicholas Hewitt, brothers from Leicester who had travelled to Hillsborough on a supporters' club bus.

Brenda Hewitt said her "boys" were "always together [and] together always", who "loved football and were season ticket holders".

The inquests, set to last a year, were ordered after new evidence revealed by the Hillsborough Independent Panel led to the original inquest verdicts being quashed.

The background statements are the first time the court has heard how the disaster affected individual families.

The inquest has been adjourned until Thursday.
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LG’s designed G Watch tipped for July launch in the UK could be followed by a round version

During last month's launch of Android Wear, Google's new OS for wearables, LG's G Watch got a little lost in all the commotion surrounding the Moto 360. The more traditional smartwatch design just isn't as eye-catching as Motorola's round watch face, and it was entirely missing from the concept videos produced to promote the new software. However, it's still the only other device announced which will feature the software, which means we're still excited about it.

LG hasn't been forthcoming with any detail on the gadget, but Pocket-Lint caught up with the G Watch at a product showcase in the UK recently, and uncovered some interesting new information. The good news is, we don't have long to wait before it goes on sale. According to the report, the G Watch is being prepared for a July launch in the UK, giving the company just a few months to finalize it.

This is good news for UK smartwatch fans. Motorola has decided to hold back from releasing the Moto 360 outside of the U.S. for its initial run, making the LG G Watch likely to be the first Android Wear device available in the country.

The watch seen at the show was a non-working prototype, presumably yet to be mated to the Android Wear OS, but the design seen in the picture is said to be final. There are no buttons on the device, and it's described as having a premium feel with solid build quality. Sitting next to a Gear 2 smartwatch, the whole face is slightly larger than Samsung's device. The strap will also be interchangeable with one of your choice. 

Additionally, the projected price was revealed to be less than £180, which converts over to $300. This would price the G Watch at slightly less than the Gear 2 Neo, and at least £100 less than the Gear 2. In the U.S., the Gear 2 Neo has been priced at $200, so expect the G Watch to come in a little under that.

Finally, it sounds like LG knows it's going to need something special to stand out once the Moto 360 hits the shelves, and has indicated it is also considering a round G Watch design in the future. 
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Chromecast’s home screen may get livelier with photos and weather

Currently, Chromecast users don't have much of a choice about what they see on their home screen, but that could be changing soon if source code exposed by a Reddit user is any indication. First reported by Gigaom, the code indicates that the home screen could one day be adapted to show user photos and/or local weather information rather than the stock images users currently get. 

This kind of customization would bring the Chromecast dongle yet another step forward in its ongoing development. And if photos and weather are possible, why not other types of content? 

For those unfamiliar, the Chromecast is a "dongle" that plugs directly into a TV's HDMI port, drawing its power via a TV's USB socket, or from a wall adapter. Once connected to a Wi-Fi network, the Chromecast appears as a "casting" option on Chrome Web browsers, and through supported apps on smartphones and tablets. Users find the content they want to view, then cast it to the Chromecast. From there, the device streams the information straight from the cloud, freeing the mobile device or PC's resources, essentially turning them into remote controls. 

Presently, the Chromecast home screen can not be altered. The only workaround at the moment is a Chromecast-specific app called MyCastScreen, which allows users to compose a home screen with an Android device using various widgets and plugins. With the app, users can create Imgur gallery slideshows, display weather or traffic information, or choose a default website to appear in the frame. The user can then shut down their device while the Chromecast continues to show the "casted" screen. 

Since opening up its software developer kit (SDK) in February, the Chromecast has seen an influx in new app support, including a handful of popular apps like Vudu, Crackle, Rhapsody, and Napster. Still, the Chromecast lags behind in Roku, Amazon's Fire TV, and Apple TV in terms of mainstream app support. With a $35 price tag and growing support, the Chromecast remains a compelling product. Adding customization to the user-facing home screen will likely only bolster interest in the device. 
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Samsung won’t hear a bad word about the Galaxy S5, sues over negative report

Samsung's new flagship Android phone, the Galaxy S5, goes on sale at the end of this week, and the company would prefer you only had positive thoughts in your mind when you go to check one out. It's so intent on this, it has sued a Korean newspaper following the publication of a negative report, where the S5's camera was criticized. 

The paper in question is ETNews, a well-known source for industry news and gossip, and the lawsuit's existence was broken by Media Today, another Korean publication. From the translation, it appears Samsung asked for the story on alleged problems with the S5's camera to be retracted, saying the article was untrue. ETNews refused, so Samsung fired up its legal team.

A lawsuit was then filed, asking for damages in the region of $300,000. In a statement, Samsung says "the publication of false claims can hugely damage our business and brand value." Apparently, it made a "number of requests for the information to be corrected," but they were allegedly ignored, resulting in the "last resort" of legal action. ETNews says the "story fits the facts," and adds reporters are fact checked each day.

What is all the fuss about? Samsung says it's worried that in addition to the report stunting home sales, the negative story could go viral outside of Korea, and affect early international Galaxy S5 sales too. The irony is, without a lawsuit, the story probably wouldn't have gained the same degree of attention, and far fewer people would have been wondering about a supposed camera issue with the Galaxy S5.

Samsung's legal team is already in the midst of another, well publicized lawsuit. Over the past few days, the Korean company has been facing its old adversary Apple in a Californian court, where it is again accused of infringing certain patents.

Provided you haven't been put off the Galaxy S5, it's available for pre-order through many outlets, and will be available on April 11.
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Hands on: Update 1 knocks a few rough edges off a still-prickly Windows 8.1

Microsoft has just released Windows 8.1 Update 1, which is the company's second attempt to rectify the problems with Windows 8, the first try being Windows 8.1 itself. Once again, many of the changes here attempt to pacify the issues raised by desktop and laptop owners who are uninterested in using the operating system's touch-centric features. Has this new patch fixed what ails the latest version of Windows?

More desktop in your Start screen

The Start screen, Windows 8's replacement for the classic Start menu, has received plenty of hate from desktop and laptop owners alike. While visually interesting, the blocky interface didn't make sense to mouse users when the operating system was released. Individual tiles were too large, and there was no right-click context menu for quick changes. Windows 8.1 addressed the former issue with a smaller tile size, and now Windows 8.1 Update 1 has addressed the latter.

Don't get too excited, though. The new right-click context menu is usually restricted to pinning / un-pinning tiles, re-sizing them, and turning the "live tile" feature on or off. With a few programs, there are one or two additional options – Internet Explorer can be opened in a new window for example – but it's all rather basic. The context menu doesn't provide any properties or settings for the program a tile is attached to, and customization is still restricted to tile size and placement.  

The functions provided by the new context menu were already available in earlier versions of Windows 8 via a Metro-style menu that appeared at the bottom of the Start screen. Enabling context menus for desktop users is a nice change, but is also an incredibly minor update. The app view enabled by Windows 8.1 was far more important.

The same can be said of the other update; a power button on the Start screen. Now, users can restart or shut down without opening the Charms bar when using the Modern UI. Is it useful? Sure, but this is the kind of change that should have been introduced in a minor patch a couple weeks after the original release of Windows 8, not as part of a supposedly major update.

More Start screen in your desktop

While the changes to the Start screen are trivial, a major change has come to the desktop. Metro apps can now be used there. Kinda.

Microsoft's implementation is both straightforward and obtuse. Opening apps works exactly the same as before, but they now automatically appear on the Taskbar. That's intuitive; users don't have to change their behavior to make an app available on the desktop.

However, while apps can be accessed via the Taskbar, they don't actually operate as desktop apps, because they can't be opened in their own window. They still take up your entire display when used, and can only be minimized or split in the context of the Metro multi-tasking environment.

This is controlled via menus accessed using a new bar at the top of each app that makes an app look like a normal window, but the app behavior is the same as before. They can only be split left/right/center, maximized to take up the entire screen, or minimized to the Taskbar. There's no way to slot a Metro app into a desktop window. At least the Taskbar can be accessed at any time by hovering your cursor over the bottom of your display and, since the apps are now on the Taskbar, they can be pinned.

The Windows Store takes center stage

We've been critics of the Windows Store from the very start. At release, we were dismayed by the sheer volume of junk apps, and disliked the space-wasting Metro interface. Microsoft made some efforts to fix these problems in Windows 8.1, but the Store remained out of sight (and thus, out of mind) for many users.

Microsoft has attempted to rectify that with Windows 8.1 Update 1 by putting the Windows Store on the Taskbar. It's the third icon from the Start button, preceded only by Internet Explorer and File Explorer. Though some users might find this to be an annoyance, it can be easily un-pinned, and it gives developers critical eye-share. The Windows Store has to be a valid way for developers to make money if it's to become a viable way for consumers to find great apps.

That's just the tip of the iceberg, however. The big change can be found in Windows Search, where relevant Store results will appear automatically. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to work, as demonstrated by Microsoft's on-stage demo at last week's Build conference.

We gave it a go by searching for common terms (like "calendar") and for apps we knew existed. Neither provided search results from the Store. On a hunch, with the Windows Store app open, we hit up Charms-Settings-Preferences, and switched the "Recommend apps for me on this PC" setting to "On." No dice.

While the Windows Store changes implemented in Windows 8.1 Update 1 are positive for developers, a key piece is missing; curation. There's still a lot of trash to sort through. Examples? We've got plenty. One of the top apps in the Top Paid section of Social is "Rate My Cleavage," which costs $2.99. Several front-page security apps are actually re-skins of security software reviews available online. Plus, the vast majority of games are still half-hearted Android and iOS ports.

At least the store no longer contains apps that blatantly infringe on Microsoft's own copyrights, so it's heading in the right direction, albeit at a glacial pace.

Grab bag

Users with a Windows 8.1 tablet or touchscreen device will notice that not all of these changes will apply to them. The context-menu features in the Start screen, for example, are not meant to be used on touchscreen devices. Owners of such devices will likely continue to use the old Metro-style menu.

There are a few other extras worth talking about. You can now see recently installed apps highlighted in apps view, boot to desktop is now enabled by default on computers without touch, and "hot corner" features like the Charms bar now require a bit more time before they activate, which reduces the chance that you'll accidentally trigger them.

That last change is the one we appreciate most. Laptop users navigating via touchpad should be particularly pleased by it, as touchpads have a bad habit of causing unintended hot corner activation.

Shuffling forward

The changes made by Windows 8.1 Update 1 are mostly positive. The only potential issue we can see stems from Store apps appearing in Search, which may annoy some. However, since that feature wasn't working when we went hands-on, we don't know if there might be an option to turn it off.

Yet, Microsoft's pace remains frustratingly slow. Most of these features are incredibly minor changes that should have taken only a few weeks to implement. Bundling them together and calling it "Windows 8.1 Update 1" borders on the absurd. Metro on the desktop still leaves something to be desired. Users still have to deal with it to change many settings. The Store still has too many junk apps, and so on.

In other words, Windows 8.1 is still Windows 8.1. Users who liked it at release still will; users who didn't still won't. 
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PMQs and Miller resignation

Maria Miller resigns as culture secretary saying the row over her expenses has become a "distraction"
The resignation is set to dominate prime minister's questions in the Commons at 12 mid-day.

Mrs Miller was cleared of funding a home for her parents at taxpayers' expense, but was told to repay £5,800
The independent parliamentary commissioner for standards previously recommended she repay £45,000 and criticised her "attitude" to the inquiry
In a written reply to Mrs Miller's resignation, the PM said he hoped she would be able to return to cabinet "in due course".

Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid replaces Mrs Miller and is in turn replaced at the Treasury by Nicky Morgan - Ms Morgan also becomes minister for women.

Live text
Reporting:Sean Clare Anna Browning Justin Parkinson 
TWEET ITV deputy political editor Chris Ship

tweets: Not sure Cameron handled that very well. But EdMili had an open goal - and I don't think he hit the back of the net #pmqs

Labour's front bench unimpressed by the prime minister's answers

12:23
Conservative Jason McCartney says he is running the London Marathon, as is shadow chancellor Ed Balls. The PM jokes that he saw a newspaper picture of Mr Balls "in a curious pair of black leggings". He wishes all Sunday's runners - even his Labour nemesis - good luck.

TWEET Independent on Sunday columnist John Rentoul
tweets: EdM good at #PMQs today. Cam promised to be an apostle for better standards, became apologist for unacceptable behaviour.

And: But Cam better. Firing someone at the first sign of trouble is not leadership it's weakness.

12:22
Alliance MP Naomi Long calls for a shared vision of the future among Northern Ireland's politicians. David Cameron says the sight of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness at Tuesday's Windsor banquet was a sign of progress.

TWEET Political journalist Iain Martin
tweets: "Westminster crisis bingo. Full house as Cam accuses Mili E of "playing politics" over Maria Miller. #pmqs

12:20
Conservative MP James Morris says investing in apprenticeships is vital for the economy. So does David Cameron.
12:19

The prime minister is flanked by two of the remaining women cabinet ministers and his new Culture Secretary Sajid Javid
.
12:18
Conservative MP Rehman Chishti urges the PM to discuss reform of Pakistan's blasphemy laws when Pakistan's PM comes to the UK later this month. Mr Cameron promises to do so.

TWEET Editor of Politics.co.uk Ian Dunt
tweets: Snap verdict: Cameron 2 Miliband 1. Labour leader over-enthusiastic. The opportunities offered him by Maria Miller have been wasted #PMQs

12:16
Labour's Andy Slaughter asks if any member of the government asked Maria Miller to resign. The PM says it is his policy to let people get on with their jobs
.
12:16
SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell says UK-Irish relations, with the visit of Irish President Michael D Higgins, have never been better. He urges more progress on peace in Northern Ireland. David Cameron agrees on both counts.

12:14
Speaker Bercow steps in to silence groans from MPs as Lib Dem President Tim Farron gets up to ask a question, as the debate moves on from Maria Miller.

TWEET Daily Mirror associate editor Kevin Maguire
tweets: Cameron accusing Miliband of playing politics over Miller takes the biscuit. Both do that every day
#pmqs

TWEET The Spectator's Isabel Hardman
tweets: Another agonised ROAR from Bercow to silence shouting MPs. #pmqs

12:13
David Cameron says it is not leadership but weakness to sack someone at "the first time of trouble". That ends the confrontation between the PM and the Labour leader.

12:12
Ed Miliband says he will meet the PM to discuss changes to the expenses system but - shouting across the chamber - he says that Mr Cameron "just doesn't get it" when it comes to public anger about the issue.

12:10
The PM says a lot of changes to expenses scrutiny have happened since 2010 but there is "absolutely" more to do. He accuses the Labour leader of "playing politics" with Mrs Miller's resignation.

TWEET BBC South politcal editor Peter Henley
tweets: Cameron tells #pmqs Miliband is jumping on a bandwagon after he talks of "deep concern and anger of public"

12:09
Ed Miliband says the country is "appalled" by the conduct of the PM over the last week and cannot understand his "failure to recognise what went wrong". This has undermined trust, he argues.

12:08
David Cameron says more needs to be done to reassure the public over expenses and is happy to hold meetings with other party leaders, saying Parliament is "good and honest".

TWEET Labour List editor Mark Ferguson
tweets: Sounds like organised barracking of Miliband from the Tory benches #pmqs

12:07
The PM says Maria Miller did "one things wrong" and apologised. He accuses Mr Miliband of jumping on "political bandwagon" after "the circus has left town".

12:07
David Cameron accuses Ed Miliband of inconsistency for not calling for Maria Miller to resign when she was still in her job.

TWEET David Wooding, Sun on Sunday political editor
tweets: PM admits there is still "very deep concern" among the public and the "anger is still very raw" and needs to be acted on. #PMQsv

12:06
The Labour leader says Maria Miller gave a "perfunctory" apology over her expenses and accuses the PM of a "terrible error of judgement" in backing her.

12:05
Ed Miliband says it will be "unclear" to the country why Maria Miller is not still in her job, given the PM's attitude.

12:04
The prime minister says Maria Miller was accused of housing her parents at public expense but was cleared and he thought it right to allow her to apologise and continue.

12:04
David Cameron says anger over expenses is "still very raw", but adds that people should be allowed to clear their name and get on with the job, rather than being instantly dismissed.

12:03
Labour leader Ed Miliband says the events of the last week have caused deep concern and anger to the public.

12:02
We are under way. David Cameron answers a question on immigration, saying the government is getting the situation under control.

12:00
The noise level in the House is high, with just a few seconds to go until Prime Minister's Questions.

11:58
The House of Commons is almost full ahead of Prime Minister's Questions. David Cameron is going through his notes. Newly promoted culture secretary Sajid Javid has just taken his place on the front bench.

EMAIL Mason, Hastings
emails: How on earth can parliament lecture bankers on morals and doing the right thing when Maria Miller acts this way?

11:57
David Cameron's spokesman says it was Mrs Miller's decision to resign, adding that she and the prime minister "spoke by phone last night after the state banquet at Windsor" in honour of Irish President Michael D Higgins.

11:56
Will Maria Miller turn up to Prime Minister's Questions? We'll find out when things get going just after 12:00 BST.

11:56
Labour have attacked David Cameron for his decision to replace Maria Miller with a man, Sajid Javid. Shadow equalities minister Gloria De Piero said: "There is now no full member of the Cabinet speaking for women. There are now just three women running government departments out of a possible 22, demonstrating that when it comes to women, it's out of sight, out of mind for this out of touch government."

11:54
Basingstoke UKIP councillor Ray Finch says he has no sympathy for Maria Miller.

11:53
In Maria Miller's Basingstoke constituency, Conservative councillor Elaine Still says she should not have resigned, as she was a "fantastic secretary of state".

TWEET Matt Hancock, Conservative MP for West Suffolk, Minister for Skills and Enterprise
tweets: Delighted @sajidjavid has been made Culture Secretary - he will bring a huge amount to the job and to the cabinet table
TWEET Sadiq Khan, Labour MP for Tooting, Shadow Justice Secretary
tweets: Many congrats to @sajidjavid on his promotion to cabinet (and not just because he sponsored #YesWeKhan)

11:51
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps says the controversy over Maria Miller's expenses relates to event before 2010. Had it happened since then it would not have been handled by fellow MPs because of rule changes, he says.

11:47
Labour's Chuka Umunna says it is impossible to "underestimate how toxic the expenses issue is" and that Maria Miller will face a battle to keep her parliamentary seat.

11:46
Speaking on BBC Two's Daily Politics, Labour's Chuka Umunna says the Maria Miller controversy is "bad for all of us", as it damages all MPs.

11:44
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps dismisses claims by Maria Miller's aide that she was the victim of a media witch hunt, telling BBC Two's Daily Politics the press "should can and should go anywhere they want to".

11:41
Is the prime minister trying to address those critics who point out the lack of women in the cabinet? Newly-promoted Nicky Morgan will now attend cabinet meetings as minister for women, although she is not a fully-fledged cabinet minister

David Cameron and Nicky Morgan in 2010
TWEET Robin Walker, Conservative MP for Worcester
tweets: Congratulations to my Worcestershire colleague @sajidjavid on his appointment to the cabinet, a stellar career and a nice guy as well
TWEET Cathy Newman, Channel 4 News presenter and Telegraph blogger
tweets: So @NickyMorgan01 couldn't be minister for equalities because she voted against gay rights? So she just gets the women bit
And adds: Looks like @sajidjavid gets equalities and @NickyMorgan01 gets minister for women - so they split brief because Nicky anti gay rights?
TWEET Bloomberg's Rob Hutton
tweets: Sajid Javid, 1st member of 2010 intake to reach cabinet, took estimated 98% pay cut to enter politics. Interview: http://bloom.bg/1aNya1w

11:34
Could more MPs fall foul of the old expenses rules? Some more analysis on the politics page of the BBC News website. "There may still be MPs who over-claimed on their mortgages under the old system," the piece says.

EMAIL Andrew, Basingstoke
emails: As one of her constituents, I do not understand why Mrs Miller needs a second home in the first place. Basingstoke is 40 minutes on the train to London, why isn't she commuting like the rest of us?

TWEET Nick Robinson, BBC News political editor
tweets: One less woman in the Cabinet. No mums but one new Asian man who's the son of a bus driver
11:19

Tory Party chairman Grant Shapps says the decision to resign was Mrs Miller's and hers alone. He's told the BBC: "Maria Miller made the decision, contacted the prime minister and tendered her resignation." He says her decision came about because "Mrs Miller herself said this was a distraction from the wider government programme".

TWEET Yvette Cooper, Labour MP and Shadow Home Secretary
tweets: Another Cameron (mini) reshuffle, & result is even fewer women in full Cabinet positions. What is David Cameron's problem with women?
TWEET George Freeman, Conservative MP for Mid-Norfolk
tweets: Great news as Sajid Javid goes into Cabinet. A New Model Conservative for our times whose done great work at Treasury."

And adds: And grt news that Nicky Morgan promoted to Financial Secretary and attend Cabinet as Minister for Women. A 1st class MP and Minister.

TWEET Andy Bell, political editor, 5 News
tweets: Sajid Javid got his Bromsgrove seat because Julie Kirkbride had to step down over ... an expenses scandal @5_News #Miller
TWEET Lucy Powell, Labour and Co-operative MP and Shadow Minister for Childcare & Children
tweets: Maria Miller was the only mum in the cabinet. When was the last time there was no mother in the cabinet? @LabourHistory

11:09
The Daily Telegraph, which led the calls for Mrs Miller's head, says it was "the public that decided her fate". Political editor James Kirkup writes: "Other than Mary McLeod, her suicidally loyal PPS, no one was willing to speak up for her in public. Even privately, there was little support."

TWEET Ladbrokes Politics
tweets: Sajid Javid is 33/1 to be next Tory leader.
11:01

Mr Javid takes on a wide-ranging brief which covers - amongst others - the media, arts and broadcasting, gambling, sport, tourism and telecoms.

10:58
Mr Javid was financial secretary to the Treasury until today. He has been a Conservative Party member since 1988 and previously worked for Chase Manhattan Bank and Deutsche Bank.
TWEET Prime Minister David Cameron
tweets: Sajid Javid MP is the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Sport and Equalities.

And: Nicky Morgan MP is the new Financial Secretary to the Treasury. She'll also be Minister for Women and will attend Cabinet in that role.
Breaking News
Maria Miller's replacement is Sajid Javid, MP for Bromsgrove, David Cameron says.

10:54
Not much sympathy for Mrs Miller over at the Daily Mail which says she "had four au pairs but claimed not one of them could be traced to back up her story" about her domestic arrangements.

TWEET Sophie Ridge, Sky News political correspondent
tweets: Maria Miller v emotional in my iv with her. She takes "full responsibility" for "decision to resign" - not an explicit denial she was pushed
EMAIL Graham, Dorset
emails: Loyalty is seriously misguided in this case. in any other walk of life she would have been sacked and reprimanded or resigned of her own accord, which, under pressure, she finally has.

10:45
The idea that her resignation was about more than Mrs Miller's expenses was put to the former culture secretary a few minutes ago. She was asked: "Is it your opinion that this all part of a media witch hunt against you?" She said: "No. Look, I take full responsibility for the situation."

EMAIL Sebastian, London
emails: The only reason she is gone is because her political enemies decided to use a ruling of a slight mistake over expenses (about £5k) to bring down the lady responsible for modernising the party. This is not about £5k. It's about gay marriage.

10:41
Some analysis from the Independent's political editor. On suggestions Mrs Miller's role in the Leveson report fallout contributed to her downfall, Andrew Grice says "she was a lightning rod for attacks by newspapers resisting tougher [press] regulation that should really have been aimed at David Cameron. Downing Street, rather than Ms Miller, was calling the shots".

EMAIL David, Bristol
emails: My reading of the correspondence between the commissioner and Maria Miller makes me sympathetic to her. It seems that if she had designated her constituency home as her second home, the issue would never have arisen (and she could have claimed much the same expenses).

TWEET Mary Macleod, Conservative MP and PPS to Culture Secretary
tweets: Maria Miller was an excellent Culture Secretary, was great to work with and she will be missed from the front benches.

10:38
Asked about the suggestion that she was the victim of a media-led witch hunt because of her role in pushing through regulation of the press, she denied that was a factor adding: "I fully accept the findings in the parliamentary standards report".

TWEET George Eaton, editor of New Statesman's The Staggers blog
tweets: Miller's reference to "incredible" achievements of the government lays it on a little too thick.
TWEET Tom Newton Dunn, political editor at the Sun
tweets Maria Miller "was on verge of tears" in interview.

TWEET Sam Macrory, editor of Total Politics
tweets: 'I take full responsibility for my decision to resign' says Miller - which sidesteps whether she was encouraged to make that decision.

10:28
Asked if she resigned or was pushed, Mrs Miller said: "I take full responsibility for my decision to resign. I think it's the right thing to do." And she repeatedly stressed her "full support for the prime minister"

10:27
She says she wants to give the Conservative Party "the ability to come together" and to end a saga that she says was "detracting from the achievements of the government"

10:27
Maria Miller has given an interview explaining why she resigned this morning. She says she had hoped to stay in the cabinet but that the row had become an "enormous distraction" from the work of the government.

10:16
Maria Miller's departure leaves a gap in the cabinet. BBC Radio 5 live's chief political correspondent John Pienaar says we should expect a limited reshuffle later, rather than merely a straight culture secretary replacement.
10:12
Here's one the properties at the centre of all this - Mrs Miller's Basingstoke home. Local Conservat
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Missing Malaysia plane: Search 'regains recorder signal'

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston: "I believe we're searching in the right area".

Teams searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane have reacquired signals that could be consistent with "black box" flight recorders.

An Australian vessel heard the signals again on Tuesday afternoon and evening, the search chief said.

Signals heard earlier had also been further analysed by experts who concluded they were from "specific electronic equipment", he said.

Flight MH370 disappeared on 8 March, carrying 239 people.

It was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it lost contact with air traffic controllers.

Malaysian officials say that based on satellite data, they believe it ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean, thousands of kilometres from its intended flight path.

"I believe we are searching in the right area," said Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, who heads the joint agency co-ordinating the search.

"But we need to visually identify aircraft wreckage before we can confirm with certainty that this is the final resting place of MH370."

'Clear signal'

The Australian vessel, Ocean Shield, has been towing a US Navy pinger locator to listen for signals from the plane's flight recorders in waters west of the Australian city of Perth.

The signals have been detected by Australian vessel Ocean Shield

Ocean Shield is using the towed pinger locator to listen for signals
It twice acquired signals over the weekend.

On Tuesday, it located the signals again, the first time for five minutes and 32 seconds, and the second time for around seven minutes, said ACM Houston.

"Ocean Shield has now detected four transmissions in the same broad area," he said. "Yesterday's signals will assist in better defining a reduced and much more manageable search area on the ocean floor.

The signals have been heard in sea with a depth of 4,500 metres (15,000 feet).

ACM Houston said it was important to refine the search area as much as possible before sending down the Bluefin 21 underwater drone to search for wreckage.

"Now hopefully with lots of transmissions we'll have a tight, small area and hopefully in a matter of days we will be able to find something on the bottom," he said.

Experts at the Australian Joint Acoustic Analysis Centre had also analysed the first two signals heard over the weekend, he added.

Their analysis showed that a "stable, distinct and clear signal" was detected. Experts had therefore assessed that it was not of natural origin and was likely to be from specific electronic equipment.

"They believe the signals to be consistent with the specification and description of a flight data recorder," ACM Houston said.

Search teams have been racing against time to locate signals from the flight recorders before their batteries expire after about one month.

Investigators still do not know why MH370 strayed so far off course, after disappearing over the South China Sea between Malaysia and Vietnam.

The backgrounds of both passengers and crew have been scrutinised as officials considered hijacking, sabotage, pilot action or mechanical failure as possible causes.

So far, there is no official explanation for what might have happened.
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Prince George appears at first engagement of royal tour

Prince George met other babies and played with toys at the event in Wellington.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took Prince George on the first official public engagement of their 19-day tour of New Zealand and Australia.

The royal couple met fellow new mothers and fathers at Government House in Wellington along with not-for-profit childcare organisation Plunket.

The parents were selected to reflect the diversity of New Zealand society.

Eight-month-old Prince George appeared to remain calm even though there were tears from some of a similar age.

'Babies everywhere'

All the babies were born within a few weeks of George's birthday, 22 July 2013.

George went on a crawl-about with other children in the Blandor Room which had a large portrait of his great-grandmother, the Queen.

Prince William and Catherine chatted informally with the parents of 10 babies, including a pair of gay fathers and a single mother.

George was dressed in £75 blue dungaree shorts by British luxury brand Rachel Riley, a white blouse and soft blue pre walking shoes.

Catherine watched on protectively as William chatted to some of the other parents.

The duke joked: "It's madness, there are babies everywhere."

The idea was to give the royal couple the chance to introduce the young prince to the world in a less formal way than usual. They also had the chance to swap experiences with other first-time parents.

Jared Mullen, whose daughter Isabella was among the group, said afterwards: "He is a lovely little boy, very intrepid.

"The whole thing has been a huge privilege."

Tristine Clark, New Zealand president of Plunket, said: "The parents are a spread of all the communities in New Zealand, including Maoris, Samoans, people of Chinese descent and gay couples.

"This is a very multi-cultural country and we wanted the duke and duchess to meet people from all backgrounds."

Childcare worker Sheila Lemalie, who had brought her baby son TJ to the playgroup, said: "It was a very special time. We had a chance to cuddle George - he is very strong and very advanced.

"We talked to the Duke and Duchess about parenting - and to the Duchess about her role as both a mother and a royal. She said she was lucky to have help with George from her family and her friends.

"Prince William said he supported his wife by giving George his bottle at night and putting him to bed."

The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, widely known as Plunket, was founded in 1907 by paediatrician Sir Frederic Truby King.
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Oscar Pistorius quizzed over Reeva Steenkamp killing

Oscar Pistorius sobbed whilst recounting the moments of the shooting.

South Africa's Oscar Pistorius is facing fierce questioning about his version of events on the night he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel began his cross examination by pushing Mr Pistorius to acknowledge the full magnitude of his actions on 14 February 2013.

The athlete said he made a "mistake" when he shot Ms Steenkamp in his home.

"You killed a person, that's what you did! You shot and killed her, won't you take responsibility...?" Mr Nel said.

A graphic picture of Ms Steenkamp's head was shown to the court for the first time, prompting anguish from Mr Pistorius and a further adjournment of proceedings.

Oscar Pistorius told prosecutor Gerrie Nel that he "made a terrible mistake"
Pistorius: "I will not look at a picture where I am tormented by what I saw"
The athlete denies deliberately shooting dead his girlfriend, arguing he mistook her for an intruder.

Prosecutors contend he intentionally killed her in the toilet of his bathroom after a row.

The 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic sprinter, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murder.

If acquitted, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he could receive between six and 15 years in prison.

Mr Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.

There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.

The BBC's Andrew Harding in court in Pretoria says in the opening moments of cross examination showed the highly combative style Mr Pistorius can now expect from Mr Nel in the coming days.

Gerrie Nel: Fierce prosecutor

Gerrie Nel is known for his no-nonsense attitude inside the courtroom and is one of South Africa's most respected legal minds.

With more than 30 years' experience he has a string of successful prosecutions under his belt and is no stranger to high-profile cases. He prosecuted former police boss and Interpol's ex-head Jackie Selebi on corruption charges, once calling him an "arrogant liar" during cross examination.

Those who know him praise his meticulous attention to detail and his "fearlessness". He was junior prosecutor in the murder case of anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani in 1993.

He was also the founding head in 1999 of the Gauteng province division of South Africa's elite police and prosecution unit the Hawks, then known as the Scorpions.

Oscar Pistorius trial: Key players

After the opening exchanges, Mr Nel asked Mr Pistorius whether he knew about a "zombie stopper". Mr Pistorius said he did not, but - following legal arguments - Mr Nel showed video footage of the athlete at a gun range where he is heard saying the word after shooting a watermelon.

Mr Nel then said the watermelon exploded in the same way as Ms Steenkamp's head - and showed a graphic picture of Ms Steenkamp's head after the shooting.

He asked Mr Pistorius to look at it and take responsibility for his actions.

"I've taken responsibility… but I will not look at a picture where I am tormented by what I saw and felt that night. As I picked Reeva up my fingers touched her head, I remember, I don't have to look at a picture I was there," he said sobbing.

It is the first time a graphic photo of Ms Steenkamp was shown been deliberately shown in court.

Mr Pistorius said that during their three-month relationship he and Ms Steenkamp had become very close

There is huge media interest in the trial

Reeva Steenkamp's mother June was comforted by a relative when a graphic photo of her daughter was shown

Aimee Pistorius became emotional as s she listened to her brother on the stand
During a brief adjournment Ms Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp, told journalists she understood why it had to be shown, the BBC's Pumza Fihlani reports from the court.

Earlier while being questioned by his lawyer Barry Roux, Mr Pistorius described the moments after paramedics had arrived at the scene.

"They asked for some space to work so I stood up. Reeva had already died whilst I was holding her before the ambulance arrived. So, I knew there was nothing they could do for her," he said.

Before Mr Roux ended his questioning he asked Mr Pistorius if he had intentionally killed Ms Steenkamp.

"I did not intend to kill Reeva or anybody else for that matter," he replied.

Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by at least three bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Mr Pistorius's home in Pretoria.

×

1. Balcony

×
Mr Pistorius said in his statement at the start of the trial that he woke in the early hours and walked on his stumps to the balcony, pulled in two fans, closed the sliding door and drew curtains. He said that shortly before he had spoken to Reeva, who was in bed beside him.

He said he rejected prosecution claims that a witness heard arguing coming from the house before the shooting.

2. Bathroom noise

×
Mr Pistorius said he heard the bathroom window sliding open and believed that an intruder, or intruders, had entered the bathroom through a window which was not fitted with burglar bars.

"Unbeknown to me, Reeva must have gone to the toilet in the bathroom at the time I brought in the fans," he said.

Mr Pistorius said he approached the bathroom armed with his firearm, to defend himself and his girlfriend, believing Ms Steenkamp was still in bed.

3. Shooting

×
Both sides agree four bullets were fired. Ms Steenkamp was hit three times.

Mr Pistorius said he fired his weapon after hearing a noise in the toilet which he thought was the intruder coming out of the toilet to attack him and Ms Steenkamp.

He said he was in a fearful state, knowing he was on his stumps and unable to run away or properly defend himself.

Mr Pistorius said he rejected claims that he was on his prostheses when he shot at the door.

A witness told the trial she woke to hear a woman screaming and a man shouting for help. She said that after the screams she heard four shots.

4. Bedroom

×
Mr Pistorius said he went back to the bedroom after shooting at the toilet door, still shouting for Reeva. Lifting himself up onto the bed, he felt over to the right hand side of it and noticed Ms Steenkamp was not there.

Mr Pistorius said this was when he realised she could have been in the toilet.

5. Toilet door

×
Mr Pistorius said he went back to the bathroom but the toilet was locked, so he returned to the bedroom, pulled on his prosthetic legs, turned on the lights before bashing in the toilet door with a cricket bat.

Forensics expert Johannes Vermeulen told the court that the height of the marks on the door caused by the cricket bat suggest Mr Pistorius was on his stumps at the time.

6. Emergency calls

×
Mr Pistorius's defence team say he then called security at the gated housing complex and a private paramedic service before carrying Ms Steenkamp downstairs.

A security guard claimed it was the other way round, and he had called Mr Pistorius first after reports of gunfire. However, phone records shown to the court revealed Mr Pistorius called the estate manager at 3:19am, a minute later he called the ambulance service and at 3:21am he called estate security.

A minute later he received an incoming call - estate security calling him back.

According to police phone expert Francois Moller, Mr Pistorius called his friend Justin Divaris a short time later and just after 4:00am he called his brother Carl.
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Maingear offers the AMD Radeon R9 295X2 with their PCs, but there’s a hiccup

Maingear's Shift, Force and Rush customization pages now include the option to outfit those systems with an AMD Radeon R9 295X2 graphics card.

High-end PC maker Maingear has announced that they're offering AMD's beastly Radeon R9 295X2 graphics card with their lineup of desktop PCs right now. This includes the company's Shift, Rush and Force models.

You can equip a Maingear Shift with a single Radeon R9 295X, while the firm's Rush and Force rigs can accommodate dual R9 295X2 cards. In celebration of the 295X2′s release, Maingear also offers a special version of the Rush desktop, dubbed the Maingear Rush Vesuvius Edition, which supports up to two 295X2s, and wears a "Ferrari Red" finish on the case's exterior. Vesuvius was the 295X2′s long-rumored code name, derived from the volcano of the same name that destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii.

The Radeon R9 295X2 is a massive, double-GPU graphics card that delivers an incredible amount of power, according to our tests. The AMD Radeon R9 295X2 is the most powerful graphics card on the market today, and makes single-card, high-performance 4K gaming possible. At this point in time, if you choose employ a card other than the 295X2 in your system, you'll only be able to pull this off with a multiple graphics card setup.

The Maingear Shift starts at $1,849, while the Maingear Rush and Maingear Force start at $3,220.50 and $4,010.50, respectively. Meanwhile, the Maingear Rush Vesuvius Edition carries a price tag of $4,479. The AMD Radeon R9 295X2 graphics card by itself will set you back $1,499. That's $100 more than a pair of Nvidia GeForce GTX 780 Ti graphics cards.

The AMD Radeon R9 295X2 will begin shipping with Maingear PCs later this month. However, as of this writing, you can only equip the Maingear Rush Vesuvius Edition with an AMD Radeon R9 295X2 graphics card. We reached out to Maingear, and they confirmed that you should be able to outfit the Shift, Rush, Force and Rush Vesuvius Edition with a 295X2 right now, and that they're checking things on their side at the moment. We'll update this article accordingly if Maingear provides us with any new information.

If you want to know whether the card is really worth such a large investment, you should check out our full review of the AMD Radeon R9 295X2. You can customize the Maingear Rush Vesuvius Edition here.
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Google launches ‘Glass at Work’ in bid to push its high-tech specs in business

With all the publicity Glass gets, you'd think the face-based tech has been on the market years, but of course, it's still to get a commercial release.

It was widely expected to hit stores some time this year, but as the months pass by without any official word from the Web giant, observers are beginning to wonder if the launch date may be pushed to 2015.

Whatever the case, Google evidently still feels it still has much work to do to prepare the face-based tech for the big wide world, preparation which involves trying to teach users – both current and future – how to behave when wearing the device in public.

Glass at Work

Over the last year or so, we've seen different ways in which its army of Explorer testers and developers have utilized the product, with everything from helping those with paralysis to recording events from the floor of a major fashion show.

Though there have already been a slew of examples of how it might be used in the workplace, Google earlier this week decided to make an official push in the area with the launch of a new Glass at Work initiative. The company says it's keen to hear from developers creating software for US-based enterprises as it seeks to explore more ways in how its wearable tech might be used in business.

"We'd love your help in building the future of Glass at Work," Google said in a recent blog post.

Discussing businesses that have already partnered with enterprise software developers to explore innovative ways to serve their customers and reach their goals, Google cited a couple of examples.

"The Washington Capitals and Schlumberger are just two of the companies that are at the forefront of exploring new possibilities with Glass," it said. "The Washington Capitals partnered with APX Labs to create a fan experience where real time stats, instant replay and different camera angles are all brought directly to Capitals fans via Glass. Schlumberger, the world's largest oilfield services company, partnered with Wearable Intelligence and is using Glass to increase safety and efficiency for their employees in the field."

Of course, getting businesses more deeply involved with Glass could potentially be a huge money-spinner for the Mountain View company, though judging by the results of a poll published earlier this week, it still has some way to go to convince the wider public to embrace its yet-to-launch gadget.
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Amazon’s Fire TV aims to ‘mirror’ Chromecast with Allcast screen mirroring support

Just stretching its infant legs, Amazon's brand new Fire TV is apparently already on the move in hopes of grabbing a big ol' slice of set-top box market share. As Engadget reports, the long-awaited device, which debuted last week, will soon add support for AllCast to provide the box with a fancy, possibly game-changing new trick: screen mirroring.

According to the report, the AllCast app, which allows Android users to mirror any video rambling on their Android powered smartphones and tablets on the big screen, is currently waiting for full approval to go live on the Amazon app store. However, for those who can't wait for the real deal, there's apparently a shortcut.

Using AllCast on your Fire TV while still in beta takes some Android savvy. To get the app up and running, users will need to sideload the AllCast Android application programming kit (APK) onto their Fire TV. Once done, the set-top box should become visible to the AllCast app on an Android device. From there, it should be open season for mirroring from your device.

That said, this sort of trickery often voids warranties, and can also get less experienced users in trouble fast. Knowing that the app is coming should be enough for now, and we recommend most users simply wait for the real thing to go live. If you just can't wait, it may work out fine for you beta style, but don't say we didn't warn you.
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The Mitsubishi Evo is still dead, but a hybrid 3000GT successor may replace it

Bad news! The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is reportedly heading to that big garage in the sky, leaving a rally-car sized hole in the hearts of car enthusiasts.

Yet all may not be lost. Auto Express reports that the Japanese carmaker is considering reviving another storied performance car: the 3000GT.

Mitsubishi Motors UK managing director Lance Bradley told the magazine that, at the moment, the company is interested in building a performance coupe, which would be smaller than the current Evo.

That car would be based on the platform of the next Mistubishi ASX crossover (known as the Outlander Sport in the United States), and it would crib the all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain from the Outlander PHEV.

Before reports of its demise began circulating, there were rumors of a hybrid Evo as well. Mitsubishi is betting big on plug-in hybrids, including the Outlander and the plug-in concepts it unveiled at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show.

So it's likely the company will try to adapt the technology to whatever performance car it builds, be it a sedan or a coupe. Such a model would produce a nice halo effect, and give Mitsubishi one more platform to help amortize development costs.

A sophisticated hybrid powertrain would also make this theoretical coupe an appropriate successor to the 3000GT.

In the 1990s, the 3000GT was Mitsubishi's high-tech flagship. It featured a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6, all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, driver-adjustable shocks, and even an optional folding hardtop.

Many of these features are commonplace on current cars, but they were quite novel for the time. A new sporty hybrid coupe could similarly wow the car-buying public, propelling Mitsubishi back into relevance as a technology and performance leader.
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Apple Company calls in experts to detail $2.2 billion claim in Samsung patent trial

With the latest Apple-Samsung patent trial now into its second week, the Cupertino company on Tuesday hired the services of several experts to explain how it had arrived at its $2.2 billion damages claim against its Korean rival.

While it may have not been the most riveting testimony that the eight-person jury has so far had to sit through, the details are vital as part of Apple's case against Samsung, which it claims has infringed a number of software patents connected with its iDevices.

Sales boost

The first expert to take the stand was John Hauser, a professor of marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management. In his testimony, Hauser argued that some of Apple's patented features, including slide-to-unlock, made Samsung devices more attractive to consumers, and that fewer units would have been sold by the Seoul-based tech firm had the features not been present.

Hauser told the San Jose, California courtroom he'd arrived at his conclusion after surveying almost a thousand Samsung device owners.

However, attorneys for the Korean company rejected Hauser's claim, saying elements such as the brand and operating system were far more important for consumers when it came to deciding what product to purchase.

Royalties, sales and profits

Next up was Quantitative Economic Solutions president Chris Vellturo, who said he'd calculated the $2.2 billion figure, which he broke down in great detail, on the basis of royalties, and lost sales and profits.

The scale of the patent violations, the time period over which it occurred, the level of rivalry between the two firms, and the importance of the patents to making Samsung products more appealing were also part of his calculations, Vellturo said, adding that he believed the company had sold in excess of 37 million infringing devices.

He also said the infringement had come at a time of rapid growth in the market, when many consumers were buying their first smartphone.

Vellturo backed up his claim that Samsung had taken elements of Apple's mobile devices to improve their ease of use by referring to several internal Samsung documents showing the company was concerned its mobile products were harder to operate than Apple's.

Samsung's legal team believes Apple's patents cover minor areas and should never have been granted in the first place, and that if the company is found to have infringed any, the damages claimed by its rival are way over the mark.

While Apple continues with its $2.2 billion claim that Samsung has infringed five of its patents, the Korean tech firm is also demanding Apple pay a far smaller amount – $2 million – for infringing two of its software patents.

The trial is expected to run for at least several more weeks.
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