"Oscar Pistorius lied and distorted"

Oscar Pistorius trial day 19 - in 60 seconds.

Oscar Pistorius has faced a second day of intense cross-examination at his trial in which he was accused of being selfish, reckless and a liar.

Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel focused on the athlete's character, enthusiasm for firearms and version of events before he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The South African sprinter appeared calmer than he had during his previous three days on the witness stand.

The 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic star denies murder.

He again insisted in court in Pretoria on Thursday that the shooting on Valentine's Day last year was a terrible accident after he mistook her for a burglar.

Oscar Pistorius faced intense cross-examination on Thursday, as Andrew Harding reports.
Mr Pistorius said he had not intended to pull the trigger, even to fire at an intruder, and could not explain why he fired four shots through a toilet cubicle door.

"I didn't have time to think about it," he said in a trembling voice.

'Rough time'

Mr Nel, known as the "bull terrier" in South Africa for his fierce questioning, also suggested Mr Pistorius was only concerned about himself during the couple's three-month relationship.

"It was all about you, Mr Pistorius," he said, repeatedly.

He tried to give the impression that the Paralympic athlete was self-centred, contemptuous of his girlfriend and lacking responsibility, the BBC's Karin Giannone reports from Pretoria.

Mr Nel suggested that Mr Pistorius should have apologised to Ms Steenkamp's family in private, rather than making a "spectacle" by doing it in court on Monday.

The athlete replied that he had not had the opportunity and had been unable to find the correct words. "I'm terribly sorry that I took the life of their daughter," he said.

In an interview with the UK's Daily Mirror newspaper, her mother, June, said the apology "left me unmoved. I knew it was coming".

In court, Mrs Steenkamp shook her head as Mr Pistorius was taken through several Whatsapp messages which Ms Steenkamp had sent to the athlete.

In one, she wrote: "You have picked on me incessantly since we got back from Cape Town."

Asked to comment, Mr Pistorius said: "I don't feel like I picked on her incessantly - maybe we were having a rough time in our relationship."

Later, Mr Nel set out what the state believes happened in the early hours of 14 February 2013 in Mr Pistorius' Pretoria home.

He said they would show that the two had an argument in the bedroom, and Ms Steenkamp ran screaming into the toilet.

The chief prosecutor showed a police photograph of the bedroom, taken three hours after the shooting, which he said contradicted Mr Pistorius' account of where various items - including electric cooling fans and a duvet - had been placed at the time of the shooting.

"Your version is a lie," Mr Nel said - something the defendant denied.

'Miracle'

In earlier cross-examination, Mr Pistorius also denied ever shouting or screaming at Ms Steenkamp, or a previous girlfriend, Sam Taylor, as she had testified earlier in the trial.

Referring to an incident when a gun was fired in a restaurant, he said he had not been aware the gun was loaded but insisted he had not pulled the trigger.

Mr Nel said a gun firing itself would be a "miracle", and accused Mr Pistorius of lying and not taking responsibility for his actions.

Mr Pistorius did admit keeping ammunition in his bedside table, rather than in a safe, saying he was usually armed for his own safety.

The double amputee faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate.

If he is acquitted of murder, 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.

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1. Balcony
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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 window
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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2015 Mercedes-Benz SL400 brings uncharacteristic frugality to the SL lineup

Typically, when a carmaker unveils a new model it has more power than its predecessors, not less.

Yet that's exactly what Mercedes-Benz has done with the latest addition to the SL-Class lineup. Rather than top the existing V8 and V12-powered SLs (which would be pretty difficult), it's decided to emphasize efficiency with a base model.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz SL400 packs a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 like the one used in the European-market E400 sedan.

That may sound less impressive than the twin-turbocharged V8s used in the SL550 and SL63 AMG, or the twin-turbo V12 in SL65 AMG, but the V6 produces a stout 328 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque.

That's enough to propel one of the world's most luxurious two-seat cars form 0 to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds, and on to a top speed of 155 mph.

However, the SL400′s biggest selling points will likely be increased fuel economy and a lower price, which Mercedes will refrain from revealing until closer to the car's U.S. launch. According to Autoblog, that will be sometime this fall.

Mercedes hasn't offered a V6 SL in the U.S. since the 1998 SL320, but has sold them continuously in Europe. The SL400 replaces the less-powerful, naturally-aspirated SL350 there, so it's actually an upgrade for Continental buyers.

The SL400 may not be as fast as its siblings, but for those who can do without ultimate power, it should be a more practical alternative to the existing models with the style and luxury one would expect of Mercedes' indefatigable drop-top.
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Land Rover’s ‘Transparent Hood’ tech is the next best thing to X-Ray vision

Out on the off-road trial, vision is key.

And as the course contorts your vehicle in all sorts of awkward, angled positions, and normal visibility changes, there are only a few ways to see what's ahead: post your buddy out on the trail or lean your head out the window.

For a true gentleman off-roader, though, none of those solutions is ideal. Luckily, Land Rover has a solution.

Land Rover's Discovery Vision Concept, which will debut at the New York Auto Show next week, will demonstrate brand's new "Transparent Hood" technology. Amazingly, it works just like how it sounds.



Cameras mounted in the front of the vehicle feed live video to a smart windshield, which projects a vehicle-wide image of the path ahead, effectively making the hood see-through.

While designed for off-road use, it has applications from, as Land Rover puts it, "from the city to the sand dunes," as the technology takes the guess work out of parallel parking, making inner city luxury 4×4 ownership far less taxing.

"As our vehicles become more capable and offer increasing autonomy off-road, we will ensure the driver has the confidence to progress over any terrain." Dr. Wolfgang Epple, Director of Research and Technology for Jaguar Land Rover said in a prepared statement. "We are developing new technologies including the Transparent Hood to give drivers an augmented view of reality to help them tackle anything from the toughest off-road route to the tight confines of urban parking."

If you're keen to know more about the forthcoming Land Rover Discover Vision Concept and the Transparent Hood technology, make sure to keep up on our 2014 New York Auto Show coverage.
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Origin PC offers free bonuses for new system purchases with a tax day-themed promo

If you're on the hunt for a high-end PC, it would behoove you to know that boutique computer maker Origin PC is offering some bonuses when you pick up one of their systems and use the promo code "TAXDAY."

When you apply "TAXDAY" to your order, you'll get free U.S. shipping, free GPU overclocking on NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPUs, a free code for the upcoming horror game Daylight, and $150 of in game credit for three free-to-play titles:  Warface, Path of Exile, and Heroes of Newerth. However, ready-to-ship (RTS) computers are not eligible for this promotion.

Alternatively, Microsoft and Best Buy are both running promotional offers of their own. Starting this past Sunday, Best Buy is offering people who trade in their Windows XP PCs a $100 credit. Meanwhile, Microsoft is offering $100 in instant savings for users who buy a Surface Pro 2 or a Windows 8 PC priced $599 or higher. That offer comes with 90 days of free support, along with a free data migration service courtesy of Laplink as well. At this point, it's unclear when these promotions will expire.

However, Origin PC's "Tax Day" promo does have an expiration date. It will be available through their website until April 18.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.
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10 problems with iPhone 5S, and how to fix them (including the Blue Screen of Death!)

What do you do if you have an iPhone 5S problem and you want it fixed right now? You don't want to go to an Apple Store unless you really have to, the support forums are difficult to search, and your go-to family or friend tech geek is otherwise engaged. Fear not. We're here to help, and hopefully we can get your smartphone back to its best, or at least point you in the right direction.

We've already uncovered some common iOS 7 problems, so if you don't see your issues here then check that list instead; we won't cover the same ground again. And if you want a few tips, we've got a list of iPhone 5S tricks to try out, as well.

Updated on 04-08-2014 by AJ Dellinger: We've added four more common iPhone 5S problems to our original list, along with potential solutions or workarounds for each one.

Bug: Blue screen of death

Photo by TrustedReviews.com
Some people have run into a dreaded blue screen of death bug which seems to be related to specific apps. If you are using Pages, Keynote, or Numbers and you are in a document editing, then pressing the Home button can cause the iPhone 5S to crash to a blue screen, which is generally followed by a reboot. Some people are reporting this issue with other apps as well, and in severe cases it is causing a reboot loop. There's a theory that the iPhone 5S is afflicted because it has a 64-bit processor trying to run 32-bit software (it's the first 64-bit phone). Developers are already updating apps to work with the new processor more fluidly and Apple will likely release an update to fix it at some point, but in the meantime there's no solution, only workarounds that have worked for some people.

(Editor's Note by Jeffrey Van Camp: Our iPhone 5S here at DT has rebooted randomly a few times since we got it in September, but we have not experienced a blue screen of death. Apps do crash more frequently, but these are usually apps that haven't been updated to iOS 7.)

Workarounds:

Always make sure you back out of documents before tapping that Home button.
Disable iCloud sync for the iWork apps by going to Settings > iCloud > Documents & Data, and sliding Pages, Keynote, and Numbers to off.
Try to use apps that have been updated to take advantage of iOS 7. Apple has not updated Pages, Keynote, or Numbers. You can tell 
If the problems are constant, or frequent to the point of impeding your experience, please contact Apple customer service.
Glitch: Faulty sensors

iOS 7 Compass app Level
A lot of people are reporting that the sensors in the iPhone 5S are wildly inaccurate. We mentioned in our iOS 7 tips that you can access a spirit level (Apple calls it an inclinometer) by swiping left in the Compass app, but it turns out that it's not working correctly. In fact, the compass, accelerometer, and gyroscope have also been malfunctioning for some people. The level of fault varies, but it does seem to be an issue that's specific to the iPhone 5S.

(Editor's Note by Jeffrey Van Camp: We have not had trouble with the sensors on our iPhone 5S, though we do experience occasional ticks in the parallax effect on the home screen, which moves the background of the phone to produce a 3D effect.)

Potential solution:

Your only option right now is to take the iPhone 5S back to the Apple Store and ask for a replacement, but be warned, many customers who have done exactly that are reporting that their replacement iPhone 5S has the same issues. It's not clear if this is a hardware or software fault. If it is software-related, we expect an update to fix it, but until Apple acknowledges the issue, it's a mystery.

Annoyance: Noisy and rattling buttons

A lot of people have been complaining about the Home button clicking loudly and the Power button rattling when the iPhone 5S is shaken. People who went to get replacements, or tested other iPhone 5S handsets, found the exact same rattle and click was present. It's just the way they're constructed. Some people have reported a louder thudding rattle which could be caused by a loose battery.

(Editor's Note by Jeffrey Van Camp: From our experience using the iPhone 5S, the Touch ID Home button may have a slightly louder click and the power button does rattle if you put your ear up to the phone and shake, but these problems didn't bother us. In fact, I never noticed them until I read that others were annoyed by it. As for the battery issue, we have not encountered it, but it is not normal and would be a serious problem.)

Potential solution:

Your only real option here is to take your iPhone 5S into an Apple Store and show them. If it is a loose battery then they'll be able to fix it, if not then you may have to learn to live with the 'noise.'
Glitch: The 5-second typing lag

Some people have complained of a typing lag after updating to iOS 7.1, with each letter taking about five seconds to show up on screen.

Solution:

Resetting the phone by holding down the sleep/wake and home buttons would usually do the trick. If it doesn't, go to Settings>General>Reset>Reset Keyboard Dictionary
Problem: iMessage not working

Apple's messaging feature has long been a source of frustration, with complaints mostly concentrated on its inability to recognize non-Apple devices. With the iPhone 5S, the feature has actually gotten worse, which is actually a surprising development considering how buggy it was in the first place. Aside from vanishing text messages, a number of people have reported that they have been unable to send iMessages.

Solution:

If you're an iMessage loyalist, you can restart your phone and hope for the best. If not, we would advise you to cut your losses and just send regular text messages. The answer to your problems can be found at Settings>General>Reset>Reset Network Settings.
Problem: Can't use personal hotspots

After upgrading to iOS 7.1, some people complained that they can no longer use personal hotspots.

Solution:

If your phone has this issue, we're afraid to say that you're out of luck. Currently, there is no fix available. Apple's support staff and carriers around the world seem to have a problem pinning down the source of the malfunction, and have instead resorted to passing the blame on each other.
Bug: Touch ID not working for iTunes purchases

Apple was quick to address this issue with a bug fix. The problem was that the iPhone 5S would not accept the user's fingerprint to authenticate an iTunes purchase and would insist on them entering their password.

(Editor's Note by Jeffrey Van Camp: On our iPhone 5S unit, we do have to enter a password every 5-10 purchases. This is annoying, but appears to be intended for security purposes. Hopefully Apple will lax up on passwords more in the future.)

Solution:

This was fixed in the 7.0.1 update. Make sure you have it by going to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone 5S. You can also hook up your iPhone 5S to your computer and check under Devices in iTunes and then tap Check for Update.
Annoying: iBeacon continues working

The iPhone 5S' iBeacon is a location feature that alerts apps when you approach or leave a location. The problem with it is it continues working even after you've closed an iBeacon-enabled app, which may be annoying if you don't like being tracked.

Solution:

There doesn't seem to be any workaround for disabling iBeacon. If you want to shut it down, you'll have to turn off location services on your phone altogether.
Glitch: Overheating and battery drain

A few people have reported their iPhone 5S overheating. This is usually related to the battery and goes hand-in-hand with rapid battery drain. In rare cases it could be caused by a hardware fault, but it's more likely to be iOS 7 and/or a specific app. There are a couple of things worth trying to identify and fix the issue.

Potential solutions:

Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button to reboot your iPhone 5S and then pay close attention to what you are doing when it next overheats. You might be able to identify the app or service causing the problem. You could also try an app like System Activity Monitor ($2) to see if you can find the culprit.

Backup and restore your iPhone 5S and then be choosy about what you reinstall on it.

If you still can't find the problem then head to an Apple Store to make sure there's no hardware fault.
Problem: Microphone not working

A lot of people have run into issues with the microphone not picking up their voice clearly. They can't record voice notes in a specific app, or they can't be heard during calls. There are a couple of possible causes for this.

Potential solutions:

Make sure that you have removed the protective film from the screen.
If the problem is with a specific app then make sure it has permission to use the microphone in Settings > Privacy > Microphone.

It's possible that your case is interfering with the noise cancelation feature. Try using the iPhone 5S with the case off, or head into Settings > General > Accessibility and turn Phone Noise Cancelation off to see if it makes a difference.

If your problem persists, contact Apple customer service.

That's it for iPhone 5S problems and fixes right now, but we will update this article with new issues and solutions as they arise. Please share your own experiences in the comments. If you didn't find your issue here then remember to check our iOS 7 problems roundup before you go.
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GTA Online Capture Creator mode is coming this week

Rockstar Games is set to release the Capture Creator for GTA Online this Friday, April 11. Capture is the game's unique take on Capture the Flag, with two teams of players competing to bring some kind of target – could be bags of cash, could be city buses – back to their respective bases. With Capture Creator, you'll be able to build out matches of your own, tweaking everything from base location to pickups to targets. To celebrate the forthcoming release, Rockstar is offering double cash and Reputation Points (GTA Online's XP) on all Capture matches for a limited time.

Paving the way for the Capture Creator release is a new title update. In addition to an assortment of fixes, the update also adds an RP reward for every time you Like/Dislike a completed Job, a new Lester ability that you can call in to keep cops from paying attention to you for a short period of time, and boosted payouts for a variety of GTA Online activities. The title update is an automatic add-on; simply fire up your game, and you should be prompted to download it.

This is the first of three planned major enhancements to GTA Online for spring 2014. Rockstar also recently confirmed that the game will receive some free DLC in the form of the High Life update as well as the addition of cooperative Heists. There's no date set yet for either of the other two add-ons, but we should see them both before summer officially starts on June 21.
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Is "sorry" hard for politicians to say?

Clegg, Ford, Fox, Smith, Mitchell, Davies, Dorries and Clinton say sorry.

Maria Miller's apology to the House of Commons for her handling of and attitude over her expenses was criticised by many.

Her 32-second speech to MPs came after some memorable apologies from politicians caught in the headlines over the years.

The Daily Politics looked at Nick Clegg, Rob Ford, Liam Fox, Jacqui Smith, Andrew Mitchell, Ron Davies, Nadine Dorries and Bill Clinton saying sorry.
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Watch the Game of Thrones season 4 premiere for free on the Xbox

If you are an Xbox Live member and a Game of Thrones fan, you can now watch the season 4 premiere for free, courtesy of Microsoft and HBO. The episode titled "Two Swords" debuted exclusively on HBO on April 6, but it will now be available to stream on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One today through April 14.

Simply sign on to Xbox Live today and through the rest of the week, and you'll see a new Game of Thrones tile. Clicking it opens up a handful of video content along with the episode, including trailers, behind-the-scenes videos, featurettes, and interviews. You do not need an HBO Go subscription, nor do you even need an Xbox Live Gold membership.

So sit back, relax, and then watch as HBO and George R.R. Martin dash your dreams by killing off one of your favorite characters (not that we still hold a grudge from last season…). If you want to access the rest of the season via the Xbox though, you'll need to sign up for HBO through your cable TV provider.
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NBC’s iPad and iPhone apps now support Apple TV

NBC, one of the earliest supporters of cord cutters, has updated its iPhone and iPad apps with Airplay support, allowing Apple TV owners to stream the network's content to their TVs. The update makes the notion of dumping one's cable company in favor of Apple TV more appealing, particularly because NBC grants unfettered access to full episodes for free without requiring a cable subscription. 

The app contains episodes of the network's most popular shows, like Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, The Voice, The Blacklist, and Community. Aside from full episodes, the app also has highlights and previews from late-night shows. So far, the service is only available in the United States, so the rest of the world is out of luck.

This kind of convenience was previously reserved for subscription services such as Hulu Plus. If you were wading in the abyss of truly free content, your options were to watch NBC shows online via the small screens of your phone, tablet, or laptop. Unless, of course, you connected your computer to your TV with an HDMI cable, but that is so 2009. If you don't have Apple TV, you're not completely left out. There are existing workarounds to watching NBC shows on your TV, such as tab-casting on the Chromecast. 
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Become a whiskey expert with Distiller for Android

It wasn't that long ago when iOS users were treated to a little app called Distiller. Its sole purpose of being is to recommend you whiskey for any occasion. If you're an Android user and find yourself stumped when faced with a whiskey that doesn't start with the word "Jack," you may now rejoice, because Distiller is here.

You can either have the app give you a recommendation or, if you already have the name of the whiskey in mind, you can search for it. If you decide to let the app make the decision for you, it will present you with a series of questions. After answering these questions, Distiller then presents you with whiskey recommendations based on how you answered the questions. While you can do so without making an account, signing in would theoretically improve your recommendations and allow you to rate bottles of whiskey.

There are also customer reviews for those who wish for some human input, and you can also purchase or rate whiskies from the app itself. If you fancy yourself a whiskey historian, it also includes background information about the drink, which includes the whole whiskey/whisky debate.

The recommendations Distiller makes are based a proprietary algorithm that takes a whiskey's price, reputation, and "giftability" into account, as well as thousands of different data points relative to its flavor. The analysis produces what the developer calls the Distiller Flavor Profile, which is compared to other bottles in order to give you the best match.
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The Assassin’s Creed film brings on two of Hollywood’s most sought after writers

Adam Cooper and Bill Collage, two of the writers responsible for the upcoming Ridley Scott epic Exodus: Gods and Kings, have been tapped to rewrite the script for the upcoming Assassin's Creed film, according to Deadline. The duo will take over for Michael Leslie, whose previous credits include a handful of short films, as well as the play Prince of Denmark, a prequel to Hamlet. It's unclear if the pair will work from Leslie's script, or start fresh.

The film is currently set for release on August 7, 2015, and the movie's executive producer Fannie Pailloux stated back in January that filming was scheduled to begin this August. If that remains the case, the production will need to step things up quickly. As of now, no director has been hired and the only confirmed cast member is Michael Fassbender, who will also produce. The production was in talks with director Daniel Espinosa at the start of the year, but beyond the news that the two parties were talking, no official announcements have been made.

The hire of Cooper and Collage is an encouraging sign though, and the team are highly sought after at the moment.

The writers are coming off work on Scott's Biblical epic, and recently completed a draft of The General, a George Washington biopic for Darren Aronofsky. They are also working with Aronofsky on another film, The Maccabee. In addition, the duo is currently adapting the Pulitzer Prize winning novel Devil in the Grove, writing the limited event series Pinkerton for FX, and scripting a new Jerry Bruckheimer earthquake movie, Shake.

No word on how this hire might affect the production schedule, but with filming supposedly set to begin in just a few months, if there are any delays forthcoming we should hear about them soon.
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How to watch Game of Thrones online

Game of Thrones is finally back. HBO's vision of George R.R. Martin's fantasy saga began April 6, and assuming you haven't given up all hope following the bloodbath that was the season three finale, you won't want to miss a second of the political turmoil and morally ambiguous lust characterizing the premier. 

The highly-praised show is poised to become the most-pirated show of 2014 before it even really gets going — likely continuing its two-year reign as such — but it remains an HBO-exclusive nearly three years after its initial debut. HBO programming president Michael Lombardo may view the show's pirating exploits on BitTorrent as a compliment, but unfortunately, it doesn't make locating that proper stream or flagship torrent any easier sans an official HBO subscription and bundled app.

Here's our quick-hit guide on how to watch and catch up on Game of Thrones online, whether purchasing HBO's premium package, purchasing past seasons on Amazon, or opting for less wholesome methods. You may have to wait until late 2014 for forthcoming Telltale Games' bevy of GoT titles, but at least you can binge watch the first three-and-a-half seasons to your heart's content. Then again, I don't know if my heart could take watching the Red Wedding again.

Update on April 8, 2014: Xbox Live members can stream the season 4 premiere of Game of Thrones for free, courtesy of Microsoft and HBO, on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One through April 14. Simply sign in to Xbox Live as you would normally, select the featured Game of Thrones tile, and choose the episode from the resulting video content. Entitled "Two Swords," the episode debuted exclusively on HBO on April 6, but users don't need an HBO Go subscription or even an Xbox Live Gold membership to stream the premiere.

Stream episodes using HBO GO (cable and HBO subscription required)

Content is king, and no one provides content better than the source itself.  HBO has always showcased a stellar lineup of original programming in addition to theatrically-released films and television specials, beginning with network's first forays into original programming in the late '70s. That said, the company offers nearly all of its original programming — along with the vast swath films currently playing on the premium channel — bundled within the network's accompanying app and the website. Dubbed HBO Go, the app allows HBO subscribers to access and stream said content on demand in high definition, simultaneously granting them access to entire seasons of shows like The Sopranos and Game of Thrones.

However, although HBO is considering offering the programming without a cable subscription, users are still currently required to purchase a premium HBO package. Assuming you already have cable, an HBO subscription will cost you an upwards of $15, with the exact rate fluctuating based on your region and available promotions. HBO Go is free with your subscription through participating TV provides, and once subscribed, users can access HBO Go content online or through the network's accompanying app. Available platforms depend on your service provider, but the app is typically accessible via the Xbox 360, Google Chromecast, Roku, Kindle, iOS, and Android devices. The best part? HBO Go subscribers can catch up on all three seasons of Game of Thrones and even stream the latest episodes immediately upon airing.

Purchase episodes through a digital retailer ($2.99+ an episode)

Cable cutting isn't merely a passing trends — it's here to stay. Online digital retailers such as Amazon and Apple have been offering digital content for users, allowing consumers to purchase full-length episode and entire seasons of their favorite shows quickly upon airing or sometime after the season has run its course. That said, Game of Thrones is no different. Amazon, Apple, and Google allow viewers to purchase and stream individual episodes and all three seasons of the show thus far for a premium price. Pricing is comparable across the board, with all three retailers offering the same selection of episodes, but prospective viewers will have to pay extra for high-definition content. Moreover, Amazon is currently the only digital retailer offering both standard and high-definition episodes. Obviously the prices quickly add up, but viewers can catch up on past episodes of Game of Thrones sans a cable subscription and premium HBO package likely totaling $65 a month.

StorePrice per episodePrice per season
Amazon$2.99 SD/$3.99 HD$28.99 SD/$38.99 HD
iTunes Store$3.99 HD$38.99 HD
Google Play$2.99 SD$28.99 SD
Stream episodes using questionable websites (Free)

The most controversial and questionable websites often provide the most convenience and instant allure. Kim Dotcom's MegaUpload was once the undisputed champion of remote file storage and viewing, eventually succumbing to piracy issues and rampant copyright infringement. As with any software, a bevy of similar hosting websites and portals appeared in its stead. All of them are prone to subpar video quality and riddled with pop-up advertisements, not to mention malware, and they also manage to provide links and subsequent access to nearly any type of media content you desire.

Moreover, they're entirely free if you can manage to locate the correct link and don't mind legal prosecution. Most streaming sites work in a similar vain, requiring users to navigate a sea of hyperlinks and season catalogs. The most popular include Project-Free TV, PutLocker, and Watchgot.net. Project-Free TV isn't the most attractive site, but some of the best rarely are. Clad in an orange-and-purple design, the site lists an onslaught of assorted links for each episode of the series, complete with average load times, the name of the host site, submission date, and other information. 

Project-Free TV
Whereas Project-Free TV relies on a slew of potential hosting sites for viewing videos, PutLocker merely display one link per episode. The site lists all episodes on a single page with a charcoal-grey Watch link accompanying each, with the latest episode residing at the top and the first season displayed at the bottom. 

Watchgot.net provides the viewing access to all three seasons of the show, along with trailers — and legal inquires for HBO representatives and law enforcement agencies. Users can quickly peruse the tabs beneath the banner image to locate their desired episode, and once found, the site provides a plethora of tabbed videos from hosting sites like DailyMotion and MP4Uploads. The site also sports its own Facebook page. If there ever was a site attempting to hide from the public eye, Watchgot.net isn't it.

We don't endorse piracy, and don't recommend you visit any of these sites. But if you do, protect yourself first: Check out our picks for the best free antivirus software and the best free antivirus software for Mac if you're not already protected.

The Web can be a scary place, especially when navigating its darker regions. 
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iPhone 6 Rumors and News: Apple to stagger the release of two, big iPhone models in 2014

Are you sitting comfortably? Good. This could take a while. The iPhone 5S is less than six months old, but rumors are gathering about its replacement, which should – if previous versions are anything to go by – be called the iPhone 6. Will it be bigger, or stay the same size? Will it have standout features? Will it be joined by an iPhone 6C, or the iWatch?

None of these questions and many more will be answered until Tim Cook takes the stage later this year, but we can't wait until June or September. We're just not that patient. So, we've collected all the latest gossip we've heard right here. We hope you enjoy.

Updated on 04-10-2014 by Andy: Further evidence has emerged we could see a pair of iPhone models announced this year, perhaps with a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch display. We've added in news on this, plus talk of faster RAM being used inside the device, a new concept image, along with a product roadmap created by an analyst.

Surprise … it's probably named iPhone 6

How long can Apple keep adding an ever-increasing number to the name of its latest iPhone? It gave up with the iPad after two models, and decided to add the word Air to the most recent iteration, signifying how slim and light it had made the tablet. Depending on the specs and size of the next iPhone(s), we could also see an iPhone Air, iPhone 6C, or iPhone Mini.

Bigger screens and a second iPhone 6?

Apple has made the most of a 4-inch screen for two generations (years) now, and while it's perfectly acceptable – go on, admit it – there's no denying the industry is shifting towards smartphones with considerably larger displays. Juniper Research estimates that devices with 5+ inch screens will see sales of 120 million by 2018, considerably more than the 20 million in 2013. Surely Apple can't ignore the trend much longer?

Leaked iPhone 6 schematics
There are two main schools of thought at the moment. First, Apple will up the screen size to 4.7-inches and leave it at that, while others speculate we may get a 4.7-inch iPhone and a 5.7-inch, or 5.5-inch iPhone/iPad hybrid. These supposed leaked schematics from Nowhereelse.fr also point to a larger screen.

According to Chinese analyst Sun Changxu, Apple may keep its current 1136 x 640 pixel Retina resolution on the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. This would see the pixel density fall to around 280ppi, way below the 326ppi seen on every iPhone since the iPhone 4. Crucially though, it would be above the iPad's pixel density. Apple bases its Retina status on viewing distance – 10-inches for the phone, 15 for the tablet – so a larger phone screen could add a few inches to the optimum viewing distance, and keep it within Apple's self-imposed parameters for 'Retina.'

Via his Twitter account, Sonny Dickson, who has previously leaked details about Apple hardware, says the screen of the iPhone 6 will have a pixel density of 389ppi. He calls the display "Ultra-Retina," but doesn't mention anything about the size or the exact resolution. Using a pixel density calculator, a screen measuring somewhere between 5.6-inches and 5.7-inches, with a 1080p resolution, could potentially produce 389ppi.

iPhone 6 three models concept by Federico Ciccarese
Alternatively, researchers from DisplaySearch in Taiwan indicate Apple will give the 4.7-inch screen iPhone 6 a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, resulting in a 312ppi pixel density rating. As for the 5.7-inch hybrid, DisplaySearch says it may have 1920 x 1080 pixels, matching just about every 2013 high-end Android phone. Analyst Brian Marshall, who works for ISI, says we'll be getting two new iPhone models this year, one with a 4.7-inch display, and the other with 5.5-inches, although he doesn't mention the possible resolution of either.

iPhone 6 gold concept with glass back by Martin Hajek
An increase to 4.7 or 5.7-inches isn't universally agreed upon – not even close. Peter Misek says Apple will plump for 4.8-inches, while a Wall Street Journal reporter claimed Apple was busily testing hybrid iPhone/iPads with 6-inch screens. Long-time Apple rumor devotees will recall talk of the iPhone Math (or iPhone+, as it may have really been known), a monster-sized iPhone discussed before the announcement of the iPhone 5S.

More recently, rumors have been edging towards the possibility of a 4.7-inch and a 5.5-inch iPhone being released during 2014. However, according to the Taiwan Industrial & Commercial Times, only the model with a 4.7-inch screen will go on sale this year. The larger iPhone, according to the rumor, is causing problems for Apple's production team, and may not be ready until September. The 4.7-inch phone is apparently scheduled for production in July.

This fits in with an analyst's prediction regarding Apple's plans for the coming year. He says the 4.7-inch iPhone will be released in late September, and the 5.5-inch model will come later, perhaps right at the end of the year.

However, not everyone agrees on this timeline.  Apparently, Japan Display has already started to produce its 5.5-inch Quad HD display, which was announced late last year. There's no proof Apple will be using this particular screen, and the timing is likely to be nothing more than a coincidence. It's also not certain the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone will have a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution.

It's worth considering that prototype iPhones probably exist with all these screen sizes and resolutions. Apple may have tested them all out at one time, or has made a few to throw us off track. Just because they exist though, doesn't mean they'll make it into production. It's unlikely we'll see three iPhone 6 models.

Sapphire screens galore!

Here's one of the crazier theories around. The next iPhone(s) could have a screen made of sapphire, which is far more durable than any glass on the market. It's not as implausible as you might think, either.

The new Arizona facility could produce between 103 and 116 million 5-inch sapphire screens per year.

Almost a year ago, GT Advanced, which now has a major contract with Apple, showed us how sapphire could make smartphone screens nearly indestructible. At the time, the company told us that if a large vendor used sapphire to scale, its price would get cheap enough to integrate into a major product like the iPhone 6. A $578 million contract with Apple is probably enough to do just that. Apple is creating a facility in Arizona to build these components.

Correspondence between Apple and the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone, revealed by 9to5Mac, shows Apple plans to put this facility into action during February, a timescale referred to as "aggressive" by an Apple executive. Sapphire is listed as one of the products manufactured by the plant. While it's not stated the sapphire will be used to make iPhone 6 screens, the document says "Project Cascade" will be using a, "High-tech manufacturing process to create a critical new sub-component of Apple Products to be used in the manufacture of consumer electronics."

After calculating the number of furnaces the GT Advanced Arizona facility purchased, 9to5Mac believes it could produce between 103 and 116 million 5-inch sapphire screens per year. If it purchases more machines, it could add another 84 – 94 million iPhone 6 screens to its output. 

There's no evidence the sapphire component is a iPhone 6 screen – Apple uses sapphire to cover the camera lens and the TouchID sensor on the iPhone 5S already – or even if it's destined for use on the next iPhone. Sapphire's incredible toughness would be equally as beneficial on a watch. Whether the sapphire is for a phone or a watch, the material can take many months to prepare, making an end of year release date, for whatever product it's going to end up on, most likely.

Curved screens and new sensors

A November Bloomberg report says that Apple is working on new iPhone 6 models that come with "curved glass" that bends downward at the edges and sensors that can detect different levels of pressure on the screen. The sensors would be able to better detect a light or heavy touch of the finger. That report also affirms the rumor that there will be two new iPhone 6 models, one at the 4.7-inch size and another at 5.5 inches.

Add solar charging to that indestructible screen

Then comes solar charging screens, which we saw demonstrated at CES this year. Though 3M and SunPartner told us that their screens wouldn't be ready until 2015, Matt Margolis of Seeking Alpha believes that this type of solar screen is being built in the Arizona facility. While he could be right, we're uncertain this innovation will appear on the iPhone 6, especially given the rumors of how thin it will be. There's little room for more screen layers in a 6mm phone.

No Home button? Liquidmetal?

There are some non-screen related rumors. We've got an old report which talks about the abolishment of the Home button. Instead, some believe that the new iPhone 6 will rely more on gesture controls to navigate around the OS. It sounds plausible, but Apple will have to find somewhere else to put its new fingerprint sensor, something which wasn't known when this aging report was published.

A Forbes article by Anthony Kosner suggests Apple's upcoming mobile payments platform will integrate a Touch ID fingerprint sensor into the entire screen of the next (big) iPhone, eliminating the need for a Home button. Again though, this will add yet another layer to the thickness of the screen, which diminishes speculation that this will be a super thin 6mm phone.

It's also possible the iPhone 6 will have the first liquidmetal chassis. This has been a long-standing rumor, and while Apple has filed many new patents related to the technology, it's still considered a challenging material with which to work.

Faster RAM is a possibility

Apple may use new, faster, and more efficient LPDDR4 RAM in its upcoming iPhone, according to industry watcher Mark Margolis. He claims Apple will use Micron Technology's RAM – not only in the iPhone 6, but in all Apple mobile hardware – which should bring performance and battery life improvements with it. Additionally, Apple's 64-bit mobile processor should benefit from more memory too.

Super slim 6mm body

Will the next iPhone be much slimmer than older models? That's a very good question, and one which fits in with the idea Apple may chose to name the next model the iPhone Air. The iPhone has never been a bloater, but rumors have spread the next generation may be much thinner than ever. Korean news source ETNews.com quotes sources from the Chinese IT media, who say Apple may shave 1.6mm off the iPhone 5S' thickness to make a 6mm iPhone 6.

A Chinese website published a picture of what it claimed was the iPhone 6's chassis. It looks both slim and large, but it could also be completely fake, or not related to the iPhone at all. Only time will tell on this one.

Following up his tweet regarding the pixel density of the iPhone 6′s screen, Sonny Dickson says the phone's chassis will be a mere 5.5mm thick, matching the current world's thinnest smartphone record holder, the Gionee Elife S5.5. 

Better camera and iOS 8

There are a few rumors regarding the introduction of 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which came to Mac computers recently, along with a 128GB storage capacity. The camera could get an upgrade to 13-megapixels, although not everyone agrees, with others indicating the existing 8-megapixel camera will see improvements. Analysts from Nomura Securities are saying that the iPhone 6 will have better image stabilization.

According to a recent report from MacRumors, sources familiar with Taiwan's industrial chain are suggesting that the next iPhone will have at least a 10-megapixel camera, but even more interesting is that it will have an aperture of f/1.8, an upgrade from the current f/2.2. The sources also claim Apple will replace the current hybrid IR filter with a resin lens filter made by JSR, a Japanese company known for resins used in imaging equipment with CMOS sensors; the resins are said to be lighter and thinner, and capture clearer images because of their ability to minimize color shifts.

The iPhone 6 will logically come with iOS 8 installed, and although nothing has been heard about it at this early stage, it'll be interesting to see where Apple takes its newly redesigned OS next.

Picturing the iPhone 6

There's a lot of information to take in regarding the possible specs, look, and configuration of the iPhone 6 already. To help visualize what the next iPhone may look like, concept videos are often produced. They're speculative, of course, but usually based on the most likely configuration presented by the rumors. Most recently, Techradar put together the video you see below, which shows a super slim iPhone with a bezel-less display, allowing Apple to squeeze a larger display onto a small body. 

MacRumors published a set of concept images comparing the iPhone 5S, with a 4-inch screen, and the iPad Mini with its 7.9-inch screen, to the rumored 4.7-inch and 5.7-inch iPhone models. They've been based on the leaked schematics mentioned above, and although they aren't official, it does show how complete Apple's 2014 range would look, in terms of screen sizes, should they be announced. 

It could launch as early as May or June

For the last few years Apple has announced its new iPhone 6 around September or October. A sensible gambling man would bet on this trend repeating in 2014.

Juniper estimates 5+ inch devices will see sales of 120 million by 2018.

However, sensibility rarely comes into the equation when discussing any iPhone, so not everyone thinks this will be the case. Chinese website Tencent quotes an analyst who says the new phone will hit the production lines in May, ready for release between July and September, which does sound realistic.
Just before Christmas, DigiTimes chimed in with some anonymous gossip from within the supply chain, saying Apple plans to release iPhone 6 in May 2014, just seven months after the iPhone 5S went on sale. (No, it doesn't sound all that likely to us.) Tech industry observer Eldar Murtazin disagrees, and tweeted that Apple is eyeing a June release, so it can better battle new Android phones from Samsung and HTC. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also said a June or late summer release is possible.

iPhone 6 Concept by ADR

Why all the excitement over a June launch? It's the month during which Apple will hold its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC 2014). The iPhone has been absent from WWDC for years, and rumors of its return crop up often. Will 2014 be the year they come true, or must we wait for iPhone 6 until after summer once again?

According to a news report, Pegatron, the company which makes some of Apple's hardware including the iPhone, is in the process of hiring more staff and opening a new factory. It's all in preparation for the iPhone 6, which will supposedly start making its way down the production lines between April and June. It's unlikely the phone will be announced in June if production gets underway during the same month, although the report's sources didn't provide an approximate release date.

Oh, and one more thing…

Yes, there could be one more thing at the next Apple event, and it may be the iWatch. If Apple is going to come out with its own interpretation of the smartwatch this year, it makes sense for it to launch alongside the latest phone. We've pulled together all the talk about the iWatch here, so make sure you take a look. 

The iPhone 5S was joined by the iPhone 5C when it was announced in 2013, and unless Apple deems the experiment a failure, we should see the iPhone 6C up on stage in some form. However, at the moment, all the attention is being lavished on its more expensive sister phone, the 5S.

That's about all we have for now, but we'll be updating this article regularly with more juicy iPhone 6 talk.
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LG. Latest G3′s coming soon: 1440p screen, a new UI, and everything else we’ve heard

The G2 is not only one of LG's best ever smartphones, but also one of 2013's best buys, and its sequel is highly anticipated. Rumors of the so-called LG G3 have been spreading for several months now, and we're edging closer to its eventual release. To prepare for its arrival, we've gathered together all the most exciting gossip on the phone, and it's shaping up to be very exciting.

Updated on 04-10-2014 by Andy: We've added more news on the LG Odin processor, which may not debut inside the G3, plus a leaked screenshot of the phone's new user interface, and talk of intelligent, personalized software features.

It'll probably be called the LG G3

Reports from the end of 2013 said LG hadn't settled on the G3 name, and the phone is currently under development using the codename B2. LG abandoned the Optimus name for its high-end hardware last year, so we know that's not going to make a return, but it also proves the firm isn't afraid to reinvent itself.

Various model numbers have also been attached to the G3. For example, one leak claims the phone will be the LG-D851, while the Verizon version will be reclassified as the LG-VS985. The LG-D972 is another possibility, along with LG-D830. For the record, the LG G2 wears the model number LG-D802, while the Nexus 5 is the LG-D820.

A 1440p touchscreen is almost certain

This has been one of the longest running rumors regarding the G3. In August 2013, LG showed off a prototype 5.5-inch smartphone screen boasting a 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution, which it referred to as Quad HD. LG didn't provide any indication on when the screen would be fitted to a smartphone we could buy, but as it didn't show up on the G Pro 2, the G3 is the next bet. 1440p screens are no longer science fiction, and are fitted to a pair of Chinese smartphones, the Vivo XPlay 3S and the Oppo Find 7. 

At the end of December 2013, a Korean news source said the G3 would be the first phone to use the Quad HD panel, but it also said we'd see the device launch during Mobile World Congress. Almost a month later, another report from Korea repeated the rumor, adding the screen size could increase to a monster 5.9-inches. Subsequently, the G Pro 2 was announced with a screen that size, suggested the wires were crossed somewhere.

This is LG's new 1440p super HD screen.
More recently, a tweet from the @evleaks Twitter account showed a screenshot taken from a User Agent Profile (special documents created by manufacturers which contain information relevant to content providers), which listed an LG phone with the model number D850 as having a 2560 x 1440 pixel display.

If LG does equip the G2 with such a high-res display, it'll successfully kick sand in the face of Samsung, which has gone with another 1080p panel for its Galaxy S5, Sony's Xperia Z2, and probably HTC's All New One too.

A new user interface, and "advanced personalization" features rumored

A screenshot, supposedly giving us a preview of the LG G3′s user interface, has been leaked. It's of particular interest because it shows a new look for LG's Android skin, with a flatter, more modern look than before. What's more, the image apparently had a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, seemingly confirming the reports LG will use its Quad HD display on the phone.

In mid-March, a rumor circulated LG was working on custom, intelligent software features for the G3. These could take advantage of Google Now's abilities, and add in learning capabilities to adapt the device to the way you use it. These are supposed to make the phone more personal, and you more productive, although we're not sure about a series of "helpful ideas" LG wants to provide on the device. This just gives us flashbacks to Microsoft's Clippy.

An octa-core processor is on the cards

In the same December 2013 report which claimed the G3 will have a 1440p screen, it was also suggested the device would be powered by an octa-core processor running at 2.2GHz. This would be a change from the G2, which used a Snapdragon 800, and like the screen resolution, would see the G32 stand apart from the competition.

However, which octa-core chip will it use? Opinion seems to be split between it being the MediaTek MT6595, and LG's own Odin chipset. The MediaTek "true octa-core" processor is seen as a cheap alternative to Qualcomm's chips, which probably isn't the impression LG wants to give potential buyers about the G3. MediaTek is keen to gain a wider international audience though, and any offer it made to LG may have been hard to resist.

MediaTek is one of several chip makers that could power the G3.
If it's not the MediaTek chip, what about the Odin? LG hasn't confirmed its existence, and unlike Samsung, isn't known for its mobile processors. Rumors first circulated in November last year. Apparently, LG is developing both a quad-core and an octa-core version, the latter running Cortex A15 and Cortex A7 cores at 2.2GHz. In late December, a reference to an LG Odin chip appeared on a benchmarking website, but running at a slow speed. 

On April 10, a Korean report said LG had enlisted the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to build the Odin processor, and that it would start doing so soon. The rumor is it'll be built using a 28nm process, but adds that it won't be powering the LG G3 when it's released. 

The other, perhaps more likely option, is the use of the new Snapdragon 805 processor. It's Qualcomm's update to the immensely popular Snapdragon 800, and we're expecting the 2.5GHz, quad-core chip to find its way into smartphones during the summer. Failing all that, the Snapdragon 801 would fit in nicely too.

A 16-megapixel camera with OIS+ is possible

LG fitted a 13-megapixel camera to the G2 and to the G Pro 2, and it looks like it'll do the same with the G3, should the information given with this leaked picture be correct. When camera test shots are leaked, it's often of something boring like a desk or wall, but for the G3, we got an awesome picture of a cat. It was shared at the beginning of March through an online chatroom, and according to the poster, comes from the G3's 13-megapixel camera.

This pic may have been taken by an LG G3.
LG added OIS+, a tweaked optical image stabilization system, to the G Pro 2, along with a depth of field adjustment tool, so it's possible both will also be included on the G3.

However, if LG does stick with a 13-megapixel camera, it'll fall behind the Galaxy S5. Last year, a rumor did emerge LG was planning to add a 16-megapixel camera to the G3, which would match that of its arch-rival.

LG could make the G3 waterproof

Waterproofing flagship smartphones is all the rage, with both Sony and Samsung making their high-end hardware resistant to the wet stuff. A report from Korea says LG will do the same with the G3, and it's apparently working on a new way of keeping the phone dry. No specifics were shared on what this technology could be though. A week earlier, an additional report also spoke about a waterproof and dust proof G3, adding weight to the rumor.

LG considering fingerprint or retina scanning features

During a February press conference in Korea, LG's VP of Europe, Cho Seong Ha, was quoted as saying the company is considering the possibility of adding fingerprint or retina scanning technology to the G3. Fingerprint scanning is another Galaxy S5 feature, and is also present on the Apple iPhone 5S.

Will you unlock your G3 with your eyes?
Back in January, another Korean report indicated LG wanted to add fingerprint scanning to the G3, and that a sensor had been dropped from the G2 during the final development stage.

Release could come sooner than initially expected.

The LG G2 was announced in August 2013, so it's still several months away from turning one year old. It's therefore logical to expect LG to at least wait until summer to replace the device. Early rumors pointed to a July date, which sounds reasonable. However, some sources have also claimed LG is aiming for June instead, making the G2 only 10 months old when it's superseded. June isn't the final offer either. A report published in January said LG was targeting May 17 as the release date for the G3.

LG's G Watch to join it?

LG's G Watch may not have received the same level of attention as the Moto 360, but it's currently the only other Android Wear device we know of, and that makes it exciting. LG hasn't said much other than it having a summer release date, and therefore it may debut alongside the G3. Samsung treated its new Gear 2 watches in the same way, and put them alongside the Galaxy S5 during its MWC 2014 press conference.

There's still plenty we don't know about the G3, including what it'll look like, and whether the now famous rear-mounted controls will see an upgrade. We'll be keeping a close eye on the news, and update here when anything new breaks regarding the G3.
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Battlestar Galactica heads to the big screen with a fresh take

Universal is moving ahead with plans to bring Battlestar Galactica to the big screen, according to Variety. The proposed film would be a reimagining of the property, and not directly related to the recent SyFy channel version or the original series that first aired in 1978.

No word on a possible production schedule yet, but Jack Paglen has been hired to write the screenplay. Paglen is coming off of writing Transcendence, and is currently committed to write the screenplay to the sequel for Ridely Scott's Prometheus. Glen A. Larson, creator of the original Battlestar Galactica series, will produce.

Battlestar Galactica first appeared on TV in 1978 and ran for 17 episodes, totaling 24 hours (including multiple two-parters). Despite a loyal following the series was deemed too expensive given its poor ratings and was soon cancelled. A second series was commissioned under the name Galactica 1980, but it lasted just 10 episodes. The series was then recut and re-released as a handful of different movies.

Several attempts to bring the property back to either the big screen or reboot it as a TV show were discussed, but it wasn't until 2003, when Universal Television brought the show back as a mini-series on the SyFy channel, that it returned. The new take/reboot proved a success for the channel, and the series ran for four seasons and spawned several spin-offs.

In both the 1978 and 2003 versions of the show, the story focused on the last human survivors of a war against a robotic race known as the Cylons. The humans flee their doomed home in search of the lost, thirteenth colony known as Earth. There's no word yet on whether or not the new film will keep this aspect of the property or not.
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Under pressure: Soma dives deep to find horror on the cold, lonely ocean floor

Horror isn't just monsters and gore. It's mystery. A creeping feeling that things aren't quite… right. Horror is an eerily empty power plant. An overheard whisper in a room filled with broken machines and corpses. The vastness of the ocean floor and the flesh-hungry beings lurking just out of view. That's not the only face of horror, mind you, but it's the flavor of fear that Frictional Games' Soma endeavors to leave you with.

Frictional knows a thing or two about scares, being the studio behind Amnesia: The Dark Descent and the publisher of The Chinese Room's sequel, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. With Soma, the small, Sweden-based team is stepping out in a different direction. Namely, straight down. 

Soma's ocean floor setting might initially summon up memories of BioShock's Rapture, but we're a long way off from the failed utopia that birthed Big Daddies and their Little Sisters. From an abandoned geothermal power plant to a sunken freighter to the sandy wastes surrounding a network of purpose-built structures teetering on the edge of a yawning abyss, there's a strong feeling of isolation nipping at the edges of your consciousness.

"I think that there's an interesting atmosphere and tension coming from the largeness, the vastness of the environment and the space that you're in," Frictional co-founder and creative director Thomas Grip tells Digital Trends of the underwater setting. "We've hidden dangers out there as well. It's fun that there are these big unknowns around the player, but they don't want to explore [because of the dangers]. So they're only exploring a fraction of it, and I think that builds a very interesting tension that you don't get from a corridor-based game as much."

"You don't know even how far it stretches, where it is safe to go. Those kinds of things are interesting to play around with."

The hour that we spent playing a pre-alpha version of Soma explored a range of locations, but it's the time spent on the ocean floor that stands out. It's both a stark contrast to the tight interiors that Frictional delivered in Amnesia and a completely open space that somehow presses in with dangerous immediacy. It's not air or ammo or pursuing monsters that you're worried about. The fear is more primal than that. It's a suffocating presence. You're buried by water, but it's not the lack of oxygen you're choking on; it's the tension of knowing death could be five feet in front of you, but you can't actually see it.

"One of the interesting things about being underwater is not just the [low] visibility, but also that you have a trillion tons of water over your head," Grip says, adding that roughly 50-percent of the game is spent in a diving suit. "There's this constant pressure that we really want to get the feeling of, so you hear things like creaking metal. Even as you're just walking in water, we want you to have this sense of an otherworldly [landscape] and constant pressure building around you."

"We want you to have this sense of an otherworldly [landscape] and constant pressure building around you."

Soma explores more than just the alien landscape at the bottom of the ocean. There's a story here, and while we don't know a whole lot about it yet, we've pieced together a few facts from our time spent with the game. There's been some catastrophic event at an undersea facility – devoted to manufacturing, mining, something like that – and everyone is dead. Your as-yet-unidentified protagonist is there for reasons we're not clear on yet. Escape seems to be his (or her) primary motivation, not solving the mystery at the heart of the story.
Rogue robots appear to be involved, based on evidence we gathered from checking recorded logs and other sources. There's some master Warden Unit, or WAU, that abandoned its programming and directed the undersea station's automated processes to rebel. Your character – whoever he or she is – has the ability to interface with Blackbox implants (imagine a plane's black box, only installed in a human) in corpses and certain machines. Again, it's not entirely clear how this works or how it's even possible. That's just part of Soma's mystery, one that Grip suggests is built around exploring the philosophy of human condition.

"I'm totally interested in the subject of consciousness. The whole idea that you have a subjective experience; you can never explain what it's like to be you, and you can never be sure that anyone else has that experience too. You can just assume it," he says.

"I wanted to get this across in a game fashion. If you're writing a book, the normal thing to do is you can have these long data dump sections where you just speak about these arguments. What it would mean to have a soul and that sort of thing. We could have done in a game too, but… I wanted to do something that feels more substantial and really takes advantage of it being an interactive experience."

It's a vague explanation, but it's all the detail Grip is willing to give at this point. He's got nothing to say about who our protagonist is, or why the facility's robots went rogue. Could it have to do with reports of a black, oily substance that we discovered as we explored? And what about Jiangshi, undead humanoids that prowl through the corridors of the demo's sunken ship? Are they a product of whatever's at the heart of this mystery or are they the source of it?

Horror isn't strictly a monster, or a creepy setting, or a story with a dark twist. It's the answer to a question you don't want to ask. And Frictional's got all the answers. Soma is meant to be an experience that washes over you, not a puzzle to be solved. The more you learn, the less you want to know.
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"Ebola virus warns to whole Nigerians that is near and deadly than HIV/AIDS"

The Ebola Virus is here and it is deadly than the dreaded HIV/AIDS because it kills almost immediately.

Read the following necessary instructions for your own safety and that of others around you;

'The First case of the Ebola virus has been reported in Ghana.

It is therefore safe to assume this virus is in Nigeria, knowing how frequently our people travel back and forth to and from Ghana.

More importantly, the strain has similarities with other virus initially thus it might not be recognized early enough.

Please take the following precautions:...(1). Wash your hands frequently.

(2). Get a hand sanitizer for people to use in your office and homes. And let them know why.

(3). Get one for your kids to use in school frequently,and if possible,one for their class,let them know why.

(4). Be careful with hand railings,doors and other utilities used by the public.

(5). Avoid bush meat or other meats of which you are not sure of their source. Lastly, watch out for people with flu like symptoms such as fever and malaria.

Please note that it has no cure, it is catch and go.

Please pass this information around you immediately.
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BlackBerry could exit handset business if sales don’t improve, says CEO Chen

BlackBerry boss John Chen said Wednesday that if he can't get its handset business in order then he'll have to consider exiting it altogether.

"If I cannot make money on handsets, I will not be in the handset business," Chen told Reuters.

He declined to give any specific information on how long he's likely to give it, suggesting only that a decision will have to be made sooner rather than later.

Chen clearly has his work cut out to save the handset business. The Waterloo, Ontario firm shipped only 1.3 million handsets during the three-month period ending March 1 2014, almost 80 percent fewer than the same period 12 months earlier.

Reuters' report added that the company is looking to boost its struggling business "with investments, acquisitions and partnerships," with Chen citing possible tie-ups with companies in industries such as healthcare, as well as businesses involved in financial and legal services. As Reuters pointed out, such industries require a high-level of security in their communications, a feature on which BlackBerry built its reputation in the days when it was a leading player in the smartphone industry.

In another interview, also on Wednesday, Chen again focused on BlackBerry's mobile devices, saying, "I don't have a plan to get rid of handsets, I have a plan not to be dependent on handsets." Speaking to news site Bloomberg, he added, "All I need to do is replace the handset revenue, and this company will be very different."

Considering how much Chen made of his company's recent partnership with Foxconn for the launch of new phones, and the fact that BlackBerry was built on the success of its handset business, many will find it hard to imagine the firm ever turning its back on the smartphone sector. Of course, if its mobile sales continue to plummet, it soon won't have a market to leave.

The CEO has said several times recently that he believes BlackBerry will start turning a profit again by 2016, while Fairfax Financial, which injected a billion dollars into the company late last year as part of a long-term investment plan, said this week it's pleased with the way Chen is handling the business, with its increased focus on monetizing areas such as its BBM messaging service and QNX software.

"John, in five months, has done so many changes. We're very impressed," Fairfax CEO Prem Watsa said, adding, "He's hit the road running."
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Best Netflix Instant movies

Netflix has a gazillion different movies available for instant streaming (approximately), and even though the service starts to get weirdly accurate with its suggestions after you've been using it for a while, it can sometimes be hard to find something worth watching. For this reason, we've taken the time to wade through the ridiculous amount of content in order to bring you a list of some of our choices for the best movies on Netflix Instant. 

This guide is continually updated to reflect recent availability. Last update: April 8, 2014. Drew Prindle contributed to this article.

Considering joining Netflix? Sign up here for a free one-month trial.

Jump to:

Documentaries
Comedies
Dramas
Thrillers/Action Adventure
Foreign
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Documentaries

Blackfish

See the film that is causing some major waves, pun fully intended, for Sea World. Featuring interviews from former trainers and live footage, Blackfish examines if it is really safe for humans or whales to keep such large creatures in captivity. Get ready to have some childhood memories shattered. 

Pink Ribbons Inc.

You'll never look at a pink ribbon in the same way again after seeing this eye-opening documentary about the rise of "cause marketing," and witness how capitalism has bastardized charity. 

Room 237

The Shining has been terrifying audiences for years and taught a valuable lesson about the importance of taking time off. However many film critics believe there is more to the film than just blood and nightmares. Room 237 looks into different theories of the meanings behind the symbols in Stanley Kubrick's iconic movie. 

Jiro Dreams of Sushi  

You will never look look at your California Roll again after watching this fascinating documentary about the best sushi chef in the world. 85-year-old Jiro Ono charges $300 a plate at his small restaurant but he proves it is completely worth it after seeing how much time and care he puts into each roll. Don't watch on an empty stomach, this is food porn at its best and classiest. 

Craigslist Joe

Part stunt-doc, part "get lost so you can find yourself" flick, Craigslist Joe follows filmmaker Joseph Garner as he embarks on a 30-day trip across the US with nothing more the clothes on his back and a laptop. His plan? Use Craigslist to provide him with food, shelter, transportation, and companionship.

The Invisible War

This isn't a fun documentary to watch. The film exposes the high prevalence of rape in America's armed forces, so it's one of those docs that's eye-opening and informative, but deeply unsettling and emotional. You'll be outraged by the time the credits roll.

GasLand 

America runs on fossil fuel, and this film sheds light on how fracking – the hydraulic drilling process we use to get natural gas out of the ground – is poisoning the environment. It's disturbing, infuriating, and extremely emotional; a must see for fans of social/political documentaries.

20 Feet From Stardom 

This 2014 Oscar winner for best documentary follows a group of back up singers as they struggle to be seen behind superstars like Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. 20 Feet examines what it is like to live just feet away from your dream.  

Super High Me

In possibly one of the best pot documentaries of all time, stoner comedian Doug Benson sets out to show the true effects of marijuana use in a 60-day experiment. The first 30 days is the control experiment – he takes a series of tests while being completely clean and sober. The next 30 days is where it gets really funny, as Benson takes the same tests while staying high as a kite 24/7.

 
Waste Land

The old saying "one man's trash is another man's treasure" has never been so true. This doc follows contemporary Vik Muniz on a journey to Jardim Gramacho, the world's largest landfill on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, where he collaborates with catadores (pickers of recyclable materials) to make art out of garbage.

Due to the fact that some movies are only available on Netflix Instant for a limited amount of time, there's a chance that some of these movies are no longer available by now. If that's the case, let us know in the comments and we'll swap out the movie in question for a flick that's currently available. Also, feel free to share your favorites in the comments! 
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Twitter wants all their users to has similar Facebook profile redesign

Announced on the official Twitter blog earlier today, the social network has started to gradually launch a new design for user profiles that brings a greater focus to banner images and user profile pictures as well as photos and video within the actual Twitter feed. Applying only to the desktop version of the site for now, the new design is immediately available to new users or users that set up an account within the past few months. All current users will be offered a chance to switch over to the new design in the coming weeks. 

In addition to the heavy push towards visual elements, Twitter has included three new features that will alter how you consume information in the feed. The 'Best Tweets' feature will highlight tweets that receive significant engagement. For instance, when a tweet receives tons of retweets and replies, the font of the tweet will increase significantly. On celebrity pages, this seems to be most prevalent on posts that include popular images.



The 'Pinned Tweet' feature will work identically the pinning function on Facebook pages. If you want to feature a specific tweet at the top of your feed for a longer period of time, you can pin it at the top of the feed. This will be particularly useful for businesses and brands as social media managers can highlight specific promotions for a greater period of time. Of course, users will have to visit the Web version of Twitter in order to see the pinned post. 

The 'Filtered Tweets' feature will allow you to alter which tweets are visible when perusing other profiles. Rather than just the most recent tweets, users can view only tweets that include photos or video as well as tweets that received replies. Representatives at Twitter haven't indicated when or if these changes will appear on the mobile version of the social network. Interestingly, the vast majority of Twitter users are accessing the service through mobile devices. In addition, nearly half of all mobile Twitter users are less likely to use the desktop version of the site.
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