Latest Jobs in Nigeria

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• EPC Senior Project Director Job at General Electric
• Manager, Maintenance and Reliability Job at Addax Petroleum
• Lufkin Sales Manager Job at General Electric
• Aftermarket Support Engineer Job at General Electric
• OMLP Program Associate Job at General Electric

EPC Senior Project Director Job at General Electric Posted: 24 May 2014 06:12 PM PDT Job Title: EPC Senior Project Director Company: General Electric Location: Lagos, Nigeria Job Number: 1946483 Business: GE Oil & Gas Business Segment: Oil & Gas Career Level: Experienced Function: EPC Project Management Function Segment: Project Management Relocation Assistance: No . Role Summary/Purpose: The EPC Project Director leads and directs cross- functional teams responsible for delivering defined projects on time, maintaining budget and deliver quality results within GE Oil & Gas Nigeria. The PD plans, organizes, monitors, and oversees a specific Customer facing EPC project to meet defined requirements or business specifications and has primary responsibility for defining, planning, tracking and managing the enterprise project, identifying key resources and providing overall direction. . Essential Responsibilities: – In liaison with the ITO organization, negotiate and agree Contract Ts & Cs, including all clarifications and exceptions, during the Bid/Award phase. – Following Award, and through the Contract Review process, translate the agreed Ts & Cs into PL Statements of Work and/or Purchase Orders in order to establish the internal scope of work. – Based on the Bid model, and in conjunction with the relevant Functional managers, establish the core project team, effectively communicate Project Goals and Objectives within the local EPC teams and also the PL teams. – Define project start-up priorities and instigate generation of lower level plans and deliverable documents by the team(s). – Introduce and maintain an effective Quality, Health, Safety and Environmental culture. Identify and record all QHSE, Technical and Commercial risks facing the project, ensuring these are recorded and mitigation plans are put in place and effectively executed and monitored. – Manages Customer relations. – Manages external and internal interfaces. – Establish the project cost model and invoicing/payments schedule. – Generate, in conjunction with the designated Commercial Manager, all appropriate cost reporting templates and continually monitor, control and report on cost performance throughout the project life cycle. Meet or exceed, margin targets as determined by the Business, avoiding Liquidated Damages (LDs). – Throughout the project execution phase, effectively manage Customer instigated Change Orders, including their internal price clearance, submission and negotiation, implementation and tracking. – Consolidate and negotiate internally generated Variation Order on behalf of the P&Ls. – Ensure schedule, safety and environmental impacts of all changes (in addition to cost) and maximize opportunities for margin growth through the change process. – Provide a high level of professional leadership to the Project Team in order to meet all assigned program and financial targets, meeting, or exceeding, margin forecasts. – Lead and develop the project team, fostering Continuing Professional Development (in conjunction with the relevant Functional Managers) and initiates team building activities. – Develop and implement procedures for reporting progress and issues in order to satisfy Customer and Company requirements. – Continually review the Project Team performance against internal Company performance standards, ensuring Company requirements in terms of product quality, delivery performance, commercial targets and Customer satisfaction are met or improved upon. – Integration management. – Continually identify/capture Lessons Learnt and drive closure. – Lead the “Project close-out” process. – Attend and lead Customer / internal reviews as per established calendar/rhythm. . Qualifications/Requirements: – Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business or equivalent from an accredited university or college – At least 5 additional years of experience in project management – Oil & Gas or relevant industry experience – At least 5 additional years of experience in project management at Senior Project Engineering level – Exposure to high capital value projects in a multi-disciplined environment . Additional Eligibility Qualifications: Desired Characteristics: – Master’s degree in Business Administration or Engineering is preferred. – Significant Project, Construction, Field Engineering and/or Contract Management experience in power industry. – High energy level-self-starter. – Technical knowledge of product lines and associated systems. – Microsoft suite proficiency. – Six Sigma training (GE employees only). – Sense of urgency in dealing with issues and tasks. – Proven leadership skills and ability to effectively manage a matrix team/organization. – Ability to anticipate events and develop adaptive strategies/remedies. – Strong skills in customer relationship building, facilitation, and matrix management – Exceptional oral and written communication skills – Strong interpersonal and leaderships skills – GE Leadership Development program (PMDP, PMLP, OMLP, JOLP, RELP or equivalent) – Strong business and financial acumen – Strong team leadership and team building skills – Ability to drive and manage change in a dynamic environment. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Manager, Maintenance and Reliability Job at Addax Petroleum Posted: 24 May 2014 05:36 PM PDT Job Title: Manager, Maintenance & Reliability Number of Openings: 1 Job Type (Employment Type): Consultant Country: Nigeria City: Lagos Job Number: APNG140543 Job Schedule: Full Time Job Category: Operations Career Level: Manager(Team Leader or Supervisor of Staff) Level of Education: Bachelor’s Degree Years of Experience: 20 . Position Description: – Manage all APDNL offshore and onshore maintenance planning, support, inspection, shutdown activities and integrity of fixed assets in order to deliver unit availability and reliability, required to maintain production within company and governmental guidelines. – Responsible for ensuring that the Maintenance and Reliability section has a clearly defined strategy, structure and appropriate processes in place to provide the correct level of support for the management of a wide variety of maintenance, reliabilty, inspection, repair, risk assessment, and corrosion management technologies to ensure that Addax Maintenance & Asset Integrity Management Programs are executed with optimal effectiveness. – Demonstrate lead management commitment to the Addax HSSE Policies and to the HSE MS. . Job Duties/Responsibilities/Accountablilities – Actively participate in all HSE initiatives to support the delivery of zero accidents and. incidents. – Manage interfaces and work collaboratively with the other departments such as Facilities, Asset Management, SCM, HSE and contractors. Identify and deliver improvements in policy, strategy and efficiency of maintenance, integrity, engineering and related HSE processes/activities to optimize maintenance/operational life cycle costs in line with Addax strategies and KPI’s. – Manage the planning, implementing and co-ordinating Asset Integrity Management Systems, Corrosion Management & annual inspection programme of onshore & offshore assets liaising with Operations, Asset Management, HSE and Facilities. – Develop application and fully implement risk and reliability management techniques, like RBI, RCM and IPF. – Responsible for the 5-year Integrity plan i.e. Hardware Barrier Reviews and FAIRs. Provide Technical Authority support for discipline engineering, relevant maintenance disciplines and projects, and manage change control. – Maintain healthy and competent capability of TAs. Development, implementation and maintenance of engineering and maintenance procedures and management -Develop where needed and implement risk based inspection programs to improve asset integrity with a strong focus on safety, cost containment and integrity. – Develop asset integrity conditioning monitoring strategies and programs for loss containment purposes including corrosion monitoring and all issues, which have potential to impact asset integrity, including equipment/hardware, process/procedures, operational business systems, verification/ assurance and personnel competences. – Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track program performance and KPMI (Key Parameters for Mechanical Integrity) Program where applicable for the Business Area. – Maximize fixed equipment uptime to optimize shutdowns and extend turnaround intervals in compliance to regulatory requirements and identify resources to support troubleshooting of fixed equipment recurrent problems and apply root case analysis (RCA) practices to equipment failure investigations. – Support the implementation of production uptime programs including Preventive Maintenance (PM) and Predictive Maintenance (PdM). . Lead the Degradation Manuals Program: – Ensure adequate, consistent working documents are in place for all plants and equipment – Ensure Asset Integrity Engineers have ownership of their Degradation Manuals. – Recruit, mentor, and develop national staff with a view to progressively advance the nationalisation of the Company’s staff in country. . Key Performance Indicators/Performance Goals – Reduction in downtime due to loss of containment and mechanical failures. – Increase in uptime through implementation of PM & PdM. – Asset Integrity Management System (AIMS) is in place and functioning. – Continuous improvement programs in place and functioning. . Job Specifications: – Engineering degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Corrosion or Metallurgy. – 20+ years’ experience required in the oil & gas industry both offshore and onshore. Experience in West Africa is a plus. . Key Competencies Requirements: – Familiarity with and understanding of: – Maintenance and Asset integrity management at a senior management level. – Strong knowledge of relevant regulations, codes, standards and maintenance planning. – Knowledge and experience in Pressure vessel, pipeline and storage tank integrity management. – Strong Managerial, communication and organisational skills are essential. Presentation skills and ability to develop staff. – Able to influence people, must be flexible and able to multi-task. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Lufkin Sales Manager Job at General Electric Posted: 24 May 2014 05:28 PM PDT Job Title: Lufkin Sales Manager – Nigeria Company: General Electric Location: Bonny Island, Nigeria Job Number: 1956073 Business: GE Oil & Gas Business Segment: Oil & Gas Career Level: Experienced Function: Sales Function Segment: Sales Management Relocation Assistance: No . Role Summary/Purpose: As part of the Sub Sahara Africa region, the candidate will be responsible for leading and strategically growing our full scope of Lufkin portfolio in Nigeria and West Africa The Sales Manager is responsible for the effective and profitable management of assigned customer accounts. In this role he/she will be primarily focused on growing and maintaining existing accounts. He/she will also work with current customers to provide value and meet service needs. . Essential Responsibilities: – The Oilfield Sales Manager demonstrates leadership in communicating business goals, programs, and processes for an area or business segment. In this role you will utilize experience or expertise to solve problems, develop and execute objectives for self and others, and have the ability to effect short-term and some long-term business goals. – The Area Sales Manager is a player/coach role focused on growing and maintaining customer base, while coaching and mentoring the sales representatives in the field of assigned territory. – Responsible for growth of new accounts as well as focus on maintaining existing accounts – Work with current customers and prospects to meet desired sales and service needs – Work with Growth Team to create sales campaigns to sell new to businesses – Train/coach sales representatives in the assigned territory on role responsibilities – Participate in plant visits to gather samples, observe instruments, and obtain information and analyzes / interpret results and reports any corrective actions to the customer – Outline, present and sell the value of products and services that can benefit customer needs – Conduct required training of operating personnel to ensure their understanding of the parameters under which their equipment operates – Build upon internal relationships and develop strong relationships with customers – Ensure profitability of accounts within assigned territory through proper pricing and contract management as well as service time – Partner with peers and management to enhance selling techniques and approaches – Coordinate relationships and interface with Commercial Operations, Technical Marketing, Product management and other functions . Qualifications/Requirements: – Minimum of a B.Sc. degree in preferably a technical engineering qualification/degree. A proven background in the oil & gas industry End Users, Engineering Firms and Manufacturers) of around 5 years, with a minimum of 3 years in preferably within a similar sales role . Additional Eligibility Qualifications: Desired Characteristics: – Ability to deliver strong commercial results – Considerable and in-depth product knowledge. – Prior sales experience sufficient to deal effectively with LUFKIN clients, potential clients, and other personnel. – Ability to read, plan, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. – Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. – Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. – Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry – Strong, inclusive leadership skills – Ability to deliver timely feedback to team to achieve desired impact – Ability to reward and recognize individual and team achievements – Ability to prioritize multifaceted, fast paced job tasks – Able to effectively manage time and budget or expense parameters – Strong oral and written communication skills – Strong interpersonal and leadership skills – MBA. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Aftermarket Support Engineer Job at General Electric Posted: 24 May 2014 05:25 PM PDT Job Title: Aftermarket Support Engineer Company: General Electric (GE) Location: Onne, Nigeria Job Number: 1944839 Career Level: Experienced Business: GE Oil & Gas Business Segment: Oil & Gas Function: Engineering/Technology Function Segment: Product Design and Development Relocation Assistance: No . Role Summary/Purpose: A Design Engineer within the Aftermarket Engineering team with a proven track record and experience in the Aftermarket Repair, maintenance, conversion /modification and testing requirements of Subsea Production and Intervention equipment. . Essential Responsibilities: – Interpret customer proposals and statement of requirements, through to final product design, build and test. – Ensure that equipment is reworked / refurbished in accordance with current Industry legislation. – Review/disposition survey reports. – Communicate with client representative on repair, detail design, test procedures, test equipment, technical data, maintenance, spares and alternate parts/assemblies. – Write Operating Service Procedures (OSP’s) for Field Service Manuals ensuring compliance with current best practices and ‘lessons- learned’ from previous projects. – Write and approve design verification packages for products/equipment to industry design codes and standards (API, NACE, ASME, ISO) – Work closely with Project management to prepare detailed quotations for engineering and workshop operations. – Provide engineering support to internal teams – Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Project Management/Business Team and external suppliers. – Write and approve Operating Maintenance Procedures (OMP), Site Integration Test (SIT) and Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) procedures for Subsea equipment. – Check and approve rework layout and detail drawings. – Technical interface between company and client for ‘face to face’ project meetings.. – Liaise with Sales and Manufacturing departments and provide technical support as required . Qualifications/Requirements: – BEng Hons Mechanical Engineering or equivalent – Fully proficient with ePIMS database – Strong knowledge of materials, welding and heat treatment. – Demonstrated knowledge of industry standards and design codes. – Knowledge of Engineering design theory and manufacturing techniques. – An excellent communicator and have strong leadership skills. – Desire to provide world class service to customers by aligning global teams under the service platform. . Special Skills required – Pro/Engineer experience. – Working knowledge of ASME drafting standards. – Knowledge of GD&T. – Manufacturing processes. . Additional Eligibility Qualifications: Desired Characteristics: Knowledge and experience pertaining to the following would be advantageous: – Strong SSPE, SWE, CDE & SSWE product line knowledge. – Offshore Operational activities relating to product deployment and intervention. – Knowledge of service maintenance procedures & processes – Solid Oil & Gas industry knowledge. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

OMLP Program Associate Job at General Electric Posted: 24 May 2014 05:17 PM PDT Job Title: OMLP Program Associate Company: General Electric Location: Lagos, Nigeria Job Number: 1927516 Business: GE Oil & Gas Business Segment: Oil & Gas Career Level: EL Function: Manufacturing Function Segment: Leadership Programs Relocation Assistance: No . Role Summary/Purpose: The OMLP Program Associate demonstrates leadership in communicating business goals/programs/processes for an area or business segment. In this role you will use your experience or expertise to solve problems, develop and execute objectives for self and others, and have the ability to effect short-term and some long-term business goals. . Essential Responsibilities: – The GE Operations Management Leadership Program combines broad exposure to core Supply Chain and Services job assignments along with formal classroom studies – Due to the rotational nature of the Program, a member will typically complete three to four assignments over a two-year period, each approximately six to eight months in length that cut across different aspects in manufacturing processes, products and services · Program members will also receive applicable technical and business training to compliment their rotational on-the-job training – Domestic relocation is typically required while on program – Typically a program member will have a supervisory, technical, sourcing and production/materials management assignment while on program – Collaborate with Assignment Leader in setting and achieving realistic and challenging operation goals – Plan and perform assigned tasks within the framework of areas’ schedules, budget, quality and cost constraints while maintaining accuracy and thoroughness in results – Demonstrate ability to understand and apply operational and technical fundamentals in the business environment using analytical and problem solving skills – Develop cooperation and teamwork while leading diverse groups in the development and implementation of team goals – Generate innovative ideas and apply change best practices to ensure impact of key initiatives – Complete Technical training in areas such as Contemporary Manufacturing, Global Supply Chain Management, American Production & Inventory Control Society (APICS) Certification, Six Sigma Quality training with Greenbelt Certification, Environmental Health & Safety – Complete business training in topics such as Project Management, Team Leading . Qualifications/Requirements: – Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college – At least 3 additional years of manufacturing experience . Additional Eligibility Qualifications: Desired Characteristics: – Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Information Technology is preferred – Outstanding academic achievements (Top 25% of class) – GPA on a scale is preferred· – Geographic flexibility and global mindset ·Strong oral and written communication skills – Strong interpersonal and leadership skills – Strong analytical and problem solving skills – Able to coordinate many tasks concurrently – Strong business acumen with the ability to motivate others. Apply to this job This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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Sony announces its plans to bring PlayStation 4 to China

Sony is finally following in Microsoft's footsteps, announcing today that the PlayStation will be making its way to the People's Republic of China.



Nearly a month ago, Microsoft announced that the Xbox One would launch in China this September, after the country's government repealed its 14-year ban on imported consoles and video games.  Microsoft said it would work with China's BesTV to bring the Xbox overseas, making it the first gaming console to be sold in the country since 2000.



Now, Engadget reports that Sony is following suit and will collaborate with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Culture Development (OPCD) to bring the PS4 to China, the Chinese company said in a statement: 



"Shanghai Oriental Pearl Culture Development Co., Ltd. and Sony (China) Co., Ltd., a wholly owned Chinese subsidiary of Sony Corporation, signed a joint venture agreement in the Chinese (Shanghai) free trade zone and jointly funded a joint venture responsible for the production, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation hardware, software and related services business in China."



The Sony and OPCD partnership will form two new companies: Sony Computer Entertainment (Shanghai) and Shanghai Oriental Pearl Sony Computer Entertainment Culture Development.  One will be responsible for the manufacturing and sales of the hardware while the other will manage the service, sales, distribution and research and development of the PlayStation software.



Sony China will own 70 percent of Sony Computer Entertainment Shanghai but will own just 49 percent of the second company.



Though this is exciting news for Chinese gamers, China still has some pretty strict content rules that require every game to be approved before it can be sold.  The blog Games in Asia noted that content that won't be allowed in games includes gambling-related content, anything that violates China's constitution, and anything that harm's China's reputation, security and interests.





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From BEN Latest News: www.benlatestnews.com



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Sony announces its plans to bring PlayStation 4 to China

Sony is finally following in Microsoft's footsteps, announcing today that the PlayStation will be making its way to the People's Republic of China.

Nearly a month ago, Microsoft announced that the Xbox One would launch in China this September, after the country's government repealed its 14-year ban on imported consoles and video games.  Microsoft said it would work with China's BesTV to bring the Xbox overseas, making it the first gaming console to be sold in the country since 2000.

Now, Engadget reports that Sony is following suit and will collaborate with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Culture Development (OPCD) to bring the PS4 to China, the Chinese company said in a statement: 

"Shanghai Oriental Pearl Culture Development Co., Ltd. and Sony (China) Co., Ltd., a wholly owned Chinese subsidiary of Sony Corporation, signed a joint venture agreement in the Chinese (Shanghai) free trade zone and jointly funded a joint venture responsible for the production, marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation hardware, software and related services business in China."

The Sony and OPCD partnership will form two new companies: Sony Computer Entertainment (Shanghai) and Shanghai Oriental Pearl Sony Computer Entertainment Culture Development.  One will be responsible for the manufacturing and sales of the hardware while the other will manage the service, sales, distribution and research and development of the PlayStation software.

Sony China will own 70 percent of Sony Computer Entertainment Shanghai but will own just 49 percent of the second company.

Though this is exciting news for Chinese gamers, China still has some pretty strict content rules that require every game to be approved before it can be sold.  The blog Games in Asia noted that content that won't be allowed in games includes gambling-related content, anything that violates China's constitution, and anything that harm's China's reputation, security and interests.


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From BEN Latest News: www.benlatestnews.com

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Review of 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid

Hybrids used to be oddball outliers.

Heck, when the Prius first hit the streets it looked like a concept car making its escape from an auto show. And it drove about that well, too, balky, jumpy and everything but smooth. Now though, hybrids drivetrain are in everything from luxury sedans to the highest end hyper cars.

Even so, the Crosstrek Hybrid is something new.

This is no dull, lumpy economy box, or shiny luxury toy; instead it is a rugged, do-everything compact that could only come from Subaru.

Color me bad

Appreciating that fact means first overlooking the color. My test Crosstrek Hybrid came in a color Subaru calls "Plasma Green Pearl." Though, I think "Electric Pistachio" would be more fitting.

In reality, this car is no neon nut, but essentially a rougher, tougher and taller Subaru Impreza complete with Subaru's world-class Symmetrical-All Wheel Drive.

A quick look at the exterior styling shows that Subaru's designers were thinking, not just about looks but also about space. The body, despite its angles and indents, is essentially an eminently practical box.

The Crosstrek avoids the problems of other hatchbacks by using a relatively flat rear end ensuring maximum height in the trunk. They even managed to tuck this mild-hybrid's battery pack into the spare tire well, meaning they different have to compromise the class leading 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

This same practical thinking is present at the front end of the vehicle. The long wheelbase and compact engine packaging means that the passenger cabin extends deceptively far forward in the vehicle, meaning the Crosstrek has more interior room than larger crossovers like the Ford Escape.

Despite all of this size scrimping the Crosstrek is still a handsome little car. The slightly flared wheel arches, roof rack and black trim give the Subaru the look of a vehicle that is ready for anything.

A go-anywhere hybrid

This impression is hardly let down in the driver's seat.

Driving the Crosstrek Hybrid is a pleasant experience.

Driving the Crosstrek Hybrid is a pleasant experience. Thanks to its Impreza heritage, the Crosstrek handles the road with surprising confidence for a tall car like the Crosstrek. The suspension is a nice balance between communication and comfort.

Despite the fact that the Crosstrek has more ground clearance than a standard Jeep Grand Cherokee, the car manages to stay remarkably flat and composed even when taking a corner hard, or suddenly change lanes.

I would have loved to take the car out on some gravel roads and see how suspension and AWD held up to amateur rallying. However, I judged that a bad idea, as Subaru seemed to want more than just most of the car back.

That being said, this is not a performance car. Power comes from a 2.0-Liter, 148-horsepower BOXER engine, complimented by a 13-hp electric motor. That powertrain combo and the relatively small 0.6-kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery make the Crosstrek a mild – as opposed to full – hybrid.

Take into account the roughly 3,500-pound curb weight and it is no surprise that the Crosstrek Hybrid limps to 60 in well over eight seconds.

Because of the small electric motor and limited volume battery, the car is rarely able to run on electric power alone. In fact, the motor can only propel the Crosstrek up to 13 mph. Still, trying to keep the little green EV light on does make for a fun game in bad traffic.

The transition between electric and gas power isn't as smooth as some other hybrids. This shouldn't be surprising, though, as the Crosstrek is Subaru's first entry into the hybrid market. Yes, it might be lumpy, but it is light-years ahead of the bad old days of the first- and second-generation Prii. Those were about as smooth as getting a piggyback ride from an old man with gout.

The EPA rated mileage doesn't hold up well with other hybrids on paper. The large Toyota Prius V manages a combined 42 mpg, compared to the Subaru's anemic 31. However, unlike many other hybrids the Crosstrek can actually achieve that rating in the real world.

In fact, during long stretches of highway driving, I averaged closer to 37 mpg – four more than the EPA highway rating. It is worth noting that when driven with a lead foot, things will go south quickly; the small BOXER engine just has to work too hard to go fast.

Above all else, be practical

The interior of the Crosstrek Hybrid isn't just big for its size, it is also well thought out. The cloth seats not only look surprisingly nice, but they can probably withstand the loving attentions of even the daftest Labrador. The rear seats fold easily, to create a cargo area big enough to carry the Labrador and enough bags for a trip to the mountain. Thankfully, the rear cargo area is protected by a removable rubber mat, which should be easy to hose off.

The interior of the Crosstrek Hybrid isn't just big for its size, it is also well thought out.

The cabin is a fairly straightforward arrangement of soft touch black plastic and simple, easy-to-use controls. The main techie feature on my car was the vehicle info and climate-control screen mounted at the top of the center stack. For the most part the interior seems to be built to withstand the tests of toddlers and time.

The only let down, in what is otherwise a really tough seeming interior, was some of the plastic trim. The wraps around the base of the seats were only really anchored at one side, and seem destined to rattle or even fall off.

What's worse, the driver's side floor mat would come loose every other time I got in the car. This was easy to fix, but a bit of a safety concern given the potential for getting wrapped up in the pedals.

But the real issue when it comes to the inside of the Crosstrek is value for money. The car starts at nearly $26,000, which is a lot, especially considering the relatively small amount of standard equipment.

The nearly $27,000 model that I tested lacked a navigation, or even a true infotainment package. Nav comes on the $29,000 touring package. That's not an unreasonable amount of money for this car, but it is a worry. For nearly $30,000 there are an awful lot of alternatives.

Niche or nice?

It is hard to point to exact competitors for the Crosstrek, given its somewhat distinctive tall wagon packaging. Well equipped crossover SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 or even a Honda CRV can be had for about the same money. Those vehicles get similar mileage and are even bigger on the inside than the Subaru.

Oddly enough, though, despite their SUV looks, the Mazda and the Honda are less capable all-terrain vehicles than the Crosstrek. Also, even though they're bigger on the inside, they have to be much bigger outside to get there. Meanwhile the little Crosstrek is easy to park, and doesn't take up much space on the road.

This makes it ideal for people like me who live in the Pacific Northwest. City dwellers by day, we will appreciate the ridiculously high city mpg. And on the weekend, the Crosstrek can be driven up to the mountains even if there is a foot of snow on the road.

Highs

* Spacious and well laid out interior
* 8.7 inches of go anywhere ground clearance
* Lives up to its EPA-rated mileage
* Well-sorted driving dynamics
* Versatile Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive

Lows

*Relatively high price
*Low mileage for a hybrid
*Cheap feeling trim pieces.

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Reviewing of Sony SmartBand with Core

Strapping tech to your wrist may not be your thing, but it's certainly the thing manufacturers want you to do. Since its pre-announcement at CES 2014, Sony has been pushing its new Smartband, or more specifically, the tiny white box that fits inside the band named the Sony Core. 

While most devices we wear have something to do with fitness tracking, Sony's Smartband primarily embraces life logging, encouraging wearers to track, store, measure, and examine every part of their lives. In these paranoid days, the idea of willingly sharing your every move with Sony and Google may not come naturally, but if you can get over your concerns, it's quite fun. 

Lightweight and comfortable, but a little bland 

Sony's Smartband comes in modern, transparent packaging. Inside is the Core, a pair of bands in large and small sizes, plus a very short charging cable. It's surprising just how small the Core is, measuring about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide. There's a single button on the side, and a trio of clear LED lights. The only other feature is the Micro USB socket, where the tiny device is charged. 

The Core fits neatly inside the band, and is strapped to your wrist with a chromed, two-pin fastener emblazoned with Sony's logo. It's very, very light, and feels secure once it's done up. However, it did manage to undo itself after catching on a bag, a car seat belt, and the cuff of my trousers whilst I did my shoelace up, popping open and falling on the ground each time. Because it's almost unnoticeable, it could easily get lost.

It's designed to be worn all the time, including during the night, and never once became uncomfortable. The band itself is very simply designed. A black version is supplied in the box, although other brighter colored ones are available separately, and it has a subtle textured surface. It doesn't look as futuristic as the Nike FuelBand or FitBit Flex, and you almost need to buy a garishly colored strap to make it appear slightly interesting.

The Core's button is easy to find and press without looking. It's used to activate all the Core's primary features. For example, a long press turns it from day mode to night mode, while a double press records a bookmark in the Lifelog app. The three LED lights flash in a particular sequence to confirm your actions. 

Lifelogging gets addictive 

Because the Core doesn't have its own screen, everything it records is stored and displayed in the Lifelog app, which is available for free through Google Play. Initially only available for Sony's Xperia smartphones, it has since been adapted for use with other Android phones. We've been testing it out using a Nexus 5, and didn't experience any problems. Be aware you'll also have to install Sony's SmartConnect app to get the Smartband up and running. 

Like a well-kept diary, your Lifelog has the potential to be something really interesting to look back on in the future.

The Core uses Bluetooth Low Energy to chat with your phone, and NFC to quickly sync up. On the Nexus 5, this was a little hit or miss, with two or more tries needed to get the NFC connection working. While it does maintain a connection, the Smartband doesn't always need to be in sync, and even if you're out of range for hours, the Core takes notes and transfers them back to the app once it reconnects. The challenge here is if you have multiple life bookmarks to remember. 
Life bookmarks are what ties the Smartband and the Lifelog app together. Double tap the button on the band and a bookmark is added to your Lifelog. Fire up the app, and you can add a note or a photo, while the app remembers your location and adds some basic weather data. All your bookmarks can be viewed in a single stream, making for pleasant trips down memory lane. 

The Lifelog app builds up a comprehensive picture of your daily activities, provided they've in some way involved your phone or the Smartband. It'll record the amount of time you spend listening to music, reading, watching films, or playing games. The amount of pictures you take has its own section, along with time spent communicating with other people. If you don't do any of these things on your phone, then a bookmark could be used to keep track.

Sony's Smartband also acts as a basic fitness tracker. We call it basic because it only measures steps, either walking or running, and calories burned. There's no option for switching to another sport, like rowing or cycling, but you can set yourself daily targets. Like all the activities tracked in the Lifelog, data is presented in handy graph form. Each activity box fills with color the closer you get to your target, making it easy to assess your performance. 

Finally, the Smartband monitors your sleep patterns, provided you wear it 24 hours a day. The graph provides the amount of time you spend in both light and deep sleep, breaking each down into a percentage figure. 

Notifications don't work well

Open up Sony's Smart Connect app and you'll find a Settings menu for the Smartband. All the options are designed to make it more versatile, turning it into a device for receiving notifications from your phone, and a wrist-worn alarm clock. Additionally, you can set up an out-of-range alert so you don't forget your phone, and have the Smartband vibrate when a call comes in.

It doesn't look very futuristic, so you need to buy a garishly colored strap just to make it appear slightly interesting.

You're alerted to incoming notifications with a vibration, just like any other smartwatch. Sadly, the Smartband's system isn't very advanced, mainly due to it not having a display, because the vibration is exactly the same for all notifications. Received an SMS? Bzzzz! New Facebook comment? Bzzzz! Absolutely anything else? Bzzzz! It's possible to customize which apps get to send alerts, but with no way to identify which one is sending it, the object of having more than one is defeated. 

The vibration frustration continues when you activate the out-of-range notification. This comes in the form of three short buzzes on your wrist, but you'll want to use it only when you're out and about, because just walking from one room to another in the house would set it off. Combine this with meaningless single buzzes, and the Smartband is like an annoying fly that won't go away. 

Then there is the alarm feature. Sony says the band will wake you up when you're sleeping lightly, which is supposed to leave you feeling more refreshed. Lovely, except it does so with a barrage of far from subtle vibration alerts. A gentle start to ease you from your slumber would have been nice, but this is no better than a regular, unpleasant alarm clock. Worse still, there's no snooze feature, so when you turn it off in anger and go straight back to sleep, it just lets you be. 

Leaving the Smartband to silently track my activities, and vibrate only when a call came through rapidly became the best option. 

Despite its small size, the battery life is good 

Despite the Core's tiny size, the battery lasts for around four or five days on a single, 30-minute charge. The Core itself doesn't have a battery meter, so you'll need to look inside the Smart Connect app, where the time remaining on the current charge is estimated. When it drops below 24-hours, the app will start reminding you to charge up the Core. 

Buy it only if you want to log your life 

Sony's Smartband is an odd little device. For something so tiny, it squeezes in a lot of different features, but ends up being a little lame at some of them. It's easy to remedy though, as the less than successful features can be turned off. In a way, Sony would have been better to have ignored all the garnish, and concentrated on the Lifelog app and the fitness tracking features. 

The life logging is the reason to buy the Smartband, and it's a compelling one. It only starts to make sense after a week of use, after a picture of your daily life has been built up; then it becomes addictive. The app is incredibly easy to use, and is almost completely self-sufficient. Like a well-kept diary, it has the potential to be something really interesting to look back on in the future. Knowing Sony, this is only the start for the Core and the Lifelog, too.

You'll need to commit though, and not just to the Lifelog, but also to Android. We don't imagine Sony will release an iOS or Windows Phone Lifelog app in the near future. Provided you're happy to be in the Android ecosystem for the long-term, you'll get plenty of enjoyment from the Smartband and the Lifelog app. 

Highs

* Lightweight and comfortable wristband
* Lifelog app is fun
* Data fiends will love the graphs
* Wide variety of extra features
* Not too expensive 

Lows 

* Extra features are largely superfluous
* Standard band is too bland
* Only for Android
* Vibration alerts


____________________________________



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Roombots: Scientists develop robots that can form different types of furniture

(Biorobotics Laboratory, EPFL)

Are you ever at home and think to yourself you could really use another table right about now?  Soon, such an out-of-the-box wish may be at your command.



A team of Swiss researchers from Biorobotics Laboratory (BioRob) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed novel modular robots called Roombots, which can form any type of furniture at the drop of a hat.  The Lego-like robotic blocks move on their own and "stick" together, creating various structural shapes.



According to the researchers, they hope that one day, the Roombots will autonomously connect together to form everything from stools and chairs to sofas and tables.



"The idea of different units that self-assemble and change morphology has been around for quite a while, but nobody came up with a good idea for how to use them," lead researcher Massimo Vespignani, an engineer at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, told LiveScience. Vespignani also co-authored an article on the research to be published in the July issue of the journal Robotics and Autonomous Systems.



Each Roombot is a 9-inch long block that contains a battery, an antenna, and three separate motors, which allow the module to move in three different dimensions and change its shape.  The blocks also house active connectors that can grip other modules and pieces of furniture, forming multiple types of structural configurations.  When strung together, the modules resemble a long robotic centipede.



The Roombots still have a long way to go before they can be available for public use, as the researchers still haven't come up with a way for people to control them, and their current design cannot support a person's weight.  But the scientists envision their modules being used for a number of applications, such as programmable conference rooms, satellite or space station elements, or assistive furniture for the elderly.

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X-Men enthusiast walks on the ceiling with homemade ‘Magneto shoes’

Your dreams of becoming one of the world's coolest super villains may soon be a reality.



Enthusiastic inventor and YouTuber Colin Furze, who is known for building his own fully functioning Wolverine claws, has harnessed the powers of another member of the X-Men comics. Now he's sporting his own pair of "Magneto shoes" — magnetic boots that he uses to walk on the ceiling of his workshop.



Furze said the shoes are actually pretty easy to make on your own. In a how to video, he demonstrated how he first tried drilling holes in an old pair of Vans shoes and fitting them with an electromagnet, but the magnets weren't strong enough to hold him from the ceiling.



Next, Furze collected a number of microwaves from a local scrap yard and removed a specific magnetic coil from their transformers. He then ran some current through them to make a stronger electromagnet. When he found that his creation could hold his entire body weight from the roof of his shop, he fastened the extra powerful magnets to metal plates on the bottoms of his shoes.



He did note the people can actually purchase extra powerful electromagnets rather than make them, but Furze admitted that he was a "tight git" and opted to go for the free microwave option.



Last came the actual walking upside down, which Furze said was the trickiest part of the process. He used two ropes with switches attached that allowed him to cut the current to each shoe, but each time he did, the shoe was inclined to fall back down to the ground.



Still, Furze shows in his video his attempts at defying gravity, giving Erik Lensherr a run for his money.

____________________________________



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X-Men enthusiast walks on the ceiling with homemade ‘Magneto shoes’

Your dreams of becoming one of the world's coolest super villains may soon be a reality.

Enthusiastic inventor and YouTuber Colin Furze, who is known for building his own fully functioning Wolverine claws, has harnessed the powers of another member of the X-Men comics. Now he's sporting his own pair of "Magneto shoes" — magnetic boots that he uses to walk on the ceiling of his workshop.

Furze said the shoes are actually pretty easy to make on your own. In a how to video, he demonstrated how he first tried drilling holes in an old pair of Vans shoes and fitting them with an electromagnet, but the magnets weren't strong enough to hold him from the ceiling.

Next, Furze collected a number of microwaves from a local scrap yard and removed a specific magnetic coil from their transformers. He then ran some current through them to make a stronger electromagnet. When he found that his creation could hold his entire body weight from the roof of his shop, he fastened the extra powerful magnets to metal plates on the bottoms of his shoes.

He did note the people can actually purchase extra powerful electromagnets rather than make them, but Furze admitted that he was a "tight git" and opted to go for the free microwave option.

Last came the actual walking upside down, which Furze said was the trickiest part of the process. He used two ropes with switches attached that allowed him to cut the current to each shoe, but each time he did, the shoe was inclined to fall back down to the ground.

Still, Furze shows in his video his attempts at defying gravity, giving Erik Lensherr a run for his money.
____________________________________

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Reviewing of Sony SmartBand with Core

Strapping tech to your wrist may not be your thing, but it's certainly the thing manufacturers want you to do. Since its pre-announcement at CES 2014, Sony has been pushing its new Smartband, or more specifically, the tiny white box that fits inside the band named the Sony Core. 

While most devices we wear have something to do with fitness tracking, Sony's Smartband primarily embraces life logging, encouraging wearers to track, store, measure, and examine every part of their lives. In these paranoid days, the idea of willingly sharing your every move with Sony and Google may not come naturally, but if you can get over your concerns, it's quite fun. 

Lightweight and comfortable, but a little bland 

Sony's Smartband comes in modern, transparent packaging. Inside is the Core, a pair of bands in large and small sizes, plus a very short charging cable. It's surprising just how small the Core is, measuring about 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide. There's a single button on the side, and a trio of clear LED lights. The only other feature is the Micro USB socket, where the tiny device is charged. 

The Core fits neatly inside the band, and is strapped to your wrist with a chromed, two-pin fastener emblazoned with Sony's logo. It's very, very light, and feels secure once it's done up. However, it did manage to undo itself after catching on a bag, a car seat belt, and the cuff of my trousers whilst I did my shoelace up, popping open and falling on the ground each time. Because it's almost unnoticeable, it could easily get lost.

It's designed to be worn all the time, including during the night, and never once became uncomfortable. The band itself is very simply designed. A black version is supplied in the box, although other brighter colored ones are available separately, and it has a subtle textured surface. It doesn't look as futuristic as the Nike FuelBand or FitBit Flex, and you almost need to buy a garishly colored strap to make it appear slightly interesting.

The Core's button is easy to find and press without looking. It's used to activate all the Core's primary features. For example, a long press turns it from day mode to night mode, while a double press records a bookmark in the Lifelog app. The three LED lights flash in a particular sequence to confirm your actions. 

Lifelogging gets addictive 

Because the Core doesn't have its own screen, everything it records is stored and displayed in the Lifelog app, which is available for free through Google Play. Initially only available for Sony's Xperia smartphones, it has since been adapted for use with other Android phones. We've been testing it out using a Nexus 5, and didn't experience any problems. Be aware you'll also have to install Sony's SmartConnect app to get the Smartband up and running. 

Like a well-kept diary, your Lifelog has the potential to be something really interesting to look back on in the future.

The Core uses Bluetooth Low Energy to chat with your phone, and NFC to quickly sync up. On the Nexus 5, this was a little hit or miss, with two or more tries needed to get the NFC connection working. While it does maintain a connection, the Smartband doesn't always need to be in sync, and even if you're out of range for hours, the Core takes notes and transfers them back to the app once it reconnects. The challenge here is if you have multiple life bookmarks to remember. 
Life bookmarks are what ties the Smartband and the Lifelog app together. Double tap the button on the band and a bookmark is added to your Lifelog. Fire up the app, and you can add a note or a photo, while the app remembers your location and adds some basic weather data. All your bookmarks can be viewed in a single stream, making for pleasant trips down memory lane. 

The Lifelog app builds up a comprehensive picture of your daily activities, provided they've in some way involved your phone or the Smartband. It'll record the amount of time you spend listening to music, reading, watching films, or playing games. The amount of pictures you take has its own section, along with time spent communicating with other people. If you don't do any of these things on your phone, then a bookmark could be used to keep track.

Sony's Smartband also acts as a basic fitness tracker. We call it basic because it only measures steps, either walking or running, and calories burned. There's no option for switching to another sport, like rowing or cycling, but you can set yourself daily targets. Like all the activities tracked in the Lifelog, data is presented in handy graph form. Each activity box fills with color the closer you get to your target, making it easy to assess your performance. 

Finally, the Smartband monitors your sleep patterns, provided you wear it 24 hours a day. The graph provides the amount of time you spend in both light and deep sleep, breaking each down into a percentage figure. 

Notifications don't work well

Open up Sony's Smart Connect app and you'll find a Settings menu for the Smartband. All the options are designed to make it more versatile, turning it into a device for receiving notifications from your phone, and a wrist-worn alarm clock. Additionally, you can set up an out-of-range alert so you don't forget your phone, and have the Smartband vibrate when a call comes in.

It doesn't look very futuristic, so you need to buy a garishly colored strap just to make it appear slightly interesting.

You're alerted to incoming notifications with a vibration, just like any other smartwatch. Sadly, the Smartband's system isn't very advanced, mainly due to it not having a display, because the vibration is exactly the same for all notifications. Received an SMS? Bzzzz! New Facebook comment? Bzzzz! Absolutely anything else? Bzzzz! It's possible to customize which apps get to send alerts, but with no way to identify which one is sending it, the object of having more than one is defeated. 

The vibration frustration continues when you activate the out-of-range notification. This comes in the form of three short buzzes on your wrist, but you'll want to use it only when you're out and about, because just walking from one room to another in the house would set it off. Combine this with meaningless single buzzes, and the Smartband is like an annoying fly that won't go away. 

Then there is the alarm feature. Sony says the band will wake you up when you're sleeping lightly, which is supposed to leave you feeling more refreshed. Lovely, except it does so with a barrage of far from subtle vibration alerts. A gentle start to ease you from your slumber would have been nice, but this is no better than a regular, unpleasant alarm clock. Worse still, there's no snooze feature, so when you turn it off in anger and go straight back to sleep, it just lets you be. 

Leaving the Smartband to silently track my activities, and vibrate only when a call came through rapidly became the best option. 

Despite its small size, the battery life is good 

Despite the Core's tiny size, the battery lasts for around four or five days on a single, 30-minute charge. The Core itself doesn't have a battery meter, so you'll need to look inside the Smart Connect app, where the time remaining on the current charge is estimated. When it drops below 24-hours, the app will start reminding you to charge up the Core. 

Buy it only if you want to log your life 

Sony's Smartband is an odd little device. For something so tiny, it squeezes in a lot of different features, but ends up being a little lame at some of them. It's easy to remedy though, as the less than successful features can be turned off. In a way, Sony would have been better to have ignored all the garnish, and concentrated on the Lifelog app and the fitness tracking features. 

The life logging is the reason to buy the Smartband, and it's a compelling one. It only starts to make sense after a week of use, after a picture of your daily life has been built up; then it becomes addictive. The app is incredibly easy to use, and is almost completely self-sufficient. Like a well-kept diary, it has the potential to be something really interesting to look back on in the future. Knowing Sony, this is only the start for the Core and the Lifelog, too.

You'll need to commit though, and not just to the Lifelog, but also to Android. We don't imagine Sony will release an iOS or Windows Phone Lifelog app in the near future. Provided you're happy to be in the Android ecosystem for the long-term, you'll get plenty of enjoyment from the Smartband and the Lifelog app. 

Highs

* Lightweight and comfortable wristband
* Lifelog app is fun
* Data fiends will love the graphs
* Wide variety of extra features
* Not too expensive 

Lows 

* Extra features are largely superfluous
* Standard band is too bland
* Only for Android
* Vibration alerts

____________________________________

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Roombots: Scientists develop robots that can form different types of furniture

(Biorobotics Laboratory, EPFL)
Are you ever at home and think to yourself you could really use another table right about now?  Soon, such an out-of-the-box wish may be at your command.

A team of Swiss researchers from Biorobotics Laboratory (BioRob) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed novel modular robots called Roombots, which can form any type of furniture at the drop of a hat.  The Lego-like robotic blocks move on their own and "stick" together, creating various structural shapes.

According to the researchers, they hope that one day, the Roombots will autonomously connect together to form everything from stools and chairs to sofas and tables.

"The idea of different units that self-assemble and change morphology has been around for quite a while, but nobody came up with a good idea for how to use them," lead researcher Massimo Vespignani, an engineer at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, told LiveScience. Vespignani also co-authored an article on the research to be published in the July issue of the journal Robotics and Autonomous Systems.

Each Roombot is a 9-inch long block that contains a battery, an antenna, and three separate motors, which allow the module to move in three different dimensions and change its shape.  The blocks also house active connectors that can grip other modules and pieces of furniture, forming multiple types of structural configurations.  When strung together, the modules resemble a long robotic centipede.

The Roombots still have a long way to go before they can be available for public use, as the researchers still haven't come up with a way for people to control them, and their current design cannot support a person's weight.  But the scientists envision their modules being used for a number of applications, such as programmable conference rooms, satellite or space station elements, or assistive furniture for the elderly.
____________________________________

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Review of 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid

Hybrids used to be oddball outliers.

Heck, when the Prius first hit the streets it looked like a concept car making its escape from an auto show. And it drove about that well, too, balky, jumpy and everything but smooth. Now though, hybrids drivetrain are in everything from luxury sedans to the highest end hyper cars.

Even so, the Crosstrek Hybrid is something new.

This is no dull, lumpy economy box, or shiny luxury toy; instead it is a rugged, do-everything compact that could only come from Subaru.

Color me bad

Appreciating that fact means first overlooking the color. My test Crosstrek Hybrid came in a color Subaru calls "Plasma Green Pearl." Though, I think "Electric Pistachio" would be more fitting.

In reality, this car is no neon nut, but essentially a rougher, tougher and taller Subaru Impreza complete with Subaru's world-class Symmetrical-All Wheel Drive.

A quick look at the exterior styling shows that Subaru's designers were thinking, not just about looks but also about space. The body, despite its angles and indents, is essentially an eminently practical box.

The Crosstrek avoids the problems of other hatchbacks by using a relatively flat rear end ensuring maximum height in the trunk. They even managed to tuck this mild-hybrid's battery pack into the spare tire well, meaning they different have to compromise the class leading 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

This same practical thinking is present at the front end of the vehicle. The long wheelbase and compact engine packaging means that the passenger cabin extends deceptively far forward in the vehicle, meaning the Crosstrek has more interior room than larger crossovers like the Ford Escape.

Despite all of this size scrimping the Crosstrek is still a handsome little car. The slightly flared wheel arches, roof rack and black trim give the Subaru the look of a vehicle that is ready for anything.

A go-anywhere hybrid

This impression is hardly let down in the driver's seat.

Driving the Crosstrek Hybrid is a pleasant experience.

Driving the Crosstrek Hybrid is a pleasant experience. Thanks to its Impreza heritage, the Crosstrek handles the road with surprising confidence for a tall car like the Crosstrek. The suspension is a nice balance between communication and comfort.

Despite the fact that the Crosstrek has more ground clearance than a standard Jeep Grand Cherokee, the car manages to stay remarkably flat and composed even when taking a corner hard, or suddenly change lanes.

I would have loved to take the car out on some gravel roads and see how suspension and AWD held up to amateur rallying. However, I judged that a bad idea, as Subaru seemed to want more than just most of the car back.

That being said, this is not a performance car. Power comes from a 2.0-Liter, 148-horsepower BOXER engine, complimented by a 13-hp electric motor. That powertrain combo and the relatively small 0.6-kWh nickel-metal-hydride battery make the Crosstrek a mild – as opposed to full – hybrid.

Take into account the roughly 3,500-pound curb weight and it is no surprise that the Crosstrek Hybrid limps to 60 in well over eight seconds.

Because of the small electric motor and limited volume battery, the car is rarely able to run on electric power alone. In fact, the motor can only propel the Crosstrek up to 13 mph. Still, trying to keep the little green EV light on does make for a fun game in bad traffic.

The transition between electric and gas power isn't as smooth as some other hybrids. This shouldn't be surprising, though, as the Crosstrek is Subaru's first entry into the hybrid market. Yes, it might be lumpy, but it is light-years ahead of the bad old days of the first- and second-generation Prii. Those were about as smooth as getting a piggyback ride from an old man with gout.

The EPA rated mileage doesn't hold up well with other hybrids on paper. The large Toyota Prius V manages a combined 42 mpg, compared to the Subaru's anemic 31. However, unlike many other hybrids the Crosstrek can actually achieve that rating in the real world.

In fact, during long stretches of highway driving, I averaged closer to 37 mpg – four more than the EPA highway rating. It is worth noting that when driven with a lead foot, things will go south quickly; the small BOXER engine just has to work too hard to go fast.

Above all else, be practical

The interior of the Crosstrek Hybrid isn't just big for its size, it is also well thought out. The cloth seats not only look surprisingly nice, but they can probably withstand the loving attentions of even the daftest Labrador. The rear seats fold easily, to create a cargo area big enough to carry the Labrador and enough bags for a trip to the mountain. Thankfully, the rear cargo area is protected by a removable rubber mat, which should be easy to hose off.

The interior of the Crosstrek Hybrid isn't just big for its size, it is also well thought out.

The cabin is a fairly straightforward arrangement of soft touch black plastic and simple, easy-to-use controls. The main techie feature on my car was the vehicle info and climate-control screen mounted at the top of the center stack. For the most part the interior seems to be built to withstand the tests of toddlers and time.

The only let down, in what is otherwise a really tough seeming interior, was some of the plastic trim. The wraps around the base of the seats were only really anchored at one side, and seem destined to rattle or even fall off.

What's worse, the driver's side floor mat would come loose every other time I got in the car. This was easy to fix, but a bit of a safety concern given the potential for getting wrapped up in the pedals.

But the real issue when it comes to the inside of the Crosstrek is value for money. The car starts at nearly $26,000, which is a lot, especially considering the relatively small amount of standard equipment.

The nearly $27,000 model that I tested lacked a navigation, or even a true infotainment package. Nav comes on the $29,000 touring package. That's not an unreasonable amount of money for this car, but it is a worry. For nearly $30,000 there are an awful lot of alternatives.

Niche or nice?

It is hard to point to exact competitors for the Crosstrek, given its somewhat distinctive tall wagon packaging. Well equipped crossover SUVs like the Mazda CX-5 or even a Honda CRV can be had for about the same money. Those vehicles get similar mileage and are even bigger on the inside than the Subaru.

Oddly enough, though, despite their SUV looks, the Mazda and the Honda are less capable all-terrain vehicles than the Crosstrek. Also, even though they're bigger on the inside, they have to be much bigger outside to get there. Meanwhile the little Crosstrek is easy to park, and doesn't take up much space on the road.

This makes it ideal for people like me who live in the Pacific Northwest. City dwellers by day, we will appreciate the ridiculously high city mpg. And on the weekend, the Crosstrek can be driven up to the mountains even if there is a foot of snow on the road.

Highs

* Spacious and well laid out interior
* 8.7 inches of go anywhere ground clearance
* Lives up to its EPA-rated mileage
* Well-sorted driving dynamics
* Versatile Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive

Lows

*Relatively high price
*Low mileage for a hybrid
*Cheap feeling trim pieces.
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The Brazil 2014: a world cup tainted by protests, violence

Brazilians protesting against hosting the World Cup in front of a stadium
With just over two weeks to the kickoff of the 2014 World Cup, host nation Brazil has been rocked by protests against the event, leaving analysts divided on the ability of the South American country to successfully prosecute the event, reports 'TANA AIYEJINA

never has a FIFA World Cup been rocked by protests, violence and deaths the way the 2014 edition billed for Brazil in the summer is turning out. This has led to doubts over the ability of the South American country to stage a successful tournament.

Brazil, five-time world champions, erupted into wild jubilations when they were awarded the hosting rights of the FIFA World Cup in 2007.

But with the country spending US$S11.7b in total on the World Cup and US$4b alone on 12 new and refurbished stadiums, demonstrators have vented their anger over the massive debt accumulated by World Cup construction works.

Signs that the citizens were unhappy over hosting the event at the expense of more important issues like education and health services began to manifest last year, during the Confederations Cup, a tournament used by FIFA to assess the hosts' readiness to stage the World Cup.

President Dilma Rousseff was jeered when she opened the Confederations Cup on June 15, 2013 but the protests over a hike in mass transit fares from $1.5 to $1.6 began days before the opening of the Confederations Cup.

More than one million Brazilians protesting against inflation, government corruption and state spending on World Cup stadiums took to the streets in Brazil's largest demonstrations in two decades.

The unrest rapidly spread to other cities with demonstrators focusing their anger not just on the transport fares but also on the $15b the government is allocating for the Confederations Cup and the World Cup.

The demonstrators want these resources earmarked instead for health care and quality education in a country with vast economic disparity between rich and poor.

Youths then clashed with police in Rio de Janeiro, as more than 200,000 people marched in major Brazilian cities like Porto Alegre, where the Eagles will clash with Argentina in their final Group F game on June 25, capital city Brasilia and Sao Paulo, to protest the billions of dollars spent on the Confederations Cup and high public transport costs.

At a point, there were rumuors that a certain amount of 2014 World Cup games could be moved to the United States as safety worries inside and outside of stadiums heightened.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said afterwards that Brazil might have been the wrong choice as host of the World Cup if the tournament was affected by similar social protests as the Confederations Cup.

''If this happens again we have to question whether we made the wrong decision awarding the hosting rights,'' Blatter told German press agency DPA.

The protests continued again last week, with Pele, who led the country to three World Cup triumphs, criticising the organisation of the 2014 World Cup, saying billions have been spent unwisely.

Pele said on Monday he was in support of those protesting against the big spending, though he kicked against the violence.

At least six have died in connection with the protests while 14 workers died during the construction of stadiums.

Sydney Morning Herald quoted the 73-year-old as saying, "It's clear that politically speaking, the money spent to build the stadiums was a lot, and in some cases was more than it should have been.

"Some of this money could have been invested in schools, in hospitals…. Brazil needs it. That's clear. On that point, I agree (with the protests). But I lament what protesters are doing, which is breaking and burning everything. It's money that we will have to spend again."

He also criticised the late preparations of stadiums, and said the confusion was likely to keep tourists away.

"We already know that 25 per cent of foreigners who are going to Brazil (for the World Cup) are worried about this movement (protests), and I think they have even cancelled (their trip). So this is a great loss for the country," he said on Monday.

Pele was particularly critical of the stadium in Sao Paulo, the venue of the opening match between Brazil and Croatia on June 12.

Officials have admitted that a portion of the roof won't be completed until after the World Cup, which ends on July 13.

In fact, during the official test of the stadium last Sunday, only 40,000 tickets were put on sale for Corinthians' match against Figueirense because some of the 20,000 temporary seats needed for the World Cup opener were still being installed.

"It's a pity that we still have a stadium that's not yet finished,' he said.

"The first (World Cup) match is going to be in the Corinthians stadium in Sao Paulo, which is called Itaquerao, but there's a problem because it's not finished yet. That's what I say is regrettable. That's a problem."

Several other key infrastructure and stadiums are yet to be completed with the World Cup just few weeks away.

The latest protests have raised concerns about safety in Brazil. Drivers didn't work on Tuesday and Wednesday in Sao Paulo, with an estimated 230,000 commuters affected according to Reuters.

Police officers in at least 14 Brazilian states also went on strike Tuesday to demand better pay and working conditions.

Reports say the popularity of Rousseff has been dented by the upheavals.

Foreseeing turmoil before the World Cup commenced, the government formed a partnership with Condor Nonlethal Technologies, a Brazilian arms distributor, which also furnished the Turkish government with tear gas during Turkey's protests.

The Brazilian authorities have paid US$22m for over 75,000 units of non-lethal weapons, which would be used by the police during World Cup duration. These include 50,000 canisters of pepper spray and devices ranging from rubber bullets to smoke grenades.

Amidst all these protests, opinions have been divided over the ability of the football loving nation to stage a successful World Cup.

Sports broadcaster, Felix Okugbe, said the World Cup would hold as scheduled in the Latin American country but not without security problems.

"The protests cannot stop the World Cup from taking place but there will be serious security challenges during the duration of the tournament. A country that has too much poor people on the streets is a security risk on its own," Okugbe said.

"Brazil has been indebted to the International Monetary Fund for years and people are angry because the man on the street is not benefitting.

"Before last year's Confederations Cup, government brought buses and hiked the fare and we saw how lives were lost because of the protests that followed. People were dying during the Nigeria versus Uruguay match but FIFA said the match must go on."

Okugbe added that the inability of the government to curb crime in the favelas (slums) could have an adverse effect on visitors during the summer.

He said, "I was in Brazil in 1987 for a competition and before you leave the hotel, they will tell you to keep your jewellery safe before going to practice in the beach; they could cut off your hand just to get your hand chain.

"That is what you get when the poor outnumber the rich like you have in Brazil. The favelas are like ghettos where the drug dealers hold sway. The police cannot stop them. This can pose a risk to visitors during the World Cup."

Football analyst, Adeniran Ogunsanya (jnr), said the turmoil in Brazil was an internal issue, adding that Nigerians should concentrate on ensuring a successful World Cup outing for the Eagles.

He said, "We are yet to see how successful the tournament would be but I think there would be necessary arrangements to make it a success. What should concern us is how our team performs and not meddling in the internal problems of Brazil.

"The World Cup is an international event and once the tourists begin to arrive, security will be tight and they will be well protected. It's a domestic problem but the people are using the World Cup to show that citizens are not happy.

"I think they (protesters) should have said this when they were bidding for the World Cup. There may be violence in some areas but there will be adequate security in match venues and where foreigners will be."

Nigeria Football Federation vice-president, Mike Umeh, said, "I will not say that this is a very big challenge to them (Brazilians). I think the people should sit down and sort it out with their government."

Former Nigeria junior international, Jide Oguntuase, believes FIFA will cover up the lapses of the host nation.

"FIFA will not want to fail, so they will cover up Brazil's lapses. The time given for the completion of stadiums was not met yet FIFA didn't name new hosts. It means they want Brazil to host it," Oguntuase, a member of the Golden Eaglets squad at the 1989 U-17 World Cup, said.

"Where there is a high rate of poverty, there is bound to be security problems. They may not be guaranteed 80 per cent security because of the rate of the poor people. These poor people may want to even steal from visitors to the country during the competition."

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Balotelli cannot blame Fiorentina fans’

The president of the Fiorentina supporters' club says Mario Balotelli is wrong to point the finger at Viola fans after the Milan striker was racially insulted while training with the Italian national team on Wednesday.



Italy coach Cesare Prandelli chose to close the doors to the afternoon's training session after an unwelcome disturbance in the morning, which was captured on video.



The AC Milan forward was victimised for his skin colour by a spectator who was accompanied away from the Italian Football Association's Coverciano training facilities.



Balotelli kept his cool and was briefly heard complaining that such incidents "only happen in Rome and Florence," but Filippo Pucci hit back at the striker's statement.



"If a single person insults him, Balotelli cannot generalise and say everybody from the city of Florence and all fans of Fiorentina are idiots," he said, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.



"I would like to remind Balotelli that unlike some groups of fans, some of which are very close to him, the Viola have never been punished for racial incidents or behaviour."



FIGC president Giancarlo Abete concurred, saying, from a conference in Milan, that "this is unacceptable behaviour on the part of a few individuals, and something that should not happen but that, unfortunately, we have to take into account. What matters is that it is limited to a few individuals only."



Balotelli has been the victim of racially-motivated insults from Italian fans in the past, with Inter Milan being fined last year when their fans insulted the former Nerazzurri player during a match in which the striker was not even taking part.





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