visit my blog

www.nimblefashion.com

New Android Malware Simulates Shutdown and Mines Your Data

If you have an Android phone and have purchased third-party apps from outside of the more well-known app stores, you may have put your device at risk from an ingenious new malware that makes it look like you’ve shut off your phone, but instead has only simulated the shutdown with identical shut off animations. Once the screen goes black and you forget about it, the malware kicks in and roots around through your device, accessing your data. Even scarier, the malware can use your phone to make outgoing calls, take pictures, and utilize a host of other features.


This malware, called the PowerOffHijack, was first spotted by AVG, who explained how it worked on their blog post. Their team believes it originated in China and is spreading via apps that originated within the country, estimating that as many as 10,000 devices have already been infected.
There are a couple of ways to know if you’re safe, even if you don’t have a clear way to know if your phone is infected. If you’re running a version of Android that’s at least v.5, you should be all right; at the same time, if your phone has not been modified (jailbroken) to allow different forms of functionality, then you’re probably okay, too.
The only issue is some retailers sell their phones with this level of functionality already in place, so you may not be aware of the potential danger. Finally, if you’ve only downloaded apps from the Google Play store, you’re probably safe as well since that app store is not available in China.
For now, there’s no patch to combat the PowerOffHijack’s capabilities. Experts are currently recommending users physically remove their batteries when they power off their phones, at least until a patch can be made available.
[Image via Roaming Required]

Man Killed By Batman, His Online Obituary Claims

When it’s my time to die, I really hope my family does something awesome to remember me; something that takes into account my hobbies and interests and the things I was passionate about in life. And I hope someone writes me one heck of an obituary – whether it’s all true or not doesn’t matter – what matters is that it makes someone do a double take and ask “Did I really just read what I thought I read?” There’s an obituary making the internet rounds right now because of its sheer awesomeness. While I know next to nothing about the deceased, I do know the cause of death on his obituary is listed as “a uppercut from Batman“. If there’s a better way to go out, I don’t know what it is.


Stephen Merrill, from Winter Haven, Florida, recently died at the age of 31. His cause of death was unknown at the time, but apparently it’s an obituary requirement to list a cause of death, so the family had to figure out something to write. Remembering his love of comic books, Batman, and laughing, they decided to honor his memory in a pretty unique way – they decided to tell everyone that he was done in by the Dark Knight himself. Again, could there be a better way to leave the earth? (As Robin Williams asked in Patch Adams, what’s wrong with treating death with a little bit of humor?)
You can view Stephen’s entire online obituary here.
[Image via ComicBookResources]
SOURCE: CNET

Rock Out With This Millennium Falcon Guitar

As an amateur guitar player, I love discovering new guitars and sounds, though I’ll admit my scope is a bit limited. I’ve mainly stuck to the acoustic side of things, but I have messed with a few electric guitars in my day. I’ve played some good guitars and some not-so-good guitars – but one guitar I’ve never played? One made out of the Millennium Falcon. With a new Star Wars movie set to come out this coming December, it seems everyone is doing everything they can to cash in on it, including custom guitar builders – and that’s not all necessarily a bad thing.



Doni Latchford, from Doni Custom Guitars in the UK, has created what has been dubbed the Han Solo Guitar. It’s called that because he takes a Millennium Falcon toy, adds strings, a neck, and all necessary hardware to make it function as an actual guitar, and then he sells them. (He even adds blue LED lights to the Falcon to complete the effect). If Han Solo played guitar in a band, he’d no doubt use this one. You can buy one of them on Etsy for $710.79 as of this writing, and it can even be shipped worldwide, though it doesn’t mention inter-galaxy shipping.
What do you think? Too much? Let us know in the comments section below!
[Image via Mashable]
SOURCE: CNET

Xbox Live Gold Gets A Price Cut

If you have an Xbox One or even an Xbox 360 and have been waiting for a great reason to purchase an Xbox Live Gold subscription, there’s probably not going to be a better time than right now to get one. Microsoft have announced that they’re cutting the price of the subscription by $20 – in other words, the price has been slashed from $60 a year to $40 a year. Hey, anytime you can get something with a third of the price knocked off, it’s got to be a good deal, right?

So, why would anyone want an Xbox Live Gold membership? Well, for starters, everyone knows it’s a heck of a lot more fun to play certain games with other people, and that’s exactly what the membership lets you do – game it up with all kinds of other gamers from around the globe. (Would you rather play Halo by yourself or with others just as good and/or better than you are? It’s a rhetorical question). It also gives you access to free games and discounts on other games found in the Xbox Store.
I honestly can’t tell you how long this price cut will last; it might be a permanent change, or the price might go back up tomorrow. So if you want to get in on it while the price is at its low point, you can do so here. If you’re still on the fence, I’m not sure what else will help you land on either side.
[Image via gaminrealm]
SOURCE: CNET

Excellent Chitrol of Punjab Police By Pak Army While Giving Them Training

Excellent Chitrol of Punjab Police By Pak Army While Giving Them Training

This Unseen Jacket Changes Colors With Your Mood

The jacket seems to work a little more precisely than the mood rings of old – it’s actually pretty scientific when you get right down to it. So, how exactly does the jacket read your mood and adapt its color? Here’s a little snippet from the website explaining it:

“An unseen force or “Aura” is outwardly emitted from every human as electromagnetic energy, these wavelengths through certain lenses can be seen as colour. The Unseen aim to discover and investigate this invisible energy field by using a physical garment that reads human magnetism coupled with the capture of EEG data. These biosignals are translated visually through our sculpture with the use of colour and pattern. For instance red portrays anger, nerves and anxiety, whereas green reflects teaching, sociality and people, Blue reveals calming, truthfulness and peace while white mirror’s an inner state of sensitivity, intuitiveness and psychic ability.”

In short, the wearer of the jacket also wears a EEG headpiece which connects to an app which then connects to the jacket, effectively telling it to change colors based upon mood. Who knows – maybe one day we’ll literally wear all of our emotions on our sleeves!
[Image via adafruit]
SOURCE: CNET

Flip Phones Are Popular Again…In Japan!

When I started high school, my dad had a flip phone, and I thought it was the greatest thing ever. It had a black and white screen, an actual “ring’ tone, and an antenna you had to pull out in order to get the maximum phone signal. It was his work phone to keep, and when his work gave him an updated phone, I tried to do everything I could to get him to give me the old phone, but he wouldn’t do it; he said I didn’t need a cell phone. (He was right. I didn’t need one, at least not then, but that fact didn’t change the fact I thought it was the best thing ever). There was just something about a flip phone that seemed so futuristic to me – it rang, you flipped it open, and voila – you were talking on the phone!

 But now, there’s nothing about a flip phone that doesn’t seem old and archaic. They’ve been replaced with smartphones and touchscreens, and you’re likely to get laughed at if you dare to use one in public. Unless you’re in Japan, of course, as flip phones are experiencing a huge rise in popularity. In fact, for the first time in seven years, flip phone shipment percentages increased more than smartphones in 2014.

Whether this jump is due to ease of use or ease of cost is debatable, as Japanese mobile-users have to shell out quite a bit of money for their data plans. Either way, this news is surprising considering the world we live in.
What do you think? Do you still use a flip phone?
[Image via PhoneArena , Chart via NDTV]
SOURCE: Yahoo Tech

Californian Town Adds Facebook Warning To Road Signs

You know too many people are addicted to Facebook when even road signs have to warn people to pay more attention to what they’re doing. I’m sure we’ve all noticed people walking down the street paying far more attention to what’s happening on their Facebook Newsfeed than what’s happening on the street right in front of them. I’ve read countless stories about people running into other people and other things because they weren’t watching where they were going. The funniest story I’ve heard regarding this dilemma, though, centers around a woman who was so concerned with her Facebook account that she walked right off of a pier and fell into Port Philip Bay in Australia. Nothing like a little cold water to awaken the senses!
Hayward, a town in California, is dealing with the “Facebooking and Walking” in a pretty unique and clever way – they’re putting warnings on some of their road signs. (They might work if those who are glued to their Facebook will look up from their phones and read the signs). The signs, designed by a fellow by the name of Frank Holland, say: “Heads Up. Cross The Street. Then Update Facebook.” And I have to admit – they look pretty good. Whether anyone will see them or not is still up for debate, though.

 

Has anyone ever ran into you while they were looking down at their phone? (Or, have you ever ran into anyone while doing the same thing?) Do you think these signs will have any kind of an effect on the population? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
[Image via Daily Mail]
SOURCE: CNET

Need To Change Your Browser? Try Maxthon Cloud Browser

Are you in need of a change of browser? Is there something that bugs you about your current choice? Why not try installing a new browser? Maxthon Cloud Browser is a powerful web browser that has a highly customisable interface. The browser has numerous tools, which make your web experience more enjoyable, such as screen capture tool, resource sniffer, night mode and cloud functionality.

                                        
                                              Maxthon Cloud Browser is Fully customisable.

Key features of Maxthon Cloud Browser Include:

• Unobtrusive UI: You can fully customize Maxthon Cloud Browser by adding, moving, swapping and changing the browser’s tool bars, icons, menus, colours, skins, and layouts.
• Cloud Syncing and Cloud Push: Maxthon has the ability to synchronize your bookmarks, tabs, options and your address bar and new-tab links, throughout all of your computers and mobile devices running Maxthon Cloud Browser.
• Built-in Ad Hunter: This tool will block harmful ads, images and pages. The Filter packs will screen out offensive Web pages too.
• Plug-ins: More than 1,400 plug-ins are currently available.

The following changes have been undertaken in this version of Maxthon Cloud Browser:

• # Optimisations:
• [Main Frame]
• Individually display Custom filtering rules for pages.
• Supported Security Alliance list certificate.
• Optimisation of Ad-block Menu Style when Ad-block is disabled.
• Optimised ad-filters sharing.
• Adblock Plus icon with ads filtering count.
• Optimisation of Adblock Plus Notification Style.
• Support of Acceptable Ads, Allow Non-invasive Advertising.
• [Webkit Core]
• Support of Top level domain.
• Optimised Pop-up blocking.
• # Fixes:
• [Main Frame]
• Quick Access data reset issue.
• Filter rules being downloaded when ad-hunter is not enabled.
• “Subscription Rules Title” display issue..
• Possible to add non domain name to filtering white list.
• When not maximised, the filter tip is not in the right position.
• Tool bar icons appear transparent.
• In some languages some Account panel parts are not completely displayed.
• Setting centre security problem.
• One security issue in Extensions enter.
• [Webkit Core]
• Fixed one Flash filtering mistake.
• Fixed on core crash problem.
• YouTube video loading speed is slow.
• 3D display effect problem on some websites.
• Unable to log into Session window under some specific conditions.
• When maximising or minimising a page on touch screen devices, the status bar value doesn’t change.
• Fixed page disorder problem when using Touch screen zoom and using ctrl+scroll.
• On Touch screen devices touch scroll is not effective on PDF Preview page and Multi-Frame pages.
• Under High DPI, Certificates and Certificates error dialogs Height and Size.

You can download the latest version of Maxthon Cloud Browser(4.4.4.2000) from FileHippo.com,  today.

[Image via 4allprograms]

Apple Watch Will Not Feature Advanced Health Sensors

The Apple Watch does not have one key feature, instead it has lots of new features to make the wearable appeal to all types of buyers, from fitness fanatics, to people who want a better way to read notifications.

Even though it is a broad playing field for what will be the most popular feature, in the early days the Apple Watch had one clear goal: to offer health information unlike any other consumer gadget.
Apple originally envisioned a device capable of tracking blood sugar, blood oxygen and stress levels through conductivity of the skin, and even glucose levels of the wearer, but these had to be cut back due to costs and potential regulatory activity.
After meetings with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in mid-2013, Apple came to the conclusion it would not be able to add a glucose tracker, due to the potential issues regarding diabetics.
The removal of some health tracking sensors has lowered the cost of the first Apple Watch, expected to go on sale for $349 (£299) in April this year. It is not clear how much the price has dropped with the removal of some key sensors.
Apple is still focusing on bringing these sensors to the second version of the Apple Watch, meaning in 2016 we could see ways for doctors spot all sorts of illnesses, and potential issues regarding health.
It also gives Apple a year to make sure all the legality is clear for the FDA and any other authority in the U.S. or Europe, who might want to see Apple’s sensors and paperwork before allowing the device to be sold.
The Apple Watch will go on sales in April this year and will be available in three editions: Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition, the latter reportedly costing $10,000.

How To Use Content Aware Fill in Photoshop

Introduced in Photoshop CS5, the Content Aware Fill tool is a handy way to remove objects from an image without resorting to fiddling around with the clone stamp tool. With Content Aware Fill, Adobe Photoshop will try its very best to fill any selected area with a best guess at what should be in there based on the rest of the image.

Open any image, ideally one with clearly defined background detail and a foreground object you would like removing. Highlight an area around the offending object, either cut out a square or use the lasso tool to cut around it. Now choose Edit and Fill. The Fill menu should pop up and it will default to “Content Aware Fill”, so just click OK and see what happens.
Photoshop should have filled the selected area based on the colours and textures that surround it. It works best on non-complex images, such as landscapes with textures like sky and rock that can be cloned, or repeating patterns like material or wallpaper.
It’s not perfect. Depending on the complexity of the image, you can get mixed results, but one great tip is that every time Photoshop tries to help you with Content Aware Fill, it gives a different result, so if you don’t get an image change you are happy with, trying undoing the action and then apply it again, maybe buy the second or third time the Photoshop pixie will get the hang of it.
This is ideal for cleaning up images that have offending objects like litter, telegraph poles, stray animals or ex-boyfriends inconveniently cluttering them up, and when it does work, in just a few seconds, it does feel like you are working some sort of Photoshop miracle. You will generally get better results using the Clone Stamp tool, mainly because you have complete control, but from a time saving point of view, Content Aware Fill is an invaluable tool to have at your disposal.
[Image via Russ Payne]

Need to Run Windows On Your Mac? Try Parallels

Have you ever needed to use Windows-based software for some reason, but you use a Mac? There are different workarounds for this issue. You could use Mac OS X’s Bootcamp too to natively run a Windows OS, but if you still need access to your files, programs and data on your Mac, then this could be a time consuming way of solving the problem.

Parallels allows Apple users to run Windows on a Mac OS X computer. The software creates a Windows virtual machine that runs alongside the native operating system.

Apple’s Bootcamp application creates a bootable copy of Windows. Parallels is different; it runs Windows alongside OS X.

Windows can be run in its own window, in full screen mode, or in an integrated view called Coherence. Coherence allows Mac and Windows apps to be used side by side. Parallels can even simulate important keyboard shortcuts such as CTRL-ALT-DEL.

There are a number of benefits to using this kind of virtualisation software:

• Parallels is useful for niche software, or legacy applications, where there is no Mac equivalent.
• Users can choose whether devices are assigned to OS X or to Windows when they are plugged in.
• Multiple virtual machines can be installed, each running self contained Windows installations.
• The Mac’s internal RAM is split between the native OS and virtual machines. Users can customise the allocation using a slider.
• It can be used to install XP, Vista, Windows 8 and Windows Blue (8.1), although XP is no longer supported and therefore not recommended.
• Parallels ships with its own cross platform Security Centre.
• The newest Parallels, version 9, supports USB, Firewire and Thunderbolt devices in every operating system. The software is compatible with all recent versions of OS X, from Snow Leopard (10.6.8) to Mavericks (10.9).

The following updates and fixes have been undertaken in this latest version of Parallels:

• iCloud Drive Support: In Microsoft Office, you can ‘Save as” to your iCloud Drive.
• Click to Call: Right click on a phone number in Outlook or Internet Explorer to place a call with your iPhone.
• iMessage from Windows: Right click on selected text and select “Share with iMessage”. The text will be sent with iMessage, and if the recipient isn’t using iMessage, it will send via SMS using your iPhone.
• Yosemite in a Virtual Machine: Run OS X Yosemite as a guest with ease.
• Battery Life: Now extended by up to 30%.
• Windows Documents: Now open 48% faster.
• Mac Memory Management: Virtual machines use 10% less Mac memory.
• 1-click tuning: One click and we will automatically set your virtual machine settings for optimal performance based on what you do most.
• Real-time virtual disk optimisation: Your virtual disk is automatically compacted while you work, so it takes only as much space on your hard disk as it really needs.
• Mac native “Save to” in Windows: “Save as” in Microsoft Office 2013 applications to Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud Drive (when Yosemite is available) if they are set up on your Mac.
• Mac native “Share” from Windows: “Share” files, text or web-pages from Windows using Internet accounts configured on your Mac. Post on Twitter, Facebook, etc., send via email, AirDrop, and Messages.
• Mac native Special Characters: Insert OS X Special Characters like emoji, math symbols, currency signs and more can be inserted into Windows programs from the Edit menu.
• Launchpad for Windows 8.1: We’ve even made the Windows 8.1 Start Screen work like OS X Launchpad.
• Windows apps added to Launchpad: As you install Windows apps, we automatically add them to Launchpad.
• Support for 3+ button mouse: If you have custom mouse buttons set on a 3+ button mouse, those buttons will work in Windows applications and games.

You can download the latest version of Parallels from FileHippo.com, today.

[Image via blogs.parallels]

Google Creating Wearable To Fight Body Odor

Google is known for a lot of good products around the world today, such as (but not limited to) their search engine (obviously), Gmail, Android, and last but not least, Google+ – their take on the whole social media thing. One thing they’re not known for though is ridding the world of body odor. While there’s no Google variety of deodorant as of yet, don’t let that fool you – they’re hard at work creating a product that will intelligently combat all of your body odor problems. They’ve recently been given a patent for a type of smart device that will either help you smell better, or if it can’t help your smell, it will at least help you avoid any of your friends who might be in danger of smelling you.

While this all sounds like a bit of a joke, it’s really not. The wearable device will come equipped with a type of activity sensor as well as the ability to know if you stink or not, and if it decides you’re a little rank, it will shoot out a fragrance to make you smell a bit more pleasant. Even stranger, the device will be able to connect to your social media networks and warn you if any of your friends are close by while you’re not smelling like a dozen roses. That way, you can avoid the awkward moment when your friends begin to wonder if the person they’re smelling is you. If you’re still having a hard time believing me, here is the patent.
Obviously, since the patent was just issued, there isn’t really any information on the device, such as the cost or when it might be available for purchase. In the meantime, though, we can all speculate. What do you think? Is this a good idea or not? Let us know in the comments section below.
[Image via Digital Trends]
SOURCE: CNET

Raspberry Pi 2 Is Released

The Raspberry Pi computer has been a massive hit all over, but the team behind the micro PC, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, wasn’t satisfied with the models that they have on the market and have designed a fresh new model that is full of upgraded features and it is notably faster.

The new Raspberry Pi 2 features a massive upgrade in the processor department; a quad-core processor instead of a single-core.

The on board RAM is twice as much as before, now totalling 1GB. What’s really impressive about the Raspberry Pi 2 is the price. The new unit retails for approximately the same price as the original: £22.85 before VAT.

Eben Upton, the founder of Raspberry Pi, has estimated the new model to be around six times as powerful as the predecessor when it comes to running ‘real world’ apps. Windows lovers will be pleased to hear that a version of Windows 10 is also in development for the Raspberry Pi 2.

”This is really a PC now,” said Upton. “You can do most of the things with this that you can do with a PC. You can surf the web, you can watch videos, you can play games like Minecraft. But we also bundle it with the tools that children need in order to learn how to program…The great thing is – apart from those two changes – that we’ve managed to keep everything else the same.

“All of those tutorials that people have developed over the last few years will carry on working with this device. It just kind of broadens out the range of interesting stuff kids can do,” he added.

The Raspberry Pi foundation has stated they have had sales in the region of 200,000 units per month for the original Raspberry Pi. The micro PC has sold a monolithic 4.5m units in total, thereby making it one of the all time, best-selling British computers.

Eben Upton informed the BBC, “We are very, very close to it being the best-selling British computer…I think another half a million and we will go past the Sinclair Spectrum as the best-selling British computer.”

The Raspberry Pi 2 is available to buy now from selected retailers.

[image via makezine]

SOURCE: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-03-faster-windows-10-compatible-raspberry-pi-2-released

Apple Working On Self-Driving Car

Rumors of Apple’s automotive project are spiralling out of control, ever since a photo of a minivan registered to Apple’s HQ in Cupertino was spotted on the streets.

In a new report, Apple might be implementing an autonomous component to its car, offering a hands-free feature alongside regular driving. This would be similar to Google or Tesla’s self-driving car project.
It is not clear how far the self-driving functionality goes, whether Apple will implement full route self-driving or offer a ‘pilot-mode’ for driving on freeways. Audi and Tesla have both shown off a pilot-mode capable of turning lanes, adjusting speeds and self braking.
The autonomous vehicle would put Apple in direct competition with Google, who should be supplying General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford and other car companies with its self-driving platform in 2020.
Apple might roll out a pilot-mode for the first implementation of its car, but look forward to full self-driving after 2020, when most automotive regulation offices believe self-driving cars will be allowed on the road.
Apple has been scooping up talent from Ford, Tesla and General Motors over the past five years, to work in various areas of the company. These could all be part of the secret car project, expected to launch in 2017.
Recently Jony Ive spoke on the issues several car manufacturers come to when designing a car, singling out the Toyota Echo as an oddly designed vehicle. Ive did claim some British car makers were spot on however, his own Bentley for example was worth the excessive amounts of money.
Other Apple executives are keeping quiet on the subject of anything car related, CEO Tim Cook has not given any hints towards making a car in recent interviews and profile pieces.
Apple might also be looking into a possible acquisition of Tesla Motors, if reports are true.

Drunk Gorilla Punches Photographer Who Captures It On Film

While I’m sure you have many potential problems at your workplace, I’m fairly certain getting punched by a drunk gorilla isn’t one of them. But for at least one photographer it’s a very real threat that now hits a little too close to home for his comfort. Christophe Courteau is a 46-year-old wildlife photographer who was recently in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda taking some photos of the local mountain gorillas. Normally, the gorillas don’t really bother the human visitors, but Courteau was in for an exception during this photography session.
As he was taking pictures of a group of silverback gorillas, the alpha male, named Akarevuro, decided he didn’t want his picture taken and started to charge Courteau. (To be fair, Courteau reports that the gorillas had been eating some fermented bamboo stems which in effect caused them to become slightly “drunk”, which explains some of the behaviors). The gorilla then proceeded to fully knock him to the ground (he was on his knees for the photo), which the photographer likened to a really bad rugby hit.

Thankfully, it turns out that the gorilla didn’t really want to hurt Courteau – he was just asserting his dominance over a female in the group as another male gorilla entered the territory; that is the male he was really after. Courteau just happened to be in the way.
If his new scar wasn’t enough to prove his encounter, his photos should serve to do the trick.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!
[Image via Reddit]
SOURCE: Grind TV

Digital Asset Management vs Cloud Storage

We all store our content in different ways. Some people use local storage, varying from HDD to NAS, others use software in the form of Cloud File Storage. Still other people choose to use DAM software. If you run a business, then more than likely you will need your staff to access data from various locations and so local storage will not work for you. What are the different features of using Cloud File Storage compared to DAM (digital asset management)?

                                                  Is Cloud File Storage the best option?                              

Cloud File Storage can be great for personal use or for business use on a short term basis. However, the software is not tailored and Cloud File Storage can be low on features, depending upon the provider. This type of storage seldom offers fully comprehensive features and the ability to store all file types. Both of which, developing businesses require.

DAM is feature-rich software that is tailored, specifically to your business. DAM software is flexible and adaptable, so with DAM software any file that needs to be shared, can be. This data can be images, videos, files or documents. DAM software is easy to navigate and use. It contains very familiar features, such as browse and search functions, which you would find in other software. DAM software may help to streamline an organisation as employees, clients, contractors and others, who needs access to digital assets, are able to log in and retrieve the files that they need instantly.

Below is a infographic detailing the differences between Digital Asset Management software and Cloud File Storage solutions.

So, if you are looking for a temporary way to share your digital content, then you should maybe use a Cloud File Storage platform. If you are looking for a long-term solution to manage your brand and also maximise the value of your digital content, then you may need to look towards DAM.

[Image via event-archive]

[Infographic via AssetBank]

You’ll Soon Be Able To Build Your Own Custom Lightsaber

Calling all padawans and wannabe Jedi Knights: The day is almost here when you’ll be able to design and create your own custom lightsaber! As diehard fans undoubtedly already know, creating a lightsaber is one of the final tasks a Jedi has to complete before he or she can become a “full” Jedi. Thanks to a new forthcoming custom lightsaber kit, kids and adults alike will soon be able to embrace their destiny like never before. Okay, I might as well go ahead and be completely honest – you can’t build a “real” lightsaber yet, but you will be able to craft the next best thing. (Maybe one day we’ll have real ones!)

In anticipation of the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie, Hasbro has developed what they’re touting as the Star Wars Bladebuilders kit. If the photos are any kind of accurate, it looks like you’ll be able to build almost whatever kind of lightsaber you want, even if it seems a bit unpractical. (If you’ve seen the trailer for The Force Awakens, though, you know there’s a lightsaber for every season, even if it doesn’t look like it’d work in a real fight). For certain styles of blades, though, you might have to buy a separate kit. It looks like there’s even a blade for the person who isn’t sure if they’re a Jedi or a Sith!
Growing up, I loved Star Wars, and the thing I loved most about it was the idea of the lightsaber, so when I saw this toy the kid inside me came to life again. Depending on the price, I might have to pick one of these up for my kids (and for me too).
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!
[Image via Slashfilm]
SOURCE: Gizmodo

SPY AGENCIES

                                               TOP 10 SPY AGENCIES
10. CSIS (Canada)

The Canadian Security Intelligent Service (CSIS) was created in 1984, previous to which Canadian intelligence was handled through the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police). CSIS is patterned after the CIA and MI6, in that it is a civilian agency which is unconnected to the military or police. Canadian intelligence agents work both domestically and internationally in an effort to monitor and counter threats to Canadian security. CSIS came under enormous criticism from the Canadian public for their investigation of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 in 1985, a tragedy that claimed the lives of 280 Canadians. CSIS officials reportedly erased key wiretaps and made several strategic investigatory errors. To this date, no one has been held responsible for the bombing.

Medal Of Honour:  From 1988 to 1994, CSIS agent Grant Bristow infiltrated the Canadian white-supremacist movement, becoming security chief of the Heritage Front, the most prominent white-supremacist organization in Canada. Bristow's activities led to several arrests and prevented certain incidents of planned violence. His cover was blown by a Toronto journalist in 1994.

9. ASIS (Australia)

Created in 1952, the Australian Secret Intelligent Service (ASIS) agency is responsible for collecting intelligence, undertaking counter-intelligence activities and, especially, coordinating with other agencies overseas. The Australian government recently passed a controversial bill which allowed ASIS to work with other organizations like the CIA in paramilitary operations, provided ASIS agents were not personally involved in carrying them out. ASIS has been the subject of some sensational exposes over the years, including one in 1994 which claimed that the agency was secretly holding thousands of secret files on ordinary Australian citizens.

Medal Of Honour: : In 1983, the normally low-profile agency garnered some unwanted attention during a training operation held at the Sheraton Hotel in Melbourne, Australia. What was intended as a mock surveillance and hostage rescue of foreign intelligence officers turned into an overzealous free-for-all, as trainees used considerable force, distressed hotel staff and guests, and physically assaulted the hotel manager while carrying out their "mission."

8. BND (Germany)

The Bundesnachrichtendienst's (BND) predecessor agency was created prior to World War II in order to spy on the Soviet Union. Today, it allegedly acts as an early warning system to alert the German government of threats to its interests from overseas, depending very heavily on wiretapping and electronic surveillance of international communications. The annual budget of the BND is very big, exceeding 430,000,000 Euros. The BND has been embroiled in several recent domestic scandals relating to the alleged wiretapping and surveillance of journalists, and the use of reporters as spies against other journalists.

Medal Of Honour: : In the run-up to the Iraq War in 2003, the German government resisted President Bush's efforts to get Germany to provide troops to the coalition. But the BND scored for the U.S. when two German agents in Baghdad managed to obtain a copy of Saddam Hussein's plan to defend the Iraqi capital. A German official passed the information on to American commanders one month before the invasion.
7. DGSE (France)

The Direction General de la Security Extérieure (DGSE) was formed only recently,  replacing the older Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage (SDECE) in 1982, and was quickly made responsible for gathering intelligence, as well as preventative work detecting and finding external espionage activities directed against French interests. The agency has generally kept a low profile, but that was not the case with 1985's Greenpeace protests against French nuclear testing, which involved the bombing of the Greenpeace fleet. New Zealand law enforcements uncovered the plot and arrested two DGSE agents who plead guilty to manslaughter in the death of a journalist who drowned in the incident.

Medal Of Honour: : The DGSE quickly proved its worth in the early 1980s, when they revealed a Soviet spy network that allowed the USSR to gather info about important Western technical advances without the knowledge of Western intelligence agencies. It's still the most extensive technological spy network ever uncovered in Europe and the United States.

6. Ml6 (U K )

MI6 or, as it is known formally, the Secret Intelligence Service, was created just prior to World War I primarily to keep a close eye on the activities of the Imperial German government. Since then, MI6 has been heavily engaged during the major conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries. Even before the 9/11 attacks, MI6 actively collaborated with their American counterparts in order to share intelligence and carry out particularly dicey covert ops. The MI6, in conjunction with the CIA, effected the toppling of several regimes, most notoriously in the Congo in 1961 and Iran in 1953.

Medal Of Honour: : Aside from the time Bond bedded Pussy Galore, MI6's most successful solo mission in recent years was the quelling the hostage-taking of Westerners in Lebanon in the 1980s. Specifically, MI6 agents triggered an internal conflict between Lebanese paramilitary groups, effectively distracting them from further hostage-taking.
5. R&AW (India)

 

India's external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) was created in 1968 as a response to the country's poor intelligence performance in recent wars against Pakistan and China. Unlike most Western agencies, the R&AW is installed as a wing of the federal cabinet and is not answerable to the Indian Parliament in any way. Much of the R&AW's recent energies have been focused on its neighbor, Pakistan. During the Kargil War in Kashmir in 1999, the R&AW was able to unearth links between Pakistani intelligence and terrorist groups, and to infiltrate militant groups in the Kashmir valley.

Medal Of Honour: : The R&AW had a big hand in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. The agency helped sow discord among the disgruntled populace of Bangladesh (then called East Pakistan), which led to the creation of a guerrilla Bangladeshi army.  Under its cover, R&AW operatives infiltrated into East Pakistan for covert operations, helping defeat the Pakistani army.

4. GRU (Russia)

When one thinks of Russian intelligence, they usually think of the KGB. But the KGB was disbanded by Boris Yeltsin in 1995, while the even older Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje Upravlenije (GRU) — which means "Main Intelligence Directorate" — has continued on, unaffected by the fall of the USSR. The GRU was created in 1918 by Vladimir Lenin, and given the task of handling all military intelligence. Since then, the GRU has taken part in significant anti-nationalist activities in Eastern Europe and according to a former agent, has infiltrated the U.S. to the extent that secret-arms caches are available for use in America by Russian agents, if necessary.

Medal Of Honour: : The GRU doesn't cop to much, but they were purported to be behind the assassination of formerChechen President Zelimkhan Abdumuslimovich Yandarbiyev, who was living in Qatar in 2004 and was accused of having links to Al-Qaeda by Russia and the United Nations. The former president was assassinated when a bomb ripped through his SUV in the Qatari capital of Doha.
3. Mossad (Israel)

Israel's extremely active intelligence agency, Mossad, is responsible for intelligence collection, counter-terrorism and various covert operations. Its director reports directly to the head of state, the Prime Minister. Mossad is a civilian service, and does not use military ranks, although most of its staff have served in the Israeli defense forces as part of the country's compulsory draft system. Mossad's most notorious wing is the "Special Operations Division" or "Metsada," as it's also known. The Metsada has been involved in several assassinations, paramilitary operations, sabotage, and psychological warfare.

Medal Of Honour:  In 1960, the Mossad discovered that Adolf Eichmann, a notorious Nazi war criminal, was living in Argentina under the name of Ricardo Klement. He was captured by a team of Mossad agents and smuggled in to Israel where he was tried and executed.

2. CIA (USA)

Founded in 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has three stated functions: 1) Obtaining and analyzing information about foreigners; 2) Propaganda and public relations; and, 3) Covert operations at the direction of the president. The CIA was given enormous leeway to operate during the Cold War, as the American government felt that such free reign was necessary to successfully combat the USSR's agency, the KGB. As a result, the CIA was engaged in many coups and assassination attempts overseas, both successful (Chile, Congo) and unsuccessful (Cuba).

Medal Of Honour: The Bay of Pigs invasion may be more notorious, but Project BLUEBIRD is more shocking. From 1951 to 1953, the CIA conducted mind-control experiments in order to explore the creation of new identities, multiple personalities and false memories. The research entailed placing brain electrodes in people and controlling their behavior with remote transmitters, administering daily dosages of LSD-25 to children for extended periods of time, and using electroconvulsive therapy to erase memories.

1. ISI (Pakistan)

 ISI stands for Inter-Services Intelligence and is the main intelligence agency for Pakistan. This has been ranked as the world’s best intelligence agency by the American Crime News. Major aim of the agency is to protect national interests, pay heed to matters of political and social interests and advise the military in taking appropriate steps. Safeguarding nation from domestic and foreign enemy attacks along with counter-terrorism steps also highlight the objectives. This agency has played vital and effective role during Kargil & Afghan Wars and Kashmir operation.

The weak performance in the sharing of intelligence between the army, navy and air force during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 led to the creation of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) by the Pakistani government in 1948. Since then, the agency's influence has waxed and waned according to the whims/powers of Pakistani leaders. Since 9/11, ISI has actively worked with the CIA in engaging in counter-terrorism against both Al-Qaeda, Taliban militants and tribal/sectarian terrorists in Pakistan (though they have been somewhat stifled by domestic factors). The ISI is a deceptively active and powerful agency and is known for operating in an "invisible" fashion.

Medal Of Honour: : In 1980, the ISI intercepted a plot to assassinate the President of Pakistan, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, during a national parade. The plotters, which included high-ranking military officials, planned to launch a bloody coup to depose the government and install an extreme Islamic government in its place. The ISI arrested the would-be assassins and their backers prior to the date of the planned assassination.

ISI stands for Inter-Services Intelligence and is the main intelligence agency for Pakistan. This has been ranked as the world’s best intelligence agency by the American Crime News. Major aim of the agency is to protect national interests, pay heed to matters of political and social interests and advise the military in taking appropriate steps. Safeguarding nation from domestic and foreign enemy attacks along with counter-terrorism steps also highlight the objectives. This agency has played vital and effective role during Kargil & Afghan Wars and Kashmir operation. - See more at: http://listtoptens.com/top-10-worlds-best-intelligence-agencies-2014/#sthash.m3WbgdrR.dpuf

ISI stands for Inter-Services Intelligence and is the main intelligence agency for Pakistan. This has been ranked as the world’s best intelligence agency by the American Crime News. Major aim of the agency is to protect national interests, pay heed to matters of political and social interests and advise the military in taking appropriate steps. Safeguarding nation from domestic and foreign enemy attacks along with counter-terrorism steps also highlight the objectives. This agency has played vital and effective role during Kargil & Afghan Wars and Kashmir operation. - See more at: http://listtoptens.com/top-10-worlds-best-intelligence-agencies-2014/#sthash.m3WbgdrR.dpuf

WhatsApp set to introduce voice calling -- here's why it matters

WhatsApp today rolled out an update to its iOS app, which along with bug fixes adds a dialer button to its text messaging service. The dialer button -- as you might imagine -- is for placing voice calls, a feature that the Facebook-owned company announced last February. Earlier this week, the same feature was spotted on the WhatsApp’s Android client, and the company also confirmed that it was beta testing it with select users.
The feature, however, doesn’t work just yet, but changes in the user interface do give us an idea of what this forthcoming feature will look like. It is evident that WhatsApp has plans to roll out the voice-calling feature to its app shortly. But why is everyone in the press writing about it? How does the addition of voice calling functionality -- something which Facebook’s Messenger, Google’s Hangouts, and Microsoft’s Skype already offer -- change things? Here’s how.

Last month, WhatsApp announced that it has reached 700 million MAUs (monthly active users). The company also announced that its service is being utilized to send about 30 billion messages a day. It’s a huge number, and its significance increases by many folds when you realize that people all over the globe only send 20 billion SMSs a day.
In brutal -- yet factually correct words -- WhatsApp alone is cannibalizing SMS. I’m not saying that WhatsApp and/or any other IM will push the SMSs to extinction, but unarguably, growing numbers of people are now using instant messenger clients to chat. And I can’t help but imagine that the voice-calling feature on WhatsApp will set the tone to a new tradition, as well, and change the way people make calls around the world.
Voice calling may not sound as handy in developed countries such as USA, as people on that side of the pond have incredibly cheaper voice and data plans. And Skype is already a household name. But things aren’t exactly the same in other parts of the world especially in developing nations.
Statistically speaking, using an instant messaging service to place a voice call makes financial sense. Skype, for example, uses 6 to 20 kbps or around 150KB per minute for a voice call. The amount a user would have to pay for this much data is a lot less than a voice call tariff. In India, for instance, that much data usage with standard internet data plans of say $2-4 per GB will provide users with over 6,820 minutes, something which would otherwise cost a user Rs 6,820 (more than $100) over a typical voice call.
As I mentioned above, the voice-calling feature in WhatsApp is a big deal. Sure it has been around in services like Skype, and Hangouts, and some not as popular IMs like Viber and Line, but none of them have such a large userbase. In India alone there are around 70 million monthly active WhatsApp users. It’s a huge number considering that only 150-200 million users sport a smartphone in that country.

Dubai

#‎Dubai‬ , Highest Observation Deck in the World at ‪#‎BurjKhalifa‬

 

Engineer egyptian who planned dubai
A picture of rare shaikh zayed and he's planning principality of abu dhabi with the engineer. architect egyptian abderaman hassanein maklouf upon us, amaratyyn:)