Game of Phones
Which handsets would the heroes and killers of Westeros use?
The new series of Game of Thrones is back! The first episode aired in the US yesterday and will hit the airwaves in the UK and Australia this evening. But what would the great and good of Westeros use to stay connected if they had a few more cell towers at their disposal rather than just the old stone kind? The enslaved population of ravens currently used for intercity communications would certainly benefit from an advance in Westeros Telecommunications. So we think it would be something like this... for science, of course!
10 ways tech would change the Game of Thrones universe
Technology is coming
While Game of Thrones might be set in pseudo-medieval times we think it would benefit from some tech. After all, they spent thousands of years building a giant wall to keep themselves safe, so you'd think they'd perhaps at least consider also spending some time, you know, inventing stuff. We've already covered what phones we think the characters would have, so here's a list of what technology they need and how it would help the world of Westeros and beyond.
Samsung Galaxy S5
The most anticipated phone of the year is here
The Samsung Galaxy S5 can be defined by one word: evolution. The camera has evolved to give clearer, faster snaps. The fitness-tracking abilities of the S5 are enhanced over the Galaxy S4 by packing in a more powerful S Health app and a dedicated heart rate monitor on the rear. A fingerprint scanner adds to the most secure Galaxy phone ever made. The battery is larger, the screen bigger and brighter, the processor quicker and the design altered. So is the Galaxy S5 a winner or loser? Samsung Galaxy S5 review
What happened to the internet's greatest hits?
When online fame fades
In the real world, neglected buildings don't stay intact for long: the windows get broken, the walls get tagged and Mother Nature slowly begins to show them who's boss. Does the same thing happen online? It certainly seemed to in the case of the Million Dollar Homepage, the 2005 hit that made a student a millionaire. Nine years on and link rot means that 22% of its links go nowhere, and many of the links that do work are domain squatters rather than active websites. That got us wondering. What happened to the sites and sights that delighted or frightened us way back when? Are the former viral smashes and hate figures still thriving online, or are they only stars in their own minds? Are people still leaving jokey comments about the Three Wolf Moon t-shirt? There's only one way to find out: fire up the Netscape!
Netflix in Ultra HD will ruin TV forever
Once you've experienced native 4K, there's no going back
Netflix has ruined television forever. Speaking as an unashamed hi-def snob who'd rather miss out on a show than have to watch it in grotty standard def, I've been champing at the bit to devour native 4K. Unfortunately, having now been one of the first to watch Ultra HD streamed live from Netflix servers, my beloved Full HD just doesn't look that great any more. Continue reading...
Amazon Fire TV
Amazon's sleek, powerful set-top box is a strong offering, but not perfect
This device is simple to use and works well. If you are significantly bought in to Amazon's services, it's hard to go wrong with this box. However, if you are not an Amazon customer or even an Amazon customer who doesn't have or want Amazon Prime, then you might think twice. The device is clearly tilted toward Amazon customers, and nothing short of a full UI overhaul is going to change that. We'd like to at least see Amazon allow some kind of user customization in the interface. Until then, we're calling this device great, but not perfect. Amazon Fire TV review
Don't blame the HTC One M8's camera
The problem is... you
Cameras are one of the first things we look at when judging a new smartphone, and the HTC One M8 wasn't spared our criticism. While we applaud HTC's brave move toward bigger-but-fewer pixel strategy, some find that the lack of resolution leaves the images wanting more. However, the bashing of the camera that we've read in other reviews and over social media is surprising. The camera on the HTC One M8 isn't that bad. I'd even say it isn't bad at all. It's easy to get tired of people saying, "Wow, that's an awesome photo! What camera did you use?" Or, "My camera sucks. It takes bad pictures." No. You take bad pictures
Spotify
The best music streaming service keeps getting better
Spotify is still the undisputed king of streaming, and its reign doesn't look like ending soon with these recent updates. The new look and the new features take what was already a brilliant service and add the level of polish and comprehensiveness to make it a five-star product. Your Music is the feature Spotify had been missing, and its flawless implementation and integration into the general experience has made things a lot better. Its fantastic catalogue, ability to use its brand to win major exclusives and superb (and unrivaled) social features make it the obvious choice for anyone looking to take the plunge with streaming. Spotify review
Is Sony's Driveclub PS4 delay the death knell for a genre?
Time for driving games to take a pitstop
What was the last great driving game you played? For me, it was Driver: San Francisco. Its driving model rocked and swayed with tremendous poise, Frisco itself was a curated vision of seventies movie car chases – oh, and it let you, a comatose cop, travel between people's minds like a cosmic parasite. A coma chameleon, if you will. Ubisoft Reflections got all the fundamentals right, andbonded them to a unique concept. And it still didn't get the sales that a passable shooter might expect. So where does that leave Driveclub, a meticulously detailed driving game, but seemingly also one with traditional race/checkpoint dash core content? Are pretty graphics really all it needs to cut it on PS4? PlayStation Gamer
The Double's special effects are the antidote Hollywood needs
Double trouble
In Richard Ayoade's new film, The Double, an over-looked and under-appreciated Simon James is usurped by his exact double, the confident and charismatic James Simon. There's more diplopia to The Double than its doppleganger storyline though. The film is full of reflections and shadows that echo the narrative, as well as hints of the past that make up a vision of an alternative future. It's a future that might have happened had technology not panned out the way it did - computers are the size of rooms, photocopiers are operated by specialist staff in dedicated offices, mobile phones do not exist. Continue reading...
Google's controversial little secrets
Hubspot and Retailmenot, but what are they?
Unbeknown to many Google has an investment arm called Google Ventures which provides funding to a number of startup companies. Latest figures indicates that it has total assets of around $1.5 billion (around £900 million) and nearly 60 startups have been funded to date. Some of them, like Nest, which has been acquired by Google itself, are in the public eye, but most remain in the shadows until they launch an IPO or get acquired. Two of them however caught our attention because they operate very close to Google's core and one of them has started to attract the attention of the SEO community given its proximity to the search business of Google. Read all about it
The car that thinks it's a smartphone
The new Vauxhall Adam White
Smartphone on wheels. That's the sales pitch for the new limited edition Vauxhall Adam White. Does it deliver or even make any sense? Here's one way to look at it. The idea that there are no bad cars any longer is a familiar refrain that reflects the increasing dynamic similarity between modern cars. Nobody really makes sheddy cars these days. But one area where there is plenty to choose from is in-car technology. There are some hugely dramatic contrasts in quality between the various multimedia systems – much more so than in engines or handling. What's more, car-buying punters have ever higher expectations of technology in general. Everyone's a smartphone expert nowadays. Continue reading...
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