After almost 2 years since I last posted any kind of motoring article, I can safely say that I am back and with vengeance. The motivation began last year, I was driving in my little Mk 5 Ford Escort about to make a right turn onto a duel carriageway, I noticed across the intersection on my left a Lancer Evolution and a Subaru Impreza at the lights revving as if ready to race. I made my turn and kept one eye in my rear view with interest, As I continued along the carriageway I could see the lights turn green and what sounded like the Heavens opening as the roar of engines revved to the max and tires screamed with pleasure, then in a few seconds these magnificent machines were alongside me, now going as slowly as me as if to allow me the privilege to see and hear the symphony of man and machine in perfect harmony, in my  mirrors (now filled with dozens of head lights) I could see fast approaching Porsches, BMW’s, a world of modified cars all slowing down as they passed me, as if to show off their magnificent beasts of vehicles.

Alas it was not me they were slowing down for but the speed camera just up ahead, as each vehicle got out of range of the radar the beautiful “trumpet sounds” burst from the exhausts of the hot air blowing from manifold to muffler as the high powered modified cars disappeared into the night. But although they had vanished from my sight, with my window down I could still hear the trumpet call from their exhausts pipes as they accelerated to the horizon.

I have seen “Fast and the Furious”, but those few second surrounded by the real thing paled the movie into insignificance, it would be like comparing a picture of a burger to the experience of the pleasure of eating it. From that very moment in time I began fantasising about creating a show for ICU Online based on the real thing.

This summer PGM Express & Team Scorpio team up to take you into the underground world of street racing, modified cars and beautiful girls, plus more. There is a culture, a code, a lifestyle emulated in the Hollywood Movies but lived out day to day by real people. But just as Knights of ancient times had a code of honour, so to, do our modern day Knights, and The Kudo Knights are the best of the best on the road after midnight.

For years, Google had multiple Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP), instant messaging, and video-conferencing services. Now, Google is uniting those services under Google Hangouts. It wasn’t clear though  where Google Voice, its main VoIP program that crossed the gap between landline/cellular and Internet calls, was going to fit. We now know that it too is being integrated into Google Hangouts.

Users, who had been making Google Voice calls from inside Gmail, noticed after the introduction of the new Hangouts that this functionality has been removed. These Voice users were, to say the least, not happy. While you could, and still can, revert to the old style Google Chat from Hangout, users were still unable to make Google Voice calls from Gmail.

Nikhyl Singhal, Google’s Director of Product Management for Real-Time Communications, quickly responded to the problem with Google’s near-term future plans for adding Google Voice to Hangouts.

It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S III will soon receive a number of Galaxy S4 software features if a new leak is to be believed.

Samsung focused website SamMobile reports that the company is working on a new firmware I9300XXUFME3 – Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S III which will include a number of new software enhancements including a new Galaxy S4-like lockscreen with support for multiple widgets, an additional ‘Light’ unlock effect and an improved ripple effect compared to the current version, the ability to change clock size and set a personal message. It will also include the Adapt Display screen mode that optimises display settings depending on ambient light conditions automatically and offers more natural colours.The site informs that Samsung is likely to release the update in June.

The update will also bring the Daydream lock screen mode, a driving mode, actionable notifications, a new notification tray with additional toggles and a Galaxy S4-like tabbed interface for the phone settings menu. The update will also bring a new version of S-Voice, Samsung’s voice assistant and add voice controls for operating the phone using voice commands. It will also include full-screen Samsung apps and a new smart switch widget.

It’s still not known if the update will also bring the camera features of the Galaxy S4 which include the Cinemagram like Animated photo mode, an Eraser mode to delete moving objects from five consecutive photos, Drama shot that takes multiple photos of a moving object and merges them all to denote action, and Best face that allows selecting the best face shot in group photos.

The site is also offering the test firmware for download but as with other pre-release software, especially those from unofficial sources, flashing it on your phone is at your own risk.

In March, screenshots of a Settings screen that displayed toggles for Smart Stay, Smart Rotation, Smart Pause and Smart Scroll were also leaked and it was revealed that these were part of the leaked firmware for the Galaxy S III which will update the phone to Android 4.2.1 and bring some of Galaxy S4 features to the Galaxy S III. However, going by the screenshot accompanying the new report, the settings only include Smart Stay and Smart Rotation.

Big news in the world of all things gaming.

Microsoft is set to announce its new Xbox console known as Xbox Infinity at an event on Tuesday. WBBM breaks down some of the new specs. (Via KSAZ)

HARRY PORTERFIELD: “The new device will offer more than just games. You’ll be able to stream movies, music and television. Insiders say you’ll see more specialized glasses and an advanced version of its motion sensor.”

Microsoft is currently in a good position in terms of the console market. According to, Engadget Xbox 360 was “dominant” in 2012, outselling all other consoles.

However, the new Xbox device won’t be completely revealed on Tuesday. NBC reports it will be the first part in a two-part reveal which stretches into mid-June.

New research reveals more evidence why people should start switching to the Mediterranean diet.  Not only will eating like the Spanish and Italians lower the risk of heart attacks, stroke, asthma and cancer, it can also improve and preserve brainpower more effectively than low-fat diets, according to a new study.

The study published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry reveals that people significantly lowered their risk of developing dementia after just six years of being on the tasty diet.

Researchers said that a Mediterranean diet enjoyed by people in southern Europe is characterized by the use of virgin olive oil as the main culinary fat; high intake of fruits, nuts, vegetables and pulses; moderate to high intake of fish and seafood; low consumption of dairy products and red meat and moderate intake of red wine.

The latest findings suggest that the added extra virgin olive oil and mixed nuts in the Mediterranean diet helps preserve and improve memory, attention span and abstract thinking in older adults.

The study involved 522 men and women aged 55 to 80.  Participants were regarded as being at a high risk for cardiovascular disease, either from type 2 diabetes or a combination of factors including high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, obesity, family history and smoking.  The participants were randomly divided into three groups.  Two groups was put on a regular Mediterranean diet with either added olive oil or mixed nuts and a control group received advice to follow low-fat nutrition that is typically recommended to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

After an average of 6.5 years, participants were tested for signs of cognitive decline using a range of mental tests.

Researchers said a total of 60 participants had developed mild cognitive impairment at the end of the study.  Of those who had developed mild cognitive impairments, 18 were on the olive oil supplemented Mediterranean diet, 19 were on the diet with added mixed nuts and 23 were on the low-fat diet.

Another 35 people developed dementia during the study, and 12 were on the olive oil diet, six were on the added nut diet and 17 were on the low fat diet.

Researchers found that participants on the Mediterranean diet also scored significantly higher on mental tests compared to those on the low-fat diet.

The findings held true even after researchers accounted for other factors like age, family history of dementia, education, exercise levels, blood vessel heath and depression.

“Our trial suggests that nutritional intervention with MedDiet supplemented with either extra-virgin olive oil or nuts is associated with improved global cognition,” the authors wrote in the study. “There are mechanisms that can explain the protective effect of MedDiet on cognitive status, including antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects and reduced vascular comorbidities.”

“Future interventional research including both baseline and follow-up assessments of global and multiple domains of cognition is needed to obtain firmer evidence regarding potential benefits of MedDiet on cognition,” they concluded.

Yahoo has redesigned its Flickr photo-sharing service, offering users up to 1TB of storage without a fee.

The revamp also allows users to host longer video clips and higher-resolution photos, and a new app has been launched for Android devices.

The news came hours after the company confirmed it was taking over blogging platform Tumblr.

One expert said Yahoo’s chief executive had “thrown down the gauntlet” to her former employer Google.

 “Marissa Mayer is trying to realign the business to focus on a core set of high-traffic properties,” said Chris Green, principal technology analyst at consultants Davies Murphy Group Europe.

 ”The 1TB of ad-supported free storage is the big thing,” he said.

 ”It puts Flickr back on the agenda making it relevant to both hobbyist and professional photographers alike, but it also reignites the whole storage capacity war that started with Gmail and that we are now seeing with cloud file sharing services.”

Google offers users a total of 15GB of free storage across its core cloud services. Facebook does not impose such a limit but downgrades the quality of high-resolution photos.

Mr Green added that several industry watchers had been caught by surprise by the announcement as they had believed Yahoo might fold Flickr’s technology into Tumblr rather than continue to run the two platforms as separate services.

How much would you pay to be cool? A hundred dollars? A thousand dollars? How about $1 billion? According to AdWeek which spoke to sources familiar with the deal, Yahoo is in talks to acquire or partner with Tumblr. The price for the acquisition/investment could hit $1 billion.

Earlier this week, Yahoo CFO Ken Goldman spoke at JP Morgan’s Global Technology conference and underscored the need for the aging Silicon Valley Internet giant to attract more users from the coveted 18-to-24-years-old age bracket. Along with more marketing, he explicitly said Yahoo needed to be “cool again.”

“One of our challenges is we have had an aging demographic,” said Goldman at the Boston event. “Part of it is going to be just visibility again in making ourselves cool, which we got away from for a couple of years.”

This was confirmed by AdWeek that says Tumblr’s demographic is made up of “… the young, cool and creative crowd—not currently a Yahoo sweet spot.”

Tumblr is home to a diverse crowd of contributors from illustrators and artists to writers and poets. With more than 107 million blogs and 50 billion posts, many of these users are content creators who fill the site with photos and text.

Also Yahoo wants to tap into that content. Details are still a little blurry on what exactly Marissa Mayer and the gang are planning with Tumblr. It could result in a partnership and investment or an acquisition. Either way, AllThingsD says the move will be great for Yahoo as Tumblr continues its climb.

“… Tumblr has been stepping up its efforts to raise a large funding round that could value the New York company at $1 billion. In a series of fundings since 2007, Tumblr has raised $125 million so far, at a reported valuation of $800 million.”

As Yahoo continues its push to be a “mobile first” company, it makes sense that the company would set its sights on Tumblr that is a social network whose user-base is full of the eyes-glued-to-phone crowd.

However, Yahoo will have to move quickly to remain competitive in the mobile space, where it’s up against competition like Facebook. GigaOm says “… Yahoo is worried that Facebook could swoop in at the last minute and beat it to the buzzer … Facebook could use the much needed younger 18-to-24 year old demographic, something it (successfully) tried to acquire with Instagram.”

If Yahoo does beat Facebook to the punch, the company would be setting itself up for success. There have also been rumors about Yahoo acquiring Hulu. TheNextWeb paints a whole new image of Yahoo if these deals go through.

“Yahoo, as a firm that owned one of the leading premium video-delivery services, and a leading social network and consumer-created content engines, would be a dramatically different company than what was slowly falling to pieces just years ago.”

A meteoroid smashed into the face of the moon Friday at 56,000 mph, creating an explosion the naked eye could see all the way from Earth and a 65-foot-wide crater. (Via YouTube / ScienceAtNASA)

 “ … a telescope monitoring the moon has captured a rare sight — a meteoroid crashing into the lunar surface. It’s the largest explosion that NASA has recorded since it began monitoring meteoroid strikes.” (Via Al Jazeera)

 The explosion didn’t involve any kind of combustion, though, because that would require oxygen. Instead,CNN writes the flash of light came from the “glowing molten rock at the impact site.”

 According to The Atlantic, NASA has monitored these explosions on the moon since 2005, and this impact “was nearly ten times as bright as any other previously recorded impact.”

And while this is the brightest impact, it’s definitely not the first.

NASA writes, “ … the Moon is airless and exposed. ‘Lunar meteors’ crash into the ground with fair frequency. Since the monitoring program began in 2005, NASA’s lunar impact team has detected more than 300 strikes.”

NASA says the boulder was 1 foot wide and weighed 88 pounds. But the chances of rocks that size hitting Earth at that speed are unlikely because they don’t make it past the earth’s atmosphere.

Ray Manzarek, a founding member and keyboardist of 1960s rock group The Doors, died on Monday at age 74, the group’s manager Tom Vitorino said.

Manzarek died in Rosenheim, Germany, following a battle with bile duct cancer, the band said in a statement.

Singer Jim Morrison and Manzarek formed The Doors in 1965 after a chance meeting at Los Angeles’ Venice Beach, and Manzarek’s keyboard work would go on to be a touchstone of hits like “Break On Through to the Other Side” and “Light My Fire.”

“I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today,” The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger said in a statement. “I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.”

Manzarek, who was born in Chicago in 1939, is survived by his wife, Dorothy, two brothers, a son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren.

A tiny device that can recharge cell phone batteries in as little as 30 seconds won 18-year-old Eesha Khare a major science award that will help fund her college education at Harvard University.

Khare traveled from her California home to Phoenix last week for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, where her invention was honored as one of two winners of Young Scientist Awards.

“I’m in a daze. I can’t believe this happened,” Khare, a senior at Lynbrook High School in Saratoga, told CNN affiliate KPIX 5.

Khare’s device, a black, rectangular type of super capacitor just over an inch long, can charge a cell phone battery in 20 to 30 seconds, she said.

“I developed a new super capacitor, which is basically an energy storage device which can hold a lot of energy in a small amount of volume,” she told KPIX 5. The technology may also be able to speed up charging of automobile batteries, she said.

A videotape of the award ceremony showed an ecstatic Khare trotting up to the stage when her name was announced in Phoenix, then standing with other winners as the audience at the fair applauded and confetti fell on them.

The award includes a $50,000 prize that will come in handy when Khare heads to Harvard in the fall, she told KPIX 5. With a laugh, she predicted that “I will be setting the world on fire.”

In announcing the winners of what it billed as the “world’s largest high school research competition,” Intel cited Khare for recognizing “the crucial need for energy-efficient storage devices” as the world rapidly adopts portable electronics.

]]> http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/20/teens-invention-charges-phone-in-20-seconds/feed/ 0 http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/20/golden-ball-in-honour-of-beckham/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=golden-ball-in-honour-of-beckham http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/20/golden-ball-in-honour-of-beckham/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 15:31:02 +0000 Oceanbreeze http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/?p=17817 Continue reading →]]> Lords of Football introduces Golden Ball in honour of Beckham’s retirement.
33% discount now available on Steam

To mark the retirement of former England captain and international superstar David Beckham, new football video game Lords of Football is adding an update to feature a Golden Ball in replays of successful trademark Beckham free-kicks – a reference to the nickname “Golden Balls” as associated with David Beckham by the British public and tabloid press.

The update is announced as Lords of Football receives a 33% discount on Steam – yet another reason for gamers and football fans alike to get involved in the action.

Beckham made 115 appearances for England and 394 for Manchester United, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League. He then moved abroad where he conquered La Liga in his final season in Spain and also won the league in France with Paris Saint Gemain along with the MLS championship twice.

The DLC will be active in the June instalment update, coming soon.

Lords of Football is available for PC via www.lordsoffootball.com, Steam, Green Man Gaming, GamersGate and other leading digital vendors.

For further information on Lords of Football and its unique take on the world’s biggest sport, visit the official website at http://www.lordsoffootball.com/ or the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/lordsoffootball

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active has made another appearance online, this time in a benchmark result which claims to reveal a new processor and slightly altered named.

According to details which have appeared on GFXBench the rugged handset in question could well be known as the Samsung Galaxy S4 J Active, although that seems like more of a development moniker than something the Korean firm would actually market.

In terms of specs the benchmark result apparently reveals a couple of details including a 1.9GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus quad-core processor. This is different to the Snapdragon 600 clocked at the same speed in the Galaxy S4.

The water-and dust-proof handset will also come running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, with model SGH-I537 said to be destined for the US, while GT-I9295 will pop up in Europe. 

You can still expect to see a full HD display on the S4 J Active, although we wouldn’t be surprised to see a thicker slab of glass laid over the top to provide extra protection.

There’s no further word on when the Galaxy S4 Active may make an appearance, but earlier reports seem to point towards a June or July release, so watch this space.

Samsung today has officially launched the Galaxy Grand Quattro, which seems like the Indian variant of the Galaxy Win Duos phone it launched internationally. In fact, the phone was first spotted selling online as the Galaxy Win in India, and later was revealed as the Galaxy Grand Quattro on Samsung’s own eStore. Samsung, however, seems to have changed the name as well as the pricing strategy and has launched it at even a lower price.

The Grand in the name suggests that this is Samsung’s another model of the recently announced Grand, which was launched mainly to beat the stiff competition the brand was facing from the likes of Micromax Canvas A116 HD. Micromax Android smartphones portfolio of Canvas branded devices includes the Canvas 2, Canvas HD, Canvas Doodle and Canvas 3D among others.

In terms of its specifications, the Quattro is a dual-SIM phone with a 4.7-inch WVGA display unlike the 5-inch seen in the Galaxy Grand, runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, and houses a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 8GB of internal memory. The back features a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and the front facing VGA camera, and can record HD videos at 720p at 15fps along with offering HD video playback support at 30fps. This apart, it comes with a 2,000m Ah battery a microSD card slot and support up to 32GB of storage.

The final free to enter European tournaments will take place in the UK (June 1-2) and will determine who will go on to win a travel expenses paid trip to the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in Vancouver, in August. The UK Pokémon TCG tournament is open to players that competed in at least 7 events during the 2013 tournament season.

To compete in the video game tournament players need to bring their Nintendo DS or Nintendo 3DS system, and their copy of Pokémon Black Version, Pokémon White Version, Pokémon Black Version 2, or Pokémon White Version 2, along with their Player ID. To get a Player ID, please visit Pokemon.co.uk or register at the event. To receive the shiny new Metagross players do not need to take part in the tournament but will need to bring along the same equipment.

The VGC and TCG events will be taking place at the following locations with three age restricted divisions:

VGC Dates
Sunday June 2: Video Game Live Event: UK, Birmingham, National Exhibition Center (NEC), Pavilion 1

TCG Dates
Saturday & Sunday, June 1 – 2 TCG Live Event: UK, Birmingham, National Exhibition Center (NEC), Pavilion 1

For more details on tournament rules and registration please visit: www.pokemon.com/uk/play-pokemon/championship-series/video for video game andwww.pokemon.com/uk/play-pokemon/championship-series for TCG.

Slowly but surely, Google is beginning to take over the world. Next in its sights is Spotify. On Wednesday Google will reportedly unveil a competitor to the subscription-based music-streaming service.

According to CNBC “The reports say the company signed deals with a major record label but its unclear how much Google will charge, or if there will be ads.” (Via YouTube)

“Various reports say Google has reached deals with Universal Music, Warner Music and Sony Music to license their songs.” (Via CNN)

Those are the largest recording companies in the U.S., and home to artists like Rihanna, Bob Dylan and Jay-Z.

Now, Google already has a music service, sort of (i.e. Google Play). But with it users can only buy individual songs or albums which is similar to iTunes.

The Verge got an exclusive interview with sources close to the company who say the official announcement will be made at Google I/O, which began Wednesday and runs through Friday.

The writer also points out the announcement will give Google a leg up on its competitors  — specifically Apple, as it’s also in the process of creating a music streaming service. However, “Apple is working on an online radio service that is said to be more akin to Pandora, a service that plays songs at random similar to traditional radio.”

Universal Music’s parent company Vivendi, reported a 13 percent increase in first quarter earnings from last year. That, along with other offerings from Sony, could potentially allow Google to have a major impact on its competitors.

One year after her life changed completely, a Georgia woman has received two new prosthetic hands that do more than any prosthesis has done before.

Twenty-five-year-old Aimee Copeland fell in May 2012 when a homemade zip line snapped, causing a serious cut in her leg that required 22 staples. After days of constant pain, doctors discovered Copeland had contracted a flesh-eating disease. (Via CNN)

She had to have both her hands, a leg and a foot removed in a life-saving amputation. According to Atlanta’s WXIA, Copeland is adjusting to her new life with prosthetic hands which are almost completely operational.

“With the new hands by Touch Bionics, Aimee can wipe down tables, fold a towel, hang clothes, she can even flatiron her hair — and do it all on her own.”

The “i-limb ultra revolution” hands cost about $100,000 each. They’re controlled by both Copeland’s muscles and an app called “biosim.” Copeland says the forearms feel like they’re actually parts of her body. (Via WXYZ)

Copeland is doing fairly well now, but as USA Today notes, she was seriously fighting for her life just one year ago.

“At one point, [Copeland] was on a ventilator battling kidney failure and other organ damage. Doctors had to amputate her limbs in several operations because of the progression of infection.”

Before she got her hands-on hardware, WSB spoke to Copeland about her outlook on life, which has stayed positive at points when others might have given up.

“This is a life-altering thing, but it is what you make it. And it’s not the end. It’s just the beginning of a new life, of a new way of looking at life. Now that you have this different frame of mind, it can really be a beautiful thing.”

And her inspiring accomplishments continue. WBBH reports Copeland will be reaching new milestones in just a matter of weeks.

“This month, she’s finishing her master’s degree in psychology. Then she plans to start on a second master’s degree in social work.”

This summer, Copeland will be getting a service dog while she volunteers at a youth camp geared toward kids with amputations. (Via aimeecopeland.com)

Touch Bionics, the company that created Copeland’s new hands, has offered to pay for her $200,000 medical expenses on one condition i.e. she’ll be the company’s spokesperson.

It’s fair to say that Nintendo’s Wii U Console hasn’t matched the game changing success the original Wii enjoyed.

Last month Nintendo posted disappointing financial results on the back of poor sales figures of its consoles. Furthermore, this week, EA announced it has no titles in development for the Nintendo Wii U.

The confirmation comes less than two weeks we reported that more than 15 of EA’s upcoming titles would not be coming to Nintendo’s next generation console.

And with fresh new iterations of the Xbox and Playstation 4 on the horizon it might be worth asking is it time for Nintendo to look elsewhere for its fortunes, such as, say smartphones?

The company has got through a highly diverse range of products since its formation in 1889; therefore a divergence of business isn’t pure whimsy.

As to what one might look like? Please see above and try to imagine what it would be like to communicate with one of these slick looking things.

Google’s I/O Developer Conference got off to a tech-laden start Wednesday, packed full of updates and announcements for Google’s services. Many had hoped Google would announce a physical card attached to its Google Wallet service, but no dice.

However, we did get a pretty great consolation prize i.e. sending money via Gmail. That’s right, Google’s slowly rolling out a new feature in Gmail that allows users to send money using Google wallet and its email service.

Google Wallet got its start as a Near Field Communication (or NFC) technology, allowing users to quickly pay for items by hovering their NFC-enabled phone over an NFC-enabled kiosk. But there’s a problem: NFC isn’t available everywhere.

CNET spoke with Peter Hazlehurst, director of product management for Google Wallet, who says Google recognizes the problem. “There are still places where NFC can’t be used. And not every device has it yet.”

So until NFC takes root in our day-to-day consumer habits, Google Wallet is bringing innovation to our inbox.

It’s super simple to send money from your Gmail inbox. Much like sending a picture or document, you start by composing an email to one of your contacts. Then, in the list of attachments you click the money sign to attach your money. From there you simply fill in the blanks and send the money on its way.

An additional plus is if you send money directly from Google Wallet or from your connected bank account, it doesn’t carry any fees. If you choose to use a credit card or debit card, there’s a 2.9 percent transaction fee.

Global Post says the service doesn’t require a Gmail account to send money, so long as both users have a Google Wallet account. The service will slowly roll out over the next few months.

If you’re dying to use the service now, there is a way! Google says if one of your contacts has access to the service and chooses to send you money, the feature will be activated for you as well.

Fast and Furious 6 is certainly worth catching if your into fast heavy metal driven hard, attractive women, CGI graphics explosions and action!

The Fast and Furious culture as portrayed by Hollywood, with a plot thrown in, is a parody of the real Fast and Furious culture that exists in England that we at ICU Online will be doing our own series of around the fall 2013 in a similar environment as shown somewhere in the film (can’t tell you any more; please watch this space!)

This particular story is about the Fast and Furious crew going up against an evil version of themselves led by an ex British SAS officer that is a very convincing nemesis that give them a good run for their money. Whilst the Fast and Furious crews code is family with a capital F their evil rivals are coldness and precision.

The plot involves the stealing of sophisticated military hardware worth billions in the wrong hands and most of the action takes place in London itself with many familiar surroundings.

One of those pieces of military hardware involves a tank that is put to good use flattering other cars that get in the way (see above).

The cars themselves range from the classics to some home made custom pieces with armored plating and formula 1 engines.

The film finishes with the Fast and Furious ‘Family’ victorious over a prayer and some cold ones and a cliff hanger moment that introduces the next nemesis of F and F 7! (No I am not telling you any more than that! Go catch at the cinema or online if you are a cheapskate).

]]> http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/18/fast-and-furious-6-review/feed/ 0 http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/18/abc-makes-television-history/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=abc-makes-television-history http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/18/abc-makes-television-history/#comments Sat, 18 May 2013 07:00:37 +0000 Costas777 http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/?p=17529 Continue reading →]]>

This week could see the making of television history as ABC announces it will begin streaming your local affiliate station on mobile devices. And those stations are starting to sell it pretty hard.

“This is Watch ABC. You’ll be able to find it online or download the app beginning on Tuesday … Watch ABC is just like having a portable TV set in your hands.” (Via WPVI)

“It’s an all-new way to experience ABC and Channel 7 in your home, on the go, anywhere you can receive a Wi-Fi or cellular signal.” (Via WABC)

Those stations are from Philadelphia and New York, the first two cities to receive the service. But the network says it plans to expand to an additional 200 markets in the coming months. The New York Times reports the service could be just as revolutionary as ABC claims.

“The mobile app may prod the other broadcasters to follow ABC, much as they did seven years ago after the network started to stream full episodes of shows the morning after their TV premieres.”

However, there are a few catches. For one, you might think live streaming would be a simple matter of putting things up on a website, but the Los Angeles Times reports it’s a little more complicated than that, and as a result every market will see a different feed.

“The local stations don’t want viewers to be able to bypass them and just watch a national ABC feed on the Web. That would hurt their ratings and ad revenue. That meant ABC had to ensure that the interests of its affiliates were protected … ”

The other catch, and the one that seemed to rile people up most on Twitter, is that after a quick preview period, the service won’t be as simple as “download and hit play.”

A TV critic for the Philadelphia Daily News writes: “ … it will eventually require proof that you’re somehow paying someone to get your TV shows (even though they’re theoretically available over the air). In other words, if you’re used to having to enter your Comcast (or other provider) login to watch a service like HBO Go, expect to have to do the same to watch, say, ‘The View.’”

The service will start out on Apple devices and expand to other platforms later on.

The next iPhone, which the internet is nominally calling the iPhone 6 through basic numerical guesswork, is probably the most hotly anticipated gadget on the planet right now.

Previous wisdom would suggest we could be in line for a stopgap, perhaps in the form of the iPhone 5S, before the year is out.

Apple’s policy of zero information prior to actually launching the product has always acted as petroleum for the iPhone 6 rumours.

As such, tips, speculation and murmurings as to what the iPhone 6 will be started to appear almost as soon as the iPhone 5 was launched.

Some industry punts are so specific they cause some eyebrow raising;

According to MacRumours, one analyst has suggested that Apple could be looking to implement a 4.8-inch Retina+ IGZO screen made by Sharp, which will make the iPhone 6 display thinner, brighter and much clearer; this will legitimate boasting of better than HD resolutions.

A new feature that could well appear on the 6th generation iPhone is the use of sonar as a replacement to the current infared sensors which use sound as a proximity sensor (according to this report in Apple Insider) letting the phone detect where it is, either as a way of alerting the user about an incoming object, or as a way of detecting whether the phone is being held to the users ear.

In terms of storage, its expected the conventional 16, 32 and 64GB options to appear as standard. However, given the recent 128GB upgraded iPad range there’s nothing to suggest Apple couldn’t provide a 128GB iPhone 6 model.

There are also rumblings that Apple will launch a budget iPhone. This could possibly called the iPhone Mini or iPhone Math that will revert back to the plastic chassis found on the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS.

As to release dates, one of many analysts jumping in with thoughts on the iPhone 6 release date has said it won’t be ready until 2014.

CI Games to reveal logo and showcase game at E3

London, UK – May 17th 2013 - CI Games, a fast growing developer and international publisher of interactive entertainment, today revealed the first official Alien Rage teaser.

The Polish studio will showcase its intense arcade FPS during E3 in Los Angeles in June this year. Alien Rage will be available via digital distribution later this year for PC, PS3 and X360.

Alien Rage (previously known as Alien Fear) is a hardcore sci-fi shooter. It has the DNA of the best classical FPS games together with stunning graphics that will provide long hours of satisfactory gameplay. It also includes a rich arsenal of weapons, various firing modes, 21 types of enemies including 8 bad-ass bosses – Alien Rage is true arcade FPS in a big way!

More information at www.facebook.com/alienragegame and www.cigames.com.

About CI Games: CI Games is an international publisher, developer and distributor of interactive entertainment products with sales in more than 40 countries worldwide. It was established in 2002 and is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange since November 2007.City Interactive has development and publishing offices throughout the world including Poland, United States, Germany, UK & Canada. The consistency of our business model allowed for continued development of the company. Apart from the company’s headquarters in Warsaw, CI Games has opened studios in Rzeszow, Bydgoszcz and Poznan. Its global presence distinguishes CI Games as one of the most dynamically developing company in the industry. Currently, has over 220 team members. In June 2010, the biggest production in the history of CI Games, Sniper: Ghost Warrior”, hit the shelves. The game proved to be a staggering success sales-wise, selling more than 3.000.000 copies worldwide. For more information, visit: http://www.city-interactive.com/

A survey has found that a worrying 94 per cent of young UK adults would give up sex for a week, before being separated from their mobile phone.

The poll questioned 2,571 UK adults aged between 18 and 30; all the participants were mobile phone owners and in a relationship.

It was conducted on behalf of mobileinsurance.co.uk.

When asked to describe how they value their phones compared to other parts of daily life, 65 per cent said that they “couldn’t live without it.” Another 22 per cent said they were “very dependent” on their smartphone.

That still pales in comparison to the fact that just over one in 20 people questioned would rather give up their mobile for a week than give up sex.

A further ten per cent claimed that they could “take or leave” their mobile.

Only one per cent said that the could live without it.

PRESS RELEASE

Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition to be drop kicked to GAME Kingston for first UK hands-on

 Tries before you buy

Listen up rugby fans and listen up gamers! Next week GAME Kingston will be giving you the opportunity to get your hands on the upcoming Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition weeks ahead of its worldwide release.

From 2 – 5pm on Wednesday the 22nd of May, the highly anticipated new rugby title developed by the highly regarded Sidhe (due for worldwide release on 13th June) will be available for all comers to play ahead of release.

Gamers heading to Kingston’s GAME store can expect refined and expanded gameplay, as well as a range of new features including quick taps, quick lineouts, mauls from lineouts, interceptions, contesting ball at the breakdown, removing players from the ruck and number 8 scrum pickups.

“We’re thrilled to host the first ever hands-on of Rugby Challenge 2,” said [Rob McManus, GAME Kingston Store Manager. “It’s a fantastic title that’s aptly timed for the British & Irish Lions tour about to take place in Australia, and we’re proud to bring it to GAME customers before anyone else.”

Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition boasts a variety of modes to play in, single player and multiplayer, as well as over 110 teams and 50 stadia, with official team, competition and special licenses. It will be released for PlayStation®3 and Microsoft Xbox 360® on 13th June.

GAME Kingston can be found in the Bentalls Centre, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 1TP – follow @GAMEKingston for updates.

For more information on Rugby Challenge 2: The Lions Tour Edition, visitwww.rugbychallengegame.com  and http://www.game.co.uk/en/rugby-challenge-2-217844

We all know doctors usually recommend eating more fruits and vegetables to lead a healthier lifestyle — but what about eating bugs? A United Nations agency is pushing for a new kind of diet to help end world hunger.

 “The Food and Agriculture Organization says that people should eat insects to fight hunger pangs. It says grasshoppers, ants, other members of the insect world underutilized food for people, livestock and pets.” (Via KNSD)

The report was released Monday at the U.N. agency’s headquarters in Rome. The report also notes more than 2 billion people in the world already supplement their diets with insects.

 The agency said, “Insects are everywhere and they reproduce quickly,” adding they leave a “low environmental footprint.” (Via The Food and Agriculture Organization)

 The study also calls the crunchy critters nutritious — saying they are high in protein, fat and mineral content. On Monday morning Fox News anchors talked about the idea for a new meal plan.

 ANCHOR 1: “It doesn’t stop with bugs. Scientists are now looking for nutritional value in spiders.”

 ANCHOR 2:  “They have eight legs. Chickens only have two.”

 ANCHOR 1: “After I have three, I’m full.”

 They may be joking, but the BBC says, some cultures might not be too keen on the idea of insect delicacies.

 “Insects are regularly eaten by many of the world’s population, but the thought may seem shocking to many Westerners. The report suggests that the food industry could help in ‘raising the status of insects’ by including them in new recipes and adding them to restaurant menus.”

 In addition, those suggestions could soon come to fruition in the U.S. — that is, if anyone is interested in sampling cicadas. They are expected to invade the east coast this summer. An entomologist from Drexel University told WCAU that’s not a bad idea — she calls cicadas the “shrimp of the land.”

 “They are arthropods, which means they have an exoskeleton … We regularly eat the arthropods of the sea and those are the shrimp, lobsters and crabs. And so cicadas are arthropods too.”

 The entomologist suggests grabbing the cicadas when they’re fresh from the ground early in the morning — that’s when they’re softest. But a forewarning, you’ll want to pull off the wings before chewing on the crunchy treats because, like corn kernels, they can get stuck in your teeth.

Furthermore, if you’re looking to get fancy with some cicada dishes this summer, there are already a few websites with recipes; This includes a cicada-portobello quiche. Perhaps cicadas will help the Western hemisphere get acclimated to the insect suggestions from the FOA this summer. (Via Clermont College)

However, the cicadas will only stick around for a couple of months. When it comes to edible critters throughout the rest of the year some African countries are actually populated with the largest amount of bugs that are safe to eat. This is a continent where some 30 million people suffer from hunger.

The country’s four biggest cell phone companies are launching their first joint advertising campaign this summer.

The rivals are uniting to blitz TV and radio with an anti-texting campaign.  Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile are jumping on the bandwagon with AT&T’s “It Can Wait” advertisements.   The ads often feature a family who lost a loved one to texting while driving or a celebrity who has taken the “It Can Wait” pledge.

One of the current AT&T ads includes a young man who crashed into a bicyclist, who says, “I sent one stupid meaningless text and killed a man.”  Another ad features a young woman who lost her sister to texting while driving.  In the ad she tearfully shares, “Four little letters. That’s what killed her.”    

The multi-million dollar ad campaign targets teen drivers in particular.  The CDC reports at least nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured every day in the United States in crashes related to distracted driving.  The new joint campaign is not only unusual because it brings together competitors, but also because those companies are warning against the dangers of their own products.

In addition to TV and radio ads, you will also see the campaign on Goodyear blimps, in store displays, at community events and all over social media this summer. The “It Can Wait” partnership is expected to last through September but may be extended if the four companies agree to continue it.

For more information on “It Can Wait” or to see some of the ads, please go to the following link: http://itcanwait.com/.

]]> http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/17/anti-texting-ad-campaign/feed/ 0 http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/16/batman-arkham-origins-teaser-trailer-revealed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=batman-arkham-origins-teaser-trailer-revealed http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/2013/05/16/batman-arkham-origins-teaser-trailer-revealed/#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 14:49:17 +0000 Instant Press http://blog.icuonlineweb.tv/?p=17678 Continue reading →]]>
PRESS RELEASE

[Media Alert] Batman: Arkham Origins Teaser Trailer Revealed!

Google’s keynote conference at Google I/O was extremely long. Though the company usual hosts several keynotes, this year, the web giant seemed keen to cram everything into one address. As such, there was no shortage of announcements from Google this afternoon. Among them was the introduction of Google Play for Education.

Play for Education is a new program for educators that will allow them to manage tablets as well as discover, purchase and distribute content to students. Google hopes it will serve as a destination for educational content within Google Play and the program offers bulk purchases and instant distribution that will allow teachers to instantly deliver and manage the apps being used in their classrooms.

Apps aside, Google is hoping Play for Education will also help teachers more easily distribute electronics in their classrooms. The company boasts that they can now set up and deploy large numbers of devices in just minutes or hours as opposed to days.Developers are invited to create apps for grades K-12 right away while schools eager to know more about the program can sign up here.

Return to Castlerama, which displays stunningly on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, captures an atmosphere of intrigue and mystery – there’s an underlying feeling of menace behind these beautiful scenes.

The player takes the role of a  young man called David, who must overcome zombies, a dragon and other monsters, as well as solving puzzles, riddles, and card games, in his quest to save the village of Castlerama and the surrounding Gorendal Valley, from the curse of the evil Artaserses.

“Return to Castlerama is a multi-sensory experience,” says Michele Böhm. “As an adventure, it has a rich narrative strand, while the action sequences are adrenalin-packed – the player will identify with David and his mission, and be immersed in the rich beauty of the game’s environment.”

The game is the brainchild of fine artist Michele Böhm, who set up the studio Codenrama in Milan, Italy, together with graphic designer Francesco Palenga, in order to create the game, developed using Unreal Engine technology.

Böhm has exhibited throughout Italy and Europe over the last 33 years, and taught in Milan and at the University of Rome. Throughout this professional life he has always been passionate about the potential of bringing computer technology and art together.

Developed using Unreal Engine technology, Return to Castlerama is designed for all iOS devices: iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch (5th generation). As well as the beautifully crafted graphics, it features a mesmerising soundtrack composed by Fernando Fera and Leandro Piccioni.

Return to Castlerama will be available from June 20 in the App Store. You can find out more about the game on the official website, on the Return To Castlerama Facebook page and by following @castleramagame on Twitter.