Radio waves from outer space could be a sign of alien life, scientists suggest November 30, 2015 Radio wave signals from outer space have baffled scientists in Australia, leading them to suggest they might come from alien life in a distant galaxy. By studying a series of fast radio wave bursts (FRBs) using data from the Parkes radio telescope in New South Wales, Emily Petroff and her team at the Swinbourne University [...]
Swatch’s Bellamy watch with Visa lets you pay with just a swipe of your wrist (but it’s not a smartwatch) November 30, 2015 First there was Oyster, and not far behind were contactless cards. Then came Apple Pay in the pay technology revolution, liberating commuters from pesky cash and flimsy tickets. It may have put paying with something other than a ticket into the popular consciousness, but there are other (admittedly less high-profile) options for non-Apple fans seeking to streamline [...]
Microsoft Band 2 review: An improved but still flawed technology November 27, 2015 Even Microsoft (very quietly) admits that the previous iteration of its flagship fitness band was a clunky old thing, about as comfortable as wearing a Twix around your wrist. The Band 2 is Microsoft’s second attempt at designing an everyday wearable you might actually want to keep strapped to your arm, with this version featuring [...]
Black Mass review: Johnny Depp’s sinister portrayal of gangster James “Whitey” Bulger November 27, 2015 ★★★★☆ | Cert 15 Try as you might, you’ll never quite get used to the layers of greasy, ham-like prosthetics strewn across Johnny Depp’s face in crime thriller Black Mass. In particular, his brittle strands of slick receding hair look like nothing that has ever grown out of a human head, prompting unbidden thoughts about [...]
ZTE Axon Elite review: finally, a phone you can lick November 27, 2015 ★★★★☆ The Axon Elite is a phone you can lick up and down all day long, either in the privacy of your own home or while out on the street, safe in the knowledge that its antimicrobial glass screen is killing 99 per cent of bacteria and potentially saving your life. Not only is the [...]
Rise of the Tomb Raider review: Lara Croft is back on form November 27, 2015 ★★★★☆ | XBO Poor old Lara Croft, sliding around everywhere on her bum, falling down giant holes, being catapulted into active volcanoes and skewering herself on jagged bits of metal. Ever since her gritty reboot in 2013 Lara has become the official mascot for every manner of adventure-based calamity going, plagued as she is by [...]
Europe set for a huge rise in heat waves over the next 20 years November 27, 2015 Europe is going to experience a big rise in extreme heatwaves over the next two decades, according to scientists at London's Institute of Physics. Using a new mathematical formula called “Heat Wave Magnitude daily”, the researchers modelled the magnitudes of past heat waves and used the results to predict the duration and intensity of future [...]
Europe’s latest Mars mission is almost ready for take-off November 26, 2015 Europe is preparing to send its latest Mars mission into space, and the craft involved are just about ready for take-off. In March 2016, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russian space agency (Roscosmos) will launch their joint ExoMars mission from Baikonur in Kazakhstan, with the vehicles sent up aboard Russian Proton rockets. The first of [...]
Apple Black Friday 2015 deals: Best UK sales for cheap iPhones, Macs, iPads, the Apple Watch and more – at Tesco, Currys PCWorld, John Lewis and others November 26, 2015 Apple's not one to enter the Black Friday fray, but that doesn't mean you still can't bag a bargain on iPhones, iPads Macs and more. We've hunted high and low to sniff out the rare treat of saving money when buying something Apple. Here are the bargains we found. iPhone It may not be the newest [...]
Christmas shopping 2015: Why the two second rule is the golden rule for online shopping even after Black Friday and Cyber Monday November 26, 2015 Keeping websites up and running is not just for Black Friday – it's critical that online retailers keep their websites up and provide online shoppers with a quick and efficient experience throughout the festive season. On Black Friday last year, British consumers spent £810m on online purchases alone. That works out to a rate of £9,375 every second, [...]