12 Desperate Battery-Saving Measures for Your iPhone

You’re out in da club, or a Starbucks parking lot, or wherever it is that cool people like you spend their evenings these days, and your smartphone is low on battery. No one in your direct vicinity has a phone charger.

You need just a little bit more juice out of your smartphone — enough to find your way home or to coordinate your next stop. What do you do?

Here are a few last-ditch tricks to avoid total shutdown. May the lithium-ion gods be with you.

1. Kill Paralax.It’s a beautiful visual feature of iOS 7, but it’s also a huge battery drain. Plus, maybe it make you want to vomit

Turn it off by going to Settings → General → Accessibility → Reduce Motion. Turn Reduce Motion on. 

2. Kill background app updates.

20 Great Video Games

Super Smash Bros. (Wii U, 3DS)

Genre: Action, fighting

Mascots duke it out on Nintendo’s two systems, and both versions of the game are terrific. The Wii U version gets the edge, though, thanks to better controls, support for up to eight players on the same couch, and compatibility with Nintendo’s new Amiibo toy line. Either way, this chaotic brawler is spectacularly fun for the whole family. 

 

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Wildlife Wearables: How Biologists Are Using Tech to Track Animals

Basic And Detailed Information About Android Rooting (things You Never Knew)

WHAT IS ANDROID ROOTING?
The Android phone that you are using is running an operating system that was designed for commercial and private use. Like most any operating system, several features have been disabled, either for future use or to prevent the casual user from causing permanent damage to the operating system. Smartphone have different operating systems and different name for each process used to gain access to the phone's full functions. For example, Nokia Symbian is called hacking, Apple iOS is called jailbreaking, and for Android which is our main focus is called ROOTING. we are going to be talking about Android rooting; what is rooting?, advantage and disadvantage of rooting,etc.

Cyber Monday Roundup: Where to Find the Best Deals in Tech

If lining up outside stores in the cold isn’t your idea of a nice Thanksgiving night, Cyber Monday may be your savior. It’s the less-turbulent (and safer) online alternative to IRL Black Friday, and the day (now even week) of online shopping can offer prices that are just as good as the brick and mortar shops.

This season’s Cyber Monday falls on Dec. 1, but that hasn’t stopped some sites and stores from throwing up sales already. Check out our rundown of the best websites to scope out this year, and make it a point to stop by our Yahoo Tech Gift Guides page regularly this holiday season for more shopping tips.

6 Ways to Look Better While Video Chatting

Video chatting is so commonplace these days that even dogs know how to do it. But with the rise of live conferencing and Skype interviews, there is also a need to look halfway decent on a webcam, which is no easy feat.

To help guide you, Yahoo Tech has consulted YouTube makeup artist Michelle Phan, who rose to Internet superstardom by filming beauty tutorials on her laptop. Hundreds of clips, her own makeup brand, and over 6.3 million subscribers later, she’s the poster girl for looking good on the Internet.

Whether you’re preparing for a cross-country interview, Skyping with your long-distance boo, or FaceTiming your grams, these tips will keep you looking your best onscreen. Get ready for your closeup:

1. Lighting matters. Wherever you are — the corner of a coffee shop, a library, your apartment — it’s important to find the best source of light possible. The last thing you want to do, however, is sit directly under a giant fluorescent lamp.

New Nintendo 3DS XL: meet the new boss, better than the old boss (pictures)

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Watch the new assasin creed-UNITY

New 'Super Smash Bros.' is the fastest selling Wii U game ever

The newest incarnation of Super Smash Bros. is the fastest selling game on Nintendo's Wii U console, the company reported Tuesday, with almost half a million copies sold in the first three days of release in the United States.
Nintendo said 490,000 physical and digital copies of its mash-up character fighting game were sold between Nov. 21 and Nov. 23.

What Is Black Friday?....

There was a time when adding the word 'Black' to any day of the week labeled such as a day of tragedy or sadness. All that has changed now, not only changed but commecialised. Many Nigerians have recently come to learn of 'Black Friday', not from funeral homes but from numerous retailers seeking to promote mouth-watering deals and bargains.

Here's Wikipedia's definition of Black Friday:

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (the fourth Thursday of November), often regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. In recent years, most major retailers have opened very early and offered promotional sales to kick off the holiday shopping season, similar to Boxing Day sales in many Commonwealth nations. Black Friday is not a holiday, but California and some other states observe "The Day After Thanksgiving" as a holiday for state government employees, sometimes in lieu of another federal holiday such as Columbus Day.

Sony Admits It Misled Customers About Remote Console Gaming on Vita, Will Issue Refunds

Sony Computer Entertainment America has agreed to settle allegations that it misled consumers about features of its PlayStation Vita handheld gaming console, the Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday.

As part of the settlement, Sony will stop making the inaccurate claims and will give people who had purchased the device either a $25 refund or $50 voucher to buy other games, the FTC said.

Sony and its advertising company, Deutsch LA, had claimed inaccurately that the console would enable consumers to play remotely and would allow them to begin a game on the PlayStation 3, and then move to the smaller Vita without losing continuity, the FTC said.

The Best Black Friday Deals for Tech Products at Target and Walmart

As retail giants continue to pull Black Friday shopping earlier and earlier into Thanksgiving Thursday, Turkey Day is slowly becoming Run-Around-Department-Stores-Like-a-Turkey Day.

But, hey, if you’re a gadget lover, or have pulled one this year in Secret Santa, we won’t blame you for skipping seconds on stuffing to go grab a great deal on a new TV, tablet, computer, or gaming system. In fact, we encourage it.

James Cameron: 'Avatar' sequels are going to be bitchin'

Director James Cameron boasts about new "Avatar" movies.

James Cameron has one word to describe the next three Avatar sequels: "bitchin'."
The director told Empire magazine in an interview that he's hard at work on scripts for three sequels to Avatar, the most successful movie in history (unadjusted for inflation).
Cameron, whose credits also include Aliens and Titanic, declined in the interview to share plot details following the end of first movie, in which (spoiler alert if you're one of the several hundred people who haven't seen it yet) the native Na'vi expel the corporate evildoers back to Earth.
“I can tell you one thing about them,” Cameron told the magazine. “They’re gonna be bitchin’. You will shit yourself with your mouth wide open.”
Cameron split the writing between Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (writers on Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Josh Friedman (The Black Dahlia) and Shane Salerno (Savages).

FTC orders Sony to refund PS Vita early adopters after misleading ads

Sony will be forced to offer partial refunds to customers who purchased the PlayStation Vita in the first half of 2012, after the Federal Trade Commission ruled its advertising practices at the handheld's launch were deceptive.
Early Vita ads claimed the handheld was able to remotely stream PlayStation 3 games, resume games started on the home console and allow users to play online with other owners. The FTC said Sony called this "game-changing" technology, but that it was actually severely limited to a few participating games.
The FTC ruling, which was announced Tuesday, requires Sony to give $25 in cash or a $50 game voucher to anyone who purchased a PlayStation Vita in the United States before June 1, 2012. The Vita went on sale in February of that year.
The FTC said Sony ads portrayed the Vita as a way to access any PlayStation 3 title on the go via its "remote play" feature. In fact, only a few games supported this feature at launch; the game Sony used in its ads to tout this feature — shooter Killzone 3 — never supported it.

New smartphone app promises easy eye testing worldwide

Peek Retina allows healthcare professionals to conduct eye examinations using a smartphone.

Peek comprises a smartphone app and low-cost adaptor that enables professional eye examinations anywhere in the world. Developed by a team of eye care specialists, software developers and product designers, it aims to increase access to high-quality eye care worldwide.
The tools have been developed through a collaboration between the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University of Strathclyde and the NHS Glasgow Centre for Ophthalmic Research.
Their latest adaptor, Peek Retina, can be clipped over the camera of a smartphone to allow health workers to see inside an eye and capture high-quality images to be sent to experts for diagnosis. It removes the need for traditional ophthalmoscopes and bulky cameras, enabling examinations in any part of the world. Other conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure can be detected.
"Around 39 million people are blind," Peek's creator Dr Andrew Bastawrous told Mashable. "80% of this blindness is avoidable, but in many regions people don't have access to eye care," he said.

Designing the ultimate dream car of tomorrow (pictures)

Flying cars, at last

Crave's Amanda Kooser is  building a car of the future -- in her imagination. It's powered by hydrogen fuel cells, runs on airless tires and can easily switch into self-driving mode.
The car-of-the-future discussion, of course, is never complete without a flying car, an idea that ranks right up there with hoverboards and jetpacks on futuristic want lists.

Samsung's 'eye mouse' enables users to control their computer with a glance

Now in its second generation, Samsung's EyeCan+ will help people with disabilities create documents and browse the Web using only eye movements.

Graduate student Hyung-Jin Shin, a quadriplegic, has worked with Samsung to develop its second-generation "eye mouse." Samsung

Samsung has unveiled a new version of its so-called EyeCan+ eye mouse, a device that enables people with disabilities to use computers through eye movements.
Eye-controlled computers have been around for a while. Especially targeted to those with disabilities who can't use a keyboard or mouse, they often are dedicated devices or technologies that require users to wear glasses or other special equipment. In a blog post Tuesday, the company called the Eyecan+ the first of its kind because it doesn't require people to wear any such equipment. The EyeCan+ is a simple portable box positioned below your monitor.

11 ways to make Android look even better than iOS 7

Your Android smartphone is a caterpillar trapped in a cocoon. Here's how to turn it into a beautiful butterfly

iOS 7's release saw Apple level the playing field against Android's cleaner and comparatively more modern experience.
Sir Jony Ive stripped away the virtual leather stitches and other skeuomorphic elements to create a flat, colourful and modern interface – one that's a million miles away from the stale iOS icons of old.
While Android itself isn't necessarily ugly by nature, the fragmentation of various launchers like HTC Sense and the cartoony assault-on-the-eyeballs that is Samsung's TouchWiz, mean that many Android phones feel downright frumpy next to iOS 7 devices like the iphone 5s and iphone 5c.
But where there is Android, there is hope. There's a reason tinkerers choose to fly the green flag of the Android camp. You can customise and dress up Android any which way you see fit, and you can do it straight out of the box with simple tools. And there's no jailbreaking or 1337 h4ck1ng required.
All you need is some taste (we're sure yours is impeccable), a little patience, and a sprinkling of apps...

What is a launcher?

Press the Home button on your Android phone. Boom. Say hello to your home screen.

Mycestro hands on: An innovative wireless mouse, with compromises

Mycestro Hands-On

When the finger-mounted "3D mouse" called mycestro blew through it's kickstarter funding goal last year, it seemed like the device might be a hit. The makers of the device were only looking for $100,000, but ended up raising over $350,000 by the time the campaign was over.

The fastest phones around (roundup)

 

These are some of the fastest phones around

Two things can make smartphones fast: the speed of their data transfer, and the pure performance power of their processor. The former varies from carrier to carrier, market to market, and even quite possibly from building to building; but internal clock speed is a measure we can compare across phones.
Chipmakers constantly push the boundaries, which translates into liquid gameplay and buttery-smooth video playback, among other finessed touches of a faster phone. These top contenders (in no particular order) will leave rivals in the dust.

Grand Theft Auto V on Xbox One and PS4: Is it worth a second trip to Los Santos,if you have been there?

This week Grand Theft Auto V makes its debut on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. At first glance it's just a prettier looking version of last year's triumph, but there's a lot that's new buried beneath its polished exterior.
The most apparent addition is of course, first-person mode. GTA V can now be played almost entirely in that view, which essentially turns it into a different game -- at least aesthetically. I've made sure to experience my new-generation playthrough in this mode and with about 10 hours under my belt I'm pleased to say it's awesome.

iPhone 7 May Sport Dual Lenses for DSLR Quality

iPhone 7 May Sport Dual Lenses for DSLR Quality

Apple's iPhone has long been a worthy replacement for point-and-shoot cameras, and the handset could be gunning for your DSLR next. According to a new rumor, the follow-up to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus could sport dual camera lenses to allow for photos that could rival those of a premium DSLR camera.
As reported by Apple Insider, this rumor sprang out of the latest episode of The Talk Show podcast, during which host John Gruber claimed that "a birdie of a birdie" tipped him off about the future iPhone's purported dual-lens construction. Gruber didn't have much to offer in terms of technical specifications, but noted that his source claimed that "next year's camera might be the biggest camera jump ever."

Kickstarter to drill the moon's south pole is raising crazy cash

Lunar Mission One wants to bury a time capsule deep below the surface of the bottom of the moon, and it's asking the public to foot the bill. So far, humanity seems willing to chip in.

Good to see the space race is on again.

Lunar Mission One hopes to Kickstart its way to the moon. Lunar Mission One

Following the Rosetta mission's successful landing of the European probe Philae on a comet last week, a UK-based team is wasting no time attempting to capitalize on the renewed focus on space exploration. Lunar Missions, Ltd. conducted its own launch... of a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to raise funds for its plan to land a robotic probe on the lunar south pole and bury a time capsule there.

Every Black Friday tech deal we've found

Black Friday is always a massive shopping day in the US, but this year retailers are lining up earlier than ever to get their sales on shoppers' radar. And some of these sales are already happening. We're tracking the most enticing tech deals of the season right here, so check back regularly to see what new goodies we've found.
All iPad Air 2 models will be $100 off.
Beats Solo headphone will sell for $80, a savings of $90 off the usual price.
The GoPro Hero 3+ Silver action camera will be available at $249.99, a $50 savings.
Nest's smart thermostat will be $199.99, also a $50 savings.
The Panasonic 50-inch LED 1080p HDTV will cost $200.
The Samsung 55-inch LED Ultra HD Smart TV will be on sale for $900.
Some Xbox One and PS4 games will be half off.

Uber's 'God View' under scrutiny as spotlight intensifies on its practices

Uber passengers request rides with a smartphone app. Uber

Car-ride provider Uber is investigating a top executive over allegations that he had a BuzzFeed reporter tracked without her knowledge, a new report claims.
Josh Mohrer, Uber's New York general manager, is accused of tracking reporter Johana Bhuiyan by using a feature known as "God View" that is available to Uber employees and allows them to see logs of Uber customer activity, BuzzFeed reported Tuesday.
Bhuiyan had recently said that Mohrer personally showed her on two occasions over the last two months data that proved he was able to track her rides through Uber, which uses a smartphone app to connect riders with drivers. Bhuiyan had not asked to have her data tracked.

Woman Gets Microchip Implant in Hand to Replace Office Keycard

 

On her Intagram page, Emilott Lantz proudly reveals that she is the future’s handmaiden.

Like any survival-centered human, I let technology pull me along to nirvana.

Why, I now have an iPhone 6. Though I confess that when I took one look at Google Glass, I was reluctant to take two looks at Google Glass.

I’m not sure, though, that I would ever allow electronics to be — how may I put this? — inserted inside me. Permanently, that is.

Yet this is what one Swedish woman has done to make her obviously difficult life less onerous. As Sweden’s the Local reports, 25-year-old Emilott Lantz from Umeå has a vast existential problem. She really doesn’t like carrying keys around.

With phones in its past, Nokia cranks out a $250 Android tablet

Having sold off its handset business to Microsoft, Nokia gets into the tablet game with the new N1.

Nokia has turned to Android and Intel for its N1 tablet. Nokia

Nokia, reborn after the sale of its phone business to Microsoft, on Tuesday unveiled an Android tablet: the N1.
Set to cost around $250, the 7.9-inch N1 tablet will be on sale in China before Chinese New Year -- 19 February 2015. Prices and release dates for other countries were not announced, but that US dollar price converts to around £160 or AU$290.

Nokia's N1 Android tablet looks a lot like an iPad... See full gallery

Finland's former phone maker teased us on social media over the past few days with a new direction under the hashtag #Thinkingahead. Nokia's head of products business, Sebastian Nyström, revealed the new direction at Slush 2014, an event for startups and technology companies held on Nokia's home turf in Helsinki this week.

Make an iPad piano keyboard from clothespins and cardboard

Fiddlewax creator Adam Kumpf makes a $5 keyboard that plays his music app by letting him tickle the, um, clothespins. You can do the same.

It might be low-tech, but provides an elegant solution for a "touchy" problem. Adam Kumpf

There's a difference between people who went to MIT and me.
When I come across a tech inconvenience -- like the lack of actual keys on an iPad for typing -- I just grumble to my friends. When MIT folks encounter the same, well...they fix it!

'Miracle' tech turns water into fuel

German cleantech company Sunfire GmbH has unveiled a machine that converts water and carbon dioxide into synthetic petroleum-based fuels.

If we're going to make a move away from fossil fuels, it's not going to happen overnight; too much of our existing infrastructure and technology is based on coal and petroleum, which would take a lot of time and money to replace.

WATCH: Tony Hawk Rides a Real Hoverboard, Lives to Skate Another Day

The king of the skateboard has probably done a million Ollies in his storied career, but this may be the first time he’s gained air and stayed there.

Yesterday, Tony Hawk finally got his feet on a Hendo Hoverboard, the world’s first flying skateboard, taking it for a spin (literally) at the headquarters of its inventors, Arx Pax.

Read: The Hoverboard is Real. We’ve Got Video to Prove It.

The Hendo works by generating a magnetic field over a conductive surface like copper or aluminum, which then generates an opposing field, causing the board to hover about an inch above the ground.

Apple’s iOS 8 vs. Android Lollipop: Which Mobile OS is King?

The tech world has seen untold numbers of rivalries throughout the years. Windows vs. Mac, VHS vs. Betamax, Steve Ballmer vs. antiperspirant — these are the conflicts that have shaped our digital world. But in the new age of mobile tech, one rivalry stands out among all others: Google’s Android vs. Apple’s iOS.
And with Google just releasing its Android 5.0 Lollipop and Apple having debuted its iOS 8 just two short months ago, this battle is as fierce as ever.

Android 5.0 Lollipop: The 5 Best Features of Google’s New OS

Google’s Android is the most widely used mobile operating system in the world. But the world is changing, and operating systems have to keep up. With the new version of Android, 5.0 Lollipop, Google is making one of its most significant Android updates yet.
The biggest update to the operating system since its launch in 2008, Lollipop brings a variety of improvements to the mobile OS. We’re talking changes to everything from how the operating system looks to how it functions.

Why the Cops Hate the New Apple and Google Phones

The police are upset about Apple and Google’s latest smartphone advances.

The problem is the encryption in both the iOS 8 and Android Lollipop operating systems. It is turned on by default, and there is no master key that Apple or Google can give to investigators, even if they have a warrant.

“Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data,” Apple brags on its site. “So it’s not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants.”

Google is not as direct in its security sales pitch for Android 5.0 Lollipop, shipping on the Nexus 6 and (slowly) coming to other devices: “Full device encryption occurs at first boot, using a unique key that never leaves the device.”

Apple's new WatchKit SDK hints at the future of Apple Watch's apps

Apple released a bevy of developer resources for the upcoming Apple Watch Tuesday.
The company released a WatchKit, documentation and guidelines for developers alongside the new iOS 8.2 SDK. The WatchKit page includes a Getting Started with WatchKit video outlining the new tools and how developers can build apps.

See also: Apple Watch Hands-On: Plenty of Promise, Plenty of Unknowns

The resources also let registered developers download a new font (called "San Francisco" for Apple Watch development), along with PSD templates for designers to develop mockups of their applications.
You need to be a registered developer to download the tools, but anyone can read the Apple Watch Human Interface Guidelines, which outline the basics for designing for the Apple Watch.

Artist plans to wear Oculus Rift virtual reality headset for 28 days straight

A U.K-based artist plans to spend a month in a room wearing virtual reality headset Oculus Rift.
In those 28 days, Mark Farid will have a few handlers and remain in a confined setting that includes only a bed and bathroom area. His living space will be on display in London to an audience, like an art gallery. He will never remove the headset for the duration of the exhibition.

"I'll wear it constantly," Farid told Mashable. "I'll shower with it on. I'll go to the toilet. Eat."

This Is Nokia’s Comeback Device (Look Familiar?)

Love the way Apple’s iPad mini looks, but can’t cut ties with Google’s Android operating system? Well, Nokia’s new N1 tablet just might be the one for you. Unveiled today, the Nokia N1 tablet runs Android while also looking so much like Apple’s iPad mini that you might not be able to tell a difference at first glance. The first device to come from Nokia since its phone division was purchased by Microsoft, the N1 is a 7.9-inch tablet with a display resolution of 2048 × 1536, like the iPad mini, and features an aluminum body, also like the mini. The N1’s speakers look similar to the mini’s. Heck, even the N1’s volume and power buttons are in the same place as the mini’s.

Radical Ford Rally Concept Could Preview a Return to Racing

In 2012, Ford officially withdrew itself from the World Rally Championship to explore bigger and better things. It was definitely a tough blow for whatever WRC fans still lingered. But in designer Ken Nagasaka’s eyes, there might still be hope for a Ford WRC team after all.

With his new concept car — aptly titled the WRC Concept — he gives the world an idea of what a Ford rally team of the future could entail. No, it isn’t just a redone Focus or Fiesta, the concept is a modern take on winning Ford rally cars of past.

Hagerty’s 2014 automotive threatened, endangered and extinct list

The Great Permian Extinction of 250 million years ago was the largest mass die-off in history. It saw fully 93 percent of the life forms on Earth at the time go extinct. We’re seeing its equivalent today with cars from the 1980s and 1990s — they’re in the extinction cross-hairs. According to R.L Polk & Company data, only about 25 percent of the 1994 model year cars sold here are still on U.S. roads. Go back to 1984 and it shrinks to around 1 percent. And while nobody really misses the aquatic cockroach-like Permian-Era critter the trilobite, the Reagan-era Golf GTI was actually a pretty cool car — just try finding one today. Here are some cars that were originally sold in reasonably large numbers (more than 10,000) but have virtually disappeared from American roads:

This cook stove can cleanly burn plastic and charge a phone

A woman uses the KleanCook stove to charge a cell phone during the pilot study in the Philippines, where entrepreneurs got the idea for the K2.

Image: Energant

It's no secret that the smoke spewing from open fires and from indoor coal-fired cook stoves is a silent killer in the developing world and a contributor to climate change. More than 4 million people die each year from health problems related to inhaling carbon monoxide or particulate matter released from stoves that burn wood, biomass or coal, according to the World Health Organization.
And despite a long-running government campaign to eradicate dirty fuels from households, the problem persists in China. But thanks to two young entrepreneurs, a new kind of cook stove — one that can cleanly combust small amounts of plastic trash and convert its excess cooking heat to electricity — could be on its way into kitchens across China in the future.

5 technologies that will disrupt climate change

Disruption is by now a commonplace occurrence in the technology world.  It means when a new technology or business practice comes around and changes things in a revolutionary, rather than evolutionary way.   For businesses, to be disrupted may mean that they can no longer compete in the same way with new contenders that are using this disruption.  We haven't had any major disruptions in the fight against climate change.

Brain-to-brain technology allows for partial 'mind control'

A Duke University Medical Center researcher examines an area of the brain

Humans could be much more efficient communicators if they could bypass language altogether and directly transmit thoughts, ideas and instructions from one brain to another. Scientists have demonstrated that instant brain-to-brain communication could become a reality with the help of computers.
In recent experiments, researchers from the University of Washington showed that they could send one person's thoughts through a computer to control the hand motion of a person sitting half a mile (0.8 kilometers) away.

This is how Google is killing the Web

On our Desktops & Smart-devices, everything is just one touch away. So why on the browser do we solely rely on Search?

For the past 7 years I have been on an ongoing search to present the best new sites, services & apps to my readers. Every week I find at least one site that blows my mind. I get excited about how this service could evolve into something big, it’s potential to grow into a billion dollar business, and how it can change the face of the Internet.
But you won’t find these great sites on the first page of Google results—you might not find them on the first 10. As a result, these services, some of them genuinely life-changing, get lost in the dark recesses of the Internet. Even when you find these gems, you probably won’t think to access them the next time you log on. Their biggest challenge is finding a large enough audience to create a habit around their product.

iPhone 5s VS iPhone 6

With each new version of any smartphone, there will be a lot of similarities — and a few differences as well. Some specs will stay the same, while only a few will change usually.
This is the case with most phones, and it’s also the case when comparing the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
There are a few cool new changes to these phones, but the majority of technology contained in these phones is virtually the same as the iPhone 5s.

The NSA is Monitoring These 5 Games

If you thought only your gaming buddies cared about your online activities, think again. The NSA and its British counterpart the GHCQ are both monitoring online video games, which they insist make for excellent tools of communication, training, and even money laundering, but gamers are not so sure. So far most of their effort in the gaming worlds are confined to popular games like these.

World of Warcraft: Leading MMORPG

After nine years, it’s still the biggest thing in the world of MMORPGs. For a mere $19.99USD (plus a $15/mo subscription after the first month), a person can download the game, log in and create a Dwarven Hunter, Night-Elf Druid, or any number of other characters. They battle monsters and complete story-driven quests as they journey around the world of Azeroth. Players can form groups to team up and tackle harder quests or major bosses, and gain new equipment as they level up.

New Gadgets – Which is the Right One For You?

If you’re looking for a new gadget but you’re not sure exactly what to buy, there are plenty of options. With an open mind or a lack of experience when it comes to gadgets, you might not be sure exactly what you’re looking for. In order to avoid getting the wrong thing or misunderstanding certain features, here are the main types of gadgets you can buy and the features of each.

1. Smartphone

Smartphones are becoming even more advanced, and the price range is very wide, which means that you’ll be able to afford one whether your budget is large or small. From cheaper models such as an Android 4.4 smartphone or the latest Samsung and Apple products, you can decide exactly how much money you can afford to spend. You should buy a smartphone for the following reasons.

Archaeologists Dig at Ancient Site Near Syrian War

GAZIANTEP, Turkey—Archaeology and war don’t usually mix, yet that’s been the case for years at Karkemish, an ancient city along the Turkey-Syria border where an excavation team announced its newest finds Saturday just meters (yards) from Islamic State-controlled territory.
Karkemish, dating back more than 5,000 years, is close to the Syrian city of Jarablous, which now flies the black banner of the Islamic extremist group.
U.S.-led coalition aircraft flew overhead as Nicolo Marchetti, a professor of archaeology and art history of the Ancient Near East at the University of Bologna. He is the project director at Karkemish, where the Turkish military let archaeologists resume work in 2011 for the first time since its troops occupied the site about 90 years ago.

Rosetta Watch: Follow History's First Comet Landing Live

 

The first robot-comet rodeo happens here this week. European Space Agency

It’s going to be history’s first cosmic rodeo. The European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft is set on Wednesday to deploy its Philae lander, which will attempt a difficult landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The whole maneuver will last much more than 8 seconds and you can follow it all live via the video at the bottom of the post, and chat with us about it on Twitter @crave and @EricCMack.

What’s Next for Google Glass?

 

Google co-founder Sergey Brin wears something you don’t see much of nowadays.

SAN FRANCISCO — After two years of popping up at high-profile events sporting Google Glass, the gadget that transforms eyeglasses into spy-movie worthy technology, Google co-founder Sergey Brin sauntered bare-faced into a Silicon Valley red-carpet event on Sunday.

He’d left his pair in the car, Brin told a reporter. The Googler, who heads up the top-secret lab that developed Glass, has hardly given up on the product — he recently wore his pair to the beach.

Review: Beautiful ‘Assassin’s Creed: Unity’ Is Poisoned by Glitches

Can you really get too much of a good thing? Assassin’s Creed is aiming to find out.

Game publisher Ubisoft releases a new entry in the stealth series annually, but this year it cranked out two: Assassin’s Creed: Unity for the PC, Xbox One, and PS4, and Assassin’s Creed: Rogue for the PS3 and Xbox 360. That makes eight main Assassin’s Creeds in seven years. The bodies are piling up.

And so are these games, though the critical and commercial success of last year’s pirate-themed Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag proved that a little creativity can keep even the most oversaturated series interesting.

This year, though, they might have gone too far.