Samsung Galaxy S4 catches fire while charging overnight

A Samsung Galaxy S4 has reportedly burst into flames whilst set to charge, an incident that rises potential safety concerns around the Android 4.2.2 handset.

Something of an isolated incident more than a widespread issue, a Samsung Galaxy S4 owner based in Abu Dhabi has claimed that her iPhone 5 and HTC One rivalling handset caught fire without warning whilst plugged in to charge overnight.

“I cannot explain to you my extreme frustration, disappointment and extreme fear when I found my brand new Samsung Galaxy S4 burning at the charger connection to the phone,” phone owner Sarah Shurrub said in a correspondence to Samsung following the incident.

Describing the incident which took place late last month, less than a month after the S4 in question had been purchased, Shurrub added: “The phone was found burning, while charging. It’s only thanks to God that I woke up in the middle of the night and controlled the burning before it could cause damage to my home and family.”

Not quite a case of negligence on the owner’s part, the dangerous S4 had reportedly only been charging for a matter of hours when it combusted. “I woke up in the middle of the night to [attend to] my toddler, and it was about 2am at night. I think it was charging for about 3 hours by then,” the phone’s owner said.

While it is unclear as to the cause of the S4 started fire, Shurrub has suggested that Samsung has looked to amend the issue with the promise of free phones.

“It was agreed that they would replace [my burnt Galaxy S4] with a new phone, the flip cover that got burnt and as compensation, they will give me another brand new Samsung S4, though they don’t have a compensation policy and this is purely as an exception,” she wrote.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is one of the most popular smartphones on the market right now, with more than 20 million units of the 1.9GHz quad-core brimmed device shipping globally during the phones first two months on sale.

It runs a 13-megapixel rear-mounted camera and pairs a raft of premium hardware features with a collection of innovative software additions, including the eye-tracking Smart Pause and Smart Scroll.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom review

Via: Emirates24/7

readmore »»  

Deus Ex: The Fall Game Review

Available on iPad 3, iPad Mini and above, iPhone 4S and above

Before we say anything else, credit where credit’s due. Square-Enix hasn’t done what so many other publishers have done. It hasn’t taken a much-loved franchise and used the title and the style to skin a shooting gallery, a 2D platformer, a pseudo 3D blaster or any other kind of cut-down game. Deus Ex: The Fall, for better or worse, is Deus Ex: a fully 3D FPS with RPG elements, stealth and a story set in the same world as 2011’s Human Revolution, using characters and scenarios from tie-in novel. The Deus Ex: Icarus Effect. It’s a very ambitious thing to try on mobile platforms, and it works better than you might expect, if not quite as well as you might hope.

Deus Ex: The Fall – Another Take on the Human Revolution

The Fall stars Britiah mercenary, Ben Saxon, who with US agent Anna Kelso is hiding out in Costa Rica following the events of Icarus Effect. The pair are in need of Neuropozene, the wonder-drug that stops augmenteds’ bodies rejecting augmentations, and while attempting to find a source in Panama City, Saxon uncovers yet another dark plot: this time centred on drug manufacturers and private military corporations. It’s all a little clichéd by Deux Ex standards, and Saxon has all the charm of a low-rent Jason Statham clone, with a delivery so pedestrian that he makes the real thing sound like Kevin Spacey. Yet, there’s enough here to keep you moving through the story, reading messages, meeting contacts and – inevitably – creeping through handy ventilation ducts.

Deus Ex: The Fall - Graphics

The first big surprise about The Fall is how much of the look and feel of Human Revolution has made it through intact. There’s less detail in the scenery and architecture and some of the supporting cast suffer from a primitive, angular look, but everything comes bathed in that signature amber wash, and this is recognisably the same world that you’ve seen in Deux Ex before. Played on an iPad 4, it really does look pretty good, and frame rates are impressively smooth.

Deus Ex: The Fall – Gameplay

The second big surprise is how far the gameplay goes to replicate Human Revolution. Areas are split into bite-sized chunks, with most tied into a central Panama City hub, but within those constraints the environments are far from linear, and the game always encourages a range of approaches, from the risky go in with all guns blazing, to sneaking, hacking and an improvised mixture of all of the above. There are side-quests to encourage you to explore the locations in more detail, plus secret areas where you might find extra ammunition or those every useful praxis packs. The Fall isn’t a dumbed-down Deus Ex by any means.

Look further and deeper, and you’ll find even more familiar Deus Ex mechanics. Conversations play a big part in the game, and provide a valid route to obtaining key objectives and altering the direction of your game. Experience points are turned into praxis points, which can be used to add and upgrade abilities in the field. If you want to optimise your protagonist for stealth, combat or hacking, there’s plenty of scope to do so. Weapons can also be discovered, purchased and customised, with silencers, ammunition upgrades and boosts for accuracy and damage, and there’s no shortage of choice or depth. If you want the full Deus Ex experience, The Fall goes as far as a mobile game can to make you feel satisfied.

readmore »»  

Xbox One can be business tool too claims Microsoft

Microsoft is pitching the upcoming Xbox One as a jack of all trades device, suggesting the eagerly awaited games console will also be a viable business tool for many.

Having already strayed somewhat from its core gaming routes, introducing a variety of TV enabled and on-demand multimedia and streaming services, Microsoft has now claimed the Xbox One will be an “enticing business expense” for small business owners.

Not just a way to procrastinate and pass quite hours with a controller in hand, Microsoft has suggested that the Xbox One’s ability to make use of services such as Skype, SkyDrive and all manner of Internet Explorer apps will see it become part of business owners’ future collection of must-have tools.

“What is being positioned as an excellent entertainment device can be just as enticing for you and your small business,” Marques Lyons, Microsoft Xbox MVP and the Director of Consumer Camp said in a recent blog post.

He added: “In fact, it's entirely justifiable to make the Xbox One a business expense. The Xbox One, priced at $499, is an affordable option for small business owners, as there are many features built into the console that could help it rival even the most modest of video conferencing and networking platforms.”

With the likes of Office 365 to be available through the Xbox One from the launch of the PS4 rival, Lyons has suggested that the platform’s app collection could well grow to incorporate all manner of business tools and services, not just entertainment and gaming based features.

He stated: “The app story of Xbox One has yet to be written, therefore it is entirely possible to find apps down the road that could be of benefit for you and your business.

“With the processing power, snap mode, and connection to a large screen, that the Xbox One has, this device is capable of going from the 'break room' to the 'board room'.”

The Xbox One was formally unveiled as a direct replacement to the ageing Xbox 360 in the lead up to this year’s E3 2013 expo. With an Xbox One release date set for this November and an Xbox One price at £429, Microsoft’s next-gen console will hit retailers within a matter of weeks of the PS4 but cost £80 more than its leading rival.

Read More: Xbox One pre-orders

readmore »»  

eBay Exact iPhone app offers customisable 3D-printed gear

A one stop eBay shop for your 3D printing needs

3D printing has been in the news a lot recently, but until the costs of the printers themselves come down, these potentially-revolutionary devices won't be performing wizardry in many UK homes.

Enter eBay, that place where they can get you pretty much anything you want at a moment's notice.

The e-commerce site has launched a new iPhone app it is calling eBay Exact, where you can buy customised 3D goods from those who've already set up shop.

The app brings access to retailers like Sculpteo, MakerBot and HotParty, where you can buy jewellery, figurines, iPhone cases and more, all tuned to your own specifications.

For example, if you've a penchant for dangly earrings, you can choose the colour and the shape (no, not the Foo Fighters album, unfortunately) of your chosen item.

If you wish to buy a ring, you'll choose your size, pattern, materials (wood, metal, plastic etc), height and thickness among other things. You can also get your item engraved.

Just submit your order and the retailer will fire up its 3D printer and take care of the rest.

At the moment, the choice is quite limited and everything on the store appears to be mightily expensive, but we'd assume the selections will widen and the price will come down as more retailers get involved.

Just don't go getting any silly ideas about 3D printed guns, OK?

Via The Verge

readmore »»  

Mates again? Apple and Google are talking, says Schmidt

Have Google and Apple kissed and made up?

Not only are Apple and Google are back on speaking terms, but they're in "constant" discussions about various issues, according to Google chairman Eric Schmidt.

The relationship between the two tech titans has become notoriously strained in recent years, as Android and iOS do battle for the hearts and minds of mobile users around the world.

The frosty relationship saw key Google apps like Maps and YouTube apps cut from the core iOS experience, while legal battles around the world have seen Apple aggressively go after Android manufacturing partners like Samsung its own Motorola company.

However, Schmidt, who was today caught wielding what could be the Moto X phone, says there are currently "lots and lots" of meetings taking place between the two companies.

Reuters quotes Big Eric as saying Apple and Google as in "constant business discussions on a long list of issues," but didn't reveal exactly what those issues might be.

Once close pals, the relationship between Apple and Google began to deteriorate when Google began its Android assault.

Steve Jobs claimed Google has "wholesale ripped off" iOS. A fuming Jobs called Schmidt to register his grievances and things were never quite the same between the pair.

Does this mean two of the biggest companies are likely to be spending Christmas and birthdays together? Probably not, but it may mean you'll be reading less about boring lawsuits in the future.

Via CNET

readmore »»  

Best games to buy in 2013

Well it’s a bit of a big year for gaming isn’t it? The Xbox One and the PS4 are set to land before Christmas as Microsoft and Sony go head-to-head in the battle of the next gen consoles.

The quality of games could be the difference between success and failure. If the likes of Destiny and Watch Dogs are anything to go by though, there’s a veritable feast of stunning-looking PS4 games and Xbox One games to keep you busy well into 2014.

Of course, it’s not all about next gen gaming. There’s still life in that Xbox 360 and PS3 yet. We shouldn’t forget about the PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U games also set to land before the end of the year.

As we hit around the halfway mark of the year, we’ve taken a look back at the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC games that have kept us glued to our consoles, desktops and gaming portables.

From long awaited sequels to a great Nintendo game that doesn’t feature Mario, here’s our pick of the top ten games of 2013 so far. If you haven’t played them, you still have plenty of time before the PS4 and Xbox One turn up…

readmore »»  

Angry Birds Star Wars prequel teased for July 15 launch

Rovio has released a teaser picture for an entirely new Angry Birds Star Wars game, potentially a prequel instalment.

Fans of the mobile and social gaming series can expect an entirely new Angry Birds Star Wars game, and by the looks of the newly release teaser picture it could be a Star Wars Episode 1 remake in the true Angry Birds’ style.

“Attention Angry Birds fans! Stay tuned on Monday, July 15, for big news about a brand new game!", reads a Rovio blog post. "We’re talking the biggest character line-up ever, awesome new powers, and maybe even a few surprises!”

Potentially merging all of the Star Wars prequel into one whopper Angry Birds game, Rovio’s teaser picture strongly resembles the Star Wars Episode 1 film poster. The image shows an Angry Bird Anakin Skywalker representation and his shadow morphing into a slightly porcine-looking Darth Vader silhouette.

“Big new game announcement coming on Monday! #July15” tweeted Rovio from the official Angry Birds twitter account.

Angry Birds fans could see bird version of characters like Padme Amidala and Jar Jar Binks, the latter a potentially very comedic addition to the series.

On the piggy side of the force, Darth Maul and General Grevious are both bound to make appearances.

Back in June, Rovio launched a teaser trailer for Angry Birds Go!, what looked to be a racing game version of the popular bird catapulting series.

However, we have yet to hear more about the racing title, which could potentially incorporate endless-runner elements such as Temple Run and its sequel Temple Run 2.



Next read our pick of the best mobile phones of 2013.

readmore »»