Harmony of the Seas: 17 amazing reasons to go on the world’s largest cruise ship
Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas isn’t just another cruise ship, it’s the largest cruise ship in the world.
It isn’t all about size though, despite being a whopping 361-metres long, 66.4-metres wide and 227,000 tonnes in weight, it also has to be about substance, because what use is a massive boat if there is nothing exciting to do on it?
Luckily that isn’t a problem for Harmony. She has the power to make cruising something everyone will want to do, from your 6-year old to your 94-year old. We aren’t just making that up either, nanny Lint was very upset we didn’t take her with us.
There is everything from a jazz bar to a slide that is taller than Buckingham Palace onboard the ship. Not to mention many of the smart features that were onboard Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, including the Bionic Bar – which never gets boring to watch – are also on the new ship.
Harmony of the Seas takes things to a whole new level when it comes to fun though. So if 16 guest decks, a 22 knots cruising speed and 4 bow thrusters aren’t enough to entice you, we found 17 other amazing reasons you might want to climb aboard.
Click here to head to the gallery for 17 awesome reasons to get yourself on board Harmony of the Seas.
Skylanders Battlecast: Hearthstone for half-pints
Skylanders Battlecast isn’t the first app-specific outing for Activision’s swathes of cartoon characters but it is one of the most intriguing.
That’s because as well as the free-to-play game that’s available on app stores now, it combines with physical, collectable cards in a similar way to the toys-to-life titles that inspire it.
The game itself is a battle card game. It is a free download and comes with a starter pack of cards so you can launch yourself in without having to invest any further. However, to acquire a better deck and, therefore, conquer the game more speedily, you can add booster packs of either physical or digital cards.
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The former is the better way for kids, we feel. For starters, they get collectable cards of their favourite characters and power-ups, including rare gold foil editions. Also, to get a card into your deck, you have to use the magic of augmented reality.
A physical card can be scanned using a phone or tablet camera and the character comes to life in 3D on the screen. That might have been seen a few times before, but it works really well on this occasion and kids will never tire of seeing their real-world objects transition into the digital.
Cleverly, each card is individual, so once scanned it is locked to that specific player’s account. That means you can’t swap them with friends, but at least you’ll feel like it’s specific to you.
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As we’ve said already, you can buy packs digitally, but you miss out on the most fun part of the process.
You can also purchase digital cards with in-game currency, so parents need not worry that Skylanders Battlecast will cost them the Earth. Especially as there are around 300 actual cards to collect.
Once a card has been scanned and/or added to a player’s in-game collection, decks can be created to battle with. Before each bout, three Skylanders are chosen, each with different abilities and strengths, and the cards are used as benefits and powers to aid in a fight.
Activision
Fights are rendered in 3D but much like most card games on iPad, Android and the like, Battlecast is turn-based. You choose what cards you want to play, which Skylander to use for that round and away you go.
There are a couple of game modes to play. A single-player campaign is available, where you can fight your way through eight different elemental islands and 60 missions in total. There is also a Hearthstone-style PVP mode to battle online friends.
First Impressions
Skylanders Battlecast works so well for the franchise that it’s a wonder that it’s never been done before.
The Skylanders and their different talents work so well for a statistic-based card game. It is also beautifully presented so bouts are interesting to watch.
It won’t be a replacement for Hearthstone for older players. This game is more simple because it is aimed squarely at a younger audience. But there’s still plenty of fun to be had for adults too, especially when battling their own kids.
The collectable card system works very well and the AR scanning is a nice touch. We’d like to see some rules to be able to use the cards as part of a tabletop game too, to give them extra purpose, but apart from that we think Activision once again has a hit on its hands.
The Skylanders Battlecast game is available now for iOS, Android and Amazon Fire tablets, as a free download from the respective app stores. Skylanders Battlecast Battle Packs of cards cost £9.99 each, a Booster Pack costs £4.99.
Molekule’s air filter aims to purify your home with light
A startup believes its purifying technique can outperform traditional HEPA filtration across the board. Molekule’s eponymous air purifier uses a process called photoelectrochemical oxidation (PECO) to remove not only pollutants and allergens (i.e. purifying), but also viruses and bacteria (i.e. disinfecting). Rather than catching harmful things in a mesh (the HEPA method), PECO destroys them by using light to excite a nano-coated filter and start a catalytic oxidation reaction. The reaction breaks compounds down on a molecular level, turning them into their (harmless) base elements. Because it doesn’t need to “catch” particles, the PECO system can apparently remove particles 1,000 times smaller than HEPA’s limit.
Although this is its first commercial application, PECO is not new to science. The company’s founders are co-inventors of the tech, and both their and independent research has shown that it can be effective at both purifying and disinfecting air. One University of Minnesota Particle Calibration Laboratory study (highlighted by Molekule) showed PECO outperforming HEPA filtration in the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and mold. A second study, performed by the University of South Florida Clean Energy Research Center confirmed the VOC finding under both lab and changing environmental conditions. Both institutes also showed PECO was specifically effective against acetone and toluene (two VOCs), E. coli, Staph and A. niger (black mold).
While the underlying technology seems sound, at least in the limited studies that have taken place, more independent studies are needed to gauge Molekule’s efficacy in real-world situations. It should also be noted that Molekule’s founder, Dr. Yogi Goswami, is a director at the University of South Florida Clean Energy Research Center, and PECO’s co-inventor. As such, he’s both an expert in the field and an obvious believer in the technology.
As for the device itself, it’s an attractive enough object: A silver metal cylinder with an air intake at the bottom and exhaust at the top. Beyond that, the only points of note are a brown leather handle and a circular touchscreen on top. It’ll link up with a companion app to allow for remote control and filter management.
Hopefully the scientific community will have more time to analyze Molekule’s claims before the device launches next year at $799. If you’re already convinced, though, you can pre-order from today at the reduced price of $499, which also gets you the guarantee of being among the first to receive a unit.
Like all air purifiers, there will be ongoing costs in the form of replacement filters. Rather than buying individual filters as and when you need them, you’ll pay $99 per year and be automatically mailed replacements once the unit detects it’s necessary. That’ll cover pre-filters (a basic mesh that picks up large pieces of dust etc.) that need replacing every three months or so, and the PECO nanofilter that lasts around a year.
Source: Molekule
Phones4u execs’ new venture offers loans for phones
After Phones4u lost its remaining carrier partners in quick succession a couple of years ago, the contract reseller had no choice but to go into administration. The folding of the company couldn’t have come at a worst time for a few unlucky customers, who had put down money to preorder the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus without hope of a refund. And while many staff were saved from the bother of job-hunting, plenty of the top brass were left twiddling their thumbs. We now know, however, that several former execs united to work on something new. That something is Unshackled, which promises the best mobile deals by separating handset cost from tariff cost.
The message is pretty simple: If you want a new phone, don’t lock yourself into a subsidised contract that sees you overpaying for the device over two years. Instead, Unshackled recommends you save money by buying it outright — its range features several top- and mid-tier phones, including Apple-certified “like new” iPhones. Plenty of online and bricks-and-mortar retailers offer unlocked handsets, of course, but Unshackled also allows you to pay through monthly instalments. This option is based on you qualifying for a personal loan, though, provided by third-party lender Zopa.
You still end up paying more than the phone is worth then (because interest), but the idea is you save compared to a regular subsidised contract. But Unshackled isn’t just in the business of flogging handsets, as it also offers a long list of SIM-only plans from the big providers right down to some of the more anonymous MVNOs. Somewhat crude calculations on the website suggest going down the route of paying for phone and plan separately could save you hundreds of pounds.
That may or may not be true, based on numerous factors such as loyalty rewards, time-sensitive upgrade incentives and the like. Unshackled is still trying to sell you something after all, but at least it’s being transparent with pricing — something that can’t be said about most other players. The industry is thankfully moving slowly in that direction, though. O2’s Refresh plans show you how much of your monthly payment goes towards the cost of your chosen device, while MVNO giffgaff breaks pricing down in a similar way.
Source: Unshackled
Ransomware hackers get their money, then ask for more
Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita is the latest to be targeted by ransomware hackers, local news channel KWCH 12 reports. Unlike other recent attacks, however, the Wichita attackers never made good on their end of the deal. Instead of restoring access to hospital systems after receiving their ransom, they simply demanded more money.
According to Hospital President Dr. Greg Durick, Kansas Heart initially paid “a small amount” in ransom, but the hackers refused to decrypt the hospital’s hijacked files. The hospital shut down negotiations after the second ransom demand, saying it no longer felt “this was a wise maneuver or strategy.” As Durick told KWCH, Kansas Heart had a backup plan that immediately went into action and, “I think it helped in minimizing the amount of damage the encrypted agent could do.” The hospital says patient information was never in jeopardy and operations were never impacted.
While the Wichita hackers may have been playing dirty, the makers of the “uncrackable” TeslaCrypt ransomware virus recently handed over the keys to allow anyone affected to retrieve their files. A ransomware attack on Congress was reportedly thwarted earlier this month as well, but a hospital in Los Angeles had to fork over 40 bitcoin (about $17,000) after falling victim to a similar attack in February.
Google’s Paris HQ raided by French tax authorities
French authorities have raided Google’s Paris headquarters as part of an ongoing investigation into the company’s tax affairs in the country. In February, reports claimed the government believed Google owed 1.6-billion Euros ($1.2-billion) in back taxes. According to The Guardian, investigators were on the scene at Google’s Paris headquarter at around 5am this morning, with the raid involving up to 100 investigators, reports in Le Parisien.
This isn’t the first time a tech giant has come under fire for its tax dealings in Europe. Apple was fined $347-million in Italy, and Google’s UK operations were squeezed for $185-million in a deal with the British government. Many large US firms base their European operations in Ireland (including Google), which offers more favourable tax conditions, but that’s a situation which might not last much longer. In a statement given to Reuters, the French prosecutors believe the Irish-based European headquarters isn’t full-filling its fiscal obligations in the country. We’ve reached out to Google for comment.
Hyperloop pods will be coated in Vibranium. No, really
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has announced a new technology that’s going to raise the hackles of Marvel’s lawyers. The company, in collaboration with Slovakian materials firm c2i, has created a carbon fiber composite that’ll cover the inside and outside of its capsules. The only issue is that some bright spark decided to call this wonder material Vibranium. As in the Wakandan rare earth metal that helps Captain America and Black Panther beat down their foes.
Unlike its fictional namesake, this Vibranium is embedded with a series of sensors that monitor stability, temperature and integrity. These sensors are intended to provide continuous feedback to HQ, so that if a pod gets damaged in transit, it’ll be pulled from service as soon as it hits the dock. The company claims that the material is 10 times stronger than steel and weigh five times less than aluminum. The plan is that HTT’s capsules will use two skins of vibranium the material — one on the outside, and one to protect the passenger compartment.
One of the reasons that HTT is working with a Slovakian company is because it signed a deal in March to partner with the local government. It’s currently researching the potential to build two Hyperloop routes that would unite Slovakia’s capital city, Bratislava, with neighboring capital cities Vienna and Budapest. Given that the distances involved are reasonably small, this three-city loop would be an ideal testbed for the technology.
‘Battlecast’ turns ‘Skylanders’ into a collectible card game
Activision Blizzard has seen a ton of success with two franchises in recent years: Skylanders, which kicked off the toys-to-life craze, and Hearthstone, which made collectible card games (CCG) accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Now, it’s mashing the two together for Skylanders Battlecast, a CCG aimed at children. Announced last summer, it’s finally available across North America and Europe from today.
Just like regular Skylanders games, Battlecast is very much focused on you buying real-world items. The game itself will be available on iOS or Android (both Google and Amazon flavours) as a free download. To make the most of it, you’ll need to buy cards. There are 24 character cards to collect, along with numerous Spell, Gear and Relic cards that will allow you to attack enemies, change stats or modify the playing field. Think Magic: The Gathering’s Equipment, Artifacts and Enchantments and you won’t be far off.
In battles, you’ll have a 30-card deck containing just three characters and a mix of Spells, Gear and Relics. Each character has basic attack and health stats, and every move will cost you “crystals,” (think Mana). You’ll need to decide which cards to use and when in order to win battles.
Although the basic setup will be familiar to anyone that’s played Hearthstone, Magic or Pokémon Trading Card Game, Battlecast has its own twist: augmented reality. You play via the official application, which will turn the cards into 3D models on your device’s screen.
There are 300 cards in total to choose from, but you’ll need to splash out a lot of money to get close to that figure. They’ll come in Battle Packs (two are available, each priced at $9.99 / £9.99 for 22 cards including three characters) and Booster Packs ($4.99 / £4.99 for a random selection of eight cards). To add them to your collection, you just scan them with the app.
There are five “layers of collectability,” ranging from “Common” to to “Foil,” the rarest of which will only be available through Booster Packs. Simple math will tell you that, even with the best luck, you’re still likely to be spending a couple hundred dollars to fill out your collection.
You might have already thought of a problem with this scanning system — what’s stopping you from just scanning any card, or even a photo of a card? Well, each card has a unique identifier hidden on it, and can only be used with one account at a time. As such, the Battle Packs come with a “trading shield” that prevents sneaky players from scanning cards into their system and essentially stealing the right to use them. You can get around that by forgoing the physical realm and buying Battle and Booster Packs in digital form through the app, but that kinda takes away the fun of it all in my mind.
There’s a big focus on player-vs-player in Battlecast, with casual and ranked matches online, as well as an option to play gamers on your friends list. If you’re more the solitary type, you there are 60 solo missions to run through, with pretty much endless replayability if you approach them with different decks.
Skylanders Battlecast is available from today on iOS and Android in Europe and North America. If you live in New Zealand of Australia, it soft launched there last month.
Otterbox’s new case lets you use accessories without removing it
Ah yes, phone cases. A necessary purchase if you’re accident prone or tend to drop your handset on the regular. Unfortunately, adding that accessory usually makes for a headaches whenever you try to use another mobile add-on like a thermal camera or lens clip. Typically, you would have to remove your protective case before you could use any of those other gadgets. Well, Otterbox is looking to rid you of that frustration with the new Universe system and it’s swappable “accessory modules.”
On the back side of the phone case, there’s a slot that allow you to attach add-ons like a super compact speaker, Square reader or additional memory. The full line also includes things like Olloclip lenses, a Seek Thermal camera, tripods and more that can all be used without having to take you phone out of the main case. Otterbox’s Universe system is available May 29th for iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6 Plus/6s Plus with the case itself priced at $50. There’s a collection of 15 accessories that work with the case that are available at launch, except for the Goal Zero battery which will arrive in June. Here’s the full list and pricing info:
- Square contactless and chip card reader: $50
- Olloclip 4-in-1 lens: $80, includes fisheye, wide-angle, 10x and 15x zoom options
- SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive: $60-$120, available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities
- Nite Ize Steelie vent mount kit: $40
- Goal Zero slide battery: starting at $60, adds a full charge to your iPhone
- Manatee Works StingRay barcode scanner: $95
- Seek Thermal compact camera and case: starting at $249
- Influx WiFi booster: $40
- PolarPro Trippler tripod: $50
- PolarPro Stance compact tripod: $30
- PolarPro PowerPack removable battery pack: $50
- PolarPro Beat Pulsar wireless mobile speaker: $60
- PolarPro Fisheye wide-angle lens: $30
- PolarPro Trail Blazer armband: $35
- PolarPro Stash Slim mobile wallet: $20, stores cards on the back of the case
Prototype iPhone 6 with ‘Switchboard’ OS Listed on eBay for $4,999
An alleged prototype version of Apple’s “vintage” iPhone 6 has appeared in an eBay auction with a starting price of $4,999.
The device has the Apple logo and “iPhone” branding, but no FCC logos, serial number or IMEI on the rear, and appears to be in very good condition.
The handset apparently runs a much-sought-after hackable debugging OS called “SwitchBoard” and features a red lightning dock port with a serial number of C39NW00KG876. The seller claims to have bought it from a friend. The auction currently has one bidder.
In October 2014, a similar prototype iPhone 6 with red Lightning port was offered on eBay by someone claiming to have received the handset by accident. The auction garnered almost 200 bids and reached over $100,000, before being pulled by eBay, likely at Apple’s request.
(Via 9to5Mac)
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