Opinion: Binge-watching is ruining the magic of TV

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="Opinion: Binge-watching is ruining the magic of TV" src="http://ift.tt/1OYun2i"/><br/><br /><p>Watching five episodes of a new thing in a row isn't a good idea, no matter how enticing Netflix and opinion columns about Game of Thrones in the Guardian make the concept seem.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Yes, it gives you something to talk about on the internet the next day, but it devalues the experience of watching a series unfold and grow.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Good TV used to be associated with a time in your life. A few years. A period in which you, and the characters, changed. BlackAdder, for example, sees me go from being 10 and not really getting it, to being 16 and it being the funniest thing to have ever existed.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Watching everything ever made all at once in a blur lessens the impact. I have stronger memories of big telly events from 30 years ago than of things I watched last week.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Admittedly this might be because I didn't have a mobile phone and a child waving Lego at me as I tried to watch Blake's 7's climactic destruction of the Liberator at the end of series three in 1980, and there were only three channels and one of them was ITV, but still.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Modern landmark television events are ruined by binges. You watch things on your own, out of sync with the world. It's isolating and weird.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Recently I started powering through Sherlock, seeing as the internet wouldn't shut up about it, trudging through the first three moderately decent episodes before hitting the first episode of series two. It was a stonker.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>If I was watching it "live" back in 2012, I'd have a week to ruminate on its events and cleverness and it would permeate my soul. I'd remember it.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>But as the next one's right there on my computer, I'll probably watch that one tomorrow and move on, consuming at a pace that simply isn't sensible for the forming of memories and attachments.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Plus, seeing as bingers are always at different viewing points, me making a witty observation about Sherlock S02 E02 on Twitter's not really going to work, so binges end up leaving you feeling oddly disconnected from the rest of the viewers. Instead of "Did you see it last night?" the conversation has become "Oh, which one are you on?" and the talking points are lessened.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>You can't preface every tweet with the episode number and original broadcast date, as then you don't have enough letters to make your little joke. So my comparison between Sherlock's 'The Woman' and Alex Polizzi will have to stay untweeted.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>We were grateful for Newsround</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>The thrill in watching Star Trek TNG as it aired on BBC2 in the early 1990s was that you really, really appreciated it. You didn't know if the BBC would show the next series, or even the next episode, plus there was no internet to spoil everything by revealing that, yes, Patrick Stewart has signed on to be in series 4, so he's unlikely to stay borg-ified for longer than the 42 minutes of the next episode.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It was television on a knife-edge. As such, I was even grateful for the turgid episodes about Worf's family history.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Take the gradual mental deterioration of a character, as seen in modern binge-classic and all-in-one-go watching innovator Breaking Bad. In real-time, one hour a week style, four or five weeks seems like a reasonable amount of time for someone to go completely bonkers.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>But when you binge watch it episode after episode in the same day or even watching one a day, it's immediately noticeable that the make-up department has done the eyes of said mentally-deteriorating character a bit darker for the next episode.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's jarring. You need time for memories to fade a bit, so your brain can paper over the joins. It's more realistic that way, plus it becomes part of your life when something's there, once a week, for several months or years.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>You also know how much there's left when powering through with abandon, which is another massive tension killer. Series four of Breaking Bad's not as exciting as it could be, as you know there's series five queued up already, so it's unlikely Walt's going to get shot in the face and die during S4's finale.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>The whole idea of promoting binge watching feels like a crappy solution to the modern marginalisation of TV.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It solves the short-term problem that everyone would rather be looking at their tablets all the time than gathering around the TV to watch landmark episodes as one nation, together, experiencing live the moment Del Boy fell through the bar for the first time, but it devalues the experience.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It makes TV more forgettable and less anchored to key ages and moments in our lives. Which is only going to further lessen its impact and hasten its demise.</p><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1OYun2j" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1yGX9QV" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1OYun2k"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1OYukDO" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1OYun2l"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1yGX9QY" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1OYun2m"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1yGX9R0"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1yGX9R3"/> </a> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1OYukDP" width="1"/><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1OYun2r" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />From <a href="http://ift.tt/yaGhNV">techradar</a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1yGZn2K<br/></div>

Opinion: Binge-watching is ruining the magic of TV

Watching five episodes of a new thing in a row isn't a good idea, no matter how enticing Netflix and opinion columns about Game of Thron...

Read more »

In depth: 5 things you should know about Docker

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="In depth: 5 things you should know about Docker" src="http://ift.tt/VSMMXX"/><br/><br /><h3>Introduction</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>With all the hype surrounding virtual machines on the wane there is another technology that has stepped up to the plate to offer developers a superior service, and it goes by the name of Docker.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>In simple terms, <a href="http://ift.tt/1yaGogp">Docker</a> is a container and as such the technology that backs it up isn't particularly new. The company itself is what makes it special thanks to the way it is bringing containerisation to the masses by making it easier and safer than ever to deploy the technology.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Docker's approach has been attracting significant attention and Microsoft is among the companies that have implemented the technology into their cloud offering. However, if you're not a developer and haven't heard of Docker then it's likely you're wondering what all the fuss is about.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Containers are not new</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Credit: Flickr" src="http://ift.tt/1GT2YOf" title="Credit: Flickr" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Docker is not a new technology in itself and is in fact a container, which is something that has been floating around for some time. Containers have been in existence since the early part of this millennia (the year 2000 to be exact) when FreeBSD Jails were the order of the day. Using those early containers allowed you to access the operating system kernel but very little else on the system and this is the same basic principle that the newer breed of containers use.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>It's very easy to think of containers in a similar way to a container ship. All of the containers are loaded on to one ship that is run by the same engine and they are then unloaded to be used in various other locations.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Containers means that developers can create an application, place it with all the components it requires inside a "box" and then put it through the kind of rigorous testing that is often incredibly tedious. Once it is all inside that box it can be run on almost any machine or OS and eliminates the kind of confrontation that can sometimes take place when a new app reaches the testing stage.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Docker's containerisation works in the exact same way to this, however, there are a couple of reasons why it is so popular.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Docker is special because...</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>People like things that are simple, easy and safe to use. This is why Docker is doing so well. Deploying containers using Docker is far more simple than using other container technologies thanks to the way it has teamed up with the likes of Canonical, <a href="http://ift.tt/11JIvZA">Google</a>, Red Hat, and Parallels. By combining its expertise with it others it has meant Docker containers are standardised and have a higher level of security than other solutions.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Another reason that Docker is so popular is thanks to the experience it gives developers. Its popularity amongst the developer community means that people tell their friends about it and trust increases as a result.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>It's faster than a virtual machine</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="VMware" src="http://ift.tt/16CGlJr" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Docker is often compared to a virtual machine and it makes it even easier to understand exactly what it does by putting the two side-by-side. The major different between Docker and <a href="http://ift.tt/1aDe8Io">virtual machines</a> is that where a VM has one OS per machine, containers like Docker run outside of the OS and require less power as a result.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Think of it this way: where VMs separated the OS from the bare metal, Docker has gone a step further and taken the OS out of the equation. This results in something that is more scalable and portable, easier to deploy and an offering that can serve up more density. Speed is another way Docker is superior given that applications will be underway within seconds due to the removal of the OS startup phase. On a VM you have to startup the OS and that in itself is wasting precious moments compared to Docker.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Even so, it's unlikely the VMs championed by the likes of <a href="http://ift.tt/1GT30pg">VMware</a> will die out. Remember that Docker's containerisation cannot run several different operating system on one machine and some companies will still opt for this in addition to or instead of containers.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>The simplicity makes it secure</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Credit: Docker" src="http://ift.tt/1aDe8Ip" title="Credit: Docker" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>We mentioned earlier that Docker has signed up to a number of cross-industry partnerships and this in itself means that it becomes more secure. This is by no means the only reason. Docker's container only uses the dependencies that it requires, which means that the vulnerability of the entire environment is diminished. The resulting decrease in the vulnerability surface of the app's environment makes it easier to lock down for security reason and the lower footprint that Docker brings means less security updates are required.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Containers, like Docker, also make it easier to segregate <a href="http://ift.tt/1eDVEmI">apps</a> that would usually run on one host and mean that an app running in one container can only access ports and files in another container if it implicitly allows it. The app environments inside containers also change a great deal over time thanks to being constantly updated and as such won't take on the kind of risks that might arrive if not updated for a long time. If there is a vulnerability, it's easy to apply a security fix as part of an application update very quickly and prevent any problems taking hold.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>It has huge backing</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Microsoft" src="http://ift.tt/1GT30pj" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Since it changed its name from dotCloud to Docker just two years ago, venture capitalists have been falling over themselves to get in on the action. The latest raft of funding, which took place on April 14, saw it raise $95 million in Series D funding and pushed the firm on to a valuation of over $1 billion for the first time. The open source version of Docker has been downloaded upwards of 300 million times, which has seen it grow by as much as 1,000% in the last year. Its growth can be attributed to the partnerships it has with the likes of <a href="http://ift.tt/1ifd2pX">Amazon Web Services</a>, IBM, Microsoft and VMware.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Microsoft is <a href="http://ift.tt/1u9pV53">more feverish than most</a> in attempting to add Docker's unique level of containerisation to its products. It first added support for Docker container on Linux VMs to its Azure cloud to allow Linux Docker applications to run in the cloud. It went further than that in October by bringing Windows Server compatibility to Docker and thus allowing enterprises to deploy Docker applications directly to Azure from the Docker client. With support like that coming to the fore, Docker won't be going away any time soon.</p><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1aDe6jW" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1GT30FB" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1aDe6jY"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1GT30FJ" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1aDe8Ir"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1GT30FL" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1aDe8It"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1GT30FO"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1aDe8Iv"/> </a> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1GT320i" width="1"/><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1aDe8Ix" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />From <a href="http://ift.tt/yaGhNV">techradar</a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://ift.tt/1DqMmcx<br/></div>

In depth: 5 things you should know about Docker

Introduction With all the hype surrounding virtual machines on the wane there is another technology that has stepped up to the plate to offe...

Read more »

Matthew McConaughey's reaction to the Star Wars trailer

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1OmsvOP<br/></div>

Matthew McConaughey's reaction to the Star Wars trailer

from http://bit.ly/1OmsvOP

Read more »

You can film forever on this self-powered camera

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1yz7QFi<br/></div>

You can film forever on this self-powered camera

from http://bit.ly/1yz7QFi

Read more »

In Depth: Before Apple Watch: the timely history of the smartwatch

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="In Depth: Before Apple Watch: the timely history of the smartwatch" src="http://ift.tt/18e6RYY"/><br/><br /><h3>History of the smartwatch: past times</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Seiko Receptor" src="http://ift.tt/15o95IY" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Smartwatches have been the next big thing since 1982. But now the <a href="http://ift.tt/Zf1NDx">Apple Watch</a> is in the world, it's going to start a whole new wave of wearable tech.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>And if that doesn't? Well, we've got smartwatches to look forward to from pretty much everyone else.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>So what's different this time, and why haven't smartwatches really taken off before now? Let's look at some of the major milestones - and mistakes.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>1982: Pulsar NL C01</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="UC-2000" src="http://ift.tt/15o947X" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Pulsar is a Seiko brand, and while the NL C01 was rather primitive by today's standards - it stored just 24 digits of information - it was quickly followed by more models such as 1984's UC-2000 and 1985's UC-3000. Both of these watches were ambitious: you could buy them with a dock that boasted a thermal printer and a memory cartridge slot.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Ambitious is a relative term, of course: mid-eighties smart watches were still rather gimmicky. What they didn't have was connectivity. Bluetooth was a decade away and cellular hardware was far too big and far too expensive: the enormous Motorola DynaTAC 8000X would set you back a whopping $3,995.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>1984: Seiko RC-1000</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="RC-1000" src="http://ift.tt/18e6Pjz" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Seiko's RC-1000 synchronised via a cable, and it was compatible with the various PCs of the time including Apple and Commodore C64 hardware.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Another model, the RC-4000 (dubbed the PC Datagraph) was released in 1985 and that shrugged off the plastic look of the RC-1000, favouring a stainless steal chassis.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="RC-4000" src="http://ift.tt/15o947Z" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>It was known for its unusual three-line dot-matrix type and the fact that it housed 2KB of RAM.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="RC-1000" src="http://ift.tt/18e6Sfe" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>1990: Seiko Receptor</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Seiko Receptor" src="http://ift.tt/15o95IY" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>The next big shift in smart watches happened at the turn of the decade, and it went beep - literally in the case of Swatch, whose The Beep watch followed in the footsteps of Seiko's 1990 Receptor, a watch that doubled as a pager.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>For the first time, smart watches were wirelessly connected to the wider world. All they needed now was all the other stuff. That stuff started to appear in late 90s, largely thanks to - you guessed it - Seiko.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>1998: Seiko Ruputer</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Seiko Reputor" src="http://ift.tt/18e6Sfi" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>The 1998 Ruputer (later launched as the OnHand PC in the US) was more of a computer than a watch, boasting a 16-bit processor and 128KB of RAM. The screen wasn't up to much - it was a 102x64 mono LCD - and it wasn't a touchscreen, but you could write apps for the Ruputer in C.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Samsung was thinking about smart watches too: its SPH-WP10 was the first watch phone, although while the device has spawned several imitators it was never an enormous success.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Linux Watchpad" src="http://ift.tt/15o95J0" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>IBM and Citizen tried a Linux smart watch, the WatchPad, but it was short lived. Fossil lasted longer, having found a way to cram the Palm OS into a much smaller screen (Palm OS was designed for PDAs, but Fossil's watches used smaller cellphone screens): it launched multiple models from 2002 to 2005.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>2004: Microsoft SPOT</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Microsoft Spot" src="http://ift.tt/18e6Sfk" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>You can usually count on Microsoft to enter a potentially massive market far too early, so you won't be surprised to discover that it was making smart watches nearly a decade ago. Microsoft's platform was called Smart Personal Object Technology, or SPOT for short, and it used FM broadcasts to update subscribers' data in major US cities.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>A subscription was $59 per year. SPOT watches were released from 2004 until 2008, and Microsoft shut down the SPOT-updating MSN Direct service in 2012.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>2009: Samsung S9110 Watch Phone</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Samsung Smartwatch" src="http://ift.tt/15o9481" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Microsoft had the right idea and the wrong answer. The future of the smart watch was wireless, but the wireless wasn't FM: it was Bluetooth. The relentless march of smartphone tech meant that all the pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together: better batteries, touch screens and low-power, short-range connections to internet-connected devices such as smartphones.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>By the beginning of this decade, firm after firm had seen the potential. Samsung had its S9110 Watch Phone (2009). Sony Ericsson launched its LiveView (2010) to pull data from Android phones, and Allerta's InPulse (also 2010) did the same for BlackBerries.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Motorola Actv" src="http://ift.tt/18e6PjD" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>WIMM Labs' WIMM One (2011) shoved a modified version of Android into a watch-sized device, Motorola's Motoactv (also 2011) combined fitness information and music playback and Apple found that many of its square iPod Nanos (2011 again) ended up on people's wrists.</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>2012: Pebbles and fitness kit</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Pebble" src="http://ift.tt/15o9483" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>By the end of 2012 we were up to our wrists in wearables: Nike+ Fuelbands and Jawbone Ups, the epaper-screened Pebble and the cute Cuckoo, the Sony Smartwatch and all kinds of GPS trackers and exercise monitors.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>But while many of them are very good indeed, their relatively small sales suggest that nobody has quite nailed the smart watch yet. Could Samsung be about to change that?</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Cuckoo" src="http://ift.tt/18e6Sfm" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>2013: Samsung Galaxy Gear</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Samsung Gear" src="http://ift.tt/YFUruw" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Samsung has been extremely busy in the smartwatch market, releasing no less than six devices since the original <a href="http://ift.tt/14v1jXO">Samsung Galaxy Gear</a> back in September 2013. This is definitely not a once-size-fits-all approach. For instance, there is the original Gear (since upgraded to Tizen OS from Android), the <a href="http://ift.tt/1eqog1S">Gear 2</a> and <a href="http://ift.tt/MN6lMg">Gear 2 Neo</a> which offer up wearable tech for those who want to keep abreast of email and messages on their phone.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Then there is the <a href="http://ift.tt/1cIAO8C">Gear Fit</a>, a fitness band of sorts that's tethered to a Samsung device, and the <a href="http://ift.tt/1oDUGLI">Samsung Gear S</a> which is Tizen based and a smartwatch that runs is separate to a phone, as it comes complete with its own SIM card slot. Oh, and Samsung also dipped its toes into Android Wear with the <a href="http://ift.tt/1mGCCne">Samsuing Gear Live</a>. Which brings us on to...</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>2014: Android Wear</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Moto 360" src="http://ift.tt/1AJC3MY" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Google went big with smartwatches this year, announcing <a href="http://ift.tt/1smzXBE">Android Wear</a> its watch-centric OS that makes use of things such as Google Now and allows developers to create smartwatches with either a round, square or rectangle face.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Google has rounded up a whole host of partners for Android Wear - including Motorola, Samsung, LG, HTC and Asus - and at IFA 2014 we saw the fruits of this partnership, with the introduction of the <a href="http://ift.tt/1oLbJLN">Moto 360</a>, <a href="http://ift.tt/1qghwhU">LG G Watch R</a> and the <a href="http://ift.tt/1t2Yo5a">Asus ZenWatch</a>.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="LG G Watch R" src="http://ift.tt/Wh4KmY" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Android Wear has already produced some great-looking smartwatches but they have all been under the spectre of an impending Apple wearable which was finally announced in September...</p><br /><br/><br /><h3>2015: Apple Watch</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="Apple Watch" src="http://ift.tt/YFUruK" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p>Apple showed off the Apple Watch in September 2014, with the hope that anyone looking to buy a smartwatch this Christmas would have second thoughts. Stats on smartwatch sales showed that it worked.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Although thoughts on the design have been mixed - everything from 'ooh, it's a little chunky' to 'take my money, Apple. Take it all now' - the mere presence of an Apple Watch almost future proofs this still nascent product category.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>Gareth Beavis, TechRadar's resident mobile devices wizard reckons: "The Apple Watch is neither a fitness band, watch or fashion accessory though, despite taking a bit from each of those camps. It's hard to define what it really is, which means that users may struggle to justify the purchase."</p><br /><br/><br /><p>And that pretty much sums up the whole smartwatch market at the moment. It's an area that doesn't yet have a purpose but we expect this to change very soon...</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li>Hands on <a href="http://ift.tt/1seQ3O2">Apple Watch review</a>. Here's what we think of Apple's wearable.</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1NWQ1XP" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1DdkPZ4" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1HzJygn"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1DdkQfi" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1HzJygr"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1DdkQfm" rel="nofollow"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1NWQ2ea"/> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a href="http://ift.tt/1NWQ2ec"><img border="0" src="http://ift.tt/1HzJywF"/> </a> <img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1NWQ4Tt" width="1"/><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1DdkQfx" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />From <a href="http://ift.tt/yaGhNV">techradar</a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1yz7RsP<br/></div>

In Depth: Before Apple Watch: the timely history of the smartwatch

History of the smartwatch: past times Smartwatches have been the next big thing since 1982. But now the Apple Watch is in the world, it...

Read more »

Buying Guide: The best Samsung Galaxy S5 deals in April 2015

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://bit.ly/16Db7GR'><img alt="Buying Guide: The best Samsung Galaxy S5 deals in April 2015" src="http://ift.tt/1CSnneE"/><br/><br /><h3>Samsung Galaxy S5 deals</h3><br /><br/><br /><p>Don't make the mistake of thinking that just because the S6 is out now that the Galaxy S5 isn't worth considering. Far from it, this is probably the best time to get a great deal on a great phone from last year.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>After all, you may not be worried about having an older model, but the phone shops are keen to move old stock out before they have to discount it to a ridiculous amount to get them out the door.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Compare and filter:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">use TechRadar's Samsung Galaxy S5 comparison charts</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p>The S5 does cop some flack because it's not that much of an evolution of the Galaxy S line. Indeed the S6 is clearly a reaction to that, but what the S5 offers is amazing amounts of power with some really neat features to boot.</p><br /><br/><br /><p>You get a smashing camera, sleek design with a removeable battery and microSD card, plus one of the best screens on any phone. There are also nice features like the fingerprint reader and heart rate monitor.</p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>See also our picks for the best:</strong> </p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><a href="http://ift.tt/1bN0YK6">Samsung Galaxy S6 deals</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><a href="http://ift.tt/1qfXtuR">iPhone 6 deals</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><a href="http://ift.tt/1G6JiWz">HTC One M9 deals</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="samsung galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COskGn" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="samsung galaxy s5 deals" class="lft" src="http://ift.tt/1CSnneG" width="150"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>The UK's best Galaxy S5 deal:</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Free phone, unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 1GB data for £27.50pm</strong><br/><br /><br/><br />The best deal we can currently find on the S5 is on the O2 network in the UK and offers a free phone, unlimited calls and texts along with a reasonable 1GB of data. That will cost you <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6wmb" rel="nofollow">£27.50 direct from The Carphone Warehouse</a>.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Compare and filter:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">use TechRadar's Samsung Galaxy S5 comparison charts</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Now let's break down the best Samsung Galaxy S6 deals by network...</strong> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="samsung galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COskGn" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="iPhone 6 deals on EE" class="lft" src="http://ift.tt/18hWV6x" width="150"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Best Galaxy S5 deals on EE</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>EE is the network to go to if you want high-speed 4G</strong> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 1: Free phone, unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 5GB of Data, £31.99pm<br/> </strong> This deal is, honestly, red-hot. That amount of data is perfect even for pretty heavy data users, and you get all the calls and texts you want thrown in. The total cost of ownership over two years is pretty reasonable too.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £767.76</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6yKR" rel="nofollow">direct from The Carphone Warehouse</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 2: £49.99 phone, 500 minutes, unlimited texts, 1GB of data, £28.49pm<br/> </strong> This is a bit of a mix and match deal. It has more data than the super-cheap deal below, along with a lower handset cost and it's got a good amount of included minutes too. The total cost of ownership over two years is reasonable too.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £733.75</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1bt5EVv" rel="nofollow">direct from EE</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 3: £159.99 phone, 400 minutes, unlimited texts, 500mb of data, £16.99pm<br/> </strong> Would suit a light user, but the cost of this phone over two years means that it's a great deal. The problem is you have to pay up-front for the handset, which can be bothersome for some people. It is, without doubt, the cheapest way to get the smashing little phone though.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £567.75</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6wCw" rel="nofollow">direct from BuyMobiles.net</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><div class='hawk-widget-insert model_names:Samsung%20Galaxy%20S5 widget_title:Get%20the%20Galaxy%20S5%20for%20free%20with%20EE rows:3 network:EE upfront:0'><br/><br /><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">Compare all Samsung Galaxy S5 deals</a> </p><br /><br/> </div><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Compare and filter:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">use TechRadar's Samsung Galaxy S5 comparison charts</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="samsung galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COskGn" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="iphone 6 deals on o2" class="lft" src="http://ift.tt/18hWV6z" width="150"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Best Galaxy S5 deals on O2</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>O2 is the network with extras, including the popular O2 Priority service</strong> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 1: Free phone, unlimited calls, unlimited texts and 1GB of data, £27.50pm<br/> </strong> This is a great deal that adds up to just £660 over the two years of the contract. The data allowance should be fine for modest users, and of course calls and texts are unlimited.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £660</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6wmb" rel="nofollow">direct from Carphone Warehouse</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 2: Free phone, unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 3GB of data, £31.00pm<br/> </strong> This deal costs a touch more than O2's best value package, but it gives a much more generous data allowance. For modern use, on 4G, you really want to get as much data as possible to make your web experience as great as possible.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £744</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1CSnnuY" rel="nofollow">direct from Carphone Warehouse</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 3: Free phone, 500 minutes, unlimited texts, 500mb, £23.50pm<br/> </strong> Usually we don't recommend going for less than 1GB of data, but if you're just looking for a really cheap deal, and mostly spend your time connected to a Wi-FI network then this deal is so cheap it's a no-brainer.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £564</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6z1j" rel="nofollow">direct from Mobiles.co.uk</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><div class='hawk-widget-insert model_names:Samsung%20Galaxy%20S5 widget_title:Get%20the%20Galaxy%20S5%20for%20free%20with%20O2 rows:3 network:O2 upfront:0'><br/><br /><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">Compare all Samsung Galaxy S5 deals</a> </p><br /><br/> </div><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Compare and filter:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">use TechRadar's Samsung Galaxy S5 comparison charts</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="samsung galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COskGn" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="vodafone" class="lft" src="http://ift.tt/1F8mDHf" width="150"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Best Galaxy S5 deals on Vodafone</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Vodafone prides itself in coverage and quality, it's often a bit mean with data, but there are extras like Spotify and Sky Sports Mobile thrown in.</strong> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 1: Free phone, 1000 minutes, unlimited texts, 1GB, £29pm<br/> </strong> For less than £700 over two years you get the snappy little S5, along with 1GB of data, which should be enough for most people. There are also more than enough minutes included, and of course, unlimited texts.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £696</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6wCE" rel="nofollow">direct from Carphone Warehouse</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 2: Free phone, unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 6GB of data, £39pm<br/> </strong> One for the data-hungry amongst you here. 6GB of data is a considerable amount, and while it does push the cost of the phone up to nearly a grand over two years, it does give you freedom to stream music and video more than other tariffs.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £936</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1CSnpmy" rel="nofollow">direct from Carphone Warehouse</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 3: £129.99 phone, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts, 2GB of data, £26pm<br/> </strong> The overall cost of this one is a bit more than deal 1, but you get twice as much data and unlimited calls and texts. The only downside is that you have to cough-up £129.99 for the phone.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £753.99</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6zhE" rel="nofollow">direct from Carphone Warehouse</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><div class='hawk-widget-insert model_names:Samsung%20Galaxy%20S5 widget_title:Get%20the%20Galaxy%20S5%20for%20free%20with%20Vodafone rows:3 network:Vodafone upfront:0'><br/><br /><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">Compare all Samsung Galaxy S5 deals</a> </p><br /><br/> </div><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Compare and filter:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">use TechRadar's Samsung Galaxy S5 comparison charts</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="samsung galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COskGn" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="iphone 6 deals on Three" class="lft" src="http://ift.tt/18hWV6F" width="150"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><h3>Best Galaxy S5 deals on Three</h3><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Three is one of few providers that offers unlimited data, and Feel at Home is amazing for regular travellers.</strong> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 1: Free phone, unlimited calls, unlimited texts, unlimited data, £40pm<br/> </strong> Three seems to have some problem offering free phones on decent tariffs. That said, although this one is expensive it is, as Three always is, the only way to get unlimited data.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £960</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1CSnnv6" rel="nofollow">direct from Three</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 2: £19.99 phone, 300 minutes, unlimited texts, 500mb of data, £20.00pm<br/> </strong> This is one of the cheapest deals around, and it's a good one as long as you can handle that mean data allowance. The free minutes are also a little low, but for those who are looking for a day-to-day phone, this is an amazing choice at a great price.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £499.99</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1PT6wCK" rel="nofollow">direct from BuyMobiles.net</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><p><strong>Deal 3: £29.99 phone, 600 minutes, unlimited calls, unlimited texts, £36pm<br/> </strong> This is the best possible deal for unlimited data, and it's a saving on the first deal but you have to pay just shy of £30 to get it. That seems like a good compromise, as long as you can bear to pay up-front for a phone.</p><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Total cost over 24 months:</strong> £893.99</li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Get this deal:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1CSnpmG" rel="nofollow">direct from BuyMobiles.net</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><p><img alt="galaxy s6 deals" src="http://ift.tt/1COsltZ" width="420"/> </p><br /><br/><br /><div class='hawk-widget-insert model_names:Samsung%20Galaxy%20S5 widget_title:Today's%20most%20popular%20S5%20deals%20on%20Three rows:3 network:Three upfront:30'><br/><br /><p><a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">Compare all Samsung Galaxy S5 deals</a> </p><br /><br/> </div><br /><br/><br /><ul><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /><li><strong>Compare and filter:</strong> <a href="http://ift.tt/1NE2b56">use TechRadar's Samsung Galaxy S5 comparison charts</a> </li><br /><li style='list-style: none'><br/> </li><br /></ul><br /><br/><br /><img border="0" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1JPHCiZ" width="1"/><br clear='all'/><br /><br/><br /><img alt="" height="1" src="http://ift.tt/1E93EhK" width="1"/><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />From <a href="http://ift.tt/yaGhNV">techradar</a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />from http://bit.ly/1OmsvhA<br/></div>

Buying Guide: The best Samsung Galaxy S5 deals in April 2015

Samsung Galaxy S5 deals Don't make the mistake of thinking that just because the S6 is out now that the Galaxy S5 isn't worth consid...

Read more »