Apple and Samsung are hoping for some powerful customers as BlackBerry goes into decline. Could even Obama switch?
For years, the well-connected world leader would use nothing but a BlackBerry to get their email on the move and it is still Barack Obama's phone of choice. He uses a model specially enhanced by the US National Security Agency. But the news earlier this month that the White House Communications Agency is testing other phones, including models by Samsung and LG, sent shivers through fans of the struggling Canadian smartphone company, which has just announced an annual loss of $5.8bn.
For a world leader, security is much more than just having a passcode on your phone; it also means protecting it against attempted incursions from all the amateur and professional hackers, and more importantly spy agencies, who want to know to whom, when, what and where you have been speaking and reading. For a country's leader to have their phone eavesdropped is the ultimate failure of their national spy agency, and a huge loss of face. With enhancements, BlackBerry has been the spy agencies' phone of choice to guard against that so far. Now, though, Apple and Samsung the two largest makers of smartphones are starting to knock on the security services' doors.
Amateur footage shows the moment Joanne Milne from Gateshead, who has been deaf since birth and is now 40 years old, hears for the first time. Joanne has a rare medical condition called Usher syndrome, and as a result also began to lose her vision in her 20s. She was fitted with cochlear implants at a hospital in Birmingham in February, and is visibly overcome with emotion when hearing a nurse read the days of the week
Equality has been won between heterosexuals and homosexuals in this core institution for the first time in the UK
"We're not making a film about our wedding, our wedding is part of a film about 29 March," Nathan Taylor explains; he's the lyricist, his fiancé, Benjamin Till, is the composer. They have been together for 12 years and lived their professional lives in musical theatre. The couple have made a film to celebrate gay marriage, getting spliced themselves on Saturday, screening it on Monday on Channel 4, which will include a duet for their mothers that I can't describe, because it would make you cry, and also because it is embargoed.
Taylor says: "We very much want to talk about the fact that it's less than 50 years since being gay in the UK was illegal. Civil partnerships only came in in 2005. Age of consent was only equalised this century in 2001. If you read the bottom half of the internet, there are a lot of people already taking pot shots at us, for reinforcing the stereotypes of gay men and musicals. But it's not just about camp and chiffon. Music is one of the most powerful tools we have to tell stories."
Trevor Nunn's production with Natascha McElhone and Mark Bazeley shows that cinema is better than theatre when it comes to sex, voiceovers and structure
With more than half of current West End productions having originated as films a stage version of Fatal Attraction arrived last week, with Let the Right One In due to follow soon producers clearly assume that movie scripts and stage plays are interchangeable forms. However, the staging of Fatal Attraction makes specifically clear why they are not. Sir Trevor Nunn's production fails because of three things that cinema does better than theatre.
Sport England has docked the FA £1.6m a year because of the reduction of amateur footballers which seems a little unfair on an organisation that has no real control over the issue
The news this week that Sport England has cut its funding to the Football Association was greeted with a more nuanced reaction than might have been expected. Generally these things only tend to go one way with the FA, which has always existed as a kind of punchbag-body, a repository for free-floating rage and anxiety just waiting to be scooped up and marched around in a headlock, the straw shaken out of its trouser legs like a decorously mouldering scarecrow.
On this occasion my first thought was this must be a long overdue sanction for the appalling cheap-suit corporate match-day experience of Wembley stadium, with its cretinously intrusive PA announcer who sounds at all times as though he's just been hit on the head with a rock and it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to him.
A new interactive array of LEDs and sensors will respond to your movements and change colour to match your skin tone. But is it art, science or gimmick?
The world's first work of art that can respond to your presence post all quibbles below if you invented something similar five years ago is being unveiled tonight at the new Furnace Park in Sheffield.
Neurone, designed by Nate Adams, a research scientist in the University of Sheffield's department of molecular biology and biotechnology, is an interactive creation that lights up and changes colour in response to your location and activities. Put your hand in a glowing box and it changes colour like a chameleon to match your skin tones. Walk around and Neurone responds to your motion. It does all kinds of cool stuff of that ilk.
From Clegg v Farage to Paltrow minus Martin, via Egypt, Ed Miliband and the energy market a roundup of the week's news
Wu-Tang Clans next album is to be presented in a museum, not sold on iTunes. From Becks sheet music to the Flaming Lips chocolate skull, here are five other unusual albums
So, Wu-Tang Clan are to release their new album in a one-ofa-kind, hand-carved nickel-silver box, which is apparently sitting in a Moroccan vault.
The songs will never be sold on iTunes or streamed on Spotify: if you want to hear Once Upon a Time in Shaolin youll have to head to one of the galleries, museums or festivals it will be taken to, pay for admission and listen on closely monitored headphones. The group later hope to sell the album for millions.
Zero waste, lower transport costs and recyclable materials is 3D-printing the future of housebuilding? Dutch architects are putting the process to the test for the first time in Amsterdam
Treacle-black plastic oozes from a nozzle at the bottom of a small tower in Amsterdam, depositing layer upon layer of glistening black worms in an orderly grid. With a knot of pipes and wires rising up to a big hopper, it looks like a high-tech liquorice production line. But this could be the future of house-building, if Dus Architects have their way.
On this small canal-side plot in the north of the city, dotted with twisting plastic columns and strange zig-zag building blocks, the architects have begun making what they say will be the world's first 3D-printed house.
A parody site set up by Dutch developers uses Google's map data to share tips on where to catch forty winks
We've all done it. Last night was just a bit too good and your head is sinking ever closer to your desk you need a nap, but wheres the nearest bed, bench or comfy patch of grass?
Enter Google Naps, a parody of the venerable Google Maps, that lets users share the best places in towns and cities around the globe to grab a quick bit of shuteye. Think of it as Foursquare for beds.
Dear Sergey & Larry (and other Googlers)
Hello, please don't be mad this is just a joke, a parody. We don't mean to damage your brand or anything, we just want to bring a smile on the faces of Google fans. So please don't take this to court, we only have a few hundred Euros in the bank. And we also don't want to go to jail because we're too busy with other things at the moment. But whenever you are in the Netherlands you can have a nap on our couch if you want, just email us. We can also make coffee and bake eggs if you like that (for a small price).
I am jealous of and disgusted by women with more experience than me and think that these issues will only grow stronger as I get older. What can I do to break this cycle?
I am 23 years old, male, and have had sex with only three women. Most people would agree this is very few, especially considering I have only been in two relationships. I have not had sex for more than a year. I recently got to know someone close to my age, and we got on well. I found out, however, that she had slept with more than 50 men and was unable to put this out of my head. I find myself feeling disgusted and jealous towards women who have slept with many more people than me. But, at my age, it seems all attractive women are well into double figures. I feel trapped and that the older I get, the more extreme the issue will become.
When leaving a message on this page, please be sensitive to the fact that you are responding to a real person in the grip of a real-life dilemma, who wrote to Private Lives asking for help, and may well view your comments here. Please consider especially how your words or the tone of your message could be perceived by someone in this situation, and be aware that comments which appear to be disruptive or disrespectful to the individual concerned will be removed.
Mark Hughes keeps Stoke grounded, John Stones is rock solid for Everton and Liverpool aim for a straight eight
What to make of Mark Hughes's first season at Stoke City? There's certainly been no radical revolution, rather a gradual evolution away from the hoof-ball Tony Pulis served up to such great effect. "It will take time," Hughes said in August. "On occasions we'll make mistakes but if we want to play in a certain way that's what we have to do." And there have been hiccups along the way, but the players have adjusted and are on course for the club's best ever Premier League finish something the Welshman should be rightfully proud of. Not only is the style of play benefiting from the manager's methods but the team are also scoring more goals. They already have 36, two more than last season's total, and 10 behind their highest under Pulis in 2010-11. It's an impressive feat given the relative modesty of Hughes's additions to the squad. There's likely to be more money to spend in the summer, and with Premier League survival all but assured the manager can focus on building for next season, with Ivica Olic already in his sights. The veteran Croatian striker is enjoying a strong season at Wolfsburg, and has revealed that he's tempted by a move to English football. "When I was talking with Hughes, I told him; 'My neck will hurt with your long balls, who on earth is going to catch them all'. He said to me: 'We don't play like that any more, we want to play a European style of football'. That's OK for me but so far I have not yet decided." A strong finish and the continued development of that continental style will not only please the fans, but it will go a long way to convincing better players, like Olic, to join the club in the summer a virtuous circle of tactics and transfers that can lift Stoke into the top half next season. TM
Letter from Zadie Smith, Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, Salman Rushdie and other writers says Turkey's social media ban is an 'unacceptable violation of the right to freedom of speech'
Turkey's Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk has said that the situation in his country "is going from bad to worse and even towards terrible" following the government's attempts to block access to Twitter, as a phalanx of major writers, from Zadie Smith to Günter Grass, line up to state their "grave concern" about "the freedom of words" in Turkey today.
The authors, who also include Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Karl Ove Knausgaard, and Grass and Pamuk's fellow Nobel laureate Elfriede Jelinek, have added their names to a joint letter from PEN International and English PEN which calls last week's ban on Twitter "an unacceptable violation of the right to freedom of speech". The Turkish government restricted access to the micro-blogging website, and prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan indicated the ban could be extended further, saying he would not "leave this nation at the mercy of YouTube and Facebook" and pledging to "take the necessary steps in the strongest way".
Hot Tech Today has hit on what it thinks is the innovative idea of combining technology news with naked women. It's another setback for those battling misogyny in the tech world
You know when you're looking for information about a new gadget or technology trend, but you just can't concentrate without a pair of breasts to leer at while you do your research? Well, panic no more, because a new website, Hot Tech Today has solved all your problems. Yes, the self-described "Tech blog meets Maxim magazine" has hit on what it seems to think is the innovative idea of combining technology news with naked women ta daa! And unfortunately, so far, it hasn't been revealed to be an elaborate spoof.
The site's video promo for its upcoming April issue is the easiest way to get a feel for the digital magazine; a bikini-clad model perched on a sofa awkwardly recites a few tech-related snippets before going on to pose for photographs. And just in case you hadn't yet worked out where Hot Tech Today thinks women belong, there's a helpful section showing her dressed as a maid, complete with feather duster. There's even a laptop in the shot with her at one point, but the closest she gets to the keyboard is dusting it daintily in her bra.
"'Hi, I'm the senior computer tech here, looking at the motherboard.' 'You opened the computer? What a clever girl!'"
"At a dinner for theatre technicians, newcomers were introduced. Each of the men were introduced by the shows they had worked on and tech-related interests and skills they had. I was introduced as 'This is Grace, looking smoking. Don't worry, you'll all get a chance to hit on her later.' No mention of my theatre or tech skills whatever."
"At a networking event, representing my company (me being a certified and pretty awesome technical resource for the company), a guy from one of the biggest prospective customers said he was responsible for deciding if they chose my company or not. He asked what could we offer him in THAT tone that makes you feel uncomfortable Ignoring his tone, I started talking about the company, he then interrupted me, got closer and said: 'You don't get it, we are one of the biggest companies here and I am asking what are YOU offering me?'"
"I am an IT professional and have been told I am too pretty to be a programmer, while being patted on the head like a puppy."
"I once worked as an outside IT consultant Despite the fact that I had, on average, five years more experience and two years more education than any of the men on the team, took only the challenging service calls and those that involved cleaning up messes made by some of the more junior men on the team, and consistently outperformed everyone else on the team by every measure, I was paid $2 less per hour than even the entry-level guys. Management rationalised this to me (and themselves) by claiming that it was simply 'risky' to hire women in IT.
"The manager, however, let me know my true worth every day that I came in to file reports. He'd instantly jump in with a back massage the moment he saw me in a chair, constantly told me how he'd love to date me, and even once directly propositioned me while I was actively working on a computer at the repair bench, in the front of the store. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing before I realised he was dead serious."
"I'd routinely show up at customer locations to be greeted with anything from mild scepticism to overt doubt from men and women alike. 'I didn't know women could fix computers!' was a greeting I expected to hear on at least 30% of my service calls. I had the pleasure of responding: 'This is just an easy part-time student job I have while I'm finishing my degree in high energy physics and distributed computing.'"
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From David Beckham to Rivaldo, via Roger García, Xabi Alonso and a man who must have an Easter Island statue for a head
Before the summer of 1996, anyone who attempted to score from the halfway line was entering forbidden territory that every player dreamt of discovering but few dared to dread. When Pelé went for glory against Czechoslovakia at the 1970 World Cup, people reacted like he had unveiled the first ever jetpack or introduced the world to the concept of the selfie. While Pelé didn't score, it was the kind of effort that would have had Alan Partridge shouting "Shit! Did you see that!". No goal, but full marks for trying.
From a white man in 'blackface' to a black Union soldier and an am-dram society dressed as a lynch mob, Mirror of Race's collection reveals a forgotten world of US race relations
Shocking images from America's race war in pictures
Early photography is more than a window on history. It is an uncanny and disturbing encounter with real people, the light reflected off their faces falling on chemically sensitised surfaces long ago.
The camera has been around now for nearly two centuries. Yet photographs from the 19th century have the same punch as pictures taken digitally today. We are not seeing mere pictures of people, but a trace of the people themselves, as they looked in life.
Disarmament is on hold, Nato has renewed its sense of purpose, Belarus is flirting with the west and 'irredentism' is back in vogue
Vladimir Putin's policies in the Soviet Union's former "near abroad" have gone hand in hand with an increasingly tough nuclear stance. The thaw of the US-Russian "reset" that led to the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start) in 2010 has passed and the disarmament process is largely frozen.
Inuit reject Oscar host's anti seal-hunting photo stunt and say practice is humane and sustainable
Canadian Inuit have embarked on a unique form of protest against the decision by host Ellen DeGeneres to highlight an anti seal-hunting charity on Oscars night. DeGeneres' Hollywood megastar "selfie" became the most retweeted snap of all time earlier this month, in the process raising $1.5m for the Humane Society of the United States, which campaigns against the seal hunt.
Ferdinand claims he is wary of critical fans
'It's embarrassing it becomes a personal insult'
United fans planning fly-past protest during Aston Villa game
Rio Ferdinand has branded Manchester United's season "embarrassing", with the veteran defender claiming he is reluctant to leave his own house due to a dismal title defence that sees them 18 points behind the leaders, Chelsea.
With some angry United fans planning to hire a plane to fly over Old Trafford during Saturday's lunchtime game with Aston Villa to protest at David Moyes, Ferdinand's comment will further increase the pressure on the manager. His decision to speak publicly will also be noted by the club executives who so far have remained firm in their backing of Moyes.
'People who have managed zero games have opinions'
Scholes had said Arsenal were 'a million miles' from the title
ONS figures suggest a rise in the number of 'singletons', but isn't it more a sign that marriage is now a frivolity more than a necessity?
Continuing its admirable tradition of providing the most vital and up-to-date numbers representing life in Britain, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has provided a map of all the single people in England and Wales. Ranging from coupled-up white to the deepest purple of failed relationships, the map pinpoints where all of those single-person households are hiding themselves often among innocent suburban families who might have no idea that their streets are being marred by crazed cat-loving harpies.
Nowhere is safe, it turns out: purple patches turn up from Sunderland to Blackpool, Hull to Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent to Plymouth. Most of all, our fair capital city has fallen victim to a deluge of people who couldn't even stick with a perfectly nice girlfriend, even if she did have a couple of anger issues and was distantly related. "The number of singletons has risen by 3 million in a decade", crows the Daily Mail, pointing out that Islington tops the tables with 57% of women and three in four male residents in the borough proclaiming themselves single.
Move to expedite sale of bankrupt peanut-processing plant
Nearly 1m jars to be dumped in landfill and 'covered with dirt'
Malaysia Airlines plane was going faster than previously thought, meaning its tanks would have run dry sooner, say authorities