Lego fuses real and virtual worlds:

Lego fuses real and virtual worlds:

Construction toy firm Lego has blended the real and the virtual with bricks that can be built and then transferred to online games.
It is part of a trend among toy manufacturers to straddle the two realms and appeal to children immersed in the digital world.
Users can choose to build four game sets which come with a special plate to build them on.
The creations can be photographed and imported into free games.

Zombie gaze

"Children have always imagined their Lego creations as immersive worlds which come to life for hours of role-play and adventure," said Ditte Bruun Pedersen, senior design manager at Lego Future Lab.
"Recently, smartphones and tablets have become a popular platform for empowering game mechanisms that kids love. Lego Fusion brings these two favourite play patterns together."

Once a child's creation has been imported into a game there are a series of challenges that require them to build new things to move the game forward.

"In research, we heard repeatedly from parents that they are constantly battling 'zombie gaze', the experience when their children are immersed in their device screens for large blocks of time," said Ms Pedersen.

"We developed Lego Fusion with this challenge in mind, creating a play experience that keeps children entertained with the kind of app gameplay they love while giving real reasons to return to the brick pile to creatively build."
So, for example in the town-building game Town Master children can add extra facilities to keep inhabitants happy or in the Battle Towers game, if a castle is damaged in the game it can be repaired in the real world.
Increasingly toy manufacturers are aiming to fuse the two realms.

Video games maker Activision found a hit with Skylanders, a game which came with add-on toys which offer new content when placed into a RFID (radio-frequency identification) reader attached to a console.
Lego Fusion will be launched in September and will initially be available in the US online

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Iran throws tech bloggers in prison for working with 'enemy media'

Iran throws tech bloggers in prison for working with 'enemy media'

Most countries with internet access see the web as a tool for communication. But in Iran? It's a threat. The country has made a habit of censoring social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram -- lifting its ban only for odd "technical failures." Now the country seems to be arresting local tech bloggers. The state is accusing eight bloggers from the Iranian site Narenji (now offline) of having ties to "enemy media" and plotting a "'soft overthrow' of the Iranian regime." Specifically, the group is accused of receiving funding from British intelligence and conducting espionage for BBC Persian.

According to Mashable, the team is facing sentences between 18 months and 11 years in prison, or 36 years between them all.

Sources close to the detainees have told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Narenji was never involved in any activism, explaining instead that the nature of their work required them to be in "constant contact with the world outside." The crack down is particularly disturbing to Iranians who voted for president Hassan Rouhani, who's campaign suggested his election might lax the country's notoriously harsh internet restrictions. Unfortunately Rouhani seems to have little sway over the conservative contingent that manages Iran's Cyber Police and Revolutionary Guard. In reality, it's all too likely that Narenji staff are being used as pawns in a larger political game.

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How to Survive a Fast Without Being Hungry:

What is Ramadan ?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Every day during this month, Muslims around the world spend the daylight hours in a complete fast.

Before the Fast:

Start preparing for the fast several days in advance, or earlier depending on the length.

 Drink plenty of water, preferably more than you usually intake, to ensure that your body will be hydrated while you fast. It's best to also begin avoiding foods and beverages with high salt and sugar contents.

Limit the caffeine you drink.

 Coffees, sodas, teas and energy drinks all contain high amounts of caffeine that can eventually make you addicted to them. If you can't get through your day without them and don't take action before the fast begins, you may suffer from unwanted headaches and other symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.

Limit your tobacco intake as well before the fast.

 To some, this may be even more difficult than giving up caffeine. If you are having trouble finding a way totemporarily quit, talk to your doctor and discuss a solution.

Eat foods that contain carbohydrates until you begin your fast. 

This will give you the much-needed energy your body will use as you are fasting.

On the day before the fast, continue to drink plenty of water and eat small meals to hold you over until a larger meal you may decide to eat before fasting. 

Bread, eggs, pasta, and granola are some good suggestions for nutritious and filling pre-fast day foods.

Eat a large meal before the fast, but don't overeat.

 Gorging yourself with food will not satisfy you longer, it may make you more hungry. Instead, eat a meal consisting of carbohydrates, poultry, and water. Sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade will help store electrolytes lost during the fast, but in moderation.

During the Fast:

Don't partake in any strenuous, vigorous activity. 

Exercising on a fast day will only make you tired and thirsty.

After the Fast:

Make sure to drink plenty of fluids to rehydrate your body. 

Water, of course, and sports drinks to replace lost electrolytes are good ideas.

If you are attending Prayer services after your fast.

(e.g. Taraweeh Salah, Tahajjud Salah) then make sure you bring a water bottle to stay hydrated 

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Check Out Where Your Fav Celebrities Worked Before They Were Famous!!

Check Out Where Your Fav Celebrities Worked Before They Were Famous!!

Harry Styles worked at a bakery:

"It was quite good in the bakery. I was in there for two and a half years," he said.

"It was just me and loads of older women. I go back every time I go back home and see how they are all doing."

Louis Tomlinson* worked at Toys "R" Us.

"I'd pop out a few piano skills and just try and impress while in my glamorous Toys 'R' Us uniform," he said.

Taylor Swift worked at a Christmas tree farm.

"I was too young to help with the hauling of the trees up the hills and putting them onto cars. So, it was my job to pull off the preying mantis pods off of the Christmas trees," she explained.

Shailene Woodley at the clothing store American Apparel.

"I feared that day where I had to go tell my [American Apparel] manager that I had to quit because I booked [The Descendants]. I felt so bad," she said.

Miley Cyrus worked for a cleaning service.

"I had one normal job and I actually liked it. I worked at this place called Sparkles Cleaning Service and I cleaned houses, I was like 11…I can clean toilet bowls," she said.

Kendall Schmidt worked at a retirement home.

"My dad owns a retirement home so we would clean the bugs out of the lights and stuff like that. That was my job growing up," he said.

Lady Gaga worked at a diner.

"I got a job when I was 15 because my allowance was about $20 a week, which in New York was impossible. So I used to waitress across the street from where I grew up. And I used to take all the money I made waitressing so that I could go watch jazz downtown," she said.

Crystal Reed worked at Baskin-Robbins.

“We each got one small child’s cup of ice cream a day, which was the best part of working there. I was 14 and I got $30 a week," she said.

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Details of Disney and Pixar's Inside Out are Here!

Details of Disney and Pixar's Inside Out are Here!

Disney and Pixar might be taking a break from bringing us any movies in 2014, but it’s only because they’re delivering an all new original adventure next year!

We’ve explored some crazy worlds in Pixar’s history. Up brought us from the states to Venezuela,Finding Nemo took us all across the ocean. Well now we’re going a little smaller… sort of.

Inside Out follows Riley, a little girl whose family has moved from the Midwest to San Francisco. And when you’re all alone with no friends, your emotions begin to run wild. Zoom into Riley’s mind where we encounter Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).

Together, Riley’s emotions advise her through everyday life, and help her adjust to her new situation, all while figuring out how to adapt to San Francisco themselves.

Inside Out lands in theaters on June 19, 2015. We can’t wait for Pixar’s amazing new story next summer!

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Was Taylor Swift's Rhode Island Mansion Under Attack?

Remember when things got pretty crazy outside of Taylor Swift's Rhode Island mansion last summer? After one guy tried to swim onto the property to meet her, the pop star decided to post a hilarious sign warning people to keep out. Unfortunately, it sounds like the same kind of trouble could be starting up all over again.

Over the weekend, three people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after they threw bottles and screamed curse words at Taylor's security guards. According to one member of the group, they have nothing against the pop star — they were just partying and things got out of hand.

We're sure that Taylor was incredibly upset by the situation — after all, she considers her Rhode Island home an escape from her lonely life in New York City and loves spending time relaxing there. That won't be easy if people are throwing bottles at her house and yelling at her guards!

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How To Know SIM Number Ufone, Jazz, Telenor, Zong,  – Number Check of All Networks

JAZZ:

Just dial on your mobile *99# and your jazz mobile number will be shown on the screen.

Ufone:

Just dial on your mobile *888# and your jazz mobile number will be shown on the screen.

Telenor:

There is a specific number on the back of Telenor SIM which starts from 0060. By using another Telenor numbersend this complete specific number to 346 and you will get a the SIM number in message (SMS).

FOR EXAMPLE:006080414964052 SEND TO 346.

Zong:

just dial *100# and select 1.  then write your other number on which you will receive this unknown SIM number.

Warid

Go to write message. write CM and after that write you other number on which you want to receive message.  and then send to 121. For example: CM 03137672298 send to 121.

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"Taylor Swift’s Got a New Kitty & She Has the Cutest Name Ever"

"Taylor Swift’s Got a New Kitty & She Has 

the Cutest Name Ever"

It’s no secret that Taylor Swift is a lover of felines; she even professed her addiction to “any cat-related YouTube video.” So it was only a matter of time before she added another furry friend to her family of two (her and Meredith). Meet her adorable new kitty

On Instagram, the 24-year-old “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” singer introduced the world to her precious white-haired, blue-eyed kitten, Olivia Benson.

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"Most Touching Video Miley Made for a Fan"

"Most Touching Video Miley Made for a Fan"

Miley Cyrus did a pretty amazing thing for one of her biggest fans. Usually the "Wrecking Ball" singer is having fun and goofing around, so we don't get to see her serious side too often, but it came out last week when she learned that 12-year-old Caley Camarillo, who she met a few years earlier, was close to passing away after a long battle with cystic fibrosis.

After Caley's mom, Teresa, told Miley what was happening, she made a heartfelt video for her fan. Miley's message was extra special, and it was very clear she cared a lot about Caley, saying, "I know we met a few years ago but I want to let you know that I'm still praying for you, I'm still thinking about you, I'm sending you some love, and I just want you to know that you on are on my mind and in my heart." Sadly, Caley passed away about an hour later, but we're sure she loved seeing such a sweet message from one of her biggest idols.

As sad as everything is, Caley's mom couldn't be more greatful for what Miley did for her daughter. In a time when they needed something really positive, that's exactly what Miley gave them. "I just wanted to share how things go full circle," Teresa posted on Facebook. "Miley was the very first celebrity that Caley was into and the very first celebrity she met. She sent this to Caley and she was able to watch it an hour before she had passed. She managed to let out a smile. I take great comfort in this for some reason."

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Future phones will have security measures built into the glass:

Future phones will have security measures built into the glass:

The glass on your smartphone screen doesn't do a lot right now: it lets pictures and touch input get through, and that's about it. It may pick up a few extra talents in the future, though. Researchers at Polytechnique Montreal have developed sensors that can sit under the surface of the scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass used in many mobile devices.

Their approach etches optical wave guides into the display, letting it track changes in light. As a result, the screen can do things that would normally require either wiring or dedicated sensors. Your phone could check its temperature using light, and the manufacturer could even embed a unique optical pattern into the glass that lets the phone identify itself; it might get much harder to clone a device (and, presumably, its information).

There are some subtler advantages, too. Since there's nothing but photons passing through the waveguides, they'd be invisible. You could even stack multiple guides (and potentially multiple sensors) without obscuring the picture. In the long run, this could be key to transparent electronics that need many functions hidden from sight.
Despite the involvement of a Corning scientist, there aren't any official plans to include these light sensors into Gorilla Glass. However, Polytechnique Montreal is fully bent on getting its technology into real, shipping gadgets. The invention should be production-ready within about a year, and the team is seeking out companies that could put the sensors into finished hardware. Provided the group finds some takers, you could soon see phones whose displays are as smart as the electronics underneath.

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"Lego to introduce mixed digital-physical blocks"

"Lego to introduce mixed digital-physical blocks"

NEW YORK — On the heels of success with "The Lego Movie," the Danish toy company is giving kids a chance to put their own blocks on the screen, with a new product line that copies their creations into phone and tablet games.

The Lego Fusion line will launch in August. Each $35 box will contain some 200 bricks and a special plate to build on. Creations on the plate can be photographed with Apple or Android phones or tablets and imported into free, downloadable games.

There are several Lego-themed games already, but this is the first time it's blending real and virtual this way. Many toy companies are going down that route, trying to capture some of the attention — and money — that's being diverted from physical products to iPhone and Android games.

In "Lego Fusion Town Master," kids build house facades on the plates and import them into a game that simulates a small town, inhabited by Lego figures. In "Battle Towers," they build sections of a medieval-style tower and defend it against flying monsters. In "Create & Race," they build cars and race them on a virtual track. Different designs yield cars that differ in speed, durability and handling.

In September, Lego is following up with "Resort Designer," in the style of its girl-oriented "Friends" line.
The games are designed to force the kids to return to the physical blocks and rebuild their structures, said Ditte Bruun Pedersen, senior design manager at Lego's Future Lab. But the lab's research also shows that kids want to bring their physical creations to life, she said.

"Kids want to be this mini-figure and they want to be in this world they create," Pedersen said.
The Fusion boxes are launching in the U.S. only and will be exclusive to Toys R Us and Lego's own stores, Lego said.

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"BBM lands on Windows Phone this July"

"BBM lands on Windows Phone this July"

After what seems like an age of rumors, we’re finally getting the official word on BlackBerry for Windows Phone. The company’s CEO mentioned that the messenger would be officially launching next month.

The info comes directly via John Chen, CEO of BlackBerry, who mentioned the upcoming Windows Phone client in an earnings call earlier today. With the launch on Microsoft’s mobile OS, BlackBerry can now finally claim to have a truly cross-platform messaging service, already being present on BB 10, iOS and Android.

It’s not exactly clear what features will be included in this Windows Phone version nor how our version will compare to the ones available on different platforms. But it’s safe to assume all the basic functionality will be there and if anything’s missing we’ll probably see that fixed via a future update.

This is definitely good news for fans of the platform, who will no longer need to have to buy a BlackBerry, but with so many other good messaging options being available we can’t help but wonder: does anyone actually still care?

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