Gadgets

See the Eurofighter being built in behind the scenes video

What do the Internet, nuclear power and the jet engine have in common? They're all technologies that were invented by the military that have gone on to transform civilian life. From Roman roads -- built to enable the fast movement of troops -- to robots, our desire to blow the bejeezus out of each other in ever more innovative ways has always been one of the main drivers of new technologies.

So when I was invited to take an exclusive look at the Eurofighter Typhoon assembly plant in Lancashire, I couldn't refuse. The Typhoon is probably the most advanced fighter plane on the planet. It's got a top speed of 1,550 miles per hour, but it can turn on a dime and do tricks that would cause other planes to fall out of the sky. Hit play on the video to see what it's capable of. Continue reading...

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Your private messages revealed to government in new plans

Broadband providers and phone networks are to reveal to authorities your every phone call, text message, email and private social network message. New anti-terror laws could force phone networks and broadband providers to store our digital communications in databases open to security services to check up on us -- and if that doesn't worry you, just wait until the hackers get their hands on it.

The Communications Capabilities Development Plan sets out the new scheme, as suggested by MI5, MI6, and GCHQ. The government won't store the data itself, instead requiring Internet service providers and phone networks such as BT, Sky, and O2 to store the information for a year. Continue reading...

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Google augmented reality Android glasses on sale this year

Google's rumoured head-up display glasses could be on sale by the end of the year, with reports further suggesting that the search giant's specs will be powered by the Android operating system.

The news comes via the New York Times, which cites "several Google employees familiar with the project who asked not to be named". Continue reading...

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Heartbeats to replace passwords for gadget security?

If your heart skips a beat at the thought of caressing the sweet, sleek lines of your slinky iPhone, you might have to take a few deep yogic breaths to stand a hope of getting into Siri's knickers in future. That's because heartbeat recognition could eventually replace passwords and PINs for mobile device security.

If you're one of the 48 per cent of people who jot passwords down on a piece of paper or save them on your computer, or if you count yourself among the imaginatively stunted hordes resorting to the 25 worst passwords of 2011, you'll leap at the idea of securing your gadgets via the beat of your heart. Continue reading...

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Underground explorer online community celebrated in video

Have you ever dreamed of being an Internet celebrity? Having thousands of followers chanting your name? Getting more likes than Lady Gaga?

Now's your chance! CNET UK is on the lookout for Britain's most weird and wonderful online communities. Maybe you enjoy dressing up as computer game characters on the weekends? Perhaps you and your mates are the world's most avid Dungeons & Dragons fans? Maybe your idea of fun is getting together and coding Android apps in a 72 hour hackathon? Or do you have a crime fighting alter ego who stalks the streets of Basildon in a brightly coloured cape? Continue reading...

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Raspberry Pi: Everything you need to know about the micro PC

Think a new computer will cost you at least a few hundred quid? Think again. The Raspberry Pi is a computer powerful enough to handle Full HD video -- but it's about the size of a credit card and will set you back only £16.

The online developer community is abuzz over the release of this little chap, which is scheduled for later this month. Its aim is to provide a cheap platform for learning programming and electronic tinkering, hopefully to encourage a new generation of students into taking up computer science.
Continue reading...

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Mobile World Congress 2012

Mobile World Congress is a vast trade show in Barcelona where all the newest phones and tablets are shown off. We're expecting hundreds of new handsets from Samsung, Sony, HTC and more, with many running the latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich. We'll be reporting live on the spot, so bookmark this page and come back every day to see what's new.

The history of Samsung explained in video

Hit play on the video above for a brisk walk-and-talk on the history of Samsung -- one of the biggest, weirdest and most fascinating tech companies on the planet.

Samsung has been a gigantic name in technology for yonks, but it's fair to say that only in the last few years has the company really moved to the forefront of gadgeteering. Continue reading...

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CNET UK gets a new look

If you're looking at CNET UK from a desktop browser rather than a phone or a tablet, today you should notice that the site looks a little different.

We've updated the look and feel to make it more modern and straightforward to use. Some of the fonts have changed, and we have increased the size of the text to make it easier to read.  Continue reading...

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Back to the Future Mattel hoverboard looks ace, won't hover

Good news for those of you anxiously watching the calendar tick slowly towards 2015 -- Mattel is building a replica of the iconic hoverboard from Back to the Future.

The 1:1 replica, revealed at the New York Toy Fair, perfectly evokes the garish pinks of Marty McFly's original, and will come complete with "multiple whooshing sounds", according to Mattycollector.com. It will 'glide' over most surfaces too, but won't actually hover. Boo! Continue reading...

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Tesco unlimited broadband now £16.25 per month

What can you get for £2.50? Not much these days -- but how about unlimited broadband? Tesco Broadband reckons it can sort you out with unlimited Internet access for just a couple of quid -- well, on top of your line rental.

To get your web connection for £2.50, you need to also get your phone line from Tesco for £13.75 per month. That makes a grand total of £16.25. Continue reading...

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Google making an 'entertainment device', what could it be?

Google is beavering away on building a 'home entertainment device', according to a report in the New York Times that cites people 'with knowledge of the company's plans'.

The search giant is reckoned to be building something that would see it moving further into the business of making actual gadgets. This mystery device is supposedly for streaming music, though the paper reckons it'll eventually be used for more things. Continue reading...

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Three-quarters of us are unhappy with our broadband

Three-quarters of Britons are unhappy with their broadband, according to new figures. From poor customer service to arthritic speeds, it seems connecting to the Internet leaves the majority of us tearing out our hair.

Discount site and big survey fans MyVoucherCodes asked 1,647 people aged 18 and over if they were happy with their broadband speed. Seventy-six per cent said no. Continue reading...

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Zombie attack fought off by CNET UK reporter in video

The zombies are coming and they're hungry. Very hungry. They'd love nothing more than to chow down on your grey matter before shuffling off to wreak more havoc on the living.

We popped over to Kidderminster, famed home of the zombie hunter, to get some training in how to defend an undead attack, courtesy of Wish.co.uk. Our expert preparation included weapon handling, room-clearing techniques and the best way to stay upright in the back of a moving van. Continue reading...

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Google 'Terminator' heads-up display glasses incoming

Oh Google. Not content with self-driving cars, the Mountain View company is reportedly working on a set of heads-up display glasses that would project a computer screen in front of your eyes, controlled by tilting your head.

Rumours of these specs, which would presumably let you analyse people's shoe size like Arnie in Terminator 2, first surfaced last year when the New York Times reported that the search giant was working on wearable gadgets in its top-secret Google X Lab (nice inconspicuous name, guys). Continue reading...

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London Olympics could bork the Internet, government warns

The 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics could see the Internet significantly slowed, or even brought down completely, the Government has warned.

In a document written for businesses called 'Preparing your business for the games', the Cabinet Office has said Internet services could be slower during the sporting festivities. Continue reading...

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Cheaper broadband likely, as Ofcom aims to cap BT's charges

Surfing the web could soon become cheaper for all of us, if Ofcom has its way. The regulator has submitted plans to bring tighter limits on broadband prices.

If its plans come off, it would reduce the amount BT can charge to other providers to rent broadband to us consumers, with the savings hopefully being passed on to us. Excellent stuff. Continue reading...

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Google poaches Apple senior director for secret project

Google has poached one of Apple's key product gurus to work on a top secret project, VentureBeat reports.

Simon Prakash may not be as recognisable a name as Tim Cook or Jonathan Ive, but he's a big deal. He worked at Apple for eight years and was most recently senior director of product integrity, responsible for quality control across the whole range. No small fry, especially seeing as Apple has very few people working across more than one division. It's also mighty interesting considering Apple and Google's alleged 'no poach' deal, currently being investigated by the Department of Justice. Hmm. Continue reading...

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BT promises epic 330Mbps broadband starting in 2013

Broadband: it's never as fast as you want it to be, is it? But there's good news for Brits living in areas where BT's Infinity broadband service is available -- even faster broadband is coming next year if you demand a speed boost.

The BT Infinity service currently offers broadband speeds of up to 40Mbps, because fibre is only laid to the street cabinet. From there your data is stuck in the slow lane by being forced to crawl along on ageing copper lines. Continue reading...

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Top toys for 2012 in video from London Toy Fair

With just 46 shopping weeks until Christmas, we've been getting a sneak preview of the toys coming soon to a shelf near you. And we're not talking hoops and sticks or boring old board games.

Today's toys are high-tech, smart phone-enabled, Internet-connected affairs that would confuse the bejeezus out of anyone over the age of 25. We've been at the London Toy Fair in London's Kensington Olympia exhibition centre, where the movers and shakers of the toy industry come to hawk their wares. Hit play to see our tips for the top toys of 2012. Continue reading...

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