Ex-GF on how Oscar Pistorius terrorised her: 'I hid gun because I feared he'd kill me'

Oscar Pistorius’s former girlfriend has spoken of her ­terrifying ­relationship with the 'angry and possessive' Paralympian.

20 year old Samantha Taylor (pictured above) said she feared he would kill her and revealed she once hid his gun after he flew into a rage at her.

Oscar was cleared of killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp yesterday, but Samantha said: “It could have been me.”

Photo: Zeus the world's tallest dog dies just before his 6th birthday

The World's tallest dog has died just days before his 6th birthday. Zeus was 3ft 6 inches tall at the shoulder and when he stood on his back legs was an incredible 7ft 4in high. He weighed 11 stone.

The giant Great Dane, who was named the world's tallest living dog in the 2012 Guinness World Records, died on September 3rd. He lived in Michigan, US, with his owners before his passing.

Nigerian Soldiers kill 150 Boko Haram members during attack on Konduga

At least 150 Boko Haram members were killed yesterday September 12th after the Nigerian Military repeled after an attempted attack by the sect members on Konduga, a village said to be about 35 kilometres from Maiduguri in Borno State, in the early hours of yesterday.

According to a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by Col. T. Antigha of the Army Public Relations, the battle with sect members lasted three hour and four soldiers were injured during the attack. 

Chris Brown to Ray Rice: 'I've been down that road'

Sometimes you wonder why Rihanna was so obsessed with this guy, then you see pics like (minus the cigarette) and you kinda understand. He can be fine sometimes sha.

Anyway, to the story. Days after NFL player Ray Rice was fired by his club, Baltomore Ravens, after a leaked video showed him assaulting his then-fiancée (and now wife) Janay Rice, Chris Brown, who received 5 years probation in 2009 after assaulting Rihanna, has spoken out about the consequences and triggers of domestic violence in an interview with MTV News. 

Venus and Serena Williams not speaking to each other?

There are reports that once close sisters Venus and Serena Williams are barely speaking to each other these days...

Android apps make their way to Chrome OS

Google announced availability of the first set of Android apps for Chrome OS. The list of four applications includes Vine, Duolingo, Evernote, and Sight Words.

The apps’ availability is a result of project App Runtime for Chrome (Beta). The latter was announced during this year’s Google I/O.

Going forward, Google will expand the list of available Android apps by working with select developers. You can also request which apps you want to see available on Chrome OS over here.

Windows 9 Technical Preview screenshots leak

Screenshots of the upcoming Windows 9 have leaked from its Technical Preview release. The screenshots show a refreshed user interface with some new, flat iconography, alongside the long awaited return of the classic Start menu.

Codenamed Threshold, Windows 9 is anticipated to bring some new features as well. One of them is the highly anticipated option to add a bunch of workspaces. Akin to Linux, those workspaces can hold different applications and make switching between different working environments a breeze.

Viber update for Android and iOS brings mobile video calling

Viber has updated its Android and iOS apps to version 5.0 as well refresh its Windows and OS X apps. One of the most important features the latest version of the popular messaging app brings is mobile video calling.

This brings Viber much closer to the likes of Skype, which is by far the most widely used service for making video calls. The latest version of Viber also brings a refreshed UI for Android users and better sticker management on iOS.

Asus is the latest maker to take a hit at Apple’s new iPhone 6 Plus

Bashing Apple and the new hardware the company unveiled on Tuesday is the name of the game these days. Asus is the latest to join the fun, although it has taken a slightly different approach to its competitors.

The Taiwanese used their Twitter account to post the image you see above, along with the line “The best 6 is the one everyone can have”.

Canon 7D Mark II leaks ahead of launch

After five years since the original came out, Canon is all set to launch the successor to the EOS 7D – the new EOS 7D Mark II. But although the camera is not yet official, someone managed to leak the details ahead of the official announcement at Photokina this year.

So this is what the new Canon 7D Mark II will look like. At least from the front, it looks pretty much the same (and like most other Canon bodies). But inside where you’ll find most of the changes. The new 7D Mark II uses the new 20.2 megapixel sensor from the 70D with the Dual Pixel CMOS AF, but augments it with a stunning 65-point AF system and a new DIGIC 6 processor.

NVIDIA drops HTC Nexus 9 name in a legal document

NVIDIA accidentally dropped the HTC Nexus 9 name in a legal document. The juicy bit appeared in the company’s lawsuit against Qualcomm and Samsung.

In addition to the already familiar HTC Nexus 9 name, NVIDIA also revealed the tablet’s release time frame.According to the paperwork, HTC’s creation is expected to launch in Q3 this year, or before the end of this month.

Google extended the return window for Play store apps

Google quietly extended the return window of apps from the Play store. Users now have two hours to decide if they want to keep their purchase.

The new timeframe is a drastic improvement over the previously offered fifteen minutes. However, it is nowhere near the full twenty-four hours, which Google gave Android users in the past.

Requesting a refund for a purchased app is easy – the option is available in the My Apps section of the Play Store, where you will find your purchase. In case you miss the two-hour window, Google recommends that you contact the developer.

Dell Venue 8 7000 surfaces as the world’s thinnest tablet, has 3D camera

Dell and Intel have taken the wraps off of what they claim is going to be the world’s thinnest tablet. The Dell Venue 8 7000 is just 6mm thin, which beats even Sony’s 6.4mm Xperia Z2 Tablet and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

But that’s not all for this device’s differentiating features compared to the competition. It’s also got a RealSense 3D depth-sensing camera, which enables things like facial recognition, emotion tracking, 3D scanning, and 10-finger gesture recognition.

Skype for Windows Phone now features location sharing

Microsoft has released a new version of Skype for Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 8.1 today. Skype 2.22 for Windows Phone has a new feature built-in: location sharing.

It also allows you to save pictures people send you, and control notifications for individual conversations.

In every chat, you’ll have the option to turn notifications for that conversation on or off. To use location sharing, just tap the “+” icon while in a chat, and select “share location”. This will make your whereabouts known to the people in that conversation. They’ll see a Bing map with your exact location pinpointed.

The new version of Skype is available right now in the Windows Phone Store.

SwiftKey Keyboard with cloud support arrives to iOS

The famous SwiftKey Keyboard app has finally made its way onto iOS for the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

The popular keyboard app that has become well known in the Android community for its ability to make typing on touchscreen devices easy, brings its hallmark autocorrection and word prediction to iOS users.

Google Hangouts update enables free voice calls to the US and Canada

Ever since Google launched Hangouts, people have been waiting for the company to truly incorporate voice calling features into the app. There’s been a way to use your Google Voice number (if you had one of those) to call people, but from now on things got a lot simpler. The requirement to have a Google Voice number is gone, basically.

Rolling out during the next few days, an update to the Hangouts app for Android will let you call people for free – if they also use Hangouts, or if they’re in the US or Canada. For those who use Hangouts on iOS or the Web, voice calls will be available the next time you open the app.

Philips Fidelio M2L headphones connect via the Lightning port on the iPhone, iPad and iPod

Philips has launched its Fidelio M2L headset, which connects to the iPhone, iPad and iPod via Apple’s Lightning port. This allows it to play 24-bit DAC audio through 40-millimeter high magnetic intensity neodymium speakers. Try saying this three times fast.

In any case, the over-the-ear headphones are premium-built with “breathable” leather and feature memory foam ear pads. The Fidelio M2L headphones can also can eliminate potential crosstalk and interference thanks to its digital output.

Cygnett unveils cases for the new iPhone 6

We saw plenty of iPhone 6 cases leak before the smartphone is actually announced, now let’s have some cases for the official product shall we?

Australian-based Cygnett unveiled a successor to its popular WorkMate series of cases, plus the new UrbanShield case, the Urban Wallet and several other accessories.

The Cygnett WorkMate series feature a high-grip finish and is build out of three different materials. The retail price is USD 30/EUR 17/AUD 30.

Microsoft reportedly near a deal to buy the maker of Minecraft

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is near a deal to acquire the Swedish company Mojang AB. The studio sits behind the ultra-popular video game Minecraft.

The deal may be officially announced this week. The Redmond giant will allegedly pay more than $2 billion to acquire Mojang AB.

Minecraft has sold over 50 million copies since its release back in 2009. The game is already available on Xbox, so it is not clear what plans Microsoft has for Mojang if the deal goes through.

XL Size: Apple iPhone 6 Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs. LG G3

With the iPhone 6 Plus now official, we can finally pit it against the heavyweight, plus-sized Android superstars – the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the LG G3.

The iPhone 6 Plus has a screen large enough to be next to the Note 4 and G3, but is it mature enough? Well, in the display department the 5.5″ size is the same as the G3′s and in the same ballpark as the 5.7″ of the Note 4. However, the iPhone 6 Plus features a 1080p resolution, whereas its rivals are boasting QHD screens.

Apple iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Alpha vs Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

The Apple iPhone 6 is larger, faster, stronger and readier than ever to fight the rivals on the Android side of the battlefield.

That’s why we made it meets the Samsung Galaxy Alpha and the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. It will have a tough job, as both Samsung and Sony have really upped their game for their latest compact flagships.

Apple iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus vs iPhone 5s – evolution in motion

The Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are official and are the biggest smartphones the company has done to date. Apple fans will either love or hate the growth of their favorite smartphone, but let’s check out what are the other differences the new duo brings.

To do so, we’ve put up together a handy table to show you what has been improved and what’s new in an easy to glance manner.

Apple’s App Store now boasts 1.3 million apps

During its big event today, Apple announced a lot of new things as you may already know – the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus, and the Apple Watch. But besides all of that, the company also shared a big stat relating to its iTunes App Store. This, it turns out, now has more than 1.3 million apps for iOS in it.

Last we heard anything about Apple’s app numbers, the 1 million milestone was hit – in October of last year.

Thus, it’s probably safe to say that growth in app numbers for the iOS store is slowing down, but at this level that’s to be expected. Let’s wait and see when the 1.5 million number will be reached.

Opera Mini beta for Windows Phone now available for anyone to test

The first public beta version of the Opera Mini browser for Windows Phone is now out in Microsoft’s dedicated app store. You can grab it and test it on your device, as long as it runs Windows Phone 8.x.

The beta was announced last week, when Opera prompted people to sign up in order to join its “beta testing group”. That seemed to imply that only those who signed up would be able to play with the Opera Mini beta, but that’s not the case – anyone can get it from the Windows Phone store.

AT&T will sell the Moto 360 too, eventually

Best Buy was the only retailer that had the Moto 360 smartwatch at launch but Verizon has started taking pre-orders and now AT&T hurriedly announced it will be offering it at some point in the future too.

Unlike Verizon, AT&T will start by offering the two leather wrist bands at first.

Details other than that are scarce “Pricing and availability will be announced at a later date,” says the unhelpful press release. By the sound of it, the carrier will add the metal wrist bands as an option later on, but again there’s little to no detail about it. The regular price is $250 for leather straps and $300 for metal.

The Moto 360 was available online on the Motorola and Google Play websites but quickly sold out. You can use this site to check for availability but the current status ranges from “zip” to “nada”.

WhatsApp Messenger for iPhone gets updated

WhatsApp, the popular messenger for mobiles that recently fell under Facebook’s wing, has received an update to its iOS version.

The latest build includes the ability to share slow-motion videos directly from within the app, add captions added to photos, and archive chat logs and contact groups.

A more detailed changelog of version 2.11.9 is as follows:

Sony says most of its BRAVIA TVs will launch with Android TV in 2015

Sony has shared information on its developer blog on how to get started creating HTML5 and Android TV apps for its upcoming TVs and home entertainment systems. In the process, the company also spilled loose details on its upcoming lineup of Android TV products.

Sony TVs running Android TV will start arriving in 2015 with the company waving goodbye to the Google TV platform. Google Cast is also going to be supported on select Bravia models. The company’s Blu-Ray and Home Theater system products will support HTML5 apps, too.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus Specs

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - A1522 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA), A1524
  CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - A1522 (CDMA), A1524
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - A1522 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA), A1524
  CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - A1522 (CDMA), A1524
4G Network LTE 700 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600 / 850 - A1522 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA)
  LTE 700 / 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2300 / 2600 / 750 / 2500 - A1524
SIM Nano-SIM
Announced 2014, September
Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, September

Apple iPhone 6 Specs

GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - A1549 (GSM), A1549 (CDMA), A1586
  CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - A1549 (CDMA), A1586
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - A1549 (GSM), A1549 (CDMA), A1586
  CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - A1549 (CDMA), A1586
4G Network LTE 700 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600 / 850 - A1549 (GSM), A1549 (CDMA)
  LTE 700 / 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2300 / 2600 / 750 / 2500 - A1586
SIM Nano-SIM
Announced 2014, September
Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, September

T-Mobile Files Suit Against Huawei Alleging Espionage Over Testing Equipment

T-Mobile has filed a lawsuit against Huawei in Seattle US District Court, alleging that the Chinese manufacturer stole key parts of its device testing robot “Tappy” in order to improve its own devices at the expense of T-Mobile. The suit does not specify a specific amount for damages, only that T-Mobile has spent tens of millions to eliminate Huawei’s devices from its lineup and replacing them with devices from other manufacturers as a result of the discovery. For its part, Huawei has released its own statement regarding the suit:

Micromax Canvas Nitro With Octa-Core SoC Launched at Rs. 12,990

Micromax on Monday launched the Canvas Nitro (A310) in India, priced at Rs. 12,900, with exclusive availability via Snapdeal the same day after 2pm IST.

The dual-SIM Canvas Nitro runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat, and features a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixel) IPS display with an oleophobic coating. Micromax is also touting the smartphone's faux-leather back panel. It will be available in Mesmerising Blue, Pristine White.

TiVo proves that 'size matters' with absurd 26,000-hour DVR

TiVo has taken the TV-watching to a new, insane dimension with the Mega, a rack-mountable, 24TB DVR that will cost around $5,000. That trumps its current flagshipRoamio Pro's 4TB storage by sixfold and makes it look quaint in comparison. Like that box, the Mega supports six channels of simultaneous recording, built-in transcoding, multi-room capability and live streaming to smartphones or tablets. In addition, it uses RAID 5 and hot-swappable drives, so that you won't lose your Shark Week marathon in case of a hard disk failure.

The Higgs boson could destroy the universe in the wrong conditions

That Higgs boson that everyone was so eager to find last year? As it turns out, it could be the end of everything -- in the wrong circumstances, anyway. In his upcoming bookStarmus, Stephen Hawking notes that the once-elusive particle could become less than perfectly stable at energy levels of 100 billion giga-electronvolts or higher. If it gets to that state, it could trigger a vacuum bubble that would expand at the speed of light, eventually collapsing all space and time; you wouldn't even know the disaster was coming if the event happened on Earth.

LG G3 comes with extra battery and charging cradle in the United States

G will bundle its G3 smartphone flagship with an extra battery and a charging cradle for it in the United States. The offer is valid with the purchase of a new device between September 8 and September 22.

The additional 3,000mAh battery and its charging cradle are worth $70. Such a promotion aims to help the LG G3 stay attractive amongst the slew of recently announced competitors, bound to hit the market over the course of next month.

LG G3 is available on all major carriers in the United States. The handset is currently one of the best Android offerings on the market and such promotion makes it an even more attractive proposition.

Google Play Movies & TV for iOS gains offline support

Google’s Play Movies & TV app for iOS got treated to a significant update. Version 1.2.0 of the app brings offline movie playback to the Apple’s platform.

The app’s newly built-in functionality should appeal to those with limited amount of data in their wireless plan, or simply spend time away from less than perfect network coverage. Downloading movies or TV episodes is available only over Wi-Fi.

Alleged Apple iPhone 6 specs revealed by China Mobile

Less than a day before the official announcement, the alleged specs of the Apple iPhone 6 leaked out. The information was posted online by China Mobile – the largest wireless carrier in the world.

Curiously, the leaked specs of the hotly anticipated smartphone differ from past leaks. Purportedly, iPhone 6 will feature an Apple A8 chipset with quad-core CPU and 4.7” display with the rather unimpressive resolution of 1134 x 750 pixels, covered by sapphire glass.

Apple iPhone 6 Specs

Unofficial preliminary specifications
Also known as iPhone Air
LTE carrier support
Image courtesy of Marques Brownlee
GENERAL 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all models
  CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
  CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
  HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE- all models
SIM Nano-SIM
Announced Exp. announcement 2014, September
Status Rumored. Exp. release 2014, September

HP Stream gets official to battle Chromebooks, will cost more than expected though

Remember HP’s Windows-powered ultra low-cost 14-inch laptop that was supposed to be a Chromebook’s worst nightmare? Well, the HP Stream has finally become official today.

There is one huge caveat, though. While it was previously said to cost just $199, in fact it will start at $100 more than that. $300 still isn’t a huge sum to pay for a laptop, but it’s also not crazy cheap.

Twitter’s Buy button now in testing, lets you purchase stuff straight from a tweet

Back in July a few people spotted an odd new Buy button next to certain product-related tweets in their Twitter timelines. Starting today this feature is officially in testing, the social network has announced.

For now, you’ll only see Buy buttons next to some tweets if you’re in the US. Even if you are, you might not get the new feature, as it will first be available for just “a small percentage” of users.

Apparently this counts as an early step in Twitter’s strategy of letting you easily make purchases from your mobile device. The Buy buttons will show up in the company’s apps for iOS and Android. Those who see them will also get access to offers and merchandise they can’t get anywhere else.

Smartwatch bonanza: hottest smartwatches at IFA compared

IFA used to be dominated by smartphone announcements, then tablets moved in and now wearables are the new hotness. Many companies have various smartbands but we’re only interested in proper smartwatches – ones with big screens for notifications and with a proper OS to run apps.

This cuts the number of contestants down somewhat but not enough, it can still take you a while to wade through specs and price not to mention looks. There’s a battle shaping up versus practical square watches and aesthetically pleasing round watches. Here are all the specs in one place to make things a little easier.