Watch video of the Boeing 747 that crashed in Afghanistan

A cargo plane going from Afghanistan and bound for Dubai crashed few moments after take-off from the Bagram air base near Afghan capital, Kabul.

7 people were reportedly killed from the plane crash. 6 of them were from Michigan while the seventh was from Kentucky.

One of the pilots, Brad Hasler just married his long-term girlfriend two weeks ago. They already have a child and were expecting their second child.

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Posted in Machines, technology

The current most expensive car in the world

In the history of car making, there have been many categories of cars based on people’s chosen configurations.

It could be about size for some people while some go for design. This post goes for cost.

We want to bring you the most expensive car in the world.

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Posted in Machines, Specials

Mobile phone data could help to plan a bus route and reduce traffic

In a competition titled Data for Development (D4D) run by Orange cellphone network, IBM researchers have claimed they can use cellphone records to plan better bus route.

IBM in about 500,000 of the records, the data includes the nearest tower (mast) to the person making a call, along with any changes of nearest tower during the call.

IBM used the data to figure out the routes took while making calls in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s largest city.

IBM then cross-referenced the journey data with the existing bus network and traced the likely effects of making 65 changes to the network.

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Posted in Gadgets, technology

The first website back online to commemorate 20th anniversary of World Wide Web

A British physicist Tim Berners-Lee launched a world-changing invention twenty years ago when the first ever website became available on the internet on the 30th of April, 1993.

Tim Berners-Lee had invented the World Wide Web as an employee of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (NERC) in 1989. However the first website came on the internet in 1993.

NERC has resurrected the extinct first web page to the internet on the 30th of April, 2013 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the launch of the World Wide Web.

The first website was in text only HTML (HyperText Markup Language) format and was about teaching people how to use the new invention.

The CERN Director-General Rolf Heuer in a statement on CERN’s website said;

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Posted in history, internet

The first ever built skyscraper in the world

Today, it would be a massive waste of time to start counting the number of skyscrapers in the world. But no matter the amount of skyscrapers in the world, it all began somewhere.

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Posted in history, Specials

Dubai police acquire Ferraris as patrol cars

Dubai police has unveiled Ferrari FV cars as their new police squad vehicles.

This occurs after it recently gave Lamborghini Aventador to some of its officials.

Police chief Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim said:

“Dubai is a unique city and everything in it should reflect its uniqueness and for that reason police will add a Ferrari sports car to its patrol fleet.

“We have been pleasantly surprised by the reaction of people to the Lamborghini, so we said a Ferrari would be a good choice too.”

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Posted in Machines, technology

Online auction gets to another level as record bid of $605,000 (95 million naira) is made for a cup of coffee with Apple’s CEO

Auction for valuable goods have always been a spicy affair and this is proving no difference, in fact it is even spicier.

The race to have a cup of coffee with Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has reached another record-breaking point as there is now a bid of $605,000 to be on the same table with him.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook

This enormous amount has set a new record online as the highest value ever bidded for an online auction.

This beats and even doubles the previous record which was $255,000 to spend a day with former U. S. President Bill Clinton.

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Posted in technology

Quotes for the Week: Barack Obama

This week, we are bringing you three of Barack Obama’s most popular quotes. Enjoy and be challenged.

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Posted in people, politics, quotes

After 98 years, Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity passes another test

More evidence has been provided by a pair of stars orbiting each other nearly 7,000 light years from Earth that Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity is correct.

Bursts of energy were measured by astronomers from a neutron star which is being orbited by a white dwarf star.

The gravity created by the neutron star, created a wrinkle in the fabric of space time in a way predicted by Einstein in his famous general relativity theory in 1915.

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Posted in science, technology

Wi-Fi hotspot embedded in Microsoft Office 365's ad in Forbes magazine

Like an Einstein quote that says thoroughness is genius, Microsoft has done something out of the box this time with its Microsoft Office 365's ad that includes a mobile hotspot on the pages of Forbes magazine.

Microsoft Office 365's ad with hotspot. Pic: Engadget.

This is in a bid to allow customers who are willing to try the service out to have all necessary materials right on the spot.

This is to take care of procrastination of customers to try the service later provided there is no medium to try it out.

The Wi-Fi hotspot contains a battery and up to 15 days of T-Mobile service for up to 5 devices.

The page covering up the hotspot includes some instructions for connecting to the newly created network, and the hotspot will last for about three hours on the battery supplied in the magazine.

What are these tech giants not going to do these days?

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Posted in Gadgets, technology

Glo signs $750 million deal with Huawei

Glo yesterday 25th of April signed a network upgrade equipment deal worth $750 million (about 118 billion naira) with Chinese tech company Huawei.

The contract, according to Glo, is aimed at making the network more resilient for better user-experience.

The Group Chief Operating Officer (GCOO) of Glo, Mohammed Jameel, speaking at the event said: “At the beginning of 2013, I made a commitment on behalf of the company that we will attach a lot of importance to our network because if customers do not enjoy the network, they cannot enjoy our products,”

Glo and Huawei officials

According to Mohammed, this upgrade process started by Globacom which is an ongoing process is in a bid to upgrade the network with the latest technology.

“We are upgrading every element of our network that provides services to consumers,”

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Posted in technology

Google street view now available in 50 countries

Google Inc. has added two more countries to its Google street view service to make it 50 countries on Wednesday.

The Google street view is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that allows you to view places through 360-degree, panoramic, and street level imagery.

The Google street view service is now in Hungary and the South African country of Lesotho.

Google has added important places like the Hungarian Parliament, the famous Chain bridge, and the Szechenyi thermal bath (which is the largest medicinal bath in Europe) to its imagery service.

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Posted in Google, technology

See beautiful, well designed cars from the Shanghai Auto Show 2013

The Shanghai Auto Show which held its first edition in 1985 has commenced the 2013 edition of the show.

It is the first professional auto show in China. It also became the first UFI (The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry) approved Chinese auto show in 2004.

This year's edition started on the 21st of April and will end on the 29th of April. This year's edition is being held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre (2345 Longyang Road, Pudong, Shanghai).

We are bringing you some of the eye-catching automobiles that have graced this year's event. See the pictures below;

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Posted in technology

NCC starts SIM mobile number portability (MNP) today: change networks without changing your phone number

Nigerian Communications Commission has today 22nd April launched the mobile number portability (MNP) after a failed target of March 27.

The new service which will allow customers to migrate to another network while retaining their mobile phone number was launched amid different emotions.

The NCC has stated that it expect this new service to improve service of various networks due to the tight competition that will ensue.

The NCC has given its guidelines about the new service in a statement on its website.

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Posted in Gadgets, technology

This week in history: Max Planck, Spain, Sierra Leone,…

As we enter another week, we bring you memorable events that happened on these days in history;

April 21

On 21st of April, 2002, French President Jacques Chirac faced a reelection challenge from extremist Jean-Marie Le Pen in the first round of presidential voting but two weeks later handily defeated him to win a second term.

On the same day in 1918, Manfred Freiherr (baron) von Richthofen Germany's top flying ace in World War I, was shot down and killed during a battle near Amiens, France.

April 22

On this day in 1994, Former U.S. president Richard M. Nixon died of stroke in New York City, 10 months after the death of his wife.

Richard Nixon during his resignation address

April 23

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Posted in history, people

Archos to launch three high quality dual SIM Android smartphones

The French tablet maker Archos has announced three smartphones that are set to be part of the fast rising Android market. The smartphones will be shipped unlocked and support 3G only.

The three smartphones; Archos 35 carbon, Archos 50 platinum, Archos 53 platinum are set to be in the market by the end of May.

In his words, Loic Poirier, chief executive of Archos said: "The smartphone market is shifting, as sim-free sales are increasing. Archos is prepared to this change, as we can offer affordable, unlocked, and feature-rich smartphones without the heaven price tag."

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Posted in Gadgets, technology

Pre-order your new Samsung Galaxy S4 on Jumia.com

Lagos, Nigeria, April 19, 2013- Jumia.com.ng, Nigeria’s number 1 online retailer is at it again.

This time, in synergy with world renowned mobile manufacturer Samsung, Jumia is offering the phone to be released May 10 for pre-order on its website at the price of N108,000.

Jumia has also promised its loyal customers who pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S4 free accessories to add some swag to the out of this world mobile experience.

Pre-order your Samsung Galaxy S4 on Jumia

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is a 5-inch full HD Super AMOLED; 1,920×1,080 screen, at 441 pixels per inch.

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Posted in Samsung

World’s fastest home internet service launched in Japan with a download speed as high as 2Gbps

An internet service provider (ISP) in Japan So-net Entertainment, backed by Sony has launched Nuro, the world’s fastest internet for home consumers.

The fiber-based internet service launched on Monday in Tokyo and six nearby jurisdictions with download speed of 2Gbps and upload speed of 1Gbps, charged at 4,980 yen ($51) per month.

Nuro customers receive an optical network unit with three-Gigabit Ethernet ports and support for 450Mbps over 802.11 a/b/g/n.

Previously, the fastest internet connection was the Google Fiber service, which has a download speed of 1Gbps but at a higher price of $70 which is still cheap considering the connection speed.

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Posted in internet

Zimbabwe doesn’t have money to run elections

Cash-strapped Zimbabwe in a move to plug a gap in its finances ahead of elections expected in the second half of the year, gas approached South Africa for a budgetary support of $100 million.

South Africa has approved the request according to Zimbabwe Finance Minister, Tendai Biti on Monday.

Last year, Biti disclosed that Harare had approached regional economic giant South Africa and oil-rich Angola for $150 millon amid a lack of aid from Western donors who have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe’s President, Mugabe over charges of human rights abuse.

Zimbabwe Finance Minister Tendai Biti

“Pursuant to discussions in September 2012, I’m aware the South African cabinet has made a decision and it’s a positive decision,” Biti told a news conference.

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Posted in politics

Microsoft wants to make smartwatch

According to reports from Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is expected to be in the process of making touch-enabled watches.

Microsoft Corp

Sources claim that Microsoft has asked its parts supplier in Asia to send it touch-based components that could be used to make a smartwatch. The report citing executives at Microsoft supply partners indicate that the watch may have a screen size of 1.5 inches.

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Posted in Gadgets, technology

Car attacked by elephant in Kruger Park

A car containing a couple believed to be Chinese was flipped by an elephant 6:30am this morning in the South African Kruger National Park.

Reports claim that only the man sustained visible injuries. The Park spokesperson William Mabasa claims a helicopter, local doctor, and paramedics were sent to the scene.

The attacked vehicle

“It is not clear yet why the elephant turned aggressive. However, we would like to appeal to the public to always be on the lookout for these huge animals and try not to get too close whenever they see one approaching on the road,” Mabasa said in a statement.

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Posted in Machines

Quotes of the week: Margaret Thatcher

With the passing on of one of the greatest woman in history, we are bringing you some of her most popular and important quotes.

This could be at any time of her life ranging from her time as leader of the opposition Conservatives Party to her time as the Prime Minister of Great Britain and even afterwards.

“In politics, if you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” (May 20, 1965 during her speech to National Union of Townswomen’s Guilds)

“I don’t think there will be a woman Prime Minister in my lifetime.” (March 5, 1973 on a BBC programme when she was still the Education Secretary)

“The Russians are bent on world dominance, and they are rapidly acquiring the means to become the most powerful imperial nation the world has seen. The men in the Soviet politburo don’t have to worry about the ebb and flow of public opinion. They put guns before butter, while we put just about everything before guns. They know that they are a super power in only one sense – the military sense. They are a failure in human and economic terms.” (January 19, 1976 during a speech)

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Posted in history, people, politics, quotes

Smartphone app that can hack and control an airplane? Yes, it’s possible…

During the Hack in the Box security conference in Amsterdam this week, a security researcher at the German IT consulting firm N.Runs, Hugo Teso demonstrated how he could use an Android app to exploit bugs in flight management software.

This he showed will allow him to totally gain control the airplane without raising a security alarm. The 30 year old man who is also a trained commercial pilot, claims he can make an airliner “dance to his tunes” by using this technology.

Mr. Teso used his PlaneSploit app to do many things in an airplane like feeding false information to the jet, making it change course or even crashing it during a simulation exercise.

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Posted in Gadgets, technology

Google’s search results are five times safer than Bing’s from malware

A German independent testing lab AV-Test conducted an 18-month study on 40 million websites provided by seven different search engines.

10 million websites of the 40 million websites were from Google. 10 million as well from Bing, while Russian search engine Yandex produced 13 million websites and the other 7 million came from Blekko, Faroo, Teoma, and Baidu.

It was reported that out of the 40 million sites tested by AV-Test, only 5,000 websites were found to be with malware. Out of the 5,000 websites, Yandex had 3,330 malicious links out of its 13 million websites.

Microsoft owned Bing had 1,285 malicious results out of its 10 million websites while the biggest search engine Google had only 272 malicious links out of its 10 million websites. This number represent about a fifth of the malicious links being dished out by Bing’s search results.

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Posted in Google, technology

Dinosaurs are so big, and this is why…

The world’s oldest dinosaur embryos, some of which still feature organic material, have been found in Southwest China, researchers announced Wednesday.

This has given more answers to why dinosaurs grew into big sizes. The embryos are among the oldest embryos ever found. It is believed that it existed about 175 and 199 million years ago!

Artist impression of embryonic lufengosaurus. Credit:NBC News

The embryos of the dinosaurs were said to quickly grow out of its shell faster than any bird or dinosaur ever found.

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Posted in science