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Skype still struggling with outage

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///classifications/gadgets/phones/voip-phones/images/skype-logojpg-200-200.png"> The great Skype outage of 2010 continued long into Thursday with a large proportion of users still struggling to maintain connection to the popular VoIP service. In a situation, which strangely mirrors the UK travel chaos caused by the snow, some Skype users are up and running again while others remain stranded, unable to make free voice and video calls or send instant messages. On the company's official blog Skype's Peter Parks revealed that an estimated 10 million users were now back online, but that features may not work as efficiently as normal. The post read: "In the last hour, we've seen evidence of a significant increase in the number of people online. Because of the way the Skype software works, it's not possible for anyone to obtain an exact figure, but we now estimate it to be over 10 million. "Please note that some features may not work as reliably as expected – peoples' online status may be slow to update, and instant messages might not be delivered as quickly as they are normally. Group video calling will take longer to return to normal." Christmas woe On Wednesday the company had apologised for its first major outage since August 2007, which left many users unable to reach their loved ones at Christmas forcing them to explore other providers. Skype says its engineers are working hard at creating 'mega supernodes' - allowing individual connections between computers and devices - in order to restore service. The company is telling users to keep checking the <a href="about:Twitter.com/skype">Skype Twitter feed</A> for the latest information surrounding the mysterious outage.

Skype still struggling with outage

The great Skype outage of 2010 continued long into Thursday with a large proportion of users still struggling to maintain connection to the...

Google Nexus S still works after trip to space

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/gadgets/phones/mobile-phones/images/android_logo_big-200-200.jpg"> Google decided to test the limits of its <a href="">Nexus S</A> phones and their sensors by sending the devices into orbit - complete with little Android astronauts. The project saw seven phones sent up into space to check the power of the GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer - using custom-made applications as well as Google Maps (using the offline caching function from version 5.0) and Google Sky Map to see if the stars could be discerned when much closer. The Nexus S managed to stay operational at temperatures reaching minus 50 degrees Celsius, and the GPS chip tracked the location of the phone all the way up to 60,000 feet - and regained function on the way down. We didn't test these limits in our <a href="">Google Nexus S review</A> - sorry. Noooooo - the Android robot! The <a href="http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2010/12/android-in-spaaaace.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OfficialGoogleMobileBlog+%28Official+Google+Mobile+Blog%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Google team's blog</A> confirmed managed to recover all the balloons when they landed, which is pretty impressive, and video and digital cameras snapped and shot the flight as it happened. The balloons reached heights of over 100,000ft and travelled at up to 139mph at the top of their flight - the helium-filled balloons popped as they expanded at massive heights and you can see the heart-wrenching video of the moment the Android robot manning the flight was lost forever.

Google Nexus S still works after trip to space

Google decided to test the limits of its Nexus S phones and their sensors by sending the devices into orbit - complete with little Android...

BBC iPlayer views still on the up

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///classifications/home-entertainment/tv/images/btvision_iplayer_listing1EE-200-200.jpg"> The BBC's latest iPlayer stats have arrived and show a small increase in streams in November but a massive increase over the same period last year. 141 million requests for TV and Radio programmes in November is slightly up on October – but 32 per cent more than November 2009, illustrating the growth in desire for video on demand. It was also a record month for those people who use Virgin Media's iPlayer service to catch up on BBC shows. Playing Lip Service The Apprentice, Merlin, Spooks and Russell Howard's Good News all performed well, and we're shocked to find that raunchy lesbian drama Lip Service contributed to a strong month in drama. "Live TV viewing via the BBC iPlayer increased in November to make up 13 per cent of all requests, boosted by Children In Need and sport coverage. Live radio also grew slightly," <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2010/12/november_bbc_iplayer_monthly_p.html">blogged</A> the BBC's Bridget Middleton. "The Unbelievable Truth was the most requested radio programme, with The News Quiz and The Chris Moyles Show also popular. "It was also a strong month for sport coverage on 5 Live with the football Premier League, and the Haye v Harrison boxing match."

BBC iPlayer views still on the up

The BBC's latest iPlayer stats have arrived and show a small increase in streams in November but a massive increase over the same perio...

Google Nexus S still works after trip to space

Google Nexus S still works after trip to space

Google decided to test the limits of its Nexus S phones and their sensors by sending the devices into orbit - complete with little Android...

BBC iPlayer views still on the up

BBC iPlayer views still on the up

The BBC's latest iPlayer stats have arrived and show a small increase in streams in November but a massive increase over the same perio...

New research says e-cigarettes are safer than real ones, no cigarettes safer still

<DIV class=separator style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWR5ym8CjHTIsRgxzJgkL4arVq5_N8vPo10yv0rrhWVpvfc4bjsppeTwezGt73ee7HH9SNd5VYGQcV8hAXgRPEI2tbNaGCp8rE4QSmT_sBoQv_iPTse4uBbsEQzSPxB_6gcvzJr1rv_4/s1600/e-cigarette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWR5ym8CjHTIsRgxzJgkL4arVq5_N8vPo10yv0rrhWVpvfc4bjsppeTwezGt73ee7HH9SNd5VYGQcV8hAXgRPEI2tbNaGCp8rE4QSmT_sBoQv_iPTse4uBbsEQzSPxB_6gcvzJr1rv_4/s1600/e-cigarette.jpg"></A></DIV>Research swayed back and forth on the health risks associated with e-cigarettes since their debut in the US about three years ago. The faux cigs, which are essentially nicotine inhalers intended to help smokers kick the actual smoking habit while still getting their dose of nicotine, the main addictive ingredient in tobacco. In the first truly comprehensive study of the somewhat controversial nicotine replacement method, researchers at Boston University's School of Public Health has found that not only are e-cigarettes much safer to "smoke" than normal ones, they may also aid in kicking the addictive habit altogether. According to the researchers, "few, if any" of the chemicals found in e-cigarettes pose serious health risks, and carcinogen levels in them are up to 1,000 times lower than in actual tobacco. This research, of course, disagrees with the FDA's findings that essentially, the chemicals found in e-cigarettes were risky and unknowable. The FDA has yet to evaluate e-cigarettes the way that they have done with all medications and other nicotine replacement products, so we can't be sure, but it's looking more and more possible that if you just need to smoke, an e-cigarette may be a safer route... for everything but your dignity, of course.

New research says e-cigarettes are safer than real ones, no cigarettes safer still

Research swayed back and forth on the health risks associated with e-cigarettes since their debut in the US about three years ago. The faux ...

Fragrance Jet II receives video demonstration, still looks like a terrible idea (video)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4m-czFlM3sUwJxPbIl-trX4G6kuPXRYzF62CQWQSHqSwtGOVwEvk6324NYWVNqDoDXxYWKpzk-K48iX1fkBj8-RXFCA7x-lwRQleOr1KMw8hQLwX6c9FnDa7RgcY3S7aloN-jEvYsUkM/s1600/10x1215ub73nc831x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4m-czFlM3sUwJxPbIl-trX4G6kuPXRYzF62CQWQSHqSwtGOVwEvk6324NYWVNqDoDXxYWKpzk-K48iX1fkBj8-RXFCA7x-lwRQleOr1KMw8hQLwX6c9FnDa7RgcY3S7aloN-jEvYsUkM/s320/10x1215ub73nc831x.jpg" width="320"></a></div> 
Ah, those zany Keio University researchers trying to recreate Smell-O-Vision, do you want to know what they're up to these days? They're still trying, of course, but now they've taken the opportunity to demonstrate their hardware -- which uses basic inkjet printer tech to fire off very short bursts of fragrance -- to tech lovers in Japan while still tweaking and refining it.

Fragrance Jet II receives video demonstration, still looks like a terrible idea (video)

Ah, those zany Keio University researchers trying to recreate Smell-O-Vision, do you want to know what they're up to these days? They...

HTC Gratia UK release date still on track

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/classifications/gadgets/phones/mobile-phones/HTC/Gratia%20Charcoal%20Black-200-200.jpg"> Reports that the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-gratia-announced-for-uk-and-europe-901516">HTC Gratia</A> has been delayed have been refuted by HTC, which confirms the UK release date hasn't changed. The Gratia was supposed to begin rolling out across Europe in November, and while HTC has left it late, the phone has begun to ship in territories like Sweden and Italy. This prompted some sites to claim that the handset was delayed, but TechRadar contacted HTC for clarification and we received this response: "HTC Gratia is now available across several European markets, and is on track to be released in the UK in Q1 2011 as originally planned. "We are looking forward to seeing people's response to HTC Gratia." Non-sense We still wish that the Gratia would come with the upgraded version of HTC Sense, but this looks pretty unlikely at this point for the dinky handset. The price of the phone is oddly expensive over in Europe: €399 (£335) in Sweden, for instance. If you were hoping that this pint-size handset was going to rival the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/htc-wildfire-690067/review">HTC Wildfire</A>, then you're going to be waiting a little longer for something else, it seems.

HTC Gratia UK release date still on track

Reports that the HTC Gratia has been delayed have been refuted by HTC, which confirms the UK release date hasn't changed. The Gratia wa...