The Best Five Budget Tablets 2012 Christmas

This Christmas people up and down the UK people will be getting tablets - with retailers reporting that a tablet is selling every second in Britain.

Just two years ago the choice would have been Apple or Apple, however 2012 has been a watershed in the tablet market, and there are plenty of great tablets for under £200 - and not all of them have the Apple logo on the back. Budget doesn’t necessarily mean poor quality any more. Here’s our pick of top five best budget tablets.

1: Google Nexus 7
From £159

The Google Nexus 7 is made by Asus, it’s a well designed-tablet with some great specs - and unlike Kindle, it has a forward-facing camera for Skype. The 7-inch screen is excellent for movies and the quad-core processor ensures it’s exceptionally quick, ably handling 3D games.Google Play Store now has a great selection of music, apps, books and videos.

Running the latest of Android Jelly Bean, as a flagship Nexus device you can buy the Nexus 7 safe in the knowledge it is guaranteed at least two more significant software updates from Google, adding new features.

Considering the feature set here, starting at £159 for the 16GB version, the Nexus 7 is great value, although it’s worth noting the Nexus 7 has a front (rather than rear-facing) camera, so isn’t a great choice for shooting movies and there’s no way of expanding the memory so choose between 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions.

Reasonably priced, powerful, with a great app selection and the latest version of Android’s operating system, the Google Nexus 7 is the best budget tablet

2: Apple iPad Mini
From £269

The Apple iPad Mini is the smallest and cheapest iPad has ever produced. Weighing just 308g, it’s less than half the weight of the big screen iPad, so as well as being used with one hand, it’s infinitely more portable too.

The LED-backlit 7.9-inch screen is good rather than being amazing. Unfortunately it’s not a Retina display, so text isn’t quite as sharp as the big iPad, but it’s a great size for browsing the web comfortably or watching movies. The dual-core processor can able handle graphically intensive games and you get access to the Apple App Store, which has over 275,000 apps.

There’s a respectable 5-megapixel camera for movies and photos too, as well as a front-facing camera for video calls, but like the Nexus 7, there’s no removable memory, just 16, 32 and 64GB versions.
With prices starting at £269 for the 16GB WiFi only version or £369 for the 3G/4G version, the iPad Mini is a lot more expensive than the other tablets here. In fact you can get a refurbished iPad 2 with a 9.7-inch screen for £259.

Overall, the iPad Mini is a great all-rounder, if you want a tablet that is portable, easy to use, great for movies, games and snapping the odd photo, this is the device for you.

3: Amazon Kindle Fire HD
From £159

The Amazon Kindle Fire HD is Amazon’s attempt to take some of the tablet market.
Despite being Android based, you don’t get access to the Google Play Store, instead the Amazon Store is pre-installed. App selection can’t match Android and Apple's rivals, with tens rather than hundreds of thousands, but there is a wide selection of movies, songs, TV shows and of course E-books from Amazon. If you’ve used Amazon’s previous Kindles you’ll find the reading experience disappointing - it isn’t as good as an E-Ink display.

Movies look fantastic on the 7-inch screen though, which is bright and vibrant with excellent colours and there’s a HDMI mini port for outputting to a HD TV, although with just one front-facing primarily for making Skype calls, you won’t outputting your own movies.

The Kindle Fire starts at £159 for the 16GB version, rising to £199 for the 32GB version - a reasonable price considering the hardware on offer. You can pay £10 more for a version without adverts too.
Overall, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD lacks the versatility of the Nexus 7 or iPad Mini, but is a good choice if you want a tablet for consuming content  - and don’t mind buying that content from Amazon.

4: BlackBerry Playbook
From £129

RIM’s BlackBerry Playbook is a little older than than the other tablets here, but it’s a very capable and usable tablet, with specifications matching newer devices.

Based around RIM’s QNX operating system (the godfather to forthcoming mobile operating system BB10) it’s a different to Android and iOS, with features that are cards you flick off the great 7-inch screen to close, but still very usable.

The dual-core processor is excellent for gaming and there’s a decent selection of games available, although the quantity doesn’t match the Nexus 7 or iPad Mini.

The Playbook the only tablet to support true multi-tasking so you can swap between applications such as music or YouTube playback and they’ll continue running in the background.

There’s also a 5-megapixel camera and HDMI port for connecting it to TV to play back movies.
If you like browsing the internet, downloading and watching movies and listening to music, the Playbook is worth considering. You can currently snap up the 64GB version for just £129 from PC World - £300 cheaper than the 64GB iPad Mini. If you’re not bothered too much about apps, that’s a lot of storage.

5: Hannspree HANNSpad
Price £88
The Hannspree HANNSpad is the cheapest tablet here. Running Google’s Android operating system, specifically Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich, you can download apps, play games, listen to music.
The 7-inch screen isn’t as sharp, nor is it as quick as the other tablets here, so it’s not the best choice for movies and games, while internal memory is just 512MB, so you’ll need to factor in cost of a memory card.

But these are minor complaints and what do you expect for £90? Overall the Hannspree HANNSpad is a solid choice if you’re looking for a tablet to check your email or watch YouTube from the comfort of your sofa - but there tablets with better multimedia offerings.

Floods Bring Christmas Misery

• Families preparing for Christmas have been hit by floods and travel chaos as heavy rain batters Britain.

  
  

  The southwest of England has been particularly badly affected by the downpours. Three severe flood warnings - which means there is a danger to life - were issued in Devon and Cornwall.
  Conditions are so bad that rail passengers have been told to avoid parts of southwest England and South Wales.
  
  And motorists and shoppers faced difficult conditions on one of the busiest weekends of the year for travel and shopping.
  
  The town of Braunton in north Devon has been effectively cut off, with homes and shops under water, after the River Caen burst its banks.
  Liz Spear, chairwoman of Braunton Parish Council, said a river was running through the centre of the town.
  
  "It's really bad. We had flooding seven years ago but it was nothing like this," she said.
  Some residents in Helston, Cornwall, were evacuated overnight after river levels rose.
  In Lostwithiel around 195 people were advised to leave their homes, and a rest area was set up in the Community Centre.
  
  Cornwall Council spokeswoman Trisha Hewitt, said:  "As this is falling on saturated ground, this could cause further flooding."
  
  The Environment Agency has issued 126 flood warnings - where flooding is expected - across the whole of England and Wales, and 338 flood alerts, where flooding is possible.
  
  There was a heightened flood risk across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West and East Sussex, North Yorkshire, South Wales, Ceredigion and Gwynedd.
  In Scotland, 17 flood warnings - mostly in Tayside - and 15 flood alerts were issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.                Heathrow to Bristol Transfer Taxis
  
  The Met Office released amber weather warnings, which mean "be prepared", for heavy rain and strong winds across southwest England, Yorkshire and Humber, Wales, central Scotland and the Grampians until Sunday morning.
  
  Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said heavy rain was forecast to continue across much of the country.
  
  "We're going to continue with bits and pieces of rain over south-western parts of England for the rest of today," she said.
  
  "That main rain from Saturday morning is moving north and eastwards - so there will be some heavy downpours in Scotland and northern England."
  The water has already led to major issues on road and train networks, spelling trouble for Britons travelling this weekend.
  
  The First Great Western train company advised passengers whose travel was not essential to avoid any journeys west of Taunton in Somerset because of flooding and landslips.
  
  Arriva Trains Wales told passengers to avoid any rail travel in South Wales. Both operators were using road vehicles to transport passengers, but efforts were hampered by a lack of vehicles and flooded roads.
  
  Meanwhile, staff shortages and signalling problems caused disruption on London Midland services. Buses replaced trains on some routes, while passengers were warned of possible cancellations at short notice.
  
  Mark Ridge, landlord of The London Inn, Braunton, only moved into the pub seven months ago with his family and had spent £90,000 on renovation work.
  
  "We were hoping this weekend would be our bumper weekend, to carry us through January and February trade wise, but it's just killed it now," he said.
  
  Annette Essex, who owns a pet shop in Braunton, said: "Suddenly at 6am the banks of one of the rivers broke and the water came flooding down Caen Street and into the high street and we were under about 3ft of water in our store area.
  
  "It was like a torrent of water. It was quite scary because you could hear the swish of the water and the whole road just turned into a river in the space of about 30-40 minutes."
  In the Midlands the number of flood alerts has increased steadily throughout the day and now stands at 65 in total. London Heathrow Taxis Cabs Transfers
  

Amazon Sets Up In London's Tech City

US web giant Amazon is opening a new research centre in East London's Tech City - Britain's answer to Silicon Valley.

The digital media development centre will employ hundreds of people and focus on ways to transform how we watch TV.

The multi-billion dollar company joins a growing number of technology firms in the East End , as digital industries become an increasingly large part of the UK economy.
The sector generates £86bn every year, around 11% of Britain's GDP.

For the managing director of the Amazon centre, Paula Byrne, London was seen as an attractive place to invest.

"The talent pool that we have around here is terrific," she said.
"In the UK we've had multi-platform TV with satellite, cable, terrestrial for such a long time.
"And so when I was looking around for where those skillsets were, the UK was just an obvious place to go to."

This growing digital economy is not just confined to East London.
For 25 years Dundee has made its mark in the game developing world, creating hits such as Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto.

David Hamilton, co-founder of Digital Goldfish, has seen the industry become an important of the local economy.

"It's a great buzz and it's a great atmosphere to be in.
"We get a lot of attention being such a small place like Dundee with the amount of success and history that's behind it.

"We just need to keep on growing that.  We are continuing the success."
Ed Vaizey, the minister for the creative industries, says he recognises Britain must stay ahead of global competition.

"Every country would like to be a digital hub and have companies come here.
"So it's a globally competitive market place but at the same time that's a huge opportunity because it means that companies starting here can sell into a global market."

Amazon’s investment is a sign that the digital industries are fast becoming another British success story.
But for a country in recession, it can only ever be relied upon to be part of the economic recovery.

How you could halve your parking costs

By taking advantage of new services and technology you could more than halve the amount you spend on parking.

If you think your car is expensive to run, you’re probably thinking of the high price of fuel, MOTs, insurance and tax. But there’s another cost that’s really starting to bite into Brits’ budgets.

Recent figures from Confused.com show more than one British driver in five spends over £150 on parking every single month. £150 a month adds up to £1,800 a year – that’s even higher than my car insurance!

In total, the price comparison website worked out that British drivers are paying £8 billion a year simply to park – a rise of 12.5% on the previous year.

Of course, it’s much worse for some. One car park in Knightsbridge, London, charges £36 for three hours of parking!

So what you can do to keep the price of parking down?

Get the technology

If you have a smartphone, or just hop online before you drive anywhere, it’s fairly straightforward to compare parking costs and find the cheapest.

The AA parking app costs £1.99 and has wide coverage of all paid and free car parks in the UK and Ireland.

It can even flag up park and ride locations, and show you parking space availability in real time.

Confused.com has just launched an app that directs you to the nearest, cheapest car park, while ParkNearby is free and searches for cheap and free spaces in London – but is expanding to cover the rest of the UK soon.

[Airport Taxis Transfers]

Get creative

One answer to expensive car parks is to abandon them entirely. If you regularly park in the same location, perhaps for work, it might be worth looking for a private drive or garage you could rent during the day – while the owner is out at their own job.

Admittedly, most people won’t advertise their car parking space on classifieds websites (it’s like telling burglars: “Hello, no one’s home at these hours on these days!’).

But there are companies that pair up spare driveways with drivers, such as Parkatmyhouse.com.

The company claims that drivers can save up to 70% of their normal parking costs by booking a private driveway or parking space through its system.

You don’t even have to book an ongoing space; you can find and pay for spaces through the website when you’re out and about.

I ran a trial search for parking spaces near my local station. The official car parks all charge a minimum of £6 a day. However, through this website I found several spaces nearby for just £15 a week.

Of course, I live in a small town, the rents can be higher in cities – but then, so can the savings.

If you’re spending a fortune on parking, you could offset that cost by renting out your own driveway. According to ParkatmyHouse.com, customers who live near sports stadiums can earn around £400 a space per year, while you can earn as much as £1,000 if you’re near an airport.

One customer, Katie, lives close to Southampton's cruise terminal and has two parking spaces. She charges £25 for a week's parking – much cheaper than the official parking in the area. Over the last three years, she’s earned £4,500 to help support her family.

[Southamton to London Heathrow Transfers]

Fight parking tickets

One of the most frustrating parking expenses is a ticket, especially if you don’t feel it was justified.

Have you ever appealed a parking ticket you felt was unfair? The financial penalty for a standard ticket can be between £60 and £130, depending on the council, making it a particularly expensive day’s parking!

Only a handful of parking tickets are ever appealed, but the majority of appeals are successful. So, if you’re confident that you’ve got a case then don’t just accept the parking ticket – fight it!

If you feel the ticket was unfair because the road markings were not clear or there were no obvious signs, or because you had actually paid for your parking, then take photographs of the evidence if you can. If you have any witnesses who support your case, get their details and take a quick signed statement.

Of course, if the ticket has been fairly issued then you’re best off paying immediately. Councils usually only charge half the penalty if you pay it within a set period, usually 14 days.

If you think a car parking ticket was unfair but you’re unsure about how successful your claim will be, then pay the fine while it’s still half price and then appeal it. Paying is not an admission of guilt.

[Related feature: How to beat parking fines]

Fight private parking tickets

If a council-issued fine is painful, a privately-issued one can be even higher. There have been endless complaints and news stories about extortionate charges from private car parks.

Perhaps the most frustrating are the fines for overstaying in free car parks, especially if you’ve spent the time visiting the surrounding shops.

The good news is that from October, there’s an independent appeals service. So, if you complain about an unfair charge and the private company won’t repeal it, you’ll be able to take your fight to an independent adjudicator.

Check out the British Parking Association’s information page for more details on your new rights.

How much do you pay for parking? Have you ever fought an unfair ticket? What happened? Share your thoughts and experiences with other readers in the comments below.

Extensions that can boost property value

The home extensions that increase property value

The Government has reduced the rules surrounding home extensions. How much would extending your home increase its value?

For a limited, time, homeowners can extend their properties with larger-than-usual extensions and conservatories without seeking the usual planning permission from local councils.

Businesses also get a boost, as shops, offices and industrial units will be able to expand significantly without seeking approval from local authorities.

Add 23% to your home's value

The new rules may see a surge in spending on such home improvements.
Nationwide Building Society reckons that homeowners who take the plunge by extending or improving their homes could make sizable gains. According to its research, extending your home can add a lot to its value -- depending on the scope and scale of your project, of course.

Based on an average three-bedroom British home, Nationwide calculates that adding an extension or loft conversion to your home could increase its value by almost a quarter (23%). This assumes that you increase your home's floor area by 30 square metres to create an extra double bedroom and en-suite bathroom.

Interesting improvements

Other big projects can add value, too.
For example, adding another double bedroom (floor area: 13 square metres) can push up a home's value by nearly an eighth (12%). Creating an extra bathroom could add 6% to a property's value, while increasing floor space by a tenth (10%) can add 5% to the average value.

Naturally, these improvements don't come for free. In fact, the cost of major extensions and improvements to your home can be substantial. Nationwide estimates that adding a single-storey extension to a typical home can cost £23,000, or around £1,000 per square metre. For a two-storey extension, this price tag more than triples to £76,000.

Improve, don't move

In more expensive parts of the UK, major building works can cost huge amounts. Even so, with relocating from a three-bedroom to a four-bedroom property costing on average £90,000 more, moving instead of improving can still make financial sense for growing families seeking more space.

'Lend to extend'

To take advantage of an anticipated surge in "lending for extending", Nationwide is offering low-rate further advances to borrowers wanting to increase their mortgages to pay for improvements.
While most other lenders charge high rates on a limited range of products for further advances, Nationwide allows applicants to access its entire range of mortgage deals, with a 0.10% discount for existing mortgage customers.

As a result, Nationwide's further advances -- available to both new and existing mortgage borrowers -- are among the very cheapest in the market, with rates as low as 3.19% for a two-year, fixed-rate loan.
Here's how Nationwide's further advances compare with those on offer from four other leading mortgage lenders:

Deposit required	Nationwide BS	HSBC	NatWest/RBS	C&G	Halifax
Fee	£999	£599	£299	£999	£895
40%	3.19%	3.29%	4.59%	5.89%	5.69%
30%	3.39%	3.29%	4.59%	5.99%	5.79%
25%	3.79%	3.79%	4.59%	5.99%	5.79%
20%	4.09%	3.79%	5.29%	6.09%	5.89%
15%	4.59%	-	6.19%	-	-

With rates this low as the leading deals above, a further advance can be an extremely cheap way to fund extra building work.

An alternative: cheap personal loans

If you don't have enough savings and lack the time to save up, then another smart way to fund home improvements is via an unsecured personal loan. This doesn't put the roof over your head at risk, making it less risky than a further advance or second mortgage.

Crony Trading LTD

£500m taken from UK's richest people

Special tax unit takes extra £500m from UK's richest people

The taxman has extracted an extra £500m from Britain’s richest people thanks to a special unit set up three years ago to target “high net worth” individuals.

Martin Randall, the head of HM Revenue & Customs’ high net worth unit, said: “The tax affairs of the richest people in the country are, by their nature, complex, and that’s why we have focused resources on getting their tax right.

“The majority of the wealthiest taxpayers play by the rules, paying the right tax at the right time, but we take action against the minority who don’t. This approach has delivered the result we have announced today.”

He said that when the unit was set up in 2009 it was expected to bring in about £100m a year but it yielded £200m in 2011-12, up from £162m the previous year and from £83m in 2009-10.

“We have brought in £55m so far this year,” Mr Randall added. “These year-on-year revenue increases have enabled us to deliver half a billion pounds in extra tax.”

David Gauke, the Exchequer secretary to the Treasury, said: “Today’s figures show that HMRC’s high net worth unit is making sure that the country’s wealthiest citizens pay the tax they owe.

"The overwhelming majority of people pay their taxes, so it is absolutely right that HMRC pursues anyone who tries to avoid their responsibility.”

The unit deals with the tax affairs of about 5,000 of Britain’s richest people those with assets of more than £20m. It employs 380 staff.

Crony Trading LTD

The budget smartphone – great value or false economy?

In these straitened times our desire to stay in touch and up to date wherever we are has only grown. In order to connect we need big, shiny, expensive, contract-laden smartphones, right?

Not necessarily - there are a growing number of smartphone manufacturers offering capable budget models for less than £100, such as the £50 ZTE Kis. They may not be as shiny and feature-laden as an iPhone 4S or Samsung Galaxy S3, but they essentially offer the same functionality.

Manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE are capitalising on dropping prices for parts and the growing demand for smartphones in the emerging markets. Low-end growth is driving the global market, with entry-level smartphone prices dropping thanks to greater manufacturer competition, data tariffs receiving closer regulation, and operators updating minimum hardware specs for so called ‘low-end devices’.

This all sounds great for consumers looking to step up from feature phones, but do they really represent great value or is it a false economy in a fast-changing market?

Great value

Let’s be clear, we’re looking at the SIM-only pay-as-you-go smartphone option, meaning no 12 or 18-month contract with fixed monthly costs. Set yourself a budget and top up your SIM with that amount - when it’s gone, it’s gone. Take the ZTE Kis as an example - you can kit out the whole family for less than the cost of one iPhone 4S.

As the minimum hardware specifications for operating systems constantly improves, manufacturers are having to up the processing power of budget models. The ZTE Kis runs Android on an 800MHz processor, while the ‘upper entry-level’ £100 Huawei G300, for example, boasts a 1GHz processor running on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS and is powerful enough to stream online content over the air and run multiple apps. Mix in a 5-megapixel auto focus camera with flash, 4-inch capacitive touchscreen and not unattractive styling and you start to wonder why it’s so cheap.

Sure, the build quality isn’t premium and the design won’t wow phone fashionistas, but they’re improving fast and will soon become indistinguishable from current mid range models from manufacturers like HTC and Nokia. We're starting to see some of the more establish manufacturers break the £100 mark, such as the Sony Xperia Tipo (£89).

False economy

Sometimes the mantra ‘you get what you pay for’ rings true, and that’s the case with budget smartphones. The smaller your budget, the more limited your choice and that’s most obvious in the operating system, with only Android currently falling into the budget category, and often not the latest version. Windows Phones are starting to get cheaper though (with the Nokia Lumia 710), but the iPhone certainly isn’t.

Software updates aren’t as regular or convenient and over the air updates can be harder to find (although the Huawei G300 is an exception). This may not sound too off-putting, but with budget smartphones often targeted at newcomers to the technology, user friendliness and convenience are crucial factors.

It’s in the details where the differences add up. Low screen resolution and viewing angle denigrate user experience, from browsing the web to checking out photos. Often cluttered and confusing user interfaces make every action a chore rather than a pleasure. Less responsive touchscreens make typing texts and emails hard work. Low internal memory limits options for things like playing games (on the ZTE Kis Angry Birds worked fine but Temple Run wouldn’t work at all), and minimal storage capacity means you’ll often need to invest in an SD card to increase it, which costs more money.

And then there’s the old sticking point of build quality. Cheap materials mean a cheap feel, with clunky styling a common issue. And for a gadget that has to live with you wherever you go and suffer the knocks of life in your pocket or handbag, forking out £50 may mean it doesn’t last as long as its pricier rivals.

Final thoughts

The less you pay, the fewer features you’re going to get. Forking out £50 is never going to get you an iPhone-rivaling wonder with the latest interface and add-ons – but that’s not really the point.

The budget smartphone is amazing because it opens up the functionality and connectivity of the wider virtual world to the cash conscious, to parents for their kids, to small businesses for their employees, and to those who just want to know what all the fuss is about.

As long as you manage your expectations, do some research to make sure the model you go for has the features you want and factor in other costs such as SD card to boost memory and a decent case to keep it safe, then it represents a great way to take your first step into the wonderful world of the smartphone.

Making your workplace nicer, it’s not just the money

We spend a frightening amount of our lives at work, so what can you – or your boss – do to make it a better place to be?

A happy office isn’t just a better place to spend time in, it’s frequently a key part of the success of any business. 

And happiness has more to do with respect and admiration from your colleagues and peers than pure cash, meaning it doesn’t have to cost the business a thing, according to a recent study by the University of California’s Haas School of Business.

We still spend most of our lives at work - and we want to enjoy it as best we can. While running a business for more than a decade I learn many things along the way - and, of course, made plenty of mistakes. So here are my tips to make the workplace a much happier place to be.

A little bit of praise goes a long way

Praise is a no-brainier for any boss. It costs nothing, it's easy to give and it means a lot. So why have so many bosses not got the brains to praise their employees more often when they achieve and improve?

On the flip side, a blame and shame culture rarely works for long and can quickly stifle initiative and innovation if people are two scared to take on responsibility or make mistakes.

Clear vision

How many employees really know where the business they work for is going and how it's going to get there? Communicating vision and values and getting employees to really buy into these is key for small and big businesses alike.

Sharing rewards along the way as the company grows and achieves great things is another great motivator. If colleagues share the pain, they should also share the gain.

And always try and be honest and transparent. If times are hard, show that you are prepared to roll your sleeves up and get stuck in and that you need help from everybody.

Creating champions

Any business has to listen and learn from employees' ideas and, after constructive feedback, let them run with those ideas. If you are the boss make your idea theirs and give them the responsibility and motivation to make it happen.

It is amazing what people can do if you let them work together productively. Make them a leader and they won’t want to let the team down. Who needs lots of middle managers if employees are willing to take on responsibility and really make things happen?

Grown-up thinking

Colleagues are peers, not children. Everybody is important and should be made to feel important. In that way they feel they can strive for excellence and take control of their own destiny - and their careers.

The simple things

One of the most important jobs for a manager is to make work enjoyable. Small rewards and shout outs for a job well done, fun perks, lunch or drinks after work can work wonders (or my particular favorite - free cakes on a Wednesday)…

Making work a nicer place to be can cost very little - but can make a big difference.

Flexibility

A sick relative, a school play, the boiler packing up - the unexpected is expected in the workplace. Bosses who show flexibility and understanding in these situations can be a real plus for workers and for company morale and loyalty.

Finding that elusive and all-important work-life balance requires a balanced employer. Treating people as, well, people and understanding their individual needs and situations is an important skill many businesses seem to have forgotten somewhere along the way.

So, as in life, when it comes to the workplace, money certainly helps but it can’t buy happiness

Retailers Urged To Cut Stores and Move Online

The country's major retailers are risking their businesses by keeping too many stores open and failing to keep pace with the digital age, according to a report.

Professional services group Deloitte suggests firms should be reducing their number of shops.

It found a "barnacle effect" - a focus on preserving sales volumes and store numbers - was holding companies back from getting rid of retail space.

It estimated that online sales already account for the equivalent of more than 60 million square feet of retail space and could increase significantly, potentially rendering large amounts of space obsolete.

Earlier this year, Deloitte forecast that some retailers would need to downsize portfolios by as much as 40% as the digital age drove fundamental structural change in the sector.

The report was released just hours before discount fashion chain Primark forecast a 17% jump in full year sales figures - driven by an increase in selling space.

The company, which expects to have opened 19 new stores by the end of its financial year, predicted 3% growth in sales on a like-for-like basis.

Primark said it would have added almost a million square feet of selling space over the 12 months.
Hugo Clark, director in Deloitte's real estate team and report author, told Sky News: "We're in the middle of a bit of a perfect storm.

"We've got a combination of the squeezed consumer ... and the growth and emergence of online sales which is taking sales away from physical bricks and mortar."

Deloitte said the perceived 'death of the high street' was far from a reality in the wake of figures highlighting an average national shop vacancy rate of 14.6%.

Malcolm Pinkerton, senior analyst at Planet Retail, told Sky News that the shift away from physical space was not for everyone.

He said: "The transference of spend online has led to the need for fewer stores, located in premium locations with a compelling shopping environment. Retailers have been handing back space to landlords, scaling back expansion plans and withdrawing from secondary locations for some time now as they adapt to the impact of the internet.

"While the need for a plethora of stores on every high street is no longer necessary for most, stores are integral to appeasing the demands of multi-channel shoppers. Many retailers are exploiting their store networks for services such as click & collect, while others are opening stores that integrate online and mobile technology to facilitate modern shopping habits."

He continued: "Moreover, withdrawing from the high street is not for everyone. The discount model does not lend itself well to the internet. Primark for example, whose low price point and fast fashion model would struggle to work online, is exploiting a favourable retail property market to expand – with great success.”

Nokia Lumia 920 & 820: what the experts thought

Nokia and Microsoft took the wraps off two new smartphones running the new Windows Phone 8 software - the flagship Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 - at an event in New York today. They provided the world's first proper look at Windows Phone 8's capabilities, and the Finnish phone giant's latest attempts to get its smartphone mojo back after losing ground to Android and the iPhone.

Tech writers have only had a limited opportunity to play with the devices so far - but already the first impressions are coming in. So what did the gadget world think of the two handsets?

The Verge were largely impressed by their first look at the Lumia 920, writing: "The Lumia 920 feels every bit like a flagship phone... Thanks to the sharper edges the phone feels enormous in your hand (even bigger than the 900), but it's incredibly handsome." 

They added: "The curved, Gorilla Glass-coated 4.5-inch display is a huge improvement over the 900, and thanks to Nokia's ClearBlack and PureMotion HD+ technologies it's one of the more impressive LCD displays we've seen… Its 1280 x 768 resolution is even denser than most 720p displays, and it looks amazing." They also thought that, on a quick play, Windows Phone 8 was "snappy and responsive".

The Lumia 820 also got a - qualified - thumbs up from The Verge: "The Lumia 820 feels much more like a normal smartphone than the 920, with rounded edges that don't feel quite as severe in your hand. The 4.3-inch display is every bit as attractive as its larger cousin's, but since the phone is a bit smaller it's more usable in one hand." However, they caution that "the 800 x 480 screen is also a big letdown after the gorgeous display on the 920."

Engadget were slightly less taken by the new phones, dislking the new finish of both devices compared to their Lumia predecessors - saying that "what once was matte and grippy is now a polished, glossy affair.  It's a design decision that we wish Nokia hadn't made, since it lends a cheapness to the handset that belies its hearty internals." But they admit this might be a matter of personal taste.

On the 920, they still found plenty to like, writing: "Viewing angles held up remarkably and the glass itself felt soft to the touch, allowing our finger to glide over the many live tiles unperturbed… the dual-core S4 powering the 920 makes for smooth scrolling and navigation. There are, however, minute delays when switching between screens and even launching apps."

And of the 820, they wrote: "Ultimately, the 820 feels and looks exactly like what it is -- a midrange handset. There's no shame in that and the software flies already. Still, it's hard to dismiss the somewhat lackluster specs and the unfortunate new design direction."
In fact, Engadget's strongest praise was for the operating system, which they said was "an absolute pleasure to use. At the risk of angering quite a few people -- there's simply no mid-range Android phone or iOS device that's as quick and satisfying to use as the Lumia 820, and much of that is thanks to the highly optimized Microsoft OS."

TechCrunch thought that the Lumia 920 seemed under-powered on paper, saying that it was "not exactly the sort of spec sheet that will set your world on fire — it’s on par with many current high-end Android devices — but Windows Phone has never been the most hardware-intensive mobile OS out there" - but added that "that said, there’s plenty to like about the Nokia’s refined take on Windows Phone 8 hardware. It retains the same design language featured in Nokia’s previous high-end Windows Phones (full disclosure: I still love the colorful, angular, polycarbonate chassis Nokia uses)."

Pocket-lint were particularly keen on one feature of the Lumia 920 - "The screen really is lovely though, and a feature we especially like is the fact that you'll be able to use it with gloves on - and not those special gloves either. A nice touch with winter coming." 

But they cautioned that "The problem for Nokia is that the competition isn't an easy fight to win and Nokia has to convince people that they'll want the new device. To do that, the Lumia 920 will need more than a flash coat of paint, but we now feel that it has the basics covered to do that."

Crony Trading Ltd

Curve is in the air: What to expect from the iPhone 5

On Wednesday, Apple launches its latest product. Of course, they won't say what it is but the large number 5 on the invite spells out pretty clearly that it's the latest iPhone and it'll be called the iPhone 5 (unless there are five separate iPhones going to be released, of course, but the chances of that are nil to zero). So what should we expect? Nothing is certain, but read on for our best-informed guesses - your cheat sheet to Wednesday evening's event.

All-new looks

Since the iPhone 4S was cosmetically near-identical to the iPhone 4, expect a wholly new design this time around. Leaked images suggest a similar glass front but with a proportionally longer display: enough for an extra row of app icons, which may cause app developers some headaches or mean that older apps have black lines at either edge, working as they always used to. The longer screen could make video watching more pleasurable as it'll be closer to the widescreen 16 x 9 ratio.

Rear metal jacket

It will also have a metal back. Since it's hard to get signals (wi-fi, 3G and so on) through metal, expect a section that's more signal-friendly like glass or plastic. The first iPhone had a plastic section on the back for this purpose.

Better connected

And along with 3G, expect the new iPhone to have 4G, too. Of course, at first there'll only be one 4G frequency in the UK, the 1800MHz band chosen by Everything Everywhere and theoretically switched on tomorrow. There's no confirmation but I'd say that this frequency will be included in the iPhone 5, making it a poster boy for speedy data transfer. At last, no more stuttering browsers or long delays for web pages to load. Yeah, right.

A bigger screen

This is the development that's as near-definite as can be. Last year, rumour has it, a bigger-screened iPhone was on the cards but was nixed when the apps just didn't look good enough. So if that problem's solved, expect a 4-inch display, instead of the 3.5-inch one all previous iPhones have had. It'll still be a Retina Display, though the resolution will change to fit the larger display.

Thinner display

That display may well use a different technology that makes it thinner, allowing the iPhone 5 to slim down overall. Not that the current model is plump, but the new one may shave around 1mm off the thickness.


New software
The latest OS, version 6, will be on board with gorgeous new maps (courtesy of TomTom) and improved capabilities from Siri, the voice recognition program. Note that some of the Siri features may only be available in the US at first.

Your dock connector won't fit

The familiar 31-pin connector on the base of the phone is likely to be replaced with a smaller one - though not the microUSB connection on almost every other handset. So your iPod speakers will need to be replaced or to have an adaptor to work.
Faster processor

The iPhone 4S processor is called the A5; the latest iPad has the A5X, which is the A5 with extra graphical processing grunt. Expect the A5X or even a new model called the A6 to feature in the iPhone 5.

Mobile wallet

The new software includes a neat feature called Passbook which will collect together your boarding passes, tickets and more. It may be connected to the phone's GPS, so your plane ticket could pop up on screen as you approach the airport. And it could feature NFC, the contactless connection used in the London Oyster card system. NFC is already on several mobile phones but Apple could be the first with an end-to-end system to make NFC really work, though again it may only be for the US at first.

A bigger battery, smaller sim

That 4G drains battery life faster, so it's likely there'll be a bigger cell in the iPhone 5. And since Apple likes to make other components smaller to allow for more battery, expect the rumours of a nano sim to be true. Apple switched from a regular sim card to a micro sim with the iPhone 4 and now nearly every high-end phone favours the smaller model. A similar rush to the smallest sim may follow from other manufacturers.

Overall, the new iPhone is likely to be a much bigger upgrade than from iPhone 4 to 4S. And though many fanboys will be disappointed, you can expect it to sell in greater numbers even than its super-selling predecessors.

So, when can I get one?

Apple always releases within days of its product announcements. The only exceptions are for the first of a new type of product, when approval from the American FCC is required in advance, which is why the first iPhone and iPad were announced months ahead of release. That doesn't apply here. Apple likes a big opening weekend and favours Fridays for onsale dates, so you can bet that the iPhone 5 will be in stores on Friday 21 September, with pre-orders probably starting on Wednesday. On your marks...

The images on this page are mock-ups of how the iPhone 5 *may* look by designer Frederico Ciccarese

Three killed in Kenya's Mombasa riots after cleric shot dead

MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Two Kenyan police officers and a civilian were killed when rioters hurled a grenade at officers in the port city of Mombasa on Tuesday after two days of violence over the killing of a radical Muslim cleric.

Mobs of youths had fired at police with machineguns just before throwing the grenade into a police truck, Benedict Kigen, a senior police intelligence officer said.

The riots broke out on Monday after Aboud Rogo, accused by the United States of helping al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants in Somalia, was shot dead. Gunmen sprayed Rogo's car with bullets in an attack many Muslims in Mombasa blamed on the police, who denied involvement.
Police said at least 16 police officers were wounded in the grenade attack in Kisauni, a predominantly Muslim area, where youths set two churches on fire and barricaded roads with burning tyres as the riots spread to the outskirts of Kenya's second-biggest city, a tourist hub and major Indian Ocean port.

"These are pure criminals, and now terrorists are infiltrating within to launch grenades at us. They are looting even chicken," Kigen told Reuters.
The city's main streets, usually thronged with shoppers and foreign tourists, were deserted and some shops were shuttered. Shopkeepers reported looting in some areas of the city and police said rioters had looted and set fire to a bank.

"People are breaking into our shops and looting our property and police are doing nothing," said Francis Mutua, 33, a kiosk owner who said he and his colleagues had beaten up an offender.
Shopkeeper Kassim Ali also complained about police as they cleared a smouldering roadblock nearby. "These people, the police, are joking. They are taking this thing lightly, but the way I see it, it will not be good," he said.

One person was killed in riots on Monday when protesters set fire to several churches, stoking fears that the unrest may become more sectarian in a city where grenade attacks blamed on Somali militants and their sympathisers have already strained Muslim-Christian relations. Mombasa has a big Muslim minority.
Police and Muslim leaders had described the church burnings as impulsive, not premeditated. On Tuesday the gangs of youths appeared to focus their anger more on the police.

Church leaders scrapped plans for a peaceful march on Tuesday for fear it might incite further clashes in a country where overall relations between Muslims and Christians have been relatively good.
"We have been asking how we will defend ourselves. We are wondering how the killing of Rogo was related to churches and Christians. Muslims are now against the Christians and that is what we need to concentrate on," said Bishop Lawrence Dena.

Sheikh Mfaume Bakari Mfaume, representing Muslim clerics at a meeting called by Muslim and Christian clerics to end the violence said: "Muslims did not plan these attacks. These were rogue youths, and the fact that they might be Muslims doesn't drag the entire Muslim fraternity in this."

RADICAL PREACHER
Washington and Nairobi had both accused Rogo of helping al Shabaab, Somalia's Islamist rebel group.
The al Qaeda-linked militant group urged Kenyan Muslims on Tuesday to protect their religion at all costs and boycott next year's presidential election. It condemned what it called a "witch-hunt" against Muslims by the Kenyan authorities.

"Muslims must take the matter into their own hands, stand united against the Kuffar (non-believers) and take all necessary measures to protect their religion, their honour, their property and their lives from the enemies of Islam," al Shabaab said in a statement posted on the social media site Twitter.

The violence could worsen if it taps into long-standing local grievances over land ownership and unemployment, as well as calls by the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) for the coastal strip to secede. The MRC said it was not involved in the unrest.

Prolonged trouble in Mombasa would hit Kenya's vital tourism industry, already damaged by the kidnappings of Western women tourists from beach resorts by Somali gunmen, at the height of the tourist season.
"Right now we have closed all our tourists in the hotels. We can't take them on safaris, we can't take them on tours of cultural sights ... because it is unsafe," said Titus Kangangi, owner of the Platinum hotel just north of Mombasa.

Mohammed Hersi, who runs the Whitesands Hotel, the largest resort on the coast, said tourists were worried. "It's tricky to even take them or pick them from the airport because the main highway from the airport is the epicentre of the chaos."

The unrest could also knock trade and transport to Kenya's landlocked neighbours. Rwanda and Uganda rely on Mombasa port for imports of food, consumer goods and fuel.
(Additional reporting by Richard Lough; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Louise Ireland)

G4S confirms £50m hit on Olympics

Olympic Contract Fiasco Costs G4S £50m

Security provider G4S (Other OTC: GFSZF.PK - news) says the security fiasco surrounding its Olympic contract has cost it £50m, but said it expected to "over-deliver" staff for the Paralympic Games.

The company reported a 59% fall in pre-tax profit to £61m in the six months to the end of June 2012 - down from £151m over the same period last year.
G4S faced intense criticism after it failed to meet its £284m contract to provide 10,400 staff for London 2012.

Thousands of military personnel had to be called in - including Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force staff - after the company only managed to deliver 83% of its contracted shifts.
But the amount of troops and police officers on duty is due to scaled back for the Paralympic Games - which begin tomorrow - after organisers confirmed that G4S will provide the majority of security for the venues.
Locog chief executive Paul Deighton said he was "fully confident" the private firm would deliver enough staff.
"The military contingent this time will be 3,500 soldiers, with 1,000 in reserve and typically G4S will be between four and 5,000," he said.

"In very simple terms, we're switching from an approach which had a slight majority of military during the Games to one which will have a slight majority of private sector security for the Paralympics."
G4S was also confident looking ahead to the Paralympics, saying it expected to "over-deliver" staff.
The £50m it has set aside as a loss on the Olympic contract is an estimate, and takes into account the cost of military and police deployment and contractual penalties, the company said.
It has begun an internal review into the contract failure, with the findings due to be made public towards the end of September.

Chief executive Nick Buckles said: "We are deeply disappointed that we had significant issues with the London 2012 Olympics contract and are very grateful to the military and the police for their support in helping us to deliver a safe and secure games."
The company, which employs more than 650,000 people, also said restructuring will result in the reduction of 1,100 jobs - fewer than 100 of which will be in the UK.
Some investors had feared the Olympic contract problems would hurt the group's prospects for Government work looking ahead.

Mr Buckles confirmed the costs involved in sorting out the debacle meant the company withdrew from bidding for a Department for Work and Pensions contract worth £20m a year.
But he added no contracts had been lost as a result of the Olympic deal and insisted the company would continue to play a "major role" in the public sector.
G4S' share price fell 2% to 260p after the results were announced.

The cheapest places in the UK and world for petrol

The bank holiday is an opportunity for people to head out of (or into) town and visit friends, relatives – or even jet overseas for a short break.

But those driving in the UK will not just encounter a change of scenery, but a large difference in the cost of filling up the car.

Figures from Santander show there’s a 16.2p a litre difference in the petrol prices paid by Brits in different parts of the country, meaning filling up could cost you £10 more (or less) depending on where you go.

Where’s cheapest then?

Looking at credit card data, Santander compared the prices paid for unleaded at petrol stations across the country - the cheapest region to fill up in was Grampian in Scotland with an average petrol price of 129.7 pence a litre.

Outside of Scotland, Denbighshire in Wales has the cheapest price per litre of 130.9p.

Regionally, north-west England was cheapest at an average of 131.9 pence per litre of premium unleaded fuel.

Where to avoid

As well as the cheapest place to fill up in Britain, Scotland is also home to the most expensive – with a litre of unleaded the Shetland Islands costing 145.9p on average, more than anywhere else.

After the Shetland Islands, Humberside was the next costliest place to fill up, where petrol costs 137.9p a litre. That high price helped push Yorkshire and Humberside to the top of the most expensive region table.

Average petrol costs by region

Region	Price
Yorkshire & Humberside	133.4 pence per litre
South West	133.2 pence per litre
Wales	133.1 pence per litre
West Midlands	133.0 pence per litre
Scotland	132.8 pence per litre
East Midlands	132.8 pence per litre
North East	132.5 pence per litre
London	132.3 pence per litre
East of England	132.3 pence per litre
South East	132.2 pence per litre
Northern Ireland	132.1 pence per litre
North West	131.9 pence per litre

Heading overseas

The savings available to people in different countries dwarf those available to people in different parts of the UK.

New research from car dealers Evans Halshaw shows Venezuela is the cheapest country to by petrol in for the second year running.

At just 8p a litre, the South American state has a bigger petrol smuggling trade than a drug smuggling one – especially given that residents of neighbouring nation Columbia pay more than 40 times as much for their fuel.

After Venezuela, Egypt (9p a litre), Saudi Arabia (10p a litre), Qatar (12p a litre) and Bahrain (15p a litre) are the cheapest countries to but petrol in.

By contrast, Norway was found to be the most expensive country to fill up in – with petrol costing an astonishing 1.64p a litre in the Scandinavian state.

Turkey (£1.62 a litre), the Netherlands (£1.48 a litre), Italy (£1.46 a litre) and Greece (£1.45 a litre) were the next most expensive.

The 10 cheapest countries to buy petrol

Mobile Phone operating systems:

Mobile Phone operating systems: Which is the right one for me?

The big four smartphones have very different operating systems and features but which is best for you?

With a uniform black rectangular shape, touchscreen, smattering of buttons and a rear camera, you’d be forgiven for thinking that all phones are the same.

In fact, the majority of smartphones use four distinct operating systems (or OS for short): Apple (iOS), Google’s Android, RIM’s BlackBerry and Windows Phone.  Despite some common features -  like access to an app store and push mail - each OS has specific traits that will suit different users. Whether you are a beginner, business user, social networker, media consumer or simply price savvy, there is an operating system for you.

Beginner

Apple (iOS): If you’ve never used a smartphone before, pick up an iPhone and within minutes you’ll feel comfortable using it. Each screen consists of rows containing apps, shortcuts and features, which you can move around.  The slick transition animations between screens give a real sense of navigation - it’s immediately obvious whether you have gone forward or back in menus. Couple this with the single Home button and it’s impossible to get lost in iOS.

Windows Phone: Consisting of a homescreen and main menu, Microsoft's Windows Phone OS is a fantastic choice for beginners.  It features ‘tiles’ that cascade vertically down the homescreen, some of which update automatically. These tiles can be moved around, so you can have features you use most near the top. 

Business user
BlackBerry: Business users need secure and reliable email - particularly when travelling so for many big businesses RIM’s BlackBerry OS is first choice. BlackBerry email is deservedly renowned for its secure encryption, along with remote wipe and device locate capability.

Apple (iOS): BlackBerry is losing ground to iOS. The iPhone includes Exchange Support for setting up corporate email, but surpassses RIM with its superior browser, usability and app support.
                                    
Social networker

Android:  All operating system have Facebook and Twitter apps, but Android offers social networking widgets. Put the Facebook widget on your homesceen and your news feed will update automatically.
What separates Android from iOS, is its tighter integration with Twitter, Facebook and other services like Instagram, so you can quickly upload a photograph, share a URL or YouTube video. 
Android phones can easily synchronise contacts from online accounts, like Gmail and Facebook, into a single manageable list.

BlackBerry: BlackBerry smartphones offer BlackBerry Messenger, or BBM for short. BBM enables BlackBerry owners to send instant messages to other users -  worldwide - using a pin number.  Many BlackBerry tariffs include unlimited BBM use, making it a cheap way to stay in touch.
BBM only works between BlackBerry phones, though with support for other IM services like WhatsApp and Google Talk and a QWERTY keyboard, BlackBerry phones have the messaging edge.

Media consumer

Apple (iOS):  The crown jewel of iOS is the Apple App Store, which offers the biggest selection of apps and games - over 650,000 -  many of which are free and exclusive to iOS.
iTunes is also packed with movies, TV series and music, which are downloadable directly to your phone. iTunes in the Cloud even lets you share media between iPhone and iPad automatically.

Android: The Google Play Store offers over 500,000 apps, movies and books, with music downloads on the way. The store is rapidly growing, but lacks the choice of Apple’s store and it’s not as user friendly.
Unlike iOS, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of handsets that run Android, all with different screen sizes and processors, so the user experience varies tremendously. Some games, movies and services will therefore only run smoothly on high-end phones.

Price savvy

Android: Android is an open operating system, so any manufacturer can create handsets that run it and consequently it has more phones than any OS. With prices starting from £50, there is an Android phone to match any budget. Cheaper phones like the ZTE Kis (£50) and Huawei G300 (£99) have a slower processor and smaller screen than the Samsung Galaxy S3 (£499), but the overall feel is similar, with a web browser, widgets and access to Google Play Store apps like Angry Birds.

Windows Phone: If you want to save money but want a simple operating system, opt for Windows Phone. Microsoft is really pushing Windows Phone so there are some real bargains like the Nokia Lumia 710, which is currently £99 on pay as you go - amazing value for a 1.4GHz processor (the same speed as Android phones double the price) and 3.7-inch screen.

So whether you’re a novice, workaholic, social network addict, movie buff or simply a price-conscious buyer, there’s an operating system and a phone out there just for you.

Worst day for accidents approaches

Motorists are being urged to drive with care on what has been identified as the worst day of the year for road accidents.

Around 40% more accidents than average were recorded on September 1 last year as swathes of motorists returned from holidays.
And in the previous two years, the rate was 30% higher than the summer holiday average.

The fact that September 1 falls on a Saturday this year means the number of crashes is likely to be higher still, say experts.
Sarah Vaughan, motor director at AXA insurance which published the study, said: "Every year we see a surge of accidents at this time of year as people head back after the August bank holiday, or return home after their summer holidays.
"Generally speaking we tend to see lots of accidents on our roads over the few days following the Bank Holiday Monday.

"However, we are particularly concerned this year that the 'bogey' date of 1 September also falls on a Saturday which is traditionally a big switchover day for holidaymakers.
"We would urge all motorists to take special care driving home and plan their journey to eliminate the stresses that often cause needless accidents."
She added that drivers could reduce the risk of a collision by leaving plenty of time for journeys, taking breaks on long trips and checking traffic information to avoid congested routes.

Security crackdown on train passengers

Train Passengers Face Airport-Style Security

The Government wants to security scan at least a quarter of all train passengers for explosives, knives and guns to protect railways and the London Underground from terrorists.

The Home Office has published details of what it wants the scanners to detect and how they should work, and is asking for advice on the technology available.

"The main focus is on the detection of explosives and weapons on people and in bags," the research brief states, suggesting that technologies including X-ray, magnetometry, vapour and trace methods, electromagnetic radiation and ultrasound could be used.
The researchers also want to know whether wheelchairs, false limbs, crutches, pushchairs, and bikes could be scanned and whether so-called dirty bombs could be spotted.

Crucially, the document insists the scanning must be done without holding anyone up.
"Any screening methodologies proposed must not delay the passengers any more than they are currently as they pass through the station," it states.
The scale of the challenge is highlighted by official figures which show almost four times as many rail passengers arrive in central London in the morning rush-hour period as pass through the security scanners at Heathrow and Gatwick airports all day.

The Department for Transport, which is also involved in the project, said it wants to balance "the need to protect passengers with the need to travel freely and easily on rail networks."
Aware of the limitations of existing scanning methods, the Home Office is asking for future technology to be assessed in addition to commercially available equipment.
It wants to know how many people might be able to go through each scanner when one in four is being actively scanned, and what the rates would be for hazard detection and false alarms.
But a leading detection company told Sky News the Government's wish-list is unlikely to be achieved in the foreseeable future.

Kromek , in County Durham, designs and builds cutting edge scanners including one that can that can differentiate between water and paint thinner held in a metal container.
Commercial director Nigel Day said even with predicted screening technology advances, the quickest security check inevitably involves some kind of delay.
"There would be too many people trying to move too quickly through a security checkpoint with various different items," he explained.

And he predicted that airport screening, which is the main focus of scanning technology development, is unlikely to be transferrable to the rail system.
"We've already seen the challenges in aviation security," he pointed out. "They're only going to be magnified in rail transport."

Bells ring in the Olympic Games

Thousands of bells, big and small, rang out across Britain for three minutes as the country prepared for the London Olympics opening ceremony later.

Churches across the UK and British embassies around the world got into the spirit of the bell-ringing extravaganza, devised by artist Martin Creed as part of a 12-week programme of cultural events celebrating the arts alongside sport.

People were encouraged to ring any kind of bell -- from a church, a bicycle, a door and even a mobile phone as the harmonious ringing spread from Wales in the west to Weymouth in the south.
One of the biggest bells taking part was London's Big Ben in parliament's clock tower, the first time it has rung outside its regular hours since the funeral of King George VI in 1952.
It chimed about 40 times between 8:12 and 8:15 a.m. after special permission was granted by parliament.
Creed, whose won the famous Turner prize with an installation of lights going on and off in an empty room, created "Work No. 1197: All the bells in a country rung as quickly and as loudly as possible for three minutes."

"It was open to anyone to take part," he told BBC television.
"I was thinking of trying to make something like a sculpture or something for the Olympics, but I was thinking to look at something you have to go to the place to look at it.
"I thought that maybe if I did something with music or making a noise it could go out across the city, you know, and across the country."
More than 10 million listeners were expected to have tuned in to the live broadcasts shown on TV, radio and online. The BBC showed British Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt ringing handheld bells at an event on London's HMS Belfast ship on the River Thames.
In Beijing, the British embassy rang its bell which was cast in 1897 for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee while staff at the High Commission in Bangladesh rang rickshaw bells.
In Brussels, the British ambassador rang the bell at the Belgian Stock Exchange to begin the day's trading.

2707_Big_Ben

Top Five Free London City Apps

London is in the global spotlight this month as it gets ready to host the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. In order to make the most of all the exciting events and celebrations happening across the capital, check out our pick of the best London travel apps – packed full of helpful hints and tips from how to get around to where to stop for lunch:

Copyright Rex

 

For getting around: Tube Map
When you’re going to be spending your days hopping around London, from sporting events to music festivals and everything in between you need an app you can rely on – and this is it. Packed full of features this app will help you plan your journey, check your Oyster balance, find stations, check departure times and so much more. By checking to see which lines have a good service, you’ll be able to keep ahead of the game – and the queues. 

For everything you need to know: Time Out London
An award-winning app, Time Out London is written by local experts and will help you track down the best bits on-the-go, featuring the lowdown on great museums, attractions, restaurants, bars, arts, entertainment and nightlife. Best of all, Time Out travel apps are entirely offline, so you won’t receive any nasty, unexpected roaming charges! 

For indecisive diners: Urbanspoon
Are you an indecisive person when it comes to what you fancy for dinner? With all the great restaurants in London, it can be a tricky task. The Urban spoon app is part Magic 8 Ball, part slot machine, part expert restaurant guide. You choose a restaurant genre (such as Moroccan) shake your phone and it finds a good nearby restaurant for you. Keep shaking it until it comes back with something you want to try. Sorted!

For stepping back in time: Street Museum – Museum of London
A very clever app which makes the most of new technology, Street Museum: Museum of London gives you a unique perspective of London – old and new. Whether you’re discovering the capital for the first time or revisiting favourite haunts, this app offers a window through time. All you have to do is choose your location from your London map, or via GPS, hold your camera up to the present day street scene and the app will overlay the historic image, from the museums huge archives, over the current view – as if you’re stepping back in time! 

For insider tips: Condé Nast Traveller iPhone city guide
Put together by the experts at Condé Nast Traveller magazine, the Condé Nast Traveller iPhone city guide is packed with top tips for what to see and do in what promises to be a very exciting year for the capital. The app covers all the main London neighbourhoods, from Greenwich to Hampstead and some of the capital’s most fashionable and informed faces have given their insider tips for the app, including designers Japer Conran and Paul Smith, restaurateur Jeremy King, and style guru Sarah Walter.

Secrets of the Great Pyramid of Giza

Travel from London Heathrow - Gatwick Chauffeur Transport

Looming over desert sand on the bank of the River Nile, the 4,500-year old Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving relic of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

Yet despite being visited by millions of tourists every year, and poked and prodded by modern-day archaeologists armed with the latest robot technology, the giant monument - built over 20 years as a tomb for Egyptian pharaoh Khufu (known as Cheops in Greek) - still holds tightly onto many of its secrets.

Day-trippers from Cairo who brave long ticket queues, hawkers and ill-tempered camels to explore inside often complain that they are rewarded with little more than a guided tour of an ill-lit, cramped and overcrowded passageway.

But much of the vast structure remains out of bounds to the visiting public as work continues to reveal hidden doors, secret chambers and painted hieroglyphs which give a tantalising glimpse into the ancient world.

The Great Pyramid was built in around 2570BC by gangs of up to 200,000 peasant workers, slaves and engineers who between them raised six million tons of limestone and granite blocks - weighing 2 tons each - to an original height of 146 metres.

The oldest and largest of the three pyramids at Giza, it was the tallest building in the world until Lincoln Cathedral was completed in 1300, and while it has lost six metres to erosion over the millennia it remains a stunning monument to human endeavour.

Victorian explorers revived interest in unraveling the pyramid's many enigmas. Their enthusiastic, if amateurish, exploits have since been superseded by scientists working under the supervision and control of Egyptian authorities.

Theories abound from the outlandish (two copper fittings found at the end of a recently mapped tunnel are power-points for alien technology) to the prosaic (they are merely ornamental). Some claim that the mythical Hall of Records - a great library of hidden treasures - lies in catacombs which riddle the ground below.

The most recent exploration - named the Djedi project after a mystic apparently consulted by the pyramid's original architects - was led by a team from Leeds. They used a bendy "micro-snake" camera that can see around corners to examine two mysterious shafts which lead from one of the three burial chambers to highly-polished stone doors. Images sent back revealed hieroglyphs written in red paint and unexplained lines scratched into the stone.

Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, described the doors as the pyramid's "last great mystery" hinting that they could lead to a secret room which has remained hidden for thousands of years.

But the Djedi team's research was halted by the civil unrest which led to the fall of President Hosni Mubarak last year and, with the political situation still hanging in the balance, their full findings have yet to be released.

In conspiracy-thriller ‘The Da Vinci Code’, Dan Brown's character Robert Langdon wondered aloud "if any of Harvard's revered Egyptologists had ever knocked on the door of a pyramid and expected an answer”.

Egypt must resolve its own modern-day political tangle before he, and the rest of the world, can finally find out.