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  The new BlackBerry Z10 promises loads of juicy fun and functionality but how does it deliver? BlackBerry's 'relaunch' isn't going to sink Apple's iPhone, or stop Google's army of Androids in its tracks - but the new, 'fun' face of BlackBerry offers plenty of new ideas. The ability to 'split' a phone so that a corporate handset can switch instantly into a 'personal' phone filled with apps is a superb idea - and likely to bring a smile to IT departments as much as the workers they cater for. Corporate IT departments, after all, are going to be some of the biggest buyers of this new incarnation of BlackBerry. But the addition of 70,000 apps including Angry Birds, music and films, should mean that workers won't slope off and buy their own iPhones - this works perfectly well as an entertainment device, and is very nearly as much fun as anything Google or Apple can dream up. That in itself is a giant leap for BlackBerry...

Best iPhone apps So you’re on board with the iPhone revolution but you’re in need of some assistance when it comes to finding the very best iOS apps. Well, never fear, because MSN Tech has compiled a list of our favourite 50 apps from the App Store for Apple's clever smartphone.   If, like us, you spend a fair amount of time shooting bad guys in Call of Duty, you may care about your statistics. For those that do, the Call of Duty Elite app is an app version of the desktop and console service that allow you to check out your career and how well your clan is going without having to be at home.  Planning on upgrading your motor? Chances are you will end up on Auto Trader or PistonHeads. For the former, you can browse used cars in a format that utilises the iPhone's touchscreen credentials with the Auto Trader Mobile app, making it a whole lot easier to find your next set of wheels.   How man...

  Few people enjoy job interviews and no matter how well you prepare, there's always one awkward question that catches you out and leaves you wondering how well you really did. We've teamed up with John Lees, career coach and author of "Job Interviews: Top Answers to Tough Questions" to guide you through some of the trickier questions you might face. 1. What kind of person are you? Questions like this can be maddeningly open-ended in an interview situation. Does the interviewer want to know about your working style or your personality? Should you give them chapter and verse or a succinct summary? 'It's best to seek clarification quickly,' says John Lees - or you could go down the wrong track entirely. Sample answer: 'Perhaps you'd like me to talk about my working style? Well, I've been described by colleagues as a born trouble-shooter...' 2. How do you see us as a business? You should have done your homework on the organ...

  Buying a tablet computer can be confusing, but there are now devices to fit all needs. How to pick the best tablet computer for you We've hand-picked the best out of today's crop of 7-inch and 10-inch tablets - including little-known bargain models including a 10-inch Disgo tablet for just £155. Buying a tablet can be confusing, with models ranging in price from £129 to £600, and running Android, Windows or iOS. Whether you're a reluctant computer user, a hardcore gamer or someone who wants a machine that'll help with work, there are now tablets to fit your needs - and not all of them are made by Apple. The tablets below are hand-picked out of today's crop of 7-inch and 10-inch tablets - including little-known bargain models including a 10-inch Disgo tablet for just £155. Best for beginners iPad Mini: With a starting price of £269, the iPad Mini is the cheapest most portable iPad to date, featuring a 7.9-inch instead of 9...

  Celeb testers such as Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross have raved about BlackBerry's new mobiles. lackBerry's upcoming 'BB10' operating system has garnered rave reviews in advance of its Wednesday launch - gadget fan Jonathan Ross describes it as "the most impressive new phone I've played with." Stephen Fry - another early tester - said that the new operating system offered "amazing features." The 'new' BlackBerry offers 'personal' and 'work' modes, and a 'flowing' approach to switching between apps. The first handsets are touchscreens, rather than QWERTY handsets - a radical new move from the smartphone pioneer. Shares in RIM, the Canadian company behind BlackBerry, have surged in advance of the launch, more than doubling in four months after falling to a low of $6.22 in September. BB10 is widely seen as a 'last chance' for the company. Its PlayBook tablet was a flop, and the company's ...

  New businesses are hoping to improve the world as well as make money but can they succeed at both? Waterless toilets in Madagascar and off-grid electricity for the developing world. An iPad solution to help British children overcome serious communication and learning difficulties and an online platform to help fund your local playground or community project. An enterprise that successfully trains and hires new apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds and one that is proven to help young offenders stop offending. What have these businesses got in common? They are part of the growing entrepreneurial revolution that could change society. Welcome to the world of social enterprise. And it promises to change the way we all interact with, and feel about, entrepreneurs and business. A new platform for an established idea Social enterprise is not new. Victorian philanthropists, appalled by the inequalities of everyday life, set about creating entrepreneurial charities, mutu...

Combining the portability of a tablet with the work-friendly keyboard of a laptop a hybrid PC could be for you.   The best 'hybrid' PCs - half laptop, half touchscreen  'Ultrabook' convertibles are lightweight machines that can transform from a laptop into a tablet - we test five of the best. Tablet computers have begun to eat away at the sales of traditional laptops - but a new breed of computer offers the best of both worlds. 'Ultrabook' convertibles are lightweight machines that can transform from a laptop into a tablet. For people who want the mobility offered by tablets such as iPad, but need a hard keyboard for work, they're a good choice, running the work-friendly Windows 8, which offers apps such as Word and Powerpoint. Most are on the pricey side, but powerful, offering large screens, top-end processors and start-up times measured in seconds. Lenovo's take on 'hybrid' PCs twists round t...

When snow and ice hits and your efforts to get to work fail, can your boss force you to take unpaid leave? It’s snowing: Can I take a day off work? What are your rights if you can’t get to work because of the snow or if your office is closed? Heather Hughes puts the finishing touches on her team's snow fort preceding an official attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the world's largest snowball fight   When snow and ice are affecting the country, with treacherous road links, suspended rail services and closed schools, what are your rights if you cannot get into work? Moneywise looks at some of the common dilemmas workers — and employers - face, and what the law says in response. Q: The snow has made my journey into work a real trial and I've told my boss I cannot make it in. Will I get in trouble? If travel disruption is preventing you from getting into work you should talk to your employer to see how the land lies. Your employer can force ...

What can visitors expect from their £25 trip up the 1,015ft London landmark when it opens next month?   Shard's unforgettable - and sold out - views' It's billed as 'a new symbol for the city' where you can see for 40 miles on a clear day, but do the lofty heights do justice to the hype surrounding the £500m attraction? From London Heathrow to London Sightseeing Tour Yahoo! News UK takes a trip up the 1,015ft tower to see what visitors can expect for their £25. Looming large over the capital's skyline, the unmistakable shape of the Shard has been a familiar London landmark for almost two years. Next month, 12 years after its design was sketched on the back of a restaurant menu, the tallest building in Europe will open to the public. Already the opening day for the attraction - February 1 - is sold out, as is the second day, February 2. Spectacular: The Shard has been 12 years in the making (© The View from The Shard)     Visitor...

Unveiled - the mobile phone with a battery that lasts 15 years The affordable mobile that runs on a single, AA battery and is built as a 'spare' phone for emergencies - it can even call emergency services without a SIM card.   In a world of battery-hungry phones such as iPhones and Androids, the SpareOne Plus sticks out - its makers claim it lasts for 15 years. The affordable mobile that runs on a single, AA battery and is built as a 'spare' phone for emergencies - it can even call emergency services without a SIM card. Designed as a back-up phone you can carry without worrying if it’s charged or not, the SpareOne is built to leave in the car for emergencies, or to pack in travel luggage – especially if you or your loved ones plan to go off the beaten track (or off-piste). The simple numerical keypad is also ideal for older users who might only use a phone occasionally. The new version, SpareOne Plus, has a GPS tracker which allows the u...

From monitoring your heart rate to matching paint colours, you'll be surprised how many things 'there's an app for'.   There are more than 30million smartphones in the UK and 60 per cent of mobiles are now smart, according to communications regulator Ofcom - but most of us barely dip into their potential functions. From heart monitors where you place your finger on screen to apps that unlock your car, these are the ten best that you’ve probably never heard of… 1. Match paint colours Want to paint your walls the same colour as your duvet – or replicate a colour you’ve seen somewhere else in your own home? Well, ditch the Dulux catalogue and download the paint manufacturer’s free Let’s Colour Studio app on your iPhone instead. All you then do is take a photo and let the app find the colour for you. For £1, you can order a tester sample to make sure paint shade is just right.  2. Use your phone as a spirit level Want t...

Tech giants will unveil gadgets mid-way between tablet PCs and phones at Las Vegas's CES tech show this week - and analysts predict they will be a hit. ‘Phablets’ have been tipped to be the biggest gadget of 2013 - touchscreen gadgets mid-way between iPad-style tablets and smartphones. Several companies are expected to unveil five-inch phones at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas - and others will show off six-inch devices, nearly as big as Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Analysts expect the ‘mid-sized’ devices to be a hit. "We expect 2013 to be the Year of the Phablet," said Neil Mawston, UK-based executive director of Strategy Analytics' global wireless practice. Samsung’s Galaxy Note II, unveiled at Berlin’s IFA trade show, has been a surprise hit, selling five million units - despite scepticism from tech pundits. This week, Chinese telecommunications giants ZTE and Huawei will show off five-inch-plus Android tablets - wi...