AFP Hong Kong’s 2014 pro-democracy “Umbrella Revolution” was re-imagined as a zombie apocalypse by gamemakers who transformed politicians and protesters into the walking dead using virtual reality technology at a comic and games expo recently. Teenagers and video game enthusiasts packed the Ani-Com show at the city’s harbourfront convention centre and queued for “Hong Kong Infected”, where they shot ...
Read More »Messenger not all about messaging
AP You’d be wrong to think that Facebook’s Messenger app is all about messaging. Although people typically install it on their phones to chat privately with their Facebook friends, Facebook also uses Messenger to bring features and capabilities that might not make sense, or even be possible, as part of the main Facebook service. And of course, a separate ...
Read More »Live the life of Riley with this bot
AP The little robot that caused a big stir when it hit crowdfunding site Indiegogo is now a retail reality. After passing its funding goal by some 300%, Riley, the AppBot, is now officially on sale at a number of retail outlets and on Amazon for $229. As homes get smarter and connectivity becomes the norm, it’s only going to ...
Read More »Samsung, Nestlé to create Internet of healthy things
Relaxnews The Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences and Samsung are pooling their considerable resources in order to build a connected health and lifestyle platform that will interact with everything from smart TVs to wearables in order to help people make healthier choices. As more and more areas of our lives — from the homes we live in to the ...
Read More »Zynga remakes ‘Words With Friends’ for classrooms
Bloomberg Social game developer Zynga is moving into school spaces in an official capacity as “Words With Friends” receives an educational edition. First introduced in 2009, the mobile sensation “Words With Friends” has been made over for use within school teaching settings. “Words With Friends EDU” is the result of Zynga’s refit, and it’s being released as a free ...
Read More »Art behind bars
DPA Sitting in a Mexican prison’s library, murder convict David Guzman tattooed a skull on a leather patch for a designer handbag to be sold in a luxury shop. Guzman, 34, took drugs and stole at a young age, falling into a “nefarious†world that landed him in prison, but five years into his murder sentence, he appeared at ...
Read More »Saudi Arabia’s new hot ticket is snow
AFP Having to wear ski jackets in Riyadh is unheard of, but a new snow park in the Saudi capital has made them a must despite outside temperatures exceeding 45 Celsius. People are now donning thermal coats and cosy boots as they sit on sledges to scoot down the slopes of “Snow Cityâ€. Stretching over 5,000 square metres (53,800 ...
Read More »UAE construction sector afloat
Dubai / Emirates Business An increase in soil testing frequency is pointing to a buoyant construction sector in the UAE, according to the top official of Geoscience Testing Laboratory (GTL), a subsidiary of Prime, the region’s leading quality and compliance solutions provider. The Chief Executive Officer of GTL, Mary Jane Alvero Al Mahdi said, “There is an increase in frequency ...
Read More »Corporations must play vital role in improving road safety, says expert
Dubai / Emirates Business The ambitious targets of the UAE government’s ‘UAE Vision 2021’ with regards to road fatalities demand the support of the entire nation and UAE’s corporations must play a vital role in achieving those targets. In this context, more corporations are rising to the challenge, becoming ever more aware of their critical role. Thought-leading corporations and ...
Read More »Terumo eyes stronger MENA presence with new DAFZA office
Dubai / Emirates Business The European branch of Terumo Medical Corporation, a Japanese multinational medical products and equipment firm, has opened a new office at the Dubai Airport Freezone to better serve its customers in the Middle East and Africa – including the GCC, Levant, Pakistan and Africa – and pursue emerging opportunities in these key markets. The opening ...
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