Monday 31 March 2014

21 Creative and Funny Halloween Costumes For Pets

21 Creative and Funny Halloween Costumes For Pets


In all the excitement surrounding creative Halloween costume ideas, people often forget that there’s a whole other world of costumes that can be forgotten – costumes for our pets. If a pet’s Halloween costume is both creative and comfortable for our animal friends to wear, both we and our pets can enjoy it.
The ways in which these pet owners have approached decking out there animals is as diverse as the pets and animal owners themselves. Some matched the pets to costumes based on the color of their pets’ skin or fur, while others made them resemble pop culture characters that were based on their species in the first place.
When designing a Halloween costume for a pet, it’s important to ensure that it is comfortable and/or unobtrusive for the pet to wear. Otherwise, the pet will probably do whatever it can to destroy the costume and neither you nor the animal will have a good time. The animals in these pictures seem like they aren’t bothered too much by the costumes, making them seem even funnier (or more fearsome).


















About Sharjah Light Festival wallpapers

About Sharjah Light Festival wallpapers


Over a period of 9 days in Sharjah, from February 6th to the 14th 2014, the night shines and the city is reinvented. Urban space is offered an escape from its daily routine… it becomes a new land of mystery. Streets are lit up, architecture is altered, parks and gardens appear under a new light. Magic, light and sound move the audience.
This is a special time for exploration and adventure; in each corner a new image appears – the colours are multiplied and endless. Eyes sparkle, questions arise… Sharjah was not the same yesterday. And how will it be tomorrow?
Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) will take over public spaces from nightfall, in that time bracket when everything is possible, making Sharjah a city that dreams at night. The fourth edition of the SLF will again feature a highly talented, diverse group of international and local artists, experts in outdoor special events, designers and image directors, who will transform Sharjah into a magical place of awakening and mystery


















The original iPad mini is still good, apart from that screen


The original iPad mini is still good, apart from that screen


Last year Apple went where I never thought it would, with the iPad mini bringing the Apple tablet experience to a brave new budget world.
Now usurped by the new iPad Mini 2, the older tablet is still on sale at a wallet-friendly £249 for the basic version, with 16GB of storage on offer for the Wi-Fi version on Apple's site (although it can be had slightly cheaper if you shop around).
You can also add 4G cellular, which brings the price up to £349. This entry-level model comes in a single 16GB capacity, while the iPad mini with Retina display goes up to 128GB, costing a whopping £659 for the top model which also includes 4G.
Then again, the first generation iPad mini isn't about top-end specs with a whopping price tag – it's about beating the likes of the Google Nexus 7and Amazon Kindle Fire HD in the budget stakes.
 None of that really matters though. What is important is the fact that it's a superbly designed device that gives a measure of why it costs so much more than the likes of the Kindle Fire HD.
The aluminium chassis shares the same colouring as the iPhone 5S, with the darker black slate and white silver options both bringing a touch of class to proceedings.
 Then there's the issue of holding the actual tablet. As Apple says, it's as light as a pad of legal paper, and there's definitely no risk of it causing wrist strain. However, the iPad mini doesn't really lend itself that well to any manner of grip.
 The traditional Apple home key remains, although it's shrunken somewhat to fit into the smaller chassis. However, during testing I found it just as easy to hit, despite the dinkier dimensions.
It's interesting that Apple has popped the headphone jack at the top of the iPad mini, given it's put so much effort into repositioning it at the bottom of the iPhone 5S and 5C... but I do prefer it staying above the screen.
The speakers sit at the bottom of the iPad mini, flanking the Lightning connector, which offers faster speeds of data transfer and can be connected either way round. This is handy when you're charging before bed and can't be bothered to put the light on.
The speakers provide decent enough sound, but in landscape mode they create a distorted sense of audio because of their mono-directional firing.
 If you own a modern iPad, you'll notice the difference straight away. But then if you have one of these, then you won't want an iPad mini.
The tablet will struggle to impress iPhone users, as it doesn't have the wow factor of Apple's smaller devices.
In a side-by-side test of the same movie running on the iPad mini, theNexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD, the iPad looked the least impressive (although the contrast ratio was certainly more than decent in my eyes).
 The handsets have been getting criticism for exposing the silver metal below with minimal scratching. This started to happen within a day on the iPad mini – which is all the more confusing seeing as it doesn't live in the pocket with keys and coins.
It's something we hoped Apple would have changed in the manufacturing process, and means you'll need to keep an eye on how you look after the tablet or invest in a protective case immediately.
The top and bottom of the bezel are wide enough to comfortably rest your hands on, while web browsing and accelerometer-based gaming in landscape orientation is excellent.
The rest of the design is predictably ergonomic. The volume rocker keys are close but not too near to the mute switch on the top right-hand side.
This is near the power button, which is intuitively placed to be easy to hit when you want to reactivate the iPad mini… although many will just hit the home button to achieve the same thing.
 The processor inside is Apple's last-generation A5 effort, which may worry some, but it's likely to be enough for most actions, coupled as it is with 512MB of RAM. It's still miles away from the raw grunt of the new Google Nexus 7 or the iPad Air with its A7 processor, but Apple reckons it helps it hit a sweet spot in terms of price.
Apple also has expertise in optimising iOS to run as well as possible on older hardware, and iOS 7.1 certainly restored a lot of the snappiness that had been lost with the move from iOS 6 to 7.
 The most comfortable and secure way to hold a tablet is to grip right around the back – something Apple thinks you can do easily according to its promotional materials.
Well, you're wrong there, Cupertino-gadget-people. It's just too far to stretch around with average-sized hands. Instead you're forced to hold it in the corner, covering part of the screen. It's good that Apple has chucked some technology in there to distinguish an intentional touch from an accidental one, but it's not the most comfortable way to use the device.
In landscape orientation using two hands, the iPad mini is a much nicer device to hold, with the aluminium covering giving it a nicely textured back. However, the aluminium covering similar to the iPhone 5 has led to another design problem: scratching.
 The most comfortable and secure way to hold a tablet is to grip right around the back – something Apple thinks you can do easily according to its promotional materials.
Well, you're wrong there, Cupertino-gadget-people. It's just too far to stretch around with average-sized hands. Instead you're forced to hold it in the corner, covering part of the screen. It's good that Apple has chucked some technology in there to distinguish an intentional touch from an accidental one, but it's not the most comfortable way to use the device.
In landscape orientation using two hands, the iPad mini is a much nicer device to hold, with the aluminium covering giving it a nicely textured back. However, the aluminium covering similar to the iPhone 5 has led to another design problem: scratching.
 The two competitors have been getting plenty of column inches thanks to their super-cheap prices and the impressive specs on board. But with both offering only a 7-inch screen compared to Apple's 7.9-inch display, the Cupertino company is confident its device will win over budget-conscious consumers.
However, more frugal shoppers may not agree with this idea, as the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD cost quite a bit less. When faced with a choice between the three, they might opt for the familiar Amazon brand or the sheer power of the Nexus 7, with its impressive spec list and legions of Google apps.
 That said, Apple fans need not worry too much when it comes to whether the iPad mini is a worthy addition to the iBrand. It comes with enough power and is Ive-inspired enough to make it a worthwhile addition to the range. This isn't a shrunken-down iPad, it's a whole new product all over again.
Be it the larger screen size, impressively low weight or alternative design compared to the competition, there's a lot to chew over when it comes to the iPad mini. But is it worth spending your hard-earned cash when a handful more will get you larger version of Apple's tablet? And how does it stack up next to the second-generation mini with its higher resolution display and faster hardware?

Features and design

The iPad mini exists because the market started to dictate its presence…but that doesn't mean Apple doesn't want to put its own spin on things.
To that end, the border has been reduced and the screen is larger at 7.9 inches relative to the dimensions of the original iPad. Additionally, the design is completely different to the likes of the Google Nexus 7. In fact the whole ethos has been created from the ground up, partly under the stewardship of Sir Jony Ive, according to Apple.
At 308g it's twice the weight and then some of the iPhone 5S, but compared to other tablets on the market (and combined with the aluminium chassis) it feels lightweight in the hand.
The screen is something of a worry though – with the 1024x768 resolution in the expansive display, you only get a sharpness akin to the iPhone 3GS. While the display quality is better than that thanks to improved IPS LCD technology, it's still light years behind the Retina display on the bigger iPad Air and the second-generation mini.

Vauxhall Adam review: Hands-on

Vauxhall Adam review: Hands-on






Forget smart cars , this  is a properly smart car. Check out our app-enabled, Siri-supporting, iPhone-aping Vauxhall Adam White review
The Vauxhall Adam is available in any colour so long as it's black or white. It's slick, full of tricks and packs a techtastic punch despite puny proportions. It even has Siri voice control.

It's a limited-edition model of Vauxhall's oddly named new supermini, the Adam. But with its ying and yang aesthetic (there's an Adam Black to go with the White) and full-on smartphone integration, Vauxhall is hooking into the cult of iPhone both literally and figuratively.

Vauxhall Adam: Features

Taking the 'smartphone on wheels' concept to the next level is what the Vauxhall Adam White is all about. That starts with aping the iPhone's traditional black and white colour options. Except, of course, the iPhone 5S is now silver, gold and space grey. Whatever.

Still, that doesn't detract from the other part of the smartphone angle, which is handset integration courtesy of Vauxhall's snazzy Intellilink multimedia system. We'll get to the details momentarily, but the basics involve media playback, app support and more.

The rest of the Vauxhall Adam White proposition boils down to a trim package based on the existing 1.4-litre petrol model. There's extensive colour coding, standard sports seats and 18-inch alloy wheels. The usual limited-edition drill, then.

Vauxhall Adam: Specs

Top speed: 109MPH
0-62MPH: 12.5 seconds
Engine: 1,398CC four cylinder, petrol
Gearbox: 5-speed, manual
Power: 97BHP
Torque: 96LB/FT
Fuel consumption: 51.4MPG
Carbon emissions: 130G/KM
Weight: 1,555kg

Vauxhall Adam: Tech

One word: Intellilink. It's the feature that will make or break the Vauxhall Adam White's 'smartphone on wheels' sales pitch, based around a seven-inch touchscreen.

There's audio playback via analogue and digital radio, USB and Bluetooth. Next up is hands-free telephony, again by the power of Bluetooth, and some basic in-car telematics. But what about navigation?

That's where things get interesting because it's part of Intellilink's app functionality. Currently Intellilink supports three apps - two internet radio apps (TuneIn Radio and Stitcher) and the BringGo nav app.

These apps display in-car, but actually run on your smartphone. Both Apple iOS and Android devices are supported, but oddly iPhones must connect via USB while Android devices connect via Bluetooth.

As for adding apps, that's one of the platform's big weaknessess. It has to be done at your local Vauxhall dealership. That said, the existing apps work well and cover the two most critical next-gen multimedia features, namely streaming audio and internet-connected navigation with traffic data, albeit the latter is a premium service you'll have to pay for.

The final added bonus is integrated Siri support for iPhone users including steering wheel controls. Put simply, anything you can normally do via Siri voice control, you can do in the Adam while you drive.

Vauxhall Adam: Performance and drive

As a driving experience, the Vauxhall Adam White is pretty much off the peg. Like every Adam, the chassis is much grippier, much more responsive than you expect.

OK, with just 87hp it's not exactly a piping hot hatch. But this thing really handles and that means you can have a barrel of laughs on your favourite b-road without busting too many speed barriers. Like a lot of the latest small cars, it's a surprisingly comfy and refined long-distance cruiser. Yup, you really live with an Adam as your only car.

Vauxhall Adam: Verdict

Vauxhall's 'smartphone on wheels' sales pitch is asking for trouble. Instantly, expectations for integrated tech are high. But the Vauxhall Adam White mostly pulls it off.

The Intellilink platform's functionality is a little limited right now, admittedly. But what it does, it does very nicely indeed. It's one of the best multimedia systems in this part of the market, that's for sure. The only bit we don't like is having to pay extra for the navigation app. As for the rest of the car, it's nippy, zippy and a whole lot of fun.