Christmas
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This is the world's smallest and happiest snowman
The holiday season gets bigger and more hectic every year -- and maybe you're looking for a smaller, more adorable way to celebrate. Here's one: the world's smallest snowman. This microscopic frosty was built by the nanofabrication lab at London's Western University. He's adorable, but you'll need an electron microscope to see him in person: according to the lab's Tumblr page, the snowman stands at just three microns tall, or about 0.003mm. For comparison, a human hair is about 75 microns thick (0.075mm).
USPS made an ornament that displays package tracking updates (updated)
Shipping presents to loved ones during the busy holiday months can be a stressful endeavor, but the US Postal Service is testing something new this year that puts a seasonal spin on the task. Officially called "The Most Wonderful Ornament," the Christmas decoration changes color as the the status of your package is updated. When your package is out for delivery, the ornament lights up blue. Red means the box has been dropped off and green will glow when the recipient has opened it.
Watch ASUS' adorable robot butcher a Christmas classic
ASUS held an event in Taiwan today announcing the availability of its Zenbo robot. From January 1st, customers in the country will be able to pick up one for between $620 and $780, depending on configuration. Engadget Chinese editor-in-chief Richard Lai wrote many words in his dispatch from the launch, including some that detail new features coming to Zenbo. You should read those if you want to know more about it, but I have more important things on my mind. At the robot's launch event in Taiwan, Asus decided it was apt to ring in the holiday season by getting a choir of Zenbos to perform Mariah Carey's Christmas classic, "All I Want For Christmas Is You."
'Gears of War 4' marks the holidays with snowball fights
Destiny and Overwatch don't have a lock on over-the-top holiday gaming modes. Gears of War 4 just got a 99-cent Gearsmas Pack that adds some cheer to a mostly grim and dark game. The centerpiece is a special multiplayer event, Snowball Fight, where you have to fling snowballs at rivals using a custom Snowshot weapon. Akin to a real fight, you can't just reload -- you have to scoop up more snow ammo once you've run out of what little you have. There are also three ugly sweater-clad characters (JD, Kait and a Swarm Drone) and 24 holiday-themed weapon skins. Gearsmas lasts until January 4th, so you'll want to act soon if you're going to show off.
The best Christmas jumpers for UK techies
Christmas is coming, and that means you need to get yourself a terrifically tacky knitted jumper. Sure, you can head down to shops and grab yourself a generic wooly warmer, but there are lots of options available online that will better suit your (geeky) personality. Here are our picks.
Now TV Smart Box review: A scrappy blend of on-demand and live TV
Now TV is pivotal to Sky's future success. More people than ever before are eschewing big, expensive TV packages for lighter, on-demand alternatives such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. For the last few years, Sky has been refining (and heavily marketing) Now TV in response. The platform has a number of "passes" which, for roughly the price of a Netflix subscription, cover either sports, movies or TV shows. Now, Sky is pushing forward with the Smart Box, a set-top streamer that comes with the Now TV app and a coaxial port as standard. That means it can handle both free-to-air TV channels and Now TV's content, which includes live channel streaming and catch-up programming. The idea is that the box (which is basically a Roku in disguise) will appeal to cord-cutters who fancy an affordable streaming service or two on top of their traditional TV experience. With the new Smart Box, you can alternate between them without switching inputs or grabbing another remote.
How to save a few pounds buying Christmas gifts online
Before purchasing anything online, it's worth checking to see if you can knock a few pounds off the final price. It all adds up and you'll be amazed at how much you could actually slash from your overall Christmas shopping spend. Here are a few tips to help you do just that.
UK apps and websites that'll save you time this Christmas
With so much to do around Christmas time, any app or website that can save you time and help you plough through that 'to do' list is always welcomed. Fancy outsourcing some of those projects? Here's a few suggestions. An app that writes your Christmas cards Inkly lets you write and send real cards from your smartphone or tablet. Choose your Christmas card design; add a photo, if you choose; and take a photo of your handwritten message or write it straight on to your tablet with a stylus. Then choose the envelope, decide who you're sending you cards to and Inkly prints it all out and sends it off. The app is free, but there is a charge for the cards and delivery. Still, it'll save you a trip to the shops to buy the cards and the stamps. Christmas gift lists The Christmas Gift List Android app enables you to create gift lists, set a budget for each person you are buying for and mark the gifts as purchased as they are bought. So that you don't repeat a gift the next year, it archives your gift lists once the new year rolls around. Santa's Bag does a similar job on iOS devices. Tree deliveries No time to pick out your own Norwegian Spruce? Don't worry, with Pines and Needles you can specify the height and type of tree and have it delivered to your living room. If you're London-based they will even decorate it for you too. If you're outside London, you can ask TaskRabbit to dress it for you. Deck the halls... and the rest of the house Do you fancy a Christmas light display to rival London's Regent Street this year? Or, would you just like the interior of your home to look like a magazine Christmas at home spread. It's time to bring in the professionals. The Christmas Decorators offer a nationwide decorating service and will cover everything from the wreath on the door, to the garland on the stairs. They will create a pretty amazing illuminated display outside your home too. The Christmas food shop sorted Don't fancy negotiating a trolley through the aisles of a heaving supermarket to the piped out tune of Jingle Bells? Not a problem. At Riverford Organic you can order a full Christmas Dinner box for delivery. Their Christmas Dinner Box with Turkey and Trimmings includes festive veg, an organic turkey, pork and cranberry stuffing balls, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce, mince pies, a Christmas pudding, clementines, oatcakes and a Cropwell Bishop stilton. Christmas Dinner Under Control Do you get in a tizz just thinking about all the preparation you need to do for Christmas dinner? The Perfect Christmas Dinner app for iOS provides expert guidance from the professional chefs at the renowned Ashburton Cookery School. There are over 25 video recipes that you can tap into, covering everything from creating canapes to preparing the turkey, delicious desserts and even drinks. Plus, there is a shopping list maker and menu list too.
'Overwatch' unleashes Winter Wonderland event
The latest themed event for Overwatch is here, as "Winter Wonderland" has settled in for its run through January 2nd. Players of Blizzard's team-based shooter are getting an update on their consoles and PCs that brings loot boxes filled with over 100 cosmetic items available only for a limited time. There's also a special Brawl mode for the event focused on ice-spraying hero Mei. The 6v6 Mei's Snowball Offensive replaces her weapon with a single-shot snowball gun, that needs to be reloaded at snow piles located around the level, while her Ultimate ability upgrades it for semi-automatic fire.
Xbox One is $50 less through Christmas Eve
Microsoft is following Sony's lead and temporarily dropping the price on the Xbox One for the holiday season. Now through Christmas Eve you can save $50 on all One and One S bundles, which could make grabbing another game or a spare controller a little bit easier on the wallet. Hell, even if you aren't looking for a game console specifically, the Xbox One S makes for an incredibly solid UHD Blu-ray player. A post on Xbox Wire says that the deals are available at places like Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Microsoft Stores and Walmart's website, so maybe call ahead before you sally forth debit card in hand.
London's iconic Piccadilly Circus will go dark next month
Since 1908, London's Piccadilly Circus has been home to illuminated signs and advertising billboards. As time went by, incandescent light bulbs gave way to neon lights, eventually ending up with six massive LED displays (Piccadilly Lights) that you see today. From January 2017, however, the Lights will be switched off for the longest period since the Second World War to make way for the largest single digital screen Europe has ever seen.
The best TV shows to binge watch over Christmas
On-demand TV has become more and more popular over the past few years. For many, it's now their default way to enjoy TV. Gone are the days of putting in a videotape and setting a timer, it's now all about setting up series link or loading up a streaming app. With an extra long Christmas weekend to look forward to this year, there's plenty of time to catch up on all those series you (and maybe the family) have been meaning to watch. Here's what we think you should be streaming.
The best Christmas movies on Amazon UK Prime Video
Not so long ago, the festive film choice on TV at Christmas involved a toss up between Mary Poppins and One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing. Now, Amazon Prime has a small but varied selection of festive hits on offer on-demand. Here are the films we think you should add to your free watch list to watch over the holiday period.
The best Christmas movies on Netflix UK
Christmas isn't Christmas if you're not spending a good few hours watching films. Terrestrial channels, joined by Sky, often offer a varied selection of festive movies, but thanks to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, some are also available (albeit it in limited quantities) on demand. Here is our pick of films available on Netflix UK that you might want to prioritise your viewing time around over the holiday period.
'Forza Horizon 3' weather forecast: snow and blizzards
While the Forza games have dabbled with inclement weather before (rain was the big feature of Horizon 2 expansion "Storm Island" and to the consternation of some, Motorsport 6), snow in driving games as a whole has been mostly avoided. After all, why would you want to struggle maneuvering a car through what feels like wet concrete? Folks who download Horizon 3's "Blizzard Mountain" expansion starting December 13th will find out.
Massive Antarctica ice sheet is cracking due to warming oceans
When a giant (225 square mile) slice of Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier broke off in 2015, scientists wondered exactly what caused it. Well, they now have an explanation... and it's not very reassuring. They've determined through satellite imagery that the break started when a rift was formed at the base of the West Antarctica Ice Sheet, almost 20 miles inland, in 2013. Most likely, warming oceans intruded the sheet at the bedrock well below sea level, triggering cracks that gradually made their way upward. In other words, Antarctic ice could be much more susceptible to breaking up than it seems on the surface, and that separation may be happening faster than researchers expected.
Pros and cons: Our quick verdict on Google Home
It was only a matter of time before Google came out with something to compete with the Amazon Echo: After all, Google too has deep experience with both voice commands and search. Indeed, one of the things we like best about the new Google Home hub is how it responds to conversational inquiries -- and how Google's vast knowledge graph allow it to be genuinely helpful. What's more, the $129 device has a lower profile than the Echo, making for a more discreet design. It also has a surprisingly good speaker, and being able to just tell it what music you want to hear is a killer feature. We already like it, then, but we'll like it even more when the device supports more third-party services, the way the Echo does. Right now, for instance, you can't book restaurant reservations through OpenTable or buy movie tickets on Fandango. Such features are coming eventually, though, and when they do, the device will be much more useful.
The 12 best tech gifts for the entertainer in your life
You know the type: Someone who loves throwing parties. In fact, you will probably partake of egg nog and sugar cookies in their home before the season is up. So why not get them something that helps them do what they do best: entertain. If your friend loves to cook, you might consider an easy-to-use WiFi sous vide, a smart kitchen scale or a smokeless infrared grill. For entertaining, a countertop draft beer system is convenient -- and then your friend can serve pour-over coffee as the party is winding down. Finally, we have some ideas on how the hostess in your life can keep guests amused -- try the Cards Against Humanity science pack expansion, USB turntable or Lomography instant camera. For our full list of recommendations in all categories, don't forget to stop by our main Holiday Gift Guide hub.
Bragi's 'Headphone' takes on Apple's AirPods
Almost three years ago, Bragi left an indelible mark on the headphone universe. The then-unknown company launched a pair of "truly" wireless headphones on Kickstarter that not only cut every wire, but boasted a slew of fitness-tracking features, all wrapped in a superslick design.
12 gifts for music nerds
Nerds come in many forms. Some build stuff, some like video games, and others sweat the tiny details of audio fidelity or salivate over vintage drum machines. That latter group can be difficult to shop for if you're not initiated in the ways of the music nerd. But don't worry. Whether the obsessive audio freak in your life is more into making music or listening to it, we've got you covered. For those that love composing sweet beats, there's the TR-09 -- a pretty solid remake of the classic 909 drum machine that was essential to creating '80s and '90s house and techno. There are also pocket synths for musicians on the go, like the Pocket Operator line from Teenage Engineering. For those who get their kicks more from listening than creating, there are subscription services like VNYL that deliver fresh pressed records to your door. You'll also need a solid turntable like Music Hall's MMF-2.3 to listen to them on, of course. And, if your favorite audiophile also happens to be an iPhone owner there's an obvious stocking stuffer: Belkin's Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar. This brings back the headphone jack and lets you charge the phone at the same time! For our full list of recommendations in all categories, don't forget to stop by our main Holiday Gift Guide hub.
