Tag Archives: USA

Take a bite of the big Apple iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S and the new #juicecube from @johnlewisretail

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Well phone lovers, its probably the most exciting announcement you’ve heard all year, there is not one but TWO new iPhones coming our way. Yesterday in sunny Cupertino, California,  Apple CEO Tim Cook took to the stage to announce the new technology coming from the ever so exciting giant. What he/they managed to do is bring Summer back into our lives with the colourful iPhone 5c and make us feel a little more futuristic with Apples new flagship phone the iPhone 5S.

So lets take a closer look shall we?

Say bye bye to the iPhone 5 as it will no longer be produced. Instead you’ll have a choice of five colours to start with, for this “bridging phone’s” plastic casing, which everyone has been anticipating and predicting!

Don’t be fooled by its looks, the iPhone 5c will end up being almost identical to the iPhone 5 in terms of its internal features, which for the more tech savvy amongst you will mean an A6 processor, 4-inch retina display and an 8 megapixel camera.

In terms of what is different from the iPhone 5, and better, you’ll find with the iPhone 5c, that it has a much larger battery (which means longer talk time!) and it also has a new HD Face time camera.

This new handset will set you back (out of contract)  16GB £469 and 32GB £549.

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Next up, the biggy….

The  iPhone 5s is really what everyone was waiting for with baited breath – with all its new features its hard to describe this in anyway other than a ‘mega-phone’ it really feels like Apple have upped its game once again and given the crowds what they want.

So remember its what’s on the inside that counts. First up you can expect a brand new camera called iSight, which boasts a new lens with an F2.2 aperture, new sensor and bigger pixels. Guess how good your Instagram pics are gonna be now?! And, no more password protecters, with this tech beauty, you’re going to feel like Tom Cruise in Minority Report as you get to grips with its fingerprint sensor! Screen Shot 2013-09-11 at 08.42.15

In terms of speed, its new processors mean that with its A7 chip, the iPhone 5S will be twice as fast as the iPhone 5 and 5C. And here’s another bit of cool knowledge, the iPhone 5S has a 64-bit processor, which makes it 5x faster than the iPhone 5 and 56 x faster than the very first iPhone!! (We’ve come a long way baby…)

The battery will also be longer lasting giving you 2 more hours of talk time and 25 more hours of standby time.

And finally, say bye bye to the old colour iPhones, this new version is available in three colours including silver, gold and space grey.

Get some future tech for these prices (outside of contract) 16GB £549, 32GB £629, 64GB £709.

The Apple iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s will be available to buy in the UK from the 20th September.

But I can’t wait that long and neither can my current iPhone!

Don’t despair, we know the new iPhones look appealing, but for most of us, buying these are still a long way off, and we’re still having to struggle with the lesser lasting battery lives on our current iPhones. So fear not, we’ve found a solution …. introducing, the Juice Cube!Screen Shot 2013-09-11 at 08.43.29

With prices around £24.95, this is an absolute life-saver for those who can’t do without their gadgets on the go; the Juice Cube has been designed to deliver power when needed. Simply charge the compact Cube and attach it to a phone, games console or MP3 player via a USB cable with the appropriate connector. A three-hour charge will deliver up to six hours of power for a 3G mobile phone, 13.2 hours for a 2G mobile phone, 60 hours for an MP3 player and 20 hours for a games console.

If you need to get your hands on one of these ASAP, then we’d recommend contacting www.johnlewis.com

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@coldplay release first #hungergames #catchingfire soundtrack song – Atlas #film #music

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Now this is a first…never before have multiplatinum recording artists Coldplay ever contributed an original song  to a movie soundtrack, but The Hunger Games seems to have struck a chord with them and today they release the very first single from the soundtrack to this highly anticipated film.

Lionsgate and Republic Records have announced that the song – called ‘Atlas’ is going to be available via iTunes and all digital retailers as of today, and the soundtrack to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be released ahead of the actual film in November.

Chris Martin is reportedly a big fan of the books (who isn’t) and as one of the most iconic bands of this generation, its with no doubt that they’re going to produce a pretty spectacular song to accompany this epic next instalment of the film franchise.

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The first Hunger Games soundtrack hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 on its release with sales of over 175,000 making it the first soundtrack to top the chart since November 2009. It was the best selling soundtrack of 2012, the fastest selling soundtrack ever at iTunes and was earned itself a Golden Globe nomination and three Grammy Award nominations – so the pressure is on!

For those who cant wait for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, here’s a little run down of what you can expect from the next film:

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has returned home safely after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a “Victors Tour” of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever.

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The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is directed by Francis Lawrence and is based on the second book in a trilogy which written by Suzanne Collins that has sold over 50 million copies in print in the USA alone.

Keep the Summer going with @fordhambeersuk American Craft Beers! #beer #drinks #summer

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So just when we thought the Summer was beginning to say adieu and we were starting to unbox our Autumn fashion, there’s word that yet another heat wave is on the horizon! So to celebrate we thought it’s a perfect opportunity to open some bottles of beer – delicious American craft beer to be exact!

Whilst the sun shines on this side of the pond, having a taste of these lovely beers will bring back memories of holidays abroad (particularly to the US) or if you’ve never been it will probably bring to life your imagination as to what this land across the Atlantic might just be like!

Now for some history!

Fordham Beers originated in Maryland in 1703, formed to serve a new colony in need of good beer (aren’t we all!) the brewery was reborn in 1995 with a similar purpose and passion. In 1989 Fordham Beers opened its doors to the Old Dominion Brewing Company founded by beer enthusiast Jerry Bailey and the two breweries live side by side in Delaware.

Here’s some of the Dominion beers we tasted and reviewed:

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The Beach House Pilsner

At a very affordable £1.95* per bottle we found this to be a perfect Summer lager. It has a good happy flavour with a refreshing and crisp taste. You can put the ciders to one side and lap this up next to the BBQ on a lovely Summer evening.

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Hop Mountain

Apparently this little number is becoming the UK’s favourite out of the selection, and its not hard to see why. At a competitive £2.15* it’s a rich red ale with strong hop character and a medium bodied dry finish…perfect to cool you down on a hot summer night or after something a little bit spicy!

Now if its not all about the alcoholic beers for you , never fear, Dominion Sodas provide the perfect family summer drink too… 

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Now this really will bring back childhood memories… a modern take on a traditional American orange soda – creamy is the key word as you cut out the fizz and enjoy a very sweet easy to drink soda for only £1.95*

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Black Cherry Soda

You can mix this number with a spirit of choice, but if you’re sticking to its traditional format you may feel that you’ll need an ice cube or two to help dilute its slightly over powering taste. Those without a sweet tooth need not apply! But for those with no trips to the dentist coming up, treat yourself for only £1.95*

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Ginger Ale

We Brits just love a good old Ginger Ale, and with some very strong competitors out there like Crabbies, the market is a pretty tough place. This version is mostly for those who like a slightly lighter version of the popular drink, with a combination of ginger and citrus, you’ll either bask in its subtle taste or need to try something a little stronger.

So more choice for you all as we see the Summer continue to shine, so stay refreshed, stay merry and drink responsibly.

*prices shown are a guide and based on retail sales. Prices may vary by outlet and will be higher in pubs and restaurants.

** Fordham and Dominion beers are available at selected bars and restaurants across the UK including:

– In London: Electric Diner in Notting Hill; Beard to Tail in Hoxton;  Jetlag Bar in Fitzrovia; The English Pig in Westminster; The Diner in Soho; Bodean’s in Fulham; All Star Lanes in Brick Lane

-Outside London: Gordon Bennett in Surbiton, Surrey; The Brewery Tap in Brighton; Jake’s Place in Edinburgh; Colston Yard in Bristol; Chicago Rib Shack in Southampton.

Something wicked this way comes…. @theconjuringuk hits cinemas tomorrow. #film #review

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So the scariest film of the Summer is almost upon us, and in the US its already earned an R-rating for being too frightening, but how will this side of the Atlantic fair?

Here’s what its all about… oh and by the way, it’s a based on true events (eek!)

In 1971, Carolyn and Roger Parren move their family into a dilapidated Rhode Island farm house and soon strange things start happening around it with escalating nightmarish terror. In desperation, Carolyn contacts the noted paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, to examine the house. What the Warrens discover is a whole area steeped in a satanic haunting that is now targeting the Parren family wherever they go. To stop this evil, the Warrens will have to call upon all their skills and spiritual strength to defeat this spectral menace at its source that threatens to destroy everyone involved. Screen Shot 2013-07-31 at 11.02.09

What we thought…

From the get-go, this is not a film which is easily ignored, you may have seen the posters on the underground featuring the rocking chair and a scary looking doll staring at you as you walk past, well, this is exactly what you face the moment the film starts. There’s no messing around as we find ourselves in the midst of one of the Warren’s earlier incidences. What is nice is that you get to know each character individually and the paranormal investigators take centre stage as much as the family being haunted.

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As is much loved by any horror fan, the chance to jump out of your seat as someone decides to walk into a dark room, or a booming thud can be heard from the stairs above is plenty! But its not all just about the “scare factor” for the audience, the sinister nature of the tale itself is chilling to the bone and compels you to keep watching. Also the fact that this film is based on true events and that these are all real people adds that little bit of fright (in addition to the awful 1970’s clothing) to the film that might just tip some horror fans over the edge.

Acted well by Vera Farminga as Lorraine and Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren, you feel more and more that you are watching one of their famed lectures rather than a Hollywood budgeted film, and this is one of the many appeals of The Conjuring. Most importantly though it takes you back to the era of The Amityville Horror and The Exorcist with its mix of mysticism, paranormal activity, history and plain old bumps in the night!!

There are lulls in the middle part of the film however, once the key characters have been established and we get the first proper glimpse of exactly what is causing the disturbances, there is a slight anti-climax as it feels like you can predict a little of what happens next. However, this isn’t enough to deter you from the entire second half of the film, there is still a sense of intrigue and wondering as to whether there are more twists in the tale, and there really are…

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One of the more enjoyable horror films in recent times, not one that will stick in your memory for years after watching it, but certainly something that will keep you sleeping with one eye open…particularly around 3:07am.

4 stars

Get your festival boots on the first line up is announced @lovebox_mama #festival #music #lineup

If the weather is anything to go by then it must be the (very early) start of Festival Season – yep thats right, time to don your Hunter wellies, short shorts and retro band T-Shirt as the UK goes wild for every type of music out there!

One festival we’re VERY excited about is LOVEBOX! and guess what – the headliners have just been announced, so start downloading their tracks and get up to speed with their entire discography now! Leading the line up for 2013 is the fabulous Azealia Banks, the cooler than cool Plan B and the gorgeous Goldfrapp! Its going to be a stormer!

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To catch Azealia and all her controversial rapping, make sure you hit Victoria Park on Friday 19th July. And she’s clearly just as excited to perform as we are to see her saying “I love UK crowds, so it’s going to be amazing to play a festival in London.” Rudimental and Duke Dumont will also perform on Friday.

Musician, actor, producer Plan B will feel very at home on Saturday 20th July as its right on his doorstep, and joining him will be Mark Ronson and A Trak

Other acts confirmed include Jurassic 5, AlunaGeorge and D’Angelo.

So book your tickets, buy your new festival wardrobe and if Coachella in the good ol’ US of A is anything to go by, it looks like white delicate blouse tops are going to be THE look to go for this year!

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Happy Shopping!