:00:06. > :00:14.out on tickets for the 20 crock Olympic Games -- the 2012 Olympic
:00:14. > :00:24.Games now have the chance to see some of the world's best sports
:00:24. > :00:34.
:00:34. > :00:38.people in action. Now it is time for Click. Let's be honest - a
:00:38. > :00:41.shaving Aberfoyle smartphone is not going to put the razor industry out
:00:41. > :00:48.of business but this week we look at the devices that may face
:00:48. > :00:53.extinction in the face of the pocket. It is the battle of the big
:00:53. > :00:58.guns - we check out the two big shooters battling for your
:00:58. > :01:03.attention this Christmas. We have an essential guide to dodging
:01:03. > :01:10.expensive roaming charges. All that plus the biggest take news stories
:01:10. > :01:19.around and if there is just too much news for you, we have a handy
:01:19. > :01:23.tall to cut through the waffle in Webscape. --bscape. --you won a
:01:23. > :01:28.smartphone you will know there is nothing they cannot do these days -
:01:28. > :01:32.they are sat nav devices, bad diaries, can tell the time and you
:01:32. > :01:37.may have found yourself wondering whether you need to buy any
:01:37. > :01:45.dedicated devices at all. We have been investigating the threat the
:01:45. > :01:49.smartphone poses to, well, just about everything else. When your
:01:49. > :01:56.phone can play the part of a still camera, video camera, calculator,
:01:56. > :02:01.alarm clock, watch, MP3 player, sat nav, a games console and more, why
:02:01. > :02:06.would you need to go to the trouble and expense of individual pieces of
:02:06. > :02:11.hardware when, on balance, they seem to do the same. The question
:02:11. > :02:17.is, of course, how well the smartphones to each of these jobs
:02:17. > :02:20.and which devices could be reasonably replace? There may be
:02:20. > :02:23.close in one recent American survey which suggests that nearly two-
:02:23. > :02:29.thirds of smart phone users have scrapped their alarm clock, over
:02:30. > :02:39.50% no longer care for their sat nav and over one third are so over
:02:40. > :02:49.
:02:49. > :02:52.their NP3 and digital camera. -- MP3 player. If you thought
:02:52. > :02:58.smartphones were cleverer all ready, in Japan, you can already pay for
:02:58. > :03:01.your shopping with them and they are getting a whole lot smarter.
:03:01. > :03:05.There will be new generations of sensors that will be connected to
:03:06. > :03:11.your smartphone, particularly monitoring your health, your bodily
:03:11. > :03:19.output, the tiny stencils we will see everywhere in the environment
:03:19. > :03:23.tapping your blood pressure, your mood, the weather, how busy the
:03:23. > :03:28.traffic is and that will feed into the cloud and we will access that
:03:28. > :03:38.wherever you go. Smartphones are convenient and many ads are cheap,
:03:38. > :03:39.
:03:39. > :03:49.if not free, whereas dedicated devices providing only one function
:03:49. > :03:52.
:03:52. > :04:00.may cost a fair quid. -- many apps. It is little surprise that stand-
:04:00. > :04:10.alone GPS devices have taken quite a hit. Simple yet effective free
:04:10. > :04:10.
:04:10. > :04:18.apps likeable Navigator have replaced stand-alone devices like
:04:18. > :04:24.sat navs. Another market leader told me apps can also be a way into
:04:24. > :04:30.a bigger sale. People can use an app to use about us and some of our
:04:30. > :04:34.beaches and the user experience and then hopefully people will upgrade.
:04:34. > :04:41.-- features. People can benefit from a larger screen size, a
:04:41. > :04:48.dedicated device designed for that purpose, waterproofing, designed
:04:48. > :04:53.for running or playing golf can be fitted on your wrist. With some
:04:53. > :04:59.hardware easily costing over a few hundred quid, how much does a piece
:04:59. > :05:09.of technology add were very near app? A running watch may be less
:05:09. > :05:16.
:05:16. > :05:23.bitterly, for a start, but how about driving? -- the -- fiddly. I
:05:23. > :05:28.have a sat nav app here on my phone and a dedicated device from the
:05:28. > :05:35.same manufacturer. I will undertake a journey to see how accurate each
:05:36. > :05:40.device is. The displays were similar but the stand-alone is
:05:40. > :05:43.better Rat timekeeping. They both lost their way once but were quick
:05:43. > :05:53.to recalculate. The dedicated hardware means no interruptions
:05:53. > :05:56.
:05:56. > :05:59.from text messages. On a longer journey I could have benefited from
:05:59. > :06:07.the extra features but for city driving be dedicated device did not
:06:07. > :06:11.seem to add any extra benefits. Gaming on phones is fast becoming
:06:11. > :06:15.the platform of choice, at least for casual gamers. Here too
:06:16. > :06:24.established players are swimming with the tide. Sony has ported its
:06:24. > :06:33.PlayStation controls to their smartphone and its forthcoming
:06:33. > :06:36.hand-held console moves way out of smartphone territory. A serious
:06:36. > :06:40.gamer is looking for a gaming experience that appeals to their
:06:40. > :06:48.passion and their interest in gaming. A smart fawn and other
:06:48. > :06:54.portable devices -- a smartphone and other portable devices were not
:06:54. > :07:02.do. This has dedicated social Connectivity features, better
:07:02. > :07:05.controls for an experience more akin to a home console. While a
:07:05. > :07:09.smartphone is ultimately a compromise device, there is no end
:07:09. > :07:19.to the ingenuity looking to tempt us to drained the battery ever
:07:19. > :07:24.
:07:24. > :07:30.faster. This app lets you use a standard camp -- camera lens to
:07:30. > :07:37.take pictures on your smartphone. A smartphone is a good enough advice
:07:37. > :07:46.-- device and for most of us it is OK. If you care about music, care
:07:46. > :07:50.about video, taking great pictures, you are still going to want a
:07:50. > :08:00.second device. It is about innovation. It is not just about
:08:00. > :08:01.
:08:01. > :08:06.smallest, most powerful technology. Next up, a look at this week's take
:08:06. > :08:16.news. Adobe will abandon the development of Flash for mobile,
:08:16. > :08:20.
:08:20. > :08:25.concentrating instead on html5. It has never been supported by Apple
:08:25. > :08:35.on its mobile kit and Microsoft recently announced Windows eight
:08:35. > :08:50.
:08:50. > :08:55.Facebook's rival, Google Plus, is now open for business, as it
:08:55. > :09:02.welcomes companies and brands for the first time. Users can now add
:09:02. > :09:07.their favourite places, clubs and companies to their profiles. The
:09:07. > :09:12.latest version of Honda's human shape of robot has been unveiled in
:09:12. > :09:17.Tokyo. After four years in development, the revamped Druid has
:09:17. > :09:22.independently moving fingers which it can use to open a flask and pour
:09:22. > :09:27.juice into a paper cup and can even spell its name in Japanese sign
:09:27. > :09:32.language and using advanced base and sound recognition technology
:09:32. > :09:38.can distinguish between three people speaking at the same time. -
:09:38. > :09:43.- face. The cheapest way to talk to someone is always face to face
:09:43. > :09:47.unless you are buying dinner. Let's assume they are too far away to
:09:47. > :09:51.hear you, in another country and they do not have access to a
:09:51. > :09:56.computer or a web cam. In other words, you have to call them on a
:09:56. > :10:01.phone. We have taught many times in the past about how using one of
:10:01. > :10:06.these internationally can cost a fortune but it doesn't have to if
:10:06. > :10:11.you follow some tips from our essential guide to international
:10:12. > :10:16.communication. First up, switch your data roaming off. Print out
:10:16. > :10:21.anything you need so you are not tempted to hit the Data Connection
:10:21. > :10:30.button. Save your long conversations for when you have an
:10:30. > :10:40.internet connection. Skype and Google Talk to the same. By also
:10:40. > :10:50.
:10:50. > :10:58.lectured call phone numbers -- they If you really can't do without data
:10:58. > :11:08.then minimise your usage. Do not watch anything in Hyde Deaf Video.
:11:08. > :11:14.
:11:14. > :11:18.Opera lets you turn off image downloads. Consider a data
:11:18. > :11:28.squeezing service which will send less data to your phone. Check your
:11:28. > :11:31.
:11:31. > :11:38.tariff - it may be cheaper to send a text then have a short phone call.
:11:38. > :11:45.Text apps at let you text others with that app for free. Other
:11:45. > :11:48.websites let you take -- send text messages to any smartphone with an
:11:48. > :11:53.internet connection to most countries. If you are planning to
:11:53. > :12:01.travel to lots of countries in one trip, try a global Sim card. This
:12:01. > :12:06.will still tie you to a tariff. If you are in one place for long
:12:06. > :12:11.enough, by a local Sim card. Your number will be different and Yortt
:12:11. > :12:19.local tariff will probably not handle international calls. There
:12:19. > :12:23.is a work around. To receive phone calls cheaply while abroad, first
:12:23. > :12:28.get a virtual online number in the same country as your mobile,
:12:28. > :12:34.something like Skype. Before leaving the country, divert your
:12:34. > :12:40.phone to this number. At your destination, by a local Sim card
:12:40. > :12:44.and now use Skype call forwarding to divert your calls on to your new
:12:44. > :12:48.phone number. Go the other way by signing a second virtual number to
:12:48. > :12:53.the people you speak with the most. Make it a local number for your Sim
:12:53. > :12:59.card. If you are calling in the United States, make your virtual
:12:59. > :13:09.assigned number also from the US and then you can call your friends
:13:09. > :13:14.
:13:14. > :13:20.using that number which will be Click's feature on roaming charges
:13:20. > :13:26.is still available online. If all else fails, lead you phone at home.
:13:26. > :13:31.I hope that helps. You will find that essential guide along others
:13:31. > :13:34.on our website. -- alongside with. It is that time of year when the
:13:34. > :13:42.video games industry starts cranking out the new releases at a
:13:43. > :13:51.rapid rate. This means, it is also time to start playing them. Who am
:13:51. > :13:56.I kidding? Playing games is this man's life.
:13:56. > :14:01.First-person shooting games are big business. In fact, the most
:14:01. > :14:07.successful entertainment property in the world is a series of games
:14:07. > :14:12.which have first-person shooters. The call of duty series has enjoyed
:14:12. > :14:18.phenomenal success, with gamers and financially. Last year's title
:14:18. > :14:22.wrapped up $1 billion in sales in just five weeks. The publisher of
:14:22. > :14:28.were very happy indeed. When a single game generates profits with
:14:28. > :14:36.so many zeros appearing on a software company's spreadsheets,
:14:36. > :14:41.inevitably competitors will want a slice of that pixelated pie. So,
:14:41. > :14:46.this year, we see two titles have waited for mature players which at
:14:46. > :14:55.first glance seem similar. They are fighting for the hearts, minds and
:14:55. > :14:59.cash of the world's gamers. In the corner, call of duty modern warfare
:14:59. > :15:04.three which allows players to control special forces and soldiers
:15:04. > :15:08.in a campaign to take down a road ultra-nationalist. They are
:15:08. > :15:12.equipped with weapons, mass destruction and bad attitudes. And
:15:12. > :15:17.in the other corner, battlefield three from Electronic Arts. They
:15:17. > :15:23.adopt the role of not so special forces trying to fight ultra natal
:15:23. > :15:29.worst -- ultra-nationalist equipped with terrible weapons. I am
:15:29. > :15:34.beginning to see a pattern. I realised these two games seem
:15:34. > :15:40.extraordinarily similar. But please, bear with me. There have been
:15:40. > :15:44.bitter problems behind the scenes between the developer and publisher.
:15:44. > :15:48.Including high-profile staff departures from the company.
:15:48. > :15:52.Despite all of these backstage wranglings, modern warfare's
:15:53. > :15:57.campaign is much better than Battlefield three's. At times, it
:15:57. > :16:03.feels like the player is taking part in an action movie with a
:16:03. > :16:08.billion dollars budget. Sure, the player often feels like they are
:16:08. > :16:11.being guided through the action by the supporting cast. But the
:16:11. > :16:16.experience is so well executed and there are a variety of hardware at
:16:16. > :16:23.their disposal from rivals to drones, equipment forced this
:16:23. > :16:28.slightly silly narrative which sees hostilities kick-off on a global
:16:28. > :16:32.scale. For -- the environments are also admirable. They have earned
:16:32. > :16:35.their Air Miles as the action shifts from London to Paris, while
:16:35. > :16:39.taking in a devastated Berlin and New York which has been invaded by
:16:39. > :16:48.Russian troops. The scope and scale of the campaign is nothing but epic
:16:48. > :16:53.and immensely satisfying to play. In stark contrast, battlefield is a
:16:54. > :16:59.bit rubbish. It does the globe- trotting think with a share of the
:16:59. > :17:02.action taking place in the round, Paris and New York but the story is
:17:02. > :17:08.undercooked and it feels uninspired and flat. At points, I was more
:17:08. > :17:12.than a bit bored. So why all the fuss about battlefield three? Well,
:17:13. > :17:16.it's online multi-player mode is an entirely different beast. Online
:17:16. > :17:21.multi-player is the reason I suspect most people will purchase
:17:21. > :17:29.Battlefield and it is very good. On the PC - up to 64 players. On
:17:29. > :17:33.console - 24 players can make use of tanks, helicopters and difficult
:17:33. > :17:40.to fried debts. The more you play, the more advanced equipment is
:17:40. > :17:42.possible. It is this upgrading that is part of the player's addictive
:17:42. > :17:51.properties. Sorry, you caught me catching up on some light reading.
:17:51. > :17:55.In an effort to topple them, battlefield's developers drafted in
:17:55. > :18:00.some special consultants. This consultant has also penned a not --
:18:00. > :18:06.novel that ties in with the game. But which Orphir to turn to? It was
:18:06. > :18:12.not JK Rowling. No, not a man with a permanently pixelated face. His
:18:12. > :18:15.features have been obscured for security reasons. It is the ex
:18:15. > :18:21.soldier, Andy McNab. What advice did he have for the games
:18:21. > :18:24.developers? I said, they want it to be right, we are halfway through
:18:24. > :18:32.the process, they know what they are doing and have been doing it
:18:32. > :18:39.for many years, now we want to find to knit and delete up. So, some of
:18:39. > :18:44.the tactics were wrong, -- tu it up. They said he will not use that
:18:44. > :18:49.machine. They want to get the big gun in. So it was playing with that
:18:49. > :18:57.and householders would move with their weapons. That sort of stuff.
:18:57. > :19:02.-- how soldiers. Players can earn air strikes or deploy it unmanned
:19:02. > :19:07.vehicles to thin out the opposition on the other game. So which game to
:19:07. > :19:11.choose? Battlefield have been an -- will undoubtedly be a success but I
:19:11. > :19:17.do not feel it have so what it takes to rain on modern warfare,
:19:17. > :19:22.great. Now to a preview. It is quite literally a change of gear.
:19:22. > :19:30.Another outing for a popular chap - - a popular franchise. The stunt a
:19:30. > :19:33.high octane title rather than high explosive. Supercars take part in
:19:33. > :19:37.an illegal road race across the United States. A return to the need
:19:37. > :19:42.for us these series where road racing results in police
:19:42. > :19:46.intervention, leading to racing and chasing along highways and byways.
:19:46. > :19:50.Again uses the same physics engine which is also powering battlefield
:19:50. > :19:56.three but of course a single player story mode and online multi-player.
:19:56. > :20:00.Yes, we have seen and played this game many times. But hopefully a
:20:00. > :20:05.return to the straightforward cops first as road races format will
:20:06. > :20:09.Thule -- will inject some much- needed life into this long running
:20:09. > :20:14.franchise. Now, two of the most cthe most cine
:20:14. > :20:21.spaces in today's Wedd have to be social media and delivering the
:20:21. > :20:26.news. There are tons of sides that to one of those. So, can a young
:20:26. > :20:29.person from Ireland make any difference in this sector? Kate
:20:29. > :20:33.Russell thinks they have a chance. Here is more in Webscape.
:20:33. > :20:38.The Web is full of interesting articles. When you consider it
:20:38. > :20:43.would take well over 100 years to read with a beady alone, what on
:20:43. > :20:48.earth are you meant to find them? This website hopes to put a dent in
:20:48. > :20:55.the online content delivery market with their social aggregate of. It
:20:55. > :21:05.categorises hundreds of thousands up, using Facebook and Twitter to
:21:05. > :21:07.
:21:07. > :21:12.rank them in their feed. The serve this is kind of a cross-breed
:21:12. > :21:16.between a flip board and tweeting. But I do like the way it ranks
:21:17. > :21:22.things based on how fast they were shared, rather than just the volume
:21:22. > :21:25.of shares. Fine-tune your feet with location and content categories and
:21:25. > :21:29.leave it to your Facebook account. It will feed you information about
:21:29. > :21:32.what stories your friends are sharing. While this might not tell
:21:32. > :21:39.you much about what is really important in the world, it should
:21:39. > :21:46.give you a good idea of whether it is time to change your friends.
:21:46. > :21:49.We all love the smartphone apps. What we do not love is draining the
:21:49. > :21:56.battery playing games and not having enough juice left for the
:21:56. > :22:00.phone to perform its primary function. In other words, making
:22:00. > :22:05.calls. BlackBerry users can use -- can keep an eye on their power
:22:05. > :22:10.levels with this app. It does exactly what it says. And a bit
:22:10. > :22:16.more. There is a battery level indicator and status monitor with
:22:16. > :22:19.an historic visualisation monitor with a day week or month. With
:22:19. > :22:24.adjustable warning levels, you can make sure you eat enough power on
:22:24. > :22:28.hand when you are on a long journey. Deciding how you want to be warned
:22:28. > :22:32.and another -- and a number of other settings. And by pinning a
:22:32. > :22:36.state has monitored to your menu bar, you will have a constant --
:22:36. > :22:46.reminder every time you switch apps which can only give you more power
:22:46. > :22:47.
:22:47. > :22:53.As the UK remembers its fallen soldiers this weekend, an Oxford
:22:53. > :22:57.history graduate has embarked on a six-year project to tweet the
:22:57. > :23:04.events of the Second World War as they happened, 72 years on. Follow
:23:04. > :23:08.the project on Twitter. It is a fascinating glimpse into the past,
:23:08. > :23:16.including eyewitness testimony from the battlefield, photographs and
:23:16. > :23:23.That was Kate Russell. If you would like to suggest something for a
:23:23. > :23:29.future Webscape, you are more than welcome. Tweed asked for e-mail us.
:23:29. > :23:33.Everything from this week's programme is up at the BBC website.
:23:33. > :23:37.You can find more technology news stories there and a link to Click
:23:37. > :23:40.on the radio. On this week's programme, the