Designers give their take on how Apple's new gadget might look as tech-giant ponders wristphone

It is believed to be Apple's next big thing - yet the secretive firm has not made a single comment about it..
However, that hasn't stopped people around the world speculating on exactly what an 'iWatch' might look like and how it would work.
Designers have even revealed their take on Apple's new 'smart watch' with professional looking mockups of the device, ranging from a glass cuff to a 'claw' design.

How the iWatch might look and work: Yrving Torrealba's translucent concept is made from a new type of flexible glass

The rumours started when Chinese websites reported in December that the computer giant is working with chip-maker Intel on a wrist-worn gadget.
It is thought to have a 1.5inch screen and uses Bluetooth to communicate with other devices, which could include an iPhone.
The 'iWatch' will go on sale at some point this year, the report claimed. Chinese site Tech.163 said Intel has developed a Smart Watch that Apple is interested in.

The watch in question has a 1.5 OLED display with indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass, and uses Bluetooth to communicate with a user's iPhone.
It is believed the iWatch will run a version of iOS, the same software as the iPhone and iPad, allowing apps to be easily downloaded.
Releasing a watch could also help it compete with Google, which claims it will release 'Google Glass', a headset with a screen, this year.

Will it look like this? This concept was created by designer Federico Ciccarese

Swedish designer Anders Kjellberg's beautiful rendition of the iWatch could easily pass for the real thing from Apple

The reverse of Swedish designer Anders Kjellberg's vision of the Apple iWatch

Boxed: the packaged up iWatch idea by Swedish designer Anders Kjellberg

The rumours come after an independent attempt to create a smart watch, called Pebble, became a huge success online.
Its inventors used Kickstarter to try and raise $10,000 so they could develop it - but instead raised $10million, and hope to begin production soon.
'Pebble is the first watch built for the 21st century,' say its creators. 'It's infinitely customizable, with beautiful downloadable watch faces and useful internet-connected apps.

Antonio De Rosa's realistic concept could be a good approximation of what to expect

Antonio De Rosa's concent with the tagline 'It's time to change the time'

Realistic? Antonio De Rosa's design projecting an image of a dog onto a wall

Pavel Simeonov's design looks like a mini iPhone on a watch strap and it comes in an assortment of bright colours

Talented designerPavel Simeonov's take on how Apple's first new product line since the iPad might look

Handy: Yrving Torrealba's translucent concept of how the iWatch might look

'The watch will connect via Bluetooth, and alert users to incoming messages via vibrations - and apps bring Pebble to life.
'Cyclists can use Pebble as a bike computer, accessing the GPS on your smartphone to display speed, distance and pace data.
'Runners get a similar set of data displayed on their wrist. Use the music control app to play, pause or skip tracks on your phone with the touch of a button.'

Jumped the gun? The Pebble watch, which can link to a phone to display messages and run apps

Shocking: See How Much Money Super Eagles Will Get If They Win Africa Cup Of Nations

The winner of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament will bag $1.5million as well as bragging rights until the 2015 tournament.
The Confederation of African Football will spend $10million on prize money as the runners-up will get a cool $1million, while the the semi-finalists bag $750,000 each.
Below is the list of prize money and how much will be paid to each of the participants, depending on where they finish.
Winner: $1.500.000
Losing finalist: $1.000.000
Semi-finalist: $750.000
Quarter-finalist: $600.000
Third-place in group: $500.000 each
Fourth-place in group: $400,000 each.

NIgeria vs Burkina faso (1-1)

A home fit for Chanel's guru: The sleek Manhattan home complete with mannequins that Karl Lagerfeld sold for $4.5m

You wouldn't expect Karl Lagerfeld to have any difficulty selling a luxury apartment in one of the most sought-after residential areas in New York City.

But it took the fashion icon two years to get the 2,200-square-foot property in Gramercy Park off his hands.

The legendary Chanel designer also had to drop his asking price by $2 million to complete the sale. Reports suggest that Lagerfeld never actually moved in. 

 

Lagerfeld first attempted to sell the exclusive pad in 2011 for $6.575 million, but eventually sealed a $4.5 million deal with investment banker Sebastian Barrack just a few weeks ago.
Chanel's creative director purchased the sleek, sixth-floor flat at 50 Gramercy Park North for $6.69 million in 2006.

According to the listing at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, the three-bedroom property includes a entry foyer and large chef’s kitchen with top of the line appliances.
Other amenities include a bedroom suite with a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a double vanity sink, separate shower and large soaking tub.

The apartment also boasts incredible views and exclusive access to Gramercy Park, one of the last remaining keyed private parks in New York City.

New owner Barrack can also take advantage of the pampering services offered by the nearby luxury Gramercy Park Hotel.

This includes a valet, butler service, housekeeping, catering, room service, event planning, personal shopping, priority reservations, fitness center, spa, and a private rooftop club.

But nothing is ever perfect. Apparently the apartment suffers from poor natural light and the maintenance fee is high - around $7,439 a month.

A Real-Life 'Star Wars' Death Star Would Cost $850 Quadrillion, Says U.S. Government

A sad day for Star Wars fans. While three new Disney-sponsored films in the intergalactic franchise are on the horizon, the construction of an actual Death Star, like the one Darth Vader called home in the films, above Earth is not. (Sigh.)
A petition setup on the Petitions.WhiteHouse.gov website amassed more than 34,000 e-signatures demanding that the Obama Administration "secure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016." The group argued that "focusing our defense resources into a space-superiority platform and weapon system such as a Death Star" would "spur job creation in the fields of construction, engineering, space exploration, and more, and strengthen our national defense." While an excellent point, those 34,000 people overlooked some potential hurdles.
In what could only be called a small victory in the face of eminent defeat for Star Wars fans, the White House actually responded to the petition.
"The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon," began the poignant response from the U.S. government that ultimately nixed the plan.
The author of the response, Paul Shawcross, serves as Science and Space Branch Chief at the White House Office of Management and Budget. Shawcross, who helped pen the White House's fiscal 2013 budget, cited three main reasons for the petition's rebuttal, and affectionately titled it: "This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For."
Shawcross says that the construction of the Death Star would cost the U.S. somewhere in the $850,000,000,000,000,000 ballpark. "We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it," he rationalized. He also added that the U.S. government "does not support blowing up planets" nor would it "spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?" (Might Shawcross, himself, be a fan of the Star Wars films? That is still undetermined.)
Shawcross challenged the undersigned to apply their keen imaginations to the current night sky, as it is already home to a pseudo Death Star. "Yes, we already have a giant, football field-sized International Space Station in orbit around the Earth that's helping us learn how humans can live and thrive in space for long durations," he wrote. He noted that with six astronauts aboard from three different countries, it was more of a peaceful stopover in the cosmos, than destroyer ship.
While Shawcross' response is point-blank hilarious, it is also immensely informational, as he provides links to several currently in-the-works space projects. "We don't have a Death Star, but we do have floating robot assistants on the Space Station, a President who knows his way around a light saber and advanced (marshmallow) cannon, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is supporting research on building Luke's arm, floating droids, and quadruped walkers," he challenged. (Okay, this guy is definitely a HUGE Star Wars fan.)
Alas, the Death Star petitioners should be basking in their defeat. They did manage to get a response from the U.S. government, and it isn't necessarily a dead end. There are several privately funded aerospace companies, such as Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, that they can hit up for that $850,000,000,000,000,000.
Adds Shawcross, "We are living in the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field." May the force be with you.

2013 Oscar Nominations: Full List

The nominees for the 85th Annual Academy Awards have been announced, and Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" is leading the way. The directors interpretation of the 16th President's fight for emancipation snatched up 12 nods, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay. Behind "Lincoln" comes "Life of Pi," Yann Martel's 3-D epic, which earned 11 nominations, also including Best Picture. "Django Unchained," the film featured in our Dec./Jan. cover story is also among the nominees, as well as Denzel Washington for his starting role in "Flight."
Take a look at the major Oscar nominations below:
Best Picture:
- "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
- “Silver Linings Playbook”
- “Zero Dark Thirty”
- “Lincoln”
- “Les Misérables”
- “Life of Pi”
- “Amour”
- “Django Unchained”
- “Argo”
Best Actor:
- Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
- Denzel Washington, “Flight”
- Hugh Jackman, “Les Misérables”
- Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook”
- Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”
Best Actress:
- Naomi Watts, “The Impossible”
- Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”
- Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”
- Emmanuelle Riva, “Amour”
- Quvenzhané Wallis, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Best Director:
- David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
- Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”
- Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”
- Michael Haneke, “Amour”
- Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Best Supporting Actor:
- Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”
- Robert De Niro, “Silver Linings Playbook”
- Alan Arkin, “Argo”
- Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”
Best Supporting Actress:
- Sally Field, “Lincoln”
- Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables”
- Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook”
- Helen Hunt, “The Sessions”
- Amy Adams, “The Master”
Best Adapted Screenplay:
- “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin
- “Argo,” Chris Terrio
- “Lincoln,” Tony Kushner
- “Silver Linings Playbook,” David O. Russell
- “Life of Pi,” David Magee
Best Original Screenplay:
- “Flight,” John Gatins
- “Zero Dark Thirty,” Mark Boal
- “Django Unchained,” Quentin Tarantino
- “Amour,” Michael Haneke
- “Moonrise Kingdom,” Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
This year's Oscars will take place on Feb. 24 and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane.