In the United Kingdom texting is now more popular than making phone calls

People in the UK are now more likely to text than to make a phone call, according to new research from Ofcom. While 58% of people communicated via texts on a daily basis in 2011, only 47% made a daily mobile call, said the country’s communications industry regulator. It said the shift away from traditional …

Astronomers discover a close new planet – covered in oceans of magma

In a surprise find, astronomers have discovered a planet possibly covered with oceans of magma “right around the corner.” Thirty-three light years away, “we have a sub-Earth-sized planet that’s slightly larger than Mars and essentially right around the corner, at least on a cosmic scale,” said Kevin Stevenson, a planetary scientist now at the University of Chicago UCF-1.01 …

Craft beer is rising in America – matching the elegance of beer in Europe

This column is focused on “craft” beer, as opposed to the big brands that still dominate beer sales worldwide. The terms “craft beer” and “micro-brew” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are actually distinct from one another. Micro-breweries produce less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year, while craft beer can be produced by breweries …

Netflix updates video player for iPhone, iPad – adds rewind feature

We are happy to announce the release of our new video player for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. The updated player includes the following features: Larger, more separated play controls appropriate for how people use these devices Exploration during video play with thumbnail images on the scrub bar Access for audio/subtitles settings and other existing …