Technology | The Guardian

The rise of smartphones has hit sales of top of the range cameras, but Sony is looking at the bigger pictureTimes are hard in Japan, and particularly so for the makers of single lens reflex (SLR) cameras – those one you see professionals touting,especially their digital (DSLR) variant. Combined worldwide sales of DSLRs and their sibling, mirrorless digital cameras are slumping year after year, according to data from Japan’s Camera and Imaging Products Association.Shipments of film cameras essentially died in 2006; DSLRs, which had been rising since 2000, quickly took over, ramping up until they reached a peak in 2008. The financial crisis in 2009 depressed sales badly but, after recovering in 2010 to a high of 120 million, they have gone down to a forecast of just over 30 million this year. Mirrorless cameras, which are more compact than SLR styles, have seen some growth, but they can’t make up for the overall indifference of the market to Cipa’s members’ offerings. Cipa isn’t the whole of the world’s camera industry, but it represents the vast majority of the high end – and so the money. And those numbers show that the money is pouring out of their business. Continue reading...

(PS3/PS4/Xbox 360/Xbox One/PC; Bethesda Softworks, cert: 18) Continue reading...

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Monday, suckers. Continue reading...

(Nintendo 3DS; Nintendo, cert: 3) Continue reading...

France Télévisions’ director of future media Eric Scherer on the trends providing headaches and huge opportunities alike for television firms“The TV industry will have to work on a mobile-first strategy. Not a digital-first strategy, but a mobile-first strategy, because mobile is now the first screen, and it’s taking time away from the TV.”Eric Scherer is director of future media at French broadcaster France Télévisions, so understanding – surprise! – the future of media is a key part of his job. In a speech at the MIPFormats conference in Cannes this weekend, he outlined the digital trends that he thinks are presenting traditional TV firms with headaches, but also huge opportunities.Related: YouTube is 10 years old, but what will it look like in 2025?Related: From YouTube to Vice – 10 trends that are changing how we watch TV Continue reading...

It seems the perfect solution to all of us weary of passwords, but is it secure? Our expert panel argue the case for and against biometrics Continue reading...

A toothbrush that rewards you for using the correct technique and scolds you when you don’t and is more clever than a space rocket… Continue reading...

Criminal gangs conned travelling public out of £2.2m in 2014 say anti-fraud police, as online shoppers are urged to be cautious Continue reading...

Launching later this spring, Rook provides location-based free access to ebooks with an option to buy. But some publishers might fear a great ebook giveaway Continue reading...

The YouTube star on the appeal of the internet over TV channels, why a blog is sometimes better than a vlog, and how a pseudonym can become wearing Continue reading...

Tinder has changed the way we meet, but is increasingly proving a turn-off for female users sick of the misogyny it attracts. Now a new generation of app developers is fighting back Continue reading...

The journey from playing to designing and making games can be a short one, and brings rich educational rewards for children Continue reading...

Sydney Padua’s new graphic novel, set in Victorian London, tells the story of Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage’s attempts to invent the first computer, with cameos from George Eliot, Charles Dickens and Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Sydney Padua’s graphic novel tells the story of Babbage and Lovelace with a twist – they actually build their Analytical Engine.To see a selection of extracts from the book, click here.

With just 25 days to go until the election, all is yet to be decided. But in the age of social media, another power struggle is on – the fight for command a strange virtual world: the Twittersphere. Tracking our party leaders’ influence at home and abroad, we’ve looked at who follows whom on the world’s political stage Continue reading...

Fuelled only by the sun – lithium batteries store energy for use after dark – Solar Impulse 2 is about a quarter of the way through its circumnavigation of the globe, a four-month endeavour that is scheduled to touch down in Abu Dhabi in July. If successful, it will be the first solar-powered plane to complete the trip, an engineering triumph and inspiration for carbon-neutral travel.

Amid reports focused on increased diversity of smartphone icons, company tweeted ‘where’s the bleach?’ – but post did not refer to race, Clorox says Continue reading...

As the expansion of ebook sales slow down, enthusiasm for both paperbacks and hardcovers remains strong Continue reading...

By remaining a family business, the manufacturing giant is not held back by the concerns of City investors Continue reading...

PS4, Xbox One; 2K Games; £37.99-£44.99 Continue reading...

‘The combination of width and blunt steering meant it had none of the nippy mischief that makes the compromises of a small car worthwhile’ Continue reading...

Editor-in-chief Ben Smith apologises to staff for ‘acting without respect to our standards or process’ after critics say news site acted in commercial interests

Nick Clegg would introduce a bill to ensure civil and human rights online if the Lib Dems entered parliament as part of a coalition after the general election Continue reading...

Embrace of cryptocurrency meshes with his criticism of surveillance state and squares his libertarian views with such sympathies in Silicon Valley Continue reading...

A short run-down of what to do in case of trouble on the slopes

The biggest company in the world has launched its newest device, but the reception has been muted compared to previous launches – deliberately soThe Apple Watch was made available to order on Friday, with the company’s attempt to discourage customers from camping outside Apple Stores proving largely successful.At 8:01 on Friday morning, London’s major Apple stores in Regent Street and Covent Garden had bare pavement outside – a far cry from the bustling scenes greeting the company’s last major device launches, the iPhones 6 and 6 Plus. Continue reading...

Care minister and Lib Dem MP for North Norfolk calls campaign group ‘vicious and cynical’ as it highlights impact of budget cuts on services Continue reading...

After suffering a hack that took the TV station offline, live interview with reporter displays usernames and passwords written on sticky notesFollowing the hacking by a pro-Isis group that took a French television station offline, a live interview with a TV5Monde reporter has unwittingly exposed the usernames and passwords used for a variety of company accounts and services.

The two companies have been linked at least three times, with the search giant envious of Twitter’s thriving, engaged user base Continue reading...

Shoppers in Sydney, Tokyo and Beijing flock to stores on Friday to get a first glimpse of the highly-anticipated Apple Watch. Enthusiastic fans try on the watch which will go on sale on 24 April. Apple is expecting a high demand for its wearable gadget, which allows users to check email, make phone calls and also monitor their health Continue reading...

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Friday! Continue reading...

Thom Yorke as King Cnut, Madonna’s ‘ridiculous’ Meerkat debut, potential playlist payola, Spotify, SoundCloud and more from AIM Music ConnectedIndependent music labels are increasingly willing to speak out about digital music and what it means for their artists and businesses.From complaining about YouTube’s contracts to giving their views on streaming services like Spotify, indies are ensuring that their views are heard in the main music industry debates. Continue reading...

While interactive theatre has a heritage that predates the video game a new wave of concepts that blend games and performance are thriving. Dates for your diary Continue reading...

Improving your web experience doesn’t end with choosing the right browser - there are dozens of extensions available to broaden, streamline or secure your movements online. Here are 21 of the best. Continue reading...

From Periscope’s live video streaming to the latest Angry Birds game Continue reading...

Culture minister calls talks after television network TV5Monde is taken over by individuals claiming to belong to Islamic StateFrance’s culture minister is to call an urgent meeting of French media groups to assess their vulnerability to hacking after the public service television network TV5Monde was taken over by individuals claiming to belong to Islamic State, blacking out broadcasts as well as hacking its websites and Facebook page.

Batman and Gandalf to star in latest Lego game, which comes with bricks and mini-figs that can interact with the onscreen actionWarner Bros has confirmed that its next Lego video game will be called Lego Dimensions and allow players to place real minifigs and blocks onto a special sensor pad so that they appear in the onscreen action.The game will feature multiple entertainment licenses, most of which have already featured in the best-selling Lego series of action adventure titles. Minifigs of Batman, Gandalf and Lego Movie hero Wyldstyle will all be included in the initial package, which will also feature the Lego Toy Pad and a collection of bricks that can be constructed into a “gateway” model that affixes to the pad. Continue reading...

Increased performance through data analysis is just one of the rewards tech can bring to sports. Fan engagement and commercial opportunities can also benefit Continue reading...

Higher than expected demand for difficult-to-manufacture curved screen smartphone means company is unlikely to be able to keep up

Yves Bigot, the director-general of French TV network TV5Monde, says the company's firewalls were breached by people with a deep knowledge of security and possible links to Islamic State. TV5Monde's firewalls were hacked on Wednesday and pro-Isis messages were posted on the company's social media accounts. The network says it will take time for television broadcasts to return to normal Continue reading...

Case lead by privacy campaigner Max Schrems sees 25,000 users sue social network for alleged illegal tracking of their data and its involvement in the NSA’s surveillance programmeA class action lawsuit over alleged breaches of EU privacy law, mass surveillance and involvement in the NSA’s Prism snooping programme has been filed against Facebook in Vienna.The lawsuit, which was officially filed in a Vienna court on Thursday, is being spearheaded by 27-year-old Austrian law graduate and privacy campaigner Max Schrems. Continue reading...

The British actor/ex-wizard is in the running to play the creator of the controversial game Continue reading...

Chris uses TrueCrypt to encrypt sensitive information, but needs an alternative now that program has been abandoned by its developersWhat can you recommend instead of TrueCrypt, which I use for encrypting passwords and personal data. I use the File Container approach, which is all I need and is easy to use. I haven’t encrypted a complete hard drive.Microsoft offers BitLocker but that’s only available with the Enterprise and Ultimate versions of Windows 7, and it looks as though I need a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, which my old motherboards don’t have. Chris Continue reading...

FarmVille and Words with Friends publisher still trying to recapture past glories, with new (old) boss saying ‘we need to get back to being the leader in mobile data and analytics’ Continue reading...

New paid tier will launch later in 2015, but channel owners who opt out will have to make their videos privateYouTube is planning to launch a subscription version of its online video service, for which viewers will pay to remove its advertising.The Google subsidiary announced its plans in an email to channel owners, while also informing them that if they do not sign up to participate, they will have to set all their videos to “private”.Related: YouTube: Hank Green tells fellow creators to aim for '$1 per view'“If you choose not to participate in our new paid offerings, you can change your video settings to private to keep videos hosted on YouTube. Though you can always choose whether to host any or all of your videos on YouTube, we strongly believe that any fan who’s willing to pay for a feature like an ads-free experience on YouTube deserves to access the exact same content that exists on the ad-supported site.” Continue reading...