Microgaming could win you Millions

One of the latest games from the successful gambling company Microgaming comes in the form of Mermaid Millions, a soothing underwater adventure to find the Sea King and his beautiful Mermaid daughter. Five reels and fifteen pay lines, coin sizes ranging from $0.01 to $1 with 1-5 coins per pay reel, add up to a maximum bet of $75, meaning that this isn't a serious betting machine – more like entertainment with a gambling kick. However, payouts can get pretty big, with several ways to acquire multipliers and opportunities for bonus games.

As well as the standard ten, jack, queen, king and ace cards – which all have jewels, octopi and other sea memorabilia wrapped around them - the young mermaid is the scatter card, and king Neptune operates as a wild card which can be swapped out for any other card (except the mermaid, of course). Other cards are a magical pearl, treasure box, treasure chest and sea horse. Five Neptune symbols in one spin triggers a jackpot of a potential $37,5000, and from two to five mermaid cards gets you 4x, 50x and 400x your original bet.

The Treasure Bonus symbols sets another Bonus game in motion which plays as a “Pick Until Pop”, where the player keeps picking sunken containers with win values in each until they get the “pop”. The number of treasure chest symbols in your spin defines the number of selections you get, starting from three. As another bonus, three to five scatters in one spin gets you a reward of ten free spins with a 3x multiplayer – there's no limit to how many times you can get this reward.

The whole style of the game is really what sets it above over slot games. The www.MermaidMillions.net slots game has cute graphics in calming blue underwater tones and adorable pictures around the screen. All of the sounds are fully customisable, allowing you to listen to the soothing sounds of the ocean, or turn them on and listen to just the rolling machine while you keep your own lucky soundtrack going.

There are a lot of slot games out at the moment, with Microgaming being at the forefront of the technology. Mermaid Millions is a great low stress game, with small bets but potentially pretty big winnings, and can be played on smart phones and tablets as well as computers so you're never far away from an underwater opportunity to win a few grand!

Access Blocked Websites from Anywhere

There are plenty of instances where you might find you cannot access that website. Maybe you are studying and the campus does not allow access to the likes of YouTube, or maybe you are travelling and in a country that blocks access to your favourite social network. There is a solution, check out the video below.

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Shopping on Public Wi-Fi - How to Stay Safe

With so many people shopping online nowadays, they, we, all of use, make a good target for online crime. There are clever people out their that can snoop on provate information, so it is essential that we all take the neccessary precautions. Check out the video below and feel free to leave your comments.

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Star Trek Science Fiction & Science Fact Navigraphic

Join us as we boldly go where no man has before and beam up to three replica Enterprise bridges, carefully re-created using original Paramount Star Trek footage, screen stills and archive images. Once you've clicked 'Engage' you'll be able to beam your way to the Earth Space Dock from the Next Generation, to the Drydock from the Original Series or London, Earth in Alternate Reality.

Join Music Magpie on this voyage of discovery by clicking here.

Once there, you'll be able to discover how many light years we are away from inventing real-world equivalents of the famous Star Trek technology! Explore how close we are to replicating La Forge's VISOR or Dr Leonard McCoy's favourite piece of medical kit. Compare how touch-screen computers of today match up to the Starship's Control Interface! Not only that, but it also features the original and iconic Star Trek sounds and images, so you'll soon feel part of Captain Kirk's crew!

Top 5 Apps for Making International Calls

International calls can be one of the steepest charges on your mobile phone bill. Fortunately, there's an array of alternative options to choose from. Many consumers choose to use international calling cards, for example. These give you a PIN number which allows you to use any phone yet still benefit from low per-minute rates. Another option if you have relatives in the states is to call USA with Lebara or other pay-as-you-go carriers. These offer SIM cards and prepaid rates for low cost international calls. Finally, downloadable apps can be used on your mobile phone. These give you a high level of flexibility and little hassle when you need to call friends and family living abroad. The following are five of the top options.

Viber

Viber is a simple to use app which lets you make cheap international calls. You can download the app and it will scan through your contact list to connect with those contacts who also have the Viber app on their phones. If you place calls between two Viber users, the call is free overWiFi networks. However, one problem with Viber is that if another call comes in on your mobile phone, the Viber call could be dropped.

Skype

Skype has quickly become one of the most popular options for international calling. Like Viberand other options on this list, calls are free between two users of the same service. International rates to non-Skype numbers are comparable to those you'd get when you call Australia with Lebara or other destinations using a prepaid service. An added plus to Skype is that you can video chat, but the audio tends to be somewhat unpredictable. This is particularly true if you're calling areas where WiFi is spotty.

Google Voice

There are a number of different functions provided by Google Voice, including voicemail, call forwarding, and low international calling rates. However because this service is still relatively new, it has yet to catch on across the world like competitors such as Skype. This means that it's more difficult to connect calls between two Google Voice contacts, although the service can be quite reliable.

Rebtel

Another popular worldwide option, Rebtel has been rapidly expanding. Their apps allow you to place international calls from pretty much any device, with calls between Rebtel customers conducted free of charge. Rebtel also offers local numbers and low rates to a number of destinations, making them a strong competitor to prepaid options like Lebara.

Fring

One of the first international calling apps on the market, Fring has unfortunately been overshadowed by its new competition. However, it still offers a worthwhile app that provides video chat, instant messaging, and VoIP calling services.

When it comes to making international calls, all of these apps can provide strong alternatives to your regular mobile service. There's no excuse for ending up with a sky-high phone bill when you combine services like mobile calling apps and prepaid phone cards.

Gaming - there’s never been so much choice

The rise of casual gaming over the last few years has changed the face of ‘video gaming’ and made it far more mainstream. Once the sole provenance of teenage boys, gaming has blossomed into a multi-million dollar industry with so many different choices, there is a way of playing games out there for everyone.

The emergence of wifi and hyper fast internet speeds have opened up online gaming to the masses, for example. Not that long ago, you had to be a dedicated gamer to want to get online and play with other people, necessitating as it did waiting for dial ups and tying up the phone line for hours. These days, anyone and everyone can hop online whenever they fancy - and from wherever they fancy with 3G and 4G making it pretty much instantaneous to play games from buses, trains, while shopping, eating and walking. In fact there isn’t anywhere where games can’t be played today!

Consoles are, of course, hooked up to fast internet as well, allowing players to play against people all over the world in complicated games like Call of Duty, requiring skill, dedication and many hours of gameplay.

Smartphones and tablets have given us simple games like Plants vs Zombies and Bejewelled Blitz, which are phenomenally popular with the casual gamer market - the vast number of people who have become interested in playing games, often following first exposure through social networking sites like Facebook. There are literally thousands of gaming apps available, catering to lots of different interests, from sport lovers to brain training experts and the number of people playing them continues to rise.

Added to these are online gambling and casino sites, which offer a different way to play games online. Although poker and casino games have always been popular, with console games and simple card games available for many years, the rise of online poker recently has seen a huge uptake in players. The ability to play professional players and play many hands at once has opened up real life tournament play to dedicated online poker players as well - they can win places in tournaments and go on to advance their game that way.

In a similar way, online bingo sites have also taken off in recent years, with many thousands of regular players discovering a way to harness an old favourite in a completely new way. It’s possible to play online bingo on sites like chitchat bingo and enjoy socialising with other players, as well as play bingo in many different ways.

With online games also aimed at children - for example Disney’s Club Penguin and Mind Candy’s Moshi Monsters proving phenomenally popular and introducing children to the world of online gaming at a very early age, it seems that no age group or interest group has been left out of the rise of online gaming. There really is something for everyone, and it;s fantastic to see something that was once so niche, become so popular and educationally important. You can’t underestimate what can be learned from video gaming and online game playing and, of course, the fun that can be had exploring all the different ways to play.

Sexy or Funny?

Adobe -- Sexy or Funny? http://adobe.ly/19In0d9

What do brands need to make online ads more appealing? In recent research we found that a lot of people think TV ads are more important than online ads.

Adobe took to the streets to find out what was important to people in ads. More that two-thirds (68%) of UK consumers said ads should tell a unique story. However humour is even more important, 92% said funny ads are more effective than 'sexy' ones. Watch to see what people thought were their most memorable funny and sexy adverts.

New Gadgets

The ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity is the new tablet on the scene in a saturated market, though believe it or not this one boasts something different. Pocket Lint reviewed it as the best complete laptop replacement with a tablet like screen and smooth, lightweight keyboard. Starting from £549, cash loans can help purchase this fancy new gadget at cashwindow.co.uk.

The ASUS Transformer can be seen as the most flexible of the tablets and offers a great alternative to the Windows or OS X laptop operating system. Using the Android system, it can now function with the use of office documents and removable USB drives just as well as the Windows system does, perhaps offering a welcome alternative to some. The biggest boast for this tablet is the stunning high-resolution screen and the battery life, which is better than most tablets. Although a downside may be the price tag, which reaches close to most laptops, the benefit of this tablet is the keyboard which can make it more user friendly than most other tablets, great for those who do all their work on a tablet.

If the price range seems a bit steep, Cash Window can offer quick cash loans to help you get to that gadget quicker than most. As long as you know you can afford to pay it back, a cash loan can be a way to ensure that you can afford the lump sum for that gadget, rather than saving your pocket money for months and months. Cash Window offer cash loans available to collect over the counter or money loans straight into your bank account and a variety of financial options to suit your needs and periods to pay it back. So whether you’re looking for the new ASUS Transformer tablet, or another fancy high-tech new tablet on the market, Cash Window can help.

Social Gaming on iOS

Social gaming is big business nowadays, even I find myself drawn into playing these addictive iOS based games on a daily basis. Games such as Draw Something are really fun and interactive and I think the reason I love it so much is because I get to play with my friends. This is normally the case for most apps for the iPhone and iPad and I think that is why so many people I know love the social aspect of gaming. The fact that it's so simple and easy makes it much mor enjoyable, all you have to do is pick a word to draw that your friend has to guess in order to collect a certain amount of coins. You can spend your winnings on more colour palettes within the game, which gives a sense or reward and acts as an incentive to play it more and more. Playing this in my spare time is very enjoyable and other apps such as Words with Friends makes social gaming a lot more challenging and dare I say it, educational.

Another very addictive game that links in with sharing via Facebook is the Bejeweled series. Senior franchise director of the app Bejeweled says that a good social game needs to engage players over a period of time. He has also said in the past that "This is obtained either through compelling core gameplay that’s endlessly repeatable — a feat achieved by a small minority of games and possible only in certain genres — or by constantly adding content to the game, which requires a very disciplined release schedule, and requires the developer to be able to produce content as fast, or faster, than the most active players are consuming it." (Erica Swallow, Forbes) 

We can therefore conclude from this that a sucessful app would need variety and have ongoing content that would attract our attention. There is also a growing trend toward apps both on our iOS devices & the internet, that allow you to try various Casino Games online such as bingo, horse racing, Black Jack, roulette and so many more. These offer up a social aspect too, whilst at the same time allow us to possibly win a little extra cash too.

Samsung Galaxy S4 on 4GEE from EE

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We're EE and we've brought you the UK's first superfast 4G mobile network, together with Fibre Broadband. Whether you're streaming HD TV, live multiplayer gaming, or watching a film, it'll be superfast, at home or on the go. Check out full details here.

Fun things to do on a sick day

Being optimistic is one of the essential things involved in recovering from illness, which is why it is imperative to try and have fun if you’re having a sick day off work. Being sick doesn’t mean you have to keep yourself confined to bed, unless of course your condition is particularly bad. 

If you’re worried about wasting time because you’re sick, look no further. This article seeks to help you think about ways you can spend your sick day that involve you making most of the time off work, as well as having fun!

Gamble!

Of course, if you’re taking the day off work because you’re sick, you definitely shouldn’t be seen near a casino. But thanks to the wide availability of gambling apps available now, you don’t have to even leave the house.

Playing online slots is a pretty fun way to do away with the time; who knows, you may even make some money by doing it! Log onto Grosvenor Casinos to check out some fun slot games you can get involved in.

Finish the unfinished

Having a day off work is a good way of completing all the bits and bobs that you haven’t been able to. It’s hard to finish reading that novel if you’ve been reading tax transcripts all day at work; now that you have the whole day off, you can curl up by the fire and finish it, finally.

Other things you can finish off while you’re at home also include the backlog of unfinished video games that’s been building up. This is especially appropriate if you’re one of those people who never really finish a game because it’s too hard, leave it for ages and then buying a new one.

Getting over that final enemy hurdle will give you a feeling of satisfaction, guaranteed to lift your spirits.

Do some chores

Not exactly everyone’s idea of fun, but it definitely paves the way for guilt-free fun over the weekend! If your house is messy and the reason is that you’re too busy to clean, use the day off work to do some casual, laid-back cleaning up.

Start with your room – get all that dirty laundry out of there, and clean everything else up thoroughly. There’s no rush if you start early, so you don’t have to stress yourself out.

If you’re feeling up to it, do a little vacuum cleaning as well. Maybe now you can actually bleach the dirty tiled floor in your kitchen.

The upside to all of this is that you won’t have to waste time over the weekend cleaning up. It feels good to get on top of things once in a while.

How Online Games Have Improved Over The Past Few Years

Online games, they have been around for a long time now and despite online games receiving a lot of negative comments, I personally lap them up. Talking on a personal note here, I like the enjoyment of playing an online game. There is nothing better than sitting in the comfort of your own home and playing a game against a friend who could be at the other side of the world.

 

When online games first surfaced they were sketchy and nobody really knew what they were. However, in the world today everybody knows what online games are. They certainly have improved over the years.

One major reason for the rapid growth in online gaming is HTML5 language. HTML5 is a markup language that is used for structuring and presenting content on the internet. It is a vital part of the World Wide Web as we know it today. The previous version was HTML4.0.1, that came out in 1999. It is open source and it is completely free. HTML5 is quickly turning into a great game development platform. Over the past few years we have seen the gaming quality really shine and this is all down to HTML5. The real winners here are the consumers, with developers really pushing the boundaries and bringing us the likes of Casino Games, that not only entertain, but could also bring us some good fortune too.

 

In the future, I would like to see HTML5 becomming more and more common. The only way in which this is possible is if developers start using it to push the boundaries of the code to create even more fantastic online games. I would really like to see this type of game becoming more immersive. I want to be in the game, not be in a room playing a game.

 

What do you think about this topic? Are you a gamer? What's your preferred gaming platform? We would love to hear your thoughts, please leave them below.