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Lifestyle And Technology News In Brief (5-11 August 2013)

  3 min 29 sec to read

Humanoid Robot Launches on Japan Rocket 
Humanoid Robot Launches on Japan RocketJapan’s space agency says the first talking humanoid robot “astronaut’’ has taken off in a rocket. Kirobo derived from the Japanese words for “hope’’ and “robot’’ _ was among five tons of supplies and machinery on a rocket launched Sunday for the International Space Station from Tanegashima, southwestern Japan. Developers say the childlike robot will be a companion for astronaut Koichi Wakata and will communicate with another robot on Earth. Robot designer Tomotaka Takahashi, of the University of Tokyo, advertiser Dentsu and automaker Toyota Motor Corp. worked on the robot. 
 
 
Apple Once Again the World’s Most Valuable Company 
Apple Once Again the World’s Most Valuable Company Apple has again become the world’s most valuable company as rumors of upcoming next-generation iPhones and iPads are spreading. Apple toppled Exxon Mobil from its number one spot as its market capitalization went up by 0.9% to $414 bn. Exxon overtook Apple’s market cap in late January of this year, amidst a continued sell-off of its stock. It lost the title last Thursday as its shares were down 1.8% on its disappointing earnings report, giving the firm a market capitalization of $409bn, Market Watch reports. Apple share price has last reached $457. However, the company is still $100 short from the beginning of 2013. Last September 2012, the company’s share price went as high as $700, its highest so far. Investors are hoping that the company can now gain its momentum as consumers anticipate the debuts of the iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, which is a low-cost iPhone, a fifth-generation iPad, an iPad mini with retina display and iWatch. 
 
 
Google to Bring ‘Find My Device’ Feature to Android 
Android Operating System maker GoogleAndroid Operating System maker Google announced that it will offer a new service to help users keep track of their Android devices from afar. The service, called Android Device Manager, is similar to the “Find My iPhone” service outed by Apple in 2011, and enables Android phone and tablet owners to remotely find and manage their lost devices. Users will be able to view the current location of their devices on a map; lock their devices remotely; or, if they think a device has been stolen, activate a noisy alarm in order to ward off thieves, or erase all memory on their device. All of this can be done by logging into the Android Device Manager website on any laptop, desktop or other mobile device. The feature will become available later this month and will be able to track all devices running Android 2.2 or newer; a companion app will also be available for download in the Google Play Store. 
 
 
Valve Appoints Gaming Economist 
Valve Appoints Gaming EconomistGame maker Valve has appointed an in-house economist to help manage the virtual economies that have sprung up around its many titles. The company has signed up economics professor Yanis Varoufakis as their resident expert adviser. Valve contacted Prof Varoufakis as it started to think about linking game economies and hit virtual currency exchange problems. It comes as South Korea attempts to crack down on trading in video games. In a blog explaining how he came to work for Valve, Prof Varoufakis said first contact was made by Gabe Newell, president of the games company.
 

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