'Hard drugs found' on Greenpeace ship seized by Russia

Russian investigators say they have found what appear to be hard drugs on board the Greenpeace ship seized during a protest in the Arctic last month.

"During a search of the ship, drugs (apparently poppy straw and morphine) were confiscated," Russia's Investigative Committee said.

Poppy straw, or raw opium, can be used to produce morphine or heroin.

Greenpeace said in a statement that any suggestion of illegal drugs being found was a "smear".

"We can only assume the Russian authorities are referring to the medical supplies that our ships are obliged to carry under maritime law," it said.

Watch footage of the activists trying to haul themselves on to the rig

Thirty people are being held on suspicion of "piracy" after activists attempted to scale a Russian oil rig.

The head of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo, has written to Russian President Vladimir Putin, offering himself as a guarantee for the detainees.

There is widespread international concern for the crew of the Arctic Sunrise, who hail from 18 nations.

The Netherlands has demanded the immediate release of the detainees, who are being held in the northern port of Murmansk pending trial, as well as the release of their the Dutch-flagged ship.

Six Britons are among those arrested, and UK Foreign Office officials have discussed the case with Russia's ambassador in the UK, it was reported on Wednesday.

'Charges may change'

In its statement, the Investigative Committee said charges against some of the detainees might change in the light of evidence gathered from the ship.

Apart from the suspected drugs, "dual-purpose" equipment was found on the Arctic Sunrise, it said, adding that this "could be used not only for ecological purposes".

Russia's Arctic offshore oil platform defended - BBC's Daniel Sandford reports

Investigators would seek to determine who among the detainees was responsible for "deliberately ramming" Russian border guard boats, endangering their lives, it said.

Greenpeace replied: "There is a strict policy against recreational drugs on board Greenpeace ships, and any claim that something other than medical supplies were found should be regarded with great suspicion.

"Before leaving Norway for the Russian Arctic, the ship was searched with a sniffer dog by the Norwegian authorities, as is standard. The laws in Norway are amongst the strictest in the world, and nothing was found because nothing illegal was on the ship."

"Any claim that illegal drugs were found is a smear, it's a fabrication, pure and simple," Greenpeace said.

The organisation went on to dismiss the allegation of ramming as a "fantasy".

'Bogus' claim

In a statement, it released a slow-motion video of its launch and the coast guard boats to show the moment they had touched.

"The Greenpeace boat sails towards the middle of the port side of the security forces boat and then only briefly touches it with the nose, immediately turning away and making a 180° turn to the left," Greenpeace said.

"The film clearly demonstrates that the official claims are entirely bogus."

In his letter, Mr Naidoo wrote: "I would offer myself as a guarantor for the good conduct of the Greenpeace activists, were they to be released on bail."

Speaking from Amsterdam, he told BBC News: "We are trying everything that's available to us and that's why we have taken this gesture in the hope that at least they will be granted bail, even if they have to stay in Russia for the court case itself."

In his native South Africa in the 1980s, Mr Naidoo campaigned against apartheid and was arrested on several occasions.

Check out: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24461644 for some videos

Higgs boson scientists win Nobel prize in physics accolade for the boson, discovered at Cern in 2012

Two scientists have won the Nobel prize in physics for their work on the theory of the Higgs boson.

Peter Higgs, from the UK, and Francois Englert from Belgium, shared the prize.

In the 1960s they were among several physicists who proposed a mechanism to explain why the most basic building blocks of the Universe have mass.
The mechanism predicts a particle - the Higgs boson - which was finally discovered in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider at Cern, in Switzerland.

“Start Quote

"I am overwhelmed to receive this award... I would also like to congratulate all those who have contributed to the discovery of this new particle”

Peter Higgs Emeritus professor of theoretical physics, University of Edinburgh

"This year's prize is about something small that makes all the difference," said Staffan Normark, permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

'On holiday' Professor Higgs is renowned for shying away from the limelight, and he could not be located for interview in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.
"He's gone on holiday without a phone to avoid the media storm," his Edinburgh University physics colleague Alan Walker told UK media, adding that Higgs had also been unwell.
But the university released a prepared statement from Higgs, who is emeritus professor of theoretical physics:
"I am overwhelmed to receive this award and thank the Royal Swedish Academy.

The BBC's David Shukman explains exactly what the Higgs boson is

"I would also like to congratulate all those who have contributed to the discovery of this new particle and to thank my family, friends and colleagues for their support.
"I hope this recognition of fundamental science will help raise awareness of the value of blue-sky research."
Francois Englert said he was "very happy" to win the award, speaking at the ceremony via phone link.
"At first I thought I didn't have it [the prize] because I didn't see the announcement," he told the committee, after their news conference was delayed by more than an hour.
The Nobel Prizes - which also cover chemistry, medicine, literature, peace and economics - are valued at 10m Swedish Krona. Laureates also receive a medal and a diploma.
The official citation for Englert and Higgs read: "For the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of mass of subatomic particles, and which recently was confirmed through the discovery of the predicted fundamental particle, by the Atlas and CMS experiments at Cern's Large Hadron Collider".
Cern director general Rolf Heuer said he was "thrilled" that this year's prize had gone to particle physics.
"The discovery of the Higgs boson at Cern last year, which validates the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism, marks the culmination of decades of intellectual effort by many people around the world," he said.

Lampedusa boat disaster: Row in Italy over deaths

The BBC's Julian Miglierini says the migrants had almost made it to the coast, sinking just 800m away

Migrant tragedy

Italy's coast guard has denied that it was slow to respond to the sinking of a boat carrying African migrants off the island of Lampedusa on Thursday.

The accusations were made by a fisherman who took part in the rescue and a local newspaper.
So far, 111 bodies have been recovered, and 155 people survived, but about 200 are still unaccounted for.
High winds have prevented divers from reaching the boat, restricting rescuers to an aerial search.
France has called for an urgent meeting of EU states following the tragedy.
"European political officials must talk, and soon," said French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
"It is up to them to meet to find a proper solution; compassion is not enough."

A man from Eritrea is rescued: "You have to search or 480 people are going to die"

Tens of thousands of migrants attempt the perilous crossing from North Africa to Sicily and other Italian islands each year, and accidents are common - but this week's shipwreck was among the deadliest on record.
'Clandestine immigration' The survivors are to be placed under investigation for "clandestine immigration", as provided for by a controversial immigration law pushed through by right-wing parties in 2002.
Italy has said it will amend immigration laws and has called for European help.
Italian members of parliament have complained that some of its provisions discourage people from helping migrants in distress.
The fisherman who arrived first at the site of the accident, Vito Fiorino, has accused the coast guard of wasting time by filming footage of rescue efforts.
"They refused to take on board some people we'd already saved because they said protocol forbade it," he was quoted as saying by Ansa news agency.
A report in local newspaper La Sicilia said two boats belonging to Italy's Financial Guard, which carries out a range of police and rescue duties, had remained in port.
The coast guard denied that there was any delay in its rescue effort.
"After we received the alarm by radio at 07:00 we immediately intervened with out boats, arriving on at the site of the shipwreck at 07:20," it said in a statement.
Judicial authorities said they had no evidence of delays.
The head of a fishermen's association, Toto Martello, denied in turn reports that three fishermen drove straight past the scene of the accident.
Key migrant routes to southern Europe

Why people flee Eritrea and Somalia

Eritrea:

• UN says 3,000 people try to flee each month
• Human rights groups say the country is becoming a giant jail, with some 10,000 political prisoners
• Young people conscripted to army - sometimes until age of 40

Somalia:

• Much of the country controlled by al-Shabab Islamist militants
• Country ravaged by two decades of war

"The fishermen save lives," he told Ansa. "We rebut the accusations that we didn't help people who were dying at sea."

Other fishermen said there were so many migrant boat wrecks near Lampedusa that they damaged their nets every time they went out.
"Only now they become aware of this situation?" said Salvatore D'Ancona. "It's been 20 years that this is happening."
The fishermen laid a wreath of flowers at sea, with some 10 fishing vessels blowing their horns for the victims.

 

Fishermen cast flowers on Saturday in the sea near spot where the ship sank

 

This image released by the Italian coastguard shows some of the migrants who were rescued

 

But their boat lies at the bottom of the sea, along with many bodies of those who did not survive

 

A hangar at Lampedusa'a airport has been turned into a temporary mortuary

 

Residents held a candlelit procession through the streets of the island

The 20m (66ft) boat carrying some 500 people - mostly from Eritrea and Somalia - was approaching Lampedusa early on Thursday when it began taking on water its motor stopped working.
Some of those on board then reportedly set fire to a piece of material to try to attract the attention of passing ships, only to have the fire spread to the rest of the boat.
The boat - which set sail from the Libyan port of Misrata - is thought to have capsized when everyone moved to one side.
Of the bodies recovered so far 58 were men, 49 were women and two were children of one and six years old.

Kenya military names Westgate mall attack suspects

Four men believed to have been involved in the deadly shopping centre attack in Nairobi last month have been named.

The Kenyan military said Abu Baara al-Sudani, Omar Nabhan, Khattab al-Kene and Umayr - shown in new CCTV footage - were killed during the standoff.
Kenya said previously 10-15 militants had been involved, but the police chief says the figure may now be four to six.
The al-Shabab group said it carried out the attack on the Westgate mall on 21 September, leaving at least 67 dead.
The al-Qaeda-linked group said the attack was in retaliation for Kenya's military involvement in Somalia.
Kenya had earlier said five attackers were killed in the security operation and that nine people were in custody.
The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Nairobi says the latest CCTV footage is from a limited part of the complex and, with some eyewitnesses reporting a two-pronged attack, it is too early to say definitively how many gunmen were in the building.
In addition to the 67 people killed in the attack, a further 39 are still missing, according to the Kenyan Red Cross.
Al-Shabab is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters.
Its members are fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia.
About 4,000 Kenyan troops were sent to Somalia in October 2011 to help pro-government forces end two decades of violence, with clan-based warlords and Islamist militants all battling for control of the country.
On Saturday, Islamist fighters in southern Somalia said Western forces had launched a night-time raid on one of their bases.
No-one has admitted the attack. US and French special forces have carried out raids in Somalia in recent years.
It is not clear whether the raid was linked to Westgate.

Guatemala 'drug lord' arrested in Mexico

 

Eduardo Villatoro Cano has now been handed over to the Guatemalan authorities

Police in Mexico have arrested one of Guatemala's most wanted men - a drug lord suspected of masterminding the killing of eight policemen in June.

Eduardo Villatoro Cano - also known as Guayo Cano - was detained in the southern Chiapas state and later handed over to Guatemala.
Mr Cano and another 36 men are blamed for the attack on the police station in north-western Guatemala.
President Otto Perez Molina said Mr Cano's gang had now been dismantled.
'Cocaine route' Nine police officers were on night duty at the remote police station in Salcaja on 13 June when heavily armed men entered the building and shot at them at least 40 times, investigators said.
The police station is located near the Pan-American highway, in Quetzaltenango department.
Eight policemen were killed on the spot. Their commander was taken away by the gang and is presumed dead.
The massacre had a big impact in Guatemala and angered the authorities, who have vowed to punish the perpetrators.
The Central American nation is being increasingly used as a transit route for cocaine produced in Colombia and smuggled into Mexico and the United States.

Guatemala has one of the world's highest homicide rates, says the the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with 38.5 crimes per 100,000 population in 2011.

Nexus 5: What we expect about the announcement, specs, and release date of Google's next smartphone

What we expect

October reveal date
We're still waiting for Google to send out invitations, but multiple sources point to an October unveiling for the Nexus 5. According to a TechRadar report, Google will announce and ship the phone in the last week of the month. Other sources, while not quite as specific, have also mentioned an October introduction.
This fits into Google's pattern as well. Last year's Nexus upgrade was also scheduled for the early autumn time frame, before Hurricane Sandy's interference pushed back the date.
Android 4.4 KitKat
The Nexus 5 should be the first smartphone to run Android 4.4 KitKat, Google's next OS iteration, out of the box. Google has already formalized the platform, but the details are a complete mystery. The fall time frame falls in line with previous platform releases; Android 4.0 came in October 2011, and Android 4.2 showed up in November 2012.
LG will make it
All signs point to Google again calling upon LG as the hardware maker of choice for the Nexus smartphone line. Documents found in the FCC tell of a model called LG D820 with specifications not entirely unlike the G2's, which is the source we expect the Nexus 5 to stem from.
Biggest Nexus yet
The Nexus 5 should have a 4.96-inch screen, which would make it the largest Nexus smartphone to date. We should look for the same 1,920x1,080-pixel HD display as the G2's, which equals a 444 pixel density.

The Nexus 5 form factor does not stray far from the LG Nexus 4's.

(Credit: FCC)

Body shape
Thus far, leaked images suggest that the Nexus 5 will maintain a form factor that doesn't stray far from the LG Nexus 4's. Early photos of the device, however, do not show the same design flourish or patterns on the rear.
Hardware
The Nexus 5 should be able to hold its own against the competition thanks to the quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 CPU. Bolstered by 2GB RAM, LTE support, and NFC capability, the handset is expected to employ wireless charging capability and a 2,300mAh battery. Leaked benchmarks results have the Nexus 5 outperforming all other Android devices and rivaling Apple's iPhone 5S.
Carrier support
FCC documents indicate that the Nexus 5 is equipped for penta-band HSPA+ and multiple LTE bands and should support all four major carriers in the US: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. This could mark the first time that Google is able to offer one device across all top-tier carriers.

http://reviews.cnet.com/google-nexus-5/

Woman says she's the voice of Siri, hears herself on other devices

The woman, Susan Bennett, is a voice actor from suburban Atlanta, and recorded the voice for Siri in 2005.

Apple's Siri might have finally found its voice.

Susan Bennett, a voice actor from suburban Atlanta, told CNN in aninterview published on Friday that she's the voice behind Siri. To confirm her claim, CNN worked with an audio-forensics expert who claims with 100 percent certainty that the voice of Siri is, in fact, hers.

The story behind Siri's voice starts in 2005, when Bennett was asked to recite words, phrases, and other "nonsensical" things in her home studio. She claims that she recorded her voice for four hours each day for a month. It wasn't until 2011, however, that Siri made its appearance on Apple's iPhone and a friend called her to point out that the personal assistant's voice sounded just like hers.

Siri is by no means the only place Bennett claims we can hear her voice. She says that she has recorded a wide array of voiceover recordings for companies, including Delta Airlines. Her voice can also be heard on GPS devices and other electronics.Apple has yet to confirm that Bennett is the voice behind Siri, and it's common practice in the voiceover industry to not reveal the people behind respective products. Such a move is designed to leave all of the focus on the products and not the voice talent.

With the launch of iOS 7, Bennett is no longer the only voice for Siri. Now users have the option to choose a male voice instead of the female option. But Bennett doesn't seem concerned with being thrust into obscurity.

"I began my career as a machine many years ago," Bennett told CNN. "I'm sure that you hear my voice at some point every day."

Adobe hacked, 3 million accounts compromised

The massive attack exposes customer names, encrypted credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates, and other information relating to customer orders.

Adobe announced on Thursday that it has been the target of a major security breach in which sensitive and personal data about millions of its customers have been put at risk.

Brad Arkin, senior director of security for Adobe products and services, explained in a blog post that the attack concerns both customer information and illegal access to source codes for "numerous Adobe products."

A few examples include Adobe Acrobat, ColdFusion, and the ColdFusion Builder. However, as far as the source code is concerned, Adobe assured that there is no "increased risk to customers as a result of this incident."

Adobe officials added that the investigation has not turned up any zero-day attacks either.

Unfortunately, the culprits have obtained access to a large swath of Adobe customer IDs and encrypted passwords.

Arkin specified that removed sensitive information (i.e. names, encrypted credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates, etc.) about approximately 2.9 million Adobe customers.

While federal law officials are involved, Adobe stressed that there are some precautions that customers need to take action on now.He added that investigators don't "believe the attackers removed decrypted credit or debit card numbers" from Adobe's systems.

Adobe is resetting the passwords on breached Adobe customer IDs, and users will receive an email if they are affected. The software giant is also currently notifying customers whose credit or debit card information was exposed.

Adobe has also promised to offer these customers with the option of enrolling in a one-year complimentary credit monitoring membership where available.

10 Upcoming Technology That May Change The World

 

1. Google Glass

Augmented Reality has already gotten into our life in the forms of simulated experiment and education app, but Google is taking it several steps higher with Google Glass. Theoretically, with Google Glass, you are able to view social media feeds, text, Google Maps, as well as navigate with GPS and take photos. You will also get the latest updates while you are on the ground.

(Image Source: YouTube)

It’s truly what we called vision, and it’s absolutely possible given the fact that the Google’s co-founder, Sergey Brin has demo’ed the glass with skydivers and creatives. Currently the device is only available to some developers with the price tag of $1500, but expect other tech companies trying it out and building an affordable consumer version.

2. Form 1

Just as the term suggests, 3D printing is the technology that could forge your digital design into a solid real-life product. It’s nothing new for the advanced mechanical industry, but a personal 3D printer is definitely a revolutionary idea.
Everybody can create their own physical product based on their custom design, and no approval needed from any giant manufacturer! Even the James Bond’s Aston Martin which was crashed in the movie was a 3D printed product!

(Image Source: Kickstarter)

Form 1 is one such personal 3D printer which can be yours at just $2799. It may sound like a high price but to have the luxury of getting producing your own prototypes, that’s a reaonable price.
Imagine a future where every individual professional has the capability to mass produce their own creative physical products without limitation. This is the future where personal productivity and creativity are maximized.

3. Oculus Rift

Virtual Reality gaming is here in the form of Oculus Rift. This history-defining 3D headset lets you mentally feel that you are actually inside a video game. In the Rift’s virtual world, you could turn your head around with ultra-low latency to view the world in high resolution display.
There are premium products in the market that can do the same, but Rift wants you to enjoy the experience at only $300, and the package even comes as a development kit. This is the beginning of the revolution for next-generation gaming.

(Image Source: Kickstarter)

The timing is perfect as the world is currently bombarded with the virtual reality topic that could also be attributed to Sword Art Online, the anime series featuring the characters playing games in an entirely virtual world. While we’re getting there, it could take a few more years to reach that level of realism. Oculus Rift is our first step.

4. Leap Motion

Multi-touch desktop is a (miserably) failed product due to the fact that hands could get very tired with prolonged use, but Leap Motion wants to challenge this dark area again with a more advanced idea. It lets you control the desktop with fingers, but without touching the screen.

(Image Source: Leap Motion)

It’s not your typical motion sensor, as Leap Motion allows you to scroll the web page, zoom in the map and photos, sign documentss and even play a first person shooter game with only hand and finger movements. The smooth reaction is the most crucial key point here. More importantly, you can own this future with just $70, a price of a premium PS3 game title!
If this device could completely work with Oculus Rift to simulate a real-time gaming experience, gaming is going to get a major make-over.

5. Eye Tribe

Eye tracking has been actively discussed by technology enthusiasts throughout these years, but it’s really challenging to implement. But Eye Tribe actually did this. They successfully created the technology to allow you to control your tablet, play flight simulator, and even slice fruits in Fruit Ninja only with your eye movements.

(Image Source: Eye Tribe)

It’s basically taking the common eye-tracking technology and combining it with a front-facing camera plus some serious computer-vision algorithm, and voila, fruit slicing done with the eyes! A live demo was done in LeWeb this year and we may actually be able to see it in in action in mobile devices in 2013.
Currently the company is still seeking partnership to bring this sci-fi tech into the consumer market but you and I know that this product is simply too awesome to fail.

6. SmartThings

The current problem that most devices have is that they function as a standalone being, and it require effort for tech competitors to actually partner with each other and build products that can truly connect with each other. SmartThings is here to make your every device, digital or non-digital, connect together and benefit you.

(Image Source: Kickstarter)

With SmartThings you can get your smoke alarms, humidity, pressure and vibration sensors to detect changes in your house and alert you through your smartphone! Imagine the possibilities with this.
You could track who’s been inside your house, turn on the lights while you’re entering a room, shut windows and doors when you leave the house, all with the help of something that only costs $500! Feel like a tech lord in your castle with this marvel.

7. Firefox OS

iOS and Android are great, but they each have their own rules and policies that certainly inhibit the creative efforts of developers. Mozilla has since decided to build a new mobile operating system from scratch, one that will focus on true openness, freedom and user choice. It’s Firefox OS.
Firefox OS is built on Gonk, Gecko and Gaia software layers – for the rest of us, it means it is built on open source, and it carries web technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3.

(Image Source: Mozilla)

Developers can create and debut web apps without the blockade of requirements set by app stores, and users could even customize the OS based on their needs. Currently the OS has made its debut on Android-compatible phones, and the impression so far, is great.
You can use the OS to do essential tasks you do on iOS or Android: calling friends, browsing web, taking photos, playing games, they are all possible on Firefox OS, set to rock the smartphone market.

8. Project Fiona

Meet the first generation of the gaming tablet. Razer’s Project Fiona is a serious gaming tablet built for hardcore gaming. Once it’s out, it will be the frontier for the future tablets, as tech companies might want to build their own tablets, dedicated towards gaming, but for now Fiona is the only possible one that will debut in 2013.

(Image Source: Razer™)

This beast features next generation Intel® Core i7 processor geared to render all your favorite PC games, all at the palm of your hands. Crowned as the best gaming accessories manufacturer, Razer clearly knows how to build user experience straight into the tablet, and that means 3-axis gyro, magnetometer, accelerometer and full-screen user interface supporting multi-touch. My body and soul are ready.

9. Parallella

Parallella is going to change the way that computers are made, and Adapteva offers you chance to join in on this revolution. Simply put, it’s a supercomputer for everyone. Basically, an energy-efficient computer built for processing complex software simultaneously and effectively. Real-time object tracking, holographic heads-up display, speech recognition will become even stronger and smarter with Parallella.

(Image Source: YouTube)

The project has been successfully funded so far, with an estimated delivery date of February 2013. For a mini supercomputer, the price seems really promising since it’s magically $99! It’s not recommended for the non-programmer and non-Linux user, but the kit is loaded with development software to create your personal projects.
I never thought the future of computing could be kick-started with just $99, which is made possible using crowdfunding platforms.

10. Google Driverless Car

I could still remember the day I watch the iRobot as a teen, and being skeptical about my brother’s statement that one day, the driverless car will become reality. And it’s now a reality, made possible by… a search engine company, Google.
While the data source is still a secret recipe, the Google driverless car is powered by artificial intelligence that utilizes the input from the video cameras inside the car, a sensor on the vehicle’s top, and some radar and position sensors attached to different positions of the car. Sounds like a lot of effort to mimic the human intelligence in a car, but so far the system has successfully driven 1609 kilometres without human commands!

(Image Source: Wikipedia)

“You can count on one hand the number of years it will take before ordinary people can experience this.” Google co-founder, Sergey Brin said. However, innovation is an achievement, consumerization is the headache, as Google currently face the challenge to forge the system into an affordable gem that every worker with an average salary could benefit from.

GTA Online launches -- right into an 'online' roadblock

Grand Theft Auto Online, an online multiplayer game that allows players to form gangs and complete new heists, is having some trouble getting the gamers online.
The title, which launched on game consoles Tuesday morning, is experiencing server issues that have locked out some gamers and made it difficult for those who have gotten in to play the game. Twitter is abuzz with complaints from gamers who say they can't get into the service.

 

"Well I wanted to get some GTA Online in before I had to head out to work," one Twitter user reported. "The servers didn't comply with my plan."
Rockstar, the game's creator, warned that this could happen. Last week, in fact, the company said that it was doing all it could to buy and access servers to accommodate what was expected to be massive demand for its online title. It said, however, the chances were good that there could be some connection issues early on, and it appears that this has come true.
GTA Online's launch comes a couple of weeks after Rockstar started selling Grand Theft Auto V. That title has become the biggest entertainment release of the year, generating more than $1 billion in annual sales.
Rockstar said on Monday that it will keep gamers updated on the online version's progress through its Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Powerful new Note wields mightier pen skills 

The good: The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has a gorgeous and massive screen, screaming quad-core processor, and refined S Pen skills. It also has long battery life, makes clear calls, and takes great pictures.

The bad: The Note 3 is expensive, large, and its faux-leather styling is crafted from cheap plastic.

The bottom line: Though its plastic skin doesn't do its high price justice, Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 makes the most compelling case yet for a supersize phone.