Roundup: Updated: We played with the worst apps in the world, so you don't have to

There are now over 1,300,000 apps on the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store is home to around the same number of Android apps right now. What we're trying to say is - there are a lot of apps out there, and unsurprisingly, a lot of them are crap.

We're sure you've stumbled on some stinkers yourself, but we hope you've not come across any as bad of these. You see, at TechRadar we're making it our mission to scour the underbelly of both app stores to find the truly terrible, the truly disgusting, and the truly WTF, all in the name of technology.

Each week we'll be nominating an app that deserves the crown of "worst of the worst", with an aim to complete a list of the ten truly most terrible apps we've ever seen.

So let us begin our dangerous journey through the bowels of humanity's ideas. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.

Platform: iOS
Price: Free

"The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand." - Vince Lombardi

The price of success in 2014 is jack all. All you need is an iPhone and a sense of deep, penetrating loneliness.

I Am Important is a fake diary organiser designed to make you look like, in the words of the app itself, a "top-flying shaker". For example, it'll generate made-up contacts in the app and put them in your address book. Those contacts aren't just low-life nobodies though - they're "highly important and highly paid business people". You know, better people.

Even more deplorably, the app will create fake events and insert them into your calendar. This is "to make you look busy and important as important people are involved in many events", as the app helpfully informs us. These important people sound really busy and interesting.

But of course, none of this is any good if no one is checking your phone, and as you're so "unimportant", chances are that they won't be. That's why the app lets you post your "success" to Facebook to make your friends green with envy. That's assuming you have any friends, which is unlikely if it's reached this point.

Don't you feel important just reading about this app? We do

"Sometimes, when you feel like nobody cares, I Am Important will ask you about your day and what happened that day," notes the app description. Sure enough, there's a box at the bottom for you to write how you're feeling. Appropriately, ours suggested "self-condemning".

That last part might not quite match the criteria of the app's mission statement: "I Am Important does two things: 1. Shows the world how important you are. 2. Makes you feel more important."

But here's the best bit: you can pay to remove the app's adverts using a three-tier pricing system dependant on how "Important" you think you are. By clicking "Kind of important" and paying a minimal 69p, you'll get the ads removed but nothing else, while paying more will earn you bonus features, such as a colourful background. And if you fancy coughing up £6.99 for "Head of State/CEO" - importance then: "You're important - big time. You need a crazy, moving background to show everyone that your level of importance is [something undisclosed]."

There's a scene in the The Office (US version) where boss Michael Scott finds a video-recorded TV appearance from when he was a child. In it, a cat puppet asks Michael what he wants to be when he grows up. Michael replies: "I want to be married and have 100 kids so I can have 100 friends. And no one can say no to being my friend." It's a surprisingly sad moment in an otherwise funny scene.

I Am Important is that moment embodied in an app. In a word: tragic.

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Huawei plans to trial 5G mobile internet at the 2018 World Cup

Who needs to watch the football when you can check Facebook?

Huawei and Russian network operator MegaFon have teamed up to develop 5G technology in time for coverage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. This will be two years before most people expect 5G to be widely available.

The agreement between the two companies will see them holding regular meetings to share progress on the standardisation of 5G technology, as well as working together to determine what needs to be done to create a 5G network.

A test area will be created to conduct 5G trials and pilot projects with a goal that by the end of June 2017 a 5G network will be created, which will be available to guests at the 2018 World Cup.

Ryan Ding, president of Huawei products and solutions, said: "with the help of MegaFon, we are confident of turning science-fiction-like service into 5G reality for citizens in Russia and soccer fans around the world, two years ahead of the industry's estimated 5G introduction date of 2020".

Huawei and MegaFon aren't the only companies using an upcoming sporting event as a goal to introduce 5G. Japanese network operator NTT Docomo has announced that it wants to have 5G services running in time for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Via Mobile World Live

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Roundup: Updated: We played with the worst apps in the world, so you don't have to

Page 1 of 71. This week's worst app 'Ruff said

There are now over 1,300,000 apps on the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store is home to around the same number of Android apps right now. What we're trying to say is - there are a lot of apps out there, and unsurprisingly, a lot of them are crap.

We're sure you've stumbled on some stinkers yourself, but we hope you've not come across any as bad of these. You see, at TechRadar we're making it our mission to scour the underbelly of both app stores to find the truly terrible, the truly disgusting, and the truly WTF, all in the name of technology.

Each week we'll be nominating an app that deserves the crown of "worst of the worst", with an aim to complete a list of the ten truly most terrible apps we've ever seen.

So let us begin our dangerous journey through the bowels of humanity's ideas. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.

Android/iOS
Price: Free on Android/ $0.99 (69p) on iOS

Imagine an alternate version of history where America fought the Nazis not with guns or Buccaneer bombers, but with beef. No, in fact, stop imagining - you can live that very scenario right now.

Beef War is precisely what its name suggests. It's a war where your only ammunition is cuts of cow. The description doesn't give much away beyond the fact we can expect "48 unique cuts of beef, seven types of panzers, and 'intense strategies'."

Enemy tanks will blast different bovine parts in the middle of the screen, and it's your job to fling meat at them. Yes, meat beats Panzer. What do you mean you've never played Beef, Bayonet, Blitzkrieg before?

Every piece of meat is labeled on an Angus Beef Chart, which unhelpfully uses the world's smallest font size. You'll soon know your chuck pot roast from your flank steak, assuming you have superhero vision.

Ok, so there's some underlying message about American beef farmers being undermined by foreign trade. However, any awareness of the issue is offset by Herbert the Pervert seductively calling out the names of the beef types as you annihilate the enemy, like we're living in some war-meat fetishist's kinky sex fantasy.

And none of this is helped by the absence of any explanation from the app developer whatsoever beyond "BEEEF WAAAAAR" being screamed at you every time you start the game.

And while there's some strategy to it, we'd hardly call it "intense". Though we'll give it this: it's the most realistic war simulator with beef cuts you can play right now, down to the constant and not-at-all-annoying sounds of distress as cowzilla is slowly Panzer'd to death.

Sometimes at night, we can still hear the mooing.

Page 1 of 71. This week's worst app

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Lego dinosaurs will rise again for 'Jurassic World'

Just in case you were worried about not being able to live out more Jurassic fantasies in the world of Lego, Lego and Universal announce official "Jurassic World" kits.

Hopefully the "Jurassic World" kits will be even better than the "Jurassic Park III" kits like the one shown here.Lego

"Jurassic World" should have audiences once again enthralled with rampaging dinosaurs when it lands in US theaters next summer. For those who just love to act out dinosaur rampages Lego-style, the brickmaker announced this week that official "Jurassic World" Lego kits and minifigures will be landing on store shelves in May 2015.

"'Jurassic Park' defined dinosaurs for an entire generation 20 years ago, and 'Jurassic World' will do the same in 2015," said Universal Partnerships and Licensing President Stephanie Sperber. "Working with Lego Group to bring this classic into the present in dynamic and exciting ways is truly thrilling."

We don't yet know what types of Lego kits we might see from the deal, though company executives dropped a few hints in a joint press release issued Tuesday. Lego Group's VP of global licensing and entertainment noted that the "Jurassic Park" series features rich landscapes, dinosaurs and vehicles perfect for creating Lego kits. More information on what the partnership involves will be made clearer as the "Jurassic World" release date approaches.

In the meantime, as you anxiously await the 2015 launch of "Jurassic World," remember to hold on to your butts.

Lego Spinosaurus Attack from another "Jurassic Park III" kit.Lego

Anthony Domanico Crave freelancer Anthony Domanico is passionate about all kinds of gadgets and apps. When not making words for the Internet, he can be found watching "Star Wars" or "Doctor Who" for like the zillionth time. His other car is a Tardis. See full bio

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Apple iPhone 6 goes on sale around the world

First buyers celebrate their purchase at the flagship Sydney Apple Store. Nic Healey/CNET

As the world turns and the sun rises on Friday, September 19, Apple stores are opening their doors as the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus go on sale across 115 countries around the globe.

This year's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are most noted for the new scaled up sizes of 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch respectively, giving Apple attractive new options for fans of the larger handsets so common in the Android phone market. Both models include the new 64-bit A8 processor, an improved 8-megapixel rear camera, better battery life and an NFC chip that, at launch, will be used exclusively by the Apple Pay payment service, which launches in the US in October.

The iPhone 6 is available in silver, gold and space gray in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB sizes, with respective contract-free prices of $649, $749, and $849 in the US; £539, £619, and £699 in the UK; and AU$869, AU$999, and AU$1,129 in Australia. The iPhone 6 Plus is available in the same colours and capacities, priced at $749, $849, and $999 in the US; £619, £699, and £789 in the UK; and AU$999, AU$1,129, and AU$1,259 in Australia. US contract prices start from $199.

Demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus was so high when preorders began last Friday that Apple's online store and various carriers couldn't keep up. Outages plagued the Apple Store site for more than two hours after the iPhones became available for presale at midnight PT. Despite the outages, customers scooped up the devices at a rapid clip. Within hours all iPhone 6 Plus models were on a three to four week delivery delay, while most iPhone 6 models were available in seven to 10 days. Apple later announced record preorders of over four million iPhones. Despite these intensive preorders, Apple said all models will have some stock available in stores for launch day.

Check out launch scenes from CNET's reporters around the world:

SYDNEY -- First in line for the world's first on sale timezone is Salvatore Gerace, who has been in line since before the Apple announcement event last week. He admits he is here as a PR stunt for his new app and will be giving away the phone as a prize to promote his company.

The queues in Sydney are the strongest seen since the iPhone 3G (Australia's first iPhone), and estimates put the number in the queue just before opening at over 1200. Apple has been using iPads to help customers in the queue prepare their orders prior to the 8.00am opening time.

Others in the Sydney queue include Claudius Stocker, a backpacker in the line at number 30, having only arrived a day previously. While he's clearly an Apple fan -- "they do everything better than the other manufacturers", he assures us -- he's also here to make money.

"I am also shooting a documentary," he says before co-opting a friend to film us filming him. Rather candily, he admits that he'll be "selling my iPhone 6 as soon as stocks run low -- I am a poor backpacker and this is almost a few days work for me!"

Further down the line are Rafael and Eduardo, both Brazilian. "We came over from Brazil just for this!" They've queued since lunchtime Thursday but are a clearly excited enough about their trip that even sleeping out overnight feels like an adventure. Rafael plans on getting the iPhone 6, while Eduardo is keen on the Plus. "It might be too big, but I want to try it myself to find out."

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2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil (for PlayStation 3)

Pros Captures the spirit of the Brazilian World Cup. New dribbling system adds flexibility. Exciting challenges based on real-world events from this year's World Cup.

Cons Frustrating new passing system. Only available on Xbox 360 and PS3—a step down for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players. Bottom Line This "Brazilified" version of FIFA 14 captures the spirit of the World Cup with a new presentation style, team rosters, and game modes. Soccer (ahem, "football") enthusiasts will enjoy total immersion in this year's World Cup events, but next-gen console gamers are left out.

By Matt Sarrel

It's that magic moment that happens every four years, when people the world over join together in peace and harmony to pin their hopes on their country's team winning the World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is the world's biggest sporting event, watched by almost a billion people worldwide. Every four years, EA Sports taps into this spirit and ships an alternative version of its FIFA video game in recognition of the big event. This year, the annual game is FIFA 14 and the special edition is 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil ($59.99).

FIFA 14 was the first game in the FIFA franchise for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, yet 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil is made for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 only. (I tested on the PS3.) This decision makes some sense when you consider  the international flavor of FIFA, as there are far more last-generation consoles around the world than new ones. So it's great news for those with Xbox 360s and PS3s, but less-great news for anyone who upgraded to a PS4 or Xbox One. For the latter, the real question is whether the Brazilian look and feel and the timing of the game's release to coincide with the World Cup are enough to offset the step backward in graphics and gameplay.

FIFA, Brazilified
The most apparent difference between FIFA World Cup Brazil and FIFA 14 is that the special edition has been given a Brazilian, so to speak. There's a Carnival atmosphere and plenty of samba music, and bright green and yellow (Brazil's national colors) are sprinkled all over the game's menus.

EA Sports captures the excitement of this year's World Cup before the game even starts. Witty banter from Ian Darke and Andy Goldstein, or Michael Davies and Roger Bennett, kick off the scene. No matter which pair you choose, the opinions fly freely while you navigate menus to start your first match. More than 50 hours of dialogue specific to the teams spice up both the menus and the matches.

The game includes the 12 new stadiums in Brazil's host cities in the Road to Rio de Janeiro (online) mode. All the stadiums (even those that weren't built on time) are licensed and authentic. It's fun to compete in Online Stages, where the deal is basically win or go home. If you make it through all 12 stages (which I'm sad to say I didn't), you get to hold aloft the FIFA World Cup Trophy at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.

One of the coolest features of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil is the patriotic presentation. You can actually feel that each nation is rallying behind its team with all-new crowd scenes including banners, flags, and seat cards in the stadium, and from live events taking place in cities around the world. For example, score a goal for England and you're rewarded with a cut-away to celebrating crowds in Trafalgar Square.

Other cool features include the game modes Story of Qualifying and Story of Finals (online). In Story of Qualifying, you play through more than 60 real scenarios that took place during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. Story of Finals (online) is activated at the beginning of the tournament and allows you to play challenges based on what happened that day.

So Many Modes
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil offers a dizzying array of game modes, but there is some duplication and overlapping among them. For example, Road to Rio de Janeiro (online) and Online FIFA World Cup are just about the same thing, except that Online FIFA World Cup starts at the Group Stage and Road to Rio de Janeiro (online) starts earlier in the tournament.

I liked Captain Your Country, because it brings additional drama to the pitch. I played as a single player, started at the bottom of my team's roster, worked my way up the squad list, and finally led my country (the perennial soccer powerhouse of The Philippines) through the qualifying rounds and all the way to winning the FIFA World Cup. I had to play on the beginner level of difficulty to get that far, and, yes, the beginner level is way too easy. But, hey, I needed to win at least once so I could write this review.

Controls, Controls, Controls
I found the controls to be accessible when I first started playing the game. Once I got the hang of them, they were as precise and detailed as I wanted them to be (with the exception of passing). I dribbled with the left thumbstick. After I was comfortable with that, I added the left trigger so I could move in slow-motion and cut on a dime. After that, I added the right thumbstick to pull off skill moves, of which there are 45. The right thumbstick also gave me the ability to accomplish the most important part of a soccer player's career—celebrating a goal. There are over 100 different celebrations, some of which have an enchantingly Brazilian flare.

There's also a new "pinpoint" passing system that claims to provide more accurate passing. The pin must be pretty big, because I found it almost impossible to control my passes with any precision. The passing skills drill ended abruptly when I threw my controller to the ground in disgust, as I aimed the ball hard right and yet somehow passed it straight ahead. Instead of improving the game, this new passing mode increases frustration.

On the other hand, I like the new controls that let me use the D-pad to arrange my team during corner kicks. This brings a new dimension to the game, because it lets me command my teammates to run to the near post, the far post, the edge of the box, or—my personal favorite—crowd the keeper.

FIFA Fever
I really like 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, but it falls short of an Editors' Choice award because of the passing system and the lack of compelling advances from FIFA 14—not to mention the step backwards to last-gen consoles. If you love the FIFA World Cup and are looking for some Brazil memorabilia (and still have your PS3 or Xbox 360), don't hesitate to get this game. Otherwise, you should probably just stick with FIFA 14 this year.

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