They also all feature simple one-cable HDMI connections and come with new easy-to-understand "Getting Started" guides that outline the steps of system setup, including networking setup where applicable.

ENGADGET: Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

Weapons are easy to come by, he says, since most Andar homes own at least one.

ECONOMIST: Villagers take the counterinsurgency into their own hands

One easy precaution is to make sure you know where your oysters come from.

FORBES: A Giant Shucking Sound

However, runs were not easy to come by for obdurate left-handers Katich and Hussey, given that all but one of the fielders were placed on the off-side and seamers Ishant Sharma and Zaheer made the batsmen reach for the ball wide of the off-stump.

BBC: Aussies shackled by patient India

Based on Samsung's hacker-friendly track record, you'd generally expect one of it smartphones to come with an unlocked bootloader, making it easy to update or tweak with unofficial ROMs. That's not the case with Verizon's imminent version of the Galaxy S III, however.

ENGADGET: Verizon Galaxy S III has locked bootloader (but it's been rooted anyway)

While it may be easy to count the potential gains, experts are warning that these advances will come at a significant cost - and one which is not just financial.

BBC: Concern over 'souped up' human race