The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is possibly the most anticipated android smartphone of the year, after the Google-branded Nexus name became the Holy Grail of smartphones, converting many iPhone fans into Nexus believers. 

The first Google android smartphone - The Nexus One - was revealed in January 2010 and manufactured by HTC. Since then, the follow ups have both been manufactured by Samsung, with the Nexus S, and now, the Galaxy Nexus. 

With stiff competition from Apple and the iPhone generation, Nexus may not be as widely used, but that may soon change, after the highly anticipated release of the smartphone on December 2nd 2011, just in time for the Christmas rush. 

The new Android 4.0 operating system, known as ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’, has been designed to integrate with Tablets and Smartphones, whereas the previous Nexus system, ‘Honeycomb’, could did not. Other features of the Galaxy Nexus include a larger screen, which is 4.65inches, with 720 x 1280 pixels and ‘Super Amoled HD’, which offers crystal clear colour contrast and sharper images. 

The design of the phone is also highly desirable, weighing in slightly heavier than the Nexus S, at a respectable 135g, with 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9mm dimensions, making it more pleasant to hold for long periods. The curved glass screen is also ergonomically friendly when pressed against your ear, and the textured battery cover is certainly less slippery than the previous Nexus S. 

In terms of new features, the Galaxy Nexus is something to get excited about, whether you’re an Android geek, or simply a technology fan. We have all heard of face-time, but what about face-unlock?! This new features allows you to unlock your phone thanks to the face recognition system - very futuristic, and handy if you forget your pin number! 

The new Android Beamfeature allows you to share websites, contacts, apps, etc… simply by touching two compatible phones together - similar to the iPhone ‘bump’ app, but built in to the features.

One of my favourite features of the new Galaxy Nexus is the camera, which has the capability to take photo after photo, without having to wait for the phone to save and re-open the camera feature. You can also take panoramic shots in one smooth motion. This type of phone makes the digital camera seem obsolete.

In addition to these new features, the Galaxy Nexus also has complete integration of Google+ which allows users to upload and share photos in seconds. 

One of the reasons why the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is up there on the list of Smartphone of the Year nominees is because ‘The Ice Cream Sandwich’ operating system is set to shape the course of 2012. The multi-tasking features allow you to have multiple websites and apps open, then simply swiped away to close may mean we no longer need laptops for business. 

The only negative of this smartphone is the size. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus makes iPhones look small, and that’s no easy task. Ladies, if you want to fit this phone into your clutch bag, think again! But on the plus side, the large screen is ideal for watching videos. 

With the launch of Facebook’s new modern messaging system this week, Founder Mark Zuckerberg suggested that email would soon become obsolete. 

We all know that Facebook has taken over the world, but whether this means that email is dead, is certainly debateable. Personally, I can’t imagine business men sending messages over Facebook to overseas clients, let alone colleagues in office environments sending similar messages - unless it’s to moan about their job! 

Technology researchers, Radicati, predict that the number of worldwide email accounts will increase from 3.1 billion in 2011 to 4.1 billion by 2015. This suggests that email is still growing and evolving at a faster rate that social media messaging formats.

Furthermore, Nathaniel Borenstein, co-creator of the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) protocol - which is the platform that allows emails to contain attachments, characters, and a whole host of other technological attributes - believes that social network sites such as Facebook and Google+ haven’t even come close. 

Research suggests that business are using social media platforms more and more, however, this is as a marketing and advertising tool, rather than a communicative one. 

Whilst Mr Borenstein and I remain on ‘Team Email’, it seems that Mark Zuckerberg is not alone in ‘Team Social Media’. Lee Bryant, co-founder of Headshift (the world’s largest social business consultancy), believes that the relationship between businesses and email is coming to an end. 

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Bryant said, “I think fundamentally one of the biggest problems is that social tools communicate slightly more in the open, they create ambient knowledge and ambient awareness for others who are not even in the conversation - Email doesn’t do that, it’s quite a lonely medium”.  

However, in my opinion, email is intended to be a more private communicative medium, as subjects such as business deals get discussed - and you wouldn’t want your closest competitors to hear about that now, would you? 

To balance the debate, it could be argued that new forms of communicative mediums are certainly not a bad thing. When all we had was a pen and paper, that was what we would use, and the same applies for email. Now, with social media in the equation, it has become the ‘shiny new penny’ that everyone wants to experiment with, which essentially means more knowledge and more communication channels.  

For now though, if this were a real boxing match, I would put my money on email, even if it means betting against Mark Zuckerberg!  

Today, shared offices and co-working environments are a growing trend within the serviced office industry; however, these spaces can sometimes be distracting and noisy.

That’s why Industrial and Interaction Designer, Mathieu Servais, has come up with an inspired design known as ‘Efi’, which enables office employees to isolate themselves from shared spaces and concentrate without visual and phonic distractions. 

The design itself resembles a giant lamp shade that can be lowered over and around an individual, thus isolating them from their shared environment - not great for those suffering from claustrophobia - but ideal for office space workers who need some peace and quiet. 

The concept is unique, practical, and let’s face it - a little bit silly - but that’s what makes it fun! Your colleagues may think you’re somewhat strange by encasing yourself under a giant green lampshade, but if it gets your boss off your back, or that annoying co-worker to leave you alone, then it’s worth it in my book!

Most of the time, we get our shiny new smartphone free, when agreeing to a specific tariff or contract. However, handsets can be expensive, especially when they are a limited edition design. Below is a list of most expensive smartphones in the world today. 

11th Place: Nokia Gold Edition 8800
This model has the same functions as the Nokia 8800, with the addition of a gold plated exterior case - certainly one for the ‘posers’ of our generation. 
Price: $2,700 

10th Place: Ulysee Nardin ‘Chairman’ Luxury Hybrid Smart Phone
The Chairman was the world’s first luxury hybrid smart phone, produced by SCI Innovations - a pioneer in phone technology - and Ulysse Nardin - the industry leader in mechanical timepieces. 
Price: $49,000

9th Place: iPhone Princess Plus
Designed by Peter Aloisson, this limited edition iPhone gets its name from the cut of diamond which is used as casing. 138 individual diamonds are used, making the phone 17.75 carats (of diamond), along with 18 carats worth of white gold.
Price: $176,400

8th Place: Sony Ericsson Black Diamond
Designed by Jaren Goh, this sleek and stylish smart phone is made from titan and polycarbonate, with a cutting edge mirror and diamond casing. 
Price: $300,000

7th Place: Vertu Signature Cobra
Produced by French Jewellers, Boucheron, only 8 of these phones exists. It features 21 carats of diamonds and rubies, along with 2 emeralds. However, it was also voted the ‘ugliest’ phone in the world by a US companyengadget. 
Price: $310,000 

6th Place: Gresso Luxor Las Vegas Jackpot
This smart phone is a combination of black diamonds, solid gold (18 carats) and 200 year old Blackwood panel. 
Price: $1,000,000

5th Place: Diamond Crypto Smartphone
Another design my Peter Aloisson, this smartphone is described as a ‘unique object de art’, and features a cover adorned with 40 diamonds and 10 rare blue diamonds. The phone also uses advanced security systems to secure the users identity.
Price: $1,300,000

4th Place: GoldVish ‘Le Million’ Piece Unique
Designed by Emmanuel Gueit of Sweden, this smart phone is handcrafted from 18-carat white gold and 120-carat diamonds. There are only 100 handsets available worldwide. 
Price: $1,300,000

3rd Place:Kings Button iPhone
The third design by Peter Aloisson, the Kings Button is a 3G iPhone with a rare 6.6 carat white diamond as the ‘home’ button. It is also adorned with 38 additional diamonds. 
Price: $2,400,000

2nd Place: The Goldstriker iPhone 3GS Supreme
Designed in Liverpool for an Australian Businessman, this iPhone contains 136 diamonds and is plated in 22-carat gold. The Goldstriker outdoes the ‘King Button’ model with the addition of a 7.1-carat diamond as the ‘home’ button.
Price: $3,200,000

1st Place: iPhone 4 Diamond Queen Rose Edition
Designed by Stuart Hughes, this iPhone is encrusted with 7.8 carats of flawless diamonds, and a solid platinum apple logo. The phone also comes with a hand finished case made of Ostrich foot. There are only 50 of these models available in the world.
Price: $8,000,000

With Halloween spookily slipping by, we thought about what the scariest jobs in the world could be, and came up with our top 15.

Some include professionals who put their life on the line daily, and some include jobs that most of us would never dream of doing for various personal fears and phobias. Either way, we take our hats off to the people who work in the scariest jobs!

1.Bomb Squad Technician
Everyday these workers pub their life on the line, whether it is in a war environment, or closer to home, within the police department. The average annual salary for a Bomb Squad Technician is placed at $54,000 - Surprising, I know. 

2. Armed Forces Member
Similarly to the more specific role of a bomb squad technician, all members of the armed forced put their lives on the line to protect the public every day. Some roles are more ‘front line’ than others, but all should be saluted for their efforts. Annual Salaries begin at $23,400 - again, that doesn’t sound like much when lives are at risk. 

3.High-Rise Window Cleaner
Even going up a 10 foot ladder can make some people queasy, so imagine being 100 foot up, cleaning one of London’s Skyscrapers.  Balance and bravery a key in this profession, so window cleaners certainly get our respect! Average annual salary is around $29,000.

4. Miner
History reminds us of the perils of this profession. Miners have to carry out a highly dangerous job in claustrophobic environments. Annual salary is $53,000. 

5. Alaskan Crab Fishing
If you have ever seen the TV programme, ‘Deadliest Catch’, you may understand the perils associated with this job. Strength, bravery and sometimes, a little insanity are needed for this profession. At least the annual salary is higher than those mentioned so far, at $85,000. 

6. Police Officer
Although many dismiss this profession, Police Workers put their lives on the line to protect the public on a daily basis. Average annual salary for an officer is $41,000.

7. Mortician
Compared to some of the other professions on this list, being a Mortician is not necessarily dangerous - however, some would consider it to be very scary and sinister - after all, being around the dead makes you confront your own mortality. Average annual salary: $41,000.

8. Fire Fighter 
Again, we see another professions where lives are put on the line to protect the public. These are the people who stay and fight, rather than run away from danger. Once again, the salary for this profession doesn’t quite match the danger associated with it: $41,000.

9. Teacher
There are lots of teachers out there, but can you imagine taking control and responsibility of 30 children or teenagers every day?! At least some can, because teachers are an essential role within our society.

10.Cemetery Worker/Grave Digger
Probably the spookiest profession on our list, especially around this time of the year if you’re superstitious. Although many would never do this job in a million years, there is a noble aspect which we should recognise - as preparing our loved ones final resting place is a big task. Annual Salary: $42,000. 

11. Exterminator
It sounds scary, and to most people, it is very scary - after all, I wouldn’t go anywhere near a wasps nest! Pest control workers and exterminators face some of our biggest fears everyday - creepy crawlies - hats off to them! Average annual salary: $32,000. 

12. Stand-Up Comedian 
Imagining being on a stage in front of a drunken crowd who have the potential to heckle you - now try and make them laugh - it’s probably one of the most daunting jobs you can do.
Next time when you’re at a comedy night, look for the fear in the performers eyes - it’s pretty intense - but if they manage to make you laugh, it can be hugely rewarding. Many people only do this job as hobby, as money is pretty limited – unless you’re as big as Michael McIntyre and Jimmy Car. 

13. Stunt Person
Many dream of this job when we are young, but when it comes to the crunch - can any of us step up to the plate - i.e. the spinning plate of death? Stunt actors have a tough and dangerous job - but also one of the coolest jobs in the world! Average annual salary for experienced stunt workers can be as much as $70,000. 

14. Politician 
The future of the country rests in your hands - now that’s pretty scary. And with the stigma attached to being an MP, you will probably never be popular in the eyes of the public - unless you’re Winston Churchill. Average annual salary: $174,000.

15. Animal Control
Dealing with traumatized animals, and their abusive owners - sounds like an awful job to me! Annual salary: £30,000. 

All of the professions mentioned deserve the upmost respect!
If you have a scary job you think should be on this list, drop me a line! :)  

Established over 10 years ago, Mosaica @ The Factory is not a new restaurant, however, it has remained somewhat of an undiscovered one - that is, until now.

This fine-dining restaurant is hidden away inside a converted chocolate factory, in Woodgreen, North London. The area itself is considered to be somewhat uninviting, however, this type of establishment is set to change perceptions; and with backing from one of the UK’s biggest stars, Mosaica is about to be put on the map. 

Above the restaurant sits Millmark Music Recording Studio, home to Timothy McKenzie, AKA, Labrinth - famous UK hip hop artist and producer. His hits include Tinie Tempah’s Pass Out and Frisky, along with collaborations with Devlin and Wretch 32. 

Labrinth first visited Mosaica when he was 15, and fell in love with its unique charms. Seven years later, the 22 year old from Hackney decided to invest in this gem, and hopefully get it the exposure it deserves. 

Thanks to this new investment and recommendation, regular diners at Mosaica include some of the UK hottest pop and urban artists, including Ellie Goulding, Professor Green, Pixie Lott, Tinie Tempah, and JLS. However, unlike some celebrity hot spots, Mosaica does not exude any sign of pretention or falsity - it is what it is, and what it is, is a top quality restaurant, with excellent service, great food, and a relaxed, intimate atmosphere.  

The decor is warm and inviting - fairy lights and candles adorn the walls and ceilings to create a soft glow, whilst the mis-match of vintage wooden furniture adds a bohemian quality. A piano sits in the far corner, and diners are often entertained by live performances - either from the multi-talented staff, or the celebrity diners themselves. 

The kitchen is open plan, so diners can see their food being prepared and cooked fresh, by head chef Steve Goode and his talented team. All the produce at Mosaica is sourced from local suppliers, including Billingsgate and Spitalfields meat market.

The modern European menu changes daily, so you will always get the chance to taste something new and innovative. However, there are some signature dishes which you can normally come by, including Slow Roast Pork Belly with Red Cabbage and Mustard Mash. 

Being a fine-dining restaurant, you may expect extremely high prices, however Mosaica is very reasonably priced, with starters from £5.45, mains from £10.95, and desserts from £5.50. There is also an extensive wine list to choose from, with staff happy to recommend a wine to compliment your meal. 

Mosaica @ The Factory is truly one of the best restaurants I have dined at in terms of food, service and ambience. The fact that it is becoming popular with celebrities should not be only reason to head down to North London - as the quality of food and service will speak for itself. My family and friends have been going here for years with the knowledge that one day Mosaica was going to shine, the only question was when - and now, it seems the time to shine is finally here. 

Make sure you book a table in advance to avoid disappointment. 

In our space-starved cities, innovative office environments can often be hard to come by, but thanks to our young, inspiring, up and coming architects, the answer is right in front of us - well, almost - it’s in our back gardens. 

Gurmeet Sian’s ‘Hackney Shed’ is a design that has been nominated for the Architects’ Journal Small Projects Prize 2011. Situated in a domestic garden in North London, where an old, asbestos and spider ridden hut once stood, is an innovative, eco-friendly office space for Sian’s writer and documentary film maker clients. 

The shed was built on a limited time-scale and budget, which further reinforces its innovative concept, and application. The shed allow freelancers to work outside of traditional office spaces, and take the time to appreciate the natural surroundings, which in turn, encourages forward thinking. 

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In an interview with GQ Magazine, Sian described his project as “A form of sustainable living…You have no travel costs and can appreciate your garden space. You make your life more carbon friendly… The clever use of space is what architects should be banging on about all the time”. 

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The design itself uses the original features of the shed to create shelves for the library. A ‘hidden’ skylight has been added to generate natural sun light, along with the retractable oak-framed doors which allow a view of the entire garden. 

The outcome is a unique, bespoke creation, which is hugely trend setting, as more and more office workers feel the need to branch out of traditional office space environments. 

Described by Apple as ‘the most amazing iPhone yet’, the iPhone 4S includes a dual-core A5 chip, an all-new 8MP camera, iOS 5 and iCloud, Siri voice control, and an extended battery life - but what does this phone really offer over its iPhone 4 predecessor, and what happened to the highly anticipated iPhone 5?

As soon as the iPhone 4S was announced by Tim Cook, shares in Apple fell by 5% within a matter of minutes, as investors and analysts were disappointed with the so called ‘radical improvements’, suggesting that many customers would be ‘underwhelmed’. Some comments even suggested that the iPhone 4S merely smoothed out the rough edges of the iPhone 4, and would leave customers feeling cheated. 

There’s no doubt that customers will upgrade their phones given the chance, as this is often free of charge, but if customers had to pay, would they still be interested?

We asked the SOS team to give us their opinions on whether the iPhone 4S was a hit or miss, and here are the results:

1. Would you upgrade your current iPhone for the 4S model (free of charge)?
Yes:  94%
No: 6%

2. Would you purchase the iPhone 4S if you could not get a free upgrade?
Yes: 27%
No: 73%

3. In your opinion, is the iPhone 4S a hit or miss?
Hit: 11%
Miss: 89%

The disappointment surrounding the iPhone 4S comes at a dark time for Apple, as the tragic news of former CEO, Steve Jobs’ death was reported today. The 56 year old was a highly respected visionary who changed the world of business and technology as we know it. He will be sadly missed.