Ferrari’s Felipe Massa will start the final Magny-Cours race, scene of this year’s French Grand Prix, ahead of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

The Brazilian set a best lap time of one minute, 15.034 seconds beating the championship leader by less than a tenth of second. This was Massa’s fourth pole position this season and its first front row start for Ferrari since May.

Raikkonen lines up behind the leading pair giving a Ferrari 1-3 on the grid. This demonstrations that the Italian team are not out of the contention in the championship battle with rival McLaren, despite under-performing in the previous three races. A strong result in Sunday’s race will be a great reward for Jean Todt and his squad.

As for the double world champion Fernando Alonso, the McLaren star hit trouble with a suspected gearbox problem. The Spaniard didn’t even set a lap time in the all-important top ten shootout in session three and provisionally, will start in the race in tenth position (if the team decides to replace the Mercedes-Benz engine, he will drop another ten places due to the Formula One regulations).

This is bad news for Fernando, as he is desperate to claw back the ten-point gap over his team-mate and leader of the drivers’ standings Hamilton. It will be a very difficult 70 laps for Alonso to recover from.

Making his return back in the BMW-Sauber cockpit is Robert Kubica. The Polish driver missed out on taking part in the previous race at Indianapolis due to doctors’ orders after his horrifying crash at the Canadian Grand Prix. Now that Robert is back behind the wheel, he qualified in an impressive fourth – three places ahead of team-mate Nick Heidfeld.

Between the BMW drivers are the two Renaults with Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen - fifth and sixth respectively. This is the team’s best qualifying effort so far this season.

Toyota’s Jarno Trulli qualified in eighth with Nico Roberg in ninth for Williams. The German produced another solid display in qualifying and will line up on row five alongside the unfortunate Alonso.

As for Takuma Sato in the Super Aguri, the Japanese takes a ten-place grid penalty for overtaking Honda’s Jenson Button under waved yellow flags in the last race.

Yet again, the number two drivers at Ferrari and McLaren have upstaged their leading colleague. But in the case for Fernando, the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-22 let him down… Can Felipe go for the win to end Ferrari’s winless period after three disappointing races or can Lewis score that hat-trick of race victories before he arrives as a hero in his home race at Silverstone? The final French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours could be a thriller!

Starting grid for the French Grand Prix

1. MASSA Ferrari 1:15.034
2. HAMILTON McLaren 1:15.104
3. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1:15.257
4. KUBICA BMW 1:15.493
5. FISICHELLA Renault 1:15.674
6. KOVALAINEN Renault 1:15.826
7. HEIDFELD BMW 1:15.900
8. TRULLI Toyota 1:15.935
9. ROSBERG Williams 1:16.328
10. ALONSO McLaren 1:15.084
11. SCHUMACHER Toyota 1:15.534
12. BUTTON Honda 1:15.584
13. BARRICHELLO Honda 1:15.761
14. WEBBER Red Bull 1:15.806
15. SPEED Toro Rosso 1:16.049
16. COULTHARD Red Bull 1:15.915
17. LIUZZI Toro Rosso 1:16.142
18. WURZ Williams 1:16.241
19. DAVIDSON Super Aguri 1:16.366
20. ALBERS Spyker 1:17.826
21. SUTIL Spyker 1:17.915
22. SATO Super Aguri* 1:16.244

* Penalty imposed after United States Grand Prix

Back in March, the first official game trailer to Rockstar Games’ epic Grand Theft Auto IV made its debut on the Internet, offering exciting gamers to take a sneak peak in the latest free-roaming game.

Three months later, a second trailer titled ‘Looking for that Special Someone’ offers more in-game action involving the main character, Nikko Bellic, in a New York-like setting that is Liberty City.

In this one minute video clip (YouTube version shown below), Bellic is driving a classic “Stallion” muscle car over a replica of the Brooklyn Bridge, called the Broker Bridge in the game. Then we see a montage of him arguing with various criminals while searching for an unnamed individual (hence the title). The arguments are intercut with various shots of Bellic walking the streets of Liberty City, with landmarks based on real-life NYC locales, such as the Empire State Building appearing in the background.

The trailer also reveal some detail about the plot as it shows an unidentified blonde woman urging Bellic for “no more killing,” a SWAT team surrounding a bank, and several car chases with the police.

Grand Theft Auto IV will be available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in North America on October 16th, with the European release three days later. It is unclear whether us European gamers will get the exclusive and limited edition set featuring a soundtrack CD, an art book, bag and safe that will be heading States side.

More screenshots and information on Grand Theft Auto IV can be seen on the official website here.

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With only a few hours left until the official North American launch of the highly desirable Apple iPhone this Friday, the first official reviews of the mobile communication device are available online.

According to the articles from Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today, the iPhone provides some interesting facts. These include:

• A mobile version of the Mac Operating System (Mac OS X) that takes up 700 megabytes of the device’s hard drive capacity!
• You can’t cut, copy or paste text. Which is extremely bad when typing out the same messages over again.
• Music available to play in iPod mode cannot be used as the iPhone’s ringtone, not even in raw MP3 format. No additional ringtones will be sold on launch day…
• On a PC/Mac, the iPhone can sync with Microsoft Outlook Express for calendars and contact details.
• However, contact groups cannot be emailed as contact lists.
• Able to view PDF, Word and Excel documents, but unfortunately you can’t edit it.
• No support for Adobe Flash, meaning you won’t be able to view Flash videos or animation, even on the web browser!
• The camera is two megapixels but won’t be able to record video clips, only still pictures.
• Surprisingly, no MMS functionality and even voice dialling! Apple might provide these with a system update maybe…
• The battery capacity only last 300-400 charges before it runs out of juice, so you will need to send it back to Apple to get it replaced!
• Apparently, the device is very scratch resistant. Which means it won’t get the usual wear and tear you come to expect on the iPod.
• Voice quality is reasonable but not great.
• Internet access is quite slow especially on EDGE, meaning it takes around one to two minutes to download a web page.

Well, well. The iPhone seem to be quite restricted in terms of basic functions common on all cell/mobile phones. I’m shocked that you can’t even send text messages! And with the new virtual keyboard that can be ‘hit and miss’ in word auto-correction, is the mobile device be seen as a flop?

I maybe jumping the gun, but the only positives so far is the Safari-based web browser, mail client, visual voicemail and the Cover Flow-enhanced iPod functions. But is this more than enough to justified its price tag?

Despite my concerns, I am sure it will sell like hot cakes come 6.00 pm on Friday, June 29th. As for us Europeans still waiting for the price and launch date (Apple believes it will be available at the end of the year), there are rumours that we might get the second-generation iPhone with 3G built-in.

According to a Credit Suisse research note, Vodafone is the frontrunner to carry sole rights to the iPhone in Europe due to their coverage in most European markets.

If this is true, then you will have to subscribe to an expensive Vodafone contract for the iPhone. Already this is causing a big headache with AT&T in America…

Whatever the case, the iPhone will be everyone’s must have gadget of the year, despite the reviews.

See the video review below, as explained by Walter S. Mossberg from Wall Street Journal.

Australian actress and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman has become the new corporate image of Nintendo Europe with its latest advertising campaign.

The Moulin Rouge star is to promote More Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima, which measures the users’ speed and accuracy in completing aptitude tests.

Nintendo hopes the actress’ “universal appeal” would help extend the profile of the video game company that goes far beyond the traditional young, male target audience.

Kidman is quoted with: “I love the concept that Nintendo is reaching out to new audiences with their self improvement products like Brain Training. Most importantly, I’ve quickly found that training my brain is a great way to keep my mind young.”

It’s nice to see the Hollywood beauty promoting the DS Lite, but I am far more interested in her brain age according to Doctor ‘floating head’ Kawashima. Is she more intelligent that Fantastic Four star Jessica Alba – who has a brain age of an 80-year-old?

Source: Nintendo

UPDATE: See the actual TV commercial below. Nicole’s brain age is a respectible 52-years-old. Must try harder I would say…

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Seventeen years after he last donned the trademark fedora hat and rumpled leather jacket, Hollywood star Harrison Ford is back in character as Doctor Indiana Jones. Filming on the fourth episode began earlier this week and Paramount Pictures has released the first pictures of the star – taken by the film’s director Steven Spielberg.

It’s amazing that Harrison still looks good despite hitting 68 when the film opens in May 22nd, 2008. I just hope his body can withstand the sheer torture of filming his own stunts on the new and untitled fourth Indiana Jones motion picture.

The 1950s-set adventure will star Jim Broadbent, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt and Shia LaBeouf. LeBeouf has even provided an interview on the official Indiana Jones website about the legendary archaeologist, but sadly he didn’t provide any details on the plot or whether he will play Indy’s son. Still, it is exciting that the film is back on – hopefully it will live up to expectations!

The world championship leader and two-times Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton suffered an embarrassing moment when he damaged the go-kart that had been sold at a charity auction for £42,100 ($83,860).

The British Formula One driver only had to complete a few laps of a circuit built in the centre of London for the launch of Vodafone’s new mobile Internet service. However, he crashed on the second lap and broke the rear axle of the 80mph kart, meaning the winning bidder did not even get the chance to drive the kart himself!

“Oops, that was close,” said the 22-year-old McLaren rookie.

“It’s a bit bent on the back here,” he added after inspecting the kart, which was bought by a Northern Irish bidder.

Nevermind Lewis, at least you didn’t crash your McLaren-Mercedes MP4/22 while battling with Fernando Alonso…

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As the world’s most popular search engine Google set to take over the Internet with top applications like Googlemail, Google Video and Google Earth, has the latest project gone a bit too far on our privacy?

The reason I am asking is that the company’s latest application is Google Street View in which the user can see certain parts of several big American cities through panoramic images. This means you can ‘walk’ down Fifth Avenue in New York City or the famous Las Vegas Strip in the gambling city of the world just by pressing your mouse!

Surprisingly, some users have managed to spot some amusing, weird or even stimulating images in Street View.

Here’s a selection of images taken straight from the web application:

A woman with half a face in San Francisco!

You think that’s bad, how about a man with no head at all in the same city?

Two young girls sunbathing in a park.

Now showing at your local cinema!

A guy leaving a strip joint…

And what’s this? Someone trying to break-in…

It’s pretty scary that Google is spying on us! These images are only still pictures but can you imagine if these were in real-time? Still you must marvel the impressive nature of this technology available for the public.

That’s right. The former front man to boy pop band ‘N Sync is strutting his boyish charms in this stylish nine-minute video with Hollywood’s hottest film actress, Ms Scarlett Johansson.

Normally, I don’t post music videos on eMagi but this one caught my attention. Not only is Scarlett one of the most beautiful women in the world (that shape, chest and voice) but according to rumours, Justin Timberlake’s third single from his new album – FutureSex/LoveSounds (silly title to be honest) – is based on his lifelong friend Trace Ayala and his relationship with Elisha Cuthbert. Yes, Elisha! Better known as Kim Bauer who likes to be chased around with cougars in a 24-hour day… Apparently ‘Kim’ cheated on Ayala with hockey player Sean Avery, which caused them to break off their engagement. The song is also rumoured to be about the relationship the two developed while on the set of the TV series 24.

Another rumour has claimed that the song is about the break-up of a family friend aside from Ayala, who was deeply hurt and affected.

Whatever the true origins to ‘What Goes Around… Comes Around’, the music video has been described as a short film with a duration exceeding nine minutes that even features credits similar to a film. Samuel Bayer – a renowned music video director – was the man responsible for the creating this ‘epic’ motion picture. The dialogue was even written by Alpha Dog writer and director Nick Cassavetes.

Sample the clip below and see how that lucky Timberlake is able to sweep Scarlett off her feet, until something horrible happens at the end…

Oh, here’s a detailed and amusing minute-by-minute account from Guardian Music. Great read after watching the YouTube video.

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Only a week to go before the North American launch of the highly desirable mobile communication device from Apple is made available.

The iPhone has been ‘upgraded’ since Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs announced to the world’s press at the Macworld Conference & Expo back in January. The product will now feature a longer battery life and a new touch screen.

Instead of lasting around five hours of video/talk and 16 hours of audio playback, the Apple iPhone will now provide the following: up to 8 hours of talk time, an enormous 250 hours on standby mode (over 10 days!), 6 hours of internet use, 7 hours of video playback and 24 hours of audio playback.

In addition, the original spec of the 3.5-inch plastic screen has been replaced with “optical-quality” glass, ending concerns about the durability of the device’s primary feature and user interface.

So the build quality is an improvement and so is the usage, but there’s more! The iPhone now supports YouTube, meaning you can watch all the video clips on the world’s most popular site in the palm of your hand.

The YouTube application will have a multi-touch display and will work over EDGE and Wi-Fi. And don’t forget that all new uploaded videos is now encoded in H.264 format, so that Flash will not be needed on either the Apple TV or the iPhone to enjoy the content.

As for the accessories, the iPhone will feature an iPod-like Dock and those white headphones (which has a built-in microphone, so you don’t have to lift the device to your head when someone calls whilst you listen to Macy Gray).

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has revealed the full track lists to the upcoming karaoke game for the PlayStation 3 with SingStar.

The popular singing game will feature 30 songs for wannabe pop divas including Gwen Stefani’s Cool, Pussycat Dolls’ Beep and Feel Good Inc by cartoon band, Gorillaz. More tracks can be downloaded via the PlayStation online store, but details on cost has yet to be decided.

SingStar will have a retail price of £19.99 as a stand-alone starter disc, with a microphone bundle costing slightly more at £39.99.

Blink 182 - All The Small Things
Blur - Coffee & TV
Britney Spears - Toxic
Coldplay - Fix You
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
Gwen Stefani - Cool
Junior Senior - Move Your Feet
Macy Gray - I Try
Musical Youth - Pass The Dutchie
Ne-Yo - So Sick
Orson - No Tomorrow
OutKast - Hey Ya
Primal Scream - Movin’ On Up
Pussycat Dolls - Beep
Radiohead - No Surprises
Razorlight - America
REM - Losing My Religion
Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman - Something Stupid
Scissor Sisters - I Don’t Feel Like Dancing
Supergrass - Alright
The Automatic - Monster
The Cardigans - Lovefool
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
The Killers - Mr Brightside
The Stone Roses - She Bangs The Drums
The Zutons - Valerie
Twisted Sister - We’re Not Gonna Take It
U2 - Beautiful Day
Weezer - Buddy Holly
Wolfmother - Love Train