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Cindy Huang

Report: Apple Is Being a Massive Cheapskate with Its Music Streaming Service - 0 views

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    It is well-known that Apple has access to almost any music that one can think of. However, according to the New York Post, Apple is low-balling record labels for the rights to use their music in a new music streaming service. The company is only offering labels 6 cents per 100 listens, where as Pandora offers 12 cents per 100 and traditional radio pays 22 cents per 100. One can say that Apple is trying to enter this business, but not willing to go through all the trouble and complications that other music streaming services has to go through. I personally do not think this is right because record labels go through a lot of work just to try to get a little profit from the music industry. With Apple offering such a low price to use their music, it is not fair to those who work hard for a result.
James Zabbal

Microsoft experimenting with free version of Windows 8.1 | The Verge - 0 views

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    This article is about how Microsoft is planning to make a low-cost or free version of windows 8.1 for windows 7 users to upgrade to. The main goal of this from Microsoft, is to boost the number of people using windows 8.1 I think that this is a really smart idea because it will let someone test out windows 8.1 for a small cost or even no cost at all, without having to spend over $100 on the full version of windows 8. I myself like Windows 8 and use it on a daily basis, but I know many people who find it hard adapting to the new operating system. That's why with the free version, if the person likes it, they can buy it, if not, they can just re-install Windows 7. This is one of the few experiment like projects Microsoft are doing. They also plan to release low-cost, or free versions of their Windows Phone operating system, and also plan to merge their tablet OS, Microsoft RT, and Windows Phone together into one version.
Daniel Le

"Ransomware" Worm Now Spreading On Skype [Update: Skype Advises Users Upgrade Their Sof... - 1 views

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    With the popularity of social media growing rapidly everyday, so are the number of ways people are trying to steal your information. One such case is the Dorkbot or Ransomware worm that has previously attacked Facebook and Twitter has now began spreading through Skype. Criminals using Dorkbot infect it into computers through sending innocent-looking links to victims. Once a victim clicks the link, the worm blocks all files on the victim's computer from use  and uses these files as ransom for a set amount of money. Should the victim refuse to pay the ransom, all the files will be deleted.  This article shows that as easy as it is for our computer to collect data, it can just as easily have this data stolen, all it takes is a single opened link. It is always stressed to never open links that seem suspicious, yet many people will open links without any regard for their data. I think it's very low how online criminals will stop at nothing to find sneaky ways to steal other people's information and their money. Are they so lazy to make money on their own that they will just leach off of people who worked hard to make money to support themselves? People who don't take precautions while browsing the Internet are just as at fault as the criminals who plague the web. Since people are caring less about the safety of their data as the number of cyber criminals increases, it will be inevitable that web browsers will have to increase security or the government will have to make an effort to track down cyber criminals and set laws to punish cyber criminals more harshly.
katrina dykun

Apple EarPods Teardown Reveals Durable Design - 0 views

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    This article is about the comparison of the old apple earphones and the new EarPods. Apple claims that the new EarPods sound as powerful as the expensive earphones invented in the world (example: Beats by Drake.. if that's what they're called). These new EarPods are as powerful as a expensive pair of earphone, but cost only 29$ and if you purchase any apple device (iPhone, iPod touch, etc.) these earbuds are free.  I have watched the video below, and some people say they can't tell a difference from the old earphone, while other people say it's a big difference. I have never used the EarPods before, but in my opinion I do think it would make a difference because technology is improving and becoming more successful. One little piece of technology can make a big difference in the world. Also, the customers have commented that these EarPods are more comfortable to fit into your ears. These EarPods are not a great device to repair. However, they are a low price so once your EarPods break, you could buy a new pair.
Dragos Penelea

Online Universities: Why They Still Don't Measure Up - 0 views

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    This post is about Online Universities and why they don't compare to the real thing. Products like Saba LMS, Moodle, and iTunes U have made e-learning mainstream, and most universities offer and allow some or most of their coursework to be completed online. First off, the concern with many online universities and colleges is post-graduation employment statistics. Most have very low graduation rates. A government recruited states that "it's not ideal. It doesn't set a baseline expectation, for me or for the people he or she will meet in the field. If I just need to check off a 'degree' box on a requirements form, online will do, but if two candidates are similar, I'm going with the one from Stanford or UVA." Moreover, the differences come down to two things: brand and social interaction. Traditional schools can clearly understand reputations, strengths and weaknesses. Without historical data and a history of success or failure, the online schools' GPAs, class standing and other performance metrics are just numbers and statistics. The author of this article also states that "Giant online schools that accept pretty much everyone may be democratizing education, but they're not helping employers or anyone else separate out the best and the brightest." This can hurt the prestige, and ultimately the graduates of the school. This issue relates to the "eLifestyle" tag because in the end it will definitely affect not only the students, but the regular citizens of a country. The graduates of universities, online of traditional,  will be the leaders of the future, and I believe that traditional universities and colleges are better because professors can get to know and understand students at a different level. It is hard to judge or mark a student based only on online text. For instance, you will never be able to distinguish a student that truly tries and works hard but cannot understand the information properly to a student that understands it but is lazy and slacks off.
Roman Mitjaev

Can a Windows 8 Tablet Like the Surface Really Replace My Laptop? - 0 views

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    This article describes weather or not Windows 8 tablet like the Surface really replace any ordinary laptop. The surface would be able to make a decent laptop replacement because it is thin and lightweight, comes with a keyboard, it can run the traditional windows desk top, and its decently cheap. However, Windows RT does have a very small selection of apps, it doesn't even have a facebook app. Without having a good selection of apps, you may miss out on a bunch of other fun stuff. Windows RT is the toned down version of Windows 8. This is very good for low powered, cheap tablets. But it won't replace Windows 8. So at the moment, the tablet will not be good replacement but that could change. Early 2013 the Surface Pro will be coming out and it runs Windows 8. So you will have access to all the apps, and take advantage of more powerful hardware. In my opinion, if you don't need as much features as a laptop offers, and you are looking for a cheaper device, go with the tablet. But if you need access to all the apps, and more powerful software, the surface at the moment is not a very reliable replacement.
Anthony Mirabile

Where America's Racist Tweets Come From - 0 views

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    *Disclaimer: Article above contains profane/vulgar language This article details the findings of the blog 'Jezebel', who compiled a series of racist, anti-Obama tweets following the U.S election, and 'Floating Sheep' who trended those tweets and imposed them over a map of the United States. Using the knowledge of geo-coded tweets and the Twitter search bar, Floating Sheep was able to trend racist anti-Obama tweets from November 1-7. They used an 'LQ' algorithm which compared a state's ratio of racist to normal tweets to the entire country's ratio of racist to normal tweets. States with an LQ score of 1 were on par with the country, while those 1 had more racist tweets on average. After trending the reassuringly low 395 tweets, the study found (unsurprisingly) that higher LQ scores came from South-Eastern states, with Alabama at 8.1 and Mississipi at 7.4. This relates to Privacy and Security because Floating Sheep used geo-coding to find out where the cruel tweets originated from. This relates to eLifestyle because the internet harbours some of the most ignorant/hateful people who make callous remarks without realizing everything that you do can be and often is tracked. This relates to ICS20 because we promote a positive online environment and we frown upon things like racism and vulgar language; the very opposite of what these people mentioned in the article are portraying. If there is a silver lining to this study, it is that in this technological era, we are able to publicize ignorance and judge/analyze those who advocate awful messages.
Daniel Le

Here Comes the First Real Alternative to iPhone and Android - 0 views

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    The smartphone market has been dominated by Apple's iPhone and Google's Android devices, but with this dominance many people think they do not have any other options when it comes to smartphones other than Apple and Android. Yes, there have been other companies that have tried to combat the powerful hold of Apple and Android but they have faltered and ultimately could not dethrone these smartphone giants. Now the Finnish company Jolla plans on competing against Apple and Android with its new OS, Sailfish which they claim is an alternative to Apple and Android. Jolla also partnered itself with Chinese phone retailer D.Phone so Jolla would have phones that will run Sailfish. For many of us, we are stuck with the decision of buying either an Android or an iPhone since any other phone trying to appear differently was simply forgotten. But the release of Sailfish phones would completely change the smartphone market by giving consumers another option when considering buying a new phone and releasing some of the control that Apple and Android have. It could also be possible that Sailfish phones will be more revolutionary and better looking than Androids and iPhones but still cost less which would attract many consumers who want an innovative but low-cost phone. I think Sailfish will have a large impact on the smartphone market since it uses many gestures that makes the OS unique. Whereas Apple's iPhone and Google's Android will eventually lose their popularity due to Apple and Android's lack of innovation, the Sailfish phones could possibly have the same effect the first iPhone had on the world and become the new dominant smartphone. 
vahanos needsnolastname

ABI: With 58% Market Share, Android Will Top iOS In Smartphone App Downloads This Year,... - 0 views

  • There are a number of ways to measure a mobile platform’s relative success, but if you’re looking at the number of mobile app downloads as the metric of choice, then the analysts at ABI Research have just predicted that Android will win it in 2013. According to the firm’s latest forecasts, 58 percent of smartphone app downloads this year will be Android apps, while iOS will come in at just 33 percent. But those numbers look very different when you include tablet app downloads in the forecast. ABI says that smartphone apps will be downloaded 56 billion times in 2013, and the majority of these will be either iOS or Android-based, reflecting the duopoly that still has the majority of smartphone market share worldwide. Earlier this year, ABI said that Google’s Android platform would take a 57 percent share of the global smartphone market this year, with iOS grabbing just around 21 percent. Combined, that 78 percent chunk was notably down from the 92 percent figure that competitor Strategy Analytics’ pegged in Q4 2012, though, hinting that there may be a little room for second-tier players. Though the numbers from rival houses tend to vary, what the firms can seem to agree on in general terms is that Android has a bigger piece of the overall smartphone market worldwide, and they’re expecting that trend to continue this year. Realistically, it’s probably too soon to call the numbers for 2013, given that China is still very much in play this year, as smartphone adoption is now surging in that country. Just this February, for example, China passed the U.S. to become the world’s top country for active Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. And Apple is certainly not ignoring China either, with CEO Tim Cook stating that China would become Apple’s most important market. There have been ongoing rumors of differently priced devices for China’s newest smartphone customers, and Apple recently added options that allow Chinese customers to buy Apple devices on credit. That being said, Android’s traction in the low-cost smartphone space can’t be discounted, either. However, ABI also predicts that Android’s gains will encourage more developers to go the Android-first route this year, and that’s not as likely a conclusion. Though Android may see more raw downloads due to its market share figures, studies show that Apple is still the revenue leader when it comes to how developers are monetizing their applications both as paid apps, as well as through in-app purchases, upgrades and virtual goods. It’s hard for new developers to make money as it is, so they’re still gravitating towards the Apple App Store when it comes to their revenue-generation efforts. ABI also says today that iOS has the lead in tablet app downloads – another reason why the Android-first predication seems a little shaky. Of the around 14 billion tablet apps it’s expecting in 2013, 75 percent will be for the iPad, with Android (excluding the Kindle Fire) accounting for just 17 percent. Amazon will see around 4 percent market share here, and Windows tablets will barely eke out 2 percent, the firm claims.
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    andriod bets apple in the # of downloads that will happen this year. Almost 58 percent of downloads will be from andriod , and only 33 percent will be from apple. There are more peope downloading apps from andriod mainly because most of tier apps are free and thee apps that are the app store that usually cost mony are free on the andriod google store. China has the most andriod and apple users and most of the apps are downloaded from china. ABI says that apps will be downloaded 56 billion times in 2013. 2013 may be the yea forr apps as there are more andriod and apple user tosay to have the app store and play store open to them in the palm of ther hand.
Matthew Fantauzzi

More People Have Cell Phones Than Toilets - 0 views

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    A recent study indicates that more people in the world have cell phones than toilets. According to a national report, 6 out of 7 billion people on the Earth have cell phones, compared to the 4.5 billion who have access to a functional toilet. Cell phones are in no way a bad thing, the major concern here is the shockingly low number of toilets. The study shows that those in countries without proper sanitation lose about 4500 children a day, just because they lack proper cleanliness. The shortage of latrines makes disease spread quite easily, and it is shown that the countries with the most poverty have a direct correlation to the countries which lack proper bathrooms. Bill Gates and the UN have been working to make a toilet that can easily be installed and maintaining in a developing country, and hopefully these findings will decrease the amount of death and poverty in these third world countries. Although the article compares two completely different things (cell phones and toilets), it does well at shining a light on things we take for granted in our lives. It's great that cell phones are everywhere, it allows anyone anywhere to have access to information from around the world. However, the priorities need to be straitened out; toilets are way more important than iPhones.
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    I was going to do that article D:
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    Matthew doesn't have toilets in his house.
Lynn Bui

Apple Falls - 0 views

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    This article is about how Apple's stock prices have decreased by 2.7%. In fact, $290 billion has been wiped off Apple's value since September. The article explains that the last time, Apple's stock was so low was when Steve Jobs had passed away. The article also talks about how investors will only pay about $9 for a dollar profit, whereas for a different company such as Standard & Poor's 500 company, they will pay $15. This shows that Apple's investor loyalty is falling. Investors no longer see Apple as a "safe" investment, which is why they are no longer willing to invest in Apple. Investors are not sure of the direction that Apple is going, which is why they are reluctant to invest and take a risk.
James Harris

The Year of the Smartwatch: Wave of the Future or Flash in the Pan? - IGN - 0 views

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    This article ponders the question "Will 2013 be the year of the smartwatch?" It begins by describing some of the failed attempts by companies at wearable tech. In 2004, Microsoft created the SPOT watch which used FM radio waves to display information such as stock quotations, weather forecasts, and news. At launch this device was $800 which was a huge turnoff for many consumers, and was proven when the device died in 2008. In 2009, Samsung also had an attempt at wearable technology with their S9910 which debuted in Europe. At a 450 Euro price tag, this was also too expensive for consumers, and along with limited functionality this device was destined to be a flop. Now with more functionality possibilities and low cost production, companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, LG, and Samsung are able to create modern, functional smartwatches. It is also encouraging that Pebble recently funded over $10 million for their smartwatch on Kickstarter. So will 2013 be the year of the smartwatch?
Allison Concepcion

Haze: Turn Your Weather Forecast Into Psychedelic Art - 0 views

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    This is an app where you can make the weather look much better on your screen which is available on iTunes.Not only does it show you the temperature or weather outside but it also shows you the hours of sun, temperature a the chance of precipitation.  You can click on one of the bubble and it will have an enlarged view of the particular data  with more details.  An example of this would be : tapping on a temperature bubble and shows high-low feel of temperature as well as wind speed and direction.  Each of the three screens show you a five-day forecast for each of the three metrics across the top. The colour and flow at the back of the screen depends on which way the weather is trending. The little wind direction points  the right way using iPhone's compass.
strick0502

Microsoft sells out of 128GB Surface Pro models online and in some stores - 0 views

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    This article shows how people will react to new tablets.  People seem to be very interested in tablets, despite cost.  Many large companies in the U.S. and Canada, such as Best Buy and Future Shop, reported low stocks of the new Microsoft Surface Pro.  Microsoft will continue to develop new tablets/computers like their new Surface Pro, as consumers show an interest for these new technologies such as tablets.  The only units left in consistent stock are the 64GB, as people favor the 128Gb units over their lesser counter-parts.  I think that Microsoft will earn a lot of profit because of this new software that they are producing, as consumers are willing to but expensive tablets that come with new features.  Other companies as well as microsoft will capatilize on this willingness, and we will surely see new software similiar to this in the future. 
Roman Mitjaev

Some Guy Bought the Data of 1.1 Million Facebook Users for Just 5 Bucks - 0 views

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    Bogomil Shopov, a Bulgarian blogger and digital rights activist, bought 1.1 million Facebook names, user IDs and e-mails for the ridiculously low price of 5 dollars. Luckly for us, he was not trying to spam people, or use this info in a negative way. Instead he wanted to see how bad the facebook security really is. And it turns out to be really bad. According to the seller of the information, a Gigbucks user with the handle "mertem," the data was collected from Facebook applications."The information in this list has been collected through our Facebook apps and consists only of active Facebook users, mostly from the US, Canada, UK and Europe," reads the Gigbucks post. This can affect us a lot because there are a lot of teenager (our age) facebook users. If instead of person who was trying to prove a point was a spammer, the information that we have on facebook can be in danger.  Facebook is currently looking into the breach of user data but they haven't yet come to a resolution.
Melissa Yu

How Evil Is Your Smartphone? - 0 views

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    When we're looking for new smart phones we often look at things like speed, convenience, size and other features. When we see all these new smart phone products in stores we don't really stop and think about who made it. All we see is this polished, new phone and that's all we ever try to see. However, this article forces you to look past those pristine products and see the hidden reality. This post shows the rankings of various phone brands based on their impact on human rights, animal rights, the environment and other ethics. Out of a possible score of 20, all the brands fell quite short with the highest score being 10.5. It brings up the various human rights violations of different companies and makes you wonder why such successful companies like Apple are still setting such a low standard for labor conditions. Living in our comfortable first world country, we don't see all the human rights violations and abuse that occurs in other countries. I was surprised to learn that in a Nokia factory, many people were hospitalized for lead poisoning after being told that lead wasn't harmful. The lives of these workers are put at risk every day, as they work to create our smart phones. This article makes you think a lot about our world's reliance on technology. In our country, we only see the positive side of technology. Around the world though, there's a whole other side to the story. People work in dangerous conditions and are abused often while they create our smart phones. It really makes you see these products in a whole other light. After reading this article, I see more when I look at a smart phone. I wonder what happened to the people that made this phone or how they're living now. Our world is changing because of the introduction of technology. It has made our life so much easier, but we have to remember that this can sometimes come at the cost of another human or animal's dignity and sometimes even their life.
jose valenzuela

Designing a Mobile App? Don't Make These 10 Mistakes - 1 views

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    This article is about the 10 mistake not to do when designing a mobile app. 1. Don't Begin Wireframes or Designs Without a Flow map 2. Don't Disregard the Development Budget. 3. Don't Start With Low Resolutions & Avoid Bitmaps. 4. Don't Undersize The Hit Area. 5. Don't Gratuitously Use Intro Animations. 6. Don't Leave Users Hanging. 7. Don't Blindly Copy Style From Other Operating Systems. 8. Don't Overstuff Pixel-Dense Screens. 9. Don't Assume Everyone Will Use Your App The Same Way You Do. 10. Don't Forget About Gestures, But Don't Abuse Them Either.
Jason Strassler

The Raspberry Pi is now available to buy - Computer Chips & Hardware Technology | Geek.com - 0 views

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    This article introduces the official release of the long time coming Raspberry Pi. This new technology is set to include 256MB, at only a $25 price point. This is both good for consumers who use a lot of memory for downloading or uploading data or programs and also for consumers who will be interested for such it's low price and would not mind investing in this product.This relates to me because this small and portable hardware device is intriguing in my life for it's various purposes that include, compatibility with a SD card, USB, and RCA video, along with it's large memory capacity, I am certainly interested in purchasing this new device to help store, save, and use data all in this new compact piece of technology. 
Jason Strassler

Dell gives up on the smartphone dream - Cell Phones & Mobile Device Technology News & U... - 0 views

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    This article explains how Dell, one of the largest and most successful PC makers in the world, has given up on a possible creation of their own smartphone. Dell expressed that they tried multiple times to produce a product that would be successful in the US smartphone market, but with a number of devices facing some serious bugs as well as a problem with slow speed, the company did not see positive results and they decided to trash the idea and process once and for all to focus on other opportunities. Dell is not getting out of the mobile device business altogether thanks to sales and success with devices sold in Asia and Japan, and the company will continue making low-cost phones and tablets for sale in emerging markets. With smartphones becoming a very successful and poplar device that many customers are increasingly taking an interest to, this setback has to worry or concern Dell because they are not able to compete will other huge named brands and companies in the mobile device bushiness. Dell has had it's highs and has had success over the years with products and devices, but maybe this is a wake up call that they don't have the money, resources, and high praise that more well-known companies do and this could be a huge factor to why the amount of success, more specifically in the phone industry, hasn't been enough to be a top contender in the mobile business altogether.
robford-jlm

Next-Gen YotaPhone Follow-Up Unveiled, With Full-Touch E-Ink Rear Screen | TechCrunch - 0 views

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    Yota Devices is a smart phone phone company, based in Russia that is making waves in the cell phone community with their innovations in smart phone hardware. The yotaphone was released last year in asia and europe and quickly made a name for itself by offering not only staple specs we have come to expect, but also innovation for the screen. Its front screen operates as anyone would guess, so the real area the phone stands out in is shown when flipped over. The back screen is a low-power e-ink display that in the phones first incarnation was mainly used for display and lacked touchscreen capabilities. Now, however, in the yotaphones upcoming successor: the screen has made the jump to a full touch panel, allowing it be used to answer calls, receive and dismiss notifications and be used to play games that don't require the flashy capabilities of the front screen. This kind of innovation in cellphone technology is of paramount importance and the biggest step forward since the original iphone. The potential is amazing, allowing for new software to utilize the second screen, and making cellphones even more accessible and useful to the smartphone community.
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