Apple Bolsters Online Retail Team With Former Delta VP
Apple is beefing up its online retail team with the addition of former Delta Air Lines Vice President of Marketing Bob Kupbens, reports AdAge. According to his LinkedIn profile, Kupbens is now serving as Apple’s Vice President of Online Retail after leaving Delta earlier this month.
Kupbens originally jointed Delta in 2010 and before that, he spent eight years transitioning through several roles at Target, last serving as a vice president. During a 2013 AdAge conference, Kupbens spoke on the importance of “love brands” noting that every consumer has five brands “they really love.”
“I used to work at Target and when you went to a cocktail party and you told people that you worked at Target, you know what they’d say?” he asked. “‘I love Target! I’ll give you a big hug!’ You know what people say when you tell them at a cocktail party that you work at Delta? ‘I hate you! You lost my bag! You had me on the tarmac for seven hours. I’m going to kill you!’ It’s different when you work for a love brand.”
Like Target, Apple is undoubtedly a “love brand” for millions of people, inspiring its fans to wait in line for hours and even days for new products. Many companies even parody consumer dedication to the brand, with Samsung, for example, mocking Apple fans in an array of anti-iPhone commercials.
Bob Kupbens will presumably work under Angela Ahrendts, who will begin her role a Senior Vice President at Apple in the coming months, leading both the company’s retail and online teams. Ahrendts, who is currently transitioning out of her role as Burberry’s CEO, will report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
With the addition of Kupbens and Ahrendts, Apple will finally have strong leadership for its retail division. The company has been without a leader since John Browett was fired in October of 2012 during a significant management restructuring.
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iPhone 6 Concept Imagines iPod Nano-Like Design [iOS Blog]
While the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c saw many part leaks ahead of their September 2013 release, we have seen no solid hints on what Apple’s larger iPhone 6 might look like, leaving it up to designers to imagine how Apple will redesign its flagship product.
Concept artist Martin Hajek has teamed up with iCulture to create a mockup of the iPhone 6 based on some recent rumors, which suggested the iPhone 6 might take some design cues from the iPhone 5c and the seventh-generation iPod nano. While the report indicated the phone could adopt the colored anodized aluminum backing of the nano, Hajek has taken the nano-inspiration even further, with a flat, rectangular design and a 4.7-inch screen.
Apple’s iPhone 6 is expected to be larger than the existing 4-inch iPhone 5s, with a screen size ranging from 4.7 inches to 5.7 inches. Some rumors have indicated the company has plans to release two separate phones in that size range, but it remains unclear if the company will proceed with that plan.
Along with a larger screen size, the iPhone 6 may incorporate a durable sapphire crystal display and will undoubtedly feature processor and camera upgrades. Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 6 in the fall alongside iOS 8.
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IndieGoGo: Meet the HereO, First GPS Watch Aimed at Keeping Your Kids Safe
As a parent myself I know we all want our kids to be safe as much as possible. We still want to give our little ones a little freedom to explorer their surroundings while still being able to relax a little at the same time. There are a number of apps and gadgets one can use to that, including some that are available from your carrier. So long as your child has a phone. Let’s face it though, you aren’t going to hand over a Galaxy S5 to your 3 year old son so you can keep tabs on him at the park. A IndieGoGo funding campaign is currently underway called hereO that is looking to help out parents and children in the safety.
The hereO is a kid friendly designed GPS watch that tracks your child’s movements and allows you to pinpoint their location right on your device.
Some of the great features:
- Place’s Notification: You can also set up zones to alert you when your child enters or leaves specific areas. This is great for children just starting school.
- Panic Alert: When in need the hereO will send out an alert to all family members on the hereO list.
- Tamper Alert: If the watch gets removed for any reason an emergency alert will be sent to all family members with the watches location.
- History: Back track through the watches location history to see where they have been throughout the day.
- Directions: Get directions from your current location to the location of the hereO.
The hereO app is free and doesn’t just sync with the hereO watch. It will cross sync with your entire family too. Letting you keep an eye on them too. You can see similar info as you would with the watch, but with a few more functions like broadcasting messages to the whole family, make calls and send/receive directions to current family members locations.
The GPS Watch has a 24 to 72 hour battery life, is water resistant and includes a SIM card. It connects to GPS and cell triangulation for location information, then uses the cell network to transmit the coordinates to the hereO app on your phone.
The hereO will require a month subscription in order to have the GPS up and running, but at $5 a month it is hardly worth complaining about. We pay more for Netflix.
The IndieGoGo project is well underway with just 23 days left. The hereO’s goal is $100,000 and they are just about to hit $70,000. The early Bird special on this campaign will set you back $99, which is a $50 saving from what these will retail for and you get 6 months of service for free. There are still a number of Early Bird Specials left. In typical fashion, you can help them reach their goals for a smaller price tag.
While I think I am a pretty good dad and keep a very close eye on my son when we are out and about, I still have felt that slight panic moment when he has managed to escape my field of view for a few seconds.
If you want to support the project, which is said to launch regardless of the goal being reached or not, then take a click over to the hereO IndieGoGo campaign page.
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NVIDIA announces new features for Shield, slashes price for limited time
NVIDIA Shield users, listen up! There’s a new update coming April 2nd, and it’s a doozie. The notable features and improvements include:
- GameStream enhancements – Users can remotely stream games from their PC through a Wi-Fi connection via GameStream BETA
- UI enhancements to Gamepad Mapper
- A new version of TegraZone
- Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat
Not only are there updates to the system, there are some game announcements as well! Popular titles such as Rochard, Mount & Blade: Warband, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Portal (yes the PC version) are making their way to the console “coming soon”.
Perhaps the most important Shield news of the day is that it’s finally getting another price cut. The NVIDIA Shield will be sold for $199 from March 25th through the end of April.
If this isn’t a perfect time to buy the Shield, I don’t know what is!
The post NVIDIA announces new features for Shield, slashes price for limited time appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Report: AT&T and Verizon spent heavily lobbying for favorable LTE auction rules
If AT&T and Verizon manage to shut its smaller foes out of a critical LTE wireless auction, it would severely harm US wireless competition, according to the Center for Public Integrity. In a report it said that the pair of wireless giants spent nearly $30 million on lobbying last year, almost four times the $8 million paid out by Sprint and T-Mobile. The low-frequency 600MHz spectrum in question is highly valued for its long range and ability to penetrate buildings, necessitating fewer towers and lower infrastructure costs. AT&T and Verizon already control 74 percent of existing low-band frequencies, putting Sprint and T-Mobile at a significant disadvantage — especially outside of cities. As a result, T-Mobile’s CEO, John Legere has stressed the importance of the upcoming auction for the future of his company.
However, the rules for that auction have yet to be finalized by FCC chair Tom wheeler. AT&T and Verizon believe they should be able to bid for as much spectrum as they want in order to raise the maximum amount of cash. And given their combined 70 percent share of the US mobile market, it’s likely the duo could easily outbid their smaller rivals. T-Mobile and Sprint, by contrast, believe that the amount of spectrum available to any given company should be capped. Backed by a report from the DOJ, they claim that would make for a more competitive market and result in lower prices for consumers. Because of those conflicting views, much of the reported lobbying money has gone toward studies supporting each camp’s positions — with the lion’s sharing coming from AT&T and Verizon. Meanwhile, Wheeler hasn’t given any hint as to which way he’s leaning, but if you’re thinking of becoming a wireless industry lobbyist, now’s the time.
Filed under: Wireless, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile
Via: BGR
Source: The Center for Public Integrity
Portal comes to NVIDIA’s Shield as an exclusive Android port
You won’t have to stick to a PC or TV to play Valve’s iconic games in the future. The developer is teaming up with NVIDIA to bring the original Portal to the Shield handheld — in other words, Portal is coming to Android. The two haven’t said just when the space-defying puzzle title will be available on the Shield, although it unfortunately sounds like other Android devices may be out of luck. We’ve reached out to see if there’s a possibility of a wider release. Still, it’s good to see Valve dip its toes in the mobile gaming waters, unlike certain companies. And hey — it’ll be as good an excuse as any to get reacquainted with your Companion Cube.
Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Science, Mobile, NVIDIA
Source: NVIDIA Blog
NVIDIA Shield gets temporary price drop, soon to support remote PC gaming
The GameStream technology that powers the NVIDIA Shield’s PC streaming feature is neat, but it has its limitations. Games can only be streamed from desktop PCs running specific GPUs, and only to devices connected to a local network. That’s about to change: Pending an update in early April, Shield owners will be able to stream their PC games not only from GeForce GTX-equipped laptops, but over the internet as well. Remote streaming has its own limitations, of course — NVIDIA recommends a minimum upload/download speed of 5 Mbps — but the new GameStream beta will let gamers remotely wake up, log in to and play games from their home PC from any location with a stable WiFi connection. NVIDIA is also making it a little easier to stream unofficially supported PC titles, and will update its GeForce Experience desktop software with tools that will push any PC application to the Shield’s GameStream list.
The spring update also adds Bluetooth keyboard and mouse support, as well as several tweaks to the Shield UI. Specifically, the TegraZone store will be getting categories (action, adventure, etc.) as well as a news section. Finally, NVIDIA will be selling the handheld at a $50 discount from now until the end of April. Already have one? Sit tight — that update goes live on April 2nd.
Source: NVIDIA
NVIDIA announces the Jetson TK1 dev-kit, calls it the world’s first mobile supercomputer
Wish you had your own personal supercomputer? Soon, you’ll be able to buy one — well, sort of. At its GPU Technology conference today, NVIDIA announced the Jetson TK1, a $192 Tegra K1-based development kit built on the same architecture that powers the Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Haung describes it as “the world’s tiniest little supercomputer,” noting that it’s capable of running anything the Titan can run, but at a much slower pace.
The kit is designed for use in advanced robotics, autonomous cars and computers attempting to simulate human recognition of physical objects, but during a post-announcement briefing, NVIDIA beamed at the suggestion that builders might use it in quirky maker projects. Joking aside, however, they clarified that Jetson is a higher-grade board than you’ll find in Arduinos or the Raspberry Pi — it can push 326 gigaflops, and is far better suited to driving drones, ultrasound machines and self-driving vehicles. Still, at $192, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a few Jetson-based projects pop up at the next MakerFaire.
Filed under: NVIDIA
Autographer wearable camera now lets you take hands-free photos underwater
If you just can’t get enough of documenting every waking moment of your life, then the Autographer life-logging camera, launched last July, has its appeal — it’s designed to automatically snap pictures based on what it deems to be the perfect shot at any given moment, no user interaction required. Now, however, you can take shots not just on dry land but underwater as well. That’s because Autographer has teamed up with Aquapac, a maker of waterproof casings, to develop a special Waterproof Kit for the wearable camera. The Kit is fully submersible for at least 30 minutes to a depth of 30 feet, which means it’s ideal for scuba diving. Other features include a LENZFLEX lens that’s designed to be clear of water droplets and you can now secure the camera to the neck, chest or arms, which makes it a little easier to maneuver. You can pre-order the Aquapac Waterproof Kit right now for £30 from the Autographer site.
Filed under: Cameras
Source: Autographer
IRS says bitcoins are taxable property, but not currency
People love referring to Bitcoin as a “cryptocurrency,” but the Internal Revenue Service looks at it a little differently. According to a new IRS statement, Bitcoin should be considered property, not currency. What does that mean for US Bitcoin aficionados? Quite a bit, actually.
Considering your growing Bitcoin stash. If you’re the type who mines for Bitcoins, the market value of what you receive counts as part of your gross income… just in time for tax season, naturally. Conducting commerce with Bitcoin may have become much trickier on the small scale, too. You have to deal with capital gains and losses for Bitcoin transactions if the value of those Bitcoins fluctuates (doesn’t it always?). Bloomberg explains what this means well:
Under the ruling, purchasing a $2 cup of coffee with Bitcoins bought for $1 would trigger $1 in capital gains for the coffee drinker and $2 of income for the coffee shop.
Reporting those gains and losses may not too troublesome for big infrequent exchanges, but businesses that deal with plenty of smaller ones could have plenty of record keeping to do. And if you’re a business who (for some reason) pays employees with Bitcoins, that virtual wage is subject to income tax withholding. If those employees didn’t get W-2s before, voilà – they need ‘em now. Long story short, Bitcoin owners, start keeping track of everything lest the taxman take issue with your methods and come poking around.
Via: Bloomberg
Source: IRS (.pdf)
AIVAnet 