Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Chinese scalpers now selling Genius Bar appointments online

genius_bar

Scalpers stop at nothing to make a few bucks off Apple?s popularity around the world, and especially in the 1.33 billion people market that is China. As you know, large-scale buyers are known for paying scalpers to stand overnight in snaking queues and buy Apple devices in bulk to resell at a premium.

According to a report Monday, scalpers now have a new innovative technique: they are booking up all available Genius Bar appointments in Apple?s retail stores in China for the purposes of selling these slots online?

Beijing Morning News?(thanks, Robert!) writes about complaints from customers who are unable to reserve an appointment with Apple Geniuses. This can be put down to scalpers who book Apple Store Genius appointments.?According to the story, these appointments sell for a few bucks online.

While not much, that doesn?t mean the digital age ticket scalpers aren?t profiting handsomely: keep in mind scalpers don?t have to spend money in advance as anyone can book an appointment with a Genius using only his or her email address.

On top of that, in booking up all the available Genius slots they?re inevitably creating a situation when users who need a Genius expertise ASAP have no other choice but to pay for the privilege. All of the communication between scalpers and users is handled via instant messaging applications.

Upon sending the payment, users receive login details in an IM message and so they could log in to Apple?s support website and change their appointment details.

Apple has to deal with Chinese scalpers on a regular basis.

Apple Store (Wangfujung, Beijing, exterior 003)

Large-scale buyers often pay scalpers to stand in the line and purchase iPads and iPhones in bulk to resell them on gray market, turning a substantial profit. Sometimes things get a little out of control. In January 2012,?a huge fight broke out between scalpers and regular customers, so much so that Apple had to order a complete shutdown of the Beijing store and call in a SWAT team.

Apple on its part took some steps to address the situation by imposing a three-hour window for online reservations, which did little to scare scalpers away who, as we?ve seen, always find innovative ways to outsmart Apple and regular consumers that patiently stand in line to buy their Apple product.


Source: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/07/29/chinese-scalpers-now-selling-genius-bar-appointments-online/

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Flipnote Studio 3D delayed in Europe due to 'unexpectedly high' use in Japan

European 3DS owners hoping to flip some 3D notes this week will have to wait a bit longer. Flipnote Studio 3D was coming to the continent this week, but Nintendo postponed the animation software's launch in light of "unexpectedly high" uptake in Japan after last week's launch over there. Nintendo of Europe provided us with the following statement:
"Nintendo of Europe regrets to announce that Flipnote Studio 3D, originally due for a European launch on Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS on 1st August, will be delayed. Due to unexpectedly high levels of user activity since the launch of the application in Japan on 24th July, we decided to postpone our European launch until we can deliver the best possible service to users. We apologize for any inconvenience this delay may cause, and will announce a new launch date as soon as possible."
We've reached out to Nintendo of America to find out if the European delay will impact the North American launch, which remains listed as "early August" on the software's website. When it does launch, the free 3DS successor to Flipnote will bring with the ability to use 3D effects, doodle in six colors - yes, six - and export creations as AVIs and GIFs. And if there's anything the Internet needs, it's more GIFs ...

No, we're not joking.

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/30/flipnote-studio-3d-delayed-in-europe/

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Sunday, July 28, 2013

Google's still working on a Glass development kit, suggests devs use Android SDK for now

Google announced at its I/O event in May that a Glass Developer Kit is on the way so devs can build more advanced apps for its headset than the Mirror API supports, but it's still not quite ready. In a post on Google+, team member Alain Vongsouvanh encouraged developers to use the current Android SDK (API level 15) to try out ideas. The team has also posted code samples with examples like a stopwatch, compass and level, and says devs can access the device's accelerometer and play media. If you're ready to get to work all the necessary info is linked in the post, we hope to see the fruits of such labor in the Play store very soon.

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Source: Alain Vongsouvanh (Google+), Google Glass Development Kit, Glass GitHub

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/26/google-glass-developer-kit-android-dev-kit/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

Leila Fowler

Celebrity fitness tactics that work - Discover Good Fitness

Celebrity fitness tactics that work | Herbalife fitness advice from Samantha ClaytonLet?s talk about celebrity fitness tactics. Are you inspired by magazine stories about?celebrities? fitness?short cuts? Are you envious of the sculpted physiques of movie stars? If you answered yes, or if you simply wish to learn a few insider celebrity secrets, then keep reading because I?m going to share some celebrity fitness tactics with you!

First, let me assure you that you don?t need to have a full-time nutritionist or fitness trainer on hand to achieve your own celebrity fitness status. Hard work and dedication are the keys to success to achieve your dream body.

Here are my some dos and don?ts of four common celebrity fitness tactics. We are all celebrities in our own lives so let me help you get started on your own path toward achieving your personal celebrity fitness goals.

Celebrity fitness tactic 1: Crash diets

Don?t:?Resort to using any dangerous nutritional tactics. Many celebrities rely on last minute plans to get ready for their big screen debut, and with a few million dollars at stake combined with the promise of fame, it?s not surprising that they will go to extreme measures. Engaging in practices such as long arduous cleanses and starvation is a terrible tactic, unless directed to so by a physician.

Why: Any extreme dietary measure will only give you temporary results. There are many health risks associated with extreme low calorie diets, and the long term health risks are just not worth a temporary slim waist.

Do: Take a good look inside your kitchen cupboards and reassess your eating habits. Finding your own personal caloric balance that allows you to lose weight while still providing your body with essential nutrients is the best and safest way to slim down. Take a look at Susan Bowerman?s short video showing what 100 calories can look like so that you can start to make informed food choices.

Celebrity fitness tactic?2: Extreme fitness boot camps

Don?t: Jump straight into a seven days/week intense exercise routine. I can hear you sigh out loud with this advice because we always think that more is better. However, this is not always the case when it comes to fitness. Yes, headlines might say your favorite celebrity worked out twice a day for hours at a time while eating like a mouse but what they don?t share is the pain and suffering that often accompanies such intensive schedules. Many rely on pain relief medicines and I?ve read of many cases where celebrities are hospitalized for exhaustion. Just because something appears to provide magical results don?t be too quick to believe it because, chances are, it?s just another temporary fix. Trust me when I say there is no quick fix.

Do: Steadily increase your fitness routine, because in order to get continued results you must increase your workouts. Our bodies are very good at adapting to increased physical demands. When something starts to feel easy then work a little harder. If you are new to exercise, start out by focusing on your exercise duration. As you become fitter, you can begin to adapt the intensity of your workouts to get more results in less time.

Celebrity fitness tactic?3: New fitness tools

Don?t: Buy every new gimmick or fitness tool or believe that you can wrap yourself into a state of improved fitness with bandages or shaking machines. It?s easy to think that just because there is a fit celebrity on the box, then it must work. However, it?s highly likely that the cover model prepared for the photo shoot with traditional fitness techniques first!

Why: Gadgets can look much more appealing than the hard work and sweat associated with exercise, but honestly ask yourself this question: when can you achieve anything without doing some hard work first?

Do: Invest in some inexpensive fitness essentials such as hand weights, resistance bands and a yoga mat. There are many incredible new tools on the fitness market that work, but before buying, assess each new tool and try to see how practical they really are. If they are based on the general principals of fitness such as cardio, flexibility, endurance or strength, they may be worth a second look. Alternatively, if they promise improved fitness from standing still, they will most likely waste your time and money.

Celebrity fitness tactic?4: Gym memberships and personal trainers

Don?t: Spend more money than you can comfortably afford on a gym membership or a personal trainer. Just because the stars do it doesn?t mean that regular folk need to spend a fortune each month.

Why: If you choose something that you can?t afford ? and even worse don?t use ? then it?s too easy to drop the gym membership deciding that fitness is too much effort and costs too much. That needn?t be the case ? a jog around the park or an at-home workout routine can help build fitness just as much as an exclusive gym. I fully believe in the power of personal training, but some insider advice will suffice if you can?t afford one.

Do:?Discuss your financial situation with a trainer and work out a sustainable plan to get you in peak shape. If you have a set budget, let your trainer know because most of the time they will find a way to work with you. As fitness trainers it is our job to teach you the basics, help you stay motivated and most importantly help you to train safely.?A good trainer will help you transition to working out on your own.

?***

I admire celebrity physiques and appreciate the hard work and effort they put in to maintain their look. But remember that looks can be deceiving and the external is not always an indication of good health. That?s why I suggest finding your own inner movie star using the best plan of all: a consistently good diet and a consistent activity plan. Now, tell me how you channel your own movie star in the comments section below!

Written by Samantha Clayton, AFAA, ISSA.?Samantha is Director of Fitness Education at Herbalife.

Source: http://www.discovergoodnutrition.com/2013/07/celebrity-fitness-tactics/

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Friday, June 21, 2013

Chasing After Allosaurus

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Chasing After Allosaurus
A little more than a year ago, in the corner of a Salt Lake City tattoo parlor spattered with sci-fi ephemera and fantasy art, I watched as artist Jon McAffee inked an Allosaurus onto my arm. The bloody art was a celebration of a dream realized and a promise to myself.

Source: National Geographic
Posted on: Thursday, Jun 20, 2013, 8:13am
Views: 13

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/128731/Chasing_After_Allosaurus

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Thursday, June 20, 2013

White House: ACA saved Americans money on health insurance ...

Nearly 78 million Americans saved $3.4 billion on their collective health insurance premiums in 2012, thanks to an Affordable Care Act provision that penalizes insurers for wasteful spending, the Obama administration announced?Thursday.

The ACA?s ?80/20 rule,? which took effect in 2011, requires insurers to spend at least 80 percent of premium payments on medical care or quality improvements and no more than 20 percent on administrative costs and overhead. Companies that violate the rule must pay rebates to their customers.

In 2012, nearly 12.8 million customers split $1.1 billion in rebates based on their 2011 premiums. But as more companies complied with the rule, total rebates fell to $500 million in 2012 and will be split later this summer among 8.5 million customers.

"Which means that consumers are saving up front instead of having to wait for a rebate. This is good news for everyone," said Teresa Miller, director of oversight for the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The $3.4 billion in savings on 2012 premium costs reflects lower rates as more companies met the 80/20 rule.?The 80/20 rule and other ACA provisions have saved consumers $5 billion on their premiums since 2011, HHS reports.

Insurance companies that didn?t meet the 80/20 guidelines will mail their customers a letter this summer explaining how they violated the rule and how much money they should expect in a rebate.

- TONY PUGH

Source: http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washington/2013/06/white-house-aca-saved-americans-money-on-health-insurance-already.html

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Yahoo's acquisition of Tumblr is now closed, Marissa Mayer rejoices

Yahoo's acquisition of Tumblr is now closed, Marissa Mayer rejoices

That whole Yahoo buying Tumblr thing? That's a done deal. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer took to Yahoo's Tumblr account -- meta! -- to announce her excitement at the deal's close. "Today is an incredibly exciting day for Yahoo! and Tumblr," Mayer said. She reconfirmed Yahoo's commitment to running Tumblr as a separate entity, and announced a whole mess of new Tumblrs dedicated to various capacities of Yahoo (Search, Messenger, Mail, Sports, Answers and Flickr). There's even a GIF containing the fairly amazing image seen above. Head below for the full letter of celebration from Mayer herself.

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Source: Yahoo

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/20/yahoo-tumblr-acquisition-close/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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