Apple adds "Download Later" option to iTunes in the Cloud

Apple has added a new option for iTunes in the Cloud users, allowing them to defer large downloads of movies, TV shows, and music box sets for a later time. Currently, this new option does not work for apps, and is available only in places where iTunes in the Cloud is live. This option is available on iOS 6 and in iTunes 11, and can be used on things like whole seasons of television shows.

Clicking the Later button will not download any episodes. You'll be able to download your episodes at any time from iTunes in the Cloud.

When you purchase a television show or movie, you will be presented with three options for movie sets and TV seasons: Later, Download, and Download All. For individual episodes and movies, as well as music box sets, the Download All option is not present. This option is great if you find a TV season or collection of movies you want to buy, but you don't want to use up the space on your current device, or are on a cellular network with a data cap to worry about. You will find any items that you choose to download later in the Purchased section of the iTunes 11 store and the Purchased tab of the iOS 6 store.

Source: Apple

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/tm_cNb1npYc/story01.htm

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Tom Cruise's 'Oblivion' Effective Enough To Win Weekend Box Office

Tom Cruise has had a rough time at the box office in recent years. Aside from the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, the A-lister hasn't registered an opening weekend north of $30 million since 2005's "War of the Worlds." That all changed with "Oblivion," which opened early overseas to strong ticket sales and debuted this weekend in [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/04/22/tom-cruises-oblivion-box-office/

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Wall Street opens slightly higher on mixed earnings

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks opened modestly higher on Monday, rebounding from stocks' worst week in 2013, though mixed results from Caterpillar Inc and Halliburton Co pointed to choppy trading ahead.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> was up 14.45 points, or 0.10 percent, at 14,561.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> was up 2.43 points, or 0.16 percent, at 1,557.68. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> was up 10.02 points, or 0.31 percent, at 3,216.08.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-index-futures-gain-focus-earnings-082850206--finance.html

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Activists fear large death toll near Damascus

BEIRUT (AP) ? Six days of clashes in two Damascus suburbs may have killed hundreds of people, a dramatic spike in the rising death toll in the Syrian civil war, activists said Monday.

The reports came as President Bashar Assad's forces pressed on with a major offensive in the suburbs against opposition fighters who have been closing in on parts of the Syrian capital. To the north, regime troops surged around the contested town of Qusair in Syria's Homs province, near the frontier with Lebanon.

The precise number of those killed in the latest fighting in Jdaidet Artouz and Jdaidet al-Fadel suburbs could not be immediately confirmed.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the number of the dead could be as high as 250. Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Observatory, said the group has documented 80 names of those killed but fears a much higher toll.

The Local Coordination Committees, another activist group, said the death toll was 483 and that most of the victims were killed in Jdaidet Artouz. State-run news agency SANA said Syrian troops "inflicted heavy losses" on the rebels in the suburbs.

Conflicting reports of death tolls are common in Syria's crisis, especially in areas that are difficult to access because of the fighting. The government also bars many foreign journalists from covering the conflict. Both activist groups, the Observatory and the LCC, rely on a network of activists on the ground in different parts of Syria.

Also Monday, two bombings targeted an army checkpoint and a military post in a third Damascus suburb, Mleiha, killing eight soldiers there, according to the Observatory.

Over the past two weeks, the Syrian military, supported by the Hezbollah-backed militia known as the Popular Committees, has pushed to regain control of the border area. The region is strategic because it links Damascus with the Mediterranean coastal enclave that is the heartland of Assad's Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

The fighting around Qusair also points to the sectarian nature of the Syrian conflict, which pits a government dominated by the president's Alawite minority against a primarily Sunni Muslim rebellion, and underscores widely held fears that the civil war could drag in neighboring states.

The pro-government daily Al-Watan predicted Monday that "the liberation" of the Qusair area will be completed within a "few days." Troops have already captured several towns and villages around the town.

The report claimed the army was making a "rapid" advance in the outskirts of Qusair, inflicting heavy losses on the rebels and forcing some of them to retreat toward Lebanon.

In Lebanon, there are deep divisions over the Syrian conflict, with Lebanese Sunnis mostly backing the opposition while Shiites support Assad. Lebanese fighters have also traveled to Syria to join either Sunni or Shiite groups, and several have been killed in clashes.

Over the weekend, several rockets fell in the predominantly Shiite Lebanese towns and villages along the border and some Lebanese schools in the area remained closed Monday for fear of more shelling.

Syria's conflict started with largely peaceful protests against Assad's regime in March 2011 but eventually turned into a civil war. More than 70,000 people have been killed so far, according to the United Nations.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/activists-fear-large-death-toll-near-damascus-065616399.html

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bloggervalley: AdSense Adds Link Unit Ad Previews For Higher CTR

Google recently updated their Adsense link units to include thumbnails in the ad pages? in order to improve publishers' performance. From now on link unit ad pages will show previews of advertisers' landing page in addition to the usual text links. Tests conducted by Google showed thumbnail images generated higher CTR (Click-Through Rates), leading to increased publisher revenue and more conversions for advertisers.

This update is available to all publishers except publishers in any of these countries:

• Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Turkey.

and publishers in any of these site verticals:

• Arts & Entertainment, Astrology & Divination, Biographies & Quotations, Body Art, Bollywood & South Asian Film, Cards & Greetings, Casual Games, Celebrities & Entertainment News, Christmas, Clip Art & Animated GIFs, Computer & Video Games, Crafts, Dating & Personals, Email & Messaging, Family-Oriented Games & Activities, Hair Care, Homemaking & Interior Decor, Humor, Maps, Mathematics, Men's Interests (Mature), Music Streams & Downloads, Online Games, Online Goodies, Online Image Galleries, Online Video, Photo & Video Software, Skins Themes & Wallpapers, Time & Calendars and Webcams & Virtual Tours.

Source: http://bloggervalley.blogspot.com/2013/04/adsense-adds-link-unit-ad-previews-for.html

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Buy Avianca LifeMiles, Maximizing Home Improvement Spend ...

Don?t forget to follow me on??Facebook?or?Twitter!

1.?? Avianca LifeMiles 100% Purchase Bonus

Via View from the Wing, Avianca is selling LifeMiles at a 100% bonus up to April 30, 2013.? This works out to ~1.5 cents per mile.? Avianca is a Colombian airline, but is a Star Alliance member, so you can use Avianca miles to fly on other Star Alliance airlines such as United, Lufthansa etc.

100% Bonus on Purchases of Avianca LifeMiles

The most miles that can be purchased in one transaction is 75,000 and their Terms & Conditions explicitly state that you must have been a LifeMiles member by April 8, 2013.? So sign-up now for a LifeMiles account so that you can take part in the next promotion (likely in a few months).

This may be a good choice if you want a Star Alliance award because you can book (some) flights on-line and are not blocked from Lufthansa First Class like you would be with US Airways (the other airline which frequently sells miles).

And as One Mile at a Time reports, if you have 40% of the miles required for an award, you can essentially use a cash and miles option, with the miles being purchased at a rate of 1.37 cents each.

But the Avianca frequent flyer program has its shortcomings.

The biggest drawback to me is that Avianca does not allow mixed cabin awards.? So, if you find award availability in Business Class on one segment, it cannot be combined with Economy on other segments (even though you don?t mind flying in economy).? So you?d have to book another flight back home!

This means that if your home airport is served by a regional jet with only economy seats, you won?t be able to book a seat on it if you?ve used Avianca miles to book a business class award!

In addition, they do not allow a connection of more than 12 hours (most airlines allow you up to 24 hours for connections), and have less-than-ideal customer service when it comes to making reservation changes.

2.?? Earn Double Points on Hertz Rentals for $13.49/Day!

Deals We Like reports that Hertz is offering a double take - rates from $13.49 per day and Double Hertz Rewards points.? To be eligible, first register here, then follow her tips for getting a great deal on a Hertz rental.

Through this offer, you will receive double points on rentals through June 22, 2013, starting with your second rental booking.

Double Points on $13.49 Hertz Rentals

3.? Save 50% on Flying Blue Award Redemptions

The Points Guy writes that Flying Blue (the Frequent Flier program for Air France, KLM, and Air Europa) has new Promo Awards.? These feature up to 50% discount for award travel on select routes.

Flying Blue Promo Awards

Eligible North American departure cities include:

• Air France ? Detroit, New York (JFK) and Toronto through April 30, 2013.? And Montreal through June 30, 2013.
• KLM ? Washington DC through April 30, 2013.
  Also Chicago, Dallas, and New York (JFK) through June 30, 2013.
• Air Europa ? New York (JFK) through June 15, 2013.

Economy Class, Premium Economy, and Business Class availability may vary.? See the Flying Blue Promo Awards page for more details.

Remember that fuel surcharges and ticketing fees on Flying Blue award redemptions can easily add up to $400 to $500.? Still, half price award tickets in business class could be a good value.? Paying half the regular mileage price and taxes and fees is usually not a good value, but do the math for your specific situation.

You can transfer AMEX Membership Rewards points to Flying Blue instantly in a 1:1 ratio.

4.?? Air Canada Offering Bonus for Converting Points to? Aeroplan Miles

Loyalty Lobby reports that now through May 13, 2013, Air Canada is offering bonus miles for converting other loyalty program points into Air Canada?s Aeroplan miles.

Convert Points to Aeroplan Miles

Eligible loyalty programs for this bonus are listed below.

Eligible Aeroplan Transfer Partners

The bonus through this offer is between 20% and ~27%, dependent on the number of points transferred, as follows:

• Converting 5,000 Points -??? 1,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
• Converting 10,000 Points -?? 2,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
• Converting 20,000 Points -? 4,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
• Converting 50,000 Points -? 10,000 Miles (20% Bonus)
• Converting 100,000 Points ? 25,000 Miles (25% Bonus)
• Converting 150,000 Points ? 40,000 Miles (26.7% Bonus)

Aeroplan Transfer Bonus

You get a higher bonus from transferring over 100,000 points.

Aeroplan charges fuel surcharges for many routes, so I wouldn?t transfer points unless you needed to top off for an award.

* If you liked this post, why don?t you join the?10,000+ readers?who have signed-up to receive?free blog posts?via?email?(only 1 email per day!) or in a?RSS reader??because then you?ll?never miss?another update!

Source: http://millionmilesecrets.com/2013/04/20/news-you-can-use-buy-avianca-lifemilesmaximize-home-improvement-spendcheap-hertz-rentals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news-you-can-use-buy-avianca-lifemilesmaximize-home-improvement-spendcheap-hertz-rentals

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Dinah Pfizenmaier stuns Anastasia Rodionova in the first qualifier ...

Dinah Pfizenmaier stuns Anastasia Rodionova in the first qualifier ? Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2013

World number 146, Dinah Pfizenmaier, registered an upset against the eighth seeded Aussie contender, Anastasia Rodionova, in the opening qualifying round of Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The 21-year-old German youngster took merely one hour and 20 minutes and eventually concluded her victory at 6-2, 6-4, to move into the second round of the qualifying draw of this WTA tournament in Stuttgart, Germany.

Rodionova was facing the local contender for the first time in her professional career and perhaps it was the reason she was taken by surprise. The eighth seeded Australian veteran couldn?t do much against the all-round onslaught from German youngster and eventually crumbled in the second set of the match to fall out of the qualifying draw cheaply.

Pfizenmaier was off to a flyer in the contest, breaking the world number 121 in the very first game of the match and imposed a 2-0 lead up front. She played smart tennis and didn?t commit many unforced errors, unlike Rodionova, who kept on spilling lose strokes to give away easy points to her opponent. Pfizenmaier carried on with her momentum and held all her serves comprehensively. She didn?t give a single chance to the Australian to register a break point. However, she made things even worse for Rodionova when she broke her serve for the second time to lead 5-2. The German wrapped up the first set at 6-2 to get the upper hand in the contest.

The following set witnessed a steady start from both sides. Rodionova cashed in a vital opportunity in the fourth game and quickly pounced on her opponent to attain a 4-1 lead immediately. It appeared as if the eighth seed has found her winning groove but Pfizenmaier made a brilliant comeback to stun everyone. The German nailed two successive serve breaks in the seventh and the ninth games respectively and rocketed away to 5-4, serving for the match. She drew the curtains for Rodionova in the next game came out as the winner at 6-4.

Pfizenmaier will face her fellow unseeded compatriot, Kathrin Woerle-Scheller, in the second round of the qualifying draw on Sunday.?

?

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Dinah-Pfizenmaier-stuns-Anastasia-Rodionova-in-the-first-qualifier-Porsche-Tennis-Grand-Prix-2013-a214598

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Mass. police: Bombing suspect may not have car

WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) ? Massachusetts State Police say the at-large Boston Marathon bombing suspect fled on foot and may not have a car.

Col. Timothy Alben says police have no indication Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (JOH'-kahr tsahr-NY'-ev) has a vehicle.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval (deh-VAL') Patrick says mass transit service is resuming in Boston even though Tsarnaev is still on the lam.

Authorities in Boston had suspended all mass transit and warned close to 1 million people in the entire city and some of its suburbs to stay indoors. The other suspect, his brother, died in a desperate getaway attempt.

The brothers are suspects in Monday's marathon bombings, which killed three people and wounded more than 180 others. The men are also suspected of killing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer in his vehicle late Thursday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-police-bombing-suspect-may-not-car-222950455.html

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One Today by Google launches to support non-profit organisations

Google's limited pilot program brings people and non-profit projects together through the act of giving $1 a day

Google's latest efforts to change the world have been unveiled, with the launch of the One Today app. The app, currently limited to the U.S and only to Android users, is designed to highlight non-profit organizations and their work and allow you to support them through giving $1. Each day a new project is highlighted with a new opportunity to donate. As with so many other Google projects, you will need to request an invite to take part, so if you're interested hit up the source link below. You will need a Google Wallet account to donate, but if you get in and take a look at this, be sure to jump into the comments below and let us know what you think. 

Source: One Today by Google

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/0qkpKkLmXs8/story01.htm

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VA Supreme Court Gives Episcopal Church Victory Over Breakaways

VA Supreme Court Gives Episcopal Church Victory Over Breakaways

Post by Peter Montgomery

The Virginia Supreme Court today upheld a lower court ruling saying that conservatives at a congregation that voted to leave the Episcopal Church could not take with them the historic Falls Church, where George Washington was once vestryman. The Washington Post?s Michelle Boorstein has the details?about this ruling and its larger context:

Similar disputes have roiled Episcopal churches around the country and other parts of mainline Christianity, not only on questions of gay equality but also more secular issues related to property rights. The Virginia dispute also became an issue in global Anglicanism?of which the Episcopal Church is part?when one of the breakaway leaders was disinvited to a global Anglican meeting.

The conservative congregations have remained part of Anglicanism even after the votes by being taken in by more like-minded Anglican bodies in Africa. They have since formed a U.S. wing they hope will become a separate Anglican branch like the Episcopal Church.

After the Fairfax County Circuit Court decision last year, the Episcopal Church and its Virginia Diocese reached agreements with the other six congregations involved in court to divvy up money and property. Only the Falls Church pursued an appeal.

Source: http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/petermontgomery/7049/va_supreme_court_gives_episcopal_church_victory_over_breakaways/

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Rubio tries to muster conservative support for immigration bill

By Rachelle Younglai

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Senator Marco Rubio on Thursday sought his fellow conservatives' support for a sweeping immigration bill by arguing that doing nothing is tantamount to "amnesty" for the 11 million people who are living in the United States illegally.

Trying to turn the tables on Republican opponents of the overhaul who say it would grant amnesty to law-breakers, Rubio said deportation of all the 11 million, which some conservatives favor, would never happen.

"We all wish we didn't have this problem, but we do and we have to fix it. Because leaving things the way they are, that's the real amnesty," Rubio said at a news conference.

Rubio spoke the day before the Senate Judiciary Committee starts to examine the immigration bill crafted by Rubio and seven other Republican and Democratic senators.

Rubio, a popular conservative already considered a contender for the 2016 presidential nomination, had been pushing for immigration reform even before the eight senators unveiled their legislation this week.

The Florida senator has been stressing the economic benefits of immigration reform and has been careful not to say the bill creates a special path to citizenship - a non-starter for many conservatives.

The bill requires tougher security at the southern border with Mexico before illegal immigrants are given a chance to apply for citizenship. It also establishes a new program to bring in unskilled foreign laborers and increases the number of work visas for high- and low-skilled workers.

Rubio also took his appeal for the bill to influential conservative Rush Limbaugh's radio talk show on Thursday.

Some Republican lawmakers "have stated pretty strong opposition" to the path to citizenship, Arizona Republican Jeff Flake, who is part of the bipartisan Senate group, told reporters after the news conference.

Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, who has been a vocal opponent of the plan, warned on Thursday that the bill would hurt U.S. workers and increase federal deficits as millions of undocumented residents eventually gain citizenship and become eligible for government benefits.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is to start working intensively on the bill in May with a goal of making changes before June.

The measure has a chance of passing the Senate, where Democrats control 55 of the 100 seats. However, its prospects are far less rosy in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where members of Rubio's party have started to coalesce around the idea of granting the illegal immigrants legal status but not citizenship.

(Additional reporting by Richard Cowan and Sam Youngman; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rubio-tries-muster-conservative-support-immigration-bill-233902575.html

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Cantankerous Historian of Science Questions Whether Science Can Achieve "Truth"

One of the best things about teaching at Stevens Institute of Technology, which I joined in 2005, is shooting the shit with distinguished historian of science James E. McClellan III. Jim has authored, co-authored or edited half a dozen books, including Science and Technology in World History: An Introduction, which he wrote with our late Stevens colleague Harold Dorn. The book, which won an award from the World History Association, serves as my textbook when I teach ?History of Science and Technology.? Every time I read the book I learn something new, which perhaps means that I never read it carefully enough. Just kidding. I?ve learned more about the history of science from Jim than I like to admit.

Jim knows much about many things, but he is especially knowledgeable about the history of French science. That is the topic of his monumental new book The Colonial Machine: French Science and Overseas Expansion in the Old Regime, co-written with Francois Regourd. Based on exhaustive research into original archival sources (which gave Jim an excuse to spend lots of time in Paris), the book yields disturbing lessons about the historical linkages of modern science to state power, colonialism and slavery. I recently asked Jim some questions about his book, the history of science and related topics:

Horgan: To what extent can we learn about the emergence of modern science by focusing on pre-revolutionary France?

McClellan: You wouldn?t think that Old-Regime France has much to do with anything except Old-Regime France, yet important stuff happens in the history of science in the period. Conceptually, intellectually, the long eighteenth century bridges the Scientific Revolution and more modern science in the 19th century and down to today. Organizationally, institutionally and in terms of emerging norms in science, pre-revolutionary France is remarkable and incomparable. The history of modern science runs through it.

Horgan: Are there any aspects of pre-revolutionary French science that especially fascinated you?

McClellan: How can anyone seriously be interested in this topic? Of course, I have found much that is fascinating and compelling, but for most people I might as well be talking about Ming dynasty horse farms.

Horgan: Ming dynasty horse farms sound fascinating, actually. So to what extent did early French science help to promote colonialism and slavery?

McClellan: Read our book! Science and medicine were virtually ?means of production? facilitating the success of European expansion, colonialism and slavery. Conversely, Western science and the enterprise of science were enriched and expanded by dint of expanding outward with European and American economic and political imperialism.

Horgan: Is there such a thing as ?pure? science? Science for its own sake? Or does science always serve the interests of some group?

McClellan: Well, there?s ?pure? science in the sense of disinterested natural philosophy and the pursuit of inquiry into nature that is not looking for immediate, applied ends. What science knows and can say of the world abstractly today is a great human accomplishment. By the same token, only na?ve realists like you, John, don?t subscribe to the notion of the social construction of knowledge made by human groups that have their own interests, practices and sociologies. No?

Horgan: I?m the one asking the questions here. Rumor has it that you studied under historian of science Thomas Kuhn at Princeton. Did he turn you into one of those postmodernists who think science never really achieves truth?

McClellan: I took two seminars with Kuhn and saw a fair bit of him over the years I was in graduate school. My dissertation director was the eminent historian of science, Charles Gillispie. Kuhn was a realist (of sorts), but realism and postmodernism are not incompatible. Kuhn and postmodernism are self-evidently correct that science cannot make true and lasting discoveries about nature because we are all stuck within our paradigms (taken loosely), language games, cognitive structures, etc. Is anyone actually seriously going to stand up and tell me something true that is not at the same time a human creation? Let him or her start by telling me what gravity is.

Horgan: Yeah, yeah. Save it for our next faculty lunch. Can history ever become a scientific field, perhaps by incorporating more mathematical modeling or concepts from neuroscience and evolutionary biology?

McClellan: We need to make the (elementary) distinction between ?history? as what happened in the past versus ?history? as the scholarly, intellectual discipline that seeks to inquire into the past and explain change in the past by pursuing debates and research. The latter is already quite multifaceted, with many of its elements and methods scientific, as in a social science. It can even be theory guided, but if you mean that history should or could be like physics, then I think not. But then most sciences aren?t like physics, either.

Horgan: Sometimes physics isn?t like physics, like when it?s peddling string theory. Final question: Do you think modern scientists and engineers can benefit from knowing more history of science?

McClellan: Not really. Stephen Brush?s old 1974 article, ?Should the History of Science be Rated X?,? argued that knowing the history of science is positively harmful to the pursuit of research in science.

Horgan: Just found Brush?s paper online. Provocative! Next time I teach History of Science and Technology, I?m going to force my students to read it and blame you. Thanks, Jim.

Photo: http://crcv.revues.org.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=b55546f6c6a5de3412ce9e5c8842a840

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Xiaomi CEO Bin Lin aims to ship 15 million superphones in 2013, expand sales beyond Asia

Bin Lin, co-founder and president of Xiaomi Corporation, has only been in the business of selling high-spec Android phones for three years. But yet, here he is, talking on stage at D:Dive Into Mobile about just how successful his outfit has become. "No sales, no marketing, no retail -- we price our phones at the build of material," said Lin. That probably sounds like a recipe for disaster in the United States, but it's working exceptionally well in Asia. Lin stated that Xiaomi has reached a clip of around $2 billion in revenue on 1.7 million phones, and in 2013 it's hoping to ship 15 million handsets.

For those who've been paying attention, you'd know that Xiaomi is hawking unsubsidized superphones -- packing the latest and greatest components -- for well under $400. And they're selling out within minutes. "Last year, when we announced the Mi2, for 3-4 months we'd have hundreds of thousands of units available, and they'd be gone within two or three minutes after we posted availability online. We're working hard on distribution -- China is big, and we're aiming to get phones into hands in just three days after purchase."

Gallery: Xiaomi CEO Bin Lin at D:Dive Into Mobile 2013

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/SzaY7Irq09Y/

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Lobbying for the future | MinnPost

Tax Day 2013 arrived on a Monday in Minnesota?s endless winter. Could it get any worse? Well, actually, yes. By this time next year, Minnesota could have a tax system that is more complicated, less transparent and more of a drag on innovation and investment.

The Minnesota Legislature is busy looking under every rock to find new revenue. So far, it has proposed ? and passage seems likely ? ?fees? on homeowners and auto insurance policies to bail out public pension funds, a new health insurance premium tax to pay for the Health Insurance Exchange and a fourth tier on the state income tax to finance new education spending. Other tax increases that are being bandied about include taxes on tobacco and alcohol, an extension of the sales tax to include clothing and some personal services, a surcharge on high-income earners to pay back the shift in payments to schools, a metro-area sales tax increase to finance investments in transit and new taxes on residents of the Rochester area to pay for infrastructure improvements to support Mayo?s planned expansion.

That?s quite a list, even for a DFL-controlled state government. It seems likely that some ? and perhaps all ? of these taxes will become law. That?s not all bad. Some of these new taxes should be imposed. But new taxes shouldn?t be the result of a debate that is framed mainly by ?tax the rich? or ?no new taxes.?

Instead, Minnesota needs a debate framed by a far more important question: ?What is the tax policy Minnesota needs to become a state of innovation, knowledge and economic growth?? If that?s the question, there aren?t many answers to be found in the second paragraph above.?

The challenge is that neither the DFL nor the GOP has a clear vision of what Minnesota?s future should look like. Democrats are insistent on making up for what they see as opportunities lost under the eight years of the Pawlenty Administration. Meanwhile, Republicans are stuck defending the status quo. ?No new taxes? is a working partner to ?no new spending.? The GOP?s approach preserves what isn?t working while blocking investments in government programs that should work better.

The problem with both perspectives was identified by?New York Times?columnist David Brooks in a recent article: ?The future has no lobby, so there are inexorable pressures favoring present consumption over future investment. The crucial point is not whether a dollar is spent publicly or privately, it?s whether it is spent on the present or future. The task today is to reform institutions and rearrange spending so we look like a young nation and not a comfort-seeking, declining one.?

There is Minnesota?s challenge and opportunity in a nutshell. Public policy is too focused on redefining the past or preserving the present instead of creating the future. Yes, Democrats will make the argument that they are investing in early childhood and higher education, infrastructure and other important assets. And Republicans will counter that they are protecting job creators and small businesses in their efforts to build the economy.

There is truth to both those positions. But both also miss the mark, especially on tax reform. What Minnesota needs is a tax system that recognizes the realities of our state. We have a population growing older, moving from their high-earning years to spending years. We live in a world in which capital is increasingly mobile and investment opportunities are connected by technology that have no regard for political borders. And, Minnesota?s economy is based in services and knowledge.

What does all this mean?

First, Minnesota desperately needs tax reform. But tax reform costs money. Reducing taxes on growth and investment require new taxes on consumption. Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk is absolutely right when he makes the case for lowering the sales tax rate and expanding the base to include clothing and personal services.

Second, Minnesota should subsidize knowledge, not individual jobs. Last year, the?New York Times?reported that state and local governments provide at least? $80 billion annually to attract jobs to their communities. The money is provided with little accountability and little evidence that taxpayers are receiving fair value for the giveaways. Invest in lifelong learning and training, infrastructure (including broadband) and incentives for investments in equipment and people and the return will be substantially greater.

Third, taxes should be transparent. Tacking fees onto insurance premiums to pay for unrelated public purposes is absurd. The same can be said for many ?tax expenditures? ? the deductions and credits that clutter our tax code.

Finally, reform won?t happen if it?s left only to legislators. The business community is spending $600,000 to tell Minnesotans what taxes?shouldn?t?be raised. We all would be better off if business leaders were invested in a campaign to engage Minnesotans in a thoughtful discussion of what a fair, transparent and growth-oriented tax should be.

Minnesota needs a lobby for the future. In the end, isn?t that our job?

This post was written by Tom Horner and originally published on NextMinnesota. Follow NextMinnesota on Twitter: @nextMN.

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Source: http://www.minnpost.com/minnesota-blog-cabin/2013/04/lobbying-future

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OfficeSuite Pro 7 update adds new tools, dual screen support

Word, PowerPoint, and Excel editors get new tools to make working with documents easier

OfficeSuite Pro 7 users should check Google Play, because an update to version 7.1.1222 is now live -- multiple tools and features have been added. The major global change this time around is the new dual screen support.

Word documents can now make use of the Oxford Dictionary of English for spell checking, which comes preloaded (other dictionaries can still be downloaded from the Mobile Systems website). Also added was the ability to perform a Google search from within the Word editor, for easy lookup of words and phrases. Tables resize for separate branches in Word is now possible, as is the replacement of existing in-document images. The PowerPoint editor gains links and shadows support, while the Excel editor gets an improved UI and better font formatting, as well as Autofill with cell dragging. Excel sheets can now be reordered too.

Adding your own images becomes easier, with the ability to take a picture and insert it directly into Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files. Problems with Mobile Systems' companion app, QuickSpell, has been worked on and compatibility has been improved.

If you don't already own this app, but Jerry's recommendation was enough to convince you to jump onboard, you can follow the Play Store link at the top to download.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/_i8Crw3y0fQ/story01.htm

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The Importance of Personal Finance Budgeting | Really Bad Credit ...

Finance is often made more complex than it needs to be, and proper personal finance budgeting to build wealth need not be stressful. Simply by following a few simple basic rules of personal finance your budgeting will not only get you back on financial track but begin the process of wealth creation that we all deserve.

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Source: http://reallybadcreditoffers.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/the-importance-of-personal-finance-budgeting/

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T-Mobile HTC One pegged for April 24 launch in 'select stores'

Pricing hits at $99 down with $20 monthly payments, or $249 on-contract at authorized retailers

Everyone has been waiting to get their eyes on any availability information for the HTC One, and it looks like T-Mobile is readying the device for an April 24th launch. Coming by way of a leaked internal documents giving the details, it looks as though "select stores" are going to carry the device at launch, with a big marketing push by the carrier. These select stores will have employees wearing HTC shirts and heavily promoting the device for the first few days. T-Mobile's new "Simple Choice" no-contract plans mix up the pricing as well. The One will set you back $99 down and 24 months of $20 payments, or $579 in total. Authorized retailers like Best Buy still sell devices with typical 2-year contracts, and will have the One at $249 on a "Classic Plan".

Some AT&T stores are apparently a bit relaxed on their HTC One sales dates, but if T-Mobile is your network of choice it looks like you won't have to wait much longer. Keep an eye out for official word from your local T-Mobile store to see if it will be one of the select launch stores. You can check out the leaked document after the break as well.

Source: TmoNews

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/dPJu-rkypTg/story01.htm

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