5 SECONDS OF SUMMER

Michael Clifford Fires Back at Abigail Breslin's Diss Track

Stars Most Stylish Selfie of the Week

Stars Most Stylish Selfie of the Week

GMAIL BLOCKED IN CHINA

5-Minute Outfit Idea

5-Minute Outfit Idea: An Effortless, Polished Look to Try This Weekend.

Facebook suffers outage

Facebook suffers outage affecting users worldwide!! .

Saturday, 2 August 2014

Amazon Wants Cheaper E-Books. But Should It Get to Enforce Prices?

Amazon Wants Cheaper E-Books. But Should It Get to Enforce Prices?

FARHAD MANJOO
The New York Times 














In a short blog post meant to shed light on its contract dispute with the publisher Hachette, Amazon argued this week that its data proved that lower e-book prices were better for everyone in the market for books. That includes authors, publishers, customers and Amazon itself.
Amazon also said that in addition to looking for cheaper books, it was asking for just 30 percent of the price of an e-book — far less than many in the publishing industry had feared the company was seeking in its dispute with Hachette.

At first blush, the retailer’s numbers, and its transparency, are encouraging.
But when you compare the market for e-books with other thriving digital markets, a larger question emerges: Why should the price of books be contractually enforced at all?

Amazon says its data shows that e-books are “price elastic” goods — meaning that sales are sensitive to changes in price. Lower-priced e-books sell vastly more copies than high-priced books, so cheap books result in higher total revenue than if books were more expensive.
The company gives one example to support this argument. Based on its sales data, the firm says that an e-book that would sell 100,000 copies at $14.99 each would sell about 174,000 copies at the lower price of $9.99.

“Total revenue at $14.99 would be $1,499,000,” the company notes. “Total revenue at $9.99 is $1,738,000.” Not only would authors and publishers get 16 percent more money at the lower price, they’d get 74 percent more readers. And each customer, of course, would get to spend a third less.

This sounds reasonable. But as you think about Amazon’s example, a couple of red flags pop up. Amazon declined to discuss its blog post on the record, but its post notes that its data is based on aggregate sales over a wide number of books in its Kindle store. This suggests that price elasticity for specific titles varies widely according to author, genre, length, difficulty and perhaps several other factors.

This makes intuitive sense: Wouldn’t people pay more for a 750-page book by Stephen King than, say, a 100-pager by an unknown debut novelist, Steven Qing? So while it may be true that $9.99 is better than $14.99 in general, certain books might make the most money at $10.99, $11.99, $12.99 — or even $2.99.
Then there’s the question of the market for print books. Some of the people who are willing to buy an e-book at $9.99 but not at $14.99 might be coming over from the market for print books. So what if the increased revenue that authors and publishers get from low-priced e-books is outweighed by lowered revenue through cannibalized print sales? Amazon, which sells print books, would know whether this is the case, but its post says nothing about print titles.

That gets to the larger problem with Amazon’s post. If the optimal market price for an e-book is $9.99, why does Amazon need to push for the lower price as part of a contract negotiation? Why can’t it let publishers set prices for themselves, preferably with the help of Amazon’s sales data, in the hope that they will eventually hit on the economically optimal price?

You might say that publishers can’t be trusted to act in their own interest. After all, a federal court has found that publishers illegally colluded with Apple to collectively raise the price of books; that collusion resulted in higher prices and lower sales of e-books. So perhaps Amazon feels that it needs to force publishers to settle on $9.99 in most cases because otherwise they’d shoot themselves in the foot.

That could be so. But it’s worth noting that contractually enforcing prices is something of an antiquated practice in digital marketplaces. Sure, when Apple set up the iTunes store, it created a set price for songs. But that was more than a decade ago; since then, digital marketplaces have matured, and we’ve seen a dizzying array of new business models. There are subscription-based music and media services, games funded by in-app purchases, social networks funded by ads, and hardware companies funded by e-commerce.

Some of these work better than others. But it was only through experimentation that app makers figured out the best way to pay for their code. If Apple hadn’t allowed for this experimentation in its app store — if Steve Jobs had decided that all apps would cost $2.99, period — the app market wouldn’t be the thriving multibillion-dollar business it is now.

The same logic applies to books. I take Amazon at its word when it says it is interested in creating a thriving market for e-books. But the market for e-books is pretty new, and it stands to reason that the best business model for publishers, authors, readers, and booksellers has yet to be found. In the end, we may see many different ways to pay for books.

Creating a single, typical price for e-books would stifle that potentially glorious future; $9.99 might work fine some of the time, but no price is  perfect for everyone, always.

Correction: August 1, 2014, Friday
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: An earlier version of this post misspelled the first name of an author. He is Stephen King, not Steven King.

Friday, 1 August 2014

Is the Crazy Crimped Hair Trend Coming Back?

Is the Crazy Crimped Hair Trend Coming Back?

Crimped hair is one of our favorite beauty trends, and it always comes back in style in cool new ways. Gigi Hadid just shared a pretty new pic of her throwback tight waves, proving that the style we all loved a few years ago is becoming hot again. Stars like Bella Thorne and Zac Efron were all fans of the daring look back in the day and rocked it in totally over-the-top ways!

Bella Thorne
Credit: Getty

Zac Efron
Credit: Tumblr
                              


Hilary Duff
Credit: Tumblr

Favorite Look of the Week:

Favorite Look of the Week:

Monday, August 4:

Credit: Splash News
Zendaya looked so cute rocking a casual yet glam outfit at a birthday party for Ludacris' daughter. We love how she paired comfy sweats and colorful kicks with a polished blazer and delicate jewelry. Plus, we love her breezy hairstyle and makeup-free glow

Friday, August 1:

Credit: Splash News
Zayn Malik looked so cool rocking a graphic black and white floral shirt at Chiltern Firehouse in London.


Friday, July 25:


The actress was jetting out of Los Angeles and dressed down for her flight in an all-black outfit which consisted of her trademark T-shirt and skinny jeans.
The only pop of colour in Kristen’s outfit came in the form of blue trainers, and she wore sunglasses over her make-up free face.

Monday, July 21:

Credit:Splash News

Saturday, July 13:


Getty Images

Emma Watson looked really cool At a Dior dinner in Paris, France wearing black top with black jeans.



Saturday, July 12:




GC Images
Taylor Swift looked SO  sporting an edgy and modern suit walking around in New York City. The dramatic all-black style is definitely a different look that we're used to seeing on Taylor, but her fashion risk definitely paid off!


Friday, July 11:



Credit: Courtesy of Hasbro

Austin Mahone looked so cool  on the red carpet meet and greet for the Simon Swipe Presents Austin Mahone Live event at the iHeartRadio Theater in NYC. We love his totally stylish black and white striped hoodie and colorful sneakers!



Wednesday, June 9



Credit: Twitter

Harry Styles looked incredible rocking a turban-like headband and cool white shirt with black stripes in Barcelona, Spain. He made his look even more casual by unbuttoning a bit of his linen shirt (swoon) and rocking aviator sunglasses.


Stars' All-Time Favorite Gifts from Fans

Stars' All-Time Favorite Gifts from Fans
Everyone dreams of giving their favorite celebrity the kind of gift that will make them stand out from the crowd, which is exactly what happened to one of Ansel Elgort's fans. A Nerdfighter came up to the Fault In Our Stars actor at the airport and gave him a Knicks basketball phone case. He was so excited that he put it on his phone, snapped a selfie, and and captioned the pic, "You guys know me too well!!!! A fan at the airport just gave me this case! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! #knickstape." ,With so many loyal fans in the world, we've decided to round up more gifts that have touched our favorite stars' hearts. 

Ansel Elgort


Credit: Instagram
Ansel was beyond ecstatic when a fan came up to him and gave him a Knicks phone case. "You guys know me too well!!!!" he wrote. "THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!"

Ariana Grande



Credit: Getty Images/Instagram

Arianators sent the singer a box with inspirational quotes and stories in it. Each day, Ariana is supposed to read a message that will make her smile.

Taylor Swift
Credit: Facebook

Taylor's fans made the singer a beautiful sparkly puzzle that has the sweetest message when it's put together -- “Taylor Swift, your music connects people all over the world and ties them together with a smile. lovelovelove your Fearless Fans.”

Selena Gomez
Credit: Twitter
Selena was showered with gifts when she went to Japan. While we're sure she was happy to be surrounded by so many stuffed animals, Sel really loved the heart her fans made her.


R5
Credit: Instagram
Ross really liked this personalized blanket a fan made the band. We bet he even has it on his bed!

Austin Mahone
Credit: youtube
Austin gets wonderful gifts from his fans all the time, but he's especially fond of this poster a fan made him. The singer has it hanging up in his room and even called it "remarkable."

One Direction

Credit: Facebook
One Direction is all about fan art. If you can draw, we bet they'd love to see a picture!

Thursday, 31 July 2014

Louis Tomlinson Teases One Direction's Fun New Perfume Video

Louis Tomlinson Teases One Direction's Fun New Perfume Video



Fans were so excited when 
One Direction shared a new Instagram pic featuring Louis Tomlinson — and not just because his hair looks amazing in the snap! In the photo, Louis gave us a sneak peek of the storyboard drawing ideas for the upcoming commercial for 1D's new scent, You & I.

The photo is captioned "Louis does all his own stunts," which means the new video is bound to be full of entertaining and fun action shots. It looks like the 1D guys will be dressing like robbers and breaking into a vault to steal the cool new fragrance bottle, and Fans can't wait to see it happen!


Cody Simpson Defends Justin Bieber's Fight With Orlando Bloom

Cody Simpson Defends Justin Bieber's Fight With Orlando Bloom


Even though Cody Simpson and Justin Bieber are such good friends that they're rumored to beworking on an album together, we still weren't sure how Cody would react to Justin's brawl withOrlando Bloom. Despite the drama, the "Surfboard" singer didn't hold back when asked about his feelings towards his bestie.
"Obviously we're all young and he gets himself into some stuff sometimes," Cody told with Australia's The Morning Show. "He's a person I'd go to for everything. He's like a big brother. He has the world in his hands as he does a lot of good as well. I've got all good things to say."
Of course, we don't know how Cody would react to Justin's Instagram retaliation, but it seems like he's sticking with his bro no matter what.

Is Louis Tomlinson Mad at Zayn Malik for Missing His Mom's Wedding?

Is Louis Tomlinson Mad at Zayn Malik for Missing His Mom's Wedding?
When Zayn Malik didn't show up to Louis Tomlinson's mom's wedding and instead chose to go on acamping trip with Perrie Edwards' family, people assumed there was One Direction drama. We thought everything was cool, but now The Sun claims that Louis is mad at Zayn for skipping out on the wedding!
"Louis was very disappointed that Zayn decided not to attend his mom's wedding," their source said. "The boys have been through so much together over the past four years that their families have all grown close, so Louis was upset at the no-show."
You might have been worried when you saw #LouisAnswerYourPhone trending on Twitter, but Louis isn't ignoring Zayn's phone calls — Zayn might just be making a joke!

We think they Louis and Zayn are as tight as ever. While Louis probably wanted Zayn to be at his mom's ceremony, we don't think Zayn's absence would cause any serious drama, especially because the 1D boys spend so much time together and are there for each other when they need it.

Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Justin Bieber Fires Back at Orlando Bloom

Justin Bieber Fires Back at Orlando Bloom


After getting into a physical altercation with the Pirates of the Caribbean actor and posting a photo of Orlando's ex-wife on his Instagram account, Justin is adding more fuel to the fire. The singer recently posted the photo below of Orlando wiping away his tears.
Fans were hoping the guys would resolve their differences but it doesn't seem like they've made any progress. If anything, Justin's photo will just make things worse.

One Direction's Zayn Malik supports palestine

One Direction's Zayn Malik supports palestine


One Direction's Zayn Malik supports palestine  he tweeted  #FreePalestine .Malik's tweet has already gathered around 150,000 retweets and favourites after he posted the message to his 13 million followers. 
One Direction's Zayn Malik received death threats after pledging his support to the #FreePalestine campaign . 

Eid Special Recipe: Tabouli Salad

Eid Special Recipe: Tabouli Salad

Eid Special Recipe: Tabouli Salad

Ingredients

We need 1 small onion

1 tsp of dry mint

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup of fine bulgur

2 bunches of parsley

2 medium chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup of lemon juice

1 tsp of salt

Lettuce leaves for garnishing


 Method

Firstly, to prepare your special salad for Eid, soak the bulgur in sufficient amount of water for 15 minutes.

After that drain it well.

Then, put all the ingredients in a cooking bowl and add olive oil.

Chill this mixture in refrigerator.

Take it out, once the dish has cooled enough.

Decorate with lettuce leaves.

Your `Eid special` Tabouli Salad is ready to be served.

You'll Never Guess Who Tried to Punch Justin Bieber

You'll Never Guess Who Tried to Punch Justin Bieber


Justin Bieber's tiffs with the paparazzi are pretty well-known, but we never expected him to get into a full-blown fight with another celeb. According to footage found by TMZOrlando Bloom and Justin got into such a heated argument that Orlando tried to take a swing at Justin the Ibiza restaurant!
While we knew there was some tension between Justin and Orlando  we had no clue things would actually get physical. Justin's bodyguards seemed to diffuse the tension, and who knows what would have happened if they weren't there?
Still, Justin seemed unfazed by the fight, even tweeting that he was keeping things positive.

But their argument got pretty heated, so we wonder exactly what they were fighting about. Shockingly, Selena might only be part of the reason that they had such an intense encounter!


Facebook Is Killing Off Its Gift Service Altogether

Facebook Is Killing Off Its Gift Service Altogether


The laziest way to send your nearest and dearest a gift is gone: Facebook has announced that it's killing off its Gifts service entirely as of August 12th.
This time last year, Facebook shuttered the part of its gift service that allowed users to order physical presents through the site. Instead, for the past twelve months you've been able to send digital gift cards to friends on the social network. Now, though, reports Re/code, it's decided to shut down the whole outfit.
According to Facebook, the decision is part of a move to help developers and businesses that use Facebook to drive their own sales, rather than turning Facebook into its own online store. Indeed, Facebook has recently been trialling a Buy button, asserting itself as kind of storefront where it handles the transactions and third parties fulfil the orders.
That may be true. But the other reason that Facebook is shutting down Gifts? Because nobody used it.