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!! .

Friday, 19 September 2014

Perrie Edwards Tries Out 2 Dramatic New Hairstyles

Perrie Edwards Tries Out 2 Dramatic New Hairstyles 


Little Mix's Perrie Edwards is always switching up her hairstyles, frequently trying out colorful new ombre, boho waves, and cool hair accessories. Now, she showed off two totally different new looks on Instagram: a cool middle part braid and a curly afro wig!
 we're really loving how the darker hairstyle brings out her deep blue eyes.!

Thursday, 18 September 2014

iOS 8 Adoption Off To A Slower Start Than iOS 7, Say Multiple Usage Trackers

iOS 8 Adoption Off To A Slower Start Than iOS 7, Say Multiple Usage Trackers


The iOS 8 installation spike is high, but lower than it was for iOS 7 last year, according to numbers from a variety of mobile OS usage monitoring platforms.

Chitika,
Tapjoy,
Mixpanel and
Appsee all show adoption numbers that, while high, fall short of the rocketing pick-up rate we saw when Apple launched its major visual overhaul of iOS just ahead of the iPhone 5s launch in 2013.
Mixpanel and Appsee’s live iOS 8 update tracker both show an adoption rate of between 16 and 17 percent, which represents the total percentage of users on iOS 8 that are running the apps which use their mobile analytics products. That’s about half the rate of adoption we saw after the first day last year, according to Mixpanel CEO Suhail Doshi, who said it was at

 around 38 percent after the first 24 hours for iOS 7.
Doshi suggests a couple of reasons for iOS 8 falling off pace compared to iOS 7, telling me that first, iOS 8 is “too big to [download] over the air — people have too many pictures,” and that second, “lots of companies are telling their employees not to update for a couple of days because of security holes found in previous years.” Many users took to Twitter to voice their disappointment that iOS 8 required so much space free on their devices prior to an update, and while a tethered update via the computer and iTunes eliminates this problem, it’s still an additional step that makes things more difficult than they were last year.

Still, Doshi points out that Android KitKat took nine months to attain 40 percent market share, so Apple’s rate of adoption is still incredibly fast by comparison. It’s likely the adoption will also grow as more people upgrade to iPhone 6 hardware, and we could be looking at a larger upgrade pool than usual this year, which means a lot of users potentially not bothering to update their older iPhone hardware before their new ones arrive.


Tapjoy’s numbers show iOS 8 being adopted at a slower pace than both iOS 7 and iOS 6, based on its initial numbers, and Chitika has the percent of iOS-powered mobile devices on the new system at 7.3 precent, which is also under both previous generation devices. Another reason for the slower uptake that they suggest in their blog post is the fact that iOS 7 was a major visual overhaul with lots of new things for the end user, which probably drove a lot more early-adopter interest.

Twitter to TV Networks: Live-Tweeting Is Good for Your Shows

Twitter to TV Networks: Live-Tweeting Is Good for Your Shows


With the new TV season under way, Twitter’s got a message for network executives: Do more live-tweeting of your shows.

The company released an internal study Thursday that found networks and studios that live-tweet during their popular programming — that is, post and respond to user tweets while the show is on the air — can dramatically boost followers and Twitter mentions.

Posting from a show’s Twitter handle, like @GameofThrones or @ScandalABC, increases total Twitter conversation by about 7 percent during television premieres, Twitter found. Having the show’s cast members live-tweet is even better, increasing total tweets by 64 percent.
Twitter has often talked about how it’s the perfect companion to TV, and it’s previously argued — along with its partner Nielsen — how it can boost TV ratings in some cases. But the pressure is still on Twitter to prove that increased activity on its service boosts the value of what’s on TV. More recently, it has started to adjust its messaging, talking about terms like “engagement” to describe its benefits.

Some TV executives don’t think Twitter helps ratings all that much, an assessment CEO Dick Costolo has openly disagreed with. Whether or not Twitter helps to draw in more viewers, media executives will certainly want to try anything to increase ratings, which have been tanking lately. And if networks believe tweeting helps ratings, they’re more likely to use Twitter as an ad platform to foster more Twitter conversations.

But that could get tricky when Twitter is also trying to sell TV-style ads, which it has already beta testing. Part of the reason for that move is television still draws in more ad dollars than any other media, including the Web, and that’s likely to continue for some time.

With today’s internal study, Twitter continues to argue its benefits to TV. Increasing follower counts can help a show establish new fans (or hold onto existing ones), according to Anjali Midha, Twitter’s head of global media and agency research. This is particularly true among genres like sports, live events (Oscars, Emmy’s, etc.) and reality TV, where users can jump in mid-broadcast without needing as much prior context, she added.

“Those categories are ones where we’re seeing tweets are actually driving people to change the channel in that very moment,” says Midha. “Scripted genres (sitcoms, dramas) are a little bit more challenging and I think there may be a little bit of a distance between the exposure to tweets and the actual act of tuning into something.”

Tablets Aren't Special Anymore

Tablets Aren't Special Anymore

Timothy Stenovec
The Huffington Post 

Five years ago, Apple released its first iPad at a price of $500. Now, you can buy a solid tablet for less than many people spend on cable and Internet each month.
Amazon on Wednesday unveiled a new lineup of durable tablets, dubbed the Fire HD, that start at only $99. If you spend $50 more for the Fire HD Kids Edition -- which is pretty much the same as the Fire HD, but comes with kid-specific software, parental controls and a soft but beefy bumper case -- Amazon will give you a two-year replacement guarantee. That means that if you crack the screen, plop the device in the tub (please don't use a tablet in the tub), or drop it and send its innards flying everywhere, Amazon will replace the tablet "no questions asked." Yes, Amazon will give you a free HD tablet if you break yours.
Decent tablets have gotten really cheap. According to IDC, the technology research firm, the average tablet cost in the U.S. decreased from $476 in the first quarter of 2012 to $378 in the first quarter of this year. Instead of buying high-end tablets like the iPad, people are going for less expensive models because they're good enough.

Amazon's cheap tablets are not by any means equal to the more premium options out there, and they're not par with the $379 high-end tablet Amazon also announced on Wednesday. But if you just want to read, browse the web, watch Netflix or download movies from Amazon, or need a tablet that kids can throw around, then you'd probably be happy with a Fire HD.
The company's strategy is to sell its hardware at or near cost, and make money when you buy books, movies, music, TV shows or other things from Amazon.
Amazon's new, cheap tablets come as the market for tablets is slowing down. According to IDC, tablet shipments are expected to grow 19.4 percent this year, down from an explosive 51.6 percent growth rate in 2013. As an increasing number of quality, cheap alternatives have become available, iPad sales have dropped off a cliff -- down 9 percent last quarter and 16 percent in the previous quarter, compared year-over-year. After an initial frenzy, people are upgrading their tablets less frequently, and when they do buy new tablets, they're increasingly buying on the cheaper side.

This article originally appeared in The Huffington Post

Google is making encryption standard in the next version of Android

Google is making encryption standard in the next version of Android

Josh Lowensohn
The Verge

 
Less than a day after Apple detailed new efforts in user privacy for its products, Google now says it plans to encrypt user data on all Android devices. In a statement provided to The Washington Post, Google says data encryption will now be a part of the activation process instead of an optional feature. The end result is that whatever data is stored on that device, be it a phone or tablet, will be inaccessible unless the person has the correct password.

"You won't even have to think about turning it on."

"For over three years Android has offered encryption, and keys are not stored off of the device, so they cannot be shared with law enforcement," a Google spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge. "As part of our next Android release, encryption will be enabled by default out of the box, so you won't even have to think about turning it on."

Google's already outlined its plans for the next version of Android, called Android L . Much of the change is visual, with Google moving to a new look it's calling Material Design , though the company made some major changes to the software underpinnings. While there's no firm release date yet, Google said in June to expect it sometime later this year.

In Apple's case, the company already began encrypting user data for all users as part of iOS 8, a free update that became available yesterday. The company said that not even it can bypass a user passcode to access their data, tying its hands from offering such a service to law enforcement officials.

Find Out Why Directioners Are Terrified About Harry Styles' Health

Find Out Why Directioners Are Terrified About Harry Styles' Health


GETTY IMAGES
We can't get over how many injuries the guys of One Direction seem to be having lately. Liam Payne hurt his hand on vacation, and now Harry Styles seems to be having chest pain issues! During 1D's performance at the Rose Bowl Stadium over the weekend, Harry struggled to make it through "Best Song Ever."

Even though he's obviously in pain, he still keeps singing!

Luckily, his bandmates had his back. Zayn Malik checked to make sure Harry was doing okay, which was really sweet.
However, we don't think there's anything seriously wrong with Harry's health. Harry made it to One Direction's next stop in Phoenix, and tweeted after their Rose Bowl show that he was so grateful for all the Directioners. He wrote, "Waking up after playing those shows makes you feel like a very lucky chap."
If he was in serious pain, we don't think he would be tweeting at all! Still, fans were majorly worried about Harry, even causing #InternationalHarryStylesDay to trend on Twitter.

Apple Will No Longer Unlock iOS Devices For Police

Apple Will No Longer Unlock iOS Devices For Police

Andrew Hart
The Huffington Post 


Apple unveiled a host of new privacy features Wednesday night and said it would not unlock encrypted iPhones and iPads for law enforcement under most circumstances. The move comes as tech companies struggle to manage public concerns that they have been too obliging to government requests for user data.

The new measures were announced on the day that Apple rolled out iOS 8, its new mobile operating system. On a new privacy site, Apple outlines the new features, offers tips for users on how to manage their privacy, and explains how Apple will respond to government information requests.
"On devices running iOS 8, your personal data such as photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders is placed under the protection of your passcode," the company said. "Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data. So it's not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8."

“This is a great move,” Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist for the ACLU, told the Washington Post. “This seems to be the result of pressure, because of the Snowden revelations. Apple seems to be putting user privacy ahead of many other things... There are going to be a lot of unhappy law enforcement officials.”

Apple is also touting its record of fighting for user's privacy, claiming that it has never created a "backdoor" for government agencies to access user data, a growing concern among consumers in the wake of reports on tactics used by the NSA and disclosed by Edward Snowden.

The company also said that it publishes all requests for data that are permitted by law.
"In the first six months of 2014, we received 250 or fewer of these requests," the company said.
A message from Apple CEO Tim Cook accompanied the site, pledging that the company would strive to be more transparent in how it handles user privacy.

We're publishing this website to explain how we handle your personal information, what we do and don't collect, and why. We're going to make sure you get updates here about privacy at Apple at least once a year and whenever there are significant changes to our policies.

A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you're not the customer. You're the product. But at Apple, we believe a great customer experience shouldn't come at the expense of your privacy.

Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products. We don't build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don't "monetize" the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don't read your email or your messages to get information to market to you. Our software and services are designed to make our devices better. Plain and simple.

 
Along with announcing the stance Apple is taking with government requests for data, the new site explains the privacy features in new iOS 8 apps and services. Apple also addresses how users can bolster security on their devices, something that has been of especially great concern following the apparent hacking of some celebrity iCloud accounts.

This article originally appeared in The Huffington Post

Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford diagnosed with rare, difficult cancer

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford diagnosed with rare, difficult cancer

Reuters 

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has a very rare and difficult type of cancerous tumor, his doctor said on Wednesday, adding he would start chemotherapy treatment within days.
Ford, a larger-than-life figure who made international headlines with his admission that he smoked crack cocaine while in office, was hospitalized last week after having unbearable abdominal pains. He dropped out of the mayoral race last week.
In a briefing on Wednesday, Toronto doctor Zane Cohen said the mayor had malignant liposarcoma, a type of cancerous tumor that arises in fat cells in deep soft tissue.

Goat-inspired prosthetic leg is designed to give rock climbers better footing

Goat-inspired prosthetic leg is designed to give rock climbers better footing

Sean Buckley
Engadget


For all the neural-controlled, bluetooth-enabled and sport-specific prosthetics humanity has designed over the years, one thing remains constant: most of of them are lousy for climbing rock faces. Design student Kai Lin learned this while researching artificial limbs in a prosthetic-design class at Pratt Institute -- traditional leg prosthetics don't have enough grip or articulation to facilitate effective climbing. Lin's solution to the problem is almost elegant in its simplicity. He designed a prosthetic leg inspired by one of nature's best rock climbers: the mountain goat.

Why a goat? Well, aside from the amazing YouTube videos one can find of the creatures scaling near vertical rock faces, Lin found that the cupped surface of the goat's hooves create natural suction on hard surfaces. Better still, the hard outer shell gives the animals stable footing on steep rocks. Inspired by the hoof, Lin created three prototype stilts to help him refine the footing for his prosthetic design, eventually settling on a mid-sized foot with a hoof-like sole.

Does it work? Unfortunately, we don't know just yet. Lin is still in the design phase, and hasn't reached the point where he's comfortable producing a working prototype. When he does finish the design, he plans on calling the prosthetic Klippa -- Swedish for "cliff." You can check out the student's design work at the Pratt Institute link at the source link below.

Atlas V rocket launches, taking satellite aloft

Atlas V rocket launches, taking satellite aloft

Associated Press 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A communications satellite has been launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, carried aloft aboard an Atlas 5 rocket.

The Atlas V lifted off at 8:10 p.m. Tuesday through a dark and cloudy sky after several weather-related delays. Liftoff came near the end of a nearly 2 and ½ hour window.

United Launch Alliance, which is behind the Atlas V, oversaw the mission launching the so-called CLIO satellite built by Lockheed-Martin. Officials released no information about the satellite's mission nor for which government agency it was sent into space.

Space officials have said the satellite was built using commercial technology found in hundreds of other private and government satellites currently in orbit.

Self-driving cars now need a permit in California

Self-driving cars now need a permit in California

JUSTIN PRITCHARD
Associated Press 


LOS ANGELES — Computer-driven cars have been testing their skills on California roads for more than four years — but until now, the Department of Motor Vehicles wasn't sure just how many were rolling around.

That changed Tuesday, when the agency required self-driving cars to be registered and issued testing permits that let three companies dispatch 29 vehicles onto freeways and into neighborhoods — with a human behind the wheel in case the onboard equipment makes a bad decision.
These may be the cars of the future, but for now they represent a tiny fraction of California's approximately 32 million registered vehicles.

Google's souped-up Lexus SUVs are the biggest fleet, with 25 vehicles. Mercedes and the Volkswagen Group of America have two vehicles each, said Bernard Soriano, the DMV official overseeing the state's "autonomous vehicle" regulation-writing process. A "handful" of other companies are applying for permits, he said.

The permits formally regulate testing that already was underway. Google alone is closing in on 1 million miles. The technology giant has bet heavily on the vehicles, which navigate using sophisticated sensors and detailed maps.

Finally, government rules are catching up.

In 2012, the California Legislature directed the DMV to regulate the emerging technology. Rules that the agency first proposed in January went into effect Tuesday. Among them:
— Test drivers must have a sparkling driving record, complete a training regimen and enroll in a program that informs their employer if they get in an accident or are busted for driving under the influence off hours.

— Companies must report to the state any accidents, as well as how many times their vehicles unexpectedly disengage from self-driving mode, whether due to a failure of the technology or because the human driver takes over in an emergency. They also must have insurance or other coverage to pay for property or personal injury claims of up to $5 million.
California passed its law after Nevada and Florida and before Michigan. The federal government has not acted, and national regulations appear to be years away.
It's impossible to know the total number of self-driving cars being tested on public roads because, unlike California and Nevada, Michigan does not require special permits to test self-driving cars on public roads.

Toyota, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are "all running around here with some form of autonomous vehicle," said James Fackler, assistant administrator for the Michigan Department of State, which registers motor vehicles. Carmakers do not need a permit — manufacturer's license plates are enough, and those plates can also be used on future models or other kinds of experimental cars.

Nevada has issued several test vehicle licenses to Google, VW and the auto supplier Continental, according to its Department of Motor Vehicles.
In Florida, only Audi has tested self-driving technology and no testing is ongoing, according to a spokesman for the state's motor vehicles department.
With California's testing rules in effect, the DMV is drafting regulations that will govern self-driving cars once they are ready for the general public.
Those rules, which the DMV must finish by year's end, will untie knotty issues such as whether a person needs to be in the vehicle at all.

The Most Expensive Apple Watch Could Cost Five Grand (AAPL)

The Most Expensive Apple Watch Could Cost Five Grand (AAPL)

Sam Colt
Business Insider 

Last week Apple unveiled the Apple Watch and insiders have already begun speculating how much the device might cost.

We know the least expensive model, Apple Watch Sport, will start at $349. But the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition could retail for as much as $4,999, according to Apple insider John Gruber.
Gruber speculated on Apple Watch pricing in his latest blog post.
"Most people think I’m joking when I say the gold ones are going to start at $5,000," said Gruber. "I couldn’t be more serious."

If that sounds like a lot, it is. But bear in mind that the Apple Watch Edition will be made with 18-karat gold, not just plated with it.

Gruber says the least he could see the Apple Watch Edition costing is $1,999. But he says that price point is unlikely because the components alone would be worth more than that.
The Apple Watch is slated for release in early 2015. We'll have to wait until then to know precisely how many thousands it will cost.