Aretha Franklin Sings 'Happy Birthday' to Taylor Swift

Aretha Franklin Sings 'Happy Birthday' to Taylor Swift 

Taylor Swift blows out the candles on her cake with the legendary singerAretha Franklin by her side at the 2014 Billboard Women of the Year event held at Cipriani Wall Street on Friday (December 12) in New York City.

The 24-year-old singer will be celebrating her 25th birthday TOMORROW (December 13) and she got a super cool gift at the event – Aretha sang “Happy Birthday” to her!

Matt Lauer was hosting the event and the other honorees on stage were Ariana Grande, Jessie J, Idina Menzel, Charli XCX, and Hayley Williams.

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Amazon's Android app has quietly been removed from Google Play

Amazon's Android app has quietly been removed from Google Play

When Amazon updated its primary Android app with an "Apps & Games" section, it was a milestone in third-party distribution: finally, you could access Amazon's library of applications without side-stepping Google Play. It didn't last long -- Amazon's app store mysteriously disappeared from Google Play this week. Well sort of, the URL for the Amazon app's product page is still active, but it's no longer searchable from within Google Play. Why the sudden return to the status quo? It's exactly what you'd expect: Google didn't like facing competition from within its own app store.
Amazon contests that its updated app is still the best way to experience its marketplace on Android, but said in an official statement that it had to be removed following an update to Google's Developer Distribution Agreement. Android Police dug up the specific wording and found that the agreement now bars any app that "facilitates the distribution of software applications and games for use on Android devices outside of the Store." Previous versions of the distribution rules only banned apps whose "primary purpose" was app distribution - the loophole that allowed Amazon to put its app store on Google Play in the first place. In response, Amazon is releasing a new Amazon Shopping app to Google Play /without/ access to its own app library. Want the complete, integrated experience instead? You'll have to download it from Amazon's website, just like before.
Android Police,
TechCrunch

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Seagate starts shipping 8TB hard drives that cost only $260

Seagate starts shipping 8TB hard drives that cost only $260

Here's something you can get for yourself these holidays : a 3.5-inch 8TB drive from Seagate that costs only $260 -- we didn't forget an extra number in that figure, promise. That's a lot cheaper than HGST's helium-filled 8TB disk drive, which is listed for $1,000 on newegg and just a bit more on Amazon. And, it's significantly more affordable than OCZ's 1TB SSD released only five years ago (remember when 1TB drives excited you?) for $2,200. This product is part of the brand's new Archive HDD line launched a few months ago, which uses Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) technology that can fit more data on a platter than the typical drive. The line also includes 6TB and 5TB options, if 8TB is already excessive.
It is slower than many recent SSDs (it has a read speed of 150MB/s, whereas the SSDs in this list of best models for 2014 have an average speed of 550MB/s), so it's probably best to pair it up with one. Still, at 3 cents a gig, that's not such a bad deal. According to Extremetech, Seagate has just started shipping out units to retailers, so if you want one as a stocking stuffer, your best bet is to look around. Amazon only has a 20-pack bundle for sale right now, and it won't be sent your way until January 2015.
Seagate

Mariella Moon

Engadget 

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You Won't Believe What Harry Styles Thinks About on Stage!

Harry Styles recently admitted that he tends to get distracted on stage if he's hungry before a show — and usually he can't stop thinking about tea! This is definitely a bit surprising figuring the One Direction guy used to have crippling anxiety about performing.

“Every show is different, but sometimes I do wonder what I'll be having for my tea that night. But I try to remain focused," he told Top of the Pops magazine.

The next time you see Harry get a far-away look in his eyes on stage, chances are he's thinking about tea.

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Niall Horan Caught Singing Taylor Swift's Song About Harry Styles

Niall Horan Caught Singing Taylor Swift's Song About Harry Styles

Niall Horan was recently caught singing Taylor Swift's song "Out of the Woods," which is her most detailed song about Harry Styles. A fan captured the moment on her phone at a book signing for their autobiography and posted it on Vine.

We're starting to think that Niall may be Taylor's number one fan We think it's interesting that Niall is so open about his Swiftie status, especially since Liam has been obviously avoiding Taylor (even refusing to clap after her performance). We wonder how Harry reacts when the One Direction guy bursts into song.

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Taylor Swift Compares Her Outfit To None Other Than Paddington Bear

Taylor Swift Compares Her Outfit To None Other Than Paddington Bear

Taylor Swift is always seen looking super cute walking on the streets of New York City, but her outfit yesterday looked oddly familiar. Tay took to her Instagram for the ultimate "Who Wore It Better?" contest, featuring none other than Paddington Bear.
Taylor compared her cute, cozy outfit to that of the famous bear and she let him win the battle, writing in her caption that he obviously wore the yellow coat and red hat better than she did. The fact that the "Shake It Off" singer is openly saying she takes fashion notes from a stuffed animal is all kinds of amazing.

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One Direction Grants 36 Wishes at the Rays of Sunshine Organization

One Direction Grants 36 Wishes at the Rays of Sunshine Organization

The One Direction guys recently visited the Rays of Sunshine organization and granted 36 wishes for a bunch of their fans! Zayn Malik may have been missing from the group earlier in the week, but even he joined the guys to make a bunch of fans' dreams come true!

The entire experience definitely meant a lot to 1D. Niall posted the photo above with the caption, "We just met the cutest , bravest little girl ever ! Effy it was lovely to meet you! Hopefully we will see you very soon ! Xxxx."
The Rays of Sunshine organization also tweeted about the guys' visit, writing:

We think it's so sweet that guys are making time for their fans during their time off!

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T-Mobile's new family plan gives everyone unlimited data

T-Mobile's new family plan gives everyone unlimited data

With the exception of Sprint, the big four US carriers tend to cap your data on family plans. T-Mobile's current offering only gives one person unfettered internet access, and even Sprint's $100 per month promo asks you to split a finite amount of data with your kin -- not so hot if Junior likes to marathon YouTube shows.

Things are looking up, though. T-Mobile is launching a new Simple Choice family plan on December 10th that gives everyone unlimited data. The base plan starts at $100 per month for two lines that also include unlimited voice and text, plus 5GB of data tethering per line. That's only half as many included lines as Sprint, but it's a better value if you're willing to pay extra to avoid limits. It beats the stuffing out of what you'll get at AT&T and Verizon, at least. The two carriers respectively start at $130 and $100 for 10GB of data on two lines, and you'll have to pay both for more capacity and more lines.

There's a thriftier option, too. T-Mobile is offering a promo plan that gives four people 10GB of data (2.5GB each) from December 10th through 2015. It's not quite as sweet a deal as Sprint's and will drop everyone down to 1GB of LTE data when 2016 rolls around, but the UnCarrier is counting on its usual perks, like unlimited basic roaming, to seal the deal. The new unlimited plan looks more tempting, though -- it'll cost significantly more, but it's smarter if you know one or more of your family members likes to gobble up bandwidth.T-Mobile

Jon Fingas

Engadget 

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Bose products are reportedly returning to Apple's stores

Bose products are reportedly returning to Apple's stores

You probably didn't shed too many tears when Apple yanked Bose products from its stores, but less variety in audio gear is rarely a good thing. It sounds like the two companies can't stay mad at each other for very long, however -- a source for 9to5Mac has leaked retail data that reportedly shows Bose gear returning to Apple's shops in the near future. We've reached out to Apple to verify whether or not that's the case. A truce on the shopping front would make sense, though. While Apple's Beats label and Bose are fierce competitors, the Bose name remains a big draw for customers. Apple may not want to forgo all that potential profit, even if some of it goes to an arch-rival.
[Image credit: Waleed Alzuhair, Flickr]
9to5Mac

Jon Fingas

Engadget 

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iRobot's newest machine is made for student hackers

iRobot's newest machine is made for student hackers

Many educational robots tend to be complex and expensive, or simple and cheap. Where's the middle ground for students who want to build sophisticated things, but don't want to pay a fortune just to get started? iRobot thinks it can reach that happy balance with its new Create 2 robot. It's effectively a Roomba 600 series vacuum turned into a hacker's paradise. Instead of the usual cleaning equipment, you'll find easily accessible, clearly marked spaces that practically beg for add-on hardware (like cameras and arms) and cosmetic modifications. It's the foundation for a robotics project rather than a fully accessorized (and therefore costly) machine, as CEO Colin Angle tells us. You will get many of the tools you need to get cracking, though, including a programming framework, example instructions and 3D printing files for extra parts. So long as you can write code and plug in through USB, you can turn the robot into a Bluetooth-controlled DJ, a miniature security guard or whatever else your budget and skills allow.
As you might imagine, stripping down a floor-roaming automaton does wonders for its price. Where a basic Roomba 630 costs $350, the iRobot Create 2 is launching today for $200. That's inexpensive enough that it should still be relatively affordable even after you've bought the gear needed to make your dream device. It's definitely not meant for younger kids, but it could be an ideal blank slate for college and high school students that need (or want) to learn programming by solving real-world problems.
iRobot

Jon Fingas

Engadget

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Grammy Nominations 2015 - Record of the Year & More Noms Announced, Big nominees include Taylor Swift!

Grammy Nominations 2015 - Record of the Year & More Noms Announced, Big nominees include Taylor Swift!

The 2015 Grammy Awards aren’t until February 8, 2015, but the first round of nominees were just announced and we have the list!

Big nominees include Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor, Ed Sheeran, and Ariana Grande. Keep checking back all day as new nominees are going to be revealed every hour with the bulk of the nominations coming late tonight!

Check out the first nominees below:

Record of the Year:
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)”
Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
Meghan Trainor, “All About That Bass”

Best New Artist
Bastille
Iggy Azalea
Brandy Clark
HAIM
Sam Smith

Song of the Year
Meghan Trainor – “All About That Bass”
Sia – “Chandelier”
Taylor Swift – “Shake It Off”
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)”
Hozier – “Take Me to Church”

Best Pop Vocal Album
Coldplay, Ghost Stories
Miley Cyrus, Bangerz
Ariana Grande, My Everything
Katy Perry, Prism
Ed Sheeran, x
Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour

Best Pop Solo Performance
John Legend, “All of Me (Live Version)”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Coldplay, “A Sky Full of Stars”
A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera, “Say Something”
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj, “Bang Bang”
Katy Perry feat. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Cheek to Cheek
Annie Lennox, Nostalgia
Barry Manilow, Night Songs
Johnny Mathis, Sending You a Little Christmas
Barbra Streisand, Partners

Best Country Album:
Dierks Bentley, Riser 
Eric Church, The Outsiders
Lee Ann Womack, The Way I’m Living
Brandy Clark, 12 Stories
Miranda Lambert, Platinum

Best Country Song
Kenny Chesney, “American Kids”
Miranda Lambert, “Automatic”
Eric Church, “Give Me Back My Hometown”
Glen Campbell, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You”
Tim McGraw feat. Faith Hill, “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s”

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Jhene Aiko, Sail Out
Beyonce, Beyonce
Chris Brown, X
Mali Music, Mail Is
Pharrell Williams, G I R L

Best Rock Song
Paramore, “Ain’t It Fun”
Beck, “Blue Moon”
The Black Keys, “Fever”
Ryan Adams, “Gimme Something Good”
Jack White, “Lazaretto”

Best Rock Album
Ryan Adams, Ryan Adam
Beck, Morning Phase
The Black Keys, Turn Blue
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Hypnotic Eye
U2, Songs of Innocence

Best Rap Solo Performance
Childish Gambino – “3005″
Drake – “0 to 100/The Catch Up”
Eminem – “Rap God”
Kendrick Lamar “i”
Lecrae – “All I Need Is You”

Best Reggae Album
Ziggy Marley, Fly Rasta
Lee ‘Scratch Perry, Back on the Controls
Sean Paul, Full Frequency
Shaggy, Out of Many, One Music
Sly & Robbie & Spicy Chocolate, The Reggae Power
Soja, Amid the Noise and the Haste

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McDonald's is bringing touchscreen ordering to the US

McDonald's is bringing touchscreen ordering to the US

It turns out that people aren't eating as many McHamburgers as they used to, which is a big problem if your business is all about slinging meat. So McDonald's is hoping the novelty of its "Create Your Taste" ordering kiosks will lure some customers back in. The machines will be installed in 2,000 of its US outlets by the end of 2015. Instead of just walking up to the counter and ordering, users will be given the option to McCustomize their McMeal on a touchscreen. That includes everything from choosing chicken over beef, skipping the fatty mayo or picking sweet potato fries. Unfortunately, the privilege of being able to order a Big Mac minus special sauce on a ciabatta without getting the stink eye will cost you a premium, both in terms of prep time and cash.
But don't fret for the underpaid cashiers -- they'll now be underpaid pseudo waiters that deliver your food to your table (like a real restaurant). It's hoped that this blending of not-so-fast food, technology and choice will be enough to win back younger, more health-conscious customers and rouse the company out of its slump. As Bob Nibeel, a McDonald's franchise owner told USA Today (with a twinge of sadness in his voice), "most millennials would rather deal with a computer, iPad, iPhone than actually have interaction with another human being." Leave it to McDonald's to offer the most depressing of observations about our society.
USA Today

Daniel Cooper

Engadget

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