
Category: News
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Skype ‘closely collaborating with BlackBerry’ to make sure ported Android app runs well on BB10
The bad news for BlackBerry (BBRY) fans: The BlackBerry 10 Skype app is an Android port and not a native app. The good news: Skype has told CrackBerry that it is “closely collaborating with BlackBerry” to make sure that the ported app runs smoothly on the new platform. Among other things, Skype says it plans to “open up some of the integration points available to native apps in the OS so that they can also be used by the Skype application” and thus “allow Skype users to see notifications, to start the app from the Hub, and to see their Skype contacts in the native phone book.” Although BlackBerry’s first BlackBerry 10 device is reportedly off to a hot start so far in terms of sales, the company is still finding it hard to get some key apps natively onto its platform. CrackBerry’s Bla1ze, for one, comments that he’d “just rather see Skype go native” since “Skype isn’t hurting for any development money and creating a native BlackBerry 10 app isn’t hard.”
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Update from Bruce Reed on the President’s Plan to Reduce Gun Violence
Vice President Biden's Chief of Staff Bruce Reed sat down with us to give us a quick update on the work the President and Vice President have been doing since the President released his plan to reduce gun violence.
The Administration is making good progress — and legislation is already working its way through Congress — but as Bruce Reed says: "We're going to need your help, because we're only going to get this done if you make your voice heard."
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Apple snags a television expert from LG Display
Apple CEO Tim Cook likes to talk about his company’s plans for Apple TV as “pulling the string to see where it leads them.” It seems it may have led them to hire an expert in flat panel televisions.
In a report this week, industry group the OLED Association noted that Apple had hired away James (Jueng-jil) Lee from LG Display. At LG he was a research fellow working on creating a printed organic light-emitting diode (OLED) based television. And perhaps more importantly, he’s an expert in LCD production: before he was at LG he started new LCD product lines at Samsung and was heavily involved in their LCD research efforts.
Lee is ”no doubt more knowledgeable about OLEDs that any of Apple’s current staff, which is known to be quite strong,” according to the OLED Association.
Apple has refused to give any information about whether it’s getting into the television market. Cook has said several times that TV is “a market that’s been left behind” and for Apple is “an area of intense interest,” but that’s as far as he’ll go. Hiring an expert in getting a new display line up and going definitely seems more like action than mere “interest.”

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Which apps will drain your battery and data plan? Verizon’s got a list
Verizon Wireless may have shut down its own app store, but it’s not wiping its hands of app curation entirely. The carrier has started reviewing, rating and recommending Android and iPhone apps to its customers.
What’s interesting about Verizon’s approach is it isn’t making its recommendations based on how entertaining, useful or fun a particular app is. Instead a team of Verizon engineers is looking at each app’s impact on the phone’s battery life, its drain on a customer’s data plan and how loosely it plays with security and customer privacy.
Basically, Verizon is compiling a series of regularly updated recommendation lists. The first is a list of 20 apps available either for Android or iOS that Verizon claims deliver a “best in class” experience on smartphones and tablets. As you might expect, Verizon isn’t being entirely objective in its choices, but it never claimed to be. One of the apps is even Verizon’s own AppLuvr software, which recommends other apps based on what’s already installed on smartphones.
The second list applies a much more visible methodology, rating the top 25 free and top 25 paid apps in Google Play based on three criteria: security, battery consumption and data usage. The third set of reviews is essentially Verizon’s naughty list: 13 apps – all games – that will drain your battery or eat up your data plan at a rapid clip.Verizon isn’t making any friends here among the game development shops. Enormously popular games like Halfbrick’s Fruit Ninja Free and OMGPOP’s Draw Something got bad marks because of their battery drain. Other apps like Facebook Messenger and eBay scored relatively high but were penalized because of their high data consumption.
That may come us a surprise to many users since Facebook and eBay wouldn’t appear to consume that much data, especially compared to streaming multimedia apps like Pandora and Netflix, which received the highest possible Verizon ratings. But what Verizon is likely highlighting here is the persistence of those two apps’ connections. While Facebook might consume only a tiny fraction of the data in a single hour than, say, a Netflix video stream, the social networking app is always running in the background – transmitting a constant stream of signaling traffic over the network and whittling away at your data plan.
Alcatel-Lucent recently analyzed the enormous impact Facebook has on mobile networks through that signaling traffic. On Nov. 15, the social networking giant updated its iOS and Android apps, precipitating a 60 percent boost in Facebook signal load on mobile networks, even though the number of new Facebook mobile users increased only 4 percent in the same time frame. Alcatel-Lucent now estimates that Facebook is responsible for more than 15 percent of all mobile signaling traffic and accounts for more than 20 percent of all network airtime.
Carriers have long implored developers to keep the constraints of mobile networks in mind and build more efficient apps. With these rankings Verizon could be upping that pressure, punishing developers who keep developing unnecessarily chatty software.
As you might expect, neither Facebook Messenger or the main Facebook app made Verizon’s list of “must have apps” (though eBay did). Verizon, however, named Facebook’s much more network-efficient Instagram photo-sharing app in its top 20. I doubt Facebook cares either way.
Any time a carrier produces a must-have list you should take it with a grain of salt, but I will give Verizon credit. It actually recommended Tango, an over-the-top voice, video and messaging app that competes directly with Verizon’s core voice and SMS services.

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New York Times and Wall Street Journal drop paywalls as Winter Storm Nemo hits New York
In what’s become a new type of public service ritual, New York’s newspapers are offering free access to all of their websites as the snow storm called Nemo starts to smack the city.
Late on Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal announced on Twitter that free access will begin at midnight:
PSA: We'll be dropping our paywall beginning tonight at midnight through Sunday due to the winter storm. #blizzard #Nemo—
Sara Blask (@sarablask) February 08, 2013The New York Times will do the same. In response to an email, spokesperson Eileen Murphy wrote, “We’re dropping the pay gate tonight at 6 and will re-evaluate tomorrow evening.”
The practice of lifting paywalls, which typically restrict the number of articles a vistior can read, is becoming commonplace during major public events or during critical needs for information. The New York papers did this during Hurricane Sandy and the election. As paywalls spread at newspapers across the country, it’s likely most papers will do the same.
(Image by Trudy Wilkerson via Shutterstock)

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20 Years After FMLA, What’s Changed and What Hasn’t?
It’s not usually an easy thing to ask for extended leave from work. At best it’s a friendly negotiation; at worst, it’s a career-ending blow or an entry into financial hardship.
The Family Medical and Leave Act (FMLA) was passed into U.S. law 20 years ago this week with the goal of shifting that conversation. The law gives eligible workers the right to job-protected leave in certain circumstances like serious illness or the birth of a child. An employer doesn’t have to pay you for this leave but does have to continue your health insurance. (Read the full eligibility list from the Labor Department and the full list of reasons why you can take FLMA).
This 2012 Labor Department study is chock-a-block with statistics on usage of the law, as well as its limitations. The predominant reason was an employee’s own illness. Nearly half of all leave events lasted 10 days or less and only around 60% of U.S. workers are eligible for the law’s protections. About 56% of employees who took FMLA leave were women.
So 20 years after FMLA — are we better off? And what gaps should we be addressing? For help understanding the big picture around the law, work-life issues, and the road ahead, I sent some questions to Emily Zuckerman, Senior Director, Global Administration and Legal Affairs, at Catalyst. She practiced labor and employment law for more than 10 years and holds a Ph.D. in history from Rutgers University. Below is an edited version of our exchange.
In the last 20 years, workers have used FMLA a reported 100 million times. What’s changed the most over the past two decades, and what hasn’t?
Workplaces — and work-life expectations in particular — are very different than they were in 1993. For example, demographic change has drastically altered the workforce. It is often reported that members of Generation X are willing to trade financial rewards for family time, as they sense they may not be as well off as their parents. Meanwhile, Generation Y and millennials find face time less essential, and merge their work and home lives more than any generation in over a century. These changes have made work-life issues important to both men and women.
In addition, the academic and policy debate has shifted from viewing work-life as an individual problem to a structural one, and it has shown how current workplace expectations disadvantage both men and women. Although change has been limited, the problem has been articulated more clearly than ever before.
Clearly there have been benefits to the passage of the FMLA. As Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, said on Feb. 4, the FMLA has “had an enormous impact, letting tens of millions of workers take leave when they needed it the most, and changing the culture in this country. Those are women who needed medical care during difficult pregnancies, fathers who took time to care for children fighting cancer, adult sons and daughters caring for frail parents, and workers taking time to recover from their own serious illnesses. Because of the FMLA, their health insurance continued and their jobs were waiting when they returned to work.”
But it is important to remember that some things have not changed over the years. No new major work-life policy has been passed during that time. And, as the National Partnership for Women & Families points out, women are still less likely to be covered by the FMLA or employer benefits such as paid sick days because they tend to work for smaller employers, have shorter tenures, and cobble together multiple part-time jobs. To help manage work and life responsibilities, many women still need predictable schedules to ensure childcare, fewer rigid work rules that prevent them from making a phone call to check on a sick child, and less mandatory overtime.
What about the employer’s point of view? What challenges and changes have work-life policies brought about for them?
Since the passage of the FMLA, “work-life” has become a part of the workplace lexicon. Just as employers adopted policies saying they do not discriminate based on race, sex, national origin, etc., in response to discrimination laws passed in the 1960s and 1970s, no large employer today would be without a leave of absence policy, covering everything from maternity leave to military caregiver leave.
The FMLA forced covered employers to institute large leave of absence programs, often hiring outside vendors and laying out clearly which leaves are paid and unpaid, which benefits are maintained, etc. Of course, implementation of work-life policies still varies by employer. But like Equal Employment Opportunity and discrimination before it, work-life has now become a permanent part of the workplace vocabulary. This is a change for employees as much as for employers.
Yet employers must go beyond the FMLA and other laws that are on the books. Organizations are becoming more focused on retaining talent and maximizing their effectiveness in order to compete in a global environment. Flexibility is seen as a key vehicle for accomplishing this, and new ways of working are developing as the workplace adapts to technological advances. Companies must figure out ways to respond to these ongoing work demands and market changes.
What should come next?
Although the FMLA, and the need for paid family leave, are one part of fixing the workplace, we must continue to build on it. Business leaders concerned about a wide range of issues surrounding performance and accomplishment recognize that their organizations can benefit from taking a broader approach to work-life because of its effects on workplace and employee sustainability.
New technology has changed expectations of how and where people work, and will continue to do so. Deeper structural change in the culture and expectations is the next step. Historical context shows us that the meaning of work has changed over time and will continue to do so. This is bigger than one company, but rather the entire culture of work.
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Here’s Who You Should Follow on Twitter on Grammy Night (According to Twitter)
Twitter, who is always looking to give you plenty of reasons to second-screen it during bid television events, has just put up their suggestions for who to follow if you want to get a little extra insight into this year’s Grammy awards.
Twitter is apparently music-driven, at least according to some choice stats. Did you know that music is the second-most discussed topic on Twitter in the U.S.? Or that 50% of all active users follow at least one musician? How about the fact that the top 4 most-followed people on Twitter (globally) are musicians?
Here’s Twitter’s lists for who to follow if you want additional access and commentary this Sunday.
First, people who will actually be there while they live-tweet:
@TheGRAMMYs
@CBS
@CBSTweet
@GRAMMYKen
@PauleyP
@TheEllenShow
@hunterhayes
@zacbrownband
@emeliesande
@Pharrell
@SteveAoki
@dianamadison
@hollyscoopNext, the people who Twitter describes as “couch commentators”:
@common
@shinedown
@chevelleinc
@honorsociety
@parachute
@steveangello
@puddleofmudd
@sebby_g
@iamjericho
@tranquilmammoth
@ash_costello
@michaelvampire
@TheRealBSmyth
@mindlessbehavior
@zeddIf you want to be a part of the conversation, you can use the #grammys hashtag or a new one that they’re promoting this year, #TheWorldIsListening.
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Report: Yandex Surpasses Bing In Search Queries
According to a report from Search Engine Watch, citing numbers from comScore, Yandex is now bigger than Bing in terms of worldwide monthly search queries.
Search Engine Watch’s Michael Bonfils says Microsoft sites processed 4.477 billion queries while Yandex processed 4.844 billion in November and December. That would make Microsoft (and Bing) number five. The top three are Google, Baidu and Yahoo.
Last month, Yandex seemed poised to make a mark here in the U.S. (or at least attempt it), but the company’s plans were spoiled by Facebook. Yandex launched an app called Wonder, which was a new take on social search and relied heavily on Facebook data. Facebook deemed it a competitor (particularly since it had just launched its own social search offering in Graph Search), and cut the app off. It’s against Facebook’s terms to use Facebook’s data in a competing service.
Facebook’s Graph Search could, however, actually help Bing if it gains traction. Bing provides the web results, which are the default when Facebook doesn’t have the appropriate data for a query. Graph Search is still in early beta, and is still slowly rolling out to users.
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New SimCity Trailer Includes Superheroes, Villains
Last month, EA and Maxis showed off the “European City Sets” that come with the $80 Digital Deluxe Edtion of the upcoming SimCity. That add-on comes with famous European landmarks (the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and Brandenburg Gate) that transform the surrounding landscape, including buildings, police vehicles, and public transportation.
Today, EA and Maxis are showing off the other, sillier add-on that comes with a pre-order of SimCity.
The “Heroes and Villains” set will allow players to have organized crime groups in their cities and provide the ability to upgrade police squads into superheroes. A “criminal mastermind” can be placed in a city using the “Dr. Vu’s Evil Lair” object, which will provide plenty of high-tech development for the city until autonomous flying battle tanks begin to destroy it.
The “Heroes and Villains” add-on is included in pre-orders for the Limited Edition (read: normal) digital and physical version of the game. For those who don’t pre-order a copy of SimCity, EA will almost certainly be selling the add-on in the in-game SimCity store.
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Oregon accelerator Upstart gets hip to enterprise startup trend
Upstart Labs, an accelerator, has teamed up with Rogue Venture Partners in a deal that will provide more funding for enterprise-oriented startups. The partnership coincides with a shift for the Portland, Ore.-based accelerator, which has done several consumer-facing deals.
The news falls in line with more interest among investors lately in funding enterprise-facing companies than consumer-facing ones. In November, VC Fred Wilson wrote about the trend, particularly in the context of later-stage investments.
Upstart has worked with a few consumer-facing startups since it launched in 2011, including Chirpify, a mobile social-payment service, and Taplister, a website that shows which beers are on tap at your favorite bar. But beginning this year, Upstart will focus mostly on enterprise, mobile and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) plays, said Kevin Tate, a general partner in the accelerator.
So far this year, Upstart and Portland-based Rogue Venture Partners have collaborated to fund two companies, one of which, Measureful, is aimed at enterprises. Under the new partnership with Rogue, Upstart typically will be able to offer product development, hands-on mentoring and $100,000 to $250,000 in investments in exchange for equity, Tate said. Previous cash investments have come in smaller amounts.
While they’re not as popular as general accelerators, enterprise-facing accelerators have been popping up as of late. In addition to Upstart — which has attracted startups from the Northwest, Hawaii and Canada — there’s also Acceleprise in Washington, D.C., and Alchemist Accelerator in the San Francisco Bay Area, both of which offer $30,000 in funding. Don’t be surprised to see more come online this year.

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Microsoft posting points to universal apps between Windows Phone 8, Windows 8
After building up the number of applications for Windows Phone 8, Microsoft’s next step could be to get them on Windows 8 tablets and computers. While the two platforms are meant for different device types, they do share many core components. Thanks to a recent Microsoft job posting, it looks like app unification between Microsoft’s phone and PC platforms is coming sooner rather than later.
Mary Jo Foley spotted the Feb. 7 posting and notes that the development platform for the two is similar, although not quite the same. But the company is surely looking for improved platform sharing based on the posting:
“Are you excited about Windows Phone? Are you passionate about delivering the best possible experience to the developer community? Do you wish the code you write for Windows Store apps would just work on the Windows Phone and vice versa? If so, then this is the role for you! We are the team leading the charge to bring much of the WinRT API surface and the .NET Windows Store profile to the Phone.
We are looking for a highly motivated and technically strong SDET to help our team bring together the Windows Store and Phone development platforms.”
The end result would be to vastly decrease the effort that developers need to support both Microsoft platforms. Windows RT running on ARM-based chips throws a small wrench in the works, but as we’ve already seen on some Android devices using Intel chips, it’s not a major obstacle with the right tool set.
Developers wouldn’t be the only beneficiaries of course. Windows Phone 8 users that have favorite apps could extend that experience to a Windows 8 tablet, laptop or desktop.If done right, the initiative could not only boost the available apps for Windows 8, but make such devices more appealing to Windows Phone 8 owners. And it may even sell some Windows Phones if Windows 8 users want a buy once, run everywhere Microsoft app experience.

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Bradley Cooper As Navy SEAL: Biopic On Fast-Track
Bradley Cooper was as shocked to hear the news of ex Navy SEAL Chris Kyle being shot to death at a shooting range in Texas last week as the rest of the nation, in part because he had already acquired the rights to tell Kyle’s story on the big screen.
The project began a year ago, and a first draft of the script had already been completed. Cooper had just begun the process of speaking with veterans who suffer from PTSD as research for the film.
“I was at Walter Reed hospital meeting with veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder, among many other ailments; and then all of a sudden I hear this thing and I just can’t believe it. This man has two children, and he is an advocate for putting guns back in veterans’ hands, as a way of therapy,” he said.
Indeed, Kyle–who was unofficially the most lethal sniper in American military history–had recently devoted his time to helping veterans rehabilitate themselves after being diagnosed with PTSD and other military-induced issues. His book, “American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History”, was just published last January.
Though the timing of a movie about Kyle’s life might need to handled with extraordinary care, Cooper says a main priority is figuring out a way to get it done–and done well–quickly.
“I’m going to meet with the writers and producers today to talk about, number one what we can do for his family, and number two, how we can speed up the process and really try to make this movie,” he said. “His story first of all really needs to be told, and it’s also relevant on two fronts: gun control and the need to address the many soldiers who are coming back with PTSD. Medicine has evolved to such a state — soldiers are coming back and they’re going to assimilate into the culture and if we don’t address the mental state along with the physical state it’s going to be a problem.”
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Ubisoft Apologizes For Rayman Legends Delay With New Demo
The delay of Rayman Legends came as a surprise to everyone, but it was understandable as the game was being retooled for the Xbox 360 and PS3. If the game wasn’t finished, why bother releasing it early, right? Well, as it turns out, the game was finished, and the delay was only because Ubisoft wants to release it across all platforms at once.
After that particular bit of news came out, gamers came out of the woodwork demanding answers. Twitter and Facebook both exploded with fans wondering why Ubisoft couldn’t just release it for Wii U now, and the other platforms later. There was also some concern that the delay may ultimately hurt Rayman Legends’ chances at retail. Here’s a sampling:
.@Ubisoft My entire family was very excited for Rayman Legends. Will you do me a favor and please release the Wii U version this month?
Someone just pointed out to me that Ubisoft delayed Rayman Legends to the same month as GTAV. Yeah, good going!
Struggling to understand a good business reason for delaying wiiU Rayman Legends until September.
Given Ubisoft’s commitment to launching Rayman Origins at the worst time of the year for it, the Legends delay *is* at least consistent.
Facing mounting pressure from gamers, Ubisoft decided to issue a response to quiet things down a little bit. The publisher apologized for the delay, and offered another demo to hopefully help quell the Wii U gamers who are understandably frustrated by the delay.
Now, a demo is little recompense for what many Wii U owners see as a slap in the face. In fact, it seems to have made gamers even angrier. Here’s a few select comments from after the announcement:
“We don’t want a new demo! We want the game on the day it was supposed to be released, it’s already finished!”
“My interest in the game will only go back go MUST BUY if the game is out by the end of March. September is too far to maintain excitement, I’ll have other games to buy and play by then. No demo will change that.”
“Yes that’s right Ubisoft just rub more salt in the wound. A demo just makes people more and more angry. The game is done so just release it. You have a perfect opportunity for some sales. It’s like you actively do not want to make money.”
As expected, fans have also taken to popular petition site Change.org, which is usually reserved for petitioning on behalf of human rights, to ask for the game to be released for the Wii U in February.
Regardless, it looks like Wii U owners will have to wait alongside everybody else for Rayman Legends. Too bad all those potential PS3 and Xbox 360 players will be too busy playing Grand Theft Auto V to notice.
[h/t: Nintendo Insider]
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GameStop warns that Microsoft could ‘significantly diminish’ appeal for new Xbox if it bans used games
Information surrounding Microsoft’s (MSFT) next-generation Xbox leaked earlier this week and suggested that the system will require an always-on Internet connection. The report also reinforced earlier rumors that claimed Microsoft’s new console would be unable to play used games. Speaking to Bloomberg on Friday, GameStop (GME) spokesman Matt Hodges cited a company survey that found consumers would be less likely to buy a console that limits trading in pre-owned games.
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It’s Been Over 4 Months Since Google Posted Its ‘Monthly’ List Of Algorithm Changes
On December 1, 2011, Google announced a “monthly series on algorithm changes” on its Inside Search blog. From there, Google started posting monthly lists of “search quality highlights,” looking at changes (many algorithmic) the search engine had implemented in the previous month. This did continue on a monthly basis for some time.
At some point last year, Google slowed down on putting these lists out. They started coming every other month, with multiple lists released at a time. It’s now over a week into February, and we haven’t seen Google put out one of these lists since October 4. This is the longest they’ve gone, by far, since they started doing it.
The lists were an attempt by Google to “push the envelope when it comes to transparency”. That’s cool. It gives the rest of the web a glimpse at the kinds of things Google is taking into account when making algorithm changes, even if it doesn’t give away Google’s entire secret sauce (which would likely be he downfall of any search result relevancy).
But where are the last four months worth of highlights?
The last time I wrote a post about Google not putting out these lists, they put one out shortly after. Maybe that will happen again.
One thing is for sure. If Google gets back to putting these lists out, we’re going to have a whole lot of info to dig into for the time that has passed.
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Amanda Bynes Calls Jay-Z “Ugly Face” On Twitter?
Amanda Bynes is at it again…or is she?
The 26-year old actress came out of a rough 2012 and appears to be moving right into a scandalous 2013 after posting some nasty remarks about a famous rapper on Twitter.

The tweet was quickly deleted, and then she apparently deleted a bunch of other tweets, leaving just a few on her page. But the account isn’t verified, and the link to her Tumblr account doesn’t work anymore. So is she being singled out for something she didn’t even do?
Bynes famously left Twitter last year after a succession of incidents which left her with a lot of bad press: DUI arrests, getting her car impounded, losing her driver’s license, rumors of odd behavior in public places (including walking around a tanning salon totally nude), and drug use. The account was started back up a few months later.
Bynes has had no comment on the Twitter post thus far.
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USPS Loses $1.3 Billion, Plans to Cut Saturday Mail Delivery
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) today announced its first quarter financial results and things are not looking good. In the first three months of the 2013 fiscal year USPS had a net loss of $1.3 billion. The first quarter includes holiday season shipping and mail, which generally makes it USPS’ most lucrative quarter.
The company cited shipping and package revenue growth and “increaced efficiency” as high points, but admitted that those revenues could not help offset continued declines in First-Class Mail volume and “costs that are beyond Postal Service management control.” USPS has been begging congress for Postal Service reform, but has not received it.
As a result of its dismal finances, USPS will begin “accelerated cost-cutting actions,” which include eliminating Saturday mail delivery. USPS believes cutting Saturday delivery would save it $2 billion each year.
“The encouraging results from our holiday mailing season cannot sustain us as we move deeper into the current fiscal year and face continuing financial challenges,” said Patrick Donahoe, U.S. postmaster general and CEO of USPS. “By moving forward with the accelerated cost-cutting actions directed by our Board of Governors, we will continue to become more efficient and come closer to achieving long-term financial stability. We urgently need Congress to do its part and pass legislation that allows us to better manage our costs and gives us the commercial flexibility needed to operate more like a business does. This will help ensure the future success of the Postal Service and the mailing industry it supports.”
Though the Postal Service is mandated to provide six-day mail delivery, the fiscal cliff impasse in congress had the side effect of delaying the yearly appropriations bill containing the mandate. If a new mandate is not passed by March 27, USPS will legally be able to cut Saturday mail delivery. The new delivery schedule would then begin the week of August 5.
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Atlantic City Firefighters Use Bible iPad App to Swear in During Promotion Ceremony
The image you see below is of several Atlantic City firefighters swearing allegiance to Steve Jobs in order to be promoted to the ranks of Battalion Chief and Fire Captain.
No, not really. What you’re actually seeing is several Atlantic City firefighters swearing in on a bible iPad app in lieu of an actual bible because someone forgot to bring the actual bible to the ceremony.

Close enough, right?
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The Global BlackBerry 10 Launch: Highlights and a Look Back

It has been just over a week since we launched BlackBerry 10 on January 30th. The company has a new name, introduced two new products in the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10, and engaged eager fans all across the globe with six events being simultaneously held in New York City, Johannesburg, Toronto, Paris, London and Dubai. This was no easy feat, but it went off without a hitch.
For those of you who weren’t able to make it out to one of the events or watch the live feed of the BlackBerry 10 launch, we’ve gathered some of the best footage from each event to share with you. Have a look at the video below to see all the action.
[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]
Looking back on the global launch event, my favorite moment was getting the chance to meet and talk with all the people who were getting to see BlackBerry 10 for the first time. They were excited to get their hands on the BlackBerry Z10, and were impressed by many of the new features on the BlackBerry 10 platform. Their enthusiasm made all the hard work building up to launch worth it.
Our new name, BlackBerry, comes with a new vision, a new attitude and new energy. We’re putting it all to good use as we introduce the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 to new markets and hold events to meet with developers, business partners and customers all around the world. We’re not stopping now; January 30th was just the beginning.
Team BlackBerry, we’ve shared some of our favorite moments from the BlackBerry 10 launch – I’d love to see you do the same. Let us know what your favorite moments were and what you’re looking forward to with BlackBerry 10.
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The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Case For iPad Mini Successfully Balances Size And Performance

Logitech had a definite winner on its hands with the Ultrathin Keyboard Case for iPad, a Bluetooth keyboard that attaches via magnets built into the iPad, protecting the screen and adding only minimal thickness. Now, there’s a successor designed for the iPad mini that comes in an appropriately shrunken down package. Of course, making a keyboard smaller doesn’t always produce the best results, but in this case, Logitech strikes a good balance.
- MSRP: $79
- Three months of battery life (based on two hours daily usage)
- Availability: Preorder now, with availability sometime later this month
- 7.33mm thin, weighs 220 grams
- Available in black and white (and red in select markets)
The Logitech Ultrathin is a good-looking device that matches up really well with the iPad mini’s design. My review unit is black, and the case’s matte finish pretty much perfectly mirrors that of the iPad’s rear case. Side-by-side and face down, the symmetry is such that you could easily pick up one thinking it was the other if you aren’t paying close enough attention. The two surfaces also feel the same, which speaks volumes about Logitech’s attention to quality with the Ultrathin’s construction.
The magnet spine that attaches to the iPad itself snaps into place with a satisfying click, and lines up well when closed. The face of the keyboard features a shiny black plastic, which, while not as classy as the iPad’s glass surface, does a good job of mimicking its black bezel visually, to keep the whole design symmetry experience consistent.
The Ultrathin’s keyboard is the part upon which everything hinges, and Logitech has pulled out all the stops to try to provide a typing experience that doesn’t feel compromised, despite the extremely limited real estate available given the iPad mini’s small footprint. To make it work, Logitech has combined a number of function buttons, reduced key size and cut down on the space between them.
The keys themselves feel great, and offer a nice response when typing despite how thin the cover is. But the experience isn’t without compromises. Typing on the keyboard will prove a frustrating experience at first for anyone used to using a full-sized keyboard. But the good news is that the number of errors you make starts to taper off pretty quickly, and in very little time, you can even feel mostly at home on the Ultrathin keyboard, though placement of some elements like the Shift keys never quite feels perfectly natural.
While the typing experience isn’t perfect on the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard, it’s about as close as you can get without adding a lot more bulk to a Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad mini. It still dramatically increases your ability to enter text, and beats using the software keyboard by a very wide margin. If you’re looking for an iPad mini keyboard that maintains the smaller tablet’s considerable size advantage over its big brother and still greatly improves the experience of typing anything longer than a tweet.





