Apple Reportedly Developing Large Curved Screen iPhones For Late 2014, Better Touchscreen Sensors

Apple is said to be working on two curved display iPhone models for the “second half of next year,” according to a source speaking toBloomberg, with a likely released planned for the third quarter, and building better touchscreen sensors that introduce fine pressure sensitivity for later devices to be introduced after that.

These new iPhones for 2014 would come in 4.7 and 5.5-inch flavors, according to the report, meaning that Apple would be introducing not one, but two different models at the same time, in theory. We’ve seen reports of Apple working on different models of large-screen devices in the past, including one from the Wall Street Journal that suggests it’s been working on different tests of devices with screen sizes between 4.8 and 6 inches. This is the first time we’ve really heard firm information about a possible release date for said devices, from a source as generally reliable as Bloomberg. A Japanese iOS rumor site claimed a September launch for a large-screen iPhone late in October, however, and two reliable analyst sources predict a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 bound for stores in late 2014. Read More

By: Success Manual On 08:39

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How Google is beating Apple in the fight for emotions

You may well have been having conflicted feelings over the last couple of years.

On the one hand, you know that Google is, at its core, an engineering company whose aim is to get your hands off the steering wheel and implant its search engine into your brain.

On the other, you're finding yourself feeling rather warm about Google, as if whatever the company says ultimately sounds mellifluous -- even if, at heart, it's menacing to your very being.

There's a reason for this. A company that once derided advertising as something beneath dwarf-tossing has embraced various facets of it, in order to make itself seem far warmer and more human.

Think of the doodles, which pop up at unexpected time to celebrate bizarre, quirky and often humorous anniversaries. They're involving, amusing and even educative. You love them, don't you?

Then there's Google's sudden and widespread embrace of conventional advertising. You know, the things that Eric Schmidt once referred to as "a video."

Three years ago, an ad called "Parisian Love" ran during the Super Bowl. At the time, Google advertising during the Super Bowl was as bizarre as Facebook respecting your privacy.

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By: Success Manual On 23:29

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Iran wants to hammer out a nuclear power 'roadmap' with P5+1

Iran has struck up a new, conciliatory chord on negotiations about its nuclear program. And its leaders say it's eager to get down to business.

Foreign minister Javad Zarif reiterated Iran's apparent haste to reach an international agreement on its energy program in a statement Monday.

Zarif hopes that together Iran and the West will be able to work out a "roadmap" a day after Iran presents its latest plan at the U.N. to secure its energy independence and build international trust.

He would like an additional meeting on Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, with ministers from the countries from the P5+1 in order to hammer out the details, he said on his Facebook account.

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By: Success Manual On 23:33

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Business Rebuilds in a Thriving City in Iraq

ERBIL, Iraq — Perception is not always reality with emerging business travel destinations. That’s especially true for Erbil, the political and business capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in the north of Iraq. The city is becoming an alternative to Iraq’s southern provinces to tap into the country’s oil wealth and other business opportunities.

The city has endured violence at times, most recently bombings on Sept. 29 in front of the regional Kurdish government’s security service that killed at least six people and wounded dozens. Al Qaeda later claimed responsibility for the attacks. They were seen by some as an outgrowth of the conflict in Syria, where Kurdish militias have been fighting groups linked to Al Qaeda.

It was the first significant bombing since 2007 in Erbil, which has mostly avoided the violence that has plagued the rest of the country. Thanks in part to the stability, the Kurdish economy has grown at about 10 percent annually in recent years.

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By: Success Manual On 23:29

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From the Start, Signs of Trouble at Health Portal

WASHINGTON — In March, Henry Chao, the chief digital architect for the Obama administration’s new online insurance marketplace, told industry executives that he was deeply worried about the Web site’s debut. “Let’s just make sure it’s not a third-world experience,” he told them.

Two weeks after the rollout, few would say his hopes were realized.

For the past 12 days, a system costing more than $400 million and billed as a one-stop click-and-go hub for citizens seeking health insurance has thwarted the efforts of millions to simply log in. The growing national outcry has deeply embarrassed the White House, which has refused to say how many people have enrolled through the federal exchange.

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By: Success Manual On 20:37

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The most tax-friendly states for business

Taxes are necessary for a functioning government, but according to one group, many states are crippling regional business growth with tax structures that are too expensive or complex.

The Tax Foundation's 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index graded all 50 states based on more than 100 measures that reflect how competitive a state's tax policies are to both large and small businesses. The report considered state income, corporate, property, sales, and unemployment insurance tax policies. As was the case last year, Wyoming had the best business tax climate in the country, while New York had the worst. Based on the Tax Foundation's report, these are the most tax-friendly states for business.

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By: Success Manual On 20:10

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Google Ads May Now Feature Your Face Without Compensation

Google+ users may now see their pictures plastered next to advertisements for a range of products, without compensation.

The company announced on Friday that users' names, profile photos and endorsements may appear on "reviews, advertising and other commercial contexts" by default, under the new terms of its service that kick in on Nov. 11.

The policy changes mean that every time a user over 18 reviews an album or bakery online for example, they may become brand ambassadors for their recommendations, which are then broadcast to others within their Google+ network.

Google explained that "shared endorsements" help people "save time" and improve results.

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By: Success Manual On 20:03

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Congress Discloses Bill to Limit NSA's Powers.

Senators introduce a bill that prohibits the bulk collection of e-mail and phone records of US citizens.

Senators are vexing to clamp down on the activities of the National Security Agency through a new bill in the US.

The bill would end a loophole for the hindmost door searches, which allow the government to access the records of American citizens without a warrant. The government would only be allowed to gather records that are to or from a suspected terrorist, rather than those that are simply "about the target."

On Wednesday in the unveiled Congress, the Intelligence Oversight and Surveillance Reform Act aimed at ending the NSA's loose collection of the records of US citizens.

Explicitly, the bill wants to improve certain sections of the Foreign Intelligence Services Act (FISA), which the NSA has used to justify its data gathering.

The bill would also allow companies to a forced providence of customer information to the government, and hence the freedom to divulge more details about their roles in the process.

Further, the bill was to strengthen the prohibition against "reverse targeting," which accesses the records of a foreigner only as a means to investigate an American who has been communicating with that foreigner. It would also impose a statute on the use of unlawfully collected facts introduced by US Senators Ron Wyden, Mark Udall, Richard Blumenthal, and Rand Paul.

One amendment to FISA would prohibit the bulk collection of phone records, while another would prevent the bulk gathering of e-mail records. In the case of phone records, the government would still be able to get the records of anyone suspected of terrorism or anyone in contact with a suspected terrorist.

The bill is a reaction to criticism that the NSA's bulk data snooping unconstitutionally targets all Americans rather than just those suspected of terrorism.

By: Success Manual On 06:58

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