Tag: technology

  • Job Vacancy: Project Director FMC Technologies, Ikoyi, Nigeria

    Job Vacancy: Project Director FMC Technologies, Ikoyi, Nigeria

    FMC Technologies a leading global provider of technology solutions for the energy industry, it is currently looking to fill the vacant position of a project Director in its Nigeria branch in Ikoyi Lagos Nigeria.

    FCM Technologies is the World’s Most Admired Oil and Gas Equipment, Service Company in 2012, the Company has approximately 16,800 employees and operates 30 production facilities in 16 countries. FMC Technologies designs, manufactures and services technologically sophisticated systems and products such as subsea production and processing systems, surface wellhead systems, high pressure fluid control equipment, measurement solutions, and marine loading systems for the oil and gas industry.

    The application is open for qualified applicant within the country. see job detail below:

    FMC Technologies Job Job Description

    Department
    We currently have an opening for a Project Director in our Shell Portfolio Department.

    Responsibilities

    • The project director is responsible for managing/directing all aspects of a major subsea project (typically > $500MM).
    • The project director must be well versed in all applicable product lines, all applicable FMC regional offices and must be experienced managing large teams including but not limited to Project Managers and Systems Engineers.
    • In addition to project execution experiences the project director must have proven experiences/skills in strategic planning and customer development.
    • The project director is the project’s primary point of contact (both internal and external), he/she is responsible for hiring/managing resources and overseeing finances to ensure that the project progresses on time and on budget.
    • This project is located in Nigeria and project team will be located in Lagos Nigeria.

    Main Tasks

    • Serves as the single point of contact for the customer after the sale as assigned.
    • Builds and maintains relationship with customer and other suppliers associated with the Project.
    • Participates in the quotation process and standardized product solutions.
    • Leads planning of project strategies including contracting, risk management, project controls, and project execution.
    • Leads effort in developing Project Execution Plan. Procures executed customer Variation Order (VO) agreement.
    • Manages and negotiates VO’s and other changes to the contract within their scope of work.
    • Conducts scheduled VO reviews and updates VO summary log.
    • Develops and maintains Master Issue’s list and Lessons Learned database.
    • Conduct Previous Projects’ Lessons Learned Review.
    • Ensures that project risks are identified and managed throughout the entire life cycle of the project.
    • Develop and maintain Risk Response Plan and Register.
    • Develop and implement Project Closeout plan.
    • Develop final equipment disposition and storage plan. Execute Customer Acceptance Notification.
    • Develop and implement Commercial Performance plan.
    • Conduct periodic financial reviews.
    • Ensures that a document control procedure is in place and is followed.
    • Establishes and maintains a documented quality system as a means of ensuring that all elements of the Project conform to contract requirements, specific certificate standards and regulatory requirements.
    • provides project management related information such as schedules and budgets.
    • Provides the technical overview and implements the technical system interface within their scope of the project.
    • Establish a realistic project schedule and monitors compliance with the defined project objectives and project management processes to ensure the timely completion of project milestones and final delivery.
    • Develop Project Milestone Schedule with schedule compression strategy.
    • Serves as the single point of contact with management for the Project and coordinates communication between the various functional areas and other FMCTI product areas involved in the project.
    • Ensures that the project status and progress is effectively communicated to the FMCTI Project Team and to the customer. Develops and communicates the project budget.
    • Approves all project related expenditures as authorized and manages costs to meet budget commitments.
    • Ensures that adequate resources are applied to the project.
    • Leads Stage Gate Process and ensure processes are implemented in all phases of project execution. Identifies and manages strategic risks, interfacing with the Gate Readiness Review Committee (GRRC) and the Decision Review Board (DRB).
    • Develops integrated project team charter and lead team building, alignment, and communication processes. Crafts Project Team Staffing Plan and writes Organizational Interface Plan.
    • Define team member responsibilities and tracks and monitors individual performance, quality of output and the impact of output on project delivery and profitability.
    • Responsible for developing resources and ensuring adequate and effective succession planning across the project organization Identifies additional business opportunities and works with the proposal team to communicate customer requirements and to drive customer specifications toward

    FMC Technologies Skills And Requirements

    • BS Degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Procurement, Operations or related field. MBA or equivalent business experience.
    • Must have Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification or comparable experience. 20+ Spends 25% of time in a field environment or in a subcontractors shop and may be exposed to possible hazards including high noise, heavy machinery and inclement weather. Travels 5 – 25% of time and typically include international travel..

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

    Frequent sitting and operating a computer and meeting with customers.

    This job description is a general description of essential job functions. It is not intended as an employment contract, nor is it intended to describe all duties someone in this position may perform. All employees of FMC are expected to perform tasks as assigned by supervisory personnel, regardless of job title or routine job duties.

    • years’ experience as a Project Manager or comparable experience.
    • Must demonstrate expert understanding of Project Management fundamentals, techniques and standards as defined by Project Management Institute (PMI).
    • Expert product knowledge of all product lines.
    • Expert understanding of engineering, procurement, manufacturing and testing processes.
    • Expert understanding of installation and commissioning processes.
    • Expert leadership ability within a matrix team environment and contributes significantly to team performance.
    • Understands division’s businesses, competing products and technologies and profit impact of decisions.
    • Expert understanding of commercial terms and conditions and the risks/opportunities of each as applicable to contract management and business execution.
    • Expert negotiation, planning, interpersonal and communication skills.
    • Demonstrates effectiveness in project negotiations, multi- site/cultural interfaces and commercial management of contracts, supplier quality systems and development and implementation of project management strategies.
    • PC skills with proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, project scheduling, project financial systems MRP system and presentation software.
    • Proven ability to affectively increase profitability and delivery of large scale projects by both commercial management, advocating value engineering, strategic procurement, risk mitigation and cash management skills.
    • Demonstrates expert ability in the area of stakeholder management. Demonstrates expert understanding of Stage Gate Process and Subsea Project Management Local Work Instructions.

    TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

    Houston Operating Procedures, Quality Training, START Safety Program, Advanced PC training.

    WORK ENVIRONMENT:

    Spends 75% of time in a temperature-controlled environment (office, airport, airplane).

    To apply for this position, click here.

  • Job Vacancy: Business Development Manager Ultrasound Nigeria

    Job Vacancy: Business Development Manager Ultrasound Nigeria

    Health care agency Philips Africa is looking to fill the vacant position of a Business Development manager in its Nigeria branch in Lagos.Philips Africa is unique medical solutions designed to optimize the quality and flow of patient information and clinical decision making.Philips Africa is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa and it has presence in seven other African countries, in the cities of Accra, Algiers, Casablanca, Cairo, Lagos, Nairobi and Tunis. Philips Africa is definitely one of the growth drivers for Philips. Their Nigerian office located in Lagos has set sight on a new busness development manager for the local branch.

    The application is open for qualified applicant within the country. see job detail below:

    Job description

    Why choose Philips?: 
    With a growing presence in cardiology, oncology, and women’s health, Philips Healthcare operates in the key areas of Imagining Systems, Patient Care & Clinical Informatics, Home Healthcare and Customer Services. Within these areas it offers unique business propositions that deliver value throughout the cycle of care – from disease prevention and screening to diagnosis, treatment, therapy monitoring and disease management. Irrespective of whether the care cycle takes the patient from doctor’s office to hospital or hospital to home or simply from one medical department to another, Philips Healthcare’s unique medical solutions are designed to optimize the quality and flow of patient information and clinical decision making.

    About Philips Africa:
    Philips Africa comprises all 54 countries of Africa, from the Cape to Cairo, and from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Philips Africa is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa and it has presence in seven other African countries, in the cities of Accra, Algiers, Casablanca, Cairo, Lagos, Nairobi and Tunis. Philips Africa is one of the growth drivers for Philips.

    Job Title:
    Business Development Manager Ultrasound (US) Nigeria
    Reports to: Business Manager Ultrasound for region Africa

    Aim of the job:
    Responsible for leading the country to realize the business objectives of US (equipment and services) and drive the total country ‘upstream’ business creation and ‘downstream’ business execution. The Business Development Manager is a member of the District Management Team.

    Key Areas of Responsibility:

    Business Management
    Accountable for maximizing order intake, sales (incl. Point-Of-Sale Services Contracts) and price realization within the country for US
    Support Annual Operating Planning process
    Performance measurement with US counterparts of the channel partners, including selection, development and goal setting. Ensure overall high level of engagement.
    Drive business development in the country with a 1 till 2 year horizon in general and 3 months planning horizon in specific (e.g. RoFo, funnel management, status, corrective action plan)
    Own the forecast process including funnel maintenance within the country and business; secure funnel management tool is up to date, systematically analyzing win & loss deals, expectations, customer satisfaction (NPS), market, competition and trends
    Responsible for creation and execution of corrective action plans
    Responsible for country product mix (QxP)
    Consolidate information about market trends, competitor’s sales practices and potential projects.Downstream Marketing

    • Build/Execute marketing plan US, translating the marketing strategy into tangible deliverables for the Country Sales force, focusing on the country implementation
    • Optimize market share actively managing the portfolio to take account of changing environments
    • Conduct win / loss analyses to examine reasons for success / failure
    • Drive growth by identification of business opportunities and allocate resources and business tools accordingly
    • Identify new business, channel opportunities and customer needs in the country(s) to ensure growth
    • Support new products launches

    Upstream Marketing

    • Monitor country market prices, provides input on competitive price developments and product price positioning based on win / loss analyses. Escalate positioning / pricing issues to cluster
    • Provide feedback on product requirements, competition (e.g. portfolio, sales tools, tactics) and required programs to cluster
    • Provide sales tools requirements to cluster
    • Provide outlook on market size, growth and share
    • Customer Relations
    • Manage business relationships with Key Decision Makers, strategic US accounts and Key Opinion Leaders, in addition to customers representing the different market segments

    Quality and Regulatory

    Take all necessary actions, including the deployment of team objectives, to ensure full compliance with all Business and Q&R policies and procedures

    Authorities
    Authority to make decisions on all sales and service sales activities in the assigned country as directed by Business Manager for the region and District Manager in line with the regional strategy and authorization matrix.
    Key measures

    • Order intake, price realization and sales versus AOP
    • Customer Satisfaction (NPS)
    • Forecast accuracy and CRM funnel management information
    • Socket retention rate & Installed base development
    • Clean orders (Order Data Sheet)

    Education & Experience
    Degree level education or equivalent.
    Knowledge of Ultrasound is a preference
    Experience in sales and / or marketing in a B2C/B2B environment
    Knowledge of channel structures
    Understanding of local Healthcare market is highly preferred
    Fluent in English both verbal as written.   To apply for this position, click here.

  • new LG Internet TV Will Let You Surf The Internet & Watch Movies Simultaneously

    new LG Internet TV Will Let You Surf The Internet & Watch Movies Simultaneously

    LG Electronics recently launched an internet television tagged WebOS Smart+TV. The TV has the unique ability to connect users with the wealth of knowledge available on the internet. Yet it grants access to the full potential of the smart TV.

    The first time the user turns on the webOS-enabled LG Smart TV, an animated character named BeanBird appears onscreen to help get connected and walk the use through the setup process.

    All the viewer has to do is shake the Magic Remote or press the OK button to receive further advice from the winged virtual facilitator. webOS can instantly recognize when and what kind of external device has been plugged into the TV and brings up a pop-up menu listing all relevant options for the user to choosefrom.

    The new Launcher, a left-to-right scrollable menu that runs along the lower portion of the screen is one of the most distinctive features of webOS.

    The Launcher makes it possible to switch between broadcast TV, smart TV content and media stored on external devices without having to return to the Home screen. It allows the viewer to simultaneously watch a show, play a game or browse the internet while searching or downloading other content.

    Live Menu, which can be opened while viewing the TV, keeps the search, recommendation and channel options within easy reach. LG’s webOS also offers access to the LG Store’s comprehensive collection of apps.

    The LG Store lets users browse the most-viewed and most-downloaded items available from across the Smart TV platform, including broadcast TV programs and the latest games.

    The logically organized categories, which include 3D content, games and movies, employ thumbnail images for fast and convenient selection of content.

    Originally posted on Vanguard

  • New Generation of Mac Mini’s RAM cannot be upgraded

    New Generation of Mac Mini’s RAM cannot be upgraded

    After encouraging customers to upgrade their Mac Mini RAM in 2012, Apple has decided it’s time customers lives with what they are offered.

    Apple excited its users when they announced their newest Mac Mini some few weeks ago. However, Brian Stucki, who runs a Mac Mini hosting farm in Las Vegas has taken to twitter to announced that the new Mac Mini’s RAM is soldered to the board.

    He also notes that the latest generation Mac Mini now has tamper proof screws, making things that are user serviceable that much more difficult to get to:

    Confirmed: RAM in the new Mac mini is not user accessible. Hard drive can be replaced/upgraded, though not keeping warranty.
    — Brian Stucki (@brianstucki) October 17, 2014

    If people didn’t like to hear the confirmation of soldered RAM, wait until they see the foot of the Mac mini with tamper-proof screws.
    — Brian Stucki (@brianstucki) October 18, 2014

    An Apple support page found here seems to confirm the soldered-on RAM:

    The memory for Mac mini (Late 2014) computers isn’t user accessible and is integrated into the main logic board. You can configure your computer’s memory at the time of purchase.

    This is completely a contrast to the same page for the 2012 Mac Mini, which tells you exactly what sort of RAM to buy.

  • You can Now Pre-order your iPad Air 2 And Mini 3 Online, Starting from Today

    You can Now Pre-order your iPad Air 2 And Mini 3 Online, Starting from Today

    Apple revealed new iPad models on Thursday, and they all go on sale starting today via Apple’s online store. Today is just the beginning of pre-sales, with iPads officially shipping to pre-order customers and arriving in stores sometime “late next week,” according to Apple.

    Pricing for the new iPad mini, which is essentially the same as the existing model with Touch ID added and a new gold color option, starts at $399, while the iPad Air 2, with its full external and internal overhaul, begins at $499. Configuration options include 16, 64 and 128GB options, with both Wi-Fi only and LTE-capable models of each.

    Delivery time for the new iPads is listed as October 23, which partly helps explain why the date wasn’t set in stone on stage. Apple seems to want to get these out the door as soon as possible, instead of staging a defined, singular street date, so they could be shipping them in batches as soon as they come off the line.

    Our own initial impressions of the new iPads found that the iPad Air 2 is a marked upgrade even from last year’s version, but as for the iPad mini 3, unless you have a burning desire for Touch ID or you’re upgrading from a first-gen Mini, it might be worth holding off on a purchase.

  • French Twitter Users can now ‘Tweet’ Money to One Another Free

    French Twitter Users can now ‘Tweet’ Money to One Another Free

    French Twitter users will be able to send money to one another with a tweet from later this week—but the payment service isn’t run by Twitter.

    S-Money, a subsidiary of France’s second largest banking group, BPCE, plans to extend its existing mobile payment service to French Twitter users with a payment card, regardless of who they bank with.

    The service will be available this week, a BPCE spokesman said Monday, though he refused to discuss details ahead of a news conference scheduled on Tuesday.

    However, in a statement about the service published early September, Jean-Yves Forel, CEO of Groupe BPCE said that this S-Money initiative can open up a whole new range of payment possibilities on social networks.

    However, a Twitter spokeswoman was quick to emphasize on Monday that this is not an official partnership between Twitter and the banking group. There are currently no plans to launch the service in other countries, as at this time it’s solely a French initiative, she added.

    Free payments via tweets

    As to how the service would work exactly, details are still scarce. French Twitter users will be able to send money with a simple Tweet and free of charge, without having to enter the beneficiary’s bank details, S-Money said on its site.

    S-Money already offers electronic wallet apps for Android and iOS devices. The apps allow users who have linked their bank accounts to the service to send money for free to friends and family who also signed up for the S-Money service.

    With that service, users’ personal banking information is stored on a secure server and never on a phone. All transactions are encrypted and require the entry of a PIN. If a phone is stolen or lost, accounts can be blocked with a phone call.

    S-Money’s Twitter service will be launched at a time banks are struggling to keep up with technology companies who increasingly tap into the online payments market.

    Twitter trying to move into payments

    Twitter itself started testing a “buy’ button for users in the U.S., offering them a way to buy products directly form their timelines. After tapping the button, users will get additional product details and be prompted to enter shipping and payment information. Once that’s entered and confirmed, order information is sent to the merchant for delivery.

    Meanwhile, Facebook is also testing a service which lets U.S. users buy retail items directly from their feeds or from a company page. The social network is also reportedly gearing up to enable mobile payments within its Messenger app.

    Whether the services will take off remains to be seen. One hurdle might be the reluctance of users to share their financial details with Facebook or Twitter out of privacy concerns. As people are already used to sharing their payment details with banks, the banking sector could have advantage as a social media payments provider.

  • Windows 10 Beta Hits 1 Million Users in Two Weeks

    Windows 10 Beta Hits 1 Million Users in Two Weeks

    Microsoft announced this morning that it crossed the 1 million tester mark for the technical preview of its Windows 10 operating system. I had expected a higher number would opt for the new code, given how extensively the media (guilty) covered the rollout of the nascent operating system.

    According to the company, more than 200,000 “pieces of user-initiated feedback” have reached its ears. The breakdown of builds that are run virtually and natively is about one-third and two-thirds, respectively, according to Microsoft.

    Microsoft has a long way to go with Windows 10, but with 1 million current registrants and several beta cycles yet to go, things seem to be off to a decent start. You will have to vet the strength of the million figure yourself.

    I’ve been using Windows 10 as a daily driver at home for a few days now, with a docked Surface Pro 3 hooked up to a 24-inch external screen, and an external mouse and keyboard. It’s a decent operating system in firm need of debugging, and the unshackling of its Metro alter-ego. But all things told, I am roughly as happy with it in desktop mode as I was Windows 7. And like with Windows 7, in Windows 10 I don’t use the Start Menu much. If you haven’t gone hands-on with the code, it’s worth a spin.

    How long until 2 million people are using Windows 10?

    Originally posted on Techcrunch, all rights reserved.

  • Hacked Screenshots Reveals how you can Send Money to a Friend Via Facebook Messenger

    Hacked Screenshots Reveals how you can Send Money to a Friend Via Facebook Messenger

    When Mark Zuckerberg recruited Ex-PayPal president David Marcus to head the affairs of Facebook Messenger three years ago, few understood the motive behind this move, but now it is crystal clear for everyone to see: Facebook is set to allow its users to send and receive money via its standalone Messenger.

    Mark recently hinted on the integration of a payments service into Facebook standalone messenger. Stressing that “The payments piece will be a part of what will help drive the overall success and help people share with each other and interact with businesses.”  However, he urged Wall Street not to get too foamy at the mouth because it may be awhile since “there’s so much groundwork for us to do.”

    He urged analysts and investors to revise their estimates of Facebook’s revenue if they expected this to come quickly. “To the extent that your models or anything reflect that we might be doing that, I strongly encourage you to adjust that, because we’re not going to. We’re going to take the time to do this in the way that is going to be right over multiple years” Zuckerberg concluded.

    According to screenshots and video taken using iOS app exploration developer tool Cycript by Stanford computer science student Andrew Aude, all Facebook has to do is simply turn on the feature and users will be able to send money in a message similar to how they can send a photo. Users can add a debit card in Messenger, or use one they already have on file with Facebook. An in-app pincode also exists for added security around payments.

    The presence of payments code in Messenger was first discovered by security researcherJonathan Zdziarski last month. Earlier today, Techcrunch writer Josh Constine reveals his conversation with a young computer scientist [Andrew Aude].

    Aude tells me he used Cycrypt to dig into the Messenger for iOS code on his jailbroken iPhone and turn on the payments feature to nab the screenshots and video. I contacted the company to inquire about Messenger payments. Facebook declined to comment.

    Aude played around the with feature and its code. He tells me you simply hit a button to initiate a payment, enter the amount you want to send, and send it. Facebook keeps the transaction private and doesn’t publish anything about it to the News Feed.


    EwtNet believes that Facebook has the potential to dominate both messaging and payments service globally if the Messenger Payments becomes a success.

    Images by Stanford computer science student Andrew Aude via Techrunch

  • AT&T will Introduce iPhone 6-Friendly WiFi Calling In 2015

    AT&T will Introduce iPhone 6-Friendly WiFi Calling In 2015

    The iPhone 6 supports WiFi calling. But does your carrier support it?

    If you’re in the U.S., the answer to that is probably “not yet”.

    (For the unfamiliar, WiFi Calling essentially turns any WiFi router you’ve got access to into a private extension of your carrier’s cell network. As long as you’re on WiFi, you’ll be able to make standard voice calls and send texts regardless of whether or not your carrier’s signal is up to snuff in that spot.)

    For now, the only U.S. carrier that can officially say they’ll support iOS 8’s new Voice Over WiFi functionality is T-Mobile — hence their big event about it just one day after Apple’s announcement.

    But fear not, AT&T customers! You’ll be getting in on the WiFi fun too… eventually.

    Speaking at an event in New York this afternoon, AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega mentioned it almost in passing: AT&T will support Voice over WiFi sometime in 2015.

    So, why the hold up? The short version: for WiFi calling to work properly, your carrier’s network also needs to support Voice Over LTE (VoLTE). This is what allows for a seamless handoff — that is, it’s what allows you to start a call on your WiFi network, leave your house, and seamlessly continue the call on the cellular network without having to redial.

    [via LightReading & Techrunch]

  • Google Glass Explorer’s Edition Now Available in the Play Store

    Google Glass Explorer’s Edition Now Available in the Play Store

    While all the focus of late has been on the Moto 360 and other Android Wear smartwatches, Google is giving some attention to its other wearable: Glass.

    You can now buy the Explorer edition from the Play Store, though the price is the same as when it was an invite-only product: $1,500. As a “perk” Google is throwing in a pair of shades or frames free when making the purchase.

    Glass comes in five different colors and ships from the warehouse in one to two business days.

    You will need the MyGlass companion app from the Play Store on an Android device running Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) or higher. There is also a version of the app for iOS.

  • Reddit Takes Down Groups Hosting Celebrity Nudes, Walks A Blurred Line On Free Speech

    Reddit Takes Down Groups Hosting Celebrity Nudes, Walks A Blurred Line On Free Speech

    Reddit did two things last night that, on the surface, seemed pretty contradictory. It publisheda post by CEO Yishan Wong offering an explanation for why the site does not generally take down “morally objectionable or otherwise inappropriate” subreddits. At around the same time, Reddit took down /r/TheFappening and related subreddits, where many of the images from the celebrity photo hack were posted.

    The post itself has been updated to acknowledge that this was a little weird, explaining the situation like so:

    Those two events occurring together have created great confusion. That is: we put up a blog post explaining why we don’t ban things for reason X (which some people want us to, but we will not), but at the same time behavior in a subreddit started violating reason Y (a pre-existing and valid rule for which we do ban things) and we banned it, resulting in much confusion.

    Apparently “Reason Y”, in this case, has nothing to do with the general horribleness of sharing stolen nudes, and more with the fact that Reddit was receiving DMCA takedown notices, i.e., legal complaints from copyright owners.

    In a follow-up comment, Wong wrote, “I said that we don’t ban subreddits for being morally bad. We DO ban subreddits for breaking our rules, and one of them is repeatedly and primarily being a place where people post copyrighted material for which valid DMCA requests are being received.”

    (Another result of the scandal: 4Chan has introduced its own DMCA policy.)

    Not everyone has been satisfied with Wong’s explanation, particularly since Reddit was willing to keep the Fappening up for a week (benefiting from a big boost in traffic), and because it hasn’t taken down other subreddits, such as /r/SexWithDogs and /r/CuteGirlCorpses, that are pretty horrible but aren’t drawing as much ire from celebrities or the media.

    On the first point, sysadmin Jason Harvey tried to counter arguments that Reddit (which is owned by Condé Nast) is being purely self-serving, and he offered a little more context about the decision-making process. He said that at first, the Reddit team was just trying to take down individual images in response to DMCA requests (as well as concerns that some photos showed minors), “but it quickly devolved into a game of whack-a-mole”. As a result, “It became obvious that we were either going to have to watch these subreddits constantly, or shut them down. We chose the latter.”

    On the question of other awful content, it sounds like Reddit won’t be taking down most objectionable groups unless it’s getting letters from lawyers.

    For what it’s worth, I do think Reddit was in a tough spot here, albeit one that it benefited from in some ways. By the nature of the site, there’s going to be content that really pushes the boundaries of both legality and morality, and that means it’s going to face questions without easy answers.

    At the same time, limiting itself to DMCA requests and a few other narrow legalities might not be an adequate way to grapple with those questions. (And by the way, some of the comments here offer suggestions about how Reddit can increase transparency around this process.) If nothing else, it makes high-minded posts with titles like “Every Man Is Responsible For His Own Soul” (and descriptions of Reddit as “the government of a new type of community”) ring a little hollow.

    Article originally posted by Techcrunch [image via Flickr/Eva Blue]

  • Where is Apple’s iPhone 5C Headed?

    Where is Apple’s iPhone 5C Headed?

    With Apple releasing new iPhones next week, the question arises: what will happen to its existing models?

    With recent releases, Apple has kept older devices around to serve it at lower price points in certain regions. But which older devices are going, which are staying and what will the prices be?

    Just as a thought exercise, let’s talk this out.

    What I would conjecture is that the iPhone 5C is going away, a move that that wouldn’t come as too much of a shock to most, though sales of the device have appeared to pick up lately. Though I personally like the look and feel, and think that it’s well built, the perception is that it’s a ‘lower end’ device that packs older innards. Apple could easily drop it from the lineup to make room for a new ‘low end’ unit.

    That new low end? Probably the iPhone 4S.

    Yes, it’s 3 years old, but the hardware is still decent and runs iOS 7 (and iOS 8) just fine. But it’s also 3 years old — that means that Apple has had time to get the manufacturing costs for the device down, way down.

    By dedicating manufacturing facilities to making these older devices, and using parts and processes that have only gotten cheaper over the intervening years, Apple could afford to charge as little as $300-$350 for the 4S, making it a relatively attractive buy in places like India, Southeast Asia and other markets were it needs more penetration outside of the ‘subsidy-rich’ US.

    As far as the iPhone 5S, I’d guess that will probably stick around too — as a ‘medium end’ subsidized model. If Apple is able to get it to clock in at around $500 then it could have real success as a prestige buy for the mid-tier Chinese customer. And Apple could probably find a way to subsidize it down to the $50-$100 range in the US.

    Because of its status as a premium unit — with premium materials — it wouldn’t fall into the same ‘unapologetically plastic’ perception trap that the 5C did. Too expensive to be considered ‘cheap and cheerful’ but too cheap (perceptively) to be considered a status symbol.

    Of course, I could be wrong and the 5C could stick around for another year. We’ll see.

    This article was first seen on Techcrunch. Image copyright belongs to Techcrunch

  • T-Mobile will take Actions against Unruly Customers who Abuse their Unlimited Data

    T-Mobile will take Actions against Unruly Customers who Abuse their Unlimited Data

    COMMENTS: The US’s fourth biggest carrier is set to educate customers who abuse their unlimited data plans.

    T-Mobile has warned that customers who misuse their unlimited data could see their data speeds start dipping dramatically over the next few weeks.

    If you’re fond of using T-Mobile’s network to torrent all six seasons of Lost or constantly broadcasting online using your unlimited plan, now would be a good time to stop. According to a leaked internal memo (which T-Mobile has substantiated) data draining customers with one of the carrier’s Unlimited 4G LTE plans such as the new $80 Simple Choice plan or the old $70 unlimited plan will see their speeds throttled starting on August 17 if they don’t change their network hammering ways. The memo reads:

    T-mobile has identified customers who are heavy data users and are engaged in peer-to-peer file sharing, and tethering outside of T-Mobile’s Terms and Conditions (T&C). This results in a negative data network experience for T-Mobile customers. Beginning August 17, T-Mobile will begin to address customers who are conducting activities outside of T-Mobile’s T&Cs.

    In a confirmation email sent to Engadget T-Mobile confirmed that defaulting customers will be contacted and briefed on how the Unlimited 4G LTE plans works. Customers who fail to comply with the service terms after the briefing could have their data speeds reduced for the remainder of their billing cycle.

    As America’s Un-carrier, we have broken the wireless industry rules to abolish numerous customer pain points and provide our customers with the fastest nationwide 4G LTE network. A very small number of our customers are misusing their Simple Choice Unlimited data service in violation of their rate plan and terms and conditions by bypassing the default tethering feature or engaging in peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing.

    This type of usage can negatively impact our ability to offer affordable unlimited data. In order to protect all T-Mobile customers, we will be reaching out to these people to educate them on our terms and conditions of service, but if the misuse continues, they could have their data speeds reduced for the remainder of their billing cycle.

    As previously stated, these measures will be put in place from August 17th. It’s likely that the number of people engaged in this is relatively small. And yet, it’s clearly a big enough problem to warrant a special “dedicated team” to address it.

    Originally posted on Engadgets via TmoNews. Image copyright belongs to Engadgets.

  • Don’t Fall for this: Classic Facebook “Color Changer” Scam makes a Big Return

    Don’t Fall for this: Classic Facebook “Color Changer” Scam makes a Big Return

    COMMENT: While the idea of changing the Facebook default blue header to your custom color seems great, Cheetah Mobile has warned that you might end up getting more than what you bargained for.

    IDG NEWS NETWORK – On Facebook, some scams are so alluring that they seem to live forever.

    So it goes with “Facebook Color Changer,” a new malware attack that masquerades as a way to change the appearance of Facebook’s Website. Security firm Cheetah Mobile claims that the latest scam has affected more than 10,000 people around the world.

    Don’t fall for this.

    According to Cheetah Mobile, the app advertises the ability to “select your favourite color scheme for facebook layout,” and appears to direct users to “apps.facebook.com/themsandcolors.” But instead, the app sends users to a phishing site.

    Once there, the site asks users to view a tutorial video. Launching the video supposedly provides temporary access to the user’s Access Tokens, letting the malicious site connect to the user’s Facebook friends. If the user doesn’t view the video, the site then attempts to download a pornographic video player on PCs or a bogus malware scanner on Android devices.

    Cheetah Mobile blames a “a vulnerability that lives in Facebook’s app page itself, allowing hackers to implant viruses and malicious code into Facebook-based applications directs users to phishing sites.”

    As Mashable points out, color-changing capabilities have been a popular hook for Facebook malware peddlers in the past. At least two previous scams have gained traction by inviting users to switch the color of Facebook’s blue menu bar. The color changer joins a number of other recurring scams that pose as oft-requested features, including the fabled ”dislike” button and ability to see who viewed your profile.

    What if you need a real Facebook Color Changer?

    There is a legitimate way to change the color of Facebook’s menu bar, using an extension in the Chrome Web Store, but in general it’s best to treat these “feature enhancements” with extreme caution. Just because a friend posts a link your feed doesn’t mean it’s safe to click.

  • Video: New Hexapod Robot Learns to Walk in 2 Minutes

    Video: New Hexapod Robot Learns to Walk in 2 Minutes

    What do you do if you’re a robotic hexapod and one of your legs is broken? Do you give up? Lie down and burst into flames? Cry from tear duct-less eyes? Or, through a process of trial-and-error, do you brush yourself off, hide your broken leg, and learn to walk again?

    You guessed it.

    Researchers Antoine Cully, Jeff Clune and Jean-Baptiste Mouret have trained a hexapod to try different walking configurations through “Intelligent Trial and Error.” The original version of this algorithm kept the robots stumped for about 20 minutes until they figured out how to go in a relatively straight line after suffering damage. The new system lets the robots learn to walk in about two minutes.

    As you see in the video, the robot tries different walking “styles.” First it hops a little, then it brings its damaged leg up high to try to balance itself. All the while it is sensing its position in the room as well as its speed. If the gait it has chosen is suitably straight and fast, it can keep doing it indefinitely until it gets moving again.

    How does it work? Well, in this case the researchers created a database of potential gaits – 13,000 in all – by running a simulated version of the hexapod and rendering the walking styles. Because the robot is fairly simple it could easily classify the problem it was having (broken strut, mashed leg, etc.) and compare it to the database. Then, using a series of tests, it could decide how to move.

    While this isn’t exactly artificial intelligence, the system does save time in the field and, more importantly, allows the robot to carry out its nefarious mission without stopping, an important consideration when the robots finally rise up to take control of our precious bodily fluids.

    For more on what Hexapod Robots are doing to stay indestructible, check out Spectrum and remember to watch the video above again.

    The original copyright to this post belongs to Techcruch. All rights reserved. Image & Video are the properties of Spectrum.

  • How to Create an Eye-Catching Header Photo for the New Twitter Profile

    How to Create an Eye-Catching Header Photo for the New Twitter Profile

    Are you promoting your brand on Twitter?

    Freaking out about creating a good-looking header photo for your Twitter profile?

    You’ve probably noticed that striking visual piece in the Twitter profile layout — a full-screen-width banner image, known as a “Header Photo.”

    On Tuesday, April 8, 2014, Twitter blessed it’s users with a new profile layout that includes a full-width header photo.

    But you may have noticed that not every header photo is a home run …

    Following the release of twitter new profile layout “New You” last month, I have compiled a few image recommendations to help you create a header photo that looks professional, makes a great first impression, and markets your brand’s best assets — without violating the Twitter Image Terms.

    What’s new about the “new you”?

    Background image -out, cover image -in, summarize the new twitter profile look. The new web profile lets you use a larger profile photo, customize your header, show off your best Tweets and more. Other features included to the new look are:

    • Best Tweets: Tweets that have received more engagement will appear slightly larger, so your best content is easy to find.
    • Pinned Tweet: Pin one of your Tweets to the top of your page, so it’s easy for your followers to see what you’re all about.
    • Filtered Tweets: Now you can choose which timeline to view when checking out other profiles. Select from these options: Tweets, Tweets with photos/videos, or Tweets and replies.

    Feeling Un-Cosy? 5 Steps to Setup a Branded Twitter Profile

    If you are an existing twitter user, you may find your old profile header photo a little bit un-cosy after migrating to the new look. With the background image feature gone from the profile area, the massive space occupied by the header photo becomes your next billboard.

    In this article I’m going to show you how to make the most of this massive space in five steps.

    1. Abide by Twitter Image Policy

    Twitter reserves the right to suspend/terminate your account if you don’t comply to the rules. One of this rules states that “You may not use obscene or pornographic images in either your profile photo, header photo, or user background”.  Having that at the back of your mind, let’s proceed to the next step.

    2. Map out the exact dimensions and shape

    The Twitter header photo is not a common image size, and the rectangular composition includes a cut-out for your profile image in the lower left corner.
    This means the best-looking header photos tend to be images that are designed to take advantage of the header photo’s exact size and shape.

    Shape and dimension of Header area. Click to view full image

    Detailed measurements:

    • Official recommended size for Twitter header photo is: 1500 pixels wide by 500 pixels tall.
    • Profile image cut-out: 211 pixels wide by 125 pixels tall, spaced 90 pixels from the left edge of the header photo.
    • Profile image size: 200 x 200 pixels, with a recommended image upload size of 250 x 250 pixels. (Note: Larger images can be cropped).

    Important tips:

    • If you upload an image smaller than 1500 x 500, it will be stretched to fit. This will make your image quality appear slightly grainy or distorted. The best practice is to upload an image that’s sized to Twitter’s dimensions.
    • Screenshot measurements reveal that only 321 pixels are visible from a 500-pixel image upload. The top edge appears to be covered by the Twitter header bar. A test with a 321-pixel tall image became distorted when uploaded, so do upload a 500-pixel tall image even though only the bottom 321 pixels will be visible.

    3. Don’t hide content behind your profile picture.

    Even though you are granted a massive 1500 pixels by 500 pixels to design a Header Photo doesn’t mean that you have all of that to work with. Because of the way that Profile Image are placed on Twitter profiles, there’s a section of your Header Photo that won’t appear unless you click on it.
    Note the area highlighted with dotted lines in the image below: That’s the part of the Header Photo that isn’t immediately visible to your Twitter followers.
    The dotted area is not visible unless the viewer clicks on the Header Photo
    Unless you are hiding a Christmas tree behind your profile image, it is generally recommended to keep the space clear.

    4. Decide contents to include in your header photo

    Outside abusive and pornographic contents, Twitter currently does not have any rule limiting users on what kind of contents to display on their profile header image. However, it is the best practice to include only text/image that describe or relates to you.
    Use high-quality photographs that are in focus, have balanced color and good lighting, or use photo editing software to optimize your images. You can design an image collage or use one big, beautiful photograph — just keep the cover photo shape in mind when setting up your composition.
    Australian Football League Twitter profile. Notice the powerful text on the Header Photo
    Your company logo should appear somewhere, usually in your profile image, in which case it is not needed as an extra graphic in your cover photo. If you plan to include text, consider its placement when selecting images.
    Here are a few image content ideas suitable for brands:
    • Candid photos of customers enjoying your products (be sure to get permission to use their likeness)
    • Your most popular products
    • Icons of awards won
    • Employees in action
    • Company founders
    • Store interior or exterior
    • Branded vector graphic
    You might also consider the following type of text to grab your audience attention:
    • Company tagline or short phrase that explains what your business does
    • An impactful word that embodies your brand
    • Inspiring quote
    • Names of people in your photo
    • Photographer credits
    • Image copyrights

    5. Upload your profile header header photo

    Now is the easy part. Uploading your profile header photo is as simple as ever.
    1. Log in to your Twitter account.
    2. Go to your profile by clicking on “Me” on the twitter main menus.
    3. Just below the header photo area, click on Edit Profile button.
    4. Click on the Camera Icon on Header Photo space and click Upload from the drop down menu
    5. Reposition and scale your header photo by dragging the image and scale bar below it. When done, click Apply.
    6. Finally, save your changes and you are good to go!
    Awesome! If you think you did a great job, inspire others by posting your Twitter profile links on the comment section. GoodLuck!
  • MakerBot Itty-Bitty 3D Printer now open for pre-order

    MakerBot Itty-Bitty 3D Printer now open for pre-order

    Back at CES 2014, MakerBot announced three new 3D printers: one small (Replicator Mini), one huge (Replicator Z18), and one that’s about the same size as the one they’ve sold for years (now just the “Replicator”). With a new smart leveling system and built-in webcams for monitoring prints, these new models pack a few tricks that the older Replicators don’t.

    Since that announcement, though, only the standard Replicator has actually gone up for sale. If you wanted the baby-bear or papa-bear model, your only option was to sign up for more info later.

    Good news! Sort of. If you were waitin’ for the Mini-model, pre-orders just opened up. At $1,375 (before shipping and taxes and whatnot), it’s the cheapest 3D printer that MakerBot offers by almost a grand.
    The catch: they’re still not 100% sure when these things will ship. They pin their launch window sometime in “Spring”, but don’t get any more specific than that. For people (like me!) who are terrible with seasons: assuming they mean Northern Hemisphere Spring, that’s sometime between March 21st and the end of June.

    If you’re just looking to dabble in 3D printing but the upfront cost is a prohibitive factor, the Mini looks like a pretty damned solid option. Just know that the maximum build volume is 3.9×3.9×4.9″ — so if you’re looking to print anything much bigger than a coffee mug, you’ll need a bigger box.

    You can find the pre-order page right over here.

  • Google Glass takes test flights with Virgin Altantic

    Google Glass takes test flights with Virgin Altantic

    IDG NEWS SERVICE – Virgin Atlantic revealed last week that it is testing the use of Google Glass devices among its staff to see how the technology could be used to improve the experience of the airline’s highest-paying passengers.

    The Google Glass spectacles include a small screen that can be used to deliver apps, directions, social media streams, and webpages just above the right eye. The wearable computer also allows wearers to take a picture, record a video, and read messages.

    Over the next six weeks, concierge staff working in Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class Wing at London Heathrow’s Terminal 3 will aim to use Google Glass to check-in customers and provide them with flight information, weather and local events at their destination and translate any foreign language information.

    In order to make this possible, Virgin Atlantic has integrated Google Glass with a purpose-built dispatch app built by SITA and the Virgin Atlantic passenger service system.

    Sony’s SmartWatch

    The dispatch app manages all task allocation and concierge availability. It also pushes individual passenger information directly to the assigned concierge’s smart glasses just as the passenger arrives at the Upper Class Wing.

    Virgin Atlantic said Google Glass also has the potential to tell staff their passengers’ dietary and refreshment preferences.

    The airline is also testing the use of Sony’s SmartWatch 2 over the same six-week time period.

    “The fact that air travel has become so accessible has led to some of the sheen being lost for many passengers,” said Dave Bulmad, Virgin Atlantic IT director. “By being the first in the industry to test how Google Glass and other wearable technology can improve customer experience we are…putting innovation at the heart of the flying experience.

    Google Glass and other wearables are being tested by an increasing number of businesses, including the New York Police Department, which said last week that it was investigating whether the technology could be used to help enforce the law.

  • On-Demand Ride-Sharing Startup Lyft Is Raising Another Big Round Of Funding

    On-Demand Ride-Sharing Startup Lyft Is Raising Another Big Round Of Funding

    Lyft is raising yet another big round of funding, according to sources. The company, which is seeking to make ride-sharing mainstream in cities across the U.S. and around the world, is expected to use the new cash to fund expansion into new cities and territories.

    We’ve heard Lyft has pitched a number of venture firms and late-stage institutional investors, but hedge fund Coatue Management seems to be in the lead for the deal. Coatue has recently invested in hot companies like Box, Snapchat, and HotelTonight, and is part of a growing trend of hedge funds making bets on later-stage startups with traction.

    Andreessen Horowitz, which led Lyft’s $60 million Series C round, is also expected to contribute a large chunk of cash. Other investors in Lyft include Founders Fund, Floodgate, Mayfield Fund, K9 Ventures, Ooga Labs, fbFund, and Keith Rabois.

    The company was founded as Zimride back in 2007, but it wasn’t until 2012 — when it shifted from long-range to on-demand ride-sharing — that things began to really take off.

    With the launch of the Lyft mobile application, it broke new ground in enabling passengers to get rides from other people with a car and spare time on their hands. Due to the success of the on-demand platform, the company rebranded as Lyft and sold its legacy Zimride assets to Enterprise Holdings last summer.

    After its initial stint in San Francisco, Lyft began expanding to other cities early last year and now is offering service in 20 markets throughout the U.S. But like Uber, which also offers on-demand rides via mobile app, Lyft has plans to aggressively increase the number of international cities that it operates in beginning this year.

    The additional funding will be vital to getting it on the right track toward that goal, as it bulks up operations both in its San Francisco headquarters and in remote offices around the world.

    In the meantime, Lyft is trying to get more regulators and local officials comfortable with the idea of letting unlicensed drivers give rides to passengers around town. To that end, it recently hired Google X legal director David Estrada as its VP of government relations.

    The company also announced the creation of a peer-to-peer rideshare insurance coalitionthat includes other transportation companies, as well as regulators and insurance providers, to figure out the tricky issue of insurance for its drivers.

    Lyft, Coatue, and Andreessen Horowitz all declined to comment.

    This post was first seen on Techcrunch

  • AMD releases game-changing Mantle support in new Catalyst beta driver

    AMD releases game-changing Mantle support in new Catalyst beta driver

    AMD has released the latest beta driver of its Catalyst software, making its Mantle API a reality for those with supported graphics cards.

    AMD’s Catalyst 14.1 beta driver was expected last week, although a few glitches delayed the release. Over the weekend, AMD published the beta driver to its Web site. Note that you’ll need to uninstall the current driver before installing the beta.

    AMD is positioning Mantle as a low-level API optimized for its own hardware, offering significantly better performance than the generic DirectX API that powers both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards and integrated CPU/GPU chips, known as APUs. (For more, see our earlier deep dive into Mantle technology.)

    So far, just one game, EA’s Battlefield 4, has been optimized for Mantle, although a tech demo of an upcoming game, Star Swarm, has also been released. According to AMD, gamers who load the new beta Catalyst driver should see up to 45% improvement in frame rate running Battlefield 4, and 200% when using the driver and playing the Star Swarm demo. A few other games, including the Thief reboot and Wing Commandercreator Chris Roberts’ Star Citizen, will also support Mantle, the developers have said.

    PCWorld hasn’t had a chance to test Mantle yet, but real-world tests conducted by Anandtech showed gains of up to 30 percent when running Battlefield 4 on an Intel i7 4960x CPU. Naturally, because the Catalyst driver is a beta, future improvements are expected.

    The new driver also includes support for AMD’s “frame pacing” technology, which smooths the handoffs between multiple GPUs working together in a Crossfire alignment to an “even and regular pace,” according to AMD.

    AMD says that the following graphics cards will support the new Catalyst driver, and by extension, Mantle: the AMD Radeon R9 and R7 cards, plus the Radeon HD 8000 and 7000 series, and as well as the A10-7000 and A8-7000 APUs. Don’t expect to see the same dramatic gains in frame rate using the older cards, however, AMD warns—you’ll have to wait for future updates to see those improvements.