the gsm mobile: 2013

lundi 30 décembre 2013

'60 Minutes' Apologizes For Benghazi Report: 'We Are Very Sorry'

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

"60 Minutes" issued a brief on-air apology and correction on Sunday for its botched and mishandled report on the Benghazi attacks, but gave few details about the failures that led to its retraction of a piece it had staunchly defended.

Speaking about Dylan Davies, the discredited man at the heart of her piece, correspondent Lara Logan told viewers, "We realized we had been misled, and it was a mistake to include him in our report. For that, we are very sorry."

The venerable program was forced into an embarrassing retreat after it had defended itself for a week about the reliability of Davies, a British security officer. On Thursday night, it emerged that Davies—who had already admitted to lying to a superior about his whereabouts on the night of the attack—had also told the FBI he had been nowhere near the American compound when it took place, a statement completely at odds with the detailed, harrowing tale he told "60 Minutes."

It was the second on-air apology delivered by Logan. On Friday, she went on television to say that she was "wrong" to have put Davies on air.

Predictably, her Sunday mea culpa offered little insight into why Davies was chosen as the key source for the report, and why "60 Minutes" had so fervently defended him, even amid mounting evidence of his unreliability. Also unmentioned was what role, if any, corporate ties played in placing Davies at the heart of the piece. A conservative imprint of Simon and Schuster, which is also owned by CBS, had published a book about Benghazi by Davies. That book has since been recalled.

Many media observers pronounced themselves to be less than impressed:

Well, my prediction was accurate. A minimalist correction and apology from @60Minutes tonight. The very least they could admit to.
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) November 11, 2013

A show w/ reporting legacy of 60 Minutes should have turned its reporting muscle back on itself to explain to viewers what happened, and why
— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) November 11, 2013

'Report surfaced. We learned Thursday night. . . ' No mention that other reporters turned those items up. Not classy.
— mark seibel (@markseibel) November 11, 2013

CBS National Guard story: 4 fired producers, 1 demoted anchor, 1 canceled TV show (60 Mins II). Benghazi story? a 90 section 'correction'
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) November 11, 2013

"60 Minutes"apology not required.Answers to these questions are: Why did this happen? How will it never happen again? (Well?)
— vernejgay (@vernejgay) November 11, 2013

The retraction feels like it should have been longer, given magnitude of the mistake. Leaves many questions unanwered
— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) November 11, 2013

mistakes were made #60Minutes
— Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) November 11, 2013

Have a feeling 60 Minutes is going to wish that apology had more time devoted to a commitment to act differently and less to sad feelings.
— Linda Holmes (@nprmonkeysee) November 11, 2013

Will be up to other journos to force CBS to do "60 Minutes" probe--clearly CBS terrified of it & where it will lead. http://t.co/huQdAK2NGe
— Greg Mitchell (@GregMitch) November 11, 2013

A few thoughts on 60 Minutes/Lara Logan's feebly bogus "correction" http://t.co/JUedT4SpMK
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) November 11, 2013

Media Matters, which led the charge against the report, issued a statement from its founder David Brock, who called the apology "wholly inadequate and entirely self-serving."

Also on HuffPost:

Subscribe window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({mode:'autosized-1r-organic',container:'taboola-autosized-1r-organic'});_taboola.push({mode:'autosized-1r-sc',container:'taboola-autosized-1r-sc'});window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({flush:true});

New Gsm

lundi 11 novembre 2013

LSU Fan Acts Like A Dinosaur On National TV

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

A Lousiana State University student acted like a dinosaur on national television this weekend.

After a touchdown in the LSU game against Alabama, CBS cameras switched to a celebrating Tigers fan section and slowly focused on engineering student Caleb Bates. He wasn't cheering, he was just pretending to be a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

We're guessing this is one of the ways Bates strives to serve as a "role model for students in every aspect of University life," per his LinkedIn page.

It was inevitable that people would begin making .GIFs of Bates' dinosaur imitation spliced with footage from "Jurassic Park."

Now, of course, Bates is milking his new reputation as a faux-dino.

Tried to get out of bed this morning but my tiny arms were making it really difficult.
— Caleb Bates (@calebates) November 10, 2013

You're gonna hear me rrroooo oh oh oh oh oh a or!
— Caleb Bates (@calebates) November 10, 2013

Apparently no one told Bates it wasn't possible for him to a dinosaur.

Also on HuffPost:

New Gsm

Panthers Beat 49ers 10-9 For 5th Straight Win

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

SAN FRANCISCO -- SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Carolina's swarming, opportunistic defense stopped Colin Kaepernick in his tracks.

Drayton Florence intercepted a pass by Kaepernick in the final minute to seal a 10-9 victory Sunday to snap the San Francisco 49ers' five-game winning streak and give the Panthers their fifth straight win.

Graham Gano kicked a 53-yard field goal with 10:05 remaining that held up as the Panthers (6-3) twice shut down Colin Kaepernick on last-ditch drives with swarming defense.

DeAngelo Williams broke two tackles for a 27-yard touchdown run late in the first half that pulled Carolina within 9-7. Gano missed wide left on a 48-yard field goal in the third period, but came through later.

San Francisco (6-3) got the ball back with 5:25 left at its 1, then again with 1:02 to go.

Phil Dawson kicked a season-best 53-yard field goal among his three for the 49ers, who lost tight end Vernon Davis and rookie safety Eric Reid to concussions.

Carolina fumbled twice in the closing moments, but recovered each time. First, Jonathan Stewart fumbled and Mike Tolbert pounced on the ball. Cam recovered his own bobble.

This was hardly the highly touted showdown between 2011 No. 1 overall pick Newton and Kaepernick, the sixth quarterback drafted that year, in the second round. They roomed together during the scouting combine.

Kaepernick went 11 for 22 for 91 yards with an interception and was sacked six times for a 42.0 passer rating. Newton was only slightly better, going 16 of 32 for 169 yards, an interception and four sacks for a 52.7 rating.

For two teams that have been putting up points at a prolific pace for the past month, the defenses dictated this one.

More than losing the game, the 49ers' losses of Davis and Reid could be troublesome for the reigning NFC champions as they hit the road next week for New Orleans, then go to Washington.

Davis didn't return after sustaining a concussion in the second quarter, then Reid went down on a helmet-to-helmet hit on Mike Tolbert in the third. Earlier, Reid recovered a fumble to give him five takeaways in an already-stellar rookie season that also includes three interceptions.

Frank Gore had 16 carries for 82 yards, accounting for most of San Francisco's 151 total yards.

Dawson put San Francisco ahead on a 53-yard field goal on the team's opening drive, his longest kick of the year. He kicked second-quarter field goals of 43 and 25 yards.

But Kaepernick could never get his team in the end zone in its first game since a bye on the heels of a win over Jacksonville in London.

When San Francisco's Andy Lee had his punt blocked at the end of the first quarter, Florence tried to get out of the way, but went to grab the ball at the last second and it got away from him. Reid wrestled the ball from Josh Thomas for his second fumble recovery of the season and fifth takeaway.

Carolina got going after managing only minus-7 yards passing and 12 total yards in the first quarter. The Panthers finished with 250 total yards.

The 49ers also lost tight end Garrett Celek to a hamstring injury in the first quarter, while defensive tackle Ray McDonald hurt an ankle.

Panthers linebacker Chase Blackburn did not return in the second half because of a foot injury.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

Also on HuffPost:

Cory Booker Goes To Washington A Celebrity And Senator

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON (AP) — When the U.S. Senate passed a bill to ban job discrimination against gay and transgender people, its newest member's first impulse was to yell with joy. Then he remembered where he was.

Instead, Cory Booker reached into his pocket for his phone.

"I got it all out via Twitter," said Booker, who has 1.4 million followers.

Booker, the 44-year-old Democratic former mayor of Newark, N.J., came into Congress as a rare freshman senator with celebrity status. He has been dubbed a rock star mayor by Oprah Winfrey, been called a hero for pulling a neighbor out of her burning home in 2012 and hobnobbed with Matt Damon.

During his first week in Congress, Booker tried to balance immersion in his new job with already standing out from his 99 colleagues on the staid Senate floor. Booker allowed The Associated Press to shadow his comings and goings.

"The model I've encouraged him to follow is Al Franken or Hillary Clinton," said Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat and a friend of Booker's. "People who came to the Senate with big national profiles but demonstrated a willingness to do the work, dig in, go visit every corner of their state and really focus on home-state interests."

Coons came into the Senate after a special election in 2010. He is helping Booker, who also won a special election, navigate and knows what it's like to start the job with no orientation and a skeleton staff.

After a swearing-in Oct. 31 filled with media and supporters, Booker has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. He's studying the minutiae of Senate rules and has attended multitudes of meetings. He has worked out at the Senate gym to meet colleagues and attended a bipartisan prayer breakfast.

Known for his soaring oratory and confidence, he is now listening and asking questions, sometimes seeming overwhelmed or confused — and showing glimmers of his cheeky sense of humor amid the business of the day.

In his first committee hearing Wednesday, he joked that "I still have that new senator smell" after telling the leader of the Federal Emergency Management Agency that higher flood insurance rates would devastate parts of New Jersey.

He asked Vice President Joe Biden if he could crash on his couch. And he answered a Twitter question about his thoughts on workplace romances with: "Don't! Especially if u have 99 colleagues in 1 of the world's most august bodies."

He went to the White House twice. He joined a group of Democratic senators Wednesday and, hours after being sworn in, had a private visit with President Barack Obama.

"There was a guy with a football, and I grabbed it, and the president and I had a little catch," said Booker, who played football at Stanford. Obama, he said, complimented his spiral.

Booker was the first to arrive at a Democratic caucus lunch Tuesday, piling his plate with greens and vegetables. He peeled plastic wrap off of a bowl of dressing as Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu arrived. The two headed toward the back of the room and sat down.

"Sen. Menendez came in and said, 'That's my seat.' And of course I panicked," Booker said. "At first I'm like, 'Oh my God, did I really sit in his seat?' And another senator came in and tried to play the same trick on me."

Booker and his mother, Carolyn, met privately with Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Booker's father, Cary, suffered a stroke in August shortly after moving to Las Vegas and days before Booker's Democratic primary. Reid visited his bedside, and when he died Oct. 10, Reid reached out to Booker and his family.

In many ways, Booker is just another guy getting used to a new job — learning the rules and his colleagues, just as they've all had to do at some point.

He took his first vote minutes after being sworn in and thought votes were cast by pushing a button or pulling a lever. Instead, he learned, "you raise your hand." On one vote, Booker missed his name while chatting with colleagues and flagged down the Senate clerk, voting yes with a thumbs-up.

He brought a congressional directory Thursday morning and watched each speaker intently, occasionally flipping through to match a senator with a photo. He is also learning how to navigate the labyrinth that is the Capitol and its office buildings.

"Is this the way home?" he asked his chief of staff as the two traversed the Senate basement.

He said he plans to advocate for New Jersey residents, hoping to ensure they receive unclaimed earned-income credits and helping victims of Superstorm Sandy. He met with an ethics officer to see how he can leverage private-public partnerships for New Jersey, as he did in Newark — most famously with a $100 million donation from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the city schools.

And though he's been minding his manners, he's still the same Cory Booker. A stalwart supporter of gay rights, he finally let out that yell upon walking into his office after the job discrimination vote.

"Call everybody in New Jersey," Booker said to his staff, "and tell them we're one step closer to an equal nation."

___

Follow Zezima at www.twitter.com/katiezez

Also on HuffPost:

Ben Roethlisberger Denies Trade Rumors: 'I Don't Know Where That Came From'

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger isn't going anywhere. Not if he has anything to say about it.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback called a report he may seek a trade in the offseason "ridiculous."

NFL.com reported early Sunday the Steelers expected Roethlisberger to ask the team to explore trade options in the offseason. Roethlisberger's agent, Ryan Tollner, called the speculation "completely wrong" and added the 31-year-old quarterback is "100 percent committed to winning a championship with the Steelers."

Roethlisberger went even further after passing for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 23-10 win over Buffalo on Sunday.

"I don't know where that came from," he said. "It is one of the most (untrue) stories that I've ever heard of. I've always said that I want to be a Steeler for life. I love it here. I'm happy here."

The report called Roethlisberger "very frustrated" by his team's ugly start. The Steelers improved to 3-6 after drumming the Bills, but still remain well out of the mix in the AFC North.

Roethlisberger, who has won two Super Bowls in 10 seasons, agreed he's "unhappy" when Pittsburgh fails to produce, but welcomed his share of the blame. Roethlisberger and offensive coordinator Todd Haley have struggled to communicate at times since Haley was hired nearly two years ago. The quarterback and the coach have spent much of the season trying to find common ground.

Steelers president Art Rooney II added "the Pittsburgh Steelers have not explored trading quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and have no plans to do so."

Roethlisberger's current contract will expire at the end of the 2015 season. He is due a base salary of $12.1 million next season, with a salary cap number of nearly $19 million. That alone would could make it difficult for the Steelers to move Roethlisberger even if there was interest.

Apparently, there's not. Tollner said Roethlisberger's roots are "firmly" planted in western Pennsylvania. Roethlisberger and his wife are expecting their second child next spring.

"I'm a Pittsburgher," Roethlisberger said. "I've told people that. I'm so proud to raise my kids here. I want to finish my career here, however long that is. I don't want to play for anybody else. This is it for me."

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

Also on HuffPost:

'Vodka Samm' Is Totally Sober And Avoiding Social Media (VIDEO)

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Samantha Goudie, better known to Internet denizens as "Vodka Samm," hasn't had a drink since she blew a .341 and tweeted about getting the numbers tattooed on her.

Goudie's name went around the world after her tweets from jail about getting arrested at a University of Iowa football game in August went viral, leading to endorsement offers and concern from her school's administration. University President Sally Mason publicly commented that she was worried for Goudie, and a new story from ABC News reveals the school required her to take three months of alcohol treatment.

"I needed a wake up call and I got one," Goudie told "20/20."

"Vodka Samm" has been totally sober since that epic day when she was busted for public intoxication on Aug. 31.

ABC News explained the reason Goudie was able to tweet from jail is due to a failure by Iowa City police to confiscate her phone when she was placed in a holding cell.

"I was just doing it for my friends," Goudie said of the tweets. "I wasn't thinking 'Oh, this might get picked up.'"

The Daily Iowan's interview with Goudie revealed the Iowa senior overcame an eating disorder, but struggled with depression following the media coverage.

However, Goudie told ABC News that despite social ostracization at the nation's top party school, she's glad she changed.

Also on HuffPost:

New Gsm

Will Blackmon Touchdown: Jaguars CB Helps Seal Team's 1st Win Of Season With Fumble Return TD (VIDEO)

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Down 22-20 with 3:13 left in the game, Tennessee had a chance to deny Jacksonville of its first win of the season. That's when Jaguars cornerback Will Blackmon stepped in.

Titans back-up quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick dropped back on 3rd and 9 but immediately faced pressure. Blackmon got around the offensive line, took the ball out of Fitzpatrick's hands and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown.

The Titans scored in the final minute, but it wasn't enough as the Jaguars won their first game of the season, 29-27

“We have the ability. When we do the things we can control, it’s cool when it comes together," Blackmon said after the game, per Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union

ALSO: PHOTOS FROM NFL'S WEEK 10

Loading Slideshow

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints congratulates Darren Sproles #43 following a touchdown during a game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

In this photograph taken with a fisheye lens, a United States flag covers the field at MetLife Stadium as the New York Giants observe the NFL's Salute to Service before a football game between the Giants and the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Paul Kazdan)

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin celebrates a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

A man enjoys a beer while watching the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013 in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, left, makes a touchdown catch as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning fumbles as he is hit by San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Tourek Williams during the third quarter of a NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in San Diego. The Chargers recovered the fumble and scored a touchdown a few plays later. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) celebrates after making a tackle against Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. The Lions won 21-19. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green reaches for a bobbled ball for a touchdown to tie the game as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Corey Graham looks during the second half of a NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) celebrates his touchdown with teammate wide receiver Mohamed Sanu during the second half of a NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. Green grabbed a bobbled ball in the end zone to tie the game and send it into overtime. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders wearing Digital Camouflage uniforms in Salute to Service perform during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck fumbles as he's hit by St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn being blocked by tackle Anthony Castonzo during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. The Rams recovered and ran in for a touchdown. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) during the first quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo sits on the bench in the second half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Fans pose before a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome between the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver David Reed reaches into the end zone for an apparent touchdown after loosing his helmet under St. Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson during the second half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. It was ruled a touchdown on the field but reversed on review. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) makes a touchdown reception against Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton passes the ball during the first half of a NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Buffalo Bills' EJ Manuel passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew (32) gets past Tennessee Titans defenders Karl Klug (97) and Jurrell Casey (99) to score a touchdown on a 6-yard run in the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Quarterback Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints takes the field before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco reacts to tight end Dallas Clark touch down catch during the first half of a NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) runs into Atlanta Falcons cornerback Asante Samuel (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas crosses the goal line ahead of San Diego Chargers strong safety Marcus Gilchrist with an 85 yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday Nov. 10, 2013 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: Jeff Heath #38 of the Dallas Cowboys breaks up a pass intended for Lance Moore #16 of the New Orleans Saints during a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) works against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis, left, and nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin sit on the bench in the final minutes of the second half of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. The Rams defeated the Colts 38-8. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne hands the ball off to running back Maurice Jones-Drew (32) in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. Jones-Drew scored a touchdown on the play with a 6-yard run. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) runs as Atlanta Falcons middle linebacker Omar Gaither (53) hits the turf during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Jacksonville Jaguars' LaRoy Reynolds (56) and J. T. Thomas (52) celebrate as they leave the field after they defeated the Tennessee Titans 29-27 in an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Sio Moore (55) and defensive end Jason Hunter (93) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith can't hang onto a pass under pressure from Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Terence Newman (23) during the first half of a NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Green Bay Packers' Datone Jones tackles Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Chicago Bears defensive end David Bass (91) and teammates warm up near a goal post commemorating the NFL's "Salute to Service" before a football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

New York Giants guard David Diehl (66) gestures toward the crowd as he and teammates leave the field after warming up before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Green Bay Packers' Clay Matthews wears a club on his hand during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 10: New Orleans Saints cheerleaders perform before a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome between the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys on November 10, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Pittsburgh Steelers' Ryan Clark runs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers scrambles away from the Denver Broncos defense in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday Nov. 10, 2013 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck throws against the St. Louis Rams during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kris Durham (18) makes a touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith, right, is tackled by San Francisco 49ers' NaVorro Bowman (53) during the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Green Bay Packers' Andrew Quarless is tripped up by Philadelphia Eagles' Roc Carmichael (21) after a catch during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cassius Vaughn (32) recovers a fumble between \teammate strong safety Antoine Bethea, right, and St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Joplo Bartu (59) hits Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cassius Vaughn, left, celebrates with teammate defensive end Ricky Jean Francois after recovering a fumble by the St. Louis Rams during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Scott Tolzien takes a snap during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. Tolzien replaced an injured Seneca Wallace. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn)

Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) trips over Detroit Lions safety Louis Delmas (26) after making a reception during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) works against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) jumps into the arms of tackle Jake Long as he celebrates a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Get Sports Newsletters: Subscribe Subscribe window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({mode:'autosized-1r-organic',container:'taboola-autosized-1r-organic'});_taboola.push({mode:'autosized-1r-sc',container:'taboola-autosized-1r-sc'});window._taboola = window._taboola || [];_taboola.push({flush:true});

New Gsm

'Downton Abbey' Renewed For Fifth Season

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — "Downton Abbey" will return for a fourth season in January, but now PBS is announcing the series will be back for at least one more after that.

"Masterpiece" executive producer Rebecca Eaton says Downton fans can "rest easy knowing that a fifth season is on the way."

The celebrated British costume drama focusing on the elite Crawley family will air its fourth season on "Masterpiece" beginning Jan. 5. Michelle Dockery, Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern and Jim Carter are among its stars.

Earlier this year, more than 24 million viewers watched the third season of the series in the U.S., making it the most-watched drama in PBS history.

New Gsm

samedi 9 novembre 2013

'Science Selfies' Spotlight Scientists, Geeks Doing What They Love Best (PHOTOS)

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Science is all around us, and nearly everyone can get involved -- from conducting a critical lab experiment to strolling through a natural history museum to simply browsing through a book on the Big Bang.

Whether you're a science nerd or a Nobel-prize winning scientist, we wanted to highlight YOU doing or simply enjoying science. So we asked readers to share their "science selfies" -- and here are our favorites. Click through and see if you can spot the girl who caught a bat... or the guy holding a real human brain!

Please share your own science selfies by adding them to the slideshow below.

Loading Slideshow

"Catching crayfish in Scotland."

"For all of my fellow bird nerds out there!"

"When our scientists' hands are busy with science, they get some help with their #scienceselfies." Here, physicist Farid El Gabaly aligns a battery electrode sample for analysis with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Celebrating Halloween at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, CA.

Junior high students experiment with fire in science class.

"I analyzed assimilable organic carbon in drinking water samples! "

A behind-the-scenes look into a quarantine area!

Posing like Einstein at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, CA.

"This is how I spend my holidays, in Costa Rica catching bats +beach time in between!"

"Spent a day doing field work electrofishing for research! A brook trout we caught!"

"Me doing a basic drug extraction!!!"

"Medicine is a science, and therefore I present Jack Sexton, CRNA!"

"Talkin bout autopsies all day."

"Nearby and in the distance exploration. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. ? Carl Sagan." Taken at the Liberty Science Center.

"Love my job." At the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.

"Data data data data data today's data data data."

"My kiddos a few years back @ Spark!Lab in DC."

"This #realtimechem video summarizes a standard day in a synth chem lab."

"Oh hi I just extracted a human brain."

"Inside a faraday cage with a human brain."

This is what a lot of science actually looks like... "Reading/correcting the Methods chapter of my student's PhD thesis."

"Imaging my cells on the fluorescent microscope."

"This weekend was spent playing with crayfish and an ROV. The ROV before use."

Taken at the Washington University in St. Louis: "@WUSTLdbbs and @WUSTLmedschool have lots of #scienceselfies."

"I'm a bookworm, a scientist, and world traveler."

In a science classroom.

Looking For The Bed Of Your Dreams? Think Outside The Box Spring With These Fanciful Roosts

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

We all know a bed should be comfortable. But there's something else a bed should be: welcoming. At the end of a long day, when you walk into your bedroom, your heartbeat should slow as you look at this refuge from a fast-paced world. Maybe I expect too much from my bed; but, unless you're an insomniac, one-third of every day is spent in it. It should be calmingly pretty. Maybe even pretty outrageously cool, pulling you onto it, like a magic carpet ride into your dreams. At least, that's what the following beds do for their owners.

Read the whole story at www.houzz.com

New Gsm

The Republican Plot To Kill Obamacare -- New York Magazine

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

New York:

The Republican party has voted unanimously against establishing the Affordable Care Act in the Senate and then in the House of Representatives, then voted some 40 times to repeal or cripple it; it has mounted a nearly successful campaign to nullify it through the courts and a failed presidential campaign that promised to repeal it; and it has used its control of state governments to block the law's implementation across vast swaths of the country, at enormous economic cost to those states. Yet somehow, in the wake of all this, the party is consumed with the question Have we done enough to stop Obamacare?

Read the whole story at New York

Also on HuffPost:

Thousands Cited For Having Pot On Federal Land

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

TACOMA, Wash. -- Karen Strand didn't think she'd get in trouble for having a small container of medical marijuana when she went hiking in Olympic National Park this summer.

President Barack Obama, she remembered, had said the federal government had "bigger fish to fry" than people who follow state marijuana laws, and Washington state had just legalized pot.

But a ranger pulled her over on a remote gravel road, and Strand wound up as one of at least 27,700 people cited for having pot on federal land since 2009, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal court data. The number of citations is small compared to the hundreds of millions of visitors to national parks, forests and monuments each year.

But it nevertheless illustrates one of the many issues Washington, Colorado and other states face in complying with last month's Justice Department memo that requires them to address eight federal law enforcement priorities if they want to regulate marijuana. Among those priorities is keeping marijuana use and possession off federal property.

State officials have no plans to license pot gardens or stores on federal land, but beyond that, they say, it's not clear what they can do to discourage backpackers or campers from bringing a few joints into Rocky Mountain or Mount Rainier National Park.

"It's not one of the big topics we've talked a lot about," said Jaime Smith, a spokeswoman for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.

Other concerns on the DOJ's list include keeping marijuana away from kids and cartels, preventing drugged driving and pot-related gun violence, and keeping unregulated marijuana grows from spoiling federal land.

Thousands of people receive tickets every year charging them with having pot on U.S. property – a federal misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. The charges typically don't result in jail time, but often do require at least one court appearance. They are frequently negotiated down to an infraction, akin to a traffic ticket, and a fine of up to a few hundred dollars.

Through the first seven months of this year, at least 146 people had been cited in Washington for having pot on federal land, which makes up nearly one-third of the state. At least 135 had been cited in Colorado. Washington's figure is slightly below the same period for the past few years, while Colorado's is roughly on track.

The number of people cited nationally has dropped, from 6,282 in 2009 to 5,772 in 2012, and is on pace to hit about 5,300 this year, according to data from the U.S. Courts Central Violations Bureau. The citations were issued at national parks, seashores, forests, military bases and monuments. There were even 10 tickets issued at the Pentagon.

Officials say the actual numbers are likely greater: Park rangers and other federal agents sometimes simply write on the ticket that the offender had a controlled substance, without specifying the drug.

Defendants say being prosecuted for having tiny amounts of pot on U.S. land – especially in Washington, Colorado and states with medical marijuana laws – belies the administration's assertions that going after people who comply with state marijuana laws is not a priority. The DOJ first announced that position in a 2009 memo, though the fine print also made clear that pot isn't welcome on federal property.

Strand, 36, was pulled over for having a broken taillight, and the ranger reported that he could smell fresh pot. She was ticketed for having 2 grams – far less than the ounce, or 28 grams, allowed by Washington's recreational pot law, or the 24 ounces allowed by the state's medical marijuana law.

"It is exceptionally confusing," she said.

One morning this month, Strand sat in a small, crowded room at the federal courthouse in Tacoma for her initial appearance on charges of marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia – a pipe.

Near her sat her husband as well as several other people caught with weed on federal land, including a 21-year-old man who was accused of having 0.1 grams during a traffic stop on a highway that skirts Mount Rainier National Park.

"I just thought it was legal now," Jonah Hunt said. "I didn't know I was on federal land."

Barbara Sievers, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the cases, informed the defendants their charges would not be dismissed.

"Regardless of whatever happened in the state, it's federal law, and it's federal property," she said.

Former school teacher Melanie Cease, of Seattle, said a park ranger approached her one day in June at a secluded campsite in Olympic National Park. He came to make sure her dog was on a leash, but then saw an empty pipe on the picnic table.

With his hand on his gun, she said, the ranger demanded she turn over whatever pot she had. Cease, 48, was cited for having a "trace amount," according to the ranger's report.

"I've never been arrested in my life, and now I'm being threatened with six months in jail and a $5,000 fine for using my medicine?" she said. "It was my understanding the government was not going to mess with individual patients."

Strand and Cease both pleaded not guilty, and their cases were set for trial in October.

Strand and her husband, Thomas, said they remain troubled by what they said felt like harassment from the park ranger. He repeatedly placed his hand on his gun when speaking to them, they said.

"It's a beautiful place up there," Thomas Strand said. "And I don't know if I'll ever go back."

___

Follow Johnson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GeneAPseattle

Also on HuffPost:

New Gsm

Joe Biden Addresses Navy Yard Shooting

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Vice President Joe Biden says a shooting Monday at the Washington Navy Yard is a "God-awful reminder" of the need for Americans to stay vigilant.

He says he's confident the nation will get to the bottom of the situation.

Biden says the situation is still unfolding, but that his heart and sorrow goes out to all those affected. He says the tragedy is almost unthinkable.

The shooting rampage in the heart of a U.S. Navy left at least 12 people dead. One shooter was killed, but police were looking for one other possible gunman.

Biden spoke at a port in Savannah during an event highlighting the need to invest in U.S. infrastructure. He was being briefed Monday by his national security team as he visited South Carolina and Georgia.

Also on HuffPost:

New Gsm

A Lot Of People Are Very Upset That An Indian-American Woman Won The Miss America Pageant

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Sunday night Nina Davuluri, Miss New York, was crowned the winner the 2014 Miss America Pageant. She is the first contestant of Indian descent to be crowned Miss America.

When her win was announced, Twitter immediately exploded with hateful tweets, with people calling her Arab.

Read the whole story at BuzzFeed

New Gsm

NBC, CBS Retract Identity Of Navy Yard Shooter

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

NBC and CBS were forced to retract initial reports about the identity of the shooter responsible for the deaths and injuries at the Navy Yard in Washington on Monday.

Both networks identified the same man as the shooter, and then had to walk those reports back:

BREAKING. @johnmillercbs advises the initial reports identifying the suspected shooter as Rollie Chance are wrong.
— Charlie Kaye (@CharlieKayeCBS) September 16, 2013

NBC News: we are now NOT reporting name of shooter; retracting that report. deleting those tweets
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) September 16, 2013

NBC's Pete Williams said the error came from sources who found an ID card that looked like the suspected gunman:

.@PeteWilliamsNBC says name circulating "is not the shooter," but the name of a man who dropped ID card. #NavyYardShooting
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) September 16, 2013

The false reports were perhaps the most prominent errors in a day filled with confusing and contradictory information.

The shooter was later identified as Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old from Fort Worth, Texas.

Also on HuffPost:

Peter Pilotto For Target Is The Best News We've Heard All Week

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Best news out of London Fashion Week so far? Peter Pilotto is partnering with Target!

That's right, the London-based design house used its Spring 2014 runway show this afternoon to drop the news that it's designing a line to be sold across the US and Canada at Target. The collection, which will feature women's apparel, accessories and swimwear, will debut Feb. 9th, 2014, and be mostly priced under $60.

Yup, you're going to want to queue up early for this one, folks. Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, the brand's designers, have mastered the art of printed, daring silhouettes and have landed the likes of Kerry Washington, Miranda Kerr and Selena Gomez on best-dressed lists. We can't wait to see what the duo dreams up for Target's spring line, since, unlike their usual pricey fare, we'll actually be able to afford these pieces. (If we have any more money left after purchasing the fall Phillip Lim for Target line, that is.)

And don't think Peter Pilotto's forgotten its international customers; a handful of the pieces will be available on Net-A-Porter.com. So get ready to fight your way through the Target aisles -- or the e-commerce sphere -- come February.

See some stars in Peter Pilotto to get an idea of the brand's aesthetic:

miranda

selena gomez outfit

kerry washington

More, more, more:

Loading Slideshow

(Getty photo)

(Courtesy photo)

(Getty photo)

(Courtesy photo/Fashionista)

(Getty photo)

(Courtesy photo/Fashionista)

(Getty photo)

(UNIQLO)

(Getty photo)

(UNIQLO)

(Getty photo)

(Courtesy photo/Fashionista)

(Getty photo)

(Topshop)

(Getty photo)

(Courtesy photo/Fashionista)

(Getty photo)

(Vogue photos)

Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.

New Gsm

How World Bank Plans To Eliminate Extreme Poverty, Boost Incomes Of Poorest By 2030

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

By Anna Yukhananov

WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The World Bank, faced with a tight budget and greater competition for development funds, aims to become more selective in its lending, focusing on fragile states, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and other areas where it can have the greatest impact, according to a draft strategy paper obtained by Reuters.

The 42-page paper, presented to the bank's executive board last week, is the first major strategic review under World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

It offers the first concrete details of how the World Bank plans to fulfill his twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting the incomes of the poorest 40 percent of the population in each country.

However, the strategy paper is still vague about what exact programs the bank will cut or bolster, and how it will change its budget to reflect new priorities and falling revenue.

When asked for comment, World Bank spokesman David Theis declined to elaborate further on the plan.

Founded after World War II to help rebuild Europe, the World Bank later focused on lending money to developing countries in order to improve the lives of poor people.

The global lender is praised for its worldwide reach, stringent standards and long-term focus. But it has also been criticized for avoiding risks, delaying approval of projects, not responding enough to what countries want, and focusing more on pushing money out the door rather than program outcomes.

Kim, who came to the helm of the multilateral development institution a little over a year ago, has launched a major reorganization to change all that, driving an emphasis on flexibility, measurable impact, and evidence, or what he calls "the science of delivery."

The draft strategy acknowledges the World Bank has become less important to the growth of many middle-income countries, which can rely more on private funding and bilateral loans from emerging markets like China.

The World Bank also admits it has limited funds to tackle the needs of the developing world, where new infrastructure projects alone will require $1.5 trillion in funding a year.

Instead, the World Bank wants to reposition itself as a "solutions" bank, offering not only financing but also its knowledge of how to solve common development challenges.

"The World Bank Group's role in knowledge, convening and global advocacy has increased relative to its role in providing finance," the paper said.

Keeping the bank relevant means focusing on areas where other donors are reluctant to go, such as fragile and conflict-affected states, by 2015 home to half of the world's poorest people.

The World Bank said it also plans to use its projects and global presence to share data and promote better policies in areas like climate change.

To help address countries' needs and better coordinate development policies, the bank also plans to work more closely with other development agencies like the United Nations and with philanthropic organizations.

And it wants to promote more private-public partnerships for basic services like health, education and housing - to the consternation of some non-profit organizations that argue such programs have mixed records for helping the poor.

BUDGET CUTS

As part of the new strategy, the World Bank also plans to make some cuts to its budget. Operating in fragile states, collecting data to measure countries' progress, and ensuring a global presence have strained the bank's administrative funds.

And less lending to middle-income or stable countries also means less revenue, as the bank has made money from interest-bearing loans.

"Maintaining a minimum scale of operations is important if the World Bank Group is to influence the policy agenda and support clients in delivering effective development solutions," the paper said.

"Although the World Bank Group does not face immediate financial concerns, its financial capacity will need to be strengthened," the paper added.

The bank said it will have to be selective in what it does and make cuts to certain programs, without specifying further. It is also considering relying more on fees for advisory services and on money from trust funds, or earmarked funds from governments for specific projects.

Trust funds already account for one of every 10 dollars the bank disburses to governments, according to the paper.

The new budget will be implemented for the next fiscal year, which begins in July 2014, and may be one of the thorniest issues for the bank to resolve as it decides which departments and programs must shrink.

Changing the bank's internal culture may also pose a threat to the success of the new strategy, according to several outside analysts who reviewed the paper.

Part of the new focus means integrating the work of the bank with the activities of its private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corporation, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, which insures investments in difficult environments.

The three agencies work with different clients and may have different approaches to specific projects, creating conflicts of interest.

The details of how the bank will change its internal organization to align with the new strategy will be presented later in an "Implementation Paper."

For now, the draft strategy will go to the governments of the World Bank's members for approval, before being formally presented during the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in early October. (Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Earlier on HuffPost:

New Gsm

Getting Off A Train Is Better When Greeted By This Friendly Russian Boy (VIDEO)

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

This Russian kid doesn't know any of these people, but that doesn't stop him from greeting every single one of them as they leave the train, and it's pretty cute. He definitely has a future as a politician.

But, uh, what's with that shirtless guy?

Also on HuffPost:

Health Care Polls Find Obamacare Unpopular On Eve Of Rollout

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

The Affordable Care Act is more unpopular than ever, with those who disapprove divided over whether the law should be reformed or scrapped, according to a Pew Research/USA Today poll released Monday.

Forty-two percent of Americans approved of the law, while 53 percent disapproved. That's the highest rate of disapproval that Pew has found since the law's passage in 2010. Attitudes among the uninsured were somewhat more positive, with 49 percent approving and 46 percent disapproving.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, also released Monday, found similar opposition, with 44 percent of Americans calling the health care law a bad idea and 31 percent calling it a good idea. NBC posted a range of respondents' explanations for their opinions, from fears about "death panels" and rising costs, to happiness that preexisting conditions are covered and young adults can be covered by their parents' insurance.

HuffPost Pollster's average of all available public polls puts disapproval of Obamacare at about 53 percent.

In the Pew survey, those who disapproved of the health care law split on what lawmakers should do next: 27 percent of all respondents said lawmakers should try to make Obamacare work as well as possible, and 23 percent said they seek to make it fail.

"This strategic question is a particular point of conflict within the Republican Party," the Pew report says. Republicans as a whole were just slightly more likely to want the law to fail than to want it improved, while 64 percent of tea party Republicans wanted the law to fail.

Americans were almost evenly split on which party they trusted more to handle health care. Forty percent said they believe the Republican Party would do a better job dealing with health care, while 39 percent preferred the Democrats. It's the first time a Pew poll has found the GOP ahead on health care since at least 1990. While the size of Democrats' edge has varied widely in the past, a December 2012 poll put them 10 points ahead of Republicans on the issue.

More than three years after the Affordable Care Act was passed, 34 percent still said they didn't have a good understanding of how the law affects them. Just 51 percent knew that a health insurance exchange will be available in their state. Awareness of the exchanges was significantly higher in states that chose to run their own exchanges or partner with the federal government than in states where the exchanges will be run by the federal government.

The NBC/WSJ poll similarly found that only 30 percent said they understand the health care law "very well" or "pretty well."

"As it turns out, that 30 percent has more positive opinions about the health-care law (42 percent good idea, 45 percent bad idea), versus the 34 percent who don't understand it very well (17 percent good idea, 44 percent bad idea)," NBC's Mark Murray wrote.

The Pew/USA Today poll surveyed 1,504 adults between Sept. 4 and Sept. 8, while the NBC/WSJ poll surveyed 1,000 adults between Sept. 5 and Sept. 8. Both used live telephone interviews.

Also on HuffPost:

Lawrence Rothman's '#1 All Time Low' Video Is The Creepiest Thing You'll See Today

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Lawrence Rothman doesn't do everything the same way you do things. In the video for his lead single, "Montauk Fling," Rothman dressed himself as Elizabeth Taylor and seduced himself in a hotel room, and he returns with the haunting visuals for "#1 All Time Low" -- premiering exclusively on HuffPost Entertainment.

In the new dystopian video, a battered and bruised Rothman meanders through various scenes of a certain type of hell that make the grislier scenes in "Trainspotting" look like "Smurfs 2." Blood, dirty bathwater -- it's all there. David Bowie favorite Floria Sigismondi directed the video for the song.

"What I try to do during the 14 to 17 hours that i'm awake, and are participating in this rat race, is aim to experience shit that blows my mind and rattles the mundane cage of cynical normalcy," Rothman said. "Why? So that when I finally get chewed up and spit out on the other end I can say, 'Fuck it, that was great, those where the days of my life. This idea is the theme of my music."

"This video to cut to the chase, as everyone including myself, attention spam is about as long as a gif," he adds. "It's about me trying to do away with my adult jaded, cynical, self and push through a rebirth of sorts or a actually a reintroduction to my inner 'tween spirit' -- the part of me that doesn't give a fuck and goes with the flow, like when you're a kid and your parents are having a bitch-fest, but it doesn't phase you because you're too enthralled with building LEGO city."

Take a look below and let us know what you think in the comments. Viewer discretion is advised. Select tour dates follow.

10/29 - The Sebright Arms - London, UK
11/5 - Casbah - San Diego, CA (w/ Active Child)
11/23 - El Rey - Los Angeles, CA (w/ Active Child)

Space Tourist Dennis Tito On Using Bathroom In Space: 'I Hadn't Had Toilet Training In 60 Years'

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

NEW YORK – As microgravity makes even the most mundane tasks tricky, going to the bathroom in space can be a chore. How astronauts take care of that basic human necessity while in orbit has been a point of perennial fascination for the Earth-bound public.

For a moment during a Sept. 4 talk here at the Explorers Club, two of the world's first space tourists who paid their way to the International Space Station traded stories about their space toilet training, or actually the lack of training.

The Explorers Club was holding an event with former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott and his son, gaming legend Richard Garriott, perhaps best known for creating the Ultima role-playing series. They are the only American father-son team to have both gone to space. [Photos: Space Tourist Richard Garriott, an Astronaut Legacy]

While Owen Garriott flew with NASA aboard U.S. space station Skylab and the space shuttle Columbia, his son became a spaceflyer in his own right in 2008 after using his gaming fortune to buy a multimillion-dollar ticket to the space station aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule.

Adventurer and journalist Jim Clash interviewed the duo in front of a small audience and afterwards gave the night's first question to another private spaceflyer in the room: American businessman Dennis Tito.

A longtime space enthusiast, Tito made his millions in the world of finance, but was once an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Widely considered the first space tourist, Tito paid the Russians a reported $20 million for his 2001 flight to the space station.

The younger Garriott earlier in the night said he used to look at Tito and think, "That's the guy that got my seat!" Garriott's long-held aspirations to go to space — first dashed when he learned his eyesight was below NASA standards — had to be postponed for a few years after his wealth took a hit in the dot-com crash.

space toilet A view of the toilet compartment in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station (ISS).

Tito stood up to ask his question and paused before saying, "One experience that people always ask me about is, 'How do you go to the bathroom in space?'"

As the audience laughed, Owen Garriott jumped in to add: "Elementary school children, usually."

But Tito continued, saying that despite his eight months of training with the Russians, he wasn't all that prepared to go the bathroom in space.

"I guess the Russians really don't like to talk about these things — they have funny attitudes," Tito said. "So I got on board the station and the first thing that happened was Jim Voss, an American astronaut, gave me toilet trailing."

"Now, I hadn't had toilet training in 60 years," Tito added. "So I was wondering, did you get toilet training on the ground?"

Richard Garriott, who trained with the Russians, too, corroborated Tito's story.

"It is hilarious because every other system — everything except the toilet — you use the exact hardware you will use in space on the ground," Garriott said.

Garriott said he had a cheat sheet for which switches to turn on for when he needed to use the space commode, the toilet does not work the same way as it does on the ground.

"Gravity's actually really important for how to separate yourself from your waste and there's no discussion of that," Garriott said.

Richard Garriott as seen in "Man on a Mission," a film by Mike Woolf.

His father chimed in to give a perspective from the U.S. side, and discussed his training with NASA ahead of his 60-day stint in space during the Skylab 3 mission in 1973.

"We did receive proper training," the elder Garriott said. "For urination it's a very simple thing ... Urination is not a problem. Defecation is what you're concerned about."

Garriott said the Skylab astronauts used a simulator toilet mounted over a camera so that they could check their positioning on the ground before using the commode in space. All three Skylab crews out also brought home all of their waste to be examined by scientists, Garriott added, remarking that they never had a single toilet failure while in flight.

"One thing NASA did right," he quipped.

Follow Megan Gannon on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @SPACEdotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on SPACE.com.

New Gsm

lundi 16 septembre 2013

Kelly Rowland Works On Her Ab-Fab Fitness

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Kelly Rowland has one of the most enviable sets of abs in Tinseltown.

The singer, who made a body-baring splash on this month's cover of Shape, showed how she carves those muscles.

It's all thanks to trainer Jeanette Jenkins! Rowland says the trainer's star plank (which she easily executed above) is one of her favorite moves from Jenkins' latest video.

"The Hollywood Trainer" definitely gets the Destiny's Child diva's seal of approval -- the two teamed up for a workout DVD, "Sexy Abs Cardio Sculpt," which will be released Oct. 1.

Those abs are enough "Motivation" for us. We're sold, Kelly!

Also on HuffPost:

James Franco Gay Jokes During Comedy Central's Roast Discussed On 'The Rubin Report'

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Dave Rubin of "The Rubin Report" took Comedy Central to task over the barrage of gay jokes directed at James Franco during its roast of the Academy Award-nominated actor earlier this month. (WARNING: contains graphic language)

Joining Rubin were comedian Erin Foley and producer Jayar Jackson, both of whom were critical of the event.

"This was just was another example of what happens in comedy clubs across the country -- it's just stupid straight dudes making stupid gay jokes," Foley said. "They don't know James Franco ... honestly, it's absolutely ridiculous."

Jackson minced even fewer words, noting, "Call it a written sh*t talk night rather than a roast."

For his part, Franco doesn't seem to mind the gay speculation. Last week, he told The Daily Beast: "I don’t even care if people think I’m gay, so it was like, 'Awesome!' I mean, I wish I was. … I wish I was gay."

For more on "The Rubin Report," click here.

Also on HuffPost:

samedi 17 août 2013

BlackBerry patents could be worth 5 billion dollars for a single buyer

With prospects a possible sale, BlackBerry has as assets of greater value its portfolio of patents, according to analysts. The failure of the Canadian company to pull business business mobile phone made its approximately 9,000 patents good more interesting on the table, while its leaders will review its future options.

According to Chris Marlett, CEO of MDB Capital Group, one of the reasons that give value to its patent for the sector is that they represent "the last great available portfolio [for the wireless]", said AllThingsD.

Microsoft, Google, Apple and Samsung among potential buyers

He believes that this asset of 9,000 patents about has a value of 2 for $ 3 billion, if it is purchased by a consortium, and could be worth up to 5 billion if it is bought by a single purchaser, under the pressure of a bidding battle. Potential buyers include Microsoft, Google, Apple and Samsung.

Some of these patents have been acquired by BlackBerry as a member of a consortium that bought 6,000 patents to Nortel during its bankruptcy filing.

According to Reuters, the purchase of other assets of BlackBerry beyond its patents could be problematic because of the difficulties of its mobile business, which could cost around $ 2 billion.

On the other side, despite its drastically reduced market share, BlackBerry is still a firm grip on the market through BlackBerry Enterprise Server and high global visibility, which, according to Marlett, could make the interesting company for a buyer like Microsoft.

"Someone like Microsoft could find correct to pay 4-5 billion dollars for the business, and 4 to 5 billion for intellectual property, which would set a purchase price to $ 8 to $ 10 billion," said Chris Marlett at AllThingsD.

New Gsm

LG revient dans l'arène du haut de gamme avec son smartphone G2

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

C'est le moment pour les challengers de tenter une percée dans le marché des smartphones. Après Motorola et son Moto X, c'est au tour de LG de dévoiler son nouveau terminal, haut de gamme cette fois, qui viendra concurrencer le S4 de Samsung, l'iPhone 5 d'Apple, le Xperia Z de Sony ou encore le HTC One.

Pour LG, le momentum est positif. Le fabricant sud-coréen renoue en effet avec la croissance dans les smartphones depuis plusieurs mois, notamment grâce au succès du Nexus 4 de Google. Au deuxième trimestre, sa part de marché était de 5,1% contre 3,7% un an plus tôt (chiffres IDC).

Le fabricant se classe désormais à la troisième place mondiale, néanmoins encore loin d'Apple (12 millions d'unités écoulées sur trois mois contre 31 millions pour la pomme).

Il s'agit donc de battre le fer tant qu'il est chaud. C'est ce que fait LG avec ce nouveau G2, présenté ce mercredi à New York. Le géant vise clairement le haut de gamme avec un terminal présenté comme "le téléphone le plus ambitieux de l'ère des smartphones".

Côté design, pour se différencier, LG propose comme ses concurrents des "innovations" ergonomiques. Les touches latérales sont placées à l’arrière pour une meilleure prise en main. Un appui prolongé sur le bouton central, qui fait aussi office d'interrupteur, lance les notes ou l’appareil photo. Pas sûr que cet argument soit vraiment payant mais il semble être au centre de la communication de LG...

Quant au design global du terminal, encore une fois, il est classique à pleurer....

On trouve également un mode de décrochage automatique en portant l’appareil à l’oreille dès qu’un appel entre, ou encore la fonction Plug&Pop qui propose des actions en fonction des accessoires connectés.

Plutôt intéressant, le "Guest Mode" permet de prêter le G2 à un utilisateur invité en sécurisant ses propres données. Une fonction qui pourrait avoir du sens en entreprise.

Sous le capot, ce G2 se hisse en haut du panier. Animé par Android 4.2.2, il est doté d'un écran full HD de 5,2 pouces, d'un processeur Qualcomm SnapDragon 800 cadencé à 2,26 GHz, de 2Go de RAM, de 16 ou 32 Go de stockage et du support de la 4G.

Un mode "invité" qui sécurise vos données en cas de prêt

Le smartphone intègre une super batterie de 3000 mAh associée à la technologie Graphic RAM qui permettrait d’économiser 26% de consommation.

Le terminal joue également la carte de la finesse (8,9 mm) malgré la présence d'un stabilisateur optique associé à un APN rétro-éclairé de 13 megapixels. Sur ce point, LG entend bien venir concurrencer les Nokia Lumia 920 ou 1020 qui misent tout sur la qualité des photos.

Originalité technologique, ce smartphone prend en charge l'audio codé en 24-bit/192 kHz. Une très bonne nouvelle pour les mélomanes.

Le LG G2 sera lancé en Europe au mois d'octobre (peut-être en même temps que le nouvel iPhone) à un prix encore non communiqué.

Voir aussi notre page
Chiffres clés : les ventes de mobiles et de smartphones

New Gsm

LinkedIn permet de répondre à une offre d'emploi depuis un smartphone

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Business : Une nouvelle fonction logique : plus de 30% des membres qui consultent une offre d'emploi le font depuis leur mobile.

Comme beaucoup de réseaux sociaux, LinkedIn est aujourd'hui de plus en plus depuis un terminal mobile. Un transfert d'usage qui implique de mettre l'accent sur les applications liées à ces services.

Le réseau social à vocation professionnelle l'a (enfin) compris et dote son application Android et iOS d'une fonction attendue : la possibilité de répondre à une offre d'emploi directement depuis le smartphone. LinkedIn rappelle que plus de 30% de ses membres qui consultent une offre d'emploi le font depuis leur mobile."Nous voulons faciliter les choses pour ces utilisateurs", explique le service.

En 4 étapes

Concrètement, un membre du réseau social pourra depuis l'application mobile répondre directement à l'émetteur de l'offre ou la mettre de côté pour y répondre plus tard. L'utilisateur pourra également éditer son CV depuis l'application avec des outils dédiés aux écrans des smartphones.

Le processus est très simplifiée. A partir d'une annonce, l'utilisateur vérifie, édite et met à jour son profil, puis il suffit de cliquer sur le bouton 'postuler'. La fiche du postulant est ensuite transmise au recruteur. Par contre, le service ne prend pas en charge l'ajout d'une lettre de motivation, encore incontournable en France.

Rappelons que l'offre d'emploi (Talent Solutions) est au centre de la stratégie de services payants de LinkedIn avec 56% des revenus générés au deuxième trimestre. LinkedIn promet donc aux recruteurs des candidatures de qualité et ciblées. D'où ce processus de vérification qui s'apparente en fait à un filtre de premier niveau.

New Gsm

Motorola Moto X : pas de sortie en France ni en Europe

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Business : Le premier smartphone Motorola de l'ère Google sera donc réservé au marché américain. Mais la firme promet que de nouveaux Moto X seront lancés sur le Vieux continent.

Voir aussi notre page
Chiffres clés : les ventes de mobiles et de smartphones

Déception supplémentaire ? Le nouveau Motorola Moto X ne sera ni lancé en France, ni en Europe, le smartphone étant réservé au marché américain. L'information a été confirmée par un porte-parole britannique du fabricant au site Pocket-lint.

Bonne nouvelle néanmoins, la filiale de Google souligne que Moto X est en fait une gamme et que d'autres smartphones seront bientôt présentés, smartphones qui seront commercialisés sur le Vieux continent.

Ce choix peut se comprendre. Le Moto X fait la part belle à la personnalisation avec la possibilité de customiser son appareil au moment de la commande sur le site dédié Moto Maker. L'utilisateur pourra jouer avec les couleurs de la coque, de la bordure et des boutons. Motorola promet 2000 combinaisons possibles et une livraison en 4 jours.

Tout étant fabriqué aux Etats-Unis, on peut comprendre que pour des raisons de logistique et de coûts, le fabricant ait choisi de limiter cette possibilité aux clients américains. Pour autant, cette stratégie est à double tranchant, limitant mécaniquement l'audience du terminal alors que Motorola a cruellement besoin de volumes pour renouer avec la croissance.

A lire notre point de vue - Motorola Moto X : tout ça pour ça ?

New Gsm

Bientôt des smartphones capables de traductions simultanées chez Google ?

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Les étudiants et anciens étudiants en langues étrangères le savent : l'une des disciplines les plus exigeantes reste la traduction simultanée, qui exige bonne connaissance de la langue d'origine, rapidité de prise de décision et capacité à scinder la compréhension d'une langue étrangère et la retranscription orale dans sa langue maternelle, deux opérations à effectuer en simultané.

Pas simple, à tel point qu'il est souvent question, dans les couloirs d'universités, du caractère prétendument inné d'une telle capacité, voire d'un "don" ou de facilités accordé à quelques chanceux. Rien de scientifique donc, et encore moins de science réductible à une équation ou à des algorithmes.

Babel Fish

Voire. Car si la rumeur dit vrai - elle confirmerait en tous cas un projet réel qui a quelques années au compteur - Google serait sur le point de parvenir à réaliser un vieux fantasme : le traducteur instantané et universel. Un "Babel Fish" mobile, en référence au poisson jaune et absurde de H2G2 : le Guide du voyageur galactique de Douglas Adams.

Google n'est pas le premier à travailler sur l'épineux problème. NTT DoCoMo, l'un des principaux opérateurs japonais, a développé un traducteur de poche, sous forme d'application pour smartphone, capable de comprendre a priori relativement bien une phrase en anglais et de la retranscrire en japonais, et vice versa. C'est d'ailleurs un gros succès au Japon, notamment depuis la généralisation de la 4G (amélioration de la latence).

Voir cette vidéo d'Android Central :

Evidemment, l'application de NTT DoCoMo n'est qu'un "premier pas" vers le traducteur universel. Ce qui permet à Google d'affirmer son avance sur le Japonais. Ainsi, Hugo Barra, vice-président d'Android, estime dans une interview au Times que ce que le géant vise, c'est une traduction quasi-simultanée : pas plus de quelques secondes pour avoir une traduction orale d'une phrase.

Le but est clair, et colle totalement au fantasme : vous parlez en français, votre interlocuteur entend et répond en kirghize, que vous entendez à votre tour en français. Utile pour voyager - un peu de piment en moins cependant, mais chacun fera comme il le souhaite.

Les premiers prototypes sont en cours de développement. Evidemment, on est encore loin a priori des conversations téléphoniques complètement traduites par ce biais, même si c'est quelque chose que Google compte apporter. Adieu alors les problèmes de traduction... Et les traducteurs ?

New Gsm

Arirang: the first North Korean smartphone... 'made in China'

The news agency official Korean, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), linked to the Government of Kim Jong-un, revealed in a report the existence of a first smartphone manufactured in the country. It followed the Communist leader, Kim Jung-un, visiting the factory.

No detail has really transpired on the device. If we know that this is a smartphone running on Android, the Arirang AS1201 is part of the secrets well kept by the plant May 11 Factory in Pyongyang, according to the North Korea Tech site.

Pictures of propaganda?

Kim Jong-un had visited the factory, two years and two months in the presence of his father, Kim Jong-il. At the time, he had made the round of a production of LCD flat panels. As at the time, nevertheless, doubts about the reality of this factory of technological products.

The only images presented by the official agency showed workers in the presence of finished electronic products. No details on the manufacture, which may suggest that it is that of propaganda reports. In which case the "North Korean smartphone" would not really produced in the country, and would serve only to show an image of modernity.

North Korea Tech believes that devices are probably ordered directly from Chinese suppliers, and delivered to the plant May 11 Factory, where they are inspected prior to sale.

It would not be surprising, the precedent set by the famous "North Korean tablet" actually produced in China who threw suspicion on this type of ads. What does not questioning the reality of the smartphone and its upcoming North Korea distribution, even though the country is not the place of manufacture. It will be undoubtedly marketed via Koryolink, the joint venture managed by the Ministry of posts and telecommunications and the Egyptian operator Orascom.

"A lot of pixels"

On the specifications, we simply know that the supreme leader has enjoyed the performance, and was pleased, according to KCNA, "mobile devices will be very practical for its users as their photo sensor has 'lots of pixels'." Very few images of the visit have also shown in the video report.

However, Kim Jong-un support for the development of a telephone network mobile seems proven. The previous meeting of his father with Naguib Sawiris, Chairman of Orascom Telecom operator, was widely circulated in the official media. For Daily NK, "Kim has supported the idea of a production of mobile phones as a patriotic activity".

This does rehabilitate probably not cause locking of telecommunications, access to the Internet in 3G is very complicated in the country, even for foreigners visiting, while the citizens of the country obviously cannot pass appeal internationally.

See also our page
Key figures: sales of mobile and smartphones

New Gsm

Téléphonie mobile : le japonais NEC renonce

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Business : Le fabricant japonais de téléphones mobiles a officiellement jeté l’éponge. Absent à l’international et progressivement écrasé (5% de part de marché) sur son territoire national, NEC cesse son activité et ne produira plus de smartphones.

Pour le constructeur japonais NEC, l’aventure dans le secteur de la téléphonie mobile est définitivement terminée. Le groupe a officialisé l’arrêt de cette activité, reconnaissant l’échec de sa stratégie dans le domaine des smartphones, y compris au Japon où le fabricant a chuté à 5% de part de marché.

Dans un communiqué, NEC souligne que « le marché des mobiles a radicalement changé » et qu’il lui est « difficile d'entrevoir une amélioration » de ses performances à l'avenir dans un secteur où « les économies d'échelle sont de plus en plus importantes » en termes de compétitivité.

NEC était en grande difficulté avec des pertes croissantes. En avril 2012, après un déficit de près de 900 millions d’euros, le fabricant japonais avait notamment dû réduire ses effectifs de 10%, soit 10.000 salariés, principalement au Japon.

Mais si NEC a pu réduire ses coûts, il n’a pas pour autant percé sur le très dynamique segment des smartphones, ultra-dominé par Apple et Samsung. Au cours de la dernière année fiscale, l’entreprise japonaise n’a ainsi livré que 2,9 millions de smartphones, bien loin de sa prévision (4,3 millions). Et les ventes continuaient encore de se dégrader, signale Les Echos.

Voir aussi notre page
Chiffres clés : les ventes de mobiles et de smartphones

New Gsm

Smartphones : Samsung domine une fois encore Apple

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

D’après les estimations livrées par Strategy Analytics, Samsung a au deuxième trimestre largement dominé le marché mondial des terminaux mobiles en livrant 107 millions d’appareils en l’espace de trois mois.

Le constructeur coréen détient ainsi près de 28% du marché mondial. Sur le segment des smartphones, malgré les bonnes ventes de l’iPhone (31,2 millions d’unités écoulées par Apple), Samsung reste largement devant avec 76 millions de terminaux.

Nokia sur le déclin à cause de ses téléphones classiques

Au 2e trimestre, le fabricant coréen affiche ainsi une part de marché de 33%, quand Apple recule lui de 16,7% il y a un an à 13,6%. « La part de marché globale d’Apple est à son plus bas depuis le second trimestre 2010 » rappelle le dirigeant de Strategy Analytics, Neil Mawston.

L’ancienne gloire de la téléphonie mobile, Nokia, continue de sombrer avec des ventes de mobiles réduites de pratiquement un tiers sur un an. La part de marché du finlandais est ainsi tombé de 22,5% à 15,5%.

Si du côté d’IDC, qui a livré ses estimations pour le 2e trimestre 2013, les chiffres sont un peu différents, la tendance reste néanmoins la même. Sur un an, le marché des smartphones est en croissance de 52,3% avec 237,9 millions d’unités livrées dans le monde.

Apple progresse moins vite que le marché et perd du terrain

Et parmi les cinq principaux fabricants de smartphone, malgré des ventes supérieures aux attentes, Apple est celui dont la croissance est la plus modérée : 20%. C’est bien, mais dans le même temps, Samsung enregistre une hausse de 43,9% de ses livraisons, LG, Lenovo et ZTE de plus de 50% - et au-delà de 100% pour les chinois.

(Crédit : IDC)

Ces progressions sont cependant à relativiser puisque ces fabricants partent de beaucoup plus bas et, pour Lenovo et ZTE, ils ne disposent pas d’une présence mondiale aussi forte qu’Apple et Samsung. Néanmoins, pour Apple, cette pression concurrentielle se traduit directement par un recul de sa part de marché à 13,1%. Et Samsung connaît un sort équivalent.

Voir aussi notre page
Chiffres clés : les ventes de mobiles et de smartphones

New Gsm

Motorola Moto X : tout ça pour ça ?...

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Après un long 'teasing' orchestré de main de maître, Motorola a donc finalement levé le voile sur le Moto X, le premier smartphone de l'ère Google, nouveau propriétaire de l'américain.

On allait voir ce qu'on allait voir, promettait le fabricant à longueur de bribes d'informations distillées pendant plusieurs mois. Avec ce terminal 'made in USA' (un argument supplémentaire ?), Motorola allait enfin renouer avec le succès, lui qui avait pendant de nombreuses années trusté la place de deuxième vendeur de la planète derrière Nokia avant de sombrer corps et âme dans les limbes des classements mondiaux, parfaitement incapable de se renouveler.

Est-ce donc le jour de gloire pour le fabricant ? Si le Moto X ne semble pas être un smartphone raté, il n'apporte pour autant pas la rupture annoncée, celle qui en ferait un incontournable.

Le design d'abord. S'il s'agit toujours d'une affaire de goût, on peut toujours constater que ce Moto X suit fidèlement la tendance à l'uniformisation des form-factors. Rien ne le distingue de ses concurrents directs, notamment les Samsung. On sait que proposer un design de rupture peut être pénalisant, les consommateurs aimant être rassurés mais ici, pas l'ombre d'une originalité.

2000 combinaisons, et après ?

Quant aux finitions, le plastique est encore une fois à l'honneur. Certes, cela fait baisser le prix unitaire mais cela ne donne pas forcément envie. Pour un retour en force, on s'attendait peut-être à un peu mieux, Motorola aurait peut-être du lorgner du côté de Sony (Xperia Z) ou même HTC (avec le One) qui ont mis l'accent sur des matériaux nobles comme l'aluminium.

Côté technique, Motorola n'a pas cherché à jouer la carte de la course à la puissance même si son smartphone est 4G, motorisé par un Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro cadencé à 1,7 GHz associé à deux cœurs spécifiques, et épaulé par 2 Go de RAM.

L'appareil photo ne fait "que" 10 megapixels mais a-t-on vraiment besoin de plus ? Nokia pense que oui. Par ailleurs, le Moto X ne propose qu'une résolution 720p et pas 1080p. Pourtant, la photo et la vidéo sont au coeur des usages actuels. Par contre, le fabricant promet 24 heures d'autonomie, ce qui pourra apparaître comme un atout de taille si évidemment cela se vérifie.

Non, très vite, Motorola a mis en avant les capacités de personnalisation de son bébé promettant "le premier smartphone que vous pouvez dessiner vous-même". En effet, le Moto X pourra être personnalisé au moment de la commande sur le site dédié Moto Maker. Mais au final, l'utilisateur pourra jouer avec les couleurs de la coque (ultra déjà-vu), de la bordure et des boutons.

Motorola promet 2000 combinaisons possibles. Et après ? La personnalisation des smartphones n'est pas une nouveauté et le fabricant n'apporte finalement rien de neuf.

Par ailleurs, il faut noter que cette possibilité n'est pour le moment offerte qu'aux abonnés d'AT&T, puisque réalisée uniquement dans l'usine texane du groupe. La question est de savoir si Google prévoit d'étendre le concept au monde entier, ce qui semble peu probable.

Des innovations gestuelles vraiment utiles ?

La filiale de Google a également voulu mettre l'accent sur l'ergonomie. C'est peut-être le point où le Moto X possède un vrai atout. Avec l'assistant Google Now, toujours à l'écoute, il est possible d'activer des fonctions ou de programmer des tâches à la voix. Quand on se saisit du téléphone, les notifications apparaissent sur l'écran de verrouillage, quand on le secoue, l'appareil photo s'active...

Sur le papier les idées sont intéressantes mais ne relèvent-elles pas du gadget ? Le pilotage à la voix, déjà vu avec Siri sur iOS, est amusant cinq minutes mais constitue-t-il une ergonomie fondamentale ? Est-ce un argument de vente suffisant ? Quant à l'ergonomie gestuelle, attendons de vérifier son efficacité.

On se souviendra que les innovations de ce type développées par Samsung pour le S4 étaient prometteuses mais finalement assez pénibles à l'usage et de nombreux utilisateurs préfèrent désormais s'en passer. Bref, encore une fois, est-ce un argument de vente ?

Finalement ce Moto X ne viendra pas concurrencer Apple, Samsung, HTC et Sony sur le haut de gamme. Il ne vise pas non plus les technophiles. Ce n'est pas son objectif. Avec un prix en-dessous des 200 dollars avec abonnement et un focus sur la personnalisation et l'ergonomie, Motorola cherche à séduire, le milieu du marché avec des attentes assez basiques.

Dans ce cadre, le fabricant américain a peut-être sa carte à jouer. Mais par rapport à toute l'opération marketing qui a été organisée, par rapport à l'attente suscitée et aux promesses qui ont été faites, on peut raisonnablement être un peu déçu. Ce Moto X n'est-il qu'un Androphone de plus ?

Voir aussi notre page
Chiffres clés : les ventes de mobiles et de smartphones

New Gsm

Ready to get BlackBerry for sale

Business: The Board of Directors of BlackBerry announced have formed a Committee to explore "strategic alternatives" such as joint ventures, partnerships or even the sale of the company.

The Board of Directors of BlackBerry announced Monday that it has formed an Ad Hoc Committee that could lead to the sale of the business. The news was aired just after the stock is suspended on the Nasdaq in New York.

According to the release of the company, the Committee will have the task "to explore strategic alternatives to increase the value and scalability to accelerate the deployment of 10 BlackBerry". "These alternatives may include, among other things, the possible ventures, strategic partnerships or alliances, a sale of the company or other transactions possible."

A capitalization divided by 17

P - DG Thorsten Heins said that the company will continue to focus on "the reduction of costs, looking for efficiency and acceleration of BES 10 [its platform management of e-mails] as well as to work to adopt smartphones BlackBerry 10".

Last week, Reuters reported that the Canadian firm would reflect to an output of the stock exchange. Its market capitalization fell to $ 4.8 billion, while it peaked at 84 billion in 2008.

New Gsm

Recharge : SunPartner, fabricant d’un film solaire pour écrans, signe un accord avec TCL

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Vous permettre de recharger votre smartphone ou votre tablette en la laissant au soleil ou à la lumière électrique, via un film solaire photovoltaïque collé à son écran?

C'est l'ambition de Sunpartner, PME basée à Aix-en-Provence, qui a annoncé (PDF) une nouvelle levée de fonds de 2,1 millions d’euros, bouclant ainsi un tour de table de 4 millions initié à l’été 2012. Elle annonce aussi deux accords de collaboration.

Le premier accord est passé avec le chinois TCL Communication, septième fabricant mondial de smartphones (commercialisés sous les marques Alcatel Onetouch et TCL) avec 2,1% de part de marché mondial en 2012, pour intégrer la technologie Wysips Crystal (Wysips : "What you see is photovoltaic surface") de Sunpartner dans l’écran de certains de ses smartphones. Les prototypes seront alimentés en énergie par la lumière.

Premières licences pour des smartphones attendues début 2014

Ce partenariat permettra à TCL d’évaluer la technologie sous les aspects techniques et marketing, indique Sunpartner. La start-up précise qu’elle "entend signer deux autres accords" similaires dans les prochains mois, et vise la signature des premières licences au premier semestre 2014.

Le second accord de Sunpartner est conclu avec l’équipementier aéronautique Vision Systems, pour intégrer Wysips Glass dans les systèmes de protection solaire de hublots d’avion. La mise au point d’un premier prototype est prévue pour la fin de 2013. L’objectif annoncé est de concevoir une solution de protection solaire, autonome du réseau électrique de l’avion, et qui permettrait à terme "une alimentation locale des smartphones et tablettes tactiles des passagers".

Pour financer ses ambitions, Sunpartner vient de lever 2,1 millions d’euros auprès de fonds d’investissement (le Crédit Agricole, la Compagnie photovoltaïque de l’Est), des "family offices" [structure de gestion de patrimoine familial, NDLR], dont Jean-Pierre Gloton, cofondateur de Gemplus, et des actionnaires historiques. Cette opération boucle un tour de table total de 4 millions d’euros, initié en juillet 2012 auprès de Starquest Capital, PACA Investissement, un fonds régional géré par Turenne Capital, et CPG Finance.

Encore 8 millions d’euros de levées à venir annoncés

La levée de fonds permet à Sunpartner de financer une ligne pilote d’industrialisation de sa technologie Wysips Crystal. Les premières pré-séries doivent être fabriquées cet été, pour une production en volume prévue au premier semestre 2014.

En trois ans, l’entreprise a levé au total près de 9,1 millions d’euros. Elle annonce déjà une nouvelle augmentation de capital de 8 millions d’euros, dont deux millions d’ici fin 2013 et six millions vers mars 2014. Elle indique avoir déposé plus de 33 brevets.

Créée il y a cinq ans, l’entreprise vise les écrans de communication "indoor et nomades (téléphones portables, tablettes, liseuses, capteurs, horlogerie, étiquettes électroniques, affichage publicitaire, etc.), les transports, les bâtiments intelligents (vitrages, façades, etc.) et la production d’énergie décentralisée". L’entreprise compte actuellement 30 collaborateurs et veut doubler ses effectifs "à court terme". Elle vise un chiffre d’affaires de 100 millions d’euros en 2016.

New Gsm