Accounting for the Industrial Revolution

Andrew J. Coulson

This is the most important question in economics: Why did the Industrial Revolution happen when and where it did–and not before or elsewhere? Fail to understand that and you may enact policies that will kill the unprecedented human progress it launched: a multiplication in the average worldwide per-capita income of between 16 and 100 times in the span of just 200 years. Compare that to the preceding thousands of years over which worldwide per-capita income was largely unchanged.

In her brilliant 2011 book Bourgeois Dignity, economist and historian Deirdre McCloskey shot down every leading explanation for this “Great Fact,” and then offered a new one: in the Netherlands and then Britain, entrepreneurship was accorded a widespread liberty and respectability it had never before enjoyed in human history. McCloskey will speak at the Cato Institute on this and related topics on June 20th at noon.

This exquisitely elegant explanation packs enormous punch for students of the history of economics. Among other things, it explains why the ancient Greeks–who invented democracy, the core forms of Western literature, joint-stock corporations, commercial insurance, and even steam-powered toys–never enjoyed an industrial revolution of their own. (The ancient Greek elites abhorred the idea of working for a living.)

As yet, though, there is no “implementation detail” for the Liberty and Dignity theory. Bourgeois Dignity is so successful at shooting down earlier explanations for the Great Fact because it describes the mechanisms by which they are proposed to have driven economic growth and then shows that the magnitude of their impact is simply insufficient. So far, it doesn’t seem that anyone has proposed a specific, quantitatively testable mechanism by which the change in popular rhetoric could have precipitated the 16-to-100-times innovation explosion.

To get the ball rolling, below is one proposal for such a mechanism. (Disclaimer 1: this is not my day job. Disclaimer 2: it wouldn’t be that easy to quantify–sorry.)

Liberty and Dignity for entrepreneurs/tinkerers/merchants raised the number of clever, dedicated innovators beyond a threshold that had never before been reached. Below that threshold, would-be innovators would often have hit stumbling blocks that they could not overcome, e.g., needing some as-yet-uninvented process/material/tool/concept to complete/commercialize their own innovation. Without that missing piece, their innovative efforts would have failed. Above that threshold, cross-pollination among innovators would have drastically reduced the number of insurmountable problems–innovators would increasingly have been able to borrow from their predecessors and contemporaries who were working on related problems. This cross-pollination would have required inexpensive information storage and retrieval (i.e., books), but it also would have required a critical mass of innovators simultaneously working on a vast array of problems, a critical mass that the widespread Liberty and Dignity for entrepreneurs created for the first time.

Call it, “James Burke’s Connections meets Deirdre McCloskey’s Dignity.” Just a thought.

Bad news, Glass fans: Google Glass will probably launch with terrible battery life

Whether or not Google’s connected eyewear will appeal to the mass market, early reviews painted Google Glass as a very intriguing product. It’s not without some faults, of course, and one of the biggest problems with early units was battery life. Glass reportedly goes for about five hours on a charge with average usage, which isn’t very impressive at all. Use the device for something like capturing long videos, however, and battery life can drop to as low as just “a couple of hours.” The version tested by earlier reviewers was just a prototype though, and Glass fans are hoping that Google will improve the device’s efficiency before launching it. But according to recent comments from Google cofounder Sergey Brin,

BBC iPlayer app now adds support for 10-inch tablets, refined UI for smartphones and 7-inch tablets

  BBC’s popular iPlayer app has just gotten a new update bringing more support and increased functionality to a wider array of Android tablets. First off the bat is new-found support for 10-inch tablets, so users won’t need to rely on having to go to the BBC website to view all that cool content anymore. On top [...]

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These Are The Top Losers From Google’s New Penguin Update, According To Searchmetrics

As it typically does with many major Google algorithm updates, Searchmetrics has released of the top losers from the Google Penguin 2.0, which the search engine rolled out this week. Based on this list, some big brands like Dish and …

A&E Cancels Intervention, 13th Season Will Be Its Last

A&E is canceling its award-winning documentary series Intervention this year. The 13th season, which is set to start airing on June 13, will be it last. Intervention’s final season will be comprised of five episodes that feature “fan favorites” from …

Amanda Seyfried Talks About Her Dog & Boobs on Ellen

Amanda Seyfried has become a breakout star in recent years, with roles in movies such as Chloe, Lovelace, and Les Misérables. This week, the actress went on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about her dog and her breasts. On …

After Graduating, Keep Community First

Don’t undervalue the networks you forged in school.

Dad Who Drowned Sons Sentenced To Death

A 34-year old man who drowned his two young sons in order to get back at their mother for leaving him has been sentenced to die in Texas. Naim Rasoon Muhammad abducted his sons, 5-year old Naim and 3-year old …

Behold: How Amazon wins the sales tax wars even when it loses

Amazon has maneuvered to avoid collecting state sales taxes, but that’s only part of the story: This week’s Fortune cover article reveals that even when things don’t go the retailer’s way, it’s been able to turn them to its advantage.

Morgan Freeman Talks Theoretical Physics on the Daily Show

Morgan Freeman stopped by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Thursday night, and luckily he stayed alert and attentive. Though there to promote his new film, Now You See Me, the conversation turned to theoretical physics. That’s not of bad …

If Google isn’t trying to snatch Waze away from Facebook, it really should be

Reports that Google has entered a bidding war with Facebook over the social-mapping service Waze may be just a gambit by the company to force a better deal, but there are compelling reasons why Google should make a bid.

Facebook phone not coming to Europe

European operators have been asked not to go ahead with the launch of the HTC First planned for this summer. The phone comes with Facebook Home which replaces the standard Android screens with its own social media interface. Home has been available for download to other Android devices too but hasn’t proved popular with users. UK mobile operator EE has issued a statement making it clear that Facebook is behind the decision not to launch saying, “Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customisation features to Facebook Home over the coming months. While they are working… [Continue Reading]

Samsung to provide OLED screens for consumer version of Google Glass

Good news for Samsung today because Google has agreed to use their OLED screens for the consumer version of Google Glass. Samsung has been going toe to toe with LG lately, but LG has been leading the way. “Samsung will supply its high-end OLED screens for Google Glass. This is a really big thing because [...]

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Nokia looks to ban HTC One sales with new patent suit

Nokia on Thursday filed a second patent infringement complaint against HTC with the International Trade Commission. The company has alleged that HTC’s products, including its flagship HTC One smartphone, infringe upon its protected technologies. In a statement to ZDNet, Nokia accused HTC of not taking action to prevent infringement and said the company has instead “tried to shift responsibility to its suppliers.” Nokia had previously filed a suit against HTC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California San Diego, claiming 10 of the company’s products, including the HTC One and HTC First, infringe three of its patents. In its new complaint, Nokia has asked the ITC to ban sales of the HTC One in the United States.

This Video Shows How Silly You Look Taking Pictures With Google Glass

Google Glass could be the future of computing or it could be something we’re all sitting around laughing back on years from now. Actually, a lot of people are already laughing about it, and some are making videos ridiculing the …

Changes ahead: more details on how iOS 7 will look

Apple is said to be planning new looks for basic iOS apps that are mostly black and white and uniform in look. Functions like slide-to-unlock will also get a facelift.

Government on the Friends and Family Plan

David Boaz

In his stirring speech to the 1984 Democratic National Convention, then-New York governor Mario Cuomo used an extended metaphor of the whole nation as a family. So maybe it should come as no surprise to discover that his son, current New York governor Andrew Cuomo, uses the New York State government as a jobs program for his friends and their families. The Empire State Development Corporation in particular is chock-full of his donors and friends, and their young sons–not to mention Cuomo’s political advisers.

He’s not alone in spending (other people’s) money to help family and friends. The Washington Post reported in December on the family-friendly atmosphere at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority:

Meet the Kulle family: mom Helen, daughter Ann Kulle-Helms, son-in-law Douglas Helms, son Albert, daughter-in-law Michele Kulle and Michele’s brother, Jeffrey Thacker.

They all worked for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. All at the same time.

One MWAA board member, 

who has had at least three relatives, including a daughter-in-law, work at the agency, said family members are employed frequently, particularly among board members.

“If you ask a third of those folks, their relatives work there,” he said. “I never thought that we were doing anything wrong.”

…

“This is a government town and an agency town,” Crawford said. “If there’s a possibility that you can hire a relative … it was the norm.”

And yesterday the Post reported that MWAA isn’t just for family, it’s for friends, too. Two old friends, one at MWAA, the other at the D.C. Office of Aging, hired each other’s children and friends and issued numerous contracts and grants to companies run by relatives and friends.

At MWAA, government is truly one big family.

And today comes this touching story from Alabama:

Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., will resign from Congress later this year to take a job at the University of Alabama, CQ Roll Call has confirmed…

He will take on the newly created position of vice chancellor of government relations and economic development…

Bonner’s sister, Judy Bonner, is president of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

It bears repeating: “The vice chancellor job is a newly created position in the UA system.”

Anything for family.

Used Xbox One Games Will Be Sold At Retail, Publishers Get A Cut This Time Around [Report]

After Tuesday’s Xbox One reveal, reports came forward that Microsoft would block used games, or at least charge those playing used games a fee. Microsoft finally came out with an official statement that didn’t clear much up, but a report …

Sony’s upcoming Xperia Tablet Z launch delayed by a week

For those of you excited to get your hands on the Sony Xperia Tablet Z tomorrow, it looks like you’ll have to wait just a little bit longer. According to the official Sony Store and Newegg the new launch date is May 29th. B&H is expecting to have it on June 4th and Amazon lists [...]

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Catherine Zeta-Jones is Home After Bipolar Treatment

Last month, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones announced that she would be receiving treatment for her bipolar disorder. Earlier this week her husband, Michael Douglas, revealed that the Traffic Actress should be done with treatment this week. Now it appears that Zeta-Jones …

Genetically Modified Foods and the Limits of Trade Agreements

Simon Lester

Last week-end, the Washington Post had a good article about how difficult it will be for the upcoming U.S.-European Union trade talks to deal with the issue of genetically modified foods. In the Huffington Post, I have a short piece in which I explain why, in my view, trade talks can’t solve this issue.

Here’s my conclusion: 

However, asking trade negotiations to solve the issue in the next year and a half–the projected time-frame for the talks–may doom the whole process of US-EU trade negotiations. Let’s not risk killing a possible free trade deal on a quixotic quest to improve the EU regulatory process. Instead, put the EU arguments to the test: If protectionism is not the reason for the reluctance to approve genetically modified foods, the EU should have no objection to lowering tariffs and removing quotas for U.S. food products that are not genetically modified. Let’s push the EU on that issue instead, moving us towards free trade in the most simple and direct way we can.

My point here is that in order for international trade negotiations to work, we have to focus on what is actually achievable. Tariffs, quotas, and other explicit forms of discrimination are the core of protectionism, and there are plenty of those left. I’m happy to focus on those issues for now. It’s hard enough convincing the U.S. government not to regulate too much; using trade talks to rein in other governments’ regulation is asking a lot.

HTC offering “One Phone, One Weekend, Premium Upgrade” promotion for Canadian mobile users

  As part of its sudden momentum, HTC has announced a special promotion to try and entice Canadian mobile users to jump ship and use the One smartphone instead. The new promotion is appropriated called “One Phone, One Weekend, Premium Upgrade” and invites mobile users to trade in their existing handsets for the One instead [...]

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News story: Former cabinet secretaries talk about their time in office

Former Cabinet Secretaries, serving from the time of Thatcher to Cameron, reveal unique insights into their roles in a new series of films.

Frances Bean Cobain Calls Jenner Out On Twitter

Frances Bean Cobain, daughter of Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, doesn’t take kindly to people who can’t see past the end of their own nose. And when she thinks you’re one of those people, you’d better hope she doesn’t find …

On your marks, get set… GO Launch Dev Team releases Android Next browser

The Android web browser market is a packed one, and users are almost spoiled for choice. If you’re a fan of Firefox, Chrome or Opera on your main computer, there’s an accompanying mobile version for you to work with, and there are plenty of others as well. The GO Launcher Dev Team is best known — it should go without saying — for the Android launcher GO Launcher EX, but it has now branched out and is bringing its stylish looks to a web browser — Next Browser. Like many of the other apps from the same team, Next Browser… [Continue Reading]

A Futurist Looks at the Future of Marketing

Insights from Gerd Leonhard on the marketing trends you should be paying attention to now.

Why you should do your own mobile app store research before buying a phone

Canalys reports the mobile app gap is still big when it comes to Windows Phone and BlackBerry offering the top titles. But a closer look at the stores shows some skewed results. Ultimately, only you can determine the best app store for your needs.

Daft Punk’s New Album in 8-bit Is My New Favorite Thing

Daft Punk’s new album Random Access Memories is burning up the charts and breaking records on Spotify. You’ve probably listened to it a few…dozen times, right? Well, I bet you haven’t heard it like this before. Say hello to “A-bit …

Why is AT&T milking subscribers for an extra $500 million? ‘Because they can’

AT&T said earlier this week that it will add a new administrative fee to each of its wireless subscribers’ monthly bills. The fee is only $0.61, which doesn’t sound like much, and an AT&T spokesperson was quick to point out to several news sites that this new fee is lower than similar fees charged by rival carriers. Subscribers were still outraged. Now that the shouting has died down a bit, however, people are looking for a batter explanation for the new charge they’ll see each month. According to one industry watcher, that explanation couldn’t be simpler: “Because they can.” “Why would AT&T do this? Because they can, and it is all in the pricing strategy,” Joe Hoffman, principal analyst at ABI Research

AUO set to provide display panels for next-generation Nexus 7 tablet

  We know that Google’s second-generation Nexus 7 tablet is on the way, but not much about the device is known— especially since we didn’t see much of a tease at Google I/O this year. Fortunately, it appears that we’re finally getting some long-awaited information about the venerable device as news has surfaced that it’ll [...]

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SAP cloud chief Lars Dalgaard steps down as company consolidates development

Dalgaard is off to become an investor, although he will remain a cloud advisor to SAP. Meanwhile, the company is consolidating its cloud development processes, with a view to eventually streamlining its portfolio.

Presidential Proclamation — Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2013

PRAYER FOR PEACE, MEMORIAL DAY, 2013

- – - – - – -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Since our Nation’s earliest days, America has been blessed with an unbroken chain of patriots who have served our country with honor and distinction. From Concord to the Korengal, generations of brave warriors have fought for freedom across sand and snow, over mud and mountains, into lonely deserts and through crowded streets. Today, we pay tribute to those patriots who never came back — who fought for a home to which they never returned, and died for a country whose gratitude they will always have.

Scripture teaches us that “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” On Memorial Day, we remember those we have lost not only for what they fought for, but who they were: proud Americans, often far too young, guided by deep and abiding love for their families, for each other, and for this country. Our debt to them is one we can never fully repay. But we can honor their sacrifice and strive to be a Nation equal to their example. On this and every day, we must meet our obligations to families of the fallen; we must uphold our sacred trust with our veterans, our service members, and their loved ones.

Above all, we can honor those we have lost by living up to the ideals they died defending. It is our charge to preserve liberty, to advance justice, and to sow the seeds of peace. With courage and devotion worthy of the heroes we remember today, let us rededicate ourselves to those unending tasks, and prove once more that America’s best days are still ahead. Let us pray the souls of those who died in war rest in eternal peace, and let us keep them and their families close in our hearts, now and forever.

In honor of all of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 27, 2013, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

I request the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Google Reportedly Interested In Acquiring Waze

A couple weeks ago, reports came out that Facebook was getting ready to buy mapping/traffic app Waze for up to $1 billion. This was actually an extension of rumors that have been going on for quite some time, dating back …

HTC One Nexus Edition With Stock Android May Be In The Works [Rumor]

One of the pleasant surprises out of this year’s Google I/O was the announcement of a Nexus edition of the Galaxy S4. Now Google may be working on a similar deal with HTC. Anonymous sources speaking to Geek say that …

Calif. Unveils Tentative Price Tags For Health Plans On The Exchange

The monthly cost for policies sold on the state-run exchange came in lower than the 30 percent rate increases some had anticipated, though some consumers will still experience sharply higher premiums. Blue Shield of California estimated that current cu…

Tensions, Threats Emerge In Ariz. Medicaid Expansion Debate

In addition, the legislative debate continues in Texas while in Florida there’s speculation about what’s to become of the state’s uninsured population now that the legislature didn’t take action.
Arizona Republic: Threat, Vetoes Fly As Tensions Rise O…

Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories Is Setting Spotify Records

The radio edit of Daft Punk’s new single “Get Lucky” has already broken Spotify records and currently sits at over 28.3 million streams. Now, Spotify has announced that the album on which it’s featured is also breaking records. Daft Punk’s …

14-Year-Old Girl Covers Van Halen’s ‘Eruption’

On Monday, a girl named Tina S. posted a video of herself playing guitar to YouTube. Not especially uncommon for the website, but the video this week has received nearly 3 million views. What makes Tina’s video special is that …

Clearlake Capital Buys Bluefly

Clearlake Capital Group has acquired about 89% of Bluefly’s outstanding shares directly from the company’s principal stockholders. Clearlake also agreed to buy additional shares from Bluefly which, together with the stock it is buying from principal stockholders, represents more than 90% of the company’s outstanding shares. Financial terms weren’t announced. Bluefly expects to cease trading on the NASDAQ before the open today. Bluefly is an online retailer of designer brands.

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Don’t forget these apps when packing for your Disney trip

Know before you go: the best iOS apps for planning for, getting around and navigating the lines at Disney World.

HTC One with stock Android will reportedly be announced within two weeks

Recent rumors suggested that HTC will follow Samsung and release a “Google Edition” of its flagship smartphone. According to a report from Russel Holly of Geek.com, the same person who scooped the Galaxy S4 Google Edition, an HTC One running stock Android will be announced “within the next two weeks” for a summer launch. The news is perhaps the most reliable yet, however HTC has repeatedly denied plans for a Google Edition of its popular smartphone. The HTC One has been praised for its metal design, front-facing speakers and high-end internal hardware, however some critics have complained about the company’s Sense user interface that runs atop the Android operating system. Despite this, the smartphone has been well received by consumers

Using the CBO Report to Critique a US Carbon Tax

The advocates of a US federal carbon tax are in an awkward position. They have stressed to the public that the majority of natural scientists believe human-caused carbon emissions are at least partially responsible for the rise in global temperatures …

15-Year Old Killed Siblings With Knife In Utah

A 15-year old boy has allegedly killed his two younger brothers, aged 4 and 10, in West Point, Utah. The boys’ mother found her 4-year old dead in their home and ran to find her other children, but they were …

Research Roundup: Getting A Critical Care Doc At Night; Poverty Among Seniors

Each week, KHN reporter Alvin Tran compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
JAMA Internal Medicine: Firearm Legislation And Firearm-Related Fatalities In The United States – Researchers analyzed 121,084 firearms…

Homeland Security: 3D Printed Guns May Be Impossible To Stop

The government is concerned about the proliferation of 3D printed guns. That much was obvious when the State Department demanded Defense Distributed remove the blueprints for the first 3D printed gun – The Liberator – from its Web site. Now …

Viewpoints: We Need More ‘Socialism’; The IRS’s ‘Unwelcome Role’; ‘Fog Of Obamacare’

Los Angeles Times: If This Health Plan Is ‘Socialism,’ We Need More Of It
So this is what socialism looks like: Private companies competing for people’s business in an open marketplace. Californians got their first glimpse Thursday of what insurers pl…

State Highlights: La. Grand Jury To Examine $200M Medicaid Contract

A selection of health policy stories from Louisiana, Oregon, Connecticut, Kansas, North Carolina, California, and New York.
Modern Healthcare: States Delaying, Dropping Controversial Dual-Eligible Pilot Program
More than half of the states that applied…

House Panel Considers Measure That Would Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks

The bill, which is national in scope, is a response to the conviction of abortion provider Kermit Gosnell as well as a range of new state laws.
NPR: Abortion Opponents Try To Spin Murder Case Into Legislation
As predicted, abortion opponents on Capito…

Health Care Issues Become Hurdle For Immigration Reform Measure

The key question that seems to have stalled progress for House lawmakers is how to handle immigrants who do not have health insurance.
Los Angeles Times: Immigrant Health Care Bills Stump House Group
Differences over whether immigrants should be depor…

Health Law Politics Swirl Around Scandal Reports, Implementation Frustrations

Some of the political ebb and flow is exactly as expected, with news reports noting that Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., a staunch opponent of the overhaul, is focused on linking the Internal Revenue Scandal with the health law. However, in other cover…

I-5 Bridge Collapses in Washington State, Three Cars Plunge Into River

A bridge crossing the Skagit River in Northwest Washington State collapsed on Thursday, sending three vehicles into the river and injuring three people. According to a report from Seattle’s local Fox affiliate, a bridge along I-5 about 60 miles north …

A Diverse Board Is an Independent Board

And window dressing doesn’t cut it.

Digg Reader Will Not Be a Standalone App, Launching By the End of June

Digg’s new RSS reader will be out in about a month – but it won’t be a standalone app. Instead, Digg’s new reader will simply be a part of Digg. Speaking at Internet Week New York, Digg CEO Andrew McLaughlin …

Jony Ive’s iOS 7 redesign described as ‘black, white, and flat all over’

We’ve known for a while that Apple design guru Jony Ive would be bringing his own distinctive stamp to iOS 7 and now we’re getting some more details about what that stamp might look like. One of 9to5Mac’s sources describes the new version of iOS as “black, white and flat all over,” meaning that there will be fewer heavy textures and more interface elements that come in plain black and white. What sort of specific changes does this entail, then? According to 9to5Mac, one obvious change will be to the iPhone’s unlock screen, which “will drop the shiny, transparent time bar on the top of the Lock screen in exchange for a shine-free, black interface.” 9to5Mac also says that Ive

Remotely access your PC with Splashtop 2 for Windows Phone 8

Remote control apps are increasingly versatile, allowing smartphone and tablet users to access and manage computers from the workplace, a holiday resort or the couch in my case. For Windows Phone 8 users the most popular choice is PC Remote but, late-yesterday, another app hit the Store. “Many Windows Phone users have asked for Splashtop”, says Splashtop CEO Mark Lee. “We are excited to partner with Nokia and Microsoft to optimize and deliver the best-in-class Splashtop experience for Windows Phone 8″. The app allows folks to remotely access Linux, OS X and Windows-based computers straight from the tiled operating system.… [Continue Reading]

The Fairphone, World’s First Ethically Sourced Smartphone, Opens Pre-Sales To General Public

Netherlands-based hardware initiative Fairphone began around three years ago as a project designed to highlight the use of conflict minerals in the construction of consumer electronics, and then evolved three years later into a full-fledged hardware startup, with the aim of turning its knowledge into action with the building of an ethically sourced, built and distributed smartphone. Now, it’s opening up pre-orders to the general public, beginning with customers in Europe.

Google reportedly eyes $1 billion-plus Waze buy, but Facebook may be blocking bids

Interest in social mapping and navigation provider Waze is reportedly heating up, with Google and several other “large tech companies” currently holding talks with the Israel-based company. Bloomberg on Friday reported that Google is considering a bid that exceeds Facebook’s earlier offer, which reportedly fell between $800 million and $1 billion. Earlier rumors suggested Facebook and Waze’s negotiations had stalled due to a disagreement over whether or not Waze’s Israeli research and development center would remain open. According to a follow-up from Israel-based newspaper Calcalist, which first broke the story that Facebook was in talks to acquire Waze, Google may face some trouble if it’s serious about a possible deal — Facebook and Waze have reportedly just signed an agreement

Find Out if You’re a Scale-Up Entrepreneur with This Two-Minute Test

Do you have what it takes to go big?

Internet Explorer Q&A: The ‘browser you loved to hate’ is making a comeback

Internet Explorer’s tight integration into Windows 8, coupled with the fact that IE10 is actually pretty good, means the veteran browser is enjoying something of a resurgence these days. Humorous advertising poking fun at the browser’s past (while distancing itself from it) has also encouraged many ex-users to take a fresh look. I chatted with Internet Explorer’s Marketing Manager Rebecca Wolff about the “Browser you loved to hate” campaign, asked her what major changes we can expect to see in IE11, and found out why embracing web standards is now a major priority for Microsoft. BN: Has the “Browser you… [Continue Reading]

Steel Joins Ares Private Equity Group

Ares Management said Friday that Charles Steel has joined the Ares Private Equity Group as a Managing Director and will be based in London. Steel previously worked at The Carlyle Group from 2001 to 2010 in European leveraged buyouts.

The post Steel Joins Ares Private Equity Group appeared first on peHUB.

Invitation to provide feedback on UCL Museums and Public Engagement

UCL Museums and Public Engagement (including the Grant Museum, Petrie Museum and Art Museum) are inviting your input to help them improve the ways in which they promote their museums and public engagement activities and communicate with their existing and potential audiences and visitors. Please note that you do not have to have visited any of the museums to take part. On completion of the survey you will be entered into a prize draw with £50 worth of vouchers of the winner’s choice as the prize. The deadline is 4 June.

Complete the survey: http://bit.ly/132y26y

The GigaOM Show: Yahoo’s big moves, Xbox’s big One, HTC’s big problem

We break down the big Yahoo news, wonder if the new Xbox will break our furniture and discuss whether HTC is broken beyond repair.

Toshiba, KKR to Bid for Panasonic Healthcare Unit: Sources

Toshiba Corp and U.S. private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) are among those expected to bid for Panasonic Corp’s healthcare business, sources told Reuters.

The post Toshiba, KKR to Bid for Panasonic Healthcare Unit: Sources appeared first on peHUB.

3i says to Buy Barclays Infrastructure Funds Management

3i Group PLC is taking over the European infrastructure fund management business run by Barclays as part of a plan to boost fee income from public-private partnerships and energy investment projects, Reuters is reporting.

The post 3i says to Buy Barclays Infrastructure Funds Management appeared first on peHUB.

Hulu Video Site Auction Attracts Four Bidders: Sources

Former News Corp president Peter Chernin and private equity fund Guggenheim Digital Media have placed bids for Hulu, sources told Reuters, triggering a tug-of-war for the online video service.

The post Hulu Video Site Auction Attracts Four Bidders: Sources appeared first on peHUB.

Google, Like Facebook, in Talks to Buy Waze for About $1 Billion: Report

Google Inc is considering buying Israeli mobile satellite navigation start-up Waze Inc, which may lead to a bidding war with Facebook Inc, Bloomberg news reported.

The post Google, Like Facebook, in Talks to Buy Waze for About $1 Billion: Report appeared first on peHUB.

First Edition: May 24, 2013

Today’s headlines include details on California’s new health insurance exchange rates, whether consumers will experience “rate shock” and what these numbers say about the health law’s implementation. 
Kaiser Health News: Califo…

Android users rejoice! BBC iPlayer 1.7 brings support for your 10-incher

A week ago BBC iPlayer finally made its debut on Windows Phone 8, but the existing Android version has been far from forgotten about. BBC iPlayer 1.7 has hit Google Play and now boasts support for 10 inch tablets. While owners of larger tablets previously had to pay a visit to the iPlayer website, UK viewers can now enjoy their favorite programmes directly in the app. If you’re nursing a smaller 7-incher, there’s no need to feel left out. The UI for more diminutive tablet and phones has been updated with a few tweaks as well. Anyone holding out for… [Continue Reading]

Amanda Bynes Arrested For Weed, Taken to Hospital

Former child actress and Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes has been arrested on marijuana-related charges. According to an Associated Press report, Bynes was arrested in her Manhattan apartment on Thursday evening on charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, and possession …

California Insurance Exchange Rates: Not Too High, Not Too Low

SACRAMENTO – In the first disclosure of individual health insurance premiums by the nation’s largest state, California announced on Thursday a wide array of choices for the 5.3 million people expected to qualify to purchase coverage through…

The radio that knows where you live

We’re used to the somewhat spooky way that websites track our every move. Notice how the adverts on various sites reflect the products you’ve been viewing elsewhere? You only have to look at a CD on Play and Amazon will be trying to sell it to you within hours. We’re used to the GPS tracker on our smartphones monitoring where we are all the time and pointing us towards local attractions too. Well now this technology is starting to spread to other devices too. The BBC has used the Thinking Digital conference to trial a perceptive radio. Developed by the BBC’s Future… [Continue Reading]

Internship in Oxford at the Online Egyptological Bibliography (1 month)

By taking on Apple, Microsoft marketing finally nails it

I recently wrote about some strange but awesome Windows 8 ads geared towards the Japanese market. It appeared that people across the internet were pretty down on them as the ads didn’t say anything about the OS. My point in the article was to show that there are different types of advertising and sometimes companies need to get our attention in some pretty unusual ways. I’ve been very critical of Microsoft’s advertising approach with Windows 8 and especially Surface. Although the company has increased the frequency of its advertising and is advertising more of its products, there was one area… [Continue Reading]

KillEmAll helps you stamp out stubborn malware

Removing malware used to be fairly easy, at least in principle. Detect the infection, kill any running processes and files, and that’s it — finished. These days, unfortunately, life can be more difficult. Some malware will actively try to block any attempts to remove it, perhaps preventing you from running antivirus tools, locking its files, maybe restarting itself if necessary. This can be frustratingly effective, too, but there are ways to fight back. And KillEmAll is a great place to start. As you might guess from the name, the program’s approach isn’t exactly subtle. Launch KillEmAll and it will immediately… [Continue Reading]

AT&T adds new “mobility administrative” 61-cent fee to all monthly bills

AT&T customers can expect to pay a little more every month. The carrier has decided to add a 61-cent charge to each of their customers’ bills. Beginning May 1, the “Mobility Administrative Fee” is considered a “below-the-line” fee, meaning it appears with taxes and other surcharges at the bottom of a customer’s phone bill, below [...]

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Recent rulings show tide may be turning against patent trolls

Patent trolls’ days of effortlessly rolling into court and collecting licensing fees for products they don’t produce may be coming to an end. The Washington Post reports that courts have been increasingly citing the landmark 1978 Supreme Court case Parker v. Flook, which is the strongest ruling that the court has ever made against patents for abstract ideas such as algorithms. Given that courts are applying the Parker v. Flook precedent more often in software patent cases, it seems that courts are starting to reassert control over what can and cannot be patented. The Post acknowledges that “not every citation of Flook means that a patent was invalidated” but says that “it’s at least a sign that the courts are

West Wing Week: 05/24/13 or “Justice for Everybody”

This week, the President continued his Jobs & Opportunity tour, this time highlighting bold new efforts in education and manufacturing in Baltimore, gave the commencement address at Morehouse College, invited the President of Myanmar, eight immigra…

Parking Deck Collapses At Mall, Kills 1

A parking structure that was closed to the public collapsed today, killing one man and trapping another for hours. The deck was outside a Macy’s store in Bethesda, Maryland; the victim was a construction worker. The injured man was reportedly …

Live Cicada Cam Shows 17 Year Dormant Insects Invading Washington D.C.

The last time cicadas came above ground in the mid-atlantic region, gas was $1.15/gal, Ask Jeeves was released, Jerry Maguire & Independence day were the blockbuster movies of the summer. The insect oddity will be invading towns up and down …

Abercrombie Apologizes After Headquarters Protest

The heads of Abercrombie & Fitch issued an apology this week after several people traveled to the company’s headquarters in Ohio in protest. The clothing brand, which is aimed at “young, cool kids” according to CEO Mike Jeffries, has been …

TalkAndroid Daily Dose for May 23, 2013

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!! Apps Fast and Furious 6 game hits the Play [...]

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Microsoft doubles down on Xbox One games, plans to invest $1 billion

There are some concerns about gaming on the next-generation Xbox One. The system doesn’t allow independent developers to self-publish games on Xbox Live Arcade and Microsoft’s used game policy is still unclear. The company did confirm that it has big plans for its in-house gaming studio, however. Phil Harrison, a corporate vice president at Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business, revealed in an interview with VentureBeat that Microsoft is investing heavily in the gaming experience for the Xbox One. The executive noted that the company is planning to invest more than $1 billion for new content, including 15 internally developed titles in the coming year, eight of which will be brand new. The Xbox One is expected to help breath new life

HTC One becomes the first enterprise-ready HTCpro certified smartphone in US

There’s a lot to like about the HTC One. Now there’s more. HTC has announced that their HTC One is the first HTCpro certified smartphone in the United States.What exactly does this mean? It means the HTC One is enterprise-ready and meets the Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 certification, offering 256-bit encryption, and level-one government-grade [...]

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Amanda Bynes Threatens Lawsuit For “Fake” Drug Pics

Earlier this week it was reported that Amanda Bynes was turned away from boarding a private flight from New York to Los Angeles for refusing to provide proper identification. The former child actor’s driver’s licence was revoked last year after …

Huawei Ascend P6 leaked

Once again thanks to evleaks’ Twitter account, Huawei’s Ascend P6 has been leaked through various screen shots. With the thickness of just 6.2 mm’s, this should be the worlds thinnest smartphone upon release. The device will have a 4.7 inch 720p display. Not much else is known about the device, but it should be announced [...]

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Developer Edition slated for AT&T and Verizon

Looks like there’s news that Verizon and AT&T will both receive a developer edition of Samsung’s Galaxy S4. Both of these versions of the S4 have a locked down bootloader, so it makes sense for a developer edition to come out on both of these companies. While developers over at XDA have already dismantled and un-locked the [...]

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After much speculation, HTC may in fact release a “Sense-less” stock Android version of their HTC One

Remember during Google IO when an HTC employee hinted at a “stock Google experience” HTC One in response to Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Google Edition? Well, that seems to be inching closer and closer towards the truth as even more “tipsters” have confirmed such a device is indeed coming. Now before you write this out as [...]

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Abercrombie Apologizes Once Again for CEO’s ‘Exclusionary’ Comments

Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch are continuing the apology tour, once again telling those angered by comments from CEO Mike Jeffries that they’re sorry for any offense they caused. Earlier this month, comments made by Jeffries during a a 2006 …

Amazon brings the Kindle Fire HD to more than 170 countries, expands Appstore to nearly 200 countries

Amazon on Thursday announced expanded availability of its Kindle Fire HD tablet lineup. Both the 7-inch and 8.9-inch models are now available for preorder in more than 170 countries worldwide. The Kindle Fire HD is equipped with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display and a 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP4460 processor, while the 8.9-inch model features a 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution display and a 1.5GHz dual-core OMAP4470 processor. The Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HD 8.9 are available for $199 and $269, respectively, and will ship to new countries beginning June 13th. Amazon also announced that it has expanded access to its Android Appstore, which can now be used by customers in nearly 200 countries worldwide.

Obama Prom Photos Surface, and the POTUS Looks Sharp

Even the president of the United States can’t keep his prom photos a secret. Not that he’d want to – a white jacket and a blue tie is a good look for President Obama. But still, come on, right? The …

Google adding richer notifications to Chrome on ChromeOS, Windows

With the popularity of Android on smartphones and tablets, Google has a big platform to help push their other products and services. One of those is the Chrome browser for Android. As users surf the net with Chrome, they are able to enjoy the benefits of having their sessions sync with installations of Chrome, say [...]

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‘Colored’ Comment Apology Offered by Golf CEO

On Thursday, the head of the European golf tour, George O’Grady, used the word “colored” to refer to minorities during a live television interview. O’Grady was commenting on a recent remark golfer Sergio Garcia made in reference to fellow golfer …

8 Years of Viral History Recounted in Billy Joel-Inspired Song

Earlier this week, YouTube turned 8 years old. Feel old, don’t you? Me too. In one way, it’s hard to imagine a world without it, but on the other hand I can still remember when it was just starting to …

Warehouse Captive Rescued by NYPD

Earlier this week, the Queens County District Attorney announced that three men have been charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment in connection with the bold kidnapping of an Ecuadorian businessman. The men are alleged to have kidnapped Pedro Portugal from …

Microsoft’s Kinect comes to Windows next year

With all the emphasis that Microsoft is giving to its redesigned Kinect sensor as a key feature of the Xbox One, it’s not surprising that the company wants to bring it to its Windows operating system as well. And sure enough, Microsoft on Thursday announced that it will “deliver a new generation Kinect for Windows sensor next year” that will deliver several improvements to the previous version of Kinect, including a higher resolution camera capable of more accurately tracking and identifying objects, an expanded field of view and improved skeletal tracking. Microsoft says it will share more details about the next-generation Kinect for Windows at its BUILD 2013 conference in June and also says that the new sensor will likely

Box takes more strides towards IT acceptance

The cloud has become a battleground these days between heavyweight companies, and Box has remained in the fight. Today the company takes another step towards securing its location in the corporate future with three new features in the Box admin console designed to make the service easier to deploy. An improved content manager, granular co-admin permission options, and the ability to prevent users from permanently deleting content are all heading the way of IT administrators. According to Box’s Annie Pearl, “we’re continuing this momentum today with three powerful new features that make managing a complex, enterprise-wide deployment dead simple”. Content manager is… [Continue Reading]

President Obama Heckled During Recent Speeches

Apparently, this is the week to get your two cents in with Obama: During a speech given at Ohio State University, President Obama had to deal with hecklers, as respect for the position he holds continues to erode in the …

A Vibrator Called Limon

No longer just an oddly flavored potato chip, the Limon is also a new sexy-time vibrator from a startup called Minna. The company is looking for backers for its “couples’ vibrator”, which just so happens to look like a pink lime-lemon hybrid.

However, the Limon is no lemon or lime. It’s an ultra-powerful bullet vibrator that is controlled by how hard you squeeze it. That is, the harder you squeeze the lime part of the Limon, the harder the lemon-style tip will vibrate.

Nokia’s 41-megapixel Lumia rumored for July launch

A new report suggests that Nokia is preparing to launch its 41-megapixel Lumia smartphone, codenamed EOS, this coming summer. According to MobileGeeks, the handset will launch during the second week of July, on or around July 9th. The most recent rumors claim the Lumia EOS would be similar to the Lumia 920, with a polycarbonate case and a 4.5-inch 720p display. The biggest differentiator will reportedly be the smartphone’s 41-megapixel rear camera with a Carl Zeiss lens and Nokia’s new “Pro Camera” application. Earlier reports suggested the Lumia EOS would arrive on AT&T in the United States sometime this summer.

UCLA live-tweets surgery to implant brain pacemaker while patient strums guitar

A team of UCLA Health System brain specialists implanted a brain pacemaker in a 39-year-old man on Thursday. It was the 500th such procedure the team had completed, but the first time the group had invited followers to observe the procedure on Twitter….