Dow, S&P 500 end at record highs after data

NEW YORK - The Dow and the S&P 500 edged up to end at record highs on Friday, wrapping up four straight months of gains, after mixed economic data gave investors little reason to rush into stocks.

After the benchmark S&P 500's latest record closing high - its fourth in the last five sessions - gains may be harder to come by until the market's direction becomes more clear. Payrolls data and a European Central Bank meeting will be the major catalysts next week.

U.S. consumer spending fell for the first time in a year in April, but the decline probably will not change expectations for a rebound in growth this quarter. An inflation gauge rose at its quickest pace since November 2012 while business activity in the U.S. Midwest rose in May at its strongest pace since October 2013.




"Very mixed signals, which prevents bears from getting aggressive and keeps bulls in place. It’s effectively forestalled any real significant directional shift to what we’ve seen thus far," said Peter Kenny, chief executive officer of Clearpool Group in New York.

"This is an unusual time and place in the market, in that we are in a real holding pattern, and the markets are looking for more in the way of confirmation in the way of economic data that suggests our economic activity is accelerating."

Equity investors kept an eye on U.S. Treasury yields. The 10-year note's yield rose after the strong Chicago PMI data, but remained below 2.5 percent, near an 11-month low hit during Thursday's session.

The low yields helped to bolster dividend-paying stocks. High-yielding utilities ranked as the best-performing S&P sector on Friday, up 0.8 percent for the day.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 18.43 points or 0.11 percent, to 16,717.17. The S&P 500 gained 3.54 points or 0.18 percent, to 1,923.57. The Nasdaq Composite fell 5.33 points or 0.13 percent, to 4,242.62.

Friday's gain lifted the Dow above its previous record close of 16,715.44 set on May 13.

For the week, the Dow rose 0.7 percent, the S&P 500 gained 1.2 percent, and the Nasdaq climbed 1.4 percent.

The Dow gained 0.8 percent for May and the S&P 500 rose 2.1 percent, marking the fourth straight month of gains for both indexes. The Nasdaq, up 3.1 percent, scored its first monthly gain in three.

Big Lots shares jumped 13.1 percent to $42.44 after the closeout retailer posted better-than-expected results and higher sales.

In contrast, shares of apparel retailers Express and Guess slumped a day after the companies forecast disappointing profits for the current quarter amid a sluggish revival in consumer spending. Express shares sank 7.5 percent to $12.61. Guess fell 5.1 percent to $25.50.

Volume was modest, with about 5.92 billion shares traded on U.S. exchanges, slightly above the 5.75 billion average for the month, according to data from BATS Global Markets.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1,523 to 1,485. On the Nasdaq, decliners beat advancers by 1,594 to 1,018.

source: interaksyon.com

Australia says MH370 search is on right track

SYDNEY - The head of Australia's transport safety bureau has defended the fruitless hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, saying he is confident that search teams are targeting the right area.

Satellite analysis in the days after the Boeing 777 went missing on March 8 with 239 people onboard placed the jet somewhere in a huge tract of the Indian Ocean stretching from near Indonesia south towards Antarctica.

But in a setback, the area believed to be the jet's most likely resting place based on the detection of acoustic "pings" was ruled out Thursday after an extensive underwater search.

Australia's Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Martin Dolan told AFP the source of the acoustic transmissions, thought to be man-made, was still a mystery.

"To be frank, we don't know. We like to be the experts but sometimes we just don't know the answer," he said, refusing to speculate on whether they came from the Australian vessel hunting for signals from the aircraft's black boxes.

Dolan, whose organisation is playing a key role in the search effort, said the four signals detected in April were then the best lead in the hunt for the plane, which mysteriously diverted from its Kuala Lumpur to Beijing route.

"This was the best area to look at the time. We still don't have anything that confirms that it's the wrong place. But we will do our analysis and we will determine the best search area for the next phase."

Dolan said while experts were reassessing the satellite data that led the search to the southern Indian Ocean, the linear arc produced by analysis of this information still likely represented the plane's flight path.

"That arc is definite. We know that somewhere close to that very long arc is where the aircraft will be found," he said in an interview late Thursday.

The arc was produced by analysing satellite signalling messages, also referred to as "handshakes", between the ground station, the satellite and the aircraft's satellite communication system.

Dolan said experts believed the aircraft would be found near the area representing the last of these signals, thought to be have been sent when the plane ran out of fuel.

"The thing that we're absolutely confident of is somewhere on that long arc we will find the aircraft," he said.

"But because it's so long we have to be able to find a much smaller segment of the arc to concentrate our search and that's what our analysis is looking at defining.

"So we are reanalysing all the satellite data and aircraft performance information and everything else to define an area of up to 60,000 square kilometres, which is the most likely one for the location of the aircraft."

The next phase will focus on using the satellite data to confirm a search area, completing mapping of the sea floor and getting towable sonar and other equipment to carry out an intensive deep water search, which could take up to a year.

Dolan voiced confidence that investigators had been given all the information available, but said he could understand the anger of relatives still looking for answers almost three months after the plane went missing.

"We're conscious that people don't have a particular confidence in the analysis," he said. "We have a much higher confidence. But we are nevertheless doing a cross check to verify it."

Dolan said the search was considered unique because there was so little information to go on, likening it to a worst-case scenario for aviation safety authorities.

"In an organisation like mine you work out what's the worst thing that will ever happen and hope that it never does," he said.

"And Australia has been very good at managing the safety of aviation, but our worst case scenario is a widebody passenger aircraft in mid-ocean.

"We've actually got plans to deal with this sort of thing, we just hoped we would never have to use those plans for real."

source: interaksyon.com

Google takes steps to comply with EU’s ‘right to be forgotten’ ruling

Google Inc has launched a service through which European citizens can request that links to what they deem as objectionable material be taken off search results, the first step to comply with a court ruling affirming the “right to be forgotten.”

The world’s largest Internet search engine, which processes more than 90 percent of all Web searches in Europe, said on Thursday that it has made available a webform through which people can submit their requests, but stopped short of specifying when it would remove links that meet the criteria for being taken down.

Google (GOOGL.O) also said it has convened a committee of senior Google executives and independent experts to try and craft a long-term approach to dealing with what’s expected to be a barrage of requests from the region’s roughly half-billion occupants.

“In implementing this decision, we will assess each individual request and attempt to balance the privacy rights of the individual with the public’s right to know and distribute information,” reads the webform that Google made available on Thursday.

Google says in the form that when evaluating requests, it will consider whether the results include outdated information about a person, as well as whether there’s a public interest in the information, such as information about professional malpractice, criminal convictions and the public conduct of government officials.

The form includes space for users to submit objectionable links and a box for the person to explain why the link is “irrelevant, outdated, or otherwise inappropriate.”

To make a request, a person must submit a digital copy of an official identification, such as a valid driver’s license, and select from a drop-down menu of 32 European countries the appropriate country whose law applies to the request.

The decision by the Court of Justice of the European Union places Google in a tricky position as it strives to interpret the EU’s broad criteria for objectionable links, and to remove certain content from its search engine while preserving its popularity as a resource for users to find all manner of information.

Google will also face a logistical challenge in processing requests in various languages, some of which are in countries that Google does not even have operations in.

Failure to remove links that meet the EU’s broad criteria for take-down can result in fines.

Since the ruling, Google has received thousands of removal requests, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Google has said it is disappointed with the EU ruling, and Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said the balance the court struck between privacy and “the right to know” was wrong.

Among the members of the special advisory committee Google is forming to study the issue are Jimmy Wales, co-founder of online encyclopedia Wikipedia, and Frank La Rue, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression.

The committee will be co-chaired by Schmidt and Google Chief Legal Officer David Drummond.

Google said in a statement on Thursday that it will work with data protection authorities and others as it implements the ruling.

Still, it is not clear when Google will begin to actually remove any links. In the webform, Google says it is “working to finalize our implementation of removal requests under European data protection law as soon as possible. In the meantime, please fill out the form below and we will notify you when we start processing your request.”

Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O) which also operates a search engine in Europe, has previously said it is “carefully reviewing” the decision to assess the impact for its business and its users. Microsoft, which operates the Bing search engine, has previously declined to comment on the ruling.

source: interaksyon.com

World equity indexes up on US data, gold slumps

NEW YORK - World equity markets rallied on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 ending at a new record following strong US economic data, while the euro softened against the dollar on expectations of more rate cuts from the European Central Bank.

Stronger-than-expected figures pressured safe-haven assets, including gold, which touched a 3-1/2 month low. Platinum also fell after South Africa's mining minister pledged to mediate in a long-running strike.

Wall Street was led by gains in financials, utilities and tech stocks. Data showed orders for long-lasting US manufactured goods unexpectedly rose in April while US single-family home prices also rose in March, beating expectations.

"People move out of one sector and into a different equity sector - there's always a sector picking up the slack, so that’s driving you higher," said Dennis Dick, proprietary trader at Bright Trading LLC in Las Vegas. "People don't want to be out of equities."

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 69.23 points, or 0.42 percent, to 16,675.5, the S&P 500 gained 11.38 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,911.91 and the Nasdaq Composite added 51.26 points, or 1.22 percent, to 4,237.07.

ECB chief Mario Draghi on Monday bolstered views that the bank will cut euro zone interest rates again next week, boosting appetite for risky assets. Other policymakers, including Austrian ECB board member Ewald Nowotny, drove home the message on Tuesday.

MSCI's all-world share index rose 0.2 percent to within two percentage points of its 2007 record.

Investors kept a wary eye on Ukraine, which launched air strikes and a paratroop assault against pro-Russian rebels who seized an airport on Monday. The escalation was tempered by a decisive win for billionaire Petro Poroshenko in Ukraine's weekend presidential election, which many hope will help stabilise the situation.

U.S. Treasury prices inched lower. The 10-year note fell 3/32 in price to yield 2.522 percent. The 30-year bond rose 19/32 to drop its yield to 3.365 percent, but light volume and the presence of month-end buying reduced the significance of the move.

The euro lost ground against the greenback on the better-than-expected U.S. data. The euro fell 0.1 percent to $1.3635, nearly touching Monday's three-month low of $1.3614. The dollar index slipped 0.05 percent.

Gold slumps

Spot gold fell 1.9 percent at $1,264.80 an ounce, its worst daily loss in two months. U.S. gold futures dropped 2 percent to $1,265.40 an ounce.

Platinum fell 1 percent to $1,456.20 after South Africa's mining minister pledged to mediate in a strike now in its fifth month. The metal reached its highest since September at $1,493.90 last week.

Global oil prices fell. Brent was down 26 cents at $111.06 a barrel and U.S. light crude oil was down 22 cents at $104.13.

source: interaksyon.com

Jabra launches new Bluetooth headset device

MAKATI CITY, Philippines — ​​Jabra, a world leader in hands-free audio solutions, recently launched its new Jabra MOTION Office wireless headset.

The Jabra MOTION Office wireless headset, which delivers triple connectivity for mobile, softphone,or deskphone through Bluetooth technology, is created specifically as a solution for knowledge workers, remote teams, and employees sharing an office workspace.

“The main objective with the Jabra MOTION Office has been to let knowledge workers and remote teams gain the full benefits from their mobile devices and collaboration technologies,” said Holger Reisinger, Jabra vice president of Marketing, Products, and Alliances. “The Jabra MOTION Office is the headset which bridges the gap between the users and the promise of productivity and innovation, allowing the free flow of information.”

More companies are adopting the Hot Desking philosophy in which people share workspaces and laptop docking stations native to this type of office environment.The Jabra MOTION Office base can serve as a community desktop docking station, pairing with any other Jabra MOTION headset, and creating an instant workspace for the visiting user.

The Jabra MOTION Office concept is that technology should adapt to the user – not the other way around – and the Jabra MOTION Office delivers a full set of intuitive features that enable knowledge workers, remote teams, and mobile workers to focus on the job at hand.




“The new knowledge worker belongs to a fast growing group of employees with a need to tap into the knowledge and expertise of their professional network – inside or outside the company 24/7”, explained Louise Harder Fischer, Research Partner at Jabra andexternal associate professorat CBS, and continued; “The Jabra MOTION Office is a great example of how devices and technology can be centered around the user’s actual behavior and give them the freedom to work from anywhere, anytime” .

All it takes is a simple tap, and Jabra MOTIONTM literally follows the user’s every move. Using the latest motion sensor technology, the headset adapts volume to fit the changing sound environment.And with triple connectivity for both mobile, softphone, or deskphone, it allows the user to move from the office to the open road in one smooth transition, connecting to all your phones with one headset, and transferring calls between phones as you head out the door.

source: interaksyon.com

Spotify to ask users to re-enter passwords after cyberattack

SAN FRANCISCO — Music streaming service Spotify AB will ask some of its 40 million users to re-enter their passwords and upgrade their software in coming days after detecting unauthorized access to its internal systems and data.

Chief Technology Officer Oskar Stal said in a blogpost on Tuesday that it has found evidence of attackers accessing just one user’s data, which did not include payment or password information. But as a precaution, it intends to ask “certain Spotify users” to re-enter their log-in credentials, and upgrade their Google (GOOGL.O) Android app.

Spotify said it is not recommending any action yet for users of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) iPhones or devices based on Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) Windows.

The intrusion was the latest to hit a major tech company. In past months, cyberattackers have infiltrated databases and systems at eBay Inc and Adobe, though no financial information has so far been taken, according to the companies. Spotify, which is expected to seek an IPO soon, has more than 40 million active users scattered across more than 50 markets.

“We have taken steps to strengthen our security systems in general and help protect you and your data – and we will continue to do so. We will be taking further actions in the coming days to increase security for our users,” Stal said in his blogpost.

source: interaksyon.com

South Korea’s top mobile chat app, online portal to merge

SEOUL — South Korea’s top messaging service provider, Kakao Corp., and its second largest Internet portal, Daum, announced a merger Monday to create a one of the country’s largest IT companies worth around $3 billion.

Daum Communications, the operator of portal Daum.net, said the merger with Kakao, which runs the hugely popular mobile chat app Kakao Talk, would be completed in October through share swaps.

The move was aimed at “enhancing core businesses and creating business synergy”, Daum said in a regulatory filing.

It said the swap ratio had been set at one Daum share for 1.55 Kakao shares.

The newly merged company — named Daum Kakao — will benefit from Kakao’s popularity on mobile platforms as well as Daum’s business clout and experience with Internet searches and ad sales, the two firms said in a joint statement.

The deal “will put us in a strong position to respond to fast-changing global market,” Kakao chief executive Lee Seok-Woo said in the statement.

The merged company will be better positioned to compete with South Korea’s dominant Internet portal Naver which operates Line, a messaging service and rival to Kakao Talk that is popular in Japan and Southeast Asia.

Kakao Talk is used by more than 140 million people globally, including some 35 million South Koreans — more than 90 percent of the country’s smartphone users.

Founded in 2007, Kakao has not gone public yet, but its shares are traded over the counter in Seoul and it has an estimated market value of two trillion won (1.9 billion).

The company’s founder Kim Beom-Soo has a leading 30 percent stake in Kakao and a venture company Kim owns also has 23.7 percent shares.

Chinese Internet giant Tencent also has a 13.3-percent stake.

Daum — founded in 1995 — has some 30 million users and is valued at some one trillion won on Seoul’s tech-heavy Kosdaq stock market.

The latest deal will make Kim the leading shareholder of the new firm with a personal stake of 22.23 percent, and allow a backdoor listing of Kakao shares on the Kosdaq.

“Daum can secure a new source of growth via Kakao’s (mobile) platform and Kakao can use Daum’s vast business resources to explore new businesses and overseas markets,” said Hwang Seung-Taek, analyst at Hana Daetoo Securities.

South Korea is one of the world’s most wired countries, with 37 million owning a smartphone out of a population of 50 million.

source: interaksyon.com

Turkey’s harrowing ‘Winter Sleep’ takes top prize at Cannes

Turkish film “Winter Sleep” examining the huge divide between rich and poor and the powerful and powerless in Turkey won the Palme d’Or award for best film for director Nuri Bilge Ceylan on Saturday at the 67th Cannes International Film Festival.

Ceylan’s three-hour-plus dark and atmospheric film was only the second Turkish movie to win the top award at the world’s most prestigious film festival, and the director noted that it came on the 100th anniversary year of Turkish cinema.

He dedicated the honor to “those who lost their lives during the last year”, adding that he was referring to the youth of his country and to unrest in Turkey.

“These young people actually taught us a lot of things. Some of them sacrificed their lives in a way for us,” Ceylan said later at a news conference.

“Le Meraviglie” (The Wonders) by Italian director Alice Rohrwacher took the second-place prize for a coming-of-age story set in the Tuscan countryside as a family tries to eke out a bohemian life making honey.

Twenty-five-year-old Canadian director Xavier Dolan’s film “Mommy” shared the third-place prize with octogenarian French director Jean-Luc Godard’s “Adieu au Langage” (Goodbye to Language) that uses 3D imagery to stunning effect.

An emotional Dolan said he thought the jury may have twinned him with Godard, an inventor of “New Wave” film, “because of our respective searches for freedom in cinema”.

American director Bennett Miller won the best director award for “Foxcatcher”, British actor Timothy Spall won best actor for Mike Leigh’s film “Mr Turner” and Julianne Moore was named best actress in David Cronenberg’s “Maps to the Stars”.

Spall, best known to cinema audiences as Peter Pettigrew in the “Harry Potter” films, said he felt proud to win the award.

“I’m like a bewildered 16-year-old girl, or boy,” he said. “I’m so astounded by this award, it’s amazing.”

“Leviathan” by Russia’s Andrei Zvyagintsev took the prize for best screenplay.

“It was an extremely diverse ensemble — films that were classical, films that were radical, films that were about the future of cinema,” jury member and Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn said after the awards were announced.

Hollywood Reporter critic Stuart Kemp told Reuters there were “no surprises with the awards going to predictable places”.

Critics had applauded “Winter Sleep” as one of the standout films in a festival that was somewhat short on fireworks, with the French newspaper Le Monde calling it “magnificent”.

Variety critic Justin Chang called it a “sprawling, character-rich portrait of a self-absorbed Anatolian hotelier and his uneasy relationships with those around him”.

The only other Turkish film to win the Palme was Yilmaz Guney and Serif Goren’s “The Way” (1982).

Jury head Jane Campion said she had been daunted by the running length of three hours and 16 minutes but said “it had such a beautiful rhythm … I could have stayed there a couple more hours”.

“The real gift of this film is how honest it is,” she said.

Campion, the only woman to have won the Palme d’Or, said it had not mattered to her or the jury whether a man or woman won.

“It never entered our discussions the gender of the filmmaker that won,” Campion said. “These films were on equal basis with each other. We didn’t go, ‘Oh my God, was this made by a woman or a man?’ We were moved and responded to the film.”

ALMOST CLAUSTROPHOBIC

Despite its setting in the vast Anatolian steppe, the film’s atmosphere is almost claustrophobic as it shows a rich man and former actor named Aydin (Haluk Bilginer) who uses his intellect and position to bully his tenants and beat his wife and sister into intellectual submission.

Ceylan was peppered with questions during the festival about a recent coalmine disaster in Turkey, and about unrest and whether his film was trying to explore these themes.

He said current events were important for him, but what his films really were about was human nature.

“I can find enough motivation only if I make movies about the human nature,” he said. “My motivation and starting point is to try to understand the dark side of my soul and that means human nature as well.”

British film critic Richard Mowe, who served on the Cannes Directors Jury, said the centenary of Turkish film might have been a consideration in the award to Ceylan, but he doubted that the Palme d’Or would boost its commercial potential.

“It’s a hard film to get into cinemas because you can’t even describe what it’s about in an easy way — it’s all very metaphysical and metaphorical,” Mowe said.

This year’s festival had its share of glitz and glamour, with Nicole Kidman playing Grace Kelly in “Grace of Monaco,” the widely panned film that opened the festival but was not in competition.

Those making a requisite turn down the red carpet flanked by tuxedo-wearing photographers included Sophia Loren, Sharon Stone, Aishwarya Rai, Uma Thurman and John Travolta, Eva Longoria, Naomi Watts and Jessica Chastain.

source: interaksyon.com

EBay initially believed user data safe after cyberattack

BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO — EBay Inc initially believed that its customers’ data was safe as forensic investigators reviewed a network security breach discovered in early May and made public this week, a senior executive told Reuters on Friday.

EBay has come under fire over its handling of the cyberattack, in which hackers accessed personal data of all 145 million users, ranking it among the biggest such attacks launched on a corporation to date.

“For a very long period of time we did not believe that there was any eBay customer data compromised,” global marketplaces chief Devin Wenig said, in the first comments by a top eBay executive since the e-commerce company disclosed the breach on Wednesday.

EBay moved “swiftly to disclose” the breach after it realized customer data was involved, he said.

Wenig would not say when the company first realized that the cyberattackers accessed customer data, nor how long it took to prepare Wednesday’s announcement.

He said hackers got in using the credentials of three corporate employees, eventually making their way to the user database.

Hackers accessed email addresses and encrypted passwords belonging to all eBay users. “Millions” of users have since reset their passwords and the company had begun notifying users, though it would take some time to complete that task, Wenig said.

“You would imagine that anyone who has ever touched eBay is a large number,” he said. “So we’re going to send all of them an email, but sending that number all at once is not operationally possible.”

At least three U.S. states are investigating the company’s security practices. Customers have complained on social media about delayed notification emails. And New York’s attorney general called on eBay to provide free credit monitoring services to users.

But the Internet retail giant has no plans to compensate customers or offer free credit monitoring for now because it had detected no financial fraud, Wenig said.

Wenig declined comment when asked if he thought eBay had good security prior to the breach. He said the company would now bolster its security systems, and has mobilized senior executives in a subsequent investigation of the attack.

“We want to make sure it doesn’t happen again so we’re going to continue to look our procedures, harden our operational environment and add levels of security where it’s appropriate.”

The breach marked the latest headache for eBay this year. In January, it crossed swords publicly with activist investor Carl Icahn, who mounted a campaign to get it to spin out PayPal. Then in April, the e-commerce company disappointed investors with a weak second-quarter outlook, pressuring its shares.

Avoiding back door

Buying and selling activity on eBay remained “fairly normal” though eBay is still working out the cost of the breach, which included hiring a number of security firms. Wenig, who was previously a senior executive at Thomson Reuters Corp, declined to comment on whether the cost could be material to eBay’s results.

Wenig’s revelation that the company initially believed that no customer data had been compromised might take some of the heat off eBay’s executive team.

Cyber forensics experts said it’s not uncommon for large companies to take weeks to grasp the full impact of an attack, because hackers are often able to steal data without leaving obvious clues.

“In some cases you go in and find the smoking gun immediately. Other times, it takes a few days or even a few weeks,” said Kevin Johnson, a cyber-forensics expert who was not involved in the eBay investigation but has worked for other Fortune 500 companies.

Daniel Clemens, a forensics expert and CEO of Packet Ninjas, said investigators often ask companies to hold off on disclosure until they believe they understand the full extent of an attack. Otherwise, they risk tipping off attackers who might cover their tracks or leave “back doors” so they can return after the investigators complete their probe.

On Wednesday, the e-commerce company announced that hackers raided its network between late February and early March. The company said financial information was not compromised and its payments unit PayPal was not affected.

When eBay first discovered the network breach in early May, the senior team was immediately involved and held multiple daily calls on the issue. EBay staff have been working around the clock since Wednesday.

Wenig said he could not provide much more detail about what happened in the attack beyond the scant information given out so far.

He declined to provide further specifics, citing ongoing investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and several forensics firms including FireEye Inc’s Mandiant division.

source: interaksyon.com

Google making 3D tablet: report

SAN FRANCISCO — Google next month will start cranking out prototypes of a 3-D tablet designed to give users immersive experiences that could include virtual reality, according to US media reports.

The tablet will have a 7-inch display and an array of sophisticated cameras, sensors and software, the Wall Street Journal said in a story citing unnamed sources.

Google on Friday said they had nothing to announce.

The tablet was reported to be part of a Project Tango worked on by a special team at the California-based technology firm.

The project was said to involve giving advanced mapping and virtual reality capabilities to mobile devices powered by Google’s free Android software.

Nearly 42 percent of people in the United States used tablets at least once a month last year and that figure was expected to top 46 percent this year, according to industry tracker eMarketer

source: interaksyon.com

One Direction sells out VIP tickets as organizers push for second show

Even as hundreds of fans camped out at the MOA Arena one day before tickets went on sale for the much anticipated One Direction concert scheduled for March 21 next year, not all of those who preferred to get the limited VIP/Hot Ticket Package priced at P17,950 were able to score one.

The coveted VIP tickets, which include a 1D wristwatch with pouch, a laminate card, and a lanyard, were sold out in less than three hours after it officially went on sale. By noontime, the Diamond tickets priced at P14,800 were also sold out while limited slots remained for the rest of the lower-priced tickets.

Those who were able to get tickets were tearfully overjoyed while those who were not able to buy were shedding tears of dismay.

“Ang alam namin 1,800 ang VIP tickets na available, paano mauubos agad-agad yun?” a visibly upset teenager named Reyna told InterAksyon. “Pinilahan po namin ng napakatagal yung VIP tapos yung mga late na pumila, yung mga ngayon ngayon lang dumating, sila pa ang nakakuha ng tickets.”

Others who were still waiting in line for their turn suspected that sponsors were able to hoard tickets while certain celebrities and other VIPs were also allowed to buy tickets without falling in line.

“That’s not true. We did not give preferential treatment to anyone,” said Celina Pe de Guia, wife and business partner of Ovation’s head, Renen de Guia. “Even my friends who were bugging me for tickets were asked to line up just like everybody else.”

The good news, according to de Guia, is that organizers have already requested One Direction’s management in the UK for a second concert to be scheduled the following day, March 22, also at the MOA Arena and with the same ticket prices.

“Yes, there is a possibility for a second show so we asked fans to sign up and reserve in the event that the second show happens,” de Guia revealed. “We will announce if this is confirmed in the weeks to come.”

Asked why Ovation and MMI Live decided to sell tickets almost a year before the actual event, de Guia said they were just following the instructions of One Direction’s management in the UK.

“They want it announced early so we announced it early. This was also how it’s done even in other countries so we just followed,” she pointed out.

Even the fans who already got their tickets understand the risks of investing in this show and realize that a lot of things could still happen between now and March of next year—the boy band’s popularity may dim, a member may leave, they could ultimately disband or the concert could be cancelled for whatever reason.

Such circumstances may be beyond their control. But there is at least one fortuitous event they can prepare for — the possibility of losing their precious tickets. As a matter of fact, many of those interviewed have contingency measures in mind just in case.

“I’ll put my ticket in a vault,” said one fan named Debbie who bought a VIP ticket.

“I’ll always take it with me wherever I go,” said another who identified herself as Angeline.

“To make sure I don’t ever lose my ticket, I’ll open a safe deposit box account in a bank and put it there,” said a girl named Joan.

source: interaksyon.com

Katarina Rodriguez hopes to take supermodel aspirations to next level

One month after her 2nd runner-up finish in season 2 of “Asia’s Next Top Model,” Katarina Rodriguez still feels like the show’s big winner.

Following the competition, the 21-year-old mestiza charmer — along with “AsNTM” winner Sheena Liam of Malaysia and compatriot and fellow finalist Jodilly Pendre — visited Indonesia. And just like Christian Bautista and acoustic singer-songwriter Sabrina, she was warmly received over there.

“I have somebody who is representing me in Indonesia. I have a very big fan base there because I am their market,” she told InterAksyon during the recent cover shoot for the latest issue of Animo, a lifestyle magazine featuring prominent students and alumni of De La Salle University. The issue hits newsstands this week.

Katarina said she has other fans living overseas which is why she also started a video blog on her YouTube channel called “#KeepingUpWithKatarina” to stay in touch with them.

“I’m trying to establish myself here and in Indonesia at the same time. I would also like to try Malaysia and Hong Kong but I’d like to be successful in all Asian countries,” she added.

Together with Jodilly who she now considers her best friend, Katarina also hopes to further pursue her modeling career in London which they are scheduled to visit this year.

“What I do after ‘Asia’s Next Top Model’ is what will set me apart from the winner. I am pursuing modeling because I was given this opportunity that thousands of other applicants wanted,” she boldly declared.

If Katarina sounds like she’s not lacking in confidence, it’s because she has every reason to be full of it, especially after her experience on the show.

“I had very limited modelling experience when I joined ‘Asia’s Next Top Model’ but I still made it to the competition. Even when I got in, I almost got eliminated from the very first episode so I had to work very hard to make it as far as I did,” she recalled.

And no, she did not always consider herself as beautiful.

“I was actually a wallflower for a while when I was studying in the States. I didn’t have any boyfriends but I did become homecoming queen.”

On “AsNTM”, Katarina had the distinction of being the only contestant criticized by the judges for, believe it or not, being too pretty.

“It’s the worst criticism I got from the judges. When they told me ‘I’m too pretty’, I would just smile and say thank you and then they’ll tell me it’s not supposed to be a compliment. During the finale, I was really flattered to be compared to Elizabeth Taylor who was not only beautiful but also a legendary international icon,” she exclaimed.

With her striking features, it’s also natural to assume that Katarina has a very happy lovelife. Surprisingly, she is single at the moment after she broke up with her last boyfriend during her “AsNTM” stint.

Dennis Trillo has been reported to take a fancy at Katarina. The popular actor even went as far as to campaign for her victory through social media. Told about this during the viewing party of the “AsNTM” finale, Katarina said she appreciated the gesture but made it clear that she was not interested in getting into a new relationship at the moment.

Aside from aspiring to be a world-class supermodel, the Lia-Com major said she is still an active and very much competitive member of the DLSU Track and Field team.

“So I really don’t have the time to date right now. But who I date will certainly be an investment as I won’t go out with him just for fun. I don’t think I’d date a model or an actor, that’s not my thing,” she declared.

If she’s not into models and actors, what exactly would she be looking for in a guy?

“I think there are lots of things I would have to consider. It doesn’t matter how much money a guy has or what a guy’s status in society is, I wasn’t raised that way. For me, the things that do matter are: Can he support himself? He has to have good intentions, good morals and good values,” she wondered.

“Passion is also a big thing, so is ambition, determination. I saw those qualities in my grandfather, in my uncles, my dad, in my younger brother. Someday, I’d like to marry someone who’s like my grandfather or who’s like my dad. They would be the perfect example of an ideal guy.”

source: interaksyon.com

EBay asks 145 million users to change passwords after cyber attack

BOSTON — EBay Inc said that hackers raided its network three months ago, stealing some 145 million user records from a database in what is poised to go down as one of the biggest data breaches in history based on the number of accounts compromised.

It advised customers to change their passwords immediately, saying they were among the pieces of data stolen by cyber criminals who carried out the attack carried out between late February and early March.

EBay spokeswoman Amanda Miller told Reuters those passwords were encrypted and that the company had no reason to believe the hackers had broken the code that scrambled them.

“There is no evidence of impact on any eBay customers,” Miller said. “We don’t know that they decrypted the passwords because it would not be easy to do.”

She said the hackers copied a massive user database that contained those passwords, as well as email addresses, birth dates, mailing addresses and other personal information, but not financial data such as credit card numbers.

The company had earlier said a large number of accounts may have been compromised, but declined to say how many.

source: interaksyon.com

New Facebook feature will recognize, share users’ music, TV shows

SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook Inc will add technology to its mobile apps that recognizes the music, movies or television shows its users are enjoying, in the company’s latest move to give prominence to media and entertainment on its social network.

The new feature, which must be activated by the user and is off by default, would create a status update on Facebook that identifies the song a user is listening to and provide a 30-second preview of it that’s available to the user’s friends.

Facebook, which announced the move in a post on its official blog on Wednesday, is working with streaming music services Spotify, Rdio and Deezer to offer the music previews.

If a television show is detected, Facebook would highlight the specific season and episode that the user is watching and share it in their news feed.

The new tool comes as Facebook is increasingly competing with Twitter Inc to become the main online venue where consumers discuss television shows, sports and other entertainment in real time.

The new feature activates the microphone on a smartphone and detects the music, movie or television show playing in the background, similar to the way the popular Shazam appworks.

Once users activate the feature, the technology attempts to recognize the music or video playing in the background any time a Facebook user composes a status update.

Facebook said only songs or videos would be identified and the feature, which recognizes “millions” of songs, wouldn’t store sounds in the background.

The new feature will be available on the Android and iOS versions of its app in the U.S. in the coming weeks, the company said.

source: interaksyon.com

Underwater MH370 search resumes

SYDNEY - A mini-sub searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 recommenced its operations on Thursday after technical problems, as it enters its final week of scouring the Indian Ocean seabed for signs of the aircraft.

Australia is leading the search for the plane which vanished on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people onboard, and is using the Bluefin-21 mini-sub until new equipment can be obtained.

"The autonomous underwater vehicle, Bluefin-21, was deployed from the vessel around 2:00 am this morning. It remains underwater on its search mission," the Joint Agency Coordination Centre said.

The US Navy Bluefin-21, which can plunge to a depth of some 4,500 meters (15,000 feet), was brought back to shore last week to fix technical issues that saw it pulled from the water.

It resumed its search in the remote area of several transmissions believed to have come from the missing aircraft's black box recorders.

"Over the next week, Bluefin-21 will search the remaining areas in the vicinity of the acoustic signals detected in early April by the towed pinger locator... that are within its depth operating limits," JACC said.

"This continues the process that will ultimately enable the search team to discount or confirm the area of the acoustic signals as the final resting place of MH370."

The Australian ship which deployed the Bluefin-21, Ocean Shield, is expected to leave the search area on May 28 and return to Perth on May 31 to demobilise the mini-sub.

MH370 is believed to have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean but despite a massive air and sea and underwater search, no sign of any wreckage has yet been found.

While the aerial and sea surface searches have been scaled down, the operation is moving to the next phase which will involve using sophisticated equipment to scan the unmapped ocean bed.

Negotiations are underway to engage contractors to do this work.

JACC said Chinese survey ship Zhu Kezhen left the west Australian port of Fremantle Wednesday to start mapping areas of the ocean floor in preparation for the commercially contracted deep ocean search.

Another Chinese ship Haixun 01 was Thursday to depart for the area to support this operation, tasked with delivering survey data to Fremantle weekly for processing by Australian officials.

JACC said work was continuing to review and analyse all the data and information relating to the likely flight path of MH370.

"This work will confirm the best areas on which to focus an effective future search," it said.

source: interaksyon.com

Spurs destroy Thunder by 35 points to take 2-0 series lead

SAN ANTONIO — They come at opponents in waves, future Hall of Famers and adept role players comprising the NBA’s deepest roster.

Guard Tony Parker, one of the stars, scored 22 points Wednesday. Guard Danny Green, part of the supporting cast, made seven 3-point baskets and scored 21. Thanks in part to the duo’s contributions, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-77 Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

San Antonio earned its seventh win in eight games. In this one, the Spurs outshot the Thunder 50 percent to 39.3 percent from the field and had a 21-5 edge in free throws made.

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant and guard Russell Westbrook were limited to 15 point apiece, converting just 13 of 40 shots between them. Their 30 points together were 26.6 fewer than they were averaging during the playoffs.

“Whenever great players have nights like that, it’s never one thing,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I’m sure at times we guarded them well, and I’m sure at times they had open shots that they didn’t make.”

The Spurs, leading by 14 at halftime, outscored the Thunder 33-18 in the third quarter. San Antonio converted 12 of 16 shots in the process.

“I don’t think anybody on our team played well, including myself,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said.

Oklahoma City is playing without injured shot-blocking forward Serge Ibaka, who has a strained calf and will miss the rest of the playoffs, according to Brooks.

The Spurs took advantage by scoring 54 points in the paint. They pummeled the Thunder with Green’s 3-point baskets. He needed only 10 attempts to make his seven 3-pointers.

Green also spent more time guarding Durant than he normally would because Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard was in foul trouble during the first half, playing just nine minutes.

Parker and Green had sufficient help even without much of a presence from Leonard. Forward Tim Duncan contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds. Center Tiago Splitter grabbed 10 rebounds, scored nine points and blocked three shots.

San Antonio made an 11-2 push during the final 2:18 of the first half to take a 58-44 lead.

The Spurs made three 3-point baskets during the run, two by Green, the other by guard Manu Ginobili.

Green hit four 3-pointers in the half. On one, Ginobili made one of those passes that only he seems to make, flinging the ball from the left corner across the baseline to the right corner.

Ginobili’s 3-pointer came from 27 feet after he secured an offensive rebound.

Oklahoma City contributed to San Antonio’s strong first-half finish by committing three turnovers during the final 1:31.

Parker produced 14 points and five assists in the half. Durant and Westbrook scored 11 each before the break, but they combined to make just nine of 26 shots.

“We had a really good quarter going, actually a good half,” Brooks said. “Then they hit three 3s, we turned it over three times and we took a couple of tough shots. We didn’t do a good job of responding after that run.”

San Antonio won Game 1 by 17 points. Now this. Durant, after two blowout defeats, said, “It’s hard to stay together. We have to figure it out.”

The series moves to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Sunday and Game 4 on Tuesday. Parker suggested that the Spurs have not accomplished much yet, recalling that they went to Oklahoma City with a 2-0 lead in the 2012 Western Conference finals and lost four straight, including one in San Antonio.

“We just did our job (Wednesday),” Parker said. “We won our first two games at home. Nobody is very happy in the locker room.”

NOTES: Thunder F Nick Collison went scoreless Monday in Game 1 in his first start of the season, missing three shots in 15:32 of playing time. But coach Scott Brooks left Collison in the starting lineup on Wednesday as the replacement for injured F Serge Ibaka. Collison produced two points and two rebounds in 13 minutes during Game 2. … Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said F Boris Diaw was fine after getting poked in the right eye by Thunder C Steven Adams in the first half of Game 1. Diaw scored 11 points in Game 2. … The Spurs had the best record in the NBA this season, earning home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, despite F Kawhi Leonard missing 16 games and guards Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green sitting out 14 apiece. … Collison made a 12-foot shot in the first half by batting a pass from Derek Fisher into the basket. With one-10th of a second left on the shot clock, there was no time to catch the pass and get a shot off.

source: interaksyon.com

Have your regular breast self-exams and other breast care must-dos

Early detection is one of the keys to survive breast cancer. Yet, many women need help remembering important things, such as doing a regular self-breast exam.

Yet, despite campaigns set by the health department and other NGOs related to women’s health, lack of awareness still remains the reason for poor compliance. Here are some frequently asked questions on breast care with answers courtesy of experts from the Manila Doctors Hospital.

When is the best time to perform a breast self-exam?
According to the American Cancer Society 2010, it is recommended once each month beginning at the age of twenty.

Breast Self-Exam (BSE) is done once a month so women may be more familiar with the usual appearance and feel of their breasts. Familiarity makes it easier to notice any changes in the breasts from one month to another. Some physicians suggest that women do their BSE every day for a month to make them more aware of how their breasts look and feel. Early discovery of a change from what is normal is the whole idea behind BSE.

The best time to do BSE is two to three days after the end of your period, when the breasts are least likely to be tender or swollen. A woman who no longer has periods may find it helpful to pick a particular day, such as the first day of the month, to remind her that it is time to do BSE.

How does one go about a BSE?
There is no rule of thumb when doing a breast self-exam. There are different techniques depending on what suits you best. Some opt to do it while facing a mirror, others while lying down, or while in the shower.

What’s the next step if you feel a lump in your breast?
If you discover anything unusual, such as a lump, a discharge from the nipple, or dimpling or puckering of the skin, you should see your doctor at once.

Many women have irregular or “lumpy” breast. The term “benign breast condition” refers to those changes in a woman’s breasts that are not cancerous. Many doctors believe that nearly all women have some benign breast changes after the age of thirty. But any of these changes is best consulted with your physician.

How does BSE affect us?
Breasts come in all shapes and sizes, just as women are. Our breast will change through time; hence, it is important for us to learn what is normal. For women, BSE is easy to do as the name implies.

Are there any other modalities?
Adult women should receive regular physician-performed clinical breast exams. It is recommended that women aged 40 years and above should undergo mammogram screening every one to two years. As soon as women reach the age of fifty, mammography should be performed every year.

There is no harm in being aware and getting involved in practicing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Develop a habit and engage your family, friends, and colleagues to do the same.

source: interaksyon.com

Superman and Batman to face off in ‘Dawn of Justice’

Time Warner Inc’s Warner Bros. studio on Wednesday unveiled the title of director Zack Snyder’s anticipated superhero sequel, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” in which the two legendary DC Comics heroes will face off.

The film, scheduled for release on May 6, 2016, is the follow-up to last year’s “Man of Steel,” which grossed $668 million in worldwide ticket sales.

“Dawn of Justice” will see Henry Cavill reprise his role as Superman opposite “Argo” actor and director Ben Affleck as Batman, a choice that split many fans of the franchise.

The film will also star Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.

source: interaksyon.com

Chinese smart phone ‘Mi 3′ enters Malaysia market

KUALA LUMPUR — Chinese-made smart phone “Mi 3″ entered the Malaysian market and started selling Tuesday, said Beijing Xiaomi Technology Co., Ltd president Lin Bin in Kuala Lumpur.

Lin said “Mi 3″ is honored as the fastest smart phone in the world.

Since its marketing in September in the mainland market of China, the smart phone has also entered the markets of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore and received warm welcome from the consumers.

A mature and free market, Malaysia is not only the palace for issuance of world’s most advanced smart phones, but a place of fiercest competition, Lin added.

He believed the impeccable quality and service of the phone will win the customers, adding the company will set up after-sales service centers in Kuala Lumpur, Pulau Pinang and other two cities and form “Xiaomi Family” within this year.

source: interaksyon.com

How singer Abby Asistio fought against alopecia and got her hair and groove back

Since she was four years old, singer and songwriter Abby Asistio has been suffering from alopecia areata, a type of hair loss condition that occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles resulting in partial or complete loss of hair on the scalp and the rest of the body. Alopecia areata can be hereditary; it affects both men and women at any age.

Baldness, which is a result of the condition, can have its emotional toll on the patient. In a society where hair is considered an essential part of self-imaging, having thick hair in men and women is considered as added plus points in one’s level of attractiveness. Shampoo commercials, for instance, always play up having long and lustrous hair as vital in defining how a beautiful woman should look like.

Abby shared her own anxieties as a woman who was going bald due to alopecia, “I learned how to cope with having alopecia though I’ve been wearing wigs and hats. Iba yung feeling na maging malaya ka lang, be who you are, and not be judged for the way you look. Well, it came to a point that even if people were judging my appearance because of my condition, I was actually fine with it. I got used to having alopecia, na nakakalbo ako.”

 

Now 28, and sporting a pixie cut that flatters her pretty face and enhances her cheerful personality, Abby has grown her hair back and was sharing her journey during a recent hair forum organized by popular hair regrowth product Novuhair.

Abby revealed that she lived through the entire process of experiencing hair fall: Alopecia Areata (partial bald spots on the head takes place), Alopecia Totalis (total hair loss on the scalp), and Alopecia Universalis (all hair body hair is lost). She even tried other hair loss remedies including chemical-based products that have resulted in negative side effects. She was just starting to finally embrace her “baldness,” when upon prodding from family and friends, Asistio decided to give Novuhair a try. She experienced remarkable results in just a few months of regular use. Things are looking bright for her as she recently launched her album “Beautiful,” which was also sponsored by Novuhair.

“It’s really a great thing that I was introduced to Novuhair because since I used it, nagkaroon ako ng hope ulit na kaya ko pa palang humarap sa mundo na walang tinatago, walang sumbrero, walang wig, na buhok ko lang talaga (I gained hope and realized that I can face the world without hiding anything, no hats, no wigs, just my hair).” Asistio emotionally said.

Learn more about Abby’s inspiring story by CLICKING HERE.

About alopecia
At the Novuhair forum, guest speaker Dr. Ma. Rica S. Mallari of the Philippine Dermatological Society (FPDS) explained the hair loss condition.

Dr. Mallari said, “Alopecia areata is usually asymptomatic but sometimes there’s itching and burning sensation. It is common and is not difficult to diagnose, but sometimes it can be difficult to manage. Its causes are family history, stress (which is a major factor), and other medical illnesses like autoimmune disorders. What happens is the immune system of the person sees the hair follicle as a foreign object. So instead of attacking the virus and bacteria it attacks the hair follicle so the hair couldn’t grow properly, it falls off, and gets pulled off immediately. The aim of our treatment is to stimulate hair growth but we cannot alter the genetic susceptibility.”

Dr. Mallari added, “As we all know, hair is very important to all of us. So when you start losing hair, you become depressed. It covers a lot of cosmetic, psychological, and medical issues because sometimes when you have hair loss, there might be an underlying medical problem going on. You have to have it checked also. There are lots of causes of hair loss. It can be congenital (present from birth), acquired (obtained), focal (one bald-patch), diffused (all-over), non-scarring (you can grow your hair back), or scarring (you cannot grow back the hair because the follicle is already destroyed).”

During her talk, Dr. Mallari explained that hair loss has different causes. It can also be associated with the abnormalities of skin, nails, and teeth. Careful history and examination of the patient are needed. “We can do blood tests if there are some endocrine problems, diabetes, or thyroid problems.”

“Another is the hair pull test,” noted Dr. Mallari on another way to detect the reason for the hair loss. “We can also look at the hair under the microscopic equipment if there’s an abnormality in the hair shaft. There are times that we need to do a scalp biopsy to be able to make a definite diagnosis.”

Nature’s answer
Like Abby, other celebrities who went through their own hair loss problems and have shared their Novuhair testimonials include TV host, natural health advocate, and trivia expert Kim Atienza; hairstylist and fashion designer Fanny Serrano; beauty queen Gwendolyn Ruais; and athlete Andrew Wolff.

“We started positioning Novuhair to all kinds of hair and it is a specialty and we’re proud that Novuhair can give hope to people suffering from Alopecia and hair loss. Just as our tagline says Novuhair, nature’s answer to hair loss,” President of Nutramedica Inc. Sheila Mae Velilla said.

Velilla explained that Novuhair is made from all-natural ingredients and helps in preventing excessive hair fall. It also aids in stimulating hair growth, improves the overall cosmetic properties of the hair, helps eliminate dandruff, prevents hair-graying, and alleviates scalp itchiness. The product has 13 mainly active ingredients and herbal components that rejuvenate and nourish the scalp and hair.

Moringa oleifera or malunggay is one ingredient that helps restore the skin’s condition and prevents falling hair. Sweet almond oil, another ingredient, is a moisture-rich oil that contains vitamins A, B1, B6 and E, as well as minerals such as magnesium and iron. Scientifically known as prunus amygdalus, sweet almond oil easily penetrates the hair shaft and follicles, relieving hair dryness and itching and providing nourishment to the hair to promote hair growth.

Lavender helps relieve itching, and like rosemary another ingredient, it contains properties that help combat dandruff and disinfects the scalp. Lemongrass helps clean the scalp’s pores, while peppermint is known to slow the growth of bacteria and fungi, aside from having a relaxing effect on the muscles. Other ingredients are Zingiber officinale (ginger), Panax ginseng (Ginseng), Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola), Biotin (hair and nail vitamin), Phyllanthus emblica (Indian gooseberry), Dexapanthenol (Vitamin B-5), Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Cocos mamillaris (Virgin Coconut Oil), Mentha piperita L. (Peppermint oil), and Carthamus tinctorious (Safflower). The product is available in all Mercury Drug Stores and other leading drug stores nationwide.

Abby remains a passionate advocate of promoting public awareness on alopecia. Through her Beautiful Project, Abby has been helping raise the confidence of those who are similarly afflicted with the condition via inspirational talks, social media, and charity projects. Being a brand ambassador for Novuhair, she added, is one way of pushing her cause.

On her experience, Abby added, “Somehow my actual crowning glory is back and it’s because I’ve been using this natural product Novuhair. It’s a product that I’ve been continually and religiously using. If Novuhair would be able to help any other person suffering from alopecia or hair loss in general, it would be such a great thing, not just for them to look better, but to feel better from the inside out.

“I think the more there are uncertainties and doubts, the more you are called to put your trust and faith in God. When I tried Novuhair, there were so many fears inside me but when I took a leap of faith, wow, my hair grew back,” she said.

To learn more about Novuhair, visit their website at www.novuhair.com, like the brand’s official Facebook Page at Novuhair Official, or follow the brand on Twitter at @NovuhairUpdates.

source: interaksyon.com

Microsoft’s new Surface tablet takes aim at Apple’s MacBook

NEW YORK — Microsoft Corp unveiled a larger but lighter version of its Surface Pro tablet on Tuesday, hoping that the company’s expertise in business software will help it take on Apple Inc in mobile devices.

At a presentation in New York, new Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella made it clear that Microsoft, which recently acquired Nokia’s handset business, is committed fully to making its own devices, despite a lack of success for its phones and tablets so far.

“We are not building hardware for hardware’s sake,” said Nadella, at the event. “We want to build experiences that bring together all the capabilities of our company.

The Surface Pro 3 tablet, which comes in three models starting from $799 and costing up to $1,949, features a 12-inch screen, much larger than Apple iPad’s 9.7 inches. It also comes with access to Microsoft’s Office software suite, employed in businesses around the world.


Microsoft executives made frequent comparisons with the MacBook Air at Tuesday’s launch, making it clear that Apple’s lightest laptop, which starts at $899, was the device to beat.

The same executives, highlighting a focus on the enterprise segment of the market, also talked up the limitations of existing tablets in a full office environment.

Microsoft “has concentrated on its key strength – business users who look at tablets as extensions and/or replacements for full laptop capability,” Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates wrote. “Microsoft finally seems to understand it cannot go head to head with Apple’s iPad, and must offer a superior business device.”

Microsoft, which is recasting itself as a ‘devices and services’ company, has not made much headway on the devices side, except for its Xbox game console.


The Surface, launched in October 2012 and updated last year, has about 2 percent of the tablet market, failing to make a dent on Apple’s iPad. Microsoft has only 3 percent global share in smartphones, chiefly through Nokia.

(A look at the global tablet market: link.reuters.com/ker49v)

The Surface Pro 3 runs the full Windows operating system, and Microsoft hopes it will be the device consumers and companies go to when they are replacing laptops.

Initial reaction was positive, but analysts have doubts that Microsoft can easily haul itself into a meaningful position in the hardware business.

“This is Microsoft’s best shot yet to move the needle in the right direction on market share gains,” said Daniel Ives, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets. “The odds are stacked against Microsoft, although we have to credit Nadella with putting his pedal to the metal to go after tablet market share, which remains key going forward.”

The new device, which like previous versions uses Intel Corp processors, will be available to order this week.

source: interaksyon.com

Brave cat saves California boy from dog attack

A California child pulled from his bike by an attacking dog was saved by his family's cat on Tuesday, which quickly rushed in and chased away the canine, a video posted on YouTube showed on Wednesday.

The video, which quickly spread on the Internet, shows a young boy playing on a driveway in Bakersfield, when a dog lunges at his leg, grabs hold of it with his jaws and drags the boy off of the bike.

A dark cat swiftly hurls itself onto the dog and chases it down the driveway and away from the child before a woman runs to help the boy.

Local media reported the video was from multiple security cameras and shows graphic pictures of the bite wounds sustained by the boy.

“Thankfully, it wasn’t worse," his father, Roger Triantafilo, wrote in posting the video. "My son is fine."

Bakersfield police said the attacking dog, identified as an 8-month-old Labrador-Chow mix, had been surrendered by its owner’s family after the Tuesday afternoon attack and was in quarantine and would ultimately be euthanized.

Police spokesman Sergeant Joseph Grubbs said the dog's owners, who live in the same neighborhood as the boy, said the dog did not like children or bicycles. He did not identify the owner by name.

The Triantafilo family could not be reached for immediate comment. 

source: interaksyon.com

Affordable Nokia Lumia to arrive in PH

MANILA, Philippines — The Microsoft Devices Group is giving more and more people access to its latest offering — a dual-SIM smartphone running on Windows Phone 8.1 operating system under the Nokia Lumia 630 model available in the Philippines starting May 30.

Tagged with an affordable price of P7,990, Lumia Devices global product marketing manager Raghu Khoduvayur takes pride in the customizability of the Lumia 630.

For starters, users can select from bright orange, bright green, bright yellow, black, and white for the device’s changeable shells, aside from an expandable memory through a built-in microSD card slot.

The latest Nokia smartphone can also install apps and games from its memory card, including maps and navigation tools that come free. While health buffs will be pumped up for SensorCore, a motion sensor which complements apps like Bing Health and Fitness.

In addition, the full Microsoft Office experience is also provided to users, including the MixRadio music streaming, which is dubbed as your “your own personal radio station.

Khoduvayur demonstrated what he described “the world’s fastest keyboard,” which learns from the user. With Filipinos’ penchant for using Taglish in daily conversations, foreign words will be included in the device’s bank after they are used once. Words are formed by gliding the finger from one letter to another.

When it comes to the smartphone’s dual-sim feature, the SIM cards are easily differentiated from one another by color, and switching between the two is “seamless,” according to the software giant’s press statement.

The Lumia 630 comes with the latest quad-core processor and a 4.5-inch Gorilla Glass 3 display protecting the screen against damage, while ClearBlack screen makes its contents visible even in daylight.

As for its look and feel, the phone is “super slick and super slim,” said Khoduvayur at the launch. He believes the Lumia 630, equipped with a 5-megapixel camera and high-definition video recording, will become one of the bestsellers of the line.

More Lumia apps, finally

Representatives from Microsoft’s partners in the Philippines were also present at the launch to showcase their apps, which come with the smartphone for free.

GrabTaxi Philippines assistant General Manager Natasha Dawn Bautista briefed the audience about the GrabTaxi app, which connects passengers to taxi drivers so the former can be transported with “safety, speed, and certainty.” As for the drivers, they have had a 30 to 300 percent increase in income through the app, she said.

AirAsia head of commercial Gerard Penaflor, on the other hand, said that AirAsia app allows passengers to book and manage their flights from their devices. Through it, they can also check in from 14 days to one hour before departure.

Furthermore, Globe Telecoms G-Xchange Inc. President Paolo Baltao talked about enabling users to pay their bills, donate to charity, send money to relatives, and buy load at a rebate using their mobile wallet GCash app. Also available for free is InterAksyon.com’s very own app for instant access on the latest news.

Karel Holub, Microsoft Mobile Devices Philippines general manager for sales, added that over 500 mobile apps were added to their roster each day.

source: interaksyon.com

Google selling Glass Internet eyewear in US

SAN FRANCISCO — Google’s Internet-linked eyewear — hotly anticipated by some, feared by others — is now available to anyone in the United States with $1,500 to spare and a yen to become an “explorer.”

The decision to open the “Glass” test, or beta, program on Wednesday to anyone with enough money and curiosity came about a month after a one-day sale of the eyewear to the public.

“We learned a lot when we opened our site a few weeks ago, so we’ve decided to move to a more open beta,” said a post on the Glass page at Google+ online social network.

“We’re still in the Explorer Program while we continue to improve our hardware and software, but starting today anyone in the US can buy the Glass Explorer Edition, as long as we have it on hand.”

In a possible sign of interest in the eyewear, the Glass page on the Google+ network has more than 678,000 followers and has been viewed more than 107 million times.

Google in March said it is joining forces with the frame giant behind Ray-Ban and other high-end brands to create and sell Glass Internet-linked eyewear in the United States.

The partnership with Luxottica was portrayed as Google’s “biggest step yet into the emerging smart eyewear market.”

Luxottica brands include Oakley, Alain Mikli, Ray-Ban and Vogue-Eyewear.

The first smart glasses by Luxottica for Google Glass will go on sale in 2015, the head of the Italian eyewear group said Tuesday.

- No ‘Glassholes’-

Google has been working to burnish the image of Glass, which has triggered concerns about privacy since the devices are capable of capturing pictures and video.

Google recently sent out a release to debunk what it claims are myths about Glass such as the ideas that it invades privacy, distracts wearers and is for “technology-worshipping geeks.”

“If someone wants to secretly record you, there are much, much better cameras out there than one you wear conspicuously on your face and that lights up every time you give a voice command, or press a button,” Google said.

“If a company sought to design a secret spy device, they could do a better job than Glass.”

During the Explorer testing phase, developers are creating apps for Google Glass, which can range from getting weather reports to sharing videos to playing games.

Google in February gave the early adopters a bit of advice: don’t be “Glassholes”.

It was the final suggestion in a recommended code of conduct posted online for the software developers and others taking part in the “explorer” program.

The Internet titan appeared intent on avoiding the kinds of caustic run-ins that have seen some Glass wearers tossed from eateries, pubs or other establishments due to concerns over camera capabilities built into devices.

Don’t be “creepy or rude (aka, a “Glasshole”),” Google said in a guide posted online for Explorer program members.

Glass connects to the Internet using Wi-Fi hot spots or, more typically, by being wirelessly tethered to mobile phones. Pictures or video are may be shared through the Google Plus social network.

source: interaksyon.com

NY hotel probes leaked video of Beyonce sister attacking Jay Z

A New York boutique hotel on Monday said it was investigating how a recording of a security video that purportedly shows rapper Jay Z being attacked by his sister-in-law, R&B singer Solange Knowles, was leaked to a website.

The video posted by celebrity website TMZ.com appears to show the 27-year-old Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce, charging and striking Jay Z several times in an elevator at the Standard Hotel in New York’s Meatpacking District before being restrained.

Beyonce looks on in the three-and-a-half-minute video without audio, which quickly became an internet sensation, sparking several parody videos and photos.

The three are seen dressed in clothing that they had worn to the Met Gala benefit on the night of May 5. But representatives for all three did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation of the incident.

The hotel, the venue for a post-gala party, promised to prosecute whoever was behind the recording, calling it a breach of security and guest confidentiality.

“We are investigating with the utmost urgency the circumstances surrounding the situation and, as is our customary practice, will discipline and prosecute the individuals involved to our fullest capacity,” the hotel said in a statement without naming Jay Z, Beyonce or Solange Knowles.

The Standard Hotel, which has locations in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Florida, is controlled by hotelier Andre Balazs’ Standard International management company.

source: interaksyon.com

Banned Clippers owner Donald Sterling apologizes for racist remarks

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has offered his first public apology for racist remarks that saw him banned for life from the NBA.

Two weeks after the NBA banned him from all league activities, fined him $2.5 million and began proceedings to strip him of his team, the 80-year-old real estate billionaire insisted he’s not a racist.

“I’m not a racist,” Sterling told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in an interview due to air Monday. “I made a terrible mistake. I’m here to apologize.”

The interview, excerpts of which were posted on CNN’s website, marks Sterling’s first public comments on the scandal since celebrity gossip website TMZ posted a 10-minute audio recording of him that sparked a firestorm in the league and beyond.

In the recording, Sterling is heard chastising his girlfriend for associating with black people and bringing black people to Clippers games.

The response was swift and fierce in the NBA, a league in which the majority of players are black.

The affair resonated outside of sports in a country that continues to grapple with racial issues.

Almost 20 sponsors severed or suspended ties with the team, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was widely applauded for his tough stance.

On Friday, the NBA named Richard Parsons, the former chairman of media giant Time Warner and Citigroup, as interim chief executive of the Clippers as the league pursues efforts to oust Sterling.

Such a move would require the approval of 75 percent of the other 29 team owners.

Although it’s thought the Clippers would sell for upwards of $600 million, Sterling’s past history of litigation has prompted speculation that he would resist selling in what could be a bitter legal battle.

In his interview with CNN, Sterling did not take a combative stance, but the longest-tenured owner in the NBA — he bought the Clippers for $12 million in 1981 — made it clear he wants to stay in the league.

“I’m a good member who made a mistake and I’m apologizing and I’m asking for forgiveness,” Sterling said.

“Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? It’s a terrible mistake, and I’ll never do it again.”

However, the scandal has prompted scrutiny of past accusations that Sterling discriminated against black, Hispanic and Korean tenants at some of his rental properties.

Sterling’s estranged wife, Shelly Sterling, was a co-defendant in two lawsuits that alleged discrimination, and the future of the Clippers is further clouded by her stated determination to maintain her ownership stake in the team.

In an interview with ABC News’ Barbara Walters airing on Sunday night, Shelly Sterling says she will “absolutely” fight to keep her stake in the team.

However, NBA spokesman Mike Bass responded with a statement outlining the league’s position that her ownership interest would be terminated along with her husband’s.

“Under the NBA Constitution, if a controlling owner’s interest is terminated by a 3/4 vote, all other team owners’ interests are automatically terminated as well,” Bass said.

“It doesn’t matter whether the owners are related as is the case here.

“These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team.”

Clippers coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers is just one NBA figure who has said it would be better if neither of the Sterlings have an ownership role with the team.

Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, attending the Clippers’ home playoff game against Oklahoma City, said players wouldn’t play for Shelly Sterling.

“The players definitely wouldn’t like it, everybody would boycott,” Johnson told an ABC television interviewer.

source: interaksyon.com