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Latest by Mike Flacy

Google Chromecast

Get ready for apps! Google launches Chromecast SDK to public

Definitely good news for anyone that currently owns or is interested in the Chromecast, Google's new software development kit means a ton of mobile apps will support streaming in the near future.
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Feds want cars to talk to each other, could eliminate many accidents

Potentially useful if a single standard is adopted by all auto manufacturers, the federal government wants to mandate vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology for all cars on the road.
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NFL, MLB roll out iBeacon tech for Super Bowl, Opening Day updates

Looking for ways to reach more football and baseball fans, both the NFL and MLB are utilizing beacon technology to transmit mobile notifications related to sales promotions and other location information.
tax time irs start processing electronically filed returns return e file

Ready to file? IRS starts processing electronically filed tax returns

Potentially lucrative for anyone that's expecting a big tax return this year, U.S. taxpayers can start digitally submitting their tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service as of today.
report microsoft may name satya nadella ceo gates chairman

Report: Microsoft may name Satya Nadella as CEO, Gates out as chairman

Possibly capping off a five month search for the new CEO of Microsoft, sources within the software company have indicated that Microsoft's Satya Nadella is the lead choice for the job.
dells wyse hdmi dongle puts android screen cloud connect

Dell’s Wyse Cloud Connect HDMI dongle runs Android on any screen

Definitely one of the more interesting products released by Dell of of late, a new HDMi dongle called the Wyse Cloud Connect allows business travelers to connect remotely using virtual desktop platforms.
microsoft improves bings ability to improve understand natural conversation in search bing

Microsoft’s Bing Rewards launches for iOS and Android devices

Potentially useful for anyone that regularly uses the Bing search engine on their mobile device, Microsoft has added support for the Bing Rewards program on two major mobile platforms.
walmart starts testing online grocery shopping store pickup neighborhood market

Walmart starts testing online grocery shopping with in-store pickup

In an attempt to get a handle on the potential of online grocery shopping, Walmart has launched a trial that allows Denver area customers to order groceries and pick up that order at a local store.
google lego bring bricks web build chrome building

Google, LEGO partner for virtual brick building with Build With Chrome

Definitely a cool tool for anyone that spend their childhood building creative LEGO creations, Google and LEGO have teamed up to offer a virtual building tool that's tied into Google Maps.
hotel chain app turns smartphone room key starwood keyless door

Hotel chain app turns your smartphone into a room key

A couple hotels in New York City and Silicon Valley will soon receive an upgrade for keyless room entry using a smartphone.
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Old Spice gets a jump on viral Super Bowl ads with funny prank websites

Looking to delight users on the Web and create viral buzz, Old Spice has launched a series of fake websites promoting ridiculous products, each of which can be used to prank your friends.
apple store

Goodbye Paypal? Apple may be building a mobile payments service

Potentially taking advantage of more than 500 million registered iTunes accounts, Apple is considering a mobile payments service that would allow consumers to purchase goods in stores and on the Web.
walmart preps 50 a year shipping service to take on amazon prime

Walmart puts more focus on distribution to compete online with Amazon

Attempting to take on Amazon by providing more expedient shipping options for customers, Walmart is investing in online-only distribution warehouses built at strategic locations around the country.
report new apple tv set top box expected first half 2014 4k

Report: New Apple TV set-top box is expected for first half of 2014

Definitely good news for anyone that's waiting for a hardware upgrade to the nearly two-year old Apple TV, Apple is expected to upgrade the streaming set-top box within the next six months.
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Man shares his own wanted picture on Facebook, arrested shortly after

Definitely a stupid way to attract attention when wanted for assault, a Pennsylvania man thought it would be a brilliant idea to taunt the local police by sharing his own mug shot on Facebook.
netflix starts testing 4k content batch public videos ultra hd

Netflix may transition to three pricing tiers for streaming video soon

Potentially impacting anyone new to the Netflix service, the streaming video company is considering a shift to multiple pricing tiers tied to simultaneous streaming and video resolution.
amazon exclusives store debuts jackery leaf

Jackery Leaf charging case can double your iPhone 5S battery life

Perhaps ideal for anyone that runs out of battery power by the end of the workday, the Jackery Leaf charging case helps you keep using your iPhone without having to carry around a charging cable.
netflix luth research house of cards

U.S. households love Netflix while HBO and Showtime are on the decline

Definitely a sign that Netflix is doing something right, a new study released by The NPD Group indicates that Netflix is more likely to be adopted in U.S. homes than premium channels like HBO.
justice department investigates major theater chains for antitrust violations digital movie

Paramount is the first major studio to abandon film for digital-only releases

Definitely a transition that's been in the works for the past decade, Paramount has halted all distribution of films in 35-millimeter and will be releasing films to theaters exclusively in digital format.
amazon in talks to lease more jets get packages your door quicker boxes

Amazon patented an anticipatory shipping system that predicts orders

Perhaps managed Minority Report-style by Jeff Bezos and a few useful pre-cogs, Amazon was granted a patent this week on a predictive shipping model that could send packages before an order is placed.
googles chrome mobile update may reduce data usage 50 percent

Google’s Chrome for Mobile update may reduce data usage by 50 percent

Definitely useful for anyone that's concerned about using too much data while on LTE, the new version of Google Chrome for Mobile reduces data usage substantially through compression.
woman ticketed wearing google glass driving wins court cecilia abadie

California driver ticketed for wearing Google Glass found not guilty

Potentially a small win for residents of California that own Google Glass, a woman recently cited for wearing the futuristic device while driving was able to get the ticket dismissed in court.
google considers tiny cameras for contact lenses smart lens

Google developing smart contact lens that monitors blood sugar levels

Definitely a fantastic breakthrough for anyone that suffers from type 1 or type 2 diabetes, Google is working on a smart contact lens that provides up-to-the-second glucose readings.
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Chicago joins New York, bans indoor e-cigarette vaping

Definitely gaining some steam among state and city governments, the use of e-cigarettes in public places has once again come under fire with Chicago becoming the latest city to ban indoor e-cigarette smoking.
helmet cameras will rolled arena football league players first person view

Helmet cameras will be rolled out for Arena Football League players

Definitely an interesting perspective when watching a football game, the Arena Football League will be experimenting with high definition, POV helmet cameras during the 2014 AFL season.
memini wearable camera captures moments time kids

MeMINI is a wearable camera that captures life’s important moments

Definitely an interesting twist on a wearable lifestyle gadget, the MeMINI camera records video in a constant loop in order to preserve specific moments that are often missed when pulling out a smartphone.
man dies falling freezing river trying grab smartphone chicago

Man dies after falling into freezing river trying to retrieve mobile phone

Definitely not worth a plunge into a freezing river, an Illinois man lost his life today after attempting to retrieve a lost mobile phone that was accidentally dropped into the Chicago River.
florida man shot movie theater wouldnt stop texting grove 16 shooting

Florida man shot, killed in movie theater because he was texting

Sadly escalating into a tragic situation, a Florida father was killed today after an argument over sending text messages during the previews of a movie sent one retired police officer over the edge.
Aereo devices

United States Supreme Court to hear the Aereo vs. Broadcasters case

Perhaps leading to a significant shift in over-the-air broadcasting in the future, the U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear an appeal from the major networks regarding the legality of Aereo.
Nook HD

Barnes & Noble digital division plummeting due to poor Nook sales

Likely attributed to heavy competition with online retailer Amazon, Barnes & Noble has announced a significant loss on the digital side of the business due to lack of interest in the Nook platform.
Fitbit Force

Caller ID will launch on the Fitbit Force during February

Ideal for anyone that currently owns both the Fitbit Force and an iPhone 4S or higher, Fitbit will soon add a caller ID feature to the fitness band that will display the name of the person that's calling you.
iTunes Radio Hands On Purchase

Digital music sales decline for the first time since the iTunes Store opened

Digital music sales are no longer increasing year over year and many analysts are looking at services like Spotify and Pandora as the reason why.
ice cream truck replace music mobile text messages

Ice cream truck to replace loud music with mobile text messages

Definitely an interesting way to notify residents of a truck's arrival, an ice cream company is choosing silent text messages over loud music after the local community filed a noise complaint.
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Motorola’s flagship Moto X drops to $400 without contract

Motorola has cut the unlocked price on the Moto X by 20 percent in order to compete more effectively against the Nexus 5.
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Expiring Soon: These films will vanish from Netflix on New Year’s Day

Be sure to check out this collection of movies and television shows on Netflix Instant before the expiring content is removed at the start of the new year.
apple iphone 5s

Teenager doesn’t get an iPhone for Christmas, pulls knife on dad

A Massachusetts teenager got locked up on Christmas after pulling a weapon on his family when he didn't receive the gift that he really wanted.
los angeles bans e cigarettes public places electronic cigarette

New York City extends indoor smoking ban to include e-cigarettes

Definitely a nuisance to anyone in NYC that's attempting to quit smoking by using an e-cigarette, smoking those devices indoors is no longer an option.
vine-windows-phone

Vine users will get vanity URLs starting on December 20

Ideal for anyone that loves uploading short videos to the Vine service, Twitter will be launching support for Vine vanity URLs starting on Friday for verified users and the following Monday for everyone else.