The New York Times Leap Motion app: for all the news that's fit for gestures (video)

Few of us reading the morning news enjoy putting our greasy hands on a tablet or newspaper just to flip through articles. With the newly unveiled New York Times app for the Leap Motion Controller, we won't have to. The release lets news hounds navigate stories (and ads) through a unique interface optimized for touch-free gestures. Both Mac and Windows versions of the NYT app will be available in the Airspace store on July 22nd, the same day Leap Motion ships to customers. More importantly, the app will be free -- at least at launch, readers won't run into the usual paywall. If the prospect of contact-free news has you intrigued, there's a video demo available after the break.

Filed under: Peripherals, Software

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Source: New York Times Idea Lab

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App Store Insiders: Alex Adjadj of Namco Bandai Games on the ...

From Ms. Pac-Man to Tekken, Namco has been on the App Store since the launch.

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Since the App Store launch in 2008, Namco and now Namco Bandai Games has published over 100 apps. The company was there at launch with Ms. Pac-Man and continues to be there today with both favorite franchises and new properties. We took a few moments to speak with Alex Adjadj, the Director of Strategic Development, Mobile Sales and Marketing at Namco Bandai Games America, Inc.

148Apps: How has the App Store changed the way Namco Bandai does business?

Mr. Alex Adjadj, Director of Strategic Development, Mobile Sales and Marketing at Namco Bandai Games America Inc.: The video games industry is currently going through challenges on different fronts. Hardware transition on the console side. Exponential user and device fragmentation as well as standardization of development tools and fast growing marketing costs on the mobile side. It?s exciting, challenging and requires more attention to planning and execution.

The App Store has accelerated and accentuated these challenges. When it comes to a major publisher with thousands of employees, it?s always a bigger challenge because of the scale involved. But Namco Bandai Games knows mobile well, and has started doing mobile games with Apple back to the early days of the iPod Click Wheel (remember PAC-MAN?). It?s been great to have had their support to improve the quality and market relevance of our creations along those years.

148Apps: If you have one single success within Namco you?d like to highlight from the past five years on the App Store, what would it be?

Mr. Adjadj: We?ve had highs and lows. As I said, for a bigger publisher it?s just a question of more time, more planning, more investment, more internal communication. But there?s one thing that only a very few other publishers have today, it?s market knowledge and capacity to increase product development and segmentation without compromising on quality. In 2008, we were all about cost-conscious developments, with most of our releases being good ports, but also not taking full advantage of the iOS platform and hardware at the time. Fast forward 2013, we?ve got universal games that play well on iPad and iPhone, that are visually extraordinary thanks to Retina Display, that are fun to play with friends on Game Center, and that offer great value for money for gamers willing to pay or play for free.

148Apps: In the five years since launch, the App Store has gone through considerable changes. The number of users has skyrocketed along with downloads, prices for paid apps has stabilized way lower than many expected, free to play has dominated the top grossing charts. If, knowing what you know about the App Store now, you could go back and influence the path of Namco Bandai five years ago, what would you say?

Mr. Adjadj: Actually I personally did contribute back in the summer of 2009 by further evangelizing in Europe and the US teams about the benefits of bringing dedicated products rather than ports to App Store. It changed a lot of perceptions back then, especially since we were still strongly driven by our feature phone business in overseas (i.e. Non-Japan) territories.

148Apps: What have you seen on the App Store, outside of Namco Bandai, that has surprised you most?

Mr. Adjadj: It?s been a challenging, but a logical and relentless organic evolution. Apple has changed the world of digital content distribution and mobile gaming by annihilating barriers to entry, cutting a lot of (often, but not always, useless and costly) middle ?men.? By imposing its own standards, it has accelerated the growth of a young mobile video games industry, it has made it possible for the unveiling of incredibly successful and clever small production houses, and changed the perception of mobile gaming with the masses. My biggest surprises are the very little opposition Apple have faced from pre-existing market entrants, the incredible success it went through and the time it took for their competitors to come up with relevant hardware and retail ecosystems.

148Apps: Any predictions for what the App Store will be like five years from now?

Mr. Adjadj: Personally, I can perceive further device fragmentation in the iOS hardware line ? very similar to what?s going on with Android right now. Device fragmentation will increase differences in usage and accordingly product & genre segmentation, a bit like what the iPad has done in terms of ?console quality gaming for mobile.? Following smartphone penetration growth in emerging markets, I also see further challenges to properly address consumers around the world, in terms of UX, billing, the relevance of content offering and the risk, already present, of content saturation and chart stagnation. I see 3 ways where this might go: first Apple might need to customize their App Store UI a bit differently per region, so that non-local publishers still get a chance to, at least, show their best content in new markets, without occurring prohibitive production costs. The second route must be to introduce more flexible billing routes so that all users can pay for content the way it fits their spending culture. The third, though unlikely given Apple?s necessary but very tight control on its ecosystem, would be to allow the ?best? publishers to get more control of how their content offering is tailored to end users.

Mr. Adjadj wishes to add the following disclaimer: Mr. Adjadj speaks of his personal experience and opinions, and while being a full time employee of Namco Bandai Games America Inc., Namco Networks America Inc. and Namco Bandai Networks Europe since 2006, this article isn?t meant to be read as general consensus across other divisions of Bandai Namco Holdings. Alex is currently Director of Strategic Development, Mobile Sales and Marketing at Namco Bandai Games America Inc., San Jose, California.

Thanks to Mr. Adjadj for his time.

Posted in: App Store Insiders, Blog

Tagged with: Alex Adjadj, ms. pac-man, namco, namco bandai

Review disclosure: note that the product reviewed on this page may have been provided to us by the developer for the purposes of this review. Note that if the developer provides the product or not, this does not impact the review or score.

Source: http://www.148apps.com/news/app-store-insiders-alex-adjadj-namco-bandai-games/

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New Flood Insurance Rates Leave Sandy Victims With Sticker ...

By Colin Croughan ? | Posted Jul 10th 2013 3:52PM

Updated Jul 10th 2013 4:21PM

Residents of Valley Stream, N.Y., reportedly face a new headache in the wake of Hurricane Sandy -- a dramatic hike in flood insurance premiums. Though some of the residents have claimed that their Long Island neighborhood has never flooded, FEMA has reclassified the area as a high-risk flood zone. Valley Stream resident Joseph Margolin, who reports seeing his flood-insurance rates soar from $400 per year to $3,400, told cable station News 12 Long Island that the mapping of the high-risk flood zone in his area seems "arbitrary."

Asked about the hikes in an interview with the cable channel Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) agreed that premiums like those for a middle class family are outrageous, and will cause even bigger problems for the real estate sectors and homeowners in that Long Island community.

While it's long been the case that FEMA's flood mapping has affected insurance rates, the post-Sandy impact is suddenly leaving many in the East with sticker shock. (Pictured above is a street in Freeport, Long Island, a few days after Sandy struck.) David D. Curti of West Springfield, Conn., recently told a local newspaper that he saw his property reclassified from moderate risk to high risk, even though his area wasn't directly affected by the 2012 hurricane. Curti told Springfield's The Republican that he was quoted an increase from about $450 a year to about $1,200 annually, even though he lives about 30 feet above the Connecticut River.

Those living in the West have seen similar impact from the threat of wildfires, leaving some to opt to go without homeowners insurance rather than pay triple-digit increases in their premiums. A Las Vegas TV station reports of one owner of a mountain cabin threatened by flames who has refused authorities' order to evacuate, and instead is trying to keep flames at bay with a garden hose. KTNV quotes Rodney Giles, 63, as saying that a wall of fire came within 300 feet of his home, but that he plans to hang on until he absolutely has to leave.

See more about the impact of Hurricane Sandy:
Old Map Keeps Breezy Point From Rebuilding After Sandy
Homebuyers Searching for Deals in Hurricane Sandy Wreckage
Hurricane Sandy and 2012's Other Natural Disasters Could Cost Homeowners for Years to Come

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find homes for rent in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

Follow us on Twitter at @AOLRealEstate or connect with AOL Real Estate on Facebook.

Source: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/on/new-flood-insurance-rates-leave-sandy-victims-with-sticker-shock/

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Women feel forced to Photoshop their pictures to look more attractive on Facebook - and 75% say they are ugly, fat or unattractive

• Nine out of ten women admit they are camera shy
• 75% view themselves as 'unattractive,' 'ugly,' or 'too fat' in photos
  
• Three quarters of women have even destroyed photos of themselves

By Bianca London

PUBLISHED: 10:33 EST, 9 July 2013 | UPDATED: 19:27 EST, 9 July 2013

Self-conscious: New research claims the digital age has made women more camera shy than ever amid mounting pressures to look good with more than four in ten women admit to changing the way they look in a photograph online

More than four in ten women have enhanced photographs of themselves before posting them online, a study has found.

The researchers claim digital photos are making women more camera-shy than ever, with mounting pressures to look good when the images are shared on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

With celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley constantly bombarding our social media feeds with picture perfect 'selfies', there has never been as much pressure to keep up with the seemingly perfect online image of others.

Now it seems the need to compete with the beautiful people has got to us, as a record number of women admit to altering a picture of themselves to look more attractive before putting it online.

But despite growing numbers of us posting more and more photos online, the research claims that, amid mounting pressures to look good, the digital age has made women more camera shy than ever.

The study found that nearly eight in ten women (77 per cent) say having their photo taken and then uploaded on to a social network or website makes them more anxious about their looks than if they were speaking in public, going on a first date or going to a job interview.

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Nearly three quarters of women have even destroyed photos of themselves.

Competition: With celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley constantly bombarding our social media feeds with picture perfect 'selfies', there has never been as much pressure to keep up

Almost half (46 per cent) have de-tagged, deleted or removed a photo of themselves, while 41 per cent have edited a photo of themselves to enhance their looks before posting it online.

In the UK, nine out of ten women admit they are camera shy, citing that they often feel self-conscious or uncomfortable having their photo taken because they do not feel they are beautiful.

When confronted with a photo of themselves 75 per cent only saw the negative, considering themselves 'unattractive,' 'ugly,' or 'too fat.'

Mass destruction: Nearly three quarters of women have even destroyed photos of themselves and 75% see themselves as fat and ugly

Research among 500 women claimed women?s worries over their appearance is preventing them from capturing memorable moments, including photos of beach holidays, their own wedding pictures, or even photos of the birth of their child.

A third of women said they started to become more camera shy between the ages of 11 and 20 and the majority (55 per cent) claim they are more camera shy now compared to 10 years ago.

Nearly one in three have stopped photos being taken or later destroyed photos of a beach holiday, a significant party with friends/family and even their own graduations.

A spokesman for Dove, who carried out the study, said: 'We know women are very self-critical when it comes to their looks and that this can have an impact on self-esteem, confidence and happiness.

'This study shows that women are their own worst beauty critics and their anxiety in front of the camera is causing them to miss out on capturing important moments in their lives.

'We want to inspire women to reconsider their beauty and recognise that they are more beautiful than they think.

'We believe that encouraging women and the next generation to develop a positive relationship with beauty can help raise their self-esteem and thereby help them reach their full potential.'

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US 'Deeply Concerned' by Singapore Internet Rules - The Next Web

The US has weighed in on Singapore?s recently-unveiled regulations to supervise websites that cover local news, with the State Department saying that it is ?deeply concerned? by what it called the new ?restrictive? policy.

In late May, Singapore introduced rules that required sites?reporting an average of at least one Singapore-related news article per week?over two months, and which get 50,000 unique IP addresses from Singapore each month, to apply for an individual license.

Under the new license, online news sites must comply within 24 hours to remove content that is found to be in breach of standards. They are also obligated to put up a performance bond of S$50,000 (almost US$40,000).

US State Department spokeswoman Jen Paksi said at a?press briefing that the US is?concerned to see Singapore applying press restrictions to the online world and added:

We urge Singapore to ensure that freedom of expression is protected in accordance with its international obligations and commitments.

The US State Department?s concerns have been aired after Internet giants Google, Yahoo, Facebook and eBay weighed in on the issue last month, issuing a letter?under the Asia Internet Coalition?that said the Singapore government?s new licensing framework for online sites could ?unintentionally hamper Singapore?s ability?to continue to drive innovation, develop key industries in the technology space and attract?investment in this key sector?.

The tech companies said they were ?surprised? with the new regulations, as they observed that Singapore?s previous framework had been well-understood by businesses and had not proven to be inadequate for authorities to monitor offensive online content. They?noted that the scope of the new regulations and manner in which they were introduced?have ?negatively impacted Singapore?s global image as an open and business-friendly country?.

Singapore defended its new licensing rules yesterday at Parliament (according to a report by The Straits Times), with?Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim reiterating that the regulations are not targeted at bloggers and that they are?free to continue commenting on government policies.

The minister also noted that if future online news operators cannot afford the performance bond, media authorities would be?willing to come up with a ?reasonable? amount in line with the news site?s finances, the report said. Yaacob was reported as saying:

The intention is not to prevent the site from operating under a licence. On the contrary, the intent is to allow a qualifying site to continue to operate, under an individual license.

He argued that the new regulations would hold news sites to a higher standard, so that ?you know that whatever you do, you must do it well and do it accurately because you?re reporting for the benefit of Singaporeans?.

The new licensing rules kicked in on June 1 and the Singapore government is currently discussing details with?the three companies that own the 10 news websites coming under the licensing framework ? Singapore Press Holdings, MediaCorp and Yahoo Singapore.

Image Credit: YL Tan via Flickr

Source: http://thenextweb.com/asia/2013/07/09/us-deeply-concerned-by-singapore-internet-rules-after-facebook-ebay-google-yahoo-weigh-in/

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Universal Sports Network Expands Distribution With Time Warner Cable Deal

SOURCE: Universal Sports Network

Network Brings Multi-Platform Coverage of World-Class Sports Events to TWC's Sports Pass Subscribers

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - July 09, 2013) - ?Universal Sports Network and Time Warner Cable (TWC) announced today a multi-year agreement to deliver the network's exclusive year-round coverage of Olympic and endurance sports programming to TWC's Sports Pass subscribers. The deal gives TWC, one of the nation's largest providers of video, high-speed data and voice services, comprehensive TV Everywhere rights, VOD content and Universal Sports Max, a secondary events broadband channel.

Universal Sports Network will be available to TWC Sports Pass subscribers in the majority of TWC markets later this summer.?

"We are thrilled that Time Warner Cable sees value in Universal Sports Network," said Universal Sports President Scott Brown. "We look forward to serving Time Warner Cable's customers with exciting, global sports coverage on multiple platforms."

"Time Warner Cable customers will soon be able to enjoy the year-round coverage of championship sports programming found only on Universal Sports," said Alexis Johnson, Vice President of Content Acquisition for Time Warner Cable.?"We are delighted to be able to provide our Sports Pass subscribers with access to coverage of the Olympic sports they love on multiple platforms."

Universal Sports provides viewers unparalleled access to a wide range of world-class sporting events, including the most year-round, Olympic-related programming of any network.?Universal Sports showcases many of the world's best athletes competing in more than 30 sports annually, and this year will be the home to 25 World Championships. Among the global sports events broadcast on the network's TV and digital platforms are such prestigious competitions as the World Aquatics Championships, Boston Marathon, Alpine Ski World Cup, World Figure Skating Championships, Vuelta a Espa?a, Kona Ironman and Rugby Sevens World Cup. On October 30, Universal Sports will premiere Countdown to Sochi, a weekly studio news show that will provide a comprehensive look at the most compelling stories leading up to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

About Universal Sports

Universal Sports, a partnership between NBC Sports and InterMedia Partners, LP, is the premier multi-platform media destination for Olympic-related sports programming in the United States.?Offering more than 1,200 HD hours of original programming each year, Universal Sports has exclusive rights to world and national championship events in a wide array of sports, including swimming, track and field, gymnastics, cycling, skiing, figure skating and rugby. Whether on television, online, or on the go with mobile and tablet applications, Universal Sports offers a four-screen experience to fans of global sports every day of the year. For more information, please visit?UniversalSports.com.

About Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) is among the largest providers of video, high-speed data and voice services in the United States, connecting more than 15 million customers to entertainment, information and each other. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers data, video and voice services to businesses of all sizes, cell tower backhaul services to wireless carriers and enterprise-class, cloud-enabled hosting, managed applications and services.?Time Warner Cable Media, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at?www.twc.com,?www.twcbc.com?and?www.twcmedia.com.

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Source: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=1809539&sourceType=3

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Mets Prospects: Baseball America names Noah Syndergaard and Travis d'Arnaud to midseason list

Two Mets prospects made Baseball America's midseason top prospect list. Who are the talented players?

Earlier today, Baseball America released their Midseason Prospect Update for their list of Top 50 Prospects for the 2013 season. Two Mets were included in the list: RHP Noah Syndergaard and C Travis d'Arnaud. Both players found themselves on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects List for the 2013 season: d'Arnaud was 23rd on the list, while Syndergaard was 54th.

23, Noah Syndergaard (RHP, Mets)

Improved breaking ball has made his mid-90s fastball an even deadlier weapon.

25, Travis d'Arnaud (C, Mets)

When healthy, he?s top catching prospect in minors, but healthy months are few and far between.

Syndergaard began the 2013 season with the St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League (High-A). There, he went 3-3 in 12 starts with a 3.11 ERA and 2.60 FIP. Over a span of 63.2 innings, he struck out nine batters per nine innings (64 strikeouts), and walked 2.3 batters per nine innings (16 walks). In late June, he was promoted to the Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League (Double-A). In three starts, he is currently 2-0 there with a 1.50 ERA and 2.76 FIP. Over those 18 innings thus far, he has struck out 11.5 batters per nine innings (23 strikeouts), and has walked two per nine innings (four walks).

Much of Syndergaard's improvements this season seem to stem from the continued development of his slider, a pitch that the Texan right-hander was taught last season with the Blue Jays. Not only did the new pitch give him another weapon in his pitching arsenal, but it also improved his curveball. According to Syndergaard himself, his curveball

"was just a show-me pitch. And then they taught me a slider and it sped my arm up, I really don't know how it did that, but it actually sped my curveball up as well. I got my curveball up to around 79-80 miles an hour, it was actually a plus pitch for me."

There is much less to say about d'Arnaud, because he has spent most of the 2013 injured. Assigned to the Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League (Triple-A), the catcher played in only 12 games before succumbing to an injury. On April 17, in the 6th inning of a game against the Sacramento River Cats, d'Arnaud took a foul ball off of the tip of his foot. X-rays revealed that the young catcher had a non-displaced fracture of the first metatarsal on his left foot. In mid-June, d'Arnaud had the protective boot he was wearing removed, and began light workouts. In the limited playing time he received before being injured, the 24-year-old catcher hit .250/.429/.472.

Perhaps glaring to some, both Wilmer Flores and Cesar Puello failed to make the list. Flores, currently 21 years old, is hitting .317/.356/.515 with the Las Vegas 51s. Puello, 22, is hitting .323/.384/.575 and has 19 stolen bases with the Binghamton Mets.

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Source: http://www.amazinavenue.com/2013/7/8/4505232/mets-prospects-baseball-america-noah-syndergaard-travis-darnaud

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