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According to current Apple board member Mickey Drexler, Steve Jobs didn’t just want to re-invent the mobile phone and music industry but he also wanted to take a stab at the car industry too. In an interview with Fast Company’s Innovation Uncensored conference earlier this week, Mr Drexler said that Steve Jobs wanted to build an iCar.

“Look at the car industry, it’s a tragedy in America. Who’s designing the cars?” Drexler said. “Steve’s dream before he died was to design an iCar and I think it would’ve been probably 50% of the market. He never did design it.”

You can imagine how great that iCar would have been had it come to fruition and you wouldn’t bet against it becoming the leader in the car world either. There would have been no ugly buttons inside, everything would have been simple to operate and elegant. Of course the integration with other Apple devices would have been a thing to behold; sadly it wasn’t to be.

Mr Drexler also claimed that Apple would be dealing with the living room in the near future; which we can only assume means the often rumored Apple HDTV. We don’t know if Mr Drexler has any inside information on future products or like the rest of us, it is based on pure rumor and speculation. He also went on to say that he wouldn’t like to be in Tim Cooks shoes as taking over a successful company is more difficult than taking over one that is failing.

You can see the full interview in the video below, unfortunatley the video is flash only.

Source: Busines Insider, Apple Insider, Image: Mercedes

May 14 (Bloomberg) — Yahoo! Inc. said Chief Executive Officer Scott Thompson is stepping down after failing to correct errors in his credentials and the company is revamping its board, handing a victory to activist investor Daniel Loeb, who had pushed for the overhaul and said the Web portal is mismanaged.

Ross Levinsohn, Yahoo’s head of global media, was named interim CEO, and director Fred Amoroso will become chairman, the Sunnyvale, California-based company said in a statement yesterday. Amoroso replaces Roy Bostock, the non-executive chairman, who is exiting the board immediately. Yahoo agreed to add Loeb to its board along with two other directors nominated by his fund, Third Point LLC, to end a proxy fight.

Reuters reports on comments from Foxconn chief Terry Gou, who claims that Apple and Foxconn will be splitting the initial costs to improve working conditions at Foxconn’s facilities in China.

“We’ve discovered that this (improving factory conditions) is not a cost. It is a competitive strength,” Gou told reporters on Thursday after the ground-breaking ceremony for a new China headquarters in Shanghai.

“I believe Apple sees this as a competitive strength along with us, and so we will split the initial costs.”

It was unclear if the split would be 50/50 or in some other ratio.

Foxconn has raised wages several times over the past couple of years as it has faced scrutiny over the treatment of its employees. And following a series of audits, Foxconn and the Fair Labor Association reached an agreement in late March to reduce overtime while boosting compensation packages to compensate for the reduction in hours.

It is unclear how much the actions are costing Apple and Foxconn and how the costs are being split, but with Foxconn operating on a very slim profit margin it has limited ability to finance such improvements without raising costs for its customers or receiving direct support from Apple to assist with the changes.

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David Cohen on May 4, 2012 10:36 PM

Facebook’s May 18 initial public offering hasn’t slowed its acquisition frenzy, as the social network gobbled up location-based mobile application Glancee for an undisclosed amount.

One of the rumored reasons for the delay of the IPO was the revised paperwork Facebook had to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission following its $ 1 billion acquisition of photo-sharing service Instagram and its purchase of about 650 former AOL patents from Microsoft for $ 550 million.

Glancee, an app for Apple iOS and Android devices, allowed users to sign in with Facebook and discover other users within a specified distance with similar interests.

The app has already been shut down, and Glancee’s three co-founders, who were also its only employees, will join Facebook.

Facebook issued the following statement:

We are thrilled to confirm that Facebook has acquired Glancee. The acquisition closed today. We can’t wait for co-founders Andrea, Alberto, and Gabriel (Chief Executive Officer Andrea Vaccari, Chief Operating Officer Alberto Tretti, and Chief Technology Officer Gabriel Grise) to join the Facebook team to work on products that help people discover new places and share them with friends.

And a note on the Glancee homepage read:

We started Glancee in 2010 with the goal of bringing together the best of your physical and digital worlds. We wanted to make it easy to discover the hidden connections around you, and to meet interesting people. Since then, Glancee has connected thousands of people, empowering serendipity and pioneering social discovery.

We are therefore very excited to announce that Facebook has acquired Glancee and that we have joined the team in Menlo Park to build great products for over 900 million Facebook users. We’ve had such a blast connecting people through Glancee, and we truly thank our users for being a part of the Glancee community.

If you are a Glancee user, download your data. If you want to connect with us, send us an email.

Readers: Do you think Facebook’s acquisition of Glancee will affect the timing of its IPO?

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Tags Android Apple Applications apps Glancee Initial Public Offering iOS iPad iPhone IPO

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Join us at our Smartphone & Tablet Games Summit, June 26 in San Francisco, and learn strategies that got Angry Birds and Draw Something to the top. You’ll hear speakers from Google, Facebook, AT&T Interactive, Machine Zone, and more! Full access passes are only $ 399 (on-site price: $ 699) when you register by today, May 2. Sign up now and save.

Have you ever had an experience where your dog starts barking and growling at what looks like nothing at all? Have you ever heard of this happening to one of your friends or family members? Have you ever seen other animals, perhaps wild ones, act erratically at certain times of the day or night? While scientific evidence of animals being able to sense supernatural activity is inconclusive, anecdotal evidence would suggest that animals can, in fact, see or sense ghosts.

Sensitivity in Dogs

Most anecdotal evidence will tell you that dogs are more sensitive to supernatural activity than other animals. In her 2009 book, Tails of the Afterlife, Peggy Schmidt details several stories of dogs and their owners who have experienced actions they cannot explain, save for the presence of the paranormal. This collection of stories is not only eerie and enough to get your spine tingling, they are also true. What accounts for dogs’ heightened sense of the strange and ghostly? Some say that, because dogs are able to hear and smell better than most other animals, they are more likely to detect a change in their surroundings. Others believe that, since dogs are social animals and were, at one point, bread to protect their owners, they may be more likely to react to a paranormal entity in order to signal or warn their human counterparts. Whatever the reason, many dog owners report irregular behavior that can be attributed to a haunted house or room.

Sensitivity in Other Animals

While dogs are by far the most sensitive to supernatural activity, or are by far most likely to vocally warn of a change in the atmosphere, cats are also very sensitive to changes in electromagnetic activity – a change in which can signal a ghostly presence – though they may be more likely to hide rather than make noise or otherwise warn their owners. Cats may also sit and watch something move across a room that you cannot see with your human eyes. As far as wild animals go, you may notice that birds start chirping uncontrollably or begin to fly in crazy patterns at certain times of the night. This can signal the presence of ghosts.

The Haunted on Animal Planet

If you have not experienced this yourself, but want to learn more, The Haunted is a television series on Animal Planet that shows the accounts of real people with pets who have sensed paranormal activity. On the show, you will first see interviews with the family or inhabitants of a house that is believed to be haunted. They will always talk about how their pet had started acting strangely upon moving into the house, and then they will detail other strange things that happened that could only be attributed to a haunting. Then, a team of ghost hunters comes into the house and you see their footage as they look for an explanation.

What to Do if Your Animals Act Erratically

Whether you believe it is due to paranormal activity or not, if your pet starts to act differently than normal, you should definitely consult a veterinarian. They are the only ones that can truly diagnose what is going on. Before you freak yourself out thinking your house has an unwelcome resident, talk to your vet and see if there could be another cause. If you have recently moved, it can take your pet some time to get used to the new noises and surroundings. If the behavior continues and you suspect an otherworldly culprit, though, there are plenty of books and websites to consult.

The concept of “literary tourism” is not a new one. People read books or watch movies, enchanted by the scenery and ethos presented to them by the written word or on the big screen, and they simply must see such places for themselves. It’s happened for years in Mississippi, where tourists frequently flock to tour the homes of famous writers like William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Shelby Foote, among others. It also happened after the book and movie “The Help” scored big on the bestsellers list and at the box office and in the Pacific Northwest, where the “Twilight” films were filmed.

Now, the Hunger Games is the latest book/movie combo to spur literary tourism, as those who have read the book or seen the movie flock to North Carolina to engage in an adventure worthy of that story. Tammy Hopkins, co-founder of The Hunger Games Fan Tours in Brevard, noted, “We call this fandemonium. These are the super fans. They want to see the film locations, but they also want to experience what their favorite character experiences in the movie.”

The state of North Carolina has also developed an entire travel itinerary based on the now-famous movie, marking various points of interest from the movie throughout the state. Included are notes on where actors ate in Asheville and offers tips on fun things to do in Pisgah National Forest. Noted Hopkins of the Hunger Games mania, “Everybody I know has read the book. We’re getting lots of calls from grandmas and grandpas whose grandkids turned them on to the book.”

Hindsight is 20/20. Earlier this year I bought my first home and it proved to be a very frustrating experience. There were several factors contributing to my frustration: a lack of knowledge about the system, a realtor that wasn’t invested in my well-being, and a lack of communication and follow-through were the three largest factors. So, what do you need to do to avoid frustration if you are a first-time homebuyer? First off, don’t think the experience is going to be frustration-free. No matter what you do, it will be a roller-coaster of emotions all smashed into a wonderful, yet horrible, pot of gumbo. Here are few suggestions on starting the process. This is only a sliver of information and doesn’t touch at all on the financial end of things. Make sure you know what you are getting into on that end.

Before you even start looking at homes, find a book, class, or website, etc. that will explain the process in detail. Everybody learns differently, but if you do a simple web search and spend some time researching, you’ll pick up several things that will help you. Know what the difference is between regular sales, short sales, foreclosures, bank-owned, and all of the various different types of houses you’ll find on the market. Now, I’m sure you are going to ask, if I’m completely new at this and have no idea what this involves, how am I supposed to know what homes I’ll find on the market? Great question; you’re not. Until you actually get into the process and start looking at homes, you won’t know what you’ll find, but any good beginning real estate book will give you an idea of the different types of homes you will find. You can also do a basic real estate search in your area to see some of the homes, but keep in mind, not all of them will list what type of sale they are. You will need to hire a realtor before you’ll be able to get a lot of information.

Once you’ve done some preliminary research and feel you have a good idea of what you are about to embark on, you’ll need to hire a realtor. This is where you need to spend some time. Recommendations are an excellent place to start. Ask around. Realtors are a dime a dozen and if you drive through your neighborhood writing names down, chances are you will have a laundry list of names, none of which will be duplicates. Don’t go down that road. Find co-workers, family members, or friends that can recommend a few realtors. Get a list of about 5 or 6 and research them online. Come up with a list of several questions like how long they have been a realtor and how many clients they have. Make sure they are patient and will work with you no matter how long the process takes. The last thing you want is to be put off while the person you choose spends their time with other higher paying clients or worse yet, dumped into somebody else’s lap because they are tired of working with you. Interview all of the realtors and choose based on which one you think will do a good job, but keep in mind you won’t really know if they will be good or bad until you start working with them. For this reason, try to find one that doesn’t require a contract. If you have to sign a contract, arrange to do it on a month-by-month basis at least until you know how they work and if they are going to work out for you.

Lastly, for this article, is to make sure you communicate at every step! This is so important. Communicate with your realtor and make sure your realtor communicates with you; even if there is nothing to say. A simple email saying I haven’t heard anything can eliminate so much frustration. The second part of this is follow-through. Be proactive and check in often with all parties. Ask if everything has been completed and if they need anything from you. Never assume they will contact you if they need something. If you do your research and get a good team, they will all work together on your behalf, but be prepared to keep pushing the transaction along so it doesn’t get forgotten.

As a first time homebuyer, the process is exciting, scary and overwhelming all at the same time. It’s a long process and it’s a complicated process, but the results are worth it. The best advice I can give is to be a sponge and absorb information as much as you can. Use the web, books, friends, family, etc. to learn as you go, but make sure you have a good foundation at the start. With that, and a good realtor working for you and your interests, you will love the end result.

With the revelation that Apple’s products are made in factories that have broken child labor laws, according to msnbc , forcing women and children to work long hours in their factories so rich teenagers can buy their i-toys and gadgets…. is it socially responsible to let your own kid buy one? Adding to the problem, according to CNN , Apple is now being indicted by the US government for price-fixing.

Apple has the largest cash reserve of any company in the world, so why won’t they assume some responsibility for fair wages, ensure that their factory workers in China are paid and treated fairly? Since the news broke, there has been no real reaction or care from Apple. After all, the hipster dufus crowd seems ok with it: they’re buying the gadgets, apps and tunes, falling in hook like and sinker. The Apple Cult (oops, I mean Apple Community) seems more loyal than ever … blind faith and all.

Apple fell on hard times in the 80s and 90s, almost going bankrupt at one point, before being saved by Bill Gates who invested a ton of cash in Apple. The Apple operating system was clumsy, and the software was always a year behind the Windows PC version. They brought back Steve Jobbs , some say the greatest con man since Bernie Madoff, and started selling iPods to teenageers. Suddenly, they were back in profit. Then came the iPhone and iPad. Blackberry (RIM) already had the business market sewn up, so Apple went for teenagers. They sold slick iPhones to little girls, and used high school peer pressure ads to convince them they “had to have it” to be cool. Apple had become the cheerleader clique everyone disliked in high school. But… they were raking in cash.

By 2012, Apple’s war chest was bigger than any other company, even bigger then Exxon Mobile. You don’t beat “big oil” without breaking some rules. We always thought it was the very high price of i-products that filled their coffers (after all, a Samsung android phone is less than half the price and has more functionality, including flash!). Turns out there are serious questions about Apple’s social responsibility in the world. They don’t seem to care about the “poor people” they use and abuse to get to the top. So, can you really let your kid buy an iPhone?

According to Gawker ‘s Ryan Tate: “Apple’s success has been built literally on the backs of Chinese workers, many of them children and all of them enduring long shifts and the specter of brutal penalties for mistakes.”

Support for America, Joe Apple?

Here’s an idea for Apple: Spend some money supporting Americans! You’ve got a lot of cash – a ton of cash! Open a factory in the United States and put Americans to work building your products, at a fair wage! I’m not betting on that idea going far with the board. Giving up 2% of their profits to support America, well that’s just not how Apple rolls. Rotten apples don’t roll at all.

Apple doesn’t play well with others.

You’ll have to decide for yourself if you can sleep at night, knowing your teenager’s phone is helping make the world a darker place. No one can decide but you. I already shunned Apple products when I saw how poorly they work, and how incompatible they are with the rest of technology. My friends need 2 apps, a special hookup and permission from 3 Senators before they can move an i-tune from their iphone to a laptop or to their ipod. I can move songs around easily from any PC to my android phone in seconds. Easy. “It just works!” Ironic, Apple can’t use that slogan anymore.

Greed has been the Apple motto for years. Did they ever donate any money to charity? Bill Gates and Samsung have done so, but …. has Apple? Ever?

Some of us have to start caring about more than money… at some point, don’t we?

See also:

Top Songs for the Apple I-Pad

Worst Scams of the Past 10 Years

The Positive Effects of Movie Piracy

When I was a kid, my dream was to become a fashion designer. I took French classes so I could find my way around Paris and ate fashion magazines for breakfast. Unfortunately, not everyone saw me as the next Monique Lhuillier. Like a fool, I listened. That’s why I’m passionate about encouraging others to ignore naysayers and pursue their dreams. First order of business: get your hands on a copy of Betty Edwards’ book, “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.” Edwards’ thesis — that everyone can draw — will give you both confidence and skills. The rest is up to you.

1. Purchase fashion magazines like “Vogue,” “Lucky” and fashion-forward favorites or find inspiration plus hot gossip within the pages of trendy publications like “InStyle,” “People” and “Us” to begin your dress design adventure. Rip out photos of JLo, Kim K. and celebs making the fashion scene 24/7. Use these as reference material for your original designs.

2. Sketch like a crazy person to develop a unique style of rendering fashion. Get the feel of the strokes, crosshatching, shading and optical illusions that morph your pencil sketches into ruffles, pleats, plackets and design features that define garments. Tap into drawing websites offering templates for a more guided approach to using computer tools to flesh out design ideas.

3. Become a proportion diva. Some professional fashion designers use the silhouette of a woman’s body that is seven times the height of her head while others prefer to use a measurement that is eight heads high so renderings accentuate the length of the tall, lean female figures prancing down catwalks during fashion week. Step outside your comfort zone by expanding your virtual collection to include separates, bags, accessories and evening wear.

4. Expand your use of media as you build a portfolio of original designs. Experiment with fine-point markers, pastels, charcoal, mixed media pencils and watercolors. Learn Adobe Illustrator or another software if you’re a fan of computer draw programs and like the feel of a mouse over a pencil. Discover the magic of electronic draw tablets that bridge the gap between the sketchpad and computer software.

5. Become a fabric stalker. Collect swatches. Practice drawing fabric patterns in velvet, corduroy and complex textiles on your sketchpad or computer screen to add authenticity to your creations. Invest in a clothes mannequin to take your skills to the next level. Sign up for a draping class through a community college fashion design program.

6. Dig up your grandma’s sewing machine or put one on your Christmas wish list. No dress design creator worth her salt can call herself a professional without spending time cutting and sewing her creations – just ask competitors on Lifetime’s “Project Runway” how critical this old-fashioned skill can be to achieving your ambition. Fortunately, you don’t have to sketch, cut and sew on the tight deadlines competitors on this popular show must adhere to, so grab your dreams and run [down the runway] with them.