Tech Week That Was: Surveillance Scope, Apple's Retail Hire

Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts is moving to Apple, where she will head the company's retail division.

Mark Lennihan/AP

Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts is moving to Apple, where she will head the company's retail division.

Mark Lennihan/AP

It's time for your Friday week in review, a look at the big headlines and conversation in the tech and culture space.

ICYMI

On the air, we continued to follow the ongoing failures of websites designed to sign people up for the new health insurance exchanges. I chatted with All Things Considered about how an old technology — pen and paper — is what a lot of folks are turning to in light of repeated issues with trying to sign up online. (The folks at Reason magazine say we have no idea when the problems will be fixed.) Steve Henn looked at how Silicon Valley may have been able to do the job much better than the tech contractors who built the healthcare.gov behemoth.

Also this week, Steve introduced us to new technology that gives parents a better way to track their teen drivers. On the blog, our pals at Turnstyle featured an innovative Indian man who is helping women in rural areas with his maxi pad machine, and our weekly innovation pick was a USB charger that's powered by fire.

The Big Conversations

Tech companies are business titans, and this week Apple's hire of Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts as the tech giant's new retail chief signaled the company's interest in fast growth in Asia. As Twitter readies for its IPO, it continues to roll out changes to user capabilities and its platform. This week, it announced a change to who can send you direct messages (it's no longer only people you follow). And more revelations about the scope of NSA surveillance — The Washington Post reported that the NSA is collecting hundreds of millions of email and instant messaging contact lists. The New Yorker explained why these stories are troubling.

Other Curiosities

Vice: Online Booksellers Are Increasingly Afraid of Selling Smut

The dark corner of the Amazon Kindle store gets some attention.

The Atlantic: Someone Has Solved The Supreme Court's Angry Email Problem

Good ol' pen and paper seems to be a theme, eh? At the Supreme Court, justices avoid firing off angry emails with their innovative system: only handwritten memos.

Finally, your blogger is on the road today, in Atlanta with 1,200 other journalists, technologists and educators for the Online News Association annual confab. The conversations here focus heavily on the tech-powered reporting and distribution methods that are changing the game for traditional journalism — data, mobile and networks. "2014 is about anticipatory computing revolution for the masses," predicts digital strategist Amy Webb, who spoke Friday morning about how predictive elements like Google Now and smart virtual personal assistants are taking over. Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard will be covering other big themes to emerge from here. Stay tuned.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/10/18/237016532/tech-week-that-was-surveillance-scope-apples-retail-hire?ft=1&f=1006
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PSA: Amazon's seven-inch Kindle Fire HDX now shipping

The holidays are still a ways off, but the wait is (soon to be) over. The seven-inch version of Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX just started shipping. With a starting price of $229, the slate brings a new version of Fire OS (the update formerly known as "Mojito"), a lovely 323 ppi display and, of course, ...

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/9wocwtE3sWY/
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Apple warns of SSD failures in MacBook Air, offers free replacements

October 18, 2013

By Agam Shah | IDG News Service

Apple is warning customers that solid-state drives in some MacBook Airs are failing and is offering free replacements.

The company said that 64GB and 128GB SSDs were failing in MacBook Air laptops sold between June 2012 and June 2013. The drives will be replaced free, the company said in webpage about the SSD recall.

[ InfoWorld has your top picks: the best Windows 8 tablet laptops, convertibles, and Ultrabooks. | For a quick, smart take on the news you'll be talking about, check out InfoWorld TechBrief -- subscribe today. ]

The laptops involved are the previous generation of MacBook Airs, which ran on Intel Ivy Bridge processors. The failure affects users in all countries where MacBook Airs were sold. Users can visit an Apple Store, an authorized reseller or contact the company to replace the SSDs.

Users can determine if their drives are affected through firmware available at the Mac App Store. Users can click on Updates at the Mac App Store and choose "MacBook Air Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.1," which will check the drive.

Apple is recommending users back up their data and that they not install any new OSes or applications.

SSD failures have been decreasing over the years as the drives have become more reliable. Intel has recalled SSDs multiple times in the past years after finding bugs in the drives.

Agam Shah covers PCs, tablets, servers, chips and semiconductors for IDG News Service. Follow Agam on Twitter at @agamsh. Agam's e-mail address is agam_shah@idg.com

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/computer-hardware/apple-warns-of-ssd-failures-in-macbook-air-offers-free-replacements-229077
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US shutdown end boosts hopes for Antarctic reserve

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A long-awaited deal to create the world's largest marine sanctuary in Antarctica appears to have survived a last-second obstacle — the U.S. government shutdown — and could be approved next week.

The U.S., New Zealand and other countries have sought a sanctuary in the pristine waters of the Ross Sea for the past decade, and there are hopes that previous objectors Russia and Ukraine will agree to a new, smaller proposal when the nations that regulate Antarctic fishing meet next week in Hobart, Australia.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry joined his counterparts from other nations in calling for the sanctuary to proceed.

At the time, the U.S. apparently had suspended travel plans for its delegation, according to Gerry Leape, a senior international policy expert at Pew Charitable Trusts.

David Edginton, a spokesman with the U.S. Embassy in Wellington, said Wednesday he was unable to comment on whether the U.S. delegation will be traveling to Australia.

But on Wednesday night, Congress passed legislation to avert a U.S. debt default and end a government shutdown, closing an epic political drama that threatened to rattle the world economy.

Leape said earlier that the suspension could be lifted on short notice, either if the shutdown ends or if the delegation gets special permission to travel. Under normal circumstances, he said, the delegation would already be in Australia and working its diplomatic channels in pre-meetings.

Jointly proposed by the U.S. and New Zealand, the 1.34 million-square-kilometer (517,000-square-mile) sanctuary would be twice the size of Texas and the world's largest stretch of protected ocean.

Progress on the sanctuary has already been painfully slow. The nations that make decisions about Antarctic fishing — 24 countries plus the European Union — do so only by unanimous agreement. A proposal for a larger sanctuary failed in July when Russia and Ukraine, which have fishing interests in the region, raised objections.

The U.S. and New Zealand revised their plans, reducing the sanctuary's proposed size by 40 percent. Environmental groups including Pew criticized the changes initially but have come to embrace the current proposal.

Next week the Antarctic nations also plan to consider a separate proposal to create a series of smaller marine reserves in East Antarctica. Those areas would come with less stringent protections than those in the Ross Sea proposal.

People involved in the negotiations say Russia remains the key to completing the Ross Sea agreement, with Ukraine likely to follow Moscow's lead.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said Wednesday that Russia was ready to talk.

"I'm aware that there are some plans for dialogue with the Russian delegation, which is an encouraging sign," he said. "We are certainly moving in a better direction than we have been previously."

Members of the Russian delegation didn't respond to emails from The Associated Press.

The head of the U.S. delegation, Evan Bloom, said in an interview last month that the size of the proposed sanctuary was reduced based on the findings of a committee which gives scientific advice to the nations, and that it remained faithful to the original objectives.

"One has to make tactical decisions in negotiations," said Bloom, the director of the U.S. State Department's Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs. "I still think the proposal is very strong, very robust, very pro-conservation, and viable."

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2013-10-17-Antarctic%20Sanctuary/id-cebcf875873843959888d0dedb25bfba
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Today in History

Today is Friday, Oct. 18, the 291st day of 2013. There are 74 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Oct. 18, 1962, James D. Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins were honored with the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology for determining the double-helix molecular structure of DNA.

On this date:

In 1685, King Louis XIV signed the Edict of Fontainebleau, revoking the Edict of Nantes that had established legal toleration of France's Protestant population, the Huguenots.

In 1812, during the War of 1812, the British ship HMS Frolic was captured off the Virginia coast by the crew of the USS Wasp, which was in turn captured by the HMS Poictiers.

In 1867, the United States took formal possession of Alaska from Russia.

In 1892, the first long-distance telephone line between New York and Chicago was officially opened (it could only handle one call at a time).

In 1912, black boxer Jack Johnson was arrested in Chicago, accused of violating the Mann Act because of his relationship with his white girlfriend, Lucille Cameron. (The case collapsed when Cameron refused to cooperate, but Johnson was later re-arrested and convicted on the testimony of a former mistress, Belle Schreiber.)

In 1922, the British Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (later the British Broadcasting Corp.) was founded.

In 1931, inventor Thomas Alva Edison died in West Orange, N.J., at age 84.

In 1944, Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia during World War II.

In 1961, the movie musical "West Side Story," starring Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, premiered in New York, the film's setting.

In 1969, the federal government banned artificial sweeteners known as cyclamates (SY'-kluh-maytz) because of evidence they caused cancer in laboratory rats.

In 1971, the Knapp Commission began public hearings into allegations of corruption in the New York City police department (the witnesses included Frank Serpico).

In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act, overriding President Richard M. Nixon's veto.

In 1977, West German commandos stormed a hijacked Lufthansa jetliner on the ground in Mogadishu, Somalia, freeing all 86 hostages and killing three of the four hijackers.

In 1982, former first lady Bess Truman died at her home in Independence, Mo., at age 97.

In 2001, CBS News announced that an employee in anchorman Dan Rather's office had tested positive for skin anthrax. Four disciples of Osama bin Laden were sentenced in New York to life without parole for their roles in the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.

Ten years ago: Pope John Paul II celebrated a Mass at the Vatican marking the 20th anniversary of his election to the papacy. The New York Yankees defeated the San Diego Padres, 9-3, to take a 2-games-to-none lead in the World Series.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush, speaking at Camp David, said he would host an international summit in response to the global financial crisis, but did not set a date or place for the meeting. Anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr urged Iraq's parliament to reject a pact that would extend U.S. presence in Iraq for three years. Soul singer Dee Dee Warwick died in Essex County, N.J. at age 63.

One year ago: In a case that would go to the Supreme Court, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York ruled that a federal law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman is unconstitutional and said the gay population has "suffered a history of discrimination." Just 48 hours after a confrontational debate, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney appeared at the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York. Obama joked that he did better in the second presidential debate because he got a good long nap in the first one, while Romney quipped that the white-tie gala gave him and his wife Ann the chance to dress as they do around the house. The Detroit Tigers completed a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees, winning the finale of the American League Championship Series 8-1. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 8-3 to take a 3-1 lead in the National League Championship Series.

Today's Birthdays: Rock-and-roll performer Chuck Berry is 87. Sportscaster Keith Jackson is 85. Actress Dawn Wells is 75. College and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Mike Ditka is 74. Singer-musician Russ Giguere is 70. Actor Joe Morton is 66. Actress Pam Dawber is 63. Author Terry McMillan is 62. Writer-producer Chuck Lorre is 61. Gospel singer Vickie Winans is 60. Director-screenwriter David Twohy (TOO'-ee) is 58. International Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova is 57. Boxer Thomas Hearns is 55. Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is 53. Actress Erin Moran is 53. Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is 52. Actor Vincent Spano is 51. Rock musician Tim Cross is 47. Tennis player Michael Stich (shteek) is 45. Singer Nonchalant is 40. Actress Joy Bryant is 39. Rock musician Peter Svenson (The Cardigans) is 39. Actor Wesley Jonathan is 35. Rhythm-and-blues singer-actor Ne-Yo is 34. Country singer Josh Gracin is 33. Country musician Jesse Littleton (Marshall Dyllon) is 32. Jazz singer-musician Esperanza Spalding is 29. Actress-model Freida Pinto is 29. Actor Zac Efron is 26. Actress Joy Lauren is 24. Actor Tyler Posey is 22.

Thought for Today: "Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast — you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." — Eddie Cantor, American comedian-singer (1892-1964).

(Above Advance for Use Friday, Oct. 18)

Copyright 2013, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/today-history-050206767.html
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It's Official: Hulu Names Mike Hopkins CEO

Hulu said Thursday that, effective immediately, Mike Hopkins is officially its new chief executive and that acting CEO Andy Forssell will be leaving the company.

A Hulu board member since 2011, Hopkins was most recently president of distribution for Fox Networks Group, a division of 21st Century Fox, which owns Hulu along with Disney and Comcast.

STORY: Hulu's Arrival at TCA: Another Reminder That Times Are Changing

Hopkins beat out not only Forssell for the permanent CEO job but also former NBCUniversal executive Lauren Zalaznick, Intel executive Erik Huggers and ABC executive Albert Cheng, all of whom were reportedly on Hulu's shortlist.

Word leaked last week, though, that Hopkins had been offered the role.

Forssell had been acting CEO since March, when Jason Kilar exited the company with a $40 million payout.

"After an extensive search, Mike was simply the best candidate for the job," said Anne Sweeney, co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group. "He has a strong understanding of programming, digital distribution and consumer behavior and a great vision for Hulu's next chapter."

Hopkins takes over Hulu at an interesting time in its six-year history, having recently ended unsuccessful negotiations with a slew of potential acquirers and also having twice scrapped plans for an initial public offering.

Once derided as ClownCo by skeptics who thought the company's business model of streaming shows for free over the Internet was a nonstarter, the company has proved resilient. In 2012 it posted $695 million in revenue, up 65 percent from a year earlier, with revenue coming from advertising and its Hulu Plus subscription service.

Q&A: Hulu CEO Talks New Shows, Netflix and the Big Sale That Wasn't

When Kilar announced in January he was leaving Hulu, he had a history of disagreements with the bosses at Disney and Fox whereby he argued for a larger budget to acquire more content while others wanted to rein in costs and pursue steady profits. A month after leaving Hulu, Kilar joined the board of directors at DreamWorks Animation.

At Fox, Hopkins oversaw distribution, sales and marketing for 45 U.S. channels, and he oversaw a team that developed digital products like BTN2Go, a digital-video college sports offering, and Fox Now, which supplies TV shows on demand over the Internet.

"The team at Hulu has created a beloved user experience that feeds the undeniable need for quality, convenience and ease of use," Hopkins said Thursday. "I am honored to have the opportunity to work with this dynamic, innovative team."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHollywoodReporter-Technology/~3/8dLNcO5Eu0Q/story01.htm
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Cleco announces schedule for its 2013 third-quarter earnings release and webcast

PINEVILLE, La., Oct. 17, 2013 - Cleco Corporation (CNL) announced today that it will release its 2013 third-quarter financial results on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, after the market closes. Executive officers of the company will conduct a webcast and conference call with analysts to discuss the company`s financial results on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time (7:30 a.m. Central time).

Investors and other interested parties can access the live Internet audio webcast and a copy of the third-quarter presentation at www.cleco.com/investors or by dialing (800) 749-9925 if in the United States or (630) 691-2752 if outside the United States. The conference ID is 34069809.

For those unable to listen to the live webcast, a replay will be available on Cleco`s website for 12 months. A telephone replay will be available through Nov. 29, 2013. The dial-in number for the telephone replay is (888) 843-7419 or (630) 652-3042 and the conference ID is 34069809.

Cleco Corporation is a regional energy company headquartered in Pineville, La. It owns a regulated electric utility company, Cleco Power LLC, which owns and operates nine generating units with a total nameplate generating capacity of 2,565 megawatts. Cleco Power serves approximately 283,000 customers in Louisiana through its retail business. In addition, it serves 10 communities across Louisiana and Mississippi through wholesale power contracts. Cleco Corporation also owns a wholesale energy business, Cleco Midstream Resources LLC, which has two natural gas-fired generating units with a total nameplate capacity of 775 megawatts. For more information about Cleco, visit www.cleco.com.

Analyst & Investor Contact:
Tom Miller
(318) 484-7642

Media Contact:
Robbyn Cooper
(318) 484-7136

###

---

This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients.

The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the
information contained therein.

Source: Cleco Corp. via Thomson Reuters ONE
HUG#1736558

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cleco-announces-schedule-2013-third-221101100.html
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