iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c sells 9 million units in first weekend - Apple

Apple sold a total of nine million of its iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c models in the three days after the launch of the new iPhone models on September 20, the company has said.

Demand for the iPhone 5s has "exceeded the initial supply", the company said, adding that many online orders are scheduled to be shipped "in the coming weeks".

Apple did not detail what proportion of the nine million handsets sold where the iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c models, but last week mobile operators in the UK were voicing their frustration at the short supplies of the premium iPhone 5s model, while the 5c was widely available.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO said nine million was a new record for first weekend sales of an iPhone. "While we've sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5s, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly. We appreciate everyone's patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone."

The company also said that 200 million iOS devices are now running iOS 7, which is compatible with iPhone 4 handsets and later, iPad 2 tablets and later, and iPod touch (5th generation) devices.

To compare, last year Apple sold five million of its iPhone 5 model in the first three days after its launch, while 100 million iOS devices were updated to iOS 6 in the same period.

The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are available in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK.

[zdnet]

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iTunes Radio Vs Pandora

"ITunes Radio could get better over time. But I wouldn't get rid of Pandora. Not yet".

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Now that iTunes Radio has shipped to millions of iPhone and iPad owners, does that mean you should delete Pandora? Not so fast, I say.

Apple's new music service, which comes with new iPhones and the free iOS 7 update, lacks some of the mojo that has helped Pandora become the leader in Internet radio. Mainly, it doesn't have the intelligence that Pandora has gained from tens of billions of interactions with listeners who have given a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to a song.

Providing an Internet radio service — in other words, making randomized playlists based on genres, songs or artists — is more difficult than it seems. Over several days of playing with iTunes Radio, I found the app frequently misjudged my tastes, and I ran out of skips more than once. (You can skip a song only six times per station per hour, the same as Pandora).

It could be my own fault: iTunes Radio takes a big cue from your song collection in picking what to play, and what I do own is mostly a patchwork of gifts and other songs that don't reflect my preferences. That said, I found iTunes Radio's song selection more miss than hit.

For instance, when I created a custom station based on Adele, instead of hearing soaring, yet up-tempo tunes sung with a huge vocal range, I got a bunch of what I consider mushy rock ballads over and over. I love Bruno Mars, but I didn't want to hear "Talking to the Moon" in Adele Radio. And it ignored my tap to "never play this song" again, as it was repeated three songs later. ITunes Radio also played artists that, to me, bear little resemblance to Adele: Kelly Clarkson, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson and Maroon 5.

With Adele Radio in Pandora, I got artists that I closely associate with Adele, including Kate Nash, Feist, Norah Jones and Regina Spektor. But then again, I had already given a "thumbs up" in previous Pandora sessions to three of the first seven songs that played, so the app knew that I liked them. That shows the time I've invested in Pandora deserves to not be wasted.

Meanwhile, Pandora lets you see song lyrics and the artist's biography. It also lists some of each song's hundreds of musical qualities, such as "acoustic sonority" and "major key tonality." That helps explain why Pandora considers it similar to other songs in a station.

ITunes Radio picks songs using input from recording labels, third-party metadata services like Gracenote and Apple's own editorial choices. But it doesn't show you lyrics, bios or explain why a song was chosen.

There are reasons to appreciate iTunes Radio, however.

UBIQUITY

ITunes Radio gets first-class treatment in iOS 7's new Control Center. This set of handy functions can be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen no matter where you are in the device. It also appears on the lock screen. Along with typical media controls such as play/pause, volume and skip, iTunes Radio adds a little star where the "back" button usually is. That pops up a separate menu where you can tap "play more like this," ''never play this song," or "add to iTunes wish list" so you can fine-tune your station while doing other things like playing "Zynga Poker."

A swipe down, or one press of the home button, gets you back to what you were doing.

In Control Center, Pandora has a back button that doesn't do anything, and you can't thumb up or down without going back into Pandora's app itself.

EASY PURCHASES

ITunes Radio makes it really easy to buy songs you like from iTunes. If you're in the app, a box in the upper right corner shows the price of the song. Tap it twice. You might also need to enter your iTunes password.

The app keeps a running history of what you've listened to. You can get 90-second previews to remind you what you've heard, also with the ability to buy right there. A separate tab shows which songs you've specifically added to your wish list.

Pandora also has a history, but not song previews. Buying a song through iTunes takes a few more taps than in iTunes Radio. It's marginally more difficult to get back to Pandora after purchasing, by double clicking the home button and selecting it from the range of apps that are displayed.

FEWER ADS

ITunes Radio has noticeably fewer ads than Pandora, and there are no stand-alone graphical ads. Most ads featured someone speaking in a neutral voice about an artist or album that you can purchase on iTunes, sometimes accompanied by a graphic or photo. I imagine Apple is just getting started selling ads, and ones for products and services beyond music will come soon enough.

By comparison, Pandora is slathered with ads. If you're looking at the app, the bottom part of the screen is almost always covered with an ad that you can get rid of by clicking the small "x." I've seen video ads and heard audio ads. The audio ads in particular sound like traditional radio spots and can be jarring.

Either way, you can pay to get rid of ads completely — by signing up for Apple's $25-a-year iTunes Match service or Pandora's $36-a-year Pandora One.

SO?

ITunes Radio is a contender in Internet radio by dint of being featured prominently in iOS 7. The Music app is at the bottom right on each home screen. You simply need to go there and choose "Radio." It's also reachable from the home page of the iTunes Store on the desktop app.

Apple's new music feature does a serviceable job of generating songs in a lean-back listening format. However, it is a step or two behind Pandora in fine-tuning your playlist.

The last thing I'll say in this regard: iTunes Radio has a slider function that allows you to adjust your station to favor "hits," ''variety" or "discovery." I noticed no discernible impact on what was played.

ITunes Radio could get better over time. But I wouldn't get rid of Pandora. Not yet.

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New Music: Justin Timberlake 'TKO'

Justin Timberlake drops the second single of his second album for the year called “TKO”, again produced by Timbaland. Listen to 'TKO' and get the lyrics below. The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 drops September 30.


'TKO' Lyrics

[Spoken - Timbaland]
Kill me with the coo-coochie-coochie-coo
She kill me with the coo-coochie-coochie-coo (x5)
Lights out, TKO
[Verse 1]
Baby, everyday in training to get the gold
That’s why your body’s crazy
But you can’t run from yourself, that’s where it’s difficult
Girl I can see in your eyes that there’s something inside that made you evil
Where did you go, ’cause it just ain’t fair
Over here thinking ’bout the sh-t you say
Don’t know why it gets to me
[Bridge]
It cuts right on my eye, yeah it hurt, won’t lie
Still can’t see, think I saw you with another guy
Can’t fight, knocked down, then I got over you
Can’t fight no more, you knock me out
What am I supposed to do?
[Chorus]
I don’t understand it
Tell me how could you be so low
Been swinging after the bell and after all of the whistle blows
Tried to go below the belt, through my chest, perfect hit ’til the dawn, dammit babe
This ain’t the girl I used to know
No, not anymore, TKO
[Post-Chorus]
I’m out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
It’s just a TKO
I’m out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
With a TKO
T-TKO
Out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
With a TKO
Now, I’m out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
With a TKO
[Verse 2]
Baby, now I really know what we’re fighting for
This rematch sex is amazing
But nobody wins when if somebody’s heart is slow
‘Cause when I see you move like you got something inside that made you lethal
Where did you go, ‘it just ain’t fair
Over here thinking ’bout the sh-t you do
Don’t know what I got to lose
[Bridge]
It cuts right on my eye, yeah it hurt, won’t lie
Still can’t see, think I saw you with another guy
Can’t fight, knocked down, then I got over you
Can’t fight no more, you knock me out
What am I supposed to do?
[Chorus]
I don’t understand it
Tell me how could you be so low
Been swinging after the bell and after all of the whistle blows
Tried to go below the belt, through my chest, perfect hit ’til the dawn, dammit babe
This ain’t the girl I used to know
No, not anymore, TKO
[Post-Chorus]
I’m out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
It’s just a TKO
I’m out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
With a TKO
T-TKO
Out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
With a TKO
Now, I’m out for the count
Yeah, girl, you knock me out
With a TKO
[Spoken - Timbaland]
Girl
See what you doing
See what you doing, girl?
You knock me right out
See what you do (x2)
Girl, girl, girl…
You knock me right out
Hey girl
See what you do (x2)
Girl, girl, girl…
You knock me right out
Hey girl
See what you do (x2)
Girl, girl, girl…
You knock me right out
[Bridge]
It cuts right on my eye, yeah it hurt, won’t lie
Still can’t see, think I saw you with another guy
Can’t fight, knocked down, then I got over you
Can’t fight no more, you knock me out
What am I supposed to do?
[Chorus]
I don’t understand it
Tell me how could you be so low
You’ve been swinging after the bell and after all of the whistle blows
Tried to go below the belt, through my chest, perfect hit ’til the dawn, dammit babe
This ain’t the girl I used to know
No, not anymore, TKO

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Video: J.Cole x TLC “Crooked Smile”

J. Cole drops a new video to his #1 hit 'Crooked Smile' off his latest album Born Sinner. Dedicated to the memory of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, Cole finds himself breaking bad with drugs and the DEA.

[RR]

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Drake 'Nothing Was The Same' Album Review Roundup

Drake’s third studio album, Nothing Was the Same, scheduled to hit stores September 24 leaked via Twitter on Sept. 15, and the album had surely lived up to its anticipation. The album features 13 tracks, including his latest singles “Started From the Bottom,” “Too Much” featuring Sampha, “All Me” featuring 2 Chainz and Big Sean, and “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” Other tracks include the highly anticipated Jay Z feat 'Pound Cake/Morton Music 2'. Here are what reviewers say of the album.

National Post

The album doesn’t really do anything to disappoint, but seems to suggest that 40 did a bit more mind-expanding than Drake did. If Take Care was Drake really embracing that sensitive soul side — and opening up space for a heft of rappers to follow him on in — Nothing Was the Same is Drake presiding over the most pensive party hip-hop has had, making sure all the cups are filled and everyone has a mirror to look deeply into.

HollywoodLife

There’s no doubt in my mind that Nothing Was the Same will be nominated for best rap album of the year — and it’s totally deserved. If I can listen to an entire album without skipping a beat — or a song — that’s one hell of an album!

Complex

The way to listen to Drake’s album is to fight with your significant other, who you just flew a couple thousand miles and some change to go see, then wait until she’s asleep, and then probe Twitter looking for people who might be feeling something similar while the music's playing.

digitalspy - 4 Stars

The intensely detailed storytelling of Drake's Take Care album has quickly elevated him to the Premier League of the rap game since its release in late 2011. As such, he hasn't messed around too much with its winning formula for his third opus Nothing Was The Same, which once again finds Drake delving into the past and searching for ways to cope with his superstar status.

Examiner - 4 Stars

Drake's 'NWTS' is the best album of his career. Nothing Was the Same is the kind of album will solidify Drake's status among the rap industry's elite. Hip-hop purists and alternative music press will surely disagree, but this album is one of the best hip-hop/R&B releases of the year.

Our Top Tracks: "Too Much," "Pound Cake" "Worst Behaviour" and "Hold On, We're Going Home"

Drake: 'Hold On, We're Going Home'

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Review: iPhone 5S and 5C with Fingerprint Sensor

Passcodes are such a pain that I've relaxed the security settings on my Android phone. I'm willing to forgo the extra safety, just so I'm asked to punch in the code less often. When I got my hands on Apple's new iPhone 5S, one of the first things I tried was a feature that allows you to bypass the passcode using a fingerprint.

I had a lot of fun unlocking the phone over and over again. Who knew biometric authentication could be such a blast? The fingerprint sensor alone is worth the extra $100 you'll pay for the 5S over an iPhone 5C. Both phones will come out Friday. In the week I've had with both, I've also been impressed with the better camera and slow-motion video in the 5S.

The 5C, meanwhile, is largely last year's iPhone 5 with a plastic casing instead of aluminum and glass. This isn't cheap plastic, but a type offering the slippery feel of a shiny ceramic tile. It comes in five colors.

Both phones come with iOS 7, the most radical change to Apple's operating system software for mobile devices since its 2007 debut. Many of the changes are cosmetic, but there are functional improvements such as easier access to frequently used settings and apps.

I will review iOS 7 separately. Many existing iPhone users won't need more than the free update, which is available starting Wednesday. Neither the 5C nor the 5S offers improvements on the screen size, which remains at 4 inches diagonally. But new features and new colors may draw you to one of these new iPhones.

— IPHONE 5S (available in silver, gold or gray; starts at $199 with two-year service contract, or $649 without a contract):

When you set up the 5S, you're asked to tap the home button with a finger several times so the phone can create a mathematical representation of your print. To unlock the phone, you simply tap the home button, and the phone will compare the two taps. You can tap from any angle, even sideways or upside down. This fingerprint ID also works as a way to authenticate the purchase of apps and content within apps.

For security reasons, there are still times you'll need your four-digit passcode, including after 48 hours of inactivity and before adding a new fingerprint. If the phone fails to recognize your print, you can always use the passcode. I had trouble only when my fingers were wet or greasy. One evening, I ordered pizza with an oily pepperoni topping and ate it without a napkin. The fingerprint sensor worked after one slice, but not two. Indian naan bread also threw off the sensor.

Apple says it stores the print data on your phone, in a place that's inaccessible to other apps or to Apple's remote servers. The company also says it's not possible to convert a fingerprint from a police file into something the phone will recognize, as the sensor reads a sub-epidermal layer of the finger. And the finger needs to be live — cutting off a thumb won't work.

I'm convinced Apple has given a lot of thought to security. If you're still uneasy about the fingerprint scan, you can stick with the passcode. The feature is optional.

Meanwhile, the 5S's camera takes better night and indoor shots. Although the main camera remains at 8 megapixels, individual pixels are larger and thus better at sensing light. The camera's shutter also opens wider to let in more light. For flash shots, the camera fires two bursts of light at once, each slightly different in color. The iPhone adjusts the combination of the two colors automatically to match ambient lighting.

I typically avoid using the flash in any camera because its strong burst of whitish light overpowers whatever's in the room. In a hallway with strong yellow light, for instance, the flashes on my high-end camera and the iPhone 5 made the walls white. The 5S, on the other hand, managed to preserve the yellow. I also got better skin tones on some flash shots taken with the 5S. Using the 5C, faces and arms looked more pale.

Night shots without the flash are also sharper. Sometimes, cameras overcompensate for low light by making the few points of light too bright. The 5S typically has those scenes properly balanced.

Of course, these improvements won't make all photos better. Many shots appear the same whether taken with the 5, the 5C or the 5S. In other shots, differences are subtle.

The 5S can also shoot slow motion video. You can choose the parts you want in slow motion and regular speed, and you can change your mind later. A burst mode lets you snap 100 shots in 10 seconds, compared with 40 seconds on the 5C. The phone picks out the best moments and filters out duplicates. The front-facing camera is better than the one on previous iPhones. It has larger pixels for low-light videoconferencing.

Many of these features are possible because of Apple's faster A7 processor. A companion chip, the M7, handles motion-related data without draining as much of the battery, something useful for fitness trackers. All this power is so new, apps taking advantage of them weren't available for me to test.

— IPHONE 5C (available in green, blue, yellow, pink or white; starts at $99 with two-year service contract, or $549 without a contract):

Plastic colors aside, the 5C is mostly the same as the iPhone 5 it replaces, with the older A6 chip and a main camera that's not as good in low light. Because the chip is slower, it couldn't do slow-motion video or take as many shots per second. But it does have the 5S's improved front-facing camera.

The 5C is for those who really want the bright color. If you can afford the additional $100 and can do with silver, gold or gray, get the 5S instead. The fingerprint sensor will make security less annoying, and the better camera will be more useful in documenting life. A hundred dollars isn't that much when you compare it with the full price of the phone.

———

ABOUT THE NEW IPHONES

The iPhone 5S and 5C go on sale Friday at 3:01 a.m. EDT through Apple's website and at 8 a.m. local time around the world at Apple retail stores. Wireless carriers and other retailers plan to sell them, too. Initially, they're available in the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Apple is discontinuing last year's iPhone 5, but will still offer the 2011 edition, the iPhone 4S. That's now free with a two-year agreement.

———

Anick Jesdanun, deputy technology editor for The Associated Press, can be reached at njesdanun@ap.org.

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New Music: Katy Perry x Juicy J 'Dark Horse'

Katy Perry drops a single off her upcoming album - Prism - Juicy J. Another billboard #1 hit? Prism drops October 22.

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Lose weight fast with Garcinia Cambogia Diet

If you are looking to lose weight fast, there are many ways to lose weight and diet plans that you could follow that would help you achieve your goal, some of them much quicker than others. Diets, diet pills, work outs and fasting may help you lose weight, but you may never know their health implications. According to many experts, most diets just don’t work. They will restrict and leave you craving foods and sweet treats that you love, but aren’t allowed to eat. You can stop trying all those fad diets, food-hating diets and switch to something healthier and easier. Natural diet pills are the perfect solution if you want to lose weight quickly, safely & easily.

Natural diet pills is better than using supplements which are made with synthetic chemicals that are harmful to your health, and prescription weight loss pills have serious risks.On the contrary, most Natural diet supplements contain Hydroxycitric Acid, or HCA found in fruit grown in India and parts of Asia. HCA helps you to lose weight fast without allowing subject yourself to inhumane conditions.

 HCA among others:

• acts as an appetite suppressant which reduces your cravings for food
• increasing serotonin levels which help with emotional eating
• manages Cortisol, the stress hormone and
• prevents new fat cells from forming 

The natural (HCA) in Garcinia Cambogia an appetite suppressant that reduces cravings and decreases the urge to consume calories. Pure Garcinia Cambogia will help increase your seratonin levels, giving you a better mood and sleep. HCA also helps you manage your stress hormones (Cortisol) & in return, you effectively attack belly fat and see fast results! You can lose weight quickly with Garcinia Cambogia natural diet supplement. You can go here to get it if you are looking to lose weight quickly and effectively.

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Beyonce & Blue Ivy vacay in Ibiza (Photos)

Blue Ivy is definitely growing into her Jay Z looks. Beyonce was spotted carrying Blue Ivy onto a yacht in Ibiza wearing cut-offs, a t-shirt and some crazy Louboutins. Adorable. More Photos:

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Kanye West paid $3 million to perform at Kazakhstan President's grandson’s wedding

Kanye West is under criticisms for performing at Kazakhstan Presidents grandson's wedding after being paid a whooping $3 million as performance fee. President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan is reportedly “worth billions” and is on the Human Rights Watch’s list of dictators who mistreat, abuse, detain and kill their own people.

Kanye West is embroiled in controversy again after the rapper raked in a reported $3 million to perform at the wedding of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s grandson, according to TMZ. President Nazarbayev, who is reportedly worth billions, is a controversial figure and has been at the centre of claims of violating human rights and corruption.
Singer Sting previously refused a sinmilar invitation before of his record on human rights. In 2011, Sting pulled out of an arranged concert for the president over claims of human rights violations on oil workers in the Central Asian country. He said at the time, ‘Hunger strikes, imprisoned workers and tens of thousands on strike represents a virtual picket line which I have no intention of crossing. The Kazakh gas and oil workers and their families need our support and the spotlight of the international media on their situation in the hope of bringing about positive change.’
David Mepham, director of Human Rights Watch has said: ‘Kazakhstan’s serious and deteriorating human rights situation includes “credible allegations of torture, the imprisonment of government critics, tight controls over the media and freedom of expression and association, limits in religious freedom, and continuing violation of workers’ rights”.’
Kazakh website Tengrinews wrote that the party celebrated the nuptials of Aysultan Nazarbayev and Alima Boranbayeva. Aysultan, 23, is the youngest son of President Nazarbayev’s eldest daughter. He is a graduate of Sandhurst, and now works for the country’s ministry of defense. Meanwhile his bride Boranbayeva, 20, reportedly attends London’s Courtauld Institute of Art.
Kanye is worth millions, but he and girlfriend Kim are well known for their expensive taste. The couple who recently welcomed their first child North West, have splashed out a whopping $750,000 on four gold-plated toilets for their new home. They are also said to have spent an incredible £750,000 on special-edition luxury beds for the $11 million Bel Air mansion.

 [Dailymail]
Check out more photos from the wedding.

Video footage of Kanye West performing at the wedding

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