Samsung to stop making so many phones
Samsung is rethinking its spaghetti-on-the-wall strategy for smartphones.
Robert Yi, Samsung's head of investor relations, recently told analysts that the company would trim the number of phones it makes by as much as 30%.
Samsung has released 52 unique smartphones in 2014 alone. By contrast, HTC brought 23 new phones to market, Nokia unveiled 20, Motorola released 10 handsets and Apple unveiled two.
The strategy isn't working. Samsung's profit fell by 60% last quarter, dragged down by slumping top-of-the-line Galaxy-branded smartphones.
Though many of the 52 devices are aimed at specific markets, Samsung has also made some curious smartphone choices this year.
For example, the Galaxy Note Edge has a screen that curves around the right side of the phone. The Samsung Galaxy K Zoom is essentially a Galaxy S5 smartphone with a telescopic zoom lens attached to the back.
Even the not-so-weird phones raise some question marks about Samsung's spray and pray method.
The Galaxy Alpha is a smaller, thinner, metal version of the Galaxy S5. The Galaxy S5 mini is like the Galaxy Alpha, only plastic. The Galaxy Note 4 is like a monstrous Galaxy S5 with a pen -- but not as monstrous as the Galaxy Mega.
Samsung's more disciplined strategy doesn't mean Samsung will model itself after Apple, producing two take-it-or-leave-it smartphones each year. ZDNet reports Samsung will produce a phone with a foldable display in 2015.
Source-CNN
Apple Watch apps on the way
The Apple Watch is still months away, but developers can start writing apps for the wrist starting today.
Apple (AAPL, Tech30) released its WatchKit software to developers on Tuesday. It allows app makers to create Apple Watch notification features for their mobile apps, including vibrations and on-screen notifications.
Active notifications are alerts that wearers can respond to directly from the watch screen. Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom says that Instagram Apple Watch notifications will let users see and like a photo or leave an emoji comment.
Glances are another type of notification that just flash on the screen, like breaking news or appointment reminders. American Airlines (AAL) is going to show Glances for flight times and other travel updates.
Developers cannot yet create apps that run exclusively on the watch, although Apple says that will be allowed later in 2015. The watch is expected to be released early in the year, so there will be a period of time when the device will only run Apple apps.
The company previewed some of its own apps when it unveiled the watch in September, including a new kind of messaging app that lets you communicate with doodles, vibrations and your heartbeat.
Source-CNN
Two men arrested in deaths of Honduran beauty queen
A Honduran beauty queen and her sister were found dead Wednesday, police said, and the sister's boyfriend and another man have been arrested.
The bodies of María José Alvarado Muñoz, the reigning Miss World Honduras, and her sister, Sofia Trinidad Alvarado, were found buried in a shallow grave in a mountainous area beside a river, Honduran authorities told CNN affiliate Televicentro.
The bodies of the sisters, who had been missing for several days, were found on top of each other, Santa Barbara Mayor Juan Alvarado told the outlet.
Plutarco Antonio Ruiz Rodriguez and Aris Valentin Maldonado Mejia are now in police custody, and investigators believe more people are involved in the sisters' deaths, Police Deputy Commissioner Rolando Casco Torres told Televicentro.
Ruiz was Sofia's boyfriend, police say, according to CNN en Español.
The sisters disappeared Thursday night after going to a spa for a birthday party for Ruiz in Santa Barbara, northwest of the capital of Tegucigalpa, police told CNN en Español.
Source-CNN
Ex-prosecutor wanted to charge Bill Cosby
A former prosecutor who declined to bring charges against Bill Cosby a decade ago said Wednesday that he wishes he could've nailed the comedian on an allegation that he drugged and molested a woman at his Pennsylvania home.
Bruce Castor also told CNN that he believed Cosby -- a beloved figure who, with his wit and boyish smile, has charmed audiences as a family-friendly stand-up comic, the voice of Fat Albert, the host of "Picture Pages" and the star of a wildly popular eponymous sitcom -- lied to authorities.
In January 2004, Andrea Constand, then a 31-year-old staffer for the women's basketball team at Temple University, Cosby's alma mater, was at the comedian's Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, home when Cosby provided her medication that made her dizzy, she alleged the following year.
She later woke up to find her bra undone and her clothes in disarray, she further alleged to police in her home province of Ontario in January 2005.
Cosby's attorney in the case, Walter M. Phillips Jr., called the allegations "utterly preposterous" and "plainly bizarre" at the time, yet in a civil filing, Constand's lawyers said they had found 13 "Jane Does" with similar stories. Cosby settled the civil suit in 2006.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but when journalist and publicist Joan Tarshis came forward with another similar story this weekend, Cosby attorney John Schmitt denied her claim and others', labeling them "decade-old, discredited allegations." Schmitt later amended that statement to say he wasn't referring to Constand, who resolved her differences "to the mutual satisfaction of Mr. Cosby and Ms. Constand years ago."
Source-CNN
Windies Women suffer ODI whitewash against Aussies
West Indies Women suffered an excruciating 148-run clobbering at the hands of Australia Women in the fourth and final One-Day International here yesterday.
The defeat meant the West Indies Women finished the series winless as the Australians revel in a 4-0 series whitewash on the heels of similar success in the preceding four-match Twenty20 series.
A promising start by West Indies on the hunt to surpass a challenging 275 for five back-fired on the misfortune of a spectacular batting collapse at the Bradman Oval.
Hayley Matthews, with three half-centuries already to her credit, top-scored with 37 as the Caribbean girls reached 104 for two in the 18th over before the crash.
Matthews faced 47 balls accounting for seven fours and a six, while Britney Cooper smashed 33 from 47 balls, including three sixes and two fours.
Deandra Dottin chipped in with 27 from 14 balls hitting three fours and two sixes before she was caught.
West Indies lost eight wickets for 23 runs, with Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry destroying the middle and lower order, sharing seven wickets between them to skittle West Indies in 24.5 overs.
Half-centuries from Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry powered Australia to a huge total as they continued their rampaging form against their Caribbean rivals.
Lanning struck 12 fours in her 84 off 79 balls, while Perry was unbeaten on 74 off 75 deliveries and Jess Jonassen struck 38 off 25 balls in an aggressive finish to the innings.
Stafanie Taylor, Subrina Munroe, Anisa Mohammed and Shakera Selman each picked up a wicket for West Indies.
Perry was named player of the match and player of the series.
Reggae Boyz defeat T&T to take 2014 Caribbean Cup
Jamaica won the Caribbean Football Union Cup last night after outscoring Trinidad and Tobago 4-3 on penalties in front of a vociferous crowd at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
After neither team was able to find the target during 90 minutes of regulation plus 30 minutes of extra time, goalkeeper Andre Blake gave Jamaica the ideal start in the shoot-out when he saved Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones' kick from the spot.
Jermaine Taylor, Jobi McAnuff, Demar Phillips and captain Rodolph Austin, who was named man-of-the-match, were on target for the Reggae Boyz, who were winning their sixth title. Teenager Michael Seaton was the only player to miss from 12 yards.
This was Jamaica's first win since lifting the trophy under the guidance of coach Theodore Whitmore in Martinique in 2010, giving German coach Winfried Schaefer his first title since being appointed head coach.
Source-JamaicaObserver
Contributor-Ian Burnett
Cayman Police issues warnings over latest scams
The RCIPS are warning people to be on the look-out for fraudulent adverts and callers as a result of mounting scam reports. Police said that over the past few weeks the Financial Crime Unit has been receiving reports of numerous scams taking place within the Cayman Islands. One of the scams involves fraudulent advertisements being placed on local internet classifieds as well as in the local newspapers in an effort to con money out of people. Police are also warning people about con men calling phones posing as Microsoft support staff looking for credit card numbers and other key personal information.
The police noted that the ads are often for large ticket items, such as cars or boats and even pets that are being sold by a seller from overseas. The seller will usually request payment through a money service, such as MoneyGram or Western Union but may sometimes request a money transfer through a local retail bank.
Some job scams have also been reported to CNS in the classified of the local papers that have caught out a number of genuine job-seekers who have ended up under a mountain of spam and being the target of scammers as a result of responding to the advertisements.
“Caution is advised when buying large ticket items like these from websites. Never buy large ticket items online without first being able to verify that it is being sold locally and being able to verify the identity of the seller,” the financial crime cops warned.
They also pointed to scammers calling local residents claiming to be from Microsoft Support. These con artists usually request credit card details, so that your Microsoft Windows license can be updated. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Support, do not provide them with any personal details, credit card details or any details about your computer.
Member of CFGG,involves US in Dominica’s politics
The United States government has been advised of Dominican citizens who have US citizenship and intend to participate in the 8 December 2014 general election, a representative of the Citizen’s Forum for Good Governance, Atherton Martin has revealed.
Martin disclosed on Tuesday, 18 November 2014 that he had obtained a list of persons in the Diaspora who will be “illegally participating” in the election and made that list available to the US government.
According to the Electoral Commission, a person who is registered remains registered and is eligible to vote unless his/her name is deleted from the register because he/she has died, an objection to his registration has been allowed, he has been absent from Dominica for a period exceeding five years or he has become disqualified for registration as an elector.
“We have the names of the organizers, we know what cities they are from, in the United States, in Canada, in the UK, we have their telephone numbers”.
Martin said letters were also sent to the US Department of State and the Homeland Security.
He noted that the list of names will also be sent directly to the US, Canada and UK authorities.
“We have started getting the list from the diaspora of persons who are organizing the illegal vote, some of these people are on welfare”.
“Some of these people are illegal immigrants in the United States and they are participating in an illegal activity and so we have their names,” Martin said.
While Martin accused the Dominica Labour Party of having a targeted list of constituencies, he only mentioned St Joseph.
He added that these individuals, whose names are on the list, are being contacted via telephone against participating in the election.
“We have to call their homes, call their families, email and WhatsApp and tell them what you are doing is illegal,” Martin said and added that these individuals could be in “serious violation of the Internal Revenue laws of the US”.
However, campaign manager for the DLP, Ambassador Dr. Vince Henderson said this is a clear attempt by Martin and the United Workers Party to intimidate Dominicans.
“Seeking to threaten Dominicans who are going to exercise their franchise to vote for a party of their choice, as far as I am aware is an offence under the House of Assembly Elections Act and that is what they are doing, people have a right to support a party of their choice,” he said.
In the 2005 and 2009 general elections, the UWP was unsuccessful in a court matter where it claimed that the DLP bribed voters with cash to come in and vote.
The DLP argued that it had only facilitated transportation for citizens who wished to return to the country to vote.
“The court has settled the matter on assisting people to get to a polling station where they are registered to vote. That has been settled, it is the law of the land and we are a country of laws and therefore people must be allowed to exercise their democratic right”.
“What Mr. Martin and the other UWP members are trying to do is to intimidate Dominicans and putting Dominicans at risk by contacting the United States government on this matter,” Dr. Henderson added.
He further stated that this is not a matter for the United States government as it is not illegal for any party to organize transportation for voters.
“This is not a matter for the United States government and they are trying to get the United States government involved in our domestic affairs by seeking to expose Dominicans who will be coming down to vote,” Dr Henderson said.
Obama to Unveil Immigration Reform on Thursday
The White House has confirmed reports that U.S. President Barack Obama will announce details about an executive action on immigration reform on Thursday.
The White House blog said Wednesday that President Obama will address the nation late Thursday to talk about his plans for reform.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has told reporters President Obama's immigration actions will be comprehensive and will include border security measures.
Obama promised to take executive action on immigration reform earlier this year, after a reform measure that passed a Senate vote was rejected by the U.S. House of Representatives.
At least one media report says the plan will eliminate the threat of deportation for five million undocumented immigrants, strengthen border security, and broaden assistance to undocumented residents who were brought to the U.S. as children, although they would not be entitled to federal benefits, such as health-care tax assistance.
Four Sentenced to Death in Pakistan
A Pakistani court sentenced four men to death Wednesday for the murder of a female relative in what the murderers considered an "honor killing."
The crime was well-documented: The victim, Farzana Iqbal, was beaten to death outside a courthouse where she tried to seek protection from her relatives, who were angered that she had married a man against their wishes.
Her husband tried in vain to get nearby police to intervene.
The revelation that Iqbal's husband had killed his first wife to marry her only added to the case's notoriety.
But what has made Iqbal's case truly remarkable is the sentence, said human rights activists, who noted that the murders of hundreds of women go unpunished every year in Pakistan.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the country's largest independently run rights group, more than 900 women were killed for honor in 2011. The Aurat Foundation, a women's rights group, said more than 3,000 people have been killed for “honor” in Pakistan since 2008.