AOL Chief Operating Officer Arthur “Artie” Minson could be departing the company soon, we’re hearing, possibly over how the company has been handling hyperlocal news site Patch. A spokesperson declined to comment for this story, Minson hasn’t returned my call, and our sources say that it’s not a done deal. Minson was promoted to the COO job in June of last year as part of a larger reorganization, moving over from his three-year stint as CFO.?His official bio is basically a big list of positions that he’s held at either AOL or Time Warner (hey, remember AOL-Time Warner?) going back to 2004. In his current position, he’s been responsible for leading the company’s three business units ? the membership group, the brand group (which TechCrunch is a part of), and AOL Networks. One explanation we’ve heard for Minson’s departure is that AOL is trying to boost the numbers for Patch?by lumping in traffic and revenue from the Huffington Post’s local sites. Patch is still unprofitable and?missed its sales target in AOL’s most recent earnings report.?Minson was supposedly unwilling to go along with that plan, which is why he’s leaving. None of this has been officially confirmed. The departure of executives like Brad Garlinghouse from AOL spurred a concerned investor letter back in 2011. The letter also mentioned the departure of Michael Arrington and Heather Harde from TechCrunch. Then exactly one year ago, it?announced a few more departures, including CTO Alex Gounares. Whatever happens with Minson, other exec changes are also happening. AOL is also looking to bring in a new CEO for the content brands division, according to another report out today.
A student project has resulted in a suit that mimics Spider-Man's famous "spider sense," allowing the wearer to sense obstacles and other people without the benefit of sight. It still has a ways to go, though, so using it to fight crime is not advised.
Victor Mateevisti at the University of Illinois, Chicago decided to investigate whether something like an enhanced sense of one's environment can be created with off-the-shelf sensors and hardware. The answer is: Not quite yet, but we're getting there.
The suit consists of ultrasonic rangefinders placed at various attitudes that feed into a central processor. That processor sends signals to small mechanical arms that put pressure on the body in the general region of the object detected.
The approach is similar to that of the Tacit, a hand-worn "sonar for the blind" that translates distance into pressure, but the SpiderSense suit detects its environment in several directions at once.
So, for example, if a person were to approach someone wearing this suit from behind, the sensor would detect that person when they came in range and pressure would be applied to the user's back. If they came from the left, pressure would be applied on the left.
Experiments with a blindfolded test subject had mixed results. In some situations, such as a simple hallway or open area with pedestrians coming and going, the test subject could accurately detect the direction and distance of obstacles (and even hit them with cardboard throwing stars made for that purpose).
On the other hand, navigating the aisles of the library proved impractical: the narrow corridors and openings didn't produce intelligible information.
Mateevitsi told New Scientist that the goal isn't necessarily a whole suit. A limited version of the system could be used by a bicyclist to be better aware of traffic behind him, for instance.
The results and methodology of the project can be viewed in Mateevitsi's paper (PDF); The findings will also be presented next week at the Augmented Human conference in Stuttgart, Germany.
Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.
The idea of a personal assistant needs no introduction: you already know Siri, and those of you fortunate to own a Jelly Bean handset (or at least a hacked ICS one) have the privilege of using Google Now So there's very little we haven't seen here. And yet, we were inclined to take a look at Indigo, a new personal assistant for Android and Windows Phone 8 that launched yesterday, and will be available as a free download in the coming weeks. Meet us past the break to find out why.
Are you fed up with your current bank? Do you need an auto loan or?new bank account, but you don?t know where to go? Unless you live in a one-horse town, there is probably a bank on every corner, and if you are not too picky you might choose any random bank and complete an application.
However, not all financial institutions are created equal, and a bank is not your only option. Regardless of whether you are applying for a mortgage, a credit card or opening a savings account, consider the benefits of?choosing a credit union.
Membership for Local Credit Unions
There are misconceptions about credit unions, and if you?ve never had an account with one of these financial institutions, you may feel that you?re ineligible for membership. According to Jenn Cloud, the Young and Free Spokesperson for Vantage Credit Union, many believe that credit unions are an ?exclusive club that requires you to be a part of a union or work in a certain field.?
Yes,?local credit unions?have eligibility requirements, but qualifying for membership may be easier than you think. While a credit union membership may be open to people who work at a specific company or within a specific field, the financial institution may also extend an invitation to anyone who works, attends school or lives in the same area as the credit union. Additionally, membership may be open to you if a relative of yours is an existing member.
Benefits of Credit Unions
But, why choose a?credit union vs. a bank? These financial institutions achieve the same purpose. You can apply for loans, open accounts and obtain a credit card with both. However, there are clear benefits of credit unions.
Unlike a bank ? which is controlled by shareholders ? a credit union is owned by its members. With this said, all members have a say in how the credit union operates. As a not-for-profit organization, local credit unions exist to serve their members. The money a credit union earns from the interest they receive on loans and credit cards are not paid to outside shareholders. Thus, credit unions can afford to offer lower interest rates on mortgages, auto loans, personal loans and credit cards, as well as offer innovative services.
The question remains: How do you go about choosing a credit union?
Choosing a Credit Union: 5 Questions to Ask
Although credit unions share a common goal, they vary across the board. Perhaps you are eligible for membership at two or three credit unions and you can?t decide where to apply. In looking for the best credit unions, ask yourself these five questions.
#1. Can I qualify for membership?
It?s easy to check a local?credit union?s membership?requirements, as most credit unions include this information on their website. Or you can stop by a local credit union branch or call their customer service number to see if you are eligible for membership. A representative will ask you a series of questions to determine if you are eligible, such as:
Who is your employer and where?
What is your field of work?
Do you live in the same city as the credit union?
Which schools have you attended?
The requirements are specific, but not overly strict.?Eligibility requirements can vary. If you are unable to join a particular credit union, simply apply with another.
#2. How accessible are the automated teller machines (ATMs)?
Some credit unions are small and only have one branch. This is not a huge problem if you work or live near the branch. But if there is some distance between you and the branch, you might have to drive far to deposit your checks and withdraw cash. Some small credit unions are part of a network of ATMs, and you don?t need to visit the actual location to conduct simple transactions. Find out the locations of all?network ATMs?in your area. Decide whether these locations are convenient, and check whether there is a fee to access these machines.
#3. What are the current interest rates?
If you are applying for a mortgage or auto loan and you are thinking about using a credit union, contact multiple credit unions to compare rates. When compared to banks, credit unions typically have better rates.
Still, it pays to compare rates among different credit unions to ensure that you receive the lowest rate possible.Request a no-obligation quote, and based on your credit score, a representative can determine your interest rate.?Comparison shopping also works to your advantage if you?re opening a savings account or a certificate of deposit. Some?credit unions will even offer?interest rate matching?services on deposit or loan services ? so don?t be afraid to ask about this!
#4. Does the credit union offer any perks?
The best credit unions will offer a few incentives. This might include free overdraft protection, free checking, free financial workshops and discounts on entertainment. Some credit unions even allow payment holidays. For example,?Chartway Federal Credit Union?allows its members to skip their auto loan payment during the month of December. In addition, members can request a skip-payment option up to three times throughout their auto loan term.
#5. Does the credit union have online account management?
Big banks have plenty of resources, thus they?re able to offer their customers numerous online features. Because credit unions are smaller,?online banking?services are sometimes limited. Even so, many credit unions now offer online solutions to meet the needs of their customers.
When choosing a credit union, inquire about the availability of online services. Can you check your account online, pay your bill online and apply for additional services online? Likewise, consider whether the credit union has an app that lets you monitor your account from your mobile device.
"Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee came out explicitly this week against a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently in the United States, another sign of the tension between Democrats and Republicans on the issue."*
Bob Goodlatte, one of the most powerful Republicans in Congress, does not want to introduce, let alone discuss, making a path to citizenship in immigration reform. What other insulting words did he have to say to Latino votes, and hasn't he realized how important the Latino vote is? Cenk Uygur breaks down the disastrous immigration plan.
*Read more from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02...
If you clicked on this article, I assume it's fair to say that you are expecting or have already received a tax refund.? On the one hand, I wish to congratulate you heartily because nobody likes owing money at tax time.?
On the other hand, savvy friends, consider this a stern (but loving!) "tsk, tsk."? The reason?? If you're receiving a refund, you're having too much withheld from your paycheck and have essentially given Uncle Sam an interest-free year-long loan and while that's awfully nice of you, it's more than Sam would do for you, n'est-ce pas?? So, before you order up that new iPad, here are a couple savvy tax time "do's" and "don'ts" to help you get your money working better for you, not Uncle S.
Tax Refund Savvy: What to Do (and Don't Do) with Your Tax Refund
Immediate DO: Check with your Human Resources manager to find out how to have less withdrawn from your paycheck.? If you got the national average tax return of $3,000, that's almost $300 a month you could be investing and putting to good use!
If you have any debt, DO pay it off immediately with your refund.? With most credit cards charging 18% interest, carrying credit card debt from month to month is a savvy-free proposition, especially if you could have had the money to pay it off all year long.
If you don't have any debt, DO build up your nest egg.? Everyone should have 3-6 months of expenses lined up in a high-interest savings account for emergencies.
If you don't have debt, already have a decent nest egg (3-6 months of expenses is ideal), DO start investing in a moderate-risk mutual fund or an IRA. Once you have less deducted from your paycheck, assuming you are maxing out on your 401k contributions, put the extra money to work in your mutual fund or IRA.
If you absolutely MUST spend some of your tax refund, DON'T blow the whole wad. It's okay to splurge after you get that big check from Uncle S., but not more than 5-10% of your total amount.? Remember, that "extra" money isn't a windfall, it's money you earned over the past year and just lent out for free. Tsk, tsk!
AOL Chief Operating Officer Arthur “Artie” Minson could be departing the company soon, we’re hearing, possibly over how the company has been handling hyperlocal news site Patch. A spokesperson declined to comment for this story, Minson hasn’t returned my call, and our sources say that it’s not a done deal. Minson was promoted to the COO job in June of last year as part of a larger reorganization, moving over from his three-year stint as CFO.?His official bio is basically a big list of positions that he’s held at either AOL or Time Warner (hey, remember AOL-Time Warner?) going back to 2004. In his current position, he’s been responsible for leading the company’s three business units ? the membership group, the brand group (which TechCrunch is a part of), and AOL Networks. One explanation we’ve heard for Minson’s departure is that AOL is trying to boost the numbers for Patch?by lumping in traffic and revenue from the Huffington Post’s local sites. Patch is still unprofitable and?missed its sales target in AOL’s most recent earnings report.?Minson was supposedly unwilling to go along with that plan, which is why he’s leaving. None of this has been officially confirmed. The departure of executives like Brad Garlinghouse from AOL spurred a concerned investor letter back in 2011. The letter also mentioned the departure of Michael Arrington and Heather Harde from TechCrunch. Then exactly one year ago, it?announced a few more departures, including CTO Alex Gounares. Whatever happens with Minson, other exec changes are also happening. AOL is also looking to bring in a new CEO for the content brands division, according to another report out today.
If you clicked on this article, I assume it's fair to say that you are expecting or have already received a tax refund.? On the one hand, I wish to congratulate you heartily because nobody likes owing money at tax time.?