iPad Mini Coming Late This Year

iPad Mini Coming Late This Year, Last month, there were reports that Apple was looking to introduce an iPad Mini at some point around fall of this year, and now a new report from Business Insider seems to back up those rumors.

“Following up on comments made last week, recent research still leads us to believe that Apple may be planning to add another form factor to its iPad line in the 7? range for the fall,” the report reads, citing*n*lysts with Barclays.

“We believe that this type of product could be useful in promoting Apple’s agenda in education with e-textbooks. Also, the form factor could make sense in gaming, which could become a bigger platform for Apple over time.”

Under Steve Jobs’ rule, it’s safe to say that an iPad Mini wouldn’t happen–he famously went on a rant about 7-inch tablets back in 2010, calling the smaller tablets, which he said couldn’t compete with smartphones or standard tablets, “dead on arrival.” (The Inquisitr)

Facebook Co Founder Saverin Invests

Facebook Co Founder Saverin Invests, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin has closed a deal to invest in CrowdMob, an online discount start-up — even as American politicians sought new rules to bar him (or anyone) from de-friending the United States in order to avoid taxes.

CrowdMob blends app promotion with discounts from local businesses, TechCrunch reported Thursday, but the company has said it aims to eventually be a player in “mobile wallet” technology — where users can pay for goods using their smartphones.

The company did not disclose the size of Saverin’s investment.

In a statement, Saverin said: “I really like the team at CrowdMob and their vision to create a mobile wallet that is embedded in an overall social loyalty platform where virtual and real goods can be exchanged; this platform is an important next step in a fully integrated mobile society.”

The Brazilian-born billionaire became a household name in 2010 when his skirmishes with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the future of Facebook were dramatized in the Hollywood film “The Social Network.”

Saverin’s name returned to headlines last week when it was revealed he had renounced his U.S. citizenship ahead of Facebook’s initial public offering, a step viewed by many as a strategy to reduce the tax bill he will incur after shares of the social network go public.

Meanwhile, two top senators went after Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin Thursday over his decision to renounce U.S. citizenship, unveiling a proposal they claim would bar him — or anyone — from de-friending the United States in order to avoid taxes. (Fox News)

When To Mention Your Trade-in For A New Car

When To Mention Your Trade-in For A New Car, Common advice says to get the final price on the new auto before bringing up the old one.One of the most widely accepted bits of advice you’ll find presented in practically every consumer magazine as Wisdom From Upon High is a bad idea.

The advice is this: First, negotiate your best price on the car you’re thinking of buying. Then, and only then, should you tell your salesperson you’re planning to trade, and ask for an appraisal of your car. The thinking behind this seems to be that if you tell the salesperson up front that you’re trading in your car, he will somehow be able to use one of his Jedi mind tricks and talk you into paying too much for his car and accepting too little for your trade. Gosh, I wish I knew one of those mind tricks! I’d be rich.

There are two problems with this advice: One, it doesn’t work. and two, it requires you, the customer, to lie.

Now the reason customers hate car salespeople is that we lie, right? And we like to “play games.” So what do all the experts tell you to do when dealing with car salespeople? Lie and play games.

They even tell you how to lie, giving you the exact phraseology. “If asked whether you’re trading in your vehicle by the salesman,” the magazines say, “tell him you haven’t decided yet.”

Of course, you already have decided. You know you’re planning to trade. But revealing this information too early in the process will hurt you, according to the experts. So you lie.

Well, guess what? I know you’re planning to trade, too. Every salesperson on the planet knows what the words “I haven’t decided yet” mean. They mean you’re planning to negotiate your best price first and then drop the trade-in on us later. We’re not stupid. And we read the same books and magazines you do.

Could Transparent TV Be The Next Big Thing?

Could Transparent TV Be The Next Big Thing?, A concept set allows the screen to blend into its surroundings when not on.Does your HDTV just not seem as sleek and S-EX-y as it once was? If the allure of having a flat-panel display mounted to your wall just isn’t enough anymore, the completely see-through Loewe Invisio might be just what you’re looking for. Designed by Michael Friebe, the transparent television made a big splash in the 2011 iF Concept Design competition, and if we’re lucky we may soon see it in our own homes.

Loewe is well known in Europe for its high-end televisions and audio hardware. In fact, the company is said to be in talks with Apple about a possible acquisition. This would give Apple a huge head start if the company decides to release a long-rumored Apple-branded HDTV, and would mean products like the futuristic Invisio could arrive stateside sooner rather than later.

The Invsio looks absolutely stunning — well, as stunning as a see-through television can look. The clear LCD technology allows the display to pop to life when you hit the power button, but then disappear the instant you shut it off. The bottom portion of the set houses all the important bits, and the entire unit can be mounted on a wall if you’re not a fan of the shiny silver tabletop stand.

Without a border or frame of any kind, the screen is meant to blend in seamlessly with its surroundings when not in use. The Invisio is clearly meant for TV lovers who want their living rooms to have an air of sophistication on nights when must-see-TV isn’t a priority. Of course, if the rear of your entertainment center is littered with cords, you’re going to want to clean them up before showing off a new transparent TV.

But don’t start saving for this futuristic display just yet — the Invisio isn’t yet a Loewe’s retail offering, and because it’s still considered a concept, it may never be. Of course, one look at the company’s plans for other future products — including a TV with two screens and a mirror with built-in social displays (pictured below) — should be enough to tell you that the Invisio may very well see the light of day.

Earth’s Shocking Biodiversity Plunge

Earth’s Shocking Biodiversity Plunge, The planet has lost 30% of its resources over the past 40 years, a report says.The world’s biodiversity is down 30 percent since the 1970s, according to a new report, with tropical species taking the biggest hit. And if humanity continues as it has been, the picture could get bleaker.

Humanity is outstripping the Earth’s resources by 50 percent — essentially using the resources of one and a half Earths every year, according to the 2012 Living Planet Report, produced by conservation agency the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Colby Loucks, the director of conservation sciences at WWF, compared humanity to bad houseguests.

“We’re emptying the fridge, we’re not really taking care of the lawn, we’re not weeding the flower beds and we’re certainly not taking out the garbage,” Loucks said. [50 Amazing Facts About Earth]

Burning through resources

The biannual Living Planet report is designed to call attention to the Earth’s “invisible economy,” said Emily McKenzie, the director of the WWF’s Natural Capital Program. Natural resources — and the rate at which humans burn through them — rarely appear on policymakers’ balance sheets, McKenzie said.

But humanity is essentially in debt to Mother Earth, conservationists find. As of 2008, the most recent year for which data is available, humans were outstripping Earth’s biocapacity by 50 percent. Biocapacity is the amount of renewable resources, land, and waste absorption (such as sinks for carbon dioxide) the Earth can provide. In other words, it takes the planet 1.5 years to restore what humanity burns through in a year.

Twelve New Cars That Are Worth Waiting For

Twelve New Cars That Are Worth Waiting For, Once the Hyundai Veloster receives a horsepower boost, its performance will match its looks. Go back a few years and every new car shouted about mpg and economizing. This year, fuel efficiency is still important, but style is back for the new cars sporting 2013 and 2014 model years. Sportiness is taking center stage once more, and a fierce competition is about to happen between $20,000 and $30,000—so if you can’t afford the next $100,000 Viper, fear not. Here are 12 cars we’re waiting for over the next year or so.

Right now, the Veloster lacks the performance cred to back up its killer looks. But that will change once this 201-hp version hits the streets. The 45 percent boost in horsepower has most folks taking a second look at the Veloster, and hoping this Turbo is a signal that Hyundai is getting as serious about performance as it has been about quality and design over the last few years.

So far, though, signs remain cloudy—the stonking 1.6-liter motor with dual exhaust notwithstanding. Word is the Veloster Turbo gets the same suspension, which is disappointing. The stock Veloster is fun but stiff-kneed and less refined when compared to better-bred sporty cars like VW’s GTI—or the Subaru BRZ, which is only somewhat costlier than what we’re expecting to see from the Veloster Turbo. Also, ask Mini engineers about controlling torque steer in a 200-hp car with a short wheelbase. That, too, has probably made Hyundai sweat.

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