Welcome to Lumme's World

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: Music Meets Runway '12 model casting gets a big, s...

2012-10-26T22:07:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: Music Meets Runway '12 model casting gets a big, s...: The Music Meets Runway (MMR) 2012 model casting which held last Saturday the 13th of October was a tremendous success with a huge turnout ...

REPORTS: SMALLER IPAD TO BE REVEALED OCT. 23

2012-10-19T03:51:00.003-07:00

Picture taken on August 25, 2012 shows the logo of US group Apple on the back of its market-leading iPad tablet. (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)
(TheBlaze/AP) — Apple Inc. is set to reveal a smaller, cheaper version of the iPad at an event on Oct. 23, according to several reports published Friday.
The reports from Bloomberg News, Reuters and the AllThingsD blog are based on unnamed sources “familiar with the plans.”
Apple Inc. hasn’t said anything about a smaller tablet, a concept company founder Steve Jobs derided two years ago. But company-watchers have assumed for months that an “iPad mini” will appear just in time for the holiday season.
The screen is reportedly about half the size of the iPad’s, which measures 9.7 inches diagonally. Analysts speculate the starting price of the device could be about $299.
With the device, Apple could close an opening in the tablet market for rivals like Amazon.com Inc., whose Kindle Fire is half the size of the iPad and starts at $199. Google Inc. and Barnes and Noble Inc. also sell tablets in the same size and price range.
Apple’s event would occur three days before Microsoft Corp. releases Windows 8, the new version of its operating system. Microsoft will be releasing its “Surface” tablets with the software.
Apple’s stock rose $1.61 on Friday to close at $629.71.

Front page photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images.

Welcome to Lumme's World: 25 Weird Phobias You Probably Didn't Know Existed...

2012-10-19T03:46:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Lumme's World: 25 Weird Phobias You Probably Didn't Know Existed...: Arachnophobia — fear of spiders — became a well-known term after the 1990 film. (Photo: Shutterstock.com) We’ve all heard of arachnophobia,...

STUDENTS SET UP STING WITH FAKE FACEBOOK PAGE THAT GETS ‘CREEPY’ IT EMPLOYEE FIRED

2012-10-19T03:44:00.000-07:00

Two students at a Bronx high school getting a “creepy” vibe from one of the school’s IT technicians decided to create a phony Facebook page to gain proof for some of their feelings. The sting worked and the tech has since been fired for taking the bait.
The New York Post reports a male and female student attending Cinema School established a profile using the name Sarah Archer. Kevin Eckstein, 38, became friends with Archer and eventually ended up asking her out on several dates, the Post found in a report by the Special Commissioner of Investigation.
Eckstein was fired from his post at the school for these actions before the start of this school year. The Post reports formal authorities becoming involved in the investigation after a teacher heard the two teen detectives talking about their plan.
Eckstein told the Post though that he didn’t realize her age:
“When I discovered in the conversation after two days that she was 16, I ended contact with her. I blocked her,” he said.
“Two kids out of the whole school who didn’t like me attempted to talk to me on Facebook and it created a buzz within the school and it led to an investigation,” he added. “It ended and I left the school.”
The Post points out that the report says the fake Facebook user informed Eckstein that she was 16 though.
The Post then anonymously quotes one of the students involved in the Facebook sting who said they never intended for Eckstein, a father of two, to get fired. The student said they had only wanted to see if the comments made about Eckstein by other students were true.
CBS Local from New York reports a parent saying she believes the situation should not have gotten to this point.
“That’s disgusting,” parent Missy Vaughn said, according to CBS 2. “How could I send my child to school thinking that my child was safe? They should have told someone. If anything, they should have told the principal, somebody.”
UPI reports that Eckstein did not face criminal charges for his actions, which he has continued to deny.

EVER WONDER WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A BASE JUMPER? WE TALKED TO ONE AND HERE’S HIS ADVICE

2012-10-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

TheBlaze has brought its readers a wealth of videos showing BASE jumpers leaping from an ungodly high precipice and gliding safely (sometimes) to the ground with stunning views in a wingsuit. But you don’t just wake up one day, don a wingsuit that makes you look like a sugar glider squirrel and jump off a mountain.
As our interview with Erik Roner revealed, being a BASE (Buildings, Antennas, Spans, Earth) jumper takes some serious training.Image: Erik Roner/InstagramRoner told us in an email that it’s best to start with skydiving before getting into BASE jumping. He says this helps jumpers to “gain awareness and canopy control.” He also suggests having a mentor to guide you on BASE jumping ins and outs.
“There is a lot you can learn from history and others experience. Going at it on your own increases your chance for injury or death for sure. When you’re BASE jumping there’s just not much time and you really rely and your skill and muscle memory.”
As for jumping in a wingsuit, this adds another element. Roner suggests starting to jump from planes while wearing the suit before taking on a BASE. This allows you to get to know your suit and how to control it if something goes wrong.
Roner showed us, in a rather satirical way, what “getting to know” your suit can mean.In a new video, Roner tries to spend as much time as possible in his wingsuit. Image: Erik Roner/InstagramIn this video, he goes about his daily life in his wingsuit, and, of course, it still includes stunning footage over the Swiss valley (Note: Some strong language):

Through his Web series — Roner Vision — he says he’s trying to show the lighter side of the extreme stunts he takes on.
“There’s a lot of humor in everything and we try to focus on that over the intense activities I’m involved in,” Roner said.
Roner, who is also a professional skier, started BASE jumping in 2001 and jumping in a custom-fit wingsuit in 2006. He said he was scared at first — “I didn’t want to die!” — but within a short time he was hooked and has now completed more than 1,000 jumps.
“When you put that small parachute on your back, you step into this irrational world where you can run off buildings, antennas, bridges, cliffs, and fly through air. It’s probably the most surreal and most fun thing I’ve ever done.
“Before you jump you’re only focused on your gear and what you need to do,” Roner said. “During the jump you are only caught up in that moment of falling through the air. Landing successfully is the true reward and brings on amazing feelings, which is usually ‘let’s go do that again!’”Image: Erik Roner/InstagramThere is a very real danger with such an extreme sport though. TheBlaze brought you the harrowing footage from a BASE jumper’s headcam showing him crashing on the mountain. Roner said he has lost friends and had some close calls himself.
“For me it goes in waves where I feel the right energy, confidence and desire to jump. In those times I will jump lots,” he said. “Other times I’ll feel uneasy or a different type of fear and I tend to not jump very much. These periods can be weeks or months and I try to listen to my gut and ride that wave.”
Roner shattered my heal bone during a jump in France in 2005.
“Injury is part of it for sure,” he said. “If you jump long enough accidents are going to happen.”
For more information on Roner, check out his Facebook page or website.

25 Weird Phobias You Probably Didn't Know Existed

2012-10-19T03:34:00.000-07:00

Arachnophobia — fear of spiders — became a well-known term after the 1990 film. (Photo: Shutterstock.com)We’ve all heard of arachnophobia, claustrophobia and other well-known phobias, but there are hundreds fear of somethings out there that you probably haven’t heard of. Fear not (get it), we’re hear to bring you the wildest, whackiest, and most interesting phobias around.
According to the National Institute of Health, the medical definition of a phobia is a “a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger.”
A list curated over the last couple decades by Fredd Culbertson, a man with an interest in the origins of words, shows more than 530 phobias. Culbertson claims no medical experience and writes etymology is merely a hobby of his.
Although the majority of them could be dubbed as unusual phobias, we’ve pulled out this small sampling — one from each alphabetical category — of ones we thought you may never have heard of before. According to Culbertson, there is a referenced fear of:

Air swallowing- Aerophobia

Bullets- Ballistophobia

Chins- Geniophobia

Dining or dinner conversations- Deipnophobia

Englishness- Anglophobia

Freedom- Eleutherophobia

Good news, hearing good news- Euphobia

Handwriting- Graphophobia

Insects that eat wood- Isopterophobia

Joint immobility- Ankylophobia

Knees- Genuphobia

Left-handed; objects at the left side of the body- Sinistrophobia

Mother-in-law- Pentheraphobia

Number 8- Octophobia

Otters- Lutraphobia

Phobias- Phobophobia

Rain- Ombrophobia

Sun or sunlight- Heliophobia

Trees- Dendrophobia

Ugliness- Cacophobia

Vegetables- Lachanophobia

Words, long- Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia

X-rays or radiation- Radiophobia.

Yellow color- Xanthophobia.

Zemmiphobia- Fear of the great mole rat.

Culbertson has a had to specially explain hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia — fear of long words — on his website. Culbertson writes he’s received some questions regarding this one, but states that it can be found in The Word Lover’s Dictionary by Josefa Heifetz and it is also in a medical paper. He explains that the ironically long word, given its phobia, sees its origins in the Greek word for horse – hippo. He writes that hippos, like a hippopotamus, are generally large. Monstro comes from the world monstrous also meaning big. He continues analyzing the word writing “sesquipedalian means given to using long words…comes from Latin meaning measuring a foot and a half.”

The letter without a formal phobia that Culbertson has verified in medical writings and reference books is Q. He does not claim this list to be inclusive of all phobias and it doesn’t include ones that aren’t necessarily verified with a formal name. Some phobias received popularized names that aren’t really technical terms. The Cooking Channel recently featured strange food phobias (viaGawker), like mayophobia (fear of mayonaise), which is one of these popularized phobias.
The NIH states that people with a serious phobia should avoid the trigger so as not to experience panic and other symptoms. It does state that treatment, which can include medicine and/or therapy “helps most people with phobias.”
Check out Culbertson’s list for more phobias here.
If you know of any other strange phobias, feel free to share in the comments section.

What Could Your Favourite Sleep Position Reveal About You?

2012-10-19T03:21:00.003-07:00

Your body language can often reveal what you’re thinking and even personality traits. This too applies to your body language when you’re sleeping.
The U.K.’s Daily Telegraph recently reported that Robert Phillips, a body language expert, studied four of the most popular positions and revealed what they could say about a person. The four positions he studied were fetal, log, yearner and freefall.
Phillips says fetal, the most popular position, involves sleeping on one’s side with the knees curled upward and neck bent slightly downward. This position, the Telegraph reports, brings a person back to their comfort zone. From Phillips’ observations, those who sleep this way are considerate and orderly, but also have the potentially to be over-thinkers and worriers.The fetal position. (Photo: Shutterstock.com)Log sleepers, those who lie in a straight position with their arms down, could indicate a more strict, stubborn personality. Whereas those favoring the yearner’s position, sleeping on one’s side with arms stretch outward sideways, are said to be go-getters who can also be critical of themselves.Arms reaching outward in this way indicate what’s called the “yearners” position. (Photo: Shutterstock.com)Those in a freefall position, lying on one’s stomach with arms stretched out, might indicate a personality that feels a lack of control over their life. It is also said to be one of the more unfavorable and uncomfortable positions for adults.The freefall position looks similar to skydiving. (Photo: Shutterstock.com)The Telegraph reports Phillips conducting this research for Premier Inn, a U.K. hotel chain. A spokesperson for the chain is reported as saying that while some people read horoscopes, the hotel wanted to show guests how their night sleep might indicate how they could face the day.
“We have worked with Robert to develop ‘sleep-o-scopes’ and were shocked that the research revealed just how stressed we are as a nation,” spokeswoman Claire Haigh said.
Watch this recent CBS video with another body language expert discussing the different positions:

This report adds two categories to the list in addition to what Phillips spoke of: soldier and starfish. Soldier is lying on one’s back with arms to one’s side. Starfish is similar except the arms bend upward toward the head. Those sleeping in starfish were reported to be good friends.Arms above the head like this indicate the starfish position. (Photo: Shutterstock.com.)
CBS’ report shows some differences in the definitions of what constitutes the sleep positions, compared to Phillips observations, but the sentiments of what each mean are relatively similar.

GOOGLE's Virtual Reality Glasses

2012-10-19T02:47:00.003-07:00

Augmented reality may end up being one of the hottest fashion accessories of 2012. Google is secretly working on Android-powered virtual reality glasses that it plans to begin selling by the end of the year, according to reports in the New York Times and the blog 9 to 5 Google.

Details are scant about the rumored glasses, but the basic idea is to beam contextually relevant information straight to your eyeballs. Like augmented reality apps, the glasses could deliver an added layer of information about, say, a landmark you’re looking at, or offer up a discount to a restaurant that catches your gaze.

“If facial recognition software becomes accurate enough, the glasses could remind a wearer of when and how he met the vaguely familiar person standing in front of him at a party,” the New York Times’ Nick Bilton theorizes. “They might also be used for virtual reality games that use the real world as the playground.”

A Google representative declined to comment.

Read the full story and descriptions at CNNMoney.

Anything Released By APPLE (hear us out)

2012-10-19T02:45:00.001-07:00

Let’s face it, the most talked-about tech product (or products) this year will probably come from Apple.
The company is widely rumored to be prepping a television for release in 2012 that will run its Apple TV software. Though Apple TV set-top box sales haven’t been impressive, the late Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had “finally cracked” the code for success. Jobs said that the device Apple is creating will have a simple user interface and will sync easily with other devices in the home.

Some Apple believe Apple had a more significantly overhauled iPhone in the works that just wasn’t quite ready to launch last fall. It could make an appearance this year.

Lytro's Light-Field Camera

2012-10-19T02:44:00.002-07:00

Ever snapped a picture in a hurry, looked back and realized you forgot to focus? The much-hyped Lytro has the solution, with a light-field camera that lets you adjust a picture after it’s been snapped.

“What’s often been said about us is that we’re camera 3.0,” says Kira Wampler, Lytro’s vice president of marketing. “You can do things that you’ve never been able to do before.”

Lytro CEO Ren Ng worked for six years to commercialize the technology, which he pioneered as part of his Ph.D. research at Stanford University. [...] It comes in two models: a $399 8 GB camera in Graphite or Electric Blue that takes 350 pictures, or a 16 GB “Red Hot” model for $499 that holds 750 pictures.

Microsoft Windows 8

2012-10-19T02:42:00.003-07:00

Windows 8 has a completely new visual interface that’s unlike anything you’ve seen on a PC before. It’s optimized for touch screens on mobile devices like tablets, but it will also work for those with a traditional mouse and keyboard setup.

The result is a computer that operates as a hybrid, with all the functions of a standard PC operating system but the user experience of a tablet

White Spaces WiFI

2012-10-19T02:41:00.001-07:00

Hidden between individual television channels is a small but valuable collection of airwaves that will allow for a kind of “super Wi-Fi” network.

The Federal Communications Commission recently opened up the spectrum that sits between television channels numbered 1 through 51. Wireless communications in those “white spaces” have been permitted since Jan. 26 in Wilmington, N.C., the FCC’s designated testbed location. After the bugs are worked out, the spaces will be opened up nationally in the coming months.

The FCC designated the white spaces as “unlicensed” band, meaning anyone can broadcast in it for free. It’s a primo band that sits lower than today’s Wi-Fi, allowing signals to travel over significantly longer distances and through buildings and walls.

It’ll take time for all the necessary infrastructure — including new chipsets for smartphones and other devices — to roll out, but FCC expects the expansion to lead to innovative new kinds of wireless networks, including connected highways, schools, parks and towns. Wireless carriers scrounging for more spectrum could also begin to broadcast Wi-Fi to customer-dense areas to reduce stress on their 3G and 4G networks.

Expressions of the two cage-fighters

2012-10-17T04:50:00.001-07:00

Two Games in one XCOM: "Unemy Unknown"

2012-10-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

It is hard enough to make one good video game. Trying to make two at the same time is a challenge not many developers try to tackle. But the creators of a recently released, turn-based strategy game hope that by blending two differing styles of play in one title they will find a pot of gold at the end of the double rainbow.

"XCOM: Enemy Unknown" is a science fiction, strategy game pitting Earth against an invading alien force. An elite group of soldiers, scientists and engineers from all over the globe is tasked with repelling the aliens and restoring peace to our planet.

While most games take two to three years before hitting the shelf, lead designer Jake Solomon said his split-personality labor of love has taken more than four years to come to fruition.

"I've been trying to make this game for as long as I've been in the industry," he said. "The original 'XCOM' game is my favorite game."

The resource management game mainly takes place in the XCOM headquarters. It is where you find out about each new mission, but also where you tell scientists to start exploring new technology or have engineers build a containment area so you can interrogate alien captives. You'll also have to manage finances, deal with demands from different countries and develop your military force.

Building out the "ant farm," as Solomon calls it, takes some planning by the player, but can result in bonuses if done well.

"Some things are tied into the narrative and you only get one base," he said. "But we wanted players to have an emotional connection to their base. In the (on-base) bar, soldiers who are killed during combat will have their names on a plaque to show you what your victories cost in human lives."

The field squad portion of the game is more about combat tactics, maximizing your weaponry and out-thinking (and out-shooting) the enemy. Squads consist of four to six soldiers, each with their own names, backgrounds and expertise. Use them wisely (i.e., keep them alive) to complete the missions and they get stronger.

The action is still turn-based, so planning and strategy are important at this level as well. Set up your soldiers, hope the aliens walk into your kill zone and cut them down. Guess wrong and players can only watch helplessly as their soldiers get outflanked and end up on the board in the bar.

Solomon said developing the combat portion of the game was fun from the very beginning, but that, for the longest time, the resource part wasn't.

It created a lot of tension and sleepless nights for Solomon and his crew, but they hit on a revelation that helped them find the sweet spot for "XCOM: Enemy Unknown."

"The way it has to work -- they have to feed off each other in a symbiotic relationship. They give each other meaning," he said. "You research lasers and now my favorite soldier has a laser rifle. When I shoot, I see a laser coming out. (The connection between the modes) feels more real because there are all these concrete things behind it."

There was initially a lingering fear with how the game was being developed, he said. Developers ran the risk of alienating players who might like one part of the game, but not the other.

"(Firaxis creative director and 'Civilization' creator) Sid Meier "has a quote -- 'One good game is better than two great games,' " Solomon said, jokingly referring to Meier as "my lord and master." "The danger of having two games in one game is that people are going to enjoy one of them more than the other."

But he said his team tried developing a resource strategy-only game and a combat-only game, and both felt like they were missing something.

The soldiers really had no personal connection to the player in the resource portion and the mission rewards didn't mean as much in the combat game.

"There are some games that have these multiple modes to them, but nothing like this. In 'Starcraft,' you go back to the ship or in 'Diablo,' you go back to the town. Those aren't really games; they are just breaks. In 'XCOM,' you have a game, then you go on to another game."

Trying to find the middle ground took a lot of trial and error. The pendulum kept swinging from overly complicated to overly simplified, Solomon said.

In the end, decisions were made based on how well they worked with both aspects of the game.

"It just came down to stripping out a lot of things that weren't working and getting a flow in there," Solomon said. "You come back to the base and say these things have meaning for me. On the soldier side, deepening the class system and customization became important."

"It was pretty organic. It was a process that I didn't have a road map for."

Solomon was very careful not to tread on the memories of fans of the original "XCOM."

"They have a very large ownership in the game, so it is important to honor the name," he said. "I can't tell you how many nights I've lost sleep worrying about whether I've made the game fun."

Now, players can decide. The game was released Tuesday in North America and comes out Friday in Australia and Europe. The game will be released on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles as well as for PCs.

Funniest biden's facial experssions on the VP debate

2012-10-16T06:31:00.001-07:00

Cash strapped millennials curate style via social media

2012-10-16T06:18:00.002-07:00

When she's not working her day job at a used bookstore, Brittany Jasper spends most of her time perusing consignment stores, yard sales and flea markets for clothing and accessories.

She's not really brand-loyal, since she can't afford the ones she likes at full price, "but secondhand isn't so bad." Instead, she tends to gravitate toward whatever fits her style and budget, which could be a pair of lightly used Banana Republic chinos one day or a vintage oversized tunic and tangerine leggings the next.

"I am drawn to things that are different, that I'm not going to be able to find just by shopping in the mall," said Jasper, 26, of Nashua, New Hampshire. "More than anything, it's about the look. I'm not afraid to pick up anything no-name if I like it."

It's a fairly conventional approach to personal style until she gets home, takes pictures of herself modeling the clothing and uploads them to Copious, an online marketplace that lets her share, buy and sell items. If she doesn't like pieces for herself, she posts them for sale on her page and shares them with followers from a variety of sources, including Facebook and Twitter. When someone "likes" a dress on Jasper's profile, her social media followers are notified, along with followers of the person who liked the dress, creating web of notifications that feeds back to Jasper's page.

It may sound complicated to the uninitiated, but Jasper is hooked, and not just because it's a place to buy and sell. She's used platforms like Etsy and Suvi, but none of them came close to the interactive community she has found on Copious, she said.

"I really like that it's so social and tied into the people you like and what you like and what you express interest in," she said. "It kind of molds itself around you."

Personalized shopping and browsing experiences

Technology and social networking distinguish Jasper and her peers from previous generations of shoppers in the eyes of brands, retailers and market researchers. By creating personalized shopping experiences around themselves, millennials are upending the traditional consumer-brand hierarchy, leaving brands and retailers scrambling to reclaim their influence.

"Millennials are at the forefront of the change in the retail landscape, based on their adoption of online and virtual behavior," said Ana Nennig, executive vice president of global consulting firm Havas PR.

"As the first generation that truly embraced instantaneous gratification, they mixed with that a desire to be fiscally aware of pricing and value and set the ground for shopping attributes (that) other generations and groups are adopting."

That doesn't mean millennials are completely brand-agnostic, Nennig said. They just put more time and effort into finding brands they identify with in terms of voice and social agenda. Conversely, brands are investing more of their identity into social agendas, fromTOMS Shoes' "one pair sold, one pair donated" business model to west elm's collaborations with Etsy artists.

"For millennials, brands are an essential way of identifying, expressing and supporting what they find personally important. Using brands that embody their values makes them feel good," she said. "Retailers also need to keep in mind that millennials tend to seek brands and products that are socially responsible; this generation is looking for products that are sustainable, fair-trade and offer lower carbon footprints, for example."

On the whole, they're just as trend-driven as previous generations, said Samatha Bergeron, founder of market research agency Uncover, which performs consumer research for fashion and retail brands.

Millennials tend to have a wide knowledge of fashion, and how they act on that knowledge distinguishes them, she said.

"They're more fashion-savvy, not in terms of what they wear but what they know. You can go to Duluth, Minnesota, and find a girl who can tell you about Stella McCartney, and that's pretty much the norm where it might not have been the case in the 1980s," she said.

"But they're still taking direction; that hasn't changed. We're not a society that goes it alone," said Bergeron.

The rise of the 'curated' platforms

To meet these needs, brands and retailers are working furiously to create "seamless" experiences from stores to online portals. New social media networks and apps are emerging with the goal of delivering "curated" experiences.

"This is how millennials shop: They want experiences based on what's interesting to them," said Jonathan Ehrlich, co-founder and COO of Copious. "What we're trying to do is organize a marketplace personalized and customized to you. You don't see a top-down curated experience; you see an experience related to your connections."

A millennial's plea: We must vote

Copious entered the ever-expanding landscape of "curated" and "edited" online marketplaces in January with women's apparel and accessories. It expanded into menswear last week with the introduction of stylist and reality TV star Brad Goreski as one of its newest sellers.

"I think it can be really hard to distinguish between e-commerce sites. It often comes down to the basics. Can I get that bag on site X or site Z faster? Which one has free shipping? What's their return policy?" Goreski said in an e-mail. "Copious is building an experience that reflects individual style and taste, and I think that's really powerful. When I think about styling for my clients, I don't show each person the same dress, or the same handbag, or the same pair of shoes. I try to understand what best reflects their personality and taste."

It's also the latest example of a model that's threatening the traditional influence of brands and retailers. Instead of walking into Ann Taylor or Forever 21 for inspiration, some millennials are sourcing style cues from a variety of portals and social networks -- online and in real life -- and finding the version that suits their budget, Bergeron said.

"Relationships with brands have become more transactional," she said.

"That emotional connection between brand and consumer is weakening," she said. "They don't need to rely on (brands) so heavily for inspiration and resources. They have 2,500 bloggers and a variety of social networks telling them what to do."

Online browsing = online sales?

There's bound to be variation within a generation spanning about 20 years, from high school students to newlyweds in their 30s. At the top end of the cohort, there's a greater focus on employing a mix and match aesthetic to create an individualized personal style, said Lauren Kaufman of trend forecasting group WGSN. Going down the spectrum, people are taking pictures of themselves in dressing rooms and sharing them with friends for instant feedback.

"They're definitely sharers; they're all about community and wanting to talk and share with peers and friends," she said. "Social networking makes that feat easier."

In response, some stores are installing interactive mirrors that let you take pictures and share them with friends via text or social media, she said. Other dressing room mirrors are equipped with remote access to stylists and editors to field questions or provide tips.

Even if millennials find and share inspiration online, that doesn't necessarily translate to online sales. A Pew Internet poll from 2008 found that 26% of internet users ages 18 to 29 had bought a product online, which is significant but far from a majority. An overwhelming majority of respondents in the same age group also said that shopping online is convenient (83%) and that the internet is the best place to find bargains (62%).

But 85% also said they prefer to see things before they buy them. Katey Mote falls into that category, especially while she's paying off student loans and living off modest earnings from a temporary gig in Phoenix.

The 22-year-old ends up in Target most of the time looking for the best value, she said, but tends to steer clear of the fast fashion at Forever 21 because she wants her purchases to last.

Still, she prides herself on putting her own twist on conventional looks, even while at work for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, where she assists on projects in disease surveillance and urban planning.

To personalize her look, she wears a lot of colorful jewelry and funky shoes.

"For me and my friends, I think there's a kind of an entrepreneurial spirit with clothing," she said. "People are making their own or finding similar items to brand names without needing the name. Just being thriftier while trying to keep up appearance of trying."

A generations that resists 'buying in excess'

Entering the work force amid a tough economy and high unemployment has influenced the way a lot of millennials shop, said Kaufman, making them more selective about everything they purchase.

"This is not a generation of buying in excess," she said. "It's about mixing and matching and high and low-end pieces. Investment pieces are still key, but it's not the same throwaway culture as with previous generations."

Matthew Clairborne says his spending habits have become more conservative since he traded a decent salary in advertising last year for student loans to attend journalism school in New York. He and his friends aim for stylishness amid frugality, he said.

"A lot of us are in transition: unemployed, grad school, in jobs that don't relate to our degrees," said the 23-year-old Louisiana native, who describes his style as hipster-preppie. "We're in phases where we have to be economical and smart about our shopping habits."

He considers himself a shrewd shopper with a good sense of where to get the best bang for his buck. H&M works for cardigans, sweaters and hats but not much else, he said. Otherwise, he rarely buys items at full price. Bloomingdale's tends to have great sales on shoes, and he subscribes to e-mail alerts from Zara, H&M and Macy's.

While he gets most of his style inspiration by walking the streets of New York, he did buy a cardigan online once while watching TV on his laptop. The network's website offered viewers the option to shop the looks they saw on actors with just one click. It matched a vintage denim vest he already had.

"I try to shop for versatility, because I'm on a tight budget. I want to be able to wear it to multiple events and occasions and transfer between seasons," he said. "Style is a recurring event, a process, a cycle. I never buy a complete outfit, because feel like it's a waste of money. I'll only wear it once."

Amazon and Apple customers to get credits for price-fixed e-books

2012-10-16T05:59:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Amazon and Apple have informed some e-book buyers that they'll receive credits for future book purchases, as part of a recent settlement three major publishers signed to settle a price-fixing lawsuit.

Eligible Kindle e-book customers will receive credits ranging from 30 cents to $1.32 per book, Amazon estimated. Apple did not specify a range.

Customers who bought qualifying e-books between April 1, 2010 and May 21, 2012 are eligible for a refund, and won't need to do anything in order to receive their credits. If approved by the court, the credits can be used for future e-book purchases. Amazon customers may also use the credit for print books.

Any customer affected by the price-fixing scheme may also receive a check instead of a credit by visiting www.EBookAGSettlements.com.

Amazon crowed in its email that the "settlements are a big win for customers and [we] look forward to lowering prices on more Kindle books in the future." The settlement is also a big win for Amazon.

In April, the Department of Justice sued Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) and five major publishers, alleging they colluded to raise the price of e-books. Three of the publishers -- Hachette Book Group, CBS's (CBS,Fortune 500) Simon & Schuster and News Corp.'s (NWSA, Fortune 500) HarperCollins -- agreed to a settlement earlier this year.

As part of the proposed settlement, the three publishers agreed to provide money for a $69 million fund that would pay out credits to affected consumers.

Amazon (AMZN, Fortune 500) and Apple sent emails to their customers over the weekend to explain the credit and settlement, which is pending court approval at a hearing in February. Both emails explained that the settlement is between the government and the publishers. Amazon was not named in the lawsuit, while Apple said last month it will likely appeal the approval of the settlement. Apple, as well as publishers Macmillan andPearson's (PSO) Penguin, opted not to settle and their case is set to head to trial next June.

Before the release of the iPad in 2010, Amazon's Kindle was the preeminent e-book reader on the market. Amazon forced publishers to sell most books at $9.99. According to the DOJ's lawsuit, booksellers were unnerved by the discounted e-book price structure Amazon launched in 2007.

Google Doodle celebrates "little nemo" comic

2012-10-16T05:55:00.003-07:00

The doodles that spice up Google's plain white home page keep getting more elaborate.
Web users awoke Monday to find an animated doodle atop Google's search page that commemorates the 107th anniversary of "Little Nemo in Slumberland," a pioneering comic strip by illustrator Winsor McCay. (Again, that's "Little Nemo," kids, not "Finding Nemo.")
A young boy, Nemo was the main character in a series of weekly strips (later called "In the Land of Wonderful Dreams") that appeared in American newspapers early in the last century. The strip focused on Nemo's nightly dreams, which took him on fanciful adventures before he inevitably woke up in the last panel.
Google's doodle begins with Nemo in bed. Users can click on tabs to expand the strip, which adds more animated panels as Nemo falls through a colorful dream world.
The last tab takes users to Google search results for McCay, who also found fame as the creator of such early animated cartoons as "Gertie the Dinosaur." McCay, whose work influenced animators at Disney, died in 1934.

Google has been adding interactive, animated doodles to its home page with more frequency in recent years. Others in 2012 have paid tribute to the London Olympics, Valentine's Day, the 79th anniversary of the first drive-in movie, and Robert Moog, inventor of the electronic synthesizer

Gyro technology

2012-10-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

This wild new motorcycle, invented by 19-year-old Ben J. Poss Gulak, is among the latest inventions to capture attention.
Debuting at the National Motorcycle Show in Toronto, the "Uno" uses gyro technology for balance and acceleration.

It's a battery charged machine that accelerates by leaning forward and slowing down by leaning backwards.

The Uno weighs approximately 129 pounds (58 kg.) and has a top speed of 25 mph (40 klms).

Update: Since featuring Ben's invention, he has continued to develop and progress with his innovative product.

He won second place in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and first prize in Popular Science's Invention Awards. Ben also appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and on the popular invention television show "Dragon's Den" where he received 1.25 million dollars from investors.

Gulak continues to develop and commercialize his invention while studying engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The latest prototype, known as the Uno 3, can automatically transform itself from a uno-dicycle into a conventional looking motorcycle, which allows for greater acceleration, speed and stability.

Ben shares this advice for inventors, "When you have an idea, it's easy to get discouraged. There are so many people who will tell you that you're wasting your time. The biggest thing is to not let people get you down. If you really believe in something - keep going after it because there is always a way and you can make your dreams come true."

The Square

2012-10-15T06:11:00.003-07:00

Here is another great one.

Jack Dorsey, the co-inventor of twitter, is promoting his latest invention called THE SQUARE.

The Square is a small plug-in attachment to your mobile phone that allows you to receive credit card payments.

The idea originated from Dorsey's friend Jim McKelvey who was unable to sell some glass work to a customer because he couldn't accept a particular card being used.

Accepting credit card payments for something you're selling isn't always easy, especially if you are mobile like a tradesman, delivery service or a vendor at a trade show.

This latest invention uses a small scanner that plugs into the audio input jack on a mobile device.

It reads information on a credit card when it is swiped. The information is not stored on the device but is encrypted and sent over secure channels to banks.

It basically makes any mobile phone a cash register for accepting card payments.

As a payer, you receive a receipt via email that can be instantly accessed securely online. You can also use a text message to authorize payment in real time.

Retailers can create a payer account for their customers which accelerates the payment process.

For example, a cardholder can assign a photo to their card so their photo will appear on the phone for visual identity confirmation. Mobile devices with touch screens will also allow you to sign for goods.

There are no contracts, monthly fees, or hidden costs to accept card payments using Square and it is expected the plug-in attachment will also be free of charge.

A penny from every transaction will also be given to a cause of your choice.

As with Twitter, it's anticipated that Dorsey will direct the company based upon feedback from users.

Square Inc. has offices in San Francisco, Saint Louis and New York and is currently beta testing the invention with retailers in the United States.

Music only when you are listening

2012-10-15T03:15:00.002-07:00

Amazing,
technology is achieving new height each passing day. These earbuds automatially detect when you are not listening and automatically shuts off your mp3 player when you remove the earbuds. If you aren't listening, it's not playing.