YouArm

Apple Removed Facebook Following Ping API Block

2010-09-21T17:02:00.000+01:00

In our hands-on with iTunes 10, we wondered if there was a reason for Facebook’s quick inclusion and exclusion from Ping since the social network launched yesterday. Per AllThingsD’s Kara Swisher, it turns out that it’s definitely the case: Apple pulled the plug on Facebook connectivity after the social networking site blocked Ping from accessing its API.

Typically, Facebook allows developers to freely access its API, but requires larger groups to enter an agreement on usage. Facebook and Apple had started negotiations, but hadn’t yet reached a final agreement.

Facebook still played a large role in the run-up to Ping–it was featured prominently in the screenshots during Apple’s press conference yesterday and immediately after iTunes 10 was made public, Ping still touted its ability to invite friends from Facebook.

Despite not having an agreement in place, Apple went ahead with plans to access Facebook’s API but the site blocked their requests. In response, Apple removed Facebook from Ping. Both companies are still in talks, but we can only assume that the negotiation process must be pretty awkward right now.

Google Maps for Mobile

2010-09-16T15:30:00.000+01:00

Google Maps for Mobile has a new feature that could help you get exactly where you want to be. Earlier this summer they introduced Expendable Map Ads that appeared in both applications and mobile web. This app provided a banner from paid advertisers that once clicked on, a user would see a map with options to call the business or get directions to it. The only thing that could have been a problem with that is the fact that locations were identified based on IP targeting.

However with Google Maps for Mobile, targeting capabilities will come from GPS and triangulation, just like regular Maps does. Another change is that the ads that will appear will be based on user search queries, thus make the experience more personalized. Once a user begins a search, a banner will appear allowing the searcher to click on it and then giving them the ability to call or get directions; the directions function will integrate into Google Navigation

HTC Desire Z priced at €549, £499, or £430, depending on where you look

2010-09-16T15:19:00.000+01:00

While not entirely relevant to our friends in the US of A, Amazon.de have now placed a price on the freshly announced HTC Desire Z.

And what is that price, I hear you ask? €549, which is currently about US$717. To put this into perspective, when the Desire (vanilla flavour) went up for pre-order on Amazon.de, it was €519.

But the story doesn’t end here, folks. Engadget have done a bit of legwork, and gone and found a few other price-points for this latest piece of kit: Amazon UK want £499 (US$777) for it, Play.com want £430 (US$670) for it, or £470 (US$732) for the Desire HD.

That’s great, but when will it be released? Geeze! What’s with all the questions!?

Well, again, it depends on where you look. Amazon say October 18th, but Play say October 11th. Looks like we’ll have to wait a wee bit longer for any official word on release. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting excited.

Video: $100 origami iPhone 4 stand is as neat as it is expensive

2010-09-16T15:12:00.000+01:00

If you’re good with your hands, have a $100 bill burning a hole in your wallet, a need to hold your iPhone 4 upright, and a spare 5 minutes 30 minutes hour or two, then you should definitely check out this video.

If you answered yes to everything but the $100 bill part, then you can still participate, but your friends won’t be as impressed by your wanton disregard for currency when you do this with a $1 bill.

iPad Debug Screen Shows “Video Call” Testing

2010-09-16T15:08:00.000+01:00

Video calls on the iPad? Whatever could that be? An unusually cropped image courtesy of 9to5mac shows us video call testing on the iPad which suggests that the iPad will soon have a front-facing camera and that Facetime is an inevitable juggernaut on all iOS devices.

My question is this: when are the rest of the manufacturers going to release Facetime clones? That they’ve been sitting on their hands for so long that I’m worried – and don’t tell me your Nokia had video chat way back in ought-three because no one cares. Popular video calling is what we’re talking about, not a hack.

Google Brings “Search-to-Store” to the Mobile Web

2010-09-15T20:55:00.001+01:00

Cloud Net, Mobile VoIP on Blackberry and CounterPath All in One Day

2010-09-14T14:06:00.000+01:00

First was the story about a startup in the UK called CloudNet which trickled into the mailbox over the weekend. Cloudnet is offering a 14 day trial (with the purchase of the mobile app) of a mobile PBX play with an app for iPhones and iPads that ties into a backend PBX.

Next was Om's post about Mobile VoIP coming to the RIM Blackberry. There's only one catch, the TringMe service only works on pre BB 5.0 devices. That's fine, but I already have Wi-Fi calling on my current release OS using T-Mobile's UMA capabilities and I don't have to go backwards.

Last up in the space was news from client CounterPath. They announced a deal with with NEC Unified Solutions which Fierce VoIP's Mike Dolan made his lead story of the day. In a nutshell, the NEC Smart Mobile Client brings to the mobile world full functionality of an extension on the NEC communication servers offering customers full access to a company's communications network when on the move

Google Adsense edit feature to posts and comments on Mobile Buzz

2010-09-14T13:51:00.000+01:00

For all you buzz users out there (yes, they do exist), Google has added the ability to edit comments and posts to the mobile version. Mobile users will now see an “edit” button, which you can use to edit posts and comments like you’ve been doing on the desktop all along. So, feel free to make as many errors as you’d like, because you can go back and fix every last one of them.

A-rival NAV PNX 35M works great for cars and bikes

2010-09-13T13:38:00.000+01:00

GPS navigation systems are more often than not divided into 3 segments - for walking, for driving and for those who prefer going around on bikes. Well, A-rival of Germany has blurred the lines between the latter two, thanks to the new NAV PNX 35M dual purpose GPS navigation system which can be used in your car or on your motorcycle. With a specially designed casing, mounting parts, display, and color scheme which can be customized, it will be at home on the handlebar or on your dashboard, boasting an anti-reflective 3.5-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity for those who prefer bikes over cars, IPX7-protection for waterproof use under the rain, all running on the SiRF Atlas IV processor, MS CE Net 6.0 OS and GPS receiver with 64 channels. No idea on its pricing though.

Samsung Fascinate arriving in Verizon stores, early September launch seems a given

2010-09-13T13:34:00.000+01:00

Lest all the paper-based leaks weren't sufficient evidence for you, we've now got ourselves an insider at one of Verizon's brick-and-mortar outlets informing us that Fascinate launch kits are being distributed. VZW is said to be training up its staff (presumably that involves more than just pointing out where the above puzzle piece should go) and the whole thing's looking "right on track" for the mooted early September launch. So that basically gives us about a week's time to kill with 21:9 HDTVs, 3D prototypes, slinky tablets, and whatever else we can find at IFA. We might just be able to manage it

Wrigleyville is a big ol' wireless hotspot

2010-09-07T15:16:00.001+01:00

This morning, AT&T announced that its 3rd Wi-Fi hotzone in the U.S., a large area of free Wi-Fi, will be located in Wrigleyville.

This comes on the heels of previous announcements in New York and Charlotte.

According to AT&T, the Wrigleyville Wi-Fi hotline will complement the mobile broadband experience for AT&T customers who use Wi-Fi enabled devices while in the neighborhood.

The new Wi-Fi hotzone provides coverage along the streets and in the outdoor areas of Wrigleyville on the south, east and west sides of Wrigley Field.

And the best part? It's up and running right now.

AT&T is pushing Wi-Fi, stressing its tremendous growth recently on mobile phones. In the second quarter 2010, AT&T handled 68.1 million Wi-Fi connections on its network, compared to just 15 million in the same quarter last year. Customers have made 121.2 million connections in the first half of 2010, already far surpassing the 85.5 million connections made in all of 2009.

And as iPhone users know, a little less pressure on AT&T's 3G network is never a bad thing.

Have you had a chance to connect to the new hotline? Will you change your browsing habits because of it? Let me know on Twitter at @iptib or in the comments.

iPhone Speed Trap Apps Compete for Space on Your iPhone

2010-09-07T14:12:00.000+01:00

This is the advantage of a socially based app that is free (Trapster) vs. a paid application (NMobile). Trapster has more users, who have contributed more contributed user content than NMobile.

Although NMobile displayed its lack of content during our tests ,it shines in features when compared to Trapster. NMobile uses Microsoft Virtual Earth Web Services (VEWS), giving iPhone users (and developers) an alternative to Google Maps. VEWS works well, and NMobile allows you to control and manipulate the map using touch gestures. This feature makes the app's "Browse Mode" possible, because it allows users to check an area for speed traps and red light cameras, etc. by panning and zooming in/out on the displayed map.

While the app is in "Alert Mode." drivers are alerted to speed traps and other events audibly based on different criteria. These criteria are based on the app's Active Intelligence Selection System, which shows the most relevant trap based on speed, distance from the trap, direction of travel and time of day. Drivers are alerted about how far away from the trap they are so they can plan accordingly.

Once a driver is alerted, he or she can use the app to submit the trap as new or reverify a previously reported trap. Traps can also be reported via a website on a users laptop or desktop later. This is a good feature if you consider manipulating the screen while driving might prove hazardous in some driving conditions.

The app also prevents the iPhone from falling asleep and locking the screen. This feature is nice, but should be used only when the iPho plugged into a car charger, as the battery drain is significant. This presents another problem in which we noted that our iPhone became hot to the touch. It would be better if this feature were optional.

Most users would be better served by Trapster than NMobile, largely due to the fact that Trapster has more documented speed traps. Trapster also allows you to optionally leave the screen active saving power. NMobile definitely had the best mapping experience, and allows viewing of the map in portrait or landscape modes which Trapster does not support.

'Halo: Reach' wakes up a little in latest spot

2010-09-06T13:18:00.000+01:00

After releasing some ominous (and really quite boring) videos the other day, the Halo: Reach marketing team has finally given us a trailer packed with aliens, explosions, jetpacks and firefights. Check it out below, along with previous ads for the game after the jump. Shot in Prague, this new clip was created by director Noam Murro and agencytwofifteen, which describes the spot as "a glimpse into the type of courage and heroism that will be required of all soldiers during the battle of Reach." Pretty impressive, but the agency's earlier work for the Halo franchise set the bar so high, this preview comes off as a bit underwhelming. I still prefer the adrenaline overload of the Halo: ODST trailer or the similar live-action, street-level carnage from Ghost Recon 2. The problem with the Reach ads is that they separated the exposition from the action, creating clips that have trouble telling the story, whether viewed together or apart. That said, Halo continues to serve as the gold standard for game marketing, and everyone involved deserves kudos for bringing so much intellect to a game whose plot seems to revel in making no sense whatsoever.

An Add On to Your Reconsideration Letters

2010-09-06T13:12:00.000+01:00

I've been meaning to mention this for weeks but only got to it today. Not that it is not important but the memory seems to be slipping somewhat.

Credit card companies not only earn fees for late payments, interest on unpaid balances but also collect from the merchant every time you use your credit card. It can cost the merchant anywhere from 1% to 6% in merchant fees for accepting credit cards. The larger the store, the lower the fee, but it is still all income to the credit card company.

When you send a reconsideration letter after receiving a denial why not remind them of the merchant fees that will be missing out on by declining your application.

So your request for reconsideration would be based on:

1. I have NEVER BEEN LATE with a payment.
2. Been gainfully employed for ______ consecutive years.
3. Have a credit score of ______ which I know is in the Good range as I check my credit regularly
4. I'll take a small credit limit to prove my worth to you.
5. Think of the merchant fees you'll be missing out on by not approving my application?

Build a strong case for approval and they will come your way.

Nokia’s Ovi Gets An Odd Exclusive On X Factor Mobile App

2010-09-05T14:20:00.000+01:00

Most media owners are strong believers in a strategy of “any-and-every-platform” ubiquity.

But, for this season’s mobile strategy, the makers of the UK’s popular X Factor TV show are launching an “exclusive” app only on Nokia’s Ovi store.

It’s more than just an exclusive window - producer TalkbackThames and broadcaster ITV (LSE: ITV) confirmed to paidContent:UK they will not launch equivalent apps for the more popular iOS or Android.

It’s doubtless a coup for Nokia (NYSE: NOK), which is playing catch-up to Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and has lost even the “challenger” mantle to smartphones packing Android. And it comes as Nokia prepares to retail the N8, its next flagship handset, on which it is betting its comeback.

But the show itself, the huge music talent contest run by Simon Cowell, could doubtless have reached a wider mobile audience by embracing those other two platforms.

The official X Factor app, launching on Ovi on Friday, will include news, video, photos, Facebook and Twitter integration and competitions.

Nokia ended its three-year sponsorship of the TV show in 2007, when Carphone Warehouse took the mantle and nevertheless used it to promote Nokia’s Comes With Music service.

Nokia has been doing an awareness campaign for Ovi for the last month or two, including TV ads.

Ovi claimed “more than 13,000 content items (including apps)” in June. Apple said yesterday there have been 6.5 billion downloads from iTunes Store to date.

Fundraisers for Thomas Yearsley

2010-09-05T14:13:00.000+01:00

Thomas Yearsley, founding bass player for the Paladins, suffered misfortune Monday night and faces the medical-insurance woes of far too many working musicians. Click here to go to a site set up to help him get on his feet financially — and catch some music at a number of benefit shows.

“Thomas Yearsley, longtime bass player of The Paladins, was hit by a train on the evening of August 16 while trying to save his dog from the same,” reports the Help Thomas Yearsley site. “He was Life-Flighted away to Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., although he should be discharged by now. He suffered a broken leg and other injuries; unfortunately his dog Swango didn’t survive.

“The biggest portion of the costs are the Life-Flight trip and the work that he will lose for the next few weeks. Like most musicians, Thomas is without insurance. Please help out with a donation if you can. Any amount will help.”

The site currently lists two benefit shows Sept. 10 and Oct. 15 at Oceanside, Calif.’s, Royal Dive, with a third tentatively scheduled for November.

Dragon Age: Origins Final Chapter Coming!

2010-09-05T14:03:00.000+01:00

Morrigan’s just desserts are about to be served.

Bioware’s hit RPG, Dragon Age: Origins, has seen a lot of expansions since the release of the debut game, and they’ve ranged from okay (Return to Ostagar) to meh (Leiliana’s Song). But really… if there’s any loose end worth chasing down post A.D. (Arch Demon), it’s… finding out where your dog went. NO! Obviously that’s the issue of SPOILER ALERT the fate of Morrigan and her (your) baby. For the benefit of those who didn’t play it (you should have, really)- things happened and you ended up bedwrestling with the Claudia Black-voiced enchantress and conceiving a child. No ordinary child this, but a child with the soul of an ancient god. After the final battle with the Darkspawn, Morrigan left and was never seen again.

Well, till now. Or, will be. Witch Hunt, the final DLC chapter of Dragon Age: Origins prior to Dragon Age 2, will tie up this hanging thread and reveal what happened to Morrigan, her child and what YOU as the Grey Warden Hero, are going to do about it. Will you reconcile and live happily ever after? Or will this all end in tears and bloodstains?

I absolutely loved DAO, so I’ll be picking this up posthaste once it releases on September 7 on both the PSN and Xboxlive Network for about $7. Till then, keep those Dragon Age save files ready!

Bad Girls ROCK! Juri Han Artworks

2010-09-05T13:53:00.000+01:00

A bored Juri looking down on someone she just flattened.

I haven’t drawn much recently save the occasional sketch on my iPad, so it’s quite a pleasant surprise for me to suddenly find myself actually producing a couple of full-color artworks out of the blue. Anyway, here are a couple of portraits of Super Streetfighter IV’s resident bad girl, Juri Han, sporting her cow-hair ‘do and leprous evil eye, looking mean and nasty and ready to kick Interpol police girls in the chest. I’ll try to do more game artworks when I can, to supplement the other blogging I do around here. Who knows, maybe I can pull off some Tekken X Streetfighter action scenes while I’m at it. We’ll see.

A very nasty but also very cartoony-looking Juri. I blame watching too many Shank videos for that…

Mind your Immune System

2010-09-04T20:18:00.000+01:00

Another significant piece in the mind-body puzzle comes from this new study where obsessive-compulsive behavior in mice was cured by a bone marrow transplant.

A rare form of a genetic disorder in mice causes a “hair pulling” disorder, very similar to its human counterpart trichotillomania. In their new findings published in Cell, Mario Capecchi and his team at Salt Lake City, Utah found that the basis of this psychological aberration was a reduced population of microglia, which are the immune system cells in the brain. These cells have been long known to be the brain’s scavenger system, playing a vital role in clearing breakdown products and microbes, but its surprising that its depletion leads to a specific form of behavioral disorder.

The genetic mutation responsible was pinpointed to the Hox8 gene, which belongs to a family of genes that determine body plan and architecture in all vertebrates, apart from regulating development and growth of organs. The brain microglia cells are thought to originate from the bone marrow, and are the only brain cells that express this gene — thus they are thought to play a key role in the brain’s development.

The study found that if bone marrow containing Hox8 expressed stem cells (early forms which give rise to microglia) were transplanted to affected mice, their hair pulling disorder was cured within four months. By contrast when bone marrow from affected mice was transplanted into normal ones, the disorder appeared in normal ones.

Apart from the fact that this is the world’s first reported behavior transplant, this finding is an important landmark in our understanding of the genetic basis of behavior. To what extent are our behaviors pre-determined by our immune system and our mine interconnected? To what extent does a malfunction of one lead to problems with the other?

Another Health Halo Shattered – Bottled Teas Contain Virtually no Antioxidants

2010-09-04T19:56:00.000+01:00

Tea is the world’s most widely consumed beverage, not coffee. Just in the US, the market last year stood at $7 Billion in sales of tea bags and bottles, including iced tea. The industry has quadrupled itself since the early 1990’s partly due to the health halo tea , and especially green tea, enjoy. Scientists discovered that tea contains antioxidants called polyphenols that may reduce risks of heart disease, cancer, and other maladies.

Unfortunately, a study presented this weekend at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society revealed that bottled tea contains very low levels of polyphenols compared to tea brewed at home:

“Consumers understand very well the concept of the health benefits from drinking tea or consuming other tea products,” said Shiming Li, Ph.D., who reported on the new study with Professor Chi-Tang Ho and his colleagues. “However, there is a huge gap between the perception that tea consumption is healthy and the actual amount of the healthful nutrients — polyphenols — found in bottled tea beverages. Our analysis of tea beverages found that the polyphenol content is extremely low.” read more…

Just how low were the levels of polyphenols in the bottled tea products? Testing 6 different brands, a 16 ounce bottle contained on average less than 30mg, or 15mg per cup. That’s compared to a home brewed cup of tea with 50-150mg. Some bottled teas contained less than 2mg per cup.

Why such a difference? Polyphenols in tea tend to “evaporate” once the tea leaves are brewed or otherwise processed, at home as well. In addition,

“Polyphenols are bitter and astringent, but to target as many consumers as they can, manufacturers want to keep the bitterness and astringency at a minimum,” Li explained. “The simplest way is to add less tea, which makes the tea polyphenol content low, but tastes smoother and sweeter.”

Once again we see how clever marketing trumps health and nutrition.

What to do at the supermarket:

Consider any non-water drink as a treat rather than a necessary hydration vehicle. That way you won’t be expecting any health benefits and won’t need to read health claims marketing claims that dupe you into shelling out money for something that is not.

As it relates to brewed tea, it doesn’t get much easier – boil some water, pour into your favorite mug, dunk in your favorite flavored tea (Earl Grey anyone?) and enjoy. Oh, and you can add your own sugar in sane amounts.

Sony to Release 3D VAIO in Spring 2011

2010-09-04T15:58:00.001+01:00

Well what do we have here? It’s a Sony VAIO 3D prototype hanging out on the show floor at this year’s IFA conference in Berlin. Sony has stated that they’re going to release a 3D VAIO notebook in Spring 2011, and this prototype, spotted by Engadget, gives us the first idea of what it might look like. It’ll sport a 240Hz LCD screen and work with the Sony Bravia 3D shutter glasses thanks to a built-in IR blaster (unlike last year’s ASUS G51J 3D, which has an external module). The laptop on display had a 16-inch 16:9 screen, so it sounds like Sony is thinking big for its iteration of 3D.

VeggieTales Has a Sweet Message and Entertainment for Kids

2010-09-04T11:40:00.001+01:00

In contrast to the many kids' shows today that focus on stardom, looks, and sarcastic wit, a recent DVD from VeggieTales takes a few epitomic princess stories and turns them inward, to focus on the heart. VeggieTales: Sweetpea Beauty - A Girl After God's Own Heart uses colorful animation and the beloved Veggies to tell a story that entertains kids as it teaches that true beauty comes from the heart, and that we are all uniquely beautiful as we are, because that's how God made us.

For those who are fans of VeggieTales, this sweet new addition to the VeggieTales DVD collection will not disappoint. And for those who aren't yet familiar with the series, VeggieTales DVDs use animated stories to help kids learn how biblical lessons relate to their own lives. For those families who teach the Bible, or for those who want positive messages for kids and don't mind a few religious references, VeggieTales is a great line of Children's DVDs to check out.

Farmville Game for Apple iPhone

2010-09-02T15:43:00.000+01:00

FarmVille, the most popular game of all times in Facebook, having more than 60 million active fans per month now goes to iPhone platform. It is now available on App store for purchase.

The developer Zynga has made a very wise step by entering Apple games area at the very perfect time. On the anniversary of Farmville game and the hot release of iPhone 4.

It is already estimated that Zynga will make incredible amount of money by Farmville iPhone game. Overall, if you are a fan and also an iPhone owner, go and buy this game now at App store.

Free Identity For Theft Protection Companies

2010-09-02T15:38:00.000+01:00

Protecting and monitoring identity theft has become a big business. Simply Google "identity theft protection" and you'll find dozens of business outfits offering to protect your all too important identity for a measly $10, $12, or $20 per month.

What will they protect? Sometimes, that is not clear. Dig a little deeper and you'll find that each of them tend to have similar claims as to how your identity will be blanketed with protection if you subscribe to their service.

What you may not know (and they probably don't want you to know), is that you have the power to do what they can. "And how much will it cost me?" you may ask. Nada!

Let's go through each of benefits that these identity theft protection companies typically offer you and highlight how you can do the same for free with little effort required.

Benefit #1: Free credit reports

Credit reports are an important way to see if any accounts have been opened in your name or credit inquiries have been made on your social security number. The identity protection companies will send you these as part of your service.

Free Alternative: You can get three free credit reports annually from the U.S. government-backed annualcreditreport.com.

Benefit #2: Free credit fraud protection alerts to all 3 credit bureaus

You can add a fraud alert message to your credit report to help protect your credit information. Fraud alert messages notify potential credit grantors to verify your identification before extending credit in your name in case someone is using your information without your consent.

Free Alternative: You can do this for free every 90 days. You simply do it with one of the three credit bureaus, and they alert the other two. Here's the link to Experian's fraud alert.

Benefit #3: Removal from junk mail lists

With less junk mail, there is less opportunity for your identity to be stolen via mail fraud.

Free Alternative: You can do this for free at optoutprescreen.com.

Benefit #4: Stolen wallet or purse protection services

The ID theft companies claim they will work with your card providers to ensure your cards aren't being used.

Free Alternative: Make a photocopy of the backs of all your cards and call the companies yourself if your wallet or purse is stolen. The odds are you will do this immediately anyway, versus waiting around for a third party to do it for you.

Benefit #5: Credit score monitoring

Some (not all) identity protection companies offer credit score monitoring. The ones that do are usually higher priced.

Free Alternative: There is no free solution to credit score monitoring. Some companies may offer you a free credit score, but you usually end up paying a monthly subscription shortly after if you don't cancel their service. The thing is, you don't really need monthly credit score monitoring. You really only need to know your credit score in anticipation of a big credit event, i.e., taking out a mortgage on a house or loan on a car. If you are paying for this every month, you are wasting money.

Benefit #6: $1 million insurance against identity theft losses

Free Alternative: It has been debated whether or not ID theft companies really back up this promise. One thought is that they know if you do all of the above, it's rare that you will ever see identity theft losses. Another thought is that their disclaimers are so heavy that they would never pay for actual losses (and there are class action lawsuits out there that add substance to this claim).

All you need to use all of the above methods is a calendar to keep track of when you should be doing them.

Progressively safer streams of income

2010-09-02T15:13:00.000+01:00

It’s bad enough to initially depend on just one source of income, but it’s even worse to not invest it or diversify it such that you protect it over time. In other words, there is more than one way to diversify your income.

(1) You can diversify your sources of income so that you have, say, two or three jobs
(2) You can diversify the ways in which you earn income

It’s better to go with the second option, even though, strictly speaking, it can be considered a version of the first.

You can work three jobs if you want. That will definitely give you three different sources of income. If you get laid off at one place, you’ll still have the other two jobs. It’s great to keep your options open, after all. Maybe you’re moving up at one place and you want to give it some time.

But working three jobs is really no different than just working more hours at the same job. You’re still a rat running on the wheel – just a bigger wheel, and you’re running faster, or for a longer period of time, and you get a bigger piece of cheese to take home.

What you really need to do is slowly outsource your own income stream.

Progressively safer streams of income

.
1. Invest in high yielding dividend stocks that grow their dividends yearly.
2. Reinvest a portion of the dividends into more high-yield stocks.
3. Use the other portion to pay current bills (and debt servicing if you have it)
4. Repeat by reinvesting proceeds into a different asset class: real estate with cashflow.
5. Repeat by reinvesting remainder of RE cashflow into another class: a business of your own, for example.

You may want to change the exact order and the benchmarks at which you would buy an investment property, for example, but the idea is generally the same. Protect your investment income by diverting it into different asset classes with (ideally) less risk.

Your day job is the most risky form of income. Not only do you have just one, but you have to pay with your time and energy just to get a return. You need to take that most highest level of risky income and lock it in to less risky streams, like dividends. I think these are actually less risky than starting a business on the side, because that’s just going to take up more of your precious energy in the beginning. Some can do it – for various reasons. I think starting a business is an excellent idea, but I think you can get more leverage in the beginning with juicy dividend growers.

On this model, the more that your day job kills you, the more you should try to save as much of that money as possible and convert it into another, less taxing, source of income. Do the same with your high-yield stocks. Precisely because they are high-yield (especially if the payout ratio is high, or they’re high yielding because of a recent price drop), you’ll want to redirect those dividends into forms of money with less velocity, like the money market or a bond fund. Then I’d get out of the corporate sphere altogether and create my own source of cashflow by buying an investment property and renting it out.

If you have enough income right now, perhaps you can skip these steps and just purchase your rental property right away. But the idea is the same. Recycle that money into a system that can be set on automatic, but wherein your money cycles through progressively lower levels of risk (you can do the work to determine the order of risk for each opportunity). Once that’s done you can focus on how to increase it the velocity of these cycles of money.