SHOPPING: iPhone 5C And iPhone 5S Sale Indicates The Apple iPhone 6 Release Date Is Soon?

The iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S sale will drive the price down for those looking to buy now, but could Apple be hinting that the iPhone 6 release date is just around the corner?

In a related report by The Inquisitr, if you compare the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S against the Samsung Galaxy S5, Apple wins for durability — although the new smartphone is said to be quite an improvement over the Galaxy S4. Apple rumors also claimed the iPhone 6 release date would be in the first half of 2014, although other reports claim the iPhone 6 launch is likelier in the fall of 2014. The iPhone 6 screen might come in two sizes, similar to how Apple launched the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S simultaneously.

Besides hinting at an earlier iPhone 6 release date, it’s possible the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C might be planned partially because the iPhone 5C sales numbers have been far less than expected:

“Cupertino’s mindset was that the iPhone 5c could do what the iPod nano did back in the days when people still bought iPods: grab terrific sales figures while costing less to produce. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5s was meant to maintain the company’s hammerlock on the high-end market…. Quarterly reports from the artsy tech behemoth continually crow about overall iPhone sales, as well as the successes of the App Store. Asked about the iPhone 5c in January, though, CEO Tim Cook said only that “the mix [of iPhone 5s and 5c sales] was something very different than what we [had expected].”

Given the lack of the success of the iPhone 5C, it’s possible the iPhone 6 will not have a lower-costing version with a plastic case. Instead, it seems more likely they’ll make only one distinction by having a large and a normal sized smartphone.

Regardless of future plans, you just know that Apple wants to sell off as many iPhone 5C phones as they can before the next generation is released. Apple has already increased the buyback price for the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S, but now there will be a special iPhone 5C deal where you can trade in your old iPhone in order to upgrade to the current generation.

Perhaps because of these plans, Target is having its own iPhone 5C sale. Target will offer older iPhone users a trade-in credit up to $300 toward the purchase of an off-contract iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c, which cost $699.99 and $599.999 respectively. Target REDcard shoppers will receive a further discounts of five percent, which means you could get a iPhone 5S and or iPhone 5C for about half off. The only stipulation is that the old iPhone must be in good working order and the deal is available both in-store and online.

Do you think this iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C is heralding an earlier-than-expected iPhone 6 release date?

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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MOVIES: Is ‘Rambo 5’ About To Bring Back Sylvester Stallone?

Rambo 5 could be in the works, and might see Sylvester Stallone reprise his role of John Rambo once again. This character has come a long way from starting a war over something to eat, but the question is really whether or not Stallone can still handle the action role at his age.

John Rambo got his start as a Vietnam veteran returning home and getting into a militant scuffle with the local authorities. Since then, he has been pulled into action several times to fight other countries’ armies by himself. His only real rival at the box office in those days was Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose tough guy roles made him a star.

Recently the two have made a comeback, though not quite as action-intensive. The Expendables put them both back into the spotlight alongside newcomers Jason Statham and Jet Li, and Schwarzenegger has had some other films in recent years.

Rambo 5 could be a strain on Sylvester Stallone, 67, and he knows it. Much like his last film Rocky Balboa, he might be using a Rambo sequel to give his other iconic role a proper retirement, though some might argue he’s already done that.

The rumors are flying about the final chapter to the Rambo series after The Expendables producer Avi Lerner and Nu Image released the following statement to the press (translated from German):

“With ‘Rambo V’ Sylvester Stallone returns in his iconic role. This time he goes up against a Mexican cartel. Stallone, who has also written the screenplay, describes the new Rambo as his version of ‘No Country for Old Men.’ Like the last film, ‘Rambo V’ is produced by Avi Lerner (‘The Expendables 1-3′)”

Stallone may be back, but we probably shouldn’t expect too much action this time unless the story calls for him to train a team. If there is one thing we may have learned in the last few years, it’s that older actors can still pull off an action movie. Bruce Willis did well alongside John Malkovich in the RED films, the other collaborative effort that competed for the Expendables box office.

Rambo 5 may just be an action blockbuster to retire and possibly kill the character.

Could ‘Rambo 5′ see the death of John Rambo?

Previously opposed to the idea, Sylvester Stallone has turned his position around. He’s now excited about the idea of reprising the role one last time:

“I know there is [another story to tell]. It’s one thing where you lay down the final culmination of your life where you can articulate it, but also act on it where [Rambo] realizes what his destiny really is. It’s not to be a farmer, it’s not to be obscure; it’s to go out in a blaze of glory in a heroic fashion. But is he really doing it for himself or is he doing it because that’s just his id? That’s who he is.”

Rambo 5 could pit John Rambo against a Mexican cartel similar to The Expendables, and could see him killed in action. All we have are a couple of statements for now.

Would you be excited to see Sylvester Stallone play the role one last time?

[images via oneguyrambling, betweentheseats]
Benjamin Ekpenyong

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SPACE NEWS: Could Mars-bound Astronauts Face Serious Health Risks?

Big questions: Could Mars-bound Astronauts Face Serious Health Risks?

Scientists have been collecting data for years concerning people who have spent time up in space. Over the years, they have determined that during short-term stays of about six months have a definite physiological effect.

The immune system suffers when a person is isolated over time. This can cause astronauts to be more prone to infection by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Allergy symptoms may also increase. Because of this, astronauts headed to Mars will need to bring along heavy duty drugs that they would not mix together until they had arrived. (Sounds like a job for a good chemist?)

And it’s not just infections they’ll need those drugs for. Other aches and pains may also abound.

A common, early occurrence in 40 percent of all astronauts is space sickness — a form of motion sickness that is only experienced in space. The symptoms include nausea and vomiting, headaches, dizziness, and general weakness and discomfort. Usually this condition lasts only a few days as the astronaut adapts to the change in his environment.

The blood circulation during life in space begins to get used to flowing much more easily because gravity is not affecting its function. The heart beats faster and the blood pressure rises, causing astronauts to experience puffy faces, nasal congestion, and headaches. This also causes their legs to get thin, and as we now know may even lead to a stiffening of their arteries

A bit odder change occurs to the shape of red blood cells themselves. The shape becomes more spherical, and fewer cells remain within the bone marrow. The cell shape returns to normal once the astronaut returns to Earth. However, no studies of missions over a year long have been made, nor do we yet know how Martian gravity, which is less intense than Earth’s, will affect them.

The change in circulation and subsequent muscle loss, as well as bone loss over time, can be a cause for concern when considering a longer mission. The Mars-bound astronauts may need a ship that could somehow lessen the burden by producing artificial gravity, and be equipped with exercise gear meant to keep the limbs and body in shape. But that’s not the most pressing problem.

Without a shield to keep radiation bombardment from getting inside, any spacecraft sent to Mars might as well be considered a microwave oven considering how cooked the crew would be by the time they arrived. They will be likely to experience flashes of white-hot light behind their eyes along the way thanks to such unhealthy visitors as solar flares and cosmic rays. If they did manage to survive thanks to shielding, they might still be bombarded enough to eventually develop cancer, heart disease, and nerve or brain damage

Here is a video of NASA discussing the MAVEN mission and their thoughts on reaching Mars

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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TOP NEWS: Snoop Dogg sent custom cleats to Texas A&M (Photos)

Dec 31, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) speaks to fans after the game against Duke Blue Devils in the 2013 Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome. The Aggies won 52-48. (Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports)

Legendary west coast rapper Snoop Dogg (or is it still Lion?) has always been a big sports fan and has worn the gear of many teams across college football over the years. Recently, he has shown an affinity for the Texas A&M program and former quarterback Johnny Manziel, so it came as no surprise when Snoop sent pairs of his brand new adidas custom cleats to the Aggies over the weekend.

 

The cleats feature a pretty ferocious looking lion and Snoop’s signature. They are limited edition cleats that are apparently designed by Snoop himself.

 

“As an avid football fan, I’m excited about my cleat collab with adidas,” Snoop said in an adidas release. “The cleats are not only made for top performance, but specially designed by me – so get ready to be suited and booted, dipped and whipped like me.”

The cleats will hit stores in the Los Angeles area on June 27 and are $120.

Snoop’s son, Cordell Broadus, is the No. 2 prospect in Nevada for the 2015 class. A 6-foot-3 wide receiver, Broadus is ranked by Rivals as the No. 140 overall recruit in the country and is rated four stars. He holds scholarship offers from schools like Arizona State, Baylor, Cal, Florida State, LSU, Notre Dame, Tennessee, UCLA and USC.

I'd be willing to bet he has a pair of these cleats. 

For more Texas A&M news, visit AggieYell.com.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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SHOCKING NEWS: Company confuses Barack Obama with Chris Smalling on England team mug set (Photo)

Getty Images

It's been a forgettable World Cup for England on the pitch. Off the pitch, one company is having a forgettable few days as well, as they had hoped to cash in on a successful tournament for The Three Lions, as the Sunday Express notes.

Among the English World Cup merchandise an unnamed British company had created featuring the likenesses of the English soccer team were a set of mugs that included one glaring error. You could purchase a Steven Gerrard or Joe Hart or Wayne Rooney, among others, but if you’re a big Chris Smalling fan, you might notice something a tad off about his appearance.

Wholesale Clearance UK

U.S. President Barack Obama does not play center back for Manchester United or the English national team. Realizing its mistake, the company turned to online re-seller Wholesale Clearance UK to dump the error-filled inventory.
The item description explains what happened:

The Dorset company in question (whose blushes we shall protect for now....maybe!) was given the seemingly easy job of sourcing royalty free pictures of each England squad player to use on the England mugs – along with other accompanying items such as England coasters, England mouse mats etc.  They passed this onto to their young, bright eyed and bushy tailed new apprentice.  The designs were proofed and signed off by the Boss, who had clearly had a heavy night with the lads playing poker and before he’d had his first vat of coffee the following morning.

Due to our ongoing commitment to help local companies get their products noticed, last Wednesday 2,000 of each of the England items came into the warehouse.  We eagerly unpacked them and on close inspection it turned out that the Chris Smalling cup had Barack Obama’s head on instead of Chris’s.

The apprentice claims that he used that well known search engine, Google, to source the pictures. The thing is he’s more of a rugby fan and not very clued up on football.  Suffice to say that when he Google image searched ‘Chris Smalling’ he copied the first picture he liked the look of and the result was that the President of the United States has ended up on an England cup instead of the English defender.

So, if you would like to purchase 2,000 Obama England national team mugs, it will run you £2,000. They're bound to be collector's items by now.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK "Ronaldo breaks Americans' hearts after late U.S. lapse"

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo takes a shot during the group G World Cup soccer match between the United States and Portugal at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, Sunday, June 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

MANAUS, Brazil – It took Cristiano Ronaldo 94 minutes plus a heavy fistful of change before he showed the magic that makes him the world's best player. And the United States paid for it.

At the end of an exhilarating game the U.S. looked to have won thanks to a dramatic comeback, there was a final twist of the knife to come from the man who divides opinion like few others in soccer, but has unmistakable brilliance.

Love or hate him – and there will be at least a few U.S. fans reaching for their Ronaldo voodoo dolls right now – the fact is that he has the ability to turn a game on its head in a way few others can, except perhaps some guy called Messi.

That is what happened just at the moment the U.S. thought its job was done, leading 2-1 with nothing more than a few ticks on the clock, deep into injury time at the Arena da Amazonia.

Suddenly the ball was at Ronaldo's feet and he sprinted forward, catching the exhausted Americans flat-footed. You can't give Ronaldo a foot of space. Not even when he is struggling with a knee injury. Not even when he is at perhaps 80 percent capacity. Not even when you've shut him down for 90 minutes and more.

Portugal's Silvestre Varela (right) scores off a cross from Ronaldo. (AP)

His cross from the right was perfect, and Portugal sub Silvestre Varela had enough sap in his legs to find an ideal position and produce the header that broke U.S. hearts.

"We did such a good job on Ronaldo," defender Matt Besler said. "It is funny, the last play of the game he finally gets into open space, which he wasn't allowed all night. Instead of trying to take someone on one-on-one, he takes a touch and moves in a world-class ball."

The U.S. worked and fought with ferocity and tirelessness, never giving Ronaldo an inch. When he went to the right, Fabian Johnson stuck close to his flashing feet. When he switched left, DaMarcus Beasley and Jermaine Jones refused to buckle. When he ventured across the field, Kyle Beckerman was a constant shadow.

At different times and in different ways there were others getting in Ronaldo's way, nipping at his heels, blocking his path to goal, trying to anticipate his next feat of trickery.

Sure, Germany had managed it days earlier, but that was Germany – a machine built to deal with a brilliant individual opponent like no other. This was a U.S. lineup with seven players from Major League Soccer.

"We had an exquisite game plan [for Ronaldo] and I thought we executed it brilliantly," goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "Portugal didn't hurt us really."

Until that telling moment when they did.

Portugal is still alive, by a thread, and the Americans, having been so close to qualification they could taste it, find themselves with some more work to do.

Having been seconds away from having conquering Ronaldo, in the end the U.S. merely survived him.

That, for now, will have to do.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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NEW TECHNOLOGY: Honda, others recall another 2.9 million vehicles over air bag flaw

Car Industry Struggles To Solve Air Bag Explosions Despite Mass Recalls

TOKYO/DETROIT (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co and other Japanese automakers on Monday recalled more cars with potentially explosive air bags supplied by Takata Corp, bringing the total recall so far to around 10.5 million vehicles over the past five years.

The series of recalls cover both passenger-side and driver-side air bags, which the world's second-biggest automotive safety parts maker manufactured in 2000-02. The total ranks it among the five biggest recalls in the industry's history.

And the tally is expanding further as Nissan and Chrysler also on Monday recalled more vehicles in some high humidity regions in the United States, which they called "field action", at the request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to replace Takata air bag inflators.

Honda said it was recalling about 2.03 million vehicles globally over potentially flawed Takata air bag inflators made in 2000-02 with a risk of exploding and shooting out shrapnel at drivers and passengers, expanding a recall from April 2013. It cited how explosive material used to inflate Takata passenger-side air bags had been handled and processed in 2000-02 at plants in the United States and Mexico.

Nissan Motor Co said it would recall 755,000 vehicles worldwide, while Mazda Motor Corp said it would call back 159,807 vehicles, both also expanding April 2013 recalls.

Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada and Chief Operating Officer Stefan Stocker said the company was working with safety regulators and car makers. "We will aim to further strengthen our quality control system and work united as a company to prevent problems from happening again," they said in a statement.

A Takata spokeswoman said it was unclear what the financial impact of the recalls would be.
Separately, Nissan and Chrysler both said they are conducting regional recalls in the United States to replace Takata air bag inflators in certain vehicles in high humidity regions of Puerto Rico, Florida, Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.

Nissan said it is determining which models and how many vehicles are affected by the recall. A Chrysler spokesman said 2006 Dodge Charger was the affected model but the scope beyond that has not been determined.

TURNING OFF AIR BAGS
The recalls come as General Motors is under scrutiny over why it took more than a decade to discover a faulty ignition switch linked to at least 13 deaths.

Monday's global recalls by Honda, Mazda and Nissan follow Toyota's recall last week. Prior to Monday, the four Japanese car makers and BMW had recalled 7.6 million vehicles equipped with potentially defective air bags.

Short of Takata replacement parts, the automakers said they would turn off air bags in Japan as customers bring recalled vehicles into dealerships - judging that an inoperable passenger side air bag is safer than a potentially defective one.

In the United States, NHTSA opened a probe earlier this month on whether Takata inflators made after 2002 are prone to fail, and whether driving in high humidity contributes to the risk of air bag explosions.
In a June 11 letter to the NHTSA, Takata said it would support "regional campaigns" to replace certain driver-side air bag inflators made between January 2004 and June 2007, as well as certain passenger-side inflators made between June 2000 and July 2004. Takata said it believes these inflators were supplied to BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota for vehicles sold in the United States.

Takata said it will support the replacement of those inflators in vehicles in high humidity areas of Puerto Rico, Florida, Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.

But it did not admit that there is any "safety defect" in the air bags, saying currently available information does not indicate that.

Among previous large-scale global recalls, about 14 million Ford vehicles were affected over a 10-year period to 2009 over a faulty cruise control deactivation switch. From 2009, Toyota recalled more than 9 million vehicles related to unintended acceleration and, in 2012, recalled more than 7.4 million vehicles to fix power window switches.

(Additional reporting by Chang-ran Kim and Ritsuko Ando in Tokyo, Bernie Woodall in Detroit; Editing by Ian Geoghegan and Louise Heavens)

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Benjamin Ekpenyong

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