19-year-old entrepreneur Eric Simons spent two months secretly living at AOL's Palo Alto, Calif. campus, sleeping each night on a couch like this one. (Credit: Eric Simons) It was 6 a.m. when Eric Simons was jolted awake by the yelling. After working until 4 a.m, the 19-year-old entrepreneur had finally passed out. A few hours of sleep would help with the day ahead. But unlike most people working at AOL's Palo Alto, Calif., campus who were surely still hours from showing up at the sprawling complex, Simons was already there. He'd been living there for two months, hiding out at night on couches, eating the company's food, and exercising and showering in its gym. And now, with an angry security guard bellowing at him, it ... Continue reading →
Sounds bars are great, but many of them have issues that are seldom mentioned. Sound bars are an excellent compromise between shelling out for an expensive surround sound system and settling for the tinny sound from your TV's built-in speakers, but that doesn't mean they're perfect. In fact, sound bars have quite a few real-world problems and limitations that are often glossed over, only to rear their heads after you've got it set up at home. Here's what you should know before you make the jump to buy a sound bar. 1. The sound bar might block your TV's remote sensor Glitzy product photos often show sound bars wall-mounted right below a TV, but most people place their sound bar on their TV stand. That ... Continue reading →
The discussion on today’s Money 101 with Bob McCormick will include: Forget “Angry Birds!” We look at educational smartphone games for young people at 9:30am We’re throwing you a life raft if you’re underwater in your home, beginning at 9:47am Back pain doesn’t have to be such a pain — in the wallet! A noted spinal expert guests. The experts will take your calls today from 9-11am at (888) 539-2980. Listen to the show on KFWB NEWS TALK 980 or click here to listen online. (AP Photo) (AP) — Phillip Phillips, a bluesy Georgia guitar man, was crowned the new “American Idol” on Wednesday after defeating teenager Jessica Sanchez in record viewer voting. He was the fifth male “Idol” winner in a row. Phillips, 21, ... Continue reading →
BOSTON -- Is Netflix a friend or foe to the traditional cable TV companies? Cox Communications CEO Patrick Esser says it's a "frenemy." There's no question that Netflix and other over-the-top Internet-based video services have shaken things up for traditional TV distributors and content owners. But is Netflix destroying the cable industry's business model? Cox's Esser acknowledged Wednesday during a panel discussion at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association's Cable Show that there are times when Netflix may compete for an audience with cable TV providers. But as a broadband provider, he also said it was a very important service to his customers, and therefore it's important to him. "In the month of March, 40 percent of our customers had streamed Netflix content," he said. ... Continue reading →
The full display of Ladyada's Workshop, a proposed Lego set intended to show that girls can be hackers and makers, and not just stick to stereotyped gender roles. (Credit: Adafruit Industries/Bruce Lowell) For Limor Fried, a hardware hacker and leader in the booming maker and do-it-yourself movements, there was never a question of waiting for someone else to jump in and do a better job of inspiring girls than Lego has done with its widely-panned Lego Friends set. The product was featured on the cover of Bloomberg Business Week last year and drew worldwide attention as the global toy company's first major attempt at showcasing girls in a new set. Still, many Lego fans were upset that the company had focused on well-worn stereotypes and ... Continue reading →
