Not Ready for iPhone 5? Upgrade Offers Some New Tricks

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444450004578004330637758200.html?mod=djemTECH_t

The good news for plenty of current iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users pondering buying the new iPhone 5 is that they'll get many of the 200 new features in Apple's free update for mobile software, iOS 6, available on Wednesday.

The good news for current iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users is that they will get many of the 200 new features in Apple's update for mobile software. iOS 6, Katie Boehret discusses on digits. Photo: Apple.

I've compiled a handful of the most significant features you'll get with the iOS software update, which I tested on the iPhone 5 and the newest iPad. Some older devices won't be able to use all of these features and one feature will work only on the iPhone 5: taking a still photo while recording a video. Here are some highlights of the new features. There are many more features too numerous to mention.

Related

•  Live: Apple's New iPhone
• Walt Mossberg reviews the new iPhone 5

Finally, the iPhone can let its owners sleep at night—with options. Until now, the iPhone's silencing switch turned off all sounds with no alternatives. This meant that people who wanted to turn off alert sounds for Facebook notifications and incoming emails while they slept had to give up receiving phone calls in the middle of the night from, say, a relative having an emergency.

The Do Not Disturb feature (turned on in Settings and adjusted in Settings, Notifications) turns off all sounds but can make exceptions. If you want to be notified whenever one of your favorite contacts calls you, the phone will ring. Another optional feature of Do Not Disturb lets calls ring through if a person calls twice in a row within three minutes. Do Not Disturb can be set to work on a daily schedule, like from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., so you don't have to remember to turn it on. People who are trying to maintain separate work and personal lives may even set this to work after they leave the office, only allowing calls from certain groups (like family and close friends) to ring between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.

If your phone's silent switch is on, the phone won't make noise no matter how Do Not Disturb is set.

The Panorama feature in Camera works on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and newest iPod touch.

Panorama

Related Video

Apple shares climbed above $700 for the first time ever, hitting the psychologically significant mark one day after reporting iPhone 5 pre-orders topped two million on the first day of availability. Steven Russolillo reports on digits.

Apple's iPhone 5 set a record over the weekend, confirming strong interest in the new version of the popular smartphone. Drew FitzGerald reports on Markets Hub. Photo: Getty Images.

In iOS 6, Apple (as it often does) took a feature that's already available in many smartphones and made it a lot simpler to use: capturing panoramic photos. In Camera, select Options at the top center of the screen and choose Panorama. A small on-screen diagram will appear to guide you as you click the shutter button once and pan the phone from left to right, following an on-screen arrow along a center line. Panorama works on the iPhone 4S and 5, as well as the newest iPod touch.

Better Sharing

IOS 6 has improved sharing in two significant ways: It's now integrated with Facebook and enables sharing directly from the places where people think about sharing. You can share to Facebook using various tools such as the Notification Center screen (pull this down from the top of the screen and select Tap to Post in Facebook); using Siri (tap and hold the Home button before saying, "Post to Facebook"); or by clicking a share button (a square with an arrow) on nearly any screen—including photos.

Apple

Siri now works on the newest versions of the iPad and iPod touch, and can do more things, like launch apps.

Until now, iOS forced people to open Facebook, select Photo in the app and then choose an image to share. Now, people can tap the share button while looking at a specific photo and send that photo out to Facebook.

Likewise, you can now add photos or videos to emails as you're composing them—not by starting with photos. This is something people naturally do on their desktops as they add photos or videos to emails. Do this by tapping anywhere on the screen in the body of the email to see the Select, Select All, Paste options appear. Then tap on the right arrow and select Insert Photo or Video.

App Store

Photos: Apple Fever

From new products to new stores, see past incidences of Apple fever.

Beck Diefenbach /Reuters

Members of the media photographed the iPhone 5 during Apple's media event in San Francisco on Sept. 12.

While Apple's App Store now holds 700,000 apps, the revamped App Store app for iOS doesn't look overcrowded thanks to a more organized layout. Search results appear in card format, one per screen. By swiping one app to the left, another appears. Developer information, reviews from other users and screen shots of the app appear in a helpful, methodical format. While the old App Store forced people to scroll down a lot, this App Store makes better use of the horizontal plane. It does a better job of displaying Genius, a feature that suggests apps you might like according to those you've purchased.

Maps

Apple is now shipping its own Maps app, replacing Google's Maps app on devices receiving the update. This app takes some getting used to, and its maps appear a bit more zoomed in, overall.

But its turn-by-turn directions (available on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 2 or later) will be a big help for people who want a hands-free option for driving: Just plug in your destination address, pick a route and tap start to hear navigation instructions announced out loud as you drive. The text of the directions still appears on the device's lock screen, in case you put it down and it locks and you need to quickly glance at the next step.

Siri

Apple's voice assistant, Siri, has been updated to do more and now works on the latest-model iPad and iPod touch as well as the iPhone 4S and 5. Siri can now open apps and do more with them; I composed a Facebook message and never touched any keys. But it still has its inaccuracies: In a quiet office, I said, "Launch Google Plus," which Siri interpreted as "Lunch Google Plus," and then said, "I found 15 lunch restaurants, 11 are fairly close to you." This is a failed experience that happens all too often.

Freedom from Wi-Fi

Now, the FaceTime video chats you make on iOS can be conducted over cellular, not just WiFi. This works on the iPhone 4S and 5, as well as the newest iPad, so long as it has cellular data capability.

Love and Live Today and Put Aside Regret Over Yesterday and Fear of Tomorrow.

http://www.thestationessay.com/

THE STATION

By Robert J. Hastings

         TUCKED AWAY in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves
on a long journey that spans an entire continent. We're traveling by train and, from the
windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at
crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row
upon row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and
village halls.

    But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final destination--for at a certain hour and on a
given day, our train will finally pull into the Station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands
playing. And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true. So restlessly, we
pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the Station.

    "Yes, when we reach the Station, that will be it!" we promise ourselves. "When we're
eighteen. . . win that promotion. . . put the last kid through college. . . buy that 450SL
Mercedes-Benz. . . have a nest egg for retirement!"

    From that day on we will all live happily ever after.

    Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no Station in this life, no one earthly
place to arrive at once and for all. The journey is the joy. The Station is an illusion--it
constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's a memory, tomorrow's a dream. Yesterday belongs to a
history, tomorrow belongs to God. Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only
today is there light enough to love and live.

    So, gently close the door on yesterday and throw the key away. It isn't the burdens of today
that drive men mad, but rather regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and
fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.

    "Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is
the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

     So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, swim more rivers, climb more
mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. Go barefoot oftener.
Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we
go along. The Station will come soon enough.

Interesting Information

If you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on the right side of your mouth.
If you are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on the left side of your mouth.
To make half a kilo of honey, bees must collect nectar from over 2 million individual flowers
Heroin is the brand name of morphine once marketed by 'Bayer'.
Tourists visiting Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an insult!
People in nudist colonies play volleyball more than any other sport ..
Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined.
Astronauts can't belch - there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs.
Ancient Roman, Chinese and German societies often used urine as mouthwash.
The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. In the Renaissance era, it was fashion to shave them off!
Because of the speed at which Earth moves around the Sun, it is impossible for a solar eclipse to last more than 7 minutes and 58 seconds.
The night of January 20 is "Saint Agnes's Eve", which is regarded as a time when a young woman dreams of her future husband.
Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros ..
It takes glass one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite amount of times!
Gold is the only metal that doesn't rust, even if it's buried in the ground for thousands of years .
Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end .
If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. When a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.
Each year 2,000,000 smokers either quit smoking or die of tobacco-related diseases.
Zero is the only number that cannot be represented by Roman numerals
Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers.
The song, Auld Lang Syne, is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year.
Drinking water after eating reduces the acid in your mouth by 61 percent
Peanut oil is used for cooking in submarines because it doesn't smoke unless it's heated above 450?F
The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.
Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean
The banana cannot reproduce itself. It can be propagated only by the hand of man
Airports at higher altitudes require a longer airstrip due to lower air density
The University of Alaska spans four time zones
The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot heal itself.
In ancient Greece , tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it meant she accepted.
Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song Happy Birthday.
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
A comet's tail always points away from the sun
The Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 caused more death and illness than the disease it was intended to prevent
Caffeine increases the power of aspirin and other painkillers, that is why it is found in some medicines.
The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armor raised their visors to reveal their identity.
If you get into the bottom of a well or a tall chimney and look up, you can see stars, even in the middle of the day.
When a person dies, hearing is the last sense to go. The first sense lost is sight
In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they were unarmed
Strawberries are the only fruits whose seeds grow on the outside
Avocados have the highest calories of any fruit at 167 calories per hundred grams
The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth each year
The Earth gets 100 tons heavier every day due to falling space dust
Due to earth's gravity it is impossible for mountains to be higher than 15,000 meters
Mickey Mouse is known as "Topolino" in Italy
Soldiers do not march in step when going across bridges because they could set up a vibration which could be sufficient to knock the bridge down
Everything weighs one percent less at the equator
For every extra kilogram carried on a space flight, 530 kg of excess fuel are needed at lift-off
The letter J does not appear anywhere on the periodic table of the elements.
And last but not least:
In 2012, December has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays. This apparently happens once every 823 years!
This is called 'money bags'. So send this on to 5 and money will arrive in 5 days.
Based on Chinese Feng Shui, the one who does not pass this on will have money troubles for the rest of the year.

Johnny Carson is a Politician Taking a Polygraph Test

Johnny Carson is a Politician Taking a Polygraph Test

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbWI9xIGba4

What A Wonderful World Video

AT&T Wireless Data Calculator > Pricing Plans Are Changing

Verizon and AT&T is changing their cell phone data plans to be based on usage instead of cell phone minutes.  This calculator gives you an idea of your total.  Recent bills will also show your results.  


http://www.att.com/standalone/data-calculator/index.html


Remember to use wi-fi whenever and wherever your are to avoid driving up your data usage.

Video from international space station flying over earth at night, see northern lights !

Video from international space station flying over earth at night, see northern lights ! 





http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120305.html

Prezi - How To Use iMovie

http://prezi.com/zqra3qvyaboi/how-to-use-imovie/?auth_key=5e489038dd8c908ddf994ead701c976850064293

Discounts to Seniors

Discounts to seniors.  Some start at 50+ for others it' 60+, 62+ or 65+.  Check out these websites:

http://seniorliving.about.com/od/bargainsseniordiscou/a/seniordiscounts.htm

http://voices.yahoo.com/senior-discounts-handy-printable-resource-5444201.html?cat=7

http://www.bradsdeals.com/blog/2011/06/28/stores-with-senior-discounts/

http://www.seniorcitizenjournal.com/senior-finances/senior-discounts-list/

http://www.sodahead.com/living/strange-list-of-senior-citizen-discounts---some-start-at-age-50/question-2333333/

http://www.giftcardgranny.com/blog/senior-discounts/

The Technology Behind the Tupac Hologram at Coachella

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/tech-tupac-hologram-rock-world-makeuseof-explains/


According to MTV, Digital Domain is the company responsible for recreating the virtual form of Tupac, but it has also worked on Hollywood movies. Its credits including The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, in which it managed to convincingly age and de-age Brad Pitt, and Tron: Legacy, in which it shaved years off Jeff Bridges’ age. AV Concepts is responsible for actually projecting the hologram onto the stage, though it’s being careful not to reveal too many of its secrets.


The technology behind the Tupac hologram is both amazing and simplistic at the same time. The technique being used actually dates back to at least the 19th century and is called ‘Pepper’s Ghost‘, named after John Henry Pepper. While he didn’t invent the technique, Pepper popularized it and the name stuck.

The technique was first described by Giambattista della Porta in the 16th century, and Henry Dircks is known to have used it in his Dircksian Phantasmagoria performances before Pepper brought it into mainstream theaters.

In those days the Pepper’s Ghost effect, which conjures a ghostly image in one room from an actual object in another, was brought to life using a sheet of plate glass. When the glass was angled correctly and had a light source aimed at it, a realistic image was displayed to the audience without them ever seeing the source.

http://vimeo.com/7047856

Near Death, explained...

Near Death, explained...


http://www.salon.com/2012/04/21/near_death_explained/


http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/extrasensory-perceptions/near-death-experience.htm

What To Do In Miami

Parking


http://web.miamibeachfl.gov/parking/scroll.aspx?id=30992


Map of Downtown Miami

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ptab=2&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=112413815338465864814.00043ffbdc1984e3f705b&ll=25.775257,-80.187857&spn=0.015883,0.011823&z=16&om=1

Top Restaurants

http://miami.about.com/od/restaurantreviews/tp/restaurants.htm

Joe's Stone Crab


http://www.joesstonecrab.com/


News Cafe Restaurant

http://miami.about.com/od/restaurantreviews/gr/newscafe.htm

Cafe Prima Pasta

http://miami.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=miami&cdn=citiestowns&tm=15&f=00&su=p554.21.342.ip_&tt=3&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.primapasta.com/

Tobacco Road Bar

http://miami.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=miami&cdn=citiestowns&tm=50&f=00&su=p284.13.342.ip_p554.21.342.ip_&tt=4&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.tobacco-road.com/

Tropical Chinese

http://miami.about.com/od/restaurantreviews/gr/tropicalchinese.htm

Shorty's Bar-B-Que

http://miami.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=miami&cdn=citiestowns&tm=16&f=00&su=p554.21.342.ip_&tt=3&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.shortysbbq.com/

Miami Children's Museum

Two floors of hands-on exhibits at the Children’s Museum aim to teach and entertain toddlers and grade-schoolers alike. Young kids like the walk-in sandcastle and six-foot piggy bank, as well as the climb-aboard fire truck and cruise ship. Older kids learn about broadcasting at the interactive television and recording studios, as well as attend to their more star-struck needs.
Miami Children's Museum: 305.373.5437, www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

Miami Metrozoo
This 300-acre zoo presents animals in their natural habitat, confined by moats and landscaping instead of cages. Highlights include the white Bengal tiger, the Caribbean Flamingo lake, the daily pelican feeding, 300 exotic birds in the Aviary Wings of Asia exhibit, and the Children’s Zoo with its petting farm.
Miami Metrozoo: 305.251.0401, www.miamimetrozoo.com

Everglades National Park
About 20 miles from Miami you can experience the unspoiled natural beauty of the Everglades, a 1.5-million-acre subtropical wilderness of mangrove swamps and saw-grass prairies cut by watery channels. These rivers of grass harbor alligators, herons, pelicans, plus the endangered American crocodile and manatee. The easiest way to get a feel for the region is to take a boat or tram tour. Bring water, sun block, insect repellant, and a hat.
Everglades National Park: 305.242.7700, www.nps.gov/ever/

Jungle Island
This Florida classic, great for young kids, is now located on a small island between downtown Miami and South Beach. Meander along its 1.35 miles of lushly planted trails and see vibrantly colored parrots, macaws, cockatoos, and parakeets. The Serpentarium’s reptiles include an albino alligator. White tigers, wolves, and chimpanzees perform at the Jungle Theater. And don’t miss the Parrot Bowl show, famous for its tricycle-riding cockatoos and chariot-racing macaws.
Parrot Jungle Island: 305.2.JUNGLE, www.parrotjungle.com

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Take a quiet break from Miami’s excitement in this tropical paradise that boasts an extensive collection of tropical plants spread over 83 acres. There are two self-guided tours designed for kids age’s four to ten—the Nature Notebook tour encourages kids to create drawings of the plants they see, while the Adventure Pack takes them on a nature hunt. Both tours end with children planting seeds in a small pot they can take home, a nice touch to an educational experience.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: 305.667.1651, www.fairchildgarden.org

Miami Seaquarium
At this collection of 26 specialized aquariums, plus exhibits and animal shows, kids get to discover things like what the largest mammal on Earth, the blue whale, eats and what it feels like to touch a friendly manatee. Crocodile Flats houses the Nile crocs, one of whom is 20 feet long, and Tropical Wings showcases exotic birds. At the daily whale and dolphin shows, these elegant sea mammals put on a show for the crowd by arcing, diving, tail-walking, and responding to other commands.
Miami Seaquarium: 305.361.5705, www.miamiseaquarium.com

Vizcaya

Vizcaya is a National Historic Landmark; we're also a museum owned by Miami-Dade County and accredited by the American Association of Museums. We invite you to visit this serene and stunningly beautiful retreat in the heart of Miami.  Built by agricultural industrialist James Deering in 1916, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens features a Main House, ten acres of formal gardens, and a rockland hammock

Vizcaya: 305.250.9133, www.vizcayamuseum.org

                                      

New Meds

> D A M I T O L
> Take 2 and the rest of the world can go to hell for up
> to 8 hours.
>
> St. M A M A' S W O R T
> Plant extract that treats mom's depression by
> rendering preschoolers
> unconscious for up to six hours.
>
> E M P T Y N E S T R O G E N
> Highly effective suppository that eliminates
> melancholy by enhancing the
> memory of how awful your kids were as teenagers and
> how you couldn't
> wait till they moved out.
>
> P E P T O B I M B O
> Liquid silicone for single women. Two full cups
> swallowed before an
> evening out increases breast size, decreases
> intelligence, and improves
> flirting.
>
> D U M E R O L
> When taken with Peptobimbo, can cause dangerously low
> I.Q. causing
> enjoyment of country western music.
>
> F L I P I T O R
> Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling
> road rage and the
> urge to flip off other drivers.
>
> M E N I C I L L I N
> Potent antiboyotic for older women. Increases
> resistance to such lines
> as, "You make me want to be a better person ... can we
> get naked now?"
>
> B U Y A G R A
> Injectable stimulant taken prior to shopping.
> Increases potency and
> duration of spending spree.
>
> Extra Strength BUY-ONE-AL
> When combined with Buyagra, can cause an
> indiscriminate buying frenzy so
> severe the victim may even come home with a Donnie
> Osmond CD or a book
> by Dr. Laura.
>
> J A C K A S S P I R I N
> Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember
> your birthday,
> anniversary, or phone number.
>
> A N T I-T A L K S I D E N T
> A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on
> anyone too eager to
> share their life stories with total strangers.

C:\Doc Farm\I. Jokes\New medications 12 10 02.doc

Sights and Sounds of Plasma Tornadoes On The Sun

Plasma tornados on the sun



Sounds of energy vibration from sun's tornado activity

Stubbornly High Unemployment as of January 2012

Here you see the depth of our recession by the stubbornly high unemployment data.  Many are jobs permanently lost, requiring re-training for people to adapt by learning new skill sets

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/UNRATE/

Thive Is Best Biz Tablet

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tablets/toshiba-thrive-the-best-business-grade-tablet-on-the-market/724?tag=nl.e103

Three Stages of Bipolar Aisorder

This video explains the three stages of bipolar disorder: Crisis, Managed, and Recovery. It reveals the results of an important recent study by the National Institute of Mental Health

Android sneaks up on Apple in tablet market

http://www.reghardware.com/2012/01/26/apple_loses_ground_to_android_in_world_tablet_market/


Google's Android increased its share of the tablet market from 29% to 39% in the fourth quarter compared with the year-earlier period as Apple's iPad declined from 68% to 58%, according to a Strategy Analytics report. The research firm also found that Microsoft achieved a 1.5% share, up from zero in 2010. Overall, tablet shipments reached 27 million units during the fourth quarter, a 150% increase from the year before

Shortpaw Acronyms Translated

From Sally to Doreen With Love, these are really cute.

http://thedantediaries.wordpress.com/shortpaw-acronyms-translated/

Some Favorite Shortpaws (Acronyms) 


BOL: Bark Out Loud


BBO: Big Bark Out


BAYL: Bark At You Later


BMTO: Barking My Tail Off


BMJTO: Barking My Jolly Tail Off (this is for the Christmas Season)


BMNYTO: Barking My New Year’s Tail Off!


BMBTO: Barking My Bilingual Tail Off!


BMKTO: Barking My Kingly Tail Off


BMFTO: Barking My Flat Tail Off


BIMMO: Barking In MY Mind Only


BUMB: Barking Under My Breath


BBB: Bummed Beyond Belief


BLAM: Bark Like A Maniac


HBB: Happy Beyond Belief


BDFF: Best Dog Friend Forever


BLWM: Bark Less Wag More


LWW: Lick – Woof – Wag


JFI: Just Fetch It


GSY: Go Scratch Yourself


GW: Guilt Works


HATM: Howling At The Moon


TOPA: The Original Party Animal


FDMM: Flat Dante Mini Me


MHLC: Missing HER Like Crazy


MMDRNF: My Momma Didn’t Raise No Fool


TTB: The Traveling Boy


SUAB: Sit Up And Beg


SBB: Spoiled Beyond Belief


PBB: Proud Beyond Belief


SBALC: Sit Back And Look Cute


ROAPD: Roll Over And Play Dead


OLAL: Out Like A Light


ITDO: In This Dog’s Opinion


IGTBM: It’s Great To Be Me


IAAM: It’s All About Me


ICHW: I Can Hardly Wait


HLCOLGG: How Lucky Can One Little Guy Get


BSMLGH: Be Still My Little Guy Heart


IGBWALHFH: I Get By With A Little Help From HER


HWTMF: Having Way Too Much Fun






TP: Think Pawsitive


TPU: Two Paws Up


TILAM: Take It Like A Man


TILALG: Takin’ It Like A Little Guy


TCOB: Takin’ Care Of Business


TGTBT: Too Good To Be True


TSCLG: Tech Savvy Cute Little Guy


PCQ: Personal Cuteness Quotient


MYLC: Missing You Like Crazy


PFA: Paws For Applause


TTTP: Talk To The Paw


TCDI: The Cat Did It


TCFW: Too Cute For Words


WTCFW: Way Too Cute For Words (this one from MTM)


TCFWWOAD: Too Cute For Words WithOut A Doubt (Thanks to MTM for this one!)


TCLGITH: The Cutest Little Guy In The Hood (another one from MTM…ye haa)


PTP: Pounding the Pavement or Pushing the Pedals


HITR: Human In The Room


CITA: Caught In The Act


CSB: Can’t Stop Barking


CPOP: Completely Pooped Out Pup


GUMB: Growling Under My Breath


GUMJB: Growling Under My Jolly Breath


GUMVB: Growling Under My Virtual Breath


NBFALG: Not Bad For A Little Guy


SAYN: Smiling At You Now






RMT: Read My Tail


TNTB: Trying Not To Bark


WMLO: Working My Legs Off


WWW: Who’s Walking Who


CLG: Cute Little Guy (that’s me!!!)


LGL: Little Guy Lovin’


LH: Love HER (I really, really do)


DE: Dante Effect


4-L: Four-Legged


TFFFC: Too Fit For Fat Clothes (this one’s for HER)

On eBay, It Pays to Snipe - Game Theory - Free Sniping App

BayGenie eBay Auction Sniper Free
Download Now CNET Installer Enabled


Date added:
November 18, 2011
Price: Free
Operating system:
Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Server 2008/7


Product ranking:
#1 in Auction Software


CNET Editors' review May 08, 2009


For users who are frustrated by being outbid in the last seconds of an eBay auction, BayGenie makes you that last-second bidder. This unique software lets you automatically bid on a product as the clock winds down, no matter where you are.


This freeware program has a very basic interface that shouldn't take long for any user to understand. The bulk of the screen is dominated by a two column check list detailing a user's options with the free version of the software and with the paid version. However, the bottom right corner of the program will be what interests most users. Here you can set up your future eBay victories by entering your eBay ID, password, the item number you wish to bid on, your maximum bid, and how many seconds before the close of the auction you would like your bid to be placed. From here, a screen outlines your choices and asks you to be positive this is your choice.


This program is simple to use, but its major complaints come from its limitations without purchasing the Pro version of BayGenie. The biggest drawback is that users can only bid on one item at a time with the free version. However, if you don't bid on multiple items at once, this is a great download.


Publisher's Description




Read more: BayGenie eBay Auction Sniper Free - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com 

http://download.cnet.com/BayGenie-eBay-Auction-Sniper-Free/3000-6905_4-10569541.html#ixzz1kKasYO1O




http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2006-06-25-ebay-physics_x.htm

On eBay, it pays to snipe Posted 6/25/2006 6:21 PM ET E-mail | Print |

RELATED PAPERS Roth, Alvin E. and Axel Ockenfels, "Last-Minute Bidding and the Rules for Ending Second-Price Auctions: Evidence from eBay and Amazon Auctions on the Internet," American Economic Review, 92 (4), September 2002, 1093-1103. Ariely, Dan, Axel Ockenfels, and Alvin E. Roth,"An Experimental Analysis of Ending Rules in Internet Auctions," Rand Journal of Economics, 36, 4, Winter 2005, 891-908. Ockenfels, Axel and Alvin E. Roth, "Late and Multiple Bidding in Second-Price Internet Auctions: Theory and Evidence Concerning Different Rules for Ending an Auction," Games and Economic Behavior, 55, 2006, 297-320 Axel Ockenfels and Alvin E. Roth, "The Timing of Bids in Internet Auctions: Market Design, Bidder Behavior, and Artificial Agents," AI Magazine, Fall 2002, 79-88. Thank goodness for science. How else would we know the best way to nab those barely-used weed whackers, dumbbells or duck-shape salt shakers on eBay? In a study that gives the lie to the notion that eggheads don't like to eyeball online auctions like normal folks, a study by South Korean physicists confirms via some elaborate mathematical modeling that "sniping" — waiting for the very last second to submit your bid on that Elvis-shape throw rug — is indeed "a rational and effective strategy to win in an eBay auction." Founded in 1995, eBay is the king of online auction sites. Sellers put up items for sale and buyers bid up the price. Thanks to the Internet's lack of state sales tax and the public's thirst for other people's garage sale items, the company has grown into a firm that amassed $4.55 billion in revenue last year. The service sets a deadline on bids for items, which has given rise to the practice of "sniping," bidding at the last minute to deny other bidders time to outbid you. Savvy buyers have taken to the practice in swarms. Some companies even exist to snipe for you. Sellers, however, have grumbled that the practice keeps winning bid prices lower than they would be in a more open-ended auction, in which prices may be driven up by competition between buyers. If nobody bids until the last second, it's inevitably just a (relatively) low-bidding person who puts in the highest-price bid and walks away with the item. To test whether sniping is a smart way to do things or just truncates normal bidding, the South Korean team at Seoul National University produced a "master equation" for how bidding proceeds (it's nk(t+1) — nk(t) = w(k-1)(t)*n(k-1)(t) — wk(t)*nk(t) + sigma(k,1)*u(t), if you really want to know), and then tested it against a massive number of auction records, some 264,073 items sold in one day on eBay and another 287,018 items sold in one year by eBay's Korean partner. Plugging all those data into the model and testing the outcome in terms of how the auctions turned out, the team found that the probability of submitting a winning bid on an item indeed drops with each bid. "Our analysis explicitly shows that the winning strategy is to bid at the last moment as the first attempt rather than incremental bidding from the start." The study appears in the current Physical Review E journal. The finding is no surprise to Harvard economist Alvin Roth, who has studied sniping from an economics viewpoint since 2002 with colleague Axel Ockenfels of Germany's University of Cologne. They came to similar conclusions. "I think you might do the most good if you advise bidders to form an opinion of how much they are willing to pay for an item, so that they don't get caught up in a bidding war and pay more than they will be happy with," says Roth, by e-mail. "But, that being said, if they know what proxy bid they want to submit, it won't hurt them to submit it very near the end (but neither will it help them much, or often ...) So, sniping is a good strategy, for those with the time to do it," he adds. A statement on the eBay site says: Sniping is part of the eBay experience, and all bids placed before a listing ends are valid — even if they're placed one second before the listing ends. BONUS MATERIAL: Dan Vergano's Q&A with Alvin Roth and Axel Ockenfels 1. Do you view sniping as a problem? Some eBay sellers have complained that sniping works to artificially lower auction prices. What is your view? Ockenfels: Sniping can help bidders to get better prices on eBay. But sellers too can profit from sniping, because the possibility of sniping may attract more bidders. For instance, sniping can lead to more bidding from experts, because by bidding late, experts can avoid giving information to others through their own early bids. Sniping can also increase the excitement and entertainment value of bidding, which again attracts more bidders. Roth: Sniping is a feature of the auction that eBay bought into when it chose to have a hard close. They must think it adds enough to the auction, in entertainment value, in allowing experts to protect their information, etc. to make up in increased bidders what it loses in lost bids and bidding wars. 2. If your work and this South Korean paper show that sniping is rational and effective, why doesn't everyone use the strategy? Ockenfels: On eBay, not the last bid but the highest bid wins. Furthermore, last-minute bids sometimes come in too late, after the close of the auction. So, it can be a perfectly sensible strategy to submit a bid early. In fact, depending on the situation, game theory supports both early and late bidding strategies. However, we are also seeing a lot of non-rational, naive behaviors on markets such as eBay. There is no reason to suppose that everybody always behaves in a rational and effective way. This is especially true for eBay, where many experienced and sophisticated traders interact with many unexperienced, naive bidders. Roth: EBay isn't an English auction, it is a second price auction with proxy bids. If you're a busy guy, you might find it better to put in an early proxy bid, high enough to have a chance of winning. The winning bidder isn't the last bidder, it's the bidder with the highest proxy bid (and the earlier bidder in case of ties). So sniped bids only get lower prices when other bidders would have been willing to raise their proxy bids, but don't have the chance. That happens often enough so that sniping is a good strategy for those with the time .... 3. How does this new study's approach strike you compared to the one you published in 2002? My understanding was that it rested on game theory, so I'm just trying to see how you see things. Ockenfels: We closely intertwine game theoretical, laboratory and field analyses. Taken together, our studies help in understanding how the market microstructure qualitatively influence participants' strategies and overall market performance. The new study looks at bidding phenomena from a very different perspective and thus takes a very different approach. It quantitatively analyzes statistical properties of dynamic bidding patterns on eBay — without addressing institutional complexities or equilibrium aspects of behavior. Roth: We take a lot of approaches, empirical, theoretical, experimental. And so we are able to look into the multiple causes of sniping, and how they are influenced by the auction rules (and why, therefore, there's so much less late bidding on other kinds of auctions, for example.) But the big divide between physics and economics is that physicists tend to study processes that don't have any human volition in them. Molecules do what they do without forming opinions about what other molecules do. Sometimes this physics approach can also yield some insights into large markets, where each player is small enough to be inconsequential. And eBay must have looked that way to the authors of this article, since they report that in one day they have data from 264,073 auctions involving 384,058 distinct bidders. On the other hand, when I look at those numbers, what strikes me is that there were fewer than 2 bidders per auction in their data. To put it another way, a lot of auctions in their dataset had only a single bidder. Obviously conclusions about sniping are going to be different in such auctions (and in our analyses we normally exclude them). 4. Do you see a better auction strategy for online auction? Ockenfels: What is a good bidding or selling strategy in online auctions depends on the context, such as the degree of competition and the available information about the value of the object. However, there is a fast-growing applied literature in economics on auction/market design and bidding strategies. (See Roth:http://kuznets.fas.harvard.edu/~aroth/papers/engineer.pdf.) Roth: I think you might do the most good if you advise bidders to form an opinion of how much they are willing to pay for an item, so that they don't get caught up in a bidding war and pay more than they will be happy with. But, that being said, if they know what proxy bid they want to submit, it won't hurt them to submit it very near the end (but neither will it help them much, or often…) So, sniping is a good strategy, for those with the time to do it. (You can also pay a fee to third party sniping software on the web, like esnipe.com or others ....) 5. What do you see as the key point(s) to make to readers about a study like this one? How do the results apply to other auctions? One of the general lessons that comes out of our research in "economic engineering" is: details matter! For instance, our studies demonstrate that replacing eBay's hard close by a soft close, which allows bidders to always respond to late bids, would remove the strategic incentives to snipe and thus substantially affect bidding behavior. Bidders respond to incentives, and incentives can be strongly affected by the details of the auction rules and algorithms. This is true for all auctions, including, for instance, spectrum, electricity and procurement auctions. Each week, USA TODAY's Dan Vergano combs scholarly journals to present the Science Snapshot, a brief summary of some of the latest findings in scientific research. For past articles, visit this index page.