It's Valentine's Day: Top 10 Must Have Apps

1. Love Quotes - This app gives users a collection of best love quotes and sayings that can be shared with the loved ones. Users can browse by different categories like cute, funny, flirty, sexy, girly, romance, poems and so on. The app has a big inventory of images with words inscribed in them. This app was also suggested by The New York Times. Download the app freely for Android and for iPhone. The Love and Romance Quotes app by XStudio Technologies for Android is also helpful.

2. 101 Romantic Ideas - If users are short of ideas for a romantic encounter with their loved ones, then this app will fit the bill as it will provide the user with numerous ideas for their romantic date and they can thus be prepared for the special day. Download the app freely for iPhone. Though there is no similar app on Android, there is one by Juniper Islet that can be helpful.

3. Valentine's Day Music Radio - Users of this app can set the tone of their special day by turning the mood romantic with music. Instead of hankering after various radio apps or audio tracks, the work is reduced for people who download this app. The app has a stylish interface with a pink living room that has a spinning record player with 10 different stations to choose from. The app also has a timer that can be set to the stop the music. Download the app for iPhone. Though there is no Android version of the app, the one by nimaxy can be helpful.

4. iValentine App (greeting cards) - This app lets users to send professional cards for the Valentine's Day. Users can select the style, color and font, for their greeting. They can either e-mail it to their loved ones or MMS it. There is both the free version as well as a PRO version. Even if you are busy, this app will help you to send and keep in your loved ones know that they are not forgotten. Download the app on your Android and iPhone devices.

5. 30 Day Relationship Challenge - This app will motivate both the partners to have a challenge that can rekindle your love life for the next thirty days. The end result is but a stronger relationship. The app will suggest you daily romantic activities that do not require a great deal of money or planning, and there is always the possibility of swapping it for another activity or it will give you ideas to add one of your own. This app will help both of them to show their care and how much they are committed and will let relationship grow stronger and you will feel closer. The app is only available on Android.

6. Let's Date - People feeling miserable of not having a date this Valentine's Day need not worry as there are apps for those who are looking to end being singe and try out some dating apps instead. Lets Date is one such app that needs users to connect to their Facebook account without showing it on the News Feed or on posts. Users have to set up their profiles with their interests and picture and then they can anonymously brows through profiles of others and hit Lets Date on any profile they prefer. If there is a reply of Lets Date on your profile too then the match is done and the date is set.   This app is only available for iPhone devices.

7. My Valentine Recipes - Spice up your Valentine's Day with special plans of cooking and there are apps at your disposal for helping you with it. This app will help the user cook a decent dish with hundreds of dishes for your choice both on the food and the drink front. The recipes of the dishes are accompanied by several pictures to inspire you. There is also an ingredients-required list that will help you when you are at a mall shopping. The app is available only for iPhone (costs $0.99). Android users can focus on cooking cupcakes in the Valentine's Day Recipes Cupcake app where users will have cupcake recipes and instructions to make.  

8. 1-800-Flowers - Do not forget to surprise your love a bouquet for her favorite flowers or the stereotypical bouquet of red roses.  This app will allow users to choose from different set of flowers and the flowers will be delivered to the address of your loved one. The app also delivers gifts so this is an added benefit for the user. Download the app for Android and iPhone.   

9. Craftsy - This app allows users to learn via videos and craft their own personalized gifts in a DIY style. This app also has videos that range to as different tops as cooking knitting, sewing and more. Users can only download the app for iPhone since there is no Android version.

10. DateEscape - This is an important app that is necessary in case a date turns terrible and you need to escape from it. This app will be able to fake phone calls, text messages and MMS making it easier for the user to exit in a polite way.  The app has customizable caller setting with name, location, carrier and image. Download the app for iPhone (costs $0.99), there is no Android version of the app.
culled from  http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/537891/20140208/top10-apps-valentines-day-ios.htm

MTN Device Financing Scheme

           

MTN Device Financing Scheme

Spread payments over up to 12 months
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  	Standard Chartered Bank
  	Diamond Bank:

• You will be contacted within 48 hours
• Thereafter, you pick up your new Smartphone or Tab from your pre-selected MTN Store

more info on www.mtnonline.com
Terms & Conditions Apply

MTN Fastlink Modem, Price Slash and Data Bundle

           

Fastlink Modem, Price Slash and Data Bundle

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Every MTN Mobile WIFI modem you buy at the new price of N18,500 comes with 12 months internet.

Potential Buyers Wait For BlackBerry's Patents

Potential buyers are waiting on the sidelines to see if BlackBerry will part with its patents, according to two sector bankers.
One banker speculated that if by 2015, Blackberry’s turnaround proves slow, and the company’s in need of capital, it could sell patents to bolster cash reserves. A price of $2 billion may appeal to both buyer and seller, the banker postulated.
“BlackBerry has no plans at this time to sell its entire patent portfolio,” said  Lisette Kwong, a spokesperson for BlackBerry. “We have invested years of research and development and millions of dollars to create the world’s best mobile keyboard, messaging platform and enterprise technologies. We are proud of our patented designs and technology and will continue to innovate and deliver intellectual property for solutions that drive the mobile communications market forward.”
In August, 2013, BlackBerry announced that it formed a special committee to explore strategic alternatives, including a sale of the company. BlackBerry’s patent portfolio was the butt of much speculation, worth somewhere between $5 billion and $200 million in published estimates, depending on price of similar intellectual property, buyer interest, license growth and the potential for patent infringement suits.
Fairfax Financial Holdings, which owns 10% of BlackBerry, made a $4.7 billion offer for the troubled smartphone maker in September 2013, but instead of acquiring BlackBerry, it chose to purchase $1 billion in convertible debt in November and an additional $250 million last month.
The financing alleviated an immediate need for capital, the first banker said, but by next year, BlackBerry and buyers may come to a meeting of minds about whether to sell the asset and for what price.
On November 4, BlackBerry announced it appointed a new CEO, John Chen, formerly the CEO of Sybase, to “stop the bleeding” at the company, noted the second banker. If Chen’s successful, the company has no need to sell patents, though right now, the buyers and the smartphone maker are “waiting” to see how the scenario evolves.
“By all appearances, BlackBerry’s doing what it needs to grow,” said a third banker, “though if the ship’s burning, it will do everything it can to save itself.”
A fourth banker doubted BlackBerry would sell patents separately from the whole company unless it received a lucrative offer or its back was against the wall. Fairfax’s purchase of debt was tied to the value of patents as a “floor” in the event of “a worst case scenario” for the company, he said. www.forbes.com

Weight Loss Apps.

Year after year, weight loss reigns as one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Yet obesity remains an epidemic in the United States. Whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 50, stick with it in 2014, so that next year your goal is just to keep the weight off. With countless apps and wearable tech designed to help you meet your fitness goals, there are no excuses this year. Eat well, work out, and stay motivated with the help of this technology.
Lose It!

Lose It! has been one of the most popular health apps on iTunes for several years now. The easy-to-use app makes it easy to keep track of weight loss goals. Enter your current weight and your desired weight and the app will tell you the maximum daily calories you can consume to meet your goal.  Log fitness activities and scan barcodes on food items, to easily keep track of your progress. Weigh yourself every day and see a line graph of your progress. This free app is available on iOS and Android, with additional charges for upgrades.
Daily Workouts

Save money on a gym membership this year. Work out at home! The Daily Workout app is essentially a workout video for your smartphone or tablet, broken up into five or ten minute routines. This app will get your butt, arms, abs and legs in shape, while saving you a time. The workouts are as effective as your local fitness class.  This free app is available on iOS and Android, with additional charges for upgrades.
Jawbone UP

“Wearable tech,” was definitely a catchphrase of 2013 and that’s expected to continue into the new year. With fitness-tracking wristbands gaining popularity, there’s no sign that the momentum is slowing down. The Jawbone UP band is one of the more popular devices and recently came out with a new version, called the UP24. In addition to tracking steps taken and calories burned, the water-resistant band keeps tab on sleep patterns via its smartphone app. Set an alarm to wake you up in your lightest sleep phase, and the band promises you’ll be refreshed. Add friends to your “team,” and tell them to step it up! The Jawbone UP24 retails for $149.99
Fitbit

The Fitbit is another contender for the hottest in wearable tech. The recently released Fitbit Force, is an upgrade to the Flex. Like the Jawbone UP, the Fitbit bands track steps taken and hours slept. Yet unlike the previous Fitbit, the Force displays real-time data on the  band’s screen, doubling as a watch. Sync with the app to track progress and compete with your friends.  The Fitbit Force retails for $129.95
ShopWell

In an era where people track everything from carbs to gluten, ShopWell helps you keep track of all your dietary needs. Next time you’re at the grocery store, scan barcodes of food items and ShopWell will tell you if the product meets your requirements. If not, it will suggest another similar product that does.  Whether you’re looking to lose weight, avoid allergies, or help with diabetes, ShopWell will do you well. This free app is available on iOS.
 http://www.forbes.com/sites/katieroof/2013/12/31/weight-loss-apps/

Why 2014 Is The Year You Change!

Editor’s note: James Altucher is an investor, programmer, author, and several-times entrepreneur. His latest book is “Choose Yourself!” (foreword by Dick Costolo, CEO of Twitter). 

I stopped going to classes. I had a scholarship that paid all my living expenses ($1,200/month) so I didn’t want to quit (ugh, and get a job?). So I stayed a student but I failed every class I took for three semesters in a row.
Finally, the dean wrote me a note that said, “We have to ask you to leave. You can come back when you are more mature.” I haven’t gone back yet.
–
Many years later I was at a job, and in the middle of a meeting I walked out, walked out of the building and never came back and never returned the phone calls. I quit.
Another time I stopped coming to work until the CEO asked me, “What’s going on?” and eventually they got rid of me.
I’m not saying this is good advice. I’m not “Dear Abby.”
I knew for sure in each situation that change was needed, but I didn’t know why, and I didn’t know how. I just knew who (me) and what (quit).
Why is this important for entrepreneurs? Because every moment you are a lifepreneur. And the change inside yourself is what allows you to create the abundance and change outside. I say this not like some bullshit self-help book, but because this is what has worked for me.
I started a business and raised a little over $500,000. I built the product and had users. Everyone was excited.
The day I raised the money I woke up shaking.
I knew that the idea was bad. It was called “140Love,” a dating service I built on top of Twitter. So instead of people seeing your profile they can see your tweets and know who you “really” are.
But here’s the problem: On dating services, people want to be anonymous. There was no way this idea was going to work.
I wired back all the money that had come in. I shut down the site, and ate all the costs for building it. I moved onto the next idea and never looked back. And, by the way, the next idea and the next idea failed also. And then one worked. And then another one worked.
When you waste time on a bad idea you don’t have any room or energy leftover for the good ideas.

Saying “no” to a change that’s begging for you will kill you.

Sometimes your mind doesn’t know what’s happening. Your mind is really just a tool.
About 10 times so far I’ve made complete changes in my life. Some horribly painful where I had to puke up all the garbage that had been shoved down my throat. And those were the fun changes.
The changes that weren’t fun were the changes I didn’t make. I wish I could apologize here for the changes I didn’t make. I wish I could CC the right people right here. But it’s too late and always will be.
I suspect I have another 10-20 changes left in me.
–
Saying “no” to a change that’s begging for you will kill you.
Benjamin Franklin said, “most people die at 25 but are buried at 75.”
You can’t ask the world to change to suit your needs…you have to change first. That’s the first step towards being an entrepreneur.
When you make a change, here is what happens: Well, I have no clue what happens to you. Here is what happens to me in a very no bullshit way.

Fear

What will happen to me? I’ll go broke! Or be lonely! Or get sick! Practicing dealing with uncertainty is the only way  to get comfortable with this fear.
You can let your fears keep you from growing, or you can let your fears inspire you to grow. The good thing is, you get to choose.

Arguments

Bosses won’t want you to quit. Colleagues will get scared because it means change is forced on them. And depending on your change, maybe family is unhappy (when I was thrown out of school, my family was certainly unhappy).
Whoever wrote your script will be unhappy. You’re changing the movie.
Important: There’s nothing to say to the people who argue with you.
Because they are right also. In their life situations, it’s very right for them for you not to quit. Why argue with them? Conserve your energy for your change.

Guilt

Let’s say you’re leaving a relationship or a job or an agreement. I can tell you, someone is ready to make you feel guilty about this. It’s hard not to feel guilt, particularly if someone is sad because of “what you are doing to them.”
But much worse is the guilt you will feel if you don’t make the change your body and the universe is telling you to make. The universe is much bigger than the person on the other side. To go against that flow will make you sink and drown.

Tears

I don’t think I’ve ever once made a change in my life that didn’t involve me crying either on the day of the big change or sometime that week.
Why cry? Isn’t that a bit wimpy?
It’s because you have no idea what you are doing. It’s a change! You’re not supposed to know what happens next.
The faster you can say, “I have no clue why I am doing this but I do know this is the right thing” the faster you can stop crying.
How do you know if it’s the right thing? I can tell you, but the reality is with practice you know.
Change is very lonely, but you will never be lonely if you enjoy being with the person you are alone with.
None of the above sounds that great actually. So why change at all?

Prevent muscle atrophy. When a car doesn’t start all winter, the engine will get ruined. When you don’t walk for two weeks, your leg muscles atrophy and you need physical therapy to walk.
Change is a muscle.
Steep feels good. When you change you go from a flat learning curve (your old situation) to a steep learning curve (the new situation). Steep learning curves feel good. Like the feeling of new love.
So do flattening learning curves because you learn deeper subtleties. But upside down learning curves feel…like fuckness.

You want to be in a work of art, not a forgery or a plagiarism.

You were in the wrong script. At every stage of our lives, the people around us try to write our scripts.
When we are young the script your family writes you might be: school, cubicle, promotions, management, CEO, retirement, death.
But you might realize that the right script for you didn’t include “cubicle.”
You have to rewrite your script. If you stay in the old script it’s like acting in a role that is not written for you. The final production will be a disaster. People will throw food at you and spit on you in the street.
You want to be in a work of art, not a forgery or a plagiarism.

Evolution. For 400,000 years, humans were good at hunter-gathering. Which meant we had to know all of the terrain around us. We had to know all the foods, poisons, animals and enemies. And then we would move to a new terrain. Change was part of our DNA.
But for the past 10,000 years (a blip in evolutionary time), we had to specialize and be good at one thing and in one place.
Nobody told evolution this.
So our bodies break down, our minds get sick, we need all sorts of medications, we die. Evolution wants us to constantly change.

Play. When we were kids we played different games all the time. We would never play the same game for 300 days in a row, for 20 years in a row.
But then we got handed our “scripts” by our parents, schools, political parties, jobs, institutions, etc. We were told to stick to the script. But we never stopped being the boy or girl who wanted to play.
When you stop playing, you enter the vast world of excuses.

World domination. If you are good at making cars, and then you get good at design (a totally different area), then suddenly you might be the best in the world at car design.
When you change and learn from new fields you get to have idea sex (and idea orgasms). Your ideas have children.
Your ideas evolve many generations very quickly. Suddenly now you are the exponential result of your changes.
Your cheeks are rosy with the fresh air that constant idea sex bestows on you.
Being uniquely the best in the world at something is fun and valuable.
And it’s never too late. If you want examples, I will give you them. But you are never too old, no matter who tries to tell you you are.
Getting good at change (big, small, tiny – every day) means getting good at life.
Do it without expectation. Wish for nothing. Care for everything. Happiness will be in between.
Do I feel badly about that scholarship from 22 years ago? Yes. Sometimes I feel bad about a lot of things. Sometimes people will judge you and it will hurt.
But that’s just life. Trust me, you will have plenty of time for death later.
from http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/31/why-2014-is-the-year-you-change/ 
you can follow James on Twitter @jaltucher.