HP buys Samsung’s $1bn printer business | BBC News

September 13, 2016September 12, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

US computer giant HP has struck a deal to take over Samsung’s $1bn (£750m) printer business.

HP said the acquisition would help it to “disrupt and reinvent” the $55bn copier industry, a segment that “hasn’t innovated in decades”.

It is buying a big printing presence in Asia, as well as Samsung’s laser printing technology and patents.

The deal comes days after HP’s sister company sold its software business to rising UK tech champion Micro Focus.

Hewlett-Packard split into two businesses last year: HP Inc, which focuses on printers and computers; and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which sold its software business to focus on data storage.

ITT Tech Students Should Take Their Money And Run, Experts Say | NBC News

September 8, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The shuttering of all ITT Technical Institute locations is leaving its 43,000 students with an unexpected lesson in harsh realities and unanswered questions about what will happen to their credits and tuition fees.

The closure of 137 campuses in 39 states comes after the career-oriented school has been the subject of several state and federal investigations.

In a 2014 lawsuit filed against ITT’s parent company, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alleged that “Federal aid, mostly loans taken out by consumers, comprises the overwhelming majority of ITT’s revenue” and when that funding wasn’t enough to cover the full cost of tuition, the CFPB accused the company of “Pushing students into expensive, high-risk loans that ITT knew were likely to default.”

Back To School: Tax Breaks For Food Allergies, Celiac Disease & Other Special Diets | Forbes

September 2, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The outcry over the steep increase in price for the EpiPen illustrates just how many Americans have serious allergies – including food allergies. Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies. The numbers are even more dramatic in children: 1 in every 13 children under 18 years of age in the U.S. has a food allergy. That translates to two children in every classroom across the country.

Food allergies in the classroom can make lunch and snack time at schools tricky. However, in addition to factoring in allergies, many parents struggle with accommodating additional dietary restrictions. It can be tough to figure out kids’ eating habits at the best of times, but once you add in other factors such as religion, ethics and morality, and concerns about obesity and cholesterol, it’s even more complicated. Fortunately, organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free foods are a bit easier to find than in years past, but you do pay a premium for them at the register. It raises the question: if you have to pay out of pocket to keep you or your child healthy, can you claim a tax benefit?

Why more people are suddenly dying on U.S. roads | Money CNN

September 1, 2016August 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

U.S. roads have taken a deadlier turn to a degree we haven’t seen in nearly five decades.

For years, statistics surrounding road safety had seen a vast improvement. But now that’s changed.

In 2015, there were 35,092 reported deaths on U.S. roads, up 7.2% from 2014 — the largest jump since 1966. Meanwhile, the National Safety Council said last week 2016 is on track to be even worse. Fatalities were up 9% in the first half of the year.

The federal government on Monday issued what it called an unprecedented call to action to determine what’s gone wrong.

So what can we blame for this sudden reversal? Some of the answers from experts might surprise you: smartphone use, fracking — a trendy method of drilling for oil — climate change and a strong economy all play a role.

Twitter is letting you make money off your followers by showing them video ads | Mashable

August 31, 2016August 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Twitter is offering some of its most influential users a cut of the money it makes off of their posts in a push to populate the platform with more in-house video.

Starting Tuesday, publishers and other high-profile accounts will be able to mark a box on each video tweet they send indicating that they’d like to tack on a pre-roll promotion, the social network announced. Twitter will then share with them a portion of the revenue it collects on those ads.

The deal will give users the lion’s share of the revenue — 70 percent — while Twitter takes 30 percent for itself, a person familiar with the arrangement said.

ITT Tech has ceased enrollments | Business Insider

August 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

For-profit educator ITT Technical Institute announced Monday that it will no longer accept any new enrollments, according to a notice at the top its website.

The news came four days after the US Department of Education (ED) imposed sanctions on ITT Education Services, the college chain’s parent company, barring the school from enrolling students who use federal financial aid and requiring ITT to provide a letter of credit showing it’s sufficiently funded.

Those sanctions will likely cause the demise of ITT Tech, according to Ben Miller, a senior director at the Center for American Progress and a former senior policy advisor at the Department of Education (ED).

Sorry, But Your Browser Password Manager Probably Isn’t Enough | WIRED

August 30, 2016September 1, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

AS YOU NAVIGATE through Chrome, or Safari, or Firefox, or whatever your browser of choice is, you’re often given an enticing option: Would you like us to save your password? A recent browser breach is a reminder that if you answer yes, you’re taking a risk.

Late last week, the browser Opera confirmed a successful attack on its systems. The hackers were likely able to access personal information, company developer Tarquin Wilton-Jones wrote in a post announcing the breach, “including some of our sync users’ passwords and account information.”

EpiPen maker to sell cheaper generic version | BBC News

August 29, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The maker of the EpiPen will start selling a generic version in the wake of criticism about steep price increases.

Mylan said it expected to start selling a cheaper generic product “in several weeks” at a list price of $300 (£230).

That is about half the list price of the existing product, which is used in emergencies for severe food and insect allergies.

The cost of EpiPens in the US has risen by 500% in less than a decade.

Mylan said the generic version would be identical to the branded EpiPen, which costs $600 for two doses.

Flight Delayed? Here’s Why It’s Probably the Airline’s Fault | Inc.com

August 25, 2016August 24, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s the euphemisms that kill you.

You get to the airport early. You check in. You get to the gate.

And then you get slapped in the face by “operational difficulties.”

At least that’s the phrase I seem to have heard once too often when I’m desperate to just get home.

You might imagine, though, that especially in the summertime of storms, that the weather is actually the biggest cause of flight delays.

Not any more, it isn’t.

Neither is someone in air-traffic control pushing the wrong button.

Protect Yourself From Common Credit Card Scams | All Business

August 25, 2016August 24, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Credit card fraud is growing over the Internet, email, traditional mail, and telephone. “Phishing” is when scammers send out fraudulent emails asking for your personal information, such as your credit card number or bank account number. Never respond to these—delete them immediately.

In a similar phishing scam, someone may phone you pretending to be your bank, the fraud department of your credit card company, or another organization, and may ask to “verify your information” or “verify you are in possession of your card.” They often ask for your 3-digit verification code on the back of the card or ask for the first 12 digits of your card (they may already have the last 4 digits from a discarded receipt). Reputable companies do not call and ask for this information. If you did not initiate the call, do not give them any information and hang up immediately.