The Morning Download: Microsoft CEO Search Nearing End

<chinese new year cards designsp>Good morning. Microsoft Corp. is said to be close to picking Satya Nadella as its new CEO. Mr. Nadella, who currently runs its cloud and enterprise business, would provide CIOs the assurance of continuity, particularly with regard to the direction of the company's cloud strategy. Michael Cherry, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, says in this case, "CIOs will not likely need to worry about new leadership of that [cloud] division or a change in direction."

Cheapskates Lindsay Lohan, Neil Patrick Harris Get $10 Every Time You Use Their Uber Promo Codes

We at Betabeat are avid followers of Lindsay Lohan's Twitter feed. After all, you never know what you might find there.

So when we saw a LiLo tweet promoting taxicab disrupter Uber's services and offering a promo code, we just had to know: was this the result of an official partnership between the startup and the star, or was Lindsay up to something shady?

Use my Uber promo code, 8g4wy, and get $20 off your first Uber ride. Redeem it at uber.com/invite/8g4wy.-
Lindsay Lohan (@lindsaylohan) January 12, 2014

It turns out the latter is true - and Ms. Lohan isn't the only celebrity pimping out Uber to her followers so that she can get discounts on the rides herself. Neil Patrick Harris and Snoop Dogg (or Lion or Walrus or whatever he's going by now) are guilty, too.

An Uber rep told us the partnerships weren't official endorsements and that the stars' choices to tweet the codes were "organic." Every Uber user has the privilege of sharing their code in an effort to collect discounts. Each time someone uses your Uber code, you get $10 to use on future rides yourself. This month, a special is running so the person who owns the code gets $20.

What's shady is that the codes only work the first time the fan uses Uber - so Lindsay Lohan is getting a $20 credit because your friend used her code, when you could have been the one to get it.

You know how whenever your aunt goes to a new hair salon, she bugs you to go get your hair cut there so that she'll get $5 off her next '80s perm? Linds, NPH and Snoop are all being that annoying aunt right now and hogging all the discounts for their rich, famous asses.

Furthermore, Uber told us there's no limit to how many times one person's promo code can be used. Lindsay Lohan has 7.6 million followers. She's probably got free Uber rides lined up until 2026 at this point.

Here's a look at some of the tweets the celebs have pushed. Snoop's code is UncleSnoopATL, basically the vanity license plate equivalent of an Uber coupon, which doesn't seem that "organic":

Party wit tha boss this Sat in ATL n get a night of FREE rides on @ Uber_ATL. Enter code "UncleSnoopATL" n share !! blog.uber.com/unclesnoop-
Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) September 25, 2013

And Neil Patrick Harris has used his code under the guise of preventing drunk driving, when he was directly cashing out on it. Ew.

I love UBER! Way better than a taxi. Sign up using my promo code, get $20 off your 1st ride: uber.com/invite/8lf32 Don't drink & drive.-
Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) December 18, 2013

Don't drink & drive this July 4th weekend. Use Uber instead - it's rad. Sign up, use code '8lf32' and you'll get $20 credit. You're welcome.-
Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) July 02, 2013

Seth Rogen apparently used the code to collect cash for charity. So maybe there's some hope for Hollywood.

Signup to @ Uber_LA w/promo code: HilarityForCharity and u'll get $20 off ur 1st ride! #Uber will give a donation 4 every person that rides!-
Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) April 24, 2013

This also explains why people are spending time to defraud Tinder users in an effort to get them to use an Uber promo code. Whoever was behind that fake Uber ad stood to make a lot of money in Uber credits off of Tinder users.

We asked Uber a bunch of followup questions about the stars seemingly abusing the system, and whether this was their intent when they created the Amazon Sales. We noted that the system is probably very effective at getting the app onto users' phones.

"We're happy to see that all kinds of people, including celebrities, are excited about our superior service and want to share their Uber love with friends," Uber rep Andrew Noyes told us.

Of course, it's not morally wrong for these stars to exploit Uber's promo code system by profiting off of their huge fan bases. But they're taking discounts away from normal people, plus it's just trashy - especially if they're pretending to do it just because they're concerned about drunk driving, as Mr. Harris did.

No matter how hard your last movie flopped, this isn't a good look. Celebrities should let us plebes wallow in the first‐time‐user discount game while they stick to shilling Vitamin Water.

Police: Boscov's worker gave herself huge discount

A Wilkes-Barre woman who worked at Boscov's is accused of giving herself a huge Amazon Deal.

Police say Angela M. Murphy of South Grant Street was an employee of Boscov's between Dec. 21 and Wednesday, when she bought $1,068 in merchandise.

But Murphy gave herself a 90 percent discount and only paid $136, according to police.

The retailer at 15 S. Main St. reported the theft about 1:15 p.m. Thursday.

Police say Murphy is facing a charge of theft by deception.

An unforgettable Christmas hunt

Alexander Searle ended 2013 with a Christmas memory he'll never forget.

The 10-year-old, who lives in Plantation with his mother, Michelle, and stepfather, Rick Strunck, received a .243 Rossi rifle for Christmas.

Two days later, on his first hunt, he bagged a wild hog with one shot from his new gun.

A fifth-grader at Plantation Park Elementary, Searle got all A's on his first-quarter report card, and "that's why Santa brought him a .243," Strunck said. "Yes, he's only 10, but he's able to take on a lot of responsibility.

"When he got the box open, he held up the rifle and 'Where's the safety?' was the first thing he asked."

Searle, who loves to race go-karts when he's with his father, had shot his .22 rifle over the summer and had been asking Strunck if he could go hunting with him.

After checking out his new .243, his next question to Strunck was, "Does this mean you're going to take me hunting?"

"I said, 'Yep, we're going on Friday.' "

Strunck, Searle and some friends went hunting for wild hogs at Chappy's Outfitters in Lakeport (chappysoutfitters.com).

Strunck and Searle climbed into a treestand that afternoon. Sitting there together, Searle had a flood of questions:

Do you think I'm going to see a hog? (Probably)

Do you think I'll get a shot at one? (Maybe)

Do you think I'll hit it? (If you do everything you were told, yes.)

When several pigs came out of the woods in front of the treestand, Searle picked out the biggest one and patiently waited for the hog to turn so it presented him with a perfect shot.

When it did, Searle pulled the trigger and the 167-pound boar fell to the ground, dead.

Searle's hog was the biggest taken by the group. Searle's friend Matt Lauria, who is also 10 but had hunted more than a dozen times before and killed several hogs, shot a 143-pounder. He was accompanied by his grandfather Paul Lauria.

The group included several members of the Sunrise Police Department's S.W.A.T. team, two of whom shot hogs, "which the boys were happy to point out were smaller," Strunck said.

"Needless to say, as a first-time hunter, Alexander was the proudest one in the group, especially since his hog was the largest one bagged that day."

Fish of the week

Capt. Alan Zaremba reported excellent fishing for largemouth bass in Everglades canals. Lance Benson, of Miami, and his father, Jerry, of Davie, caught 66 bass up to 3 pounds using floating and suspending Rapalas and topwater lures in the L-4 and L-5 canals along the Broward-Palm adult christmas cards county line.

Zaremba and Ted Sander, of Cooper City, caught 60 bass up to 6 pounds using floating Rapalas, Chug Bugs and Gambler ribbontail worms on a morning trip in the L-6.

Tucker Horne, of Charlotte, N.C., caught 12 peacock bass up to 31/2 pounds and a largemouth fly fishing with Clouser minnows on a morning trip in the C-100.

John Schaffner, of Fire Island, N.Y., his son-in law and his 6-year-old grandson caught 22 peacocks up to 3 pounds and three largemouths on floating Rapalas, live shiners and jigs in the C-100.

Michael Troner, of Palmetto Bay, and his granddaughter Rachael, 12, of Miami, and grandson Nathaniel, 6, of England, caught nine peacocks up to 3 pounds using Clouser minnows, floating Rapalas and shiners on a morning trip in the C-100.

Fink Finklestein, his grandson Mathew and his wife, Shana, of Toronto, caught 207 largemouths up to 2 pounds on floating and suspending Rapalas and Chug Bugs on an afternoon trip in the Miami Canal.

Best Gift Card Deals Christmas 2014: Buy Safe and Get Freebies

The blank christmas cards gift card deals this Christmas are coming from restaurants that are featuring popular "buy one, get one" deals. And according to a recent survey by the Retail Gift Card Association, people want those gift cards for Christmas.

"There is no longer a question that retail gift cards are the most coveted gift to give and get during the holidays, but consumers are being more deliberate about which cards they purchase, with 73 percent spending less on holiday gifts than they did last year," says Jennifer Tramontana, spokesperson for the Retail Gift Card Association.

ICYMI: Check out WestJet airlines giving away Christmas presents to their passengers.

Before deciding what the best gift card deals are for that special someone this Christmas, the RGCA reminds consumers to use the following best practices. They will help you stay away from gift card fraud and stolen identity.

1. When you buy, make sure you get your gift cards from retailers you can trust, and make sure you know the policies. 2. Get a gift receipt. In the event you or your recipient lose the gift card, this will help speed up the replacement process.3. Around the holidays, many retailers have special deals and incentives when using and buying gift cards - make sure you ask.4. Gift cards don't have to be impersonal - combine your gift card with another small, personal gift or gift basket to give make it feel more thoughtful.5. Most retail gift cards purchased from reputable retailers have no expiration date or fee.

Now to the good stuff. So where can you get those best gift card deals this Christmas? Well, restaurants almost certainly top the list. Here are five of our favorites. For more deals check out the list from dealnews.com.

And the must see website for the best gift card deals this Christmas you can not miss is www.giftcardgranny.com. Have fun shopping for the best deals and stay safe when buying online!

Why Sprint's Terrible Service Doesn't Matter

According to Consumer Reports, sprint customer service ( ) is the worst of the major US wireless carriers, coming in dead last on a number of factors including network quality and value. Sprint told CNet that it wasn't surprised -- ongoing upgrades to its network are weighing on quality.

Sprint has lost millions of subscribers in recent quarters; as someone who abandoned Sprint just a few months ago, I can personally attest to the carrier's problems -- the sluggish data speeds, the poor reception, etc.

And yet, despite Sprint's issues, I think it's an interesting investment for someone who's willing to stick it out over the long term. Sprint's network potential, the possibility of a NASDAQ: Dish Network ( DISH ) deal, and T-Mobile's ( ) recent success stand out as reasons to like Sprint.

Sprint is a sleeping giant Sprint's network may be the worst today, but in a few years it could be the best. When it comes to spectrum assets, Sprint is a veritable sleeping giant; with Clearwire and Nextel, Sprint has more spectrum, and more LTE bandwidth, than any of its competitors.

The problem is execution -- Sprint has set lofty goals in the past, but has failed to live up to them. However, with Softbank now owning the vast majority of the company, and promising to invest billions, Sprint could finally put its assets to use, creating the premiere mobile data network.

The early signs are there: Sprint announced "Spark" in October -- a network that relies on Sprint's extensive spectrum assets. Spark-compatible phones use tri-band technology, letting them tap three different spectrum frequencies at once, in the process offering theoretical data speeds equivalent to Google Fiber. Admittedly, current performance is much less impressive (though still better than the competition) and the markets where it's available, and the number of handsets that support it, are limited.

A Dish Network deal is still possible Before Softbank finalized the deal, Dish Network tried to buy Sprint, and though it wasn't successful, there are still reasons to believe that a future deal could be possible. Perhaps not a merger, but a partnership that would strengthen Sprint's offering to consumers. When Dish had made its case for Sprint, it had spoken of a combined service, one offering satellite TV, phone and mobile Internet together in a single bundle. The merger may have fallen through, but a deal is still possible.

Dish Network has continued to acquire spectrum assets, even as it lacks a wireless network with which to employ them. Right now, the company is trying to buy LightSquared's spectrum assets out of bankruptcy.

Moreover, on its earnings call back in August, Dish Network's management continued to play up the potential of a Sprint partnership; Chairman Charlie Ergan remarked that Softbank had bested them in the deal to acquire Sprint, but that he "like[d] working with people better than [him]." Ergan reiterated that Dish fits "pretty well" with Sprint, and that there remains a "lot of options" when it comes to working with the carrier.

Subscribers are willing to switch
If Sprint and Dish could offer a great service, consumers would be willing to switch, though it may take a little time. According to a survey conducted by WDS ( via ZDNet), only 13% of US mobile subscribers claim loyalty to their carriers -- the market remains wide open.

T-Mobile has used Americans' frustrations with their carriers to fuel its recent resurgence. Although it remains the smallest of the major carriers, T-Mobile is growing the fastest, adding 648,000 new subscribers last quarter. T-Mobile's new "un-carrier" initiatives are likely helping it to grow, as the company has ditched standard contracts and handset subsidies in favor of installment plans and month-to-month service.

Obviously, T-Mobile is a competitor to Sprint, and as most Americans rely on a single carrier, nearly every customer T-Mobile gains is one Sprint doesn't have. Yet, I think T-Mobile's recent growth illustrates that it's possible for a smaller carrier to shake up the market.

Short-term pain for long-term gain Sprint has been bleeding subscribers for years, and that trend is likely to continue in the near-term -- Consumer Reports' survey suggests that Sprint's customers remain deeply unsatisfied.

Still, the potential is there. Sprint could emerge as a major force in the wireless industry, a company with the most powerful network of all, possibly partnered with Dish, and capturing customers from the other carriers at a rapid pace -- but investors must be willing to wait.

Sprint's lack of 4G hurts its rating among smartphone owners
Want to get in on the smartphone phenomenon? Truth be told, one company sits at the crossroads of smartphone technology as we know it. It's not your typical household name, either. In fact, you've probably never even heard of it! But it stands to reap massive profits NO MATTER WHO ultimately wins the smartphone war. To find out what it is, click here to access the "One Stock You Must Buy Before the iPhone-Android War Escalates Any Further..."

New And Exclusive Micro-Site Content

ePHOTOzine's Micro-Site Roundup - Find out what's been happening on our five Micro-Sites.

Posted:

Here's a roundup of the exclusive content we've got for you to have a read of on our five micro-sites this week:

On PENTAXPORTAL this week, you can take a look at some top tips for photographing seals with your Pentax camera, and check out some top Pentax sunset photos. Plus, the brand new K-3 DSLR has been reviewed on site this week, and there's news of new images from Ricoh Imaging brand ambassadors.

Over On EIZO ColorZone, you can learn how to perform a monitor viewing angle check and find out why ColorNavigator software is a great tool for aiding calibration. Plus, there's news of a new 3D CG colour management handbook that's now available.

Meanwhile, on Olympus Image Space this week, there are techniques on how to use blur creatively, and there's news on Olympus workshops taking place over the coming months with Damian McGillicuddy and Steve Gosling. Plus, news on the Olympus Impressions 'Fall' competition, and £100 accessory cashback when you buy an Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera have also gone live.

On Totally Tamron this week, you can learn some top tips for taking better photos of ice with your Tamron lens, plus there are some top Tamron portrait photos for you to take a look at. Don't forget to take a look at David Pritchard's blog the days zoom past, too, as he's been out-and-about with his newly acquired Tamron 24-70mm lens.

Last but not least, on Nikon Nation this week, you can check out some ideas and tips for on location portrait shoots, get creative with colour balance and lots more. Plus, don't miss the Nikon D5300 Cyber Monday Deal DSLR review and news of ono-to one training with Nikon School in December.

Make sure you check back to the Micro-Sites regularly, as new and exclusive content is posted weekly!

Source: Ephotozine