Nick Jonas delivered an emotional speech at New York Citys historic Stonewall Inn, where thousands gathered for a vigil to mourn the 49 victims of the horrific mass shooting in Orlando. Find out how Nicks upbringing and childhood theater experience helped him develop an open mind and open heart for those in the LGBT community from an early age.
Yesterday"s WWDC presentation started with Apple CEO Tim Cook asking for a moment of silence to honor the men and women killed in Sunday"s attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The keynote ended with Cook"s presentation of Swift Playgrounds, a way for Apple to encourage children to learn how to code. In between, Cook had exactly zero moments on the stage. This was definitely a case of "less is more." Cook ceded the stage to his team, and allowed them to present the most ambitious definition yet of the "Apple experience"one that is defined not simply by incredible devices, but by a seamless, increasingly omnipresent and intelligent platform experience accessed via those devices.
Cooks gravitas and flat delivery serve him well when speaking on matters of moral import. Neither the Orlando tribute nor the Swift Playgrounds presentation came off as mere PR efforts. This seems to have been the keynote where Apple finally gave up on the idea that its CEO must be the center of the presentation. This is surely a relief to Cook, who never wanted to be as much of a showman as his predecessor, Steve Jobs. Instead of having to anchor everything, Cook bookended a set of surprising presentations by a surprisingly diverse array of executives. There were, of course, the traditional "white techie guys in Silicon Valley garb," all interchangeable on stage except for Craig Federighi, SVP of software engineering, who has real stage presence. But there was also some racial diversity, there was some female representation, and evengasp!an African-American woman, Bozoma Saint John, who was a big, bright moment of energy on the stage.
None of this would be noteworthy, of course, outside of Silicon Valley. But coming from Apple, it was noteworthy indeed. Cook doesnt sweat the details of a keynote the way Jobs didno one did, or shouldbut he is ensuring that Apple projects the diversity he has championed over the years.
Perhaps more notably, the keynote made clear that Cook is determined to fix whatever Apple products seem less than stellar, including the Watch, Apple Music, the App Store, and many services dependent on wireless connectivity. Thats a continuation of the companys longtime focus on spending time and money to continually improve existing products. But the keynote was even more notable because it made clear that Apples business concerns and goals are differentand more ambitious and complicatedthan the ones Cook inherited from Jobs. Once upon a time, Jobs defined the "Apple experience" as the merging of hardware and software in a single device in a way that no other company could match. Over time, that definition grew to encompass an iPad, a Mac, and an iPhone, and all that a user could accomplish because these were wirelessly connected. Cook is expanding that universe significantly.
While some commentators believe that the company is still focused on individual devices, the keynote was full of improvements devoted to two concepts: continuity and artificial intelligence. The continuity part made clear that Apple wants you to be able to do whatever you need on whichever of its devices you are using. Start a document on a Mac, you can wrap it up on your iPhone. Start editing a slide show on your iPad, finish it up on a Mac or an iPhone. Track your physical activity on a Watch, check it out later on your iPad.
The artificial intelligence side is evident in many smaller features. Siri can control your TV and your Mac now, and answer more complicated questions than before. Apples software can anticipate your needs betterin one example from yesterdays presentation, an iPhone didnt just alert its owner to an upcoming meeting; it also asked if she wanted to order an Uber. Apples Photos app can now arrange your photos in sensible collections, like "That April Party" or "Beach shots."
Almost all of this can be done with software from other companies. But Google and Amazon can"t yet combine continuity, AI, and multiple first-rate devices seamlessly. Only Apple has shown the ability to do this kind of thing in a way that makes this all relatively effortless for consumers. It will take lots of work to ensure that this effortlessness continues, and Apple will have to improve those "less than stellar" offerings. But if Apple can pull this off, Cook is taking Apple somewhere thats far more complicated and all-encompassing than the device-centric "Apple experience" that Steve Jobs was able to engineer. Cooks goal, it seems, is for Apple to create the technology that will serve your needs all day long and everywhere you gothe devices are simply the (excellently designed) doorway to that world. At home, with Siri on your TV and with developers creating apps that control your Home network. At work, with an integration of software, services, and devices that allow you great flexibility. And even in between, perhaps, on your commuteall the rumored R&D investment in car technology seems designed to service that portion of your day, too.
This idea that a single company could be your primary, and perhaps only, technological steward is an old one. Microsoft had it long ago, approaching it with its onetime ownership of the business computing world, and Amazon, Google, Facebook, and others aspire to it, as well. But with over a billion devices in use around the world, and a strong history of making easy-to-use technology that improves the lives of its customers, Apple is as natural a candidate for this stewardship as anyone.
Its true that, for now, that vision is built up from four operating systems for four device formats (Watch, iPhone (and iPad), AppleTV, and Macs.) But Mondays keynote made clear that the ambition of the vision is hardly limited to just those devices, that Apple is committed to blurring the lines between those devices with increased connectivity, and that the company is intent on making Siri an interface that can manage any number of environments, including a car. Apple fully intends to compete strongly in the race toward a technologic future thats enabled and informed by artificial intelligence. Like its competitors, it wants to be the operating system for your life.
This, then, is Tim Cooks Apple; publicly moral, consumer-focused, and all-encompassing. If Cook is successful, he may even one day shake off the shadow of Steve Jobs.
More news from Apple"s WWDC 2016:The history of Apple in under 3 minutes
Lil Wayne Drinking Massive Amounts of Lean Hours Before Seizures
Lil Wayne is headed home.
A source told The World-Herald that the rapper"s plane was preparing for departure Tuesday morning from Eppley Airfield"s private terminal. The plane was said to be bound for Los Angeles, where Lil Wayne lives.
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Richard Jefferson"s Snapchat: LeBron James "Throw that bitch off the glass"
Matthew Florjancic, WKYC3:26 PM. EST June 10, 2016
Veteran small forwardRichard Jefferson continues to play fill critical roles for the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo: Pool Photo, Custom)
CLEVELAND -- Veteran NBA small forward Richard Jefferson has played several roles in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that continued in the teams 120-90 win over the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday night.
In place of power forward Kevin Love, who missed Game 3 because of a concussion, the Cavaliers started Jefferson, and he accounted for nine points with a four-for-seven shooting mark, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals over 33 minutes of play in the response win for Cleveland.
He"s a professional, Cavaliers small forward LeBron James said. He"s a true professional, and a guy who is seizing an opportunity and moment to be in this position. The last time he was in The Finals was his first and second year in the league, and I think he"s not taking this moment for granted.
He"s just going out and giving everything that he has. He knows his role. He plays it very well, and he"s key to our team.
According to Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, inserting Jefferson in the starting lineup gave the Cavaliers an injection of quickness to go along with his floor-spacing, driving and defensive abilities.
I just think he gave us speed, Lue said. I thought he gave us the physicality on Harrison Barnes, and we were able to slide LeBron over to Draymond Green, which helped us out a lot. We were able to switch pick and rolls and things like that, so just being able to get up the floor offensively, pushing the ball, pushing the tempo, and RJ"s aggressiveness on the defensive end.
Although Jefferson played well in Game 3, he was quick to point out that despite the Cavaliers pulling out a win over the Warriors, they still trail in the best-of-seven series, two games to one.
At the end of the day, we protected once, Jefferson said. We protected home court. We have a lot of respect for our opponent. Kevin wanted to be on the court. I saw how p****d off he was when he wasnt able to be cleared in time.
Were in this together. Weve all picked each other up. You have to go with the next-man-up mentality. He is definitely one of the top players in this league. Its our job to just hold on until he can get back.
Its not adversity. We dealt with that same nonsense talk in the Eastern Conference Finals. We won our first two games at home. Toronto won their next two games. They protected home court. We protected home court. We just have to keep moving. Our job is not done. They won their first two games at home in spectacular fashion. Tonight was a good win for us, but it only counts as one. It doesnt matter if you win by 100 or one. The next game is equally as important.
And just like they did in Game 3, the Cavaliers are expecting quite a bit of support from the Cleveland faithful at Quicken Loans Arena.
Theres been so much made of the Golden State crowd, Jefferson said. I cant say enough about our crowd. Our crowd was amazing. They were ready. They were geared up and ready. They didnt care about what happened in Golden State. They knew we are a great team at home. A lot of that is in part to the energy that they bring us.
Lil Wayne Drinking Massive Amounts of Lean Hours Before Seizures
OMAHA, Neb. --
Lil Wayne is in stable condition in Omaha after suffering what his publicist described Tuesday as two minor seizures.
TMZ has reported that the Grammy-winning rapper"s private jet was forced to make two emergency landings at an Omaha airport Monday afternoon and that he was taken to a hospital.
Dennis Messina, an operations supervisor at Omaha"s Eppley Airfield, told The Associated Press that a plane landed around 2:40 p.m. due to a medical emergency, but that treatment was refused. The plane refueled and was just taking off when the pilot declared another medical emergency and returned to the airport.
Messina couldn"t confirm that Lil Wayne, whose real name is Wayne Carter, was on the plane.
Derek Sherron, publicity director of The Chamber Group, said Lil Wayne was under the care of his own doctors and was in good spirits.
"He thanks his fans for their everlasting support, prayers and well wishes," Sherron said.
Several reports said the 33-year-old New Orleans native was taken to Creighton University Medical Center. A hospital spokeswoman declined to comment Tuesday.
In March 2013, Lil Wayne was hospitalized in Los Angeles for seizures. He told a Los Angeles radio station that he"s an epileptic. In October 2012, he was hospitalized in New York for what was described as a severe migraine and dehydration.
(Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
ESPN First Take - Today 6/14/2016 (Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Game 5)
OAKLAND Suspended Draymond Green will be absent for Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday. Ex-Knick Channing Frye, considered the X-factor off the bench for the Cavaliers entering the Finals, has been absent for the first four games.
LeBron James supporting cast has let him down in the Finals, most notably the cast of four ex-Knicks on their roster: Frye, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Timofey Mozgov.
Frye, an important part of the Cavaliers romp through the Eastern Conference playoffs, could get a boost from Greens suspension on flagrant-foul points resulting from his alleged groin-seeking swipe against James.
Kevin Love, who may return to the starting lineup, said both he and Frye can benefit from not having to faceGreens quickness in defending the outside shot.
He takes a lot away against a guy like me and Channing, guys at the perimeter, Love said before Game 5. They do a great job of guarding the perimeter as a team. Hes very dynamic on the defensive end. One of the new players who can guard 1 to 5.
Frye, the Knicks lottery pick in 2005, is just waiting for his chance. Frye has taken just threeshots (and one 3-point try) in the entire series, covering 32 minutes of action. He has two points total none in the past three games.
J.R. SmithPhoto: NBAE via Getty Images
The scrappier Richard Jefferson has taken some of Fryes minutes, but the Cavaliers are in dire need of offensive pop. Frye feels he can help more.
Of course. Why would I not feel like that? Thats ridiculous, Frye told The Post. I think right now Rich is playing great. Thats the great thing about our team is that in different series, different guys show up and do well based on matchups and different opportunities.
In the Eastern Conference finals, Frye averaged 9 points, shooting 58.3 percent on 3-pointers. In losing Game 4 of the Finals at home, the Cavaliers mustered just six3-point baskets to a Finals-record 17 made by Golden State.
I got to stay ready, said Frye, whom the Cavaliers obtained in a February trade with Orlando. I plan to play in every game, every minute. Its not like Oh man Channing, youre doing bad. Its just that Rich is playing out of his mind.
The Warriors are up in the series 3-1 mostly because their Strength in Numbers motto has proven prophetic. The Cavaliers are not getting enough out of Shumpert and Mozgov, the center who essentially was removed from the rotation for Frye.
Iman ShumpertPhoto: NBAE via Getty Images
Shumpert, a former first-rounder whom the Knicks traded to Cleveland along with Smith last season, is a defensive specialist, but has looked especially shaky on offense. Hes shot a combined 4-of-14 with 10 points in the four games. He also hasnt been enough of a defensive force on Golden States Stephen Curry: He has zero steals.
Shumpert signed a 4-year, $40 million contract last summer and needs to better pull his weight on a club with the second-highest payroll in NBA history a roster that could see a shakeup if they go down in five games to the Warriors.
Mozgov, a key factor in last years Finals and impending free agent, played in garbage time in the first two games and was a DNP in the crushing Game 4 loss. His lone meaningful minutes came in the victory in Game 3, when he set a vicious pick on Klay Thompson that forced him from the game with a bruised thigh. Thompson whined afterward that Mozgovs pick was dirty.
Smith, the Cavaliers starting shooting guard, has disappeared for long stretches of games. In Game 1, he took just threeshots and rarely was passed the ball. In Game 4, he played all but five seconds of the second half but didnt launch one shot.
Smith has 58 3-pointers in these playoffs, which is a Cavaliers franchise record. In the Game 3 win,Smith erupted for 20 points.
On why he didnt get off a shot in the second half Friday, Smith said, Its just the flow of the game. Guys thought they had advantages going downhill. Some they finished, some they didnt. It happens. I have to continue to stay aggressive on defense.
Here are some official details courtesy of Capcom:
While Resident Evil 7 draws from the series roots of atmospheric survival horror, it also delivers a whole new level of terror. In the classic Resident Evil games of yesteryear, players braced for fear in the first-person via the creepy door-opening scenes, and Resident Evil 7 ramps up that tension with an immersive first-person view and a photorealistic graphical style.
Capcom is able to achieve a shocking degree of visual fidelity thanks to the new proprietary in-house RE Engine that includes VR oriented tools. Last years KITCHEN tech demo for PlayStation VR was in fact built on this new engine as well. With the RE Engine plus industry leading audio and visual technologies, you experience every abhorrent detail up close and personal in Resident Evil 7. Playing the game in the PlayStation VR Mode escalates the unsettling feeling of presence to a level that horror fans have never experienced. Thats right, the full gameplay experience is available in the included PlayStation VR Mode from beginning to end. No Resident Evil youve ever survived could prepare you for this.
Original story:
Capcom has announced that Resident Evil 7 biohazard will be releasing on January 24, 2017 and will be fully compatible with PlayStation VR. Players can also try out a demo. Heres the official statement from Capcom:
Fear comes home again when Resident Evil 7 biohazard releases on PlayStation 4 (fully compatible with PlayStation VR Mode) on January 24, 2017. Download the exclusive PlayStation Plus demo now! http://www.capcom.co.jp/residentevil7/
Well update this post when more details are announced.
