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    New iPhone Letdown

    Apple's new iPhone announcement is a giant letdown — unless you're fanboy Al Gore

    Joel Luks
    Sep 10, 2013 | 2:38 pm

    Go ahead, Apple, make my day.

    The media invitation to Tuesday's press conference, in which the techie magnate was expected to announce two new iPhone models, promised to "brighten everyone's day." Unless the new version can do my laundry, shop for my groceries and walk my dogs, chances are that whatever improvements come to the mobile toy will instead only proliferate the love-hate relationship one has with a device that keeps users connected ad nauseam.

    Technology reporters and geek bloggers began pouring into Apple's Headquarters eight hours before the show was set to commence, and waited as the whole world salivated with anticipation to learn about the next whatever that's intended to revolutionize our lives.

    Ladies and gents, former Vice President Al Gore — you know, the inventor of the interwebs — is in the house.

    Live bloggers and video stream commenters had a field day criticizing Apple for recycling information from the previous conference.

    Still . . . let's take a moment to gush over iOS 7, shall we.

    The operation system that's slated to become available on Sept. 18 pledges to overhaul the user experience. Prettier wall papers, better search function, easier multitasking controls, more realistic male and female voices for Siri, techno-like ring tones, 3D tabs and a better camera app with filters (if only Instagram had thought of that) are some of the 200 features included.

    Breaking news: iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Keynote and Numbers — five previously paid apps —are, starting today, free. Feeling the pressure from Google Docs much?

    The iPhone 5S's unlocking mechanism will see an enhancement with Touch ID, which uses fingerprints as personal credentials instead of a four-digit passcode.

    As for the new iPhone models, Apple also unveiled the iPhone 5C and its more expensive brother, the iPhone 5S — which hit the U.S. market Sept. 20.

    Yes to more selfies

    The iPhone 5C, available starting at $99 with a two-year contract, is a cheerful design with bright colors that include blue, rust, puke green and acid yellow. The installed wall paper will match the phone's exterior. Longer battery life and improved backside illumination complement the faster processor. The one-piece plastic back and sides are arsenic-free, mercury-free and — wait for it — Android-free.

    The iPhone 5S, however, is a considerable step up from previous versions. Available in futuristic silver, cougar gold and chic space gray, it's the performance that's worth noting.

    As compared to the iPhone 5, the CPU performance and graphics speeds of the iPhone 5S are twice as fast. In contrast to the original iPhone, the CPU is 40 times faster and the graphics are 56 times faster.

    The camera has been equipped with a larger/faster aperture, which is better for low light conditions. A 15 percent bigger sensor plus a flash that consists of both a white and an amber light have the capacity to analyze 15 different versions of a photo prior to rendering an image. The software pores over all these potential photos and creates a composite that contains the sharpest parts of each. As for video recording options, slow-motion rates up to 120 frames per second in 720p high definition are sure to whet the appetites of social media buffs.

    We should expect a rise in narcissistic selfies. And more below-the-belt oopsies from Anthony Weiner.

    The iPhone 5S's unlocking mechanism will see an enhancement with Touch ID, which uses fingerprints as personal credentials instead of a four-digit passcode.

    The iPhone 5S is available staring at $199 with a two-year contract. The older iPhone 4S will be offered free with a two-year contract.

    Next month, Apple expects to deliver its 700 million iOS device courtesy of an expanding footprint that includes 100 countries and 270 carriers. In December, the iPhone will deploy in China for the first time.

    A big deal? Maybe. But my house is still a mess.

    The iPhone 5S's unlocking mechanism will see an enhancement with Touch ID, which uses fingerprints as personal credentials instead of a four-digit passcode.

      
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    news/innovation

    a metro of entrepreneurs

    Houston isn't as business-friendly as other Texas cities, study finds

    Amber Heckler
    Apr 23, 2025 | 9:30 am
    Downtown Houston
    Photo by Damaris Martin on Unsplash
    WalletHub says Houston's business climate has barely improved in the last year.

    Houston's reputation for being an entrepreneurial and business powerhouse was just snubbed in WalletHub's new list of the "Best Large Cities to Start a Business" in 2025. The Energy Capital of the World only moved up four spots and ranked No. 34 nationwide.

    The annual report ranked 100 U.S. cities based on 19 metrics across three main categories: business environment, access to resources, and costs. Factors considered in the report include five-year business survival rates, job growth comparisons from 2019 and 2023, office space affordability, and more.

    The sunny Florida city of Orlando (No. 1) topped the list as the best large city for starting a business this year.

    Houston's business climate has improved slightly since 2024 when the city previously ranked No. 38.

    Houston performed the best in the national business environment category, ranking No. 33 out of all 100 cities in the report. It fell behind in the categories for "business costs" and "access to resources" and only mustered up into No. 50 and No. 65, respectively.

    "Starting a business can be very scary, considering one in every five startups doesn’t make it past the first year," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "That’s why it’s especially important to live in a city that provides an environment where new businesses can thrive, with enough capital, workers and customers to keep it going long-term."

    Despite this study's less-than-stellar review of the city's entrepreneurial spirit, there are many Houston-based businesses that reigned superior on Fortune’s 2025 list of "America’s Most Innovative Companies."

    Local space tech startups are also pioneering new low orbit projects and lunar missions, so the city clearly has an appreciation for innovation.

    Elsewhere in Texas
    Austin was the only Texas city to rank among the top 10 best big cities to start a business in 2025, climbing up into the No. 3 spot.

    "Businesses that are currently in Austin are thriving, as the city has a very high growth rate in the number of small businesses," the report said. "It also has the best employment growth in the country, which makes it more likely that new businesses will be able to find employees."

    Dallas-Fort Worth had the greatest concentration of cities on the list, contributing six out of 13 total Texas cities, and all of them among the top 50: Fort Worth (No. 11), Arlington (No. 15), Dallas (No. 16), Irving (No. 22), Garland (No. 29), and Plano (No. 43).

    Other large Texas cities that were named among the best places to start a business in 2025 include Lubbock (No. 33), Laredo (No. 44), San Antonio (No. 64), El Paso (No. 67), and Corpus Christi (No. 70).

    The top 10 best large cities to start a business in 2025 are:

    • No. 1 – Orlando, Florida
    • No. 2 – Tampa, Florida
    • No. 3 – Austin, Texas
    • No. 4 – Jacksonville, Florida
    • No. 5 – Miami, Florida
    • No. 6 – St. Petersburg, Florida
    • No. 7 – Boise, Idaho
    • No. 8 – Atlanta, Georgia
    • No. 9 – Raleigh, North Carolina
    • No. 10 – Hialeah, Florida
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