May 2012
50 posts
4 tags
Google now officially owns Motorola Mobility →
Larry Page, Google CEO:
I’m excited to announce today that our Motorola Mobility deal has closed. Motorola is a great American tech company that has driven the mobile revolution, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation, including the creation of the first cell phone. We all remember Motorola’s StarTAC, which at the time seemed tiny and showed the real potential of these devices. And...
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Introducing Readlists: Your Reading, Unbound and... →
Jeffrey MacIntyre on the Arc90 blog:
We are pleased to release a new experiment today: Readlists, a free and incredibly convenient app for collecting, sharing, and enjoying bundles of articles, poems, recipes—you name it. It’s as simple as cutting and pasting links to ordinary web pages, that are then transformed into a clean reading view, but with the power to send them as specially tailored...
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Waterstones deal with Amazon puts Kindle and... →
Zoe Wood, The Guardian:
Waterstones said it was planning a digital revolution in its stores, with Kindle ereaders on sale for the first time and free wifi, so customers can choose between buying a physical book or downloading it then and there.
This deal is being met with increduility by many in the media, but I think this is a pretty sensible move by Waterstones. I know that I enjoy...
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The lost art of storing up treasure in heaven
Last week we talked about the lost art of seeing heaven. Looking at Matthew 6:1 we focussed on why we find it easier to practice our righteousness ‘in front of others to be seen by them’, than it is to look for ‘reward from [our] father in heaven’.
This week we’re going to take a look at another passage in this same chapter of Matthew and talk further about...
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Don't ask God to do what he told YOU to do →
Andrew Jones:
Jesus did not say to his disciples, “If you want to remove the mountain, host a city-wide worship evening and when people have reached a heightened sense of spiritual well-being, have them pray that God will do something and then return home feeling like they have done well.”
No! ”YOU say to the mountain ‘Be removed!’, said Jesus.
The...
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U2's Bono to become the world's richest... →
NME:
Given the social media company is currently valued at over $100billion (£63 billion), this makes Bono’s share worth over $1.5 billion (£940 million) and puts him well above Paul McCartney, who is currently the world’s richest rock star with a fortune of £665 million.
Bono owns 2.3 per cent of the shares in Facebook through his private equity firm, Elevation Partners—hence...
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John Sentamu: A response on marriage and civil... →
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu:
Whilst I am a strong supporter of justice and equality of opportunity for all people, I want to insist that with those rights go our responsibilities one to another. These are enshrined, I believe, in our legal definition of marriage. Would we be a better society if we made marriage simply a private contract between two individuals with no wider...
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Facebook is the new email: everyone uses it; no...
Facebook has been in the news a lot lately ahead of it - today - becoming a publicly traded company on the stock market. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought in light of both that, and also a new statistic just out suggesting that as many people use Facebook today as used the Internet in 2004. Crazy.
Despite the growth of both Twitter and Google+, neither of these have come close to the...
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Want to start a successful business? Don't start... →
Anthony Tjan, HBR:
One of our most striking findings was that of the entrepreneurs we surveyed who had a successful exit (that is, an IPO or sale to another firm), about 70% did NOT start with a business plan.
Instead, their business journeys originated in a different place, a place we call the Heart. They were conceived not with a document but with a feeling and doing for an authentic...
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“When a poor man asks you for aid, do not use his faults as an excuse for not...”
– Rabbi Shmelke of Nicholsberg
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Why the leadership movement is leaving your church... →
Mike Breen:
At the end of the day, what most pastors want (and have been trained to want!) is minions to execute the most important vision of all. Their own. In doing this, they effectively kill people’s ability to get a vision of their own.
This is the first in a five part series by Mike and brings some really astute analysis of the state of raising leaders within churches—and what we...
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FREE 8 Week Improv Comedy Foundation Course
My good friends Isaac Randall and Ryan Offutt run an improv comedy group called Monkey Butler (MB Improv). This is part of Vox Sheffield, the not-for-profit organisation I oversee.
And I’m very excited about the latest venture which is to offer a free foundation course for anyone in the South Yorkshire region. Here’s the details from Isaac:
Hi all, some very very very exciting...
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“Though it may defy logic, the easiest way to screw up a project is to give it...”
– Ken Segall, Insanely Simple
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2 Billion Jobs to Disappear by 2030 →
Thomas Frey, innovation editor for THE FUTURIST magazine:
Most of the jobs getting displaced are the low-level, low-skilled labor positions. Our challenge will be to upgrade our workforce to match the labor demand of the coming era. Although it won’t be an easy road ahead it will be one filled with amazing technology and huge potentials as the industries shift.
This is a really fascinating...
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10 million active Twitter users in the UK →
A year ago Twitter set up an office in the UK. One year on they’ve announced some pretty impressive figures. There are now 10 million active users here in the UK. One in six people. That’s good going. And it fits with my anecdotal observations that I’ve been seeing a growing number of friends dip their feet into Twitter’s waters.
I should add that Twitter is undoubtedly...
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You can't compartmentalise discipleship →
Jo Saxton:
I’ve realized over the years that discipling requires more than involvement; we’ve got to be all in. There have been times when I’ve hoped and assumed that discipleship was purely a class or a program. Good input and teaching would suffice; or maybe a meal here and there. Whilst structured teaching and informal meals are valuable aspects of the organized and organic rhythms of...
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"If we can’t change the Beeb, we can’t change the... →
Fascinating rant by Boris Johnson in The Telegraph, arguing that the BBC needs a new Tory director-general if we are going to see our economic situation turn around:
We now have the twin problems of dealing with the debt, and recovering competitiveness – and neither of those is easy when the BBC is the chief mirror in which we view ourselves. If you are funded by the taxpayer, you are more...
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The lost art of seeing heaven
I was reading through a few sections of Matthew’s Gospel this morning when this statement from Jesus jumped out to me:
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (6:1)
It stood out to me because not many people—myself included—obey this! The truth is nearly all of us want to receive...
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Apple's move away from Google Maps is high risk →
John Gruber, Daring Fireball:
This is a high-pressure switch for Apple. Regressions will not be acceptable. The purported whiz-bang 3D view stuff might be great, but users are going to have pitchforks and torches in hand if practical stuff like driving and walking directions are less accurate than they were with Google’s data. Keep in mind too, that Android phones ship with turn-by-turn...
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How to make money online →
Some really great advice from Seth Godin.
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Andrew Perriman's stance on Reformed theology,... →
Andrew Perriman:
I still maintain that we need to shift from a reliance on systematic theological constructs, such as Calvinism or modern Evangelicalism, to a narrative-historical reading of the New Testament that respects the contingency of its theological content…
…To be honest, I think that, for all that has been and is being achieved under these banners, they constitute a...
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The Bible & Homosexuality - 15 Propositions →
Lots of wisdom, compassion, and insight in this piece by James Howell, a United Methodist pastor:
Immense humility, and tender care and gratitude are always fitting for Christians. Being right is interesting, but love for those Christ loves is always one step higher in Jesus’ scale of values. To be a listener – and we’ve had far too little listening on both sides – is holy. And we can be...
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“Everyone has talent, but not everyone is a genius. A genius is someone who has...”
– Sam Radford
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Apple to ditch Google Maps →
Mark Gurman, 9to5Mac:
Apple will drop the Google Maps program running on iOS since 2007 in favor for a new Maps app with an Apple backend. The application design is said to be fairly similar to the current Google Maps program on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, but it is described as a much cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience.
It’s been no secret that Apple have wanted to...
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Enough with the teenage fling with God...
Ok, I admit it. I sometimes mock some of the modern day contemporary worship music used in churches as being ‘Jesus is my boyfriend’ songs. There’s a whole genre of lovey dovey, romantic feeling Christian songs that I find a bit too much.
It is romanticising of our faith that I want to talk a little bit about today. And it stems from close to twenty years of observing...
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"Obama’s endorsement of gay marriage was all about... →
Tim Stanley, The Telegraph:
Given the impotence of his endorsement, it really comes down to one man sharing his personal opinion about a moral matter with the rest of nation. And then making a lot of money out of it.
The cynical take on Obama’s announcement of support for gay marriage.
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Soon you won't get ripped off using a mobile phone... →
BBC News:
Regulations to make using a mobile phone abroad significantly cheaper have been passed by the European Parliament. The plans, which were voted in by a huge majority, include imposing a price cap on operators. From July, using mobile data in Europe will not cost more than 70 cents (56p) per megabyte - far less than current rates.
Good news. And soon we’ll simply be able to...
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Giving up the things you enjoy to achieve your...
I have to say I was delighted to read earlier that Danny Care - the England rugby player - has given up alcohol. Not that I have anything against alcohol; I was simply sad to see a young guy throwing away his career due to not being able to control himself after having a few drinks.
Danny has been in the press far too often in recent months getting arrested and banned from driving due to alcohol...
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Too soon to write the Coalition off
David Laws, writing in the FT:
The coalition still has the potential to be one of the great reforming governments of the postwar era. The changes we are making in education, welfare and pensions are radical and right. The country will judge us over our full term and not on the basis of a turbulent few weeks of “here today, gone tomorrow” headlines. But after five years, we must show we have...
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All MPs to get iPads →
Rowena Mason, The Telegraph:
The House of Commons has decided that all 650 MPs are eligible for brand new [iPad’s] which sell for at least £400 each.
I missed this last week. It’s an interesting move that is intended to save both paper and money in the long run. Of course, it also highlights the growing dominance of the iPad when it comes to tablet technology.
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Tribus Europe 2012 →
Tribus Website:
The Tribus event is being catalyzed to connect, inspire, and mobilize those who desire to make a difference in Europe. Tribus calls those who are blazing new paths in Europe to come together, share stories, and gain new determination, rekindle passion, and maybe make a few new friends.
I was one of the speakers at Tribus in Düsseldorf last year and loved the experience. For...
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Why Francois Hollande's end-to-austerity message... →
Dan Hodges, The Telegraph:
The French people have swallowed Francois Hollande’s pledge of a brighter today, and over time they may come to savour it. If he can take the harsh edges off the brutal economic environment facing his country, that may be enough. But on thing is certain; a prolonged period of austerity will be as much a part of Hollande’s France as it was Sarkozy’s. As much, in fact,...
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Season 2 of Homeland is definitely coming →
RadioTimes:
US cable channel Showtime will premiere season two on 30 September - but UK viewers will almost certainly have to wait a bit longer to see answers to the questions raised by the tense season one finale.
I’ve absolutely loved season one of Homeland. It’s been thoroughly engrossing television. And now that we’ve been left - unsurprisingly - in suspense, I was...
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The state of religious belief in Britain →
Linda Woodhead, The Guadian:
According to British Religion in Numbers, belief in “a personal God” roughly halved between 1961 and 2000 – from 57% of the population to 26%. But over the same period belief in a “spirit or life force” doubled – from 22% to 44%. And 41% of us now believe in angels, 53% in an afterlife and 70% in a soul – that’s much higher, often...
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iPhoto for iPad highlights strength of iPad over... →
Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times:
[iPhoto for iPad] doesn’t just reassert the iPad’s supremacy over all other tablets (although, yes, it’s yet another reminder of the total hopelessness of the Android tablet app marketplace). It goes way beyond that. iPhoto asserts the iPad’s equality with notebooks. I spent a whole week in a foreign country with lots of work to do, and I left my laptop at...
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How to make sure you don't become a social recluse →
Nice article with several tips to help make sure you stayed engaged with the real world and real people.
With so many great technological advancements, it is becoming so much easier to just end up staying at home watching TV, playing computer games, and working the social networks. That’s not wrong, but we still need to get out, do different things, and engage.
Even if this isn’t a...
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Labour on the march, or Tories staying at home? →
Gary Gibbon, Channel 4:
In every council I’ve looked at you find that for every 10 people that voted Labour in 2011 council elections, about eight or nine voted Labour yesterday. But for every 10 that voted Tory in 2011 only six did the same thing again yesterday.
This all suggests that Labour isn’t converting ex-Tory voters in great numbers but that 2010 and 2011 Tory voters are staying...
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“Wisdom is seeing the future from the present. It is recognising the consequences...”
– Sam Radford
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Low turnout in local elections: time for...
It is looking like the turnout for yesterdays elections was around just thirty percent. Considering what people have sacrificed in the past to ensure we all get the opportunity to vote and be part of a democracy, that’s pretty terrible.
The easy route to take is that of assuming it’s because people don’t care about politics. And there’s no doubt that that’s part of...
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Flipboard is coming to Android →
Hot on the heels of Instagram becoming available on Android, Flipboard (another hit iOS app) is now going to be heading to Android. It’ll start out as an exclusive for the Samsung Galaxy S III.
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Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone unveiled →
Comes in at a mere 4.8 inches. Still not sure that’s big enough for the people with giant hands Samsung clearly designs for!
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Kindle Fire sales are collapsing →
Joe Weisenthal, Business Insider, makes a telling observation about the news that after having 16% marketshare in Q4 2011, the Kindle Fire has seen its tablet share drop to just 4% in Q1 2012:
The Amazon Tablet (the Kindle Fire) is something people will buy as a gift over the holidays, but won’t buy themselves to actually use. When people are buying tablets for themselves, they...
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“Humility and arrogance are not opposites. Arrogance is having too high an...”
– Sam Radford
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“Intellectual arrogance is a set of blinkers blinding you from anything you...”
– Sam Radford
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Bringing history to life →
The new timeline app of World War Two by historian Dan Snow and Ballista Media looks pretty fantastic. Some of the apps that are now being created make me really excited about the educational possibilities as more and more kids get their hands on iPad’s and other tablet devices.
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The essence of discipleship
Paul, the apostle, writing in his letter to the Philippians:
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I...
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Are we born into the world evil or good? →
Dean Sharp:
Are we born into the world evil or good? We’re born into the world human—possessing an unimaginable capacity for love and relentlessly pursued by fear. Fear effortlessly pulls us down into the sub-human, love lifts us to the transcendently human, and most of life is lived somewhere in between.
True.
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How Apple will become a mobile carrier →
Whitey Bluestein, GigaOM:
Apple will provide wireless service directly to its iPad and iPhone customers. First, Apple will sell data packages bundled with iPads. Then it will sell data and international roaming plans to iPhone customers through the iTunes Store. And in time — sooner than many think — Apple will strike wholesale deals with several mobile operators so that Apple can provide...
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Reflections on giving up God for lent →
My friend Patrick decided to give up God for Lent. His post about what he learnt throughout the process is well worth a read.
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"There was a time when poor Africans flocked to... →
Allister Heath, CityAM:
There was a time when poor Africans flocked to southern Europe to better their lives; the opposite is now happening. Five hundred years after Vasco de Gama first landed in Mozambique, impoverished Portuguese are turning up in droves, begging for work permits. Six years ago, Angola issued 156 visas to Portuguese migrants. In the most recent year for which data is...