Unlocking new smartphone becomes harder Saturday

(CNN) -- It's about to get more difficult to move between smartphone carriers and still keep your existing phone.

Smartphones purchased after Saturday can't be legally unlocked without permission from the carrier, according to a recent ruling by the Library of Congress.

Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in 1998, making it illegal to access copyrighted content and break digital rights management technologies. The software that locks a smartphone to one carrier is covered by the act, and unlocking a phone is the process of freeing a device so that it can be used with a different wireless carrier.

The Library of Congress has the ability to grant exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which it has done in the past for smartphone users who wished to unlock their phones. That changed with the most recent group of exemptions that went into effect October 28, but the switch included a 90-day grace period that ends Saturday, as TechNewsDaily pointed out.

The new policy only applies to new locked phones purchased after Saturday, meaning it will still be legal to unlock phones purchased before January 26 without permission.

One way to get around the requirement is to buy a full-priced unlocked phone that doesn't have a contract, but doing so adds hundreds of dollars to the phone's price tag. Carriers subsidize the costs of smartphones to draw new customers in with contracts, usually for two years, and then make back the money from monthly voice and data bills.

In its latest ruling, the Library of Congress decided the software on a phone is only licensed to the end user, meaning they don't own it, so therefore the software is not covered by fair-use rules.

Groups that lobbied to keep the exemption argued that making unlocking illegal is anti-competitive and could result in costlier phones and more electronic waste since some consumers would have to buy a new device to switch carriers.

But the final ruling says there are more options now for obtaining an unlocked phone than in previous years. Many phones are available unlocked for full price, and carriers do have policies in place for unlocking phones. Currently the rules vary from carrier to carrier.

For example, AT&T will unlock an iPhone for current or past customers as long as all contracts have been fulfilled. And Verizon's iPhone 5 is usable on AT&T's network.

However, it's unclear whether carriers will tighten these rules about unlocked phones in the future.

Seconds of pleasure: A few cool Vine videos

(CNN) -- For some people, it's been an open question: Is six seconds, the limit before a Vine video starts looping over and over again, enough time for real creativity?

The answer is yes.

About 24 hours into the existence of Vine, Twitter's appropriately brief video-sharing app, it's already clear that users are doing really cool stuff with it -- in much the same way that people found ways to be funny or insightful with just 140 characters of text.

Sure, a lot of the Vine posts we're seeing are random images of crap on people's desks, their lunches or their cats. (Would it really be the Internet without cats?)

But why focus on the negative when you can accentuate the positive? Here are a few of the most interesting Vines we've seen so far. Let us know of ones we missed in the comments.

Apparently This Matters: ReviewerCard

Editor's note: Each week in "Apparently This Matters," CNN's Jarrett Bellini applies his warped sensibilities to trending topics in social media and random items of interest on the interwebs.

(CNN) -- I have absolutely no business reviewing restaurants. Consider the facts: I like Ramen noodles. I burn my meat. And I'm pretty sure a Klondike Bar is the pinnacle of modern cuisine.

I've also heard good things about Applebee's.

But when it comes to restaurant feedback, someone like me can just go online and write literally anything. And people might actually read it.

"Apparently This Matters" Is Jarrett Bellini's weekly (and somewhat random) look at social-media trends.

"Let's avoid that new Italian place, Diane. It says here the meatballs are made from baby seals."

Nevertheless, amateur reviews on sites like Yelp do play an important role in the restaurant industry, and there are plenty of well-intentioned people who actually provide decent feedback.

"The meatballs are amazing! Definitely not made from baby seals."

Still, just being a prolific amateur reviewer doesn't qualify someone for special treatment when he or she goes out to eat.

Or does it?

Because now there's something called the ReviewerCard. Essentially, it's a plastic membership ID that looks like a high-end AmEx. In the middle it states: I WRITE REVIEWS.

The idea is that you flash it before a meal -- thus, informing the staff of your keen ability to use the Internet -- at which point the manager will suddenly break into a cold sweat and start nervously heaping you with extraordinary service.

"Well, hello! I see you write reviews. Allow me to seat you in our special 'Gonorrhea-Free' section."

The card actually started trending this week after several online publications picked up on the company's lofty idea of passive-aggressive extortion, and most took it to task. However, Brad Newman, founder of ReviewerCard, told the Los Angeles Times, "It's not a threat. It's a way to get the service you deserve."

As for the rest of you proletariat filth, enjoy your chicken fingers in Clap Town!

Of course, deserving good service means the ReviewerCard isn't for everyone, and the website explicitly states that they screen applicants for past online activity: "If you are a casual reviewer and only post once in a while, this card is not appropriate for you."

Unless, you happen to have a hundred bucks. In which case, I'm guessing they'll quietly overlook the fact that your one and only entry on Yelp was about Taco Bell, and you described it as "Epic."

Which it is.

The point: ReviewerCard isn't free. In fact, it's downright pricey. And that's why you have to laugh.

Bottom line, Brad Newman is an opportunist who seems to have found a mildly clever way to get stupid people to give him money. Which is completely fair. If you really want to shell out a hundred dollars for a smug piece of plastic that will likely get you dirty looks and a fresh bowl of snot soup long before a complimentary slice of pecan pie, I say go for it. Operators are standing by.

Well, Brad is, anyway.

Not everyone has been quite as forgiving of this whole ridiculous concept. The ReviewerCard definitely is taking some heat.

But much of what's been said online about Newman's idea seems like nothing more than feigned outrage. Because, let's face it, people love to be offended, and nobody with a shred of intelligence actually thinks this is serious.

Fortunately, I might just have that shred of intelligence. But only a small shred. And I mostly use it for remembering my own name.

So, I'm fine with the ReviewerCard. There's plenty of other things in the world to worry about. Besides, Newman has only sold a little more than 100 ReviewerCards -- likely to the same 100 people who, at this very moment, are constructing another strongly-worded online review from their mom's basement.

"Worst. Meatballs. Ever."

Yahoo earnings: Mayer still has much to prove

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Former Googler Marissa Mayer shocked the world last summer by taking the CEO spot at Yahoo, a brand marred by tumultuous CEO tenures and waning relevance.

Since then, Yahoo's stock has been on a tear and analysts are pinning their hopes for a Big Purple Turnaround squarely on Mayer.

Mayer has laid out her plans to usher in a new era at Yahoo (YHOO, Fortune 500), and she's generated more excitement about the company than any of the numerous other CEOs Yahoo has had in the past decade. That includes a buzz-worthy appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
But industry watchers are now starting to look for proof that Mayer can deliver on her promises.
To be fair, Mayer has only been on the job for two full quarters. In October, results for the third quarter beat estimates but were hardly fantastic. Mayer's next test comes via Monday's fourth-quarter earnings report, and it will be a look into the new Yahoo business strategy -- the results of which Mayer began laying out in an all-staff meeting in September.
Mayer wants Yahoo to focus on personalizing the Web for its users. She's also trying to shake up the company culture, urging Yahoo staffers to move more quickly and interact with the Web the way the company's users do. To that end, she eliminated company-issued BlackBerrys in favor of new Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500), Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) and Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) phones.
Mayer has also discussed efforts to revamp search and display advertising, as well as focusing on attracting top talent to Yahoo. Her message is convincing, at least to investors: Shares closed Thursday at their highest level since September 18, 2008.
And so Marissa-love has proliferated, with Yahoos and techies alike wondering if Mayer will finally be the one to right the Yahoo ship after years of failings. Adding to the Mayer obsession is her personal life: She gave birth to a baby boy on September 30 and returned to work after a two-week maternity leave.
Related story: Yahoo CEO Mayer's "God" and "baby is easy" quotes go viral
But, as always in business, the proof is in the numbers. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect Yahoo to report fourth-quarter earnings of 28 cents per share, up 18% from a year ago. But they're forecasting just a 4% gain in revenue.
Of particular concern is Yahoo's display revenue: sales from banners, videos and other graphic ads. Display sales were flat in the third quarter, but that's an improvement over the sharp falls from previous quarters.
Still, analysts want to see a return to strong growth, not just stabilization.
BCG Financial analyst Colin Gillis put his thoughts in a haiku: "Time for the next stage, of the turnaround story: drive revenue growth," he wrote in a note to clients Tuesday.
Related story: Yahoo ordered to pay $2.7 billion in bizarre Mexico lawsuit
Gillis called Yahoo's display performance "anemic," and he's not happy with revenue from Yahoo's search partnership with Microsoft's Bing. Mayer herself called Yahoo's search results "disappointing" last quarter, and analysts will look to her after Monday's earnings report for more clarity on what she plans to change.
J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth offered tepid optimism about Mayer's reign, saying in a note Friday that he was "encouraged" by her focus on user experience, search, mobile, and more. Like Gillis, he wants more information on changes to search and display, plus investment and recruitment efforts.
Overall, Anmuth said he wants "to see a better path toward improved execution in the core business."
In other words, Mayer's honeymoon period with Wall Street may soon be over. It's time for Mayer to begin proving that her plan to get Yahoo back on track works, starting with Monday's results.

Steve Jobs movie premieres to mixed reviews

(CNN) -- A movie about the early life of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs premiered Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival to mixed reviews, with some critics saying it presents a fawning, one-sided portrait of the late tech icon.

"jOBS" stars Ashton Kutcher in the title role and dramatizes selected highlights of Jobs' life, from his formative months at Reed College to the 1984 debut of the Macintosh to the triumphant unveiling of the iPod in 2001. Co-starring Josh Gad ("1600 Penn," "The Book of Mormon") as business partner Steve Wozniak, the film focuses on Jobs' celebrated role in pioneering the personal computer.

"Over and over again, minor characters explain to him why something can't be done; Kutcher-as-Jobs smiles enigmatically and waves away their concerns," writes Casey Newton for CNET.

"Each time, he speaks of how the technology Apple is building will improve the lives of average people. Co-workers argue with him, but they never get anywhere, because their parts are poorly written and the filmmakers have no interest in showing their subject being wrong about his work," Newton continues.

"(A)ll Apple failures in 'jOBS' are portrayed as the result of conservative, backward-thinking executives beholden only to their shareholders. The result is that the viewer spends two hours watching cardboard cutouts lose arguments to Ashton Kutcher."

Matthew Panzarino of The Next Web has a more charitable view of the movie.

"There will be those who will attack the accuracy of the film, and there are plenty of chances to do so. Significant swaths of technical development of the Macintosh and Lisa computers are simply not present," he writes.

"But, overall, 'jOBS' works. ... This isn't going to be the canonical Steve Jobs biography movie. Honestly, Jobs was such a complex individual that I can't see one ever being made. But, as an impressionist portrait of a specific period in his life, it's successful."

Some observers had questioned Kutcher's ability to portray such a complicated and familiar figure. But both critics had praise for the actor's performance.

"He throws himself into the role, inhabiting Jobs in his mannerisms and gestures while doing a more than creditable impression of the man's voice. Kutcher also captures Jobs' deliberate, slightly hunched-over walk," writes CNET's Newton. "At moments, as during an enjoyable sequence in which Jobs recruits members for the Macintosh team, Kutcher disappears into the role."

"jOBS" attracted some controversy last week after a scene from the movie was posted on the Internet. In the clip, Jobs raves about the commercial potential of an operating system that Wozniak has created.

"Nobody wants to buy a computer," says Wozniak. Replies Jobs, "How does somebody know what they want if they've never even seen it?"

Wozniak told Gizmodo that the scene's characterizations were inaccurate.

"We never had such interaction and roles," said the Apple co-founder, who has not seen the whole film. "I'm not even sure what it's getting at ... personalities are very wrong, although mine is closer."

In response, the filmmakers behind "jOBS" issued a statement saying the movie "is not a documentary, nor is it meant to be a blow by blow, word for word account of all conversations and events. ... The filmmakers acknowledge that not every single thing in the film is a precise representation of what took place, but is feature film entertainment."

Kutcher discusses playing Jobs at Sundance

Steve Jobs died in October 2011 after a long battle with cancer.

"jOBS" is scheduled to open in theaters April 19.

Meanwhile, production is under way on another film about Jobs' life, written by Aaron Sorkin ("The Social Network") and based on Walter Isaacson's best-selling book. Wozniak is a consultant on that film.

Health Bulletin Berries may cut heart attack risk in women, study says

Eating three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries each week may help reduce a woman's risk of heart attack, a large and long 18 years new study published in the journal Circulation suggests.

MYTH FACT

There is NO evidence that wearing this decorative piece of underwear cause health problems such as cancer or increases the risk of breast cancer.
Many women wear bras to bed to support large, painful or nursing breasts. Others just want to counteract any sagging.

Health Tips Exercising after delivery

Many women are eager to slim down after baby arrives, but it takes time for your body to recover. The American Council on Exercise offers these suggestions for new moms:
-Talk to the doctor about when it is safe to resume exercise. Your goals and exercise schedule will depend on the type of delivery you had, and your general health. Discuss with the doctor.
-Gradually ease back into exercise, building up duration and intensity over time.
-Drink plenty of fluids & avoid getting overtired.
-Support your abdomen and breasts when you exercise.
-Eat a balanced and nutritious diet.

How to manage neck pain in the elderly

Neck pain is common for both in male and female of all age group. Elderly people are suffering from neck pain due to osteoarthritis of neck bone known as cervical spondylosis.
Pain and stiffness is the primary symptoms. Pain may travel to shoulder, hand and fingers due to nerve root compression at the neck bone in the spine. There may be tingling, pins and needles prick sensation present in hand. Weakness and wasting of arm muscle may present in chronic cases. Vertigo, headache and pain in chest or back also happened in cervical spondylosis.
There occurs degeneration and narrowing of the disc with bone reaction at the periphery resulting in osteophytes or bony spurs or bony projections with wear and tear of the articular tissue. These ostephytes press on the cervical nerve root at spinal cord leading to compression symptoms.
The main goal of management is to relief pain and to release compressed nerve. NSAIDs or common painkiller drugs can control sever pain for short period. But patient with diabetes, gastritis or kidney diseases have restriction in taking those drugs. Some electrotherapy modalities like Infra Red Radiation (IRR) may be used to ease the tensed muscle and reduce spasm. Self traction technique is effective in early stage of acute pain. Patient should try to remain as active as possible without aggravating symptoms in order to maintain strength and mobility and to avoid deterioration. This can be achieved by having regular breaks from levels of activity that increase symptoms with positions of comfort.
Exercises placing minimal force through the neck should be performed to maintain fitness, strength and mobility provided they do not increase symptoms. This may include regular walking, hydrotherapy exercises (designed by a physiotherapist) or gentle range of movement and strength exercises as determined by the treating physiotherapist. It is also important to maintain good posture (or as close to good posture as possible without increasing symptoms) to minimise stress on the neck. A medicated pillow is sometimes useful. Avoid working by forward bending and lifting heavy weight. Hot compression and rest can accelerate the healing process.

The write up is compiled byDr Mohammad Ali, Consultant and Head of Physiotherapy Dpt, Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hospital.
Email: physiomali@yahoo.com

Stomach flu in children, prevent diarrhoea in winter

Stomach flu is an infection of the digestive system and is not related to the regular flu (influenza) anyway which affects the respiratory system. It is the gastroenteritis presenting with diarrhoea caused by Rotavirus. Rotavirus diarrhoea is the commonest cause of diarrhoea in infants and young children all over the world that contributes almost 40% of cases.
It predominantly affects in winter season. With the season running, it is now the commonest cause of diarrhoea in young children in Bangladesh.
Rotavirus diarrhoea is not very difficult to manage but even then each year 450,000 children under five years of age dies because of Rotavirus gastroenteritis. Most of the deaths occur in developing countries like Bangladesh.
When Rotavirus attacks, it produces watery diarrhoea along with other symptoms that include low grade fever, vomiting, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Dehydration followed by profuse diarrhoea is the cause of death in Rotavirus infection. In each episode of infection, patients develop some immunity and that is why subsequent infections are less severe then the first attack.
The virus is transmitted through contaminated hands, food and other objects. The feces of an infected person contain 10 trillions infectious particles per gram of stool. Rotavirus are stable in the environment and survives between 9-19 days.
Diagnosis of Rotavirus is mostly done by symptoms and examining physical signs. Sometimes, physician may seek laboratory help to diagnose and exclude other diseases.
The mainstay of management of Rotavirus diarrhoea is to replace water and electrolyte that is lost during the episode. Prompt correction of dehydration with ORS is essential in any children and sometimes with rice saline needed. However, if the condition of the children is severe or is not improving with time, prompt consultation with a doctor or hospitalisation is warranted.
In order to prevent the disease, maintenance of personal hygiene is very important. Proper and frequent hand washing with soap is the most cost-effective way to prevent virus entering into the body.
For more protection against Rotavirus, the vaccine is available in our country, although it is not given with routine national immunisation schedule. It is available in various centres and should be administered orally without painful injections. There are only 2 doses where first dose is administered at the age of 6-8 weeks and second one to be administered 4-6 weeks after the first dose. Both doses have to be completed before six months of baby’s age.
Like taking caution against seasonal flu in this winter, precautions against stomach flu is also crucial for your baby. You can consider certain effective preventive tools like vaccine, maintenance of personal hygiene including proper hand washing to keep Rotavirus at bay.

The writer is a Paediatrician working at Community Based Medical College (CBMC), Mymensingh.E-mail: mmukkhan@gmail.com