- Created on 10 April 2013
The iPhone 5S to Come in 'At Least 2' Different Sizes, Maybe 3
News on Apple’s yet-to-be-released iPhone 5S has been scant, but got a big boost today from Brian White at Topeka Capital. White reports that Apple could release a new iPhone with multiple screen sizes.
"After our meeting with a tech-supply chain company, we walked away with the view that Apple will release the iPhone 5S in at least two screen sizes this summer and possibly three," said White. He's on the seventh day of a tour of technology suppliers in China and Taiwan.
Prior to White’s surmise, the only news about the iPhone had been that Apple was working on an iPhone 5S which would be just like the iPhone 5, except with a bump in performance.
Compared to handsets released by HTC and Samsung, the iPhone’s screen pales in comparison. It made it taller last year, expanding the screen to 4-inches, up from 3.5-inches, but that may not be enough for some users, especially considering their competitors are making phones with 5-inch, and 4.7-inch screens.
"Essentially, we believe Apple is coming around to the fact that one size per iPhone release does not work for everyone and offering consumers an option has the potential to expand the Company’s market share," writes White.
The new two or three different size options would follow Apple’s blueprint with other devices, including the iPad, which comes in two different sizes, and the MacBook, which comes in three sizes.
No word yet from Apple, which has been typically mum on the release.
- Created on 10 April 2013
ABC's 'Shark Tank' Entrepreneur Search Comes to Atlanta
Atlanta area entrepreneurs will have the chance to pitch their business ideas to a panel of successful, big-name industry tycoons on the ABC reality show “Shark Tank” this weekend. Those interested in participating are invited to head to the Fox Theater and arrive by 11 a.m. Wrist bands will be handed out from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with interviews beginning at noon.
“Shark Tank” features billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of AXS TV and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA championship Dallas Mavericks; real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran; “Queen of QVC” Lori Greiner; technology innovator Robert Herjavec; fashion and branding expert Daymond John; and venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary.
The show is filming its fifth season. Atlanta is one of five cities chosen to participate in this season. The other cities are Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Philadelphia.
Nationwide auditions to appear on the ABC reality series start in Atlanta at the Fox Theater on Sunday, April 14. The first 500 entrepreneurs who show up will be given the opportunity to make their pitches. Winning pitches get real money from the billionaire panel.
More information on auditions and pitches is below.
CASTING CALL AUDITION SCHEDULE:
SUNDAY, APRIL 14th
THE FOX THEATRE
660 Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. -- Numbered Wristbands Distributed
12:00 p.m. -- Interviews Begin
For further casting call information, please check out http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/casting
- Created on 10 April 2013
Kanye West Sued For Allegedly Lifting Lyrics
The family of David Pryor is suing rapper Kanye West for allegedly using unlicensed samples on his hit record “Gold Digger.” The 2005 hit received much buzz from its obvious sample of Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman.”
The children of Pryor, who is now deceased, accused West of sampling a very small part of the song "Bumpin' Bus Stop," which was written and sang by Pryor and his band Thunder & Lightning in 1974.
Trena Steward and Lorenzo Pryor claim that when listening carefully, Pryor can be heard singing "Get Down" three times, echoing West singing, "Get down girl, go head, get down" 13 seconds into the song.
Steward and Pryor each own one-quarter of the song and have asked a judge to put a halt on the sale of the song. They have also asked for "millions of dollars" in damages for the allegedly unlicensed sample.
According to AllHipHop, the lawsuit accuses West and various labels of engaging in a 15-year "illegal copyright infringement scheme and criminal enterprise involving the unauthorized, willful sampling of plaintiffs original copyrighted music on a massive scale." Other labels including Roc-a-Fella Records, Bad Boy Records, Stones Throw Records, Bomb Hip-Hop Records, Autumn Games, Activision, Caroline Distribution and Island Def Jam Music Group have been named in the suit.
This is not the first time West has been sued for using unlicensed samples. Most recently, he was sued in September 2012 by New York label TufAmerica, who claimed that West illegally used portions of a 1969 song by New Orleans legend Eddie Bo on his 2010 album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy."
TufAmerica said West's then label Roc-A-Fella paid a $62,500 license fee but "failed and refused to enter into written license agreements that accounted for their multiple other uses of ['Hook and Sling']."
Similarly in 2010, West was sued by Vincent Peters over a copyright dispute for his "Stronger.” West's legal counsel referenced the works of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, whose saying "that which does not kill us makes us stronger" is quoted in the song. The court ruled in the rapper's favor.
- Created on 10 April 2013
Tyler Perry Planning 'Huge Expansion' For Atlanta Studio
Superstar actor, director and playwright Tyler Perry, who has called Atlanta home for years, says he is planning “a huge expansion” to his Tyler Perry Studios complex in the city.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight’s Rocsi Diaz on Tuesday, Perry revealed what he called a “huge expansion” to his studios.
Diaz and Perry reportedly have ties “from way back,” according to the director, and the revelation of the expansion slipped out almost by accident.
“This isn’t really an interview,” Diaz said during the ET segment. “It is two friends catching up.”
As Diaz and Perry toured the complex, Perry told the reporter, “I am about to do a huge expansion here.” Then Perry paused and said, “I haven’t told anybody that.”
Perry opened the Atlanta studio in 2008. The complex has five sound stages set on 30 acres. It is located inside two former Delta Air Lines affiliated buildings in the Greenbriar area of southwest Atlanta, and includes 200,000 square feet of sets and office space.
Perry also owns and operates 34th Street Films, a production arm of Tyler Perry Studios, through which he guides the work of other filmmakers.
Perry didn’t provide any more details about the expansion, saying only that he had given Diaz "an exclusive."
Click here to see the interview and tour of the complex.
- Created on 09 April 2013
Tax Time – A Reminder of the Basics
With Benjamin Franklin’s admonition in mind – “…nothing is certain but death and taxes” – and serving as point of reference, here are some basics to help out those who have not yet done their tax duty.
Importance of filing on time
When you owe taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it is imperative that you file and pay on time or you may be subject to penalties and interest on the amount due. However, if you have a refund coming, there is no penalty for filing late.
Types of penalties
Failure to file Penalty: This penalty is calculated based on the time from deadline of the tax return due, which may include extensions to the date the return is actually filed. The penalty is 5 percent for each month the tax return is late, up to a total maximum penalty of 25 percent of the tax due as shown on the tax return filed.
Failure to pay penalty: This penalty is calculated based on the amount of tax you owe as shown on the tax return filed. The penalty is 0.5 percent for each month the tax is not paid in full. Unfortunately, there is no cap or maximum limit to this failure to pay penalty, which is calculated from the original filing deadline of April 15 until the full balance due is paid.
Interest
Interest is calculated based on the taxes that are due. Interest rates change every three months. Currently, the IRS interest rate for underpayment of tax is now about 4 percent per year.
Filing late
With all of the penalties at the disposal of the IRS, it is better to file on time. However, if the lateness simply cannot be avoided, at least file an extension to potentially avoid or reduce the failure to file penalty. You still may be subject to failure to pay penalty and interest, but it will still be worth it to avoid the potential of up to a 25 percent penalty.
Payment options
To avoid all interest and penalties, it may be more economical to borrow the money to pay from family and friends, draw on a home equity loan or even look to a credit card as an option. While a few of these options may have interest, they are probably far less than 25 percent.
Installment plan
If all else fails and you just cannot come up with the necessary funds to pay the IRS the taxes due, an installment payment plan may be able to be negotiated. First, you must complete Form 9465, which is the Installment Agreement Request. Attach it to the income tax return. You should include the amount you propose to pay each month and the dates of the month the payments will be made.
The IRS will notify you if this Installment Agreement Request has been approved. There is a fee of about $45 for establishing an agreement. Remember, interest may continue to accrue until the balance is paid in full.
No money compromise
If the amount you owe the IRS is so great that you may never be able to pay it, the IRS may accept less than what is owed through the Offer In Compromise Program. You must complete Form 656 – Offer In Compromise and Form 433A – Collection Information Statement. Submit both of these forms to the IRS, along with the $150 application fee. Additionally you must provide a personal financial statement, which includes all of your assets, debts, income and the amount you can pay immediately in an effort to settle this debt.
Before this settlement offer is granted, the IRS will evaluate your current financial picture and future income capacity. If the IRS believes that they will be unable to collect the full amount owed, they may accept the offer. However, the odds are not favorable that your settlement offer will be granted. Remember, this program is for those taxpayers that are in sever financial distress – not those that have the money and are just seeking to pay less than what is owed.
Pay agreements on time or else
If you have successfully obtained an installment plan or an Offer In Compromise Agreement, you must pay all of your federal tax bills on time for the next five years or until the amount agreed upon is paid in full, whichever is longer. If you fail to pay or default on the terms of the Offer in Compromise Agreement, all of your taxes forgiven will be due in full.
Additionally, the IRS may file a lien on any assets that you have in an effort to guarantee payment. So if you remember nothing else, do not just ignore your taxes. File on time and make payment arrangements.
(Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .)
