CHICAGO, June 29 (Xinhua) -- With drumbeat and lion dances, a local Chinese culture organization celebrated its expansion of services on Chinese arts in downtown Chicago Saturday afternoon.
Xilin Association, headquartered in western suburb of Chicago, has recently launched the Performing Arts Academy in Chicago. The group offers education programs, arts classes and other social services to local community.
"I've been involved with Xilin's activities for more than 10 years and witnessed its growth step by step," said Kitty Wo, executive director of the newly opened Performing Arts Academy.
Wo said the academy will offer courses in dance, music and arts. "We want to enrich the educational experience of children and adults," she said.
Among the VIPs and community leaders who praised Xilin's services in the Asian community and American society at the opening ceremony are Illinois Secretary of State Jessie White, Chinese Deputy General Consul in Chicago Wang Yong and a representative sent by U.S. Senator Mark Kirk.
"It's important for us to support an institution like Xilin, a place where people can come and learn about the Chinese culture and for the young to learn artistic skills," White said.
Xilin was set up as a Chinese language school in 1989 when Linda Yang, its executive director, and a couple of other Chinese parents couldn't find a school to send their children to learn simplified Chinese. They organized their own school, utilizing the facility at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to provide lessons. The program was so well received that it was included as a special program at the Chancellor's Office at UIC.
In 1991, Under Yang's leadership, the group set up its office and a Chinese language school in a western suburb of Chicago - Naperville, where there was a large Chinese population.
They soon realized that a language school can't meet the needs of the students, Yang said. So Xilin set up an affiliation with a community college and began offering classes in English and Math.
Over the years, the Xilin Association has expanded the children's education program from weekend schooling to after school programs, and added performing arts, senior services and community healthy programs.
"Xilin's social service to seniors was great," Bill Liu, a longtime supporter and board member of Xilin told Xinhua. "It provides a venue for seniors who don't speak English to have social activities together."
The organization provides services for people from age three to 103, Yang said. "Not just Chinese, but also people from other ethnic backgrounds."
Xilin's senior services include therapeutic activities, meals and social activities. Their community health programs provide mammogram, osteoporosis and hepatitis B screenings for people over 40 who have no insurance coverage.
With the grand opening of the Performing Arts Academy, two dance classes, one for children under seven, and the other, which opens to all ages, have started.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghanistan's president says the Taliban's daylight attack on his palace in Kabul will not deter his government from forging ahead with the peace process.
Speaking Saturday alongside British Prime Minister David Cameron in Kabul, President Hamid Karzai tried to brush aside Tuesday's thwarted attack, saying "I wish they (the Taliban) would spend all the time attacking the presidential palace and leave the rest of Afghanistan alone."
He condemned the assault but said it will not deter the Afghan government from the peace process.
The Taliban have indicated they are willing to start peace talks at a new office in Qatar, but have not renounced violence and attacks remain regular. They have also not yet made contact to try and initiate a beginning to the talks.
A sailplane and a Cessna 150 collided in midair near Pemberton, British Columbia, on Saturday killing four people, Canadian authorities said. About the same time, a glider crash near San Diego left two people dead.
The accident in Pemberton, about 100 miles north of Vancouver, occurred at midday, said Navy Lt. Greg Menzies, public affairs officer for the Joint Rescue Coordination Center Victoria.
Rescuers sent to the scene found debris and determined that two people aboard the glider and two in the Cessna 150 had been killed, Menzies said. He said the identities of the victims had not been released pending notificiation of next of kin.
An image on CTV?s website showed aircraft debris in heavy timber.
Meanwhile, in California, two people aboard a glider were killed in a crash about 12:30 p.m. near the Jacumba airport about 75 miles east of San Diego along the Mexico border, NBCSanDiego.com reported. The Allstar PZL glider was registered to the Associated Glider Clubs of Southern California, according to the FAA. Details of the incident were not immediately available.
The clubs' website says the group was set to fly in Jacumba all weekend, NBCSanDiego.com reported. A photo of the glider that crashed is shown?in an earlier flight.
Robin Wright and Kevin Spacey star in "House of Cards," a favorite for binge-watching since all the episodes were put up on Netflix on the same day.
Ever sat down with a stack of DVDs or a queue of online TV episodes and watched till your eyes glazed over? If so, you've indulged in "binge-watching," a mostly harmless, and definitely enjoyable, addiction.
"Experts say TV binging is a lot like other pleasure activities like eating or drinking or sex," NBC's Kate Snow said on TODAY. "As you devour the next episode of your favorite show, your mind releases dopamine, the neurotransmitter that causes the feeling of pleasure ... while the forebrain provides checks and balances to guard against overindulgence."
Nearly 80 percent of U.S. adults with Internet access watch TV through subscription services like Netflix or Hulu or other on-demand sources, and 62 percent watch multiple episodes back-to-back.
"Content providers like Netflix are building business models around it, offering original series like 'House of Cards' only available on their service all at once," Snow notes.
Like anything, binge-watching can be abused. "Anything that causes pleasure is potentially abusable when matched up against the ability of your forebrain to regulate it," said Dr. Richard Rosenthal of St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in New York. But unlike truly addictive substances, binge-watching doesn't carry with it the negative consequences of other habits.
And if you invest in the right companies, it can be profitable as well. Stock for both Netflix and Dreamworks recently jumped following the announcement of a new partnership between the two for 300 hours of original programming, which guarantees to be ripe for binge watching, Snow said.
Boston College students walk across the college campus in Boston, March 29, 2005.
Time is running out for Congress to act. And low-income college students will pay a high price if a deal can't be reached by Monday's deadline.
Interest rates on many new subsidized Stafford loans will skyrocket?from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent?on Monday, unless the Senate reaches a compromise.
The likelihood of that happening dimmed Friday as Congress recessed for the Independence Day holiday week.
Read More: Senate Can't Save Student Loan Rates
Most in Congress agree loan rates should to stay lower than 6.8 percent, at least for the subsidized Stafford loans used by the country's lowest-income students. But they're stuck on how to get there.
Republicans want to let the rates fluctuate with the markets every year and use the proceeds for deficit reduction. Democrats say that's unreasonable and want to cap how fast rates can rise.
Existing loan rates will not change and rates on new unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans also will remain the same.
Congress could come to an agreement later this summer to lower rates, but that may be unlikely.
"It is possible for them to make a retroactive change, but only if the loans have not yet been disbursed," says Mark Kantrowitz, senior vice president and publisher of Edvisors.com. "So they could make a retroactive change if the US Department of Education delays the disbursement. But I doubt Congress will reach an agreement after July 1, as they are still too far apart."
More than 7 million undergraduates receive subsidized Stafford loans, for which the federal government pays the interest while the students are enrolled in school.
But the nation's student debt crisis affects so many more.
More than 38 million Americans have student loan debt, totaling nearly $1 trillion, a staggering number that has quadrupled in 10 years and keeps rising. Student loan debt now surpasses credit card and auto loan debt in this country?and it's only expected to get worse before it gets better.
"I see the debate about interest rates as a distraction from the real problem, which is the amount of debt," said Kantrowitz, who is also founder of FinAid.org, a leading website on financial aid for college and graduate students and their families.
"Each year the average cost of graduation goes up by about $1,000 or more. And having less expensive debt is going not going to make much of a difference if the total amount owed keeps on going up."
A study done this spring by economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that the share of 25-year-olds with student debt has increased from just 25 percent in 2003 to 43 percent in 2012. The average student loan balance among those 25-year-olds with student debt grew by 91 percent over that time, from $10,649 in 2003 to $20,326 in 2012.
The amount of debt has risen as tuition, room, board, fees and other college expenses have soared. The cost of attending college has risen about 4 percent in the past year alone?and has far outpaced the rate of inflation in recent years.
Total charges for a full-time undergraduate at an in-state public college rose from $17,136 in 2011-2012 to $17,860 in 2012-2013, according to the College Board. Private college costs for one year totaled $39,518 in the past year, up from $37,971 the previous academic year.
"Grants are not keeping pace with the increases in college costs," Kantrowitz said. "When grants are relatively stagnant or even going down that causes students to borrow more."
But many families don't plan or try to calculate the total cost of attendance for a student's college and graduate studies?and that may be at the crux of the student debt crisis.
Sallie Mae CEO Jack Remondi said poor planning exacerbates a borrower's burden, regardless of the rate on the loan. Sallie Mae is the largest provider of private student loans.
"If you overborrow, whether the rate is 4 percent or 7 percent, you're still going to encounter difficulties," Remondi said. "A plan that takes into consideration what your income potential is going to be when you graduate and what that debt burden is going to be is critical."
Unfortunately, many students and parents have failed College Planning 101.
Less than a third of low-income parents said they knew how they would pay for their child's college education before they enrolled, according to a Sallie Mae study. Only 37 percent of middle-income families had a plan. Among high-income families, only slightly more than half said they had a plan to pay for college before their children enrolled.
Yet this critical lesson can significantly cut borrowing costs: As long as your total student debt at graduation is less than your annual income, you should be able to pay back your student loans in 10 years or less, Kantrowitz said.
Keeping that formula in mind when choosing a college, graduate school and course of study can help students significantly cut borrowing costs.
?By CNBC's Sharon Epperson. Follow her on Twitter @sharon_epperson.
Breaking habits before they startPublic release date: 27-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sarah McDonnell s_mcd@mit.edu 617-253-8923 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Turning off cells in a habit-associated brain region prevents rats from learning to run a maze on autopilot
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Our daily routines can become so ingrained that we perform them automatically, such as taking the same route to work every day. Some behaviors, such as smoking or biting your fingernails, become so habitual that we can't stop even if we want to.
Although breaking habits can be hard, MIT neuroscientists have now shown that they can prevent them from taking root in the first place, in rats learning to run a maze to earn a reward. The researchers first demonstrated that activity in two distinct brain regions is necessary in order for habits to crystallize. Then, they were able to block habits from forming by interfering with activity in one of the brain regions the infralimbic (IL) cortex, which is located in the prefrontal cortex.
The MIT researchers, led by Institute Professor Ann Graybiel, used a technique called optogenetics to block activity in the IL cortex. This allowed them to control cells of the IL cortex using light. When the cells were turned off during every maze training run, the rats still learned to run the maze correctly, but when the reward was made to taste bad, they stopped, showing that a habit had not formed. If it had, they would keep going back by habit.
"It's usually so difficult to break a habit," Graybiel says. "It's also difficult to have a habit not form when you get a reward for what you're doing. But with this manipulation, it's absolutely easy. You just turn the light on, and bingo."
Graybiel, a member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research, is the senior author of a paper describing the findings in the June 27 issue of the journal Neuron. Kyle Smith, a former MIT postdoc who is now an assistant professor at Dartmouth College, is the paper's lead author.
Patterns of habitual behavior
Previous studies of how habits are formed and controlled have implicated the IL cortex as well as the striatum, a part of the brain related to addiction and repetitive behavioral problems, as well as normal functions such as decision-making, planning and response to reward. It is believed that the motor patterns needed to execute a habitual behavior are stored in the striatum and its circuits.
Recent studies from Graybiel's lab have shown that disrupting activity in the IL cortex can block the expression of habits that have already been learned and stored in the striatum. Last year, Smith and Graybiel found that the IL cortex appears to decide which of two previously learned habits will be expressed.
"We have evidence that these two areas are important for habits, but they're not connected at all, and no one has much of an idea of what the cells are doing as a habit is formed, as the habit is lost, and as a new habit takes over," Smith says.
To investigate that, Smith recorded activity in cells of the IL cortex as rats learned to run a maze. He found activity patterns very similar to those that appear in the striatum during habit formation. Several years ago, Graybiel found that a distinctive "task-bracketing" pattern develops when habits are formed. This means that the cells are very active when the animal begins its run through the maze, are quiet during the run, and then fire up again when the task is finished.
This kind of pattern "chunks" habits into a large unit that the brain can simply turn on when the habitual behavior is triggered, without having to think about each individual action that goes into the habitual behavior.
The researchers found that this pattern took longer to appear in the IL cortex than in the striatum, and it was also less permanent. Unlike the pattern in the striatum, which remains stored even when a habit is broken, the IL cortex pattern appears and disappears as habits are formed and broken. This was the clue that the IL cortex, not the striatum, was tracking the development of the habit.
Multiple layers of control
The researchers' ability to optogenetically block the formation of new habits suggests that the IL cortex not only exerts real-time control over habits and compulsions, but is also needed for habits to form in the first place.
"The previous idea was that the habits were stored in the sensorimotor system and this cortical area was just selecting the habit to be expressed. Now we think it's a more fundamental contribution to habits, that the IL cortex is more actively making this happen," Smith says.
This arrangement offers multiple layers of control over habitual behavior, which could be advantageous in reining in automatic behavior, Graybiel says. It is also possible that the IL cortex is contributing specific pieces of the habitual behavior, in addition to exerting control over whether it occurs, according to the researchers. They are now trying to determine whether the IL cortex and the striatum are communicating with and influencing each other, or simply acting in parallel.
The study suggests a new way to look for abnormal activity that might cause disorders of repetitive behavior, Smith says. Now that the researchers have identified the neural signature of a normal habit, they can look for signs of habitual behavior that is learned too quickly or becomes too rigid. Finding such a signature could allow scientists to develop new ways to treat disorders of repetitive behavior by using deep brain stimulation, which uses electronic impulses delivered by a pacemaker to suppress abnormal brain activity.
###
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Office of Naval Research, the Stanley H. and Sheila G. Sydney Fund and funding from R. Pourian and Julia Madadi.
Written by Anne Trafton, MIT News Office
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Breaking habits before they startPublic release date: 27-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sarah McDonnell s_mcd@mit.edu 617-253-8923 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Turning off cells in a habit-associated brain region prevents rats from learning to run a maze on autopilot
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Our daily routines can become so ingrained that we perform them automatically, such as taking the same route to work every day. Some behaviors, such as smoking or biting your fingernails, become so habitual that we can't stop even if we want to.
Although breaking habits can be hard, MIT neuroscientists have now shown that they can prevent them from taking root in the first place, in rats learning to run a maze to earn a reward. The researchers first demonstrated that activity in two distinct brain regions is necessary in order for habits to crystallize. Then, they were able to block habits from forming by interfering with activity in one of the brain regions the infralimbic (IL) cortex, which is located in the prefrontal cortex.
The MIT researchers, led by Institute Professor Ann Graybiel, used a technique called optogenetics to block activity in the IL cortex. This allowed them to control cells of the IL cortex using light. When the cells were turned off during every maze training run, the rats still learned to run the maze correctly, but when the reward was made to taste bad, they stopped, showing that a habit had not formed. If it had, they would keep going back by habit.
"It's usually so difficult to break a habit," Graybiel says. "It's also difficult to have a habit not form when you get a reward for what you're doing. But with this manipulation, it's absolutely easy. You just turn the light on, and bingo."
Graybiel, a member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research, is the senior author of a paper describing the findings in the June 27 issue of the journal Neuron. Kyle Smith, a former MIT postdoc who is now an assistant professor at Dartmouth College, is the paper's lead author.
Patterns of habitual behavior
Previous studies of how habits are formed and controlled have implicated the IL cortex as well as the striatum, a part of the brain related to addiction and repetitive behavioral problems, as well as normal functions such as decision-making, planning and response to reward. It is believed that the motor patterns needed to execute a habitual behavior are stored in the striatum and its circuits.
Recent studies from Graybiel's lab have shown that disrupting activity in the IL cortex can block the expression of habits that have already been learned and stored in the striatum. Last year, Smith and Graybiel found that the IL cortex appears to decide which of two previously learned habits will be expressed.
"We have evidence that these two areas are important for habits, but they're not connected at all, and no one has much of an idea of what the cells are doing as a habit is formed, as the habit is lost, and as a new habit takes over," Smith says.
To investigate that, Smith recorded activity in cells of the IL cortex as rats learned to run a maze. He found activity patterns very similar to those that appear in the striatum during habit formation. Several years ago, Graybiel found that a distinctive "task-bracketing" pattern develops when habits are formed. This means that the cells are very active when the animal begins its run through the maze, are quiet during the run, and then fire up again when the task is finished.
This kind of pattern "chunks" habits into a large unit that the brain can simply turn on when the habitual behavior is triggered, without having to think about each individual action that goes into the habitual behavior.
The researchers found that this pattern took longer to appear in the IL cortex than in the striatum, and it was also less permanent. Unlike the pattern in the striatum, which remains stored even when a habit is broken, the IL cortex pattern appears and disappears as habits are formed and broken. This was the clue that the IL cortex, not the striatum, was tracking the development of the habit.
Multiple layers of control
The researchers' ability to optogenetically block the formation of new habits suggests that the IL cortex not only exerts real-time control over habits and compulsions, but is also needed for habits to form in the first place.
"The previous idea was that the habits were stored in the sensorimotor system and this cortical area was just selecting the habit to be expressed. Now we think it's a more fundamental contribution to habits, that the IL cortex is more actively making this happen," Smith says.
This arrangement offers multiple layers of control over habitual behavior, which could be advantageous in reining in automatic behavior, Graybiel says. It is also possible that the IL cortex is contributing specific pieces of the habitual behavior, in addition to exerting control over whether it occurs, according to the researchers. They are now trying to determine whether the IL cortex and the striatum are communicating with and influencing each other, or simply acting in parallel.
The study suggests a new way to look for abnormal activity that might cause disorders of repetitive behavior, Smith says. Now that the researchers have identified the neural signature of a normal habit, they can look for signs of habitual behavior that is learned too quickly or becomes too rigid. Finding such a signature could allow scientists to develop new ways to treat disorders of repetitive behavior by using deep brain stimulation, which uses electronic impulses delivered by a pacemaker to suppress abnormal brain activity.
###
The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Office of Naval Research, the Stanley H. and Sheila G. Sydney Fund and funding from R. Pourian and Julia Madadi.
Written by Anne Trafton, MIT News Office
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
News in Brief: Cradled galaxies betray violent past
Hubble snaps ?the Penguin? and its egg-shaped companion
By Jessica Shugart
Web edition: June 25, 2013
Hubble snaps ?the Penguin? and its egg-shaped companion
By Jessica Shugart
Web edition: June 25, 2013
NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
The Hubble Space Telescope?s latest portrait of deep space reveals two galaxies interacting in a scene reminiscent of a penguin safeguarding its egg. But the placid pair ? collectively called Arp 142 ? actually bears the scars of a destructive past. The galaxy NGC 2936 (top) was once spiral like the Milky Way, until the gravitational pull from the egg-shaped galaxy NGC 2937 (bottom) warped it into avian form. Remnants of NGC 2936?s spiral arms radiate out from the bird?s eye, which once formed the galaxy?s core. The system lies 326 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra.
Citations
European Space Agency. Hubble spots galaxies in close encounter. Photo release, June 20, 2013. Last accessed June 25, 2013. [Go to]
Suggested Reading
A. Witze. Clutch of distant galaxies reveals the infant universe. Science News. January 12, 2013, Vol. 183, p. 5. [Go to]
Video game consoles aren?t just for gaming. They also make great set-top boxes that stream video and music into our living rooms, and the upcoming Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are no different. Each console brings a little something different to the table, so let's take a look at how those new consoles will bring entertainment other than video games to your living room.
While many of the announcements thus far have focused on games, hardware, development, and all the stuff that video game enthusiasts love, they haven't focused on how well each console would perform as a media center. Let's see what the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One, and?even though it's already available?the Wii U offer in the home theater department.
The Xbox One: You'll Need Cable to Really Enjoy the New Features
When Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One back in May, most of the announcement event was spent discussing the console's entertainment features. The word "television" was thrown around a lot, which was understandably aggravating to gamers, but to anyone who uses the Xbox 360 as a set-top box and is thinking about an upgrade, it was all useful data. Here's some of the big talking points we got from that event (and from E3):
The Xbox One is designed to be a media center, not just a game console. There?s no question about this. Whether it'll be any good at its new responsibilities remains to be seen, but it's clear that Microsoft wants this device to be a complete home entertainment system, from interactive games to streaming movies and music to your physical media collection. Hence the catchphrase "all in one."
It'll be a region-free Blu-ray player. Your music, DVD, and Blu-ray collection will work just fine in the Xbox One. While the console was originally going to be region-locked, Microsoft's about-face on the Xbox One's DRM removed its region-restrictions, so you'll be able to play Blu-rays and DVDs from anywhere in the world on it without hassle. (We know there's a difference between game and movie region restrictions - our understanding from current press materials is that the console will be region unlocked for movies as well. Again, this is subject to change, and depends on the MPAA's approval as well.)
The new Kinect brings voice and gesture control to your home theater. Whether you actually want this is up to you. Waving your hands to switch channels or telling your Xbox to increase the volume can come off cool and futuristic, or it could be a colossal waste of time. For an example of voice or gesture control already in action, AllThingsD points to Samsung's Smart TV line?which are great sets, but the futuristic control options have suffered from poor adoption.
The Xbox One plays up SmartGlass (and second screening) in a big way. If you don't already use your phone when you watch TV as a second screen, Microsoft is hoping you will with the Xbox One. They're pushing Xbox SmartGlass with the new console, which lets you use your phone or tablet as a remote, looks up maps and character bios for the show you're watching, and connects you with other fans.
It'll feature HDMI pass-through for a seamless TV-watching experience. Ideally, you'll connect your cable or satellite TV source to your Xbox One, and then connect the Xbox One to your TV (or your receiver). At the May 21st event, we saw some of the features that'll be enabled using HDMI pass-through, like the option to pause live TV, custom channel guides, and the option to build a personal guide of pinned shows that you enjoy.
...But it's only seamless if you have cable or satellite, don't need a DVR, or don't need on-demand programs. Cable cutters, DVR owners, and more advanced TV watchers should take note that the Xbox One's TV features really only come to life if you're paying for cable or satellite. Plus, you'll still need your regular DVR or cable box for on-demand programming or recording. Long story short: The Xbox One is not a cable cutter's device.
If you do have cable, you can leverage some great apps and other features. NFL on the Xbox, ESPN, HBO Go, and other premium apps will be a huge benefit if you are looking for some on-demand programming. Of course, access to all of those services requires that you prove that you're currently a paying subscriber with a package that already includes those channels, but if you are, you'll be able to enjoy them anytime.
Even if you don't have cable, you can still enjoy plenty of streaming video and music. Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, VUDU, Pandora, Xbox Music?there are apps for all of them available already for the Xbox, and there's no reason to think they won't be available for the Xbox One. You'll need accounts for those services, of course, but they're there for you to use, and if you already use an Xbox 360 as part of your home theater, you'll be able to continue with the Xbox One as if nothing happened. As long as you have XBox Live Gold, which we'll get to in a moment.
You?ll Need Xbox Live Gold for All Streaming Features. There's still the nitpick that in order to use any streaming service, you'll need an Xbox Gold subscription, and that's a bitter pill to swallow if all you're looking for is streaming media and home theater capabilities. Granted, Microsoft has updated the program to include some free games, but from a home theater angle, it's not a big help. To make the most of everything, you'll wind up paying a monthly cable bill and a annual Gold subscription to get all of these great features?and that's by design. The Xbox One is designed to either replace your Xbox 360 or fit snugly into your home theater?despite its promises of being "all in one," it's not really going to replace anything you already own.
So the story on the Xbox One is a mixed bag. If you have basic cable?no On Demand, no bells and whistles?the TV overlay and pinning features could be really cool for you. If you do use On Demand or have a DVR, you'll still find yourself switching inputs and using a remote control over the Xbox One's new Kinect voice and gesture controls. If you're a cable cutter, there's not much here to cheer about?nothing you can't get in an Xbox 360, anyway. Still, points to Microsoft for trying something new.
Still, there are some elements that aren't clear yet. For example, we don?t know how the Xbox One will handle Windows Media Center devices, or whether it will function as a media extender. It's almost certain that the Xbox One will be a DLNA-compatible device, so our favorite streaming media servers and apps like Skifta or Twonky should work with it. We haven't heard anything about media sharing or streaming across devices on your home network yet, or whether the Xbox One will play nicely with downloaded media on a networked computer or NAS, but it would be unusual for Microsoft to take features available in the Xbox 360 and remove them from the Xbox One.
The PlayStation 4: More of What You're Used To (In a Good Way)
Sony didn't put as much focus on television and movies when it unveiled the PlayStation 4. What they did say, however, was that you're not going to get much more for your home theater out of the PlayStation 4 than you may already have in a PlayStation 3. That's not necessarily a bad thing.
While there's something to be said for going out on a limb and trying something different, Sony's approach is to give you more powerful hardware that does more of what you know and love. It's true from a gaming perspective, but it's also true from a home entertainment standpoint. Here are some of the new features Sony did announce:
The PlayStation 4 is a game console, through and through. It's not trying to be something it's not. "Gamer focused," is the way Sony put it in their presser. While you shouldn't throw up your hands and assume it'll be useless as part of your home theater, be ready: this list is going to be much shorter than Microsoft's. Sony's focus is on getting great video games to you, and that interactive gaming experience is their first priority. However, they did dedicate a few moments to television and movies.
It'll be a region unlocked Blu-ray player. The PS4 will be region free, meaning you'll be able to play Blu-rays and DVDs from anywhere in the world on the device without issue. (We know there's a difference between game and movie region restrictions - our understanding from current press materials is that the console will be region unlocked for movies as well. Again, this is subject to change, and depends on the MPAA's approval as well.)
The PS4 will launch with Sony's Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited services built-in. This isn't much of a surprise, but Sony Music Unlimited a subscription music service with over 20 million songs and access via iOS, Android, web, PS3, and now the PS4, will be available to subscribers on day one. Sony's Video Unlimited will also launch with the PS4, offering over 150,000 Sony Entertainment TV shows and movies available to rent or purchase in SD or HD.
Sony's "original programming plan" will bring music, movies, and TV shows to your PS4...catered to gamers. This includes movies like Gamer and Doom to the PS4 in the form of special programming packages. Yo dawg, I heard you're a gamer so I put games in your TV and movies so you can watch stuff about games on your gaming console while you're not gaming.
If you're used to streaming on the PS3, you'll be able to do everything you're used to on the PS4.. Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand?all of the big names are available for the PlayStation 3 already, and they'll be there when the PS4 launches as well. Sony also mentioned that a new partnership with Verizon will bring Redbox Instant to the PS4, the PS3, and the PS Vita. However, even though Sony will now require PlayStation Plus for online multiplayer games, you won't need to pay for PlayStation Plus to use services like Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon VOD the way you would have to pay for an XBox Live Gold account. Essentially, no paying to use the services you already pay for.
The PS4 will support 4K video output. Sony's making a play for 4K television, the next super-resolution video format beyond 1080p. Sony already has 4K TV sets on the market, and sells 4K cameras to movie and TV producers, so it makes sense they'd put it in devices like the PlayStation 4.
That's about all we heard during the presser. That's not the end of the story though. As with the Xbox One, it's a safe assumption that Sony will make the PS4 at least as media friendly as the PS3 already is. That means ideally it'll be DLNA compliant, you'll be able to stream from external sources (and with luck, the PS3 Media Server will be updated to support the PS4), and external media servers that play nicely with DLNA devices will play nicely with the PS4 as well. Granted, none of this is specifically new or awesome, and if you already have a PS3 as the heart of your home theater, it might be a tough sell to upgrade if you don't use your console for gaming. Even so, it would be unusual for Sony?especially given their pro-user, "consumer trust" stance at E3?to take away features that you can already get in the PS3.
The Wii U: Streaming HD At Last, But Not Much Else
The Wii U has been out since the holidays last year, but it still counts as a "next gen console" for the purposes of our roundup. The Wii U is very definitely a gaming device. It?like the Wii before it?isn't really a home theater system, and Nintendo never angled it as a replacement for or a compliment for a cable subscription or set-top box. The Wii U packs full 1080p HD video, which is great, and you can stream Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video on Demand (as long as you have accounts with those services) for no extra cost. However, the Wii U can't play DVDs, it can't play Blu-Ray discs, and it can't play audio CDs. Nintendo doesn't really offer streaming video content of its own, or any streaming video channels or services that roll into the Wii U aside from the external ones that we've mentioned, either.
That's the bottom line: If you get your streaming content from Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon, you'll be able to enjoy it on the Wii U, but don't expect to replace your DVD or Blu-ray player with it by any means. The Wii U is a game console, and doesn't even try to be a multimedia device.
Will One of These Consoles Replace Your HTPC or Set-Top Box? Probably Not
At the end of the day, if you're the type who already has an HTPC that you love, will any of the next generation of consoles replace it? Probably not. The Xbox One is probably the only console of the three that takes a stab at trying to edge in on the media center space, but it does it in such a half-in/half-out manner that it's only going to be really useful to a specific group of people. The PS4 will bring some streaming content that, if you're interested, may make for an additional service to sign up for. The Wii U really doesn't even count here. None of those things are bad?it just means that even as game consoles are adding features that make them more like media centers, it's definitely not their focus yet.
There's still a wide open place in your home theater setup for a small PC running XBMC, Plex, Windows Media Center, or whatever front-end you choose, mostly because you can tweak and customize it, and pack in as many features as you want. Want to record live TV as it airs? Install a TV tuner card and a nice big hard drive, and you're good to go. Want to stream your media to your phone, or to another room, or even to an Xbox or PS3 or an AppleTV? Sure, there are ways to do that. Want to play DVDs, Blu-rays, Hulu, Netflix, and other streaming services while you download TV shows to watch later? An HTPC is your best option, and none of the current generation of consoles?or the coming generation?looks to change that.
If you're using a set-top box as your media center, you probably don't have much to worry about either. Set-top boxes are generally much more affordable than consoles, and while consoles are focused on gaming, set-top boxes are firmly focused on delivering TV shows, movies, and music to your home theater in the easiest possible way. Simple remotes, super-fast search, streaming HD, support for networked devices, and tons of channels and video options are par for the course. Don't toss out your Roku or WD TV because the Xbox One looks good to you?they're completely different beasts, and will more likely live side-by-side in harmony.
However, there's something to be said for the services those consoles do provide. I cut the cable a long time ago, and my TV viewing is almost entirely Netflix and Hulu, with some over-the-air HDTV thrown in for good measure. In my case, I don't need the horsepower and features that an HTPC offers, and any of the current or future crop of consoles will suit my needs perfectly (although I still prefer an HTPC, personally)?if you're like me, you may not need to incur the cost (and the spike in your electric bill) that an HTPC represents. Examine your needs, and buy your next console accordingly.
Dropbox's latest update for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch solves some of the minor niggles we've had with its iOS version. You can now share links to folders direct from the app, while the refresh also adds the ability select and share multiple files at once. Alongside the obligatory bug fixes and performance improvements, Dropbox version 2.3 also throws in a handful of new touchscreen-friendly gestures to the mix, allowing the user to share, move, delete or tag favorite files with a swipe. The update's started to roll out to our iOS devices, or you can jump the queue at the source link below.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) ? Police detained one person Tuesday in connection with false e-mail bomb threats that led to the evacuation of hundreds of people from more than 20 hospitals, courts, police stations and prosecutors' offices across Poland, the interior minister said.
Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz said Poland's investigators were in touch with counterparts in the United States, France and Germany, because some of the e-mails were sent from servers in those countries. He refused to give any detail on the detained person.
Police who checked all the locations said that no explosives were found and there were no explosions at noon as the e-mails had threatened. One hospital in southern Poland was fully evacuated, one in Warsaw partially.
"The entire day was lost for us and for the patients," said Wlodzimierz Migacz, director of a hospital in Katowice, who ordered a full evacuation, including of a premature baby in an incubator.
"I hope the author of the e-mail will be found and punished," Migacz said on TVN24.
TVN24 footage showed ambulances leaving the hospital to take patients to other medical centers. In Warsaw, it showed some patients and relatives waiting in front of a hospital.
People were allowed to return to the buildings Tuesday afternoon.
Sienkiewicz said there was no danger to anybody's life or health and that the threats were a case of "unbelievable cheek" on an unprecedented scale.
A false bomb threat leading to major disruption carries a maximum prison sentence of eight years.
Serena Williams of the United States plays a return during her Women's first round singles match against Mandy Minella of Luxembourg at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
Serena Williams of the United States plays a return during her Women's first round singles match against Mandy Minella of Luxembourg at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
Serena Williams of the United States sits court side ahead of her Women's first round singles match against Mandy Minella of Luxembourg at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after defeating Florian Mayer of Germany in their Men's first round singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a return to Florian Mayer of Germany in their Men's first round singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a return to Florian Mayer of Germany in their Men's first round singles match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
LONDON (AP) ? Back in her comfort zone on Centre Court, Serena Williams delivered an overpowering statement: When her serve is clicking, she's the woman to beat at Wimbledon.
Putting aside her recent comments that led to a couple of apologies and a brief spat with Maria Sharapova, Williams looked every bit the five-time champion. She began her Wimbledon title defense with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Mandy Minella of Luxembourg.
"For me, it's the greatest moment for a tennis player, to walk out on Centre Court," Williams said after her first match at Wimbledon since winning the Olympic gold medal there last year. "That was such a great moment, too. So many great memories on this court."
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic also opened his campaign with a straight-sets victory, beating Florian Mayer of Germany 6-3, 7-5, 6-4. Mayer is a two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, losing to Djokovic at that stage last year. But he was never in danger of springing another stunner following Rafael Nadal's first-round exit a day earlier.
Djokovic took a 3-0 lead in the first set and broke for a 6-5 lead in the second to take control. He served out the match to love before saluting the Centre Court crowd with a fist pump.
"It was a big pleasure again performing here on Centre Court in front of the packed crowd," Djokovic said. "For the first round, it was tricky. ... I think (Mayer's) game is really well suited for grass, so it took a lot of effort."
For Williams, this was a chance to put the focus back on tennis following the verbal jousting with Sharapova over their private lives ? and comments about an Ohio rape case for which she had to apologize ? and she took full advantage.
As usual on grass, the top-ranked Williams dominated with her hard serve, winning the first set without dropping a point on her service game. Her main weapon let her down only at the start of the second set, when Minella took a 2-0 lead after Williams double-faulted on break point.
She was one point from going down 3-0 but then won 15 of the next 18 points to take a 4-2 lead, and broke again to wrap up the victory.
"I feel like I was a little rusty for some reason today," Williams said. "I don't feel like I played my best. I felt really upset when I lost my serve in the second set. With that being said, I think Mandy played really well. I thought she was really mixing up her shots, mixing up her game. It wasn't an easy match for me. I'm a little excited I was able to play a tough match and to get through it."
Much of the pre-tournament talk was about Williams and Sharapova, the two top players in the game who are on opposite sides of the draw and can't meet before the final.
"It hasn't been a distraction. Like I said, I'm just here to focus on the tennis," Williams said. "I'm just here to play Wimbledon. It's the premier tournament in the world, of the year, so that's what's most important. ... We're playing on opposite days, so we don't really see each other."
Williams improved her career record to 68-8 at the All England Club and extended her career-best winning streak to 32 matches, which included her second French Open title.
"I don't think about it," Williams said, referring to her streak. "Every single time I step out on the court it's a new match."
Kimiko Date-Krumm, the 42-year-old Japanese veteran, had an even easier time getting past an opponent. She needed just 44 minutes to complete a romp over Carina Witthoeft, an 18-year-old German less than half her age and making her Grand Slam debut.
Date-Krumm is the second-oldest player to win a match at Wimbledon after Martina Navratilova, who was 47 when she reached the second round in 2004.
Sixth-seeded Li Na of China also cruised into the second round, beating Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-1.
Nadal, a two-time Wimbledon champion, was knocked out in straight sets by 135th-ranked Steve Darcis of Belgium on Monday ? the Spaniard's first loss in the opening round of any Grand Slam event.
In contrast, most early matches on Tuesday went according to plan.
Eighth-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro made a winning return to Grand Slam competition, defeating Albert Ramos of Spain 6-2, 7-5, 6-1 after sitting out the French Open because of respiratory problems. No. 12 Kei Nishikori of Japan and No. 13 Tommy Haas of Germany won in straight sets, but No. 16 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany wasted a two-set lead against Ivan Dodig of Croatia and then had to retire in the fifth, citing the flu.
President Barack Obama speaks during his meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 24, 2013, with CEOs, business owners and entrepreneurs to discuss immigration reform. From left are, Cecilia Mu?oz, direcor of the White House Domestic Policy Council, the president, senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, and Dilawar Syed, CEO Yonja Media Group. Obama hosted the meeting to discuss the importance of commonsense immigration reform including the Congressional Budget Office analysis that concludes immigration reform would promote economic growth and reduce the deficit. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama speaks during his meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 24, 2013, with CEOs, business owners and entrepreneurs to discuss immigration reform. From left are, Cecilia Mu?oz, direcor of the White House Domestic Policy Council, the president, senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, and Dilawar Syed, CEO Yonja Media Group. Obama hosted the meeting to discuss the importance of commonsense immigration reform including the Congressional Budget Office analysis that concludes immigration reform would promote economic growth and reduce the deficit. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is pressing the Senate and the House to complete action on immigration legislation before the August summer break. He says: "Now is the time to do it."
He says he wants the strongest possible bipartisan vote in the Senate before the Republican-controlled House gets to act on the legislation.
The Senate was on the verge of a crucial test vote Monday on the bill. It would offer citizenship to millions of immigrants over time and pour billions of dollars into border security.
Obama spoke after meeting with nine business people who support changing current immigration laws.
Obama says the bill does not contain everything he wants, but says it adheres to the main principles of the type of overhaul he has sought.
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) ? Ecuador's foreign minister says his government is analyzing an asylum request from Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor wanted for revealing secrets.
"We are analyzing it with a lot of responsibility," Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters Monday through a translator at a hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam.
He says the decision "has to do with freedom of expression and with the security of citizens around the world."
Patino spoke briefly to reporters on his way to a meeting with Vietnam's foreign minister. He did not say how long it would take Ecuador to decide.
Snowden was on a flight from Hong Kong that arrived in Moscow Sunday and was booked on a flight to Cuba Monday, the Russian news agencies ITAR-Tass and Interfax reported, citing unnamed airline officials.
(Reuters) - Music lovers looking for a nearby concert can turn to apps that detect a person's location and list nearby live events based on the type of tunes they and their friends like.
Apps such as Bandsintown and Songkick scan fans' music libraries on their mobile devices and iTunes, along with music streaming services such as Spotify, Pandora and SoundCloud, to learn musical preferences so fans never miss a show.
Bandsintown also shows users which bands their friends are heading to see.
"There are two reasons why someone might go to a concert. The first is that they like a particular style of music or the artist. The second is that it's a social event with friends," said Julien Mitelberg, the CEO of New-York based Bandsintown.
The app makes recommendations for concerts nearby and notifies users when friends indicate they are going to see a show. Users can also invite friends using the app, which is available worldwide for iPhone and Android.
Songkick, which is available worldwide for iPhone and Android, gathers information from ticket vendors, websites and newspapers to compile its database of concerts.
An app from music streaming service Rhapsody, called Rhapsody Concerts, shows upcoming concerts nearby and lets users stream a band's albums before deciding whether to buy tickets.
"Our customers like to go see live music. But there weren't really any services out there that combined an unlimited catalog of songs with live music discovery," said Paul Springer, senior vice president of product at Rhapsody International, which is based in Seattle.
Thrillcall, which started four years ago, lets users buy tickets for any concert in every major city from their iPhone and Android apps.
The company also introduced exclusive offers in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and San Francisco that allow fans to meet the band, bypass lines and buy VIP tickets and merchandise.
Matthew Tomaszewicz, co-founder of Thrillcall, said one of the main benefits of the app is that users can buy tickets to shows in two clicks on the app.
About 100,000 concerts are available in the app at any time.
Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Aaron Davidson/FilmMagic)
Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs Championship Final
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: General view as Miami HEAT fans celebrate the team's back-to-back championship and third overall at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Alexander Tamargo/WireImage)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Sixta Garcia reacts as the Miami Heat wins the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Aaron Davidson/FilmMagic)
Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Aaron Davidson/FilmMagic)
Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Aaron Davidson/FilmMagic)
Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans Celebrate Following The Miami Heat NBA Championship Final Win at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Aaron Davidson/FilmMagic)
Miami Heat fans celebrate the Championship after the Heat's win against the San Antonio Spurs after the Game 7 of the NBA final basketball series in Miami on Friday, June 21, 2013.. The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs 88-95 to win to their second straight title. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans celebrate in the streets after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans celebrate in the streets after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat have won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Brandon Opalka beats on a metal bowl as he and othe fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat have won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans celebrate in the streets after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat have won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: A fan wearing a Lebron James jersey celebrates after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans celebrate in the streets after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs on June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat have won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat fans celebrate the Championship after the Heat's win against the San Antonio Spurs after the Game 7 of the NBA final basketball series in Miami on Friday, June 21, 2013. The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs 88-95. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat fans climb the sign stanchion outside American Airline Stadium while celebrating in Miami on Thursday June 20, 2013 after the Heat won the 2013 NBA Championship against the San Antonio Spurs. The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 in Game 7 of the NBA finals to win their second straight title. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat fans celebrate the Championship after the Heat's win against the San Antonio Spurs after the Game 7 of the NBA final basketball series in Miami on Friday, June 21, 2013.. The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs 88-95. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat fans celebrate the Championship after the Heat's win against the San Antonio Spurs after the Game 7 of the NBA final basketball series in Miami on Friday, June 21, 2013.. The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs 88-95. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react as they watch on television the Miami Heat win the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react as they watch on television the Miami Heat win the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react as they watch on television the Miami Heat win the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat Fans Watch Final Game Of NBA Finals
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Fans react after the Miami Heat won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs June 20, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The Heat won back to back championships. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Miami Heat fans celebrate the Championship after the Heat's win against the San Antonio Spurs after the Game 7 of the NBA final basketball series in Miami on Friday, June 21, 2013.. The Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs 88-95 to win to their second straight title. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Fans cheer during the second half in Game 7 of the NBA basketball championship game between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs, Thursday, June 20, 2013, in Miami. The Miami Heat won 95-88. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Heat fans react while watching the Game 7 in the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, June 20, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat fans react while watching the Game 7 in the NBA Finals between the Heat and the San Antonio Spurs in Miami, on Thursday, June 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat fans react while watching the Game 7 in the NBA Finals between the Heat and the San Antonio Spurs in Miami, on Thursday, June 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Miami Heat fans react while watching the Game 7 in the NBA Finals between the Heat and the San Antonio Spurs in Miami, on Thursday, June 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
Drake
Aubrey Drake Graham, known as Drake watches play between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs during the first half in Game 7 of the NBA basketball championships, Thursday, June 20, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
2013 NBA Finals - Game Seven
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Miami Heat fans pose for a photograph prior to the Miami Heat against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals on June 20, 2013 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images)
2013 NBA Finals - Game Seven
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Miami Heat fans poses for a picture in the team store prior to the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals on June 20, 2013 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images)
2013 NBA Finals - Game Seven
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Miami Heat fans poses for a picture in the team store prior to the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals on June 20, 2013 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images)
2013 NBA Finals - Game Seven
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: A fan holds up a sign prior to the start of Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs on June 20, 2013 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
2013 NBA Finals - Game Seven
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Miami Heat fans pose for a photograph prior to the Miami Heat against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals on June 20, 2013 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images)
2013 NBA Finals - Game Seven
MIAMI, FL - JUNE 20: Miami Heat fans pose for a photograph prior to the Miami Heat against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Seven of the 2013 NBA Finals on June 20, 2013 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images)
A fan holds a sign before the first half in Game 7 of the NBA basketball championships between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs, Thursday, June 20, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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Public release date: 27-Jun-2013
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