Gary Hershorn / Reuters

Aereo picks up TV signals broadcast from the tower atop the Empire State Building in New York.

In 2014, Apple, Aereo and big telecom mergers will generate headlines, along with important legal rulings about net neutrality and U.S. surveillance, oversight and transparency. Upstart companies like Uber, Airbnb, and Square will enjoy dramatic growth, and some will announce plans to go public. Smartphones and tablets will continue to spread worldwide as cities and countries race to boost broadband speeds. Here are six tech stories to watch in 2014.

1. Apple will sell more than 30 million iPhones on China Mobile, at the high-end of Wall Street expectations. Its hard to overstate what a coup Apples recently announced pact with China Mobile to sell the iPhone is for CEO Tim Cook. Without question, this is the biggest business deal of Cooks two-and-a-half year tenure, and the consummation of years of negotiations overseen by his late mentor, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.China Mobile is the worlds largest wireless carrier with 760 million subscribers.

After years of meteoric gains fueled by category-busting product launches like the iPod, iPhone and iPad, Apples revenue growth has slowed.Apples stock price was essentially flat for 2013, although the shares soared 33% in the second half of the year, reversing steep losses in the first six months. Some Apple analysts and shareholders have expressed concern about Apples vaunted innovation machine, but those fears are overblown. The latest iPhone and iPad models are huge hits, and Apple will soon report the highest quarterly sales in the companys 30-year history. New international markets will help re-accelerate Apples growth and theres no bigger emerging consumer technology market than China.

(MORE:Apples China Mobile Pact Opens Massive New iPhone Market)

2.The United States Open Internet Rules will suffer a serious defeat in federal court early this year. Telecom giant Verizon hassuedthe Federal Communications Commission, arguing the agency lacks the authority to enforce the principle of net neutrality which is designed to prevent Internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T from favoring their own services in order to disadvantage rivals. In practice, that means that the broadband providers are prohibited from blocking or slowing down services like Skype or Netflix on their wired networks.

A losing verdict in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit will be a setback for the Obama administrations technology policy, and will present a thorny challenge for new FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. If the court rules the FCC lacks the authority to enforce the Open Internet Rules, Wheeler could move to reclassify broadband service under existing telecommunications law, restoring the agencys regulatory authority. That, however, would trigger a major showdown between the FCC and broadband giants like AT&T and Verizon, which are extremely powerful on Capitol Hill. More likely: the court asks the FCC to change its rules and reach an agreement with the industry.

(MORE:Landmark Verizon Net Neutrality Case Tests Open Internet Rules)

3.The U.S. Supreme Court will agree to hear the major TV broadcasterscaseagainst Aereo,the upstart online video company that has been giving ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX fits. This prediction is a very close call, because the Supreme Court declines to grantcertiorariin most cases. However, given that the broadcasters and Aereo haveboth askedthe high court to hear the case, I believe that will tip the scale, along with the fact that there is a looming U.S. circuitsplit, where federal courts in different jurisdictions disagree on the legality of Aereos technology.

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The 6 Most Important Tech Bombshells Coming This year

Our 23rd Year Providing Quality Lawn & Landscaping Services

Tom Grosh Receives Certificate of Merit Award for 2012

At Grosh's Lawn Service, Lawn Mowing is what we do. We are a total care Lawn Mowing Service & Landscaping Company serving Hagerstown, MD & Washington County, MD area since 1990. If you want your Grass Cut or Lawn Mowed in Hagerstown, MD, we can take care of it for you. It's that easy!

We offer total care Lawn Service to our clients for everything from Lawn Mowing to Landscaping. Our lawn service offers Shrub Removal, Shrub Planting, Shrub Pruning, Shrub Trimming & Thinning to help accent your homes appearance. You can also take advantage of our Tree Trimming and Tree Removal Services all season long. In the fall of the year we offer Lawn Repair, Lawn Aeration & Over Seeding. Grosh's Lawn Service offers a complete Professional weekly lawn mowing service. During the months of April through October, we mow well over 84 1/2 acres of turf grass on a weekly basis, and can accommodate small residential and large commercial properties alike. We like to work with Realtors to enhance the curb appeal of the homes that they are offering for sale.

Our Lawn Treatment program consists of Fertilization and Weed Control on five (5) yearly visits. Our Fertilizer will help provide your lawn with the nutrients needed all season long. We use Weed Control to get at those pesky Broadleaf Weeds. All Lawn Service Treatments are completed by a Maryland Department of Agriculture Licensed Applicator. We treat lawns in the Hagerstown, MD area every day. We offer a Spring & Fall Cleanup to keep your lawn and landscape beds free of all leaves, limbs and debris. Leaf Cleanup is also done each week during the Fall Season. All waste is hauled away from your home or office. This would also be a good time of year to think about freshening up the Mulch Beds after Spring Cleanup. We always like to have at least a 3 in. layer of Mulch to help keep Weeds under control and retain much needed moisture for the Shrubs & Flowers.

Our unique landscaping services also include Butterfly Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens, Flower Gardens, Healing Gardens and Memorial Gardens to add a special touch to your Backyard or Church. We also offer Tree Planting and Tree Removal for that special area in your lawn. Our Landscaping service areas besides Hagerstown MD are Williamsport MD, Big Pool MD, Hancock MD, Clear Spring MD, Sharpsburg MD, Keedysville MD, Halfway MD, St. James MD, Maugansville MD, Fountainhead, South Pointe, Boonsboro MD, and Chewsville MD & Smithsburg MD.

We also offer 24hr. Emergency Storm Cleanup to the Hagerstown, MD, Washington County, MD and surrounding counties to clean up Storm Damage when needed.

Our weekly lawn mowing service areas besides Hagerstown MD are Williamsport MD, Big Pool MD, Hancock MD, Clear Spring MD, Sharpsburg MD, Keedysville MD, Halfway MD, St. James MD, Maugansville MD, Fountainhead, South Pointe, Boonsboro MD, and Chewsville MD & Smithsburg MD. Our weekly Lawn Service includes cutting all Grass, string trimming, Edging of all beds and sidewalks and blowing of roadside, driveway, sidewalks, patios, porches, and decks.

Our Lawn Treatment service areas besides Hagerstown MD are Williamsport MD, Big Pool MD, Hancock MD, Clear Spring MD, Sharpsburg MD, Keedysville MD, Halfway MD, St. James MD, Maugansville MD, Fountainhead, South Pointe, Boonsboro MD, and Chewsville MD & Smithsburg MD. Grosh's Lawn Service treat lawns in the Hagerstown, MD area every day. Our unique 5- Step Lawn Treatment program of time released fertilizer, crabgrass preventer, broadleaf weed control, insect control, and fungus management (when needed) is based on your lawns requirements. Our state-of-the-art equipment allows our lawn techs to reduce the amount of herbicides applied to your lawn and spot treat weeds as needed. All fertilizer applications are carefully applied at the proper time and at the proper rate so your lawn only receives the correct amount of fertilizer. All Lawn Treatments are completed by a Maryland Department of Agriculture Licensed Applicator.

If I can help you in any way, call or e-mail Tom Grosh at Groshs Lawn Service today. I can offer you a solution to your Lawn Care problem.

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Lawn Mowing | Landscaping | Groshs Lawn Service Around ...

THREE LIVES HAVE BEEN TOUCHED FOR THE BETTER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. THE MAGICAL INGREDIENT, SHOES. IT'S A POSITIVELY JAX STORY ABOUT A MAN YOU MAY HAVE SEEN ON THE WESTSIDE ON I-295 AND NORMANDY BOULEVARD. JOHNNY ADDISON MOWS LAWNS FOR A LIVING AND ADVERTISES HIS SERVICES BY STANDING ON A STREET CORNER WITH HIS LAWN MOWER AND A SIGN THAT SAYS "WILL WORK FOR FOOD." HE DESPERATELY NEEDED WARMER SHOES NOT LONG AGO AND ONE SUNDAY, HIS PRAYER WAS ANSWERED. WHEN HE'S NOT MOWING THE LAWN, YOU'LL FIND 42-YEAR-OLD JOHNNY ADDISON ROAMING THE WESTSIDE, PUSHING HIS MOWER, HOPING SOMEONE WILL GIVE HIM WORK. I'M VERY CONTENT. I'M BLESSED. I CAN'T COMPLAIN. WE CAUGHT UP WITH JOHNNY AT THE PLACE HE CALLS HOME, BEHIND THIS DILAPIDATED HOUSE ON A SLAB OF CONCRETE. YOU SEEM HAPPY. I'M VERY HAPPY WITH IT. JUST COMING HOME EVERY NIGHT TO MY TRANSITER RADIO AND MY CATS, HAVING THEIR ATTENTION, MY BED, I LOVE IT. I MEAN, I MAKE THE BEST OF A NEGATIVE SITUATION. THIS IS, WELL, HOME. ONE OF HIS MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS, THE SHOES ON HIS FEET, GIVEN TO HIM BY A GOOD SAMARITAN WHO READ HIS HAND MADE SIGN HE WAS HOLDING ON AN INTERSTATE OFF RAMP ONE COLD SUNDAY MORNING. IT WAS REALLY COLD, WINDY. I THINK IT WAS HITTING AROUND THE 40'S THAT DAY. AND I HAD SANDALS ON, NO SHOES ON WHATSOEVER. HE WAS LIKE, SIR, DO YOU REALLY NEED SHOES? I SAID YES, SIR, AND I'M WILLING TO WORK FOR THEM RIGHT NOW. I SAW HIM TAKING THEM OFF AT THE WHEEL AND HANDED THEM TO ME. I THOUGHT YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY AT THE INTERSECTION. JOHNNY NEVER GOT A GOOD CHANCE TO REALLY THANK THAT GOOD SAMARITAN AND THAT GOOD SAMARITAN HAD NO IDEA HE WAS BEING WATCHED BY SOMEONE ELSE. IT TOOK A FEW DAYS, BUT WE FINALLY TRACKED DOWN THAT GOOD SAMARITAN. I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR NATE WES COT. IS THAT YOU? ANOTHER DRIVER CONTACTED ME ON FACEBOOK, ASKING ME TO PASS ALONG A GIFT TO NATE, LETTING HIM KNOW SOMEONE ELSE ALSO APPRECIATED HIS ACT OF KINDNESS. THIS PERSON WANTS TO ANONYMOUSLY REWARD YOU AND SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING JUST A GREAT THING. THIS IS FROM THEM. I APPRECIATE THAT. WOW, ALL RIGHT. I DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING FROM THAT. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HIM SOME SHOES. NATE'S GIFT WAS A SURPRISE, JUST LIKE THE SURPRISE GIFT HE GAVE JOHNNY. AND AGAIN, I'M WEARING THEM. VERY COMFORTABLE, TOO. PAYING IT FORWARD, ONE STEP AT A TIME. YOU DO SOMETHING GOOD, SOMETHING GOOD WILL FIND YOU, EVERY TIME. NEVER FAILS. I PROMISE YOU. NATE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN, WAS GIVEN A RESTAURANT GIFT CARD BY THAT ANONYMOUS GIFTER. NATE WAS ALSO GIVEN A SPORTS AUTHORITY GIFT CARD WHICH HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO USE TO BUY EVEN MORE SHOES AND GIVE THEM TO OTHER PEOPLE IN NEED. AMAZING JOY. WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE SURPRISE FOR NATE, OF COURSE. JOHNNY GOT HIS PAIR OF SHOES, BUT HE SAYS IT GETS TOUGH FOR HIM ON THE STREETS, ESPECIALLY DURING WINTER. WHAT WILL HE DO? JOHNNY IS HOPING ALL THIS GOOD KARMA WILL SEND HIM WINTERTIME WORK, HELPING SOMEONE MOVE, PAINT A HOUSE, WASH A CAR. IF YOU'VE GOT WORK FOR JOHNNY, WE POSTED HIS CONTACT INFORMATION ONLINE.

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With the news that…

The circle is large for a parlor room chat 50 people.

They are seated in folding chairs in a room with a Jesus portrait on one wall and a woven picture of the Last Supper on another. One person speaks and then theres 15 to 20 seconds of silence, as if everyone is savoring the words just spoken. The silence is broken by another voice, then the silence falls again, and the cycle repeats. The group is discussing something fairly radical what their churchs Sunday morning services should look like and even whether to have one at all. Yet, theres no rancor here. Just an exchange.

Members of Englewood Christian Church have been gathering for these Sunday night conversations for 17 years, but theyve been holding regular Sunday morning services for more than a century. In the 1970s, the church bused in folks from all over town for the Sunday morning service that would attract 1,100 people. Today, 200 may come on a really good Sunday, and in this circle of friends, that doesnt bother anyone in the least.

More interesting to just about anyone you speak with at Englewood is what goes on around the church for the 166 hours a week other than Sunday mornings. And thats quite a lot. So much, in fact, that the Sunday morning ritual that is the staple of American Christianity is now almost an afterthought.

Sunday service is still held, said lifelong Englewood member Jim Aldrich, 62. But it may be the event that is most not a part of what Englewood is now.

Still, the event, as Aldrich calls it, is the one constant that has remained at Englewood through the 118-year lifespan of the church. It was there when the church was born in the late 1900s in the middle of the citys newest streetcar suburb. It was there in the early 20th century, when a pastor was fired for not allowing the Ku Klux Klan to meet in the building. It was there during the booming mega-church years of late 1960s and early 1970s. It was there during the long, slow decline of both the church and the Near Eastside neighborhood that surrounds it.

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But today, Englewood looks at its mission as one of almost communal living with its surroundings. The churchs focus has morphed into improving neighborhood quality of life providing housing, offering quality child care, creating jobs. What happens for two hours a week on Sunday morning seems almost inconsequential.

Some people think if you dont have Sunday morning, if you dont have a worship service, you dont have a church. I think we are beyond that now, Aldrich said. If we didnt have Sunday morning we would still exist as a church. And thats the best thing you can say about where were at right now.

Where Englewood is right now is more firmly tied than ever before to the Near Eastside, an area that has been decimated by factory closings in the past 40 years and the abandoned houses that followed, a place where many residents still struggle to get by in an area where crime is always a looming concern.

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Englewood Community Church, by being a good neighbor first, tries to live its faith

Brace yourselves...winter is coming. Beat the rush & call now to get on the schedule for fall cleanups & residential snow removal! 513-259-7566

Call or email today to get on the schedule.

(513)-259-7566

contact@lawnbrothers.org

Lawn Brothers has been proudly serving the the Cincinnati Metro area since 2002. We pride ourselves on providing quality organic lawn and landscape services at great prices, and we always strive to exceed your expectations.

We care about the environment and take a natural approach to lawn care and landscaping so we do not apply synthetic pesticides.

We use a balanced, organic fertilizer, which promotes more natural growth and healthier turf. Please check out the Organics page to learn more about caring for your lawn without using so many chemicals! We offer many lawn and landscaping services, including lawn mowing, spring and fall cleanups, lawn and shrub fertilization, aeration, lawn seeding, landscape and hardscape design, installation and maintenance, brush removal, and more! Please see our services page for details.

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Lawn Mowing and Landscaping Cincinnati, OH -Lawn Bros.-

Landscaping and Lawn Services

Description: We are a full service Gutter Cleaning, Lawn Maintenance, and Pressure washing company.

Practice Areas:Gutters-Clean; Landscaping-Mowing-Care;... Learn More: http://www.YardBarberUSA.com

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Practice Areas:Landscaping-Tree Trimming Learn More: http://www.malslandscaping.com

Description: T&T Pro Lawn Care Services. We are Tampa Bays #1 Clean Up Team.

Practice Areas:Landscaping-Mowing-Care Learn More: http://www.poman.biz

Description: We specialize in the installation of turf grass (sod) as well as lawn maintenance and landscape lighting.

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Lawn Services | Landscaping Services | Find a Local Lawn ...

(PRWEB) December 23, 2013

Field service businesses love their customers. Theyre great at doing the work out in the field fixing sprinklers, mowing lawns, removing snow, fertilizing, etc. but many struggle to keep their customers informed about appointments, new services, promotions, contractual information and more. This lack of a connection to their customers costs them a significant amount of money in missed appointments and lost sales.

Enter HindSite Connect. HindSite Connect is a new email add-on to HindSites field service software solution. As the name implies, HindSite Connect helps field service businesses connect with their customers using email so they can expand their revenue opportunities and develop knowledgeable, loyal customers.

With HindSite Connect, a few mouse clicks sends the following transactional emails:

Even better, HindSite Connect enables customers to filter their contacts and send any kind of email to those customers. Anything from holiday greetings to newsletters, to targeted promotions can be sent with just a few mouse clicks, from the software businesses use every day.

As a marketer, the thing I love most about HindSite Connect is how configurable it is, says Chad Reinholz, Marketing Manager for HindSite. With HindSite Connect, non-marketers can easily brand their emails with their logo and colors. Plus, they can quickly drop in promotional messages that generate revenue. It s simple and effective.

HindSite Connect also allows businesses to almost endlessly personalize the messages they send. In addition to standard information like demographic data, HindSite Connect enables businesses to drop in work order information, field notes, appointment times and a whole lot more. With HindSite Connect, customers can also send emails based on specific services, enabling them to deliver additional information about what service theyll be performing and what the customer needs to do to prepare.

Marketers know that engaging customers is all about creating a very personal experience, explains Reinholz. One size does not fit all anymore. That is what makes HindSite Connect a game-changer in the service business marketing arena. Our users can tailor the emails they send to their customers, which results in much better email performance.

For more information about Hindsite Connect, visit http://www.hindsitesoftware.com/connect.

About HindSite Software HindSite Software has helped contractors better manage and grow their business with work order software since 2001. Initially designed as irrigation software, HindSite today assists service businesses with scheduling and billing, contact management, field data collection, and invoicing in QuickBooks, Sage Peachtree, and Simply Accounting. When used by lawn care businesses, this paperless lawn care software has been proven to increase efficiency and organization, meaning greater profit potential with less administrative time.

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HindSite Software Releases HindSite Connect

Travis Parker

Travis Parker is the Emergency Medical Services Division Chief at Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Service. Parker is also one to Tuscaloosa magazine's 6 Intriguing People for the winter 2013 issue.staff photo | Robert Sutton

On Friday, Travis Parker dressed in the crisp white shirt bearing the Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Service emblem for the last time.

It's a uniform that he's proudly worn as he worked his way up the department ranks during the past 27 years.

"When you walk up in that uniform, it's almost like a wave of calm that goes over everyone," Parker said. "I don't mean to be prideful by saying that, it's just a fact of life."

During his career, which started as a paramedic and is ending as chief of the department's Emergency Medical Services, Parker has helped thousands of people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. His approach of treating each emergency as if it were happening to a family member is just one indication that he's lived up to the expectations of that uniform.

"When someone calls 911, it's an emergency to them no matter what it is. It could be a cat up a tree," he said. "Being able to help people during these times is what makes this job so rewarding."

Unfortunately, most 911 calls that the department responds to are much more serious than a treed cat. "Expect the best but prepare for the worst" is the motto that he has learned to live by.

Parker, 58, traces his passion for helping others to an event that happened when he was young. His mother was working an overnight shift waiting tables when he was awakened by his father in distress.

His father was having a seizure at 2 a.m., likely a side effect from a head injury he'd sustained while mowing the lawn at their home in the Loop Road area that day.

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Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue's EMS Chief Travis Parker retiring after 27 years

Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) December 13, 2013

Tired of having to stop mowing the lawn several times on hot summer days to walk into the house for a cool drink? Fortunately, an inventor from Bloomer, Wis., has found the solution. With his invention there is no need to interrupt such a task or make frequent stops while traveling to get additional cool beverages.

TOUCAN COOLER was developed to keep three drinks cool and accessible simultaneously. It is designed for use in cars, trucks, lawn mowers, tractors, sports vehicles, boats, lawn chairs or anything else equipped with a cup holder.

Besides being convenient, this lightweight accessory is also easy to install and use.

The inventor thought of the idea while mowing his lawn. "One can of pop was never enough for the job," he said. "Since most mowers and tractors have only a single cup holder, I wanted to find a way to carry more beverages and keep them cool."

The original design was submitted to the Edina office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 12-MMB-2127, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

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Portable Cooler for Travel, Work, Recreation Invented by InventHelp Client (MMB-2127)

Since its founding with five clients and a donated van in 1974, ECHO, now known as ECHOworks, has 163 participants supported by a staff of 60, providing workers to 15 sites around the county. It is always looking for new business partners willing to welcome capableand enthusiasticdisabled workers to their staff.

Over the years, the organization has built up a core base of support from area businesses that provide work opportunities for teams of anywhere from six to 13 individuals.

Karen Russell, ECHOworks marketing manager, has been associated with the organization from almost the beginning. She is aided by Kelly Yost, business development officer and daily operations manager, and the two work with CEO Bill Haney, assembling a strong and diverse labor force that can cope with a variety of tasks. Whether its mowing lawns, doing bulk mail, document conversion to digital, scanning and shredding documents, assembling and disassembling circuit board packages, or cleaning, the ECHO workers provide a reliable service for which the individual business contracts.

Those businesses that use ECHOworks services, including Inova Loudoun Hospital, Loudoun County Public Schools, Loudoun County government, the Federal Aviation Administration, REHAU, EIT Inc. and Telos Corporation are convinced supporters of the program.

It is such an effective program that it is much in demand for families who are looking for safe, secure programs in which their disabled family member can find employment and be esteemed for that workand there arent enough sites to meet that need, Russell said. Yost agreed, noting in a recent interview, Ive had four calls this week from families looking to us for our services. We need businesses to match that need.

Shannon Sollinger, who volunteers with ECHOworks, helping put out its newsletter, says she doesnt think businesses appreciate the value of what theyre getting by contracting services through the organization.

Most employers dont get that its a smart business tacticno human resources problems, no Social Security, no benefits, no overtime, no training responsibilities; just one check for the service, she notes.

Russell agreed. We only charge the business the actual work done. We pay for equipment, transportationincluding the vans and buses that take workers to their job sitessalaries, insurance, workers compensation its just like a business, she said. Each team has a trained supervisor, and the groups are insured, trained, transported and fed by ECHOworks.

We do what the business needs, Russell said, noting that Inova Loudoun Hospital, which uses teams at two sites, is one of ECHOworks biggest customers. We run the mail for them. We provide food for our workers, and maybe buy from the cafeteria once a week, Russell said. We also take care of all the human resources side.

For Sollinger, the decision to hire an ECHOworks team is more than a smart business decision. Its a step to put our neighbors who are developmentally challenged into a productive, rewarding work environment where they earn a pay check, make friends and contribute to the community, she said.

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ECHO Looks To Expand Business Partnerships