genius

BMW is taking a page out of Apple's book with a Genius-like program, according to a report.

The car maker told Advertising Age in a story published today that it's planning to launch its BMW Genius Everywhere program nationwide next year that will aim at educating customers without actually trying to sell them vehicles. The "geniuses" will be young -- possibly college students -- who will be armed with iPads. They'll be able to answer questions about vehicles on the showroom floor.

According to BMW, which was inspired by Apple's Genius services, the program … Read more

It's looking like the TV show "The Big Bang Theory" may become a reality series, of sorts.

Jim Parsons, one of the show's geek protagonists, is working on creating a television series that profiles real-life young geniuses, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The series will be based on a YouTube show by the THNKR channel called "Prodigies."

"I knew within a few minutes of viewing my first episode of 'Prodigies' that I wanted to be a part of the team bringing the digital series to a wider audience via television. Spending time with … Read more

A year is a long time in the life of the average PC. If it's been a while since your computer was brand-spanking-new, you may have noticed that it takes longer to start up, or your programs and files take longer to load. You can reclaim some of your computer's original performance with the help of EaseUS CleanGenius. This toolkit cleans and tweaks your system, deleting junk files and unneeded registry entries on demand or on schedule. It can make a big difference on older and slower systems, but even newer computers can benefit from regular maintenance with … Read more

iPhone troubles? Let me guess: an update won't install properly. Or an app keeps crashing on you. Or you can't get your Bluetooth connection to work.

Problems like these often drive frazzled users to the Apple Genius Bar, which, of course, requires a reservation via the Apple Web site. Before you can make one, however, Apple now suggests this:

It's true: Apple wants you to try the iPhone equivalent of Ctrl-Alt-Delete before you make a special trip to the Apple Store and, well, watch while a Genius resets the phone for you.

Although this may come across … Read more

RapGenius was created for those of us who just might not be urban enough to understand what the hell Li'l Wayne is rapping about or what specific kind of "gas" 2 Chainz is "smokin' on."

The site is basically a huge wiki intended to explain the lyrics of any and all rap songs, and since the entire Internet is invited to participate, there are naturally a few Justin Bieber songs up in the mix as well. But lately, some non-music entries have been uploaded to the site, including the Terms of Service for iTunes, which has already begun to be annotated to hilarious effect.… Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Fat fingers to blame for upping mobile ad clicks.

- Andreessen Horowitz invests $15 million in Web site Rap Genius.

- San Francisco's Weiner tries to ban exposed genitals.

- How New Yorkers can beat Time Warner's bullish modem rental fee.

Look who showed up at the Justin Bieber concert! (courtesy of The 404 SubReddit)… Read more

Looking to help jump-start a new era in annotating Web text, leading venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz today said that it's investing $15 million in RapGenius, a startup that enables such annotations.

RapGenius was founded on the idea that rap lyrics needed explanation. And given that Andreessen Horowitz partner Ben Horowitz is a well-known rap devotee, there's an obvious hook that would attract the VC firm to help fund the startup.

"Given that RapGenius is a Web site where people explain rap lyrics, and given that my partner Ben is a noted rap fanatic, your first reaction … Read more

Apple could be overhauling at least one of its retail stores to add more space for the Genius Bar and the customers themselves.

The company's Garden State Plaza store in Paramus, N.J., is reportedly the target of the renovations, according to Apple blog site ifoAppleStore. The store itself is moving to a larger space in the shopping mall that will triple its square footage.

Sources told ifoAppleStore that the Paramus store originally occupied a space 30 feet wide but has since outgrown that and has run into problems of overcrowding. The new location will open up room for … Read more

The envious like to snipe at Apple.

It's not just the quest for perfection that gets to them. It's the annoying habit of attaining it (or at least something close to it) that rankles.

So today, when details of Apple's genius training manual were revealed, the scoffing could be heard from Jackson Hole to Seoul.

Who do these people think they are to stop their employees from using the word "frozen?"

What sort of controlling freaks demand that their employees become something akin to those peculiar Scientology people on the street who tell you they'… Read more