Elijah

Astro Note for 2014: Venus is in Virgo from September 5th to 29th. Venus is love as a verb, and earths the unearthly, in its opposition to Neptune (Pisces) on Sept 10th. Venus forms an edifying trine to Pluto (Capricorn) on Sept 14th, for cultivating a timeless love with deep roots. Read more about September 2014's Big Picture Forecast.
Show, Don't Tell
Venus provides the mood lighting for love and the social scene. What we see with Virgo is a natural reserve, that's the instinct of the Virgin, wanting to stay whole-unto-his or herself.
A lot of scrutinizing goes on with Virgo, to be sure of what they're getting themselves into. Virgos crave order, everything in its place, and can take this to the extreme! And yet, Venus here promotes the upside of this trait, and that's to safeguard our goodies, and be sure of who is allowed in the intimate "virginal territory."
It's a great time to be a born-again Virgin, no matter how far you've succumbed to the demoralizing promiscuity of the times. Venus makes it attractive to purify yourself, to make your body a sacred temple, and to know the power of wholeness.
Noble Virtues
When Venus is in Virgo, we're reminded that a person's character can be attractive. This stretch of time finds us in a groove, where we settle in, and demonstrate on a consistent basis, that we're walking our talk.
The Venus Virgo lover or friend is very discriminating about who they invest in. A relationship has to make sense, as Virgo seeks what's sensible. Often that's cultivating deeper ties with those with shared values, and way of living day-to-day.
Out of this desire for clean-living, the Venus Virgo can seem wary at first, not one to go off the deep end in love, and friendships also take time to develop. What kind of love happens now? The kind that organically unfolds from life. An example is like a friendship at work that begins with a collegial mutual respect, and even some formality, and becomes something more.
DIY Love & Creativity
And yet, there can be a lot of good-natured, purposeful discussion, as Virgo is Mercury-ruled. (Virgo's modern ruler is Chiron, the "wounded healer"). At the Venus Virgo party, there's a din of mercurial exchanges. It's a pleasure to get granular in conversations, and trade useful tidbits or news.
This transit through Virgo makes it fun to gain real skills together, and love could develop during such a hands-on shared experience. Good vibes at work or while volunteering could lead to friendships that are based on being mutually supportive.
Being an earth sign, Virgo finds its wellness groove in the rhythm of a satisfying, productive day. Taking a small step gets you going, and helps you find traction with creative goals.
Virgo on a Bad Day
In contrast to the exhibitionism of Venus in Leo, this time with Venus can be more self-conscious, inhibited. Venus rules attractions, but also what repulses, but becomes a kind of fixation.
Virgo is a mutable sign that's hypersensitive to the confusion of having so many choices. There can be an intense desire to see more fruits of your labor. Venus here can bring on moods of discontent, self-flagellation or running critique of others.
Less is more, though and there's heightened sensory perception. The remedy for too much thinking, judging and stress, is to slow down to the rhythms of nature. To enjoy slow food, and "phat times" of nothing on the day book. To exchange massages or begin a cathartic exercise that's also artful or balancing in some way.
In his Complete Book of Spiritual Astrology, Per Henrick Gullfoss writes, "This Venus is in the horoscope to open up the eyes of the owner to the immense beauty of nature, the body, and all that the spirit can sense and experience through the body."

Apple's yearly iPhone announcement isn't just about the new smartphone. It also gives us a good idea of what might be coming to the new iPad, which should be announced sometime in October. And while much of this year's event was taken up with the new Apple Pay payment method and the long-awaited Apple Watch announcement, we did learn a few things about the iPad.



New 64-bit A8 Processor and M8 Motion Co-Processor: Definitely. The one aspect of the next generation iPad that is always tipped off during the iPhone reveal is the processor. The only difference between the iPad and iPhone processor tends to be clock speed, with the iPad usually clocking in slightly faster than the iPhone. This should be true with the new A8 processor, which doubles the number of transistors from one billion to two billion while not increasing the drain on the battery. The new A8 is 20% faster than the A7, with graphics coming in at about 50% faster.


64 GB model only $599: Almost Definitely. While Apple didn't use the word "discount", they've cut the price on all but entry-level models of the iPhone. Instead of paying $100 more for a 32 GB version and $200 more for a 64 GB version, the 64 GB model is just $100. That's basically $100 in savings for anyone that feels cramped by the 16 GB that comes with the entry-level iPhone. And we can expect this same savings to carry over to the new iPad.


Touch ID: Almost Definitely. As I've become used to unlocking my phone with my thumb print, I get annoyed when I'm presented with the lock screen on the iPad. Tap in a passcode? That's so 2012. With Touch ID being opened up to third-party apps in iOS 8, this fingerprint technology should debut in the iPad Air 2.


NFC & Apple Pay: Possibly. Obviously, paying for a Subway sandwich with a wave of an iPad isn't quite as convenient as using your iPhone (or Apple Watch), but Near-Field Communications (NFC) could definitely be a handy new feature in the iPad. A number of Android-based devices use NFC and small magnetic stickers you can use to activate them to perform a task, such as automatically playing music when it sits beside the computer. And while it isn't as convenient to pay a bill with an iPad, Apple may not want to leave out iPad owners who have a (gasp!) Android smartphone.


New Camera: Probably Not. The iPad may get some added features embedded in the new A8 chip, but as for the camera itself, I would expect a repeat of the iPad Air's camera. Let's face it, we don't snap near as many photos with our tablets as with our smartphone, so skipping the camera upgrade makes sense.


Apple Watch Compatibility: Probably not. The Apple Watch requires an iPhone 6, or at least it does until the new iPad is announced. Of course, it makes sense for the smartwatch to pair with the smartphone. After all, we carry both of those devices around with us almost everywhere. And it's not like we go jogging with your iPad Mini strapped to our shoulder. I'm guessing that even if the technology exists in the iPad to connect with the Apple Watch, it won't be turned on.

Want to learn more about the new iPhone 6 and Apple Watch? Check out our full coverage of the event.

Mobile devices are more than just phones – they’re a part of everyday life. They’re even becoming “wearable” so there’s no need to dig into your pocket or purse to get something done. When it comes to mobile banking, some tasks are now actually easier with a mobile device than they are at your desktop. So, what exactly can you accomplish with a mobile device?
What is Mobile Banking?
Mobile banking is any banking task that you complete with a mobile device – everything from looking at information to moving money. Mobile banking includes:
Mobile apps: probably the first thing that comes to mind is an app specifically built for banking. Most banks and credit unions offer apps that allow you to view your balance, move money between accounts, and review transactions. The best apps offer more advanced features like the ability to pay bills and deposit checks with your device, and some banks let you use the app to work with customer service.
Apps don’t necessarily have to come directly from your bank. There are plenty of apps that simply “appify” your old-fashioned bank account – they add functionality and an easy-to-use interface that lets you do what you want to do. Examples of this include P2P payment apps; those apps aren’t bank accounts, but they help you use your bank account.
P2P payments: it used to be difficult to pay friends for your share of dinner. With P2P payment apps (like PayPal and Dwolla), there’s no need to write a check or break a $20 bill – you can simply zap money to other people with a few taps on the screen.
A complete relationship: the purest form of mobile banking might be an account that you open and use exclusively with your mobile device. Services catering to the high-tech crowd do away with traditional bank services and overhead in exchange for low fees. However, they might still rely on a brick-and-mortar bank to comply with regulations related to offering “banking” (if the account is to be FDIC insured, for example).
Personal financial management (PFM): want to know whether or not you can afford that purchase before you get to the checkout counter? Even if your card doesn’t get declined, it’s helpful to know if you’ve already spent through this month’s budget – and PFM apps help you quickly take stock of your finances. Like P2P payment apps, these apps might come from third-parties that simply use data from your bank. Examples of PFM apps include Mint.com and Yodlee.
Text alerts: text alerts are a passive form of online banking. They allow you to keep tabs on your accounts without having to login and look at your balances or transactions. If you rely on text alerts, you can simply specify the things you care most about, and live with the assumption that no news is good news (keeping in mind that thieves use this to their advantage: they often steal small amounts to fly under the radar).
Extra security: taking text alerts one step further, your mobile device can help keep thieves out of your account. Some banks will send a security code to your mobile phone anytime you try to log in from a new device (a brand new laptop, your friend’s tablet, or a public computer, for example). In order to log in, you’ll need to enter your password and the security code. Thieves won’t be able to get to your accounts unless they’ve somehow stolen both.
Mobile wallet: if you want to pay for purchases while shopping, you can use traditional methods like cash or plastic, or you can turn to mobile banking. Mobile wallets let you use a phone for payment (although they typically pull funds from a debit card, credit card, or linked bank account). The concept hasn’t really taken off yet, but someday you may be more likely to reach for your phone than your wallet.
Mobile websites: banking on your mobile device is different from banking on a desktop. Good designers know this, so they detect what type of device you’re using and optimize the experience accordingly. That said, apps are probably the most powerful way to bank with your mobile device – they make the best use of screen space and interface options – but there are times when you’ll just use your device’s browser.
GPS: if your device uses GPS, you can probably use it to find free ATMs and branch locations (usually as part of your bank’s app). If your card can be used in a network of ATMs for free, you’ll find that you can use numerous locations besides a bank branch.