WebProNews

Tag: Rumors

  • Yahoo Said To Be Giving Interested Parties Longer For Opening Bids

    On Thursday, a report from Bloomberg came out indicating that Verizon is poised to make a first-round bid for Yahoo and that Google parent Alphabet is considering doing the same.

    The report also said that AT&T and Comcast, and Microsoft have all decided not to bid at this time, and that Time Inc., Bain, TPG, and others are still in the cards. IAC/Interactive Corp., News Corp, and Disney have all been mentioned as potential suitors at one time or another.

    The due date for first-round bids had been reported as April 11, but Kara Swisher at Re/code is now reporting that Yahoo has moved the deadline to April 18, giving suitors another week. Swisher, who has reported much Yahoo insider info over the years, cites sources close to the situation and “blabby bankers” as her sources here. Here’s what she says about Google:

    Hey, over there, Google is sure interested. (The truth is, its M&A unit crunched the numbers as they should, but an offer is highly unlikely!)

    After the regulatory difficulty Google has had in partnering with Yahoo in the past, it’s unclear how these things would work if Google were to try and move forward with such an acquisition.

    Stay tuned.

    Image via Yahoo (Twitter)

  • Google Parent May Try to Buy Yahoo?

    Google parent Alphabet (formerly Google) is considering bidding on Yahoo as the deadline for first-round bids approaches. This is particularly interesting considering that regulators shut down a potential Google/Yahoo partnership years ago.

    Bloomberg reports that Verizon intends to make a first-round bid next week, and citing a different source, shares the Google news (which comes from a different, unnamed source).

    Citing yet another source, it says AT&T, Comcast, and Microsoft have all decided not to bid for now. The report says:

    Time Inc. is still evaluating a bid, while private equity funds Bain and TPG — among others — are also planning to make a run at the business, either alone or by backing a strategic acquirer, the people said. While the buyout firms haven’t yet paired themselves with a strategic buyer, they are open to the idea of doing so, the people said.

    IAC/Interactive Corp., News Corp, and Disney have all been mentioned as potential suitors at one time or another.

    The due date for first-round bids is April 11.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Olivia Munn and Stephen Colbert Have Fun with Her Engagement Rumors

    Olivia Munn is not engaged to longtime boyfriend and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, according to Munn herself. But that hasn’t stopped the internet rumor mill from turning.

    Earlier this week, tabloid reports said that Munn and Rodgers had gotten engaged over the holidays.

    Munn publicly denied the rumors, posting this hilarious text conversation with her mother on Instagram:

    But Stephen Colbert wasn’t done confusing Munn’s mother. Munn appeared on The Late Show this week, and Colbert decided to have some fun.

    Colbert asked is he could text Munn’s mother, and she obliged.

    “Kim, Colberto here. So happy for the engagement!” he texted.

    Munn later posted her mom’s response:

    Once again, Olivia Munn is not engaged. Watch her say it herself:

  • Dolly Parton: I Do Not Have Stomach Cancer, But I Did Have Kidney Stones

    Dolly Parton: I Do Not Have Stomach Cancer, But I Did Have Kidney Stones

    Dolly Parton wants her fans to know that all is well, and she does not have stomach cancer.

    The National Enquirer published an article this week that claimed the country singer was rushed to the hospital with kidney stones, but that those were the least of her medical problems. The publication claimed that Parton is battling stomach cancer.

    Parton confirmed that she did have kidney stones, but says the cancer part is baloney. She posted this on her official website:

    “It is true that I had kidney stones. I had them removed three weeks ago and I am doing just fine! I am back to work and last week I was at Dollywood filming parts for my new movie ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ which premieres December 10th on NBC. With the 30th Anniversary of Dollywood, I did a full week of activities promoting my new DreamMore Resort’s opening. There is absolutely no truth at all that I have stomach cancer. I love and appreciate everyone’s concern.”

    Apparently, the 69-year-old Parton is as busy as ever.

    From her website:

    Just days after recovering from kidney stones, Dolly made her way to Dollywood to finish production of her new movie premiering December 10, 2015, on NBC. Dollywood was bustling with lights, cameras and lots of action. Between takes at the park, Dolly rushed back to her bus and headed off to Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort for interviews and press promotions related to the resort’s recent opening. When the set was ready back at Dollywood, Dolly hopped back on the bus and dashed back to the park to finish filming.

    Through the hectic schedule, it was pretty much business as usual for an ever-busy Dolly. She handled it all with grace and poise and even managed to squeeze in time to send a surprise message to the University of Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland Marching Band thanking them for their halftime tribute to her.

    So if you’re a Dolly Parton fan, this should assuage your concerns.

    Parton’s new movie, Coat of Many Colors, premieres on December 10th on NBC.

  • iPhone 7 Rumor Points to Waterproof Device

    iPhone rumors are pretty hilarious – not because they’re always wrong or anything. To the contrary, plenty of rumors about the next generation of the iPhone turn out to be true. What’s funny is just how early they start – and how quickly they ramp up.

    The iPhone 6s just went on sale this past weekend (and broke sales records), so of course it’s the perfect time for some juicy iPhone 7 rumors.

    The newest comes from Japanese Apple blog Mac Otakara, which says that we can expect the new iPhones (which are probably about a year out) to sport a new waterproof and dustproof body.

    From MacRumors:

    This big new upgrade to the iPhone 7 would call for a new frame and casing material, and according to one of the postings on Weibo, Apple is in fact planning on adopting an entirely new material next year for the iPhone 7. If this turns out to be the case, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus would be the last in the iPhone line to include a metallic casing for the smartphone.

    Of course, Apple is behind the curve on offering phones that protect against the elements. But there are plenty of iPhone users who would love for Apple to finally debut a waterproof phone.

    Mac Otakara also says that “sources” confirm a “completely flat” LCD screen for the next model.

    Waterproof? Cool. But it’s a rumor on a device that’s a year from being unveiled – so make sure you have plenty of grains of salt handy.

  • Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Split, Better Than Ever, About To Divorce, Doing Fine. Sources Say.

    Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck may be headed for the rocks. Or maybe not. It all depends on who you listen to and where you choose to get your gossip.

    Entertainment Tonight says that Garner and Affleck “are fine and “actually focusing on spending time together as a family this summer.” They cite nameless “sources.”

    On the flip side of the story, the New York Daily News has its own “insider” source that says the opposite. According to them, Garner and Affleck are rarely seen out together, which is a bad sign.

    “The haven’t been seen at the Jonathan Club, the beach one in some time, and Ben and Jen were also talking about land and property expansion as late as December,” says the insider of Garner and Affleck. “That’s all in the past. They’ve been out of the loop socially for a while.”

    Not to be outdone, Us Magazine cites its own “insider” who says of Garner and Affleck, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The marriage is in trouble. Things are not all peaches and cream with them.”

    A series of comments on one tabloid story summed up the feeling the public gets everytime they read about an imminent split between Jennifer Garner and Ben affleck … or Beyonce and Jay-Z, or Ellen and Portia:

    “So this is the exact same story, regurgitated over and over, with 2 quotes from some unknown source. Ok.”

    “It’s like Beyoncé and Jay-Z. They’ve been splitting up for years.”

    “And when they’re not splitting up, she’s pregnant.”

    “Nah, her surrogate is pregnant, remember?”

    Entertainment Tonight analyzed the rumor more closely, calling on the advice of experts like Jessica Wedemeyer of Wonderwall.

    “It’s not unusual for couples to be apart when one is on set, however Ben has been spotted in Santa Monica — their home base — several times in the last month by himself, so it’s a little odd that they haven’t been seen together when they’re so close to home,” Wedemeyer said. “Ben and Jennifer reportedly spent her last birthday apart. He was actually photographed the day before her birthday without his wedding ring, however he was in Canada shooting a film, so it’s not that unusual.”

  • Apple Watch 2 Rumors Point to FaceTime Camera

    After enjoying online ordering-only status since its launch, the Apple Watch finally arrived in stores this week. Apple just released its first wearable device a couple of months ago, but the rumors are already flying about the next version of the device.

    9to5Mac quotes the ubiquitous sources familiar with the matter, who claim that Apple is already spinning up ideas for the Apple Watch 2 (sure to be called something other than the Apple Watch 2).

    The most interesting new feature said to be planned for the next Apple Watch is a FaceTime camera. The current model allows users to answer FaceTime audio calls and redirect video calls to another device – but having a camera “integrated into the top bezel” would allow users to make face-to-face video calls from their wrists.

    Surely, this sort of functionality is what people had in mind when they first heard about Apple Watch.

    Also, according to 9to5 Mac‘s sources, Apple wants to release the Watch from the chains of the iPhone. Kind of.

    In order to make the next-generation Apple Watch more capable without a connected iPhone, Apple intends to integrate a new and more dynamic wireless chipset into the wearable. Although the Apple Watch 2 will likely continue to require an iPhone for heavy data transfers, including software upgrades and the synchronization of media files, basic communication tasks could be handled without iPhone assistance.

    We’re talking texting, emailing, and using some apps. This would go a long way to assuage critics who lamented that they still need their phones to have a functional Apple Watch.

    Apple hasn’t released any official sales figures for the Watch, but the latest independent estimate pegs sales at 2.79 million.

  • Reports Suggest Dorsey Likely To Remain Twitter CEO

    Reports Suggest Dorsey Likely To Remain Twitter CEO

    Last week, Twitter announced that CEO Dick Costolo is stepping down on July 1. The official word is that co-founder and original CEO Jack Dorsey, who is also the CEO of Square, will return to the role in the interim while Twitter’s board conducts a search for a permanent replacement.

    Based on responses Dorsey gave to questions about the subject, it sounded as if the interim part could potentially be dropped. When asked by multiple news outlets whether he might become the permanent CEO, he would not just come out and say no. He repeatedly sidestepped these questions, seemingly indicating that it’s not out of the question.

    Since then, more reports have come out implying that not only it is possible that Dorsey will return as permanent Twitter CEO, but that it’s most likely to be the case. Business Insider literally says, “Jack Dorsey is the only person who can be Twitter’s next CEO.”

    BI’s Jay Yarow, who interviewed both Dorsey and Costolo after the announcement, says he believes the interim title will be dropped by the end of the year because he believes Dorsey wants to be full-time CEO of Twitter. He also cites a New York Times article reporting that “people with knowledge of his thinking” say Dorsey has wanted to return to run Twitter since he was ousted in 2008.

    Yarow also makes the case that Square could be handed off to one of its insiders relatively easy and that Dorsey is said to find running a payments company boring. There’s no way to know if there’s really any truth to this, but that’s apparently what the grapevine is saying.

    Henry Blodget claims to know “what’s really going on” and that “Twitter’s CEO search is pretty much a sham.”

    The article essentially makes the case that the CEO search is really just to give Dorsey a trial period, so they can figure out if they really think he’s right for the job, and if not, they don’t lose face when they decide to go a different direction, all the while, giving Dorsey a chance to figure out if he wants to try to run both companies and/or to figure out what to do about Square if he takes over permanently at Twitter.

    The thinking is that Dorsey is the best person to help with the consumer-facing part of Twitter, which has been its biggest problem. User growth just hasn’t been coming fast enough, and he could be the right person to change that.

    Of course the whole thing could also lead to the board finding someone else it likes better. There’s been a lot of talk about Adam Bain, who leads revenue and partnerships. There’s also been talk of Twitter potentially getting acquired.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Your Spotify Free Ride May Be Coming to an End, Claims Report

    File this under interesting, but unconfirmed, reports.

    Earlier this month, reports said that Apple was doing its damnedest to kill Spotify’s free tier. Apple, of course, is planning on relaunching is Beats Music-based streaming competitor this summer (likely at its Worldwide Developers Conference). The reports suggested that Apple has been attempting to convince the major record labels to stop licensing their music to the likes of Spotify and its free tier – in the hopes that such a decision would devastate Spotify’s business model.

    The goal being less competition for Apple’s music service, naturally.

    Now, Digital Music News is quoting “multiple sources” who say that Spotify may be bowing to pressure from the big labels and planning on limiting its free tier to a three-month trial.

    Apparently, new Spotify users would be limited to three months of free, ad-supported listening. Existing free tier users would have a six-month grace period before being forced to upgrade to a paid tier.

    “It’s weaning them off free, is one way to think about it, while making [Spotify] more in line with [other streaming services],” one source told Digital Music News.

    The seriously curtailed window is being presented as a ‘proposal,’ but one source pointed to limits on the “spirit of collaboration” being floated. “This was drafted as a sort of compromise idea in mind,” one source described to Digital Music News, while also noting that “close observation” will determine if users are pushed towards premium plans more aggressively.

    Spotify has over 60 million users worldwide. Only a fourth of them pay for the service. It’s hard to imagine Spotify forcing everyone to pay at some point, as that could kill subscriber counts. But Spotify’s whole schtick is that it gets people in the door with its free tier, and hopefully they become paid subscribers.

    Once again, this is a one-source report, so take it with a grain of salt. But it’s an interesting thought – is your Spotify free ride coming to an end?

    Image via Björn Olsson, Flickr

  • Will AOL Get Rid Of The Huffington Post Under Verizon?

    If you’ve been on the internet today, you probably know that Verizon is acquiring AOL, pending regulatory approval and closing conditions. While the announcement made no claims that AOL’s content properties would be spun off, reports at Re/code have suggested otherwise.

    As we referenced in an earlier article on the acquisition, Re/Code’s Peter Kafka suggested Verizon could decide to spin out AOL’s content operations with a third partner, “perhaps German publisher Axel Springer”.

    Re/Code’s Kara Swisher has since written:

    According to numerous sources, while it has been negotiating its deal to sell to Verizon, AOL has also been in advanced discussions with a number of parties to spin off its flagship Huffington Post content unit.

    The talks have been most serious with Axel Springer, the German media conglomerate, but a number of private equity firms have also expressed interest in the high-profile property. Sources said the Huffington Post has been valued at above $1 billion in this scenario, which would either be a complete sale or, more likely, structured as a joint venture.

    AOL has been sending around a statement in response to such reports (via Variety): “AOL owns a portfolio of premium, global content brands including The Huffington Post, TechCrunch and Endgadget, among others, and all of them will continue to be part of our business as we go forward.”

    Swisher says this contradicts what “several top AOL sources” told her this morning. As Kafka noted in his article, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong also said in the past that there was no truth to reports of a potential acquisition by Verizon.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Yelp For Sale? Report Says It’s Exploring Options

    Yelp might be up for sale, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, which says, citing people familiar with the matter, that it is working with investment bankers and has “been in touch with potential buyers” in recent weeks.

    It notes that the company could still decide against a sale, but it seems to be exploring its options. The report projects the company could get over $3.5 billion, and cites slowing growth in traffic and a marked decline in stock price since highs in March of last year.

    A spokesperson for Yelp tells WebProNews, “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation, so can add nothing further.”

    Shareholders seem to like the idea of a sale as shares quickly jumped about 8% upon the news.

    The company released its Q1 financial results last week, reporting a 55% revenue increase compared to the same quarter last year, but falling short of analysts’ expectations and sending its stock price down. Still, the company grew its cumulative reviews by 36% to 77 million, including a record 6 million reviews contributed during the quarter.

    Growth in mobile usage and the company’s sales efforts were major themes of the ensuing conference call. The company reported that average monthly mobile unique visitors grew 29% year-over-year to approximately 79 million while average monthly desktop unique visitors declined 3% to about 80 million. Combined, average monthly unique visitors grew 8% to 142 million. In other words, there are now nearly as many mobile users as desktop users, and it’s only a matter of time until the mobile number overtakes desktop.

    The company’s brand advertising revenue was down 11% year-over-year. It attributes this to the shift to programmatic advertising and the “industry’s desire to have advertising products that are disruptive to the consumer experience.”

    40% of Yelp’s local advertising revenues in Q1 came from CPC advertisers, which was up from 32% in Q4.

    It would be interesting to know which companies Yelp has been “in touch” with as potential buyers. I could speculate, but what would be the point? One question is what company would want to take on all of the legal headaches that accompany the business?

    Image via Yelp

  • Should Yahoo Buy Foursquare?

    Should Yahoo Buy Foursquare?

    Yahoo may or may not be in talks to acquire Foursquare. Two pretty reputable tech publications (each likely with numerous insider sources) have conflicting reports about this.

    TechCrunch has a lengthy report written by two of its veteran journalists, claiming to have multiple sources indicating the two companies are indeed in talks, and that they’re hearing the deal is done, but that details are still being worked out. They’re hearing $900 million as a possible price. They go into a long history of rumors about Yahoo’s and Marissa Mayer’s interest in Foursquare and all the reasons it would make sense for Yahoo to buy the company.

    Re/code, which has a long history (extending well back into its All Things D days) of reporting on Yahoo’s dealings, including breaking the news that Yahoo would buy Tumblr, has a two-sentence story saying, “Yahoo is not in talks” to buy Foursquare according to multiple people familiar with the companies.

    A third sentence was added on Twitter:

    Re/code’s Kara Swisher actually wrote about Yahoo eyeing Foursquare nearly two years ago for All Things D, and this is something the TechCrunch article references. It also acknowledges that while it has multiple sources indicating the talks are happening, other sources have no clue about it.

    “Either this is elaborate, bicoastal speculation, or it is happening with only a select circle privy to what is going on,” the report says.

    Obviously neither company is commenting beyond saying they don’t comment on rumors or speculation, as you would expect.

    So either Yahoo is going to buy Foursqaure or it isn’t. The question of whether or not it should is worth exploring, however, and the TechCrunch article makes a pretty good case for why it would be a good move on Yahoo’s part. Long story short, it would give the company more ammo in search, social, and advertising.

    Yahoo may be getting ready to go back out on its own in search, as in ending a partnership with Microsoft that currently sees Yahoo Search being powered by Bing. The companies have until the end of next week to figure out how they’re going to go forward. They might very well stay together, but they might not. Certain findings have raised questions, but they’re just that – questions.

    Foursquare has a lot to offer when it comes to local search, particularly on mobile, where Yahoo is focusing the bulk of its efforts.

    “A Yahoo acquisition of Foursquare might be one way for Yahoo to bring a trove of local search and location data, and the technology to power them, in-house, along with a team to work on it,” the TechCrunch report notes. “Or even with a new MSFT deal, having Foursquare could help differentiate Yahoo better from the other search engine.”

    Yahoo is very interested in replacing Google as the default search experience in Apple’s Safari browser, as it did in Mozilla’s Firefox. The better Yahoo gets at search (particularly on mobile, where Foursquare is valuable), the better chance it has of getting such a deal.

    In terms of social, Foursquare would give Yahoo another established app to work with in addition to Tumblr – an acquisition that has kept, if not made Yahoo relevant in the space. Foursquare and Swarm would be more potential places for Yahoo to serve ads.

    And speaking of ads, Foursquare just launched its own new ad offering called Pinpoint, which it describes as a “full-service advertising solution powered by the world’s most accurate location intelligence available.”

    Here are the stats Foursquare is touting to market that:

    Foursquare already has major brands including Samsung, AT&T, FedEx, Land Rover, Wild Turkey, Olive Garden, Coors Light, and Choice Hotels on board with that.

    This offering alone could be an attractive target for Yahoo’s advertising business.

    Re/code isn’t the only one reporting that the two companies aren’t in talks, but we don’t know who anybody’s sources are, so it’s pretty much TechCrunch’s report versus anyone else’s. At this point, we’ll just have to wait and see if anything more develops. If it’s a “done deal” as the report suggests, we’ll probably find out sooner rather than later.

  • IBM Denies Rumors of Huge Layoffs

    IBM will be cutting jobs – that’s not up in the air. The company announced this in its latest earnings report.

    But just how many jobs will be lost?

    IBM is flatly refuting recent reports that it plans to lay off over 100,000 employees. According to the company, the layoffs will affect “several thousand” employees, which represent a “small fraction” of what recent rumors have suggested.

    “IBM does not comment on rumors, even ridiculous or baseless ones,” the company told Reuters. “If anyone had checked information readily available from our public earnings statements, or had simply asked us, they would know that IBM has already announced the company has just taken a $600 million charge for workforce rebalancing. This equates to several thousand people, a small fraction of what’s been reported.”

    So, what was reported, exactly?

    A Forbes article published last week suggested that 26 percent of IBM’s employees would “be getting phone calls from their managers” this week.

    “The USA will be hit hard, but so will other locations. IBM’s contractors can expect regular furloughs in 2015. One in four IBMers reading this column will probably start looking for a new job next week. Those employees will all be gone by the end of February,” said the report.

    IBM has called this “baseless”.

    Reuters says that this “restructuring” could fall in line with those in recent years – about 8,000 layoffs.

    Image via Clockready, Wikimedia Commons

  • Gold Apple Watch Could Cost As Much As $5,000

    The latest Apple Watch rumor points to a pretty hefty price for the top-of-the-line gold version.

    French Apple website iGen.fr (translated) says that the gold Apple Watch, called the Apple Watch Edition right now, could run you between $4,000 and $5,000.

    According to Apple, its gold smartwatch “has a watch case crafted from 18-karat gold that our metallurgists have developed to be up to twice as hard as standard gold.”

    As far as the standard, stainless steel Apple Watch goes, the French site reports that it’ll cost around $500.

    Considering Apple has already confirmed the aluminum-backed ‘Sport’ version to retail at $350, this price for the stainless steel makes sense. The gold price on the other hand – well, it seems pricey to say the least.

    Of course, this is just a rumor at this point. MacRumors, who first reported the French site’s info, does note that the site has been accurate in its predictions in the past – so there’s that.

    Apple is slated to unveil the Apple Watch in Spring of 2015, but iGen.fr reports that it might be a bit earlier – maybe Valentine’s Day?

    Image via Apple

  • Apple to Kill the iPad Mini in Latest Rumor

    We’re only a few weeks out from Apple season – that magical time of year when Apple unveils a bunch of new hardware – and there are already rumors about what moves Cupertino could make next.

    Apparently, Apple is planning on killing the iPad Mini.

    This rumor comes from Chinese publication UDN, via Phone Arena. It also comes with a side of salt, from which a large grain needs to be taken.

    This rumor comes on the heels of likely the most unimpressive iPad Mini update ever. At a press event last month, Apple unveiled two new iPad models – the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3. Only one of those featured any sort of real upgrades at all.

    And it wasn’t the Mini.

    The new iPad Air 2 is thinner and faster with a prettier screen and a better camera. The new iPad Mini 3 is not.

    Basically, the iPad Mini 3 is barely an improvement over the last-gen iPad Mini. Physical specs? Same. Processor? Same. Display? Same. There is a Touch ID on the new iPad Mini, and you can get one in gold – so there’s that.

    The new iPad Mini sure seemed like an afterthought, and people are reportedly not impressed. According to a report from ecommerce firm Slice Intelligence, 93 percent of all iPad pre-orders are for the iPad Air 2. So, only 7% of Apple fans who’ve decided to spring for a brand new iPad have chosen the iPad Mini 3.

    The new rumor sees Apple putting all of its focus on the much-discussed but still unseen 12.9-inch iPad model – set to debut in 2015 after it was delayed in the face of iPhone manufacturing issues.

    Plus, there’s now a 5.5-inch iPhone that might just be cannibalizing the 7.9-inch iPad Mini.

    Once again – rumor, rumor rumor. But it’s an interesting one. Do you really see a place for the iPad Mini in Apple’s future repertoire, especially with the introduction of those giant new iPhones?

    Image via Apple

  • Ashlee Simpson Reportedly Looking To Mother-In-Law Diana Ross For Career Help

    Ashlee Simpson is adjusting to married life relatively well!

    For those who missed it, the 30-year-old singer-actress married Diana Ross’ son, famed ATL actor Evan Ross, on Aug. 30.

    Now, she’s rumored to be seeking the help of her famous mother-in-law to revitalize her career.

    According to Yahoo News!, a source close to the famous family shared details about Ashlee reportedly asking Diana for “industry hookups.”

    But, that’s not all! The source also claims Diana isn’t too happy about her new daughter-in-law’s constant request for favors.

    The source even insists the Bittersweet World singer has “begged” the legendary 70-year-old star for help. Although she’s quite fond of Ashlee, she reportedly feels she’s “spoiled.”

    “Ashlee’s constantly hitting up Diana for industry contacts. Diana has no problem helping her son out, and she really does like Ashlee, but she knows a spoiled princess when she sees one,” said a source.

    “Ashlee is really pushing her luck with Diana,” the source added.

    Although this isn’t the first time rumors have circulated about tension between the former Supremes singer and Ashlee, Diana has always said otherwise. She insists she and her daughter-in-law have a great relationship.

    She even doted on Ashlee in a statement she released following her wedding with Evan. The “Endless Love” singer seemed relatively pleased with the way their big day turned out!

    “We had a beautiful rainbow surrounding us, loving family and friends, great music, and great speeches from loving and caring friends, and joyful children dancing the night away,” she said.

    “I thank everyone who supported us on the spectacular day and our neighbors who were kind enough to let us have fun. We had great friends that traveled from Norway, London, Switzerland, and from all over the world. Wishing Evan and Ashlee congratulations,” she told US Weekly. “I want only love, happiness, and joy for my son and his bride.”

  • Katherine Heigl: “I’ve Made Mistakes”

    On Saturday, November 1, Katherine Heigl responded to rumors that she is rude and hard to work with during a Facebook Q&A.

    “I’ve heard rumors that your very rude. What’s your thoughts?” a fan asked the former Grey’s Anatomy star.

    “Yeah I’ve heard those too…honestly I don’t think I am…nothing makes me more uncomfortable than confrontation or hurting someone’s feelings and I would never, ever actively do so on purpose,” Katherine responded.

    “Of course just like any human being I’ve made mistakes and unwittingly or carelessly spoken or acted but I always try to make any wrong right,” she continued. “That doesn’t mean I won’t stand up for myself by drawing boundaries and asking to be treated kindly and respectfully but I don’t do that with any rude or unkind intentions just with the same strength and honesty I think every one of us is entitled to .”

    Post by Katherine Heigl.

    Heigl, who has a new drama State of Affairs, premiering later this month, was bashed by Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes in October during an interview for The Hollywood Reporter.

    “There are no Heigls in this situation,” Rhimes told the website of the cast of her new show Scandal. She later explained that she now has a “no assholes” policy: “I don’t put up with bullshit or nasty people. I don’t have time for it.”

  • Portia De Rossi Reportedly ‘Checks Up’ on Ellen Degeneres at Work

    First, everyone seemed sure that Portia and Ellen were bound for divorce. Then everyone was sure they were having a baby. Then came the day Portia appeared on Ellen’s show and discussed those rumors.

    “They want us to have a baby. Did you see it says, ‘They’re finally starting a family,” de Rossi said, pointing to a magazine cover. “Like, are people really that mad at us? … So, um, no … we’re not.”

    The appearance seemed to quell several rumors at once. The baby rumor was gone. The pair seemed just fine, so the divorce rumor started waning.

    Then came the planned evening of the pet charity event that the couple didn’t make it to. They were supposed to be at the Saving SPOT! fund-raiser at Tiato in Santa Monica that evening.

    “Ellen and Portia were supposed to be at the event at 5 p.m., a source told Page Six, “but at 6:30 p.m., the media was still waiting for their arrival. Reporters were told they were on their way, until the head of the charity informed everyone at the end of the event that they weren’t going to make it due to ‘logistics.’

    “Ellen and Portia were delayed and were in the car on the way, when they had an epic fight. They ended up turning around and not going to the fund-raiser.”

    The term “epic fight” trended for days.

    Finally, the couple had to speak up and set the record straight.

    “We were happy to lend our names as honorary chairs and the organization was always aware that we would be unable to attend,” Ellen said in a statement. “This is the first time we have seen our images attached to the invite. It was not approved and it is misleading.”

    Ellen’s lawyer Marty Singer swung harder, saying,”The story is a complete lie. My client told the organizer they never agreed nor planned to attend the event. There was no fight that caused them not to attend.”

    Ok, so now we’re all good, right? It’s getting tough to keep up. Especially now that those ubiquitous “inside sources” are now saying that Portia has started suspiciously showing up on the set of Ellen, keeping an eye on her woman.

    “It is kind of creepy,” a source tells Radar Online. “Portia never used to come to see her at work. Ellen tells us that it helps having her there because she ‘at least she doesn’t have to worry about her being home alone. I have to admit, however, it seems like Portia is being slightly controlling by her unplanned visits.”

    Oh, well. Another day, another Portia/Ellen news cycle.

  • You Might Have to Wait for Those Bigger iPads

    As you probably know, Apple is planning on holding another press event on the heels of the big iPhone 6 event the company held a few weeks ago. The event is scheduled for October 16, and Apple just sent out press invites on Wednesday.

    Reports indicate that Apple is gearing up to unveil its new iPad line, which includes a much larger device with a 12.9-inch display. The current iPad Air has a 9.7-inch screen and the iPad Mini sports a 7.9-inch one.

    But according to the Wall Street Journal, the larger iPad will likely face a delay.

    Quoting the ubiquitous “sources familiar with the matter”, the WSJ says that Apple has pushed back its plans to manufacture the highly-anticipated new iPad. While production was supposed to begin in December, Apple is apparently being forced to move it back to early 2015.

    The culprit? The new iPhone 6 – more specifically the iPhone 6 Plus and its crazy demand.

    You may recall that both the iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6 Plus set sales records, but it was the iPhone 6 Plus that was “sold out” within hours of launch.

    Apparently, all available resources must be funneled into iPhone 6 production.

    “The top priority for the supply chain is to meet the overwhelming demand for the larger screen iPhones. The output of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus remains unsatisfactory. It would be challenging for display makers to split resources and spend a few months to ramp up production for a new larger screen iPad now,” said the WSJ’s sources.

    It’s still anyone’s guess as to what Apple will actually announce at next Thursday’s event, but it looks like we’ll be getting some new iMacs and the public release of OS X Yosemite.

    Image via Apple

  • Gold iPads Are Coming This Month, According to Report

    If you’re sick of the old ‘space gray’ and silver iPads, you may have a shiny new option to consider.

    Bloomberg quotes the omnipresent “people familiar with the matter” who says that Apple is preparing to launch pretty new gold iPads when they unveil new versions of their current iPad lineup this month. This also corroborates rumors heard last month that Apple would be holding an iPad-centric press event in late October. Apart from new hardware, Apple is also expected to release OS X Yosemite to the public at large.

    The last time Apple introduced new iPads was last October – so this doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch.

    Bloomberg suggests that Apple might be doing this to help slumping iPad sales, which have fallen significantly since 2010. This also does not seem like too much of a stretch. Apple tried to boost sales by implementing a widely varied color palette with the iPhone 5c – but that didn’t really take off.

    According to these same sources, a gold iPad might be the most exciting thing you’ll see at the rumored Apple event. Apparently, the giant 12.9-inch iPad that’s been floated around (the iPad Pro, anyone?) will not be part of the late October event.

    For that, you’ll have to wait till 2015.

    Image via Apple

  • Khloe Kardashian: Was Her BFF Malika Haqq The Reason She Split From French Montana?

    Khloe Kardashian split from rapper French Montana last week. That’s old news!

    However, what’s new about the situation is her reason why! Apparently, the Excuse My French rapper got caught in an inappropriate text messaging debacle, which led to the demise of their relationship.

    According to Media Take Out, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star allegedly broke into her ex-boyfriend’s phone and discovered he’d been sending “inappropriate text messages” to another woman.

    Surprisingly, the woman just happens to be Khloe’s best friend, Malika Haqq. An insider close to Khloe shared alleged details about the incident with the notorious gossip site.

    “Khloe broke into [French’s] phone and saw him sending all kinds of inappropriate texts to her girl [Malaika]. She blacked out on dude, and that’s why they broke up,” an insider said.

    “Khloe has been down with Malaika since forever. They have the kind of friendship that even if Malaika was f—ing Khloe’s man, they’d still be friends. Besides, I don’t think Khloe was into [French Montana] like that,” the source added.

    Although Khloe and the “Marble Floors” rapper had been a hot item since April, their breakup doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Several rumors have been circulating for the past couple months about their relationship.

    Just last month, Khloe’s mother, Kris Jenner, was actually accused of orchestrating their relationship just for the latest season of their popular reality show. French also made things even worse last month with a questionable comment he made during an interview with Billboard.

    The Moroccan-born rapper went on record saying that he wanted to capitalize off of the publicity he’s received being Khloe Kardashian’s beau.

    “I want to capitalize on it,” Montana said. “I’ll get a fan base from everywhere. I just hope I’ll be able to connect with everything that’s going on.” Needless to say, his comments weren’t taken lightly by the media.

    Now, the biggest question still remains a mystery. If Malika was really the reason for their breakup, what does it mean for their friendship? Only time will tell!