America's most crowded beaches

Every time a summer heat wave hits, fleeing to the beach is a no-brainer. Of course, that’s what everyone is thinking. And some beaches get more crowded—a lot more crowded—than others.

The state of Florida has the greatest number of congested beaches on our list; its two coastlines offer seemingly endless stretches of sand, from Miami’s party scene to secluded Caladesi Island. But it’s California that claims the questionable honor of America’s No. 1 most crowded beach: Venice Beach, to be precise, which attracts 16 million sunbathers, fortune-tellers, street performers, and people-watchers every year.

If you’re heading to any of these beaches, try to time it right by skipping the weekends or going early in the morning—so that you can appreciate the combination of natural beauty and boardwalk amusements that made these beaches popular in the first place.

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Venice Beach, CA (Photo: Scott Tucker / Alamy) 

1) Venice Beach, CA

Annual Visitors: 16,000,000

It can be hard to tell the sunbathers from the fortune-tellers, artists, vendors, and assorted street life that populates America’s most crowded beach. Whether you’ve come to surf the Venice Breakwater, play a little basketball, or people-watch while strolling the boardwalk, it helps if you’re not claustrophobic.

Source: L.A. Beaches & Harbors


 

Miami Beach, FL (Photo: Edward DeGuzman) 

2) Miami Beach, FL

Annual Visitors: 13,268,841

If you hope to make the scene this summer in Miami, get in line because so do millions of other visitors. The preening and posing might be most competitive at South Beach, but there are 15 other beaches, such as Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles, where visitors and residents of South Florida negotiate for a little R&R space.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association




 

Coney Island (Photo: Jon Gilbert Leavitt 2010) 

3) Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY

Annual Visitors: 11,164,975

Coney Island began attracting the masses in the 1830s and shows no sign of losing its singular appeal nearly two centuries later. Amusement rides both new (Luna Park’s Scream Zone) and old (Cyclone roller coaster), Nathan’s Hot Dogs, and Cyclones baseball games are persuasive reasons to brave those crowds.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association


 

Newport Beach, CA (Photo: Roshan Vyas)

  

4) Newport Beach, CA

Annual Visitors: 9,446,850

Back in 1905, the Pacific Electric Railway started bringing beachgoers to this stretch of Orange County. Now they arrive by different means, but in far greater numbers, crowding the strands of Corona del Mar State Beach and Crystal Cove State Park, while surfers stake out the area between Newport Pier and the Santa Ana River. But whether you’re trying to jog on the boardwalk or jockey for space at The Wedge for a little bodysurfing, show up early to avoid the masses.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association


 

Daytona Beach, FL(Photo: Peter Adams Photography Ltd / Alamy)

 5) Daytona Beach, FL

Annual Visitors: 8,000,000

Not everyone is a NASCAR fan in Daytona, the headquarters for the sport. It just seems that way on this famed beach with hard-packed sand that permits cars and has been the epicenter of motor sports for decades. Keep your eyes peeled for cars as well as 8 million fellow humans, especially during events like the NASCAR Coke Zero 400 race each July.

Source: Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau


 

 Huntington Beach (Photo: Don Rasmussen) 

6) Huntington Beach, CA

Annual Visitors: 7,936,526

Strap the longboard to the roof, you’re in Surf City USA. HB, as it’s also known, has 8.5 miles of sandy beach and is the heart and soul of America’s surfing culture, with some of the best surf breaks in California. On the flip side, that means this is one of the state’s most consistently packed beaches.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association


 

Hollywood, FL (Photo: Andy Arecco) 

7) Hollywood, FL

Annual Visitors: 7,727,987

The 2.5-mile-long terracotta-colored path skirting this white-sand beach qualifies as one of America’s best beach boardwalks. But expect to find tons of joggers, skaters, and cyclists, not tranquility. The Jet Ski rental shops and restaurants like Le Tub do big business, and even the coral reef off Greene Street can seem crowded at the worst of times.

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association


 

Waikiki Beach, HI (Photo: istockphoto.com)

 8) Waikiki Beach, HI

Annual Visitors: 7,535,000

Framed by Diamond Head, one of the world’s most climbed (extinct) volcanoes, and with nearly two miles of continuous white sand and palm trees, this iconic Hawaiian beach fills up with tourists and surfers. It is deepest, about 100 feet, in front of the bright pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The bathtub-temp turquoise water is ideal for swimming, and waves are usually gentle.


 

Jones Beach, NY (Photo: David Zimmerman / CORBIS)

 9) Jones Beach, NY

Annual Visitors: 5,100,000

Hugging the southern shoreline of Long Island, this 10-mile beach resembles Grand Central Station at rush hour on a hot Saturday in August. On those dog days of summer, you need to search hard for a place to spread out a towel that doesn’t infringe upon someone else’s turf.

Source: NY State Parks Department



 

Brevard County, FL (Photo: E. Johan Foster) 

10) Brevard County, FL

Annual Visitors: 4,776,993

Sun-seekers in the Brevard area flock to the North Reach in Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, and Melbourne Beach. Surfing is one popular draw, and an afternoon dip in the ocean pairs nicely with a morning devoted to another element—air—at the nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center. 

Source: U.S. Lifesaving Association


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Muslims begin Ramadan

A Muslim woman waits to have her Iftar (fast-breaking) meal during the holy month of Ramadan at the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters of Delhi July 21, 2012. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood.

People prepare food to sell for iftar (breaking fast) at Chakbazaar during the holy month of Ramadan in Dhaka July 21, 2012. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj 

A Muslim man sells food for iftar (breaking fast) at Chakbazaar during the holy month of Ramadan in Dhaka July 21, 2012. REUTERS/Andrew Bira 

Muslims gather before having their Iftar (fast-breaking) meal during the holy month of Ramadan at the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters of Delhi July 21, 2012. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood 

A Muslim woman offers prayers after having Iftar (fast-breaking) meal during the holy month of Ramadan at the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters of Delhi July 21, 2012. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood 

Muslims wait to start their Iftar (fast-breaking) meal during the holy month of Ramadan at the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) in the old quarters of Delhi July 21, 2012. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood 

Muslim faithfuls walk along the streets of the historic centre of Stone Town during the holy month of Ramadan on the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar, July 21, 2012. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya 

A Jordanian man looks at decorations for Ramadan in Amman, Jordan,Thursday, July 19, 2012. Religious authorities in Jordan declared that Friday will be the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a period devoted to dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayers and spiritual introspection. Ramadan begins around 11 days earlier each year. Its start is calculated based on the sighting of the new moon, which marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar month that varies between 29 or 30 days. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon) 

Children practice reading the Koran in Jakarta July 19, 2012. More than 1,400 children gathered at a park in Indonesia to read the Koran to mark the holy month of Ramadan, which will start on Saturday, during an event organised by a local charity organisation. REUTERS/Supri 

A street vendor plugs in decorations for Ramadan in Amman, Jordan, Thursday, July 19, 2012. Religious authorities in Jordan declared that Friday will be the start of the holy month of Ramadan, a period devoted to dawn-to-dusk fasting, prayers and spiritual introspection. Ramadan begins around 11 days earlier each year. Its start is calculated based on the sighting of the new moon, which marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar month that varies between 29 or 30 days. (AP photo/Mohammad Hannon)

A girl practices reading the Koran in Jakarta July 19, 2012. More than 1,400 children gathered at a park in Indonesia to read the Koran to mark the holy month of Ramadan, which will start on Saturday, during an event organised by a local charity organisation. REUTERS/Supri

A man buys Ramadan lanterns (or Fanoos Ramadan) from a shop ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Cairo July 17, 2012. Many Muslims will observe the start of Ramadan on Friday, although some begin and end the fast before or after others because they follow different rules or disagree on whether they have spotted the new crescent moon that marks the start of the month in Islam's lunar calendar. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El-Ghany 

Muslim students read the Koran inside the IBN Khaldon Asian Integrated Institute in Maharlika village, Taguig city, south of Manila July 19, 2012. Ramadan 2012 will start on Friday, July 20 and will continue for 30 days until the August 18. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

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America's emptiest cities, 2012

It’s no secret that the U.S. housing market has seen better days. From falling home values and impaired labor mobility to backed-up inventories and a flood of foreclosures, the real-estate downturn has affected the economy at large in countless ways.

One of the unfortunate results of a bad housing market are empty homes. Vacant properties have increased by 43.8 percent nationwide since 2000, according to the Census Bureau. Homes can be vacant for many reasons, but are defined by the bureau as both unoccupied rental inventory as well as homes that are unoccupied and “for sale.” As of 2011, there were about 14.3 million year-round vacant housing units in the country, with a 10.6 percent gross vacancy rate that excludes seasonal vacancies such as vacation homes.

See the full slideshow: The 10 Emptiest U.S. Cities 2012

Earlier this year, the Cleveland Federal Reserve analyzed the impact of foreclosed and vacant homes on the surrounding communities. The study found that a vacant or tax-delinquent house decreases the value of nearby homes by at least 1.3 percent, thanks to poor maintenance, and making the neighborhood appear less desirable.

This effect is amplified in higher-income neighborhoods where a vacancy or foreclosure has a negative price impact of 4.6 percent. In low-poverty areas, each additional vacant or tax delinquent home was found to reduce values of surrounding properties by between 1.7 percent and 1.8 percent.

Each quarter, the Census Bureau publishes data on homeowner and rental vacancies in the 75 largest cities. Listed here are the five cities with the most vacancies, using a weighted ranking of both rental and homeowner vacancies based on a 12-month average of both kinds of vacancy rates to smooth out sampling errors. Weights are assigned to rental and homeowner vacancies according to the national proportion of homes to rental properties in the U.S. Our list reveals the most significant outliers in both categories relative to other major U.S. cities.

So, what are the emptiest major U.S. cities? Read on to find out:




 
5. Richmond, Va.
12-Month Averages:
Rental vacancy rate: 15.1%
Homeowner vacancy rate: 2.4%

With a rental vacancy rate of 15.1 percent, Virginia's capital ranks fourth among all major U.S. cities for empty rentals over the past year, with the first quarter of 2012 showing a 19 percent rental vacancy rate. However, Richmond’s homeowner vacancy rate ranks only 27th among the country’s 75 largest metro areas, and stands just 0.2 percent higher than the average for large metro areas.


 
4. Detroit
Rental vacancy rate: 16.9%
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.7%

Detroit was one of the hardest-hit cities in the recession, and with an unemployment rate of 9.9 percent as of May, it's little wonder that its 16.9 percent rental vacancy rate is the second highest in the country. Surprisingly, though, the homeowner vacancy rate remains below the 75 largest metro area's average of 2.18 percent. According to the Census Bureau, at the end of 2011, Detroit had a gross vacancy rate of 12.2 percent, a level the city has virtually maintained since 2006.



3. Memphis, Tenn.
Rental vacancy rate: 15%
Homeowner vacancy rate: 3.1%

Memphis' proportion of vacant homes, both owned and rentals, puts it third overall, thanks to an average rental vacancy rate of 15 percent that is the fifth highest in the nation and the 3.1 percent homeowner vacancy rate that ranks 13th.



 
2. Dayton, Ohio
Rental vacancy rate: 11.3%
Homeowner vacancy rate: 5.4%

The good news is that Dayton's homeowner vacancy rate has been trending downward since its peak in the third quarter of 2011, when it stood at 6.5 percent.

However, even this improving number gives Dayton the distinction of having the highest average homeowner vacancy rate in the country, according to the Census Data. And Dayton’s average rental vacancy rate, at 11.3 percent, is higher than the 75-city average of 9.2 percent. The Census Bureau calculations put Dayton’s gross vacancy rate at 16.9 percent, more than 6 percent above the large city average, and the highest in the country.

 
1. Orlando, Fla.
Rental vacancy rate: 18.8%
Homeowner vacancy rate: 2.2%

The emptiest city in the United States is Orlando, Fla. The 12-month average for rental vacancies stands at a staggering 18.8 percent, while in the first quarter of 2012 this number was 22 percent, highest in the nation. Florida's third-largest city also has an above-average homeowner vacancy rate, but this metric has been rising during the past two quarters, according to Census Bureau data.

Despite its housing woes, Orlando has been able to avoid the financial woes of other cities, such as Harrisburg, Pa., and San Bernardino and Stockton, Calif. According to Orlando’s most recent annual report, the city has more than $125 million of cash in its general fund and over $1.1 billion in total assets (including nearly an additional $300 million in cash and cash equivalents in other funds), compared with just under $600 million in total listed liabilities.

See more of America's emptiest cities.

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What's up dock? Apple to shrink connector for iPhone 5

TAIPEI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Apple Inc's (NSQ:AAPL - News) new iPhone will drop the wide dock connector used in the company's gadgets for the best part of a decade in favour of a smaller one, a change likely to annoy the Apple faithful but which could be a boon for accessory makers.

The iPhone 5, Apple's next generation iPhone expected to go on sale around October, will come with a 19-pin connector port at the bottom instead of the proprietary 30-pin port "to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom", two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
That would mean the new phone would not connect with the myriad of accessories such as speakers and power chargers that form part of the ecosystem around iPods, iPads and iPhones, without an adaptor.
That means new business, analysts say.
"It represents an opportunity for accessory vendors," said Pete Cunningham, London-based analyst at technology research firm Canalys. "The iPhone connector has been a standard for a long time now and I would expect the same to be true for a new connector, should Apple change it as expected."
Apple did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.
Tech blogs have long speculated on the demise of the 30-pin connector, which at 21 mm wide takes up a chunk of space, especially as the latest technologies such as microUSB offer more power in less space.
They say that a smaller connector would give Apple more scope for new product designs or a bigger battery, or simply to make ever smaller products.
Switzerland's Logitech (VTX:LOGN.VX - News), one of the biggest makers of Apple speakers, declined to comment.
But some enterprising vendors in China have already begun offering cases for the new phone, complete with earphone socket on the bottom and a "guarantee" the dimensions are correct.
For some in the peripherals industry, the change could open doors to new business.
"iPod docking speaker sales have been declining for one or two years," said an employee of a Hong Kong-based company that designs speakers especially for Apple products.
"My previous factory is a lucky one. They shifted the focus to Bluetooth speakers, which proved a wise decision now," the employee said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"It looks like while iPod speaker sales are going down, Bluetooth speaker sales are going up."
HAPPY TO UPGRADE?
Apple has already said that some users of older models of its Macbook computers won't be able to use the latest operating system to be announced soon, but analysts think it will be kinder to mobile gadget users.
"Apple needs to find a solution not to disappoint their current clients who want to upgrade to the new iPhone but are tied to an expensive accessory that have bought," said Franciso Jeronimo, London-based analyst at technology research firm IDC.
"I believe Apple will come up with some sort of adaptor so the new iPhone can be used with previous connectors."
It could be a difficult change for Apple to manage, even with an adaptor.
"With a smaller connector, what am I going to do with my loudspeaker at home and the fitness pack that I use when I go to the gym? That's the question," said 24-year old Travis Tam, who owns an iPhone 4 and works as an account executive at a social networking company in Hong Kong.
"I feel that the premium gap between the next iPhone 5 and newest Android models is getting much smaller these days. That will mean that details such as having a smaller connector will mean more in whether I will continue to use an iPhone and switch to other Android phones."
A salesman surnamed Chan at an Apple reseller in Hong Kong thought a smaller connector would be a "pain", and would spoil the clean lines and seamless connectivity that is Apple's trademark.
"There are ways around it as some of the speakers have an audio input point that can be connected directly to any iPhone with a earphone jack. It's not a very elegant way of doing things, but it's an alternative," he said.
In the end though, Apple fans are Apple fans.
"I don't think it will stop Apple consumers from buying the new gadgets," said C.K. Lu, Taipei-based analyst at research firm Gartner. "Many companies are interested in developing accessories for Apple because Apple users are more open and willing to buy accessories." (Additional reporting by Tarmo Virki in HELSINKI and Caroline Copley in ZURICH; Writing by Jonathan Standing; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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Here are the new rules for picking a cell phone carrier

Apps mentioned:

There are more variables than ever to consider when signing-up for cell phone service.
New shared plans offered by AT&T and Verizon are changing the economics of how individuals and families access voice, data and texting services. Additionally, as 4G phones become commonplace, understanding which carriers offer reliable 4G connections becomes all the more critical.
Before signing-up for a new cell phone plan for you or your family, chew over these five new rules for picking a cell phone carrier.

1) Determine whether a shared plan will save money for you and your family

Next month, AT&T is scheduled to debut its Mobile Share plan for new and existing subscribers. This follows Verizon’s Share Everything plan, which was introduced last month. Both plans offer unlimited voice and texting services for a fixed fee, and charge extra based on the number of devices included and how much overall data is consumed. While the pricing and services for each plan are generally similar, the biggest distinction is that AT&T gives its subscribers the option to choose between Mobile Share and other existing plans. New Verizon subscribers, however, have no other choice but to sign-up for Share Everything.
So how can you determine whether a shared plan is cost-effective versus individual plan options? Consumer Reports advises AT&T subscribers with “low or moderate” data needs to stick with individual plans as this point. Individuals with one smartphone connected to the Mobile Share share plan are charged $95/month plus taxes and penalties for 1GB of data. Overage fees thereafter are $15 for each GB. In comparison, individual voice and data plans on AT&T range between $59/month (450 minutes and 300MB of data) to $99/month (unlimited voice/texting and 3GB of data).
So the benefits of shared plans from both AT&T and Verizon only come into effect as you connect more devices (smartphones, feature phones, tablets, connected laptops) to your plan. Both AT&T and Verizon offer attractive packages that connect two smartphones with two feature phones and 4GB of data for $210. From there, the packages get more cost-effective as you add more devices and data to them.
While Sprint and T-Mobile also provide opt-in shared and family plans, their packages have not changed as dramatically in recent months. However, if AT&T and Verizon are successful with their new offerings, expect the two other major carriers to follow suit.

2) Monitor your data consumption – but don’t pay for more than you need

One additional and unfortunate wrinkle in Verizon’s Share Everything plan is that existing subscribers who enjoy grandfathered unlimited data plans will not be able to upgrade their phones at subsidized prices. That means that new and shiny smartphone you want to buy for $199 will actually run you more than $500. For most of us, that negates the benefits of having an unlimited data plan. Verizon is not the only carrier getting stingier with its data. Earlier this year, AT&T confirmed that subscribers still on their unlimited plans (no longer available to new customers) could see data speeds slow down after 3GB are consumed in a billing cycle. T-Mobile’s “Classic Unlimited Plan” for $95/month reduces high speed data after 5GB are consumed in a billing cycle. At this point, Sprint is the only remaining major U.S carrier to offer unlimited data plans.
But is not having access to unlimited data really the end of the world? According to Nielsen, the average smartphone owner consumes less than 500MB of data each month. So if you are a relatively light data user who likes to email, browse the web and maybe play the occasional game or two, you can save $10 to $50 per month or more on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile with plans that offer 1GB of data. Paying for unlimited data, or as much as 5GB of data per month, is best for family plans or individuals who constantly play games and/or watch videos on their smartphones without wireless Internet connections.

3) Research coverage maps for the best 4G networks in your area

As we increasingly treat our cell phones like handheld computers, the speed and reliability of the networks they are carried on become more important than ever. If you are about to purchase a new phone and things like high-speed Internet connections, video conferencing and HD gaming are important to you, than you should research which carrier in your area offers the best 4G connection. While AT&T is lauded by PCWorld and others as having the fastest 4G download speeds, the other carriers got a head start in offering nationwide 4G coverage. Before choosing a provider, check out the coverage maps offered online by Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, as well as other regional providers you can access. You don’t want to shell out the big bucks for a state-of-the-art phone and two-year plan, and not have access to the fastest network possible.

4) Be mindful of your privacy before downloading certain applications

Advances in mobile media technology offer great benefits like the ability to identify nearby retail sales or happy hours in our area, as well as what our friends and contacts might be doing at any particular time. Of course, the counter-effect is that we sacrifice elements of our privacy to make these things possible. While many of us are proactive about deciding what personal information we are willing to give up for these services and conveniences, many third-party applications are not always forthright about what they are doing with our information.
Earlier this year, it was discovered that many popular apps like Path, Twitter and Yelp were uploading iPhone users’ address books to its servers without explicit permission. There is no evidence that the companies were doing anything nefarious with that information, and the offending app developers immediately revised their practices once they were revealed. Still, in this era where the technology is moving so quickly and so many new services are available at our fingertips, there is a good chance some of the information on our phones is stored by unknown third parties. Proceed with caution, and research the background and user and professional reviews of unknown applications before downloading them.

5) Consider a prepaid plan

While prepaid cell phone plans that don’t require two-year commitments have long been available, their biggest drawback was that they didn’t typically offer higher-end devices. This is no longer the case. Last month, prepaid plans for the iPhone debuted for the Cricket and Virgin Mobile USA networks. Those carriers and others are also beginning to offer among the best Android and Windows devices. There are still various pros and cons you should consider before investing in a prepaid plan. But if you resisted in the past because of poor handset selections, now is a great time to consider prepaid options.
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Beyoncé Gives Props To 16-Year-Old’s Shot-By-Shot “Countdown” Cover Video Starring–A Snuggie!

File this under: AMAZING. 16-year-old Pennsylvanian Ton Do-Nguyen shot, edited and starred in a mind-bogglingly accurate remake of Beyoncé's "Countdown" video, throwing in his own LOL-worthy touch--a Snuggie! Working that Snuggie like Sasha at her Fiercest, Ngyuyen recreated the video's dance moves, color washes and moving frames, right down to the singer's facial expressions and of course, baby bump! But best of all, Beyoncé gave a shoutout to Nguyen, posting the video on her personal Tumblr and wrote, "Brilliant. I Think he did this video better than I did :)."
[Related: Beyoncé Accused of Plagiarizing Dance Moves]

The Beyoncé super fan worked on the video for months, scrapping his first attempt and doing a (comparatively unremarkable) "Love On Top" cover video in the interim. What's surprising is that the teenager is for the most part self-taught in video editing and simply does it for fun. Considering that Beyoncé likely worked with a huge budget and top professionals while Nguyen did it all himself with some friends, the differences between the videos are, well, negligible.
The Snuggie, besides being so hilariously necessary, actually served a purpose: Nguyen used the blue Snuggie as a blue screen, allowing him to edit in the flashing color changes.
[Related: Viral Video's Greatest 'Stars': Where Are They Now?]
With his video quickly approaching one million hits on YouTube, how did this burgeoning video director react to Beyoncé's shoutout? Floored, what else? "The very moment of seeing my face on Beyonce's website had to be the best moment of my life," Nguyen gushed to Gothamist.  "I can't even find words to describe how I felt. Knowing that my number one idol, the Queen B, had merely seen my video was enough to send me over the moon."
Someone hire this kid already!
[Related: Beyoncé Sings Michelle Obama's Praises in New Campaign Video]

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