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Driven by strong demand for its connected fitness offerings, Nautilus Inc.’s earnings and sales in its first quarter ended June 30 far exceeded expectations, but officials warned that rising commodity prices and transportation costs could weigh on margins over the next few years. quarters.
In the quarter, sales were $ 184.6 million, up 61.7% year-over-year. Sales were up 74.4% excluding the Octane brand, which was sold in October 2020. On May 10, Nautilus predicted that first quarter sales would increase between 40% and 50% from the previous year or between 51% and 62% excluding Octane Fitness. .
In a conference call with analysts, Jim Barr, CEO, said sales were the company’s highest quarter in June and the fourth highest of any quarter in the company’s 35-year history. company. The gains were made from high sales a year ago due to increased demand as the pandemic arrived.
The direct segment grew 26 percent in what is traditionally Nautilus’ lightest quarter of the season. The retail segment continued to set records, generating its highest quarterly sales as holiday products begin to ship. Barr said: “This is an early indicator that our extended stable of retail partners are betting on a strong fitness and vacation season.”
The company’s international chain posted its second-highest quarterly sales, up 70% or 102% excluding Octane.
Barr said, âThe strong sales of our new connected cardio machines, including our VeloCore Bikes, combined with the strong performance of many of our resistance products, including the continued momentum of our SelectTech Line, led to these better than expected results.
Nautilus said it reached over 40,000 new customers through its website during the quarter thanks to the attractiveness of its connected offerings, bringing its number of new customers to over 380,000 in the past 15 months. Before the pandemic, the number of new Nautilus customers averaged around 100,000 per year.
âThe growth in the number of direct customers and our expanding retail universe are fueling membership growth for connected product sales,â Barr said. âJRNY membership growth accelerated after the launch of our first integrated display product in September 2020. And by the end of June, we had more than doubled the number of members compared to the beginning of January. “
Gross margins affected by chip shortages and transportation costs
Gross margins were affected by higher component costs, including shortages of chips and higher prices for commodities such as steel, and still high transportation costs. Gross margins eroded to 30.1% from 41.5% for the same period last year.
A traditional seasonal shift to larger direct sales has also reduced margins. Direct accounted for 34% of sales this quarter compared to 44% last year.
Barr said, âI want to stress that we view these pressures on the margins as temporary challenges as the world recovers from the disruption caused by COVID-19. While this impact is significant in the short term, we believe that these external pressures on margins will normalize over time. “
Despite the pressures on gross margins, operating margins improved to 9.7%, ahead of expectations between 6.5% and 8%. The improvement was driven by strong results and a strategic decision to shift certain investments from its North Star growth strategy from Q1 to Q2, including brand marketing for the Tour de France and Olympic advertising.
Operating expenses were $ 37.6 million, a decrease of 30.9% mainly due to the loss of $ 29.0 million related to the sale of the Octane business. The loss was partially offset by increased sales and marketing spending as its direct business returned to more normalized advertising levels and the company invested in incremental brand marketing. Total ad spend was $ 11.6 million this year from $ 2.8 million last year. General and administrative costs and product development costs also increased compared to last year, mainly due to investments in JRNY.
Operating income was $ 17.9 million compared to a loss of $ 7.1 million for the same period last year. JRNY’s investments were $ 4.6 million this year versus $ 1 million last year and brand marketing was $ 3.4 million this year versus $ 0 last year. Excluding these investments, operating margins for Q1 2022 would have improved by 4 percentage points.
Earnings from continuing operations improved to $ 14.0 million, or 43 cents per share, compared to a loss of $ 5.0 million, or 17 cents, for the same period last year. Net income was $ 13.9 million, or 43 cents, compared to a net loss of $ 5.1 million, or 17 cents, for the same period last year.
On an adjusted basis, excluding the impact of the Octane business, operating income was $ 17.9 million compared to $ 21.9 million last year, due to lower gross margins, return to normalized brand marketing levels and North Star investments. Adjusted earnings from continuing operations were $ 14.0 million, or 43 cents per share, from $ 16.8 million, or 56 cents, a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was $ 21.0 million, compared to $ 25.5 million last year.
Direct segment sales rise 26%
Direct segment sales were $ 63.4 million, up 25.7%. Sales of strength products rose 559.4 percent to an all-time high, led by SelectTech weights and Bowflex home gyms. Cardio sales were down 31.1%, mainly due to end-of-life products that are no longer available for sale this year and lower sales of the Schwinn IC4 and Bowflex C6 bikes which were partially offset. through VeloCore sales.
As of June 30, Direct’s backlog was $ 3.1 million, compared to $ 26.5 million as of March 31, 2021. These amounts represent unfulfilled consumer orders, net of promotional programs and sales. current sales discounts. Direct’s sales results, excluding backlog, were more in line with typical seasonality, with quarters ending in June and ending in September representing the weakest quarters of sales volume.
Gross margins for the Direct segment were 38.7% compared to 54.6% last year. The segment’s contribution income was $ 6.8 million or 10.7 percent of sales, compared to $ 17.0 million or 33.7 percent of sales last year. The decrease is mainly due to lower gross margin and a return to normalized advertising spend. Advertising spend was $ 8.0 million compared to $ 2.4 million last year.
Retail segment sales increase 91%
Retail segment sales reached $ 120.5 million, up 91.4% year-over-year, and the best quarterly sales in segment history. Growth was 120.7% excluding sales related to the Octane brand. Retail segment sales outside of the United States and Canada increased 70% or 102% without Octane.
Sales of strength products were up 119.3 percent, driven by its SelectTech weights and benches and Bowflex Home Gyms. Cardio sales increased 83.5%, hitting an all-time high, thanks to connected fitness bikes and treadmills.
As at June 30, the backlog of its Retail segment totaled $ 141.9 million, compared to $ 178.6 million as at March 31, 2021. These amounts represent customer orders for future shipments and are net of contractual discounts and of the consideration payable to applicable retail customers.
Gross margins in the Retail segment were 25.1 percent compared to 30.3 percent last year. Segment contribution revenue was $ 22.1 million or 18.3 percent of sales, compared to $ 11.6 million or 18.4 percent of sales for the same period last year, mainly due higher gross margin and spending leverage.
The back half should see continued pressure on the margins
For the fiscal second quarter, Nautilus expects sales to be between $ 145 million and $ 155 million, up from $ 155.3 million in the September quarter of the previous year, but representing a revenue CAGR over two years from 53 to 59%.
Nautilus said given the distortion the pandemic caused to sales patterns, it would measure activity against last year and against the same period two years ago for the next few quarters.
Nautilus said that like many other companies, external gross margin issues are expected to continue into the second quarter and increased pressure on prices due to the current chip shortage.
Continued investments in its North Star strategy are expected with encouraging initial results. The brand’s marketing spend in the second quarter will be between $ 5 million and $ 6 million compared to $ 3 million in the last quarter and zero last year. JRNY’s investment will be between $ 5.5 and $ 6.5 million compared to $ 5 million last quarter and $ 1 million last year. JRNY’s investments are expected to further improve the platform’s functionality through improved adaptive training, the addition of a member portal and the addition of new content, such as that provided by its new strategic partner. Fit on. These investments are expected to dilute operating margins by 7 to 8 percentage points.
Considering these investments and external macroeconomic pressure on gross margin, operating margins are expected to be in the lower single digit range.
For the second half of its fiscal year, external macroeconomic factors are expected to continue to negatively affect gross margins and operating margins are expected to be in the low to mid range. Nautilus reiterated its expectation to reach 250,000 JRNY members by the end of FY22.
Longer-term, Nautilus reiterated that it believes short-term external pressures on gross margin are temporary and still expects to achieve sustainable operating margins above 15% by fiscal 2026 so as commodity prices stabilize and return closer to pre-pandemic and North Star levels. The strategy generates higher quality recurring revenue as Nautilus shifts from a product-focused hardware business to a consumer-focused digital business.
Photos courtesy of Nautilus, FitOn


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Micromax is reportedly selling its smartphones in an offline market. Initially, the company started operating offline in Karnataka, and is soon expected to expand its reach to other provinces. The development comes three months after the launch of smartphones on e-commerce platform Flipkart and its website. Also, Micromax has partnered with Simtel’s mobile planet, Roshini cell phones, and Vinod Enterprises to expand access to Bangladuru and other Karnataka provinces.
Besides, the handset maker wants more relationships in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, and more, reports Techradar. The company has more than 1000 service centers in the country either . In the meantime, the company plans to launch a 5G handset in 2021. In addition, the handset manufacturer is likely to bring more smartphones and earbuds soon to the country’s budget section.
MICROMAX IN NOTE 1 AND IN 1b : SPECIFICATIONS
The Micromax In 1b smartphone comes with a 6.52-inch HD + display, MediaTek Helio G35, 2GB / 4GB of RAM, and 32GB / 64GB internal storage. The smartphone also has a fingerprint scanner, 5000 mAh battery, and 10W charging support. The smartphone supports a 13MP main camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and an 8MP front camera.
The Micromax In Note 1 smartphone supports a 6.67-inch FHD + display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080. It includes a 48MP main sensor, a 5MP wide-angle shooter, and a 2MP camera. It has a 16MP selfie camera, 5,000 mAh battery, and 18W charging support.
The smartphone has a Mediatek Helio G85 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB / 128GB of storage, which can be expanded to 256GB. It runs Android 10 OS, which is expected to be upgraded soon as the Micromax IN 1b smartphone has already received an update.
ALSO VISIT – https://gadgetsmart.tech/samsung-one-ui/

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Google has acquired Android-based smartwatch software company WIMM Labs.
WIMM makes an Android-based software platform specifically for wearable tech like smartwatches. But, the company went dark last year, and there was some speculation that WIMM had been acquired by Apple to work on its rumored iWatch device.
The purchase, which reportedly happened months ago, but has only now been uncovered, could mean Google plans to join rivals Apple and Samsung in offering a smartwatch. If so, the smartwatch would join Google's other "wearable tech" product, its Google Glass eyewear.


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The iPhone 6 remains the bastion of hope for Apple fans looking for a larger screen comparable to the Galaxy S4 or dominating Galaxy Note 3 and the latest reports indicate that Apple is testing iPhone displays for a new iPhone that will most likely carry an iPhone 6 name with displays as large as 6-inches.
In less than a week Apple will announce a pair of new iPhones at a special event according to months and months of rumors. The new iPhone for 2013 will reportedly come with the same 4-inch Retina Display as the iPhone 5 and will look enough like the current iPhone that cases should fit both iPhones.
iPhone 6 rumors continually point to a larger screen for the iPhone which some analysts claim would help the carrier attract more consumers in Asia and better compete with Samsung’s Galaxy S4 which offers a 5-inch screen and relies on ads to steal consumers away from Apple’s iPhone.
In late 2012 rumors of an iPhone 6 prototype with a 4.8-inch screen first appeared. While there are no photos of these alleged iPhone 6 prototypes this early model used a larger 4.8-inch display with a higher Resolution Retina display. Apple’s current iPhone Retina Display maxes out at 1136 x 640, which is adequate on a 4-inch display, but would not likely meet Apple’s quality demands on a larger display.
A new report in The Wall Street Journal details Apple’s quest for a larger screen iPhone, without going so far as to talk about the iPhone 6 by name. The WSJ cites people familiar with Apple’s plans stating,
“The electronics giant has begun evaluating a plan to offer iPhones with screens ranging from 4.8 inches to as high as six inches,”
These claims line up with earlier iPhone 6 leaks and represent the current range of flagship smartphones which includes the Galaxy S4 with a 4.8-inch display, Moto X at 4.7-inches and the just announced Galaxy Note 3 at 5.7-inches. It would also put an iPhone 6 with a 6-inch display in range of the Samsung Galaxy Mega which ships with a 6.3-inch display.
The sources claim Apple spent the last several months testing larger iPhone screen sizes, but is, “particularly interested in recent tests for a 4.8-inch screen,” according to the component suppliers working with Apple.
It would make sense for Apple to explore multiple screen sizes for the iPhone 6, or whatever the company calls a new iPhone with a larger display. Companies routinely test a variety of screen sizes for upcoming phones. Samsung reportedly tested Galaxy Note 3 screen sizes ranging from 5.5 to 6-inches.
It is not clear if Apple would offer an iPhone 6 as a single new iPhone model with a bigger screen or if the company would sell it alongside the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C as a larger option for users that are eyeing a Galaxy S4 or Galaxy Note 3.
We’ve already discussed how the iOS 7 release lays the framework for supporting an iPhone 6 with a larger screen. We outline the reasoning in the video below, but in short the new gestures, and enhanced landscape mode line up with reports that Apple is experimenting with iPhone screen sizes.
Tim Cook, Apple CEO, previously talked down current large screen, high-resolution displays, saying they fall short of Apple’s standards, but new screen tech is on the way to phones and labs as you read this article.
Several analysts predict the iPhone 6 release in 2014, and the latest note from Citi Research analyst Glen Yeung, points to an iPhone 6 release date in early 2014. Citi goes as far as to call the next new iPhone the iPhone 6 and tell investors it will come with a larger screen.
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GLOBAL – After declining in December, global food prices rebounded in January further putting strain on consumer grocery budgets, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has reported.
The FAO Food Price Index which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities averaged 135.7 points in January, 1.1 percent higher than in December.
The FAO Vegetable Oils Price Index led the rebound in January, increasing by 4.2 percent month-on-month and reversing its December decline to reach an all-time high.
Palm oil prices were largely underpinned by concerns over a possible reduction in export availabilities from Indonesia, the world’s leading exporter, while soy oil prices were supported by robust import purchases, particularly from India.
Rapeseed oil prices were pushed up by lingering supply tightness, and sunflower seed oil quotations were impacted by supply tightness and surging global import demand.
The FAO Dairy Price Index increased by 2.4 percent, its fifth consecutive monthly rise, with the steepest increases registered for skim milk powder and butter.
Reduced export availabilities from Western Europe and below-average expectations for milk production in Oceania in the months ahead contributed to the tightening in global dairy markets, as did processing and transportation delays linked to COVID-19-related labor shortages.
The FAO Cereal Price Index in January increased marginally, by 0.1 percent, from December.
Maize export prices rose by 3.8 percent during the month, spurred by worries about persistent drought conditions in South America.
World wheat prices declined by 3.1 percent on the back of large harvests in Australia and Argentina.
Lower harvests and steady purchases by Asian buyers led to a 3.1 percent monthly increase in international rice prices.
The FAO Meat Price Index increased slightly in January, with world bovine meat prices reaching a new peak as global import demand exceeded export supplies.
Ovine and poultry meat prices however softened as exportable supplies outstripped import demand. Pig meat quotations rose slightly, in part due to rising input costs dampening global supply.
The FAO Sugar Price Index was the only subindex to post a decrease in January, down 3.1 percent from the previous month due to favorable production prospects in major exporters India and Thailand, as well as improved rains and lower ethanol prices in Brazil.
FAO also updated its forecast for world cereal production in 2021, now standing at 2.793 million tons, a 0.8 percent increase from the previous year.
Global wheat output in 2021 is expected to be on par with 2020, while the production of coarse grains is projected to be 1.3 percent larger and that of rice to grow by 0.7 percent.
By 2022, global wheat plantings are expected to expand, buoyed by mostly conducive weather conditions in the northern hemisphere, although high input costs could deter a larger expansion.
The outlook for maize is robust, with high prices pointing to record plantings in Argentina and Brazil.
US Consumer price index rises at the fastest pace in 40 years
Meanwhile, in the United States, the consumer price index is soaring, creating fears that what was expected to be transitory might have a lasting effect on the economy.
Recent figures showed prices jumping 7.5 percent over the year and 0.6 percent over the past prices, the fastest pace in 40 years.
More worrying were the report’s details, which showed inflation moving beyond pandemic-affected goods and services, a sign that rapid gains could prove longer-lasting and harder to shake off.
The White House has introduced policies that might help to ease inflation slightly — discussing plans to help place military veterans into the short-staffed trucking industry, for instance.
But the Federal Reserve System is primarily in charge of slowing down demand to keep prices under control and it is feared that it may be forced to react more aggressively.
Fed officials have already shifted away from trying to foster a quick economic rebound and toward bringing inflation down.
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(Crain's) — General Growth Properties Inc. would be interested in buying some of Vornado Realty Trust's shopping malls if they are put up for sale, General Growth CEO Sandeep Mathrani told analysts Wednesday.
“I like the malls, and I'm sure if they come to market we hope to be able to participate in attempting to buy the ‘A' malls,” said Mr. Mathrani, a former Vornado executive, responding to a question on a quarterly conference call.
Vornado is expected to sell some of its malls after Chairman Steven Roth wrote in a letter to investors last month that the company plans “to reduce our exposure to the enclosed-mall business.” The New York-based company owns seven regional malls totaling 7.8 million square feet in the United States and Puerto Rico, including the Bergen Town Center in West Paramus, N.J. and the Broadway Mall in Hicksville, N.Y., according to its annual report.
Chicago-based General Growth, which owns Water Tower Place on Michigan Avenue and Northbrook Court in Northbrook, has been more of a seller than a buyer recently, spinning off its lower-quality shopping centers earlier this year and shedding properties to reduce its debt load. Yet the Vornado malls would be familiar turf for Mr. Mathrani, who was president of Vornado's retail division before joining General Growth in late 2010.
Shares in General Growth, the second-biggest U.S. mall owner, were up 41 cents in late afternoon trading, at $18.34, their highest level since the real estate investment trust emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2011. The shares have returned 55.2 percent this year, vs. a 13.2 percent return for the Bloomberg REIT Regional Mall Index.


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Samsung Galaxy A02s inches closer to the official launch, spotted on NBTC
Samsung Galaxy A02s is said to come with a triple-rear camera setup, Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor, and 2GB of RAM.
Samsung is working on a new entry-level smartphone. Ahead of the official launch, an unreleased Samsung phone with model number SM-A025F/DS has bagged certification in Thailand. The certification website reveals the actual name of the phone – Galaxy A02s.
As of now, there is no word on the official launch date yet, but it seems to be close. Before the Thailand certification, Samsung Galaxy A02 has appeared on Bluetooth SIG and Geekbench websites.
It is said to come with a 5.7-inch display with HD+ resolution. The phone reportedly has three cameras 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors on the back, and an 8-megapixel sensor on the front. The Galaxy A02 will run on Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor, according to reports. It is also said to come with Android 10 and 2GB of RAM.
Apart from an entry-level A-series phone, Samsung is also working on an affordable Galaxy M02. The smartphone is said to come with a 1.8GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, likely to be Snapdragon 450. The chipset is coupled with 3GB of RAM and runs on Android 10.
Samsung currently offers a wide range of Galaxy A and Galaxy M phones in India. The cheapest Galaxy A phone in India is Galaxy A20s, which is available for ₹13,695. The most expensive in the series is Galaxy A80, which costs ₹41,999. In the M series, Samsung offers M01 Core for ₹4,999. The most premium model in the series is Galaxy M51, which is available for ₹24,999.
Separately, Samsung has surpassed Xiaomi to regain the top spot in the Indian smartphone market. According to the latest Counterpoint Research report, Samsung grabbed 24% market share in Q3 2020 as compared to Xiaomi's 23%. Vivo, Realme and Oppo who bagged 17%, 16% and 8% market share respectively to stay in the top five.


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A slow economy. a flat stock market. accounting scandals. Terrorism and war.
It adds up to a great business environment for Tempest Architectural Products, a Bronx-based manufacturer of high-quality replacement windows used largely in renovations of residential buildings or apartments. "Business is very good," says Peter Folsom, treasurer and co-founder of Tempest. "People are afraid of the stock market and are investing in real estate."
Manufacturers such as Tempest might seem like old-economy relics, doomed to extinction, but oddly enough in these increasingly dicey days, they are doing better than many industries that were supposed to have replaced them. Already, the city's manufacturers have outlived countless dot-coms, and now they are outperforming many more-glamorous service businesses, from advertising to investment banking.
The very things that made many New York City manufacturers unsexy in the past-small size, family ownership, lack of rule-the-planet expansion plans-are the very things allowing them to weather the current economy.
"They're able to survive a downturn without a panic," says Sara Garretson
of the Industrial & Technology Assistance Corp., which provides services to
manufacturers in New York City.
Certainly, manufacturing has seen better days. New York City manufacturers employed 218,600 people in February, a decline of almost 7% from the previous year and of almost 24% from a decade ago, according to the New York state Department of Labor. In the city's largest manufacturing sector, garment making, the situation was even worse. There, employment dropped by 10% in the last year.
Elsewhere, though, employment among the bulk of the city's 11,000 manufacturers has held remarkably steady. Reasons for that include manufacturers' lesser degree of dependence on the sputtering local market. They also include such factors as low overheads and little leverage. That means that the makers of everything from chairs to ornamental lighting fixtures can take more of an economic punch and still be around to fight another day.
Most manufacturers have avoided the boom-and-bust cycle. For them, the late 1990s were good but not great. As a result, the opportunities to take on too much debt, space or staff were limited, at best. After all, few of the city's manufacturers ever showed up on venture capitalists' radars.
The resulting capital scarcity has bred a huge amount of spending discipline. "Manufacturers in New York have always been operating lean," says Adam Friedman, executive director of the New York Industrial Retention Network.
That leanness is evident at Sarabeth's Kitchen, which makes specialty jams in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. The company moved to the facility two years ago because the landlord-who wanted to upgrade a building Sarabeth's occupied in Harlem-offered a very low rent if only the company would move.
Most of the equipment in the factory was bought used, and Vice President William Levine, a former contractor and the husband of Sarabeth, fixed up the building himself.
Mr. Levine says that jam orders slowed early this year, but since the company has already paid off the expenses from the move, it is well-positioned to handle the downturn.
That very nearly was not the case. In recent years, Sarabeth's has become a widely recognized brand, and the Levines had been approached several times by investors wanting to finance a major expansion. None of them, however, seemed to share Ms. Levine's dedication to quality foods. "She's a perfectionist and doesn't care (about money)," says Mr. Levine.
Although that may seem quirky, small manufacturers' emotional dedication to their businesses is yet another reason for their against-the-odds survival.
The city's commercial printers, for example, depend heavily on financial services firms, advertisers and magazine publishers-hardly a Who's Who of financial health at the moment. Nonetheless, only a handful of printers have closed up shop, according to Vicki Keenan of the Association of Graphic Communications.
Instead, printers are using the downtime to upgrade equipment and seek out new markets. "They can't just sit back and wring their hands," says Ms. Keenan, who contrasts that attitude to that of the dot-coms. "You had a lot of bright young people who didn't know squat about running a business."
By contrast, many New York manufacturers are family businesses with generations of experience behind them. Those traditions and the accumulated expertise can be extremely powerful tools to keep a business going, no matter what the obstacles. Take Admiral Communications, a printing firm located only a few blocks south of the World Trade Center site.
The company, which had many clients in the trade center, had already adjusted to a slowdown in orders from the financial services industry when the towers collapsed on Sept. 11. Dust and debris caused $500,000 in damage to inventory and machinery. Admiral was closed for a month. Because of repair work in the area, the company's trucks still cannot get access to its loading dock.
Between the slowdown and the attack, Admiral's revenues were cut in half. But the printer is still going, and an emphasis on generating new business from clients outside the financial services industry is beginning to bring in many new accounts.
One reason for such dedication is family: Arthur Baron owns the company; his sister heads sales; and his son heads operations. Admiral was founded by Mr. Baron's father, who, although retired and living in Florida, is still interested to see how his children are handling the business he built.
So the Barons are sitting tight, keeping Admiral alive from month to month, ferrying their printed materials to where their trucks have street access and hoping that the new accounts will lead to a recovery in revenues. "We're positive, we're focused," says Barbara Baron, Mr. Baron's sister. "It's got to catch up."
Another factor that has sharpened manufacturers' survival skills is their constant struggle for affordable space. Even when it can be found, typically in out-of-favor, out-of-the-way neighborhoods, there is no guaranteeing that when leases expire, the neighborhoods will still be cheap.
Chasing real estate
Umanoff & Parsons offers a prime example. When Allen Parsons moved the bakery to TriBeCa in 1983, it was an unfashionable industrial area ideal for his needs. Now, with the expiration of his lease looming in what has become a very pricey neighborhood, he says he is already looking around for alternatives.
Mr. Parsons' experience is similar to that of many printers, garment makers and others during the 1990s, when the economic boom rendered virtually all of Manhattan off-limits to manufacturers. As a result, manufacturers have gotten used to planning well in advance, to locking up new space long before the expiration of their current leases.
For some lucky manufacturers, the times of scrambling and struggling are over. Two Long Island City, Queens-based companies that are lucky enough to be in the defense and/or security sectors-Kern Manufacturing Corp., which makes airline parts, and Classic Medallics, a maker of military medals-are seeing business boom.
Indeed, manufacturing may finally stabilize after decades of decline. "Those industries that are still here are probably here to stay," says Ari Ginsberg, director of the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at New York University's Stern School of Business. "If anything, it's really likely you'll see growth."


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With all the hype around the updates to the iPads and MacBook Air hardware, Apple quietly rolled out some software fixes that will affect a lot more users — including a vulnerability that could let hackers shut down any Apple device.
Earlier this week, Apple announced several critical patches for both mobile and desktop operating systems. Discovered in August by security researcher Kevin Backhouse at Semmle, a hacker could use the exploit to shut down any Apple device.
“The vulnerabilities may allow malicious attackers on the same network to take control of any vulnerable Apple device,” according to a blog post on the Semmle website. “A remote attacker could run arbitrary code, extract data, crash the devices, or reset them to factory settings.”
Semmle put together a video demonstrating the vulnerability, which is known as CVE-2018-4407:
In order for the “hack” to work, the malicious code must be sent on the same network as the target, so the exploit isn’t possible from substantial distances. Users accessing public WiFi would be potential targets to someone looking to exploit the vulnerability.
The issue has been fixed in Apple’s new operating systems, iOS 12 and macOS Mojave. However Apple delayed disclosure of the issue until Oct. 30, the day they also released the fix for older versions of macOS.
Users are still encouraged to update to the most recent operating system wherever possible. iOS 12.1 contained 32 bug fixes for mobile devices. Mobile devices not updated to the latest operating system are still vulnerable to the attack.
If you’re unable to upgrade, the next best protection is to run “stealth mode” in the macOS firewall, or to avoid public Wifi.
Users may also want to consider using a VPN when accessing public Wifi, a recommended measure for users whether they have an Apple device or something else.


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The Meta-owned messaging app WhatsApp has announced that it is rolling out yet another new feature for Business profile users. This feature will let users search for businesses on the platform as well as chat with them, along with an option to even shop for the products.
In a blog post, WhatsApp said that this new feature will let users browse businesses by categories – such as travel or banking – or search by the business name. “This will save people from having to find phone numbers off websites or type a number into their contacts,” the company added.
In addition, users will also be able to shop directly using WhatsApp instead of visiting a website. The instant messaging platform has collaborated with various payment partners to let users shop for products directly from the app itself. The feature work similarly to the JioMart Shopping experience introduced in India a few months back, as per the report.
Additionally, people will also be able to make a secure payment right from a chat using their credit or debit card details. “This seamless checkout experience will be a game-changer for people and businesses looking to buy and sell on WhatsApp without having to go to a website, open another app or pay in person,” it said in its blog post.
As far as availability is concerned, WhatsApp said that this feature will be available in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico, and the UK.


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Electronic toll collection through FASTags has crossed Rs 80 crore a day with record 50 lakh transactions per day and more than 2.20 crore FASTags issued so far, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said. Centre has made FASTags mandatory for all vehicles from January 1, 2021.
“With FASTag being mandatory for vehicles from 1st January 2021, the NHAI has made all necessary arrangements to provide seamless movement of vehicles at Fee Plazas. Adoption of FASTag has helped highway users save time and fuel at the toll plazas. The digital transaction has got necessary push through the recent amendment in Central Motor Vehicle Rules,” the NHAI said.
FASTag, a radio frequency identification (RFID) sticker, typically fixed to a vehicle’s windscreen, lets toll booths wirelessly and automatically deduct the fee, thereby not requiring a vehicle to stop. The tags were made mandatory for all new cars sold after December 1, 2017, as a measure to encourage digital payments and free up congestion at toll booths.
In a move aimed to give a major fillip to enhance digital payments and reduce bottlenecks at national highways, the Centre had mandated that all lanes of national highways toll plazas to be declared as “FASTag lanes” by December 2019.
“As social distancing has become the new norm, commuters are increasingly looking at FASTag as a toll payment option as it nullifies the chances of any human contact between the drivers and the toll operators. Being an inclusive technological tool for toll collection on highways, FASTag is a more practical and beneficial option,” the NHAI said.


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In their sixth price increase since 2014, Netflix announced an increase in subscription prices for US and Canadian subscribers, ranging from $1 to $2 per month. This makes them the most expensive subscription-based streaming video platform except for those that have a live TV component (e.g., Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV). The next highest streaming service in terms of price is HBO Max at $14.99 a month (currently discounted to $11.99 a month) for the ad-free tier and $9.99 a month (currently discounted to $7.99 a month) for the ad-supported tier.
On Netflix’s Plans and Pricing page, Netflix announced their newest subscription prices. For new customers, these prices will begin immediately; existing members will get an email notification 30 days before their prices change. With these streaming plan increases, Netflix’s basic plan will cost $9.99 per month, a $1 increase; their standard plan will cost $15.49 per month, a $1.50 increase; and their premium 4K plan will cost $19.99, a $2 price increase. Taxes may be added depending on where subscribers live. In Canada, the basic plan will be $9.99 per month, the standard plan will be $16.49 per month, and the premium plan will be $20.99 per month, TechDaily reports.
IGN says this is par for the course for Netflix, as they have been raising their prices $1 or $2 every two years or so, depending on the plan. Netflix’s first price increase was in 2014, where they raised their plan from $7.99 per month to $8.99 per month. The Verge reports that Netflix was so worried about losing subscribers over that increase, that it let existing members keep their $7.99 price for two years. The streamer’s last price increase was announced in November 2020.
“We understand people have more entertainment choices than ever and we’re committed to delivering an even better experience for our members,” a Netflix spokesperson said. “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer a wide variety of quality entertainment options. As always we offer a range of plans so members can pick a price that works for their budget.”
The increase in subscription prices may come as a surprise for some, but with other streaming services announcing their content budgets, Netflix still needs to fight for some airtime. While Netflix has not disclosed their 2022 spending budget, they announced that they would spend $17 billion on content in 2021. For comparison, Disney reported that they would be spending $33 billion on content for 2022.
Following the news of the price increase, Netflix’s stock rose roughly 2%, CNN Business reports. Netflix has not announced their fourth quarter earnings yet, but they are scheduled to do so this Thursday, January 20. As of October 2021, Netflix said it had added 4.4 million subscribers, and their global subscriber total was 213.5 million. There are 74 million members in the US and Canada, making this a lucrative price increase for Netflix.
Netflix was not the only streaming service that raised their subscription prices in recent months. Hulu raised their monthly price by $1 per month for their ad-supported and ad-free streaming tiers. Disney Plus also went up a dollar a month at the beginning of 2021.
Despite the many “best streaming service” lists various media outlets provide each year, Netflix is almost always at the top of the list as the best service overall or for the best content. This, of course, depends on the outlet and the lists are hard to rely on because many of the media outlets earn commissions on affiliate links in the articles.
Regardless, based on subscriber numbers alone, Netflix is the clear leader in the streaming world. Except for price-sensitive subscribers, we don’t expect this to have a major impact on retention. Netflix was already the most expensive service without a live TV component, and price-sensitive subscribers can still access the basic plan for just under $10 a month without having to go to an ad-supported tier. While no one likes to see prices increase, prices of virtually are going up. Netflix was just the first streaming service to raise their prices in 2022. Others may follow suit.


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Chipotle has been spotlighted in the news in the last several weeks because of a massive outbreak of food-borne illnesses in multiple Northwest locations. The incident was so extensive and widespread that Chipotle had to close 43 locations in Oregon and Washington State.
As a consumer, I’ve always loved fine dining: the ambiance, pressed white linens, nice tableware, chilled forks, well trained staff, and great food. While indulging in these luxuries—and the expenses associated with them—one has certain expectations.
Food allergies are becoming increasingly prevalent in our society. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), it’s estimated that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies. Eight foods are responsible for 90 percent of all allergic responses: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish.


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Discover the prominent event “Yskaela Picture Issue Viral FB Photo” with dtk.com.vn. Renowned TikTok star, Yskaela Fujimoto, found herself at the center of controversy when a shocking personal photo surfaced on Facebook, quickly igniting heated debates across the internet. With millions of devoted fans, the leaked photo left the online community stunned and triggered strong reactions. Learn more about her response and feedback through accurate information about the leaked video in the following article.
I. Who is Yskaela?
Yskaela’s full name is Yskaela Fujimoto. She is a Filipino TikTok star. Yskaela Fujimoto is a 22-year-old young woman who has made a name for herself as a model, influencer, and social media star. In terms of her personal life, she has been dating a professional athlete named Chaknu. Many people have been curious about Yskaela Fujimoto’s parents, and it is known that her father is of Japanese descent, while her mother is of Filipino origin.
Born on August 14, 2000, Yskaela has amassed a massive following on social media platforms. She boasts over 1.4 million followers on Instagram and has an impressive fan base of more than 10.6 million on TikTok. With her creativity, charm, and engaging content, she has become a beloved figure in the online community, captivating fans from various backgrounds.
As a successful model and social media influencer, Yskaela Fujimoto continues to inspire and entertain her audience with her captivating presence and unique personality. Her journey from a young star to a prominent figure in the digital realm has undoubtedly left a significant impact on her followers and admirers alike.
II. Yskaela picture issueviral FB photo
Recently, social media has been ablaze with the existence of a new link titled “Yskaela Picture Issue Viral FB Photo,” containing various types of data that can be easily accessed. These pictures depict intimate human interactions, capturing moments of vulnerability from the popular TikTok star. With millions of devoted online fans, the leaked video rapidly spread like wildfire, becoming the talk of the town and sparking heated debates within the online community.
Despite Yskaela Fujimoto’s official statement in response to the incident, the leaking of these private photos continues to raise concerns about privacy and its negative impact on her personal life. Many fans have shown support and empathy towards Yskaela, emphasizing the significance of respecting others’ privacy in the online environment.
As the content of the video continues to circulate, the online community and fans are collectively exploring the reasons and consequences of the leak, with the hope of learning essential lessons about privacy and implementing stronger measures to protect personal information on social media platforms.
III. Yskaela viral video
The Yskaela viral video has caused a major stir and has become the talk of the town, drawing significant attention from both her fans and the wider online community. The video, which shows human-sexual activity, has been a subject of intense discussion and debate across various social media platforms and online forums.
As a popular TikTok star with millions of dedicated followers, Yskaela Fujimoto holds a prominent position in the world of social media influencers. The leaked video, displaying intimate moments of her personal life, has not only shocked her fans but has also raised questions about the invasion of privacy and the responsibility of content sharing in the digital age.
The sudden and widespread dissemination of the video has sparked conversations about the impact of such incidents on celebrities’ lives and the importance of safeguarding their personal information. As discussions unfold, netizens are grappling with issues of consent, ethical considerations, and the implications of sharing private content without the individual’s consent.
Yskaela’s response to the video leak has been closely monitored by her supporters and critics alike. In an official statement, she expressed her distress and asserted that the video was indeed a violation of her privacy. She urged her fans and the online community to respect her right to privacy and refrain from sharing or further spreading the leaked content.
The incident has also sparked broader discussions about the potential consequences of such actions on mental health and well-being. The pressures and challenges of being in the public eye can be immense, and incidents like this raise awareness of the need to be empathetic and considerate towards individuals in the public sphere.
In the wake of this incident, it is hoped that discussions about online ethics, privacy rights, and the responsibility of content creators and consumers will gain traction. The Yskaela viral video serves as a stark reminder of the digital landscape’s complexities and the necessity of fostering a safe and respectful online environment for all users.
As the story unfolds, the online community eagerly awaits updates and further developments, hoping that lessons learned from this incident will lead to a more thoughtful and compassionate online culture, where the privacy and well-being of individuals are upheld and protected.
IV. The spread of the Yskaela picture issueviral FB photo
The spread of the Yskaela picture issue viral FB photo has been nothing short of astounding, capturing the attention of a vast online audience and sparking widespread discussions. As the video gained momentum, it quickly went viral, circulating across various social media platforms and reaching millions of users within a remarkably short period.
The explicit nature of the leaked photo, depicting intimate human-sexual activity, contributed to its rapid dissemination and the surge of interest surrounding the incident. As Yskaela Fujimoto is a popular TikTok star with a massive following, the video’s impact was amplified, drawing in fans, critics, and curious onlookers from all corners of the internet.
The video’s virality has led to intense reactions and emotions from the online community. While many expressed shock and concern over the violation of Yskaela’s privacy, there have also been divisive opinions and debates about the ethics of content sharing and the responsibility of both creators and consumers in the digital space.
The incident has sparked broader discussions about online privacy rights, consent, and the implications of viral content on individuals’ lives, especially those in the public eye. People are contemplating the consequences of unauthorized sharing and the potential impact on mental health and well-being, both for the subject of the leaked content and for those who engage with it.
Yskaela’s response to the picture issue has further fueled the conversation, with her official statement emphasizing the importance of respecting personal privacy. Her stance has garnered both support and criticism, leading to a deeper exploration of the complexities surrounding the incident.
As the story continues to unfold, the spread of the Yskaela picture issue viral FB photo serves as a reminder of the power of social media and the need for ethical conduct in the online world. It calls for a more thoughtful and empathetic approach to content sharing, fostering a digital environment that respects privacy and values the well-being of individuals.
While the virality of the video has been swift, the aftermath of the incident offers an opportunity for reflection and dialogue about responsible online behavior, digital ethics, and the importance of treating others with empathy and respect in the digital realm. Ultimately, it serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges and responsibilities that come with navigating the digital landscape and engaging with content on social media platforms.
V. Community reaction to picture issueviral FB photo
The Yskaela picture issue viral FB photo has elicited a wide range of reactions from the online community. As the video spread rapidly across social media platforms, people’s responses have been diverse and often emotionally charged.
Many fans and supporters of Yskaela have expressed concern and empathy towards her, recognizing the violation of her privacy and the emotional distress she must be going through. They have rallied around her, urging others to refrain from sharing or further disseminating the leaked content and respecting her right to privacy as an individual and public figure.
On the other hand, there has also been a segment of the online community that has been critical of Yskaela, questioning the circumstances surrounding the video’s leak and scrutinizing her actions. This criticism has sparked debates about personal responsibility, consent, and the ethics of content sharing, as well as discussions about the pitfalls of celebrity culture and the pressures of fame in the digital age.
The incident has also brought to the forefront larger discussions about privacy rights and the importance of safeguarding personal information in an increasingly interconnected world. It has raised awareness about the potential consequences of unauthorized content sharing and the need for empathy and respect when engaging with content online.
Throughout the unfolding of this picture issue, the online community has been engaging in intense debates and discussions about digital ethics and responsible behavior on social media. Many are calling for a more considerate and compassionate online culture, where individuals’ privacy and well-being are valued and protected.
In conclusion, the Yskaela picture issue viral FB photo has prompted a myriad of reactions from the online community. While there have been expressions of support and empathy for Yskaela, there has also been critical scrutiny and discussions about larger issues concerning privacy, ethics, and the responsibilities of content creators and consumers in the digital age. This incident serves as a reminder of the complexities of navigating the digital landscape and the importance of promoting a respectful and mindful online community.
VI. How does Yskaela Fujimoto respond?
Yskaela Fujimoto responded through an official statement regarding the “Yskaela picture issue viral FB photo.” In her statement, she asserted that the leaked video was her private information and expressed her strong displeasure with the unauthorized breach of her personal data, which was subsequently spread on social media.
Yskaela emphasized the significance of respecting privacy and urged people not to share or disseminate the sensitive content. She made it clear that violating someone’s privacy not only affects her but also her family and loved ones.
In addition to her public statement, Yskaela may have chosen to remain calm and composed, refraining from engaging directly in online debates. Instead, she may have focused on protecting her privacy and handling the matter in a manner that suits her personally.
While Yskaela’s response was made publicly, she also has the right to keep certain details about how she dealt with the situation in her personal life confidential. The important thing is that she stood up for her privacy rights and respect in the online environment, while maintaining strength and patience in the face of this challenging situation.
In conclusion, the incident surrounding the “Yskaela Picture Issue Viral FB Photo” serves as a powerful reminder of the complexities and responsibilities that come with living in a digitally connected world. The spread of the leaked video, showcasing intimate moments of a popular TikTok star, has ignited intense discussions about privacy rights, content ethics, and the impact of viral content on individuals’ lives.
Yskaela Fujimoto’s response to the video leak, through an official statement, underscored the importance of respecting personal privacy and brought attention to the need for empathy and consideration in the online community. Her stance has prompted reflection on the consequences of unauthorized content sharing and the potential harm it can inflict on both individuals and their loved ones.
This incident has also highlighted the power of social media in shaping public discourse and underlines the responsibility of content creators and consumers in fostering a more compassionate and respectful digital environment.
Moving forward, it is essential for individuals and society as a whole to prioritize digital ethics, protect personal information, and uphold the right to privacy. The Yskaela picture issue viral FB photo serves as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue about the balance between freedom of expression and the ethical boundaries of content sharing in the age of social media.
By learning from this incident and promoting responsible online behavior, we can work towards creating a more inclusive, supportive, and understanding online community, where individuals can navigate the digital landscape with dignity and respect for one another’s privacy and well-being.


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Rourkela To Host All-India ‘Saras Mela’ For 1st Time From Jan 15
Rourkela: The Sundargarh district would host all-India ‘Saras Mela’ at Bhanja Bhawan Exhibition Ground in Rourkela from January 15 to 27, on the sidelines of FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023.
“The national-level food and cultural fair will provide a platform to Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) and Producers Groups from Odisha and various other states to showcase and sell their products,” said CDO & EO ZP Sundargarh Manoj Satyawan Mahajan at a presser here on Tuesday.
Giving details about the various events and programmes, Mahajan said, “A total of 250 stalls will be put up during the near-fortnight-long event for which the district administration has made elaborate arrangements. Terracotta products, Dhokra casting metal crafts, handloom products along with various traditional food items prepared by various WSHGs from Sundargarh and other districts of the state will be merchandised at the fair.”
Paper products from UP, various bamboo products from Assam and Tripura, woollens from Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir, jute products from West Bengal, dried flower Potpourri from Manipur, rich handcrafted artefacts from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh will be the other attractions. Well-known artistes from the state and outside will perform at the cultural programmes. Special arrangements are also being made at the Mela venue to facilitate live telecast of the World Cup matches.
The Mela is being jointly by the Sundargarh administration, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department and ORMAS.


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Steve Ritchie, the Chief Executive Officer of Papa John’s, wrote a wonderful letter of apology to Papa John’s customers, expressly apologizing to Papa John’s customers for several racial insensitive remarks made by a person closely linked to the Papa John’s brand and promises to take several remedial actions to deal with the issues and concerns brought into being by these unfortunate occurrences. The racial insensitive remarks that dictated the writing of a letter of apology by Steve Ritchie was the blaming of declining Papa John’s sales on the NFL’s lack of ability to effectively handle the problem of NFL players protesting perceived inequitable treatment of minorities by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem and the use of a racial slur during a conference call.
According to INC, the apology made by Steve Ritchie was explicit, sincere, and empathic. He clearly denounces those racial insensitive remarks, stating that those remarks and sentiments are only those of the particular person who made them and are by no means a reflection of the values of the Papa John’s company, whose employees number well over 120,000, the vast majority of whom are good, decent, hard-working individuals residing within the very same communities that Papa John’s customer live in. Steve Ritchie goes on to say that such bad behavior will not be tolerated by any Papa John’s employee.
The promised remedial actions to be taken by Steve Ritchie and the company was clearly defined. Steve Ritchie assumed responsibility for winning back the trust of Papa John’s customers by hiring auditors to audit the company’s culture, diversity, and inclusiveness to show Papa John’s customer that those racially insensitive remarks are in fact not an accurate reflection of the company’s values. Further, according to Wikipedia, Steve Ritchie intends to dispatch high level executives to the field to listen to the views and concerns of their employees and franchises with the view of obtaining a path on which everyone could move forward and away from these unfortunate incidents. Steve Ritchie also promises that this entire process will be conducted in a transparent way and asks to be held accountable by Papa John’s customers for this undertaking.
See Papa John’s latest status on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PapaJohns/status/1017881138432528385


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Air freight management industry news and business issues for the logistics professional covering air cargo, pricing, screening, forwarding and service providers.
Posted 04/20 · 06:23 PM · LM Editorial
The Airforwarders Association, which represents more than 360 companies that move air cargo through the supply chain, today applauded an agreement reached by Congressional leaders to advance legislation giving the President authority to conclude key global trade agreements.
Posted 04/07 · 08:44 AM · SCMR Editorial
While “modest” growth for 2015 is forecasted by most air cargo industry insiders, Wilmington, Ohio-based freighter lessor Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) is far more bullish.
Posted 04/01 · 09:00 PM · LM Editorial
Consumer confidence is up, fuel costs are down, and trade is growing—all factors that are pulling the air cargo sector out of the doldrums. Our panel of industry experts examines the resurgence and shares how shippers can now work with carriers to mitigate risk and optimize their global supply chain operations.
Posted 04/01 · 09:00 AM · LM Editorial
On January 1, the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) revisions of their Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) went into effect. Many passengers have only had brief exposure to the complex rules that face aircraft operators.
Posted 03/27 · 08:47 AM · LM Editorial
The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) reports that air cargo services ramped up again in February.
Posted 03/24 · 08:02 AM · SCMR Editorial
Last year’s tragic crash of AirAsia’s flight QZ 8501 enroute from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore remains a mystery, but may have been a “wake up call” for Asia Pacific airlines.
Posted 03/23 · 09:02 AM · LM Editorial
The TSA has been without a confirmed administrator since the end of 2014, when John Pistole retired from the agency to take a position in academia.
Posted 02/19 · 09:02 AM · LM Editorial
More than 800 professionals from across the air freight supply chain will gather in New Orleans in two weeks to discuss trends, challenges, opportunities and the future of the air cargo industry at the industry's premier conference and trade show, AirCargo 2015.
Posted 02/18 · 04:02 PM · LM Editorial
In 2002, I spoke at a supply chain forum for Presidents and CEOs. Since there was a labor dispute going on at the ports on the west coast at the time, I asked a hypothetical question: “What would happen if the west coast ports shut down, and you were not able to get products delivered in a timely manner?” Thirteen years later, this hypothetical question has become a reality for many companies.
Posted 02/16 · 01:39 PM · LM Editorial
Air Cargo 2015 – the annual industry event staged in New Orleans next month – promises to yield a great deal of exclusive market intelligence, says Brandon Fried Executive Director, The Airforwarders Association.


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11 August 2009
Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement at the conclusion of negotiations on a Canada-Panama free trade agreement:
"Thank you Mr. President – to you and all Panamanians for being such gracious hosts.
"It is truly a great honour to be here – I am proud to say this is the first official visit of a Canadian Prime Minister to your beautiful country.
"This visit comes at an important time for both our countries.
"It is a time when together we face the great challenges of a global recession, a time when it is more important than ever for like-minded friends and allies - like Panama and Canada - to renew our ties and work together.
"Mr. President, allow me to offer my congratulations on your recent election.
"I was pleased to note that in your inaugural address, you spoke plainly about your new government’s commitment to trade liberalization.
"You talked about the need, especially during these difficult times, to open doors to neighbours and allies.
"I couldn’t agree more.
"We must remember that the prosperity generated around the world in the last part of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st has been unprecedented in human history.
"Removing protectionist barriers and easing trade restrictions helped to usher in this extraordinary era.
"That’s why I’m so pleased, Mr. President, that you and I are here today, to mark a historic milestone in Canada-Panama relations - the conclusion of free trade negotiations between our countries.
"This agreement will lead to greatly expanded trade opportunities for Canada and Panama.
"Mr. President, I was particularly pleased to see that your government has decided to reopen Panama’s market to Canadian beef exports.
"Today’s historic agreement builds on our government’s record of aggressively pursuing trade liberalization with like-minded partners.
"In this hemisphere we have signed free trade agreements with Peru and Colombia, and we are currently pursuing free trade agreements with CARICOM, countries of Central America and Dominican Republic.
"Beyond our hemisphere, we have signed free trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association and Jordan, and we are negotiating agreements with South Korea and the European Union.
"Ladies and gentlemen, as we continue to face the effects of this global recession, promoting free and open trade benefits us all.
"The agreement between Canada and Panama can be a model for other nations to follow, a testament to the friendship between our two great countries, and signify our determination to cooperate in securing a brighter future for our citizens.
"Mr. President, yours is a country uniquely positioned astride two oceans, an economic corridor linking east and west, a nation rooted in a rich history and poised to embrace a bright future.
"Thank you for your leadership in partnering with Canada, and thank you for your warm welcome here in Panama."


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Cindy Crawford's children have proven to be the new "it" model siblings.
Photo: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Teen Vogue
Kaia starred in a new eyewear campaign for Miu Miu.
Jude Law's son Rafferty also modeled in the Milan fashion show with Presley.
Photo: Victor Boyko/Getty Images
The siblings are taking after their famous mother in the modeling department.
Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for The Daily Front Row
Kaia, Cindy and Rande sat front row at the Moschino presentation to watch Presley walk in his first runway show.
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Presley (left) wasn't the only famous sibling/offspring to make his runway debut at the Moschino show. Gigi Hadid and Bella's younger brother Anwar Hadid (right) did as well.
Photos: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for MOSCHINO


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SPARTANBURG, SC—BMW’s assembly plant here set a production record during 2021, producing 433,810 BMW X vehicles during the year, a 20 percent increase over 2020 and breaking the previous record of 411,620 units set in 2019.
“The fact that [we] set a production record during a very unpredictable year is a testament to the commitment and flexibility of our associates,” says Robert Engelhorn, Ph.D., president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing.
The 2021 production year marked the fourth time the South Carolina plant has topped 400,000 units. This milestone was also achieved in 2015, 2016 and 2019.
Additionally, the plant assembled a record number of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles last year with about 70,000 units shipped, 48 percent more than in 2020.
“Electric mobility is becoming a growth driver and success factor for the company,” Engelhorn says. “Our plant is fully on board to support BMW Group’s electrification strategy.”
Since 1992, the BMW Group has invested about $11.9 billion in its South Carolina factory. It’s now the largest BMW plant in the world, producing more than 1,500 vehicles each day. The plant exports more than two-thirds of its vehicles to about 125 global markets.
To read more about the BMW plant, click here.


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Also in the news...
Support package worth over £500 million from the UK government unlocks new markets for exporters in the high-growth region
How you import from and export to Japan.
Looking for a new start this year? At Charterhouse Lombard we put together the best offers from free zones around the country to find the right match for you.
The groups were established in July 2020 to meet the requirements of the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) trade negotiations.
Check the availability and any issues affecting the Customs Declaration Services.
Africa business opportunities encouraged by HMTC UK tour
HM Trade Commissioner for Africa travelled across the UK to encourage businesses to embrace export and investment opportunities in the continent.
The Department for International Trade (DIT)’s HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa, Emma Wade-Smith OBE, and her team met with businesses of different sizes to discuss investment and export opportunities in Africa. They visited companies in regions across the UK, from Scotland to South West England.
Africa is predicted to be home to 8 of the world’s 15 fastest growing economies in the world this year. This growth brings an increasing range of business opportunities, including strong and growing demand for clean, sustainable and innovative investment.
DIT has worked to support a range of UK businesses from various sectors to embrace exports and investment opportunities in Africa over a week-long tour across the UK.
Home to some of the world’s most enterprising technologies and the global financial centre of the City of London, the UK is well placed to meet the growing demand from countries across Africa, and be the continent’s business partner of choice.
The HMTC’s tour follows work started at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, hosted by the Prime Minister in January in London.
That Summit celebrated the £36 billion of trade between Africa and the UK, showcased some of the £38.7 billion of long-term investment and paved the way for lasting partnerships between the UK and African countries to deliver more investment, jobs and sustainable growth.
As part of her visit, HM Trade Commissioner for Africa, Emma Wade-Smith OBE, chaired the inaugural Africa Investors Group (AIG) meeting in London, which brought together some of the UK’s long-term investors in Africa.
This initiative - which was announced alongside more than £6.5 billion of commercial deals on Summit day on 20 January - will help ensure the right support for existing UK investors in Africa and will bring this experience to bear in supporting more UK companies to invest in the African continent.
Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa, Emma Wade-Smith OBE, said:
There are a wealth of opportunities for UK companies across the diverse and dynamic markets of Africa.
It was important to me to meet companies from across the UK so soon after the UK-Africa Investment Summit, to hear from businesses and understand how we can continue to strengthen our support for UK companies – of any size and from any sector – to help them do good business in Africa.
What I have heard is a strong and growing interest from UK businesses to better understand and explore the opportunities Africa’s fast-growing economies and young, highly urbanised populations are generating.
This includes education and skills; healthcare; agri-tech; infrastructure; and energy, all underpinned by technology.
I believe our shared values and ambitions to create jobs and build shared prosperity through inclusive and sustainable economic growth make the UK and Africa natural partners in business.
By working collaboratively across the private and public sectors, we can drive more investment flows and create bankable investment opportunities for UK companies across the African region.


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Rumors have been swirling about the Pokemon games for the Nintendo Switch, including one that claims the games will be revealed by the end of the month. As it turns out, that rumor may be accurate, as Japanese variety show Oha Suta says it will reveal “shocking” news about Pokemon on May 31, claiming it will be a time when “a new history is born.”
This is according to Serebii.net, which reported on Oha Suta’s promise. While it’s possible that Oha Suta could be referring to something else entirely, the most likely scenario is that the show is where Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee for the Nintendo Switch will be properly revealed to the public. This would be in line with the rumors, plus the use of the word “shocking” could be a direct tease about Pikachu’s name being in the title of one of the games.
Unfortunately, Oha Suta didn’t share any additional details beyond this tease, so fans will just have to wait until May 31 to see exactly what kind of “shocking” Pokemon news the Japanese variety show has in store.
Serebii Update: Japanese Variety Show, Oha Suta, to share "shocking" Pokémon news on May 31st 2018, which is listed as "a moment a new history is born" https://t.co/gDbXkHSvkT
— Serebii.net (@SerebiiNet) May 29, 2018
At the time of this writing, there’s actually very little we know about Pokemon for the Switch in terms of concrete details, but there’s plenty of rumors and speculation to sift through. For example, Nintendo has registered domain names for Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, which fits with previous rumors that those would be the titles of the new games. Rumors have also claimed that the games will be remakes of Pokemon Yellow, and will allow players to return to the Kanto region from Generation 1.
Generation 1 seems to be the main focus of Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, if the rumors are to be believed. Apparently players will even have 151 Pokemon to catch in the games, with those being the original 151 from gen 1.
Of course, it’s possible there’s no truth to these rumors. Ultimately, fans will just have to wait for May 31 to learn more about the Pokemon games for the Nintendo Switch.
Pokemon is in development for the Nintendo Switch.


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The Kuwait Finance House (KFH), one of the largest Islamic banks in the world, made an exciting announcement.
Using Ripple’s technology
The company tweeted that they are launching an instant cross-border remittance service that will use Ripple’s tech.
The zero fees service called Instant International Transfer in the tweet is currently available.
Through it, customers will have the ability to make remittance transactions in Saudi Riyal (SAR) to the beneficiaries at Al Rajhi Bank.
This significant announcement comes right after an extended trial period and basically, it marks its success.
Back in October, Dilip Rao, Ripple’s global head of infrastructure stated that the Chairman of Kuwait Finance House said that the company was working with Ripple.
KFH and Ripple tested a service to compete with SWIFT
They were testing a service that will compete directly with SWIFT.
As you all know, Ripple and SWIFT have been intensively competing, and just recently Cory Johnson addressed the subject.
KFH has started operating an instant cross-border remittance service using Ripple’s blockchain technology. The zero fees “Instant International Transfer” service is available now in Saudi Riyal SAR where customers can make remittance transactions to beneficiaries at Al Rajhi Bank
The system is outdated and flawed and what Ripple is trying to achieve via its solutions is address all the flaws featured by SWIFT.
It’s not clear whether KFH will use xCurrent or xRapid
KFH was the Arab nations’ very first banks that decided to join Ripple’s network for international remittance payments, RippleNet.
They have not disclosed by now whether they are using xCurrent or xRapid.
xCurrent is Ripple’s enterprise software solution that lets banks settle cross-border payments instantly with end-to-end tracking.
This service will expand to encompass most of the world countries in different currencies. KFH customers can make instant and secure zero fees remittances through their accounts in https://t.co/MvlRltl6zx.


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All power, everywhere, at all times; It is one of many climate mantras. Induction stovetops take a lot of power, though — they can draw 40 amps at 240 volts. It’s the same as an at-home Level 2 EV charger. Needless to say, a lot of older homes aren’t wired to plug a Tesla into your kitchen, which means upgrading to an induction range can be expensive. Impulse to the rescue—the company’s stove includes a battery solution, which means it doesn’t draw a full 40 amps while working, and you may find yourself cooking with induction without having to upgrade your panels Huh. Clever!
“I’ve been thinking about supercharging home appliances for a while and the deeper I dig into the space, the more clear it becomes that electrification throughout the house and the new policy to bring energy storage together in alignment with the tailwind There was a big story. And distributed energy resource incentives,” said Impulse CEO Sam D’Amico. “Integrating the batteries not only provides really impressive performance improvements, but it also removes many of the common obstacles around power or panel limitations with adding energy storage to the grid, as well as installing an induction stove “
The company today announced its official launch, and is joined by a $20 million Series A funding round led by Lux Capital, and Fifth Wall, Lachey Groom and Construct Capital. This brings their total funding to $25 million (Lux Capital, Construct and Lachey Groom previously led the company’s $5 million seed round in 2021).
“There is an undeniable directional arrow of progress towards the electrification of everything that will be able to create new devices and applications,” said Josh Wolff, co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital. An email to TechCrunch. “What Impulse is building is not only worthwhile but a moral imperative, changing the architecture of our daily lives by reducing our reliance on natural gas and carbon. We need to support the Impulse team and bring their vision to life. Proud to have helped bring you.”
Originally, the company set out to use batteries to build the perfect electric pizza oven, but as the company explored the market, it realized there were additional opportunities. As the company says: What started out as a cool idea to make pizza became a mission to reinvent the home appliance industry.
Impulse realized early on that there was an opportunity to take advantage of all the amazing tailwinds from the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors (including the Inflation Reduction Act’s policy tailwind) to launch attractive products. The company identified induction cooking as something that already had a pretty compelling story, and explored some fundamental ways to improve cooking using induction technology.
“We are very aware of the difficulty of building out the hardware business, especially given the current economic climate. We believe this [round of financing] Gets us through the key checkpoints needed to ship our first hardware product, to the level where we can take orders from paying customers,” says D’Amico. “This paves the way for us to launch pre-orders in the next year with a reliable, realistic delivery date that doesn’t match the expectations of high-end home appliances.”
The company is fully positioning itself in the challenge surrounding residential and light industrial decarbonisation.
“It’s going to push us in a fairly fundamental direction – ending fossil fuel use ‘on the edge’ means we have to make everything electric,” says D’Amico as he outlines his vision. “Bringing storage to the shore in lieu of fossil fuels enables us to do so without relying on extremely drastic changes to the built environment and without having to massively scale up the power distribution infrastructure to deal with the new extreme loads.”
Impulse’s big game is that while battery prices are falling, the task of installing batteries continues to be non-trivial in the built environment. However, a lot of kitchens have 220V connections, and that’s where Impulse is seeing an opportunity.
“An important realization is that the places where we install home appliances are typically wired for electricity and often for 220V connections in new homes,” comments D’Amico. “At least that means we can electrify earlier gas equipment, and moving on to new properties also means that the storage can be used to house as well.”


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While the quality of the Joy-Cons are still being debated in court, the existence of the Joy-Cons themselves has won in a separate court case. Gamevice, a manufacturer of mobile gaming accessories, took both Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Japan to court in 2018, making the accusation that the Switch Joy-Cons were infringing upon their snap-on mobile controller patents. This hadn't been their first lawsuit against the company either, where they filed a lawsuit against Nintendo for the Joy-Cons also infringing upon their Wikipad device. That case was both filed and dismissed in 2017.
The second case that Gamevice brought against Nintendo, in regards to their patents, was also dismissed, but Gamevice stubbornly appealed the decision, maintaining that Nintendo infringed upon their patents on 19 different occasions. Now, a final decision has been made in court, with Nintendo coming out as the victor. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board threw out all 19 claims against Nintendo, as they proved that controllers that can clip on or fasten to tablet-like devices are unpatentable. According to the legal document provided in the source, Gamevice made no effort to argue against Nintendo's evidence nor the final court ruling.


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Phil Spencer thinks a console with upgradeable components is ‘a stretch’
Responding to a question on Twitter, Phil Spencer has again reiterated not to approve particularly the idea of expandable and upgradeable consoles like any PC. For the person in charge of the Xbox division, it is two very different types of devices to each other and it is right that both maintain their strengths.
It is not the first time that Spencer has expressed on the issue, in March 2016 in fact, Phil replied with these words to the same question: “Am I going to break open my console and start upgrading individual pieces of my console? That’s not our plan. There is something special about what happens with a console. You buy an appliance-like device; you plug it into your TV; it works when you plug it in. It’s not like I’m going to ship a screwdriver set with every console that comes out.”
Recall that according to some rumors, this week we will receive the first news about Project Scorpio, then we will soon find out the plans of Microsoft for the future.
The Xbox Project Scorpio will be the first console to offer real content in 4K, with a native Ultra HD 4K. Obviously, HDR technology is also part of it, and Microsoft has already confirmed that this new Xbox will be fully compatible with the already existing Xbox One games.
The latter should take advantage of an upscaling feature, and publishers will certainly be able to offer specific patches to boost their games with the power of the Xbox Project Scorpio.
It remains to be seen now when this new console will be available on the market, and especially at what price, Phil Spencer has never concealed the fact that this “premium console” will have a “premium price”, like the Xbox One Elite controller, priced at $150.
@HOLYFRIEDMONKEY The idea that users will open up a console and change compute components inside seems like a stretch to me.
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) April 2, 2017


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According to a label filed with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), New Holland Brewing Co. will introduce a new beer to its line for its fall limited release.
Coming in at 9 percent ABV, Baltic Anomaly is brewed the same as a traditional Baltic porter, but New Holland then adds honey to give it a touch of sweetness.
“Much like the alien mystery found at the bottom of the Baltic sea, this flavored Baltic porter boasts an anomaly of its own,” reads the beer label. “Honey lends an extraterrestrial dimension to this Earthly porter, balancing out the sweetness with a slightly dry finish.”
According to New Holland’s 2017 Release Calendar, Baltic Anomaly will be packaged in 12-ounce bottles and is scheduled to be released in September.


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There are some reports that have spread in the recent period indicating that the Exynos 1000 processor will be more powerful than the Snapdragon 875, but we do not place any hopes that this processor will be present in the series of Samsung Galaxy S21. These early reports were based on Geekbench results pulled from the database before we can confirm their authenticity.
We now have a Geekbench score for what is supposed to be the Samsung Galaxy S21 but the results are significantly lower. Note that the results page for SM-G996B is likely the European version of S21 Plus and here is a completely different processor we didn't expect to see, the Exynos 2100.
Here are the results of performance tests between the Exynos 1000 and Snapdragon 875 processors.
The phone is expected to come with 8 GB of RAM, which seems to be somewhat logical, as this matches the RAM capacity of Galaxy S20 Plus but the 4G version, it is worth noting that the 5G version comes with 12 GB RAM.
Samsung is not expected to release its S21 series until February, but the first details about the phones are already coming. Earlier this month, we saw a post about the S21 and S21 Plus batteries, and now we have more details.
We also have a real photo of the battery this time which reveals that it will come with a capacity of up to 4800 mAh. Previously we knew the rated capacity of 4,660 mAh from 3C certification.
That list also confirms that the Chinese company Ningde Amperex Technology will be responsible for providing batteries for all upcoming Galaxy S series phones.


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Sony and Nintendo’s Original PlayStation Prototype Found
An important part of gaming history was reportedly found, dating back to when Sony and Nintendo originally meant for the PlayStation to be a CD-based expansion for the SNES.
Imgur user DanDiebold posted pictures of the legendary Sony and Nintendo hybrid system that was a prototype for the first PlayStation (via GamesRadar). Back in 1988, Sony and Nintendo started working on a CD-based add-on for the upcoming Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom. During the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show, the prototype was revealed by Sony. The following day, Nintendo announced that it was partnering with Philips for its CD-oriented tech, pushing Sony out of the picture. While Philips and Nintendo never went on to formally release the SNES' CD expansion, the Philips CD-i console launched in 1991 and went on to be a commercial failure (resulting in over a billion dollars in losses and Philips' abandoning of the video game industry). Nintendo would go on to release the disk drive-based 64DD expansion for the Nintendo 64 in 1999. Similar to the CD-i, the 64DD failed horribly, selling 15,000 units total in Japan and only have 10 pieces of software released until it was officially discontinued two years after its launch.
Nintendo, Sony and Philips never really resolved their differences, as Philips recently filed a lawsuit against Nintendo saying that the House of Mario infringed on its patents. Nintendo lost the lawsuit in which a judge ruled they were infringing upon Philip's motion control tech, resulting in the Wii, Wiimote, Wii Motion Plus, Nunchuk, Wii Balance Board, Wii U and Wii U GamePad being labelled as patent violations in court. The two companies have recently settled these lawsuits, likely with Nintendo shelling out a ton of money back to Philips.
Sony's CD-based game tech originally intended for the SNES' CD-based expansion would eventually be used to in creating the first PlayStation console, which launched in late 1994.
So where did these Sony/Nintendo PlayStation prototype pictures come from? Here's where the person allegedly found the console:
"My dad worked for a company, apparently one of the guys he used to work with, I think his name was Olaf, used to work at Nintendo and when my dad's company went bankrupt, my dad found it in a box of 'junk' he was supposed to throw out."
This is where the story gets fishy. 'OIaf' could refer to Olafur Johann Olafsson, the original CEO, President and Co-Founder of Sony Interactive Entertainment. This means that this prototype could have belonged to one of the system's creators, or it could just be an elaborate hoax.
While this could be the real deal when it comes to a pivotal piece of gaming history, we suggest that everyone take this article with a grain of salt, as these pictures have not been verified. Nevertheless, 21 years after the PS-One's launch, Sony's PlayStation 4 is steamrolling Nintendo's Wii U on the market. As of March 2015, the PS4 sold 22.3 million units since it launched in Nov. 2013, whereas the Wii U sold 9.54 million units since its Nov. 2012 debut. That's what you get for betraying your partners, Nintendo.
Check Out These Awesome Video Game Facts


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Supplier of ICT accessories Eminent Europe and specialist distributor of consumer electronics products Widget UK Ltd have signed a distribution agreement. Widget will focus on the distribution of Eminent HD media players.
Widget will be the first distributor to ship Eminent Europe products to UK retailers, e-tailers and resellers. The specialist distributor will focus on offering Eminent HD media players. Widget will also distribute Eminent camera surveillance systems, the home automation solution e-Domotica, twistable cables and several ICT accessories.
The agreement with Widget is in line with Eminent’s objective to develop the distribution channel in the UK. As a specialist distributor, Widget will be able to create added value to retailers. Widget’s commitment to Eminent includes offering marketing programmes and implementation, technical support, training and fast delivery.
Eminent is one of the leading HD media player brands on the Dutch market. Eminent HD media players, such as the EM7080, enable consumers to play high-definition movies on a full HD TV. Recently, Eminent announced the HD media player EM7195 with DVB-T twin tuner, which will be available in March 2011. Regular product updates and a five-year warranty add value to the Eminent HD media players.
“Our customers want us to bring them products from the latest, growth markets in consumer technologies,” said Widget sales director Bart Hoorntje, “and the media player market is a clear growth area. So we have sought out Eminent, as one of the key players in this market.”
“We consider Widget as a valuable partner to bring Eminent products to the UK. The number of consumers that wants to play multimedia on TV is growing every day. Thanks to our agreement with Widget, retailers will now have the opportunity to offer high-quality and affordable Eminent HD media players and meet the demands of these consumers,” said Jos van Aalst, Managing Director of Eminent Europe.
About Widget UK Ltd
Widget UK Ltd distributes a tightly focussed range of satellite navigation, networking and video products, for manufacturers such as Cisco Systems and TomTom. Widget UK Ltd sells only to trade, and not directly to the public. Its customers are UK retailers and resellers including Staples, DSGi, Maplin, Comet, Amazon.co.uk, Dabs.com, Play.com, QVC, Ideal Shopping Direct, Computacenter and SCC. For more information visit www.widget.co.uk
Media contact: mark.needham[at]widget.co.uk
Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/widget1
About Eminent Europe
Eminent Europe offers home automation solutions and ICT accessories to consumers and SMEs. Eminent focuses on the home automation system e-Domotica, camera surveillance and HD media players. Eminent has the objective to create user-friendly products, that are easy to install and easy to use. Eminent offers extensive support with manuals in plain English and an accessible helpdesk. Eminent is part of the TKH Group. For more information visit http://www.eminent-online.co.uk
Media contact: c.ruijgrok[at]eminent-online.com
Phone: +31 46 436 21 57
- End -
This press release was distributed by ResponseSource Press Release Wire on behalf of Widget UK in the following categories: Consumer Technology, Computing & Telecoms, for more information visit https://pressreleasewire.responsesource.com/about.


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Are you the type of masochistic gamer who just loves punishment? Well you’re in luck because last year’s Dark Souls II has been re-released onto Xbox One, PS4 and PC, as Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin and it is available right now!
Scholar of the First Sin comes with the base Dark Souls II game, all of the Lost Crowns DLC and a new NPS and Boss Fight for players to enjoy. FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have brought a few extra game tweaks like enemy positions, AI difficulty and some visual and frame rate updates to make the game enjoyable for everyone.
Previously available as a patch for the previous generation Dark Souls II games, Scholar of the First Sin marks the first time that Dark Souls II is available on the Xbox One and PS4, so those who missed out the first time will have a chance to die over and over and over again.


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New Hampshire towns with the oldest people
These companies are among the worst for customer service as ranked by 10,000 consumers recently surveyed by customer service and research firm the Temkin Group. Those surveyed were asked to rate their satisfaction level on a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 7 (completely very satisfied). Culling those rankings, the Temkin Group gave each company a "net satisfaction" score listed as a percentage.
These companies are among the worst for customer service as ranked by 10,000 U.S. consumers.
New Hampshire's Senate has voted to leave intact the state's centuries-old death penalty.


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The latest offer in Square Enix’s ongoing ten days of holiday Daily Deals promotion offers a sizable price cut to one of the series’ more interesting offshoot titles.
I'm surprised how fast this game dropped in price
Yeah, it's definitely not the best game in the series, but this is certainly a good price for such a snazzy CE.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Automated Car Totally Controlled By A Smartphone [Video]
Students from Griffith University in Australia have built a vehicle that uses smartphone sensors to drive itself.
Griffith University students have won an award for designing an automated vehicle controlled by a smartphone at the 2013 Queensland iAwards in Australia. This premier technology awards program is aimed at recognizing the contribution of information and communications technology.
The winning team included Tommi Sullivan, Michael Lennon and Yukito Tsunoda, who have been developing their project at Griffith’s Robotics Lab under the supervision of Dr Jun Jo. Sullivan said:
We think they chose our project for the unique idea of utilising Smartphone technology to guide and steer the car. A normal unmanned vehicle would usually use a camera or a different sensor or a Ladar on the top, but the uniqueness in this car is that most of the sensors are used from the mobile phone.
The team created a small prototype model of the autonomous car and designed some of its components using 3D printer technology. They expect to have a test model on the road in time for the Griffith University Open Day on August 11th so visitors can see it in action.
Their ultimate goal is to see the smartphone-controlled car driven in a public environment. You can see the team and their prototype in the video below:


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As the calendar prepares to turn from one year into another, it’s time to look ahead to what hybrid vehicles will be the best choice (i.e. most fuel efficient) for consumers in 2014. In general, the fuel efficiency of cars gets better with each model year. That holds true for […]
Current news on eco friendly cars. Information and upcoming ideas for environmentally friendly cars, and other eco friendly vehicles.
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It’s been called peculiar, outrageous, and even bison-esque. Everyone may have a different opinion on the aesthetics...
He’s already a major star in Hollywood, but longtime environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio is interested in more...
Photo: flickr Many people rely on their cars as a mode of transport but very few consider using other options, which...
Thinking of buying an electric car to save either the planet, or some money, or both? According to the Mitsubishi Motors Australia online pricing calculator, the driveaway price of a new plug-in i-MiEV electric car is a staggering $53,230. That’s roughly the same as you’d pay for a high-performance Ralliart […]Read more ›
If 3D car printing sounds like sci-fi to you, it’s the here and now. Engineers have found ways to build not just cars, but auto parts and restoration models using CAD drawings, 3D printers and molten polymer. Will these 3D cars and parts change the auto industry as we know […]Read more ›
They’re not the M&M we’re used to hearing about in North America, but Mahindra & Mahindra, the largest utility vehicle maker in India, is developing hybrid technology that could be a global game-changer. The company is currently working on creating machinery that can be deployed in vehicles with manual transmissions, […]Read more ›
In a year when electric car sales have continued on an upward trajectory, Chevrolet and Nissan both reported having their “best November ever” with the hybrid versions of their Volt and Leaf respectively. Nissan sold 2,003 Leafs in November, which exceeds their October total by one car. Chevrolet reported 1,920 […]Read more ›
Buying a hybrid car is one of the best ways of reducing your environmental footprint, and can also dramatically reduce your ongoing costs of driving. However, hybrids do have a reputation of being staid family cars, without the get-up-and-go that you see in a traditional high-performance vehicle. Sure, sports cars […]Read more ›
More and more consumers are examining hybrid car technologies for their next vehicle choice because of their purported advantages for the environment. But Jigar Shah, an entrepreneur focused on the growth of energy initiatives, would like to issue a rebuttal to such claims, calling hybrids “overrated.” The former speaker for […]Read more ›


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iHeart Hails “Virtual Reality for the Ears” Company launches a big 3D audio effort for binaural podcasting iHeartRadio has launched a big 3D audio effort and announced a “strategic expansion into binaural podcasting.” It promises to put listeners “into the middle of an audio soundscape, immersing them in the story like never before.” It released this audio sample to promote it. “Put your headphones on,” it states. The company plans to introduce a slate of podcasts using this technique. “Binaural, or 3D audio, creates a sens