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The Korea Herald reports that 2019 will be a cutthroat yet exciting year for South Korea’s telecommunications industry as the introduction of faster fifth-generation telecom networks in March will bring on upheavals in their own and other industries.
The Korean mobile operators at the forefront of the 5G commercialization are widely expected to escape their traditional areas of business, mainly centering on providing high-speed internet and high-quality calls, stretching out to the media industry by providing new services enabled by the 5G network.
Compared to the current 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network, the 5G network provides 20 times faster speed for data transmission, allowing users to download a 2-gigabyte high-definition movie in less than a second.
Korea’s three mobile carriers — SK Telecom (SKT), KT and LG Uplus –in order of sales — are preparing to acquire or seek partnerships with small and mid-size broadcasters or media content startups to provide content for their respective 5G networks
SKT is forging ties with over-the-top mobile video content provider Pooq, run by the country’s three terrestrial broadcasters, in order to strengthen its own platform Oksusu that aims to rival Netflix.
SKT’s bigger plan is to spin off the Oksusu platform as one of four major subsidiaries along with the mobile network operator, and security and commerce arms.
This is also part of SKT CEO Park Jung-ho’s plan to establish an intermediary financial holding company – dubbed “ICT holding company of SK Group — that take control of the current four business areas of SKT.
KT is closely monitoring archrival SKT’s moves to start the new OTT business in a bid to lose out in the 5G content market.
KT’s New Media Business Group will be led by Kim Hoon-bae, former CEO of Genie Music — the mobile carrier’s music streaming platform — this year, which will focus on developing creative 5G content for its customers.
“KT is making efforts internally to develop content for 5G, for example the GiGA Live VR service on its IPTV platform,” said a KT official.
KT is also expanding Olleh TV subscribers’ access to TV content further to their mobile devices by launching Olleh TV Mobile application.
LG Uplus is gearing up for acquisition of CJ HelloVision, a cable TV channel provider under CJ Group, in order to enhance its cable TV business.
If LG acquires the CJ channel, it would become the second-largest cable TV service provider, beating out SKT’s Broadband with a total of 24.43 percent market share. KT is currently the market leader with a 30.86 percent share.
Taking a larger share of the pay TV market is becoming more important for the mobile carriers, because their internet protocol TV service subscribers are key customers for the home media business that would further develop into the future content business.
“Securing ideal content for the 5G network is the key to success in the new network market,” said an LG Uplus official. “We are seeking to enlarge the size of the home media business by securing more content provided by competitive third-party content providers with an ultimate goal of offering video content for 5G mobile customers, because the home media and mobile users prefer combined service plans.”
In an effort to attract around 300,000 Netflix users in Korea, LG Uplus has partnered with the US OTT business to offer access to Netflix content via its IPTV platform.
According to a report by KT Economics and Management Research Institute, the media industry is predicted to gain 3.6 trillion won in socioeconomic value by 2030 with the commercial use of 5G technology.
The report also mentioned the 5G technology will bring augmented reality and virtual reality content to end users, creating a new category in the media market.
By Song Su-hyun ([email protected]) and edited by Alan J Weissberger


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For the first time in Vietnam an entrepreneur ordered a Phantom car of the Rolls-Royce with highest price and also for the first time Mr. Colin Kelly Reglonal, Rolls-Royce's director of Asia-Pacific region visits Vietnam. Could you talk some about the operation of Rolls-Royce? The Rolls-Royce has started for 102 years in the United Kingdom. So far only 100,000 Rolls-Royce cars have been produced. However, their value has increased as time passes by. Biggest markets for Rolls-Royce are the US, the Middle East and the mother country. Rolls-Royce's customers are rich industrial bosses, traders' families, singing stars, movie stars and sports stars. We have established 80 agents with 6,000 staff all over the world. In 2007, we produced 1,010 cars. In Asia-Pacific region, we have three branches in China, Singapore and Japan. For the first time in Vietnam one customer orders a Phantom car of the Rolls-Royce worth 500,000 USD. Could you talk about the particularities of the car? Phantom car … [Read more...] about Rolls-Royce Phantom director: Vietnam is our destination
Rolls royce phantom most expensive car
British carmaker Rolls-Royce on Wednesday sold the most valuable car it brought to Vietnam at the launch of its first official showroom in Hanoi, the capital city of the Southeast Asian country. … [Read more...] about Rolls-Royce sells priciest car at launch in Hanoi
VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnamese businessmen not only have big money and power, but they also know well how to use the money to entertain themselves and show up their upper class. The man who kicks off the private helicopter movement At that moment, Duc was listed among the Vietnamese most influential businessmen with the hugest assets. He was then also topped the list of the Vietnamese 100 stock millionaires. When asked why he spent so much money to buy a helicopter, Duc said he needed it for his business. "I bought it for my business, not just to satisfy my habit. I don't have so much money to buy an aircraft just to go sightseeing on it," he said. The second man who owns private aircraft In 2010, the second private helicopter officially appeared in Vietnam. It was a helicopter of Tran Dinh Long, President of Hoa Phat Group who bought it for VND17.4 billion. The time when Long bought the helicopter also marked an important milestone in his life: his name was listed among the … [Read more...] about The Vietnamese most famous “men of pleasure”
A 2008 model Rolls-Royce Phantom arrived at Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport just a few days ago. Worth US$1.5 million after tax, it took the title of Vietnam's most expensive car. Vietnam's high fliers are snapping up luxury cars, such as these BMWs, like never before. … [Read more...] about Phantom drives Vietnam’s car craze to new heights
City bids fond farewell to Year of the Pig (06-02-2008) 2007 was a year of robust development and growing prosperity for the nation's largest city. HCM CITY — Downtown HCM City is overflowing with locals and foreigners streaming in to enjoy the tree-lined streets decorated with lanterns, decorative balloons, flower displays and terra-cotta figures of the rat, the zodiac animal this lunar new year. Markets and supermarkets were still overcrowded with shoppers hastily stocking up on food, fruit and clothes bought with last-minute Tet work bonuses. "During the last two weeks, sales of goods at our supermarket chains have increased by 40 to 50 per cent," says a manager of a Co-op mart store. The city of 8 million is celebrating the end of a record economic year, which had a growth rate of 12.6 per cent, the highest in the last ten years despite various challenges brought by globalisation. "That figure makes up 21 per cent of the nation's GDP," said Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the city … [Read more...] about City bids fond farewell to Year of the Pig
Ryu Hashimoto, Japanese, HCM City I saw big size paper motorcycles, cars, mobile phones and houses burnt as offerings when I came to Viet Nam. After my Vietnamese wife explained things, I realised comparisons could be made with the Bon festival in the middle of August. Next week Over the past few years, privately-owned apartments have been traded illegally in Viet Nam, especially in big cities like Ha Noi. This business is likely to be made legal following the decree that recognises these mini-apartments and has since caused prices for them to skyrocket. These apartments are in high demand as many people, especially those with middle-incomes, can afford them when most of the land and houses in Ha Noi are very expensive. The demand for mini-apartments has almost doubled that of normal apartments, which only wealthy people can afford. Clients who buy these apartments are usually newly married couples, migrants and students. Most of the apartments are located in crowed residential … [Read more...] about Are offerings to the dearly departed getting out of hand?
Next week Have you ever seen a Rolls Royce Phantom being sold for VND200,000 (US$10) on the streets of Ha Noi? Does that seem too cheap? What do you think about people buying a paper version of the car only to burn it with the hope that people in the other world will be able to ride in a "real" Rolls Royce? Every July 15 according to the lunar calendar (this year it fell on August 24 on the Gregorian calendar), Vietnamese people have a tradition of holding a ceremony to worship their ancestors' spirits in the other world. The ceremony is calledVu Lan (Thanksgiving). During the Vu Lan ceremony, and most other ancestor worshipping ceremonies as well, people burn paper products with the belief their ancestors will receive them. In the past, people only burned paper money and paper-clothes. However, these days they also burn paper replicas of the most modern cars, villas, and air-conditioners available. The original rituals were meant to be modest and reveal the good attitude people felt … [Read more...] about Viet Nam must deal with waste time-bomb
Luxury villas, flatscreen TVs and mobile phones will all go up in smoke this Tet lunar New Year as newly affluent Vietnamese burn paper models of the latest mod-cons for their dead relatives. In a sign of Vietnam's growing wealth, especially in the big cities, the product range of 'hang ma' votive offerings burnt for ancestors has shifted from common household items to a catalogue of high-end luxury goods. Peach blossom, as seen here in Hanoi, is a popular decorative item during the Lunar New Year festival … [Read more...] about Mod-cons for the dead a sign of good life in modern Vietnam
VietNamNet Bridge ' Having private aircraft, possessing islands, traveling in a Rolls & Royce, owning yachts and attracting the media like the portraits of the showbiz world ' this is the common portrait of the Vietnamese millionaires. The villas in West Lake area … [Read more...] about How rich are the Vietnamese millionaires?
1.The Vietnam Motor Show 2014 saw record sales with more than 560 sales contracts signed during the five-day event, double the number recorded at the 2013 show. This trend is seen as a positive indicator of the domestic automobile industry's recovery.2. The Vietnam Motorbike Festival 2014 attracted many famous brands including Ducati, KTM and Benelli. The event organiser held two competitions: Art of Speed and Pimp My Ride. The Art of Speed contest was open to beautiful motorbike models modified by motorbike enthusiasts. The winner, who received the "best of the best" award, was chosen according to criteria such as design concept, the style of fine-tuning, the body kit, the graphic design, and the accessories. Meanwhile, the Pimp My Ride contest evaluated the most unique design ideas of the year. Based on the submitted concept and design sketch, the organiser selected the best entry and put the designer in touch with producers seeking good designs. 3. The Vietnam General … [Read more...] about Viet Nam’s top 10 auto events of 2014

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Despite the fact that online gambling is legal in some countries, the morality of the activity is still a subject of debate. While some people see it as a harmless and fun pastime, others feel that it threatens their well-being. To ensure that people do not get ripped off, most gambling sites encourage fair play, offer self-exclusion and loss limits, and are regulated by reputable bodies. However, many still question the ethicality of gambling, even as it continues to grow in popularity.
The fact is that the internet is a very profitable industry, with revenues in the hundreds of millions of dollars. As of 2007, 6 percent of the UK population used the internet to gamble. With the growing popularity of online gambling, governments are attempting to regulate it and make it legal. Nonetheless, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act would prohibit the practice for U.S. citizens. In response to the problem, more countries are implementing their own laws on online gambling.
In order to control online gambling, governments should ensure that the industry is properly regulated. A lack of regulation in this industry can lead to a dangerously addictive lifestyle. In the 1990s, online gambling appeared to be a legal way to get around government control. Operators could set up shop in offshore jurisdictions, allowing anyone with a web browser to access online gambling sites and place wagers. As a result, the Department of Justice and Congress looked into the issue and passed legislation to regulate the industry.
While states have largely ignored the issue, other countries are taking action to limit online gambling. Some states have legalized gambling in some form, and others have not. For instance, Utah is a state with a large Mormon population, so enacting laws on gambling on Indian reservations is unlikely to be legal. In addition, Hawaii residents have expressed concerns that gambling could affect family relations. In Idaho, there has been very little interest in legalizing the practice.
In New Jersey, for example, online casinos have generated more than $80 million in tax revenue each month. Since the online gambling industry started booming in the state, residents are putting forth initiatives that aim to change the state’s view on iGaming. New York can learn from New Jersey’s success and implement similar laws in their state. While the legality of online casinos in New Jersey remains an open question, the benefits of online gambling will continue to increase.
In New Jersey, online sports betting and poker are legal. The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement oversees the internet gambling industry in the Garden State. This was the first state to legalize internet gambling. New Jersey also became the first state to legalize online sports betting in the US. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regulates online poker in Pennsylvania. In addition to Nevada and New Jersey, online poker has been growing in the Keystone State. If you live in any of these states, make sure you check out the legality of online gambling in your area.


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Mercedes-Benz is delaying the US release of its electric EQC SUV from the first quarter of 2020 to 2021, Automotive News first reported.
Tesla is facing mounting pressure as Audi, Mercedes, and Volkswagen ramp up their push into electric cars
Electric vehicles from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen have reached significant milestones in recent weeks.
Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche expects the Mercedes-Benz EQC electric SUV to be sold out in 2019 and likely in 2020, Electrek reports.
Daimler and Tesla have said they will begin the production of electric vehicles in China next year.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its EQC electric SUV on Tuesday. According to the automaker, the EQC will have two motors that generate 564 pound-feet of torque, 402 horsepower, and the ability to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds.


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“The pandemic has taken a lot of lives and continues to do so. It has definitely changed the way everyone looks at everything, and travel is one of them,” said Darshan Dudhoria, Co-Owner, Bari Kothi, Murshidabad, West Bengal.
At Bari Kothi, over the last month, among all the queries received, a large number has been from the domestic market – from booking the entire palace for a family retreat to a special anniversary or a birthday. These queries, till last year, would have formed 10% of the total queries, and now it is 80% of the queries.
The standalone properties and retreats which majorly offer experiential stays used to receive international guests as their major clientele. But, with international travel at a standstill, all such properties will have to learn to cater to the domestic market. “Luckily, The Lodge at Wah was built on domestic travellers, and they have been our biggest supporters in sharing their positive experience,” Upasana Todi Prakash, Owner, The Lodge at Wah, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh said.
According to Skyscanner, 2019 was all about solo trips and micro escapes, but the leading travel trend for 2020 was anticipated to be slow travel, which saw growth of 38% for Indian travellers opting to travel more slowly.
“World travellers have travelled everywhere and now is the chance to travel and explore within their own country.The trend is definitely changing,” said Ravi Rajpal, Owner, Ramathra Fort, Sapotara, Karauli, Rajasthan.


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Gaming chairs, which originally took inspiration from race car bucket seats, are getting some overdue recognition from Nissan. The car-maker recently dropped concept art for three different gaming chair models on Twitter.
The concepts — a collaboration with FaZe Clan and OpTic Gaming — take their inspiration from three specific Nissan cars — the GT-R NISMO, Armada, and LEAF — and are named as such.
As expected of the long-time race car designer and manufacturer, the designs break away from the mainstream looks that many gamers have associated with gaming chairs.
Like their namesakes, each concept comes with distinctive designs and functions.
The GT-R NISMO has a built-in audio system and carbon fiber shell, an idea that is likely good for short matches. The Armada has climate control and lumbar support, ensuring gamers get maximum comfort for long game sessions. As for the LEAF, it sports a USB charging port and an integrated leg rest, making it suitable for casual gaming.
Without any word on actual production plans or release dates, it seems that Nissan is only testing the waters with these concept gaming chairs so far. They picked a great time to do so, though — posting the above tweet, and then this Twitter poll to gauge interest, at least from their online following.


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Hydrovolt, the joint venture between Swedish battery startup Northvolt and aluminium producer Norsk Hydro, has commissioned its disassembly and pre-processing plant for EV batteries in Fredrikstad, Norway. The plant will be able to process 12,000 tonnes of battery packs and is expected to produce 2,000 tonnes of black mass annually. According to Hydrovolt the 2,000 tonne capacity will be met in 2025.
The plant in Fredrikstad is co-located with Batteriretur, Norway's largest compliance scheme for portable batteries and equally the largest collector of automotive and EV batteries in Norway. Batteriretur has also disassembled EV batteries and will continue to do so, now within Hydrovolt.
According to Hydrovolt the new system which has been delivered by BHS Sonthofen will be able to recover and isolate around 95% of the components and materials including, plastics, copper, aluminium and the black mass. A dust collection system ensures valuable material in the dust are captured. The black mass will then be further processed at Northvolt's subsidiary Revolt's new plant adjacent to the company first battery plant in Skellefteå, Sweden. Aluminium from the process will be sent to Hydro for further refining.
By the opening of the plant Hydrovolt announced it is exploring an expansion of recycling capacity within Europe, with a long-term target to recycle approximately 70,000 tons of battery packs by 2025 and 300,000 tons of battery packs by 2030.
With commissioned plant the pre-processing capacity in Europe is increasing to 92,000 tonnes which is set to double by the end of 2023.
Read more about Hydrovolt's new plant here:https://hydrovolt.com/europes-largest-electric-vehicle-battery-recycling-plant-begins-operations/


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The Olympics ended last night with a bang. While the two-week international sporting competition garnered some 150 million tweets, and Usain Bolt was the most talked about athlete, a “relic” of the past stole the show. The Spice Girls reunion during the Closing Ceremony yielded 116,000 tweets per minute. For perspective, the biggest moments during the Games, Bolt’s winning of gold in the 100m and 200m sprints only had 74,000 and 80,000 tweets per minute, respectively. Despite all the braying about NBC’s tape delay, TV was a big winner.
The relationship between TV and the social Web is put under a microscope during these types of big events. While one in five viewers watched multiple screens at the same time, there was some loud rumbling coming from critics: You can’t tape delay in the Social Age. Apparently this was a vocal minority, as Pew found that 76 percent of 1,000 respondents thought the coverage as excellent or good. And it seemed that people didn’t mind knowing the outcome (or somehow refrained from seeing spoilers) and still watched at prime time: NBC averaged about 31 million viewers each night, up 12 percent from Beijing, according to the LA Times. Live streams accounted for 8.56 million streams, significantly less than the TV audience.
And this is what matters. The discrepancy between online viewing and TV viewing is big money. According to USA Today, NBC’s TV ad revenue was pushed over the $1 billion mark (80 percent comes from prime-time viewing). Compare that to digital ad sales, which is around $60 million, and it’s easy to see why as much as these games were touted as the first social games, TV — number of viewers, amount of money changing hands — is still king.
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Apple Inc. Current Affairs - 2020
After reporting its blockbuster Quarterly result stock of Apple Inc increased 10% to a record high making Apple world’s most valuable publicly listed company. The company has shown a great recovery from its low-point in March during the pandemic.
As per the share count provided by Apple Inc. Its stock closed at $425.04 putting company’s market capitalization at $1.82 trillion. Even Saudi Arabia’s State-owned Saudi Aramco which had been the most valuable publicly listed company since the time it went public last year had a market capitalization of $1.760 trillion. This unprecedented event which added $172 billion was Apple’s largest one-day percentage gain since March 13. It was even greater than the entire stock market value of Oracle group;
Amid the current pandemic when everywhere there is a surge for electronic devices for working online, the company saw increased demand for its devices. Its total revenue for Q3 hit $59.7 billion, which is 11 per cent higher from the last financial year. Strong Mac and iPad sales were a highlight. The company also announced a four-for-one stock split as part of its Q3 earnings, which will decrease the price of an individual stock.
Tags: Apple Inc. • Saudi Aramco • Steve Jobs • Tim Cook • World's most publicly valuable company
US technology giant Apple Inc. became the first company to reach a market value of $700 billion.
It was able to hit this milestone after its shares rose 1.9 per cent and closing at $122.02, which in turn increased company’s market value to $710 billion.
Earlier in January 2015, Apple Inc had recorded highest quarterly profit of 18 billion US dollar in corporate history worldwide after the company sold 74.5 million iPhones in quarter ending December 2014.
With its $710 billion market value Apple is far ahead from the number two company, oil giant Exxon Mobil, which is worth around $382 billion in terms of market value.
About Apple Inc
- Apple Inc. is California based technology giant that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, online services, and personal computers.
- It is best-known for its niche hardware products which includes Mac line of computers, the iPod media player, the iPhone smartphone, and the iPad tablet computer.
- Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976 to develop and sell personal computers. Later in 1977, it was incorporated as Apple Computer.
- It was renamed as Apple Inc. in 2007, to reflect its shifted focus towards consumer electronics.
- At present, Apple is the world’s second-largest information technology company by revenue after Samsung Electronics, and the world’s third-largest mobile phone maker.


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Netflix has released numbers for some of its films and series — a show of strength to investors ahead of upcoming streaming wars with Disney and AT&T.
Bird Box, which Netflix previously reported accrued more than 45 million unique account streams seven days after its release, has now surpassed 80 million views, according to CEO Reed Hastings’ letter to investors. You, a Lifetime series that Netflix has purchased the rights to, will surpass 40 million household streams within the first four weeks of its release. The same goes for new Netflix original series, Sex Education. Hastings’ letter states that Netflix accounts for 10 percent of all television viewing in the United States.
It’s an impressive feat, and one that Hastings really wants to hammer home for investors as the streaming wars gear up. Disney is planning to launch its standalone streaming service, Disney+, this fall; WarnerMedia’s streaming service will also launch later this year; NBCUniversal and Comcast are working on their own service, and that doesn’t even account for streaming platforms like CBS All Access and Hulu — the latter of which has seen spectacular growth over the last year. Hastings isn’t worried.
“We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO,” Hastings’ letter reads. “Our focus is not on Disney+, Amazon or others, but on how we can improve our experience for our members.”
Hastings notes that other streaming services, like Hulu, also don’t have the international advantage that Netflix does. The majority of Netflix’s subscribers are based internationally, and the company is gearing up to invest even more heavily in original content around the world. Disney CEO Bob Iger has made clear his ambitions to bring Hulu international once the company gains a controlling majority stake when its acquisition of 21st Century Fox closes, but Netflix is staying committed to its strategy of original content to keep subscribers happy and grow its base.
That means providing users with content just as good as exclusive originals and fan favorites that may exist only on services like Disney+. Hastings acknowledges that content owners might choose to keep their movies and shows exclusive to their own platforms in the months and years ahead.
“We are ready to pay top-of-market prices for second run content when the studios, networks, and producers are willing to sell, but we are also prepared to keep our members ecstatic with our incredible original content if others choose to retain their content for their own services,” Hastings said.
Netflix has added approximately 9 million subscribers since last quarter, but is expecting a bit of a slow down following recent news that subscription prices are set to increase in the United States. Still, even that is part of Hastings’ plan to invest in content.
“Price is all relative to value,” Hastings said in late 2017, the last time American subscribers saw an increase. “We’re continuing to increase the content offering and we’re seeing that reflected in viewing around the world.”
Netflix is gearing up to launch even more original series and films in 2019.


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Automotive News Europe/Reuters, 25th August, 2010
BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Top Chinese automaker SAIC Motor’s second-quarter net profit jumped 266 percent to a record high due to demand fueled by Government incentives. But a slowdown in the world’s biggest auto market has raised concerns the company faces a bumpy road ahead.
Most Chinese auto groups from Dongfeng Motor Group Co. to Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. have been on a run since 2009 as incentives pushed auto sales to record levels. However, the frantic expansion has moderated since May, with the situation deteriorating further in June and July.
“The summer months are a big challenge for all industry players – it’s the slow season,” said Zhang Xin, an analyst with Guotai Junan Securities. “A slowing economy and last year’s high comparative base also make it difficult for anyone to match the runaway sales growth of a year ago in the second half.”
The summer months are a big challenge for all industry players – it’s the slow season. A slowing economy and last year’s high comparative base also make it difficult for anyone to match the runaway sales growth of a year ago in the second half.” Zhang Xin, Analyst, Guotai Junan Securities
SAIC Motor, which runs manufacturing ventures with Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co., is holding up relatively well due to its partners’ aggressive push for new models, which has helped attract buyers to showrooms, analysts said. The company’s broad portfolio of sedans, trucks, buses, SUVs, MPVs and minivans also makes it more resilient than peers who make only cars, they added.
The automaker sold 24.6 percent more vehicles in July than a year earlier, its slowest monthly gain so far this year but still far better than the overall market’s 14.4 percent rise.
In its stock exchange filing on Wednesday, SAIC Motor did not give earnings guidance for the second half or the full year. It warned about uncertainties ahead but also noted positive factors such as Beijing’s policy incentives which remain in effect through year’s end.
“Based on the favourable and unfavourable factors, we expect the domestic auto market to resume its stable and normal growth pattern this year,” SAIC Motor said. “Full-year vehicle sales (nationwide) will exceed 16 million units, up over 17 percent from a year earlier.”
Based on the favourable and unfavourable factors, we expect the domestic auto market to resume its stable and normal growth pattern this year. Full-year vehicle sales (nationwide) will exceed 16 million units, up over 17 percent from a year earlier.” An official SAIC Motor statement
Chairman Hu Maoyuan told shareholders last month that SAIC Motor is confident of hitting its 2010 sales target of 3 million vehicles. That would set SAIC Motor apart from Warren Buffett-backed BYD Co., which slashed its 2010 sales target by 25 percent after its June auto sales fell by about a one-fifth from May.
From April to June, SAIC Motor booked 3 billion yuan ($441.4 million) in net profit, its biggest quarterly earnings ever and a touch ahead of an average forecast of 2.9 billion yuan from three analysts surveyed by Reuters. Its year-ago quarterly earnings totaled 818.9 million yuan. The Shanghai-based automaker had said in July it expected a more than 300 percent jump in first-half earnings.
Before the results, SAIC Motor shares traded in Shanghai closed down 2.6 percent at 15.6 yuan, better than a 2.0 percent fall of the benchmark index. The stock has dropped 22.4 percent this year versus an 20.8 percent fall in the wider market.
[Source: Automotive News Europe/Reuters]
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One of the great things about the choice of mobile phone options right now is that no matter what you want, there's always something out there that's perfect for you. Whether you're looking for a budget device just to keep you in touch with your mates or an all-singing, all-dancing top-of-the-line powerhouse, the chances are you won't have to make compromises to get the handset you want.
And one trend that's really in vogue right now is phone-makers taking their flagship devices and putting them on a crash diet, to offer users all the features and style they want from a premium smartphone, but in a smaller package. And if you're one of those people who struggle to fit the latest generation of five-inch plus products in your pocket or your hand, these are great choices.
So then its no surprise that all the manufacturers are getting in on this action, and the latest to join the party is LG, which has just unveiled a new, smaller version of its flagship G3 device aimed at the mid-tier market, as a competitor to gadgets such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 mini and the HTC One mini.
This could be excellent news for tech fans, as amongst the current generation of high-end smartphones, the G3 is one of the best. Reviewers have praised it for its powerful camera, smooth curved design and comparatively affordable price. Add a couple of LG G3 accessories to it and it's a phone for any occassion. So it's surely great news then, that all this goodness is now available in a smaller, cheaper package, yes?
Not exactly a mini
But the thing is, the first thing you'll notice about the new 'mini' version of the G3 – officially introduced as the G3 Beats in Korea and set to be labelled the G3 s when it hits shelves in Europe – is that it's not actually that mini.
In fact, the smaller version of LG's top-of-the-line phone is still a hefty five inches across. And while yes, this is undeniably smaller than the 5.3-inch display found on the standard G3, you'd be hard-pushed to tell the difference without a ruler.
By comparison, the smaller versions of the Galaxy S5 and the HTC One measure in at 4.5-inches – the same size as the premium iPhone 5s – and the G3 s is still the equal of the HTC One (M8) in terms of size. So if it's a tiny, inconspicuous handset you could lose in a handbag you were after, you may want to keep looking.
As is traditional with smaller-screened devices, LG has also stripped out some of the high-end specifications from the LG G3 as well – all part of its drive to make the phone more affordable for a mid-tier audience. So instead of the 2.5GHz quad-core processor found in its big brother, the G3 s makes do with a 1.3GHz chip. Meanwhile, its RAM has also been reduced from the G3's 2GB (on the smaller 16G memory model) to just 1GB.
It hasn't lost everything though. For starters, it still has the immensely impressive laser auto focus camera that makes the G3 one of the best smartphone cameras you can buy. This accurately measures the distance between the device and the subject and instantly adjusts the focus accordingly, so even the most careless snapper will find blurry shots a thing of the past.
For the selfie-obsessed (you know who you are), it also comes with a Gesture Shot feature, which allows you to start a three-second countdown simply by clenching their hand in front of the screen before the picture is snapped, while Touch & Shoot lets users simply touch anywhere on the display to automatically focus and shoot an image, reducing a two-step process to just one.
Is it worth it?
While we won't be able to tell exactly how it'll function until it hits shelves in the weeks following it's Korean launch on July 18th, anyone expecting a blisteringly-fast device should probably think again.
But if you're after a mid-range device with a price to match – yet still has the classy design and large screen offered by premium phones – the LG G3 s could be the perfect way to enjoy high-quality photos and video without breaking the bank.
And Dr Jong-seok Park, president and chief executive of LG Mobile, clearly has high hopes for the device, noting it will be ideal for consumers who want "the best balance of looks, features, performance and, of course, price".
He added: "The [LG G3 s] represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven branding, great innovation and attractive price, all in a single device."


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Tumblr has launched its first shopping site, Of a Kind. Although it’s no easy feat to compete with the hype over Google’s foray into fashion, Tumblr more than holds its own when it comes to its shopping concept. Referred to as an “art gallery for emerging designers,” Of a Kind exclusively stocks limited edition products. One designer is featured each week, and items in numbered editions of five to 50 are offered from his or her collection. Prices will range from $50 to $500.
The idea for the site was inspired by cult-fave concept store Opening Ceremony and 20×200, which sells affordable prints from emerging fine artists. Chief executive officer and Tumblr co-founder Claire Mazur further explained that Tumblr sees Of a Kind as a way to “promote emerging fashion designers through e-commerce and editorial content.”
Currently focused on accessories, the easiest starting off point since there’s no sizing involved, the plan is to slowly add clothing. All of the production is funded by the shopping site (which uses Shopify to integrate the e-commerce), making it a low-risk option for the participating designers. The first designers featured are Mandy Coon, Lizzie Fortunato Jewels, Dusen Dusen, and Symmetry Goods.


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Aquarium Software hiring new talent to support continued business growth
Due to dramatic business growth this year, Aquarium Software is hiring new talent to join its team. Since Q1 of 2016, the company has experienced a significant increase in business from both new and existing clients. Aquarium Software integrates, configures and hosts its innovative cloud based business process platform for global contact centres, the insurance and finance sectors, and any volume process business where robotic process automation can add value.
The company, which describes itself as visionary, is seeking to attract a number of exceptional new people to join its established UK team, based from its head office in Manchester. Operations director, Andrew Sherwin, commented: “This year has been very strong, and we predict further fast growth over the coming years; this is our ten year anniversary, and it’s an exciting time.”
Aquarium credits its growth to its innovative approach, global outlook, commitment to great customer service, and the ability to translate the essentials of the business sector into the most agile and secure cloud platform solution. The company, based in Cheshire, UK, was founded in 2006 by a group of entrepreneurial technologists and has evolved to be one of the foremost global cloud platform companies operating in niche markets such as pet, travel and gadget insurance.
Ed Shropshire, managing director of Aquarium Software, said: “As a team, we’re driven, creative and collaborative. We’re now looking to attract super-talented individuals who want to work at the forefront of business process management technologies, in a fast-paced environment. If you think you have the drive to be a part of our team, get in touch.”


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CNBC's Julia Boorstin reports the FTC is suing Amazon.com over in-app purchases by children.» Read More
As you put cookies out for Santa Christmas Eve, be sure to get bandages and hydrogen peroxide ready, too.
As Goldman Sachs reports that Amazon, Walmart and Target are starting to run out of toys, you may be in for a desperate hunt to fill junior's stocking over the next couple of days. But don't get too desperate...
Stocks rallied to new highs as the S&P 500 Index reached its highest close since Lehman Brothers went bankrupt in September 2008 amid light trading and several strong earnings reports. Bank of America and JPMorgan rose, while 3M fell.
Stocks reached new highs on modest gains Tuesday amid light trading and a series of good earnings reports and in the absence of key economic data. JPMorgan and Bank of America rose, while 3M fell.
The FCC voted to approve the first ever broad regulations of the Internet, but they were adopted reluctantly—the rules have been so adapted and compromised that people on both sides of the aisle are frustrated.
If bad girls and boys end up with coal in their stockings, this may be the year to be very, very bad.
Here's why you should keep a close eye on these six stocks.
Today the Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote in favor of "net neutrality" which will prohibit broadband providers from being the ultimate deciders of their Internet traffic.
Cramer looks at both sides and makes the call.
According to the Fast traders there's every reason to expect the market to continue its march higher into year's end.
Stocks traded mixed ahead in lackluster trading, although the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit new two-year highs on thin gains amid a lack of economic news. Alcoa and 3M rose, while American Express fell.
Stocks traded narrowly mixed amid thin trading and a lack of economic news as stocks struggled to move beyond recent highs. 3M and Alcoa rose, while AmEx fell.
Plus, get calls on Google, Jabil Circuit and more.
After activist investor Carl Icahn raised his stake in this stock, "DRJ" said options took off.
This holiday season, consumers are beginning to shop and make purchases on their mobile phones. The shift from buying presents in front of the computer at home or work to doing it during bus commutes or while standing in line at cafes is small, but, for the first time, noticeable and even significant. Tthe New York Times reports.
The fight over collecting online sales tax is an ongoing issue that is especially heated this holiday season as online retail sales hit new records—and taxes goes uncollected.
Here's the "Final Trade," where the "Fast Money" traders give you their best plays for the next day of trading.
Alain Ducasse, French celebrity chef, has launched a new iPhone and iPad application serving diners a more customizable taste of his haute gastronomy.
Could Best Buy’s pain be Amazon’s gain?
It'll be a big 2011 for Twitter — the company just closed a new round of $200 million in financing that values the company at $3.7 billion.


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A new study from researchers in Germany has determined that dairy cows that were fed industrial hemp produced milk with detectable levels of delta-9 THC, the cannabis compound most closely associated with the high produced by marijuana. The cows also exhibited behavioral changes, indicating that the animals might have been feeling the effects of the cannabinoids contained in the hemp feed.
“This is important, as we had no data to know to what extent cannabinoids entered the milk of dairy cows,” Michael Kleinhenz, an assistant professor in beef production medicine at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine who was not involved in the research, told NewScientist.
To conduct the study, researchers at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment fed 10 lactating dairy cows differing amounts of hemp feed containing a range of cannabinoid concentrations. The cows were studied over a period of weeks, with researchers collecting data on the animals’ behavior and conducting lab analysis on blood, milk, and fecal samples.
The researchers determined that the type of hemp feed given to the dairy cows played a role in the effect the feed had on the animals. Cows that were fed fermented feed made from whole hemp plants showed few differences compared to dairy cows given a traditional diet of corn feed.
However, the cows that were given feed made from cannabinoid-rich hemp leaves, flowers, and seeds exhibited noticeable behavioral changes. Additionally, the milk from the cows showed detectable levels of several cannabinoids including delta-9 THC. According to the researchers’ calculations, these cows consumed up to 86 times the amount of THC that is required to get humans high.
The effects observed by the researchers included slower heart rate and breathing, “pronounced tongue play, increased yawning, salivation, nasal secretion formation,” and reddening of a portion of the eyes, the report states. Some animals “displayed careful, occasionally unsteady gait, unusually long standing and abnormal posture.”
Robert Pieper, head of the department of food chain safety for the German institute and co-author of the new study, said that the cows that were given the hemp feed also ate less and produced less milk.
“That is a strong effect on animal health,” Pieper said, according to a report from The Washington Post. “Not a positive effect.”
Kleinhenz has conducted research on steers that were fed hemp at Kansas State University and noted that the animals tended to become calmer.
“We don’t know if they have that buzz or whatnot,” Kleinhenz said. But he added that the cattle have lower levels of stress hormones. He believes that the cannabinoids in the feed reduce stress, but “we still have to figure out that mechanism in animals.”
Hemp was legalized in the United States with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. But so far, the Food and Drug Administration has failed to allow cannabinoids including CBD into the U.S. food supply. Similarly, federal regulators have not yet approved animal feed made from hemp.
More Research Needed
Jeffrey Steiner, director of Oregon State University’s Global Hemp Innovation Center, has experimented with hemp as a feed supplement for dairy cows, sheep, and poultry. But he noted that the research only began in 2019 and several more years of study are needed before hemp animal feeds are approved by regulators.
“You’re not going to see CBD-enhanced milk on the shelf for a long time,” said Steiner, who did not have a role in the German study.
Serkan Ates, an agronomist at Oregon State University, Corvallis, has studied hemp consumption in cows, lambs, and chickens. He says that because of the potential to pass on cannabinoids in milk, “it may not be possible to feed this to high-yielding dairy cows.”
“But there is plenty of low-hanging fruit to explore, like feeding hemp to non–food-producing animals like heifers or young lambs,” Ates said.
Erica Stark, executive director of the National Hemp Association, said that high-quality animal feed can be made from hemp if regulators eventually give the nod.
“It’s going to be such a really large market,” Stark said. “There’s actually animal feed shortages in this country right now, ramifications of what’s happening in Ukraine, droughts and other crop failures.”
The study, “Transfer of cannabinoids into the milk of dairy cows fed with industrial hemp could lead to Δ9-THC exposure that exceeds acute reference dose,” was published online on November 14 by the peer-reviewed journal Nature Food.


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The Forest Hills housing market continues to recover as a result of existing-home sales improving with low inventory supply pushing home prices upward. Momentum continues to build in the housing market from growing jobs and a bursting out of household formation. With lower rental vacancy rates and rising rents, combined with historically favorable affordability conditions, more people are buying homes in Forest Hills.
There are good signs that 2013 will be a year of recovery for the Forest Hills housing market. 2012 was a good year that ended in a positive territory, and if 2013 is anything like 2012, it could mean we are headed for a strong rebound. There is an urgency to buy now as home prices continue to increase and mortgage rates are at historic lows.
While home sales are increasing, median home sale prices have remained relatively stable. However, with the decrease in inventory/month’s supply, and the increase in home sales, a modest increase in home prices could be coming soon. The decrease in inventory is a good sign for home sellers because there is less competition on the market.
Absorbtion Rate/Month’s Supply
Time it would take to sell the current inventory at the current rate of sales:
- This Month – 8.3 months
- Last Month – 14.6 months
- Last Year – 12.3 months
*6-7 Months is a sign of a stable real estate market. Under 6 months is considered a “Seller’s Market”, over 7 months is considered a “Buyer’s Market”.*
Forest Hills NY Interest Rates
This month mortgage rates are at or around 3.37%, still hovering near record lows. In terms of the monthly payment on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, a 1% increase in interest rate is the equivalent to a 10% increase in price. Low rates and a rebounding market have put buyers in a sweet spot, fueling urgency to buy now.
Forest Hills NY Home Sales
Home sales this month increased 22.5% from last year and 44.1% from last month to a seasonally adjusted rate of 49 units, the highest level since October of 2012. The Home Sale trajectory of 2012 saw a low point of 29 units in April 2012 and peaked at 52 units in July & October 2012. All in all, there were 6 months of year-over-year increases in 2012 with 5 of them coming in the second half of the year, a sign of the market stability that was apparent in 2012.
Total Number of Homes Sold: 49
- Residential Homes Sold: 7
- Condo Homes Sold: 2
- Co-Op Homes Sold: 40
Median Sale Price: $220,000
- Residential Median Sale Price: $718,888
- Condo Median Sale Price: $379,000
- Co-Op Median Sale Price: $215,000
Pending Home sales in December increased 70.6% from last year and 87.1% from last month to a rate of 58 units. This large increase in year-over-year pending home sales is just another sign that Forest Hills home sales are in fact increasing and should continue to do so into the first quarter of 2013. All in all, in 2012 there were 8 months of year-over-year pending home sale increases, a strong sign of the buyer confidence experienced in 2012, a trend that should continue in 2013.
Total Number of Pending Home Sales: 58
- Residential Pending Sales: 8
- Condo Pending Sales: 4
- Co-Op Pending Sales: 50
Forest Hills NY Listing Inventory
Current active listings on the market: 351
- 60 New Co-Ops hit the market
- 2 New Condos
- 7 New Residential Homes
For more information about what’s going on in your neighborhood, contact Abigail Herrera of Keller Williams Realty Landmark.
718-968-5538 | abigailSELLS@kw.com


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The FDA Will Decide Whether 26 Ingredients Count As Fiber
What counts as dietary fiber? That's up for debate.
The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing 26 ingredients that food manufacturers use to bulk up the fiber content of processed foods to determine if there's a health benefit.
If you're a nutrition-label reader, the list includes some familiar-ish sounding ingredients — such as inulin, which is often sourced from chicory root.
Other ingredients on the "do-these-count-as-fiber?" list include gum acacia, bamboo fiber, retrograded corn starch, and — get ready for a tongue-twister — xylooligosaccharides. Some of these fibers are extracted from plant sources, while others are synthetic.
Some critics argue that the FDA should not allow these added fibers to count as fiber on nutrition facts labels.
"The food industry has hijacked the advice to eat more fiber by putting isolated, highly processed fiber into what are essentially junk foods," says Bonnie Liebman of the consumer group Center for Science in the Public Interest.
A bunch of packaged foods contain added fiber. Some examples include Fiber One bar products, some cereal and instant oatmeal products, as well as some pastas and English muffins.
Liebman says most people know that an apple is a healthier choice than a high-fiber brownie, but when they see high fiber counts on the label, "it may just be enough to convince them to go with the brownie."
Liebman argues a much better way to get the recommended 25 to 38 grams of daily fiber is to eat more foods that are naturally rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.
High-fiber diets may help protect against a range of diseases, from Type 2 diabetes and heart disease to certain types of cancer.
The FDA lists a range of health benefits linked to dietary fiber. For instance, fiber can help lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels, as well as blood pressure. Fiber can also aid laxation and bowel function, and it can promote a feeling of fullness, which may lead people to eat less.
The FDA is in the process of determining whether isolated and synthetic fibers provide a beneficial physiological effect to human health. The agency says that going forward, there must be at least one demonstrated benefit. "Only fibers that meet the definition can be declared as a dietary fiber on the Nutrition Facts label," according to this Q&A about the review process. The agency is reviewing the science.
The food industry has weighed in, pointing to the demonstrated benefits of some of these added fibers. "I think the main benefit is that they contribute to regularity and laxation," says Robert Burns, vice president of health and nutrition policy at the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Burns says most people don't consume enough fiber, so "if you can supplement [with] snack bars that people are eating, it [can] go a long way to meeting dietary recommendations."
Critics say an optimal diet is one that includes lots of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and whole grains. These foods are not only naturally rich in fiber, they also contain other beneficial compounds such as vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory compounds.
"Highly processed snack bars typically contain combinations of processed starch and added sugar. They're low in vitamins and minerals," says Dr. David Ludwig of the Harvard School of Public Health. "Just adding isolated fiber back in [to these processed foods] does not cover up for those nutritional deficiencies."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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ROSEVILLE, Minn., Jan. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In a new audio book titled Free 2 Earn 4Ever, Minnesota entrepreneur and author, S.J. August explains how world economic problems could be solved very quickly if large technology companies, like Google, Amazon, PayPal, or Apple, were to create a web platform that would allow anyone to sell online videos as if they were products. Given the tools to sell their videos, millions of video uploaders from every corner of the globe could earn money from paid video views. The book explains that earning and spending among the majority of populations supersede all other activities for a healthy economy.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/how-online-videos-could-fix-the-economy-fast-185908102.html
"Our economy coupled with the ever-expanding population of the world can no longer be sustained by traditional jobs. Politicians promise more jobs, but that mindset of putting people in traditional jobs to solve our economic problems will only impede our progress as a species," says S.J. August. "The only way to achieve a stable economic recovery from where we are today is to allow people everywhere to participate in the economy by selling their information, talents, skills, and interests in the form of online video sales."
At the company's website, http://www.Free2Earn4Ever.com, a video explains the idea. In addition, a Revenue Projection Calculator allows visitors to enter video scenarios to see the income potential with this idea. "People in every corner of our globe are full of unique information, skills, and experiences. Allowing anyone to take a video about anything and sell it as if it were a product, will give millions the freedom to earn a lot of money from their God-given talents and interests," S.J. August explains. "If a person sold 12 videos at $1 per view and each video had 1,000 paid views per month, they would earn over $140,000 per year. This is a big opportunity!"
"A person struggling financially because he or she cannot find a job due to lack of employable skills, their geographic location, or a disability, should be given the opportunity to sell videos. Someone unable to work in a traditional job may have stories, collections, or talents that people around the world would pay to watch. Maybe there is a person out there going to bed hungry, unable to pay for medical care, or whatever. What if he or she has a gift of singing, gardening, or woodworking? Instead of giving charity handouts, give that person an opportunity to earn their own money. More than money, it gives them dignity of being able to provide for themselves and not be reliant on handouts from others. It is the Teach a Man to Fish theory. What's missing is the fishing equipment."
The book is titled Free 2 Earn 4Ever and is available in paperback at Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com or as an audio book at Amazon.com, Audibles.com, and on iTunes.
SOURCE Free 2 Earn 4Ever


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Mail.Ru, the largest email service in the Russian-speaking internet segment, unveiled EGO, the biggest, most ambitious update in years. The team announced a host of new features and options, including the Smart Groups feature, grouping emails from online stores, search by category for transaction messages, reminders, the option to top up mobile phone account via the payment interface featured in the message, and quick pay button for business. The team also revealed the revamped interface and logo.
In 2018, Mail.Ru celebrates its 20th anniversary. EGO, the new development strategy, is based on the changes in the email usage paradigm. Email service is now user-centric, focused on solving specific problems.
“The role of email has changed radically. 20 years ago, internet was a huge data library and a means of communication. The only thing you could do was to chat and share data. Now internet permeates every aspect of life: there are Uber-like services, online shopping, digital content and app stores. In this world of technology, email is becoming the most important digital ID and a means of communication. As the number of digital services is growing, email becomes more and more versatile. It’s true that email stepped down as a means of chatting, passing this role on to messaging apps. Instead, email became the practical tool for handling a huge array of personal tasks,” says Anna Artamonova, Vice President for Mail.Ru Group, Head of Email and Portal Business Units.
The new development strategy for Mail.Ru is based on the 3 core concepts:
* Email must be outstanding: it must filter incoming data and help a user structure the data.
* Email must be efficient: its job is not only to notify a user, but also to offer services enabling users to solve their problems right there and then.
* Email must be guarded: it must ensure data security, as email inbox usually contains private and sensitive data.
“People receive dozens of messages to their personal email addresses, sometimes hundreds to their business email addresses. The information overload is getting worse, as various companies and services fight for users’ attention. The job of a smart email service is to protect users from unwanted messages, to filter, sort and organize that data. That’s why we developed smart tools powered by advanced machine learning technology,” says Eduard Tyantov, Head of Machine Learning Team at Mail.Ru.
Mail.Ru already features Smart Reply, the first Russian-language smart response suggestion service. The algorithm scans a message, analyzes it and suggests three potenial responses. This is a very handy option for the users who receive lots of emails and don’t have time to write long responses.
Mail.Ru now filters transaction emails (messages sent out by various businesses and services) and groups them into 6 categories: travel, orders, finance, tickets, registrations, and fines. Each category is marked by a specific icon, which makes it easier to spot a certain message in an inbox.
Users can also search by a transaction message category – for instance, one can view all travel-related emails.
The Smart Groups technology introduced by Mail.Ru groups notifications from social networks and newsletters into smart threads, decluttering the inbox and increasing the visibility of the most important messages: transaction emails and messages from the other users, which can be quickly answered thanks to the Smart Reply.
What is more, Mail.Ru now groups into a bundle all the emails related to an order by the same number. The smart machine learning algorithm extracts order numbers from messages and forms a separate thread for each order. Thus, all the info on the certain order is collected within the tread, not scattered throughout the inbox. The feature is tested for AliExpress messages and will be later expanded to all online stores.
Last but not the least, Mail.Ru introduced subscription management feature. Users can view all the newsletters they are subscribed to and unsubscribe or delete unwanted ones in a few clicks.
“We believe that email must provide solutions for everyday problems, that’s why we reimagined the very concept of email: in addition to notifying, Mail.Ru helps users solve their everyday problems right there and then. Email has turned from message exchange tool into a digital hub allowing a user to do more,” says Ivan Myzdrikov, Product Director of Mail.Ru.
A few handy features are already available and popular with users: for instance, Mail.Ru users can choose to receive notifications about traffic tickets and pay fines online without leaving the inbox, or send money to anyone with an email address, regardless of the email provider (at the moment, this feature is available in 17 countries).
It’s announced that the updated version of Mail.Ru will allow topping up mobile phone through the interface in the message. When the account balance goes below a certain limit, a user receives a notification message featuring the quick pay button.
Soon, Mail.Ru’s partners will be able to add payment interface to their emails as well. The feature is now tested by Rostelecom, ivi and Litres.
What is more, Mail.Ru will be displaying additional details: if, for example, a flight is rescheduled, Mail.Ru will notify the user in time.
Mail.Ru will also launch a recommendation system. When checking in to a flight, the email service will suggest printing out boarding pass and booking a ride to the airport.
“Inbox is a personal digital interaction hub. Data security is ensured by the whole array of solutions developed by our team. The importance of security and the sophistication of these solutions grow every year, as people entrust email with more and more data and documents,” says Andrew Sumin, CTO of Mail.Ru.
The Marshal system developed by Mail.Ru team prevents unauthorized access attempts: it employs machine learning to analyze hundreds of factors and user actions. If there is a deviation from the usual behavior, the system regards this as a hacking attempt and blocks unauthorized access.
Another serious cyber threat is phishing, fake messages from large companies. The usual phishing detection approach employs textual analysis; however, it can be insufficient if a phisher doesn’t mention a company name in the email but uses its logo instead. Mail.Ru team taught the neural network to recognize logos and added this phishing detection method to the anti-phishing system.
Security measures are being constantly improved and updated. Mail.Ru Group’s Bug Bounty has already paid $200,000 to security researchers.
Mail.Ru email service offers users all the most advanced security systems ensuring maximum data safety and preventing hacking attempts.
New options called for the new interface. The brand-new UI was made with the current design trends in mind: it’s advanced, quick and adaptive. Users can choose three-column layout, write multiple messages simultaneously in the same browser tab, collapsing them to the bottom of the screen, and use all outstanding and efficient features included in the update.
Mail.Ru email service also unveiled the new brighter logo.


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Outlast, Red Barrels Games' survival horror game, is getting a sequel. The studio announced Outlast 2 with a terrifying teaser trailer on its YouTube channel. You can watch it for yourself above, with lights on or off at your discretion.
The video doesn't reveal much, but it's the ambiguity that makes it scary. More details come from an interview with studio founder Philippe Morin.
Morin told IGN that while the game won't return players to the "pervasive darkness" of its predecessor's asylum setting, the night-vision camera mechanic will return.
A fall 2016 release for the PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One game is currently planned.


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SINGAPORE: People shopping in Changi Airport will not have to pay the 8 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) at a number of stores in its public areas in 2023, the Changi Airport Group (CAG) said on Thursday (Dec 22).
The group will continue to absorb GST together with participating tenants in the year ahead, it said in a media release.
GST in Singapore is set to increase from 7 per cent to 8 per cent from Jan 1, 2023.
To qualify for the GST absorption, shoppers have to be Changi Rewards members. Signing up for the programme is free, CAG said.
The tax absorption does not, however, extend to Jewel, restaurants, the Changi Eats online delivery service or non-participating stores such as supermarkets, CAG said.
CAG has been working with its tenants on the GST absorption initiative since 2009.
On top of the GST absorption, shoppers can also get an additional 8 per cent off their purchases under the 2XGST promotion from Jan 5 to Jan 8 and Jan 12 to Jan 15.
The 2XGST promotion, which was first launched in September 2010, applies to transactions with a minimum net value of S$30 after deducting all other discounts.
Additionally, any customer who pays using Changi's digital wallet Changi Pay will have an S$8 Changi Pay return voucher credited to their account.
More details are available on the Changi Airport website.
Ahead of Chinese New Year, shoppers can also redeem a set of rabbit-themed red packets and a 20 per cent Changi Eats promo code by spending S$80 - or S$100 at supermarkets - in a single receipt.
This promotion runs from Jan 5 to Feb 5.
CAG's General Manager for landside concessions Phau Hui Hoon said: "Shoppers can look forward to bigger savings when they shop at Changi during the 2xGST promotion in January.
"We hope this promotion will bring some cheer to them as they prepare for the festive period."


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Airbnb said Thursday that Angela Ahrendts is joining its board of directors. She’s Apple’s former retail boss and is the second woman to join the home rental company’s board. Airbnb wrote in a blog post that its goal is to have its board help it reimagine travel by “building an end-to-end travel platform that combines where you stay, what you do, and how you get there, all in one place.” The company said Ahrendts will bring to its board expertise in creativity, community building and the ability to scale. Ahrendts left Apple in April after working at the company for five years. She’d been the company’s highest-ranking and highest-profile female executive since she joined the company in 2014. In her position as Apple’s head of retail, Ahrendts oversaw more than 500 Apple stores in 25 countries. In addition to selling iPhones and Macs, she aimed to turn the stores into community gathering places. Before Apple, Ahrendts was the CEO of the luxury fashion brand Burberry. “Angela has a reputation for pushing brands to dream big, and she told me that’s exactly what she hopes to bring to Airbnb’s board,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said in a statement. Chesky said last May that the company was planning to appoint at least one female board member in the upcoming year. He said his goal was to bring more diversity to the company’s board. In August, former Disney and Pixar executive Ann Mather was the first woman added to Airbnb’s board. The majority… [Read full story]
You are here: / / Airbnb brings former Apple exec Angela Ahrendts onto its board
CNET is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally.


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General economic conditions ranked as a top risk factor for the 9th consecutive year in an annual ranking of the top 25 risk factors by retailers, cited by 100% of respondents. Cybersecurity and regulatory concerns shared the top spot with the economy.
That’s according to BDO USA’s 11th annual “Retail RiskFactor Report,” which examines the risk factors listed in the most recent SEC 10-K filings of the largest 100 public U.S. retailers. Other top risk factors include: industry competition and consolidation; natural disasters/terrorism/geo-political events; labor, litigation; implementation/maintenance of IT systems; and credit markets/availability of financing.
Retail space overcapacity is another pressing issue. As e-commerce continues to accelerate, retailers continue to reassess and optimize their real estate portfolios. Eighty-four percent of retailers cite impediments to U.S. expansion as a risk, and 69% reference risks associated with owning and leasing real estate, up from 54% last year.
In addition, failure to invest new capital in new stores or projects was cited by 63% this year. And 44% are concerned with risks associated with mall traffic and competition for…


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The reports followed a meeting in Tokyo between the joint chairmen of DaimlerChrysler, Robert Eaton and Jurgen Schrempp, and the president of Nissan, Yoshikazu Hanawa.
After the meeting the two companies issued a statement saying that their discussions had been constructive and that they had explored possible co-operation projects. Further talks would take place in the near future.
At a later press conference, Mr Eaton fuelled speculation that a deal might be close by saying that DaimlerChrysler was "impatient" to strengthen its presence in Japan and Asia. "We want to go further and that could include producing right here," said Mr Eaton. "That will rely on close co-operation with potential partners."
Although Nissan is the world's fourth-biggest car-maker, a one-third stake in the company would cost just pounds 1.7bn. The stumbling block could be its enormous debts. Nissan has pounds 12.5bn of official interest-bearing debt on its books. But there is an estimated pounds 4bn of off-balance sheet debt in the shape of loans to suppliers and dealers.
DaimlerChrsyler is also negotiating over the purchase of Nissan's directly held stake in its truck and engine business Nissan Diesel.Reuse content


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Vegans cry foul over Hampton Creek removal
Some call for boycott of Target after it takes firm’s food off shelves.
Retail giant Target won’t say when — or if — it will restock its shelves with Just Mayo and other vegan-oriented products from Hampton Creek, after withdrawing them last week in response to allegations of contamination and mislabeling.
The unusual move has left mystery and acrimony in its wake, with some of Hampton Creek’s ardent followers calling for a boycott of the retail chain, and others wondering whether something is amiss with a food start-up that has been a darling of Silicon Valley.
“We’re awaiting more information from the FDA before we determine next steps,” a Target spokeswoman said Tuesday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it is monitoring the situation but has not received any reports of people falling ill from Hampton Creek products. Target and other retailers that carry Hampton Creek products likewise reported no illnesses or complaints.
A withdrawal is not the same as a recall and falls in a nebulous area of federal food safety regulation — it involves either a “minor violation that would not be subject to legal action” by the FDA, or no violation at all, according to the agency’s guidelines.
The vast majority of voluntary removals are initiated by a manufacturer, not a retailer. Some can be a prelude to a full recall, such as when Yogurt maker Chobani in 2013 withdrew its stock from Oregon stores with little explanation, then issued a broader recall in response to reported illnesses.
Almost immediately after Bloomberg broke the Hampton Creek recall story, social media lit up — not so much with “eeews” over the prospect of tainted food but with ominous suggestions of
“Why is it that as soon as these products become mainstream, the bigger players find a way to remove them? So sad,” tweeted @EstherThePig, an avatar for Canadian animal-rights authors Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter.
There’s just enough juicy history for loyalists to suspect some kind of dark corporate conspiracy to ruin Hampton Creek.
The company, after all, was the target of a campaign by food giant Unilever — owner of Hellmann’s mayonnaise — to ban the word “Mayo” from Hampton Creek’s hallmark spread because the product contained no eggs. Unilever eventually abandoned its battle, and Hampton Creek reached an agreement with the FDA to make minor changes to its labels.
Then documents surfaced showing the American Egg Board had engaged in a two-year campaign to fight Hampton Creek, in apparent violation of federal rules.
A consultant bragged to the board that he could rid the product from Whole Foods’ shelves “with one phone call,” while members and affiliates jested about “pooling our money to put a hit” on the company’s founder, the documents showed.
The scandal sparked changes in how these industry-funded marketing groups are monitored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
While the David vs. Goliath narrative on Hampton Creek has achieved a lot of traction, retail food observers recalled previous controversies — including allegations, also first published by Bloomberg, that the company had hired people to buy back products from retailers’ shelves. Hampton Creek said the policy was related to quality control, but others suspected that it was aimed at boosting sales figures to attract investments.
And last year, Hampton Creek did have a salmonella scare — it voluntarily recalled several lots of cake mixes after one sample of an ingredient tested positive for salmonella.
Target, one of the early carriers of Hampton Creek products, was apparently the only retailer that directly received the allegations of contamination.
The allegations involved pathogens such as salmonella and listeria that allegedly were found in Hampton Creek products and at one of the facilities where the company contracts out the manufacturing of its spreads, salad dressing, cookie dough, pancake mix and other products.
There also were allegations that the company failed to list honey as an ingredient in its mustard and that its claim of not using genetically modified ingredients was untrue.
The identity of the accusers and full details of their allegations have not been revealed by Target or Hampton Creek.
“The allegations that our products are mislabeled and unsafe are false,” a Hampton Creek spokesman said Monday. “The Sweet Mustard product complies with all FDA labeling requirements. Our Non-GMO product claims are supported by ingredient supplier documentation. We are confident that our Non-GMO products are properly labeled. We have robust food safety standards, and as such, we remain confident about the safety of all products we sell and distribute. We look forward to working with Target and the FDA to bring this to a quick resolution.”
The company also issued a letter from a food consultant who defended the company’s sanitary practices:
“I find that the allegations made regarding Hampton Creek to your retail partners very disturbing,” Clifford Coles, president of Clifford M. Coles Food Safety Consulting Inc., wrote to Hampton Chief Executive Josh Tetrick.
“I personally know that under no circumstances has Hampton Creek knowingly allowed product into commercial distribution that may have contained microorganisms of public health significance and nor will it ever be allowed,” Coles wrote.
Hampton Creek products are still available at 20,000 stores nationally, including Whole Foods, Safeway and Dollar Tree, and in hundreds of cafeterias through contracts with food service companies, according to the company.


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Property owners at Cameron Village would like to move the Harris Teeter grocery store to a location currently operated by an Eckerd drug store just a few blocks away.
Under the manager's proposal, the Eckerd store would be demolished and a new Harris Teeter with more parking opportunities would be built in its place.
"The Harris Teeter is our largest tenant," said John Pharr, the vice president of Regency Centers, the company that recently purchased Cameron Village. "They (Harris Teeter) are the economic engine."
The Eckerd store would be moved under the proposal to the old Harris Teeter location -- if both sides can agree on construction -- and could be complete by 2008.
Developers are also hoping to add condominiums to the new site.


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BEYMEN, one of the leading brands of the Turkish retail sector, became the first Turkish brand to win the "Best Fashion Retailer of the World" Award.
BEYMEN received "2017 Best Fashion Retailer of the World" award by WeAr Global Magazine, one of the most prestigious international publications in the fashion world, published four times a year, in 50 countries and in eight different languages.
WeAr Global Magazine, closely followed by the world's leading buyers, retailers, influencers, trend-setters and decision makers with its rich content about best stores, collections and new trends in the fashion world, announced the winners of the "Best Fashion Retailer of the World" award organized for the tenth time this year in the January 2018 issue of the magazine. BEYMEN (Istanbul), Dover Street Market (London) and Triple Major (Shanghai) were nominated for the "2017 Best Fashion Retailer of the World" award as a result of the assesment of 2017 store nominees by the editorial team of the magazine and readers.
Famous stores that won the Best Fashion Retailer of the World Awards in previous years include Colette (Paris), Selfridges (London), Alchemist (Miami), Antonia (Milano), Liberty (London), American Rag (Los Angeles), Lane Crawford Kong), Boon (Seoul), and Opening Ceramony (New York).


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Comic-Con 2013 is now in the history books but if you still have a yearning for all things geeky, YouTube has you covered. The popular video destination is preparing to host its inaugural YouTube Geek Week starting August 4 through the 10th.
What exactly can one expect during the seven-day event? We’re told that YouTube will be promoting their top geek channels, highlighting a different channel each day.
FreddieW, the person behind the "Video Game High School" series, will host "Blockbuster Sunday," a celebration of characters that define geek culture. YOMYOMF will get the work week started with "Global Geekery Monday," highlighting anime from Tokyo, comic-book heroes from Delhi and the BBC television series "Doctor Who." Veritasium and The Spangler Effect will host "Braniac Tuesday," a day dedicated to some of the best science and education channels.
"Super Wednesday" will get under way with Stan Lee's World of Heroes, and keep your eyes peeled for a sneak peek at the trailer for Marvel's upcoming film "Thor: The Dark World." Machinima and Maker Studios' Polaris will take viewers on a video game adventure like no other with videos inspired by gaming on "Gaming Thursday." Sci-fi-themed cooking, incredible cosplay and impassioned nerd debates are headed your way on “Fan Friday” as YouTube's biggest fans take center-stage.
YouTube launched a similar marketing campaign earlier this year known as Comedy Week. That event, which featured performances from some of the industry’s top comedians and funny YouTube channels, resulted in a 100 percent increase in subscriptions for participating creators. With any luck, Geek Week could be just as successful and become an annual event.


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Apple, Samsung Ordered Into Patent Settlement Conference
April 18 (Bloomberg) -- The chief executive officers of Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. were ordered to attend a settlement conference in their patent dispute before a federal court in San Jose, California.
Both companies told the court they are willing to participate in the settlement conference, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose wrote in yesterday's order. The CEO and general counsel of each company will appear, according to the filing. Samsung confirmed in an e-mailed statement today that the companies have agreed to participate and said the meeting will take place within 90 days.
Apple claims that Samsung's 4G smartphone and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer, among other products, infringe its patents. In December, Koh ruled against Apple's request to block Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung from selling that phone and tablet in the U.S. That order followed an Australian court ruling lifting an injunction on the tablet there.
Samsung, which was the world's largest seller of smartphones last year, and Cupertino, California-based Apple have filed at least 30 lawsuits against each other on four continents since April.
Though the companies said in a joint April 16 filing they are willing to participate in the conference with Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero, both sides said they are continuing to narrow the case for a scheduled Aug. 25 trial.
Both companies said they intend to challenge expert testimony, with Samsung arguing that Apple's experts submitted testimony falling short of evidentiary standards.
One Apple expert explained how the company's product design "allows people a feeling of symbiosis with their electronic tools" and includes anecdotes about his vacation in Spain, according to the filing.
Such testimony is "not 'expert' in any sense," Samsung said in the filing. "Several other reports also suffer from irrelevance and methodology flaws," the company said.
Nam Ki Yung, a Seoul-based Samsung spokesman, declined to comment beyond today's statement.
Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman for Apple, didn't immediately return a call or e-mail seeking comment on the settlement conference and Samsung's criticism of the experts.
The case is Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., 11- 01846, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Jose).
To contact the reporter on this story: Joel Rosenblatt in San Francisco at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Hytha at email@example.comFind out more about Bloomberg for iPhone: http://m.bloomberg.com/iphone/


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A store owner confronted a man who broke into his store Friday morning, police said.
At about 6:10 a.m., police received a call from the owner of Ben”s Food and Liquor on Benicia Road and Laurel Street, reporting a burglary, police said.
The owner was entering the store when he saw a man inside, police said. He verbally confronted the suspect, which caused him to flee from the back door, police said.
The man was seen running into neighborhood backyards, but was not found, police said.
He was described as a white man in his 20s, wearing a red jacket and black pants.
It was unknown if he took anything from the store.


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Retailers report the total cost of recovering $1 lost in a fraudulent transaction has topped $3.
The SEC's late-filing charges, and a new office within the agency tasked with coordinating data analytics across divisions, shows how sophisticated computer models are helping regulators accomplish their job.
Big cash balances and a change in culture have made the industry more open to unsolicited takeover offers, attorney says.
We're not convinced that the big increase in tech deals that do without banks for M&A advice isn't a cyclical phenomenon.
The National Institute of Standard and Technology's cybersecurity framework is considered companies' best bet to thwart or recover from attacks.
Dealmakers don't pay much attention to cybersecurity when they're vetting a target company.
Cisco joins Microsoft in laying off thousands to avoid becoming a tech dinosaur.
A fifth of companies have replaced some workers with automation, and finance and accounting are functions susceptible to the trend.
Companies' BI efforts fail to deliver data on a timely basis.
With perfect cybersecurity impossible, CFOs can only hope to mitigate breaches in their information systems, Deloitte warns.


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Shoprite Angola makes substantial food donation
Shoprite - Jun 14th, 11:30
More than 2300 children across Angola recently benefited from food donations from all 14 Shoprite stores in the country.
The donations coincided with Children’s Day, which in Angola is held on 1 June, and Africa Children’s Day on 16 June.
The total value of Shoprite Angola’s donations come to 1 million AKZ and some of the children’s homes and organisations that benefited include El Betel in Lubango, Rabi Luanda-Viana, Casa de Santo Antonio in Benguela-Cavaco and Weza Humana in Luanda-Samba.
"It is not easy to find companies that know how to make great moments from small ones, but that is exactly what Shoprite did". - Weza Humana in a letter of gratitude.
Shoprite boosts support for small-scale farming in local communities
12/09/2019 - 10:48
“Siya Kolisi” enthralls spectators in the streets of Langa, Cape Town, with his tackles and accurate passes, but this is not the 28-year-old Springbok captain. It is in fact 13-year-old Luxolo Ntsholo who has adopted the moniker.
Community champions help rural orphans
10/09/2019 - 11:32
In 2004, when Charmaine and Andre Krugel were asked by community members of the Huntington Trust in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, to help orphans and vulnerable children in the village, they couldn’t say no.
Consumers drink while retailers keep the tills active and lights on
10/09/2019 - 11:19
One in five South Africans is unemployed and economic growth remains anaemic, but retailers manage to grow, demonstrating that they still have some defensive qualities.
Shoprite continues march into Kenya with opening of third store
09/09/2019 - 14:29
Further strengthening its position in the East African market, the Shoprite Group launched its third supermarket in Kenya and the first outside Nairobi.
Shoprite and Checkers introduce locally designed African doll range
30/08/2019 - 08:11
Born from the need to celebrate African children and their natural beauty, husband-and-wife team Thabo and Mpumi Motsabi have just launched a range of dolls available exclusively in Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets throughout South Africa.


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Taiwanese smartphone maker, HTC on Thursday (6 March) announced an entry-level smartphone Desire 310.
"Everybody today wants a smartphone that can keep up with them, regardless of whether it is a flagship or entry-level model" said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation.
"The latest addition to our renowned HTC Desire range combines super-fast processing and premium features at a lower price, offering users the best possible experience in this category," he added
HTC Desire 310 sports 4.5-inch screen and is powered a by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor. It also boasts of 5.0-megapixel camera (no LED flash) and snapper on the front (probably a VGA camera).
Other key features like screen resolution, OS version, RAM, inbuilt storage, battery capacity of the phone has been kept in dark by the company, but by the looks of it, the new HTC phone is likely pack similar specifications as seen in the rival Motorola Moto G.
HTC's budget phone ships with BlinkFeed application, which helps the user get live news and relevant social updates (from Facebook, Twitter) right on the home screen and also boasts Offline Reading mode, wherein, users can mark articles (up to 20,000) from media portals and read later without using the internet.
The company has confirmed the phone will be initially released in the home market, Taiwan in April, however, the details of the device price and its availability in the other markets are kept under wraps. Considering the specifications of the phone, Desire 310 is likely to reach emerging markets like India, and other price-sensitive regions of Asia soon.
(Edited by Vanilla Sharma)


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A recent announcement made by Google is about the Google Workspace. So what is it? In short, G Suite which was a set of apps and tools for businesses is now being rebranded as Google Workspace.
With Google Workspace, Google has also revamped the brand identity for a few of its apps which are included under the Workspace which are Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet where a new four-colour icon will replace the current icons of these apps.
The new icons are being slashed by the users because all of them look kind of the same and as every app had its own identity previously, it is now being grouped under the same name, Workspace. “This is the end ‘office” as we know it”, said Javier Soltero, Vice President and General Manager of Google Workspace in the press release.
Google already took a step in the new direction when it started to integrate Google Meet into Gmail and is now adding some more features to the apps. Google is now looking forward to integrate these apps with each other.
In the coming weeks, you’ll be able to dynamically create and collaborate on a document with guests in a Chat room. This makes it easy to share content and directly work together with those outside your organization, and ensure that everyone has access and visibility to the same information.
In Docs, Sheets, and Slides, you can now preview a linked file without having to open a new tab, and now when you @mention someone in your document, a smart chip will show contact details, including for those outside your organization, provide context and even suggest actions like adding that person to Contacts or reaching out via email, chat or video.
The new features are currently available to the paying customers of Google Workspace but will soon make their way to consumers in the coming months, as per Google.


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According to a new study from Urban Institute, there are over 19 million millennials in 31 cities who are not only ready and willing to become homeowners, but are able to as well! Now that the largest generation since baby boomers has aged into prime homebuying age, there will no doubt be an uptick in the national homeownership rate. The study from Urban Institute revealed that nearly a quarter of this generation has the credit and income needed to purchase a home. Surprisingly, the largest share of mortgage-ready millennials lives in expensive coastal cities. These cities often attract highly skilled workers who demand higher salaries for their expertise. So, what’s holding these mortgage-ready millennials back from buying?
Myths About Down Payment Requirements!Most of the millennials surveyed for the study believe that they need at least a 15% down payment in order to buy a home when, in reality, the median down payment in the US in 2017 was just 5%, and many programs are available for even lower down payments! The study goes on to point out that:
“Despite limited awareness, every state has programs that provide grants and loans to make homeownership more attainable, with average assistance in various states ranging from $2,436 to $21,171.”
Bottom LineWith so many young families now able to buy a home in today’s market, the demand for housing will continue for years to come. If you are one of the many millennials who have questions about their ability to buy in today’s market, let’s get together so I can assist you along your journey!
There are many unsubstantiated theories about what is happening with home prices. From those who are worried that prices are falling (data shows this is untrue), to those who are concerned that prices are again approaching boom peaks because of “irrational exuberance” (this is also untrue as prices are not at peak levels when they are adjusted for inflation), there seems to be no shortage of opinion. However, the increase in prices is easily explained by the theory of supply & demand. Whenever there is a limited supply of an item that is in high demand, prices increase. It is that simple. In real estate, it takes a six-month supply of existing salable inventory to maintain pricing stability. In most housing markets, anything less than six months will cause home values to appreciate and anything greater than seven months will cause prices to depreciate (see chart below). According to the Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the monthly inventory of homes for sale has been below six months for the last five years (see chart below).
Bottom LineIf buyer demand continues to outpace the current supply of existing homes for sale, prices will continue to appreciate. Nothing nefarious is taking place. It is simply the theory of supply & demand working as it should.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="648"] Demand For Homes[/caption]
Demand For Homes To Buy Continues To CLimbAcross the United States, there is a severe mismatch between the low number of houses for sale and the high demand for those houses! First-time homebuyers are out in force and are being met with a highly competitive summer real estate market. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the inventory of homes for sale “has fallen year-over-year for 36 consecutive months,” and now stands at a 4.1-month supply. A 6-month supply of inventory is necessary for a balanced market and has not been seen since August of 2012. NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun had this to say,
“Inventory coming onto the market during this year’s spring buying season – as evidenced again by last month’s weak reading – was not even close to being enough to satisfy demand. That is why home prices keep outpacing incomes and listings are going under contract in less than a month – and much faster – in many parts of the country.”
Is There Any Relief Coming?According to the CoreLogic’s 2018 Consumer Housing Sentiment Study, four times as many renters are considering buying homes in the next 12 months than homeowners who are planning to sell, “which is the crux of the available housing-supply imbalance.” As more and more renters realize the benefits of homeownership, the demand for housing will continue to rise. Do homeowners realize demand is so high? With home prices rising across the country, homeowners gained over a trillion dollars in equity over the last 12 months, with the average homeowner gaining over $16,000! The map below shows the breakdown by state: Many homeowners who have not thought about listing their homes may not even realize how much equity they have gained, or the opportunity available to them in today’s market!
Bottom LineIf you are one of the many homeowners across the country who hasn’t quite found their forever home, now may be a great time to list your house for sale and find your dream home!
Just like our clocks this weekend in the majority of the country, the housing market will soon “spring forward.” Similar to tension in a spring, the lack of inventory available for sale in the market right now is what is holding back the market. Many potential sellers believe that waiting until Spring is in their best interest, and traditionally they would have been right. Buyer demand has seasonality to it, which usually falls off in the winter months, especially in areas of the country impacted by arctic temperatures and conditions.


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Cross-border fast fashion e-commerce platform SHEIN announced on April 28 that it has launched a new product line called “evoluSHEIN,” which commenced sales globally on April 29.
The first batch of 170 products launched by evoluSHEIN covers major categories of women’s clothing, such as tops, dresses and trousers, and the platform will deliver larger sizes this summer. By the end of September this year, the evoluSHEIN series will expand to at least 1,500 products. SHEIN also plans to further enrich the series of environmentally friendly fabrics and other certification programs for recycled fibers.
This series is available in multiple sizes and adopts environmentally friendly raw materials, which can not only satisfy the moral requirements of consumers, but also takes into account cost performance. In addition, the evoluSHEIN series has reached a cooperation with Vital Voices, an international non-profit organization, to help women actively face challenges of gender violence, the climate crisis and economic inequality.
The first clothing released by evoluSHEIN will use recyclable polyester fiber, which is extracted from plastic waste. Reducing waste and introducing recyclable materials are the key pillars of SHEIN’s sustainable fashion. The company added that evoluSHEIN represents a market test, and these innovative methods will be adopted in more of its series.
The products and packaging of the evoluSHEIN series will be produced by suppliers certified by the Global Recycled Standard. This standard traces the recyclability of materials used at all stages of the supply chain, setting strict social and environmental requirements.
Adam Whinston, Global Head of ESG at SHEIN, said that the company will strive to build a more responsible fashion ecosystem, and the launching of evoluSHEIN is an important step in its commitment to sustainable development.
It is worth mentioning that some media reports have emerged recently claiming that SHEIN is seeking a new round of financing of $1 billion, giving the firm an overall valuation of about $100 billion.


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Nordstrom Rack to Open in Downtown Washington D.C.
Fashionistas brace yourself. The off-price version of beloved Nordstrom will soon becoming to a downtown D.C. location near you. Excited? You should be. Nordstrom is known for carrying top designer brands and premium fashions that are on trend. But the rack is even better for frugal fashion lovers looking to save 30 to 70 percent off retail.
“We’re excited to have the opportunity to bring a Nordstrom Rack to downtown Washington, D.C. with our new location at 1800 L,” said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack in a press release. “We want to be a part of compelling locations across the country and are looking forward to getting our doors open to more conveniently serve our customers in Northwest D.C.”
So here are the deets: The new Nordstrom Rack will be centrally located in Northwest D.C. on the corner of 18th Street and L Street, which sits one block off Connecticut Avenue with close proximity to Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, K Street, the White House and The Mall.
The new Nordstrom Rack will take over the old Borders store. Who’s going to be standing in line for the big debut?