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Sony will not show the updated PlayStation 4 Neo console until there is enough content available to illustrate the benefits of the machine, PlayStation boss Andrew House has stated.
Speaking at the E3 video games conference in Los Angeles, the president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment also expressed surprise that Microsoft had announced its Project Scorpio hardware over a year before launch.
“The point of confirming the existence of PlayStation 4 Neo and the bare bones of the plan last week was about not disappointing the fan base who would obviously come to E3 with high expectations of all kinds of announcements,” he said. “And from past experience, the worst thing you can do is disappoint and pull the rug away from people. That’s why we went out last week and said, yes, it does exist but don’t expect to see it at E3. I think it was the right thing to do.”
It’s been known for a while that both Sony and Microsoft were considering updating their current generation consoles in the middle of the traditional lifecycle of seven to eight years. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were launched in 2013, a little early to take in the arrival of 4K televisions, as well as innovations like virtual reality.
Therefore, rumours started a year ago that we’d see interim updates of the machines, complete with more powerful graphics processing capabilities – In early June, House confirmed the existence of an updated PlayStation 4 Neo console which will offer greater power for 4K-compatible games and advanced virtual experiences via the forthcoming PlayStation VR headset, but stated that it wouldn’t be at E3.
Asked about the decision, he said: “In terms of the right time to talk about Neo, just like every other hardware launch, VR being a good example, it’s when you’ve got a full range of experiences that you can showcase to say this is why this product’s great and that’s why we’re offering it. And that time is not right now.”
House also stated that he was surprised by Microsoft’s decision on Monday, to announce two new Xbox One iterations during its E3 press conference: the smaller Xbox One S, due this winter, and the more powerful Project Scorpio, coming in 2017.
“I was surprised by the step of announcing something over a year ahead of time,” he said. “The dynamics of the tech industry are such that there’s a much heavier emphasis on immediate gratification than there was. A lot of that is to do with how Apple has very cleverly and elegantly managed the ‘available now’ approach. So yes, that was a slight surprise to me. We experienced this ourselves, when, in 2013, very much in line with our previous strategies, we announced a concept and a name for PlayStation 4, and everyone said ‘where’s the box? How dare you?!’ That was the point we realised, well, we hadn’t changed but the world around us had.”
On the subject of PlayStation 4 Neo, House said that the new machine will very much be something that stands aside the original hardware – it’s not a replacement, and both machines will be supported throughout the PS4 lifecycle. “I don’t think we’re suggesting with Neo, the conventional console lifecycle is over – I’m certainly not making that statement,” he said. “This is an additional option, it’s a high-end version of a PlayStation 4, let’s be very clear about that, rather than a generational shift.”
“Some of our thinking was informed by changes that have happened in the broader tech landscape and the cadence of innovation to which the consumer is now attuned – particularly by smartphones,” he said. “I’m not suggesting we want to bring the games industry to an 18-month-two-year cycle because then you would lose an awful lot of the fixed platform benefits we’ve enjoyed that allow for these really great leaps in game experience.
“However, we did think there was an opportunity to reflect on the traditional lifecycle, and on 4K technology, and say maybe there’s an opportunity, within the course of a normal lifecycle to offer something else, something a little bit better, for a segment of the market that feels that this is important.”
House said that one of the key motivations for PlayStation 4 Neo was specifically to prevent high-end users from abandoning the product at an earlier point than its natural eight-year lifespan. “We’ve traditionally seen that some of the core audience tends to gravitate back to high-end PCs at some point because these are the people who want the finest graphical performance,” he said. “So here’s a great opportunity to have them stay within our ecosystem.
“If you are a person who’s just purchased a 4K television, maybe there’s not that much content around right now, so there’s something interesting about games being able to fill that gap and offer that experience. Those are the fundamentals of Neo.”
Sony’s E3 press conference focused heavily on forthcoming games and premiered a new God of War adventure as well as the latest project from Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima. Early reactions have been that it was another strong showing for the company.
“We knew that this year we had an exceptionally good line up of games to talk about so why not get everything else out of the way and just talk about them?” said House. “So we made it very video heavy.”
It was certainly the most theatrical press event Sony has devised. Based in the historic Shrine Auditorium, it featured a live orchestra, choir and set designs mirroring in game content. House conceded that given the audience of millions watching via streaming video, E3 was now as much about providing an attractions as it is about imparting information to the industry.
“We now think of these events as shows,” he said. “It’s about trying to strike the right balance between delivering information and entertaining people who are tuning in to watch from home. There were meaty announcements but also it was hopefully entertaining.”


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A Brampton councillor has launched a campaign to ban the sale of marijuana in private local stores, saying “The Flower City” doesn’t need retail weed shops on every block.
Charmaine Williams, who represents Ward 7 and 8 in Brampton, said she believes there is considerable opposition to the sale of marijuana through bricks-and-mortar stores in Brampton based on what she calls “extensive” feedback from community members.
“I have come to the conclusion that Brampton would be better off without marijuana stores on every corner,” she told CBC Toronto on Sunday.
“I know it’s not cool to say so, but Brampton is known as the Flower City and we don’t need weed in our garden.”
On Sunday afternoon, Williams knocked on doors in her wards and offered to place “Not In Our Neighbourhood” signs on the lawns of residents.

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Believer to Open the World’s Largest Cultivated Meat Factory in the Heart of Hog Country
3 Mins Read
A new cultivated meat factory slated to open in North Carolina will be the world’s largest.
In what Israel-based Believer Meats says is a watershed moment for the cultivated meat industry, its forthcoming 200,000-square-foot factory, which doesn’t yet have a target opening date, will be able to produce 22 million pounds of meat annually once operational, making it the largest cultivated meat factory in the world.
The facility, which broke ground earlier this week, is coming to Wilson County, North Carolina — the heart of the state’s hog farming industry. North Carolina is the third-largest hog-producing state in the U.S. The facility will bring as many as 100 jobs to the region over the next three years, and an investment of $123.35 million to Wilson County. The company has raised more than $387 million since its 2018 launch.
One step closer to commercialization
“Our facility propels Believer forward as a leader in the cultivated meat industry,” Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, Believer’s CEO said in a statement. “Our brand has continually proven our commitment to scale production technology and capacity, and with our new U.S. production center, we are one step closer to commercialization. Believer is setting the standard globally to make it possible for future generations to eat and enjoy meat.”
Believer, formerly Future Meat Technologies, said it specifically targeted North Carolina because of its talent pool and its success in integrating technology-driven solutions.
“We’re pleased to welcome Believer Meats to North Carolina,” said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. “This important decision to build its first U.S. commercialization operation in Wilson County validates our innovative research and development and highly skilled talent while further cementing our state as the best in the nation to do business.”
The new facility will feature custom-made bioreactors that Believer says can achieve high cell densities and yields. The company has developed cultivated lamb, which it hails as an R&D breakthrough.
Robert Rankin, Executive Director of the Association for Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Innovation (AMPS) oday’s hailed the announcement as “another example of the growth, progress and increased interest in this cutting-edge industry,” he said.
The announcement also earned praise from the industry think tank, the Good Food Institute.
“We celebrate this milestone and are thrilled to see the North Carolina and Wilson County officials and community providing critically important support to scale cultivated meat production. These steps pave the way for cultivated meat to come to market in the U.S. at scale and helps ensure as many consumers as possible have access to these groundbreaking products,” says Liz Specht, Ph.D., Vice President of Science and Technology at the Good Food Institute. “Further government investment like this will advance the sector toward commercialization, helping to feed a growing population more sustainably, spurring economic growth, and improving environmental and global health outcomes.”
The future of protein
Johnson-Hoffman said Believer, and the cultivated meat industry at large, are “on the path” to creating change. “Through affordability, approachability, and availability, we want our products to become the meat of choice globally, and with the announcement of our new production facility, we are well on our way.”
Believer’s new facility will be among a growing handful of dedicated cultivated meat factories across the globe. Upside Foods’ EPIC factory in California could soon be operational as the company just earned FDA GRAS status for its cultivated chicken. Once it receives USDA approval it could begin producing for commercial distribution.
Eat Just, which is currently the only company with approval for cultivated meat in the world, is expected to bring its Good Meat factory online in Singapore early next year. The company says it will be able to produce tens of thousands of pounds of meat per year.
Elsewhere, Ivy Farms opened the largest cultivated meat factory in Europe last summer, capable of producing three tons of cultivated meat annually. And in October, Australian cultivated meat company Vow debuted Factory 1, its NSW-based factory capable of producing 30 tons of cultured meat per year.


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Size and sophistication
With its LNG propulsion system and ‘many sophisticated rooms with stage and audiovideo equipment, the complexity and sophistication of the ship is very high,’ the shipyard said. Aside from Costa Smeralda's design features, the 180,000gt size is much larger than ships recently built at Turku.
‘In getting this all to work together with many involved persons and companies, Meyer Turku had a slower progress speed than needed, despite counter-actions,’ the yard said, adding its apology to all those affected by the change.
Inaugural cruise to sail Nov. 30
As a result, Costa Smeralda’s inaugural cruise will now depart from Savona on Nov. 30. Travel agents and passengers are being notified and offered new sailing dates.
‘Our priority is always to offer our guests a unique vacation experience that exceeds their expectations. Unfortunately, the Meyer Turku yard needs more time to ensure that Costa Smeralda will do just that and this is absolutely crucial as far as we’re concerned,’ Costa Cruises President Neal Palomba said.
He added that the ship will be ‘totally innovative’ in terms of technology and the product offered and apologized for the delay's inconvenience to booked customers.
Weekly sailings from Savona
Costa Smeralda will operate a weeklong Western Mediterranean itinerary through April 2021. Saiiling Saturdays from Savona, the ship will visit Marseille (Sunday), Barcelona (Monday), Palma de Mallorca (Tuesday), Civitavecchia (Thursday) and La Spezia (Friday).


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The generation known as Digital Natives – born and raised in the age of the Internet – are said to live much of their lives online in one way or another. Indeed, while use of email is hardly exclusive to their demographic, it’s no coincidence that their rise has corresponded with the decline of mail volume.
Who doesn’t like finding a package they ordered online on their doorstep at an unexpected time, like, say, late in the evening just before you turn out the porch light for the night?
Consumers have come to expect quick delivery of parcels, often at odd hours of the day. This new paradigm...Read More


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Olympic Torch Designers Create Eco-Friendly Bell Lamp for Louis Vuitton
Posted on December 10, 2012
The Telegraph reports that Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby (BarberOsgerby), the designers of the 2012 Olympic torch, have designed an eco-friendly bell lamp for Louis Vuitton. The bell lamp was made with Venetian Murano glass and can be recharged with sunlight. The bell lamp will be part of Louis Vuitton's Objets Nomades collection, which is currently on display at the fashion house's New Bond Street store in London.


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SA Taxi empowers female entrepreneurs in minibus taxi industry
As the country’s primary form of public transport, the local minibus taxi industry is a prolific cog in the local economy. However, the industry is also one of the biggest business sectors in the country, generating an estimated R50 billion* in annual revenues.
“It is therefore a significant sector for job creation and the life-blood of thousands of South Africans,” explains Maroba Maduma, Communications Executive at SA Taxi, the country’s independent financier of minibus taxis and one of the country’s few certified developmental credit providers.
Given its prominent role in the industry, SA Taxi aims to leverage the company’s vertically integrated platform and proprietary technology capabilities to broaden inclusivity and create shared value opportunities to ensure the sustainability of the sector.
“Central to this ethos is the empowerment of small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially those run by female entrepreneurs,” continues Maduma. “To achieve this we provide SMEs operating within the minibus taxi industry with a complete financial and allied services offering, and deliver significant commercial benefits to taxi operators.”
Through its focused initiatives, SA Taxi has invested R3.5 billion into empowering female entrepreneurs in the minibus taxi industry since 2008. During this period SA Taxi has increased its female client base by an average of 4.5% per annum, helping to create 8,473 female-owned SMEs and financing 12,092 vehicles – an average of 1.4 vehicles per owner.
“We currently have R1,9 billion invested with 4,382 female taxi owners, who collectively operate 5,656 SA Taxi-financed vehicles,” explains Maduma.
However, it’s not just the female business owners who benefit, as each taxi in the minibus taxi industry creates 1.8 direct jobs. “This equates to 21,766 jobs created since 2008 by our female entrepreneurs, with 10,180 direct jobs currently sustained in the sector by SA Taxi-funded female entrepreneurs,” she adds.
While the impact that SA Taxi-backed female entrepreneurs are having on the industry in particular and the economy in general is prolific, Maduma believes more must be done to uplift and empower female inclusion in the industry.
“Based on industry estimates**, our female clients own just 2,8% of the minibus taxis that operate on our roads each day. This leaves significant scope for growth, which is why we would like to use Women’s month to highlight the opportunities that exist in this sector for female entrepreneurs. Through our relentless efforts, we hope to significantly increase the presence of women in this industry, and in so doing continue to uplift the communities they support,” concludes Maduma.
+27 (0) 11 592 8738
Group Communications Executive
SA Taxi Communications
*Estimated figure provided by Transaction Capital, a JSE-listed company, which provides a range of financial and other services to the South African taxi industry, in its 2017 results presentation.
**According to estimates provided by Transaction Capital in its 2017 results presentation, there are an estimated 200,000 taxis currently operating across South Africa.


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With the launch of Destiny only one week away, leave it to the developers a Bungie to drop a bombshell on the gaming community, and that’s exactly what they did earlier today. For the first time in video game history, Google technologies was used to map a virtual world, bringing cool features such as Street View to in-game locations like Mars, Venus and the Moon.
As cool as that is, what’s even better is that gamers who can’t wait to get an even bigger taste of what Destiny has to offer can watch the Planet View Trailer below, or head over to the official website and try out the Destiny Planet View for themselves.
We have to admit, very rarely can a game impress us this much before it even launches, but Destiny is well on its way. Are you as impressed as we are? Let us know in the comments.


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Only six months ago Barcelona-based TravelPerk bagged a $21M Series B, off the back of strong momentum for a software as a service platform designed to take a Slack-like chunk out of the administrative tedium of arranging and expensing work trips.
Today the founders’ smiles are firmly back in place: TravelPerk has announced a $44M Series C to keep stoking growth that’s seen it grow from around 20 customers two years ago to approaching 1,500 now. The business itself was only founded at the start of 2015.
Investors in the new round include Sweden’s Kinnevik; Russian billionaire and DST Global founder Yuri Milner, and Tom Stafford, also of DST. Prior investors include the likes of Target Global, Felix Capital, Spark Capital, Sunstone, LocalGlobe and Amplo.
Commenting on the Series C in a statement, Kinnevik’s Chris Bischoff, said: “We are excited to invest in TravelPerk, a company that fits perfectly into our investment thesis of using technology to offer customers more and much better choice. Booking corporate travel is unnecessarily time-consuming, expensive and burdensome compared to leisure travel. Avi and team have capitalised on this opportunity to build the leading European challenger by focusing on a product-led solution, and we look forward to supporting their future growth.”
TravelPerk’s total funding to date now stands at almost $75M. It’s not disclosing the valuation that its latest clutch of investors are stamping on its business but, with a bit of a chuckle, co-founder and CEO Avi Meir dubs it “very high”.
Gunning for growth — to West and East
TravelPerk contends that a $1.3tr market is ripe for disruption because legacy business travel booking platforms are both lacking in options and roundly hated for being slow and horrible to use. (Hi Concur!)
Helping business save time and money using a slick, consumer-style trip booking platform that both packs in options and makes business travellers feel good about the booking process (i.e. rather than valueless cogs in a soul-destroying corporate ROI machine) is the general idea — an idea that’s seemingly catching on fast.
And not just with the usual suspect, early adopter, startup dog food gobblers but pushing into the smaller end of the enterprise market too.
“We kind of stumbled on the realization that our platform works for bigger companies than we thought initially,” says Meir. “So the users used to be small, fast-growing tech companies, like GetYourGuide, Outfittery, TypeForm etc… They’re early adopters, they’re tech companies, they have no fear of trying out tech — even for such a mission critical aspect of their business… But then we got pulled into bigger companies. We recently signed FarFetch for example.”
Other smaller sized enterprises that have signed up include the likes of Adyen, B&W, Uber and Aesop.
Companies small and big are, seemingly, united in their hatred of legacy travel booking platforms. And feeling encouraged to check out TravelPerk’s alternative thanks to the SaaS being free to use and free from the usual contract lock ins.
TravelPerk’s freemium business model is based on taking affiliate commissions on bookings. While, down the road, it also has its eye on generating a data-based revenue stream via paid-tier trip analytics.
Currently it reports booking revenues growing at 700% year on year. And Meir previously told us it’s on course to do $100M GMV this year — which he confirms continues to be the case.
It also says it’s on track to complete bookings for one million travellers by next year. And claims to be the fastest growing software as a service company in Europe, a region which remains its core market focus — though the new funding will be put towards market expansion.
And there is at least the possibility, according to Meir, that TravelPerk could actively expand outside Europe within the next 12 months.
“We definitely are looking at expansion outside of Europe as well. I don’t know yet if it’s going to be first US — West or East — because there are opportunities in both directions,” he tells TechCrunch. “And we have customers; one of our largest customers is in Singapore. And we do have a growing amount of customers out of the US.”
Doubling down on growth within Europe is certainly on the slate, though, with a chunk of the Series C going to establish a number of new offices across the region.
Having more local bases to better serve customers is the idea. Meir notes that, perhaps unusually for a startup, TravelPerk has not outsourced customer support — but kept customer service in house to try to maintain quality. (Which, in Europe, means having staff who can speak the local language.)
He also quips about the need for a travel business to serve up “human intelligence” — i.e. by using tech tools to slickly connect on-the-road customers with actual people who can quickly and smartly grapple with and solve problems; vs an automated AI response which is — let’s face it — probably the last thing any time-strapped business traveller wants when trying to get orientated fast and/or solve a snafu away from home.
“I wouldn’t use [human intelligence] for everything but definitely if people are on the road, and they need assistance, and they need to make changes, and you need to understand what they said…” argues Meir, going on to say ‘HI’ has been his response when investors asked why TravelPerk’s pitch deck doesn’t include the almost-impossible-to-avoid tech buzzword: “AI”.
“I think we are probably the only startup in the world right now that doesn’t have AI in the pitch deck somewhere,” he adds. “One of the investors asked about it and I said ‘well we have HI; it’s better’… We have human intelligence. Just people, and they’re smart.”
Also on the cards (it therefore follows): More hiring (the team is at ~150 now and Meir says he expects it to push close to 300 within 18 months); as well as continued investment on the product front, including in the mobile app which was a late addition, only arriving this year.
The TravelPerk mobile app offers handy stuff like a one-stop travel itinerary, flight updates and a chat channel for support. But the desktop web app and core platform were the team’s first focus, with Meir arguing the desktop platform is the natural place for businesses to book trips.
This makes its mobile app more a companion piece — to “how you travel” — housing helpful additions for business travellers, as nice-to-have extras. “That’s what our app does really well,” he adds. “So we’re unusually contrarian and didn’t have a mobile app until this year… It was a pretty crazy bet but we really wanted to have a great web app experience.”
Much of TravelPerk’s early energy has clearly gone into delivering on the core product via nailing down the necessary partnerships and integrations to be able to offer such a large inventory — and thus deliver expanded utility vs legacy rivals.
As well as offering a clean-looking, consumer-style interface intended to do for business travel booking feels wha


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Nikkei Asian Review writes that Korea’s top three gaming companies – Nexon, NCsoft, and Netmarble – are changing their focus from PC computers to the mobile phone market and console market.
Nexon has hinted at entering the mobile game market by way of the Chinese company, Tencent Holdings. Tencent, a long time collaborator with Nexon, will help the company spread their mobile version of their popular hit game, “Dungeon & Fighter”. 60 million Chinese players have pre-registered for the mobile game at the moment. According to a company spokesperson, they are likely to expand more with the mobile market as they have the potential to expand dramatically.
NCsoft started to stream their game, Lineage, to mobile phones in 2017. Over the second quarter they saw their sales double and their operating profits triple. Netmarble also released their game, Seven Knights, to the Nintendo Switch hoping to gain access into the console market.
Having previous game titles being used for new platforms not only cuts costs but also drives up revenue. When consumers see a familiar title, they are more likely to flock towards it, as can be seen in the recent popularity of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch.
With recent stay at home orders and travel restrictions, more people are looking to playing games at home on their consoles and other devices and these three gaming companies are taking every advantage of this opportunity. This pandemic has provided unexpected perks to businesses that are willing to adapt and change – is this something your business can do? For expert advice and assistance, contact us here.


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Atos Origin named best business in West Lothian
The Awards are run by West Lothian Chamber of Commerce and are the biggest celebration of business achievement in the region. Open to all businesses trading in the area, they showcase talent, drive, commitment and success.
Atos Origin employs over 280 people in Livingston with specialists working around the clock supporting some of the company’s biggest customers such as NHSScotland and BNP Paribas. Atos Origin’s large Scottish customer base includes RBS, Capita, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, First Group, Stagecoach, Grampian Country Foods and the General Registers of Scotland.
The Best Business category is awarded to organisations that demonstrate all-round excellence in terms of increased employment opportunities, commitment to leadership and accomplishments demonstrating effectiveness in business and innovativeness of product or service. The award criteria also requires that the winning business has made a significant positive impact on the business community and economy of West Lothian.
As well its business achievements, Atos Origin prides itself in its environmental efforts having introduced a car sharing scheme for their people in July 2008. The initiative, which encourages staff to share the drive to and from work helps reduce the company’s carbon footprint and helps staff save money too. It takes corporate social responsibility seriously too and works with a number of charities across the country, Sick Kids Foundation and the Sunndach Children’s Respite Home in Livingston being just two examples.
Steve Langmead, Vice President - Scotland at Atos Origin, said: “It’s a real coup to win Best Business this year and we are absolutely delighted. We take pride in ensuring we have a balanced business that focuses on our customers, our people and the environment we work in. This award recognises the excellent commitment and focus of our team and I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate them all on this award and thank them for their efforts – we’re all looking forward to a long future in West Lothian.”
Carol Wright of Springfords Accountants, sponsors of the Best Business Award said: “The quality of the entries was extremely high and, despite the economic recession, it’s wonderful to be able to recognise that some companies are not only thriving – they are excelling in the current climate. This year’s entries provoked considerable debate amongst the judges but the final decision to award Best Business to Atos Origin was unanimous. Atos Origin demonstrated clearly that it is a fantastic business with fantastic people who not only achieve business success but who care about corporate social responsibility and the environment.”
Head of Press


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First unveiled at MWC earlier this year, LG G6 entered the Indian market in the month of April carrying a price tag of Rs 51,999. Right after it was launched in India, the device received its first price cut of Rs 10,000 making it priced at just Rs 41,999. Now, the company is offering another massive Rs 13,000 discount on its flagship device and making it available for purchase at Rs 38,999 only. The discount, however, is for a limited time and is available to Amazon Prime members only.
To recall, the LG G6 is the company’s latest flagship device with a bezel-less display and spurred a path for 18:9 aspect ratio. Following the footsteps, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus also opted for the same resolution with their Infinity display. Specs-wise, the LG G6 sports a 5.7-inch Quad HD+ Full Vision Display with a screen resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.
Inside are an octa-core Snapdragon 821 processor backed by 4GB of RAM. Well, packing a last year’s flagship processor sounds little uncool here. Apart from that, LG G6 boast of top-notch features. The device comes in two different storage variants – 32GB and 64GB. However, in India, it is available in 64GB storage variant only. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat wrapped under LG UX 6.0.
The device also mounts a dual rear camera setup consisting a standard 13-megapixel camera and an additional 125-degree 13-megapixel wide-angle lens camera. It features OIS, Laser Autofocus, Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), dual LED flash and is capable of recording up to 4K videos. Up front, it flaunts a 5-megapixel 100-degree wide-angle lens selfie camera.
The LG G6 packs in a 3300mAh battery which is backed by Qualcomm 3.0 Quick Charge technology to fill up the tank quickly. The phone comes in two colour options – Ice Platinum and Astro Black. So, what are you waiting for? Grab it right now from here.


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We will never know the full effect of Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff’s recent order mandating that businesses require masks for employees and customers.
All we can say is this order will save many lives in Bexar County and across Texas as other counties and metro areas follow Wolff’s lead.
How many lives? Perhaps a model might offer a reasonable estimate. We prefer to simply think of the birthdays celebrated, families kept healthy, anniversaries marked and lives lived thanks to this simple act. Wear a mask for others, not just for yourself.
As reported COVID-19 cases have surged across Texas and in Bexar County, Wolff did what Gov. Greg Abbott has refused to do. He issued a mask mandate and put the health and safety of Texans before politics.
It wasn’t the first time Wolff has issued a mask mandate. Earlier in the pandemic, Wolff and Mayor Ron Nirenberg required masks to be worn in public. But in reopening Texas, Abbott overruled these orders, stripping away mask requirements. Not surprisingly, many people stopped wearing masks, even as Abbott strongly recommended them.
Also, not surprisingly, COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths have also increased as Texas reopens.
While Abbott has said he is “concerned” about this increase in infections, he has resisted mandating masks, or even allowing local governments to mandate masks. Until, that is, Wolff’s order. It’s a simple workaround, really. Instead of mandating people to wear masks, Bexar County and the city of San Antonio are requiring businesses to mandate customers and employees wear masks.
We expect retailers and employers to follow the order because it is the right thing to do for public health. Failing to follow it could mean a $1,000 fine. And, of course, Abbott has expressed no objection to it, although his political contortions about this have been painful.
Like when Abbott said this has been in his plan all along.
“All that was needed was for local officials to actually read the plan that was issued by the state of Texas,” Abbott said. “It turned out earlier today (Wednesday) that the county judge finally figured that out.”
Abbott went on to explain that government could not infringe on someone’s liberty by mandating a mask, but it could require stores and businesses to mandate masks.
There’s a lot to unpack here.
First, we are in the middle of a pandemic that has claimed, as of Friday (our deadline), more than 117,000 American lives, including more than 2,100 Texans. This is not the time for political puzzles. If this was Abbott’s plan all along, he could have explained it loud and clear instead of tasking local governments to figure it out. This is coordination between the state and its major metro areas?
Second, was this really the plan? We have our doubts because a May 12 letter from Attorney General Ken Paxton to Wolff and Nirenberg sure sends a different message.
“Your orders impose certain restrictions on essential and reopened businesses,” the letter says. “For example, all essential and reopened businesses must provide masks to employees under the terms of your order. Insofar as such a requirement restricts essential and reopened services, they are superseded by Executive Order GA-21, and are, therefore, invalid.”
Third, there is nothing to celebrate here. Sure, it’s surprising and welcome that Abbott has endorsed Wolff’s order, but the governor is in a position to do so much more. Masks are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health experts, and Abbott could still mandate masks across all of Texas or allow local governments to make that call.
He could slow down his phased reopening of Texas, limiting capacity at restaurants or requiring bars to serve customers via takeout.
A mask mandate doesn’t inhibit the economy, but facilitates it during a pandemic because it helps limit the spread of disease.
While COVID-19 has magnified our inequities and disparities — we are not all in this equally together — it’s a disease that has the potential to infect us all. A mask mandate is not a political statement, it’s a public health best practice.
Thank goodness Wolff sees this. Think of all the lives his order will save.


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Analyst says Apple should charge $100 to $200 more for a special iPhone model made in the U.S.
Apple, its suppliers, and the companies it hires to assemble the iPhone are all talking about finding a way to produce the handset in the U.S. to appease President Donald Trump. The problem is that Apple will have to pay more for U.S. based supplies, components and labor. That will force the tech titan to do one of two things; raise prices to maintain current margins, or make less money on handset sales.
A Wall Street analyst by the name of Brian White says that he has a solution. White, who works for Drexel Hamilton, says that Apple should produce a special "Made in America" version of the iPhone. This special model would be priced with a $100 to $200 surcharge allowing Apple to recoup some, or all, of the additional costs it would take to build the device in the U.S. White said that he believes there would be a market in the states for such a device.
Trump has said that he would increase tariffs by as much as 45% on overseas trade. One government controlled newspaper in China said following Trump's election, that such a tariff would put a crimp in Chinese iPhone sales.
Would you pay extra for a version of the Apple iPhone made in the U.S.A.?


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PITTSBURGH, PA. March 13, 2001 FreeMarkets today announced it has joined the Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) Project. A cross-industry initiative designed to accelerate and broaden B2B integration and e-commerce, the UDDI project seeks to create the basic infrastructure for dynamic, automated integration of all e-commerce transactions and Web services.
"The rapid rate at which B2B e-commerce solutions are being adopted on a global basis has created a critical demand for common standards that make it easy for companies to describe, find and use Web-based services," said William Blair, senior vice president and CTO at FreeMarkets.
As a UDDI advisor, FreeMarkets will participate in the development of such standards by collaborating with other business and technology leaders to create a platform-independent, open framework for describing services, discovering businesses and integrating business services using the Internet. This framework will not only allow businesses to provide information on their products and services, but to integrate their systems and processes with those of their customers and partners by placing them in an open, universally accessible registry.
Announced in September 2000, the UDDI Business Registry allows companies to publish information on their offerings, indicate their preferred means of conducting e-commerce transactions, and establish or enhance the efficiency of relationships with other B2B companies in the registry through advanced search capabilities.
"As the leading B2B Global Marketplace, FreeMarkets understands how crucial it is for buyers, suppliers, customers and partners to be able to interact online in real-time," Mr. Blair added. "That's why we are supporting UDDI and committing ourselves to the development of standards that will make it easier for businesses to communicate and seamlessly integrate a vast array of e-business technologies and solutions via the Internet."
FreeMarkets joins more than 220 other industry leaders in supporting the UDDI project, including: American Express Co., Accenture, Ariba Inc., Boeing, Cargill Inc., Commerce One Inc., Compaq Computer Corp., Dell Computer Corp., Ford Motor Co., Fujitsu Ltd., Hewlett Packard, i2 Technologies, IBM Corp., Intel, Internet Capital Group, Iomega, Loudcloud Inc., Microsoft Corp., Nortel Networks Corp., NTT Communications Corp., SAP AG, Sun Microsystems Inc., TIBCO Software Inc., Ventro Corp., Versata Inc., VeriSign, and VerticalNet Inc.
"As a founding member of the UDDI project, we are very pleased to welcome FreeMarkets to the community of advisors," said Chris Kurt, group program manager for UDDI and Web Services at Microsoft Corp. "FreeMarkets brings substantial e-sourcing experience and leadership to the UDDI community, and we look forward to working with it and the rest of UDDI's members to lay the foundation for the future of e-commerce."


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How can travel publishers and brands make sure that their content goes big on social? We look at the data behind the top travel content trends.
With 2018 right ahead of us, there’s also the long and looming winter stretching out in front of us in the northern hemisphere. What better time could there be to think about far-flung destinations and start some travel plans?
Given the inspirational and visual nature of social media, it’s the perfect place for travel content to thrive.
That’s why we pulled together our latest report of social trends: Travel on Social: Trends and Insights.
Looking at social media data from September through November, we examined the top trends in travel content across the web, Facebook, and Instagram.
Our report took a look at:
- The top platforms for travel content
- Which publishers created the most viral travel stories and posts
- The impact of current events in top travel content
- How travel brands are creating buzz on Facebook and Instagram
- Which travel influencers are top on Instagram
So what should you know about the most viral travel content? Here’s a peek at the top content trends.
Yes. Cute animal stories are still dynamite
In case you were worried that there was a vertical that cute animal stories weren’t relevant to — fear not, travel is not that vertical.
"2,5 years ago, I quit my job and sold everything to travel with my cat willow in a campervan"
Unsurprisingly, Bored Panda had two notable travel stories that had an animal focus. This web article above, about a person selling their possessions to travel with his cat, drove more than 271,000 engagements across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
Tiny hedgehog goes camping, and his pics are the best thing you’ll see today:
This story from BoredPanda, while not directly related to a trip, still sparked some travel-related buzz.
The creativity of these stories is notable. It sets them apart from other, more straightforward content in the various platform newsfeeds.
Don’t shy away from current events
Obviously, use discretion as to whether you can create content that’s appropriately linked to the current news cycle. Advertising a trip to California while wildfires are raging through the state? Not a good content move.
Instead, look for where you find genuine storytelling moments that would resonate with your audience.
“Given that many Floridians are struggling to get out of harm’s way, this is welcome news.”
This story around JetBlue and Hurricane Irma drove more than 303,000 engagements, primarily on Facebook.
Capitalizing on current trends can do well too. For example, futuristic travel tends to be a compelling topic, our data has revealed. This article was the top shared for LinkedIn in our travel analysis, with nearly 20,000 shares:
And it would even stop in Ottawa along the way!
Millennials are another topic that tends to get people buzzing. This story on Millennials’ vacation habits was also one of the highest shared on LinkedIn, with around 13,000 shares.
Find the human interest elements
Why do sports do so well on social? Part of it is that sports content has natural heroes that fans can follow along with.
This was another winning tactic of top engaging stories. Social media followers can relate to human interest elements in stories and have an emotional response to them.
This story about Italy’s last sea silk seamstress drove more than 120,000 engagements on the web article. The video above has driven more than 12.4 million views.
All that was needed was a guitar, an accordion and a group of enthusiastic people waiting to fly home.
This quirky story drove more than 211,000 engagements on its web article. Again, a human interest story, one that is relatable to anyone who has dealt with airport hijinks.
Point out the weird and wonderful
Rather than a straightforward travel guide, find what makes a destination stand out from the ordinary.
This New York Times story about Ethiopia’s budget churches was our top tweeted travel article. The powerful visuals, paired with a story that stands out in the news feed, made for socially compelling content.
Superlatives are another tactic to pair up with destination-focused content. This Guardian article about Scotland being deemed the most beautiful country, drove nearly 142,000 engagements.
The article was fleshed out further with historical and geographical highlights that make Scotland more interesting than people might know.
We don’t (necessarily) hate brand stories
If you’re a brand, you don’t need to necessarily sneak your company into content. Nor do you necessarily have to be a Disney World or otherwise instantly exciting brand.
This has been the year of the “woke” brand. Brands are embracing their corporate citizenship, showing social media followers that they are passionate about the same issues and concerns.
As we saw above, travel brands created some solid social media wins through their philanthropic efforts this year. This story drove 431,000 engagements on its web article. Another article showed Southwest rescuing displaced animals.
Today’s consumers expect brands to be more than silent institutions, rather, they want brands to show some humanity on social media.
This story from Inspire More, showing Southwest employees having a bit of fun, drove more than 303,000 engagements on the web.
The top travel trends and brands on native
What else do you need to know about travel content, especially when it comes to which travel-focused accounts are top on Facebook and Instagram? Which formats are the most engaging?
What about influencers? What about specific airlines and hotel brands?
We cover it all and more in our report. Check out our guide to Travel on Social and get inspired.


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Infinix InBook Y1 Plus is all set to launch soon in India. The company has confirmed the launch of its new laptop and teased some of its key specifications via a microsite on e-commerce platform Flipkart. The upcoming laptop is teased to feature a 15.6-inch FHD display. The teaser image showcases Silver, Blue, and Grey colour options. It will be powered by a 50Whr battery. The company has revealed on a dedicated landing page on Flipkart that the Infinix InBook Y1 Plus will feature 250 nits brightness, 86 percent sRGB colour gamut, and ultra-narrow bezels on the sides.
Infinix InBook Y1 Plus price, availability (expected)
The Infinix InBook Y1 Plus laptop is likely to be priced under Rs 30,000, according to the promotional image teased by the company. While the exact launch date of the upcoming laptop is unclear, it will be available on sale on Flipkart.
The Infinix InBook Y1 will come in three colours — Blue, Grey, and Silver.
Infinix InBook Y1 Plus specifications (expected)
While other hardware specifications of the Infinix InBook Y1 Plus have been kept under wraps, the Flipkart microsite listing revealed that the laptop will be powered by an Intel Core processor.
The Infinix InBook Y1 Plus will come with a 15.6-inch Full HD resolution display. It will have ultra-narrow bezels on the sides and is said to offer 250 nits brightness and an 86 percent sRGB colour gamut. The laptop is confirmed to be powered by a 50Whr battery unit offering up to 10 hours of video playback. It will support 45W charging via a Type-C port that is claimed to charge 75 percent battery in an hour.
On the audio front, the laptop will pack dual stereo speakers producing 2W sound output. The laptop also features an AG glass touchpad, with support for multi-touch and gestures. The Infinix InBook Y1 Plus will be a lightweight laptop aimed at students and professionals.
Meanwhile, Infinix has confirmed the launch of Infinix Smart 7 in India on February 22. The smartphone has already been unveiled for the global market. The company has teased some of the key specifications and features of the Smart 7. The phone will feature a flat frame design and come with a fairly large camera module on the back. The Infinix Smart 7 is confirmed to be priced under Rs. 7,500 in India for the 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage variant.
Twitter Should Be Stable by End of 2023, Will Be Good Time to Find New CEO Then: Elon Musk
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Releasing on May 4 on Netflix, Teaser Trailer Out Now


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Inspired by the high-performance SLS AMG GT3 racecar, the fifth Black Series model utilizes the "AMG Lightweight Performance" to breed a compelling mix of striking design, superb performance and li
Are you in the market for a super hero-themed car?
The University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) is holding a student competition hosted by Ford in which students are being challenged to innovate in vehicle communications t
In a press release, Porsche has announced the reveal of an all-new compact sports car that will make its world premiere here in the U.S.
Ford is taking hybrid and plug-in hybrid fuel efficiency to a whole new level with its EV+ feature.
Chrysler announced on Friday that is recalling certain model-year 2002 through 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and model-year 2002 through 2003 Jeep Liberty SUVs due to a dangerous airbag deployment defec
While Fisker Automotive is unabashedly targeting the luxury market with the Fisker Karma, its plug-in hybrid luxury sedan, the company has long promised its long term goal was to build lower priced
Joining the huge shift in automotive manufacturing into Mexico, Mazda and Toyota have announced that they will produce a new vehicle in Mexico.
While October 2012 was a pretty month in terms of sales growth, the 168,456 units sold make them the second best auto group in terms of volume while the Ford brand once again claimed the title of A


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- Nov 24, 2003
- S211 E320Cdi Avantgarde Estate & Toyota Land Cruiser
Perhaps the message is just starting to trickle in though, as I read on the Car keys web site that MB are starting to acknowledge the quality gap.
Started some time ago. They joined the Brown Trouser brigade after the terrible JD Power surveys & the normally secret EuroCar reliability results being leaked. Following comes from a press article last September.
"Top executives at Mercedes-Benz admit that a wave of increasingly complex electronic products proved so difficult to debug that the German automaker is modifying its first-at-all-costs approach to technology. Quality glitches caused by Mercedes' Comand system proved maddeningly difficult to fix two years ago, forcing the automaker to boost product testing by 50 percent. Problems with Comand, which integrates the onboard navigator, entertainment system and phone, forced Mercedes to buy back 2,000 E-class sedans from U.S. customers. The quality glitches also created tensions with Robert Bosch GmbH, a key Mercedes supplier.
This is the first time Mercedes-Benz has acknowledged the widespread quality problems. During an interview with Automotive News at the Frankfurt auto show, a top company executive said Mercedes is working hard to improve its ranking on consumer quality surveys. "We have a problem because we are the technology leader," said Juergen Hubbert, the DaimlerChrysler board member responsible for Mercedes cars. "We were not talking about (the improvement) because you have to see it. On the next survey you will see we are on our way."
Hubbert was referring to J.D. Power's most recent Initial Quality Survey, which measures a vehicle's quality three months after it is purchased. The survey, which was released in spring, ranked Mercedes 15th among brands, barely above the industry average.
Problems began to crop up two years ago, when Mercedes-Benz had trouble integrating Comand's features. Bosch supplied the system's navigator. When Mercedes-Benz connected Comand's electronic systems, the screen would go blank and systems would malfunction. The system created other glitches. For example, the system inadvertently would activate the electric seats and drain the battery.
A Bosch source says Mercedes asked the supplier to integrate Comand's features after Mercedes had trouble doing so. But the effort to debug Comand strained Bosch's engineering resources. According to a Mercedes executive, Bosch placated its angry customer by firing a top executive in its Blaupunkt unit, which produces navigators, radios and other electronics. The Mercedes source did not name the executive, and the Bosch spokesman declined to comment."


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Japanese manufacturers are increasingly optimistic about the business outlook in the months ahead, according to a survey released yesterday in advance of the expected approval of a sales tax increase.
Results from the Bank of Japan's "tankan" quarterly survey showed large manufacturers were especially upbeat, with a reading of positive 12, up from 4 in the July survey.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was waiting for the survey's release to go ahead with a long-awaited decision on increasing the sales tax next year to 8 per cent from the current 5 per cent.
He was expected to announce the Cabinet's approval of that plan, with tax breaks and other stimulus meant to counter the dampening effect on consumer demand that is expected to follow the tax hike's implementation next April.
The tankan's results contrast with data for August showing higher unemployment and lower household spending. Improved hiring and wages are needed to spur a rebound in consumer spending to help underpin a sustained recovery after years of stagnation.
Lower readings imply more pessimism. The tankan showed sentiment of all enterprises improved to 2 from the previous survey's -2. But the sentiment for all large enterprises remained at -2. For small firms, the index was at -9, up from -14.
Since taking office late last year, Abe has sought to revive the economy with ultra-easy monetary policy and hefty government spending. AP


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In January the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) announced that it intended to list vehicle tires containing zinc as a Priority Product (PP) pursuant to the Department's Safer Consumer Product (SCP) program.
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has proposed listing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as a carcinogen under Proposition 65 and has finalized the listing of molybdenum trioxide and indium tin oxide as carcinogens under Prop. 65.
OEHHA has formally listed molybdenum trioxide and indium tin oxide as carcinogens under Prop. 65 via the labor code mechanism.
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has proposed safe harbor warning language under Proposition 65 to guide businesses on properly warning consumers about exposures to cannabis smoke and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC).
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is seeking data on a series of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as it prepares for its Carcinogen Identification Committee (CIC) and its Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC) to consider listing them under Proposition 65.
District Court Enjoins Enforcement of Prop. 65 Acrylamide SuitsDistrict Court Enjoins Enforcement of Prop. 65 Acrylamide Suits
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California has issued a preliminary injunction against the filing of any new Proposition 65 lawsuit based on the failure to provide a warning that a product contains acrylamide.
On January 25, a Fresno County Superior Court judge ruled in American Chemistry Council. v. California Department of Toxic Substances Control that the Department of Toxic Substances Control failed to adequately comply with CEQA in its listing of spray polyurethane foam systems with unreacted methylene diphenyl diisocyanates (known as SPF Systems) as a Priority Product under the Department of Toxic Substances Control's Safer Consumer Products (SCP) program.
OEHHA's proposal to largely do away with the option of using a short-form warning to comply with Proposition 65 was vigorously attacked by business interests at a March 11 hearing.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has remanded a final rule adopted by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) back to the Commission for a fix of two procedural errors involved in the rulemaking process.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released a notice of Proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would make several changes in the federal Hazardous Communications Standard (HCS).
On February 3 U.S. EPA announced the availability of the latest update to the TSCA Inventory.
The State Water Resources Control Board's (SWB's) Division of Drinking Water has requested the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) develop water quality monitoring recommendations for four cyanotoxins responsible for harmful algal blooms.
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has released a draft of its update to its EnviroScreen tool used to determine California communities that suffer disproportionately from multiple sources of pollution.
The California Attorney General has filed the state's opening brief in its Ninth Circuit appeal of a U.S. District Court decision finding that a Proposition 65 warning requirement for products containing glyphosate violates the First Amendment.
State and local prosecutors have reached a $4.1 million settlement with Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., a metal recycling company, for alleged hazardous waste violations at its West Oakland facility.
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWB) has proposed drinking water monitoring standards for perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS)—a toxic chemical that is part of the wider group of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that regulators have targeted for cleanup.
The Department of Toxic Substances Control has released a draft of its 2021-2023 Priority Product Work Plan that is the first step in identifying consumer products that it is considering naming as Priority Products (PPs) under the agency's Safer Consumer Products (SCP) Program.
OEHHA Will Require Additional Prop. 65 Warnings for Internet and Catalog Sales of Alcoholic Beverages
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has finalized changes to its regulations governing what constitutes a "clear and reasonable warning" under Proposition 65 in the case of an online or catalog sale of alcoholic beverages.
Congress has adopted a new standard for the flammability of upholstered furniture that mimics California's 2013 version.
A recent congressional report found that many of the products made by the country's largest commercial baby food manufacturers contain significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.


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French-based Samboat is expanding globally. Leading in its industry, Samboat makes peer-to-peer boat rental a reality by allowing people who couldn’t previously afford leisure boating to experience it.
PR-Inside.com: 2018-03-06 17:28:36
IN THE BEGINNING
It all started when Laurent Calando, Samboat’s co-founder, realized that his boat was expensive to maintain and he only used it two weeks a year. In 2014, he was on the verge of selling, when he noticed that he was not the only person with an expensive and little-used boat. On average, a boat is used 10 days per year, and costs about 10% of its original price - annually!
Laurent then met Nicolas Cargou, SamBoat’s other co-founder, who introduced him to the sharing economy world and the business benefits of peer-to- peer economies. Laurent was excited at the prospect of renting out his boat to cover his maintenance expenses, and bringing more affordability to people looking to rent boats.
In April 2014, Samboat was born.
A TRUSTED COMMUNITY
SamBoat puts private boat owners and potential renters in touch in an easy, friendly, and safe manner. Similar to how Airbnb connects people with apartments, boat owners list their boat for free on the website. Owners can pick when and to whom they want to rent their boat, according to the applicant’s pro le, request, and comments.
Using Samboat, sailors have access to a vast offering of boats everywhere in the world, for rates on average 30% cheaper than the traditional market. Booking is just a few clicks away.
SamBoat is a trusted third-party. It offers tight control over every booking; handling payments and deposits through a bank secured trustee account; and nally collecting reviews about the owners, renters, and boats.
This win-win situation started by quickly seducing many French boat enthusiasts, and then rapidly expanded to its European neighbors : Italy, Spain, greece ... and it’s now going global!
GROWING AND BECOMING A WORLD LEADER
August 2017 brought to our attention an incredible fact: Samboat is now 1rst in the world for boat rentals between private individuals!
When Boatsetter took over BoatBound, their figures were released and showed that they had collected a catalogue of 5,000 available boats since their inception, and registered $25 million in rental requests. Contrasting these numbers with those of SamBoat, Laurent Calando the co-founder and CEO of Samboat stated that « We offer more than 20,000 boats and 34 million euros in booking requests. »
Since its creation in 2014 in Bordeaux, France, the company has recorded spectacular growth:
« Today, we make more rentals and sales in one day than were made in a whole year 3 years ago »says Laurent Calando.
To face this growth, Samboat just released a new version of their platform and is growing its international team.
Founded in 2014 by Laurent Calando and Nicolas Cargou, the French start-up is today a major world player in its sector by offering to rent more than 20,000 motorboats and sailboats, private individuals and professionals, all over the world. Starting from € 50 per day and the possibility of renting with skipper, the company participates in making boating more accessible. SamBoat has raised 2 million euros since its launch.
+44 20 80 68 56 83
# 512 Words


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Importers Lobbying Hard For CAFTA-DR
By James A. Morrissey, Washington Correspondent
Retailers and other importers of textile and apparel are stepping up their lobbying efforts in support of the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) with the release of a sourcing survey and a fly-in to meet with members of Congress. The National Retail Federation and the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) surveyed a dozen major retailers to determine their buying intentions. The survey showed that 51 percent of the respondents said they plan to increase their business in Central America if the free trade agreement is approved soon, while 56 percent said they would scale back their sourcing if the pact is rejected.
Kevin Burke, president of AAFA, said the survey helps quantify what he says his members have been saying all along that they need CAFTA-DR to pass now in order to place more business in the region. He also said, "If you are in the textile industry and you are hoping to sell more yarns, fabrics, trimmings and findings in the region, you had better pray that the Congress pass the CAFTA-DR quickly."
The major trade associations representing US textile manufacturers are strongly opposed to CAFTA-DR because the pact as currently structured would permit a specified amount of products from non-participating countries to benefit from the tariff preferences.
The US government has said it will not renegotiate the pact, which has been ratified by El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala; action is pending in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
Concurrent with the release of the survey, importer lobbying organizations announced plans for a delegation of some 40 textile, apparel and retailer executives from the United States and Central America to have a fly in to convey their message to members of Congress. Tracy Mullin, president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, said, "On the CAFTA-DR vote, members of Congress are in the position of deciding where US retailers will source the clothing sold in their stores to American families. If the goal is to provide apparel retailers with a viable alternative to sourcing in Asia, then the CAFTA-DR must be passed now."
Sandy Kennedy, president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association, said the groundwork has been laid for meaningful building blocks for comprehensive trade in the Western Hemisphere, and implementation of the agreement should create new markets and job opportunities for US workers.
In a related development, the American Farm Bureau Federation announced its support for CAFTA-DR, saying that the agreement would provide overwhelming benefits for agriculture in what now is the second largest market in Latin America for US farm products.


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Officials from mobile publisher Mforma have announced the singing of a licensing agreement with Marvel Enterprises, that will allow the company to use all Marvel comic book characters (except The Punisher
, which, interestingly, is licensed exclusively to THQ) in a variety of mobile games and utilities.
The deal covers all international territories, except Japan and will see Mforma co-publishing selected titles with Activision – who have the license to create home console titles featuring Marvel characters, and have recently released Marvel-licensed games including Spider-Man 2
and X-Men Legends
, with games such as Fantastic Four
Daniel Kranzler, Mforma CEO, commented: "We are pleased beyond words to be working with Marvel and Activision on this fantastic and perfectly-timed opportunity to catapult mobile entertainment to mainstream status all over the world."
Mforma, who also have licenses for properties from The Italian Job
to The Elder Scrolls
series, will also be using its network of more than 100 wireless operators in thirty-nine countries to create and host Marvel Mobile – branded wireless and online website featuring information, promotional and shop links to all Marvel Mobile content.


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Milwaukee Tool's subsidiary, Empire Level, is celebrated for its commitment to growth
September 1, 2017 | 10:34 pm CDT
MUKWONAGO, Wis. - Empire Level (Empire), a division of Milwaukee Tool, celebrated its commitment to manufacturing growth in Wisconsin with the state governor and local officials. Through partnerships with Milwaukee Tool, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Milwaukee 7, and local governments, Empire has driven growth and job creation within the state.
With products sold in more than 50 countries, Empire was founded in 1919 and is a manufacturer of precision layout tools having introduced the Monovial, the Torpedo Level, and the Magnetic Level. Since acquiring the company in 2014, Milwaukee Tool has invested $16 million to Empire which supported plant upgrades, over 150 new products, and more than 80 incremental hires.
"Empire Level and Milwaukee Tool have shown an outstanding commitment to growth and creating new manufacturing jobs right here in Wisconsin," said Governor Scott Walker. "The commitment shown by companies like Milwaukee Tool and Empire is a major reason why Wisconsin will continue to lead the way in manufacturing and worker training."
In February 2016, WEDC awarded $18 million in enterprise zone tax credits to support expansion efforts by Milwaukee Tool. The credits are tied to job retention, job creation, and capital investment.
"The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, recognizes Empire as the fastest-growing and largest U.S. manufacturer of levels," said Steve Richman, Milwaukee Tool group president. "Our strategic partnership has delivered tremendous growth which is focused on developing innovative solutions for our users and The Home Depot customers. The investments we’ve made in people, training, plant upgrades, and quality processes at Empire will allow us to continue delivering on this partnership."
Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.


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2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will pace this month's Indianapolis 500
Rekindling a long-term relationship with the Brickyard, Chevrolet will be back in force at this year's Indianapolis 500. In addition to returning as an engine provider for the first time since 2005, a 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will handle race-pacing duties for the 96th annual running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Its appearance marks the record 11th time a Corvette has been tabbed for this high-profile job, as well as a record 23rd appearance for its parent division.
As a suitable flourish to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of this iconic American sports car -- and the last model year of the current "C6" iteration -- the 2013 Corvette ZR1 that will lead the field of 33 to the green flag on Memorial Day features the same key exterior and interior cosmetic elements with the 60th Anniversary Package that's available on all 2013 models. It consist of an Arctic White exterior with full-length Blue Silver Pearl blue racing stripes set off by and an interior trimmed in Blue Diamond leather. The ZR1 also packs more firepower than any previous Indy 500 pace car, thanks to its 638-horse/6.2-liter supercharged LS6 V8.
"This is a truly momentous year for Chevrolet when it comes to performance, with our continued success on and off track, and especially with our return to the IndyCar Series, powering some of the fastest cars on the circuit," said Jim Campbell, GM vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "I can't think of a better way to mark the 60th Anniversary of Corvette than having it lead the starting field of the Indianapolis 500."


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ASU’s SBDC to Host Free Small Business Tax Workshop
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Alabama State University, in conjunction with the Alabama Department of Revenue, will host a free small business tax workshop on Jan. 29, 2019.
The workshop, designed to help business owners understand state tax requirements, will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Montgomery Chamber Business Resource Center, 600 S. Court St., room 330, Montgomery, Alabama.
This workshop will feature representatives from the Alabama Department of Revenue who will introduce participants to Alabama business tax legislation and will answer questions relating to tax law and filing in Alabama.
This is a brown bag lunch. Everyone is encouraged to bring food and drink to enjoy.
Participants must register to attend. The deadline to register is Jan, 28, 2019.
For more information, contact Andrea Price at 334-229-4138 or email email@example.com.


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20 Mar Semicon China 2017, March 13-17
For 6 years in a row, SEMICON China has been the world’s largest and most influential trade show for the semiconductor industry. It attracts the major players from the global semiconductor industry to Shanghai. The conference has ten symposia cover all aspects of semiconductor technology with focus on manufacturing and advanced technology, including detail manufacturing processes, devices design, integration, materials, and equipment, as well as emerging semiconductor technologies, circuit design, and silicon material.
Boschman, Bronkhorst HighTech, Business Cluster Semiconductors Netherlands, NTS Group, Sempro Technologies and Trymax represented the Dutch semicon valuechain in Shanghai at the Holland High Tech Pavilion, in collaboration with the top sector HTSM & HighTechNL.
- Monday (March 13): Welcome briefing & conference + matchmaking
- Tuesday-Thursday (March 14-16): SEMICON exhibition
- Tuesday (March 14): SEMI VIP Leadership Gala Dinner
- Friday (March 17): Holland High Tech Day, including company visits


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Hoping to Spread the Trend, Bitcoin ATM Opens in Pioneer Place
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Bitcoin is a digital “currency” that lacks many of the conventions associated with traditional money. It’s not a physical item that you can hold in your hand. It’s not issued by a government or bank and its value is based solely on the demand for it at a given time. Bitcoins were valued at over $1,000 a year ago, but now are worth between $300 and $400.
The ATM in Pioneer Courthouse Square Mall is more like a currency or stock exchange than a real ATM. When someone wants to extract money from their bitcoin account, the machine sells the bitcoins on a global bitcoin marketplace that operates 24 hours a day. The machine then dispenses cash. The machine may sell a bitcoin for $390 on one day and $375 the next.
“We want to bring bitcoin to the masses,” former banker turned bitcoin-enthusiast Mike Fors said. “It’s a great to to pay for things, or for investment. It’s really revolutionary.”
The ATM was the brainchild of Fors, the founder of BitcoinNW — a newly-established brokerage firm specializing in the bitcoin trade. Fors’ firm is the only broker in Oregon capable of making bitcoin transactions for up to $100,000.
Another Portland-based company, Project Skyhook, previously produced a Bitcoin ATM that's used Portland and a number of locations around the world. The Project Skyhook ATM, however, does not dispense U.S. dollars; only allowing customers to buy bitcoins - not sell them, like the new machine in the mall can. There's also a Bitcoin ATM operated by BTC Mint US on SE Hawthorne Boulevard has similar capabilities to the Pioneer Place machine, although it's closed until Nov. 25, according to the company's website.
“Portland is a very unique community where they like to keep things local and try to help save each other money,” Fors said, “so we thought bitcoin was a natural progression for that.”
According to Fors, Portland merchants can save big money by accepting bitcoin as a method of payment.
“They don’t pay that 3 to 4 percent that Visa and Mastercard charge. There’s absolutely zero risk and zero fees using bitcoin,” Fors said, “which can save vendors a lot of money.”
Papa G’s Vegan Organic Deli was one of the first businesses in Portland to jump on-board. A clerk for the store said very few shoppers use Bitcoin, aside from several regulars.
“But during the Million Mask March, there were a lot of people who came in and were really excited that they could use bitcoin here — so there we had a lot that day,” the clerk said.
The Million Mask March was a demonstration organized by Anonymous, a political activism group made up of hackers and coders who often wear Guy Fawkes masks in public.
Despite its perceived popularity of Bitcoin in the hacker community, Fors said he didn’t have techies in mind when he didn’t install the Bitcoin ATM with Portland’s techies in mind.
“People in the tech industry already knew about Bitcoin and knew how to access it,” Fors said. “It was people like me who didn’t really know how to access bitcoin, like when I first started, who I really wanted to introduce this machine to.”
Fors said he hopes that having his ATM in a highly visible area will bring more validity to the crypto-currency and eventually more users.
Jon Hannis is the co-founder of a Portland company that produced a Bitcoin ATM used in several countries. He said he’s been fascinated with Bitcoins since they first became available in 2009. According to Hannis, Bitcoin is still in its beta stage and consumers should err on the side of caution.
Hannis, a co-founder of Project Skyhook, shared Fors’ optimism, but said volatility of the bitcoin market is the reason the digital currency it hasn’t caught on more.
“Personally, I'm generally reluctant to recommend consumers and businesses to accept bitcoin here in Portland,” Hannis said. “I don't know if it is right for all small businesses.”
It took several months of meeting with state officials for Fors to obtain licensing to run his ATM, he said.
“The state didn’t really know what direction this was going to go,” Fors said. “Once they saw what we were wanting to do, they thought it was a great idea.”
The state’s biggest concern, according to Fors, was bitcoin being used to launder money.
Two Florida men were charged with money laundering earlier year after trying to sell their bitcoins for approximately $30,000 in cash on the coinbase website.
“I think when dealing with anything with the public, (the government) just wants to keep the public safe,” Fors
Fors is now focused on expanding the number of merchants in Portland that accept Bitcoin.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that the Bitcoin ATM at Pioneer Place Mall was the first Bitcoin ATM in Portland. GoLocalPDX regrets this error.


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World's richest man promotes daughter to head Dior
The world's richest man, Bernard Arnault, has appointed his daughter to head up fashion house Dior.
Mr Arnault promoted Delphine Arnault, 47, as part of a reshuffle at LVMH, Europe's most valuable company.
It owns a portfolio of high-end brands including Fendi and Louis Vuitton and is worth about £336bn.
The outgoing head of Dior, Pietro Beccari, will move to replace long-time Louis Vuitton chief executive Michael Burke.
Both Ms Arnault and Mr Beccari "are well respected", so these are "logical promotions within the group," said Credit Suisse analyst Natasha Brilliant.
All five of Mr Arnault's children hold management positions at brands in the group.
The changes, which come into effect in February, follow the recent appointment of Antoine Arnault, Bernard Arnault's eldest son, to head the family's holding company.
Alexandre Arnault, 30, is in charge of products and communication at Tiffany, while Frederic Arnault, 28, is chief executive of another group brand, Tag Heuer.
The youngest child, Jean Arnault, 24, heads marketing and product development for Louis Vuitton's watches division.
Mr Arnault's companies sell goods including luxury suitcases by Louis Vuitton and Moet and Chandon champagne.
"Succession planning in strategic roles has been instrumental to the success of LVMH's key brands over the past 20 years, hence today's moves are significant," said Thomas Chauvet, an analyst at Citi.
Christian Dior's catwalk presentations in Paris are attended by global celebrities including K-pop star Jisoo and singer Rihanna, drawing enthusiastic crowds of fans.
Delphine Arnault will leave her position as LVMH's executive vice president for Louis Vuitton, which she has held since 2013.
Louis Vuitton set new sales records under Ms Arnault's leadership, LVMH said.
Similar succession plans have happened at other major fashion companies in recent years.
High Street fashion giant Inditex, which owns brands including Zara and Massimo Dutti, appointed the founder's daughter as its new chairwoman in 2021. Marta Ortega was 37 at the time.
The boss of fashion house Prada, Patrizio Bertelli, recently said he expects to hand the reigns of the company to his son Lorenzo within two years.
Bernard Arnault overtook Elon Musk in December 2022 to become the world's richest man.


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On April 22, we are celebrating the 48th edition of Earth Day, the world’s largest civic-focused day of action followed by over 1 billion people around the world. Events are organised by groups and communities. To actively take part in the global movement and find an event near you, check out the official Earth Day website.
This year, the event is focusing on a global environmental disaster that is at the very heart of the existence of our company: plastic pollution.
The plastic pollution problem
Plastic pollution is a man-made environmental disaster that affects our planet as a whole: in the oceans, it poisons and injures marine life; in our food packaging and the bottled water we drink, it disrupts human hormones and can cause life-threatening diseases and early puberty.
And our exponential consumption of plastic is only making the problem a little bit worse, one day at a time.
Every single minute of every single day, an astronomic 1 million so-called 'disposable' plastic water bottles are consumed. Most of them will, eventually, end up in the water, whether it is voluntarily or by accident: from plastic bottles abandoned on beaches or alongside rivers to the ones collected and dumped in landfills, they play a major part in oceans pollution.
Experts estimate that by 2050 - only 30 years from now! - there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans.
If you haven't already. Join us in our mission and stay up-to-date with the latest environmental news by signing up for our newsletter!
Why plastic bottles aren't disposable
Just because you personally dispose of something doesn’t mean that it will be really disposed of. Protecting the oceans from plastic pollution should come from eliminating the need for so-called 'disposable' plastic bottles. Because the truth is, no plastic bottle is disposable.
It takes about 450 years for a plastic bottle to biodegrade and even then, it is never completely gone: as the plastic seems to ‘disappear’, it actually breaks down into harmful microparticles that aren't invisible to the eye but very much present in the soil, the air, and the water you drink... Did you know that over 90% of bottled-water contain microplastics?
How does rOcean help and support the planet?
At rOcean, we are on a mission to tackle the plastic waste crisis: from plastic pollution in the oceans to microplastics in the water we drink, we are putting all our energy into developing a solution to the plastic problem.
But that's not all. Because we care deeply about protecting our planet, our oceans and every creature that lives in them, we are also partnering with non-profit organization The Hydrous and Secore. A percentage of our proceeds is being used to help protect and restore our coral reefs.
We believe that plastic pollution doesn't have to be a fatality. By changing our consumption habits, we can reverse the tide.
We want to empower you to help build a cleaner and better world and end the mass consumption of single-use plastic bottles. Because we know that big changes come by working together.
That's why we came up with a solution.
Be the change with rOcean!
Our all-in-one smart water device rOcean One is going to make your need for bottled water obsolete. Our sustainable device offers you a quick and convenient way to filter, carbonate and flavor your water straight from the tap, and remove 99% of the microplastics and other contaminents from your tap water.
Enjoy your favorite drinks at home or on the go, with a push of a button, without wasting single-use plastic bottles. With a rOcean device, you could reduce 99% of your plastic bottle consumption in just one year!
At rOcean, we are proud to be part of the global movement and proud to actively be fighting the 'disposable' plastic war.


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At the beginning of the year, industry forecasts called for home price appreciation to slow to about half of the double-digit increase we saw last year. The thinking was that inventory would increase from record-low levels and put an end to the bidding wars that have driven home prices up over the past twelve months. However, that increase in inventory has yet to materialize. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that there are currently 410,000 fewer single-family homes available for sale than there were at this time last year.
Even with the increases, the updated projections still don’t reach the above 10% appreciation levels of 2020. However, a jump in the average projection from 5.3% to 7.7% after just one quarter is substantial.Demandwill remain strong, so future appreciation will be determined by how quickly listing inventory makes its way to the market.
Entering 2021, there was some speculation that we might see price appreciation slow dramatically this year. Today, experts believe that won’t be the case. Home values will remain strong throughout the year.
Source: Keeping Current Matters | The KCM Crew 04292021


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FCC Busts California Company for Importing Illegal Phones
The Federal Communications Commission today cited a company based in California, called Panasystem, for importing and marketing counterfeit smartphones. The devices, which were fake Samsung Galaxy S Duos, Samsung Galaxy Ace, and BlackBerry 9790 smartphones, were all stamped with unauthorized and invalid FCC identifiers. Each and every device that emits radio signals must be tested and certified by the FCC before they can be legally sold in the U.S. This is so the FCC can ascertain their safety for public use. Devices that meet the criteria have a unique identifier code that is often plainly visible on the device somewhere. Most cell phones stamp the FCC ID under the battery. Devices that have enclosed batteries put the FCC ID out the outside casing, typically on the back. "We will not tolerate the importation and marketing of counterfeit devices," said Travis LeBlanc, Acting Chief of the Enforcement Bureau. "The trafficking of these devices not only robs the intellectual property of legitimate manufacturers, it harms consumers by failing to provide them with safe and certified smartphones that comply with the FCC's equipment authorization process." The FCC said Panasystem must cease importing fake phones with fake FCC IDs, lest it face significant fines, equipment seizures, criminal sanctions and/or imprisonment.


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The software giant's latest salvo against the MacBook Air is a short-term discount on its latest Surface Pro tablet. The deal ends Saturday.
A limited-time promotion sees the Un-carrier discounting popular tablets, including the LTE-equipped Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1-2014 Edition.
The latest promotion from the gaming retailer offers a $125 rebate if you trade in an Xbox 360 or PS3.
These helpful apps make filing your taxes a little less painful, from start to finish.
Instead of landing softly on the bobbing ocean platform meant to receive it, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket tipped, crashed and burst into flames. It's all on display via Twitter and Vine.
A laser-guided beard trimmer, iPad mixing decks, and a Wi-Fi coffee machine make Philips one of the wackiest companies at IFA 2013.
The Samsung BD-H6500 has emerged as the quickest and best budget Blu-ray player of 2014 in a series of speed and usability tests conducted by CNET.
Some investors are less than pleased with the turnaround plan of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and want AOL CEO Tim Armstrong to consider a merger, says Reuters.
"Let it Grow," a parody of the hit "Frozen" song "Let it Go," should be the new anthem for Movember, the month when guys stop shaving to raise money for men's health issues.
The next few days will be a busy for AT&T as the carrier start selling the selfie-centered HTC Desire Eye, round smartwatches from LG and Motorola, and more.


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Tesla is considering raising prices of its electric cars in China, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. This change in prices will be implemented starting September, the sources said.
The news comes after China let Yuan slip below 7 per US dollar. Financial markets were disturbed when the Chinese currency dropped to 11-year minimum against the US dollar. The US government responded by saying that China is improperly manipulating the currency rates. The already tense situation between the US-China trade war is being further affected by Yuan’s rate drop.
Last week, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on an additional $300 billion Chinese goods which he said would be effective from September. The drop in Yuan is supposed to be a consequence of the same.
Tesla’s price hikes are also an outcome of the sliding rates of Yuan as Tesla imports its electric vehicles in China. Thus, Tesla plans to cope with the slowdown of the Chinese economy by hiking prices to make profits.
The electric car-maker is investing $5 billion in the factory near Shanghai to manufacture and sell cars within the country itself. This would get rid of the import tariffs and shipping charges which would give the company better access to China’s domestic market.
China is the world’s largest electric vehicle market and Tesla’s second-largest market. That’s why the country’s market is crucial for Tesla’s growth outside of the US. Tesla said it aims to produce 500,000 per year in China by next year. Also, the company says it aims to roll-off Model 3 from 2020.
Tesla sold 1 million electric vehicles in China in 2017. In such an ever-growing electric market, Tesla will surely aim for making a profit and currently, the only way for it to make a profit in China is by increasing the prices of its cars.


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Just when you thought online stunts couldn’t get any more boneheaded than “The Tide Pod Challenge,” here comes condom snorting.
Yes, it seems that teens have graduated from poisoning themselves by eating Tide laundry detergent pods to snorting condoms up their nostrils and pulling the prophylactics out of their mouths. It’s called, predictably, “The Condom Challenge.”
Of course, these acts are all done to get noticed, if only for a few minutes, on YouTube. Because, well, what else is there?
The condom snorting craze has sent media outlets into an faux frenzy. USA Today declared: “The ‘condom snorting challenge’ is every parent’s worst nightmare.”
And the venerable Washington Post ran this headline: “In case you missed the ‘condom-snorting challenge’ — and didn’t know it’s a bad idea.”
Yes, snorting condoms probably isn’t the brightest thing to do. Thanks WaPo.
Tide has faced lawsuits, mainly because kids — as in babies and toddlers, not teens — eat the irresistibly colorful pods, which do resemble delicious candies, and get hurt. But Trojan and other condom-makers shouldn’t have much to worry about.
When it comes to intentional misuse of a product, it doesn’t get much clearer than condom snorting.
What’s more disturbing, though, is that “The Condom Challenge” has been around for years.
In April 2013, BuzzFeed ran a story about the stunt, telling readers: “If you don’t know already, the condom challenge is when you snort a condom up your nose and pull it out of your mouth. Ewwwwwww.”
Why the challenge has resurfaced in 2018 remains a mystery. Perhaps it’s just another cyclical trend. Or maybe it’s part of a larger, nefarious effort to distract the public from more important news.


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Downtime is costing companies up to 11% of their total online revenue, spurring a dramatic shift in how businesses address incident response
Real-time monitoring of thousands of sites, incident alerting protects voter interests, transparency
Uptime.com's industry destimate score calculates a dollar value based on every minute of downtime; using this data, the company has revealed top performers across several industries for Q1 2020
April 2020 yielded some significant DevOps trends, but across several industries, the evidence is clear: a proactive approach saves costs.
From large corporations like Microsoft to Banking Systems in Nigeria, and even the US Government, no organization is immune to the consequences of unexpected downtime.
A deep look into outage scenarios showcases the importance of both incident management and incident preparedness during downtime
Improvements to Functionality and Usability Make Transaction Checks a Powerful Addition to Automated QA and Performance Testing
Leading website performance and optimization solution, Uptime.com, continues helping businesses maximize site performance into the new year.
Leading website performance solution Uptime.com helps companies during holiday shopping seasons and beyond.


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The World’s Biggest Chicken Would Totally Kick Colonel Sanders’s Butt.
A video of a certain chicken was recently released last weekend and has gone viral ever since. If you haven't seen the video yet, you're probably wondering why a clip of a chicken would gain so much interest on the Internet. Well, you'll understand when you see it for yourself.
This chicken is ginormous! It's so big that some people don't even believe it's real. The internet has already been speculating whether the chicken has been injected with steroids or it's actually a human child in a chicken costume. Well, we finally got the answer to everyone's question: is the chicken real?
Livestock Conservancy confirmed that the chicken is very much real and its identity on Facebook: “The chicken in that video is a Heritage Breed Brahma Chicken.”
These Brahma chickens are known as the "king of all poultry." Their feathers typically come in three colors: light, dark and yellowish.
The hens can weigh up to 13 to 14 pounds, while the cocks can weigh up to 17 to 19 pounds.
The Brahma chicken in the viral video belongs to a man named Fitim Sejfijaj in Kosovo.
He also happens to be the first person to ever share a video of these types of chickens.
Check out the Big Boss in action for yourself in the video below.
Source: The Press of World


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So yeah, there’s lawsuits over patents flying around everywhere. Apple vs Google, Google vs Microsoft, Microsoft vs Motorola, Everyone vs Oracle; its almost like a merry-go-round where everyone gets a turn to hack and slash at each other until one side decides its had enough.
This latest slap in the face has seen Microsoft win a patent lawsuit against Google in Germany. The Redmond-based company alleged that Google’s subsidiary, Motorola Mobility, infringed on a specific patent that uses a standardised messaging interface to send messages between cellphones. Yes, that means that the Germans who weren’t exactly fans of Google already, decided to hand over Microsoft the key to controlling how multi-part SMS and MMS signals are sent, divided, encrypted, received to the destination device, decrypted and re-assembled in a readable format.
Its an insanely small thing to have patented, but at least its not something that’s ambiguous or all-encompassing like Apple’s design patent lawsuits. This is at least a tangible thing that actually can be shown to work. But while it may look like a small victory, the reality is much bigger. With this ruling, Microsoft can force Motorola to pay license fees for using the patent, finally capturing the last mobile company making Android devices into its patent license scheme. Other companies like HTC, Samsung and even Sony have to pay license fees per device sold to Microsoft because they’re using design interfaces or underlying software that was patented by Microsoft.
Its all a big mess for Google who has two options; 1) Pay out Microsoft per Motorola device sold and continue to use the software as is, or; 2) Pay the fine and rewrite the underlying messaging and encryption layer to something that Microsoft doesn’t own yet and patent that and then redesign all apps that use that interface to send messages. Either way, they’re still paying up and Microsoft still gets to use that patent and many others to continue their trolling against other companies that it sees as competitors. Motorola could also avoid selling mobiles in Germany altogether, but since the patent is registered in the European Patent Register, Microsoft could approach any other country with a regional court order to ban sales, effectively locking Google and Motorola out of Europe entirely.
When is someone going to throw out a case and ask these companies to play nicely instead of waste their time?


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Tesla has subpoenaed Apple for access to the iCloud data of an engineer who allegedly stole thousands of Autopilot source code files right before leaving to work at XMotors.ai, the U.S. research branch of China’s Xpeng.
The ex-Tesla engineer, Guangzhi Cao, has already acknowledged uploading copies of Autopilot source code to his personal iCloud account, Bloomberg said in a report this week. He nevertheless claims to have done nothing wrong, saying he didn’t make use of the data and has tried to scrub it from his personal devices. Cao and his lawyers have even offered to provide forensic copies of devices Tesla wants to inspect.
Apple is likely to comply with the subpoena as long as it meets legal standards. July 2018 saw prosecutors charge an engineer from Apple’s self-driving program, Project Titan, with stealing trade secrets in advance of joining Xpeng. The case is still ongoing as the engineer has pleaded not guilty.
Autopilot is Tesla’s branding for the self-driving systems in cars like the Model 3 and Model S. The company’s AI has yet to achieve full independence, but can already park, navigate highways and change lanes with little human help.
Apple’s self-driving plans remain nebulous. The company has been performing road tests and recently bought out self-driving car startup Drive.ai, but details on product integration remain scarce. A finished vehicle could hit roads in 2023 or later, or not at all.


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Corporation will "pursue mobile games aggressively."
Google may be selling its would-be floating showroom in Maine to an international barge company. But the Google Barge in California still sits idle.
The world's largest e-commerce company launches an online shopping marketplace that hosts specialty boutiques hawking fashion, sporting goods, baby gear, and tech gadgets.
Technically Incorrect: An analysis of an entire year's tweets shows that there's a geographical split between those who say they like their work and those who say they don't.
The carrier expects to offer 4G LTE connectivity in 98 percent of its footprint by year end.
The e-retail store will offer everything from fashion to tech to jewelry, according to a new report.
Shoppers used Flow, a standalone app from Amazon's A9 unit, to search for, and purchase, items by simply taking a photo. Now, they can do it straight from the Amazon app.
The software company known for projects as far afield as One World Trade Center and Grand Theft Auto is bringing its tools to DIY-ers tinkering fixes to everyday problems.
The health insurer has not yet communicated the necessary information to those whose personal data was compromised by the recent hack, say several US states.
Cards Against Humanity's weird holiday promotion resulted in the death of Santa Claus, an apocalyptic lizard uprising and the carving up of a private island in Maine.