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Facebook’s crypto is not launching until next year, but it’s wallet’s logo is in the limelight for allegedly copied from a fintech firm.
Many folks who don’t understand crypto aren’t happy about Facebook launching one, but a fintech firm ‘Current’ has the right reason to hate Facebook’s newly announced subsidiary Calibra, at-least for copying its logo. Interestingly, the logo used by Facebook’s cryptocurrency wallet Calibra, consisting of a simple tilde mark within a circle, bears a remarkable similarity to the digital bank Current.
Facebook has recently announced that it will launch its own cryptocurrency ‘Libra’ in 2020 backed by large technology and financial firms, that will make its initial debut in a handful of countries, as we extensively covered here.
Meanwhile, Current is a fintech startup that was unveiled back in 2017, with an app-controlled debit card designed for kids. By the end of 2018, Current launched a regular checking account and also started managing user’s account via its app. The startup claims that it can be used as a way for users to pay their friends, a quite similar feature that will also be offered by Calibra when it launches next year. After observing similarities of two logos, the Current bank has posted a comparison of the two logos with the message, “This is what happens when you only have 1 crayon left.”
this is what happens when you only have 1 crayon left pic.twitter.com/2JY5JfesQD
— Current (@current) June 19, 2019
Stuart Sopp, CEO of Current said that the same San Francisco design firm’s Character was used to create both logos. He also claims to have worked with Character for months on Current’s logo before the company’s launch. As he told CNBC;
“This is a funny way to try and create trust in a new global financial system — by ripping off another fintech firm. We put six months of hard work into this with that design firm, which they basically reused for Facebook without changing much … Facebook is a big company that should have done their due diligence on this.“
The CNBC also reports that Current CEO has engaged law firm Goodwin Procter to decide whether it should file a trademark or patent infringement case against Facebook.


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The Baker Street site opened in 2005 and was the chef brothers’ first joint venture.
In a statement the Galvins said the classic French restaurant had been ‘ahead of its time’, but tastes had changed and they wanted to move on.
“We never wanted to water down the concept or the quality of food we have been proud to serve to a loyal clientele for 12 years,” they said.
“But in the world’s great cities things do not stand still. Tastes change and also, as creative chefs, we are restless and now want to do new things not just endlessly repeat the same style of cooking.”
All of the restaurant's staff will be found other jobs throughout the Galvin brother’s hospitality empire.
Since opening Bistrot de Luxe the duo's portfolio has grown to ten restaurants and pubs in the UK, including the Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
The brothers also launched two restaurants in Dubai last year, and are planning further opening in 2018.
“[We] will launch a new concept for each of the next five years,” says Chris Galvin.
“I am really excited and positive about this change and looking forward to what we can develop now that we will have the time to consider and be open to new ideas.”
The news follows a spate of closures in the restaurant market in the first few weeks of 2018. Birmingham's Turners at 69 shut its doors on 15 January, while chain brands Jamie's Italian and Byron are considering reducing their estate as part of restructuring plans.

domain: news


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The current online streaming platform partnered with BitPay to allow virtual currency subscriptions
The streaming platform Twitch will offer discounts for those who subscribe using cryptocurrencies as a means of payment. One of the trendy networks based on the growing popularity of the gamer world in recent months, will reduce by 10% the subscription rates for those who pay via BitPay.
Since the spread of COVID – 19 and subsequent isolation measures, many audiovisual platforms saw a significant increase in their subscription and consumption levels. One of the cases in question is Twitch, which after almost 10 years of its foundation, has 15 million active users per day and more than 3 million monthly stations.
In recent years, the platform has increasingly sheltered the gamer world and has been the main network used by new “streamers”. In 2017, for example, the Grand Finale of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major had an audience of over a million people. With the arrival of the pandemic, the entry of world-renowned footballers such as Sergio “el Kun” Aguero or Paulo Dybala into the world of video games, further expanded the audience.
In this way, the new partnership with BitPay to accept crypto payments is expected to increase retail adoption of cryptocurrencies. The payment platform accepts some of the major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and XRP, and stablecoin such as USDC and Paxos (PAX).
In May of this year, BitPay issued a statement on the payment methods of online games. Although credit card payments were the most common, the company pointed out that amount limits or delayed deposits are serious limitations. And he added:
“If you really want to maximize your sales, you should think about offering other online financing methods. It’s about giving your customers options, and capturing every sale you can. It’s time to consider accepting bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a method of financing”
Twitch stopped accepting cryptocurrencies as a payment method in March 2019. However, until then, it allowed its users to earn crypto rewards for their participation in the platform.


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Building trade-particular technology tools for companies to go online can also be a rising pattern. Over the past few months, several startups have expanded their providing to get businesses online. “The proposed amendments to COTPA will inconvenience our customers, thus hurting the patron sentiments, which will have a direct bearing on our enterprise. We cannot afford this,” Katriar stated.
- A language barrier reportedly discourages many web shoppers, as most e-commerce platforms are in English, and at occasions in Hindi.
- How Brands and Sellers Can Benefit From Amazon’s Massive GrowthAs Amazon is rising in tandem with the patron shift toward an all-digital expertise, savvy sellers can take benefit to position their manufacturers better and make extra sales.
- The UN is supporting this shift, as a method to assist growing economies get well from the worldwide economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Additionally, girls and folks with tertiary schooling increased their online purchases greater than other buyers.
It says it’s going to introduce greater than 2 million new products, double the amount last yr. Retailers don’t need the returns, however they do need shoppers who may not really feel safe going to shops to be comfortable buying issues they have not seen or tried on in particular person. “But, definitely, we imagine a large proportion of these will continue to stay online whether or not it is for the ease of access or a number of the thrilling entry to brands that you just typically don’t get offline,” Soni added. 2020 has been a 12 months of accelerated and we imagine that it is a shift to online existence that is broad, deep, and irreversible. Pedestrians cross a road embellished with Christmas lights in Orchard road purchasing district in Singapore on December eight, 2020. Indeed, service United States Postal Service Inc. displayed a disclaimer on its site on Dec. 18 warning that the unprecedented number of packages stemming from vacation sales along with COVID-19 problems might delay shipments.
The Ps5 Will Solely Be Offered Online On Launch Day
Salesforce also says world digital orders continued to develop after Cyber Monday (Nov. 30), peaking to 71% progress 12 months over yr on Dec. 5 before slowing down on Dec. 7. Tourism and travel sectors have suffered the strongest decline, with common spending per online shopper dropping by 75%. Online purchasing for non-necessities throughout lockdown comes with many ethical concerns, together with the working situations of those that deal with the goods. Woolworths’ A$780 millon funding in new automated distribution centres is an indication of how a lot COVID-19 has modified the way we shop. Research present comfort levels, value perceptions and motivations in relation to m-commerce differ depending on whether or not shoppers reside in developed or developing countries. However, the survey revealed that common online month-to-month expenditure per particular person has dropped considerably. UNCTAD performed the survey together with Netcomm Suisse eCommerce Association, in collaboration with the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) and Inveon, a Turkish digital commerce company.
The progress of lesser-identified manufacturers was because of elevated alternative and a considerable value distinction. As part of sale preparations, Snapdeal had performed a survey of nearly 1.25 lakh customers and one of the key insights was person unwillingness to pay for model premiums this year and as a substitute focus on the useful worth of their purchases. Since the start of the virus outbreak in the United States eight months in the past, shoppers have turned increasingly to Amazon for supply of groceries, residence items and medical provides. The tech giant will provide two take a look at durations – a new one from Nov. 1-3 and its conventional 24-hour shopping window on Nov. eleven.
Are Supply Packages Safe And Should You Be Buying Online?
In 2018, Amazon had proposed $500 million investment in retailing of food merchandise in India. Alibaba netted sales worth $30 billion on its platforms on Singles’ Day final year, dwarfing the $7.9 billion US online sales for Cyber Monday. Amazon on Monday announced the brand new date for its annual world mega-sale, which it stated aims to advertise small and medium-sized companies despite accusations by numerous lawmakers and commerce associations that the retail big is trying to crush competitors. Paytm Mall aims to supply a mixture of the Mall and Bazaar concepts to Indian shoppers. The online survey was performed online among the men scrapbooking neighborhood of LimeRoad. Each shopping web site, bank and wallet provider is making an attempt to offer the absolute best deal. Amazon has kicked off its Prime Day 2018 sale, offering 36 hours of buying completely for Prime Members.
A retail professional explains why brick-and-mortar manufacturers will continue to thrive within the age of e-commerce. The COVID-19 pandemic offers small retailers a possibility to have interaction customers who’re changing their habits. Carlo Terreni, President of NetComm Suisse eCommerce Association, added that the unparalleled growth of e-commerce will disrupt national and international retail frameworks. The survey further revealed that small retailers in China had been most geared up to promote their products online, whereas their counterparts in South Africa had been least ready. The adjustments we make now will have lasting effects as the world economy begins to get well”, said UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi. A delivery government associated with an e-commerce firm has been arrested along with three more folks for allegedly stealing packages containing new cellphones alleged to be delivered by a co-worker and selling them at low cost rates, police stated on Monday. Some retailers are changing stores into mini-distribution hubs in response to Covid-19.


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Apple fans expressed a preference for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus over the 4.7-inch iPhone 6
A weakness in Apple's Wi-Fi implementation could give hackers access to enterprise wireless networks, researchers said
Mac users have to wait for the release of OS X Yosemite to snag iCloud Drive support.
How do rumors keep moving? Energy is never lost.
Families can share their apps, books and more across devices, as long as everyone can agree on an operating system.
The iOS 8 feature plays a key role in Apple's health tracking ambitions
Apple is the first smartphone maker to abide by a new California anti-theft law by inserting a "kill switch" into iOS 8, which powers the iPhone 6.
Bloomberg BusinessWeek interviews Apple's top execs about new iPhones and the company's culture.
Apple's chat app can now send audio recordings, and it's got some welcome tools for taming unruly group convos.
Settings is one of the most overlooked apps on iOS, but also one of the most important. Here's what's new in iOS 8.


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Aglaë Strachwitz takes over the management of McDonald's in Switzerland on 1 August.
Canadian-born Jacques Mignault, Managing Director of McDonald's Switzerland for more than three years, is appointed President and CEO of McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited. As of August 1, he will hand over the management of the company to Aglaë Strachwitz, who previously worked for the company as Marketing Director in Switzerland.
Under the leadership of 60-year-old Jacques Mignault
, McDonald's Switzerland
and its 46 licensees
have implemented the new concept with preparation to order and service to the table throughout Switzerland, according to a company release.
Mignault launched the McDelivery
home delivery service in Switzerland at the beginning of 2019, which is now offered at 88 of the 170 locations. "Thanks to this focus on hospitality and the expansion of service channels, he and his team have succeeded in attracting 12 percent more guests
to McDonald's Switzerland in the last three years," says McDonald's Switzerland.
Jacques Mignault began his career at McDonald's in Canada more than 45 years ago and was Chief Operating Officer
before moving to Switzerland.
"Ketchup in the blood"
39-year-old Aglaë Strachwitz
also has "ketchup in her blood" (quoting McDonald's Switzerland) and started her career with the brand 14 years ago in Austria: "The outgoing Managing Director and the current Marketing Director, together with the well-established management team and licensees, have geared the restaurant experience and range of products even more closely to the needs of the guests. Last year, more than 300,000 guests
therefore visited McDonald's Switzerland every day
Six new restaurants
During his time in Switzerland, Jacques Mignault opened six new restaurants
. His growth strategy, however, was primarily focused on modernising the existing locations
. Today, around 140 of the 170 McDonald's offer service at the table. Guests can choose how they want to order in the restaurants: at the counter, on the screen of the order kiosks or on McDrive.
Since 2019, guests can also simply order Big Mac & Co. to take home. Under Mignault's responsibility, this additional service channel has been established throughout Switzerland with four partners: Eat.ch, Smood, Uber Eats and Divoora.
McDonald's Switzerland has also expanded its service in the digital area over the last three years. Through the McDonald's app, 1.8 million users benefit
from more advantages and entertainment.
The native Canadian will now return to his home country at the beginning of August in his new role as President and CEO of McDonald's Restaurants Canada
. "Aglaë Strachwitz will seamlessly take over the management
and continue the strategy of the restaurant company, which offers secure jobs to around 8,000 employees
and has been a reliable partner of the Swiss economy and agriculture for many years," says McDonald's Switzerland.


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YouTube’s crypto policy has driven crypto enthusiasts to look for decentralized alternatives that are uncensored and provide incentives to their users.
Mainstream is the main direction in any kind of area at the current period of time. Currently Bitcoin is mainstream in the financial and business sphere, as people invest big money in startups, developments and technologies related to it. Nowadays, cryptocurrency is most widely being used as an asset but, of course, a lot of people also use it as a payment method, as some large companies have started accepting it. According to some cryptocurrency advocators and supporters, it is possible that digital money will become the main international currency due to its ability to handle fast and cheap transactions. However, it might be wrong to follow this mainstream trend for those who have some misunderstandings or misconceptions about the topic.
- Bitcoin Flips Bullish — But Here’s Why BTC Price May Still Hit $3.9K
- 7 Crypto Firms Targeted by 11 Lawsuits in New York
- BIS Calls for Central Bank Digital Currencies Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
- Bitcoin’s Hedging Performance in the Wake of the Coronavirus Outbreak
- Top 5 Cryptos Not Named Bitcoin This Week (Mar 29): XMR, BNB, HT, CRO, BSV


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Arooga’s and JGJO Development Co. LLC opened their first New York location in the Village of Patchogue on the south shore of Long Island in Suffolk County on August 21st. It is the first of at least 10 locations planned for Long Island (Nassau/Suffolk Counties) and Queens borough of New York.
The Patchogue Arooga’s offers guests a 7,450-square foot restaurant and features more than 100 TVs offering nearly every sports package available. Arooga’s has a diverse menu featuring fresh, made to order items created with high quality ingredients, which includes many organic and gluten free options.
Since opening its first restaurant in Harrisburg, Pa in 2008, Arooga’s has strived to offer its guests the ultimate sports bar experience by offering the latest trends in technology and service, and has also paved the way for sports bars everywhere to offer guests healthy dining alternatives by sourcing clean ingredients that are free of antibiotics and hormones, and in many cases certified organic. Arooga’s began franchising in 2014, signing their first agreement with the Mohegan Tribe for 15 units, and have since made deals for nearly 100 units across the Northeast U.S.


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If you’re of a certain age, you may remember trawling the aisles at Blockbuster Video stores trying to pick which movie you and the family would watch that night.
Back before Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime, you had to go to physical locations to borrow physical items for your entertainment.
Although Blockbuster Video ceased operations back in 2013, two physical, franchise-based stores still remain. And one’s about to close down.
Located in a suburb of Perth, Australia called Morley, the store is set to close its doors at the end of March 2019. That’ll leave only one, physical Blockbuster Video store left on Earth – in Bend, Oregon in the US.
With the news that Blockbuster Video in Morley, Australia (Perth) is closing down, I should show these pics that I actually visited it a couple months ago thanks to my friend @ClaireXander! Here’s a quick tour of what I saw pic.twitter.com/r6UTW6L60q
— Matt P (@paliontology) March 6, 2019
Lyn Borszeky, co-owner of the Australian store told local wire services that although they had held out against streaming services as long as possible, the end is nigh.
‘We put in a pretty good effort to be the last one in Australia, I suppose, but it was going to happen eventually and now is the time,’ she said.
That leaves the store in Bend as the last surviving outlet.
We just got off the phone with an Australian radio station. The last Blockbuster in Australia is closing at the end of this month making our Bend Oregon Store the Last Blockbuster on the Planet!!!! #LastBlockbuster #IntheWorld
— Blockbuster Bend (@BlockbusterBend) March 5, 2019
It’s quite a step down from the heady days of 2004 when, at its peak, Blockbuster Video had over 9,000 stores worldwide.
Drove out to eastern Oregon to visit the last Blockbuster Video in America and experience choice paralysis in person instead of in front of a screen pic.twitter.com/e60MvqRvOM
— Laura E. Hall 🔜 GDC (@lauraehall) January 23, 2019
Given the unstoppable rise of Netflix and other streaming giants, not to mention the decline of physical media, we’re not holding out much hope that the last Blockbuster video store will be around for much longer.
RIP, Blockbuster Video.
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PARTNER NEWS: Visitors at CTIA Super Mobility Week 2015 in Las Vegas and IBC 2015 in Amsterdam were able to capture and exchange business cards with other attendees using NFC badges powered by NXP’s Mifare DESFire EV1 chips... More
Attendees at this week’s 2014 International CES show in Las Vegas are being provided with NFC badges that can be used to exchange business credentials and retrieve product information from other NFC devices as well as from posters displayed by exhibitors... More
The NFC Forum is to hold a public exhibition of NFC technology during its quarterly members’ meeting in Frankfurt next week... More
Event registration specialist ITN International has added iPad support to its NFC-based “Touch ‘n Go” attendee credential system... More
The winning entries in this year’s NFC Forum Global Competition include retail payments, healthcare, education and social networking applications. More
The NFC Forum has announced the twenty finalists for its 2010 Global Competition... More
Four hundred Samsung Star NFC handsets are being distributed to selected Mobile World Congress attendees for use at the event, which opens in Barcelona today... More
Membership of the NFC Forum is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. Handset manufacturers, mobile service providers, payment services providers, chip makers, solution developers, municipalities and academic institutions have all recently joined up. More
Five hundred Nokia NFC phones were issued to exhibitors by event registration specialists ITN International at last week’s Greenbuild 2008. A host of advanced features such as the over-the-air provision of promotional information, special invitation tickets and event-based social networking are to be added soon… More
Feed for stories featuring ITN International.
• Find a list of all the companies and other organisations that have been featured in NFC World in our directory.


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“Lower sugar content has been a consumer demand for a long time, but now with the changing Nutrition Facts panel,” which will make “added sugars” a line item, “there will be even greater emphasis on reducing sugar content across product categories,” Laura Dembitzer, marketing director at Imbibe, said Feb. 7 during a webinar on the top ingredient trends of 2017.
To illustrate how widespread sugar reduction has become, Dembitzer pointed to Pepsi’s decision last fall to embrace “a marketing nightmare” to rebrand its existing Pepsi Max line to Pepsi Zero Sugar to “very clearly communicate to consumers that the product has no sugar.”
It also announced last October that by 2025 at least two-thirds of its drinks will have 100 calories or fewer from added sugar per 12 ounces -- a move that is similar to the Coca-Cola Co.’s declaration that by 2020 it would offer low- or no-calorie options in every market that its products exist.
In addition, Nestle announced it is patenting a sugar reduction process that will allow it to cut sugar across categories by 40%, which it hopes to use in product development starting in 2018.
Even “product lines where sugar is an essential component of the product identity are being forced to reformulate in order to stay relevant to today’s consumers,” Dembitzer said. She pointed to Smucker’s offering a low-sugar jam line and repositioning its products as “naturally sweetened with honey,” which has a better reputation than sugar in many consumers’ eyes.
Recasting products with claims
In addition to reformulating products, manufacturers also are using marketing to downplay the sugar in their products, Dembitzer said.
“Marketing claims around sugar reduction on the front panel have increased dramatically over the past few years,” with sugar-free claims climbing 14%, low-sugar up 32% and no sugar added up 21% between 2011 and 2015, she said.
Reflecting on this trend, Dembitzer noted, “interestingly, the no sugar added claim doesn’t really say much about the sugar content of the product because, especially on juice-based products where the majority of the sugar is coming from the juice.”
Yet, she said, the cold-pressed juice brand 1915 declares on its green juice made with romaine, cucumber, spinach and kale that no sugar is added, even though the natural sugars amount to 25 grams per serving, or half the new daily recommendation.
“Other ways brands are communicating about sugar reduction is through sugar content comparison and saying X grams less sugar or less sugar than the original version,” she said.
“In order to get more natural positioning,” she added, “brands also make the claim no artificial sweetener.”
Technological advancements ease sugar reduction efforts
Luckily, companies trying to reduce sugar in the products have several technologies to choose from, depending on their goals, but they all come with some tradeoffs, Dembitzer said.
Companies that want to cut sugar and have a clean label increasingly are leaning towards honey, agave and fruit juice. While these are all recognizable to consumers, honey is actually more caloric than sugar and it, along with agave, are not as sweet as sugar, which can make it difficult to maintain a flavor profile that consumers expect, Dembitzer said.
In addition, she warned that when the new Nutrition Facts panel goes into effect, companies sweetening products with fruit juice must do so with juice that is a single strength and not from concentrate, otherwise, it will fall under that added sugar line.
Non-nutritive high-intensity sweeteners also are a “major trend” right now, Dembitzer said.
Specifically, she noted that stevia is undergoing “a tremendous amount of innovation and development in order to improve the taste profile,” and create derivatives that can be listed as natural flavors in ingredient statements as long as predetermined use-rates are met.
Monkfruit is another common option, but, like stevia has a strong aftertaste and is not legal in the EU – thus limiting its application.
Surprisingly, sugar alcohols, which have been around “are becoming popular again because they don’t have a strong aftertaste and they have an even sweetness like sugar,” and can be used to mask off-flavors, Dembitzer said.
Finally, she noted newcomer allulose is gaining traction as a viable option in limited applications.
She explained that allulose is new to the market and not yet widespread because it has limited GRAS certification, but that it provides a mouth feel similar to sugar along with about 70% of its sweetness and it browns like sugar, “which makes it attractive for certain applications.”
Overall, Dembitzer said, manufacturers' reformulation to reduce sugar have many tools to choose from, but they should be careful to ensure they also follow the strict regulations that apply to them, as well as balance other consumer desires for taste, low-calorie and non-chemical sounding ingredients.


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Blue Apron, the Popular Meal-Kit Delivery Service, Has Filed to Go Public
HelloFresh. Purple Carrot. Sun Basket.
But there's one brand name that most readily comes to mind: Blue Apron. The five-year-old company paved the way for future start-ups to provide customers with home-delivered, semi-prepped ingredients and instructions on how to use those ingredients to make a what they say are restaurant-quality dishes. And now, it's paving the way once again as it files papers to go public under the symbol "APRN."
The start-up's public offering comes at a time of relative uncertainty. Its revenue has been steadling growing—the company enjoyed a 10-fold rise in sales between 2014 and 2016—but so have its costs and losses. While it boasted $795.4 million in 2016 sales, its net loss for the same year grew 16 percent from 2015, capping at $54.8 million—mainly due to increased ingredient costs and marketing expenditures.
As it vies with emerging competitors, the company has displayed less-than-sure footing in other ways, too. In 2017, the number of orders per customer as well as the average customer revenue fell, as compared to figures from the same quarter last year. It's hard, then, not to draw comparisons between this listing and the recent disastrous listing of Snapchat's parent company, Snap.
As reported by The New York Times, "Going public does not mean that Blue Apron’s management is intent on giving up control of the company. The start-up will have three classes of stock: Class A shares that will be sold to the public and will carry one vote per share; Class B shares, which the founders and early investors own, which carry 10 votes per share; and Class C shares, which come with no voting rights and will be used for purposes like acquisitions."
We're interested to see how this one pans out. In the meantime, we'll be enjoying that dessert meal kit.


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To get a roundup of the biggest and most important stories from TechCrunch delivered to your inbox every day at 3pm PDT, subscribe here.
Today is Wednesday June 15, 2022. As much as we like to live in the now, we are very excited for tomorrow! In Twitter Spaces tomorrow at noon PDT, we’ll be speaking with our immigration expert, Sophie (who shared today the best visa to start a startup). Click to set a reminder for yourself right now! We’ll also have our day online for TC Sessions: Climate tomorrow, so tune in to that too if you’re a fan of the weather and how cool our planet is. Wow! — Haje Y cristina
TechCrunch Top 3
- They are fighting words: Dukaan, an Indian company that helps merchants set up eCommerce businesses, challenges Shopify, even gets dirty on Twitter. manish reports. The company’s goal is to speed up the performance of websites, claiming that Shopify’s speed and performance are causing merchants to lose sales if customers have to wait even a few seconds longer for sites to load.
- Who knew market reports were so lucrative?: AlphaSense did it. The global pandemic combined with market uncertainty gave the business intelligence and analytics search engine company the boost it needed to seek $225 million in new funding, Ingrid he writes. This not only gives AlphaSense a $1.7 billion valuation, but also goes to show that even in this counter-narrative environment, it’s still good for some.
- BNPL firms continue to clash: We can’t say if consumers will be the winners, as many companies offer buy now, pay later, but it’s fun to see them all trying to outdo each other. The latest is PayPal, which is expanding its BNPL feature with a monthly payment service, Sarah Tell us. This means that instead of taking 6 weeks to pay, users can now spread payments over 6 to 24 months. But be warned, customers can’t use it for a $30 t-shirt; purchases must be between $199 and $10,000.
Startups and VCs
Unrelated to creative accounting, and the crypto crisis be damned, Binance CEO Brian Shroder told employees yesterday that the company is “in the strongest possible position to not only successfully weather this downturn, but also to emerge as the leading crypto platform in the US.” anita reports.
Let’s take a walk through startup land, looking through the lens of TechCrunch’s reporting over the past 24 hours or so:
- Vaporware, but not the bad kind: Puffco shows off a cool pipe-like cannabis vaporizer called Proxy, priced at $299. Mate reports.
- Is it scary? No: GreyNoise is a self-styled “threat intelligence” company that essentially provides a spam filter for Internet threat alerts. Raised $15 million in funding, carly reports.
- Lots of data, lots of cash: DataStax hired Chet Kapoor as CEO in October 2019. That appears to have worked: The company raised a $115 million round at a $1.6 billion valuation today, Ron reports.
- Is it play or is it learn? Tricky question: it’s both: Edtech company Pok Pok raises $3 million to continue expanding its digital gaming experiences, Aisha reports.
- Make parking a walk in the park: Kyle reports that AI-powered parking platform Metropolis parks a $167 million truck full of money at its headquarters. Okay, maybe not literally, but that would be great.
- nothing to see here: Smartphone hardware startup Nothing teases its new phone design ahead of next month’s launch, reports Natasha L..
Is consolidation on the horizon for the Southeast Asian tech industry?
The super app business model is paying off in Southeast Asia.
Grab’s “everyday app” offerings range from grocery delivery to investment services; Malaysia-based AirAsia has rebranded itself as Capital A as it expands its offerings to encompass ride-sharing, food delivery and more.
These companies are not building these new business units from scratch: they are using strategic acquisitions to enter new markets and close in on the competition.
“As more technology companies look to the super app business model to retain users and increase monetization, we could expect further expansion and inorganic consolidation in the coming years,” says Amit Anand, founding partner of Jungle Ventures.
(TechCrunch+ is our membership program, helping startup founders and teams get ahead. You can sign up here.)
great tech inc
For a time, Discord, GitLab, and other services in India and surrounding regions were affected by a Cloudflare outage. manish informed. That has been resolved now, but why it happened is not yet known.
Have you heard enough of Apple’s WWDC? Good, Ivan wants you to know what he thinks is one of the funniest new features to come out: Apple’s new image cropping feature in iOS 16. He likes the ability to crop and lift unwanted sections with the press of a finger. And you can crop an image, which then turns it into a separate image that can be placed in a messaging app like iMessage or WhatsApp.
The bottles are showing up on YouTube, where YouTube Shorts surpassed 1.5 billion monthly registered users less than 2 years after its launch. Sarah he writes that this shows it can compete with TikTok, which said it has 1 billion users as of September 2021.
Did you have enough, or are you thirsty for more?


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Welsh Lamb moves online
With more people shopping online for groceries during the Covid-19 pandemic, both in Britain and abroad, promotional efforts for Wales’s farming exports have been ensuring that PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef aren’t left behind by the trend.
Whilst the online grocery sales trends has surged across the world over the last 12 months, it is also reported that shoppers in the United Arab Emirates spent more whilst doing online grocery shopping compared to when they visited stores. In Europe, key Welsh Lamb markets Germany, Austria and Switzerland have also seen a large rise in e-commerce, with grocery shopping benefitting from an increase. It is estimated that approximately 28% of European consumers who live in urban areas used online shopping as their main channel for buying groceries during lockdown.
Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) and Welsh processing companies report they have redoubled efforts to ensure that growing online retailers stock Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef.
Denmark’s largest online retailer has recently started stocking selected Welsh Lamb cuts and joins a host of other online retailers. In the last year, two online grocery retailers in the United Arab Emirates are now also stocking and selling Welsh Lamb, as well as a specialist online food company in Singapore and a leading Japanese online retailer. A German meat specialist website regularly sells out of its Welsh Lamb products.
Deanna Jones, HCC’s export market development executive, commented: “Coronavirus restrictions across the globe have altered consumer buying patterns significantly. Here in the UK and further afield, we are seeing that people are doing more online grocery shopping and this trend is likely to continue to grow over the coming months.
“We’re really pleased to be welcoming new online retailers as stockists of Welsh Lamb in a year which has seen more people turn to online grocery shopping. We now have a range of general supermarket retailers and more specialist, meat retailers selling Welsh Lamb online in key export markets, which is great news for our industry. We are looking forward to securing more online partners for Welsh Lamb across the world.”


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Panasonic invests $60m in 'frivolous' laundry robot
When a Japanese startup unveiled the world's first robot that folds laundry some critics called it 'ridiculous, frivolous, and a waste of engineering talent'.
But electronics giant Panasonic thinks otherwise, and has invested $60m (£49m) in the project.
Seven Dreamers has spent a decade working on the 'Laundroid'.
Due on the market next year, it claims the machine can fold a shirt in ten minutes.
There is still no price tag on the device, which is about the size of a wardrobe and uses artificial intelligence and image recognition technology to fold and stack clothes.
However, Seven Dreamers... read more


text:
A new survey shows a continued improvement in the fortunes of the Irish hotel sector in the Northwest and across the country.
Hotels in the Western Seaboard area which includes hotels from Donegal enjoyed occupancy rates of 65.2% in 2014, up from 63.9% on the previous year.
The average room rate in 2014 was €67.50 up from €64.51 in 2013.
The survey was conducted by Crowe Horwath - Spokesperson Aiden Murphy agrees with concerns expressed last week that rising hotel prices in Dublin could have a negative knock on effect here.
He says lower room rates are benefiting the North West....


text:
ATLANTA, Ga. — Riddle & Associates, management company for the Clean Show, has moved to new offices. Their new address is 2751 Buford Highway, Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia USA. The phone number remains the same, 404-876-1988. The new fax number is 404-968-9800.
“We encourage past exhibitors and attendees to make this change in all departments of their companies that interact with the Clean Show,” said John Riddle, president of Riddle & Associates.
The Clean Show is the world’s largest exposition of equipment, products and services for the textile care industry. Clean 2017 will be held June 5-8, 2017, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Exhibit sales open in spring 2016.
The Clean Show is sponsored by five national industry associations: Association for Linen Management, Coin Laundry Association, Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, Textile Care Allied Trades Association and Textile Rental Services Association of America.
For more information about Clean 2017, visit its website at www.cleanshow.com, or contact show management, Riddle & Associates, 2751 Buford Highway, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30324, phone 404-876-1988, email email@example.com.


text:
zachG said: I doubt the lockout will go for the whole season, a 10 month lockout would be outrageous.
I think there will be a shortened season for 2011-12.
zachG said: Nope, I think next year is when they will be releasing their next Simulation basketball game.
They are releasing NBA Jam On Fire Edition this year though.
Prime said: Is EA releasing a basketball game after last years disaster?
k1lo5 said: Any word on a demo release??
k1lo5 said: Any have a Aussie league, or wanna start up a league.
Maybe a 360 MMGN league.
Gunz said: I bet you that there are even more sponser deals in MyPlayer mode such as Jordan, Nike and Addias
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Hungry kids get boost from area Dunkin’ Donuts
Fifteen local Dunkin’ Donut stores in New York and Pennsylvania have jointly donated $20,000 to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier to support the agency’s BackPack program.
The donation, presented Monday at the Food Bank’s headquarters in Elmira Heights, is the first local installment of what will be a $1 million commitment nationally to food banks over the next three years. The money is specifically earmarked for the BackPack program.
The BackPack program provides children receiving free or reduced price lunches in area school districts easy-to-prepare food to take home over the weekends and school vacations.
Forty-five percent of the students attending school districts in the local food bank’s six-county service area receive reduced priced lunches and breakfasts, said Jonathan Fuller, the Food Bank’s community relations manager. About 2,200 backpacks are handed out each week, he said. The agency’s goal is to reach all 41 school districts in its service area.
“As the program grows, it does become more expensive,” Fuller said.
Over the past year, said Howard Tannenbaum, operations manager for Dunkin’ Donut’ss central New York region, the 15 stores have held special promotions throughout the year to raise the money. Participating stores are located in the Elmira, Corning, Bath and Williamsport areas.
“A portion of those promotional sales is going to the donation campaign,” Tannenbaum said. “This is a new venture for the Dunkin’ Donuts corporation.
The $1 million grant is the largest in the history of the Dunkin’ Donuts Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation and will distributed to Feeding America Food Banks over the next three years.
Vickie Steck of Beaver Dams, a Food Bank employee and a self-described Dunkin’ Donuts coffee addict who drinks about three pots daily, sees nothing but positives with the BackPack program and the corporate donations to support it.
“There are kids in need in the community and as a customer,” she said. “I’m glad to know the money is coming back to help the kids.”


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Have you signed up for British Baker’s latest webinar – which is being held in conjunction with bakery ingredients producer Edme?
Grain for Good: Natural Ingredients for a Fitter Future will help those bakers in need of market and technical insight on natural ingredients.
The online event takes place on 30 September, 2014 at 2pm. To register see http://tinyurl.com/pbqwjyx
Speakers confirmed for the event include:
- Richard Ford ,senior food analyst, Mintel
- Simon Wooster, technical director, Edme
- James Smith, sales & marketing director, Edme
- Martyn Leek, editor, British Baker
Martyn Leek, editor of British Baker, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with the experts at Edme to be discussing the challenges in the bread and bakery sector. This online event will help anyone who is interested in developments in whole grains, sprouted grains, malted grains or cereals as a whole.
“The event will also look at how using grains can add value to your products and to your company.”


text:
Transcript for Study of white meat surprises researchers
Medal of major medical headline researchers who conducted a new study and white and red meat say even they are surprised by the results based on a white means that chicken and Turkey. Are just as bad as bread meat when it comes right down to your cholesterol levels. Beatrice in this point out that red meat is still higher in saturated fat but they also suggest cutting back on both an eating more plant based protein is always they say. A well balanced diet with everything in moderation is best.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


text:
Small business owners eye a second Paycheck Protection Program loan
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It’s a good bet that business owners of all stripes are eyeing the new Paycheck Protection Program money in Congress’ relief bill. But those same business owners haven’t forgotten that the first round of PPP money didn’t roll out so smoothly.
We checked in with some small business owners to talk about the pros and cons of applying for a PPP loan all over again.
The new Paycheck Protection Program that Congress is proposing would allow restaurants and hospitality businesses to take out bigger loans.
Mark Frier owns three restaurants in Vermont and said he’d like to spend more on supporting his staff during the difficult, colder months.
“We’re running in a deficit right now, just even trying to remain open and keep our employees on payroll,” he said.
Congress’ proposal would also make it easier for smaller loan borrowers to apply for forgiveness.
Sophie Blake owns a jewelry store in Virginia. She said it was a struggle to apply for her $14,000 PPP loan.
“There were about 20 to 30 pieces of documentation I had to submit,” she said. “I’m still waiting to hear back whether I’m going to get forgiven or not.”
Blake said her jewelry sales have been slow this holiday season, which is usually one of her busiest times. And next year, her rent is going up.
She said if her PPP loan isn’t forgiven, she probably won’t apply for another one.
“I don’t think I want to take on any more debt. You know, I already feel anxious with the debt that we have,” Blake said.
Some PPP recipients aren’t sure they need this second go-around. Jackie Laundon is a public health consultant based in Colorado.
“After the disastrous quarter two in the spring, I’m in a better position at the end of the year,” she said. “And so, I’m not sure. To be honest right now, I’m leaning toward no.”
Laundon said she’d like to think that by holding back, business owners who need a loan more than she does will have a better chance.
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text:
MoneyGram has inked a definitive agreement to be acquired by private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP) in an all-cash deal worth around $1.8 billion.
Funds affiliated with MDP will acquire all outstanding shares of MoneyGram for $11 per share - a premium of approximately 50% to MoneyGram's closing stock price on 14 December just before speculation about a possible sale began.
Shares in the money transfer firm hit $10.60 today, up more than 18%.
Alex Holmes, CEO, MoneyGram, says: "By partnering with MDP and becoming a private company, we will have greater opportunities to innovate and transform MoneyGram to lead the industry in cross-border payment technology and deliver a more expansive set of digital offerings, while leveraging our global platform for new customers and use cases."
MoneyGram was almost bought in 2017 by China's Ant Financial but the $1.2 billion agreement failed to pass muster with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Then, in 2020 Bloomberg reported that it was close to being scooped up by larger rival Western Union.


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Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has announced the launch of its latest Android device, but it will not sell the phone through traditional carriers in Australia.
Samsung will launch its hotly anticipated Galaxy Note II Android phone in Australia "next week" through Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, but no contract pricing or plan details have been revealed yet.
Google has exhausted initial stocks of its Nexus 4 Android smartphone less than an hour after the device went on sale yesterday.
Australia's largest telco, Telstra, has stressed that its brand is strong enough to sell smartphones following the decision to release its own-branded device as the first 4G prepaid smartphone in Australia.
Vodafone has become the first Australian telco to announce pricing, plans and availability details for Samsung's hotly-anticipated Galaxy Nexus Android phone.
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei today launched its Vision Android phone in Australia. The company claims the Vision is its "most stylish and advanced smartphone to date" and will be sold exclusively through Allphones and Optus.
Motorola has unveiled a new version of its iconic RAZR mobile phone -- simply called the Motorola RAZR -- and will exclusively partner with Optus for its Australian launch.
Samsung Australia has confirmed it is expecting to launch its Galaxy Note Android smartphone in Australia in "early 2012".
LG has announced that its latest Android smartphone -- the Optimus Black -- will be available in Australia through all three major carriers: Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone.
Summer is just around the corner, which means it's time for device manufacturers to release their high-profile Android devices all at the same time to pre-empt the iPhone 5 hype machine.
Samsung has announced that its latest Galaxy Ace Android phone is now available exclusively through Telstra in Australia.
Motorola and Telstra last night jointly unveiled the eagerly-anticipated Motorola Xoom Android tablet, and the Motorola Atrix Android phone, confirming the devices will be available in Australia from 24 May and 7 June, respectively.
Optus has announced pricing details for the HTC Incredible S Android smartphone, which will be available exclusively through the telco for three months when it launches in Australia on 1 May.
HTC has announced that its Incredible S Android smartphone will be available exclusively through Optus for three months when it launches in Australia on 1 May.
HTC will announce the launch of its Incredible S Android smartphone next Wednesday night after the Taiwanese manufacturer sent a 'briefing and product demonstration' invitation to the media this morning.
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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People say they want online privacy. But are they willing to pay for it?
Most Americans say no, according to a new survey that comes as online privacy concerns pile up and the drumbeat for regulation gets louder.
When internet users were asked whether they wanted Facebook and Google to collect less data, 67.8 percent of them strongly agreed, a survey released Wednesday by the Center for Data Innovation shows.
But the survey found that Americans’ support for companies collecting less data declined when they were asked to make tradeoffs.
When asked whether they would like Facebook and Google to collect less data even if it means seeing less useful ads, 57.8 percent of those surveyed strongly agreed. How about losing access to some features offered by the companies in exchange for less data collection? Only 34.8 percent strongly agreed.
And only 18 percent strongly agreed with the statement “I would like online services such as Facebook and Google to collect less of my data even if it means paying a monthly subscription fee.”
The survey was conducted by the Center for Data Innovation, which is part of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. The ITIF, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, has received funding from tech companies, labor groups and other sources. Both think tanks advocate for fewer regulations.
The survey also asked internet users whether they would want companies to collect more data if it meant seeing fewer ads, accessing more new features, or getting free apps and services. Only 10.1 percent or less of those surveyed strongly agreed in each of those cases.
The survey polled 3,240 U.S. adult internet users between Dec. 13 and Dec. 16, 2018.


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Channel 4, Denki and several other UK developers are set to reveal major new titles on the 20 th November at the press-only Discovery Afternoon, hosted by TIGA in London between 3.00pm-5.00pm followed by a chance to play some of the games.
Colin Macdonald will reveal an exclusive of Channel 4’s latest iPhone, iPad, Android and tablet game. Attendees will also be able to get hands on time with Denki’s new title ‘ Save the Day’. Seven other titles will be revealed to the assembled press including 4T2 who will reveal one of their latest games created on behalf of LEGO®. nDreams will reveal their biggest ever PlayStation Home game and Legendary Games will showcase their new browser-based multiplayer, online, strategy game. Plant Pot will showcase their new iOS game, and Boss Level will present their massively multi-player, multi-platform, HTML5 turn-based strategy game. Atomicon will give an exclusive of their game and Nellyvision will also present their new game.
The two-hour event is being held at One New Change located on Cheapside – closest tube stations are St Paul’s (1 min), Mansion House (3 mins) and Bank (4 mins).
If you are a member of press and would like to attend this event, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
For further details of this event, please contact email@example.com.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
TIGA is the trade association representing the UK’s games industry. The majority of our members are either independent games developers or in-house publisher owned developers. We also have games publishers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities amongst our membership. TIGA was awarded ‘Trade Association of the Year’ and the ‘Member Recruitment Award’ at the Trade Association Forum Best Practice Awards 2010. TIGA has also been named as a finalist in the 2010 Chartered Management Institute (CMI) National Management and Leadership Awards in the category of ‘The Outstanding Organisation of the Year Award (SME)’. TIGA is an ‘Investors in People’ accredited organisation.
TIGA's vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business. We focus on three sets of activities: political representation, generating media coverage and developing services that enhance the competitiveness of our members. This means that TIGA members are effectively represented in the corridors of power, their voice is heard in the media and they receive benefits that make a material difference to their businesses, including a reduction in costs and improved commercial opportunities.


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MasonicGamer.com: Ubisoft Montreal developed Far Cry is back in a tropical paradise after exploring the African wilderness in Far Cry 2. Starting off more like a feature film than a video game, Far Cry 3 sees Jason Brody and his group of friends on vacation who are then captured by Vaas Montenegro, the leader of a group of pirates working for a slave trafficking ring. Jason barely escapes with his brother Grant but not before he’s shot in cold blood by Vaas
Trading Card Sets, Including Limited Edition Cards Featuring Signed Cards and Original Sketches, On Sale Now!
SegmentNext – “Far Cry 3 has a huge array of weapons. In fact, there are thirty-nine different kinds of weapons in Far Cry 3.
Gematsu: “This week’s Media Create sales are led by Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the third-week running, but sees a surprising new release take second place.” (3DS, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, E.X. Troopers, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Magnagate and the Infinite Labyrinth, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360)
While we received no update yesterday from the Lightning Returns team, they’ve made up for it today by continuing their last little bit of review.The marketing team admits that the current amount of information out there is quite insufficient, but promises to open the floodgates come December. Given that the official LRFFXIII Twitter and Facebook pages have ramped up in activity over the past two weeks, it only makes sense that they would confirm as such


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RBS caves in on bounced cheque fees
Taxpayer-backed RBS, owner of NatWest, has won plaudits for finally reducing the charges it applies to customers who slip into the red. From next month the two banks will charge customers a flat fee of £5 when they have to bounce a cheque or direct debit payment due to lack of funds.
The fee is down from £38 --previously the highest charge in the overdraft market. The maximum monthly charge for unpaid items will also be limited to £50, down from £114 per day.
The interest rate on unauthorised borrowing will be reduced from29.84 per cent to 19.24 per cent, which is the same rate applied to authorised overdrafts.
SWITCH: Jamie Wright has moved his current account from Halifax to A&L
Experts speculate that RBS is responding to political and media pressure to become more customer friendly.
New boss Stephen Hester, who replaced Sir Fred Goodwin, also appears to be taking a softer line, as shown by the open letter he wrote to customers last week.
But the bank could also be trying to pre-empt the outcome of the Office of Fair Trading's court battle against the High Street banks over the fees charged on unauthorised borrowing.
The High Court ruled more than a year ago that the charges were unfair, opening the floodgates for compensation to customers. But the banks appealed against the decision, which has caused the case to drag on.
And in the meantime, tens of thousands of current account customers have cases against the banks on ice until the final ruling, expected early next month. Most banks have reduced charges, but even so customers who slip into an unauthorised overdraft can still run up fees of hundreds of pounds each month.
A Lloyds TSB customer who becomes £100 overdrawn and who does not clear the debt by 3.30pm on the same day is charged £15, plus a further £20 for each day that the borrowing is not cleared. The fee is only capped once the customer has paid this charge for ten days - or a total of £200.
Bounced cheques or direct debits are charged at £20 each --capped at a maximum of three per day.
Abbey has no cap on the number of charges for bounced payments. For example, if a customer had an unauthorised overdraft and had five payments due, all worth more than £30, the total charge would be £175 - five times £35. There would also be a £25 monthly charge for going over the overdraft limit.
Adam Williams of consumer lobby group Which? says the cut in unauthorised overdraft charges by RBS is a step in the right direction, which he hopes other banks will follow. But he urges people to use renewed competition in the current account market to vote with their feet.
'Overdraft charges, both authorised and unauthorised, still don't reflect the true cost of that borrowing to the banks,' he says.
'Savvy consumers who need an overdraft should switch to get the best account for their needs.'
Jamie Wright, 31, (above) an insurance salesman from Upminster, in Essex, has just switched his current account from Halifax to Alliance & Leicester to get a better overdraft deal. In the past he had paid 'numerous' charges to Halifax, now owned by Lloyds TSB.
A&L, owned by Spanish banking giant Santander, is offering new customers an interest and fee-free authorised overdraft of up to £2,000 for the first 12 months. 'I've got a £750 overdraft which I'm trying to clear,' says Jamie.
'A friend told me about the A&L Premier Direct account and it seemed a good way to cut my overdraft quicker as I pay £1 to Halifax for each day I'm overdrawn.'
After 12 months, A&L charges 50p a day for an authorised overdraft, capped at a maximum of £5 a month.
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Last week, an observant member of the Valve forums pointed out that there were resources and code added to the new Steam beta that pointed to a possible port to OS X. The forums were churning with rumors and speculation of the gaming giant's future M...
Microsoft plans to spend $9.5 billion on research and development this year, which a senior executive said Thursday is more than any competitor.
Nero, makers of optical media-burning software, has announced a new version of its SecurDisc data- protection technology, which should increase your chances of recovering content from damaged CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs.
The North Korean government appears to have developed its own graphical Linux-based "Red Star" operating system, though its people still prefer that symbol of Yankee high-tech imperialism, Microsoft Windows.
Intel Corp. today announced it is shipping to electronics manufacturers its first processor platform customized for home servers and small office network attached storage (NAS) systems.
Apple's iPad could drive total tablet sales for the year as high as 10.5 million devices, a Gartner Research analyst said today.
CRM vendor RightNow announced a new SaaS (software as a service) pricing and licensing model on Thursday that it says provides customers with fairer, clearer deals. The company also issued a "Cloud Challenge" to competitors, urging them to adopt simi...
Microsoft is betting the cloud will deliver it and its customers the most opportunities for innovation and development. And according to CEO Steve Ballmer, five key reasons are driving the company's confidence in - and technology strategy for - cloud...
Google recently extended what it describes as highly advanced and sophisticated data backup and recovery to all components of its Apps communication and collaboration suite.
The LG GS290 Cookie Fresh isn't yet available on planet Earth, but you can find it on Planet Reseller, the part of the Cebit trade show reserved for distributors and resellers.
Sony is countering Apple by developing its own handheld products that include a tablet-like device and a smartphone that can download and play PlayStation games, The Wall Street Journal said in a news report on Thursday.
Microsoft has announced it will ship two security updates on Tuesday to patch eight vulnerabilities in Windows and Office.
Seventy percent of the 40,000 people who work on software at Microsoft are in some way working in the cloud, CEO Steve Ballmer said Thursday at the University of Washington.
IBM researchers are a step closer to developing chips that use pulses of light instead of electrical signals to carry information between them.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released two publications as part of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce’s 2010 Fraud Week campaign, which aims to educate people and businesses on the risks of online shopping.
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GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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text:
Why Colorado’s data privacy bill may be a big mountain to climb for marketers
The Colorado Privacy Act — the Mile High State’s take on comprehensive CCPA-like data privacy legislation — is expected to be signed into law imminently. While the bill will empower consumers to take greater control over their personal information, it will also erect new hurdles for marketers, who generally rely on the collection and sale of consumer data to track consumer behavior and serve targeted ads.
Colorado's new privacy bill could present some steep new challenges for marketers
Colorado is expected to join California and Virginia in passing comprehensive consumer data privacy legislation. The Colorado House voted 57-7 Monday night to pass the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), which passed in the state Senate on May 26 with a unanimous vote. Governor Jared Polis (D) is expected to sign the bill into law shortly.
If signed, the bill will provide consumers with the right to opt out of data processing, but will introduce additional challenges for businesses — and marketers in particular — that depend on the collection, processing and sale of consumer data for a number of operations. Here’s what you need to know.
An overview of CPA
The law will apply to any organization conducting business in Colorado or targeting its products or services to Colorado residents that either: process or control the personal data of more than 100,000 consumers annually; or that derive revenue from the sale of personal data in addition to processing or controlling the personal data of 25,000 consumers or more.
Under CPA, consumers will have the right to not only opt-out of the processing of personal data — which is often sold and used for targeted advertising purposes — but also to authorize another person to opt out on one’s behalf. Further, CPA will allow consumers to request deletion of personal information and correct inaccuracies concerning one’s personal data. The bill also requires that businesses obtain consumers’ opt-in — rather than simply an opt-out — for the collection of certain “sensitive” personal data, which may include religious beliefs, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, citizenship status and physical or mental health information
Subjected organizations are obliged to give consumers a “reasonably accessible, clear, and meaningful” privacy notice that discloses information about the organization’s data collection and sharing policies and practices. Plus, before transferring personal data, organizations must agree to data processing contracts with service providers. Similar to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), CPA’s protections don’t apply to employment records and some other types of information.
“It is great to see a third US state could pass a comprehensive privacy law,” says Ivana Bartoletti, Deloitte’s technical director of privacy and digital ethics and the author of An Artificial Revolution: on Power, Politics and AI. “Increasing privacy protection around the world is crucial for the flow of information.”
While the bill includes no private right of action — meaning that consumers can’t file personal lawsuits against organizations they believe to be in violation of the law — the Colorado Attorney General’s office and state district attorneys will enforce CPA and may fine noncompliant organizations up to $500,000.
How CPA differs from other US privacy legislation
Though CPA shares much of the same anatomy as CCPA, the upgraded California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA) and the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), it does differ in a few key areas.
According to Jessica Lee, partner at law firm Loeb & Loeb and co-chair of the company’s privacy, security and data innovations, the Colorado bill includes a few additional protections that haven’t been seen in either the Virginia or California bills.
For one, she says, the bill includes stringent limitations on secondary uses of data, requiring an opt-in for such uses. “This is meaningful in that the bill also requires companies to specify the purpose for which they may collect information,” she says. “The practice of collecting data for one purpose (or describing the purpose in very broad and general terms) and using it for another down the line will be constrained by the addition of this requirement. This goes beyond the CPRA (which requires additional notice) and appears stronger than the VCDPA’s secondary notice requirements.”
CPA also incorporates consumers’ right to use a “universal” opt-out, which Lee says is similar to the recently introduced Global Privacy Control solution. “It continues the trend towards allowing consumers, whether through an authorized agent or browser-based tools, to exercise their opt-out rights on a global level, rather than going site by site or company by company,” Lee says.
And while CPA introduces a number of new hurdles for businesses, it’s not all bad news for them, according to Lee. A 60-day cure period — which will be phased out on Jan. 1, 2025 — provides organizations with some much-welcomed wiggle room. “These laws are always more complicated to implement than they appear, and once companies start to get into the weeds on how to navigate these new obligations, mistakes will inevitably be made,” says Lee. “This cure period allows companies to work with regulators on solutions [for] how to navigate the grey areas without fears that unintentional missteps will result in fines.”
Polly Sanderson, policy counsel at privacy-focused think tank Future of Privacy Forum, notes that another key difference concerns CPA’s overarching position on consent and its implications for marketing practices. “Coupled with [the bill’s requirement that businesses obtain opt-in for the processing of ‘sensitive’ information], the consent standard explicitly bans covered entities from using so-called ‘dark patterns,’ which means manipulative user interfaces or design. Taken together, this sets a higher bar than both California (which is opt-out) and Virginia (which does not include anti-dark patterns language).” The bill’s language will set a higher bar for marketers to be transparent in their communications and avoid the use of potentially deceptive tracking methodologies and interfaces.
Bartoletti, like many techno-ethicists, is particularly pleased with this restriction. “I like the focus on dark patterns — I think this is excellent, as dark patterns are interfaces that really impair people's dignity and autonomy,” she says.
What it means for marketers
The consumer protections introduced by CPA create new challenges for marketers, many of whom depend on the collection, storage and sale of consumers’ personal information for tracking and ad targeting purposes. Even so, with CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) already in play, CPA doesn’t create too many stumbling blocks with which businesses weren’t already contending.
However, the momentum building across the US to pass more state-level privacy legislation — and perhaps even a federal-level bill — combined with recent changes by Google, Apple and other major tech players to restrict business’ access to consumer data — spell trouble for marketers.
For one, while the existing state-level laws share many similarities, marketers may find themselves in hot water should they not understand the subtle definitional differences between various privacy laws. “Marketers will need to read the law's definitions and requirements carefully,” says Future of Privacy Forum's Sanderson. “For instance, [CPA’s] definition of ‘pseudonymous’ data differs slightly from existing standards, and marketers should closely compare Colorado, Virginia and California's definition of [terms like] ‘sale’ and ‘sensitive’ data. Likewise, the scope of the consumer rights — such as access and deletion — varies between the state laws.” She notes that one approach to dealing with such a challenge would be to pinpoint the most comprehensive standard and implement it universally. Strategies such as geofencing could also be applied, though Sanderson advises that businesses assess such possibilities within the larger framework of their strategies, risk tolerance and compliance practices.
Ultimately, experts agree that new approaches are needed if marketers are going to be able to continue connecting with audiences in relevant ways — while sidestepping the potential risks of engaging in practices like "dark patterns." Whether that entails contextual advertising approaches, new universal ID solutions or something else entirely remains to be seen. “It’s hard to say that increasing consumer protection is a bad thing,” Lee says. “It will drive more innovation around consumer trust and increase transparency. Businesses need to figure out how they are going to deal with these larger industry changes — which of the myriad of new solutions will they adopt — and then turn to applying these new regulatory requirements in that context. I don’t know that I would spend too much time trying to figure out how these laws will impact how we do tracking and ad targeting today, because once these laws go into effect, those practices are going to be completely different.”
Right now, Lee’s advice to marketers is to tread carefully and make the data value exchange apparent to target audiences. “Marketers will have to be more intentional and specific in their communications with consumers about how and why they are collecting information,” she says. “Most marketers will want to avoid the friction of having to get consent for additional purposes. I think we are going to see more creative approaches to describing the value proposition to consumers of sharing their data. We are already starting to see companies tell consumers that data is how they keep their websites and apps free; We will see more of that as marketers will have to work harder to get access to data, particularly where opt-in consent is required or a universal opt-out is made available.”


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After a modest rise this year, India’s oil demand is expected to decline next year, according to a report by S&P Global Commodity Insights. It comes after the World Bank cut its FY23 real gross domestic product growth forecast for India to 6.5% from a previously estimated 7.5% amid the Russian-Ukrainian war. .
“Overall, India’s oil demand is expected to increase by 300,000 bpd in 2022, before slowing to 230,000 bpd in 2023,” the report said.
India’s demand for petroleum products in September was flat month-on-month but rose year-on-year by 334,000 bpd (barrels per day) on a weak base, driven by diesel and oil consumption. gasoline, which increased by 179,000 bpd and 65,000 bpd, respectively.
Modest growth was also seen for other products such as LPG, kerosene/jet fuel, heating oil and minor products, with the exception of naphtha which fell by 21,000 bpd, the report added.
“Mobility indicators remained robust in early October at about 24% above pre-pandemic levels and 0.9% above September levels, according to Google data. According to AirNav Radar Box, domestic flights in India at the start of October were 7% below pre-COVID-19 levels, improved by 3 percentage points from September,” the report said.
International travel fell 16% from pre-pandemic levels in early October, unchanged from levels seen in September.
Meanwhile, retail price inflation in India rose from 6.7% in July to 7% in August and is expected to rise in September due to rising food prices. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised its policy rates by 50 basis points on September 30 as part of its continued efforts to tame inflation and control currency depreciation.
Source: Living Mint


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Brazil and South Africa both own creative and innovative minds that can benefit from the gaming sector’s development. In a virtual event that took place on April 28th, the main goal was to build bridges between stakeholders from the two countries bearing in mind the importance of cooperation to strengthen their respective game markets.
The stream which can be viewed in its entirety below explored the following main points:
- Institutionalization of the industry and the value chain of the game market,
- Inclusion/diversification in industry, education and training,
- Opportunities/access to the emerging market
Organized by South African Tshimologong and Abragames, it featured a host of speakers from both organizations.


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Most people assume a company as big and powerful as Apple Inc. would have the rights to its own name, no matter what country in the world the product is being sold. Strangely enough, however, with Apple this isn’t the case--another company owns the trademark for the term “iPhone” in Brazil.
This creates a problem for Apple, but the company that owns the trademark IGB Electronica SA, has officially said it is open to selling the rights to the term to Apple.
In a recent interview, Eugenio Emilio Staub, the chairman of IGB, said, “We’re open to a dialogue for anything, anytime. We’re not radicals.”
But just how did IGB acquire the rights to “iPhone” in the first place? The company’s Gradiente brand filed to register the trademark back in 2000, but the rights were not officially awarded until 2008.
Gradiente started selling its own iPhone in December, despite the fact that Apple has sold its iPhone in Brazil for several years already.
Image via News Scream
Apple spokesman Steve Dowling has made no comment on the issue, but the company has made a request to be able to use the trademark in Brazil. In this case, if IGB grants Apple the ability to use the trademark without selling it to them, then both companies will sell their separate iPhones concurrently in Brazil, which will definitely lead to some confusion and competition.
The decision has reportedly already been made, although that is the only information available at this point. Staub said he has not been informed of the outcome of the decision.
The institute responsible for granting trademarks in Brazil is known as the INPI institute.
Marcelo Chimento, spokesman for the institute, would not disclose the outcome of the decision, but did say that moving forward, it would be “difficult” to grant Apple approval on their request to use IGB’s iPhone trademark.
The outcome was set to be announced February 5th, but has been postponed to February 13th.
Although the rumors cannot be confirmed, it has been reported in one newspaper, the Folha de S. Paulo, that the exclusive rights to the name for use in mobile phones is still owned by Gradiente.
Officially, no one will know if this is true until February 13.
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NORTH BATTLEFORD, SK, November 10, 2017 — Today marks the final draws for the 2017 BUH Foundation’s $100,000 Cash Lottery and also the beginning of some people’s road to riches.
$100,000 can buy a lot of things. A boat, a car, a dream vacation for you and the family, at least 15,000 fancy coffees… the possibilities are endless. For Diana Griffiths from Battleford (Ticket #11987), those possibilities became a reality when they were crowned the Grand Prize winner, taking home $100,000 cash!
Walking away with half of the 50/50 jackpot is Allan Craig from St. Walburg (Ticket # 25080).
23 people also became $1,000 richer as the “Consolation Prize” winners, now all being able to go on that shopping spree they deserve, a weekend getaway, or pay off that pesky credit card bill. These winners are listed on our 2017 BUH Foundation’s $100,000 Cash Lottery Major Winners page.


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BanOpal is a Nigerian owned brand popularly known for producing custom-branded merchandise for global brands across Africa. BanOpal started off strictly as a clothing brand but as demand increased from its clientele with requests for other branded merchandise, the company had to add all branded merchandise as part of its offerings in order to meet the needs of its clientele.
BanOpal was founded in January 2014 by Opaleye Samson who is the CEO and Creative Director. The brand has been signed on by Beiersdorf Nigeria as an official vendor for the production of their branded merchandise for promotional purposes. Beiersdorf is a prestigious global company that owns the Nivea brand.
The beautiful ‘Dorcas’ dress was needed by the Nivea brand to drive a functional marketing activation across the country. The brand commissioned BanOpal to produce hundreds of these lovely dresses for in-store activations as well as an open market-focused campaign for the female brand ambassadors who will be selling the value proposition of the Nivea lotion to customers across the country. The brand had a successful Harmattan focused campaign and the BanOpal Brand is proud to have been a part of the success story.
The founder and CEO of BanOpal Samson Opaleye is big on corporate social responsibilities which is why the brand is also known to engage in functional activities in line with SDG goals for a better society for all. The Future awards Africa recognised Opaleye as one of the 100 COVID-19 Heroes in Africa considering the response of BanOpal to COVID-19; their team as well as volunteers from ‘Lend a Hand For Africa’ visited Majidun on Saturday, June 6th, 2020 to donate food items to families in Ikorodu, targeting widows and their children all from a fraction of their face masks net proceeds.
The team also carried out other functional CSR projects, by donating a contactless hand washing system with a GP tank, created by Jobaye Environmental Solutions, to a local community in Aguda, Surulere, known as mechanic village. This was also funded from the proceeds of trendy facemask sales. The system donated was to encourage continuous washing of hands in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 Virus. The team also shared foods donated from supporting brands like Indomie and Dano milk Nigeria with the families at Mechanic village in Aguda. The quality of the hand washing system was loved by the team of Oladele Fajemirokun and they donated 4 of this contactless hand washing system to the pupils of Queens College secondary school Yaba.
BanOpal strives to be a responsible and trusted brand in the African brand merchandising production industry, for over 8 years the brand has been leading the space with global brands being the core of their clientele from Arla makers of Dano, to Nestle, Nivea, LG, Orange group makers of Delta soap, Top Rite, IITA, Lurpak, Mentos amongst others. The brand’s website www.banopal.com is an ecommerce site which has some retail urban clothing items with a fraction of the proceeds used in supporting children with disabilities through school.
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Camellia started her career in finance as an Islamic corporate banker at a Japanese mega bank, and later a Director at a London-based award winning hedge fund manager.
Shares of Marston’s PLC (LON: MARS) have continued to fall to extend the monthly losses to over 13%.
Marston’s stock price has now lost 18% in the last three trading sessions after a massive hit to sales due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Asktraders reported that the pub operator announced its profits fell 72% for the first half of the year ended March 28.
Pubs across the UK were told to close when the lockdown measures were announced in March. The UK Government will allow pubs and restaurants to reopen on July 04.
Yesterday, Marston’s CEO asked the UK government to reduce the VAT rate to help the embattled economy, as reported by Asktraders.
“We will be calling for a reduction in VAT to five per cent – that is what the industry is going to need,” said Ralph Findlay, CEO of Marston’s.
Marston’s stock price trades nearly 7% lower after it lost 1.5% yesterday, despite opening higher. As a result, Marston's share price hit a new 1-month low below 54p.
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A few years ago, if you were a bride on a budget, you could head over to your local chain bridal store, pluck a few bedazzled dresses off a rack, have a meltdown or two in the dressing room in front of your mom and call it a day.
These days, however, there’s a world of options available for brides-to-be, from bespoke wedding dress companies to indie bridal gown designers to — gasp! — choosing not to wear a traditional wedding dress at all. The latest sign of the impending fall of the bridal-industrial complex: David’s Bridal, purveyor of mermaid wedding gowns and distinctly vulvar bridesmaid dresses, filed this week for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The company’s bankruptcy won’t necessarily affect customers: According to court records, it has reached a deal with lenders to substantially reduce its debt by $400 million, which will allow its 300-odd locations across the country to remain open. Yet the company has been in financial trouble for quite some time, as have other traditional bridal retailers: The national chain Alfred Angelo, for instance, shut down last year, leaving many brides scrambling to find dresses. And industry analysts suggest that the dreaded millennials may be responsible.
For starters, millennials are increasingly delaying or eschewing marriage altogether, opting to cohabitate or focus on their careers instead of walking down the aisle. As of 2017, the median age of a first marriage is 29.5 for men and 27.4 for women, up from 23 for men and 20.8 for women in 1970. Between 2012 and 2017, the marriage rate dropped slowly but steadily at a rate of 1.2 percent per year, according to a 2017 report from the industry and market research firm IBISWorld, thus “limiting the pool of customers seeking bridal gowns and other wedding accessories.”
Even those millennials looking to get married aren’t necessarily interested in buying off the rack. Generally speaking, there’s been an industry-wide “push toward customization,” says Meghan Ely, owner of OFD Consulting, a wedding publicity firm in Richmond, Virginia. “Couples are a little bit older when they get married. They’re a little bit more established,” she said. “So they have a desire to have these wedding celebrations be a reflection of their personalities ... [they’re] a little more informal in their 30s, and they have no desire to walk down the aisle in a big poofy dress.”
This trend toward customization has led to the advent of indie designers and bespoke wedding dress online retailers like Anomalie, which aspire to serve a hipper clientele than David’s Bridal. The Anomalie website features a diverse array of slender young couples gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes in Valencia-hued promotional shots. It’s an eminently Instagrammable aesthetic that retailers like David’s Bridal have tried to imitate in their own marketing materials, to mixed success.
There’s additional evidence to suggest that brides are also becoming more averse to traditional bridal gown price tags. According to a 2017 survey from the Knot, budget-conscious millennials are spending less money on their weddings in general, and they’re also allocating their budgets differently: Instead of spending money on a dress, they’re splurging on cool venues or unique guest amenities (see: post-reception food trucks or cornhole) rather than spending money on a dress.
Ely says that brides are increasingly opting for rental services like Rent the Runway’s recently launched wedding concierge program or recognizable brands like Anthropologie and ModCloth (which both have their own wedding lines) in favor of traditional bridal boutiques. “People are saying, ‘Listen, you don’t need to stick to a particular formula for what you’re spending. At the end of the day, pick what’s most important to you and spend your money there,’” Ely said. “So we’re seeing as a whole a huge increase in attendee experience.”
It’s also worth noting that younger people don’t necessarily conform to the gender stereotypes that have traditionally been the currency of old-school bridal retailers. Same-sex and gender-nonconforming couples getting married aren’t necessarily interested in conventional wedding styles, which has led to increasing demand for nonbinary wedding attire.
“Personalized styles are much more embraced than they were even just a few years ago — on hetero and LGBTQ, alike,” said Brittny Drye, editor-in-chief of Love Inc. magazine, which published a nonbinary wedding fashion issue in 2015. “A bride wearing a pantsuit would have been considered ‘offbeat’ seven years ago, whereas today, celebrities are constantly wearing them for their weddings and the styles are being featured in major wedding magazine fashion editorials.”
While the IBIS report notes that some vendors have responded to increasing competition in the bridal space by “offering to provide bridal apparel to plus-size individuals, same-sex couples and consumers who wish to purchase nontraditional dresses or accessories,” traditional retailers have been relatively slow to meet that demand — or at least, that’s the cultural perception.
David’s Bridal does currently offer a fairly wide range of options for plus-size brides, as well as pantsuits and jumpsuits. But Drye says it might not have been enough for the brand to combat its reputation as a “traditional” wedding dress vendor, “even though their collections offered more modern and fresh silhouettes and collaborations with well-known bridal designers.”
At the end of the day, it does seem that the image of the ethereal blushing bride that traditional retailers have pushed for years has lost sway over millennials, who are increasingly viewing their weddings as experiences rather than as mandatory rites of passage. That’s bad news for David’s Bridal and other retailers that have profited from traditional bridal tropes. But it’s undeniably good news for brides who are interested in bucking old-fashioned traditions in favor of creating brand new ones.