text:
Vending Machines Get Smart to Accommodate the Cashless
More than 40 percent of U.S. adults say they can go a week without paying for something with cash, according to a survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports last year, but most of the roughly 5 million vending machines in the U.S. still accept only coins or bills, even as prices rise. Vending industry sales fell 18.3 percent between 2007 and 2011, to 1990s levels, before recovering slightly last year, to $19.3 billion.
To boost sales, vending companies are installing new machines that accept credit cards and mobile payments and feature digital screens, video cameras, and smartphone charging stations. Machines that accept plastic can lift sales 25 percent to 30 percent, estimates Michael Kasavana, a professor at Michigan State University who studies self-service technology. Kasavana says revenue per transaction rises 15 percent to 20 percent when the machines can prompt consumers to buy a Snickers bar along with their bag of Doritos. “The vending industry has had to respond to the change in consumer preferences in order to remain relevant and profitable,” says Brad Ellis, president of Crane Merchandising Systems, one of the largest makers of vending machines.
Market researcher Frost & Sullivan says there were 500,000 to 700,000 so-called smart vending machines in operation last year and estimates there’ll be as many as 2 million by 2018. Coca-Cola,which runs its own vending network, says it plans to roll out tens of thousands of machines this year that accept smartphone payments and track users’ purchases to offer an occasional discount or free drink. Coke has spent a year testing 200 machines in Austin, Tex. PepsiCo is using a handful of malls to test machines with screens that allow customers to play video games with free drinks as rewards; the screens also run soda ads that feature actress Sofia Vergara. Sales at vending machine maker ZoomSystems are growing more than 25 percent a year, with its machines selling products from Apple, Best Buy, and Proactiv at airports, hotels, and casinos. The Wittern Group is pushing its machines into hospitals, to dispense items such as scrubs.
Web connectivity can cut vending operators’ logistics costs, allowing them to track inventory online and centralize decisions about when to restock and what to put in each machine, rather than sending trucks to check each one. Some operators can reduce their truck fleets as much as 40 percent, says Mandeep Arora, chief executive officer of Cantaloupe Systems, which sells networking services to machine operators. “We can send an SMS if there’s a jam or a machine loses power,” Arora says. Cantaloupe charges $10 to $15 a month for each of the 100,000 new machines it networks and monitors, while rival USA Technologies charges about $10.
Retrofitting an older machine to add Web connectivity can cost as much as $500, and a new smart machine can run over $10,000, more than double the price of a conventional one. For some operators, that’s a deal-breaker: Many own fewer than 20 machines and have thin margins. Still, operators need to upgrade to survive, says Dennis Hogan, CEO of Canteen Vending Services, which manages more than 200,000 vending units in the U.S. “The industry is going through some consolidation,” Hogan says. “Those companies that are willing to invest in technology are thriving.”
Vending machine operators are likely to pass those costs on to card-swiping consumers. While large operators could take as long as six months to manually change prices on older machines, networking allows instant price changes. As fuel and chocolate costs rose, vending machine candy prices jumped 87.6 percent last year, according to Automatic Merchandiser magazine. Editor Emily Refermat says: “Vending operators historically were nervous to raise prices, and now they are realizing they have to—to stay in business.”


text:
Monsanto is also the world’s largest manufacturer of synthetic bovine growth hormone, injected into cows in order to stimulate greater milk production. The widespread pressure by the company to use the chemical and the subsequent measures taken by Monsanto to suppress information regarding the potential health risks sparked uproar among American farmers.
When dairy producers that did not use Monsanto’s products began labeling their products as “Hormone Free” or “Organic”, Monsanto slapped them with a lawsuit as recently as 2008, claiming the labels amounted to negative advertising against hormone-produced milk.
Director of corporate communications for Monsanto, Phil Angell, summed up Monsanto’s take on the issue in a report by food author Michael Pollan for New York Times Magazine in 1998: “Monsanto should not have to vouch for the safety of biotech food. Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is FDA’s job.”
Michael Taylor, a former attorney for the US Department of Agriculture and lobbyist for Monsanto, was recently appointed to a federal role as the deputy commissioner for foods at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since then, the FDA shot down requests from consumer protection groups to label genetically modified products as such. With a White House-Monsanto connection already established with the appointment of Taylor, PEER and others are interested in what other ties could exist between the two.
Heck, readers. There ought to be something a verbose man such as myself could think of to say about all this. I’d do it, too, if I could think of something.
Maybe I could point out those pointee-heads working three shifts in the Monsanto laboratories would call themselves ‘scientists’ if someone asked what they are. Same as the folks over at CERN.
Or maybe I could just ask the reasonable question: “Do you honestly believe one of the two breeds of foxes guarding the hen house is going to leave more feathers lying around when the dust settles?”

domain: news


text:
Briga Hynes, Kemmy Business School, UL presenting Agent Digital MD Kevin Meaney with the ‘Thought Leader in Digital Marketing’ award at this year’s All-Ireland Business Awards in Croke Park
LIMERICK businessman Kevin Meaney is celebrating this week after winning a prestigious business award.
Kevin Meaney, who heads up International Digital Marketing Agency AGENT Digital, based at Howley’s Quay, was awarded the ‘Thought Leader in Digital Marketing’ award at this year’s All-Star Business Awards in Croke Park.
Established in 2007, AGENT Digital is a full-service digital agency based in Limerick and Dublin.
AGENT Digital listens to clients’ goals; creates strategies to achieve those goals, and delivers those strategies through their range of services, such as website design, development, support and digital marketing, which includes search engine optimisation (SEO) and social media marketing.
Mr Meaney said: “I am honoured to receive the accreditation from the All-Ireland Business Foundation, This really is an award for all the AGENT Digital team who share my passion for digital marketing and delivering for our clients."
He added that the AGENT Digital team are “digital change agents” — pushing the capabilities of digital to the limit, to deliver the best for its clients, which include multinationals, universities, institutes and SMEs, nationwide and internationally, including The Body Shop, Smurfit Kappa and RTÉ.
The All-Ireland Business Foundation is a national body which accredits best-in-class Irish businesses as Business All-Stars. The Foundation believe best-in-class companies should be clearly identifiable so consumers can purchase with confidence from All-Star accredited businesses.
For more details visit the AGENT Digital Website at http://www.agentdigital.ie
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.


text:
Innovation enhanced by IPv6 will add over $7 trillion to the global GDP in the next two years, a new report on the most recent version of the Internet Protocol states.
The Global IPv6 Development Report 2022 by German consultancy Roland Berger delved into how IPv6 will impact the development of other emerging technologies, from cloud computing to 5G, and the value they will create globally.
Global IPv6 Development Report 2022
In 2025, it is estimated that the total industry value brought by IPv6 Enhanced Innovation will reach 7.3 trillion US dollars.https://t.co/wLXUGu0gHX
Download full document:https://t.co/MTfmqsLo0o
— Latif Ladid (@Latifv6) August 28, 2023
The internet has become primary to our lives, and with it has come a surge in demand for IP addresses. Cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and other emerging technologies have increased the number of interconnected devices. Studies show that there will be over 41 billion devices by 2030.
All these factors have made IPv6 critical to the future of the internet, says Bing Li, a partner at the Munich, Germany-based consulting firm.
“Digital technology is powering the future of the world. IPv6 will be the fundamental enabler for digital economy transformation, improved social governance and well-being for all,” he stated.
According to the Roland Berger report, which references documents of IPv6 Forum, manufacturing is the industry set to gain the most at $1.85 trillion. IoT is the technology that will most impact manufacturing, and IPv6 will improve IoT security and efficiency. IoT integration in manufacturing will result in smart manufacturing, remote operation, and better product visualization.
Public services and utilities, information and communication, professional services, finance, and real estate are the other sectors set to make significant gains from IPv6 integration.
Globally, India leads in IPv6 integration. Belgium, Finland, Germany, and Greece are the other major global hubs.
India’s IPv6 exploits are as much about the country’s innovative nature as they are about necessity. With IPv4 being limited on IP addresses, India is among the countries that need IPv6 the most. IPv6 Forum’s Satya Gupta stated earlier this year, “If 1 billion people each have ten devices, we will need 10 billion IP addresses.”
Blockchain will play a key role in the IPv6 era. Bitcoin was designed with IPv6 in mind—Satoshi Nakamoto integrated direct transactions between IP addresses into Bitcoin’s original code. IPv6 restores this vision: Apart from having more IP addresses than grains of sand on earth, this version supports multicast and anycast addresses and comes with enhanced security and privacy features.
Watch IEEE Blockchain Symposium 2022 highlights: Building better internet with IPv6 and blockchain
New to blockchain? Check out CoinGeek’s Blockchain for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about blockchain technology.


text:
Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) topped revenue and earnings estimates for the fourth quarter of 2019, sending shares soaring 6.8% in aftermarket hours on Thursday.
Total revenue grew 8% year-over-year to $20.2 billion, beating forecasts of $19.2 billion.
GAAP net income increased 33% to $6.9 billion and EPS rose 40% to $1.58. Adjusted net income rose 13% to $6.7 billion while adjusted EPS grew 19% to $1.52. Analysts had estimated adjusted EPS of $1.25.
During the quarter, revenues in the DCG segment increased 19%, aided by strong demand from cloud service provider customers and a strong mix of high-performance 2nd-Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors. Revenues in the IOTG division improved 13% helped by momentum in retail and transportation.
Mobileye revenues jumped 31% year-over-year due to an increase in ADAS adoption. Revenues in NSG was up 10% due to NAND and Intel Optane bit growth. PSG revenue fell 17% year-over-year. Revenues in the CCG segment increased 2% helped by higher modem sales and desktop platform volumes.
For the first quarter of 2020, Intel expects revenue of approx. $19 billion. GAAP EPS is expected to be $1.23 while adjusted EPS is expected to be $1.30. Revenue is expected to be approx. $73.5 billion for the full year of 2020. EPS, on a GAAP basis, is estimated to be $4.71 and, on an adjusted basis, is projected to be $5.00.
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) reported first quarter 2022 earnings results today. Total revenue increased to $1.55 billion from $1.45 billion in the same period a year ago. Net income
Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) on Wednesday reported profit for the second quarter of 2021, compared to a loss last year, even as the streaming services provider further expanded its user
There has been a steady increase in the consumption of online content ever since the coronavirus forced people to stay indoors. Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), the maker of popular


text:
Amazon's profit and revenue both grew in the latest quarter but its results fell below what Wall Street was expecting and shares of the world's biggest online retailer declined after-hours.
Zynga Inc. said Thursday it is buying NaturalMotion, the company behind the hit mobile games "CSR Racing" and "Clumsy Ninja," while cutting 15 percent of its workforce in a turnaround effort.
Google's earnings are still rising at an impressive clip even as a long-running slump in its ad prices deepens and management gambles on risky ventures such as its unprofitable purchase of smartphone maker Motorola Mobility.
Stocks rose sharply Thursday, with large parts of the market erasing Wednesday’s losses, as investors cheered a batch of strong earnings and data that showed the U.S. economy grew at a robust annual rate of 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter.
Google is selling Motorola's smartphone business to Lenovo for $2.9 billion, a price that leaves little doubt that Google's biggest acquisition turned out to be an expensive mistake.
Target said Wednesday that investigators have found that hackers stole credentials from a vendor to access the retailer's systems and pilfer about 40 million debit and credit card numbers as well as personal information for another 70 million people.
The nearly 1,000-page compromise farm bill is designed to have something for everyone. There's more money for crop insurance popular in the Midwest, higher peanut and rice subsidies for Southern farmers and the renewal of federal land payments for Western states.
American Airlines reported a $2 billion loss for the fourth quarter because of $2.4 billion in special charges, mostly related to its bankruptcy reorganization and merger with US Airways.
For Jan. 28, 2014
Here are business news highlights for Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014.
More TV networks want to gain from tobacco companies' mandate to run anti-smoking ads that will cost tens of millions of dollars.
The frigid winter of 2014 is setting the price of natural gas on fire.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it's eliminating 2,300 workers at its Sam's Club division as it reduces the ranks of middle managers in a bid to be more nimble.
Attorney General Eric Holder says the Obama administration is planning to roll out regulations soon that would allow banks to do business with legal marijuana sellers.
Wireless carrier Sprint will lay off an undetermined number of its workers as part of a cost-cutting program announced Thursday.
Outspoken billionaire Carl Icahn has tossed another bushel of Apple stock into his investment portfolio and suggested some new products as he tries to persuade the iPhone maker to do more to lift its market value.


text:
AirAsia continues its journey with a new app icon and a new name
AirAsia MOVE, formerly known as “airasia Superapp”, has unveiled its new app icon on the App Store (iOS) and Play Store (Android), marking the beginning of its transformative journey.
The new look, which came into effect on Monday (February 26), allows users to admire an updated look as AirAsia MOVE continues its brand refreshment and transformation, as announced in September 2023.
Nadia Omer, CEO of AirAsia MOVE, is excited about the changes. “The new AirAsia MOVE app icon is the first of many exciting updates designed to enhance every traveller's experience. From the app layout to new products, services, and unbeatable deals, the new AirAsia MOVE will seamlessly elevate everyone’s travel experience,” she enthused.
She assured users that while the app icon has a fresh appearance and AirAsia MOVE is the new brand name, all convenient functions remain intact.
Users can still book AirAsia flights and those from over 700 other airlines, hotels, rides, manage bookings, and connect with fellow travellers via Chat & the Community and AskBo functions.
AirAsia MOVE envisions travel enriched by a community-led experience, offering features such as Airasia Chat, games, gifting, and a strong loyalty programme that rewards users.
Its ecosystem encompasses OTA services, including flight bookings with more than 700 airlines, 900,000 hotels worldwide, ride-hailing, dining experiences, insurance, and more, complemented by integrated financial services by BigPay. Notably, AirAsia MOVE was recognised as “Asia’s Leading Online Travel Agency 2023” at the World Travel Awards in its inaugural nomination in the OTA category.
As AirAsia MOVE continues to evolve, users can anticipate further enhancements and improvements aimed at making their travel experiences seamless and rewarding.


text:
of Commonwealth Games volunteers have started to collect their uniforms
ready for the start of the Games in thirty days' time.
the different uniforms is a massive operation - with eleven thousand
people being kitted out over the next four weeks.
were launched back in March and caused controversy when they were
first revealed - but the volunteers at the M2002 Uniform and Accreditation
Centre seemed pleased with the design.
jackets will carry a message from the president of the Commonwealth
Games, the Earl of Wessex, which read: "Thank you - we couldn't
have done this without you".
Crew 2002 members
will also carry a bag, water bottle, poncho and umbrella, all bearing
the Commonwealth Games logo.
All the uniforms
are colour-coded with red jackets and polo shirts for medical staff,
jade for technical employees and general workers will wear purple.
They will all wear black trousers.
will wear black tailored suits, with jade shirts and ties for the
men and jade shirts and scarves for women.


text:
- Is Google Glass a failure?
- Why was Google Glass Cancelled?
- What killed Google Glass?
- Can you still buy Google Glass?
- What do Apple glasses do?
- How much did Google invest in Google Glass?
- What can smart glasses do?
- What Google Glass looks like?
- What ever happened to Google Glass?
- Is Google Glass safe?
- Why did smart glasses fail?
Is Google Glass a failure?
The device that became a catalyst for a huge surge in wearable tech back in 2012 has officially been pulled from the market.
The Google Glass Explorer program came to an end Jan.
19, and the fall of the futuristic eyewear has been regarded as an all-around failure..
Why was Google Glass Cancelled?
There are two major reasons why the product failed from the consumer perspective and the first was the design. At the time, Glass looked rather clunky and was still considered to be in the prototype phase. While a newer version did improve the design, it wasn’t enough to make a huge difference in sales.
What killed Google Glass?
Ultimately, the failure of the Google Glass was a result of bad marketing. The first version of the product wasn’t sold in retail stores. Instead, it was exclusively sold to “Glass Explorers” who had to pay $1,500 to be called “early adopters”.
Can you still buy Google Glass?
Well, you can now buy its successor, Google Glass 2, through resellers. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Google Glass has a rocky history. … Google is now allowing its resellers to offer Google Glass to just about anyone.
What do Apple glasses do?
According to a Bloomberg report, the Apple AR Glasses will bring information from your phone to your face. Specifically, the eyewear “are expected to synchronize with a wearer’s iPhone to display things such as texts, emails, maps, and games over the user’s field of vision.”
How much did Google invest in Google Glass?
Google Buys Smart-Glasses Maker North For A Reported $180M Terms were not disclosed, but The Globe and Mail reported the deal was worth about $180 million.
What can smart glasses do?
Most advanced smart glass systems can automatically provide information about a target in sight such as a product in hands, information about scenery and even facial recognition of a person coming towards. The user can communicate with the system for example with voice, signs or finger sweeps.
What Google Glass looks like?
The headset looks like a mix between a pair of standard black glasses and the goggles you wore in science class with the addition of a tiny camera and a glass prism that juts out in front of the wearer’s right eye lens. Imagine having a small display floating toward the top of your line of sight.
What ever happened to Google Glass?
While Google Glass had been expected to eventually receive a wider consumer release, that never happened. … Instead, Google moved away from the consumer market for the product and instead pivoted to the enterprise, releasing an Enterprise Edition of Glass in 2017, with a second edition released last year.
Is Google Glass safe?
The Google Glass emits more wireless radiation than most cell phones on the market, but unlike cell phone users, Glass users may be wearing this device on their heads for more than 12 hours a day putting their health at risk.
Why did smart glasses fail?
Unfortunately, the Glass failed because the creators neglected to define and validate the users and what problems it was solving for them. Instead they assumed the product would sell itself even without real solutions or value, that its hype would be enough to appeal to everyone.


text:
To celebrate its Centennial and 100 years of fostering marketplace trust between businesses and consumers, Better Business Bureau (BBB) executives and guests visited the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Friday, July 27th to ring the closing bell.
Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, rang the closing bell to mark the organization’s 100th anniversary. BBB was founded in 1912 as the Advertising Vigilance Committee by corporate executives who were fed up with deceptive advertising and fraudulent claims. Samuel Candler Dobbs, a vice president of Coca-Cola, drafted “The Ten Commandments of Advertising,” and dozens of corporations signed the manifesto. Later that year, the first local group was founded in Minneapolis.
The Better Business Bureau name was suggested in 1916 by Arthur F. Sheldon, the founder of a school on salesmanship, and the organization continued to grow. The first national office opened in 1921 in Cleveland, Ohio, and the first Canadian BBB opened in 1928 in Montreal. The organization today has 115 local, independent BBBs across the U.S. and Canada that maintain BBB Business Reviews on more than four million businesses, handle dispute resolution for nearly one million complaints a year, and alert consumers of scams and fraudulent business practices.
For a century, BBB has fostered trust in the marketplace by helping consumers make smarter buying decisions through BBB Business Reviews; resolving disputes between consumers and businesses; and educating the public on scams and fraud.
370,000 BBB Accredited Businesses are committed to following the organization’s strict Code of Business Practices, which includes guidelines on ethics, customer service, transparency, financial management, advertising and privacy. They also must maintain at least a B rating in order to remain accredited. The support of these businesses enables BBB to offer virtually all of its services to consumers for free.
To check out a business review of a company call us toll-free at 800-649-6814 or visit bbb.org.


text:
One of the biggest names in global digital commerce will headline Retail Week’s payments masterclass later this month.
David Birch, an internationally renowned author and advisor to the world’s biggest corporations on the future of electronic transactions, will explore the opportunities and pitfalls of a cashless society, and look at whether blockchain will change payments forever.
Birch, listed by Wired magazine as one of the top global sources of business information, and one of the top three most influential London FinTech experts by City AM, will introduce the free Keeping Pace in the Payments Race masterclass in London on May 24.
He joins fellow keynote speakers from Amazon Pay, who will talk about the future of commerce in a connected world; and Accenture, who will provide a complete guide to the PSD2 directive and how retailers need to prepare.
Other confirmed panellists include former Graze chief technology officer Mark Wood and Christer Holloman, co-founder and chief executive of retail finance platform Divido.
The free-to-attend Keeping Pace in the Payments Race masterclass for senior retailers across the sector is part of Retail Week’s Tech series events in the run-up to the two-day Tech festival in September. To confirm your place email email@example.com.
Dates for your diary: Retail Week’s Tech series events
Intelligent Futures Masterclass – June 28
Robotics Digital Breakfast – July, date TBC
CX Masterclass – October, date TBC
To register to attend, email firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
Hamish and Rosie Shephard, along with Sam Tasker-Grindley, came up with the concept of Furlonteer.com over a virtual curry on Sunday 19th April. Hamish is the co-founder of Hello Fresh and founder of BrideBook; Rosie is the founder of The Luxury Communications Council (LCC); Sam is Head of Member Success at Clarity HQ (https://clarity-hq.com/uk/).
This is a completely non-profit project to connect charities and good causes with skilled and willing people during this awful crisis.
On Tuesday 21st April at lunchtime a group of passionate Furlonteers got on a zoom call and came up with a plan to get this amazing concept up and running and to scale through marketing, social and digital. By Friday afternoon they had a brand, website, marketing and digital campaign and had already matched charities with Furlonteers.
Sam Tasker-Grindley – Co-founder
Nancy Duncan – Co-founder and Marketing Director
Victoria Ward - Head of Operations
Stella Norris – Head of Digital
Adam Thurland – Head of Branding
Eleanor Allen – Head of Furlonteering Matches
Ian Holden – Website Manager
Jess Foye – Social media Manager
Lucy Rickett – Charity Manager
Anni Butler – Charity Co-ordinator
Alison Pemberton – Furlonteer Outreach


text:
Amazon has poached a team of more than a dozen satellite internet experts from social media platform Facebook as it aims to deliver high-speed broadband.
The ecommerce giant has already invested $10 billion in a project to build low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites which are capable of delivering high speed internet to the planet.
The acquisition of Facebook staff, which included physicists, hardware and software engineers, essentially spells the end of the platform’s efforts to deliver the same LEO-based internet network.
As part of the deal, Amazon will acquire intellectual property produced by Facebook’s team, as well as landsites and equipment.
Amazon is in competition with Elon Musk’s intergalactic venture SpaceX and its satellite network, Starlink as well as OneWeb and Eutelsat.
The Federal Communications Commission gave Amazon permission to launch 3,236 LEO satellites in July 2020 as part of an operation coined Project Kuiper.
Amazon has said it will require 578 LEO satellites in orbit before the service will be available to launch online.
A spokesperson familiar with the matter told Insider that Facebook will keep working with partner companies like Eutelsat and pursuing its other efforts to expand internet access.
The news comes in good time as Amazon’s widely used Amazon Web Service (AWS) has suffered several outages in the past two months.


text:
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has topped Microsoft founder Bill Gates to become the world’s second richest man after a meteoric rise in his personal fortune.
Mr Musk’s total assets bounced by $7.2bn (£5.4bn) to $128bn after offers in his vehicle firm Tesla flooded. Just Amazon originator Jeff Bezos is more extravagant, as indicated by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. It comes after news Tesla offers will be added to the S&P 500, one of the fundamental offer lists in the US. That set off a new flood of purchasing of the electric carmakers offers, sending the organization’s fairly estimated worth above $500bn and boosting the estimation of Mr Musk’s holding in the business. Musk: Cheaper Tesla prepared ‘in around three years’. Tesla disregards pandemic as deals hit new record. Elon Musk ‘likely has moderate instance’ of Covid-19. Tesla is as of now the most important vehicle firm on the planet, in spite of delivering a small amount of the vehicles of adversaries, for example, Toyota, VW and General Motors. On Tuesday, in a discourse in Germany, Mr Musk said it could “bode well” for Tesla to grow in Europe by entering the mass-market portion with a little vehicle. “In the US, the vehicles will in general be greater for individual taste reasons,” he said. “In Europe, (they) will in general be more modest.” And following quite a while of misfortunes, Tesla has considered five to be quarters of benefit as deals of its vehicles perform well in spite of the pandemic.
The California-based firm will be the greatest new participant on the S&P 500, with a market estimation of more than $500bn. It implies speculation supports following the record will naturally hold its stock and advantage from increases in its offer cost – news that has energized speculators. Bill Gates, who helped to establish Microsoft, was the world’s most extravagant individual for quite a long time before Mr Bezos thumped him off the best position in 2017. Mr Gates’ fortune is worth $127.7bn however would be higher had he not gave enormous totals to noble cause throughout the long term. Jeff Bezos’ total assets is assessed at £182bn by Bloomberg. He also has seen his own fortune rise this year as interest for Amazon’s administrations moved in the pandemic. Mr Musk, who consistently courts debate, has had a momentous recent weeks. A weekend ago he tweeted that he “probably” had a moderate instance of Covid-19 and has had manifestations of “a minor virus.” It came the day preceding four space explorers were dispatched to the International Space Station in a rocket worked by Mr Musk’s Space X.


text:
One of the world’s leading automotive companies is gaining ground with regard to claiming its own stake in the booming lithium mining industry. As of Tuesday, April 11th, US automaker General Motors (GM) announced its investment into lithium startup firm EnergyX.
According to the company’s official statement, it is slated to lead a Series B funding round pegged at around $50 million for the startup in order to drive its expansion in both North and South America.
However, the company has made no comment as to how much of the Series B round it will be funding, though it retains the right of first refusal when it comes to buying processed lithium from any of EnergyX’s initiatives.
Driving the Commercialization of Relevant Technologies
GM’s vice-president for global purchasing and supply Jeff Morrison explained that this initiative is in keeping with the company’s commitment to secure critical minerals for EV production in a more sustainable and cost-effective manner.
With this in mind, the investment package will include technical assistance to push forward EnergyX’s commercialization of the direct lithium extraction technology (DLE) it is currently developing.
EnergyX’s DLE could make it easier for GM to filter the metal out of lithium salt-rich waters, particularly those that other mining firms tend to ignore in favor of open-pit mining methods or more conventional evaporation ponds. Indeed, GM executives feel that DLEs could be the most efficient way to extract the mineral out of lithium-rich brine.
If EnergyX’s DLE prototype works, it will be the first successful initiative of its kind in the industry. Previous attempts to develop commercial / industrial-grade DLEs have been done by the likes of Rio Tinto and Lilac Solutions which is being supported by German automaker BMW. However, none of these have been successful.
Investments Into a Nascent Industry
GM’s investment in EnergyX is just the latest in a number of initiatives geared towards ensuring it has its own steady supply of lithium and other key elements for making electric vehicle batteries.
Earlier this year, the automaker became the largest shareholder in Lithium Americas Corporation, the company responsible for the development of the Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada. GM agreed to pay Lithium America $650 million for the said shares.
Likewise, it also invested in a firm called Controlled Thermal Resources Ltd (CTR) back in 2021. CTR is currently working on the use of DLE technology to develop a geothermal-powered brine extraction project in southern California.


text:
Reliance Footprint, the footwear speciality store from Reliance Retail, has launched an ‘ASICS’ store in Kochi. The store is spread over an area of 1,000 sq.ft at O Mall in Edapally. The opening of the store follows an exclusive partnership between Reliance Footprint and ASICS Corporation, a Japan-based manufacturer of sports shoes and other equipment.
Gopalkrishnan Sankar, chief executive, Reliance Footprint, said, “Keeping with our core promise of delivering fantastic choice and the best brands in the world, we are delighted to bring to the consumers in India ASICS, the globally renowned brand for high performance athletic gear. Reliance Footprint aspires to step towards a healthy and fit India with ASICS.”
Motoi Oyama, president and representative director of ASICS Corporation, said, “With Reliance Footprint’s distribution and marketing strengths in the country, we are sure that ASICS brand will soon find a huge following in the Indian market.”
– IndiaRetailing Bureau


text:
By Russell Crawford, Regional Director UK&I, Netherlands, Africa, Cortado AG
The use of cloud services is rising continuously for both private and public companies. In fact, analysts predict a growth in the enterprise cloud market from $18.3 billion in 2012 to $31.9 billion in 2017.
This rise of cloud services is due to the increase in the use of smartphones and tablets. These devices usually only have a limited storage capacity, but are often used as PC replacements when on the go, both privately and professionally, which is why mobile users like to store their data in the cloud and access it conveniently via the internet. With the cloud, all relevant documents can be accessed in just a few clicks, and can be shared quickly with friends, relatives or colleagues.
But many companies are still undecided about the cloud. The biggest obstacle is the significant concern over …


text:
TACO Web Redesign Includes New iPhone App
When the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) set out to redesign TexasCampgrounds.com to make it more visually appealing and easier to navigate, the association also launched a parallel effort to make the travel planning website appealing to iPhone users, according to a news release.
“Most people visit TexasCampgrounds.com from their laptop or desktop computer. But we also know from industry research that roughly 30% of consumers have an iPhone, so we thought it would behoove us to develop an iPhone application for the newly designed website,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of TACO, which is one of the first campground industry associations in the country to offer a regional iPhone application for travel planning.
While content from the redesigned TexasCampgrounds.com website is available to iPhone users, that’s not the whole story: The iPhone’s GPS navigation capabilities also enable it to pinpoint nearby campgrounds as the consumer travels.
“When you launch the iCamp application, the first thing it will do is show you the campgrounds that are around you. But you can also search for campgrounds in other locations if needed,” Schaeffer said. “Camping enthusiasts have never had a tool like this before.”
The iCamp application also includes a searchable database of campground videos. “This is something that right now is available only on the iPhone. But we do intend to add this search function to TexasCampgrounds.com website in the near future,” Schaeffer said.
The iCamp function for iPhones was developed for TexasCampgrounds.com by Simpsonville, S.C.-based alQemy LLC through its iCampAmerica subsidiary.


text:
WUZHEN — At one of the world’s showpiece tech conferences in China, jibes at the United States for its ‘bully behavior’ lent a Cold War tone to proceedings as trade tension once again reared its ugly head in an event that drew a dearth of top U.S. executives.
The state-run World Internet Conference, one of the country’s most prominent tech events, took place this year against a backdrop of rising Sino-U.S. frictions and has been especially overshadowed by Washington’s moves against Chinese tech companies.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The United States earlier this month placed several Chinese AI companies on a supplier blacklist and trade talks between both countries show little sign of any quick resolution.
Attendees in previous years included the heads of Google and Apple Inc. In 2017, Apple CEO Tim Cook told the conference that the company shared China’s vision for developing a digital economy for openness.
But this year’s three-day event, which ended on Tuesday, drew few American luminaries and did not feature a U.S.-China panel like last year, reflecting the heightened tensions between the United States and China.


text:
Whether you are a businessman or an individual, on the net media is an important component of your marketing platform. It is an affordable, quickly and successful tool to arrive at your target audience and build a romance with your enthusiasts. But , you need to know how to efficiently make use of it to make the mark in the global market.
In recent years, the number of social media users has grown substantially. Relating to a examine conducted by simply Pew Groundwork, approximately 70 percent of Americans employ social media on a regular basis. Likewise, 4. some billion people around the world search on the internet. But , many businesses are suffering due to mistakes made upon social media.
Within a roundtable issue organized by Metro Ship Canada, presenters discussed the impact of the internet about business, the necessity to change for the best, and the changing gardening info. In addition they addressed the value of internet video clips in business and society.
Nazneen Ferdousi, a great advisor pertaining to Metro Snail mail Canada, described that the firm is working hard to become the voice belonging to the Bangladeshi community living abroad. But , she stated that one has to choose the right personal message and media in order to be successful in the global market.
Another loudspeaker, Mizanur Rahman Shally, mentioned that online press has totally changed the concept of business. He stated the vast landscaping of internet and social media has become a playground for your business. He declared businesses need to evaluate existing treatments and alter them to present products https://ideasbusiness.net/ubuntu-vs-fedora-review/ in a more effective way.


text:
Demand for Private Jets Soars
Boeing, Bombardier, and Other Jet Makers Stand to Benefit
With demand surging for corporate planes, jet makers from Bombardier (BDRBF) to Boeing (BA) are poised to announce a substantial amount of new orders at the industry’s biggest trade show which is taking place today. The demand for private jets is so red-hot that some fractional plane ownership and plane charter companies have been turning away business.
To get the situation under control ahead of the busy holiday travel season, charter plane operators and fractional ownership companies are investing in more planes, creating a boon for companies which make small passenger planes.
NetJets Invests $2.5 Billion in Planes
NetJets, a large global private jet company, is spending $2.5 billion to purchase 100 new aircraft, with deliveries beginning now and lasting through the end of next year. Demand for NetJets’ services is at an all-time high, with the company flying about 500 flights per day compared to fewer than 400 in 2019.
NetJets has faced significant difficulties dealing with the spike in demand. In response to surging demand, the company has already halted sales of cards which enable customers to pre-pay for flight hours. These trends are having ripple effects across the airline industry supply chain. Fly Exclusive, which supplies the charter industry with planes, is also seeing a huge uptick in requests from customers which are running low on jets.
Customer Service Headaches
The shortage of private jets is also creating a customer service nightmare for the charter and fractional share companies. Wealthy travelers used to getting a plane whenever they want it are growing frustrated when planes are not available. Meanwhile, due to low inventory of planes, the plane companies have less flexibility to deal with last-minute cancelations or delays when clients get stuck.
In the late stages of the pandemic, even very wealthy travelers are dealing with travel difficulties. It will be interesting to watch how private jet companies respond to these trends.
Please understand that this information provided is general in nature and shouldn’t be construed as a recommendation or solicitation of any products offered by SoFi’s affiliates and subsidiaries. In addition, this information is by no means meant to provide investment or financial advice, nor is it intended to serve as the basis for any investment decision or recommendation to buy or sell any asset. Keep in mind that investing involves risk, and past performance of an asset never guarantees future results or returns. It’s important for investors to consider their specific financial needs, goals, and risk profile before making an investment decision.
The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. These links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement. No brands or products mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this content.
Communication of SoFi Wealth LLC an SEC Registered Investment Adviser
SoFi isn’t recommending and is not affiliated with the brands or companies displayed. Brands displayed neither endorse or sponsor this article. Third party trademarks and service marks referenced are property of their respective owners.


text:
Definitive Healthcare’s customers can now access data from Definitive Healthcare solutions in Salesforce
Framingham, MA – April 18, 2023 – Definitive Healthcare (Nasdaq: DH), an industry leader in healthcare commercial intelligence, today announced it has launched DefinitiveConnect on Salesforce AppExchange, empowering customers to save time, build new opportunities, and drive revenue with Definitive Healthcare’s commercial intelligence directly in Salesforce.
Integrated directly with Salesforce, DefinitiveConnect is currently available on AppExchange at https://appexchange.salesforce.com/listingDetail?listingId=a0N4V00000GbNofUAF&tab=e
DefinitiveConnect enables users to integrate key healthcare insights directly with Salesforce. With DefinitiveConnect, customers can import more than 300 data elements directly into an Account, Contact, or Lead record in Salesforce so customers can quickly access meaningful intelligence around facility metrics, key executives, and organizational news all in one place.
“DefinitiveConnect helps our customers seamlessly access Definitive Healthcare data directly in Salesforce, without leaving their existing workflow,” said Robert Musslewhite, CEO of Definitive Healthcare. “The combination of our healthcare commercial intelligence with Salesforce helps our joint customers make more informed and data-driven decisions around their commercial strategy and execution.”
DefinitiveConnect is a welcome addition to AppExchange, as it accelerates business transformation for customers by providing new healthcare commercial intelligence to drive more opportunities for growth,” said David Lee, Vice President of Product Management, AppExchange. “AppExchange is constantly evolving to connect customers with the right apps and experts for their business needs.”
About Salesforce AppExchange
Salesforce AppExchange, the world’s leading enterprise cloud marketplace, empowers companies, developers and entrepreneurs to build, market and grow in entirely new ways. With more than 7,000 listings, 11 million customer installs and 117,000 peer reviews, AppExchange connects customers of all sizes and across industries to ready-to-install or customizable apps and Salesforce-certified consultants to solve any business challenge.
Salesforce, AppExchange and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.
About Definitive Healthcare
At Definitive Healthcare, our passion is to transform data, analytics, and expertise into healthcare commercial intelligence. We help clients uncover the right markets, opportunities, and people, so they can shape tomorrow’s healthcare industry. Our SaaS platform creates new paths to commercial success in the healthcare market, so companies can identify where to go next. Learn more at definitivehc.com.
Investor Relations Contact:
ICR for Definitive Healthcare


text:
Microsoft has bought a 1.6 % stake in Facebook for 240 million dollars. The deal comes after Facebook rejected a take over bid of 1 billion dollars from Yahoo! last year.
Facebook is privately owned and currently valued at US$15 billion. Microsoft will now become the exclusive third-party advertising partner for Facebook, looking to increase Facebook’s current annual revenue of US$100 million.
The Facebook investment provides the world’s largest software maker with a toehold on one of the internet’s most popular social networks, and a potentially lucrative forum for selling online ads.
With 49 million active users worldwide, Facebook is now outgrowing MySpace, which has over 200 million worldwide members. Facebook’s executives and investors claim the site is growing at between, 3 and 3.5% a week and could overtake MySpace in as little as nine months.
In September, Facebook was the sixth most visited property worldwide with 73.5 million unique visitors, and the fifth most highly trafficked property worldwide with 34.5 billion page views, according to ratings agency comScore.
Microsoft faced stiff competition from Google, who were aggressively pursuing a similar investment deal. There has been no indication from Facebook, if there will be any further investment opportunities.


text:
Speaking to G4, Street Fighter IV producer Yoshi Ono has revealed the game will be released for consoles "this winter."
"We don't want to start rumors that it's this year, but definitely this winter," said Ono.
"At some point you'll be sitting in you winter coat looking at snow out the window... and right then we'll kind of heat you up a little with some hot street fighter action."
You can warm us up any time, Ono.
By Mike Bowden


text:
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) – The Rivian plant in Illinois will not deliver its first electric vehicle until at least September, the founder and CEO said in a letter to customers Friday.
News of the vehicle’s delay came only days before Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his Blue Origin crew were spotted riding in a pre-production Rivian R1S model ahead of their launch into space on Tuesday.
Jeff Bezos and the crew of Blue Origin’s New Shepard were provided with pre-production vehicles “to assist with launch-day transportation,” a spokesperson for the brand said in a statement obtained by USA Today.
Amazon, a major investor in Rivian, had also previously contracted Rivian to build 100,000 electric vans for use as delivery vehicles.
In the letter sent to Rivian customers, CEO RJ Scaringe said deliveries for the R1T model, which was initially slated for a July release, had “shifted to September” and cited the pandemic as the main reason for the delay.
“The cascading impacts of the pandemic have had a compounding effect greater than anyone anticipated,” Scaringe said. “Everything from facility construction to equipment installation, to vehicle component supply (especially semiconductors) has been impacted by the pandemic.”
Scaringe said the process of launching three new vehicles while setting up a multi-vehicle manufacturing plant is, “a complex orchestra of coordinated and interlinked activities where small issues can translate into ramp delays.”
The CEO also acknowledged the company will need to improve its communication with customers regarding vehicle deliveries.
One way he said the company will prepare is by setting up “a multi-city, multi-format drive program set to roll out in September.” He also said residents will see Rivian charging sites and service centers being built in local communities.
Rivian’s upcoming models for consumers — the R1S SUV and the R1T truck — are priced at $70,000 and $67,500 to start, respectively.


text:
In November 2022, the average cost of cooking one standard portion of Imeretian Khachapuri continued its upward trend and reached 6.90 GEL. The latest average price is 4.9% higher month-on-month (compared to October 2022) and 27.3% higher year-on-year (compared to November 2021).
At this time of the year, it is typical for the index to maintain an upward trend and this relates to the increasing price of milk and dairy products. This is due to the seasonal decline of fresh milk, which results in higher demand for imported milk powder used as a substitute for fresh products.
This November, the price of all khachapuri ingredients increased notably on an annual basis: cheese went up by 35.2%, milk – by 21.1%, flour – by 19.9%, butter – by 19.8%, yeast – by 15.1%, and the price of eggs rose by 10.1%. These yearly price increases were largely driven by trends on international markets: uncertainty, soaring inflation, and economic downturns globally have all been highly influenced by Russia’s war in Ukraine. While ingredient shortages and input cost hikes are a particular challenge to the dairy sector. The limited availability of animal feed, due to the war, has equally led to an increase in these base costs. Furthermore, rising energy costs, which also hit fertilizer prices, are contributing to higher milk and dairy product prices.
The prices for key food commodities are still anticipated to surge further due to the holiday-related jump in demand, and they will likely remain on this upward trend due to winter shortages in supply.
See all the news
Gold is shining in the new geopolitical world
JSC “Rustavi Azot” was sold
We Are Creating An Innovative Co-Working Space In Tbilisi - Sergi Gvarjaladze
The Rich Often Enjoy Tax Break - Deputy Minister
Israel Got Acquainted With The Business Tourism Potential Of Georgia
Kettari Foundation became a partner of DATAFEST this year
მაკროეკონომიკური ტრენდები მსოფლიოსა და საქართველოში
EBRD to fund the rehabilitation of 10 metro stations in Tbilisi with €50 million project
Tata Power’s CEO Pays Visit to BMG
Turkiye generates more than $35B tourism income in 1st nine months of 2022
NEQSOL Holding has won defamation case against Communications Commission
Trip.com says China hotel bookings are surpassing pre-pandemic levels
Europe's largest crypto exchange WhiteBIT has partnered with Netflix
Interview with Albert Park, ADB’s Chief Economist - By Elene Kvanchilashvili, Forbes Georgia Executive Editor in Chief
Interview with #EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso by Giorgi Isakadze, Editor in Chief of Forbes Georgia
Investigation Service detained two persons of the fact of evading a particularly large amount of tax
This year, the VIII international literature festival Odesa will be held in Batumi
Georgian Commercial Banks Boost Business loan portfolio for large enterprises
High blueberry exports from Georgia In July
#ForbesTalks - ინტერვიუ გიორგი ჯახუტაშვილთან / 10.08.2022


text:
The selfie-centric smartphone manufacturer strikes again! No, it’s not an all new device this round; but a new edition of their latest selfie phone, the OPPO F5. The company took the stage today to announce their supped up version of the smartphone which brings along with it two whole extra gigs of RAM. The new edition of the phone comes hot off the heels of the recent announcement of the regular F5, which the company calls its first entry into its F5 series. That said, OPPO alluded to at least another 2 editions of the F5 at its launch with the OPPO F5 6GB being one of them.
Like its F5 brethren, the OPPO F5 6GB comes with the Octacore (8-core) MediaTek Helio P23 processor which is clocked at 2.5GHz. In addition to this, the 6GB edition comes with, as the name suggests a whopping 6GB of RAM and 64GB of on board memory which can be expanded with a microSD card. On the display front, the F5 6GB comes with a 6.0-inch Full HD, FullView display with a 1080×2160 pixel resolution.
As with its other smartphones, the OPPO F5 6GB once again targets selfie enthusiasts with its 20-megapixel front facing camera. The camera sensor comes with a f/2.0 aperture which should allow for better low light performance. The main camera is a16-megapixel sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. It is also capable of Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) and has an LED flash. The F5 comes with OPPO’s new Artificial Intelligence backed Selfie mode which the company claims allows you to “Capture the real you”. You can find out more on our original post on the OPPO F5.
The OPPO F5 6GB comes with the standard run of the mill connectivity options which include WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.2 LE. It comes with the standard microUSB 2.0 adapter and is capable of USB On the Go (OTG). It also has a rear mounted fingerprint sensor.
OPPO is releasing the F5 6GB in a special red colour as well as the standard black. In addition to this, the first 1000 pre-orders of the Red Edition will come in an exclusive gift box just in time for the holidays. People who preorder will receive a special edition case embellished with Swarovski crystals.
The OPPO F5 6GB will be retailing for RM1,698 (USD$417.43). Pre-orders start at 12.30pm on the 6th of December at the OPPO website.
Also announced was the appointment of local actress, Neelofa, as the product ambassador for the F5 6GB.
Also published on Medium.


text:
In terms of gameplay sessions, India is Facebook’s third-largest market, with 234 million in the two months of July and August 2021, as the social networking giant aims to capitalize on the country’s gaming boom.
Facebook, the social networking behemoth, plans to invest in the country’s gaming boom.
“In the previous years, there has been kind a lot of growth in gaming section.” Manish Chopra, director and head of partnerships at Facebook, said in an interview. In recent years, it has technically changed its games experience for its users by moving beyond social games.
It is introducing several new features and services, just like game streaming, virtual reality (Oculus), and cloud gaming, to name a few. The video-sharing platform from Google YouTube has long led the game streaming market in the United States, but startups like Loco and Rheo TV have carved themselves a niche.
Facebook Game, a standalone gaming app, was released in April of last year as well. According to a recent study which is conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), RedSeer, and OnePlus, that India’s mobile gaming market is predicted to more than triple in size by 2025, from around $1.8 billion in 2021 to $6-7 billion.
“Over the last year and a half, we’ve been particularly focused on spreading out the platform so that game developers can access lots of new audiences as well as tools through which they can build, grow, and monetize their games,” Chopra says.
In March 2019, the social media giant introduced a dedicated Facebook Gaming page, which allows its users to play fast games, watch some gaming videos from their favorite streamers, and connect with other gamers through gaming-related groups as well. According to him, more than 20 million people in India were active members of gaming groups on the site between July and August 2021.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, downloads of simple gaming applications have soared, and esports contests have become the new trend due to fewer entertainment options.
The digital behemoth launched a dedicated Gaming tab in March 2019, allowing users to play quick games, watch gaming videos from their favorite streamers, and connect with other gamers through gaming-related groups. In April of last year, Facebook released a standalone gaming app called Facebook Gaming.
While casual games remain the platform’s mainstay, Chopra claims that major publishers are leveraging it to engage with new players by providing short playable versions of their games, potentially attracting them to their console-based gaming titles.
According to him, between July and August 2021, more than 20 million people in India were active members of gaming groups on the platform.
Facebook collaborates with game developers to improve its game streaming service, which Google’s YouTube dominates. Chopra stated that the company is concentrating on bringing in more diverse producers to the platform, emphasizing female creators.
“To be able to extend their visibility on Facebook, we’ve been working with the top creators as well as a lot of nano and micro creators. Facebook is carving out a niche in India’s fast-growing and highly competitive online gaming and streaming market. He went on to say, “We’ve been partnering with AAA gaming publishers like Garena and Krafton to offer content to Facebook.”
PUBG Mobile, Garena’s Free Fire, Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto V, PUBG Battlegrounds, and Moontoon’s Mobile Legends were the top streamed games by Facebook’s gaming creators India during July-August 2021, according to Facebook. It did not provide any viewership data particular to India. In January 2021, Facebook had 439 million hours of watching worldwide.
Article Proof Read & Edited By Shreedatri Banerjee


text:
The new levy has been set at 5% and applies to the majority of goods and services in both regions.
Some outgoings have been made exempt from the tax, or given a zero-tax rating, including exports of goods and services and certain healthcare and educational services.
VAT and financial services
Sean Kelleher, chief executive of Mondial Dubai, said VAT applies, his firm understands, to all services it provides within the UAE.
“For those who arbitrage the law by playing on semantics between commission and fees, I think they would be treading a dangerous line,” Kelleher said.
Sam Instone, chief executive of AES International, said his company had been “fortunate” to have direct contact with the tax authorities, as they sought clarification on the implementation of VAT and how it would impact the financial services sector.
“Along with many in our sector in the region, we initially assumed the UAE would follow the UK’s model when implementing VAT, but that has not been entirely the case,” he said.
Questions still need answers
Instone said while the information his firm has received from the authority is pleasing, there are still some open questions they would like answered.
“For example, with regard to whether VAT is applicable in intermediation, and how it applies when we’re dealing with UK providers.”
Instone said the firm is not concerned there are still some questions that need answers, as changes to taxation “rules and rates in any country require a period of establishment, during which uncertainties are addressed, and any issues ironed out”.
“Until we’re 100% clear on everything, we’re simply taking the line of maximum safety, and assuming that VAT is applicable.
“What we do know, is that with regard to AES MEIB, our employee benefits arm, commission payments received on health insurance business is vatable. And of course, we’re 100% clear on VAT exempt and zero-rated sectors,” he said.
The UAE estimates that VAT income, in the first year, will be around AED12bn (£2.4bn, $3.3bn, €2.8bn).


text:
Notice: To display this embed please allow the use of Functional Cookies in Cookie Preferences.
Subnautica studio Unknown Worlds will reveal its new game at Gamescom
The game will debut as part of Opening Night Live
Unknown Worlds, the team behind the hugely popular survival game Subnautica will reveal the first gameplay of its next game at Gamescom.
Studio co-founder Charlie Cleveland will unveil the game during Geoff Keighly’s Opening Night Live showcase.
The game is a turn-based strategy game with a sci-fi setting, but any further details, such as a title or release date have yet to be revealed.
Subnautica, the studio’s breakout hit, was released in early access in 2014, and would eventually come to all platforms. The most recent release is a Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series triumvirate.
The game had sold more than five million copies as of January 2020, with a re-emergence in popularity during the pandemic, largely attributed to streamers, increasing that number greatly.
The sequel, Subnautica: Below Zero released in 2021.
Gamescom 2022 is set to take place from August 24-28 and will be a hybrid event held on-site in Cologne and simultaneously online.
The show will kick off with Geoff Keighly’s Opening Night Live, a broadcast which typically includes new game announcements and huge trailers.
2021’s Opening Night Live saw the official reveal of the Saints Row reboot, Marvel’s Midnight Suns and also the reveal of Halo Infinite‘s release date and special edition console.
2K once again delayed the release of the Firaxis strategy game earlier this week, stating that it will arrive sometime in the current fiscal year.
“We have made the decision to move back the launch timing of Marvel’s Midnight Suns to ensure the teams at Firaxis Games and 2K deliver the best possible experience for our fans,” it said.


text:
Officials speak to the media at the event in Dubai.
Staff Reporter, Gulf Today
Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies and NFTS are more trusted than stocks to give investors better returns in 2022, reveals a global survey.
The poll taken by almost 6,000 individuals on LinkedIn – and tracked by more than 146,600 – since the beginning of the new year finds that 30% of respondents believe that ‘another cryptocurrency’ (other than Bitcoin) will yield the best results; 25% say Bitcoin and NFTs (non-fungible tokens); and 20% believe stocks will outperform the others.
Bitcoin and other digital currencies are widely regarded as a shield against inflation mainly because of its limited supply, which is not influenced by its price.
With the growing popularity of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency around the world Leading business group launches new cryptocurrency Dhanu and Digital Exchange Dhanu X, linked to Blockchain technology in Dubai, meeting local legal requirements.
The master brains behind the same, Brijesh Sharma and Sachin Kumar, founding members of the company claim that Dhanu X and its tokens have received a very good response in the UAE. Money transactions now show more tendency to become corrupt, and hence the usage of digital currency is becoming more common. Governments and the business community of Pakistan, India and other Asian countries have to adopt blockchain technology, and Dhanu is the first currency that you can easily exchange in rupees.
The digital currency launch mega event was attended by people associated with digital currency and a large number of business personalities.
Speaking on the occasion, other speakers, including the founders of the new cryptocurrency, said that the requirements of modern times have to be adopted for development. Digital currency is the need of time. The world is shifting towards digital currency. Big countries are now digitalizing their banking systems. It is already high time that we must step on to this revolutionary change Leading UAE business and political and social figures welcomed the launch of the new currency and wished all success to the founders.


text:
Submitted by Taps Coogan on the 7th of December 2018 to The Sounding Line.
Enjoy The Sounding Line? Click here to subscribe for free.
Paul Hodges, chairman of International eChem, recently spoke with Real Vision about using chemical industry capacity utilization data as a leading indicator of the global economy, and warns that we may be entering a global recession.
“We spotted the sub-prime crisis by looking at autos and housing and electronics because they’re the big markets for chemicals… We have a very good relationship with the American Chemistry Council, who produce very detailed analysis in almost real-time of the capacity utilization in chemical industries around the world, and that is the best leading indicator there is… This is a proven best leading indicator, because if you compare changes in the capacity utilization with IMF growth forecasts, there is around a 70% correlation, which is far better than anybody else gets… We are at an early stage in the value chain so we can tell you what’s happening six months before the market realizes it has happened.”
“What we have been saying over the last six weeks is that we are either in a global recession, or we are about to enter it, and that’s not a call that we would make lightly, but it’s backed up by the evidence from corporates on what they’re seeing in terms of demand and, more recently of course, we are starting to get the first signs of that. We are down in terms of auto sales, housing, and electronics… If you take, Europe, the States, and China, what we are seeing now is a synchronized downturn in car sales over the past few months, month-on-month, with ne respite… In housing there was a peak in the early part of the year. It has since then been coming down. Obviously China, which has been incredibly important for the world economy and for chemicals, the trend has been going longer. And if you look at smart phones, smart phones are in a recession for the first time in history.”
While validating one’s accuracy as a leading indicator by correlating to IMF growth forecasts may not the most compelling argument (IMF forecasts are known to be inaccurate, overly optimistic, and bad at predicting recessions), the idea that chemical industry data should be a good barometer of the global economy makes intuitive sense and the warning ought to be heeded.
There is a bit more to the interview so enjoy it above.
P.S. If you would like to be updated via email when we post a new article, please click here. It’s free and we won’t send any promotional materials.
Would you like to be notified when we publish a new article on The Sounding Line? Click here to subscribe for free.


text:
Rockstar has released patch 350.
With the coming of Grand Theft Auto V to the PC, a whole new world of players were let loose upon the multiplayer experience that is Grand Theft Auto Online.
Rockstar has released update 335.
Rockstar has confirmed that a fix for Grand Theft Auto V's Windows install bug should be available later today.
Posted on May 1, 2015 AT 03:56am
Posted on April 22, 2015 AT 05:37am
Posted on April 20, 2015 AT 02:01am
Posted on April 17, 2015 AT 06:35am
Posted on April 7, 2015 AT 04:25am
Posted on April 6, 2015 AT 04:44am
Posted on April 2, 2015 AT 11:05am
Posted on March 30, 2015 AT 05:19am
Posted on March 27, 2015 AT 04:10am
Posted on March 16, 2015 AT 03:51am
Today's Top 10 Stories
Top Partner Stories
Website Interface © 2012 EGM Digital Media, LLC.


text:
Apple maintained that a 16GB iPhone was enough last year, but the company might be singing a different tune in 2016. A Wall Street Journal source claims that the next iPhone will start with 32GB of storage -- at last, buyers of the base model won't have to be quite so thrifty with their free space. That kind of entry capacity is far from new, of course (HTC, LG, Samsung and others have had 32GB starters for a while), but it'll be more than welcome if you prefer iPhones and can't justify more expensive versions.
It'll certainly feel overdue for some. Apple started offering 16GB base iPhones back in 2009, with the 3GS. That was cavernous at the time, but it gradually became a tighter and tighter fit as apps and media collections grew larger. If you capture 4K video on the iPhone 6s or SE, it chews up 375MB per minute -- a 16GB device user could easily run out of room.
The next question: what about other capacities? The insider doesn't say (and Apple certainly isn't commenting), but it wouldn't be surprising if the new iPhone doubled the higher storage tiers to 128GB and 256GB. Notice how the iPad Pro's options jump straight from 32GB to 128GB and 256GB? While we wouldn't rule out a different strategy, it'd be consistent if the iPhone had the same storage choices as its bigger-screened siblings.


text:
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. - Costco stores are putting plexiglass around registers as coronavirus cases across the nation continue to rise.
FOX 35 News visited the Costco in Altamonte Springs and saw plexiglass surrounding the register and cashier.
It was accompanied by two signs. One read "social distancing" and "six feet apart." The other sign read "your safety is our priority" and listed "social distancing," "cover coughs and sneezing," and "Costco will regulate member access."
Publix said, starting this weekend, it will be installing plexiglass at registers, customer service desks, and pharmacies at its stores.
Then there are stores like Academy and Walgreens, who are limiting how many customers can be in the store at once.
Walgreen's put blue tape on the floor of their checkout line to make sure people are following the Centers for Disease Control recommendations to stay 6 feet apart.
Dr. Jason Littleton tells FOX 35 News that he believes it's good that businesses are taking precautions but says the best advice is to stay at home.
"If it gets on anything you’re handing the customer, even if it’s a plastic bag, paper bag, food product, the virus can be on that and someone could still have contact with that and catch the COVID-19 virus," Dr. Littleton said. "These are measures that ease people’s fears. To make them less anxious. It makes sense from a business perspective, but medically I’m not sure it’s quite advantageous."
MOBILE USERS: Click here to watch FOX 35 News live


text:
ProFunds, a Maryland-based firm, on Wednesday launched what it says is the first publicly available mutual fund correlated to the value of the largest cryptocurrency. The Bitcoin Strategy ProFund invests in Bitcoin futures contracts and aims for results that track the price of the digital currency — before fees.
It’s the latest financial product offering exposure to Bitcoin, as firms clamor to create ways for clients to grab a piece of the once-obscure digital asset.
More than a dozen investment firms have filed to launch exchange-traded funds that invest in Bitcoin or Bitcoin futures, but so far U.S. regulators haven’t issued any decisions. In June, the Securities and Exchange Commission punted on a decision on whether to approve a Bitcoin ETF for the second time in 2021.
The debut coincides with Bitcoin’s longest winning streak this year, with the token rising as much as 7.5% on Wednesday and climbing back above $40,900. The cryptocurrency’s price has swung wildly over the past year, and the SEC has warned investors that they should be aware of the risks of investing in mutual funds that hold Bitcoin futures.
Buying Bitcoin and other crypto coins directly has gotten easier, as companies such as Robinhood Markets Inc. and Cash App have created ways to put money into the coins without going through the arduous process of opening a digital wallet or storing vital passwords.
Still, some people and institutions want to buy products with some regulatory oversight. Everyday investors typically are much more familiar with mutual funds than the intricacies of the cryptocurrency market.
The ProFunds product has a total expense ratio of 1.15%, which is a bit higher than the typical 1% or less charged in ETFs.
“Compared to directly buying Bitcoin, which may involve opening a new account with an unregulated party, this ProFund offers investors the opportunity to gain exposure to Bitcoin through a form and investment method that tens of millions of investors are familiar with,” ProFunds Chief Executive Officer Michael Sapir said in a release.


text: The Chakrana team is very excited to announce that we will be participating in the The Pitch KC’s inaugural “Crafts and Drafts” event! The festival will take place on Saturday, 11/2, from 11am – 6pm at the Uptown Shopping Center (36th and Broadway). Kansas City MO. There will be more than 75 craft vendors in attendance and over 25 beers to pick from! Best of all? The event is free to attend! If you live in the Kansas City area (or visiting in that day), come check out our treasures; we’ll even have some traditional Peruvian snacks to enjoy with all of that free beer! (snacks made by theleapingllama of course).


text:
The government said Thursday it has made progress in providing financial aid to public sector undertaking (PSU) Scooters India to revive its operations.
Mahindra & Mahindra, which is yet to make a mark in the two-wheeler space, today launched a new 110-cc scooter 'Gusto'.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said India is the priority market for the company where it aims to garner nearly 25 percent of its global sales.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), the country's largest maker of tractors and sports utility vehicles, is in advanced talks to buy PSA Peugeot Citroen's scooter business, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Thanks to rapid urbanisation, scooters have beaten other two-wheelers at growth and will reach a market share of 27 percent across India over the next two years, a senior TVS Motors official said Monday.
The company, which leads the scooter market with a 53% share in domestic mkt, would have two assembly lines, which would create 3,000 more jobs.
The features on Access have been provided to look at the rider’s ACCESS -- Attractiveness, Comfort, Convenience, Environment, Security and Style.
M&M said its two-wheeler unit has made a binding offer to acquire a 51 per cent stake in PSA Peugeot Citroen's scooters business.


text:
HM Revenue & Customs must now investigate Gamma International for potential illegal exports
Privacy International’s campaign for effective export controls of surveillance technology is still ongoing, but for one company, action can already be taken by HM Revenue & Customs to hold stop their unethical practices. Here is the story so far...
Privacy International has been investigating the trade in surveillance technology for almost two years as part of our Big Brother Incorporated project. Our research showed the capabilities of surveillance technology has grown hugely in the past decade but was almost entirely unregulated. So this summer PI took the initial step towards legal proceedings against the British government sending a ‘pre-action protocol’ letter to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). In the letter, we called for all UK surveillance technology to be made subject to export controls - which would see the sale of these products to overseas governments scrutinised in the same way as that of munitions and military equipment. While most goods can be freely exported to destinations beyond the EU, certain items that have military or dual military/civilian applications fall under the purview of the UK’s export control regime and their sale to a non-EU countries requires a licence. When a vendor applies for such an licence, the government then has the chance to scrutinise the goods and their destination, and approve or reject their export. In this way, the UK government controls the sale of goods to countries where they may have an extreme and detrimental impact on overseas civilian populations or UK interests abroad.
In our initial letter to BIS of 12th July, we pointed out that - given that surveillance technology may have an equal if not greater impact on oppressed populations as guns and bombs - the UK’s existing export control regime must be extended to include such goods, to ensure that human rights concerns are given due consideration before export. At the time, no UK surveillance technology products were subject to export control; they could be exported freely with dire consequences for human rights campaigners and political activists across the world.
As an example of a particularly dangerous surveillance technology, the letter highlighted FinSpy, a suite of ‘IT intrusion’ products sold by the Andover-based firm Gamma International. FinSpy is a sophisticated piece of malware that is sent to target individuals disguised as a harmless email, link or software update. FinSpy then installs itself on the target’s computer or smartphone and begins to relay information back to the sender, including the contents of all emails and skype conversations, as well as address books and documents stored on the device’s hard drive. FinSpy can even be used to remotely activate a device’s internal camera and microphone without the user’s knowledge, capturing images and audio recordings of the user and his or her surroundings. Very difficult to either detect or evade, FinSpy is an extremely powerful tool in the hands of an oppressive regimes, used to target human rights activists and political campaigners for harassment, indefinite detention and torture.
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills responded to our letter on 8th August. Although his letter failed to reassure us that BIS will extend the existing regime to include comprehensive and effective oversight of all surveillance technology exports, it did reveal the department had conducted an assessment of FinSpy, and concluded that FinSpy products do actually fall within the purview of the existing export control regime. PI welcomed the confirmation that FinSpy and similar Gamma products do indeed require a licence for export, but requested clarification regarding Gamma International’s licence applications. In a subsequent letter, BIS admitted that Gamma International had yet to apply for, or be granted, any such licence. Despite this, FinSpy and similar products have turned up in Bahrain, Egypt, Ethiopia and Turkmenistan. Clearly, Gamma is exporting controlled items beyond the EU, while failing to secure the appropriate export licence. The company is therefore in breach of UK law, and may be liable to criminal proceedings.
While BIS is the department that sets export policy, it is up to HM Revenue & Customs to enforce these rules and ensure that Gamma International no longer flouts UK and EU export regulations with impunity. On 9th November Privacy International wrote to HMRC, alerting the department to this ongoing breach of UK export regulations. While we are still considering legal action against BIS for its failure to ensure effective oversight of all surveillance technology products, our focus for the moment is on ensuring that HMRC do not let Gamma International off the hook. We requested a response from HMRC within 14 days, but have not yet received a response.


text:
VeriSign is planning to raise the wholesale cost of registering a .com or .net domain name in October to generate more money for infrastructure improvements, the company announced on Thursday.
The increases are the first of several VeriSign is allowed impose through 2012 under an agreement with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the overseer of the Internet's addressing system. VeriSign is the official registry for domain names ending in .com, .net, .cc, and .tv.
On Oct. 15, the wholesale price of a .com domain will go from $6 to $6.42, a 7 percent hike and the maximum annual percentage increase allowed under the March 2006 agreement with ICANN. A .net domain name will increase 10 percent, from 3.50 to $3.85.
VeriSign can't raise the price of the .com domain registrations more than 7 percent annually in four years of the six-year agreement with ICANN, which runs through 2012. However, VeriSign is allowed to raise prices for security reasons or in respect to new ICANN policies if there hasn't been a formal price increase that year.
The impact of the price hike on domain name owners could vary. VeriSign charges those fees to registrars, which may package domain name registration service with other services, such as Web site hosting.
Those registrars may set their own pricing for their services to consumers or businesses, as long as they pay VeriSign the basic domain registration fee. VeriSign said it manages relationships with more than 150 ICANN-accredited registrars that submit 100 million domain name transactions daily.
At the end of 2006, .com and .net domains numbered 65 million with new ones added at an average of 2.1 million per month, according to VeriSign statistics released last month. With the new price increases, VeriSign will boost its revenue by at least $22.7 million.
VeriSign said the new revenue will be invested in equipment that deals with requests for Internet sites on the .com and .net domains. VeriSign runs a network of servers that are part of the DNS, which enables domain names, such as www.idg.com, to be translated into numerical Web site addresses that can be called into a Web browser.
Web surfers are putting more pressure on the DNS system by making more requests for Web sites, VeriSign said. The company is handling around 30 billion queries a day on its infrastructure, up from 1 billion in 2000.
In February, VeriSign said it plans to invest $100 million over the next three years in its DNS infrastructure. The project, called Titan, will boost VeriSign's bandwidth from 20Gbps to more than 200Gbps, allowing it to respond to more than 4 trillion DNS queries a day.
Company officials could not be reached for comment.


text:
YouTube is in talks with several studios for a service that would have YouTube stream rented movies, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The report says that YouTube, a division of Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), is talking with Lions Gate Entertainment, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. on the topic of streaming rentals. The report says that the movies would possibly be available for streaming rental the day of a movie's release on DVD.
The report says that a likely price point for the rentals would be $3.99, the same price that Apple Inc. charges for rentals on the iTunes Music Store. The report also hints that some movies could possibly be available without a rental fee, but with advertising.
The report says that should the plans go forward, a group of 10,000 Google employees would test the service for three months. The negotiations are continuing, but there are no guarantees that a deal will be struck, the report said.


text:
WASHINGTON—There is an enormous gulf between the presidential candidates on tax policy—with trillions of dollars at stake over the next decade.
President Trump is campaigning to continue his administration’s biggest legislative achievement, the 2017 tax law, which lowered taxes on businesses and individuals while increasing budget deficits. He credits the law with helping spur economic growth in 2018 and 2019, a period when the unemployment rate fell to 3.5% from 4.1%, and is pushing for even more tax cuts in a second term, though he has been vague about details.
Back-to-School Sale: Extra 25% off sitewide - JCPenney coupon code
Walmart coupon: $20 off your $50+ order
- Best Buy:
Save 15% or more on the Best Buy deal of the Day
Up to 15% off + free shipping at Wayfair
Nike Gear Up for Fall Sale: Up to 50% off
- Dick's Sporting Goods:
10% off sitewide - Dick's Sporting Goods coupons


text:
More Saab 9-5 dealer launches were held over the weekend, this time in the Netherlands.
Photo by Nic. More here. Additional photos by Stephan. More here.
These photos were taken by several Dutch Saab nuts who attended the dealership in Tilburg, where a great crowd turned out to look over the car.
I’m told the order books were closed during the launch day, but that perhaps as many as 10 orders were received in the days leading up to the launch.
Other photos from Joep via email. Thanks!
The Dutch aren’t the only ones getting a look at the new 9-5.
Robin M headed down to his local dealership in Yeovil, where they unloaded this new 9-5 from the trailer over the weekend.
The UK dealer launch events are commencing later this week, on July 8.
Comments are closed.


text:
It’s a minuscule order–10 cars represents only about 1% of the MTA’s larger, $2.9 billion campaign to replace 940 of some 1970s-era cars (and that’s out of more than 6,000 cars system-wide). But careful consideration seems to have gone into the decision, and it shows us what subways could look like within a few decades–not just in terms of the gangways. Even if you don’t notice it, the way people ride the train is changing.
Small Changes, Big Numbers
Open gangway cars are by far the common car design in metro systems all over the world, from Asia to Europe to South America, and transit experts have long wondered why this design hasn’t been adopted in the U.S. Last year, The Transport Politic’s Yonah Freemark wrote an analysis of open cars, concluding that switching over to open gangway cars would increase capacity by a whopping 9% on the Lexington Avenue line, one of the New York City’s most overcrowded lines, alone.
Across a system, they could have an even bigger impact, and the prototype cars will be the first step in testing whether it’s worth it. Over email this week, Freemark commented that while the MTA’s plans are cautious, they’re a serious response to congestion problems. “This is not lip service–MTA is putting real money into this new type of train and is clearly ready to consider broader implementation,” he wrote, adding, “when it comes to open gangway trains, there really is very little risk–international experience virtually everywhere except in the U.S., including in places like London, Paris, and Toronto, proves it.”
The design could dramatically increase how many people a given train could carry, but there are other benefits too, as the MTA’s Kevin Ortiz said over email. Ever tried to get off the L Train on a rush-hour morning, and been stuck fighting crowds at the door? The new design will give riders more possible exits. “Open gangway cars should help decrease dwell times due to the fact that customers would be able to move from car to car to exit,” Ortiz said. “If one car is more crowded and egress is slowed, customers can simply walk to the next car to exit.”
The End Of Rush Hour
The new prototypes also hint at bigger shifts afoot in the subway system than congestion–what the MTA has called “dramatic” changes in ridership in the report Planning for the Future, published last year.
For example, while ridership is increasing as per usual, something odd is occurring: the traffic on “peak” hours is actually flattening out. Instead, people are riding more at all hours of the day–perhaps a reflection of the way office culture is changing, as well as where we work. Not everyone heads into midtown, or even Manhattan, to get to the office these days. “Going forward, travel will become more complex and diverse, mirroring the changes in the broader economy,” the report explained.
Pair increased traffic at odd hours with budget cuts, and you get what the MTA report describes as an unprecedented challenge. “These new economic and travel realities may not necessarily require MTA to pursue additional multi-billion dollar megaproject solutions to boost capacity,” the authors continued. “Instead, they call for new, market-driven ‘network-strategic’ investments that target specific problems in specific locations that can be achieved ‘in our commuting lifetimes.'”
Rather than proposing huge expansions or construction projects, the MTA will need to adapt using smart design changes to its existing network–like changing the cars themselves.
While there’s no official designer for these cars yet, it seems likely that the NYC-based studio Antenna–which designed New York’s new L Train cars, aka the R142 model, in 2000–could be involved. (In fact, while the MTA declined to comment on its involvement, and Antenna didn’t respond to my requests, the studio’s logo is partially visible on two of the MTA’s new renderings.)
The prototype cars will include some new features, like digital screens, Wi-Fi, CCTV cameras in every car, self-regulating heat and A/C, and maybe even charging stations, according to a project brief. Many of these amenities are more than just bells and whistles–they’re clearly designed to make riding the train easier. In the same report, the MTA says that its population of older riders is increasing, as people retire in New York and even move from the suburbs into the city: “This ‘boomer’ age group is dependent on public transportation, and requires accessibility features such as elevators and escalators in stations, bus lifts, and information services design for riders with impaired hearing and vision.”
Antenna’s 16-year-old subway car design shows us how future subway cars may adapt: It included seats that could spring up to make room for wheelchairs–or spring down when someone needed a seat. The interior signage was also revamped, with wayfinding designs that made it easier to see where service was altered or where stations were located along the route. Another helpful feature? A better audio system for announcements, which featured the first recorded announcements of stations in a clear, loud, consistent voice (four voices, to be specific–all belonging to Bloomberg reporters at the time).
Whether or not Antenna is involved with the prototype project, it seems likely that the experimental cars will build on accessibility–after all, people over 65 will make up almost a quarter of the U.S. population by 2040. For now, Ortiz says that the MTA will be testing open-gangway configurations from two different manufacturers, and hopes to finalize the design contract next year. “We need to look at all options as we move forward with the design of the next generation of cars that could be running in our system for the next 30-40 years,” he wrote in his statement.
Since they’re not arriving until 2020, it’s going to be a bit before you get to see one of the prototypes–but how cool would it be to stumble across a train from the future on a late-night ride home?


text:
Employees at Netflix have apparently received a memo stating that an ad-supported service will be available by the end of 2022.
Netflix aims to provide a cheaper ad-supported membership option much sooner than planned. Netflix began offering users the option of streaming video straight to their screens rather than receiving DVDs in the mail in 2007. Since then, Netflix has grown to become one of the most powerful streaming platforms, with over 5,000 movies and TV series, including over 100 Netflix Originals. However, with the development of so many competing streaming services in recent years, Netflix no longer has the same need to retain all of its members as it once had.
According to The Wrap, Netflix employees have received a memo informing them that an ad-supported service will be available by the end of 2022. Last month, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings discussed the possibility of an ad-supported service, but said it would take a year or two to get started. The executives recognised that the move was "hurried and ambitious," but pointed out that many other platforms provide an ad-supported version because users choose less expensive solutions.
Netflix is missing one simple solution to its subscriber problems.
Netflix may be rushing to implement this ad-supported alternative because of the platform's huge drop in subscribers this year. Netflix lost almost 200,000 customers in the first quarter of 2022, rather than the 2.5 million predicted. As a result, Netflix's stock has fallen, and the company's market valuation has dropped by an estimated $70 billion. As a result, it appears like Netflix will start offering its less expensive ad-supported alternative and crack down on password sharing sooner rather than later.


text:
Going into the election, Apple had a remarkable run. The stock immediately fell to $105 from $111 in the wake of Trump's victory. It has since slowly climbed back up to $110.
"People may be confused about what a Trump administration means for Apple, so let me dispel the confusion — the positives far outweigh the negatives," the "Mad Money" host said.
Cramer perceives Trump as unpredictable, so he decided to weigh out the potential negatives and positives that his presidency could mean for Apple.
1. China. The majority of Apple phones are made in China, and Trump has railed on the Chinese for being unfair trading partners. This could affect iPhones dramatically, especially if Apple decides to make iPhones in the U.S. and the costs double. However, Cramer thinks it is unlikely a trade war will occur.
2. Trump's crackdown on the issuance of skilled worker visas could affect the foreign engineers and programmers in Silicon Valley, Cramer said.
"Given that the staunchly anti-immigration Senator Jeff Sessions will be our next Attorney General, I wouldn't be surprised if the administration makes this a priority, but I am less sure about Congress," Cramer said.
3. The personal vendetta. In February, Trump called for a boycott on all Apple products. Cramer wonders what would happen in a similar situation with Trump as president, though he doubts the White House will call for a boycott, especially with bigger issues to worry about.
The positives, which Cramer says outweighs the negatives:
1. Trump and the Republican Congress want a lower corporate tax rate. Since Apple's U.S. tax rate is 30.5 percent, this could bring billions in savings.
2. Repatriation of the dollar. Apple has a mountain of cash oversees which it hasn't been able to bring back to the U.S. because it would be hit with a 40 percent tax rate. As of the end of September, Apple had $237 billion in cash and marketable securities, and 91 percent of that was outside the U.S., which amounts to roughly $216 billion, or $40 per share of a $110 stock.
If Trump and Congress create a tax holiday to allow American companies to bring cash in tax free, this would be huge positive for Apple and great for the U.S. if Apple reinvests that money or returns it to shareholders via a buyback or special dividend.
"I think this tax holiday on the repatriation of foreign earnings is close to being a done deal," Cramer said.
Ultimately, Cramer determined that Apple was still a stock to own. He's even salivating over the thought of the foreign cash that could soon be coming back to America.


text:
SV Graphics’s successful digital transition
It was 1991 when Tangaturai Chettiyar started making hand carving rubber block in Vapi, Gujarat. It was a labour-intensive job, but he managed to successfully run the business for 10 years. In early 2000, the Chettiyar along with his cousin Kartikeyan Chettiyar managed SV Graphics moved to make conventional photopolymer plates.
13 Dec 2020 | By Rahul Kumar
Then came a time when Daman, Vapi and Silvassa were witnessing growth in packaging printing. There were more printing firms investing in technology to cater to the growing demand for packaging products. That is when the company invested in its first digital flexo CTP, Flexo Laser in 2015. “We recognised the market potential in this region especially the flexible packaging and narrow-web printing,” said Chettiyar.
In the next five years, Chettiyar produced close to 750 sqm per annum and saw a need to expand. “We installed the Xeikon ThermoflexX 60 in March 2020 and very recently installed the Flint Nyloflex digital washer,” said Chettiyar.
Even though we were able to make reasonable volume before the installation of the new equipment, Chettiyar said, he was looking for a reliable high-end machine to address customers who are looking for high quality. He looked at a few other options available in the market, he found Xeikon’s technology as an advantages which was capable of addressing many pain areas of current plate houses. “One is the support of plates. We believe, it is important to have a single supplier for the machine and consumables. Flint served our purpose. Today we are very much excited about the output our new equipment are delivering.”
The tradeshop now produces 250 sqm of plates per month, and hopes to cross the 3,000 sqm annual output mark. Repro Graphics helped SV Graphics establish the plant with a hassle-free installation, said Chettiyar. “Flint Group is a pioneer in new flexographic plates developments and with Catena processing equipment and Woodpecker Nano from ThermofleSx, we felt its worth associating with a partner considering future market demands,” he said.
Chettiyar said, there are many features, but the plate handling and screen technology impressed him. “The plate loading for both plate loading and unloading is automatic. There’s unique assistance when the plates are thicker, which means problem-free operation. That’s a plus.” He adds, “The hybrid screening improves highlights and shadows while surface screen increases the solid ink density. All this results in better quality and print results.”