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ResDiary launches Pre-Order system
as 20% of restaurateurs admit to losing an order
New research by online reservation system ResDiary, reveals that 20 percent of operators have lost customer pre-orders using their own administration methods.
The reservation system conducted the research to shed light on the need for pre-order booking systems in the catering and hospitality industry, asking 200 venues that currently use their service to give insights on the situation.
It came as no surprise that 79 percent of restaurants take pre-orders at some point in the year, and of this amount, 95 percent use a manual method, leaving room for human error and mistakes. Almost two thirds of manual system users have had issues in the past, ranging from lost information to being unable to contact guests for orders.
As a result of this, ResDiary are this week launching an online pre-ordering service to keep customers happy and protect the reputation of restaurants.
Information will be collated within the system, helping venues with food or alcohol purchasing. They’ll also be able to clearly see which guests have ordered and send reminders, relieving administrative pressures on staff. Venues will even be able to link payments and pre-orders to take deposits or full payment at the point of booking.
At present, almost 40 percent of ResDiary venues give customers the option to choose a menu at the point of booking. Now they will be able to collect individual dishes or drinks and reduce wastage by having advance knowledge of what produce to order.
The feature has proved popular pre-launch, with over 40 restaurants across the world taking part in BETA testing.
Mike Conyers, CEO of ResDiary said:
“As tightening margins make succeeding in the hospitality industry ever more difficult, operators are crying out for an integrated pre-order system. Rising food and staffing costs mean they can no longer afford to waste produce or have staff spending hours chasing orders.
With ResDiary Pre-Orders, the whole pre-ordering process is integrated into their electronic diary. Venues are organised before the customer arrives, produce is ordered correctly and guests have a great customer experience.”


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Global India Business Forum (GIBF) organized a webinar on Investment Opportunities in Jordan,
on December 15, with Chamber of Commerce of Jordan and the Embassy of Jordan in India.
Ambassador of Jordan to India H.E. Mr. Mohammad Alkayed and dignitaries, heads of various sectors were present for
the webinar. Many businesspersons were also present.
GIBF is supporting and trying to explore business opportunities for the MSME sector in different parts of the world. India-Jordan MSME sector can do wonders with the initiative taken by GIBF. Neel Kamal Anchan, India Coordinator of GIBF delivered the opening note and introduced the dignitaries
In the first session, Mr. Kholoud Saqqaf, Minister of Investment gave the welcome remarks. This was followed by the speech of H.E. Mr. Mohammad Alkayed, Ambassador of Jordan to India, speech of Dr. Jitendra Joshi - Founder and Global President of Global India Business Forum. He spoke about GIBFs initiatives and how these could help strengthen trade and cultural relations among the countries. This was followed by the speech of Mr. Micheal Nazal, Board Member of Jordanian Businessmen Association.
Discussion on Investment opportunities in Jordan took place in the second session wherein there was presentation of opportunities by the Ministry of Investment. Investment Opportunities in the Information Technology Sector was presented by Nidal Bitar Chief Executive Officer ICT Association of Jordan (int@j). Investment Opportunities in the Mining Sector was presented by Ammar Bataineh Marketing and Sales Director of Arab Potash Company. Investment Opportunities in the Mining and Fertilizers Sector was presented by Mohammad Abu Hazeem – Director of mines and mining Jordan Phosphate Mines Company. Success story for Indian investment in Jordan was presented by Mr. Sanal Kumar Chairman and Managing Director of Classic Fashion Apparel Industry.
The last session was question and answer wherein the speakers and dignitaries replied to the queries of the audience satisfactorily.

domain: news


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One of our roles here at the chamber of commerce is to make connections. We connect new businesses to community resources, small stores to big companies and newcomers to housing and job possibilities, as just a few examples. We use this newsletter as an avenue for connecting you, the general public, with all of the businesses and events happening in our community.
We also connect segments of our local businesses with each other, and one group that has really connected and banded together over this past year is our retailers. Retail anywhere is tough these days, especially in smaller communities without large populations of shoppers to support them.
Our local retailers have been meeting regularly and working together with the mentality that a rising tide lifts all boats. They are stronger together in many ways, and they haveteamed up to host Thrifty Thursdays as a way to promote each other this month.
Each Thursday for the month of June, a group of our downtown retailers is offering bargains and featured sales/promotions at their stores and they are also staying open later than normal on Thursdays. See the list of participating retailers here. So when you get off of work on Thursdays this month, head downtown to enjoy some shopping, the farmers market and a meal at a local restaurant.


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Dellner Bubenzer Group acquires Frimatrail Frenoplast6 December 2021
Dellner Bubenzer Group has acquisition Polish company Frimatrail Frenoplast, which has 30 years’ experience and continuous R&D activity as a producer of friction materials for rail vehicles.
The new company will operate under the name Dellner Frimatrail Frenoplast, and the focus for the immediate future will be on keeping up business as usual, supporting customers and integrating employees into the Dellner Bubenzer Group.
“By bringing the expertise of Frimatrail Frenoplast into our group, we will now be able to develop our product portfolio and market by entering the rail brake market,” said Marcus Åberg, CEO, Dellner Bubenzer.
Frimatrail Frenoplast specialises in the design, development and production of friction materials used in industry, mostly in the railway sector.
The company employs 60 people at its head office near Warsaw, and the company’s products are sold all over the world.
“Joining the Dellner Bubenzer group is a strategic development move for us,” said Jacek Bulhak’, CEO, Frimatrail Frenoplast. “Co-operation with such a recognised partner brings many benefits – we will be able to improve our R&D performance, optimise costs and gain access to new markets. We undoubtedly have an exciting time ahead of us.”


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Big Bonuses for the Big Boys
Prior to mid-2020, a mere slight against CD Projekt Red’s (“CDPR”) integrity and values as a corporate company in the sphere of gaming would be met by various responses stating that CDPR is ‘different’. However, following the release of the long-awaited and insanely hyped Cyberpunk 2077, the image of the company took a hit. Cyberpunk 2077 had a shaky release as it was filled with bugs and was the butt of jokes from various journalists across the industry.
The biggest issue for the developers and fans alike was the allegation that CDPR refused to delay the game to allow proper testing and further implementation of ideas. Notwithstanding the detractors, the game sold amazingly well netting approximately USD$562 million in revenue as of April 15th, 2021. In 2020 alone, the company reported profits of USD$300 million, although the company’s share price took a hit.
In a recent exposé, it was revealed that the CEO and Co-CEO of CDPR received bonuses worth USD$6.3 million while a board member, Adam Badowski earned USD$4.2 million.
The bonuses are based on the profit-sharing regime of the company in relation to its yearly earnings. On the flipside, employees reported that they received between USD$5000 to USD$9000 while senior employees received USD$15,000 to USD$20,000. It was also reported that the money the money split between five executives amounted to USD$28 million.
In response to the issue of fairness regarding the discrepancy in the pay-outs, Co-CEO Adam Kiciński stated that, “We earned this money, and the company earned this money, of course, but more net profits, more bonuses…So well, we have results, we get bonuses, and that’s the contract we have.”
It appears that based on the current scheme within the company, there would be a perpetual conflict between the bonuses of CDPR’s executives and the developers amongst other employees.


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Cyberpunk 2077 have seen its fair share of delays over the last couple of months, but if all goes according to plan, it should release on current-gen consoles and PC come 17 September with upgrades expected on the next-generation hardware.
But we haven’t heard much about the game since last year and it would appear CD Projekt RED is set to change that come 11 June.
GET READY!📺 TwitComitCom. com/eqQ3hMCOmA
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) May 5, 2020
There is very little else to go on, but looking at the tweet, it is probably some sort of live stream that we can expect. It’s either that, or nobody told the developer that E3 has been cancelled this year.
We can definitely expect more detail on why we should “GET READY!” in the near future as the marketing and hype for Cyberpunk 2077 kicks into overdrive over the next few months as we approach that magical release date.


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NEARLY three quarters of households on the internet in Britain use broadband rather than dial-up connections, government figures revealed yesterday.
The proportion of homes with access to the web was 55 per cent - up 600,000 to 13.9 million over the last year, said the Office for National Statistics. Another 400,000 use the internet in Northern Ireland.
In the South East of England, 66 per cent of homes have internet while Scotland is lowest on 48 per cent.
Another report, on the top 50 internet retailers, put Amazon UK first, followed by Argos and Expedia.co.uk.


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| Feb 25, 2013
| 5:00 AM
It was like an Oscar flashback with all the Giorgio Armani gowns, Harry Winston bling and Veronica Lake waves on the red carpet Sunday.
Then there was a Sharon Stone Gap turtleneck moment, when Helen Hunt revealed that her navy blue gown was from none...
| Sep 9, 2012
It's a notion ingrained early: September, the start of the traditional school year, is a time to start over. For the nonstudent, that may mean cleaning out your closets, enrolling in an exercise class or recommitting to New Year's resolutions. It's also a...
| Jan 27, 2013
When actresses step onto the Screen Actors Guild red carpet this Sunday, the world will be poring over every flounce, every sequin, every slit, strap, pump and peplum. "Who are you wearing?" has become the ubiquitous question on interviewers' lips....
| Dec 30, 2012
Marni comes to L.A.
The Marni for H&M collection launched in L.A. with a star-studded soiree that included Drew Barrymore, Andrea Riseborough, Jessica Chastain, Milla Jovovich, Lily Collins, Freida Pinto and Winona Ryder. The setting — the 1926...
| Dec 16, 2012
Designing costumes so ingrained in popular culture that they still inspire Halloween disguises 30 years after they were created — Michael Jackson's "Thriller" jacket, Indiana Jones' signature outback slouch look and the unforgettable "College"...
| Jan 13, 2013
Jennifer Meyer wears her jewelry in the shower. And she's built a business on that idea.
"I don't want you to take your jewelry off. I want it to become a part of you," says the designer over lunch, sweeping her hand across the subtle gold pieces on her...
| Jan 28, 2013
| 4:32 PM
So who are these hot new handymen and models on Built? Style Network turns the camera on guys who model and remodel in its new 10-episode series Built, airing Mondays at 9pm ET beginning Jan. 28. The series follows five male models – Shane Duffy,...
| Jul 10, 2013
| 12:31 PM
Free refreshment: The annual free Slurpee day at 7-Eleven is slated for (you guessed it) Thursday, July 11 (7/11). All customers will receive a bigger-than-ever 12-ounce frozen slushy beverage, no strings attached. Flavors vary by location and may include...
| Jul 17, 2013
| 2:54 PM
Legendary songstress Tina Turner has tied the knot!
The 73-year-old singer wed her longtime beau Erwin Bach in a civil ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, last week, according to AFP, which cites a Swiss municipal official. Sufficiently proving that it's...
| Aug 8, 2013
| 5:50 PM
Despite its title, "Elysium" is no promised land.
Expectations were high that the film starring Matt Damon would carry the flag for thoughtful, big-budget films that care about more than profits. But it has ended up as something of a disappointment,...
| Jan 14, 2013
Sexy as hell in a body-baring, cream lace long-sleeved Zuhair Murad gown, Jennifer Lopez gave us the slack-jawed fashion moment we've been waiting for, and one to rival that famously low-cut leafy print Versace gown she wore to the Grammys in 2000. The...


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Islay whisky producer Bowmore has teamed up with Aston Martin for a series of limited-edition bottlings and marketing events.
Langstane Liquor Company has added a whisky to its portfolio that has been specifically designed to be complementary in long drinks.
Speciality Brands has been appointed as UK distributor for Beluga Noble Russian vodka.
The Lakes Distillery has introduced a new bottle design for The Lakes Vodka, to bring it in line with its recent whisky and gin releases.
Silk Road Distillers is hoping to kickstart a new drinks category with the launch of its white spiced rum, which it created to show consumers that there is more to white rum than coconut.
East London Liquor has released a gin aged in red vermouth casks.
Bolney Wine Estate in Sussex has released its first gin.
Edrington-Beam Suntory UK has launched a Sauvignon Blanc finish of its Auchentoshan malt whisky brand.
Irish whiskey brand Kinahan's is returning to its roots with the release of a new whiskey made in bespoke handmade hybrid casks.
Mr Black Coffee Liqueur has joined Proof Drinks as part of its strategy to secure off-trade listings, following a successful debut for the brand in the UK’s on-trade.
Quick Brown Fox, the premium coffee liqueur from New Zealand, has secured a listing in the UK in Majestic stores.
Eden Mill has added a Christmas cocktail to its Mixology Project RTD range.
St-Rémy is introducing a festive “statement style piece” for its St-Rémy XO.
Winchester Distillery has unveiled a new design for its flagship gin, Twisted Nose, using 20% less glass and 95% less plastic.
Wild Knight Distillery is adding to its collection of spirits with the launch of an Espresso Martini.
Brits’ surging demand for Aperol has helped supplier Campari enjoy 27.9% UK sales growth during the first nine months of 2019.
Popular single malt brand Auchentoshan has been given a rebranding in an effort to appeal to younger consumers.
BrewDog Distilling Co has launched its latest spirit, described as “an innovative botanical rum”.
Sliabh Liag Distillers has added to its gin collection with a navy strength variant, while also branching into vodka.
Rock band Motörhead has moved into spirits with the launch of a dark rum, vodka and single malt whisky.
Scottish hotel, Peebles Hydro, has been transformed into a distiller with the launch of a new gin, distillery and school, using water from its own hillside spring water.
Douglas Laing & Co has announced the acquisition of Strathearn Distillery.
Amazon UK has teamed up with the Bacardi-owned John Dewar & Sons for the online retailer’s first livestream alcohol tasting.
A team of rum experts has created a rum made from two distilleries on two different continents, described as “a perfect collaboration of east and west”.
Amazon has extended into gin with the launch of its first premium spirits brand.
A record number of trademark registrations for spirits were lodged last year, according to law firm RPC.
White Heron Drinks has added a “younger sibling” to sit alongside its popular British Cassis artisan liqueur brand.
A member of the billionaire Barclay family has invested in online drinks retailer 31Dover.
The Famous Grouse is launching a new campaign this month focusing on its Smoky Black expression.
For more information about recruitment advertising online or within Drinks Retailing News magazine please contact:
Erica Stuart on 01293 558 132


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Sure, WWDC is just around the corner, but that doesn't mean that the Apple rumor mill stops churning.
No question, the iPad and iPhone are amazing devices. But the iOS operating system isn't perfect. For example: How come AT&T rebills customers every month for cellular data service without asking? Do you really have to buy a AirPrint-compatible prin...
Slowly but surely, the Amazon tablet is becoming one of the biggest tech rumors of 2011.
The tech world is abuzz again with worries about shortages of popular products, this time because of an explosion at a Chinese factory that killed two people.
Users of Apple's iPad and other tablets prefer to spend more time fiddling with their devices in bed than in the bathroom.
Foxconn Technology Group, manufacturer of popular consumer tech products such as the Apple iPhone, iPod, and iPad, as well as Dell computers, had a large explosion and fire at one of its manufacturing plants in southwestern China Friday night.
Playboy managed to bypass Apple's puritan rule over the App Store and launch a Web app containing all the back issues of the adult magazine.
Apple is tweaking the look of its retail stores in what could be another marketing coup for the consumer electronics powerhouse.
Apple is in the hot seat again in a new lawsuit that says iPad and iPhone user location data and other personal information is being shared with third-party advertisers. Apple is accused of aiding and abetting the "intentional taking and transmittin...
Adobe's Photoshop companion apps for Apple's iPad are now available in the App Store. The three apps, Color Lava, Eazel and Nav, were first announced last month and follow an update for Adobe Photoshop CS5, which is required in order to use the compa...
Apple CEO Steve Jobs may have been onto something when he said that "PCs are going to be like trucks," as some tablet owners are reportedly letting their PCs gather dust.
Like Jell-O, there's always room for iPad rumors. And the latest gossip concerning Apple's mega-popular tablet is a doozy: the iPad 3 will feature a 3D display, although it's unclear if we're talking about one that won't require those clunky glasses.
Hold on to your restraining bolts Android fans, because Amazon's one-panel tablet may be heading your way in the second half of 2011, according to online rumors. The purported device is reportedly being made by Taiwanese manufacturer Qanta and will h...
Time Inc has secured a deal with Apple that will bundle free iPad access to print subscribers, according to a Wall Street Journal report. If you have a print subscription to Time, Sports Illustrated, or Fortune, you will be able to log into the iPad ...
I chuckled at Apple’s explanation yesterday of its tablet sales coming up short of expectations: “We can’t make them fast enough,” Apple’s COO Tim Cook said during an earnings call with analysts. Were he speaking for any other company, his statement ...
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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Some accused the model of hypocrisy for promoting polar bear conservation while working with a company that uses real fur for its coats.
The ban includes all of the company's subsidiaries, including Bloomingdale's.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law prohibiting the sale and manufacture of new fur products statewide.
Los Angeles is preparing to pull fur off the shelves for good.
"We must set the example for other cities across the country and the globe to join us in banning fur apparel.”
Fur is no longer “in” at Gucci: the brand announced it would stop using animal fur in their collections.
"It's so sad."
I'm often confused by animal cruelty, mistreatment, and assaults on endangered species. But, at the moment, I'm just confused -- mystified, really -- at certain concepts involved in animal exploitation.
However, these changes don't happen without the efforts of committed and compassionate citizens across the country. Their voices--when raised in unison, with authority, and with fearlessness--can effect change most significantly.
Your neck will thank you.


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- OnePlus Buds Z could be cheaper than the OnePlus Buds
- The branding was recently spotted in the OxygenOS 11 beta build
- OnePlus Buds Z may launch alongside the OnePlus 8T
OnePlus ventured into the truly wireless earbuds market with the OnePlus Buds back in July and these are priced around Rs 4,990 in India. However, the company might be working on a cheaper version of the Buds, called the OnePlus Buds Z. Noted tipster Max J, who is usually accurate with OnePlus leaks, has posted an image with a waveform and a cryptic ‘BudsZ’ text. While the launch date has not been revealed yet, we speculate the OnePlus Buds Z will tag along with the OnePlus 8T. The company has already started teasing the launch of the OnePlus 8T in India, and the rumoured launch date is October 14th.
OnePlus unveiled the Bullets Wireless Z as a cheaper version of Bullets Wireless earphones so by the same pattern, this could be the name of the so-called affordable OnePlus TWS earbuds. This makes sense and the branding is very much in line with the company’s current portfolio. Additionally, folks over at XDA-Developers recently spotted the branding in the OxygenOS 11 beta build. Will the OnePlus Buds Z debut alongside the OnePlus 8T flagship? only time can tell. We should have more information soon.
OnePlus Buds specifications
To recall, the OnePlus Buds feature, the TWS earbuds come with a 13.4mm dynamic driver for clear sound and bass and Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC). The TWS earbuds have a stem-design and are claimed to last up to 7 hours on a single charge. The carry case, which is puck-shaped, offers an additional 30 hours of usage. The earbuds are IPX4 water-resistant and have a Bluetooth range of 10 meters. They support fast-charging- OnePlus says 10-minute charging can deliver 10 hours of music playback.


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Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. The Ground Floor, Monday’s office space for young companies in Rosslyn, is now open. The Metro-accessible space features a 5,000-square-foot common area that includes a kitchen, lounge area, collaborative meeting spaces, and a stage for formal presentations.
Fret Zealot is a game changer when it comes to learning how to play the guitar, said Shaun Masavage, CEO of Fret Zealot.
The technology is a LED light script that can be installed on any full-sized electric or acoustic guitar. The light script is accompanied with an app that teaches people how to play different chords and songs by indicating which strings to play via the lights. The LED light script is also accompanied with a small rechargeable battery pack that can last up to 12 hours.
To install the Fret Zealot, the strings must be pulled aside to place the lights on the fret board.
Masavage said he was inspired to create Fret Zealot after learning how many people give up learning to play the guitar.
“The statistic now is that 90 percent of people stop learning guitar, and it’s just like why? Normally it’s barriers to entry, so we designed Fret Zealot to take away all of those barriers to entry,” Masavage said.
The Arlington-based startup in Crystal City has been in development for five years, and shipped its first orders of Fret Zealot in December and has sold 3,000 so far. The product has also reached a global scale, selling to more than 40 different countries.
Before the technology became accessible to the public, Fret Zealot launched a Kickstarter campaign that raised nearly $250,000 within a month. Just recently the cost of the LED lights dropped making it possible to sell Fret Zealot for a more affordable price at $200.
“[This] is our year,” Masavage said. The company has been in talks with major guitar manufacturers and several retailers, he said.
The app has a tuner and currently 100 songs for anyone to play. In a few weeks, it will be able to listen to the user, so when playing songs the app will go at the user’s pace — not showing the next note until the user has played it. Soon users will also be able to upload any song they want to the app so long as it passes the app’s quality standards.
Several music teachers have reached out to the company, wanting to build their own courses using Fret Zealot, said John Tolly, chief technology officer of Fret Zealot.
“[We are] not even replacing teachers, we’re adding to them. They can have students learn proper notes and chords, and then they can concentrate on helping with technique,” Masavage said.
For Masavage it’s been very satisfying seeing people from beginners to retirees use Fret Zealot.
“It’s very fulfilling, because you see people at all levels light up when they use the product,” he said.
Photos Courtesy Shaun Masavage
Good Monday evening, Arlington. Today we published 5 articles that were read a total of 8250 times… so far. 📈 Top stories The following are the most-read articles for today…
A number of options have emerged for upgrading an iffy portion of the Arlington Blvd Trail. Engineers found it would be possible to accommodate a trail up to 11 feet…
Searching for a gift for the car enthusiast in your life? CarCare To Go has the 4 best gifts to give this season.
A Rosslyn-based cybersecurity company is providing free cybersecurity training to Black girls and women via a partnership with a local nonprofit, Black Girls Hack.
Join us at Art House 7 this Saturday 4-7pm for our Annual Open House – Teacher and Student art show!
Meet our teachers
See student and teacher artwork
Teacher’s paintings, ceramics, notecards will be for sale
Enjoy beverages and light refreshments
All attendees get a $20 gift certificate off a class
30% off everything in our Supply Store for holiday gifts
Sat. Dec. 3, 4-7pm
Art House 7
The Alternative Christmas Market is back! At First Presbyterian Church Arlington in Ballston, located at 601 N. Vermont Street, Arlington VA 22203, on Sunday, December 4th from 9:30am to 1:00pm. Parking available.
Vendors and products this year include: 10,000 Villages, Olive Oil Ministry, African Team Ministries, Community Coalition for Haiti, Heifer, African Market Baskets, Café Justo, Thistle Farms, Southwest Indian Foundation, and Together We Bake.
Buy gifts for everyone on your list, and support these great organizations, artisans, and global neighbors. See you there!
NCE’s Holiday Concert will bring the finest classical masterpieces and holiday favorites together for the whole family. The festivities begin with Leroy Anderson’s classic “Sleigh Ride” and “Chanukkah Festival”, music from the Nutcracker and by J.S. Bach.
Outstanding Young Artist


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The Annual Digital Transformation Expo returned this year after a two-year hiatus for a two-day event in London’s ExCeL between the 6-7th of October. The expo brought together representatives across various tech industries including digital culture, cyber security, AI, and cloud, to explore digital transformation. Our Senior Account Executive, Julia Horvath, went along to find out more…
For most organisations, especially those in the tech industry, frequent reinvention and a change of strategy is needed in order to stay relevant and to open new revenue streams. Due to a shift in consumer expectations and a rise in new technologies, organisations must embark on a journey of essential change in every aspect of their business. For many companies, however, the concept of “change” may be intimidating.
From hybrid working becoming the new norm to a total cultural and technological shift, the Digital Transformation Expo gave valuable insights into some of the most important themes of the year.
SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVING CHANGE
Well-known documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux took to the stage to explore whether companies are truly ready for dramatic change. The entertaining panel session discussed the idea of social media, especially Twitter, driving change in all aspects of our lives – including business and brand reputation. With the rise of fake news and cancel culture, Twitter heavily influences our actions including what we do, buy, and consume, affecting global businesses across all sectors.
Thanks to social media, it’s not just traditional media platforms such as the BBC telling the story anymore: today, everyone with access to social media can be a storyteller and influence the public.
THE RIGHT CULTURE FOR TRANSFORMATION
Another highlight of the expo was a panel session focusing on nurturing the right culture for business transformation. Panelists included Dax Grant, Global CIO of HSBC, David Germain, Group CTO of RSA Insurance, Joseph Walsh, Product Marketing Lead at Logmein and Darren Hardman, VP and General Manager of Amazon Web Services UK & Ireland.
Among the topics discussed was the idea of the constant need for reinvention and the importance of using digital technology to change the way we work. One of the toughest things for organisations is change, but what a lot of companies don’t realise is that it’s not just IT’s responsibility to transform your business – everyone is accountable.
The pandemic has forced companies to come together and solve problems like never before, finally creating the agile company operations they’ve needed for years. Moreover, companies need to build the capacity to support this transformation and should aim to focus on what is needed in the future – not just the needs of today. Even though we all want things to happen as fast as possible, it’s also important to not allow quality slip for the need for speed.
HYBRID WORKING IS HERE TO STAY
It might not come as a surprise that hybrid working was another hot topic at the expo. Joseph Walsh, Product Marketing Lead at Logmein, presented ideas on how to make hybrid working work. It seems like anyone and everyone is using flexible working in their companies these days, and it’s difficult to imagine a world where it wasn’t a norm. In reality, at the start of 2020 only 1 in 10 people used video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Microsoft teams on a weekly basis. This number has now increased to 9 out of 10 people – pretty impressive stuff.
Flexible working is the new normal and employees expect companies to give them the option to rotate working from home and working in the office. Employees are even leaving their company if it does not offer a flexible or hybrid working model. With data showing that hybrid working increases both staff morale and business performance, it looks like there is no turning back!
WHAT’S TO COME
With the constant change in tech applications and shift in market needs, it will be exciting to see what new innovations and trends the future will hold for the tech industry. As the past two years have taught us, however, it is impossible to fully predict what’s going to happen. The most crucial factor is for companies to digitalise their operations, stay agile, and be ready to quickly change and adapt to upcoming new technologies and market needs.


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Not only do companies that use ASP services benefit from a hefty return on investment, they enjoy peace of mind, clearer focus and a better work environment, according to International Data Corp. (IDC).
IDC’s “The Financial Impact of Application Service Providers” investigated the return on investment (ROI) realized by organizations that have successfully implemented and used ASP-delivered application services.
The study reports that ASPs positively impact a customer’s bottomline, yeilding an average ROI of 404 percent. The study included 54 in-person interviews with IS managers, business managers, department managers and system users spanning a range of industries, according to IDC.
IDC cites the following key findings from its report:
- ASP implementations generated an average five-year ROI of 404 percent, and almost half of the organizations in the study had reached payback within six months.
- Of the organizations included in the study, 44 percent experienced an ROI greater than 100 percent, while 12 pecent reported ROI returns of more than 1,000 percent.
- The average payback for an ASP outsourced solution was 1.33 years on an average total investment of $4.2 million. The average initial investment was $399,000.
“The ‘return’ in return on investment will mean something different to every company,” said Meredith Whalen, vice president of IDC’s ASP and Internet Services research. “Quantitative and measurable benefits provide proof of success; however, ASP customers frequently cite peace of mind, an ability to focus on their core business, and a better work environment as equally valuable benefits of working with an ASP.”
The study received broad industry support, according to IDC, including sponsorships from the following: ASP Industry Consortium, Atomz, BlueStar Solutions, IBM eServer iSeries, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, Progress Software, Sun Microsystems, USinternetworking, Unisys, Cable and Wireless and Qwest Cyber.Solutions.
Reprinted from internet.com’s ASPNews.com.
New Top-Level Domains (TLDs) have become more popular in the last couple of years, so here’s everything you need to know about them.
Amazon Prime was launched in 2005 as an express shipping membership program and more than a decade later it has tens of millions of subscribers who enjoy a lot more than just free, fast shipping on millions of products Amazon sells.
Sure, some apps are doing personalized push notifications, but what happens when your users are in the app?
Since cloud computing first gained mainstream attention around 2009, its popularity has exploded. Promising increased efficiency, flexibility and cost-effectiveness, it was hailed as the ultimate business solution. But are users seeing the benefits?


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The standard test food manufacturers and health regulators use to detect milk-protein residues in processed foods may not work as well as previously believed to flag potential allergy triggers, new research has found.
The study, reported here at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society's, found the so-called ELISA test – short for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay -- sometimes misses ingredients that can cause common milk allergies.
Lead Researcher Joseph L. Baumert, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln specialist, said food-processing systems can change the proteins that cause milk allergy that make them harder to detect using the standard test. But even at undetectable levels, the milk proteins can still cause itchy skin, runny eyes, wheezing and serious symptoms of milk allergies.
"The results of these studies could be utilized by commercial ELISA kit manufacturers to aid in improving ELISAs for detection of milk residue in processed food products,” he said. “These improved tests can be adopted by the food industry, if necessary, to allow for reliable detection of milk residue regardless of the type of processing that is used."
Milk allergies are the most common childhood food-related allergies, affecting millions of children under age 3. Milk allergy is not the same as lactose intolerance, a condition in which people lack adequate amounts of the enzyme needed to digest lactose, the main sugar in milk.
Manufacturers and food-safety agencies use ELISAs to ensure milk products are free of allergens or labeled with appropriate warnings. ELISAs are among the most widely used diagnostic tests, a mainstay in diagnosing pregnancy and detecting the AIDS virus in human blood to diagnosing a range of other diseases.
The new study was funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.


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Now that activist investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square has disclosed a 9.9% stake in Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), the hedge fund might push the embattled fast-casual chain away from discounting and toward, say, branding and breakfast. Or the fund might shake up the company's board. Or Chipotle could find itself on an entirely different -- albeit very unlikely -- path, like, say, getting repurchased by McDonald's (MCD).
Such was the range of speculation among analysts a day after Pershing Square disclosed its stake, a move that lifted Chipotle shares 5.9% to 438.45 in the stock market today. After a foodborne-illness scare last year battered the chain's reputation, sales and shares, the stock is now as close to its 200-day line as it's been since last October.
The fund said it intended to discuss an array of issues about Chipotle's direction with the company's management as they try to regain consumer trust through menu additions, discounts and loyalty programs. The company's first better-burger location, a Shake Shack (SHAK)-like outfit called Tasty Made, is set to open this fall.
While Pershing Square's move makes management a bit more likely to effect changes that would please shareholders, it would also likely mean continued volatility for Chipotle's shares, Nomura analyst Mark Kalinowski said in a note.
Meanwhile, Credit Suisse cautioned against refranchising its restaurants to independent owners in attempt to shift the burden of labor and other costs.
"The typical activist 'playbook' in restaurants has called for a combination of refranchising, cost-cutting and leverage," Credit Suisse analyst Jason West said in a report.
"However," he continued, "in our view, these options are less appealing in CMG's case given a high current valuation, lack of franchising historically, and since CMG would be selling stores that are significantly diminished relative to historic peak volumes and profits."
West suggested that Pershing might try to push Chipotle to move away from store growth and discounting -- the latter of which he said investors haven't been keen on -- to focus more on existing restaurants and the Chipotle brand. He also said Pershing could steer Chipotle toward international markets and toward things like breakfast, drive-thrus and more effective digital engagement.
Buckingham Research analyst John Zolidis on Wednesday took a more open-ended tack, wondering how Chipotle's problems could be threaded into a concrete investment angle.
He wrote that investors have expressed dissatisfaction with a wide range of topics -- slow developments internationally and technologically; complaints around management's structure and compensation; an unsatisfactory response to food-safety issues. But none of those complaints, he said, appeared "to come together into a coherent, specific course of action that would unlock shareholder value."
While he emphasized that Chipotle's main focus needs to be on regaining trust among diners, he also wondered if McDonald's could end up repurchasing the fast-casual chain.
"This idea has been mentioned to us more than once," he wrote.
The idea is that if McDonald's, once a majority owner of Chipotle before Chipotle grew up to become an archenemy, repurchased the Mexican chain, the burger giant would have a way to keep growing. Moreover, McDonald's has the resources to clear the lanes for Chipotle's international expansion and make it easier to franchise Chipotle's restaurants, he wrote.
"Frankly, we believe a McDonald's-Chipotle transaction has peu de chance (little chance)" he wrote. "Rather, we mention it in an effort to be comprehensive as we speculate on a possible activist angle for this investment."
IBD'S TAKE: With the U.S. elections and a wave of summer violence making the world a more stressful place, many consumers have been less inspired to eat out. Cheaper groceries and the economy haven't helped, either. Even Dave & Buster's, whose stock had been on the cusp of a breakout, sank Wednesday on disappointing quarterly results.


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Blue Skies, a supplier of fresh cut mango, pineapple and tropical fruit juices to the likes of Sainsbury’s and Asda, smashed through £100m in revenues last year, but saw its profits slump as it counted the cost of the weak pound and tough times on the UK high street.
The company, which has operations in Ghana, Egypt, South Africa and Brazil, is aiming to sign up new clients in the US and the Far East and recently opened a factory outside Cairo to supply juice to the Persian Gulf States in an attempt to diversify its revenue streams.
Anthony Pile, the former British Army officer who started the business 20 years ago in Ghana’s capital, Accra, said it had suffered after sterling fell in the wake of the EU referendum.
Pre-tax profit slumped 70pc to £1.1m in 2017 despite a 12pc rise in turnover to £100m.
Mr Pile told The Daily Telegraph: “Eventually we will get our act together in this country and things will get back to normal and we will see the pound go up again, so we’re just riding the storm a little bit.
“We’ve had to give up a little bit of ground here and there while the retailers make their demands upon us.”
Blue Skies’ business was growing faster on mainland Europe than in the UK, meaning the weak pound’s impact should be less severe next year, he added.
The company, which employs more than 4,000 staff, supplies most of its fruit on a white label basis but recently launched Blue Skies branded ice cream in Waitrose and is planning more products under its own name to improve brand awareness.
Mr Pile said the company’s operating model of processing the fruit near to where it is picked gave its Ghanaian employees a stake in the country’s economic development – “instead of risking their lives going across the Sahara, jumping into a flimsy boat and being picked up by somebody that doesn’t want to take you across to the other side”.


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Cryptocurrency or ICO investors can find plenty of guidance to help them identify an investment that’s potentially a scam. But what about warning signs that a legitimate crypto venture is about to crash?
Cryptojacking – in which cryptocurrency miners secretly hijack your servers, desktop devices, mobile phones and even Internet of Things devices to “mine” new digital coins for themselves – isn’t like the fictional heist in the “Office Space” movie designed to steal fractions of a penny at a time.
Cryptocurrencies could revolutionise how you donate to your favourite charity or cause. As they’re built on distributed ledger technology, they could provide quicker and more targeted aid, give greater transparency and reduce fees to administrators and middlemen.
Cryptocurrencies had a rough ride in 2018, with most losing a large chunk of their value since the beginning of the year. Meanwhile, blockchain technologies continue to hold promise for many organisations, although most applications remain in the testing stage as 2018 draws to a close.


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A trip to Italy confirms Shropshire's leading role in the Lamborghini legend
A delve into the archives of one of the world's great supercar companies has confirmed the pioneering part Shropshire played in the birth of the Lamborghini legend.
Italian car enthusiast David Morris of Shrewsbury and Carl Peele, the Lamborghini Club's company secretary and treasurer, travelled to the firm's factory in Italy to verify that the very first Lamborghini sold in the world was to a Shropshire buyer and that it was the first road-legal Lamborghini ever produced.
It was the same sleek white car Dave had seen as a car-mad youngster one Saturday in September 1964 when he cycled down to Jones's newsagents at The Column, Shrewsbury, to collect a magazine.
The sports car pulled up with Italian number plates and, incongruously, the driver got out and went to the shop to buy a can of Heinz baked beans.
Dave found out later that the owner was wealthy industrialist Robin Grant, of Pitchford Hall, near Shrewsbury, who had taken delivery on August 21, 1964, although the driver on the day he saw it was Oliver Colthurst, who was married to Robin's stepdaughter Caroline.
Finding out more has meant years of research culminating in the Italian trip confirming that car's historic significance.
"They let us loose in their factory archive," said Dave, of the Italian AutoMoto Club.
"The build records were all contained in handwritten Woolworth's-type exercise books, with entries made in ballpoint pen, and it was quite a shock to see how primitive they were.
"They were able to confirm that Mr Grant was the very first purchaser and owner of a Lamborghini car in the world, and they were delighted when I handed over the copy of the very first receipt ever issued by Mr Lamborghini – to Mr Grant – which they had not seen before and had not got in their filing system.
"They asked me to sign its authenticity, and it is now sitting in the company's archive, together with the build records.
"They confirmed that I held more information on that first car than they did, and asked me to update them if we come across further information."
Lamborghini already knew about Dave's researches as the company had a copy of a Star article about his discoveries from some years ago.
Plans are now being drawn up to hold Lamborghini's 60th anniversary celebrations at Pitchford Hall next year.
"On the anniversary day we are expecting Mr Grant's son, who is now in his 90s, to come down from his monastery in Scotland and chat to us, and also one of his old friends from Ludlow Mr Hely Hutchinson, again, in his 90s, who used to go on continental jaunts with Mr Grant in his very rare cars."
In another exciting development Dave says the current owners of Pitchford Hall have unearthed some cine footage of the car.
Robin Grant's Lamborghini was beset by many technical shortcomings, but his constructive feedback helped Ferruccio Lamborghini iron them out.
He went on to get another Lamborghini, the Miura, and the first car was stored and later went to a collector.
Sadly Robin was diagnosed with cancer and while towards the end of his life he was told he could no longer drive on a public road, it is said that he had a Maserati, a Ferrari Dino, and a Lamborghini Miura delivered to Pitchford Hall and drove them up and down the drive.
He died aged 68 on January 21, 1972.
As for the car, it has changed hands – and colours – several times.
Dave said: "The car is now painted blue and is owned by Georg Gebhard, a rare minerals dealer in Germany. He keeps the car in a museum in Sinsheim, where it is mistakenly described as the first car made, which it is not. It is the first one ever ordered and sold.
"It's chassis 0105. Chassis 0101 to 0104 were development cars which were scrapped before Mr Grant picked his car up from the factory, but were later restored and put back on the road."


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Ubisoft has announced exact dates for both Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Call of Juarez: The Cartel.
Revelations, previously only listed for November, will now be out on November 15 on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
Call of Juarez: The Cartel will be released on July 22 for PS3 and Xbox 360. The PC version will be released on August 26.
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will be released during Q1 2012.


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This story originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.
During shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Texans have been able to purchase alcoholic beverages to go from restaurants, including liquor. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants to make the change permanent.
Abbott originally signed a waiver March 18 allowing to-go alcohol sales, in an effort to support struggling restaurants after they closed their dining areas. The waiver was originally to last until May 1, but it was extended indefinitely. Abbott teased that this change could be permanent, tweeting at the time, “From what I hear from Texans, we may just let this keep on going forever.”
Abbott again tweeted late Saturday that he supports the idea of extending his temporary waiver. State Rep. Tan Parker replied, saying that he will file a bill in the upcoming legislative session to make it happen, also advocating to allow restaurants to continue selling bulk retail food items to go.
The 87th Texas legislative session begins Jan. 12, 2021.
According to KABB-TV, the Texas Restaurant Association recently submitted a proposal to Abbott’s office, asking to expand the waiver.
Cathy Lippincott, owner of Güero’s Taco Bar in Austin, said its margarita to-go kits were very popular during the beginning of the restaurant shutdowns, but as dining rooms began to reopen, sales dwindled. Now, days could go by without the restaurant selling a single kit.
Under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission guidelines, restaurants can only serve liquor in manufacturer-sealed bottles and with the purchase of food. For several restaurants, including Güero, this means their drinks are served in do-it-yourself kits, where customers mix the ingredients and liquor together.
Lippincott believes that if mixed drinks were also allowed to be served to go, she could see that being a popular option.
“Restaurants have their signature drink that is measured out in a certain way and tastes a certain way, and people are used to it,” she said. Mixing it themselves doesn’t always have the same effect.
During a recent press conference, Abbott said Texans in their 20s are contracting COVID-19 at a higher rate, speculating that it could be in part because they are going to bars and not social distancing.
Texas again reported a record number of new coronavirus cases Saturday. Chris Van Deusen, a spokesperson for the Department of State Health Services, attributed some of the 4,430 new cases to Texans gathering at bars and other social activities. The state’s latest reopening guidelines allow restaurants to operate at 75% capacity and bars to operate at 50% capacity.
Bills passed in the 2019 legislative session, allowed Texas breweries to sell beer to go and gave more restaurants the ability to deliver beer and wine.
The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.


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This same super mall operator will need to provide not just physical real estate for rent, but also a foundation for logistical collaboration, a ubiquitous shopping platform for consumers, and shared.
Forget the clearance rack.sneak a smooch with this super-cute guy instead!Click and hold to steal a secret kiss from your hunky boyfriend-just don’t get caught!
Samyan Mitrtown is divided into 2 sections. The indoor section is a shopping mall which opens from 10am to 10pm while the.
How that translates to pricing is somewhat unclear — the SuperMall’s original developers pitched it. The answer for retailers, according to Eurton, is to make shopping more of a total experience.
Directed by Jim Wynorski. With Kelli Maroney, Tony O’Dell, Russell Todd, Karrie Emerson. A group of young shopping mall employees stay behind for a late night party.
SHOPPING SUPER MALL This same super mall operator will need to provide not just physical real estate for rent, but also a foundation for logistical collaboration, a ubiquitous shopping platform for consumers, and shared.
Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Younes, CEO of Rail Agency, who signed the agreement on behalf of RTA, along with Ghaith Shocair, CEO of.
The shopping mall Robinsons Galleria Cebu is already in full swing with 92 percent tenant occupancy, while the 220-room.
In recent months Dr Louise Grimmer from the University of Tasmania’s School of Business and Economics has been working on.
It is a huge shopping complex with complete entertainment and shopping facilities.Super Brand Mall has 13 floors and hundreds of shops, including 70 restaurants and cafes. As one of Shanghai’s oldest but still one of the best malls, Super Brand Mall is visited by hundreds of thousands of people who every day.. 37 Responses to “Top 10.
The PandaBoo 618 SuperMall sale is here and running until the 20th of June. Now is your chance to grab the best prices before Double 11.
To complement the growth of Angeles, Pampanga, SMHCC is building an additional 100-room wing to the 154-room Park Inn by Radisson Clark and is constructing an SMX Convention Center at the SM City.
Many shops had failed to change with the times. The lifeblood of Waco commerce was draining to shopping centers and malls on.
Although the future of the U.S. shopping mall industry overall looks grim, Bay Area shopping centers seem to be better.
Finance of America Mortgage Gives Advisors and Borrowers a Cutting-Edge Experience with Digital Mortgage Technology from Cloudvirga | Florida Newswire Americans face post-foreclosure hell as wages garnished, assets seized Finance of America Mortgage Gives Advisors and Borrowers a Cutting-Edge Experience with digital mortgage technology from Cloudvirga | Florida Newswire The Five Most Popular, Most Expensive home improvement projects mortgage masters group How Much Is Mortgage On A 300k House.


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Amazon’s Cloud Drive and streaming Cloud Player services dropped earlier than expected; the rumors had only really begun to coalesce a few days before, claiming the online retailer was struggling with the same content owner licensing issues that were plaguing Google and Apple. Instead, it seems, Amazon pushed ahead with the launch and simply expected the labels to fall into line. That, unsurprisingly, isn’t going down well, and despite Amazon’s protestations, it looks like the labels are readying themselves for a legal fight.
Asked whether it was negotiation new licenses for the cloud-storage services, Amazon told AllThingsD that it felt it did not need them. “We do not need a license to store music in Cloud Drive” it argues, “the functionality of saving MP3s to Cloud Drive is the same as if a customer were to save their music to an external hard drive or even iTunes.”
However, while Cloud Drive – the remote storage part of Amazon’s proposition – is one matter, the content streaming of Cloud Player, with clients available for PC, Mac and Android, is another. That seems to push the company into streaming, which, Sony Music reckons, demands a new license. “We hope that they’ll reach a new license deal,” spokesperson Liz Young told Reuters, “but we’re keeping all of our legal options open.”
According to music industry sources, Amazon only informed the record labels of the Cloud Player plans last week, leaving discussion of potential licensing issues until later on. So far, nobody has suggested that Amazon is actually doing anything illegal, and the frustrations appear to be the retailer’s cavalier attitude toward communications. Still, with Apple and Google both expected to launch their own streaming services this year, you can bet the content owners are looking closely at how they could take a cut of the cloud-streaming pie.


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GULFOOD 2018, BIG ON TASTES. TRENDS. TRADE.
On its 23rd edition, Gulfood 2018 will bring together a series of insights and activities to help the global F&B community to make informed business decisions.
- Discover new products and suppliers
- Unveil new business opportunities
- Find solutions to new and evolving global challenges
- Stay up to date with the latest trends in consumer behaviour
Much has been said about the region’s burgeoning dining class and the constant craving to explore new experiences, however, Silvena Rowe sheds a wholesome light on future trends. In conversation with the Gulfood team, the queen of culinary talks about dining habits coming full circle – with focus back on locally-produced seasonal ingredients and plant-based diets – while also sharing a mouthful of insights on the next superfood, the power of flower and how food is now ‘the original medicine’.


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chevrolet spark geneva 010
General Motors is reportedly developing an ultra low-cost family car designed for emerging markets, similar to the recently launched Tata Nano which sells in India from about $2,500. GM is unlikely to match the Nano’s price tag but something around the $4,000 mark is entirely plausible.
"When Tata Motors in India came out with their $2,500 Nano vehicle, it put a lot of automakers on the spot," said Nick Reilly, GM's newly installed executive vice president, international operations. Reilly also confirmed that GM was looking at lower cost vehicles, primarily for Asia, but stated that no final decision had been made.
Previous reports have suggested that GM would use the platform for its upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Spark for the new low-cost car. Engineering and production would be handled by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. in Korea or GM’s division in Brazil. There are unlikely to be any plans, however, to bring the budget car to the U.S. or other western markets.
As for the upcoming Chevrolet Spark, the five-door minicar will first go on sale in South Korea and Europe early next year, and eventually reach the U.S. by 2011. At launch, there will be the choice of two four-cylinder gasoline engines displacing 1.0 and 1.2-liters, rated at 66 and 78 horsepower respectively. No independent testing has been conducted but the Spark is expected to average 40 mpg in fuel economy.


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The Indian advertising industry has evolved from being a small-scaled business to a full-fledged industry. The advertising industry is projected to be the second fastest growing advertising market in Asia after China. It is estimated that by 2018, the share of ad spend in India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be around 0.45 per cent.
The Indian government has given tremendous support to the advertising and marketing industry. Advertising expenditure is likely to increase in the financial sector, driven by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) policies which could result in a more favourable business environment. Also, proposed licenses for new banks and better market sentiments render the advertising and marketing industry in India a fertile space.


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iPhone X yet to arrive at resellers in India, Apple says no worries
New Delhi: With less than 24 hours left for the arrival of Apple's "super Premium" iPhone X in India amid heavy pre-booking, Apple premium resellers on Thursday were yet to receive the stocks to begin delivering the Rs 89,000 device (starting price for 64GB variant) to those who pre-booked it.
Apple India, however, said that the company normally delivers new iPhone units either on the previous night or on the same day of the arrival.
"We are launching the much-awaited iPhone X tomorrow. Every company works in its own way. We try and avoid sending units in advance. So, if the launch is tomorrow, the iPhone X units will arrive tomorrow or later tonight," a senior Apple executive told IANS.
Some of the authorised Apple resellers in the Delhi-NCR region told IANS that they have not yet been notified about the availability of the devices that have been advertised as arriving in India on November 3.
"You will be informed tomorrow only about the availability of iPhone X. We have not got the devices so far," a representative from Imagine Store, an Apple Premium Reseller in Gurugram, told IANS.
"We cannot assure if you will get the device tomorrow. Those who had pre-booked the iPhone X are requested to wait for our call. It completely depends on the availability," he added.
Even supply chain solution provider Redington India and HCL Infosystems that sell newly-launched iPhones on their partner stores were yet to send any information on iPhone X.
When contacted, a representative from iWorld from Kamla Nagar said they did not have any iPhone X stock yet.
"Our store hasn't got any iPhone X yet. I will be able to tell you the details only tomorrow. As far as timings are concerned, last year, the sale of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus started in the evening. We are expecting the iPhone X sales will commence in the evening this year as well," he told IANS.
An iNvent Apple premium reseller in North Delhi had earlier told IANS they were yet to receive iPhone X stocks.
"We have not received a single unit of iPhone X so far. We do not know if they have been already shipped or not. The devices are expected to reach us the day it goes on sale or maybe a day before. For iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, we had received the stock earlier," said a sales representative from iNvent.
In the past few days, several media reports have claimed that Apple is facing a huge supply gap primarily for two reasons: difficulties in assembling the new facial identification software and 3D camera, and "off the charts" pre-orders for iPhone X after the Apple fraternity didn't make the expected beeline for iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
Analysts have already warned that the stock on hand is scarce, owing to constrained supply of key iPhone X components. The advanced depth-sensing camera system in iPhone X requires parts that only a few manufacturers can produce.
The iPhone X, which marks the 10th anniversary of the device, costs Rs 89,000 for a 64GB model and Rs 1.02 lakh for the 256GB variant.
Meanwhile, iPhone X has got a frenzied response on e-commerce site Amazon.in. The device went on pre-order on the site on October 27 and was out of stock within a few minutes.(IANS)


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Shareholders of Adobe and Macromedia will meet separately today to agree the proposed merger between the two companies.
Adobe has previously announced a definitive agreement to acquire Macromedia in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $3.4 billion.
The deal seems set to get the go-ahead, according to Wall Street analysts.
The move makes some sense to both parties, as Microsoft prepares aggressive plans to launch products and services for the graphics and design market, chiefly its Acrylic software.
Dow Jones this morning reports that Oppenheimer analyst Sasa Zorovic said: "We expect (the two groups of shareholders) will vote for it.”
Other investor advisors approached by Dow Jones concurred with the advice.
The deal remains subject to approval by US regulators.


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Amid reports to extend deadline for submission of comments on draft e-commerce rules, CAIT has described such requests as delaying tactics, said there is no need for any extension of deadline.
Last Updated at July 4, 2021 14:08 IST
Amid reports that demands have been made from certain quarters to extend the deadline for submission of comments and suggestions on the draft e-commerce rules, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has described such requests as delaying tactics and said that there is no need for any extension of deadline.
In a statement, CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said: “It has been learnt from media reports that few companies have asked for extension of the date for giving suggestions beyond July 6 deadline, which is an unjustified demand. The rules are not a rocket science which needs any investigation for providing suggestions and then why the extension is needed?”
He was of the view that the draft rules are quite unambiguous and leave no or minimal scope for giving suggestions.
“The demand for extension in time is nothing but a delaying tactic of few vested interest people,” Khandelwal said.
The traders’ body which has been at the forefront of the movement for a level playing field for offline traders in relations to e-commerce companies said that the draft e-commerce rules are competent to flush out the precedence of unethical and malpractices being conducted by foreign funded e-commerce companies.
On the other hand, it will provide a valid guarantee to consumers that their complaints about any product or services will not go unheard and will be dealt with in a responsible manner and in a time bound period, it said in the statement.
Earlier, the traders’ body had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that no dilution is made in draft of e-commerce rules under any pressure.
As per the new draft regulations, no e-commerce entity shall allow any display or promotion of misleading advertisements, whether in the course of business on its platform or otherwise.
Further, if the norms come into effect, every e-commerce shall establish an adequate grievance redressal mechanism having regard to the number of grievances ordinarily received by such entity from India.
Amazon and Flipkart, among others, will have to appoint a Chief Compliance Officer, a Resident Grievance Officer and a nodal contact person in India.
Further, if the draft rules are implemented flash sales may become history.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Last Saturday for Stemwinder
Warren — Stemwinder Sculpture Works & Gardens will host its last open studio for the 2012 season Saturday, Oct. 27. The three-acre outdoor sculpture gallery features the work of local artist Jay Sawyer, whose works are often inspired by found objects ...
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For the last 2 1/2 months, the Mid Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company has been running a contest in which first prize is $1,500 worth of sporting goods. All you have to do to go snorkeling or sailboating courtesy of Coke is to amass six bottle caps that read "Have A Coke And A Smile" when you flip them over and line them up.
And if anyone should have been odds on to win, it was JoAnn Moore of Northwest.
JoAnn drinks 10 bottles of Coke a day. That is nearly 12 six-packs every week. That, friends, is a lot of Coke -- and a lot of bottle caps.
JoAnn drank that much Coke before Mid Atlantic's summer promotion, and she says she will drink the same amount afterward. But despite her gargantuan guzzling, she has only won $1.80 (a dime 18 times) of the hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes Mid Atlantic is offering.
"It's not sour grapes or anything. I guess I'm just one of those people who never wins," says JoAnn, who works as a waitress in a Dupont Circle health food restaurant. (No, they don't serve Coke there.)
JoAnn's problem has been "Smile." She has come up with the "Have" bottle cap, and the "Coke," and the "And," and lots of "A's." But so far, no "Smile."
"That's exactly the way the contest is supposed to work," said Mike McNally, Mid Atlantic's vice president for marketing. "'Smile' is the hardest one to find. If it wasn't hard to win, it wouldn't be a very interesting contest, would it?
"After all, when you sell a product for $1.49, you can't give a $1,500 sailboat to every one of your customers. Besides, she did win something."
The odds of winning 10 cents are one in 25, according to McNally. The odds of winning the grand prize are one in five million. So, statistically, JoAnn doesn't have much of a complaint -- or much of a chance to win the grand prize.
Still, McNally urges JoAnn -- and the thousands like her who think they never win anything -- to take heart.
"One guy bought exactly one bottle of Coke," he said. "Just one. And he won $1,500 from that bottle cap. There's always hope.


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During time of uncertainties, people always think twice before buying big-ticket items
by FARA AISYAH / pic by TMR FILE
GLOMAC Bhd has revised its new launches planned for the financial year ending April 30, 2020 (FY21), to RM500 million worth of projects versus RM612 million previously, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The property developer has decided to delay its launches to tweak its original plan and adapt to the new normal, its group MD and CEO Datuk Seri Fateh Iskandar Mohamed Mansor (picture) said.
“For now, we might launch about RM500 million worth of projects. We lost about RM154 million due to the GreenTec development, in which Glomac Alliance Sdn Bhd has recently sold a piece of land in Puchong, Selangor, to its related company, Glomac Al Batha Sdn Bhd.
“The new partner gave its input in the project, so we are changing the concept now and need to get the approval for a new development order. So, it won’t be done this year,” he told The Malaysian Reserve in an interview.
Glomac Al Batha is 51%-owned by Glomac, while Al Batha Real Estate of the United Arab Emirates owns the remaining.
According to Fateh Iskandar, Phase 1 of the GreenTec project is planned for launch in early FY22.
With an estimated gross development value of RM154 million, GreenTec is adjacent to the group’s existing Lakeside Residences project in Puchong and comprises 480 SoHo units, serviced apartments and affordable serviced apartments.
Fateh Iskandar added that some of the developer’s new launches are currently on hold as the group is tweaking its plans to adapt to the current Covid-19 pandemic.
“For example, we are working closely with Telekom Malaysia Bhd to increase the speed and reliability of Internet connection in our development(s).
“If we initially planned for a storeroom, we are making changes to the room to make it a small study for the home. There are more things that we are doing, but these are what we can share for now,” he said.
Demand for high-speed stable Internet has spiked amid the pandemic, as more people adopt work-from-home arrangements that rely heavily on strong Internet connections. Subsequently, work or study spaces at home have also become a need.
Glomac’s launches planned for FY21 include four phases of properties comprising terrace houses and affordable townhouses worth RM226 million in Saujana Perdana, Sungai Buloh in Selangor.
Among them is the Tresna Triandra, a two-storey terrace houses development that was fully taken up within three weeks after its launch.
As at end-April 2020, the group’s unbilled sales stood at RM650 million, contributed largely by 121 Residences and [email protected] Jaya.
The 121 Residences have a take-up rate of 75% as of end-FY20, while [email protected] Jaya was 80% taken up.
In FY20, Glomac sold RM385 million worth of properties. More than RM300 million were contributed directly or indirectly by the Home Ownership Campaign (HOC), which was held throughout 2019 and offered incentives such as stamp duty exemptions and 10% discount on property prices.
The HOC was reintroduced in June this year, in a bid to boost the property sector and boost homeownership rates among Malaysians. However, property sales are not expected to bounce back just yet as consumers struggle with unemployment, pay cuts and other pandemic-induced uncertainties.
“A lower Overnight Policy Rate and the reintroduction of the HOC will assist the property market but the level of confidence is not there yet,” Fateh Iskandar said.
“People always think twice before buying big-ticket items because they don’t know once the moratorium ends, will their salaries remain the same or whether they still have jobs or not.”
Despite good bookings received by most developers due to pent-up demand during the Movement Control Order (MCO), the conversion rate will remain a challenge in this tough time, he added.
Earlier this month, Glomac collaborated with luxury interior decorator brand Point 21 to style up one unit in Suria Stonor, Kuala Lumpur, to attract investors and homeowners for the remaining units of the 23-storey premium condominium.
There are very limited developer’s units left available out of the 138 total units, ranging from 3,282 sq ft to 5,414 sq ft in size.


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Six months after launch, some more international expansion for Apple’s iAd advertising platform. This week, Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) is reportedly set to announce its first European partners for iAd. The news follows on the heels of last week’s deal to take iAds to Japan, in partnership with Japanese agency Dentsu.
The news was first reported over the weekend by the FT. No specific clients are named in that story.
The European launch of iAd has not come without hiccups. The report notes that Apple had “twice delayed” the iAd launch in recent weeks. And it has been willing to bend on its $1 million minimum campaign spend rule in order to attract top brands to the platform. Two or three campaigns are likely to run in early December, but most will not go live until early next year, it says.
According to analysts at mobileSQUARED, the ‘big five’ European mobile markets of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK will together generate a combined €88 million ($120 million) in revenues from mobile advertising in 2010. That’s a league behind Japan, which is expected to have some $1 billion in mobile advertising revenues; and the U.S. market, which it says is around one-third the size of Japan’s (analysts at Smaato put the U.S. figure somewhat higher, at nearly $800 million).
Still, signing on some European brands would still be a significant move for Apple, not least to demonstrate that the iAd platform is continuing to gain momentum.
iAd, which went live nearly six months ago, has been the relative slow burner in Apple’s wireless business. After Apple boasted it had already booked some $60 million in iAd advertising at launch, it then went a little quiet, giving iAd only a passing mention in its last quarterly presentation.
That stands in contrast to the blazing success of Apple’s devices. Apple says the iPhone sold “well over three million” devices in its first three weeks of launch this past summer.
Update: On November 18, Apple confirmed the European launch. First ads will run in the U.K. and France starting December; Germany will come online in January. The first advertisers announced are L’Oréal, Renault, Louis Vuitton, Nespresso, Perrier, Unilever, Citi, Evian, LG (SEO: 066570) Display, AB InBev, Turkish Airlines and Absolute Radio.
In a blog post, Absolute Radio calls itself the “exclusive” radio partner for iAd at launch. It has been one of the more ambitious UK radio broadcasters when it comes to mobile and has to date seen 1.5 million downloads of its 19 apps.
Apple has not given a figure for how much the European advertisers represent in terms of revenues booked.


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Cyberpunk 2077, the latest game from Witcher developer CD Projeckt Red, already looks like it will have a massive single-player campaign, but we can expect more ways to play in the future. CD Projeckt Red has announced, via tweet, that multiplayer is already in the works for Cyberpunk.
The tweet let fans know that the developer is working on adding multiplayer to the game, but that it doesn’t plan to have the feature by launch.
“The plan for now is to deliver Cyberpunk 2077 in April, then follow up with DLCs (free!) and single player content, and — once we’re done — invite you for some multiplayer action,” the second tweet explained. There was also a link for developers to apply if they’d like to work on the multiplayer portion of the game.
The developer has otherwise largely been quiet about the future, not just of Cyberpunk 2077, but of the whole franchise. But multiplayer is coming, even if we don’t know exactly when it will be ready for release.
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Although more compact in size than an in-line store, with less inventory to track and manage, kiosks continue to fall victim to shoplifting by both passers-by and employees. Just within the month of September and these early days of October, police blotters and local headlines have highlighted multiple acts of kiosk shoplifting. Take for instance, the reported $11,000 worth of phones stolen from a cell phone kiosk in the Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, MA. In fact, multiple T-Mobile kiosks throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire have seen an increase in shoplifting recently. And while some culprits use distraction and organized efforts to lift merchandise, others such as a young man now a suspect for a crime at Hayes and Harlington Railway Station in the UK, take their chances on how fast they can run after targeting the cash held at kiosks. If the thought of potential customers being potential criminals isn’t worrisome enough, some kiosk owners are faced with employee dishonesty as well. For example, a worker of the Nuvo Cig Kiosk at the Westfield Shoppingtown/Connecticut Post Mall in Middletown, CT, is now faced with the charge of stealing $100 from the cart’s cash register.
Kiosks Faced with Outside and In-house Security Challenges
As a contributed piece on security challenges by Bernadette Starzee for Specialty Retail Report, explains, “Because there are so few specialty retailers insured against theft, many thefts aren’t reported, so there are no reliable statistics for how much money they lose to theft each year.” If in-line and brick and mortar stores, who implement security systems and cameras, and hire loss prevention personnel, are losing $30 million of merchandise to shoplifters each year, according to a CBS News report, imagine the losses suffered by kiosks. During operating hours, one employee often plays the roles of salesperson, cashier and loss prevention personnel, making it easy for something to become “misplaced.”
As the Specialty Retail Report highlights, shoplifting prevention should always be a part of your employee training. Employees are expected to:
- Stay alert at all times.
- Greet all customers.
- Ask lingering customers if they need help.
- Know where shoplifting is most likely to occure in the location.
- Display signs as a warning, “Shoplifters will be prosecuted.”
Now while this may protect your cart from potentially criminal customers, in-house shoplifting can also affect your business and bottom line. Prescreening is essential during the hiring process. According to Tom Harnish, writer for American Express Open Forum, “As many as one in three resumes leave out important information, and some estimates suggest as much as 40 percent of all information on resumes is false or misleading.” If your interviewee is taking great effort to hide a history, how trustworthy can he or she be on the job? And although they may pass the interviewing stage, there are defense strategies every kiosk cart owner should be aware of to protect from in-house thievery. They include:
- Make an unexpected appearance during operation hours.
- Spot-check inventory/drawer.
- Implement an inventory tracking system.
- Encourage anonymous tips.
- Check deposits.


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This week the annual Licensing Expo is being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, where licensees and licensors come together to make some deals for potential branded products and services. And for the second year running CBS Consumer Products has put Star Trek: Discovery center stage for their booth.
In addition to the Star Trek banners and posters dominating the booth, there were also genuine Star Trek: Discovery costumes on display, along with a number of cases showing off props and Discovery merchandise.
CBS is making it clear they are ready to cut deals for Star Trek and especially their new show Star Trek: Discovery. It could be that new deals are being worked out, such as last year when the McFarlane Toys licensing deal was announced at the of the show. John Van Citters from CBS Consumer Products has been showing he is ready to talk Trek, by showing off his tie selection for the first two days of the show.
A lot of meetings on tap today. Confident I’ll Crush them. pic.twitter.com/kqndauUyCF
— John Van Citters (@jvancitters) May 22, 2018
No school like the old school. pic.twitter.com/N3QwbubWRs
— John Van Citters (@jvancitters) May 23, 2018
Hopefully John and CBS cut some deals for some new cool Star Trek stuff.
Thanks to Lew Halboth of Fansets for his assistance with this article.


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The unseasonable cold in California has been in the news a lot this week. Apparently it has damaged up to 75% of California's citrus crop, with over $1 billion in losses expected.
It's not just oranges and other citrus that have been damaged, however - other produce grown in the vast fields of California has also been lost. This includes everything from avocados to strawberries to fresh flowers, although the most immediate effect for consumers will probably be seen in the price of oranges. Retailers expect prices to triple this winter, if the damage is as bad as they fear.
What are the implications of this, and why can't Florida just make up the difference? Well, Florida's humidity and climate tend to foster very juicy oranges that have been bred for juice production. Florida growers produce less oranges for eating, although they may try to fill in some of the shortage.
There are more severe implications for workers - many migrant workers will be out of a job this winter in California. It also affects those of us who try to buy produce grown locally, or at least in this country. Many large retailers say that they are working to source their citrus from other parts of the world, and we may see oranges and lemons in stores this winter from places as far away as South Africa.


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Officials after signing the agreement.
Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), the UAE Federal export credit company, has partnered with the UAE International Investors Council (UAE IIC) to support Emirati investments abroad and protect UAE export businesses globally.
Both ECI and UAEIIC have the mandate to accelerate national economic diversification and sustain the competitiveness of businesses operating in the UAE.
The alliance will help open new markets for UAE investors and facilitate their ability in getting promising opportunities and acquiring new projects.
The MoU, signed by Massimo Falcioni, CEO of ECI and Jamal Saif Al Jarwan, Secretary-General of UAEIIC, will also give a boost to companies registered and licenced by the Council, and thereby drive the UAE economy towards greater success as it surmounts the impact of the current economic situation.
With accessibility to a range of export credit, financing and investment insurance products, businesses and exporters under UAE IIC stand to gain from this partnership, through ECI’s bespoke export credit solutions.
Underscoring the importance of this strategic agreement in helping these companies gain a competitive advantage in the global markets, Falcioni said: “We are honoured to partner with UAEIIC in this agreement that aims to further strengthen the competitive advantage of UAE investments, businesses and exports in the international market. This partnership is in line with ECI and UAE IIC’s mandate to support the growth of the national economy based on diversification, and will achieve our long-standing mission of positioning the UAE as the global hub for trade and investment.”
Meanwhile, Al Jarwan said: “This alliance with ECI marks a significant step in our efforts to support and adopt initiatives that protect the interests of Emirati investors abroad, as we believe it is crucial to unite efforts among various organisations in the country. We aim to support and adopt various initiatives that will create diversified tools and mechanisms to give Emirati investors a competitive edge in the international markets.”
“Supporting Emirati investors abroad is one of UAEIIC’s core values. Our main goal is to to protect Emirati investments abroad, by enhancing the global presence of companies, and evaluating their opportunities for expansion in regional and global markets. We are pleased to collaborate with ECI, and we are confident that this partnership will open new markets for UAE businesses and facilitate their ability in getting promising opportunities and acquiring new projects, thereby contributing to the diversification of the economic base,” he added.
Under the agreement, the two organisations will form a committee that will implement initiatives aimed at shoring up the UAE’s exports. The number of members, the structure of the committee and the means of financing, as well as the schedule of meetings, the working mechanism and the decision-making process will be finalised both by ECI and UAE IIC.
As part of the agreement, the Federal export credit company will support UAEIIC’s partners through its trade credit services that can significantly increase their exports globally. The two organisations will also partner with financial institutions in projects that require additional financing, structured trade finance, project finance, as well as supply chain finance.
The partnership is also aimed to enrich awareness of political risk solutions and assess how ECI can provide UAE IIC’s businesses with risk mitigating tools. In doing so, the two entities will help shore up the global competitiveness of these businesses in order to cement their presence in the global arena.
The 2021 membership of UAE International Investors Council consists of the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Finance, the General Civil Aviation Authority, in addition to Mubadala Investment Company, Emirates Telecommunication Group (Etisalat), Abu Dhabi Polymers Company (Borouge), Abu Dhabi Ports, DP World, Dubai Holding, Dubai Investments, Majid Al Futtaim, Sharaf Group, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels in the Middle East and Africa, and Valtrans.
Etihad Credit Insurance was established by UAE Federal Government and its founders, the governments of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Ajman. The company started its operations in February 2018.
ECI plays a catalyst role in supporting the UAE’s non-oil exports, trade, investments and strategic sectors development, in line with UAE Vision 2021 agenda.
It is tasked to accelerate and sustain national economic diversification as well as support the export and re-export of UAE goods, works, services, and the foreign investments of the UAE businesses as well as support the exporters in the domestic trade through a range of export credit, financing and investment insurance products.


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With AR and VR companies racing to build the ultimate headset that can truly embrace mixed reality, a Finnish startup, Varjo, just made waves with their near to human eye resolution VR headset - The “Bionic Display”.
Creating a name for itself among the tech giants
Many innovations have come to wearable
The potential applications of immersive virtual reality systems are increasing with the current market being beyond the traditional gaming sector. Virtual Reality (VR) can be used for information visualization in industrial sectors. The defense sector can use virtual reality to create simulated environments to train pilots, soldiers, and crisis response
Virtual reality (VR) is gaining a lot of attention due to its amazing features. VR is a branch of computer science that allows users to immerse and interact in a simulated environment. Virtual reality is a complex, advanced technology that has seen great success for its short time span of full
Facebook’s virtual reality arm is beginning to sell its Oculus Go headsets directly to business users with a dedicated bundle. Starting today, business users can order a business bundle with a 64GB Oculus Go headset for $299.
Oculus isn’t charging much of a premium for business users, tacking on an extra
It’s only a matter of time before we put astronauts on Mars, but there’s plenty of research to be carried out in the meantime. MarsVR could be the perfect way to explore the red planet.
The race to Mars is firmly on, but before we can send colonies of people off
VR is doing a great job of taking over this year thanks to the release of the Oculus Go, price drops on other solutions like the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, an increase in popularity surrounding the Playstation VR, and of course movies and other media like Ready Player
When Sony launched the PlayStation VR, or PSVR, in late 2016, the headset seemed to have a shot at bringing virtual reality to mainstream gamers. The company enjoyed a large customer base with the PS4, the most popular current-gen gaming console, and the PSVR was cheaper than other high-end VR
Facebook’s latest attempt to popularize virtual reality (VR) with its $200 Oculus Go VR headset is getting praise from an unexpected ally: Porn studios and their VR offshoots have high hopes for the device, with some even reporting that it is already helping to boost their revenue.
“It’s a game changer,”
Space might be out of reach for many of us, but SpaceTime VR might bring space into our homes.
It’s the dream of any would-be space tourist: seeing our home planet from above. First, you see the Earth’s horizon curve away, and then the luminous thin envelope of atmosphere that keeps
The Mirage Solo from Lenovo is the first virtual reality headset that has actually gotten me excited in a long time.
The Mirage Solo is a $399.99 standalone VR headset — which means it requires no computer or phone to play — that offers full head tracking, a big step up
The Vive Pro certainly impressed us when we got our hands on HTC’s new top-tier VR headset, but there was one thing that a lot of people wished it had expanded upon: The field of view. Fortunately, Oculus seems to have read everyone’s minds and has been working away at
VR and mobile seem to go hand-in-hand in 2018, with the likes of Samsung's Gear VR and Google's DayDream now available for Android users - but what about those us with iPhones? Sure, there are third-party mobile viewers that provide a basic VR experience, but it's nothing compared to what


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Pals’ toy sale scoops more than £50 for StCatherine’s
A toy sale set up by two friends raised more than £50 for St Catherine’s Hospice.
Olivia Riding, aged 12, andMolly Longson, aged 13, organised the event at St Paul’s Church in Farington Moss last summer.
Rainbows and Bitemnies who meet at the church helped by donating toys following an appeal from Molly, who is a Girl Guide and Scout with the same pack.
The girls, both Year 8 pupils at Lostock Hall Academy, were so successful in collecting unwanted items they even hosted a second sale in the same location just two days later.
The biggest sale of the event was a Sylvanian Families house which went for £10.
The girls had heard about the good work of St Catherine’s through Olivia’s mum Nicola, who works for law firm DWF – one of the hospice’s corporate supporters.
Molly’s Scout Leader Ron Turton was also cared for by the St Catherine’s team before he died earlier this year.
They both said they’d had lots of fun organising the toy sales and were pleased to have a raised a total of £50.67 for the hospice.
Nicola added: “It was all their own idea and everyone is very proud of them.”
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The chief executive of Apple Computer on Tuesday said he would resist the “greedy” demands by some of the world’s leading music companies to raise the prices on the popular iTunes online music store, adding that such a move would encourage piracy.
“If the price goes up a lot, [people will] go back to piracy. Then everybody loses,” said Steve Jobs, who has propelled Apple, which also makes the hit iPod digital music player, to the top of the digital music market.
Mr Jobs comments to reporters prior to opening the Apple Expo in Paris mark the first time he has acknowledged that some leading labels have pressured him to increase the price of music downloads. His comments also highlight growing tension between Apple and record labels, some of which privately say they deserve a larger share of the spoils.
The rift suggests several music labels believe demand for online music is robust enough to withstand higher prices, even though online sales account for a tiny percentage of total music sales. The number of illegally downloaded music tracks still far outstrips legal online sales, in spite of the growing popularity of internet stores such as iTunes, as well as an aggressive industry campaign to sue pirates. Music downloads on Apple’s iTunes music store, which commands more than 82 per cent of the US market, cost 99 cents regardless of the track. Prices are typically higher in Europe and Japan with a single track costing 79p ($1.43) in the UK. The company has sold more than 500m songs and about 22m iPods.
Some record companies say that introductory wholesale prices for digital downloads – thought to be 65-70 cents per track – were set low to stimulate demand for online music sales. But they argue that the computer maker has become so profitable and powerful they should push to raise wholesale prices to capture a larger share of the market. It was not clear by how much the record companies were seeking to raise prices.
At least one major record label said it had already raised its wholesale prices for digital downloads, an increase that has been absorbed by Apple. “I don’t buy the idea that charging, say, $1.29 per download will turn everyone into music pirates,” said an official at the label.
The official also said it was ironic that Mr Jobs would discuss the record industry’s margins while declining to discuss the “huge” margins Apple was making on iPods.
Several industry sources have said they want to introduce “variable pricing” to the download market, so they can charge higher prices for the latest hit songs and offer discounts on older catalogue material. Mr Jobs argued that record companies already made greater profits on digital downloads than CDs because online distribution enables labels to cut out manufacturing and marketing costs.
Apple launched its Japanese iTunes site last month without music from Sony BMG, a sign to many observers of a growing rift between the two companies. Industry watchers expect continued friction between Apple and Sony BMG as the contract covering iTunes US nears expiration. At least one other music group is understood to be pushing for higher prices.
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West Midlands Safari Park is set to reopen next week as part of the government's roadmap out of lockdown.
The tourist attraction, which has been closed due to the pandemic since the start of the year, is to reopen on Monday, April 12.
Managing Director of the Park, Chris Kelly, said “After what has been a very long winter and an extremely tough 18 months for everyone during this global pandemic, we’re thrilled to be seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, starting with the Park’s reopening next week!
“Our staff have been working incredibly hard to prepare all areas of the Park, so that guests can have a safe and enjoyable visit when we welcome them back.
"We will be encouraging our guests to continue to adhere to all our safety procedures and will be monitoring government guidelines closely, as we navigate our way through the months ahead in lifting various measures.
“With the launch of our highly anticipated Safari Lodges also happening next week, we’re very excited about the future to come and a much brighter, prosperous year.”
The park offers visitors theme park rides, food outlets, shops and the four-mile safari drive-through, where you can spot the Park’s latest arrival, Inesh - the Indian rhino calf.
The Park’s African elephants will now be visible for Safari drive-through guests, at their luxury habitat, which has been purpose-built into the Park’s Safari Lodges development. The area includes a vast drinking pool and waterfall which will be at the forefront of the new reserve for the Elephants to enjoy.
Indoor attractions including Lorikeet Landing, Reptile House, Aquarium and Twilight Cave will remain closed and food outlets will be offering takeaways. Attractions that are open include Land of The Living Dinosaurs, Ice Age exhibit and outdoor areas within the park’s Discovery Trail and Boj’s Giggly Park playground.
More information about West Midland Safari Park is available from the Park’s website www.wmsp.co.uk.