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Our logo, which adds an imaginative twist to the classic LA letterform, is a visual representation of our modernization while holding true to the style and attitude that makes LA the world's car culture capital, a hotbed of design, and a burgeoning tech epicenter.
The two brandmarks include the Stand-Alone Brandmark (SAB) and the Self-Contained Brandmark (SCB).For proper usage of the LA Auto Show and AutoMobility LA logos, please view our Brand Guidelines.
New LA Auto Show Survey Finds Significant Interest in Electric Vehicles, Experiences & Purchase Intent LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — A new survey conducted by the Los Angeles Auto Show® (LA Auto Show®), the leading auto and lifestyle in-person event, confirms that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution is top of mind for many Angelenos. The […]Read More
Inaugural Awards Celebrate Massive Investment in Zero-Emission Vehicle Adoption in Southern California, and throughout the U.S. LOS ANGELES (September 7, 2021) — The Los Angeles Auto Show® (LA Auto Show®), the leading automotive and lifestyle in-person event, announced today The LA Auto Show Zero-Emission Vehicle Awards or THE ZEVASTM— a new, signature awards program set […]Read More
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Organizers of the Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®) announced today that registration for its media and industry days, is now open. The two-day event is set to host the most diverse range of brands and vehicle debuts of any auto show in North America this year. Scheduled for November 17–18 at […]Read More
General Admission, VIP and Select Packages Available to Experience the Most Diverse Range of Brands & Vehicles at Any 2021 Auto Event LOS ANGELES (August 25, 2021)—The Los Angeles Auto Show® (LA Auto Show ®), the leading annual auto and lifestyle in-person event, has announced that tickets are now on sale. New car shoppers and automotive […]Read More
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Kenya and South Africa are working on a preferential trade agreement that could eliminate administrative barriers and boost exchange of goods and services between the two nations.
A joint trade committee formed two years ago to resolve tariff and non-tariff barriers between the two countries have recommended a binding trade and investment pact as a way of tightening the on-and-off bilateral relations.
“We have resolved to formalise our trade relations and are currently working on an agreement that complies with World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) rules,” said Mr Tom Amolo, Kenya’s High Commissioner to South Africa.
South Africa has increased its chunk of Kenya’s market in the last 10 years to become the fifth largest source of imports after shipping in Sh73.8 billion worth of goods in 2011.
In comparison, official statistics showing that Nairobi only managed to export just Sh2.8 billion over the period.
Both being WTO members, a bilateral pact between the two countries must be reciprocal in nature and also leave room for nearly similar treatment to other members of the global body.
Mr Amolo said the pact has been on cards for some time but electoral politics always gets in its way. Last year, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma postponed a planned visit to Nairobi to create time for party campaigns.
Kenya has since plunged into campaigns ahead of the March 4 elections, meaning it will be up to the incoming government to push for the pact.
“We are going to make the planned visit by President Zuma a priority for this year, but in the meantime encourage businesses from both sides to form partnerships and make money,” Mr Amolo said at the first Kenya-South African Business Forum which started in Nairobi Tuesday.
A total of 50 South African firms with interests in banking, insurance, accountancy, pharmaceuticals, retail, tourism and engineering sent representatives to Nairobi to study the market and seek joint business deals with Kenyan counterparts.
A joint Kenya-South Africa Business Council, representing South African firms and Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) was also mooted at the start of the meeting with ends on Thursday.
“South African businesses never miss any opportunity to boost growth of intra-Africa trade,” said Elizabeth Thabethe, the South Africa’s Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry who led the team of businesspeople to Nairobi.
“Our exports have already been affected by the economic situation of the developed countries. We are turning our attention to Africa which is growing fast and has right fundamentals,” she said.
For South Africa, a pact with Kenya is likely to open a new gateway into the eastern Africa market, having used common membership of South African Development Community with Tanzania to boost its presence in the region.
Kenya has a direct link to most of the landlocked countries in the region like Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC.
Kenya also sits on the gateway to South Sudan and Somalia, emerging as important markets for exports and investment capital in the next five years.
In Nairobi, Trade ministry officials said Kenya would equally benefit from a trade pact and joint venture with South Africans as employment will grow for highly educated youth whose numbers have been swelling lately.
“The two countries have a lot to learn and from each other,” said Trade permanent secretary Abdulrazak Ali.
Just like Kenya which is to set up semi-autonomous counties after elections, South Africa runs a similar structure of governance, sharing power with semi-autonomous provinces.
“The Constitution being implemented makes Kenya the safest business destination from the point of investor protection,” said Mr Ali.

domain: news


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|By Business Wire||
|February 1, 2013 12:26 PM EST||
Please replace the release dated January 31, 2013 with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions.
The corrected release reads:
AVG TECHNOLOGIES AND NERO KICK OFF NEW STRATEGIC COOPERATION
Large Nero user base will be able to search and surf the web safely with AVG Secure Search
AVG Technologies N.V. (NYSE:AVG), the provider of Internet and mobile security to 143 million active users, today announced an agreement with the leading multimedia software applications and platforms provider, Nero.
Under the terms of the new deal, Nero will bundle AVG’s Secure Search solution as part of each offering within its extensive product suite. Handing privacy back to the user through integrated AVG Do Not Track technology, AVG Secure Search alerts users before they visit dangerous websites, making sure their identity, personal information, and computer are protected.
“Nero’s mission is to create content that can then be distributed anytime, anywhere and on any device. Security is a fundamental component of this, enabling us to provide consumers with the freedom to simply enjoy their music, photos, and videos. Working with such an innovative and dynamic company as AVG is a natural fit for us,” said Jürgen Kurz, CEO of Nero.
Nero technologies, which include solutions to help convert audio files, protect your CDS, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs and organize your music collection with Gracenote, are currently used by over 240 million customers worldwide.
“As we play out more and more of our lives online, securing your data and digital privacy has never been more important,” said JR Smith, CEO of AVG Technologies. “But there’s no need for it to be complicated, nor for it to restrict the way you live your life. AVG’s easy-to-use technologies make it simple to protect you and your family online, and we are delighted that this exciting new cooperation with Nero will allow even more people to enjoy enhanced digital freedom and peace of mind.”
Learn more about AVG Secure Search 2013
About AVG Technologies (NYSE: AVG)
AVG’s mission is to simplify, optimize and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world. AVG’s powerful yet easy-‐to-‐use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG’s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its user base to 143 million active users as of September 30, 2012 and offers a product portfolio that targets the consumer and small business markets and includes Internet security, PC performance optimization, online backup, mobile security, identity protection and family safety software.
About Nero AG
Nero creates software that helps consumers around the world simply enjoy their videos, photos and music. Its NeroKwik service gives consumers a simple, smart and social way to share photos across mobile devices, cloud storage services and online social networks. Nero has offices in Glendale, Calif., USA; Karlsbad, Germany; Yokohama, Japan; and Hangzhou, China.
Keep in touch with AVG
- For breaking news, follow AVG on Twitter at www.twitter.com/officialAVGnews
- For small business security trends analysis, follow the AVG small business blog at small-business.blog.avg.com
- Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/AVGfree
- Join our LinkedIn community www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2719797
Disruptive macro trends in technology are impacting and dramatically changing the "art of the possible" relative to supply chain management practices through the innovative use of IoT, cloud, machine learning and Big Data to enable connected ecosystems of engagement. Enterprise informatics can now move beyond point solutions that merely monitor the past and implement integrated enterprise fabrics that enable end-to-end supply chain visibility to improve customer service delivery and optimize supplier management. Learn about enterprise architecture strategies for designing connected systems tha...
May. 22, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,802
There's Big Data, then there's really Big Data from the Internet of Things. IoT is evolving to include many data possibilities like new types of event, log and network data. The volumes are enormous, generating tens of billions of logs per day, which raise data challenges. Early IoT deployments are relying heavily on both the cloud and managed service providers to navigate these challenges. In her session at Big Data Expo®, Hannah Smalltree, Director at Treasure Data, discussed how IoT, Big Data and deployments are processing massive data volumes from wearables, utilities and other machines...
May. 22, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,854
SYS-CON Events announced today that the "First Containers & Microservices Conference" will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City. The “Second Containers & Microservices Conference” will take place November 3-5, 2015, at Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA. Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities.
May. 22, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,994
Buzzword alert: Microservices and IoT at a DevOps conference? What could possibly go wrong? In this Power Panel at DevOps Summit, moderated by Jason Bloomberg, the leading expert on architecting agility for the enterprise and president of Intellyx, panelists will peel away the buzz and discuss the important architectural principles behind implementing IoT solutions for the enterprise. As remote IoT devices and sensors become increasingly intelligent, they become part of our distributed cloud environment, and we must architect and code accordingly. At the very least, you'll have no problem fil...
May. 22, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,780
IoT is still a vague buzzword for many people. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Mike Kavis, Vice President & Principal Cloud Architect at Cloud Technology Partners, discussed the business value of IoT that goes far beyond the general public's perception that IoT is all about wearables and home consumer services. He also discussed how IoT is perceived by investors and how venture capitalist access this space. Other topics discussed were barriers to success, what is new, what is old, and what the future may hold. Mike Kavis is Vice President & Principal Cloud Architect at Cloud Technology Pa...
May. 22, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 7,681
SYS-CON Events announced today that MetraTech, now part of Ericsson, has been named “Silver Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY. Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society- a world leader in communications infrastructure, software and services. Some 40% of the world’s mobile traffic runs through networks Ericsson has supplied, serving more than 2.5 billion subscribers.
May. 22, 2015 09:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,260
The 4th International Internet of @ThingsExpo, co-located with the 17th International Cloud Expo - to be held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA - announces that its Call for Papers is open. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the biggest idea since the creation of the Worldwide Web more than 20 years ago.
May. 22, 2015 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,465
The 17th International Cloud Expo has announced that its Call for Papers is open. 17th International Cloud Expo, to be held November 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, brings together Cloud Computing, APM, APIs, Microservices, Security, Big Data, Internet of Things, DevOps and WebRTC to one location. With cloud computing driving a higher percentage of enterprise IT budgets every year, it becomes increasingly important to plant your flag in this fast-expanding business opportunity. Submit your speaking proposal today!
May. 22, 2015 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,173
Since 2008 and for the first time in history, more than half of humans live in urban areas, urging cities to become “smart.” Today, cities can leverage the wide availability of smartphones combined with new technologies such as Beacons or NFC to connect their urban furniture and environment to create citizen-first services that improve transportation, way-finding and information delivery. In her session at @ThingsExpo, Laetitia Gazel-Anthoine, CEO of Connecthings, will focus on successful use cases.
May. 22, 2015 06:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,835
The explosion of connected devices / sensors is creating an ever-expanding set of new and valuable data. In parallel the emerging capability of Big Data technologies to store, access, analyze, and react to this data is producing changes in business models under the umbrella of the Internet of Things (IoT). In particular within the Insurance industry, IoT appears positioned to enable deep changes by altering relationships between insurers, distributors, and the insured. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Michael Sick, a Senior Manager and Big Data Architect within Ernst and Young's Financial Servi...
May. 22, 2015 06:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,681
The recent trends like cloud computing, social, mobile and Internet of Things are forcing enterprises to modernize in order to compete in the competitive globalized markets. However, enterprises are approaching newer technologies with a more silo-ed way, gaining only sub optimal benefits. The Modern Enterprise model is presented as a newer way to think of enterprise IT, which takes a more holistic approach to embracing modern technologies.
May. 22, 2015 06:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,938
One of the biggest impacts of the Internet of Things is and will continue to be on data; specifically data volume, management and usage. Companies are scrambling to adapt to this new and unpredictable data reality with legacy infrastructure that cannot handle the speed and volume of data. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Don DeLoach, CEO and president of Infobright, will discuss how companies need to rethink their data infrastructure to participate in the IoT, including: Data storage: Understanding the kinds of data: structured, unstructured, big/small? Analytics: What kinds and how responsiv...
May. 22, 2015 05:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,379
17th Cloud Expo, taking place Nov 3-5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. Cloud computing is now being embraced by a majority of enterprises of all sizes. Yesterday's debate about public vs. private has transformed into the reality of hybrid cloud: a recent survey shows that 74% of enterprises have a hybrid cloud strategy. Meanwhile, 94% of enterprises are using some form of XaaS – software, platform, and infrastructure as a service.
May. 22, 2015 05:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,322
The Workspace-as-a-Service (WaaS) market will grow to $6.4B by 2018. In his session at 16th Cloud Expo, Seth Bostock, CEO of IndependenceIT, will begin by walking the audience through the evolution of Workspace as-a-Service, where it is now vs. where it going. To look beyond the desktop we must understand exactly what WaaS is, who the users are, and where it is going in the future. IT departments, ISVs and service providers must look to workflow and automation capabilities to adapt to growing demand and the rapidly changing workspace model.
May. 22, 2015 04:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,063
The Internet of Things (IoT) promises to evolve the way the world does business; however, understanding how to apply it to your company can be a mystery. Most people struggle with understanding the potential business uses or tend to get caught up in the technology, resulting in solutions that fail to meet even minimum business goals. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Jesse Shiah, CEO / President / Co-Founder of AgilePoint Inc., showed what is needed to leverage the IoT to transform your business. He discussed opportunities and challenges ahead for the IoT from a market and technical point of vie...
May. 22, 2015 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 6,635
Sensor-enabled things are becoming more commonplace, precursors to a larger and more complex framework that most consider the ultimate promise of the IoT: things connecting, interacting, sharing, storing, and over time perhaps learning and predicting based on habits, behaviors, location, preferences, purchases and more. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Tom Wesselman, Director of Communications Ecosystem Architecture at Plantronics, will examine the still nascent IoT as it is coalescing, including what it is today, what it might ultimately be, the role of wearable tech, and technology gaps stil...
May. 22, 2015 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,299
From telemedicine to smart cars, digital homes and industrial monitoring, the explosive growth of IoT has created exciting new business opportunities for real time calls and messaging. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Ivelin Ivanov, CEO and Co-Founder of Telestax, shared some of the new revenue sources that IoT created for Restcomm – the open source telephony platform from Telestax. Ivelin Ivanov is a technology entrepreneur who founded Mobicents, an Open Source VoIP Platform, to help create, deploy, and manage applications integrating voice, video and data. He is the co-founder of TeleStax, a...
May. 22, 2015 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 6,267
Grow your business with enterprise wearable apps using SAP Platforms and Google Glass. SAP and Google just launched the SAP and Google Glass Challenge, an opportunity for you to innovate and develop the best Enterprise Wearable App using SAP Platforms and Google Glass and gain valuable market exposure. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Brian McPhail, Senior Director of Business Development, ISVs & Digital Commerce at SAP, outlined the timeline of the SAP Google Glass Challenge and the opportunity for developers, start-ups, and companies of all sizes to engage with SAP today.
May. 22, 2015 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,908
DevOps tends to focus on the relationship between Dev and Ops, putting an emphasis on the ops and application infrastructure. But that’s changing with microservices architectures. In her session at DevOps Summit, Lori MacVittie, Evangelist for F5 Networks, will focus on how microservices are changing the underlying architectures needed to scale, secure and deliver applications based on highly distributed (micro) services and why that means an expansion into “the network” for DevOps.
May. 22, 2015 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,843
The 3rd International @ThingsExpo, co-located with the 16th International Cloud Expo – to be held June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY – is now accepting Hackathon proposals. Hackathon sponsorship benefits include general brand exposure and increasing engagement with the developer ecosystem. At Cloud Expo 2014 Silicon Valley, IBM held the Bluemix Developer Playground on November 5 and ElasticBox held the DevOps Hackathon on November 6. Both events took place on the expo floor. The Bluemix Developer Playground, for developers of all levels, highlighted the ease of use of...
May. 22, 2015 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 4,267


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Beep Innovations, which operates the full-stack online retailer for used two-wheelers BeepKart, has raised $9 million (approximately Rs 72 crore) in Series A funding led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India, with participation from existing investors Stellaris Venture Partners and Chiratae Ventures.
BeepKart raised $3 million in seed funding last September, led by Chiratae Ventures and Stellaris Venture Partners. Varun Alagh of Mamaearth, Sahil Barua of Delhivery, Vivekananda Hallekere of Bounce, Kunal Shah of CRED, Ramakant Sharma of Livspace, and Rajesh Yabaji of Blackbuck also took part in the round. BeepKart competes with Droom, CredR, BikeDekho, Olx, Bikewale, and Truebikes in the used two-wheeler space.
“The BeepKart team has patiently built out its playbook in Bengaluru, is profitable at a city level and is ready to gradually replicate elsewhere while continuing to learn,” said Hemir Doshi, Co-founder and chief executive, BeepKart.
Categories: Other News


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It is estimated that in the next year bad credit ratings are going to affect a larger number of British people than ever before. It is estimated that in 2012 the average adult in the UK is likely to be worse off, with around 40 percent of people facing a worse financial situation this year compared with last. The figures have come out of the website uSwitch.com which does price comparisons.
Nearly half of the people who responded to the survey stated that they expect things to be tougher this year and nearly half are not confident about the future of the economy. Only three percent of consumers in the UK said that they were confident about their finances for the coming year and only 15 percent said that they feel the economic situation in the UK will improve in 2012.
The survey indicates that people are finding it more difficult to manage their finances and deal with the increased cost of living. Many people are struggling as wages are not increasing but the price of goods, especially fuel, is increasing dramatically.
MoneySupermarket.com has recently released an analysis which showed that in the winter people are going to face particular financial hardship as a large amount of money is going to have to be spent on heating their homes. In the winter, nearly half of survey respondents stated that they faced a significant reduction in their disposable income because of increased spending on fuel.
Many people are expected to turn to credit cards as a way to meet their bills and this has led finance expert Michael Ossei to comment, “2012 is going to be the difficult financial year and it is important that people work out ways to reduce their debt and limit their spending significantly.”


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The Downtown Kenosha Pop-Up Beer Garden — kicking off its two-weekend run today — is ready to go, according to organizer Alexandria Binanti Robinson.
After the huge success of the Tall Ships Festival last weekend, which brought thousands to downtown Kenosha, Robinson is focusing on “the community engagement. It’s a fun party, but it also showcases what our downtown has to offer.”
Robinson, the new executive director of Downtown Kenosha Inc., said the stuff that made the 2017 and 2018 Pop-Up Beer Gardens events popular will be back: Beer, bands, bonfires, beer, food, drum circles, beer, yoga on the beach ... did we mention there will be beer?
New features include a VIP tent, an artisan market, rock painting with Kenosha Rocks and Drag Queen Bingo.
“This year, it’s an all-local event, with all local vendors,” Robinson said. (The first two Pop-Up Beer Gardens were produced with Milwaukee Brewing Co.) “But now we’re taking ownership of it,” she said. “This is a DKI event. We’ve tried to amp up the programming this year for all ages. This event is always evolving.”
New features include:
Markets: “This is every day of the event,” Robinson said, “and will feature a mix of six to 10 artists with jewelry, Tarot card readings, CBD oil products.” Artisan Markets are 4 to 9 p.m. Thursdays (Aug. 8 and 15), Twilight Markets are 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays (Aug. 9 and 16) and 5 to 11 p.m. Saturdays (Aug. 10 and 17). Health and Family Markets are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays (Aug. 11 and 18) with holistic healing products, crafters and artisans.
Drag Queen Bingo: “This is a Kenosha Pride event,” Robinson said. “Miss Kenosha Pride is emceeing the free Bingo game. It’s PG-rated entertainment and will be an actual Bingo game with prizes.” Aug. 16.
Fashion show: Local boutiques will be showcased during this event, 3 p.m. Aug. 10.
Rock painting: “DKI and Women and Children’s Horizons are doing painting with Kenosha Rocks,” Robinson said. “Kids and adults are welcome to paint rocks and then go and hide them.” The rock painting starts at 2 p.m. Aug. 10.
“This event is our biggest fundraiser and will raise money for our 2020 projects, including flower baskets and streetscape work,” Robinson said.
She’ll consider this Po-Up Beer Garden a success if “No. 1, I survived it,” said Robinson, who said she will “live at the beach” for the eight days of the event. “Also, I want to see people happy and engage with others. If our vendors and entertainers want to come back in 2020, it’s a success. Overall, we really want to raise awareness of our downtown.”
A big key to the event’s success is the team of volunteers, Robinson said.


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By Drew Johnson
Jul 16th, 2012
Nissan has revealed an updated version of its Note global hatchback. The Note will launch in Japan later this year, followed by a European release sometime in 2013.
Sporting Nissan’s latest design language, the latest Note arrives with a more aerodynamic...
1ST PLACE: 2013 Ford Escape
Doing It Right
By: Kirill Ougarov
By its nature, this segment doesn't really have room for greatness. That said, the new Ford Escape is about as close to being great as a compact CUV is going to get. While not at the top of the pack in every aspect, the Escape does...
I have provided a couple of links to spy photos of the new compact sedan from Dodge:
Link: http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2011/10/spy-photos-dodge-hornet-sedan-goes-back-under-cover.html, Source: Edmunds Inside Line.
Link: http://www.leftlanenews.com/dodge-hornet.html, Source...
NISSAN REVEALS COMPACT SPORT CONCEPT
This is the new Nissan Compact Sport Concept, a kind of Micra GTI, that's just been unveiled at the Shanghai motor show.
Now, the Chinese aren't exactly renowned for their love of hot hatches, and the cutesy Micra probably wouldn't be...
Ford to Make Compact SUVs in China, Boost Marketing Spend
Apr 19, 2011
April 19 (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. (F) said it will make the next generation of its Kuga compact sport-utility vehicle in China and boost marketing spending to help win sales in the world’s largest auto market...
Lincoln Compact CUV possibly named MkD, MkC confirmed, Aviator reborn
Lincoln expands as rebirth begins
April 11, 2011
By: Austin Rutherford
Last week a report came to the forefront that Ford has assigned a crack team of 85 staffers to work on the Lincoln brand. Now...
Everything is all upside-down.
When January sales figures arrived last week, the automotive conventional wisdom was spun on its head. The Ford Fusion outsold the Honda Accord. Chevrolet sold nearly 30 percent more Cruzes than Toyota sold Priuses. What's going on?
For years, millions of...
Now that Ford is stating the production of the Lincoln version of the new Escape/Kuga will start in June 2012, we can expect it to be at dealers by August for the 2013 model year.
Will it be styled similar to the Concept C, or will the new design chief have enough time to bring out the new...
Details emerge on Next Autoworks' 2012 compact car
November 27, 2010
by Jonathon Ramsey
Next Autoworks, nee V-Vehicles, recently hired CEO Kathleen Ligocki to shepherd its planned 2012 car through to production. The design of the car itself was overseen by Tom Matano, who penned the...
The company, which has a past littered with compact wrecks like the unsafe Corvair and rusty Vega, plans to roll out the Chevrolet Cruze in September -- betting it can attract younger drivers and succeed in the most competitive segment of the worldwide auto market.
GM owners may know that...
At the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando, FL on Sunday, Ford's President of the Americas Mark Fields announced the first new product for Mercury in several years. The...
From Automotive news (which you need to pay to get):
"In the Lincoln Mercury stable, Lincoln will get the bulk of new products going forward. Fields noted that Mercury is still slated to receive a new compact car, which will go into production late this year. It’s a derivative of the 2012 Ford...
Ford may give Lincoln a compact
SEPTEMBER 4, 2008 - 12:30 PM ET
LOMMEL, Belgium -- Ford Motor Co. is considering a compact, or C-segment, vehicle for its Lincoln luxury brand, product development chief Derrick Kuzak said today.
"We do think that there is...
PURPOSE-BUILT: FORD TRANSIT CONNECT DELIVERS UNIQUE COMPACT VERSATILITY FOR AMERICAN BUSINESS
Purpose-built for small business owners, the Ford Transit Connect is a versatile compact van that offers a fuel-efficient alternative to full-size commercial vans.
Transit Connect, debuting at the...
Introducing the Ford Fido (Based on JDM Mazda Spiano which is in turn based on the Suzuki Lapin). I didn't change too much, I got a little carried away with the lights though.
I made it JUST for you guys, so I hope you like it or find it interesting
at least :cool: .
New Ford subcompact coming to U.S. : Fiesta Compact Sedan To U.S.A.
have heard from my friend's uncle(who works in Ford India) that Ford of India is seriously considering exporting its fiesta B-segment car to USA as soon as December 2007 as part of Ford India's overseas expansion plan...


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The eagerly anticipated announcement of the nominees for the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 will be presented in a show broadcast on FIFA.com, www.francefootball.fr and FIFA's YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/fifatv) on Monday, 30 November 2015 at ... Around The Rings, 15 hours ago
Ballon d'Or shortlists to be unveiled on FIFA.com - FIFA.com, 19 hours ago
Join FIFA.com as we prepare to celebrate another fabulous year of the beautiful game with the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 and you can keep up with all the glamour as the stars of the football universe come out to sparkle. Exclusive access, video ...FIFA.com, 1 month ago
on your WebpageAdd Widget >Get your members hooked!


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The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 3 appeared on WiFi Alliance listing with 3 different variants
The internet has been surfacing Samsung's upcoming tablet Galaxy Tab Active 3 and it was found on Bluetooth SIG listing a few days ago. Today, the same device appeared on WiFi Alliance with three different model numbers variants that seem to be releasing real soon.
According to the listing on Wifi Alliance, there will be three variants for the Galaxy Tab Active 3 which are SM-T570, SM-T575, and SM-T577. These models offer different connectivity, the SM-T570 will support WiFI only, SM-T575 comes with an LTE option, and the T577 is expected to be the 5G version. But what we do notice on the listing is no Wifi 6 supported on either of the models.
All three models will come with One UI 2.x skin based on Android 10 with Bluetooth 5.0. As for the outlook and tech specs, there’s still no information on that but what we do know is that Samsung has started rolling out the latest One UI 2.5 software update which brings multi-window, wireless Dex functionality as well as some sidebar enhancements.
Either way, there’s still no official information on the tech spec and release dates for the tablet, but are you interested to own it once it’s launched? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com


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A producer of honey-based products including craft gins has revealed plans to call in administrators after failing to secure long-term funding and a sale of the business.
Oxfordshire-based British Honey Company (BHC), best known for its Keepr’s and Two Birds brands, said its shares on the Aquis exchange had been suspended pending the formal appointment of partners at FRP Advisory.
The company, which employs 80 people at its factory and warehouse in neighbouring Buckinghamshire, was founded in 2014 as a honey producer but later expanded as the craze for flavoured sprits, including craft gin, gathered pace both at home and abroad.
BHC had warned in December last year that a £750,000 loan it had agreed would only tide it over for so long.
“At that time the board made clear that further funding would need to be secured early this year, which the company has attempted to identify since this date, but it has proved extremely challenging, with no offer of funding support being forthcoming to date”, its statement said.
“Significant costs savings have been made in the business in order to conserve cash. Notwithstanding these cost savings, BHC will require further funding by end of March 2023, based on current management forecasts.
“Regrettably, the board has concluded that it is required to take the necessary steps to preserve value for creditors.”
It is understood there are still hopes the business can be sold as a going concern given the level of interest last year when a formal sale was an option under a strategic review.
Its last set of accounts showed sales of almost £8m during 2021, according to Refinitiv data.
But it is believed funding woes last year, coinciding with the cost of living crisis, saw the company cut 30 jobs as part of its cost reductions.


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Cape Town ranks among the world’s top emerging start-up ecosystems
14 July 2020
STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSET MANAGEMENT, ALDERMAN JAMES VOS.
The Global Start-up Ecosystem Report 2020 (GSER 2020) has listed Cape Town as one of the Top 100 emerging start-up ecosystems in the world, ranking second in Africa after Cairo. Read more below:
The latest report comes on the heels of Cape Town being ranked the top start-up city in South Africa by StartupBlink, a Global Start-up Ecosystem Map and Research Center.
As the City, we are immensely proud that Cape Town has been acknowledged as an emergent start-up powerhouse. Cape Town is recognised as the digitech hub of Africa and a leading location for tech start-ups and venture capital deals. The city is also home to almost two-thirds of all start-ups in South Africa. This can be attributed to the many support structures we have put in place to assist entrepreneurs.
From across the globe, entrepreneurs are drawn to choosing Cape Town for a number of compelling reasons, including among others:
- The idyllic lifestyle
- Diverse communities
- Access to start-up capital
- Top tertiary institutions
- World-class talent
- A culture of innovation
The latest ranking is a result of the City, together with our Strategic Business Partners and the private sector’s dedicated efforts to attract investment, create the conditions for businesses to grow and create employment.
The city boasts first-class infrastructure, sound governance and four of the top universities in Africa, providing a skilled workforce. As tech hub of the continent, Cape Town has what it takes to provide a business-friendly environment which grows the economy and creates jobs.
This year, the GSER went beyond listing only the top ecosystems and included the next Top 100 Emerging Ecosystems. The GSER 2020 has nearly doubled the number of ecosystems studied since 2019, assessing over 270 ecosystems across over 100 countries to rank the top 30 globally and runners-up.
According to Start-up Genome, the report took into account the factor weights to rank these ecosystems, which were slightly different from those used for top ecosystems. This was done in order to reflect its emerging status and to emphasise the factors that have more influence in ecosystems that were starting to grow.
The report also revealed that start-up culture and entrepreneurship have spread across the world, and that different ecosystems have gained relevance, impacting economies in a meaningful way.
According to the report, Europe leads in terms of constituents in the Emerging Ecosystems list with 38 start-up ecosystems, eight of which were from Eastern Europe. Europe was followed by North America with 32 start-up ecosystems and Asia-Pacific was third with 22 ecosystems.


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Aside from suffering under a corrupted government ruining the country, Singaporeans now have even fewer reasons to celebrate the Chinese New Year with seafood prices doubling during the festive period.
According to food importers, prices have inflated by 100% for some fishes due to an export ban by Malaysia and severe shortage during Chinese New Year.
Local seafood importer Guan Chew Fishery told state media reporters that the price of pomfrets has tripled from S$20 a fish to over S$60, while the other popular fish grouper, inflated more than 100% from S$20 to S$50 a fish. The importer said all prices have gone up significantly even for the less popular fishes:
“Even for the less popular fishes, the price also goes up because more people are finding alternatives to the popular and expensive ones.”
General seafood prices have also gone up by more than 20% up to 70%.
All the retailers called the price increase cyclical and a “norm” during festive periods, and none of them admit to profiteering. The Consumer Association feigned ignorance about the rampant price inflation across the country and did nothing.
Singapore’s inflation is expected to worsen in 2020 with a 28.% increase in GST. The GST will be raised to 9% from 7%, as the Singapore government has overshot its budget for mega projects like Terminal 5 and Tuas Mega Port.
In the past two years of 2017 and 2018, water prices have shot up by 30%, and electrical tariffs by more than 10.3%.


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Common Sense Office Furniture grows due to fast service, fair prices, reliability
- Carmen Carroquino, Correspondent
Common Sense is not just the name of Craig Caswell’s new and used office furniture company — it’s also his business approach.
Common Sense Office Furniture Inc. customers — ranging from small companies like Exit Realty to large firms such as Walt Disney World — can save money and have more options in how they furnish their workplace.
Carving out a niche in the Central Florida office furniture market has enabled Caswell to grow his company from first-year revenue of $265,000 in 1997 to more than $2.6 million in 2009. And he expects to finish this year with $3 million in revenue.
But Caswell isn’t about to rest on his laurels. He realizes he faces growing competition from larger companies trying to extend their reach and tap into the middle market of smaller businesses that make up the bulk of his clients. So Caswell delivers superior customer service to keep his customers coming back. “It’s hard enough to get a customer — we do our best to retain them.”
By keeping overhead in check, the company can be more competitive because it works on a smaller profit margin. And on those sales where the company is within 5 percent of its competitors’ price, Caswell tries to land the sale with great customer service and quick response times.
His workers are told they must never let the phone ring more than three times, because a slow response may send customers to competitors. And, Caswell said, offer the products “at the right price, the right value, or they’ll get it somewhere else.”
The company, founded primarily as a used furniture outlet, has shifted to almost a 50/50 split between used and new furniture. That turnaround started about four years ago, when Caswell began landing larger nationwide customers looking to cut costs on office furniture.
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PHILADELPHIA — Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack has begun offering a "Touchless Drop-Off and Pick-Up" process at its stores nationwide for tire and auto services scheduled ahead of time as part of the measures it's taking to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The retail dealership, part of Icahn Automotive L.L.C., hasn't adjusted business hours in general, but is asking customers to call their local store before visiting because local curfews or limits on who can be served might impact the store's ability to accommodate customers.
Technicians are being provided gloves, seat and steering wheel covers and floor mats for vehicles they work on.
Pep Boys announced the changes in letter posted on its site and signed by Brian Kaner and Chris Cox, CEOs for Pep Boys Service and Parts, respectively.
Pep Boys operates 964 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
In addition, the chain is offering curbside pick-up, where permitted, for parts orders placed online, Pep Boys said.
In terms of which stores are open, Pep Boys said although auto service/repair businesses have been deemed essential, the national guidelines continue to evolve quickly and each state, and in some cases individual cities, have unique requirements it is "working hard to meet."
In addition, Pep Boys said all of its stores and distribution centers have implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfecting practices, while also practicing social distancing; employees have been advised not to come to work if they are feeling ill; and corporate office staff are working remotely.


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Woman Scout cookie scarcity causes frustration with baker
Woman Scouts introduced the brand new Raspberry Rally cookie in Orlando, Florida, on Aug. 16, 2022.
Orlando Sentinel | Tribune Information Service | Getty Photographs
That is the best way the Woman Scout cookie crumbles.
Amid widespread cookie shortages, the Girl Scouts of the USA stated they’re “preserving all choices open” as frustrations mount with considered one of their baking companions, Little Brownie Bakers, which is owned by Italian confection big Ferrero.
Little Brownie Bakers, or LBB, notified the Woman Scouts on Monday morning that weather-induced energy outages at their Louisville, Kentucky, manufacturing unit, halted cookie manufacturing for the weekend of March 5, setting stock even additional again.
The ability outages come amid a sequence of manufacturing delays and issues that LBB has cited to the Woman Scouts since January, the start of the selling season, in line with an individual aware of the matter. In an e mail obtained by CNBC, Woman Scout executives instructed native troop leaders that they anticipated their baking companions to be “extra forward of demand” than LBB has been to this point.
The stock woes have brought about a scarcity of some cookie flavors which have despatched Woman Scout cookie resale costs skyrocketing. Containers of the most recent, limited-edition taste, Raspberry Rally, are being sold on eBay for $35. Containers of Woman Scout cookies typically go for $5 a pop.
Little Brownie Bakers has additionally stated that mechanical points have gotten in the best way of manufacturing of Samoas, the favored caramel-coconut cookie. That is the third 12 months in a row that the baker has struggled to maintain up with cookie manufacturing, stated the particular person, who is just not permitted to talk about the matter publicly.
“We’re extraordinarily disenchanted that LBB is once more having challenges with managing their manufacturing,” a Woman Scouts spokesperson instructed CNBC. “We are going to deal with these points with our baker accomplice sooner or later and we’re preserving all choices open to do proper by our ladies.”
As of this week, roughly 75% of native Woman Scout troops are equipped by LBB and in consequence, haven’t been capable of meet their cookie-selling sales goals, that are the biggest funding driver for the troops. The opposite 25% of Woman Scout councils are equipped by ABC Bakers, a smaller baking firm that the Woman Scouts say has not had the identical manufacturing points as LBB.
To make certain, LBB has shipped greater than 84 million packages to native troops and produced extra Woman Scout cookies than it had this time final 12 months, stated a spokesperson for Ferrero, which makes the Ferrero Rocher chocolate and hazelnut treats.
Ferrero Rocher chocolate and hazelnut confectionery seen in a grocery store.
Alex Tai | SOPA Photographs | LightRocket | Getty Photographs
“International provide chain points, native labor shortages, and even unexpected extreme climate have all impacted the promoting season, however Little Brownie Bakers is on monitor to meet preliminary orders,” Ferrero instructed CNBC.
Within the meantime, Ferrero stated that “groups in our bakery have been working time beyond regulation” to make sure that preliminary Woman Scout cookie orders get fulfilled.
For the remainder of the promoting season, Skinny Mints, Adventurefuls and S’mores are the one remaining cookie flavors out there for on-line buy from some Girl Scout troops in states comparable to New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon and others. Orders which have already been positioned won’t be impacted, and prospects within the affected areas can nonetheless buy the opposite flavors in particular person at native Woman Scout cookie-selling cubicles.
Ferrero, additionally recognized for manufacturers like Nutella and Kinder Bueno, has been on a mission to develop over the previous 12 months. In November, it broke floor on a $214 million enlargement of its Bloomington, Illinois, manufacturing plant to be able to produce Kinder Bueno chocolate in North America for the primary time. The corporate stated the Kinder Bueno venture led to the creation of 200 new jobs in Bloomington.
In December, it agreed to buy ice cream giant Wells Enterprises, which might widen its North American footprint.


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Retailers to feel the pinch as high street rent reviews loom in 2024
By Law News
Property lawyer warns rising rents and inflation may spark more high street retail casualties
According to Rabinder Chaggar, a partner at Clarke Willmott LLP, the outlook for retailers on the high street in 2024 looks concerning due to impending rent reviews and persistent high inflation rates. Many leases held by corporate occupiers are tied to inflation rates, which have been a favorable arrangement during periods of lower inflation and interest rates.
Chaggar acknowledges that while inflation might have temporarily peaked, its sustained elevation above the long-term average remains worrisome. This spells potential trouble for retailers, especially those facing upcoming rent reviews next year.
He notes that despite a downward trend, inflation at 3.9 percent remains considerably higher than the long-term average of 2.8 percent. Until inflation rates normalize, tenants with rent reviews in 2024 are likely to experience significant hikes, impacting their operational costs and potentially leading to more store closures.
Chaggar anticipates that the economic situation might influence how retailers negotiate their leases. While recent years have seen a shift towards linking rent reviews to inflation for cash flow predictability, persistently high inflation and borrowing costs could prompt a return to the older open market system in lease negotiations, potentially causing disputes and commercial uncertainty.


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(FILES) An advertising panel (top) shows KT&G's new brand of cigarettes "This Africa" features a chimpanzee as a news reporter, at a convenience store in Seoul on October 23, 2013. A UN expert on racism will visit South Korea this week to compile a report on a country that has struggled to rid itself of a reputation for casual discrimination and over-bearing ethnic nationalism. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JEJUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images
Content engaging our readers now, with additional prominence accorded if the story is rapidly gaining attention. Our WSJ algorithm comprises 30% page views, 20% Facebook, 20% Twitter, 20% email shares and 10% comments.


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The retail sector is never without its brazen bosses and boardroom coups. Retail Insight Network has rounded up the top five UK retail industry scandals over the past ten years.
The 2013 horsemeat scandal saw DNA from horses and pigs found in a range of cheap frozen beef burgers and ready meals. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), which conducted the tests, began retesting the product ranges after its initial findings due to the seriousness of the case.
Three factories were revealed as the source of the contaminated beef products – Silvercrest Foods and Liffey Meats in Ireland, and Dalepak in Yorkshire. Silvercrest and Dalepak are both branches of ABP Food Group, one of Europe’s largest beef processors.
After wider industry testing by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), it was revealed that some ‘beef’ products for supermarkets such as Tesco and Aldi were in fact up to 100% horsemeat.
2) Tesco accounting scandal
Tesco’s accounting scandal of 2014 resulted in the resignation of eight executives, including chair Sir Richard Broadbent, nosediving shares and charges brought by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
Stating it expected profits for the first half of the year to be around £1.1bn; Tesco was accused of manipulating figures as it was later found to have overstated its profits by £284m. The supermarket chain then saw a £6.4m loss in 2015, with £85m compensation made to investors and £129m paid out in fines and other costs in 2017.
Britain’s financial watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) determined that Tesco did indeed commit market abuse, with several executives standing trial in court.
3) Food safety dates
The largest supplier of chicken to UK supermarkets, 2 Sisters Food Group, was found to be altering the slaughter date of poultry in 2017. The news sent its supermarket clientele into panic due to consumer’s unwittingly purchasing meat past its use-by date. The meat supplier produces a third of poultry products consumed in the UK, supplying supermarkets such as Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Aldi, Lidl and Sainsbury’s.
The investigation, conducted by the Guardian and ITV News, resulted in job losses, FSA surveillance and a parliamentary inquiry. However, 2 Sisters claimed no regulatory breaches had occurred but welcomed the FSA’s report, which included points of improvement.
4) Faux fur vs real fur
Major high street and online retailers including Boohoo, Missguided and House of Fraser were found to be selling real fur items as fake fur in 2017.
Cat fur was discovered on shoes from Missguided by animal protection charity Humane Society International (HSI). The use of cat and dog fur for clothing was banned in the EU in 2009. The investigation also reportedly found rabbit, dog, racoon and mink fur being sold in a concessions store within department store chain House of Fraser.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into the reports and found that retailers along with local authorities and the Trading Standards had been “poor at enforcing regulations.”
After going into administration, ailing department store British Home Stores (BHS) was pushed further in the spotlight in 2016 due to its pension scheme. The scheme was revealed to be £571m in deficit, which did not pose an initial threat at the time. However, it was after owner Sir Philip Green offloaded the company for £1 in 2015 that authorities realised he may have been attempting to shirk responsibility in paying out the pension costs.
In addition to this, the Green family was reported to have received more than £400m in dividends from BHS, with no tax paid as it was paid to Green’s wife who resides in tax haven Monaco.
Green eventually paid £363m into the scheme in 2017. Existing scheme members can now remain in the current scheme, transfer to the new scheme or opt for a lump sum if eligible.


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In the early days of any potentially-revolutionary technology, even the most-experienced industry executives might be nearly clueless about the eventual impact. That is worth keeping in mind as internet of things, artificial intelligence and machine learning are applied to a wide range of industries and processes. Right now, we cannot predict the outcome. In most cases, we are not even sure about the strategies that produce the best outcomes.
In the past, executives have disparaged demand for telephones, alternating current, automobiles, television, audio systems, satellites, mobile phones, video on demand or iPhones.
Bill Gates, when he was CEO of Microsoft, missed the importance of the internet. IBM executives once believed the global market for computers was less than a half dozen.
The CEO of DEC believed nobody would want a computer in their home. Gates once believed nobody would need, or use, a 32-bit computing system.
An overwhelming percentage of insurance industry executives believe the internet of things will “revolutionize” the business. They just do not know precisely “how” that will happen.
Those executives believe IoT will allow better risk-based pricing and will change customer behavior in ways that benefit the industry. But it also is fair to note that executives are at such an early stage of IoT application that strategies have not been developed.
At the moment, most seem to believe that better analytics will produce benefits.


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Outbound tour company said to defraud travellers
COMPLAINTS to police about a Yangon Region travel company from angry customers have highlighted the weaknesses of the law governing tour companies, industry experts say.
They are demanding action from the government to rectify the problem.
The fraud complaints centre around Tourbox Travel and Tours, in Sanchaung township, a member of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA), which had recommended the issuance of a licence from the tourism ministry. Dozens of potential customers had contacted the agency to arrange tours abroad, including to Europe, Japan and Cambodia, but were cheated out of money with no resulting trip.
“Six customers have already complained to the Sanchaung police station, and we reported the cases to the district,” police officer U Thein Win told The Myanmar Times.
“The district allowed us to continue the case but we have not yet received an official letter, which means we cannot actually launch an investigation into the [alleged] fraudster, who at this point may have already run away,” he added.
Daw Sabei Aung, managing director of Nature Dream Travels & Tours, told The Myanmar Times, “This shows the weakness of the tourism law. We have yet to see any action from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. These matters should be resolved before the police are involved in order to protect our industry’s reputation,” she said, adding that the ministry should set up a complaints mechanism.
“Current ministry procedures are too long and complicated. An accused fraudster can disappear while the documents are still being filed,” she said.
“Someone should have known that there was something not quite right,” she added.
Under existing law, unlicensed travel operators can be imprisoned for up to three years, fined K50,000 (US$42), or both, said U Myo Win Nyunt, director of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.
He said UMTA should first negotiate with the company and then inform the ministry if the problem cannot be resolved. The ministry can add the company’s name to a blacklist and revoke its licence.
“No licence was granted to Tourbox for outbound tourism, so we can take action under the law after investigating,” he said.
Tourbox joined UMTA in April, and the association had supported the company’s application for a licence, said UMTA chair U Thet Lwin Toh. “I don’t know if the ministry had granted the licence or not, but every outbound tour company has had to have an outbound licence since March, according to the ministry directive,” he said. “We invited the company to negotiate with us, but it appears the owner has already left the country.”
Another potential source of fraud was posed by online tour companies. “We have no law that protects people from fraud by foreign companies. Such a law is needed for our protection,” U Thet Lwin Toh said.
Daw Hla Darli Khin, managing director of Tour De Myanmar, warned customers to be careful about who they deal with.
“If the price looks too cheap, something could be wrong. Customers should check the company’s background before they pay,” she said.
More than 20 people complained to police after Tourbox offered a Cambodia-Bangkok trip for US$529 and a Japan package for $2000 on July 20.


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Search engine giant Google has removed the popular torrent management app Transdroid from its Android Market app store.
According to an article on Torrent Freak (opens in new tab), the company removed the app for certain policy violations but failed to expand any further.
Transdroid, which had more than 400,000 users in the two years it was active on Android, allows users to remotely manage their torrent downloads on the move.
Users were able to start and stop torrent downloads, search for torrent files and even use a barcode scanner to discover torrent files. The app was available in both paid and free versions from the Android Market.
“I have just received an e-mail from Google that Transdroid, both the free and donate version, have been pulled from the Android Market. This is due to apparent violations in the content policies of publishing in the Android Market,” the developer of Transdroid said in an announcement.
Even though Google refused to give the exact reasons for the take down, many believe that considering the functionality of the app, Google removed it due to copyright infringement.
Google clearly states in Android Market policies that an app should not infringe on "intellectual property rights of others, including patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, and other proprietary rights".


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KMK Media Group, one of the first Rockford marketing agencies known for bridging the gap between traditional marketing and digital marketing, is celebrating the launch of its 20th year in business.
CEO Pam Maher and President Jeff Klarman incorporated KMK Media Group on November 18, 1998, initially working part-time out of Maher’s home office before moving the company to 1111 S. Alpine Road and then purchasing an historic building on North Church Street and moving its corporate offices there seven years ago.
“We’ve been blessed to see substantial growth in clientele, employees, and the services we’re able to offer our clients today verses when we started 20 years ago,” Maher said. “We were on the cusp of the website and digital revolution as a means to drive marketing for companies. It’s amazing to watch that evolution and the subsequent impact of social media.”
KMK is celebrating its 20th birthday with a look back on the last 20 years, including a timeline on the firm’s website, social media flashbacks, client videos and more over the next year.


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Electronics giant Samsung expects better earnings in the second quarter than expected, thanks in large part to strong sales in the memory sales department. The South Korean tech giant announced this on Tuesday.
The company expects operating profit to increase by 22.7 percent year on year from April to June to 8.1 trillion won. Overall sales would decline by 7.3 percent to 52 trillion won by COVID-19.
The coronavirus will have a significant impact on the demand for several of the core products. Samsung is the market leader in memory chips, smartphones and TVs. The company does not want to publish more detailed figures about this until later.
What has already become clear is that the technology giant is profiting from the increased internet traffic during the pandemic. The demand for memory chips for servers and PCs has increased as more people work from home. Prices for chips have therefore increased.
The strong performance of the South Korean group seems to suggest that the tech sector may soon overcome the impact of the corona crisis. Samsung had previously warned against a fall in profit in the second quarter.
The pandemic forced shops and factories to close. As compensation, the company cut its marketing expenses and focused more on selling to consumers who needed to stay at home more.
Samsung’s better-than-expected results come amid the legal issue surrounding the top of the company. Vice President Lee Jae-yong is suspected of fraud, illegal stock trading, and violating rules surrounding a merger in 2015.
He had been detained for a year earlier for suspected of bribing people in an attempt to replace Samsung’s new chairman. Turn into. That case was suspended in 2018, but the Supreme Court recently withdrew that suspension.


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Activision Blizzard has been on a tear since buying King Digital, and its upcoming earnings report could show more strong growth in some important markets.
A federal judge in Boston has refused to extend a temporary injunction against President Donald Trump's travel ban.
Having already reported its fourth-quarter vehicle deliveries, investors will be watching what Tesla says about its upcoming Model 3 launch.
Super Bowl advertisers are treading carefully this year to avoid alienating customers as a divisive political climate takes some of the buzz away from what is usually the biggest spectacle on TV.
Participating McDonald's restaurants are rolling out five different variations of the Shamrock Shake next week.
The newspaper added 276,000 digital news subscribers in the fourth quarter, the most since it started selling online subscriptions in 2011.
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Avon, Mary Kay and Estee Lauder say they have not resumed testing on animals, despite the claims of a story shared widely on social media.
What's Barney Frank's take on President Donald Trump's first action to scale back the landmark financial overhaul law that bears his name? Don't bank on it succeeding, he says.
A federal agency has approved construction of a $4.2 billion natural gas pipeline extending from West Virginia to Michigan, turning aside objections from some landowners and environmentalists.
The Latest on the water-quality problems this week in Pittsburgh (all times local): 6:30 p.m.
GoPro and Fortinet stocks stood out as indexes jumped higher on Friday.
The owner of oceangoing vessels is expected to report its fourth-quarter results on Feb. 7.
In the race for supremacy in artificial intelligence, many companies are buying start-ups to advance their agendas. Apple and Twitter are among the top acquirers.


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Annual Food-A-Bago For CHOW Underway
The Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW) has begun its final food collection push of 2012. As part of that push, our sister stations, 99.1 The Whale and Wild 104, are participating in the 2012 Food-A-Bago for CHOW.
The goal: fill the Jim's RV camper full of non-perishable food items. All food items will be used to stock Southern Tier food pantries. Last year, the event donated over 2 tons of food to CHOW!
The event is underway and will wrap up on Monday November 12th at 10 a.m. Deejays from 99.1 The Whale and Wild 104 will be on hand in the RV each day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m to collect the donations. Food items can be placed in the CHOW barrel in front of the RV at any time.
This year, the Food-A-Bago is once again located in the parking lot of the Weis Food Market on Upper Front Street in Binghamton, right across from the I-81 on-ramp.
The need for food is great in the Southern Tier. Help a needy family this holiday season by donating non-perishable food items to CHOW.
Big thanks go out to Tall Pines Farm Stoves & Fireplaces for sponsoring this year's event. Also thanks to Jim's RV for use of the camper and Weis Food Markets for the use of the parking lot.


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Web payment company Cybercash has acquired a $7 million equity stake in Commission Junction, a privately held company that creates and manages relationships between special interest Web sites and online merchants.
Commission Junction operates affiliate programmes which match specialist Web sites, such as scuba diving sites, to merchants selling items that would be of interest to visitors. The scheme will form part of Cybercash's Instabuy initiative that enables Web consumers to log their credit card information with a financial institution.
Under Commission Junction's programme the merchant pays the affiliate - the Web site - a commission if a visitor clicks through to its site and or makes a purchase.
Lex Sisney, president of Commission Junction said the scheme is more effective than merchants creating banner ads because they will be in front of a targeted audience, while affiliate companies will be able to earn revenue if their merchant partners successfully attract or sell to visitors.
Commission Junction manages separate relationships for 86 merchants and 85,000 affiliates.
Sisney said: "Without this, the Web site would have to manage their relationships individually with all their merchants which would create a lot of problems keeping track of traffic for audit reporting."
The relationship would be managed by Commission Junction which would also aggregate commissions from all the merchants into one cheque.
Cybercash hopes the programme will help kick start its year old Instabuy scheme. It recently issued a profit warning for its fiscal second quarter results blaming the slow takeup of Instabuy for the shortfall (see Newswire 15 July).
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It’s a music video. It’s a game. It’s Linkin Park’s latest play on technology — a six-minute video game debuting on Tuesday that’s based on the band’s latest single, “Guilty All the Same,” featuring Rakim.
Band members Joe Hahn and Mike Shinoda say they want their fans to literally play with their music. Fans can take it apart and remix both the song and the game any way they want, using the tools provided in “Project Spark,” a free software platform created by Microsoft Corp. that lets players make their own video games on Xbox One and Windows 8 computers.
In Linkin Park’s version of the game, the protagonist is a character haunted by guilt. The player navigates the character through a dark, slightly sinister environment that threatens to devour him as he tries to flee from the forces of his own guilt. The level resembles a mashup between the racing mechanic of “Temple Run” and the noir art style of “Badland.” The better the player performs, the richer the soundtrack for the song.
“Since I was a kid, I wanted to make games,” Shinoda said in an interview with Billboard.
The idea for the project came last year, when Hahn attended E3, the annual video game convention that took place in June.
“I saw this cool demo for ‘Project Spark,’ and it just blew my mind,” Hahn said. “For me, the next step was to see if we could showcase our next song as a game instead of a video.”
“Project Spark,” developed by a 70-person team in Redmond, Wash., that’s headed by Saxs Persson, went live as a beta software in December. It lets players put together their own games, using simple, modular plug-and-play tools similar in concept to Lego blocks, but for building games. Entire game worlds can be drawn in a couple of minutes using tools that allow players to “paint” environments and textures, as well as drop in objects. Players can share their games with other people who can take it apart to make their own versions.
“The goal is to give people the power to create their own interactive experiences and for everything to be remixable,” said Persson, who once ran Shiny Entertainment, the developer of “Enter the Matrix.”
Though “Project Spark” is still in beta (meaning that the game isn’t in its final version), about 500,000 players are already posting more than 1,300 games a day on the platform. Some have even created movies using just the software’s art and animation tools.
For some bands, the idea of letting fans pick apart their music would be sacrilege. No Doubt, for example, sued game publisher Activision in 2009 for allowing players of “Guitar Hero” to show their game avatars playing another band’s songs.
Linkin Park’s Shinoda and Hahn take a different stance.
“Mike and I met at art school, and we understand that once you make a piece of art and put it out there, people will interpret it their own way, and even re-interpret it as something else,” Hahn said.
It’s not the band’s first, or even second, stab at letting fans interact with their music. Linkin Park’s “Lost in the Echo” let viewers project their own personal photos into the music video via Facebook Connect. Last year, their single “A Light That Never Comes” debuted alongside a free 3D strategy game on Facebook.
Shinoda said he looked forward to seeing what people will create from the band’s new video/game, which is available for free on “Project Spark,” along with stems of the music recording of “Guilty All the Same.”
“I see this as turn-based,” Shinoda said. “We’ve taken our turn, and now it’s up to the fans. Even if it’s silly, as long as it makes me laugh, I don’t mind what people do with it.”


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When The Atlantic ran the now infamous Scientology sponsored post, it inadvertently became the poster child for the worst thing to do for sponsored content.
The firestorm of criticism highlighted an awkward fact: The Atlantic didn’t have clear policies on this still relatively new form of advertising content that intentionally blurs the line between editorial and advertising. As the industry grapples with the different definitions of sponsored content, there’s one thing everyone agrees on: Publishers must be transparent about what is and what isn’t sponsored. The debate is how to do it.
There’s not even agreement on whether clear policies are needed. The Atlantic has posted a document with its policies for readers to download from its homepage. Content will now be reviewed by a senior staff committee, including company president Scott Havens. Labels are now clearly written, as well as a disclaimer that reads, “This content is made possible by our Sponsor; it is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Atlantic’s editorial staff.” Yet others, like BuzzFeed, have yet to adopt the same principle. BuzzFeed’s argument: Sponsored content is “clearly labeled,” so there is no need to post guidelines.
“Confusion is simply not an issue we hear from users,” said Jon Steinberg, BuzzFeed’s president. “It’s a myth from the banner industrial complex, in my view.”
Perhaps, but there are clearly times when the differentiation isn’t all that apparent. These are, after all, ads that mimic content. BuzzFeed (like Digiday) opts for the euphemism “partner” content while publishers like The Washington Post title it “sponsored generated content.” Forbes calls its sponsored content “BrandVoice.” Gawker titles content it creates for brands “sponsored.” This IBM post about data on The Atlantic is labeled “sponsored post” at the top along with a disclaimer.
“It’s like people assumed sponsored content was this evil, payola-esque shadiness where advertisers were trying to undermine editorial integrity, but it’s actually the exact opposite,” said James Del, who heads up Gawker’s content studio, Studio@Gawker. “We want to help brands create great content that people actually find interesting and useful, and if we do that right, then it should be crystal clear that a brand was involved.”
There’s no doubt a cultural difference between sites like the Atlantic and BuzzFeed. And that difference has led to higher standards for legacy publications like the Atlantic that try its hand in digital sponsored content.
“Things should be clear up front in labeling and presentation,” Steinberg said. “If by guidelines you mean some terms buried somewhere, I don’t think that is particularly useful to a user. Things should be clear up front as we do. I want to know the terms of my gym membership up front; I don’t want to have to look into the small print on the back to find out I need to give 90 days notice to cancel and am locked into 12 months. Gyms have guidelines.”
Del said Gawker is putting together some formal documentation for sponsored content. Gawker’s sponsored content is labeled, both on the homepage and in the article. “And that’s usually enough for our readers to understand the post is paid for,” Del said.
“I think by definition these programs, where each one is different, it make it a much more complex issue than it was in the magazine world,” said Jay Lauf, svp and group publisher at the Atlantic Media Company. “In our case, we felt it was the right way to approach and handle it. We’ll see if other publishers agree and would want to do the same. Some will, some won’t.”
Image via Shutterstock
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text: News Awards & Events Fashion Week L.A. Fashion Week By InStyle Editors InStyle Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Our editors and writers comprise decades of expertise across the beauty, fashion, lifestyle and wellness spaces in print and digital. We prioritize journalistic integrity, factual accuracy, and also having fun with every story we share. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on April 1, 2008 @ 11:06AM Pin Share Tweet Email Trending Videos Photo: Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images L.A. Fashion Week 01 of 10 Lauren Conrad Michael Tran/FilmMagic Lauren Conrad was among the emerging designers who made their fashion industry debuts during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Los Angeles. "We just wanted a polished forties look, which was difficult to achieve considering the air blowing machine broke!" Conrad said of the obstacles that got in the way of her vision for the show. "But the models were all beautiful and I think that the line has evolved along with me and my experiences." -With reporting by Elizabeth Jenkins and Angela Salazar 02 of 10 Whitney Port, Audrina Patridge, Lauren "Lo" Bosworth and Brody Jenner Michael Tran/FilmMagic While Lauren Conrad stayed behind the scenes to coordinate her fashion Fall 2008 show at Smashbox Studios, friends and fellow reality TV stars Whitney Port, Audrina Patridge, Lauren "Lo" Bosworth and Brody Jenner cheered her on from their front row perches. The show started almost 45 minutes late, but when it finally got underway audience members cheered for the very wearable looks-including tiered jersey dresses and one shoulder tops-that Conrad presented. 03 of 10 Kathy, Rick and Paris Hilton and Benji Madden Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images Good Charlotte rocker Benji Madden joined new squeeze Paris Hilton-and Paris' parents, Kathy and Rick-to take in the presentation of Nicky Hilton's fall collection for fashion line Nicholai. Still, the supervision didn't stop Paris and Benji from engaging in a little pre-show PDA. 04 of 10 Nicky Hilton Michael Tran/FilmMagic Nicky Hilton took a breather backstage before sending the models out onto the catwalk at the Nicholai show, held at Smashbox Studios. The fall collection from the budding designer's high-end line included equestrian inspired ensembles, sleek trench coats and latex leggings. 05 of 10 Angie Harmon, Erin Fetherston and Rosario Dawson Neilson Barnard/Getty Angie Harmon and Rosario Dawson were among the famous fashion fans who turned up for designer Erin Fetherston's fashion week kick off party at Hollywood's latest hot spot, Villa. 06 of 10 Erika Christensen Vince Flores/Celebrity Erika Christensen showed off her front row ensemble before taking her seat to watch the catwalking at L.A.-based designer Whitley Kros' show, held at Smashbox Studios. 07 of 10 Rachel Zoe Neilson Barnard/Getty Also at Erin Fetherston's fete was celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, who scouts the catwalks from New York to Paris for clients like Jennifer Garner and Cameron Diaz. 08 of 10 Juliette Lewis, Cameron Richardson and Bijou Phillips Jesse Grant/Getty Also spotted around Culver City's Smashbox Studios to check out the fall collections on display at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week were actresses Juliette Lewis, Cameron Richardson and Bijou Phillips. 09 of 10 Whitney Port and Lauren Conrad Michael Tran/FilmMagic No strangers to the inner workings of fashion shows, The Hills stars Whitney Port and Lauren Conrad awaited further instructions as they helped prepare for the Orthodox Fall 2008 show at Smashbox Studios. Conrad will get her first taste of what it's like to be a featured designer when she presents her own collection at the tents later this week. 10 of 10 Amy Smart Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images Environmentally-friendly actress Amy Smart was among the guests who checked out the designs at the Green Initiative humanitarian fashion show. The all eco-fashion presentation featured six designers-Lady Muse, Vintage China, Rene Geneva Design, M The Movement, Lilikoi and Andira-who think green."I wear as much organic cotton, bamboo and any material that's also sustainable for the planet," said Smart. "This dress I'm wearing is from Protect the Element and it's bamboo! It's so soft."


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Sources: Global Times – By Xie Wenting | All Things Michael
The initial biding price for an auction for deceased pop star Michael Jackson’s infamous residence in California went unmet on China’s largest e-commerce website on Tuesday, as Jackson’s fans in China worry about the future ownership of the house.
The initial biding price for Jackson’s 1,093-hectare Neverland Ranch, which is now called Sycamore Valley Ranch, was 500 million yuan ($79 million) on paimai.taobao.com, an auction website belonging to the e-commerce giant Taobao.
The one-day auction attracted 59,790 page views as of press time, but only one person gave the deposit of 50,000 yuan for a bid, and the bidder did not make an offer during the auction.
“We cooperated with the real estate agency Fangpaipai to put Michael Jackson’s house up for auction in order to attract consumers. Jackson has a vast number of fans in China. His Chinese fans even contacted us about the possibility of buying the house through crowdfunding,” Ma Ying, spokeswoman for paimai.taobao.com, told the Global Times.
According to Ma, Jackson’s Neverland Ranch has been on sale since May in the US, but no one has put a bid on it.
Neverland Ranch was priced at $100 million in May when it was first put on the market after the singer’s death, according to a Daily Mail report.
Jackson purchased the property in 1987 and moved out in 2005.
Zhang Rui, president of the Michael Jackson Chinese Fan Club, which has more than 400,000 fans, told the Global Times that the fans initially wanted to buy the house through crowdfunding, but they eventually found the tactic would not work.
“We are unable to raise so much money among fans to buy the house. Besides, the maintenance fee for the house is also too high for us,” said Zhang. “I hope a rich Michael fan can buy this house and preserve its original style.”
Taobao Paimai has previously held auctions for the chance to dine with celebrities.
Read more here


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When Apple (NYSE:AAPL) added China Telecom (NYSE:CHA) as the second wireless carrier to sell the iPhone 4S in China, we wondered when the world’s largest wireless carrier, China Mobile (NYSE:CHL), would get to launch the phone. Almost as if in reply, Qualcomm announced the launch of its fifth-generation Gobi platform that would “support multiple LTE bands on a single device.”  This means that the iPhone 5, which is very likely to have LTE capabilities, can support both the under-trial 4G network as well as the so far incompatible 3G network that China Mobile runs.
China Mobile will be a big catch
- Is The Market Undervaluing Chinese Telcos: A Comparison With Verizon & AT&T?
- What Is Driving Our $49 Price Estimate For China Mobile?
- How Are Regulatory Changes Likely To Affect China Mobile’s Revenues In 2020?
- How Does China Mobile’s Wireless Business Compare With Its Peers?
- How Does China Mobile’s Wireline Broadband Business Compare With Its Peers?
- Key Trends To Watch As China Mobile Reports Its Q4 And FY’18 Results
With over 650 million subscribers, China Mobile not only dwarfs its U.S. counterparts, Verizon and AT&T, but also its Chinese rivals, China Unicom and China Telecom, by close to 3 and 6 times, respectively. A wide network coverage has helped it net over 10 million iPhone users, as of October 2011. This means that despite the availability of a subsidized iPhone on competitor China Unicom’s network, people have chosen to pay for an unsubsidized iPhone just to be able to access China Mobile’s slower but more reliable 2G network. The availability of a subsidized iPhone on China Mobile’s network will be a huge opportunity for Apple to gain a strong foothold in the Chinese market.
However there are two significant bottlenecks. China Mobile doesn’t have a 3G network that the iPhone currently supports, and the LTE network that it is testing is also incompatible with the ones deployed by Verizon and AT&T in the U.S.
iPhone on China Mobile seems plausible now
But now that Qualcomm’s Gobi chipsets can not only support the TD-LTE network that China Mobile is testing but also the TD-SCDMA 3G network that it already has, Apple can finally have a true “world phone”. Qualcomm’s chipsets have already helped Apple launch the iPhone 4S as a single hardware for both the competing GSM and CDMA standards. The stellar performance by the iPhone 4S subsequently helped both the companies post record earnings in the fourth quarter of last year.
During the October-December period of 2011, when Apple had no carrier deals to sell the iPhone 4S in China, its market share dropped to 7.5%, and its market position was overtaken by ZTE.  However, after the recent deals with China Unicom and China Telecom and now hopefully with China Mobile, Apple can turn around its market share loss in China.
Our $550 price estimate for Apple stock is about 7% ahead of the current market price.Notes:
- Qualcomm Announces Fifth Generation Embedded Data Connectivity Reference Platform, Company Site, February 21st, 2012 [↩]
- Apple’s iPhone loses China market share, Reuters, February 17th, 2012 [↩]


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This week Red Touch Media had the amazing opportunity to participate in Dave & Buster’s 2014 H.E.A.R.T fund charity golf tournament at Indian Creek Golf Club outside of Dallas, Texas.
With sponsors like Oracle, Coca-Cola, Tyson Foods, Coors Light and Red Touch Media, Dave & Buster’s was able to raise a significant amount of support for their campaign “Helping Employees at Rough Times” (H.E.A.R.T) which was created many years ago to address the need of employees and families affected by unforeseen events.
Red Touch Media donated a red cherry Gibson electric guitar to their auction event following the golf tournament. The lucky bidder won the guitar after submitting numerous tickets into the bid and hoping that the prized guitar would call his number. The reunion was met with much excitement since the winner is a big music enthusiast and supporter of Dave & Buster’s charity events.
Dave & Buster’s is thankful to all those that participated in making this year’s golf tournament. Tournament sponsors have been able to make this year the most successful year to date. We at Red Touch Media were just glad to be able to support such an honorable event, swing some clubs, and help those that stand in need and we will be ready to do the same in 2015.


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GRVTY Media – a digital media and content marketing group whose brand portfolio include Vulcan Post, Discover Singapore, Millennials of Singapore and The Playbook – has closed a S$1 million ($726,111) investment from Spout Entertainment Group.
The investment comes just three months after the inception of GRVTY Media in April 2017 and will finance its development into a millennial-centric digital media group targeting a Southeast Asian audience.
In addition to the investment, GRVTY Media and Spout Entertainment have jointly announced they will be partnering in areas such as cross- platform integration, media events and brand partnerships.
Spout Entertainment Group backs the e-gaming platform Spout 360, E-Sports Stadium Spout Arena (formerly known as Alienware Arena), as well as E- Learning Portal Cite Education.
GRVTY Media posts a monthly media reach of over 20 million individuals organically on social media through its four media brands: Vulcan Post, covering technology, digital lifestyle and entrepreneurial news; Discover SG and Discover KL which are lifestyle media offerings; The PLAYBOOK, a street fashion and entertainment bible for hype lovers; and Millennials of Singapore and Millennials of Kuala Lumpur, which focus on the millennial consumer segment.
According to a media release, the new Spout-GRVTY group will have a combined base of 30 million unique visitors a month in Southeast Asia, with plans to internationalise the local media brands.
GRVTY Media’s describes its competitive edge as”being able to produce content that resonates with its audience” and operates across formats such as video, live streaming, and social images. As part of its growth strategy, it will be seeking to build more strategic partnerships.
Discussing the firm’s revenue model, Jacky Yap, co-founder and Managing Director at GRVTY Media, told DEALSTREETASIA that monetisation was primarily through providing branded content. Asked if he would consider a paywall, Yap explained: “A paywall is an interesting option but I think it doesn’t work in Singapore yet. We are exploring other monetization models for now.”
On event formats, Yap explained that it was not a primary focus. However, he adds, “We do organise a content summit where we get new media publishers together to discuss the state of new media in Southeast Asia. This is very industry/trade centric, and we will be doing another one in end October. The purpose of this is to educate and introduce new media brands to the marketing industry.”
Spout’s founding chief executive, Daryl Teo, will join GRVTY Media’s board of directors. Daryl also sits on the Investment Board of venture builder REAPRA Group, which recently invested in Inc Southeast Asia and the Kokotel hotel chain.
In a statement, Yap said, “With extensive experience leading teams at Grab, TheMobileGamer and Openbucks, Daryl brings a wealth of product knowledge and startup experience as GRVTY Media embarks on an exciting chapter of new media transformation.”
According to Yap, this latest infusion of growth capital will be used to deepen its media offerings, develop new media assets and drive market expansion in the region. However, M&A activity as a growth strategy has not been ruled out, though Yap explained that the firm had no current plans in that area.
In an email exchange with DEALSTREETASIA, Yap shared: “The main challenges are always identifying what’s the next big thing and which platform. Audiences are evolving fast every day and we have to keep up with them. This means how and where they are consuming their content, what are the content that resonates with them.”


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Samsung has taken quite some beating particularly over the Q2 of 2016. That year was particularly hard for the Samsung brand. They need to pull something grand to repair its brand image, and Samsung foldable smartphones might just do the trick.
We first learned about the bendable/foldable Samsung smartphone in June 2016, and it might just come to fruition before the end of this year.
Report by The Korea Herald claims Samsung is prepping up for the release of about 100,000 units of foldable smartphones that turn into tablets. The device when folded turns into a smartphone, and when unfolded, it turns into a 7-inch tablet.
News of Samsung’s planned release of a foldable smartphone that turns into a tablet is in line with a patent the company released. As SlashGear writes, the patent title reads; “Foldable electronic apparatus having display panel with variable curvature”.
There is also the expected released of Samsung Galaxy S8, April 18, 2017. So be on the lookout for that. Yes, it has the standard 3.5 mm headset jack but at the bottom, instead of at the top as most modern smartphones seem to be trying to make as the standard.
Is this what the Samsung Galaxy S8 will look like (with a case)? Latest render from case manufacturer Ghostek shows a possible sneak peak. pic.twitter.com/BhpELVDQ1S
— Safwan Ahmedmia (@SuperSaf) January 12, 2017
Judging from the case alone, we can conclude the Galaxy S8 will have three buttons. Probably a power button, and up/down volume buttons on the side. The phones will have a USB-C port at the bottom according to rumors doing round.


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Ministry of Commerce has announced that the tariff concessions under Phase-II of the CPFTA will be implemented between the governments of Pakistan and China from 1st January 2020. As per the agreement, the CPFTA-II will immediately eliminate the tariff on 313 tariff lines of Pakistan’s export interest covering $8.7 billion worth of Pakistan’s global export and $64 billion of Chinese global imports.
Poland has shown interest in enhancing bilateral trade with Pakistan. According to Poland Ambassador to Pakistan Piotr A Opalinski, Pakistan and Poland have good potential to trade many goods with each other as bilateral trade volume between Poland and Pakistan had increased to over half a billion euros. The envoy said Poland was located in central Europe and could become a hub for Pakistan’s exports to the European Union.
The United States is planning to send 15 trade delegations to Pakistan in 2020 to explore possibilities for expanding trade with the country, says Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells. This information was in a paper which Wells read at a Washington think-tank last week. She added that both the governments are working to increase US-Pakistan trade and investment relationship.
The trade ties between Pakistan and the United States are set to witness a new record this year as U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Imran Khan have reaffirmed their commitment for a stronger relationship, said the White House. Recalling their conversations in Washington and New York, the two leaders agreed to deepen bilateral collaboration, including at relevant multilateral fora.
In order to avoid a severe crisis vis-à-vis availability of life-saving drugs in the local market, the government has lifted the ban on import of medicines and raw material from India. Ban on other trade items will remain. The exemption is given in the best interest of the public and in order to maintain supply of medicines to patients.
Pakistan and China have decided to enter into an agreement to control misdeclaration at the country’s ports, as the menace has been causing massive revenue and foreign investment loss. In order to control corruption within the customs department and reduce misdeclaration, the two countries will automate the port data and declaration system. Currently, 62% of declared goods at port showed discrepancies.
At the Future of Asia forum in Tokyo, Malaysia’s PM Mohamad Mahathir proposed that East Asia should consider a common regional trading currency based on gold to promote commerce and stability, and free the region from relying on dollar transactions. He emphasised that this currency would be used for regional trade only and would not replace domestic currencies.


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Hestan Smart Cooking will take the tech it used in its connected countertop system to a more permanent location in your kitchen. The company has created an induction cooktop that connects to Hestan Cue ($399 at Amazon) Bluetooth-enabled cookware and iOS/Android app, the company announced at the National Kitchen Bath Industry Show last week in Orlando. That means that your cooktop will talk to your pans and mobile device to automatically regulate burner temperature and guide you through the app's recipes with videos and step-by-step instructions. The induction cooktop will be available later this year. The company hasn't released pricing information.
Hestan also announced that it has brought the connected cooking tech to gas burners, which would be a departure from cooking systems that typically use, a type of power that uses electromagnetic energy. Hestan hasn't released information about when a connected gas cooktop will be available or how much it will cost.
Hestan's cooktop appears to work like the $500I reviewed. Hestan pots and pans each contain a "smart capsule" in its handles that is equipped with Bluetooth. The induction cooktop, which also has Bluetooth, will connect to the iOS or Android app. Once you select a recipe in the app, it will tell the burner what temperature is required for each stage of a recipe. At the same time, the burner will keep track of the temperature on the pan's surface, so if it's getting too hot, the burner will automatically lower its temperature or vice versa.
Guided cooking systems have been limited to single, countertop induction burners, such as the Hestan Cue and the Paragon Induction Cooktop. Moving the system into a built-in cooktop requires a bigger commitment than buying a small appliance that's easy to stow away if you don't like it. I liked the Hestan Cue system -- the recipes on the app were easy to follow, and I polished some cooking skills thanks to the helpful videos embedded in each recipe. But my main gripe with the Hestan Cue countertop burner was its high cost, and the built-in cooktop will probably be even more expensive. This is the type of cooking tech that could teach you how to be a better cook, but the price will put this out of reach for many folks who could really use it.