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PowerNet Global Communications has launched its uSecure Internet Security Suite, an all-in one Internet protection package for homes and small offices.
The service is powered by Bsecure and sold through PowerNet Globals affinity groups and independent agents.
The uSecure package includes software for parental control, anti-virus, firewall, instruction detection and spam protection; and pop-up and spyware killer.
There are so many confusing and expensive protection products out there that dont work well together, says Larry Moses, executive vice president of sales. With uSecure, our Internet customers enjoy complete protection, all in one inexpensive and convenient package, for less than a dime a day.


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Muse was named one of the best stores in Texas, according to six-week survey on ShopAcrossTexas.com.
The annual full list, which will be released on Aug. 1, named the Corpus Christi store one of the top 45 in the state. Muse carries clothes, jewelry, accessories and vintage pieces.
ShopAcrossTexas.com includes highly selective gift guides ranging from bridal and holiday to Texas gifts.
– – – –
San Antonio-based TTC Holdings Inc., which operates a branch office of The Trust Co. in Corpus Christi, has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire investment adviser Austin, Calvert & Flavin Inc.
The purchase of the 28-year-old firm, for an undisclosed amount, is pending closing and final regulatory approval.
The combined client assets of the firms will total more than $2 billion, according to TTC officials. This additional size will help to create more efficiency for both firms and enable a broader menu of financial services, they added.
TTC (TTCH) has about 90 shareholders with management ownership at about 17 percent. More than 90 percent of TTCH owners live and work in South Texas.
– – – –
Non-profit organizations in Texas interesting in owning a solar energy system in 2010 can apply to receive a free one from Green Mountain Energy Co.
Green Mountain is looking for non-profits to apply at www.BigTexasSunClub.com by Aug. 21. Big Texas Sun Club is a voluntary program that Green Mountain customers can join for a $5 monthly fee to raise funds for solar energy projects.
The club has facilitated the construction of 16 solar modules, responsible for creating nearly 157 kilowatts of solar power and eliminating more than 408,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. For more information, visit GreenMountain.com.
Have any biz buzz? Contact Business Editor Tom Whitehurst Jr. at 886-3619 or nbusiness@ caller.com. Business writer Fanny S. Chirinos contributed this week.

domain: news


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Abhishek Bhandari of AsiaDigiCoin on how the ongoing demonetization in India that has ruffled many feathers profits digital currencies.
Major bitcoin exchange and mining pool BTCC COO Samson Mow revealed that the institution was Segregated Witness (SegWit) ready. Will SegWit become activated?
The Free Republic of Liberland currently using Bitcoin as their national currency has hinted it can migrate to a new cryptocurrency.
Jeff Berwick, has urged people to create systems to rule ourselves and stop using government money, using Bitcoin instead.
In a backward move, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has outlawed Bitcoin directing and cautioning Kenyans to reject it.
BipCoin, a new currency based off of the same CryptoNote technology as Monero, recently released a functional GUI wallet before XMR.
Cointelegraph spoke to Ryan Taylor aka Baby Giraffe, Director of Finance at Dash about the new phenomenon of private-centric cryptocurrency.
Bribes, Interpol, druids, yachts, cocaine, witchcraft and of course, OneCoin (but no Blockchain) figure here in part 3 of Angelina Lazar’s story.
Angelina Lazar accuses Boris Boyko, the former Prime Minister of Bulgaria, and the Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic of taking bribes from OneCoin, and asks, w...
Angelina Lazar, rogue economist, ideologue, cryptocurrency revolutionary tells Cointelegraph all about her war with OneCoin.
General Bytes is the manufacturer of the Bitcoin-only Red Bull vending machine installed recently at Hackers Congress. GB marketing guru Martijn Wismeijer tells...
Cointelegraph spoke to Jani Valjavec, co-founder of Iconomi, about how they are leveraging Blockchain DAOs to disrupt the financial industry.
The Blockchain startup Decent is half way into their Initial Coin Offering, and has raised more than $3 million.
Bruce Fenton, founder of Bitcoin Foundation, adds his voice to the ubiquitous claims that OneCoin is a Ponzi scheme and its perpetrators should be arrested.
Monero developer Riccardo Spagni, aka FluffyPony, on how the Monero users should store their funds.
Fran Strajnar, CEO of BraveNewCoin, about the development of oracles as Ethereum’s missing link to make smart contracts truly useful to the regular business wor...
Cointelegraph spoke with Roger Ver about the Bitcoin’s way out of stagnation.
Rijk Plasman, founder of Gulden, Netherlands-based cryptocurrency, tells Cointelegraph about its rise.
As far as leading the digital currency revolution, Bitcoin just isn’t getting it done. Ryan Taylor of Dash sees why.
In South Africa, any merchant who accepts credit card or bank payments through PayFast can also accept Bitcoin payments.
Bitcoin advocate and investor Roger Ver explains why he took OKEX Fintech to a Hong Kong High Court.
Cointelegraph spoke to Roger Ver, CEO of Bitcoin.com on whether Bitcoin should scale or not at this crucial moment in its march to become a global digital curre...
Another disruptive technology powered by the Blockchain is set to completely eliminate the outrageously high cost of remittances to Africa.
Are all Bitcoin exchanges lax on security? Robert Genito, Genitrust’s CEO, thinks so and urges them to get rid of their hot wallets entirely.
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Eterna Plc plans LPG investment, to Grow Its Retail Footprints
Eterna Plc, an indigenous integrated energy company, has pledged to make solid investments in Liquefied Petroleum Gas space and set up the necessary infrastructure for market penetration.
The company also plans to grow its retail footprints in the country as part of its effort to provide energy solutions in efficient and innovative ways, while continuing the trajectory of its 5-year strategic plans.
The company stated this at its 29th annual general meeting (AGM) in Lagos while assuring its shareholders of improving performance and returns on their investment in the years ahead as the company seeks to consolidate the gains from recent initiatives by the new board and management.
The AGM is the first after the emergence of the new majority core investor; Preline Limited.
Preline Limited acquired a 60.98 percent stake in the Company, making it the largest and majority shareholder.
With the emergence of the new majority core investor, the board and management of Eterna Plc have assured shareholders that despite the global challenges faced by the industry, there is hope for growth and a better future outlook for the company.
Addressing shareholders at the AGM, Eterna PLC’s Chairman, Gabriel Ogbechie, noted that the company’s goal to be Africa’s preferred Energy Company while providing energy solutions that is efficient is still in full course.
“We will continue to focus on delivering value to our shareholders as we continue to drive the growth and profitability of our business,” Ogbechie stated.
According to him the company will actively continue to play across the energy value chain covering production, transportation and distribution of energy solutions vital for economic growth and development.
“We will be the first choice for our customers as we seek to dominate the African energy industry by strategically expanding our operations and growing market share.
‘’With the addition of the new investor, the prospects have continued to look up for our Company, considering the track record, resolute commitment to stakeholder value addition and the industry experience the new investor brings.
“The investment demonstrates the belief in the potential of our company,” he emphasized.
Ogbechie affirmed that the company will begin to incrementally improve its involvement in the aviation space with the retail of Aviation Turbine Kerosene.
He said that the company has also introduced various initiatives targeted at enhancing market presence, growing volumes and local brand equity for its lubricants.
Eterna PLC is the sole distributor of Castrol products in Nigeria and subsequently other West African countries.
“In relation to new businesses, we have commenced discussions with some potential strategic partners with a view to exploring opportunities in identified growth areas within the energy space.
“We are grateful to all the stakeholders that have stayed committed to our Company and helped us achieve our goals thus far,” the chairman said.
Eterna PLC achieved a consolidated operating revenue of N82 billion compared with N58.7 billion in 2020.
This was largely attributable to the improved economic activities as against the previous period.
It recorded a decline in its gross profit from N5.5 billion in 2020 to N4.2 billion in 2021.
The Company also recorded a decline in its Operating Profit from N1.5 billion in 2020 to N236 million in 2021.
It recorded a Loss before Taxation of (N936 million) in 2021, a decline from the N548 million Profit recorded in the previous year.
Speaking at the event, Adeleke Oladimeji, a shareholder, called on the new board to continue to work hard in ensuring that they take the company to greater height.
He commended the quality of experience and skill set of the new directors whom he charged to develop better strategies in expanding the business for profitability, especially the lubricants.
On his own part, Okezie Boniface, the chairman of Progressive shareholders called on the management to consolidate on the gains of the past and ensure the company remains a top brand in the market.
The following directors were ratified and elected by the Shareholders at the AGM; Akinwande Ademosu, Benjamin Nwaezeigwe, Phoebean Ifeadi, Godrey Ogbechie, Anibor Kragha, Emmanuel Omuojine, Okechukwu Omezi and Gabriel Ogbechie.
Eterna Plc is an integrated energy company that distributes petroleum products across the country to Retail, Industrial, Automotive, Marine and Energy customers.
The Company has a retail footprint of over 70 active petroleum products retail outlets, world-class lubricants, manufacturing plant and petroleum storage terminals.


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Now you and the director of such video game hits as Metal Gear can snuggle all through the night.
Despite an ugly break-up with long-time employer Konami, we’re seeing more of video game creator Hideo Kojima than ever before. The famed Metal Gear director has been regularly reaching out to fans and other industry professionals while launching both his new production studio and YouTube channel.
But maybe you feel like you need even more Kojima in your life, specifically in your bedroom. If so, then you’re in luck, because you can now buy your very own Hideo Kojima huggy pillow.
THIS GUY HAS A KOJIMA BODY PILLOW https://t.co/DBf9K5RIDu—
kaze (@rokudo) February 19, 2016
The unique piece of merchandise was spotted at last weekend’s MAGFest, a music and gaming convention held in Maryland. Seeing everything at the four-day event no doubt entails a lot of legwork, and while Pillow Kojima doesn’t have any feet to get tired, at one point the owner of the example shown above decided to stop for a rest with his companion.
Cyrus (@Cycopather) February 19, 2016
While the man’s face is obscured in both photos, Twitter user and fellow MAGFest attendee @Drool_Prince is less shy, and has posted multiple pictures of herself sharing a drink with “Kojima.”
Drool Prince (@Drool_Prince) February 21, 2016
A drink with Kojima. https://t.co/7oUmuN67x4—
Drool Prince (@Drool_Prince) November 04, 2015
Further back, the pillow was also seen at Detroit’s Youmacon anime convention, which took place last November.
It’s not like these three superfans are passing around a communal pillow, though. The Hideo Kojima body pillow can be ordered here through online retailer ArtsCow for US$29.99. The site even reveals something you can’t tell from the above photos: the pillowcase is double-sided, with a close-up of Kojima adjusting his signature glasses on the back.
The quality looks to be pretty high, too, even if we can’t help but feel like ArtsCow missed a golden opportunity by not adding some bold text to the fabric announcing “A Hideo Kojima pillow.”


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China smartphone sales slow for first time in six years just as competition picks up
The Chinese smartphone market slowed for the first time in six years in the first quarter, according to a new report, just as a host of new companies are planning to wade in with new offerings.
Technology research company International Data Corporation (IDC) said shipments contracted four per cent year over year to 98.8 million units as the market continued to mature. Apple ranked as the largest seller, followed by Xiaomi.
“China is oftentimes thought of as an emerging market, but the reality is that the vast majority of phones sold in China today are smartphones, similar to other mature markets like the US, UK, Australia, and Japan,” said Kitty Fok, managing director at IDC China.
“Just like these markets, convincing existing users as well as feature phone users to upgrade to new smartphones will now be the key to further growth in the China market," she added.
The prospect of high profits has tempted a slew of companies to step into the smartphone market, with many non-phone makers set to join established local players Xiaomi, ZTE and Huawei as well as the top foreign brands of Apple and Samsung.
Many foreign observers have warned the surge in entrants could cause a bubble that would force some to lose out, and IDC warned that the market is becoming saturated.
To fight for share, IDC said major smartphone makers will use multiple strategies. Huawei and ZTE are competing in “multi-brand strategies,” relying on the speedy development of new models.
Huawei, Lenovo, and Xiaomi are all in a “higher price tier competition,” making high-end models to compete with each other and with Apple, IDC said.
Almost all major Chinese smartphone makers have the ambition to explore foreign markets, which is also a key strategy, it said.
But others said that many people in China have only just started to change their old mobile phones to smartphones, pointing to huge demand ahead.
Yang Weiqing, founder of Chinese consulting group iResearch, told the South China Morning Post recently that smartphones are the most promising sector in the Chinese IT industry.
“The smartphone is the fundamental tool to connect all parties on the Internet and can be the starting point of Internet Plus to link consuming, industries and finance,” he said, referring to the government’s plan to boost e-commerce, called “Internet Plus”.
More than 500 billion Chinese were using smartphones last year, and about 570 million used mobile Internet, up by 13.4 per cent year on year, according to iResearch.
Apple continues to stress the importance of the Chinese market, which overtook the US to become the largest market for iPhones in the first quarter. On Monday, CEO Tim Cook joined China’s largest social network Sina Weibo, attracting 410,000 followers within just one day.


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Backbreaker customisation features revealed
Naturalmotion and 505 Games have been talking about the new team customisation in Backbreaker.
The new American football title can either tweak existing team strips or create new ones from scratch.
The customisation kit includes a huge array of colours, shapes, letters, cutters and blockers which can be used by players to create the strips of their dreams.
The custom strips can then be slotted into online multiplayer games so you can pit your own team in their custom livery against your friends.
- Trine series sells 7 million copies, Frozenbyte releases user-creation tools
- Lots of teary-eyed gamers as more Star Wars: Battlefront 3 gameplay footage leaks out
- Jade Raymond leaves Ubisoft Toronto to pursue new opportunities
- Ryse: Son Of Rome scores Best Game Design award at the Animago Awards in Germany
- Activision releases the launch trailer for Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare a little early
- Rockstar won't be holding a beta for GTA Online on the PC
- UK to toughen up laws on internet harassment
- Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward expansion announced for release next year, first screenshots released
- Driveclub issues persist as players report trouble downloading the latest patch


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Africa has the second largest population after Asia, but, more importantly, it has favorable demographics compared to the aging demographic in Europe and Japan. Some two-thirds of the continent’s 1.3 billion people are under 24 years old and are a prime target market for digital financial services.
Many analysts now consider Africa the epicentre of the mobile money movement. In 2019, there were 481 million registered mobile money accounts in Africa, making up 46% of global accounts. This trend was expectedly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw multiple countries implementing a lockdown.
Kenya has been a success story in the mobile payment technology space, with companies like Mpesa offering mobile to mobile payments via SMS for more than a decade. About 200million consumers have subscribed for its mobile money services, and it processes 16 million transactions a day. The success of Mpesa highlights that African consumers are ready to embrace seamless cashless financial solutions.
Africa’s leading mobile operator MTN has partnered with payment platform Mastercard to add online payment functions to its mobile wallet for users across its fintech footprint. The South Africa-based company announced the partnership which could enable users of its MTN MoMo (mobile money) service to make online payments. Users of MoMo in all the 16 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa where MTN Money operates will be able to use a Mastercard virtual payment solution linked to their MoMo wallets, to “shop at well-known global e-commerce brands and pay quickly and securely for leisure shopping, travel, accommodation, entertainment, streaming services and more.” For owners of small businesses, the payment solution will enable them “to purchase from suppliers abroad”, the companies said in a press release. This is set to lead to significant gains in financial connectivity between Africans and the wider world.
Meanwhile, MFS Africa, a Pan-African fintech MFS Africa has recently announced that its payment solutions now reach over 320 million mobile money wallets, thereby facilitating large-scale compatibility between banks, telcos, money transfer operators, and other financial institutions in Africa through a single integration point. That’s impressive for a company that currently covers 60% of all mobile money wallets in the sub-Saharan African region.
It’s clear that the opportunities are there for the taking. However, businesses seeking to take advantage of the massive growth potential offered by the African financial services market have to understand regional intricacies. This is because each country has completely different socio-economic dynamics and regulatory regimes.
Join Leadvent Group at the Banking Innovation Africa Forum. You will experience 2 days of digital presentations, panel discussion, and networking spread across two days, interspersed with interactive questions & answers sessions. Take advantage of this chance to network with, and learn from, leading industry experts addressing the biggest challenges in banking innovation and digital transformation


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Poor old HTC, once the darling of the Android set, they just can’t seem to put a foot right these days. Lackluster phones which resolutely stuck to it’s Sense version of Android when even Samsung, the acknowledged masters of stupid ugly bloatware where slimming down and even an attempt to corner the non-existent Windows Phone market left it in deep financial do-do. Their shares have dropped by 60% so far this year and this leaves the companies market capital at lower than it’s actual cash reserves, meaning the phones, factories, offices and brand equity is worth nothing.
Well, much as I hate to kick a guy when he’s down, there’s more bad news. Four researchers for FireEye presented a paper called “Fingerprints On Mobile Devices: Abusing and Leaking” at the Recent Blackhat security conference in Las Vegas that revealed that the HTC ONE Max stored data from it’s fingerprint sensor as a simple bitmap file in an unsecured folder. Yes, you read that right, while the image is slightly obscured by being in a non-standard format it was simple to rearrange it into a clear image of your fingerprint.
This means that given about 30 seconds with your phone I could nab the file, email it to a third party and get a copy made that would give me access to everything you thought was secure. And that’s just me, not a hacker, not a software exploit writer, just a dumb fool who knows how to use a file manager on Android.
It’s not clear if the release of Android 5.2 which has native support for fingerprint readers will close all the vulnerabilities this report warns of, but you’ve got to hope that nobody at Google is stupid enough to store secure data in this way. As for HTC, you have to wonder if they will even recover their preeminent position in the Android world if they keep making facepalm inducing errors like this.
Oh, and if you have the HTC ONE Max, you’ll probably want to put some extra security on it.


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Just weeks after the sale closed, landmark Upper Macungie factory’s demolition begins.
The former Kraft Heinz Co. plant in Upper Macungie Township has started to crumble — courtesy of excavators plucking at the building in piecemeal fashion to make way for an Atlanta developer's two warehouses.
Ridgeline Property Group on Monday announced that demolition of the 45-year-old manufacturing plant had begun. Several excavators worked on the portion of the Kraft plant closest to the adjacent warehouse that houses Uline, creating a crater in the facility resembling a small junkyard.
Chris Ciliberti, partner and head of Ridgeline's Northeast operations, said the demolition will take four to five months to complete. From there, Ridgeline plans to turn the 92-acre property into a two-warehouse complex called Park 100 Logistics Center.
"This represents a tremendous opportunity for us to develop this prime infill site and create a state-of-the-art logistics campus benefiting from a strategic location with excellent highway and rail access," Ridgeline CEO Greg Thurman said in a news release issued Monday.
The plant, which employed 415 people at the time, ended up closing Nov. 18 — one year and two weeks after the November 2015 announcement.
The next chapter for the property will be as a high-grade, rail-accessible logistics campus with two distribution facilities totaling up to 1.46 million square feet. The site is about one mile from the Route 100-Interstate 78 interchange.
The first 730,080-square-foot warehouse is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018, according to Ridgeline. CBRE has been selected to market the property for lease or build-to-suit.
But while Ridgeline has received conditional use approval for two warehouses and was issued a demolition permit on Feb. 13, the township has not received a land development application, said Daren Martocci, director of planning and zoning for Upper Macungie. He added that Ridgeline needs to process a land development plan to satisfy the township's subdivision and land development ordinance.
The project's location, Ridgeline said, provides immediate access to transportation routes serving the Northeast. That, along with the available workforce within a 30-minute commute, makes a strong case for companies to operate on the property, Ridgeline said. The company also pointed out the low vacancy rate for top-grade, bulk warehouse space in the Lehigh Valley, as supply has been absorbed quickly in the market.
"With historic levels of absorption combined with limited competitive supply, Park 100 Logistics Center is well positioned to capitalize on strong market fundamentals in Lehigh Valley," Ciliberti said.
Uses: Kraft opened the plant in 1972 and closed it on Nov. 18, 2016. Over the course of 44 years, the plant made several products such as Grey Poupon mustard, A.1. Steak Sauce and Miracle Whip. Now, Ridgeline is demolishing the structure and planning to put two warehouses in its place.
Location: 7352 Industrial Blvd., Upper Macungie
Size: 907,610-square-foot factory on a 92-acre lot


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An illegal cigarette production scheme was dismantled near the city of Namur, ending a months-long investigation by customs authorities into an illicit cigarette trade worth an estimated €6 million.
Authorities seized around 25 million cigarettes and 10 tons of tobacco, together with manufacturing and packaging tools found in a factory in Tamines, located between the cities of Charleroi and Namur.
Customs agents searched the warehouse, where they found 15 employees and also discovered living facilities such as a kitchen, several rooms and even a gym.
The packaging on the cigarettes indicated that the illegal products were destined for Greek, Turkish and British markets.
The number of cigarettes found in the factory was equivalent to over a million packets, according to RTBF, and the illegal trade scheme worth was estimated at €6 million.
The dismantling operation, carried out by about 30 customs agents, brought to a close an eight-month long investigation led by customs authorities.
Special police forces assisted in the search, after which one person was questioned.
The Brussels Times


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Honda is an aspirational brand in India. It is known for its sedan lineup. So the recent shift in SUVs caught Honda off-guard. But now Honda is working on their SUV lineup. In India, it is developing a mid-size SUV based on the City platform. Abroad Honda had unveiled the N7X concept last year. Now … Continue reading Honda BR-V revealed – Makes SENSE for INDIA?
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SCARBOROUGH, Maine (NEWS CENTER) --
Thousands of people went out shopping on Black Friday in hopes of getting good deals on holiday gifts.
Some camped out overnight in front of stores to be first in line to snatch up the coveted items of the season.
The line at Cabela's in Scarborough was 950 people long at 5 a.m.
"This is my first year -- I wasn't told we were doing this until five minutes before we left the house so I was very unprepared. I got like two sweatshirts and it's still pretty cold," said Sam Rideout.
Lines moved quickly at stores like Cabela's. People remained orderly, with no violence or outbursts reported.
"Our customers are very patient. They realize it's a big day for us and they see we're making an honest effort to get it done," said Greg Sirpis, the retail marketing manager at Cabela's. "A lot of people like waiting in line -- it's become a ritual for them."
Families say they wake up early every year not only for the deals, but to spend more time with family.
"It's a tradition -- my daughter and I do it every year," said Shane from Damariscotta.
Katie Finemore drove all the way from Monticello in Aroostook County to shop.
"Probably 10 years with my mom, but of course we're up in Aroostook County, so there's not much you get out in the county so it's like 'ooh! There's more shopping!'" said Finemore. "It's worth it because you can make the scores for your kids."


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Facebook Is Going to Sell Your Pictures
While it's never a good idea to post pictures to Facebook unless you don't care who sees them, you probably never imagined that, even if you delete your account, Facebook could use those pictures for commercial purposes. That's the impression that recent changes to the company's Terms of Service (TOS) seemed to give, however.
The ensuing uproar over the changes prompted Facebook's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, to address the issue on the company's blog. Zuckerberg claims the changes clarified the way sites like Facebook work, pointing out that even if a user deletes his or her account, the content from that account might still exist on other users' pages. Accordingly, Facebook needs license to share those images with other members, but only in the way that users determine via their accounts' privacy settings. Most importantly, Zuckerberg insists that Facebook has no intention of selling users' pictures for any reason, though he admits that Facebook needs to work on clarifying the language to that effect.
Facebook Destroys Your Social Skills
There's no denying that Facebook makes it easier to connect with old friends and distant relatives, but this convenience might come at a heavy cost. West London Mental Health Trust psychiatrist Himanshu Tyagi warns that because social networking makes communicating such a fast paced and dynamic experience, people might become desensitized to their real-world relationships. Younger people who've grown up with the Internet are particularly at risk, he says, since they sometimes place heavy emphasis on their virtual identities and may undervalue face-to-face interaction as a result.
Psychologist Aric Sigman goes even further, saying that because Facebook enables people to live an increasingly isolated existence, their health may suffer. Pointing to studies that illustrate how the body's genes and hormone levels react to personal interaction, Dr. Sigman contends isolation puts the body at risk for a number of ailments including heart disease, strokes and even cancer.
[Company X] Is Going to Buy Facebook
For most 20-somethings, a billion dollars would sound like a lot of money, but not for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. After running Facebook for two years, Zuckerberg entered into talks with Yahoo! to discuss selling the company. Facebook competitor MySpace sold for $580 million only a year earlier and had more users than Facebook at the time, so Yahoo! likely felt that offering a purported $ 1 billion for the Web site was more than generous [source: BBC]. Zuckerberg thought otherwise, opting to maintain ownership and control of the company, instead.
It turns out he made the right move; only a year later, Microsoft valued Facebook at $15 billion [source: Sloane]. Granted, Microsoft had its reasons for pinning such a hefty price tag on the Web site, essentially guaranteeing that none of its competitors could purchase Facebook as a result. Still, an early 2009 internal appraisal of Facebook's value placed the figure at closer to $4 billion, an amount still well above the $1 billion offered by Yahoo! [source: CBS News]. As for selling the company, the rumors seem to have died down for now. In a 2007 interview with Time magazine, Zuckerberg claimed that selling Facebook is "not the core focus" for the company. Instead, Zuckerberg says Facebook is busy finding the best possible way for people to connect online, which brings us to our next myth.
Facebook's Founder Stole the Idea for the Site
Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, was declared the world's youngest billionaire at age 24 by Forbes Magazine. But years before Facebook was a household name, Zuckerberg was hired to do some coding for fellow Harvard students starting a Web site called Harvard Connection. The Web site was designed to help college students network with one another, a premise remarkably similar to Facebook's. The rest of the story depends on whom you ask. The students behind Harvard Connection contend that Zuckerberg deliberately neglected his programming duties so that he could create a site with the same premise. Zuckerberg, on the other hand, claims his inspiration for Facebook stemmed from Harvard's reaction to Facemash, his previous Web site. Facemash had a very simple premise, allowing Harvard students to compare and rate pictures of each other. The instant success of the site (for the few days Harvard allowed the site to remain up, at least) gave Zuckerberg insight into the appeal of following friends and acquaintances online. From there, Zuckerberg claims that, considering the buzz around social networking at the time, the idea for Facebook was a natural extension of his previous work.
So what's the real story? After a lengthy legal battle between the founders of Harvard Connection (now called ConnectU) and Zuckerberg, the matter was ultimately settled out of court. According to a publication released from Harvard Connection's lawyers, Facebook agreed to pay up to $61 million in cash and stock to close the matter [source: Kincaid]. While that's a lot of money, it doesn't scratch the surface of what Facebook is worth today, which explains why the next myth on the list has yet to become a reality.
They're Going to Start Charging for It
We've heard our whole lives that there's no such thing as a free lunch, so it's only natural for people to suspect Facebook might start charging for its service. This rumor seems particularly plausible when you consider arguments like the one Slate magazine writer Farhad Manjoo put forth in a column from 2008. Manjoo pointed out that if even 5 percent of Facebook users agreed to pay $5 a month for the service (with the remaining users downgraded to limited accounts), Facebook could generate hundreds of millions of dollars a year in membership fees alone.
Fortunately for Facebook users, the company currently has no plans to start charging for the service. According to a Business Week interview with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook is profitable and growing quickly based only on the strength of its advertising revenues. So while it's hard to look in to the future and say with certainty what Facebook's business model will look like, for the time being Facebook addicts can keep their money in their wallets when they log on. The next Facebook myth also has huge financial implications, but not for Facebook users. Read on to see why.


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SGS College beauty students donate Christmas boxes to women's refuge
3:03pm Wednesday 8th January 2014 in News
BEAUTY students at SGS College have been busy fixing up Christmas boxes to be donated to a local charity.
The girls, who are on a Level 1 hair and beauty course, filled the boxes with sweets, toys and toiletries and gave them to Stroud Women's Refuge on Wednesday, December 18.
Tutor Wendy Kent said: "We had someone from Stroud Women's Refuge come to our tutorial to speak about the refuge and we then planned and made the boxes.
"We have also invited them to come in for some treatments."
Comments are closed on this article.


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Alongside society’s reliance on social media and the way in which we use apps to conduct various aspects of our lives, gaming is another…
Lenovo Smart Clock will now wake you with Google’s ‘Impromptu’ alarms
Google on Tuesday revealed a new software update rolling out for Google Assistant on the Lenovo Smart Clock featuring “Impromptu”.
According to the company, “Impromptu” is a new alarm clock feature that “gives you a ringtone that fits your situation, based on things like the time of day or weather”.
This means, with the feature enabled, users can have different alarm clock sounds throughout their day based on machine learning.
Additionally, the new update also brings improvements to the Smart Clock too.
“We’ve fine-tuned the automatic brightness, added a music recommendation card to help you get to your playlists faster, and provided more granular control over how long your alarm lasts,” Google explained.
The updates are rolling out globally for Lenovo Smart Clock users. The device, which first launched in June, is currently available in the United States, Australia and parts of Europe.
Feature image: Google


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National Assembly amendments add more restrictions to French draft bill
10/14/09 - The major trade organisation for European-facing online gambling groups, the European Gaming and Betting Association, is critical of new restrictions enshrined in amendments to a draft law on liberalising the French gambling industry.
The National Assembly has passed a number of amendments to the draft law which EGBA is concerned impose further restrictions on foreign companies entering the French market.
In a statement mid-week headed "Online betting and gambling: another 'exception Francaise?'", EGBA notes that the vote for the amendments worsens the conditions of the opening market.
"This confirms the real intention of the French government to fight, as stated by French budget Minister Woerth, in favour of a “French specificity” the statement points out, listing the questionable amendments as:
* The resetting of customer accounts: New entrants will be forced to close down the .com accounts of their French customers until they are granted a licence. This is clearly a distortion of competition as the former French monopolies FDJ and PMU will be able to continue offering their services without interruption.
* Discrimination against operators in other EU jurisdictions: New entrants from other EU jurisdictions may see their application for a licence turned down even if they have reciprocal EU tax reporting arrangements with France.
* Further limitation of pay back ratio: Further limits of the average pay back ratio to customers (which includes the sums of the bets, i.e. bonuses, and not the stakes) will make French consumers spend more to get a better return on their bets. This additional obstacle will only serve the purpose of limiting the level of competition by making it less attractive to new market entrants and restricting consumer choice.
Sigrid Ligné, Secretary General of EGBA comments in the statement, “At the time when Europe is watching the development of France’s reform, the introduction of even more unjustified restrictions is threatening to corrupt the efficient workings of the market. If the Senate votes along these lines, the prospect of a French market that is both viable and compliant with EU law is a long-way off.
"These new concerns come on top of existing restrictions that have already been flagged, such as the introduction of a “sports betting right” and the requirement to force EU operators to establish an IT platform in France," she added. "They come at a time when the overall taxation model proposed risks rendering the French offer uncompetitive in a global market, and drive away consumer demand towards an underground market with no consumer protection."
A number of implementing decrees will follow in the coming months which will specify some of the requirements of the draft law. “It is crucial that these implementing decrees are also scrutinized by the European Commission and Member States to ensure EC law compliance. We urge the French government to notify all implementing decrees as soon as possible.” Ligné remarked.
The draft now goes to the Senate for discussion and vote in January.
In following French developments, RapidTV News quoted a study on the French market released this week at Monaco's Sportel which
estimated the value of online sports betting in France at Euro 800 million immediately after liberalisation in the summer of 2010 - in time for the Soccer World Cup.
"Ten operators should share 80 percent of these revenues, that are forecast to rise to Euro 1.4 billion by 2011 and Euro 1.8 billion in 2012," the study concluded.
Licensed operators could be expected to make major investments in marketing and advertising in the first two years, especially through sponsorships into sport and media, the study found, defining the target audience as primarily the 900 000 French Internet players already betting on 'illegal' websites, as well as new players in the age demographic 18 to 45 years-old.
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Gambling News :
Phil Ivey Loses Borgata Casino -
Phil Ivey has lost in his four-year legal tussle with the Borgata over baccarat winnings; on Friday a US federal judge ruled that he and a companion violated New Jersey state gambling regulations in the manner in which they won nearly $10 million playing at the Atlantic City casino.
NYX Gaming in deal with Endemol -
"Endemol Shine’s IP will be a strong addition to the NYX portfolio of content and we look forward to working together to bring additional instantly recognizable brands to market.”
NEW CAMBODIAN GAMBLING LAWS -
After more than two years of debate and drafting, Cambodia may be closing in on final agreement regarding its proposed gambling law changes.
Playtech Acquires ECM Systems -
Online gambling soiftware provider Playtech plc has announced the acquisition of a ninety percent stake in UK bingo software developer ECM Systems for a consideration of GBP 14.9 million.
Marks and Spencer store Manager steals to Gamblie Online -
The Cambridge News reports that a 28-year-old manager of a Marks and Spencer store, Martin Trenor, has been jailed for three years for stealing GBP 254,538.11 in shop takings over the course of a year and spending it almost immediately at online gambling websites.
Chinese Gambling crackdown could damage high roller revenue -
Fast-moving events this week have seen Australian media reports quoting hundreds of millions of dollars wagered by Chinese high rollers in Aussie land casinos, offset to some extent by Crown claims that this whale gambler" demographic generates only 12 percent of turnover.
EvenBet Open Face Chinese Poker -
Open Face Chinese Poker online games provider EvenBet has reported that its Open Face Chinese Poker product is gaining traction with games recently integrated for desktop action at the Malta-licensed operational site Poker Grant.
2016 EPT Malta -
The European Poker Tour is off to a good start in Malta, with German pro Dietrich Fast claiming a well-earned Euro 174,000 main prize in the Euro 10,000 buy-in Single-Entry Rebuy event.
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Global coffee market size expected to expand to $166.39bn by 2029
By Felicia Nwosu
A recent market forecast on the global coffee market size revealed that it is expected to reach USD 166.39 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.72% during the forecast period. It was formerly projected at USD 132.13 billion in 2024.
This was revealed in a recent research conducted by Mordor Intelligence aimed at helping consumers take action that will inspire them in making decisions and, at the same time, challenge the industry to harness its power of innovation to align with the ever-increasing change in consumption.
Looking backward, the data indicated that the output for 2023/24 is expected to increase by 5.8% to 178.0 million bags, with the Arabicas’ output rising to 102.2 million bags and the Robustas’ increasing to 75.8 million bags.
When compared globally, the United States generated the highest revenue in the Coffee market with US$11,440m in 2024, while it was the world’s top coffee importer, followed by Germany, France, and Italy in 2021. On the other hand, leading exporters in the same year were Brazil, Switzerland, and Colombia.
Other notable players dominating the coffee market are countries in the Asia-Pacific region, which are known to have been traditional consumers of tea. However, the increased penetration of instant coffee in markets such as India has boosted the overall sales of the coffee category. Japan is the fifth-largest importer of coffee and coffee products. The report showed that the growing affinity for drinking coffee and the surge in willingness to try new aromas have boosted the demand for coffee in the region.
The coffee market is highly competitive and is dominated by global key players like Nestlé S.A., Kraft Heinz Company, JAB Holding Company, Luigi Lavazza S.p.A., and Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group., J.M. Smucker, Starbucks, Keurig Green Mountain, Caribou Coffee, Dunkin and Peet’s Coffee & Tea, etc. In 2021, the global top five players have a share approximately in terms of revenue.
Among the countries leading in coffee consumption, Finland is registered as the country that drinks the most coffee. It said Fins consume a whopping 12 kilograms (about 26 pounds) of coffee per capita annually, making Finland the biggest consumer of coffee on earth. Coffee is so ingrained into everyday life in Finland that, per Finnish labor laws, workers are granted two 10-15 minute coffee breaks a day.
Meanwhile, Britain sits in 44th place, despite its relatively small population; Britain has seen a significant rise in coffee consumption, overtaking tea as the nation’s preferred drink since 2022.
Predicting the future of coffee cultivation, the analysis pointed out that it is under serious threat, with researchers predicting that by 2050, coffee production could be reduced by up to 50% due to factors like disease, pests, drought, and rising temperatures.
Revealing that the demand for specialty coffee has grown significantly in recent years due to changing consumer preferences and a focus on sustainability, it claimed that Starbucks is the largest coffee chain worldwide, bringing in annual revenue of $32.3 billion (2022). This revenue increased to $35 billion as of June 2023.
Stating on the lucrative nature of the product and the reason behind coffee business failure, the report said that the reason most coffee businesses fail include inadequate promotion, falling behind industry trends, low-quality equipment and ingredients, lack of knowledge, underfunding, mismanagement, poor location, and unreliable suppliers.
Across the markets, the research body observed some striking characteristics driving the demand among several consumers. It noted that aside from the impact of the increasing disposable income coupled with urbanization, that the primary factor contributing to the growth of the coffee market, came from the realization of consumers of the various health benefits of consuming coffee, such as reducing the risk of diabetes, burning fat, and consuming high energy from caffeine spikes.
According to Mordor Intelligence, another instrumental force driving the market growth is the quest towards more organic or plant-based coffee to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This, alongside consumers’ preferences is one of the key players that have propelled brands to constantly engage in product innovations to maintain a stronger foothold in the market.
This ever-changing shift in consumers’ consumption pattern resulted in the unveiling of a range of Nescafé lattes, including coffee capsules crafted with plant-based ingredients, to meet consumers’ rapidly growing interest in plant-based food by Nestle Japan in 2021.
The gathering also mentioned other significant factors influencing the market growth to include busy lifestyles, leading to coffee chains becoming more popular among customers who enjoy their coffee on the go.
Its data distribution pointed to the fact that currently, consumers demand premium products that emphasize quality, an indication that they are attracted to top-notch coffee houses that offer the best coffee quality, which is a significant factor for repeated visits. Technology innovations, safety measures, and machine-based food processing units are projected to play an essential role in the demand for coffee over the coming years.
Coffee consumers are increasingly looking for ethical products from a social and ecological point of view. Organic certification in coffee is gaining popularity in world consumer markets, especially in Asia and Europe. The common belief among consumers about organically produced products being less exposed to synthetic chemicals and pesticides is boosting the trend for organic certified coffee.
The coffee market is also changing by churning out new varieties. It revealed that innovation key to the “Fourth Wave” of coffee consumption has made the coffee drinking experience more accessible and easier to drink than ever before, as beyond regular brewed and hot specialty coffee, new categories in iced coffee, frozen blended coffees and ready-to-drink platforms in cans are emerging to meet the needs of today’s consumers.


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- ‘American Dirt’ is a metaphor for a white country built on the back of immigrants 4 Years Ago
- This woman told two students to ‘speak English’ and people are not having it Friday 9:53 PM
- Iconic 1968 drag documentary ‘The Queen’ finally released on Netflix Friday 9:29 PM
- This TikTok account for Chancellor Palpatine is hilarious Friday 8:43 PM
- Did the Space Force logo rip off Star Trek? Friday 6:24 PM
- Disabled people with service dogs say Uber, Lyft drivers are denying them rides Friday 3:25 PM
- TikTok teen famous for greasy hair ends her 8-year reign Friday 2:48 PM
- Police handcuff brown man at subway station for carrying a toy gun Friday 1:20 PM
- Fake clip of Sanders quoting infamous ‘hot chip’ tweet is duping people online Friday 1:16 PM
- The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala alleges Scientologists behind dog’s death Friday 12:46 PM
- Eminem responds to critics: ‘This album was not made for the squeamish’ Friday 12:42 PM
- ‘The poet, the poem’ meme takes iconic lines and turns them into art Friday 12:40 PM
- People are making dark memes about the coronavirus Friday 12:27 PM
- Trump camp’s ‘head on a pike’ impeachment threat hit with memes Friday 11:34 AM
- What is the #FreeBritney movement, and why is Cher tweeting about it? Friday 10:52 AM
Mark Zuckerberg’s ridiculously simple password was discovered, and his Twitter was hijacked
At least it wasn’t his Facebook account.
Even the CEO of the most popular social media site in history is unable to avoid having his own accounts broken into. Mark Zuckerberg‘s Pinterest and Twitter accounts have allegedly been hacked by the OurMine hacking group. OurMine posted on his behalf on both sites—those updates have since been deleted, but not before being captured and shared on the internet for eternity.
How could this be possible? It all leads back to the 2012 LinkedIn security breach, when the company had to advise the millions of effected members to change their passwords. Many didn’t, and those passwords resurfaced a few weeks ago on a Dark Net marketplace where they were sold for 5 bitcoins, or about $2,200. Since many folks use the same login information for multiple online accounts, buying a password might give you access to a lot more than you paid for.
And that, perhaps unnervingly, is what seems to have happened to Zuckerberg—whose own social media creation holds the personal information of over 1.5 billion people. It’s not the most reassuring news that a multi-billionaire with usernames and passwords of a population greater than that of China is unable to use standard security protocol for his own accounts. One glimmer of relief is that his Facebook and Instagram accounts were not tampered with.
If you are curious about what his password was, take a look back at that saved tweet. Yep, “dadada.” We can all hope our Facebook accounts are protected by something a little more elaborate.


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Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) is at the annual Gulfood exhibition, the region’s largest F&B event, which is taking place at Dubai World Trade Center through 22 February. RAKEZ is dedicated to offering global investors complete business solutions for establishing and growing their presence in the UAE’s flourishing food and beverage industry.
The country’s F&B sector is experiencing a significant boom, driven by growing expat population, high disposable incomes, diverse cultural tastes, and a robust GDP. A Statista report highlights the industry’s bright future, projecting that per capita spending in the UAE’s F&B sector will reach approximately AED 14,000 by 2025. This optimistic outlook positions the UAE as a fertile ground for F&B businesses seeking growth and innovation.
RAKEZ Group CEO, Ramy Jallad, said, “A new global chapter is unfolding in the future of food with great technological advancements being unveiled at Gulfood. It’s time to innovate for a more sustainable, thoughtful, and brighter future for the entire F&B ecosystem across the world. RAKEZ is committed to being at the forefront of this transformation, providing a nurturing environment for F&B companies to thrive in Ras Al Khaimah and seamlessly cater to the regional markets.”
RAKEZ is home to nearly 1,000 F&B companies, spanning diverse sectors within the industry, including F&B trading, catering and F&B services, distribution and logistics, as well as F&B manufacturing, among many others. At this year’s Gulfood, RAKEZ is showcasing its tailored business set-up solutions designed to support over F&B 5,500 exhibitors and investors from more than 190 countries in leveraging the opportunities presented by Ras Al Khaimah’s dynamic economic landscape and the wider UAE market.
RAKEZ’s regular participation in Gulfood is a testament to its ongoing commitment to the F&B industry, offering unmatched opportunities for businesses to connect, collaborate, and create a sustainable future for food globally.


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What’s the Buzz?
Other new or unique offerings can lend a fresh, festive dynamic to retailers’ adult beverage sections during a period of peak entertaining.
In a marketplace awash with health-and-wellness products in the wake of a global health crisis, the adult beverage category now includes an array of better-for-you drinks that can be a part of holiday blasts and repasts. For instance, agave spirits are performing well, up 15.9% in volume last year, according to IWSR.
Some startup and niche brands are getting noticed for their products that have a certain health halo. The mixer brand Avec, for instance, offers products made with all-natural real juices and botanicals, canned and ready to be blended with spirits.
Another trend largely centered on holistic wellness is influencing the adult beverage category as well: the rise of mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages for teetotalers or the “sober curious.”
A new analysis of Nielsen data conducted by Goldman Sachs Equity Research has found that sales of nonalcoholic drinks rose 12.9% for the two-week period ending Oct. 9, and dollar sales climbed 22.6% on a two-year stacked basis.
Because mocktails and alcohol-free products are typically sold in the same department as adult beverages, grocers can keep an eye on trends and new product offerings that appeal to those exploring a sober lifestyle. Many inventive products have entered this space, like a line of RTD Mingle Mocktails, available in Cranberry Cosmo, Blackberry Hibiscus Bellini, Cucumber Melon Mojito, Moscow Mule and Blood Orange Elderflower Mimosa varieties. Recently, KeHE Distributors picked up Mingle Mocktails for distribution in California, Illinois, Indiana and Texas, bringing the number of stores that carry the items close to 2,000.
“As a brand founded on inclusivity, we see Mingle being sold and served everywhere that alcohol is sold and served, so everyone feels part of the party,” explains founder and CEO Laura Taylor.
A product called Jeng is another nonalcoholic beverage that can be an option for shoppers. A hemp-infused RTD cocktail that contains 11 milligrams of CBD, Jeng is available in flavors that replicate traditional cocktails, including a Moscow mule, gin and tonic, and paloma.
Also mixing it up in the adult beverage category is the introduction of home bartending appliances that make entertaining easier and fun. Available at Target, Macy’s and the culinary specialty store Williams-Sonoma, Bartesian is an at-home on-demand cocktail machine that makes “lounge-quality” drinks, using cocktail capsules filled with mixers, extracts and juices that can be paired with any vodka, whiskey, gin, rum or tequila.
“Bartesian delivers all the benefits of a fully stocked bar in one sleek and compact machine,” says Ryan Close, founder and CEO. “Retailers should absolutely consider adding Bartesian to their adult beverage/spirits section as a unique and exciting offering for their customers. We’ve seen enormous growth via both our brick-and-mortar retailer partners as well as via our e-commerce channels.”
If new products help grocers widen their appeal to a diverse shopper base, retailers are also broadening their efforts to connect with customers who are ready to entertain with alcoholic beverages.
Curbside pickup and home delivery are one way to meet the needs of shoppers who have become accustomed to such conveniences. Grocers competing with delivery services like DoorDash and Drizly can offer pickup and delivery options to adult beverage shoppers, especially during the holiday season, when celebrations are peaking and time is at a premium.
Some grocers are going especially big with adult beverages. Midwestern grocer Hy-Vee, for instance, has opened a new Wall to Wall Wine and Spirits store that’s pretty much turnkey for entertaining. The store sells wine, spirits and craft beer, along with grocery items that pair well with adult drinks, and a selection of barware.


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(Toronto) Discovery Plus will arrive in Canada next week.
The new streaming platform, specializing in non-fiction shows, announced its launch on October 19 for Canadian viewers.
It will offer more than 200 exclusive and original series as well as 60,000 episodes of programming from its library of cable television networks, including HGTV, Food Network, TLC and Animal Planet.
The platform will also host a variety of original programs, including Unseamly : The Investigation of Peter Nygard, No Responders Left Behind and Queen of Meth.
Discovery Plus’s monthly subscription will cost $ 4.99 per month for its ad-free version and $ 6.99 per month for its upgraded ad-free version.
The streaming platform, which rolled out to many international markets earlier this year, joins a growing number of options in Canada, including established services Netflix and Crave, as well as new players Disney Plus and Apple TV Plus .
As part of the arrival of Discovery’s streaming service in Canada, the company strengthened its joint venture agreement with Corus Entertainment, a long-standing traditional television partner, with a new marketing partnership.
Corus will use its linear networks, radio, and digital and social platforms to promote Discovery Plus programming.
Discovery Plus representatives were not immediately available to provide details on the partnership with Corus.
Discovery Plus will be available on various streaming devices, including those from Apple, Roku, and Amazon. The service will also be compatible with Chromecast and other Google products, as well as recent Xbox models and Samsung smart TVs.


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A 13 year old from Texas who stole his Dad's credit card and ordered two hookers from an escort agency, has today been convicted of fraud and given a three year community order.
Ralph Hardy, a 13 year old from Newark, Texas confessed to ordering an extra credit card from his father's existing credit card company, and took his friends on a $30,000 spending spree, culminating in playing "Halo" on an Xbox with a couple of hookers in a Texas motel.
It gets better...
The escort girls who were released without charge, told the arresting officers something was up when the kids said they would rather play Xbox than get down to business.
Police said they were alerted to the motel by a concerned delivery clerk, whom after delivering supplies of Dr Pepper, Fritos and Oreos had been asked by the kids where they could score some chicks and were willing to pay. They explained they had just made a big score at a "World of Warcraft" tournament and wanted to get some relaxation. On noting the boys age the delivery clerk informed the authorities.
Still gets better...Asked why he ordered two escorts, Ralph said he thought it was the thing to do when you win a "World of Warcraft" tournament. They told the suspicious working girls they were people of restricted growth working with a traveling circus, and as State law does not allow those with disabilities to be discriminated against they had no right to refuse them. LINK


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BlackBerry has given a bold introduction to its new flagship smartphone, the Key2.
In a tweet, the smartphone maker promised “an icon reborn” when the new device is unveiled in New York on June 7th 2018.
The Key2 will be the follow up to the KeyOne, which had its full launch in London in April 2017 and received relatively positive reviews, despite some criticisms of the amount of power users received for the price.
Leaked specifications indicate the new smartphone will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 system, potentially offering an increase in power, according to V3. The Qualcomm platform boasts an octa-core Kryo 260 CPU and the company's X12 LTE modem.
Details and images published on Chinese technology website TENAA indicate the Key2 could come with a 4.5-inch, 1,080×1,620 screen, 6GB of ram and 64GB of internal storage.
It has also been reported that the phone will run on a 3,360mAh battery and the Android Oreo 8.1 operating system.
The physical keyboard that has defined BlackBerry devices in the past looks set to remain in place below the screen, and users will also have access to dual cameras.
While the BlackBerry Key2 is unlikely to challenge the dominance of Android and iOS devices in the consumer mobile market, its success could depend on levels of adoption among corporate customers.
Cost could be a key factor in early interest in the new phone, with Pocket Lint predicting that it could come with a price tag somewhere between £450 and £500.
BlackBerry – which is a subsidiary brand of Chinese electronics group TCL Communication and marketed as BlackBerry Mobile – was formerly one of the world's leading smartphone vendors.
It lost its dominance due to the success of the Android and iOS platforms, but the launch of the Key2 will provide an insight into whether there are still some customers who remain loyal to the BlackBerry name.


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The domestic stock market on Wednesday showed early signs of a possible breakout from its consolidation range. And Nifty futures on Singapore traded 12 points lower this morning, signalling a weak start for Dalal Street.
As you head for the day’s trade, here is a compilation of overnight analyst calls on various stocks.
• SBI Caps has maintained its ‘Hold’ rating on ITC with a target price of Rs 265. The brokerage said ITC has been successfully diversifying revenue. However, with high concentration of profits from cigarettes, combined with limited pricing power and sustained regulatory overhang, any valuation upsides will likely be capped. Further, the company has announced a large capex outlay as it looks to strengthen the food processing business infrastructure. Shares of ITC closed at Rs 243, up 1.6 per cent.
• Geojit Securities has initiated a ‘Buy’ rating on Cyient with a target price of Rs 540. The brokerage said Cyient had recorded a stable revenue growth of 16 per cent CAGR in the last five years from FY14. Further, the company is well positioned to provide services to aerospace vertical and also has prospects to expand its products to the defence segment, which currently accounts for only 5 per cent of total revenue. Shares of the company closed at Rs 450, up 0.7 per cent.
• Centrum Broking has given a ‘Buy’ rating to Infosys with a target price of Rs 850. Centrum believes that Infosys can comfortably deliver revenue guidance for FY20 since its revenues have grown 11.1 per cent year on year in the first nine months of FY20. Further, attrition rate has moderated to 17.6 per cent in third quarter of FY20 against 19.4 per cent during the corresponding period last year. Shares of Infosys closed at Rs 775, up 0.25 per cent.
• Motilal Oswal Securities has given a ‘Buy’ rating on Bharti Airtel with a target price of Rs 575. The brokerage said Airtel was best hedged against the recent Supreme Court verdict on AGR. If the ruling on AGR liabilities prevails, it could impact Bharti by Rs 44,400 crore and the company has already started fundraising in the event that there is no relief. Motilal also said the company has managed to maintain its revenue market share of around 30 per cent despite the launch of Reliance Jio. Shares of Bharti Airtel closed closed at Rs 470, up 0.2 per cent.
• Phillip Capital has given a ‘Buy’ rating on IndusInd Bank with a target price of Rs 1,640. The brokerage said with the new management taking over, the bank’s strategy has shifted towards retailisation of balance sheet with focus on improving retail deposit franchisee, increasing contribution of non-vehicle retail loans, and higher proportion of microfinance business. However, in the near term, the bank’s performance will be driven by its corporate book exposures. Shares of IndusInd Bank closed at Rs 1,478, a drop of 4 per cent.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- Sumitomo Mitsui, 4 Others Sought Info on IDBI Sale
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and one other global bank are among five potential investors that have sought information from the Centre about the sale of state equity in IDBI Bank through a formal query process that closed on November 10, people familiar with the matter told ET.Flipkart may go in for $700m Esop Buyback
Walmart-owned homegrown ecommerce marketplace Flipkart is likely to facilitate a $700 million employee stock buyback as part of digital payments platform PhonePe’s new financing round, multiple sources briefed on the matter told ET.Falling Input Costs may Cool Prices of Essentials, Apparel
Prices of groceries, daily essentials and apparel are likely to fall over the next two quarters as input costs are expected to decline, spurring sales in the process, according to consumer goods makers.
Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.


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ARI10 and Gatenox established a long term partnership
Ari10 is a long-time crypto business with a range of products, mainly connecting the world of traditional finance with the world of cryptocurrencies. It is the biggest crypto exchange in Poland and operates the most significant number of physical points of sale (thanks to one of the products called Cryptoterminal). Ari10 wants to provide the easiest crypto-fiat gateways for B2B & B2C clients. The company statement couldn’t be more clear – it’s “Crypto. Simplified.” Ari10 serves tens of thousands of customers and business partners and is now expanding worldwide.
According to Bloomberg, big investors with some $100 trillion are getting crypto-curious, and somebody needs to help them get “on board”. Gatenox & Ari10 aim to fill this gap.
“It’s very hard for traditional businesses to take advantage of this new emerging technological opportunity. Currently, the corporate and institutional onboarding solution is dramatically neglected. Together with Ari10 we want to bring 2x, 3x more corporate clients to this space.’ it takes months for any company to test the waters with bitcoin and crypto in general” said Pawel Kuskowski, CEO of Gatenox.
Signing a strategic partnership with a notable partner like Ari10 opens a new revenue stream for both parties allowing Ari10 and Gatenox to grow rapidly.
Mateusz Kara, CEO of Ari10 has said that “linking those two worlds of old finance and crypto revolution has always been our goal. If we want the whole ecosystem to grow, we need to make it easy for the “old money” to understand the new paradigms and there is no better way to understand something than to try it. We want to simplify the process as much as possible.”
“We see customers dropping out of the KYB process quite often. In most cases, it’s a cumbersome, boring sequence of steps that one has to execute on any given occasion. With Gatenox, we aim to significantly increase the conversion rate and provide customers with an incredible experience”, said Pawel Kuskowski, founder and CEO of Gatenox. “We want to build a platform with instant, frictionless onboarding for 350 million corporate clients and propose it as a better solution to over 30’000 regulated crypto companies and their users.”
Ari10 started as an online bitcoin exchange called Bitcan in Poland in 2017 and has consequently added new crypto products to its portfolio to finally become Ari10.com. Today the company has the biggest online crypto exchange in Poland and the largest number of physical points of sale. It serves tens of thousands of customers and business partners and expands worldwide.


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From local property taxes to cannabis cultivation taxes, cannabis farming in Carpinteria Valley is a major public benefit. Add to that a whole network of related businesses and a boost to the economy, and legal cannabis represents a critical sector in our region. Carpinteria greenhouses have long been vital to the community. Whether the crop is flowers, vegetables or cannabis, plant production in local greenhouses is integral to our community and agricultural identity.
Carpinteria Valley Cannabis Farming
Carpinteria Valley was formerly the flower farming Capital of the United States until the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. US Congresswoman Lois Capps called the valley, “America’s Flower Basket.” Now 80 percent of U.S. cut flowers originate in Colombia.
Since the U.S. free-trade agreement with Colombia was signed six years ago, what was once a historic element of the county’s economy has been decimated.— Washington Post, October 14, 2018
Flower Power Revival?
How to Save Carpinteria's Cut Flower Industry
“This is basically the last stand for cut flower production in the United States,” says Kasey Cronquist, scanning the thigh-high stretch of lilies growing in a Carpinteria greenhouse. Over the last 20 years, he explained, half of the state’s cut flower farmers have gone out of business (from 500 down to 250), withered by an influx of cheap blooms imported from Colombia.Read Full Article
Carpinteria AG Economy
The agriculture sector is the top employer in Carpinteria Valley
“Why is the agriculture sector expanding in the Carpinteria Valley after many years of decline? Because cannabis companies are moving in. There are 37 companies in the Carpinteria Valley that have received cannabis cultivation temporary licenses, and together they have devoted over 100 acres to cannabis crops.”— City of Carpinteria Economic Profile 2019
CARP Growers member farms employ over 1,000 on local greenhouse farms
Cannabis farming benefits a whole web of local businesses
Retail in Carpinteria has been insulated from the “retail apocalypse” taking place throughout California.
Cannabis tax revenue is a shared benefit for all
- $6.7 million collected by Santa Barbara County in 2018/19 fiscal year
- Property taxes have increased as profitable farms are reassessed
- Money directly into schools
Cannabis farming is the surest way to preserve the rural character of Carpinteria Valley. A viable ag sector safeguards our small-town lifestyle and prevents the encroachment of new development.


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Delivers customers advanced model serving and management running on Amazon Web Services.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, November 30, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ — Seldon, the open-source machine learning deployment platform, launched Seldon Core on the new AWS Marketplace for Containers. Customers can now easily deploy machine learning models and experiments at scale running on Amazon Web Services (AWS) with Seldon Core.
AWS customers can now use the Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS) console and AWS Marketplace for Containers to discover, produce, and deploy container solutions – including Seldon Core. With today’s release, AWS Marketplace has extended its existing benefits and features to container products, with a rich discovery and search experience offering access to a curated catalog of trusted software from reputable vendors.
Seldon Core uses containers and microservices to serve models built in any open-source or commercial model building framework. It leverages powerful Kubernetes features like custom resource definitions to define and manage model graphs, which can contain one or more models as well as A/B Tests, ensembles and feature transformations.
“We’re excited to be a launch partner for AWS Marketplace for Containers, which will streamline the distribution of our open-source model serving and management platform and future enterprise products,” said Alex Housley, CEO of Seldon. “AWS has significant reach across organisations of all sizes and continues to innovate across the machine learning infrastructure stack. Collaboration between leaders in the public cloud market and independent machine learning platforms ultimately provides a richer environment for customers, which in turn, gives freedom of choice and a faster time to market for fully-integrated enterprise solutions.”
To get started, visit Seldon Core on the AWS Marketplace. Seldon Core is also available on Github with full documentation to install it on any cloud, on premises, or on your own workstation.
For more information, please visit AWS Marketplace for Containers and read the announcement from Amazon.
Seldon enables organisations to deploy machine learning predictive models faster and solve their most important challenges at scale – e.g. high-frequency trading, fraud detection and credit risk. Its enterprise-grade platform works seamlessly with the tools that data science teams already use to help them move from small-scale R&D to large-scale production with new capabilities around infrastructure, collaboration and compliance. Its rapidly growing open-source community includes thousands of AI practitioners across over 90 countries; and contributors, customers and partners include some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies in financial services and technology sectors.
Contact Details: Inga Veidmane-Millere, Operations Manager: firstname.lastname@example.org, email@example.com Seldon Technologies Ltd, Rise London, 41 Luke Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4DP
+44 20 7193 6752
email us here
Source: EIN Presswire


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More than 40 drivers at Allied Bakeries’ Saltney DC are facing redundancy, after the baker confirmed this week it is to close the depot in November as part of an overhaul of its distribution network.
The combination of a full-year of contributions from Roadways Container Logistics (RCL), and “significant progress” in its distribution business saw turnover hit nearly £200m and pre-tax profit rise 75% at Maritime Transport.
RT Keedwell Holdings is looking to expand in the South East after pre-tax profit jumped by more than a quarter in 2015 boosted by a strong performance from its regional operations.
The number of HGV driving licence tests taken and passed surged in the year to 31 March 2016.
More than 40 drivers at Allied Bakeries’ Saltney DC are facing redundancy, after the baker confirmed this week it is [...]
iForce is one of the leading efulfilment specialists in the UK, working for blue chip clients including John Lewis, Tesco.com, [...]
Meachers Global Logistics has had its distribution contract with packaging firm Huhtamaki (UK) extended again. [...]


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The world’s 12th best paid model isn’t looking for pretty faces though; the Kate Moss Agency wants to develop talent and create stars.
Professional modeling sees major changes in its 2016 top earners, even though Gisele Bundchen remains catwalk queen with $30.5 million in the bank.
We’re getting to know a different cast of celebrities, who reveal their stories and how they ____ in #mycalvins.
The supermodel designs a new capsule collection for the cult label.
Celebrity hairstylist Robinson’s latest book fills you in on all the things you need to know to tackle your Asian hair woes.
Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne’s highly-anticipated campaign for Mango has finally been revealed.


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In an age where developers seem to be abandoning Apple Watch apps left and right, Microsoft of all companies is soon launching its popular Authenticator application for watchOS.
The company says that Authenticator will be launching on Apple Watch within the next few weeks. With a public preview program available through TestFlight.
The Microsoft Authenticator app on Apple Watch supports Microsoft personal, work, and school accounts that are set up with push notifications. All supported accounts automatically sync to the Watch.
Unlike standard app-based authentication, which typically requires typing in a 6-digit code, Microsoft simply uses an approve/decline method. With Apple Watch support, users will simply just need to tap the “approve” button right on the Apple Watch notification.
Users wanting to test out the new feature can sign up here.


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- Penn National Gaming has received approval to launch their Barstool Sportsbook platform for online and mobile sports betting in Louisiana.
- Retail, mobile and online sports betting is now available in 55 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes.
- The Barstool Sportsbook app and website are expected to go live on Friday, January 28 at 8 AM Central Time.
Sports betting in Louisiana is shaping up to be a mixed bag. The biggest issue is the ‘parish level’ approval process (a ‘parish’ in Louisiana is basically the same thing as a county everywhere else in the United States). Sports betting was put to a referendum on a parish by parish basis and 55 of 64 of them voted to approve it. This arrangement not only prohibits retail sports betting in the nine parishes that voted it down, it also prohibits the unfortunate residents of these cultural backwaters from mobile and/or online play. Can you imagine how pissed off you would be if you lived in one of these places? Not only would you lack running water, an education past the third grade or teeth you’d have to leave the parish just to place a sports bet. The Louisiana parishes where sports betting is prohibited are Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, Jackson, LaSalle, Sabine, Union, West Carroll and Winn. Interestingly, all of these counties have a poverty rate in excess of 20% except for LaSalle (19.5%) and Union (18.1%). Way to build up that economic base!
The good news is that in the remaining 55 counties the sports betting scene is shaping up to be pretty good. The tax rate is a bit higher than it should be: 10% for retail sports bets and 15% for online/mobile wagers. Unfortunately, these rates are downright reasonable compared to the absurd tax rates in states like New York (51%) and Pennsylvania (36%). The state’s regulations are conducive to a competitive, player friendly environment–as currently constructed Louisiana will allow as many as 41 mobile/online sportsbooks. Mobile and online sports betting will go live at 8 AM Central Time on Friday, January 28. In addition to the 14 retail sportsbooks operating in Louisiana and the mobile platforms that are set to go live there will be another sports betting option forthcoming. Retail betting kiosks will be operated in restaurants and bars but unfortunately this will be under the auspices of the state lottery. No wonder it will be the last component of Louisiana’s sports betting to go live.
There should be at least six mobile betting platforms available on launch day including FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, Betfred, BetMGM and Barstool Sports. Penn National issued a press release confirming that they had received approval from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) to launch their Barstool Sportsbook branded platform. Barring any unforeseen last minute approvals that need to be completed, Barstool Sportsbook will launch on Friday. Penn National President and CEO Jay Snowden is excited to see his company’s sports betting brand in another market:
“We are thrilled to be launching our Barstool Sportsbook online sports betting product in Louisiana, which will provide our retail casino customers and mychoice loyalty program members another exciting way to enjoy our unique entertainment offerings. Louisiana marks the twelfth state where we operate the Barstool Sportsbook mobile app, and as in the other states, I’m confident that customers will enjoy engaging with Dave Portnoy, Dan ‘Big Cat’ Katz and other Barstool fan favorites, and we’re offering a number of promotional wagers on the app to help celebrate the launch.”
“I want to thank the LGCB and their staff for their time and effort in reviewing and approving our application. We look forward to adding Louisiana to our portfolio of states where we operate online sports betting as we continue our Company’s evolution into the leading omni-channel provider of retail and online gaming, live racing and sports betting entertainment.”
Penn National owns five retail gaming properties in Louisiana: Boomtown Bossier City, Boomtown New Orleans, L’Auberge Baton Rouge, L’Auberge Lake Charles and Margaritaville Resort in Bossier City.


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LAST UPDATED : Feb 16, 2020, 03:16 PM IST
- ICICI Bank m-cap inches close to Rs 3 lakh crore mark; shares jump 4%
The market valuation of ICICI Bank is fast inching closer to Rs 3 lakh crore mark helped by a 4 per cent jump in its stock price on Thursday. ICICI Bank stock rose 4.05 per cent to close at Rs 452.05 on the BSE. During the day, it advanced 5.52 per cent to Rs 458.45 -- its 52-week high.
- Samsung Galaxy M30 gets a price cut on Amazon India
Samsung is offering a limited time discount for the Samsung Galaxy M30 on Amazon India. The Samsung Galaxy M30 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage is selling at Rs 1,000 less at a price of Rs 13,990 while the 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage is selling at Rs 16,990. The Galaxy M30 is a slightly beefed up version of the Galaxy M20 and is available online only.
- Asus Zenfone Max M2 gets a price cut of up to Rs 1,000
Taiwanese tech giant has announced the price cut of Asus Zenfone Max M2 smartphone. Post the price cut, the base variant costs Rs 7,999, while the higher-end variant costs Rs 9,499. Both the variants of the Asus Zenfone Max M2 are selling at the new prices on Flipkart starting today.
- Asus Max Pro M1 gets cheaper, starts at Rs 7,999
Asus has reduced the price of its Max Pro M1 smartphone in India. The Asus Max Pro M1 now starts at Rs 7,999 instead of Rs 8,499 for 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage variants. The company has also reduced the prices of the 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/64GB storage options to Rs 8,999 (instead of Rs 10,499) and Rs 11,999 (instead of Rs 12,499) respectively.
- Samsung Galaxy M30s will beat Realme, Xiaomi, Oppo and other brand’s phones under Rs 20,000 on this big feature
The Galaxy M30s is confirmed to be powered by a 6,000mAh battery. This will be the first phone from Samsung to come with this huge battery. Also, the Galaxy M30s will be the first phone in India under Rs 20,000 to offer a 6,000mAh battery. The Galaxy M30s will have a triple-lens rear camera with a 48MP primary sensor along with 8MP and 5MP secondary sensors.


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Stucki, Salco Network with Industry at Railway Interchange 2023
A. Stucki Company and Salco Products were exhibitors at Railway Interchange 2023, which took place Oct. 1 through 4 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Billed as the largest railway exhibition and educational conference in North America, Railway Interchange featured more than 500 exhibitors and over 8,000 attendees.
Stucki and Salco had several products on display, including the GATOR® 30” x 30” hopper car outlet gate and the air:LINQ™ air hose support system, plus valves, outlet caps, adapters, hatch covers and more. “It was a productive and informative conference,” said Jeff Vodar, SVP Stucki Sales and Customer Service. “Our booth generated a lot of foot traffic and provided excellent exposure for our companies and products.


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Adidas UK “My Body My Swim” Campaign Has Drowned. Adidas UK released the first images from their SH3-ro swimsuit range launch.
“My Body My Swim”
Adidas UK “My Body My Swim” Campaign Has Drowned. Adidas UK released the first images from their SH3-ro swimsuit range launch. The launches campaign is branded “My Body My Swim.” Maya Jama, Nadya Okamato, Chessie King, and Jada Sezer can all be seen Pictured in these early images. They all share stories of learning to love swimming and their bodies.
Adidas UK’s Body-Positive Message Catching Hell
Adidas UK’s body-positive message completely missed the mark and they are catching hell for it.
On paper, the brand is saying celebrated all different body types but visually showing only women with bodies that are readily expected by society. Many of the “conventionally attractive” women used for the campaign received some backlash themselves. With comments thanking them for the message but being tone-deaf not to include requesting a much wider range of bodies within the campaign.
The Sizes Are Limited Too!
And as to be hit with the knock-out punch the body-positive campaign swimwear line has limited styles over an XL.
The body-positive movement began with Black women wanting to highlight their style. Wanting to fight against fat-shaming and send a message of fat acceptance. It feels at times this movement has been hijacked for profit and a trendy tagline like Adidas UK’s ’embrace and befriend your body.’
Adidas UK has since removed the “My Body My Swim” campaign information from the site’s blog. The US side of the Adidas brand recently received backlash when they partnered with the Queen Bee Beyonce’s brands IVY Park and the inaugural collection excluded true plus-sizes by stopping at size18.


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Dubai Customs recently hosted a delegation from the General Directorate of Customs of the Royal Oman Police, underscoring their commitment to global customs collaboration. During the visit, the Omani delegation, led by Major Khalifa bin Talib Al-Masqari, Director of Dhofar Customs, and Captain Yusuf bin Ahmed Al-Balushi, discussed cooperation with Dubai Customs. They also explored the advancements made in customs operations.
H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, welcomed the Omani delegation and highlighted Dubai’s dedication to sharing practical expertise for mutual economic growth and streamlined passenger movement. He emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation among GCC customs authorities and recognized Oman as a key regional trading partner.
Musabih also pointed out Dubai’s significant economic achievements, with a remarkable increase in non-oil foreign trade in the first half of 2023. This growth demands ongoing development of customs services to accommodate evolving trade needs. Dubai’s economic agenda aims to double its foreign trade value by 2033, with Dubai Customs already making substantial progress.
Major Khalifa bin Talib Al-Masqari expressed Oman’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with Dubai Customs to boost trade between the UAE and Oman. He commended Dubai Customs for improving customs services and emphasized the importance of sharing customs-related experiences and expertise among GCC countries to support economic progress.
During the visit, the delegation received an overview of Dubai Customs’ advancements, including the Mirsal 2 system’s role in automating customs transactions. Field visits showcased key customs facilities and their roles, such as monitoring and tracking suspicious shipments and advanced training programs using modern technologies to prepare customs personnel.
The delegation also toured various customs centers, witnessing their contributions to facilitating trade, and visited Dubai International Airport to learn about streamlined customs procedures. The visit included a stop at the Technical Support Department in Warsan, where the delegation saw equipment development efforts and the K9 Customs Unit’s role in detecting prohibited substances in shipments.


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The lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic, along with the extended closure of bricks and mortar stores, have dramatically accelerated the move to online shopping in the beauty sector, says L’Oréal’s chief digital officer.
Speaking with the FT, Lubomira Rochet says changes were especially notable among older women, who were more likely to have previously been wary of shopping online.
“In e-commerce, we achieved in eight weeks what it would have otherwise taken us three years to do,” Rochet told the FT.
L’Oréal, which is the largest cosmetics maker in the world by sales, believes that, for many consumers, the habits developed during the pandemic will be permanent, driven by sales tools such as video chats and online beauty consultations.
The move online was already better established in the beauty sector than others, like grocery shopping, and leading brands L’Oréal and Estée Lauder have invested heavily as newer brands powered by celebrity marketing, such as Huda Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury, have grown quickly by effectively deploying the power of social media, reports the FT.
Some 20% of L’Oréal’s revenue now comes from online sales, either its own branded sites or through e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart. In Q1 of this year, L’Oréal’s online sales were up 53% on the same period a year earlier. Sales overall were down 4.8% on a year earlier.
L’Oréal upped its online marketing during the pandemic, taking it from 50% of total marketing spend before the crisis, to 70%. As a result, online sales rapidly responded, especially in markets that were previously less developed. Sales in Latin America in April leapt by 300%, for example; in Africa and the Middle East, they were up 400%.
The brand set a target in 2013 of selling 20% of products online by this year, with half its marketing budget targeting digital – these goals have now been met, due to the change in consumers’ habits during the pandemic, and the brand must now be more ambitious, says Rochet.
“We had targets for the second stage of our digital transformation but Covid-19 has changed the landscape profoundly, so we have to reassess them,” she says.
“We are setting ourselves up for a world where half of the business is e-commerce and 80% of consumer interactions will happen online.”
Sourced from the Financial Times


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AppleInsider may earn an affiliate commission on purchases made through links on our site.
Apple is hiring a number of people with experience in wireless charging, a technology it could be planning to build into 2017 iPhone and iPad models.
In the past four months, the company has picked up two people from wireless charging firm uBeam, The Verge noted on Tuesday. In fact Apple has hired over a dozen people with similar expertise in the past two years.
While most devices supporting wireless charging still require some form of direct contact which a charging mat, puck, or dock, uBeam has been working on using ultrasonic waves to charge devices from further away. The company has been controversial, especially since last week a former engineer claimed that its technology doesn't work as advertised and indeed may not be practical in a shipping product.
Apple has filed patents on distance charging in the past however, and in January a report claimed that the company was actively working with suppliers in the hopes it could upgrade iPhones and/or iPads sometime in 2017. One 2012 patent suggested charging at ranges up to three feet, but the January story said that Apple would like to go further still, requiring only that a device be in the same room.
The main issue may be energy loss, since while far-range charging is theoretically possible, power levels tend to drop off quickly. Even modern direct-contact wireless charging tends to be slower than hooking up a USB or Lightning cable, particularly compared with the "quick charge" features present on many Android phones.
At the moment the only Apple device with wireless charging is the Apple Watch, which comes with a magnetic puck that latches underneath.


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Acclaim Games announces a major milestone with over 1 million registered players in just over a year since its rebirth as a free to play online game publisher. This breakthrough achievement marks an impressive new beginning for the resurrected company. With a loyal fan base and community of over a million players already registered across all their games and quickly growing, Acclaim has proven consumers cannot get enough from it's free games.
The new Acclaim has done something truly remarkable by achieving this success so quickly after starting from nothing just over a year ago. The new company was re-launched under the leadership of former Activision executive Howard Marks. Marks had a different vision for the online game industry and established a new business model offering Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMO's) that players could download and play for free on their PC's. Players just need to register for a free account, download the games online, install them on their PC, and play.


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The XUV300 is currently powered by a 1.2-litre, turbocharged petrol engine which makes 110 PS of maximum power and 200 Nm of peak torque.
Mahindra’s upcoming XUV300 facelift was recently spotted under testing. The renewed SUV will be the first car in the Indian automobile manufacturer’s lineup to meet the BSVI emission norms.
The XUV300 is currently powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine which makes 110 PS of maximum power and 200 Nm of peak torque. The next-gen SUV will be equipped with a brand new 1.2-litre Turbo GDi unit which makes 130 PS and 230 Nm, making it the most powerful SUV in its segment.
Mahindra will also update its 1.5-litre diesel engine to meet the BSVI emission norms. Currently, the engine makes 116 PS of maximum power and 300 Nm of peak torque. It is offered with the option of a 6-speed manual or an AMT gearbox. Mahindra recently introduced the AMT gearbox in the XUV300.
The updated XUV300 was spotted with a SsangYong Tivoli facelift, which is expected to be used as a reference point. The Tivoli was seen with a sharper front bumper, along with slightly redesigned grilles and headlamps. It also gets a restyled dashboard inside which has a prominent 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Its analogue instrument cluster has been replaced with a 10.25-inch fully digital panel.


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A alpine, fresh-squeezed glass of OJ is commonly simply the component alongside breakfast, and on a sizzling summer season afternoon, a pitcher of lemonade can hit the part and funky you down. whereas first rate historical HO is always the ideal hydration choice, every now and then abstract simply appears like the premiere cooler for the second. however now, a massive enterprise is recalling one among its most prevalent juice items and urging americans not to drink it in the event that they accept it of their pantries. study on to peer which merchandise make sure to cease sipping immediately.
read THIS subsequent: if in case you have This Soup for your abdomen, dispose of It, FDA Warns.
meals and beverage products sold to the public are field to analysis for exceptional handle and defense causes. advertent anything alike accidentally potentially hazardous typically initiates a do not forget, including one contemporary a ways-accomplishing illustration.
On July , the FDA alerted the public that Lyons Magnus LLC had issued a remember of of its espresso drinks, non-dairy milks, and protein drinks. The company determined to tug the items from cabinets after advertent they could have been atrocious with probably cross Cronobacter sakazakii micro organism.
initially, the affected items blanketed the commonplace Oatly Oat Milk Barista version, as well as items made by way of the brands Aloha, Glucerna, imperial, intelligentsia, Kate Farms, Lyons Barista trend, Lyons equipped care, MRE, Pirq, arch Protein, and Stumptown. but on Aug. , Lyons Magnus extended the don t forget to a complete of gadgets, including products from cafe grumpy, accent It Up, uproot, organic basin, sated, Rejuvenate, gold standard foodstuff, sweetie Pie Organics, make certain harvest, PediaSure harvest, and additional Kate Farms items to the listing. The FDA warned that the affected gadgets,should no longer be captivated and will as a substitute be befuddled abroad or returned to their point of buy for a reimbursement instantly.
And now, one other business is pulling considered one of its iconic juice products from cabinets.
On Aug. , Kraft Heinz introduced it had launched a autonomous don t forget of its Capri solar wild blooming Flavored juice drink mix pouches. according to a press release from the enterprise, , circumstances are pointed out to be affected in total.
Kraft Heinz says the recalled product is printed with a. optimum when acclimated by using date of June , . it be additionally packaged in .-ounce particular person antithesis pouches offered in agenda cartons with the UPC . The enterprise distinctive that these apparent batches of wild blooming flavored Capri sun are the simplest items affected.
in accordance with a press release from Kraft Heinz, the company issued the bear in mind because a,diluted cleaning answer, which is used on meals processing device, changed into by accident delivered to a production line at one among its amenities. It found out the issue after receiving,a couple of client complaints about the item s taste. The enterprise says it s now working with dealers and distributors to remove all affected artefact from the bazaar.
Kraft Heinz is committed to advancement the optimum safeguard and fine requirements, the company wrote in its press free up.
As part of the continued keep in mind, the business urges anybody who bought the afflicted Capri sun no longer to consume it, and to come back it to its point of purchase. any person with questions can acquaintance Kraft Heinz by means of calling — on weekdays from a.m. to six p.m. EST. shoppers can also spend this number to get a reimbursement.