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New Berlin, WI - Tekra attending the SGIA expo in Vegas is never a gamble. There were endless rows of new ideas, media and machinery just waiting to spark the next big idea and provide solutions for all your projects. With 24,000 attendees and 612 exhibitors, the show floor was as active as the strip on a Friday night. Here are some highlights:
Name of the Game: Wide Format
It becomes more obvious each year that a larger portion of the print market is shifting from screen and traditional print methods to wide format printing. With new technologies and reliable curing systems, the digital wave has taken over.
Mimaki, USA discussed their new demo facility in Milwaukee, WI, and touted their new slogan: “We are wide format”. They focused this year’s show less on “new” and more on “improvement” as they showed their UCJV lines, adding smaller printer formats, UCJV300, UCJV300-107 and UCJV 300-130. The UCJV series features four and five layer prints, allowing for ink build, which can create transforming images with varying light sources.
HP’s main focus was their new Latex R Series. They launched their R1000 series press last summer, but the market push was especially focused the last few months. The ‘R” in R-series stands for “rigid” which is a whole new take on Latex printing. HP Latex traditionally focused on flexible materials, with heavy push in the textile printing market. This new machine focuses on rigid substrates with a hybrid approach that allows a flatbed to be attached and thick surfaces to be printed, without eliminating the ability to bring roll to roll. “This will help those customers who are trying to decide between a latex roll printer and a UV Flatbed. With the vibrancy and flexibility of the latex inks, combined with the ability to print on rigid substrates, this machine was definitely a show-stopper,” stated Rebecca Fuhrman, Market Development Manager of Digital Films at Tekra.
EFI had many new products to offer this Expo, from machinery to software. Their new Pro 32r was debuted, which is a roll-to-roll UV inkjet printer offered with LED curing capabilities, white printing, and iPhone application for remote control.
Up the Ante: Limit-Pushing Medias
There are always a healthy number of medias available at SGIA. From fabrics to car wraps and everything in between, finding the best substrate for your application takes little more than walking a few aisles. A few that stood out: LexJet’s ChromaLuxe Aluminum Photo Panels and Tekra’s ProTek®Velet Finish Polyester.
ChormaLuxe Aluminum Photo Panels produce metal prints, which are lightweight and durable. “The images were vibrant and eye-catching,” said Nick Artmann, Insides Sales Representative at Tekra. Chemical, scratch and moisture resistance seemed to be a huge selling feature,” continued Artmann.
Tekra’s ProTek® Velvet Finish was another new addition this year that stood out against other standard graphic medias. “This film offers a tactile finish on the first surface, with the capability to be screen printed on the 2nd surface, or coated for UV or Indigo digital print methods,” said Veronica Chandre, Market Development Manager of Hard Coated Films at Tekra. “Scratch, abrasion and chemical resistance open up the application possibilities, and when combined with the versatility of the processing options, this product is sure to be a new standard in the hardcoat offering for printers,” continued Chandre.
If there was any doubt that attending SGIA was a sure bet, you’ll realize within minutes that your money was well spent on the trip by catching up on the trends alone. “Being ‘in the know’ is incredibly important in the industry today,” stated Andy Danihel, Sr. Director of Sales and Marketing at Tekra. “Understanding the trends and where the market is going is vital in making sure you are on the forefront of the print industry, and not simply trying to catch up. SGIA is one of the main ways Tekra stays up-to-date with the newest technologies and trends, and the EXPO is the best place to really see it all come to life”, continued Danihel. Compared to the last few years, textiles seemed to take a slight back seat to the applications that seemed to have more stringent requirements. The solutions to these requirements seemed to be stronger, more durable materials and machinery that could “do it all”.
SGIA has always been known to be the place to keep on eye on the industry and with this year’s theme: “What’s on the Horizon”, it certainly lived up to its promise.


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Finally, the Twitter app is officially returning to Mac on or before the end of the year. The new Twitter for Mac app is being developed as part of Apple’s Project Catalyst that lets developers easily port apps from iOS to the next version of MacOS. The version currently being developed is likely to be similar to what we have in iPhone judging by what was shared by Apple on stage at the WWDC 2019.
In a couple of tweets, Twitter said:
“Apple’s exciting new technology empowers Twitter to easily bring our entire 1.5-million-line code base from iOS to the Mac, allowing ongoing full feature parity with our iPad app, and enhanced with the macOS experience that will make Twitter feel right at home on your Mac.”
The aforementioned tweet effectively confirms the fact that the upcoming app for Mac will be quite similar in terms of feature with what we have in the iPhone.
“This Twitter for Mac will be fully native, with all the native features of a Mac app. Multiple windows, window resizing, drag and drop, dark mode, keyboard shortcuts, notifications and more!”
Talking about regular updates, Twitter has assured everyone that that won’t be a problem. According to the microblogging company, everything will be just as it is with the iPad and the iPhone.
“Thanks to Apple’s technology, the new Twitter for Mac will get regular updates, just like Twitter for iPad and iPhone. It’s the best of both worlds: the full Twitter experience enhanced to run natively on a Mac!”
Twitter is thrilled to announce we are bringing the Twitter for iPad experience to the Mac!
The all new Twitter for Mac will be in development this summer in preparation for an early launch on macOS 10.15 Catalina. pic.twitter.com/Q13OUMRgjt
— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) June 3, 2019
In other news, Twitter users will be able to invite as many as three guests when going live. To start a live broadcast with guests, simply open the camera by swiping left from your timeline à tap the Live mode at the bottom à tap go Live to begin your broadcast.
Allowing people to go live with guests is a smart business decision—and one that will further make the platform more interactive. The move will not only keep the conversation going, it will encourage businesses and influencers to relate well with their followers. You can discuss your interests with anyone around the world, ask questions or introduce topics that people can contribute to and have their say, and even more.
For now, viewers of the livestream will only be able to hear audio of the guests, but Twitter said it is already thinking of ways to add videos for guests too.
Periscope, a standalone a[[ owned by Twitter has a similar feature that allows up to three guests to be invited to live recording. Users are allowed to invite audience members to the Twitter-owned app, while Periscope will then broadcast audio from you to everyone else in the stream. The good thing is, if any of the three guests drops off, you will be able to add another one to complete the current maximum number of allowed guests.

domain: news


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American mobile phone carrier, Sprint Nextel, has scrapped plans to partner
with wireless broadband startup, Clearwire, on a nationwide WiMAX network.
The partnership was reversed after Sprint decided to dismiss its CEO, Gary
Forsee, last month. The collapse of this partnership is being seen as a major
blow to Clearwire, whose stock price dropped more than 25% yesterday, to close
at $13.49 on the NASDAQ.
Clearwire’s losses have swelled significantly for the past three years, and its
thirdquarter sales totaled just $41.3 million, or less than one hundredth of
“The Sprint deal was really good for Clearwire, and it’s bad that they lost
that,” commented Jefferies & Co. analyst, Jonathan Schildkraut. “Clearwire will
have to shoulder a bigger burden to get broader network coverage.”


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The company hires a DreamWorks Animation exec to spearhead the franchise's expansion, as Rovio seeks to keep milking the birds.
The company promises in a tweet on that the new Angry Birds will be "Bigger. Badder. Birdier."
The game provides the same propulsion that gamers have come to expect from the franchise, but this time around, female protagonists star.
The company announces staff cuts and the closure of its game studio in Tampere, Finland.
Mikael Hed will step down as chief executive at the end of the year, turning the reins over to Pekka Rantala.
Hands-on with the Angry Birds developers' own addictive spin on a match-three game.
YouTube Gaming launches to compete with Twitch, Rovio lays off 260, Amazon flirts with hot meal delivery and Windows 10 sees strong adoption rate.
The company says that it will focus on its games, media, and consumer products divisions and needs to be more "agile" as it looks to improve its financial position.
The company says its financials were down in 2013 because it was building a "foundation" for future growth.
The basic gameplay is the same as in the original but the sequel includes spells, blizzards, magic ducks and hot chili peppers to hurl against your piggly enemies.


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There’s a new-ish farmers’ market in Auckland, the Te Puna market in Henderson. While the market launched in February this year, it has taken them eight months to get to business as usual mode. Kai West is the group behind the birth of the Te Puna market. Kai West is a collaboration between Healthy Families Waitakere, Panuku, and other community organisations that work towards connecting people to local growers so we can be aware of what we are eating and where that food comes from.
Together, they have created an affordable fresh food market in Henderson’s heart on the Falls Reserve using an unused car park earmarked for redevelopment. The market came about when the local supermarket closed for a refurbishment, and the community had nowhere nearby to buy fresh produce. There are also many unhealthy fast food options available in that area. Kai West wanted to counter this by creating a healthy and affordable food source that connected the community to local backyard growers.
Jason Dodunski, the market co-ordinator for Te Puna market, has had a rocky journey as they had to stop the market just five weeks after launching. They were one of the first markets to move to a click and collect model using the Open Food Network to support their vendors in selling food already growing in the ground that would have otherwise gone to waste. It helped them tide through the lockdowns, and Te Puna reopened as a regular farmers’ market in September.
On the show, Jason and I talk about:
- Utilising unused space to create something new that connects the community
- Building sustainable food systems by supporting local backyard growers
- Shopping hyper-local and what that teaches us about where food comes from
- The challenges involved in taking a farmers’ market online
Listen to the Podcast Here:
Quotes from the episode:
“We always had a vegetable garden at home. It gave me an appreciation of our connection to the natural world, how great it is to get your hands into the soil and know exactly where your food came from.”
“At Te Puna, we focus on small scale growers and help them create micro incomes for their family. A local market is as much about local food and affordability as it is about social connection.”
Are you looking for a new farmers’ market to visit? Head to Te Puna market this Saturday or check out Te puna Market on Facebook.


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Tesla CEO Elon Musk reported late Friday that an app problem that was keeping a number of drivers worldwide from using their cars was on the mend after a server issue was addressed.
Multiple Tesla drivers tweeted that their vehicles were not starting through their phone apps and, instead, had to use keycards – if they were lucky enough to be carrying theirs with them.
Musk responded directly to a South Korean driver who reported receiving a message about a server error while attempting to connect his Tesla Model 3 into his iPhone app.
Functionality should “be coming back online now. Looks like we may have accidentally increased the verbosity of network traffic. Apologies, we will take measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Musk said in a statement through his Twitter account.
But thousands of Tesla owners had already posted a multitude of complaints online prior to Musk’s statement, mostly stating that they have been stranded at home, without any chance of traveling to their destinations – with the majority of them using the Tesla phone apps to operate their vehicles.
The problem seemed widespread with tweets surfacing in countries such as the United States, Canada, Denmark and Germany – among others.


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Power Retail’s highly anticipated All Star Bash 2024 and the accompanying exclusive Outlook lunch event are just weeks away, and to further add to the excitement, Power Retail is thrilled to announce a partnership with Team Global Express.
Team Global Express is Australia’s leading intermodal logistics provider offering logistics solutions across rail, road, air and sea providing a level of resilience in the face of supply chain challenges.
Team Global Express prides itself on working with their customers to pivot to different modes of transport to deliver goods throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Team Global Express Chief Consumer Officer, Taeressa Fawthrop says the partnership with Power Retail is the perfect vehicle to showcase the range of formidable, customer-focussed solutions offered by the company.
“Team Global Express has developed a suite of e-commerce capabilities that provide you and your customers with greater confidence, choice and control and we are looking forward to supporting more retailers with our customer-centric solutions while we push the boundaries to transform the industry,” explains Ms Fawthrop.
The partnership sees the ecommerce solutions powerhouse joining forces with Power Retail to support the biggest event in the ecommerce calendar.
The Power Retail All Star Bash is the ecommerce industry’s most prestigious event in which the achievements of the industry are celebrated in a night of glamour at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium. The stakes are higher than ever for the Power Retail All Star Bash 2024, which saw the highest ever number of award submissions. Alongside 21 returning awards, to further up the ante, Power Retail has introduced a brand new award, the Top Travel Retailer which celebrates the triumphant return of the travel industry post-covid. And due to popular demand, they have opened the highly prestigious Top Sustainability Initiative Award for the very first time to public nomination.
These awards will be judged by a panel of highly esteemed, influential industry experts and professionals based on an extensive range of quantitative and qualitative measures and weighted by our analysis and the superstar panel of judges.
Team Global Express will be presenting the highly coveted Top Customer Experience Award. This award celebrates a retailer who has demonstrated a remarkable online customer journey from the first click to the last mile.
The exclusive Outlook Lunch is the perfect midweek ecommerce industry event. Outlook will provide new and exciting data and insights on the ecommerce landscape, a deep dive into emerging trends, and a roadmap for how retailers can successfully navigate what’s next, as well as offer the opportunity for high profile retailers to network with their peers and discuss trends and data.
Major retailers across a variety of industries attended last year’s Outlook Lunch and All Star Bash Awards ceremony including David Jones, Coles, Bunnings Warehouse, Kmart, Chemist Warehouse, Glassons, and Country Road, with many more expected in 2024.
Team Global Express brings to the lineup an exclusive keynote presentation from Taeressa Fawthrop in which she will be discussing how Team Global Express are transforming the industry through the company’s customer-centric approach and insights. With the presentation featuring a guest appearance from renowned business executive Christine Holgate, Group CEO of Team Global Express.
The Outlook Lunch and Power Retail All Star Bash 2024 takes place on March 7, 2024 in Melbourne. Find out more here.


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- The NEAR Foundation is collaborating with Shemaroo Entertainment to boost media.
- Shemaroo will build up new solutions and services because of its users.
NEAR Foundation, the blockchain operating-system, has partnered with Shemaroo Entertainment, one of the main players in India’s media and entertainment industry. The collaboration would be to improve Web3 innovation within the entertainment industry across India and beyond. Their bond is envisioned having a larger future for NEAR and also the entertainment sector.
On Tuesday, the NEAR Foundation tweeted about its partnership with Shemaroo Entertainment. With 60 experience in Indian cinema, Shemaroo aims look around the potential of blockchain technology through this collaboration. The Web3 innovative cells will concentrate on supplying new possibilities for decentralization, transparency, and immutability in media and entertainment sectors.
NEAR Foundation to boost the Entertainment Sector
Furthermore, Shemaroo can get in to the NEAR Foundation’s blockchain technology and smart contract abilities to build up new solutions and services for his or her users.
Hiren Gada, Chief executive officer of Shemaroo, mentioned
Like a forward-thinking company, we’re always searching for brand new methods to innovate and enhance our choices to higher serve our users.
Hiren also believes that blockchain technology can produce a new revenue stream for that industry. As well as pointed out the advantages of NEAR becoming the Blockchain Operating-system (BOS), that will lessen the here we are at market projects. Furthermore, it’ll ease and accelerate Shemaroo’s adoption of Web 3.
The NEAR Foundation and Shemaroo partnership is anticipated to create numerous benefits for environments. It’ll boost the Indian entertainment sector with improved security, faster transaction speeds, minimizing costs. Furthermore, Shemaroo can integrate with such things as NFT and also the metaverse experience. Their bond is among the major steps toward unlocking the entire potential of blockchain technology within the entertainment industry.


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Respite from the relentless stream of bad news can come from various avenues and retail still remains one of the most potent forms of therapy. But the present times have seen how shopping can double up as a means to empower our country to cope with the merciless wave of the virus in the form of countless brands and designers coming forward to help. While some have been backing craft communities, others are donating proceeds from their sales to non-profits that have already been doing exceptional work in aid of Covid-19 relief. So while you indulge in retail therapy, you can make it a tad better by also helping out and empowering others in assisting distressed communities. The fashion world in India has been exemplary in stepping up and while there are many more big and small brands, here’s listing a few:
Who: Tarun Tahiliani (@taruntahiliani)
Relief work: Donating a percentage of his sales from May-June to Dastkar.
Designer speak: “As India grapples with Covid-19, independent craftspeople and artisans are under serious financial stress. Their livelihoods have dried up and they are struggling for basic resources. Just like last year where we supported Dastkar — a society for crafts and craftspeople — this year too, we extend our support. A percentage of our total sales for this month and the next is being donated to Dastkar’s Artisans Support Fund. It is our sincere hope and prayer that with the much-needed financial assistance from this fund, the karigars, who are the backbone of our fashion industry, will be able to help to nurture themselves back. After all, we, as designers, must come together to give back and support artisans and craftspeople from across the country in whatever way we can.”
Who: JJ Valaya (@jjvalaya)
Relief work: Twenty per cent of all sales to Hemkunt Foundation, Khalsa Aid, Covid fund by Give India
Designer speak: “As our beautiful country fights against a lethal invisible enemy, many are left helpless and defeated in its wave. We commit 20 per cent of all our sales to these three incredible organisations who are selflessly helping as many as they can. We also humbly request all of you who can, to support them as much as possible.”
Who: Saundh (@saundhindia)
Relief work: Saundh has built a free Covid-19 treatment facility with up to 175 beds in Surat, near its factory. The social initiative has been headed by its CSR wing Ikjot, an NGO which works towards providing infrastructure support for tribal schools and other education needs. They have also been distributing 10 dozen bananas and 1,000 packets of buttermilk daily, to five government hospitals. Saundh is also extending financial and logistical aid to people who have lost loved ones in the wake of the pandemic but haven’t been able to provide a proper farewell with their all-India helpline number (9924019434) to support with the last rites.
Brand speak: “As the country battles the second wave of the pandemic, we have all come together in many ways to help and support the community. Saundh from its inception has been all about building a tribe that shares a value system and leans on each other. We have never been vocal about our CSR arm Ikjot that continously strives to better the community, provide aid, and help those who need it the most.”
What: Ka-Sha (@ka_sha_india)
Relief work: Partnership with Raaha Consulting and their latest initiative called The Artisan Shop, which is a movement for collective action to support weavers and artisans by giving access to consumers globally, to buy directly from the makers. Their online store is available for 30 days, starting May 17.
Brand speak: “The Artisan Shop is a movement for collective action to support our weavers and artisans by giving access to consumers globally to buy directly from the makers. The donations and relief pouring in is significant but when asked, the weavers and artisans want to continue to work, to grow their business, to be able to continue doing what they love and feel empowered through sales! We have partnered with @raahaconsulting and @loomandhand to work towards this common vision.”
What: Obeetee (@obeetee)
Covid relief: Vaccination drive for employees and families
Brand speak: “Obeetee has over the years been its people’s brand, which has been the backbone of the brand and helped us grow. We have been taking initiatives that are beneficial for its weavers/employees and vaccination is one of the major requirements for all of us. The vaccination will be done for all our employees including their family members while maintaining all the Covid-19 protocols. The initiative aims to ensure the safety of our working family as well their beloved ones.”
What: Lecoanet Hemant (@lecoanethemant)
Relief work: Twenty-five per cent proceeds from their sales in May to go to the Hemkunt Foundation
Designer speak: “We, at Lecoanet Hemant are deeply indebted to the frontline healthcare workers, organisations for providing Covid relief and the civil society at large for coming together in this time of crisis. In that spirit, Genes pledges proceeds from its sales to the Hemkunt Foundation, for their tireless welfare services to those affected by the pandemic.”
What: Payal Khandwala (@payalkhandwala)
Relief work: The brand will be donating 100 per cent of its profits from the months of April and May to the Hemkunt and Ketto organisations and also to the people around them, including their employees who have got Covid or need any medical help for family members.
What: Arpita Mehta (@arpitamehtaofficial)
Relief work: The brand introduced #WishfulWednesday, where on every Wednesday for the entire month of May, their kaftans will be available at 20 per cent off. All proceeds from the sale of these kaftans will be donated to different verified organisations helping with Covid relief.
Designer speak: “Our nation is grieving and so are we… we are not just going through this, we are going to grow through this. The current situation faced by our country is considerably more dire and is the worst the world has faced so far. It’s time for us to do more and the efforts need to be made immediately.”
What: Fizzy Goblet (@fizzygoblet)
Relief work: The brand raised over Rs 4 lakh with their 24-hour oxygen support drive on April 27, which they donated to the Hemkunt Foundation. They have now pledged 10 per cent of sales proceeds from each order of their ‘A Better Day’ collection to the Uday Foundation, Feeding From Far and Khalsa Aid.
Brand speak: “Let your Fizzy Gs be a reminder of your kindness. We invite everyone to take this opportunity to make a contribution this is life-saving mission.”
What: MellowDrama (@mellowdrama_official)
Relief work: Hundred per cent of proceeds from their sales from May 8 to 15 to go to the Hemkunt Foundation and Doctors For You.
Brand speak: “As we continue to live our lives amidst such heart-wrenching times, we at MellowDrama believe that it is equally important to give back to the society that has helped us reach where we are today, as a token of the love and appreciation we have received.”
Brand: Aranyani (@aranyaniatelier)
Relief work: Out of their continuous work for their community (around Whitefield, Bangalore), they have distributed 2,500kg rice, 2,500 masks, allotted 1 per cent of their turnover to the Aranyani Educational and Vocational Trust, which is currently sponsoring education for three children and will take up 18 more children in the current year 2021. They have provisioned medical insurance to each craftsman and they are all supplied with free vegetables and produce of the Aranyani orchards. They have also started working closely with the Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital in Bangalore to ramp up oxygen production and have organised a vaccination drive for all Aranyani employees (over 150) and their spouses.
What: AMPM (@ampmfashions)
Relief work: Thirty per cent of all the sales during the month of May will go towards helping people get free and easy access to a vaccine.
Brand speak: “In the last few days what has become extremely clear is that vaccinating everyone is the only real way out of this. That is our best chance to attack the problem at its root and the faster we do it the better.”
What: The Jodi Life (@thejodilife)
Relief work: Fifty per cent of sales between April 26 and May 2 were donated to the Hemkunt Foundation. Shoppers were encouraged with a 20 per cent discount.
Brand speak: “This was a very personal decision as being silent was not an option. Each of us is dealing with loss and so, regardless of what others do, where we can help, we will help. Our personal experiences gave us a sense of urgency, which made us one of the first brands to step forward to help.”


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AT&T will give you cheap, fast Internet—if you let it track your browser history
As expected, AT&T is trying to screw you over.
Unfortunately, as with so much of what the major telecom companies do, there’s a catch.
AT&T’s fiber Internet plan—called “U-verse with AT&T GigaPower”—costs $70 per month, which is the same price that Google charges for its fiber plan. However, unlike Google Fiber, AT&T tracks your browsing habits and sells that information to advertisers.
The tracking takes place through the AT&T Internet Preferences system, which users must opt out of if they don’t want AT&T watching their browsing activity. AT&T says it can “offer you our best pricing on GigaPower because you let us use your individual Web browsing information, like the search terms you enter and the web pages you visit, to tailor ads and offers to your interests.”
AT&T helpfully points out that “if you don’t choose AT&T Internet Preferences, you can always go with our U-verse with AT&T GigaPower Standard Offer.”
Here’s the catch: the standard offer costs $99 per month. If you don’t want AT&T to track your web browsing, it’ll cost you $29 more per month.
Google tracks non-browsing information generated by its Fiber customers. The company told Ars Technica that it collects “information about the services that you use and how you use them, like when you watch a video on YouTube, visit a website that uses our advertising services, or you view and interact with our ads and content.”
This fits with the standard, cookie-based information collection that all Web services conduct with their users.
H/T Ars Technica | Illustration by Max Fleishman
Eric Geller is a politics reporter who focuses on cybersecurity, surveillance, encryption, and privacy. A former staff writer at the Daily Dot, Geller joined Politico in June 2016, where he's focused on policymaking at the White House, the Justice Department, the State Department, and the Commerce Department.


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The new device, named "new iPad", has what Apple calls a "Retina" display, which displays 3.1 million pixels - a higher screen resolution than an HDTV.
It also has a 5-megapixel rear camera, which features the same lens technology as Apple's iPhone 4S, and is capable of recording full 1080p HD video.
Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, launched the new iPad at an Apple event in San Francisco, California. He described the device as the flagship among the company's "post-PC" products.
The new iPad will be released in the UK on Friday, March 16, with prices starting at £399 for the 16GB, WiFi-only version, and rising to £659 for the 64GB, WiFi and 3G model. The 16GB iPad will remain on sale at £329.


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Both domestic food suppliers and those who export to the U.S. are watching to see the new food-safety plan that the Food and Drug Administration promises to release, possibly as early as this month.
Outbreaks of foodborne illness--linked to a range of products including fresh spinach and processed beef--have grabbed headlines in the last year. Although the FDA has traditionally reacted to outbreaks after they happen, some food-industry experts expect the agency to adopt the approach now taken by the Agriculture Department, which requires preventive controls from food processors. Since the USDA began requiring preventive controls from the meat industry in 1993 (in reaction to a deadly outbreak of E. coli), the number of cases of E. coli infections from meat and poultry dropped by 42 percent by 2004, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
The FDA faces some big hurdles if it plans to require preventive controls from processors themselves. For one, the bulk of companies the USDA regulates are in the U.S.; only 33 foreign countries can export meat to America, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. In contrast, the FDA faces a flood of seafood imports from nearly 14,000 foreign processors to more than 4000 U.S. ports. Indeed, imports account for more than 83 percent of all seafood consumed in the U.S.
Due in part to fear that consumers will be begin avoiding food they fear is unsafe, trade groups including the National Fisheries Institute have begun lobbying for more funding and authority for the FDA to oversee food safety.
Photo by iStockphoto.com/ © Christine Balderas


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We're looking for chefs that dictate with passion. … We're looking for younger, hungry chefs who are willing to push what we know as the standard.
Nate Michaels sees potential in Chattanooga's growing food and beverage scene. Not only enough for him to open up Five Wits Brewing Company on West Main Street, but enough to also showcase culinary talents in a research and development kitchen incubator there.
About a year ago, Michaels moved back to his hometown of Chattanooga from Denver. Out West, he fell in love with craft beers, but with the market being so oversaturated, it seemed impossible to make a name in town. Denver has six breweries per every 50,000 people, the 18th-most populous beer market in the country, according to market analysis company C+R Research.
Following the sale of his third-party distributing company, Michaels began looking for his next passion. That landed him at a Denver brewery where he met his current partners, Elliot Kehoe and Bryan Harris. When they tried breaking into the craft beer market, they faced some roadblocks.
"We tried to do it in Colorado a couple of times," Michaels says. "It's a smaller margin of error, and we were having a hard time finding the capital to open the type of project we wanted."
Following a trip home for the holidays, Michaels approached Kehoe and Harris about moving their ventures east. "We want to bring our technical expertise and be a part of the growing, thriving craft beer industry in Tennessee," he says.
Five Wits is expected to open sometime this month. The brewery will take up what was formerly Enzo's Market, which is desirable for its central location and size — which would allow them to do what they wanted and more.
"It was too big for what we originally envisioned," says Michaels.
In Denver, he says, breweries weren't too focused on being a food destination because local food trucks provide rotating menus around town. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation ranked Denver as the second-largest food truck city in the country in 2018. So for his Chattanooga project, Michaels floated the idea of building out a food truck pad. But Chattanooga's food truck industry is behind: There are few trucks, it's a smaller market, the sun doesn't shine 24/7, and the city's infrastructure doesn't allow for fleets of trucks to camp out, he says.
With the help of local restaurateurs and partners Mike and Taylor Monen, they instead landed on the idea of R&D Test Kitchen, which will give chefs access to a risk-free environment to test their menus in a fully equipped kitchen rent-free.
"It's like a food truck on steroids times 100," Michaels says.
The featured chefs' residencies can run between three and six months, and Michaels says they aren't just looking for local talent. He hopes to draw regional, national and eventually international chefs.
"We're looking for younger, hungry chefs who are willing to push what we know as the standard," he says.
Opening a restaurant is already tricky, and opening one when you don't have much capital or a proven concept is even more so. Chefs will be able to apply for the residency through the Five Wits website once it's up and running later this year, but for now, it's a word of mouth application to become part of the lineup of innovative chefs. "We're looking for chefs that dictate with passion," Michaels says.
While there are chefs around town who host pop-ups in various locations, Michaels says a permanent rotating kitchen isn't something he's seen in the area before. "It provides the chef/artist the ability to do anything they want, without limitations of space or equipment," he says.
Nationally, pop-up kitchens are loved for their unpredictability, many being hosted in borrowed restaurants or cafes. The added benefit of the incubator will allow chefs to test out their menus and serve as a crash course in running a restaurant.
"There are a lot of nuances that come to running a restaurant," says Michaels. "The cash is slim, so you need to know not only how to create a product that's delicious, but also know how to run it."
Five Wits will ultimately host more than just the test kitchen and brewery, but those plans haven't been announced yet. The name, Five Wits, is a reference to what Shakespeare referred to as humans' five senses, and with the food and brews, they have two senses down.
"We want to bring in all the sensory elements," Michaels let on.


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When India is not eating rice, it is eating quinoa
- by admin
The world’s rice production is in decline, and it’s happening in India too, which is struggling with its own pandemic.
In fact, India is now producing more quinoa than it did in the 1950s, according to a new study.
That’s according to the World Quinoa Survey.
The survey, which surveyed more than 300,000 people, found that India produces more quickets, a crop used for biofuels and fiber, than any other country.
India has been a major player in the biofuel industry, producing about $5 billion worth of biofuel from quinoa annually.
But the drought has caused the country to ramp up its production of rice, which has become a major staple for India’s poor.
A recent report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) showed that India is growing about 30% more rice per person than in the early 1990s.
And the country is getting a huge boost from the country’s growing middle class.
The FAO report found that in the first six months of this year, India produced nearly 9.5 million tons of rice.
In comparison, the United States grew about 4 million tons last year.
India is also seeing an increase in its exports, with exports increasing by about 9% last year to $2.4 billion.
Quinoa, a protein from the bean, has also been a boon for the country.
It has been used in many Indian dishes, including curry, kichari and even the rice porridge.
Quakesquare quinoa, the Indian food trend.
The rice is not as spicy as most other types of quinoa but it’s much more nutritious.
The researchers found that quinoa has been especially popular among the Indian middle class, which have been struggling to feed themselves for years.
But quinoa is not the only food trend taking hold in India.
The country is also getting its share of international attention for its first official global pandemic, the Zika virus.
India’s largest state, Karnataka, has become the epicenter of the outbreak, which killed more than 7,000 and displaced an estimated 2.5 billion people.
The virus has caused massive deaths, including that of the Indian actor-turned-politician Shah Rukh Khan, who has become India’s most famous celebrity for his work with the virus.
But even as India has made major strides, it faces major challenges as it tries to combat a deadly pandemic that has hit the entire world.
The government of India is taking steps to boost the nation’s quinoa production, but the country also has the world’s second-largest population.
India now accounts for nearly two-thirds of the world total rice production, according the FAO.
India currently imports nearly 25% of its rice.
But India has struggled to grow enough rice to meet the countrys needs.
In the first half of this fiscal year, the country imported about 1.4 million tons from abroad.
But that is expected to drop to a little over 1.2 million tons by the end of the year.
The Indian government is hoping that the country can use the extra grain to feed its growing middle classes and improve its rice-based food.
India already uses a variety of crops, including rice, millet and sorghum.
But rice production in India has grown faster than other crops in recent years.
The recent drought has helped to fuel that growth.
The quinoa boom is part of a global trend, as global demand for quinoa expands, according a report from the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization.
India, however, is a major contributor to the growing demand for the grain.
Quilliam’s Global Quinoa Initiative has reported that India’s quails are increasingly becoming an ingredient in many of the global cuisines and dishes.
The global demand is expected increase from 1.1 billion tons in 2020 to 4.4 trillion tons by 2030.
And India’s appetite for quills has grown so much that some states are using them as an ingredient.
“India is one of the top 10 largest producers of quail in the world, so we have been using them in everything from ketchup, to cheese, to curry, to meat,” said Anand Kumar, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The trend is also being seen in China.
In recent years, the Chinese government has been increasing its demand for imported quinoa from its neighbors, especially Vietnam and Myanmar.
But many in China are concerned about the health effects that the rice can pose on its people.
China is already one of India’s biggest rice exporters, and its exports are expected to increase in the coming years.
China, which accounts for more than half of the rice produced in the country, has already increased its demand by about 4.5% annually since 2010, according The New York Times.
And it plans to increase that demand by 7% annually by 2030, The
The world’s rice production is in decline, and it’s happening in India too, which is struggling with its own pandemic.In…


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IBM Executives Bridget Karlin, Donna N. Dillenberger and Beth Smith explain how AI will transform the business world
Las Vegas, NV – 01/05/2018 –The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) – owner and producer of CES® – today announced a new CES 2018 SuperSession featuring IBM executives Bridget Karlin, Chief Technology Officer & Vice President, GTS Technology, Innovation & Automation, Donna N. Dillenberger, IBM Fellow, Enterprise Solutions; and Beth Smith, General Manager, IBM Watson.
The session – Turning AI into New Ways of Doing Business on Jan. 10, 2-3 PM, Tech East, LVCC, North Hall, N257 – will discuss how professionals are putting the technology to work to better serve customers through increased engagement and accelerated research and the future of AI.
“AI has the power to change the world, and companies such as IBM are using the CES platform to share their latest breakthroughs and insights,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, CES and corporate business strategy, CTA. “I am proud and excited to add these leaders to our long list of exemplary speakers using the CES stage to share their vision. This panel will provide great insights into how companies across all industries around the world are putting IBM Watson to work, managing workflows, data sets and insights all through AI.”
CES 2018 will feature a new Marketplace and conference track on the future of AI, a key ingredient technology over the next decade that is being folded into consumer tech applications across all industries including automotive, health, home, robotics and agriculture. And CES 2018 will showcase AI innovations with an increased focus on user value and that has the power to improve the world.
“We are in an extraordinary time, where companies in all industries must reinvent themselves around data,” said Karlin. “Harnessing that data with AI creates a new partnership between humans and technology. At IBM, we believe the pairing of human and machine is bringing the greatest value to enterprises.”
CES 2018 is the global stage for innovation and will run from Jan. 9-12, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada, NV.
Take a look at three new areas at CES 2018. High-definition video b-roll from CES is available for easy download on CESbroll.com. See exclusive photos from the CES show floor, keynotes, conference sessions, events and award ceremonies in the CES photo gallery.
Produced by the Consumer Technology Association, Inside CES 2018 – Trends and Takeaways provides a complete overview of the entirety of CES, including exclusive CTA research and trend analysis not available anywhere else. Ensure you understand the most important trends impacting the tech industry in the year ahead. Learn more and order your copy today.


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Tag Archives: Chartwell Technology
- Analysts dis Betfair; Chartwell revenues fall; Tabcorp won’t sell; tough Tote talk
18 March 2011
Analysts rate Betfair a 'sell'; Bet365 rules Oddschecker; Chartwell Technology revenues fall; Tabcorp not selling Sky Channel; Tote layoffs coming, gambling industry updates.
- Victor Chandler set to launch Chartwell’s live dealer
4 February 2011
Towards the end of this month Victor Chandler will be launching Chartwell Technology’s new live dealer product, gaming industry news.
- Chartwell has bad Q4; Française des Jeux has record year
29 January 2011
Chartwell reports 30% drop in Q4 revenues and 23% drop on the year; state-owned Française des Jeux reports record €10.5b turnover, up 5.5% over 2009.
- Chartwell gets new website and deal with Rank Interactive
14 January 2011
The launch of the new site has coincided with an agreement they've signed with Rank Interactive
- Stan James re-ups with Chartwell Technology
8 October 2010
Canadian-based platform provider Chartwell Technology renews its deal with Stan James PLC through 2012, their third such deal.
- Chartwell and Bwin premiere Italian Job slot game
29 April 2010
Chartwell Technology has announced the launch of its first branded online slot game, The Italian Job, which will be offered by Bwin
Fortuna new sponsors of Romania’s national football team
22 March 2017
GVC’s Bwin, PartyPoker brands exit Swiss online gambling market
17 January 2019
Amaya’s Year of Acquisitions
8 November 2012
Bwin.ru launch brings first int’l online betting brand to Russia
21 November 2017


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MyParkingSign.com: First Company to Sell Updated Accessibility Signage
NEW YORK -- July 31, 2014: MyParkingSign.com is the first company to sell signage featuring the updated International Symbol of Accessibility. Originally created in the 1960s, the symbol was recently redesigned to feature a more active human figure. On Friday, July 25th, the updated logo was adopted as the state of New York's official symbol of accessibility.
Senator David Carlucci (D-NY), cosponsor of the bill, said in a statement, "On the eve of the 24th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I want to thank Governor Cuomo for signing our Accessibility Icon legislation into law. New York is again leading the way by being the first state in the nation to update our outdated 'handicap' signs with a more active, engaging symbol. Working together we will continue to be a shining example for disability rights throughout the country."
After the symbol's official adoption, MyParkingSign.com has created new products to reflect the change. The company plans to offer donations and discounts to interested parties across the country.
"MyParkingSign.com, along with SmartSign's other branded sites, prides itself on seeing an opportunity to create change and acting quickly," said Conrad Lumm, Marketing Director for the company's brands. "We recently ran a successful nationwide campaign to promote inclusivity by donating all-gender restroom signs to colleges. We plan to aggressively adopt the same approach with the new accessibility symbol and start donations immediately to encourage implementation."
The symbol was created by professors Sara Hendren and Brian Glenney, founders of The Accessible Icon Project. The project provides supplies and services to transform the old International Symbol of Access into an "active, engaged image."
In an interview with Lumm, Brian Glenney said, "The worry is that the old symbol conveys a way of thinking that's quite prolific and old and of a helpless static person who clings to their wheelchair that essentially is looking for a handout… something quite passive."
Sara Hendren said of the new image, "Our symbol speaks to the general primacy of personhood, and to the notion that the person first decides how…she or he will navigate the world, in the broadest literal and metaphorical terms. To us, this evokes the disability rights mantra that demands 'nothing about us without us.'"
"We love the Accessible Icon Project's 'Moving Forward' strategy," said Lumm. "We plan to change our products, advocate for the new design, and share as much as possible."


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WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report reveals that many of North America’s largest retail companies are embracing chemical safety policies to help protect consumers from toxic chemicals in products. In the largest-ever analysis of its kind, 63% of evaluated companies improved over the past year alone.
Second Annual Report Card Also Identifies Nine Retailers Receiving Failing Grades
Two out of three food cans tested have toxic BPA in the linings, new report says. Nearly 200 cans analyzed from Campbell’s, Del Monte, General Mills, Kroger, Albertsons and more tested. Report, infographic, B-roll, & social media graphics available at www.ToxicFoodCans.org.


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Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has filled an online "treasure house" with the priceless ancient books for lovers of Tibetan culture worldwide. Since its trial operation on April 25, 2020, the platform has received nearly 100,000 visits, setting a record high for the library's website.
As part of efforts to protect the ancient culture, the regional ancient book protection center announced it had uploaded rare ancient books with over 20,000 folios to an online platform under the official website of the Tibet Library.
Users can search, copy and download the valuable books for free on the platform. The platform covers the biographies of Tibetan scholars and the history of Tibet and Buddhism that span from the 12th to the 20th century.


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(Adds CEO, CFO quotes, details on results, background)
March 3 (Reuters) - French perfume maker Interparfums on Tuesday warned of a 10% year-on-year drop in its first-quarter sales, citing an expected disruption to its distribution due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The company’s direct exposure to China, the source of the outbreak, is limited, with the country representing 2% of its 2019 sales.
“The coronavirus epidemic may be expected to have a significant impact on the distribution of our products in all regions of Asia, Europe and the Middle East,” Chief Executive Officer Philippe Benacin said in a statement.
Interparfums, whose production is mainly concentrated in France and Europe, also highlighted a significant base effect for the decline in first-quarter revenue.
The company had launched in the beginning of last year a series of perfume lines with Montblanc Explorer, Jimmy Choo L’Eau and Jimmy Choo Floral among them providing for a high comparison base for the 2020 first-quarter sales.
The Kate Spade perfume license owner said 2019 sales rose 6% to 484.3 million euros ($539.8 million), with operating profit jumping 10% to 73.1 million euros, resulting in a net income of 50.6 million euros, up 7% year-on-year. “Our flexible business model and the considerable strength of our balance sheet will enable us to successfully weather this current period of turbulence,” Chief Financial Officer Philippe Santi said in the statement.
Interparfums proposed a 10% increase in its dividend for 2019 to 0.71 euro per share.
$1 = 0.8972 euros Reporting by Piotr Lipinski in Gdansk Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Sriraj Kalluvila


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Zero Motorcycles in Santa Cruz, Calif. today revealed that Invus, LP, the company’s earliest financial backers, have invested another $17 million in the business, with potential to add $9 million more over coming months.
The capital will go towards expanding the Zero’s U.S. operations, primarily, and towards expanding the company’s global sales efforts, research and development, according to a… → Read More
A Santa Cruz-based electric motorcycle manufacturer, Zero Motorcycles, raised another $2.4 million in private equity, according to a new SEC filing.
Earlier this month, California’s Scotts Valley Police Department started using the company’s Zero DS bikes in urban patrols. According to a company press statement, its Zero DS has a range of up to 50 miles (80 km) and is highway legal, safe for… → Read More
California-based Zero Motorcycles has taken $5.56M in a Series A add-on according to an SEC Report, filed today. Investors in this round were not disclosed. The company previously raised $5M in April of 2008, bringing their total funding to just over $10.6M. Formerly Electricross, Zero Motorcycles specializes in high performance electric street and dirt bikes–the Tesla of the motorcycle industry… → Read More
Now that it’s summer and time to frolic outside, it’s time to ride dirt bikes, right? Of course it is, but let’s try and keep the environment clean and quiet this summer. Zero Motorcycles announced their latest electric motorcycle yesterday, the Zero MX. It’s built for the track with a beefy suspension specifically designed for “bigger jumps” and a 19-inch front wheel. Who wants to… → Read More


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With the release of Android 14 QPR1 Beta 1, Pixel phones and potentially other Android devices can now be used as webcams for PCs, Macs, and Chromebooks. This highly anticipated feature is a game changer, offering affordable and high-quality video calls. Google developed Android’s webcam capabilities based on the USB Video Class standard, allowing any device that supports a standard webcam to use an Android phone as one.
After installing the Android 14 QPR1 Beta, Pixel owners will see a new option when plugging their phone into a computer. In the notification drawer, a new option for “Webcam” will be available below the usual choices. Tapping this option will bring users to a new app that allows them to preview and adjust the video feed sent to the computer. Users can switch between zoom levels, switch cameras, and even lock the phone to conserve battery life while sharing the video feed over USB.
On the computer, applications like Discord, Zoom, and Google Meet will display a new webcam option called “Android Camera.” The setup process is simple, with no complicated configurations required. Users can instantly upgrade the quality of their video calls using the phone they already have.
While Pixels may not have the best video quality compared to some other smartphones, they still outperform the built-in webcams on most computers. Additionally, they offer features like auto-focus that are typically found in more expensive external webcams. This means users can significantly improve the quality of their video calls at no extra cost.
However, there are alternative services available that achieve the same goal. For example, Camo Studio offers similar functionality for free, although it adds a watermark to the video. It does not require the latest version of Android or any specific device requirements. Furthermore, Camo Studio includes the audio from the phone’s microphone, a feature that is currently lacking in Android 14 QPR1’s webcam functionality.
Despite the availability of alternative services, Android’s Device as Webcam feature stands out for its simplicity. With just one cable and a few taps on the phone’s screen, users can be ready for video calls. As remote work continues to be prevalent, this addition allows more people to improve their appearance in online meetings without investing in an expensive USB camera.
At the moment, the webcam feature is available on Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 6 Pro, but not Pixel Fold. However, this may change in future updates. It is also expected that as OEMs update their devices to Android 14, more phones will gain the ability to function as USB webcams.
If you have installed the Android 14 QPR1 Beta on your Pixel phone, let us know if the webcam feature is available and working correctly. Stay tuned for more updates on Android 14 QPR1’s webcam capabilities.
Note: Dylan Roussel contributed to this article.


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There are signs that a slow recovery is underway. In the private sector order books are beginning to return to pre-recessionary levels and a feeling of well-being, albeit tentative in nature, is returning to many sectors. However, ironically, despite growing optimism there are a rising number of significant dangers within the supply chain.
According to a recent report published by management consultants, PRTM, entitled “Lessons learned from the global recession”, many companies lack the capabilities critical for meeting growing demand or for managing an increasingly complex and global supply chain. Among the five key trends identified from the survey of 350 manufacturing and service companies, two really underline the big challenges ahead: The first is that supply chain volatility and uncertainty have permanently increased; the second is that risk management involves the end-to-end supply chain.
If this is the case, supply chains are going to have to change radically and become far more agile, so as to flex with the volatility of the market. In addition, companies will have to adopt risk management strategies that are far broader than are currently practiced – only a small minority of companies measure risk in their supply chains. This will have to change.
Some risks are well understood, such as the potential insolvency or collapse of suppliers. This can lead to knock-on problems with financing other suppliers, distributors or transport companies. So protecting against cash-flow problems is critical. But there are other risks too: for example political instability, natural catastrophes, strikes, port blockages, piracy, currency exposure and product quality. For insurance companies this is why supply chain risk is different to other areas in which they operate. There are so many different elements that have to be brought together and looked at as a whole.
There are also long-term business trends, such as single sourcing, industry consolidation, just-in-time manufacturing and extended supply chains which have all heightened risk. These business practices have made supply chains far more critical to the success of the enterprise. However, they have also made them far more fragile, which has impacted the financing of the supply chain by rendering them increasingly precarious. It is therefore important to understand the risk costs associated with a supply chain if they are to be priced into the overall financial cost of the supply chain.
Credit checks are important for arranging insurance cover, but risks to the supply chain need to be considered holistically. According to Nick Wildgoose, global supply chain proposition manager at Zurich Financial Services, companies need to be alert to threats within the supply chain. “We’ve found that supply chains aren’t high on the agenda, and only gradually are firms waking up to their responsibilities in this area,” he says. “Many just don’t realise how complex their supply chains are, and where the weak points might be. It is important that companies have an awareness of the operational risks within their supply chain.”
Zurich Financial Services has developed a risk assessment framework based around a “checklist” of 23 risk factors and have created a database of 2,400 previous incidents of supply chain failures, analysed by Manchester Business School.
Wildgoose believes that traditionally, companies have not devoted enough resource to mitigating supply chain risks. He says that the problem for companies seeking to buy insurance cover for their supply chains has been that they have always had to take out separate property, marine, construction, political or insolvency products and hope there were no gaps. However, this is no longer the case as Wildgoose is quick to point out that Zurich has just introduced a product to cover all these areas.
Now that signs of recovery are becoming more widely apparent, it might seem safe for organisations to relax their vigilance over suppliers. However, Colin Maund, chief executive of Achilles Group, a company that manages supplier information, believes the opposite to be true. “Generally, supplier bankruptcies occur when the economy is heading towards recovery. And that’s because suppliers have been able to beg, steel and borrow their way through the worst days and extend lines of credit. But it’s when the recovery starts that companies face an unpleasant cocktail,” he says.
“First of all, they are often at their weakest, their customers are paying late and yet, buyers are still being demanding on terms – if not even more demanding; secondly, they haven’t got some of the contracts that they were awarded in the good times to fall back on because those contracts are coming to an end or have ended. And thirdly, they are terrified that the recession is coming towards an end and realise that they need to gear up for recovery,” Maund says.
These problems are further exacerbated by staffing issues. Key staff who may have been under pressure during difficult times, and stayed at their posts to ride out the storm, are now looking for new positions. These individuals will need to be replaced, quite likely, by people who are more expensive.
Buyers need to be particularly conscious that coming out of recession, suppliers are going to be more cautious and less prepared to invest. Also, there are going to be fewer suppliers about. Some will have merged and others will have gone out of business. And companies are still going to find it difficult getting bank funding, which means that going to a supplier with a new order may be seen as more of a “poisoned chalice” rather than a wonderful opportunity – it may be they simply can’t afford to invest the money up front to supply you.
So, what should the buyer’s response be? How can buyers help their suppliers? “In my view,” says Maund, “the buyer’s response should be to be even more vigilant about supplier credentials and have alternative strategies in place… and to be aware that simply throwing a big order at a supplier is not going to necessarily be regarded as a helpful thing to do.”
There are two things they should be doing, he says. “The first is to look at those suppliers they have real influence over and if they do have concerns over any of those suppliers, then they should have a very open conversation with those suppliers about their financial position. In cases where they feel that they don’t have enough economic leverage to get the response they are looking for from a supplier, then they should at least have an alternative strategy around another supplier or group of suppliers, should they need to move quickly.” He warns that companies should pay particular attention to details relating to ownership of goods – a supplier going bankrupt can lead to complicated issues in this area.
One of the first things buyers should watch out for is suppliers cutting corners to save costs. This can obviously affect the quality of products and services supplied. Staffing levels may be reduced on projects or perhaps, for example, less testing may be carried out on software. A further danger, Maund points out, is that suppliers may try to save money by not paying subcontractors. “So you may get a knock-on effect – and in some cases the subcontractors are as important as the main contractor.”
“Where you really are stuck with a supplier that is critical to your business one obvious thing you can do to help them stay in business is to pay them on time,” suggests Maund. “Although don’t pay them early, especially if there is a risk that they might go out of business.” Another thing, he says, “is to act as some sort of guarantor… I’ve seen cases where companies have awarded a reasonably long-term contract to allow the supplier to go to its bank and say ‘I have every expectation of pulling through this, I’ve got long-term contracts’.” However, there appears to be little evidence to suggest that banks are now more willing to lend. Governments are making a big song and dance about the banks being unwilling to lend, whereas the banks are saying there is simply no demand. Companies and banks are risk averse, and the majority of companies are looking to save money, not take on more debt.
A great deal of tension over future demand relates to the public sector and the slashes in public spending that are expected. For many suppliers to the public sector business has simply “gone off a cliff” and for those lucky enough to have their contracts in place, a large number are being approached by public sector buyers for reductions and changes to their contracts to reduce costs. Then there are the subcontractors, a great many are being asked by the main contractors to reduce costs to help share the pain of public spending cuts – sometimes regardless of the true situation.
All in all, it’s very much a case of “buyer beware”.
- Supply Chain
- Corporate Insight
- Digital Magazines


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Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza has been filling vacant storefronts with a mix of local and national tenants.
Ten businesses have recently opened, with more to come.
Like other shopping centers around the country, the Plaza has lost some big luxury tenants, such as Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Brighton Collectibles. Three retailers adopted a new strategy that reduced the number of full-priced stores and instead focused on their discount, outlet presence.
New tenants recently opened:


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Amazon just revealed over a dozen new devices, from speakers to glasses and even a smart oven, aimed at making your home smarter and your life easier.
The new products include several Alexa enabled devices, like the all-new Echo, Echo Dot with Clock, Echo Glow, Echo Show 8 and Echo Studio. Amazon also announced the new Echo Buds, wireless earbuds, Echo Frames, smart glasses and Echo Loop, a smart ring. All three devices allow you to connect with Alexa on the go.
In addition to theses new devices, Amazon also announced some other new ways to make your home smarter, including the new Amazon Smart Oven, which is a combination convection oven, microwave, air fryer and food warmer that can be controlled by Alexa when paired with an Echo. Users can ask Alexa to preheat the oven, start or stop cooking, and be notified when the oven is preheated. The device is priced at $249.99 and includes an Echo Dot.
Amazon also revealed new features for Alexa like the new Smart Guard Alert, which will give you Smart Alerts if an Echo device detects the sound of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms or glass breaking in your home. Alexa will also soon be able to make managing WiFi access easier. You’ll be able to pause WiFi service until the homework is done or the beds are made simply by asking Alexa. The smart assisstant will also soon be able to help you with your shopping list by reminding you when its time to re-order supplies, like ink and air filters.
“Customers want their smart home technology to make everyday tasks easier, but not at the expense of spending their whole weekend, or hiring an expert, just to get everything setup,” said Daniel Rausch, Amazon Vice President, Smart Home. “We think customers will be delighted with what we have coming this fall—more ways to find smart home devices they can set up in minutes, new Alexa features that take the stress out of being away from home, and new products that help families enjoy great meals together or just have a little fun.”
All photos: Amazon


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Ice and Fog-Free Windshield Coating Being Tested at Volkswagen
With winter fast approaching, scraping ice from windshields will likely be an inevitable nuisance to many drivers. Although companies have previously toyed with innovative ways of clearing ice from windscreens (heated washer fluid, anyone?), Volkswagen is developing a new idea that could prevent it from forming in the first place.
According to the automaker, the solution may lie with a coating for the windshield itself. Developed in partnership with the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Technology, VW is testing a number of windshields treated with a thin layer of indium tin oxide. In theory, the coating reportedly prevents heat from radiating upwards, subsequently slowing or preventing the glass from cooling.
Does it work? Volkswagen claims the coating has prevented both fogging and ice formation at temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit -- but the system isn't exactly perfected. Thomas Drescher, an engineer within VW's Development wing, notes there are a number of variables -- including cloudiness, relative humidity, and wind -- can affect the effectiveness of the tin treatment.
"The Low-E (low thermal emissivity) [may not] prevent ice formation or condensation entirely," Drescher notes, "but it can significantly reduce the likelihood of it happening."
Although that sounds like a wunderbar invention for those trapped in the snowbelt, don't expect to see this technology applied to vehicles within the next year or two. VW reports the metallic film is currently interfering with radio reception and other electronic devices, which would severely limit the design's viability in a gadget-driven world. Still, VW pledges to tinker with the idea, and once it's ready for prime time, the company plans on offering it to each of its group brands (i.e. VW, Seat, Audi, Porsche, Skoda, etc.)


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TABS launches women’s collection
Clothing store TABS launched its first women’s collection at the Bermuda Fashion Festival last weekend.
TABS, which stands for “The Authentic Bermuda Shorts”, is located on Reid Street, Hamilton, having launched five years ago.
Rebecca Singleton, founder and chief executive officer of TABS, said this was the natural next step for the brand, to broaden its product offering having carried an exclusive men’s line since the shop opened.
“Our customers and retailers have been asking for a wider range of items,” Ms Singleton said.
The feedback for the women’s line has been positive. “It’s only been a few days but the fit and fabric is so comfortable and flattering it’s hard not to love the items when you try them on,” she added.
The new ladies collection comes in paradise prints and eye-catching solids from hibiscus pink to reef line blue.
“We have been making women’s Bermuda shorts in both stretch cotton and cotton twill for about four years now,” Ms Singleton said. “But I wanted to make a short that was more comfortable, cooler and stylish.
“Culottes are the answer. Our twist on the Bermuda short for ladies exudes vintage chic. These classy culottes will take you from the boardroom to the boat. Ideal for a casual brunch, the office or a night on the town, pair with heels and a flowy shirt or go casual with sandals and a crop top,” she said.
Besides this new expansion, TABS has caught the eye of retailers abroad. Having attended US trade shows, the brand gained popularity in the US and in the Cayman Islands where they are now being sold. “As a Bermudian, I’m proud to be exporting Bermuda-inspired apparel,” Ms Singleton said.
“We’ve been expanding our product offering. Watch out for men’s blazers, shirts and long trousers, which will be coming later this year.
“But the heart of our brand is still the Bermuda short. We offer over 30 colours in three different fabrics, from our classic cotton to a more casual stretch cotton and our formal cotton and linen blend.
TABS has been featured in several international publications, including GQ, Travel + Leisure and the New York Times. Winner of a “Best of Bermuda” award for four consecutive years, TABS is a lifestyle brand specialising in Bermuda shorts but with a range of products from shirts and blazers to women’s dresses and children’s Bermuda shorts.
• For more information, visit www.tabsbermuda.com


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We've reached the end of an era now that Netflix is finally ending its DVD mailing service. The revolutionary system of red-and-white envelopes that made Netflix the Blockbuster Video-killer of the 2000s is finally being shut down, and Netflix is officially saying its goodbyes.
In a new social media post, the streaming giant wrote "Netflix will mail its final DVD on September 29, 2023. But the red envelope remains an enduring symbol of our love of entertainment." Included in the post was a picture of a billboard that Netflix bought and decorated with a big, glittering, sign that reads: "DVDs Will Always Be In Our DNA."
Netflix will mail its final DVD on September 29, 2023.— Netflix (@netflix) September 28, 2023
But the red envelope remains an enduring symbol of our love of entertainment. pic.twitter.com/vVdjuhJvrb
Netflix was founded on August 29, 1997, by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings in Scotts Valley, California. The sudden popularity of DVDs in 1998-1999 gave the pair a format of video that was much more cost-effective to ship than VHS tapes, and they quickly developed a subscription-based price model after an initial per-rental model, helping bring in repeat users and make the service a true staple of the entertainment industry. The mail-order DVDs and their ship-and-return signature red envelopes made Netflix a leading brand in home entertainment during the 2000s – but also contributed to the decline of video rental stores and chains like Blockbuster Video. Netflix's patent "dynamic queue" ordering system for DVD rentals kept it ahead of would-be competitors, and kept subscribers happy, even when having to wait for some selections.
In 2007, Netflix launched its first trial run of a streaming media service with a video-on-demand feature to watch certain content on the platform. While DVDs were exponentially more popular than streaming at first, over the next decade Netflix led the charge in tipping those scales in the opposite direction, adding more and more content to streaming and producing scores of original streaming content for its platform. Licensing deals brought more and more popular and syndicated streaming content from a variety of studios, and as digital apps were developed Netflix was at the forefront of keeping its streaming service accessible through any app-based device it could.
By now, in 2023, it's hard to imagine who would still want to use the Netflix DVD rental feature – just as it's hard to recall the days when the DVDs were looked at as the far better option. But that's how far we've come.
Netflix Ends DVD Rentals
In a statement about the end of its DVD rental service, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos wrote:
After an incredible 25 year run, we've decided to wind down DVD.com later this year. Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members but as the business continues to shrink that's going to become increasingly difficult. So we want to go out on a high, and will be shipping our final discs on September 29, 2023.
Those iconic red envelopes changed the way people watched shows and movies at home — and they paved the way for the shift to streaming. From the beginning, our members loved the choice and control that direct-to-consumer entertainment offered: the wide variety of the titles and the ability to binge watch entire series. DVDs also led to our first foray into original programming — with Red Envelope Entertainment titles including Sherrybaby and Zach Galifianakis Live at the Purple Onion.
We feel so privileged to have been able to share movie nights with our DVD members for so long, so proud of what our employees achieved and excited to continue pleasing entertainment fans for many more decades to come.
To everyone who ever added a DVD to their queue or waited by the mailbox for a red envelope to arrive: thank you.


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Silicon Valley has never backed Trump. In fact, after his election, they made headlines when they proposed the idea of California leaving the United States — and they would fund it.
However, Trump is working hard to mend fences that he has broken over the election. He is now meeting with chief executives from many of the top tech firms in Silicon Valley. Despite the reasons for his meeting and the animosity between the two, Silicon Valley has always supported Hillary Clinton and attacked Trump. The meeting, however, offers benefits for both sides, if they can get along, reports The Hill.
End of a Bitter War?
Donald Trump and his war against Silicon Valley has been anything but pleasant. However, this meeting may have created a temporary cease-fire between the two parties.
Months after he slammed Apple, Facebook, and leaders of Amazon, the President-Elect has invited the same tech gurus to Trump Tower for a summit that he extended to them personally.
At the start of the meeting, Trump reminded these groups that there is no one else out there like them, reports Politico.
He said that anything he can do to help them, he would. This is his first early promise of cooperation that has marked a departure from the election. Trump had initially called for a boycott of Apple because of their stance on privacy, and he had pitted his aides against Facebook CEO and Amazon CEO for using their ownership of newspapers to slam Trump’s reputation.
Trump now proposes another meeting every quarter with the tech giants, reports Reuters.
The meeting focused on a variety of issues facing the tech industry, including job creation, taxes, trade issues with China, and skirting the issues that Trump has had with the tech industry in the past.
Three of Trump’s children were also at the meeting, including Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric.
Their attendance is likely to fuel the concerns of the conflict of interest between the Trump empire and his role as the president. Already, Trump has claimed that he would release his holdings on the business, only it appears that he is holding tightly and allowing his children to remain in the middle of the political and business side of things.
The Vice President-elect Pence was also present for the meeting.
Guests sat at the conference in front of nameplates and bottles of water that carried the Trump logo.
The meeting featured Tesla Motors, Apple, and Facebook.
During the campaign, Trump continually bashed Obama for creating a favoritism for the interests of Silicon Valley, however now he seems to be siding with the tech giants.
That being said, Trump feels that the tech industry must learn how to work with the same standards that all businesses are forced to adhere to as well. The meeting was his first step to figuring out how he could create regulations that would not stump their growth but ensure equality for all businesses.


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WE HAVE been keeping up with the Kardashians for over a decade now with the sixteenth series of the show kicking off in the States last night.
And it’s fair to say that the world’s most talked about family has come a long way since they first hit our screens back in 2007. Here we take a look at how they’ve changed.
Easily the most famous member of the 'klan', Kim Kardashian used to be best known as Paris Hilton’s bff.
She has since abandoned her penchant for hoop earrings and halter-necks for more daring fashion pieces, most notably skin tight PVC.
She became the poster girl for contouring, with her sheeny lipgloss days now well and truly behind her.
The most dramatic change of course is the fact the Kim went from a Kardashian to a Kardashian-West when she married Kanye in 2014.
She is now mum to North, five, Saint, three and Chicago, 14 months and has a fourth baby on the way via surrogate.
Like Kim, Kourtney was a fan of the halter neck top and hooped earrings combo and has followed suit with a far sleeker style.
The first series of the reality show saw a 27-year-old Kourtney introducing her then 24-yer-old boyfriend Scott Disick.
The couple went on to have three children together but later split amid cheating allegations in 2017.
And despite the turbulent end to the relationship, the former couple have remained friends for the sake of their children.
Meanwhile the mum-of-three, 39, barely seems to have aged a day.
Religiously sticking to an organic diet has enabled the star to keep her figure trim, although she has admitted to having breast enhancement surgery.
Khloe, 34, was a fresh-faced 22 when the pilot episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians aired.
Since then she has gone through an incredible weight loss transformation, working out up to five times a week.
Since shedding the pounds, Khloe regularly flaunts her enviable figure in revealing outfits.
It has been a somewhat challenging year for the star who split from Tristan Thompson, the father of her daughter True, after he cheated on her with Kylie Jenner’s former best friend Jordyn Woods.
However, Khloe has come away with her head held high thanks to the support of the Kardashian klan.
Fresh-faced Kendall was just 13 when she first appeared in KUWTK.
It didn’t take long for the pretty teen to land herself a modelling contract, where she’s raked in the cash by collaborating with a number of different high-end brands and companies.
After being voted by GQ as the "coolest person in the world" in 2015, stylish Kendall has taken the fashion industry by storm.
According to Forbes, she was one of the highest paid models in the world in 2016, earning upwards of $7million thanks to her work with brands including Victoria's Secret, Chanel and Calvin Klein.
However, her modelling career famously landed her in hot water in 2017 when she starred in a £40 million Pepsi advert which was described as "tasteless" and "tone deaf" as it piggy backed on the Black Lives Matter and the Women’s March to flog fizzy drinks.
The ad was pulled almost immediately and Kendall admitted she "felt bad" about the fiasco in an episode of KUWTK.
The family's youngest daughter, who was just 9 when she first appeared on the show, Kylie has become known for her social media presence.
She has become a make-up mogul since she launched her own make-up brand, Kylie Cosmetics, and last year was named the youngest self-made billionaire of all time.
Despite her drastic change in appearance, she has only ever admitted to having lip fillers, and was forced to furiously deny she had cheek or jaw surgery, bum implants or a boob job in October 2016.
Two years later she revealed that she’d had her lip fillers removed sharing a snap of her new pout captioning it “I got rid of all my filler” but admitted in a later Instagram story that she had them "touched up".
Kylie also became a mother for the first time last year when she and Travis Scott welcomed Stormi Webster in February.
Momager Kris Jenner has put her name to a number of exciting projects.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Not only does she have her own talk show, she’s also released her own cookbooks and QVC fashion collection since the success of the show.
She is also still in charge of all of her children's careers, which has helped her build a £45 million fortune.
She is now a grandmother-of-nine, but at the age of 63, she hardly looks old enough to have six grown up children.
Elsewhere, we applaud the stars who prove age is no barrier to turning heads following latex-clad Jennifer Aniston's jaw-dropping fashion shoot age 50.
Plus, see Liz Hurley wearing a cutaway safety pin gown 25 years after wearing the original - and she still looks sizzling.


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In the Myasnikovsky District of the Rostov Region, the Polar Bear company will invest 200 million rubles in the modernization of its curd production capacities.
As part of the modernization of the existing production, an automated line of a closed type will be built, which will make it possible to obtain types of cottage cheese of different fat content and consistency. The launch of the new line will double the daily productivity of the enterprise, from 20 to 40 tons of curd products. It is important to note that now the company produces up to 20 tons of cottage cheese per day at production sites located in the Rostov Region and Krasnodar Territory, and after modernization of production, the main share of the output will be in the Don region.
In the Rostov Region, Polar Bear will upgrade and launch a new line as part of a large-scale investment project for the production of dairy products. The total investment will be about 1 billion rubles, and since 2012 the company has already invested more than 500 million rubles in the development of production.


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Today, it only takes a few taps on your mobile device to control your smart lights, see what is in your smart fridge while you’re at the grocery store, and get your fitness data from your wearables.
Taking cue from such consumer trends, organisations are increasingly digitalising and connecting their business processes with the Internet of Things (IoT). Case in point: Research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts IoT spending in Asia Pacific (APAC) excluding Japan to achieve a CAGR of 11.7% over the 2020 to 2024 forecast period.
Together with supporting technologies like 5G and edge computing, IoT can help organisations in Asia Pacific achieve their business goals, such as simplifying operations for efficiency and enhancing their decision-making capabilities.
Strong interest in IoT
“We’re seeing a lot of interest in IoT, especially from Southeast Asia. There are many trials exploring various IoT use cases going on there. For instance, container tracking for logistics companies is currently a hot topic,” says Craig Price, senior vice president for mobility products and marketing at telecommunications provider PCCW Global.
There is also strong IoT interest from organisations, especially manufacturers, intending to expand their footprint into other regions. “IoT is not defined by country boundaries, which is why we’re presenting ourselves as a gateway to Asia and a facilitator for Asian companies that want to move into the European or US markets,” he adds.
According to Price, IoT interest is mainly driven by economic benefits. However, the government push in some APAC countries, like Singapore and South Korea, has also contributed to the increasing number of IoT trials.
In the case of Singapore, its government is providing grants to local companies for their 5G projects, which may include IoT deployment. Approved projects will receive up to 70% of qualifying costs from the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA) 5G Innovation Programme.
Some public sector agencies in the city-state are also working with the private sector on IoT trials. It was reported on October 2021 that 10 public sector trials have been launched under the [email protected] project. The trials are using Singtel’s 5G network and edge cloud infrastructure, as well as the Government Technology Agency’s (GovTech) smart nation sensor platform, which collects and analyses real-time information from a nationwide network of sensors and IoT devices.
Getting started with IoT
Instead of adopting IoT for the sake of it, IoT must be strategically deployed to address business demands such as eliminating inefficiencies, improving customer satisfaction, or creating new revenue streams.
APAC organisations should therefore start any IoT projects by identifying suitable IoT applications and build a compelling case from there to get buy-in. Thereafter, they will need to build a proof of concept to further convince the board and secure the necessary budget to fund an enterprise-wide IoT implementation.
To overcome the inertia of deploying IoT, organisations should first find new use cases applicable to their industry, and then demonstrate to their management or shareholders that the IoT project or idea is viable for the business.Craig Price, senior vice president for mobility products and marketing at PCCW Global
Despite their benefits, IoT projects are complex as they involve many devices, systems and technologies.
To stay ahead of the latest tech trends, click here for DigitalEdge Section
One of the top IoT challenges is ensuring interoperability between solutions and different countries. End-to-end IoT connectivity can also be very complex, often involving a combination of local and international connections, leased lines, public internet, mobile and Wi-Fi networks, private and public clouds.
“The IoT market is very fragmented. There are a lot of different devices and settings across them, various standards with regards to global connectivity, and you might have to use several IoT management platforms – so adopting IoT can be a daunting experience,” explains Price.
Additionally, organisations may lack a robust infrastructure to support the connectivity demands of their regional IoT projects. While a provider may have a strong presence in one APAC country, a broader IoT implementation requires an underlying network infrastructure with appropriate security and redundancy that extends across the whole region.
Cybersecurity and data privacy are the other key areas IoT adopters will need to address.
Using IoT devices across multiple countries and networks increases the attack surface area, making organisations more vulnerable to cyber threats that are becoming pervasive and sophisticated. Moreover, connecting many industrial devices securely can be tricky as they were historically designed to be secure by virtue of their isolation.
Even if the data provided by IoT devices is not sensitive, the fallout from data breaches can still be extensive, costly, and represent a significant legal liability.
Making it work
To overcome those challenges, Price recommends partnering with an experienced and reputable IoT connectivity provider so that APAC organisations can better control their IoT projects and focus on their core business instead of fixing technical issues.
The partner should:
- Have a proven track record in providing IoT services in the APAC region
- Be backed up by their own secure regional IP network as well as 3G, 4G, and 5G coverage
- Offer network automation to seamlessly, reliably and securely connect people and machines across APAC
- Be able to assist with security challenges that may arise at a network level, and ensure that any device software, machine-to-machine coding and cloud service integration is also secure
- Commit to keeping up with the latest developments in the industry, and is large enough to make the necessary investment in technology infrastructure now and in the future.
One such partner is PCCW Global’s Console Connect. Besides having the characteristics mentioned earlier, it also offers an IoT service that helps simplify the ordering, deployment and change management of an organisation’s entire global IoT network.
With the Console Connect IoT service, organisations can activate and deactivate devices, monitor traffic usage, configure services and customise rules – all in real-time – through a single, easy-to-use, self-service management portal. They can also explore and directly connect with a global ecosystem of IoT, carrier, SaaS and other Network-as-a-Service partners through the portal, to get ideas for IoT applications or accelerate their IoT projects.
According to Price, organisations across industries globally are using Console Connect IoT for various use cases, including asset tracking, fleet management, and connected equipment. For example, a logistics company is leveraging Console Connect IoT to track the location of their trucks in real-time by using video capture and telemetry data.
The increasing availability of 5G and edge computing in APAC presents opportunities for organisations in the region to enhance their operations and create new business models with IoT. But for IoT projects to be successful and deliver those business values, they need to be backed by connectivity that brings IoT devices and systems – which may span across the region or globally – together in a seamless, reliable and secure manner.
Keen to get started or need more help on IoT? Get step-by-step guidelines to successfully launch your IoT application in APAC here.


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On Saturday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control elevated its warning for cruise travel to ‘Level 4 Very High’ and suggested that people avoid cruise ships.
The change in status comes just weeks after the CDC lifted the no-sail order, replacing it with a new order for passenger ships carrying over 250 guests.
The CDC highlighted:
- People should avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises.
- Cruise passengers are at increased risk to spread the virus from person-to-person
- Passengers who decide to go on a cruise should get tested 3-5 days after your trip and stay home for 7 days after travel. Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days.
- If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home for 14 days after you travel.
On October 30, 2020, the CDC lifted the cruise ship ban and replaced it with a Conditional Sail Order.
The new order consists of a series of benchmarks that each individual U.S. cruise ship has to complete before being allowed to operate revenue cruises.
EXPLAINED: CDCs Conditional Sail Order
One of those benchmarks is operating a series of trial cruises to prove that the new health and safety protocols work.
Already, Royal Caribbean has received over 100,000 volunteers to operate test sailings that the CDC put in the conditional sail order.
The CDC said, “For most travelers, cruise ship travel is voluntary and should be rescheduled for a future date.”
There have been arguments that the CDC is treating the cruise lines unfairly, being accused of not enforcing the same rules to other travel methods such as airlines and trains.
Currently, North American lines have canceled sailing through at least December 31, 2020, with some lines like Carnival Cruise Line extending its cancellations through January 2021, and longer for some secondary markets.
Carnival plans to bring Carnival Breeze and Carnival Horizon online first, while Royal Caribbean crew members tell us that Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas will be the first vessels back for the line.
You can read the entire cruise travel warning here.


text: The antibody was created using Abgenix's proprietary XenoMouse technology and is the 11th antibody generated with Abgenix's technology to move into the clinic phase. "We are pleased to see another Amgen product candidate derived from our technology enter into the clinic," said Bill Ringo, president and CEO of Abgenix. "We are encouraged about the potential of these technology licensing programs to contribute to future revenues." In 1999 Abgenix entered into an agreement with Amgen granting Amgen a license to Abgenix's antibody generation technology. Amgen is responsible for product development and commercialization of any products developed through the collaboration. Abgenix may receive milestone payments and royalties of any future product sales. Abgenix and Amgen have a separate co-development agreement for panitumumab, an EGFr inhibiting fully human monoclonal antibody that is currently in pivotal trials as a third line monotherapy for colorectal cancer.


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Samsung has submitted an application for a trademark on a "Galaxy Gear" watch.
The US Patent and Trademark Office filing, which was spotted this week by IDG News Service, describes a "wearable digital electronic [device] in the form of a wristwatch, wrist band, or bangle capable of providing access to the Internet and for sending and receiving phone calls, electronic mails, and messages."
A smart watch, in other words.
Samsung, of course, has already confirmed the existence of such a device. Speaking to Bloomberg News back in March, Lee Young Hee, executive vice president of Samsung’s mobile business, said that Samsung was "working very hard to get ready" for the launch of a Samsung smart watch, although he never went into detail on the launch date or specifications of the gadget.
The "Galaxy Gear" watch wouldn't be the first wired timepiece on the market. Sony manufactures the Android-powered SmartWatch, and Pebble makes a popular line of Internet-connected watches. Meanwhile, Apple is rumored to be "aggressively" hiring developers and engineers to help the Cupertino company build an array of wearable tech.
If true – and assuming Samsung does go through with its Galaxy Gear plans – the smart watch market could be the next front in the seemingly never-ending Samsung and Apple wars.
In related news, Samsung on Monday mailed out invitations to a Sept. 4 product launch in Berlin. Smart money says the product in question will be a Galaxy Note III phablet – a follow-up to last year's extremely successful Galaxy Note II.