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Verizon Wireless Monday continued to maintain that it has the "largest and most reliable 4G LTE network" in the U.S. despite the recent admission by some company executives of some dents in the armor.
Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam told analysts a week ago that "there are certain hot spots that, frankly, the network hasn't performed at the level that we would like it to." In October, Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo acknowledged that Verizon's 4G LTE network had "a little bit of a speed issue" in New York, San Francisco an Chicago, forcing the company to revert some customers to 3G speeds that can be 10 times slower than 4G.
Root Metrics, which compares network performance of various carriers, detected a 20% cut in Verizon data upload speeds in Chicago and San Francisco from the first half of 2013 to the second half, said CEO Bill Moore.
All other measures, including downloads, email, Web searches and texting, Verizon's performance was the same in the first and second halves of this year.
Moore said in an interview that the latest Root Metrics findings should not lead any smartphone user to "lose sleep or to consider switching providers." He said there's an "ebb and flow" of network speeds as carriers, like Verizon, add new technology.
Verizon spokesman Tom Pica Monday described to Computerworld how the carrier is beefing up speeds over the carriers LTE network, which began rolling out about three years ago. The network is now deployed in more than 500 cities in 50 states, accessible to some 303 million people, according to a recent Verizon blog post. Fully two-thirds of all Verizon Wireless data traffic now rides on its 4G LTE.
Verizon's goal is to make the LTE speeds for all its customers range from 5 Mbps to 12 Mbps on downloads and 2 Mbps to 5 Mbps on uploads.
Verizon has launched a major upgrade program — adding the AWS (Advanced Wireless Services) spectrum which Verizon first acquired from cable companies in 2012 — to help with data demands in major cities.
The AWS spectrum uses 1700 MHz for uplinks and 2100 MHz for downlinks tied into Verizon's earlier use of 700 MHz spectrum for LTE.
AWS requires an AWS-ready smartphone, including the Verizon-sold Samsung Galaxy S4, Apple's iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S, along with the Droid Maxx, Ultra and Mini. Pica said a coming software upgrade will increase the list of AWS-ready smartphones and that 20% of Verizon LTE devices with be able to use AWS by year's end.
Moore said Root Metrics has done LTE testing on a non-AWS phone over Verizon networks in New York City and found that speeds there have improved slightly in specific cell areas where AWS was added. He theorized that the addition of AWS is taking capacity pressure off of the older LTE network.
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Approximately one-third of all food produced for domestic consumption is either lost or wasted and, by 2020, this is estimated to rise to 40 per cent1. In Europe alone, 88 million tons of food goes to waste every year2 and across the EU, 53 per cent of this waste occurs at home3. Subsequently, the Hotpoint ‘Fresh Thinking for Forgotten Food’ campaign helps to empower consumers to make mindful food decisions and better care for what they eat.
Tips to reduce food waste include mindful storage in the fridge, batch cooking, maximising the use of the freezer and utilising leftovers by taking a different approach to those ingredients that are commonly forgotten about in the fridge.
Jennifer Taylor, Head of Brand, Hotpoint says: “Hotpoint is committed to helping consumers put a stop to food waste by rebooting leftovers, catching food before it turns. By storing food correctly, this can dramatically help to reduce food waste at home.”
Jamie Oliver, Brand Ambassador, Hotpoint says: “Storing food in the right way might not be the sexiest subject on the planet, but it’s very important for durability. Try and plan your meals before you go food shopping to avoid buying more than you need. Leftover fruit and veg is often tossed out at the end of the week, so think about buying little and often, instead of adding loads in one go.”
For more information on the Hotpoint ‘Fresh Thinking for Forgotten Food’ campaign, or any appliance categories, please contact your account manager or visit the website at www.hotpoint.co.uk

domain: news


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| online business |
As-it-happens update ⋅ April 13, 2019
Tesla's original plan for the $35000 Model 3 is dead
Stop & Shop, union dispute what parent company can afford to pay its workers as strike continues ...
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Honor has a flagship smartphone series scheduled to go live on May 21 in London. The Huawei sub-brand is teasing its new flagship upgrade for quite a time now. As the launch date closes in, we will start seeing the leaks about this phone. And today marks one of those days. A leak has appeared on SlashLeaks with the details of the camera on the upcoming Honor 20 and Honor 20 Pro. Let’s take a look at the details below.
Honor 20 Pro Camera Specifications
We already knew one thing about the rear camera setup on the Honor 20 Pro. It’s going to introduce a quadruple rear camera setup. Yes. Following the suite of its parent company, after the P20 Pro launch, the sub-brand is taking a step forward with four rear camera setup.
The primary lens is believed to pack a 48MP f/1.4 aperture lens, which could be IMX 586 according to the leak. Talking about the second lens, it could be a 16MP ultra-wide angle lens with 117-degree FOV and f/2.2 aperture. The third lens is believed to be an 8MP telephoto lens with 3X Zoom technology, OIS, and f/2.2 aperture support.
The fourth sensor would be a 2MP 3D TOF (Time of Flight) sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 1.75 micron pixel size. These cameras would be accompanied by a laser AF and are expected to be backed by a ton of AI features. Note that the telephoto and primary lens is reportedly coming with 4-axis OIS.
Honor 20 Camera Specifications
Coming to the Honor 20 camera details, it is believed to be packing a quadruple camera as well. Where the primary lens is of 48MP, again IMX 586, but an f/1.8 aperture lens. A 16MP wide-angle lens is common on both Honor phones. But the telephoto lens will be replaced by lower 2MP resolution lens for depth sensing. Instead of a TOF camera, the fourth lens is a 2MP resolution macro lens with f/2.4 aperture size.
What do you guys think of these Honor 20 camera details? Let us know in the comment section below. We’d be happy to discuss more on this topic.


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by Thom Forbes on Apr 14, 7:35 AM
Jump-started by tax incentives, General Motors' autonomous vehicle program - er, "personal mobility" initiative - ratcheted up another gear yesterday with an announcement that it would invest $14 million in a new R&D facility in San Francisco and add 1,100 jobs to its Cruise Automation division.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 13, 7:51 AM
"Google, how can a clever idea go wrong?"
by Thom Forbes on Apr 12, 8:26 AM
Rachel Whetstone, who has steered Uber CEO Travis Kalanick through a series of S-turn crises since joining the company from Google as global head of public policy and communications nearly two years ago, yesterday became its latest senior executive to resign. Her deputy, Jill Hazelbaker, will succeed her.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 11, 8:00 AM
Should you be on a social media sabbatical, United Airlines has once again ignited the twitterverse with a decidedly unfriendly action against a passenger Sunday. It then followed through with tone-deaf responses to the situation from the CEO down.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 10, 7:57 AM
More than 200 Victoria Beckham for Target items went on sale online and in the aisles yesterday with a big boost from fashion writers who somehow got an advance peek at the collection and are eager to reveal their top picks to the rest of us. Even Beckham herself - reluctantly, of course - got into the game of singling out favorites.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 7, 7:51 AM
Unilever announced yesterday that it would stay unified, squelching rumors that an intense review after it fended off a takeover bid from Kraft Heinz would lead to its splitting into two companies. Instead, it will sell off its venerable margarine and spreads business, slash costs and initiate a share buyback of EUR5 billion.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 6, 7:44 AM
Jeff Bezos said yesterday that he is selling about $1 billion in Amazon stock every year to fund Blue Origin, the commercial space venture that expects to put paying passengers in orbit by 2018. Bezos spoke to reporters in front of his company's exhibit at the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where he also showed off a mock-up of the capsule that will hold the crew and gawkers.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 5, 7:41 AM
McDonald's served up another change in its management ranks yesterday with three top executives - including U.S. CMO Deborah Wahl - leaving. Morgan Flatley, who has been CMO for global nutrition at PepsiCo and has long been associated with its Gatorade brand, will replace her, reporting to U.S. president Chris Kempczinski.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 4, 7:48 AM
Would you like some mustard on that? If so, Reckitt Benckiser has got a deal for you. Fresh off its announced $16.6 acquisition of U.S. baby-formula-maker Mead Johnson, the global consumer products company based in Berkshire, England, is thinking about selling its foods business, which is best known for French's mustard and Frank's Red Hot sauces.
by Thom Forbes on Apr 3, 6:01 AM
Tesla bested analysts' expectations for its first quarter in style, it announced Sunday, with a 69% increase in deliveries over Q1 2016. More than 25,000 vehicles wound up in the grip of customers - 13,450 of its top-of-the-line Model S and about 11,550 Model Xs, it said, a new record for quarterly. The Q1 production totaled 25,418 vehicles, also a new quarterly record.
To read more articles use the ARCHIVE function on this page.


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Maintaining its long-standing tradition of supporting HIV/AIDS charities, skincare company Kiehl’s will launch its seventh annual Kiehl’s LifeRide for amfAR, an11-day, multi-stop charity motorcycle ride, which will take place August 3-13. Kiehl’s will donate up to $150,000 to amFAR by the end of the ride.
The event will begin in New York City tomorrow, with a special promotion at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship, including an appearance by Chris Salgardo, president Kiehl’s USA, Kevin Robert Frost, CEO, amfAR, and this year’s team of celebrity riders, including rugby champion Ben Cohen, actors Gilles Marini and Teddy Sears, and TV host Anthony Carrino.
Future stops for the team will include Kiehl’s stores in Garden City, New York, Hartford, Connecticut, Provincetown, Rhode Island, Boston, Massachusetts, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, among other retail shops. Customers who visit one of the participating stores on those days will receive special discounts on Kiehl’s producs. In addition, Kiehl’s is releasing a limited-edition 7.8.oz version of its Ultimate Strength Hand Salve for $28.50, all proceeds of which will benefit amFAR
In conjunction with this year’s ride, Kiehl’s has created a new public service announcement campaign “The Cure Is In Your Hands,” featuring Oscar and Emmy winner Whoopi Goldberg and burlesque star Dita Von Teese. Also appearing in this special video are four real people openly living with HIV, including Regan Hofmann, a UNAIDS Officer and amfAR Trustee.
Further, Kiehl’s will join forces with artist José Parlá and RxArt to help brighten the lives of young people living with HIV/AIDS. On August 3rd, a new, original installation by Parlá will be unveiled at Incarnation Children’s Center (ICC). ICC is New York City’s only pediatric skilled nursing facility exclusively offering specialized care for children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS.


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MUMBAI: EPIC ON, the premium OTT platform known for its diverse India-centric content by IN10 Media Network, today announced a significant partnership with leading online smart TV brand CloudWalker. This partnership enables EPIC ON to be pre-embedded into CloudWalker smart screens and smart TVs, allowing users quick and easy access to the platform’s exceptional content library…. https://www.indiantelevision.com/iworld/over-the-top-services/epic-on-partners-with-cloudwalker-200601
EPIC ON hosts a wide array of series focused on the premise of ‘India’s Storytellers’, and will be soon adding a mixed bag of content formats for its new and revamped avatar. Apart from the existing premium library of EPIC ON, Cloudwalker users will have access to live stream the network’s linear broadcast channels: EPIC TV – India Ka Apna Infotainment, ShowBox – Apna Music, Apna Swag and newly launched Filamchi – Filman Ka Laalchi. With this partnership, EPIC ON further strengthens its penetration in the smart TV market with CloudWalker’s 4K LED Smart Screens, thus accelerating its progress towards reaching a new set of viewers.
Along with CloudWalker Smart TVs, EPIC ON will also be part of Cloud TV OS, a certified AOSP operating system for Android-based smart TVs. EPIC ON is now a built-in app for all Cloud TV OS powered Smart TVs like Daiwa, Shinco, Videotex, Telefunken, Hyundai, Lloyd amongst the others.
EPIC ON COO Sourjya Mohanty said, “The Indian market has seen a rapid growth in the demand for Smart TVs and eventually the new offering of Smart Screens from CloudWalker. This shift in the consumption pattern enables us to partner and provide our high-quality content across various screens. Our association with the smart technology driven company CloudWalker, is a step forward in providing a seamless viewing experience along with further expanding our reach within Smart TV users.”
CloudWalker president Jagdish Rajpurohit said, “In this age of digitization, consumers’ TV consumption patterns are rapidly evolving. They are now constantly looking for intelligent entertainment solutions that can allow them to easily stream a wide variety of entertainment content. We are delighted to partner with EPIC ON that offers an incredible collection of entertaining and informative India-centric TV shows, short videos, documentaries, and specials across multiple content genres. Our users will now be able to subscribe to EPIC ON as well as the ShowBox Music channel along with thousands of hours of entertaining digital content available on CloudWalker’s Smart Screens and TVs. By bringing this vast gamut of uninterrupted immersive content, we are looking forward to an affirmative response from our users.”
Arjun Bajaaj, director – Videotex International, CEO and founder – Daiwa and Shinco, said, “We at Videotex, want to bring the ultimate end to end experience for our OEM customers as well as our brands Daiwa, Shinco and Telefunken in India. In sync, we are glad to partner with EPIC ON which has very detailed and enriched content across genres especially for the Indian audience – Hindi language TV shows, Sports, Mythology etc. Our partnership shall strengthen the Home entertainment eco-system, with the wide base of OTT content curated for our varied demographics.”
Along with being available on the CloudWalker Smart TVs, EPIC ON smartphone app is also available across iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV and others.


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In our economic update this week, we discuss the recent headwinds that are affecting economic growth and provide insight into some of the recent earnings reports. We have also included two additional economic update links for you this week:
- Reviewing inflation, recession risks and other economic headwinds, featuring RBC Global Asset Management’s Chief Economist, Eric Lascelles
- Audio Commentary: Inflation, the growth outlook, and some thoughts on fixed income, featuring RBC Wealth Management’s Mark Bayko and Jim Allworth
In addition to our economic update, we are featuring a series of podcasts that focus on mental health and wellness that we hope find space on your playlist. You’ll find impactful conversations with Bryan Baeumler, Harry Connick Jr, Arlene Dickinson, and more. Your link is below, Chatter That Matters: A Spring Spotlight on Mental Health.
In our email last week, we featured information about phone messaging scams and what to be on the lookout for. This week we are continuing with our cyber security feature, sharing information about How to protect yourself online.
As always, we end our weekly newsletter with a few good news stories from in and around our community. We have also included an article about the recent Inspirational Women event hosted by the Guelph Chamber of Commerce at Cutten Fields.
We hope that you enjoy your long weekend!
Our office is closed on Monday, May 23.
We will be back answering your phone calls and emails on Tuesday, May 24.
Global equities remain under pressure as markets are grappling with a host of headwinds that are beginning to challenge the economic and earnings growth outlook. More recently, investors have been digesting the results from a number of consumer companies that suggest the operating environment has become more demanding. We provide a brief update below.
Key takeaways from earnings season
Over the past week, a number of “big box” U.S. retailers published their quarterly earnings reports. While results varied from one to the next, there were some distinct takeaways. Reassuringly, consumer demand remains reasonably healthy, and some companies largely reiterated their revenue forecasts. However, some acknowledged a notable shift in demand from larger household and durable goods (like furniture, appliances, and home improvement items) towards staples like food.
It’s worth noting that some kind of change in demand mix has been anticipated. More specifically, investors have been expecting demand for goods, which grew tremendously during the pandemic, to decline to more normal levels, while demand for services was expected to return in a meaningful way as the travel and hospitality sectors reopened. This appears to be underway, but the retail industry results suggest some consumers may be starting to prioritize food and other necessities, at the expense of more discretionary items, given price inflation and higher borrowing rates.
The pressure on profit margins
The other important, albeit less surprising, takeaway from recent results was with respect to costs. They continue to rise. This reflects a combination of supply chain challenges and overall inflationary pressures. Companies have kept elevated inventories because of concerns over the global supply chain. Meanwhile, freight, logistics, and labour expenses have been running higher than planned, which is consistent with issues noted across other industries.
Given the above, margins have started to come under pressure. Margins are a measure of profitability as they measure the difference between revenue and costs. Until recently, companies had proven to be quite resilient at navigating through a challenging supply and cost environment. But, it appears that this is starting to change, at least within the retailing industry. Understandably, we expect investors to begin to question whether other industries will inevitably start to see similar challenges in the months to come.
It’s fair to say economic and earnings growth are facing some headwinds. It’s not necessarily abnormal, as economic cycles usually come and go, but the question remains as to whether the slowdown that is underway will turn into something more serious. On that front, we continue to monitor our indicators for the U.S. economy in particular. In the meantime, we are reviewing portfolio holdings to ensure they are positioned for a range of future potential outcomes. As always, we remain watchful and prepared to take advantage of the kind of opportunities that tend to emerge across asset classes during periods of broad market volatility.
Reviewing inflation, recession risks and other economic headwinds
Watch the video online: Reviewing inflation, recession risks and other economic headwinds
Audio Commentary: Inflation, the growth outlook, and some thoughts on fixed income
In this episode, RBC Wealth Management’s Mark Bayko and Jim Allworth discuss the outlook for inflation and its impact on the broader economy and markets, as well as an update on our recession scorecard.
Listen to the audio commentary online: Inflation, the growth outlook, and some thoughts on fixed income
Chatter That Matters: A Spring Spotlight on Mental Health
In any given year, one in five Canadians will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. Since the pandemic, 54 percent of Canadians say their mental health has worsened. These Chatter That Matters episodes shine a light on the need for support and the benefits of sharing lived experiences.
In these episodes, you’ll discover journeys of adversity and hope. You can listen to all episodes at The Collective, or by clicking the individual links online: Chatter That Matters: A Spring Spotlight on Mental Health
Guelph Chamber of Commerce: Inspirational Women
This week, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce hosted the final event in their Inspirational Women series. This in-person event was hosted at Cutten Fields in Guelph, and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces there.
Emma Rogers, CEO of the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington was the featured speaker at this event. Emma shared her words of wisdom with the group, along with her career journey that resulted in her taking over the reins at a high-profile community organization. Lessons learned: Find a mentor no matter where you are on your career path, and also be a mentor to those who are just starting out. Be your whole self and remember that being vulnerable is part of being human. Follow your instincts and find your fit in your career path, never doubting your ability to do and be more. And, 70% can be 100% if you work for it!
e would be remiss if we didn't also recognize the amazing interviewing skills of our very own Jennifer Goody-Brown. Keeping the conversation moving, diving deeper into those questions we all wanted answers to, Jennifer was an inspiration to many as well.
We were thrilled to partner with the Guelph Chamber of Commerce as the presenting sponsor for this series. It has been an absolute pleasure to hear from all of the speakers and learn from their journeys.
How to Protect Yourself Online
Become Your Best Defence Against Cyber Criminals
Being vigilant about your online security is essential to guarding against cyber criminals. And, while RBC is committed to keeping your financial information safe and secure, there are simple steps you can take to proactively protect yourself.
From creating strong passwords to keeping your emails safe, this online resource from RBC will help you to stay safe online: How to Protect Yourself Online
Each week, we like to share a few good news stories from in and around the community. We hope that they brighten your day!
- Riverfest Elora announces lineup
- Black-capped chickadee takes title as Guelph's official bird
- Erin hosted second annual ‘Touch A Truck’ event
- Book Sale raises record funds for Elora Festival
- Acton Reading Deck opens
- Newly-formed Centre Wellington Black Committee hopes to host cultural event Labour Day weekend
- Seven events to check out in Guelph this Victoria Day long weekend (May 21 to 23)
As always, we are available to connect with you personally. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at 519-822-2024 or email@example.com.


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PMLA winners, ACCC lodges case against Booktopia
Late last year, the winners of the 2021 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards were announced. Amanda Lohrey, who won the fiction prize for her novel The Labyrinth, was also named the winner of the 2021 Voss Literary Prize the same month.
Also announced were the recipients of the ASA Black-Beckett Trust Scholarship, the 2021 Magabala fellowships and the authors and organisations to share in the latest rounds of RISE and Australia Council funding. In other news, the ACCC has lodged a case with the Federal Court against Booktopia, alleging the retailer made ‘false or misleading representations to consumers about their rights to refunds and other remedies for faulty or damaged goods’.
In overseas news, French media company Vivendi—which already owns book publisher Editis—has confirmed a takeover bid for Hachette parent-company Lagardère. US print book sales were up 8.9% in 2021, thanks in part to healthy sales of YA and adult fiction titles.
Category: This week’s news


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Google have updated their Gmail service yet again in the hope of making their email system much better for the user. This time there are six new features. However, it looks as though the search engine has permanently deleted five features as well, one of which is the location-based signatures.
PC World has been looking into the changes, explaining all about those six new features and those five that have been thrown in the bin. Those new ones are Search Autocomplete, Go To Label, Forgotten Attachment Detector, YouTube Previews, Custom Label Colors and Vacation Resonder.
We are certain that these new features will be very useful, but we cannot help that other important ones have been missed. Those five dumped features are as follows, Muzzle, Fixed Width Font, E -mail Addict, Location in Signature and Random Signature. Google seems to be a lot of update lately, they recently had to update their privacy options on Buzz following a number of complaints, which you can read more about here.
Are you are happy with the changes that Google have made to Gmail?
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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Councilors approved a pub owner’s request to sell alcohol outside over objections from neighbors.
Neath Port Talbot council members have given the owner of Celtic Lodge in Neath permission to sell beer from the beer garden despite complaints of noise and disturbance from nearby residents.
James, who lives near the pub, said he was against the outside alcohol trade, saying there had been “a lot of noise and swearing from the beer garden” in recent months .
Read more: People who watch helplessly as their city is overrun with alcohol, drugs and fighting
He added: “When you are sitting in your garden trying to read a book, it’s boring… There are people here who work shifts and if you are at night and you try to fall asleep when that noise. level that happens, it may be dangerous for that person because they are operating heavy machinery at night. ”
The beer garden and terrace were built outside the pub in 2015 with a capacity of around 60 to 70 people.
Under the new license conditions, Celtic Lodge guests can purchase and drink alcohol in the beer garden until 10 p.m. Prior to that, Ms Jones already had a license to allow patrons to sit outside the pub and drink alcohol until 10 p.m., but she could only sell drinks inside. local.
Ms Jones said she believed it would make “sense” to have a bar outside in case coronavirus restrictions were reintroduced, according to which people can only sit outside again.
She added: “When the weather is nice people feel safer outside. I look like Boris Johnson here, but [coronavirus] never leaves, does it? “
The council’s licensing and gambling subcommittee approved Ms Jones’ request to sell alcohol from a party at the beer garden at a meeting on July 12.
The local authority has received six letters from nearby neighbors opposing Ms Jones’ request, saying the beer sale of the beer garden will lead to increased noise, swearing, disruption and anti-social behavior.
Neil Chapple, the council’s legal regulator, said no complaints have been made by South Wales Police regarding the use of the pub’s outdoor space.
He also said the latest complaints received by the council’s licensing team regarding The Celtic Lodge were four separate incidents between 2014 and 2015.
At Monday’s meeting, Ms Jones assured members that she would adhere to the 10 p.m. curfew.
“It’s pretty simple, what I say happens. I don’t take any nonsense from anyone. The last thing I want to do is upset people, especially the neighbors.
“Whether I have a bar there or not, people will always be outside this area. I can serve inside, they can sit outside. It won’t change the people seated. over there.”


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What I’m reading and finding for December 22nd 2011 through December 25th 2011:
- Go Daddy Lost 21,054 Domains Yesterday-
- Drew OlanoffIt’s going to get worse before it gets better for domain registration company Go Daddy. Yesterday, we reported that Go Daddy had reversed its decision to support SOPA. Its customer service reps are even taking to the phones to beg you to keep your domains with the company.
It looks like these PR moves to save face, and business, are completely futile. According to TheDomains, 21,054 domains were transferred away from Go Daddy on Friday alone. At $6.99 a pop, that would make for a loss of $147,1… show all text
- BBC News – Volkswagen turns off Blackberry email after work hours-
Volkswagen is stopping emails being sent to some of its workers when they go off-shift after complaints of work and home life becoming blurred.
- Paul Graham: SOPA Supporting Companies No Longer Allowed At YC Demo Day | TechCrunch-
- Alexia TsotsisAt this point quite a few internet companies have protested H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in creative ways. Held by many to be the worst thing to ever happen to the Internet if it passes, SOPA would makes it really easy for copyright holders to force sites offline that they think are offending, among other things.
While the judiciary vote has been delayed until next year, the list revealing the companies who support the act was released yesterday, and many startups, such as Reddi… show all text
- From Twitter – How Facebook is planning to sell your timeline. https //t.co/EKJvoEgp
- All the Companies Supporting SOPA, the Awful Internet Censorship Law—and How to Contact Them-
- Sam BiddleWho’s officially on the record backing what could be the worst thing to ever happen to the internet? All of these companies listed below. Don’t take our word for it—this list comes straight from Congress. Just FYI. More »
- From Twitter – Sandy Bridge CPU Prices coming down. Good news for system builders. https //t.co/KxJXY9L8


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Here at Salterbaxter, we talk a lot about the global ‘megatrends’ – a grand term for a whole range of huge economic, social and environmental issues facing the world. Many of these issues and trends have hit the mainstream of public consciousness over the last decade.
The fragility of our economic system, the rise of Asia and the impact of resource scarcity and inequality are all there to be seen on the nightly news. We hear climate change discussed by almost every major organisation, from the UN to BP, as a fact of life, not an abstract theory. We’ve seen the world’s population rocket past 6 and 7 billion on its way to its supposed 9-10 billion peak.
Yet, despite this, these issues can still feel distant; so big and so potentially frightening that they are difficult to relate to our daily lives and easy to disengage from entirely.
Companies that are seeking to adapt to this new reality often find it difficult to explain to employees, investors and consumers what change is needed, what they are doing to bring it about and how this can lead to better products and long term business success. Traditional CSR/Sustainability reports are too clunky and dull to serve as effective communication tools. PR campaigns can feel vacuous. Talking about it in advertising smacks of greenwash.
Digital communications can offer an alternative. Much of the best conversation on the megatrends is played out online, through news sites, blogs, discussion forums and social media channels. Producing content that can make an interesting contribution to this digital debate can offer companies the best chance to share their own insights and concerns and get their messages heard.
Sadly, whilst there are stirrings of change, this isn’t yet happening enough. To try to push things along a little bit, over the next few months, we are launching a series of digital communications about the megatrends.
Each will, in its own way, try to make complex issues more comprehensible and manageable for the user. Each will also showcase different functionality and communications mechanisms made possible by digital communications.
Our first focuses on the complex issue of food scarcity and waste. Food is something that we can all relate to. One of our most vital resources, it is the world’s biggest industry and at the heart of all our daily lives. The problems that we face with our food supply highlight very clearly the extent of the action needed on the part of individuals, communities, governments and corporations to build a more sustainable way of life.
We’re already working on the second megatrend piece, so watch this space!


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Following footsteps of Facebook, General Atlantic has picked up 1.34 per cent stake in the digital unit of Reliance Industries for Rs 6,598.38 crore, the Mukesh Ambani firm said on Sunday.
The investment in Jio Platforms will be GA's largest investment in Asia.
Jio Platforms has raised Rs 67,194.75 crore from leading technology investors, including Facebook, Silver Lake Partners, Vista Equity Partners and General Atlantic, in less than four weeks.
This investment continues to reaffirm Jio as a next generation software product and platform company, the company said in a statement.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


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The European Commission will ask member states to review and amend legislation, when necessary, to end the fragmentation faced by Uber, Airbnb and other collaborative platforms in Europe, EURACTIV.com has learned.
The European Commission's highly anticipated views on the sharing economy are expected to pave the way towards a solution to outstanding complaints put forward against the likes of Uber and Airbnb in a number of EU countries.
Uber, Airbnb and BlaBlaCar could score an important victory soon as the Spanish regulator is set to recommend lifting all the “unjustified barriers” limiting the sharing economy in the country, which is seen as the most restrictive member state for this new business model.
The European Commission is expected to publish its guidelines on how to apply existing EU legislation on the sharing economy in mid-2016, while ministers mull whether new legislation may be needed to deal with Uber, Airbnb and other similar companies.
The National Authority for Markets and Competition in Madrid is set to publish a groundbreaking report calling for eliminating unjustified barriers against services such as Uber and Airbnb, EURACTIV has learned.
Often referred to as the EU's crown jewel, the internal market is far from being completed, resulting in wide divergences for consumers across the 28 member states. The European Commission announced new plans on Wednesday (28 October) to crack down on offenders.
With "sharing economy" services like Uber, Blablacar and Airbnb spreading among consumers, state tax collectors risk experiencing a revenue pinch as these new collaborative players capture market share from traditional businesses.
As Uber continues to expand, taxi drivers are looking for allies inside the European Commission before the executive takes its position on the legal challenges posed by the ride-hailing service, and the so-called sharing economy as a whole.
A Spanish judge has asked Europe's top court if online taxi-hailing app Uber is a "mere transport service" or a digital service, as the US start-up claims, in a case that could set a precedent for legal battles across the continent.
The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday that it had received a complaint against a German ban on Uber offering its unlicensed services. A spokesman for the company said it had filed a similar complaint against Spain on Monday.
The peer-to-peer property renting website, artAirbnb, makes it possible for people in crisis-stricken states to earn extra money, but the company itself has placed its headquarters in places like Ireland, Jersey and Delaware to avoid paying tax. EURACTIV France reports.


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Larry Page met with LG Electronics CEO Koo Bon-joon in Seoul last week to discuss ways to improve their partnership and how to form an alliance in futuristic projects. When it comes to mobile market share, it’s dominated by Samsung and Apple, but LG wants a bigger piece of the pie. Word is that LG is already working on the next Nexus phone, but it appears that LG wants to extend their partnership in TVs and Google Glass as well. As to TVs, LG is looking to implement Google TV in their OLED TVs. Nothing was mentioned regarding Glass, but it has me intrigued.
LG is definitely in the upswing as their sales have been strong for both smartphones and TVs, and they are now in the third position behind Samsung and Apple for mobile market share. I will say that LG seems to be doing it right with building the Optimus brand as well as investing heavily in proprietary features such as the Value Pack for the Optimus G Pro. If LG plays its cards right, they just might be able to steal more market share from both Apple and Samsung. Could we be looking at a three way race this time next year?
source: Korea Times


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Skyscanner, the travel search company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland (and a veteran of the space), is consolidating its mobile strategy today with the acquisition of Budapest-based app developer Distinction.
The deal — terms of which remain undisclosed — sees the Scottish company pick up Distinction’s 30-strong team of mobile designers and developers who will form the basis of Skyscanner new Budapest, Hungary-based mobile ‘hub’, effectively bringing its mobile app development in-house.
The two companies had already been working together, most recently to develop Skyscanner’s hotel app which launched in August this year on iOS and Android. However, I understand the relationship harks back to 2011, including Distinction helping to build the travel search company’s Windows Mobile 8 flight search app a couple of years ago.
Along with its new Budapest mobile development hub via today’s acquisition, Skyscanner says it plans to create additional roles to drive mobile growth, which has already seen a multitude of travel apps hit the various app stores. “We have expanded our range of apps over the past 12 months, adding car hire and, most recently, hotels and have had over 30m downloads across our product range,” a company spokesperson tell me.
To that end, Gareth Williams, Skyscanner co-founder and CEO, says in a statement: “The future of online travel booking is undoubtedly mobile. More and more of travellers’ plans are made on the move and that is accelerating fast.
“The team at Distinction, led by Bálint Orosz and Akos Kapui, are some of the best app developers that I’ve ever come across. In working closely with them on the design of our hotel app, we saw how focused they were on the user experience. They have built a fantastic company with a great culture and, as part of our combined team, will focus on creating the mobile travel assistant that future travellers will need.”


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Prev DITH - Next DITH
The first over the air commercial TV station in Hong Kong was established. It is currently known as TVB
UNIVAC announces an agreement to acquire RCA’s computer customer base of five hundred companies and government bureaus (more than 1,000 computers) for US$70.5 million plus fifteen percent of revenues generated by existing business. One third of RCA’s 7,500 computer work force are retained by UNIVAC after the acquisition.
Radio Corporation of America (RCA) launches the Satcom IIIR satellite, the first satellite dedicated entirely to relaying cable television programming.
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines bans video games in the country, because of the concerns of parents and teachers regarding their impact of the morality of children.
Michael Elansky, known by the web handle The Ionizer, is sentenced to twenty-eight months in prison for posting bomb-making instructions on his BBS. Elansky has been held for nearly four months in prison, unable to make a US$500,000 bail.
IBM demonstrates a new way to transmit data through the human body at the COMDEX show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Bell Laboratories in New Jersey announces that it has developed a 60-nanometre MOS transistor that is one quarter the size of current transistors, five times faster, and uses sixty to one hundred sixty times less power.
Micropolis, a hard drive manufacturer, files for bankruptcy protection and indicates its intent to liquidate its assets.
The Wildcat BBS Software product line is sold to Santronics Software., including: the Off-Line Xpress BBS Mail Reader, Wildcat! Interactive Net Server, and Wildcat! BBS. Read the original announcement
Eric Burns, age 19, of Shoreline, Washington, who used the computer screen name Zyklon, is sentenced to fifteen months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a restitution payment of $36,240 for hacking. Burns pled guilty on September 7, 1999 to intentionally hacking a protected computer and causing damage.
Microsoft releases the Office v. X office suite for Mac OS X. The suite includes Word X, Excel 5, and PowerPoint 4.
One hundred fifty-six websites hosted hosted by Vietnam’s largest ISP and only Internet gateway are hacked by a group calling themselves revengetheplanet. Most of the sites hacked are either owned by the ISP or government organizations, such as the Communist Party.
Nintendo releases the Wii video game system in North and South America. Price: US$249.99, CDN$279.95
Microsoft releases Visual Studio 2008 and .Net Framework 3.5
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos unveiled the Kindle e-book reader. 10.3 ounces, Bezos said it weighed less than most books. Kindle also had an electronic ink technology that would mimic paper. Battery life could last up to a week. Price: $399
Steve Ballmer announced Microsoft will not go after Yahoo! anymore. Because of this, Yahoo shares drop 21%
Guns and Roses announced they will release their newest album on MySpace one week before being available in record stores.
A Technical issue caused ebay search to go down for the weekend.
A report that fools news media suggested that a Dutch agency concluded Wifi signals poisoned trees and other plants.
Barnes & Noble release the Nook Color for $249
Facebook publicly denies a search alliance with Yahoo after reports from the Sunday Telegraph say other.
Protesters disrupt a fireside chat with Yahoo's CEO Marissa Mayer because she is also on the Walmart board of directors
Flickr adds an option to order photo books from the photo sharing site.
Google released the Glass Development Kit along with 5 new apps.


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Fortunaglobal wins top ICTA award
Fortunaglobal (Pvt) Ltd. won this year’s e-Swabhimani award for the country’s best e-content applications in the m-Content category for its mobile application for the iPhone and Android.
The prestigious e-Swabhimani awards presentation is organised annually by the apex Government body for ICT in Sri Lanka, the Information & Technology Agency (ICTA).
|Derana Macroentertainment Account Manager Sanjeev Sivaguru, Fortunaglobal CEO/MD Suren Kohombange, ICTA Chief Executive Officer Reshan Dewapura, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and ICTA Chairman Professor P. W. Epasinghe|
Fortunaglobal launched its app for Apple iPhones and iPads for Ada Derana online news portal in May this year and was Sri Lanka’s first comprehensive and interactive app in line with its international counterparts.
The app enables millions of users of Apple’s popular portable devices to access the full suite of Ada Derana features including breaking news, video stories, video news bulletins, and interactive features via social media. The application is highly popular in Sri Lanka amongst the loyal AdaDerana fans as well as the Sri Lankans overseas Diaspora keen to stay in touch with events happening back at home.
Fortunaglobal is a high-end benchmark technology solutions provider across a diverse range of industries. Its vision is to provide innovative, high performing, customer-focused and reliable solutions that enable its clients to enhance business performance, accelerate time-to-market and increase profitability.
According to Fortunaglobal CEO Suren Kohombange, this award is a clear indication of the company’s commitment to develop superior standard solutions to their customers both locally and internationally.
“We are pleased with this award and we feel it’s a clear indication of Fortunaglobal’s commitment in providing our customers with a competitive edge. Reaching out to your target base in different platforms is a key to success in today’s digital world,” he said. The e-Swabhimani awards are aimed at recognising the creativity and innovation of the country’s developers of digital content and applications.


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Tata Motors today announced that with its 250,000-unit/year Sanand plant becoming operational ahead of schedule, the company will speedily ramp up production of the Tata Nano. Accordingly, the company has begun intimating retainee-customers that their cars are coming up for delivery. This is the final step, before the company opens up sales of the Tata Nano.
Retainee-customers are those who had retained their booking with the company though not selected among the first allottee-customers from out of the booking process of 2009. Despite a steep increase in input prices, their Tata Nanos are being priced only three to four percent higher, depending on the model, than the price announced at launch. The terms and conditions of booking had provided that the applicable price of the car for a retainee-customer would be notified at the time of delivery. Also, as announced at the booking, they have received interest on their deposit.
The allottee-customers, still awaiting delivery, will get their cars at the same price as announced at launch on March 23, 2009. Tata Motors would like to reward the loyalty of the allottee-customers for bearing with the company through a prolonged period of delivery, given the capacity constraints till the Sanand plant became operational. As a gesture of goodwill and gratitude, the company has announced for them a choice among a one-year free annual maintenance contract (AMC), or free accessories worth Rs.4000/- or an extended warranty.
The Tata Nano has already received an overwhelming response. With the ramp-up at the Sanand plant, customers desirous of the car will soon be able to freely purchase the Tata Nano.


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Tulare, CA – September 30, 2019 – Used in more than 25,000 products globally, industrial hemp was reintroduced to US agriculture thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. Interest in hemp has grown nationwide, and according to a December 2018 Forbes magazine article, is a “potential economic dynamo for American farmers.”1
World Ag Expo®, one of the largest ag trade shows in the world, is taking on the hemp conversation in cooperation with Plant Growth Group, a consultancy in the hemp marketplace. A 9,400 square foot tent will house thirty 10’x10’ exhibitor spaces, and a seminar stage, on the south east side of the grounds at the February show.
“World Ag Expo® kicks off the growing season for the world, so it’s the perfect time to get everyone focused on ag and finding the best options for their crops,” said Jerry Sinift, International Agri-Center® CEO. “This year, that includes educational sessions and exhibitors focused on hemp, all in one tent.”
Entering its 53rd year, World Ag Expo® is the largest annual outdoor ag trade show in the world. In 2019, the show saw 102,800 attendees from 48 states and 65 countries. With more than 1,400 exhibitors and 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space, World Ag Expo® provides a platform for networking, education and business in one of the most productive ag counties in the United States.
“We worked with show staff during the 2019 show to put on six hemp panels aimed at educating farmers on their options,” said Christian Gray, advisor at Plant Growth Group. “The stands were packed at each session, so we knew World Ag Expo was the right place to talk to farmers about their hemp options, and make sure they know some of the pitfalls.”
While hemp has great potential, there are cautionary tales from early ventures. Verifying seed genetics, market contracts, and working with banks have posed obstacles for farmers. The Hemp Education & Marketing Pavilion will have exhibitors and seminars addressing these issues and many more.
For more information, visit www.worldagexpo.org.


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Area coffee store expanding
Published 9:07 am, Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Mike Ferguson and Paul Endres opened CoffeeIcon, a coffee wholesaler in Tomball, six years ago. But when customers started lining up to purchase their products, the entrepreneurs started working on a retail store, which opened in October 2011.
Now, with three stores in Tomball, Magnolia and Cypress, the locally owned business soon may expand to Katy.
“We have to go where the population is,” Ferguson said.
He said his stores provide a variety of coffee and related products that most stores don’t offer.
“We’re not a coffee shop,” he said. “Anything that comes out, we stock it.”
He said the most popular items are the hundreds of varieties of individual K-cups that line the back wall.
“When they come in, they go straight back there to that variety,” he said.
Customers can mix and match flavors and sample different blends.
“That way, they’re not buying a whole box, and they don’t like it,” he said.
Adding to the variety are more than a dozen jars of tan-colored coffee beans from all over the world that greet customers as they enter the store. They can select their favorite and watch them roasted in front of their eyes.
If they need assistance, Manager Lisa Knight is available to give them ideas.
“I like making suggestions,” she said. “It’s about taking home a good flavor that they’ll enjoy.”
Knight said the customers enjoy watching the coffee roast, and they’re often grateful for her help.
“I love the customers,” she said. “They’re so friendly.
Brandy and Greg Tanner are two new customers to the Magnolia store. They haven’t settled on a favorite variety yet, but they said the store has become their new place to buy coffee.
“There’s so many to try,” Brandy Tanner said. “This makes it a lot easier.”
The store also sells coffee brewers, iced tea, hot chocolate and novelty items like corks for wine bottles shaped like screwdrivers.
A product that Ferguson said is growing in popularity is the Soda Stream, which allows customers to make popular soda flavors in their own homes.
For more information, visit www.coffeeicon.com.


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Steve Tass, Cristy Tass and their employees have withstood road closings, cancer and the changing automotive industry. They celebrated 35 years in business at Custom Auto Builders in August.
Getting to the body shop at 335 S. Delaware Ave. has been a challenge this summer, with major road construction just a block away on Mason City’s Fifth Street SW. Reconstruction of the Delaware bridge a few years ago posed another serious obstacle.
Debbie Bryan, office manager for 25 years, said, “A customer told me, ‘You know you have a good reputation if they can find you in this mess.’”
“The reason we’ve stayed in business is we have a real handle on customer service and quality control ... despite multiple road closings!” said Steve.
“We’ve been in tune with helping customers make smart decisions on fixing cars, in keeping with insurance company practices,” he said. "I think that’s why people keep coming back.”
He grew up with a love of cars on his parents’ local farm, following two older brothers with the same hobby.
“In 1976, I bought a ’77 Jeep CJ7 from Van Horn Auto Supply, completely totaled. It was so new; it had only 1,400 miles on it. A guy bought it and ran into a bridge.”
While a senior at Mason City High School, he repaired the Jeep in his parents’ garage. Steve said he was particularly intrigued by the nice paint jobs on cars.
He started Custom Auto Builders in 1983 with a partner, Brad Blazek.
“At that time, Brad and I were doing just rebuilders---late model wrecks we’d buy, fix up and sell. That’s how the name Custom Auto Builders started. I had a custom car myself---a ’55 Chevy. It was my brother’s. I was the baby of the family, so I ended up with it. I painted it my first year in business, and Cristy and I went to 21 shows with it," he said.
Brad worked with Steve for almost two years and then decided to go back to his family’s business, Blazek Electric. The body shop has been part of the original Blazek warehouse ever since it opened. Steve noted that Brad passed away last December.


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With a heavy heart the staff of AutoGuide.com say goodbye to 2012, along with its triumphs and tragedies. We await the New Year with open arms, and welcome its promise of a better world. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2012 was a year of the dragon, and it proved to be the stuff of legend,… Continue Reading...
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The new Mazda6 will be the star of the Japanese automaker’s booth at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon, with three modified concept versions already confirmed. Continue Reading...
Even though dealerships aren’t allowed to legally display the window sticker for the 2014 Mazda6 until the New Year, it appears that the sedan will be rated at 27 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. Continue Reading...
Mazda just announced pricing for its 2014 Mazda6 mid-size sedan which will start from $21,675 including a $795 delivery charge. Continue Reading...
Once known for its rotary engines, Mazda will become the first Japanese automaker to market a diesel model in the United States with its new Mazda6. Continue Reading...
Mazda is no stranger to motorsports, and following the recent unveiling of the Diesel Mazda6, the company announced that it will be taking its midsized diesel sedan to the racetrack during the 2013 Grand-Am series. Continue Reading...
The 2014 Mazda6 is one of this year’s most anticipated new models for the midsize sedan segment. From its attractive exterior to its SkyActiv technology, the all-new Mazda6 looks to be a contender for best-in-class. Continue Reading...
The 2014 Mazda6 has already garnered plenty of attention, and the Japanese automaker is more than in love with its newest platform. So much so, that the automaker is considering a unique crossover based on its third-generation Mazda6. Continue Reading...
The all-new Mazda6 was revealed in late August, and now the Japanese automaker has released detailed information on its new ‘i-ACTIVSENSE’ safety technologies found in its newest model. Continue Reading...
The all-new 2014 Mazda6 was unveiled in late July, delivering a sporty sedan design that will undoubtedly be popular once it hits American soil in early 2013. Continue Reading...
The automotive industry is a global business that is constantly evolving and growing, and we here at AutoGuide know it can be hard to keep up sometimes. So here is a summary of the top stories you may have missed this week: Continue Reading...
The all-new 2014 Mazda6 has just made its official debut and already talks of high performance and coupe variants are filling the air. Continue Reading...
The 2014 Mazda6 was recently revealed, set to make its official debut at the upcoming Moscow Auto Show on August 29, but the company has already released video footage as well. Continue Reading...
Mazda held a ceremony today at its Hofu Plant in Japan, bringing over 500 employees together to celebrate the beginning of production of the companies all new redesigned 2014 Mazda6. Continue Reading...
After numerous teasers, and much speculation, the first real photo of the 2014 Mazda6 has leaked onto a Russian website. Continue Reading...
Long rumored and anticipated, the new Mazda6 diesel will make its debut some time around October 2013. Continue Reading...
The buildup will be over soon, as this is the fourth out of six teasers of the upcoming 2014 Mazda6, which should be revealed sometime in the next two weeks. Continue Reading...
Easy as 1, 2, 3; Mazda has officially shown its entire 2014 Mazda6 sedan in a series of teaser clips, the most recent of which came out today. Continue Reading...
Originally teased by the Takeri concept at the New York Auto Show, Mazda has dropped the first video tease of the all new Mazda6 today. Continue Reading...
A diesel-powered Mazda CX-9 featuring the brand’s 2.2-liter SkyActiv-D engine could be on the horizon soon. Continue Reading...
The Mazda Takeri concept that originally debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show last year took its American bow today at the New York Auto Show. Mazda doesn’t plan to bring the Takeri to market, at least not in name — but the company’s North America president and CEO but Jim O’Sullivan was quick to point out that… Continue Reading...
Among the many announcements piling up before next week’s New York Auto Show, Mazda dropped a subtle bomb. Debuting at the Mazda booth, we will see the Takeri concept (pictured above) in for the first time on US soil. While the sedan concept itself is nothing new (first unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show), the drivetrain… Continue Reading...
The last time Mazda offered a coupe model based on the underpinnings of its mid-size sedan, it was called the MX-6. It was quite popular in its day, and two-generation of models had been produced before Mazda pulled the plug on the sports sporty car back in 1997. Now a unnamed senior company source has… Continue Reading...
Kicking off the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, Mazda unveiled a stunning new concept car that will eventually head to production as the next generation Mazda6 family sedan. A shot at the bold styling direction of brands like Hyundai and Kia, Mazda’s new Kodo design language is certain to bring much needed attention to Mazda dealerships… Continue Reading...


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VisionTek of videocard fame is getting into the business of selling high end DDR3 memory kits. It's puzzling why a company not already selling RAM would want to suddenly jump in at this point in time, but VisionTek insists it's researched the memory market with due diligence and determined that it's a solid business to get into. The company says it will "only source and sell the best memory," referencing chips with tight timings for high performance and stable parts for overclocked systems. Bring it on.
It was three years ago when Adata chairman Simon Chen declared the DRAM market the worst it's been in 15 years. Perhaps his early recognition of how bad things had become ultimately helped Adata weather the ongoing storm and make business decisions that, in the fourth quarter of 2011, will grow the company's revenues by double digits. How is that possible when the only thing DRAM players talk about anymore is cutting production?
Micron this week announced financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter and 2011 fiscal year ended September 1, 2011, and the numbers aren't pretty. The company's revenue from DRAM in the third quarter dropped 12 percent compared to Q3, a slump Micron said was the result of declines in the average selling prices. Revenue from sales of NAND flash products picked up some of the slack and grew 11 percent, but doesn't have enough volume to make up for the downturn in DRAM.
Maybe you're aware that DDR3 memory is nearly as cheap as tap water these days. That means you can totally justify stocking up on gobs of RAM, but at what point do you stop? Long before 288GB, which is more than your motherboard or any consumer board supports, but is exactly the amount you can stick in Gigabyte's GA-7TESM motherboard.
We've been monitoring the sorry state of the DRAM market closely for some time now, and whenever there's an update, it's almost always bad news for manufacturers. In recent weeks, it's also been bad for consumers who've grown accustomed to rock bottom pricing. Seemingly faced with no other choice, DRAM makers have started to cut production, and it's no longer just one or two companies.
SanDisk woke up this morning and decided to blitz the market with a fistful of storage products, including a massive 64GB microSDXC card. The 64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I card doubles the performance and capacity of SanDisk's professional-grade imaging lineup and is based on the latest SD 3.0 specification's Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus architecture.
Powerchip Technology announced plans to cut its total PC DRAM output in half, and perhaps even more. The move is intended to slow, stop, or even reverse the massive slide in revenues that were recorded in August, and in the meantime, Powerchip will look to other markets as it tries to increase its bottom line.
Google Docs was offline for over an hour on Wednesday afternoon, leading many users to express their frustration with Google’s cloud office suite. Google has now offered an explanation of the issue that led to the outage, and it can all be traced back to a memory bug on the server side. A change in the collaboration feature led to higher than expected resource usage and uncovered the bug, which had been lurking in the back end for some time.
You'd probably have a better shot at turning a profit selling ice cubes to Eskimos than churning out DRAM chips at today's prices. That's less of an exaggeration than you might think, and to cope with continually falling prices, some DRAM makers have decided to scale back operations until chip prices bounce back up.
The law of gravity dictates that what goes up must come down, and unfortunately for DRAM chip makers, there's nothing that says what goes down must also go back up. DRAM pricing continues to find new rock bottoms, and according to market research firm IHS iSuppli, things are about to get a whole lot worse.


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By National Cyber Security Alliance, Special for USDR
In addition to ball drops and bubbly, the New Year offers an occasion to reflect and contemplate what’s ahead in 2017. When Dec. 31 rolls around, many of us think about getting fit, saving more money and promising to take time to enjoy life. As the world becomes more and more connected – and our digital and offline lives become indistinguishable – we should also commit to take action to stay safer and more secure online and protect our personal data.
Securing key accounts should be the number one cybersecurity, self-improvement effort on everyone’s list of resolutions. A recent study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) revealed that close to three quarters of Americans (72%) believe their accounts are secure with just usernames and passwords.1 The fact is that usernames and passwords simply are not enough; hackers and cybercriminals continue to evolve their methods of attack, and users must improve their security to better protect their accounts. NCSA’s “top tip” for 2017 is to Lock Down Your Login, a simple step that helps ensure it’s actually you trying to access your account by providing multiple forms of verification.
“Today, so many of us are always connected. As we think about how to better safeguard our virtual lives, we’ve identified quick and easy tips that will help keep you on a safe and secure track year round,” said Michael Kaiser, NCSA’s executive director. “If you implement these five reliable practices, you will enjoy the benefits of connectivity with greater confidence. And, if you can convince your family and friends to do the same, we will all be safer and more secure online in 2017 and in years to come.”
NCSA’s Five Digital To Dos
Ring in the New Year right and get your online life in better shape by following these tried and true tips:
- Lock down your login: Your usernames and passwords are not enough to protect key accounts like email, banking and social media. In 2017, pledge to fortify your online accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as biometrics, security keys or a unique one-time code through an app on your mobile device.
- Personal information is like money. Value it. Protect it: Just as you promise to keep a keen eye on your finances in this coming year, do the same with your personal information. Be thoughtful about who gets that information and how it’s collected by apps and websites.
- Own your online presence: Before the countdown to midnight begins, set the privacy and security settings on websites and apps to your comfort level for information sharing. It’s OK to limit how and with whom you share information.
- Maintain the cybersecurity of your Internet of Things (IoT) devices: Connected devices like video cameras, wearables and fitness trackers are becoming extremely popular. In order to function properly, they collect personal data about their users. It is critical to make sure that the devices connect to a secure router and you understand the process for keeping these IoT devices secure over time.
- Do a digital cleanse: A good, thorough cleaning always helps to get the New Year off to a fresh start. Tend to your digital records, PCs, phones and any device with storage just as you do for paper files. Here are some easy steps to get you started:
- Clean up your email: Save only those emails you really need and unsubscribe to email you no longer need/want to receive.
- File upkeep: Delete or archive older files such as numerous drafts of the same document and outdated financial statements.
- Dispose of electronics securely: Wiping data isn’t enough. When you dispose of old electronics, look for facilities that shred hard drives, disks and memory cards.
- Back it up: Copy important data to a secure cloud site or to another drive where it can be safely stored. Password protect backup drives.
- Empty your trash or recycle bin on all devices: Make sure to permanently delete old files.
Visit stopthinkconnect.org/tips-advice/general-tips-and-advice to learn more.
View the 5 Every Day Steps Towards Online Safety tip card for simple ideas from the Department of Homeland Security on how to better protect yourself online and with your smart devices.
About the National Cyber Security Alliance
The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) is the nation’s leading nonprofit, public-private partnership promoting cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness. NCSA works with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and NCSA’s Board of Directors, which includes representatives from ADP; AT&T Services, Inc.; Bank of America; Barclays; BlackBerry Corporation; Cisco; Comcast Corporation; ESET North America; Facebook; Google; Intel Corporation; Logical Operations; Microsoft Corp.; NXP Semiconductors; PayPal; PKWARE; Raytheon; RSA, the Security Division of EMC; Salesforce; SANS Institute; Symantec and Visa Inc. NCSA’s core efforts include National Cyber Security Awareness Month (October); Data Privacy Day (January 28) and STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™, the global online safety awareness and education campaign cofounded by NCSA and the Anti Phishing Working Group, with federal government leadership from DHS. For more information on NCSA, please visit staysafeonline.org/about-us/overview/.
SOURCE National Cyber Security Alliance


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(p. A1) Amazon.com Inc. plans to hire 100,000 additional employees in the U.S. and Canada, continuing a rapid expansion that began as the coronavirus pandemic forced many people to stay home and shop online for work and other necessities.
. . .
New jobs will be added at dozens of Amazon locations (p. A6) paying at least $15 an hour and including benefits and signing bonuses of as much as $1,000 in some cities. Hiring for the jobs has already begun. The positions are all nonseasonal, Amazon said.
For the full story, see:
(Note: ellipsis added.)
(Note: the online version of the story was updated Sep. 14, 2020, and has the title “Amazon to Hire 100,000 in U.S. and Canada.”)


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Context: Kerala and West Bengal have communicated their acceptance of Option-1 to meet the revenue shortfall arising out of GST implementation.
- The number of States who have chosen this option has gone up to 25.
- All the 3 Union Territories with Legislative Assembly (i.e. Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Puducherry) have also decided in favour of Option-1.
- Before Rajasthan joined in, 23 states and 3 union territories (UTs) had opted for the borrowing plan proposed by the Centre to meet the Rs 1.83 lakh crore shortfall in Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection of states.
- Under the borrowing plan (Option-1), the Centre would borrow from the market on behalf of the States Rs 1.10 lakh crore to meet revenue shortfall on account of GST implementation.
- The remaining Rs 73,000 crore shortfall is estimated to be the revenue impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- States which choose Option-1 are getting the amount of shortfall arising out of GST implementation through a special borrowing window put in place by the Government of India.
- Under the terms of Option-1, besides getting the facility of a special window for borrowings to meet the shortfall arising out of GST implementation, states are also entitled to get unconditional permission to borrow the final instalment of 0.50 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) out of the 2 per cent additional borrowings permitted by the Government of India, under ‘Aatmnirbhar Abhiyaan’ on May 17, 2020.
- This is over and above the special window of Rs 1.1 lakh crore.
- The second option given by the Centre was for the states to borrow the entire Rs 1.83 lakh crore collection shortfall.
- However, states like Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand are yet to opt for the borrowing plan proposed by the Centre, saying the Centre should borrow the entire Rs 1.83 lakh crore shortfall.


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Media executives could be forgiven for thinking that in era of Shiv Roy, Saul Goodman and Ted Lasso, piracy was a thing of the past.
Between 2015 and 2018, the number of Australians pirating movies dropped from a staggering 49 per cent to just 21 per cent, according to federal government data. The sharp decline reflects the launch and rise of subscription-based video streaming services such Netflix, which debuted offering easy access to a smorgasbord of content for less than $10 a month. But since the pandemic, federal data shows piracy is flat or rising. And the forces underpinning this resurgence — a proliferation of services, the scattering of the best shows and movies across those services, and rising prices — all point to a key question facing the $4 billion-a-year streaming market: are multiplying services pushing some users away?
When streaming services arrived in Australia their proposition was clear: simple access to a vast array of content at a low price. Netflix and Stan (owned by Nine Entertainment) both once had much of the Disney library, such as its Marvel superhero franchises like Thor along with Pixar titles like Toy Story. Now Disney has its own streaming service. So do Paramount, Apple and Amazon, which announced it was buying James Bond maker Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer last year as the war for content accelerated.
Though the move to streaming cost media giants like Disney lucrative licensing agreements with distributors, those who led the move continue to defend it. “We were being disrupted by others, so why not disrupt ourselves?” former Disney chief executive Bob Iger told a Macquarie Technology Summit last month.
Beyond a fear of missing out, traditional media companies and tech players were lured to streaming for myriad reasons including encouraging people to stay within their tech ecosystems, to try and capture the high multiple investors ascribed to Netflix shares on the stockmarket. But that was before pandemic lockdowns ended and a broader tech rout sent share prices plummeting. (That rout was kicked off by Netflix’s last quarterly earnings report. The company will deliver its latest results later this week).
Now the streaming market is just as congested but not as commercially attractive, prompting services like Netflix to plan cheaper subscriptions supported by advertising in an effort to restart growth.
The much-discussed American TV show The Bear offers a useful example of why piracy is stubbornly flat, if not resurgent. Though it doesn’t yet have the fame of a Stranger Things, reviews aggregator site Metacritic rates The Bear as “universally acclaimed”. The show, which is about a chef’s return to run his family’s sandwich shop in Chicago, launched in America in June to rave reviews.
“I had to pirate The Bear because it’s a [US streaming service] Hulu show that isn’t available here!” said one viewer, speaking on condition of anonymity. “That said, at this point I’ve got Disney+, Binge, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Stan. It’s out of control and I’ll be damned if I also pay for Paramount+.”
The Bear will launch on Disney+ next month, but the confusion makes plain a frustration for consumers: every major streaming service only has a handful of really big hits. To access them all, a viewer would have to pay almost $70 a month for basic access, without sport streaming like Kayo or specialist apps dedicated to particular genres, which could double that.
People like Melbourne man Will, who did not want his last name used, told this masthead he was forced to pirate one of his most favourite shows because he wasn’t willing to take out another subscription just to watch it. “I was watching [British police show] Line of Duty on Netflix, but the last season wasn’t on there,” said Will. “And I had COVID so of course I was going to download it [unlawfully].”
Due to licensing agreements, Line of Duty’s sixth season is only available on BritBox, yet another streaming service.
While there are some pirates who never stopped illegally downloading because they could or it saved money, Will is in a different category. Like many of his generation, Will and his friends used torrenting services, which let people share frequently pirated files online, regularly until about 2015. That was the year Netflix launched in Australia. But now he is back to torrenting and thinking of cancelling his Netflix account.
“I was like: ‘does [torrent search site] Pirate Bay still exist?’, how do you download stuff?” Will said of his return to piracy. “And it’s definitely still there and it’s easier than working out what streaming service a show is on.”
Others who spoke to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age for this story pirate content via other means: websites that host illegal streams, software that puts a Netflix-like interface atop torrented downloads such as Popcorn Time or libraries of unlawful content on instances of media library software Plex. Most are more convenient than torrenting alone, when users could just as easily find themselves with a virus as with a new episode of The Sopranos.
Federal government commissioned survey research shows a low of 21 per cent of Australians reported watching at least some pirated movies in 2018. It had been 49 per cent in 2015 but by 2021 year it had risen to 23 per cent. TV programs are similar, dropping from 33 per cent to 18 per cent and then rising to 20 per cent last year, the most recent for which data is available. There was a change in methodology in 2019 but the broad trend suggests the quick reduction in piracy numbers is over. Then there is the question of the pandemic, which boosted streaming growth but may also have contributed to the piracy figures. Its long-term impact is uncertain.
RMIT University Associate Professor Ramon Lobato said piracy levels were tied to income, along with other factors such as convenience. Data released in May by the consultancy Gemba shows average monthly spending on streaming is up 7 per cent this year, “reflecting the price increases across a number of services”. At the same time, the proportion of subscribers leaving within six months of signing up has risen 18 percentage points, with price the leading reason.
“As cost of living pressures rise in Australia, it’s likely that some consumers will become more discerning about what they spend their money on, and may supplement or replace some of their streaming subscriptions with piracy,” Lobato said. “But there’s no hard boundary between piracy and legal consumption; the two often co-exist in Australian households.”
That helps to explain how many services, especially smaller ones, are enjoying growth even while piracy is not declining. “While there is an impact of piracy for Foxtel along with Kayo Sports and Binge, our streaming services are growing quickly, with Kayo subscribers up over 30 per cent and Binge up more than 90 per cent on the prior year,” a Foxtel group spokeswoman said. Netflix remains the dominant service, with about 60 per cent of respondents to the Gemba research saying someone in their family paid for it, but the overall picture is one of market saturation. “Growth has plateaued,” the consultancy concluded, with streaming penetration declining. Netflix revealed it had lost 200,000 subscribers globally earlier this year and is bracing for more to go.
A spokesman for Netflix said competition had always forced it to improve. “We aim to be the one streaming service everyone subscribes to because of the variety and quality of our titles,” the spokesman said. Stan and Apple declined to comment. Disney, Amazon and Paramount were contacted for comment.
Amy Pettinger, general manger of the industry funded anti-piracy group Creative Content Australia, sees things differently. “More services means less pirating,” she said. The group’s survey data shows a sustained decline in piracy since the introduction of streaming services. However, unlike the federal government’s survey, it asks users directly whether they have pirated content, rather than if they have accessed content in ways likely to indicate piracy, raising questions about whether users are leery of self-reporting.
But Creative Content has identified an archetype of pirates who use the plethora of streaming services to justify their behaviour.
“When we’ve profiled people who pirate, the majority are university educated, they earn over $90,000 a year, and they subscribe to three plus subscription services,” Pettinger said. “They are prolific content consumers, so it brings us back to they feel they have some sort of entitlement to piracy because they are already paying for services.”
The industry sees no justification for piracy. It argues piracy destroys jobs, investment and damages great Australian storytelling on screen. Foxtel wants internet platforms to be forced to take more responsibility for the piracy they enable and Netflix says it has anti-piracy measures in place.
Does pirating make Will feel guilty? “No, not really, they’re just big companies aren’t they,” he said.
Stan is owned by Nine Entertainment Co, which also owns this masthead.
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It sounds as though Walmart (NYSE: WMT) should have listened a little more closely to state law before deciding to jump into the Texas hearing-aid market. The mega-retailer is being slapped with a federal class-action lawsuit by members of the Texas Hearing Aid Association for selling the hearing devices without a state license.
Not only does the group want Walmart to stop selling hearing aids, but they want the court to order all of Walmart's prior profits from the sale of them returned.
"Walmart entered the Texas market and started selling hearing aids in all of their stores without going through the time, the trouble and the expense to go through the licensure process," Bill Chamblee, managing partner of Chamblee, Ryan, Kershaw & Anderson told the Dallas Business Journal. "They just skipped that process. They said 'We're not going to do it.'"
The company didn't deny any of that in its response via spokesman Dan Fogelman. Instead, he focused on Walmart's mission to help people save money and the potentially thousands of dollars the company's customers are saving.
"While a medical exam is recommended before purchasing a hearing aid, under federal law, adults have the option to waive an exam before buying them," Fogelman said. "We offer our customers that option."
Unfortunately for Walmart, Chamblee didn't chase after that particular red herring, instead pointing out that the federal law that allows for waivers specifically gives states the right to require a license to sell hearing aids. Walmart ignored that law in Texas, in what he characterized as a choice between profit and health.
"The State of Texas estimates that more than 3.8 million residents are deaf or hard of hearing," Chamblee said. "That's a tremendous potential customer base that Walmart apparently couldn't resist."
Walmart has until today (Aug. 27) to file its response to the lawsuit.
- See this Dallas Business Journal story
Walmart Pushes Made-In-America Summit To Get Other Chains On Board
Walmart Opens Third On-Campus Location, Tests More Lockers
Is Costco The Largest Seller Of Hearing Aids? Yep, You Heard That Right


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In a blind test conducted by Phone Arena, the Nokia Lumia 930, with its 20MP sensor, has won out over a range of high-end competitors, winning with over 6,000 votes.
... of Windows updates, Instagram indifference, Apple fashion tips and Office porn
All the latest on Windows 10 build 10041
windows 10 technical preview
How to get Cortana working outside of the US in preview build 10041
Giveaway: Win the Logitech G910 Orion Spark mechanical keyboard!
VisionTek USB Pocket SSD 120GB - Review
From British mobile mayhem and Galaxy pre-orders, to the state of Windows apps, strange bedfellows, Halo revelations and free flights with a low-end Lumia, it's our review of the week's top tech news.
Although the partnership hasn't been officially dissolved, Yahoo and Microsoft have opted to extend the deadline of their search engine partnership allowing more time for negotiation.
We all loathe Windows updates. Unfortunately, those in attendance at this basketball game had to experience a 25 minute game delay due to the scoreboard computer insisting on running Windows updates.
Try searching for Bing or Microsoft ads on Google, and Google Adwords will not-so-helpfully display a seemingly legitimate but very sophisticated phishing site. Browser beware.
After nearly a month, Microsoft has revealed a list of which handsets will receive Windows 10. Unlike the previous list released in February, Microsoft has expanded the build to nearly every Lumia.
Microsoft has teamed up with the WWE to promote the Band in the days leading up to WrestleMania 31 and you can monitor Ryback and Dolph Ziggler health stats on the web as they train.
Microsoft's 3D Touch software nearly made it into Nokia's flagship phones before abruptly being killed off without ever making it. New leaks show what the software would've look liked.
More images of Windows 10 for phones have leaked online showing off a new smart dialer, Spartan on mobile, slightly modified multi-tasking and improved support for additional languages on keyboard.
A third party app is now available to offer Windows Phone users access to Periscope, a new live-streaming service from Twitter. Dubbed Telescope, the app is now freely available in the Store.
Microsoft has once again bought out a small startup company. This time in the form of LiveLoop, which allows users to share their PowerPoint presentations without having to download addition software.
Screenshots of Microsoft's Project Spartan on Windows 10 for phones have been leaked on the web, the images show several changes like "reading lists" and repositioning of the address bar.
Microsoft has released the second Xbox One April preview update which focuses mainly on enhancing the social features of the console with voice messages and dedicated party chat servers.
If you're a Xbox Live Gold member, get ready to game for the month of April because Microsoft is doubling its game giveaway for Xbox One and Xbox 360 owners.
Microsoft is currently working on a new maps app for Bing and if you want to test it out, it appears that you will not have to wait too long as a landing page is already available.
Microsoft has released a new update for the Surface Pro 3 and this time around they are adding new enterprise features including disk encryption and a few more security related settings.
From the low-cost Lumia 430 to the flagship Galaxy S6 Edge, there's no shortage of exciting new devices on the way for budgets of all sizes. So, tell us, which handset are you planning to buy next?
ESPN has released a new official app for Windows Phone, replacing its outdated ScoreCenter app. The new app brings its Windows Phone offering on par with its Android and iOS apps.
The rumors around Android apps making their way to Windows won't seem to go away, and we are now hearing more information about the plans for these apps if the project gets the full green light.
Microsoft has opened up a small private beta for Skype users to try out a new web platform; this new functionality allows you to use the service without downloading an app.
Microsoft's "affordable flagship" Windows Phone, the Lumia 830, is available right now for £199.99 SIM-free - £100 lower than its usual price - including a free Fitbit Flex and free delivery.
While 'Halo Online' has made its official debut, few will get their hands on it due to 343 Industries decision to make the game available to those participating in the closed beta in Russia.
During the Windows 8 lifecycle, the name for the store apps went from Metro to Modern but as we move forward with Windows 10, they will now simply be called Windows app.
Microsoft unveiled the Lumia 830 as its 'affordable flagship' in September, although its $450 price tag was too high for many. But right now, you can get the device for as little as $200 off-contract.
Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference used to ban employees from competitive organizations such as Google and Oracle but that has now changed for WPC 2015 with anyone being abled to attend.
Microsoft will reportedly unveil a new tablet at its Build 2015 conference next month - but the device is said to be a successor to the Surface 2, rather than a new addition to its Surface Pro line.
Microsoft is hosting a small conference for key partners and web developers for them to learn more about Spartan, and one of the slides from the presentation gives us a look behind the scenes.
Some people are reporting that there's a problem with the beta Store app, which might refuse to open or update, preventing you from testing Office Preview apps, but we have an easy fix for that.
Microsoft has updated its Xbox Music app for Windows Phone 8.1, a week after launching its new OneDrive 'music locker', which lets users store their music in the cloud, and listen to it on any device.
A video published by Microsoft shows two new additions to Action Center: a flashlight and a new app entitled 'Quick Note', both of which will be of use to users of Windows 10 on mobile.
If you ask Emmet Shear, co-founder of the game streaming service Twitch, the future of game consoles will require a move away from big box consoles that require long lifecycles.
Microsoft has released the ISO files for the latest version of its Windows 10 Technical Preview, after build 10041 was pushed to Insiders on the 'Slow ring' for new updates earlier today.
Microsoft has announced that they will push build Windows 10 build 10041 to Slow ring users today, and three new updates are also rolling out to Fast ring users too.
As another week begins, we get another week of great deals on superb titles for the Xbox One and Xbox 360. Xbox Gold members can take advantage by getting up to 75% off some titles.
Microsoft has announced that they are changing their initial plans for Internet Explorer by saying that Internet Explorer 11 will remain fundamentally unchanged from Windows 8.1 going forward.
Microsoft is working quickly to release new builds of Windows 10 to Insider but there are still a few features coming to the OS that are not present in the latest release.
The Windows Phone ecosystem hasn't seen any major changes in the last few months with low-end devices continuing to dominate the platform and Microsoft remaining the primary manufacturer.
Microsoft brought Cortana in Windows 10 to six new markets with build 10041 - but not everyone has got it working yet. A Microsoft engineer has now explained the problem, and how it can be resolved.
Microsoft is opening up and partnering with different companies to make sure Spartan will be competitive once it gets released. The first partnership being made public is between Adobe and Microsoft.
Microsoft has teamed up with Air Asia to give 5,000 airline loyalty points to anyone who buys the Lumia 535 in Malaysia - enough to get a return flight to Phuket, Krabi or Singapore.
T-Mobile has revealed that the Microsoft Lumia 640 - the new affordable 4G Windows Phone unveiled last month with a 5-inch HD screen, Snapdragon 400 and 1GB RAM - will soon be added to its range.
Microsoft, along with many other major brands - and even celebrities - are acting fast to buy out web domains with the upcoming .adult and .porn suffixes before the general public gets to.
Microsoft has released the Windows 10 developer tools that will help programmers build applications that take advantage of the platforms new features like Cortana and Action center.
Microsoft has announced new agreements with Samsung, Dell, TrekStor, QMobile, Pegatron and many more partners, to pre-install Office, Skype and OneDrive onto their Android devices.
At its WinHEC conference in China, Microsoft has shown off a new Apple Pay-style service for Windows 10 mobile device that allows the user to pay directly from their phone.
HP's Stream 7 tablet has been available for just £74.99 in the UK for a while - but you can now get a further discount bringing the price down to just £49.99, including a free Office 365 subscription.
Even though Microsoft's latest public version of Windows 10 does not have Spartan, a new leak of a build of Windows 10 does have the new browser for you to try if you know where to look.
If you've been thinking of buying a Surface Pro 3, now may be just the right time, as Microsoft is offering discounts of up to $150 off the device, along with a free protective sleeve.
It was one year ago that Instagram was last updated for Windows Phone which shows that the company does not care about the app and likely has no intention of supporting the app it already released.
Microsoft has released a fictional multi-part exposé about Halo franchise protagonist Master Chief to promote the upcoming entry in the series, "Halo 5: Guardians."


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Georgia May Jagger is Madonna's latest Material Girl.
Jagger, the youngest daughter of legendary rocker Mick Jagger and supermodel Jerry Hall, has been chosen as the new global face of junior clothing line Material Girl.
Singer Madonna and her daughter Lourdes launched the teenager-friendly line exclusively at Macy's in 2010.
The 20-year-old, who will front a back-to-school campaign for the brand, is no stranger to the modeling world.
Jagger has fronted campaigns for Hudson Jeans and Rimmel Cosmetics, and graced the pages of several fashion magazines, including Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.


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Medicinal cannabis and hemp company ECS Botanics (ASX: ECS) has announced another consecutive quarter of record revenue growth, driven by strong volumes from new and existing domestic customers.
The Australian company today reported a revenue of approximately $1.5 million for the December quarter, up 65% on September and 325% higher than the three months ended December 2020.
The significant growth was underpinned by strong, ongoing demand for ECS’ Goods Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufactured medicinal cannabis products and the sale of hemp products, the company said.
During the period, ECS also secured supply agreements with local and international medicinal cannabis companies, most notably Sun Pharma and Cannvalate.
Further growth expected for oils business
Growth in the medicinal cannabis oil business is forecast to continue its upward trajectory with the 13,200 units of oil products produced for customers last quarter expected to increase to more then 20,000 units for the March period.
ECS said this growth has been supported by local market demand for Australian grown and manufactured product at a competitive price point.
The company said it is also experiencing increasing demand for dry flower and oils for the international markets, with preparations for an initial European export order exceeding $400,000 now underway.
ECS managing director Alex Keach said the company remains “very well positioned” to further its growth trajectory.
“Last year we signed a significant number of contracts domestically and overseas and it is now pleasing to see them convert into revenue,” he added.
Mr Keach believes the company’s business model provides it with a larger addressable market than its competitors.
“The business-to-business strategy and being able to take a seed all the way through to a GMP product is why we continue to attract new customers and deliver quarter-on-quarter growth,” he said.
Increasing capacity to meet growing demand
ECS owns farms and medicinal cannabis facilities in Tasmania and Victoria for the cultivation, processing and manufacturing of medicinal cannabis. It also cultivates hemp for the wholesale market and its retail food and wellness brand.
The company said new protected cropping enclosed are in production and additional processing facilities will be constructed in March to allow ECS to increase capacity to meet growing demand.
Cannabidiol (CBD) cultivation has begun at its Tasmanian facility with the first harvest expected in February.
ECS announced two new deals in late November. The first is a collaborative supply and toll processing agreement for cannabis biomass extraction with pharmaceutical company Sun Pharma.
Under this deal, Sun Pharma will supply resin to ECS as part of an offset agreement against the purchase of ECS’ wholly-owned SepareCo Supercritical carbon dioxide extractor and ancillary equipment, which is being installed at Sun Pharma’s pharmaceutical facility in Port Fairy, Victoria.
The second deal involves supplying the resin produced by ECS’ extractor at Sun Pharma’s facility to Cannvalate, which operates Australia’s largest medical cannabis distribution network.


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Twitter partners with Photobucket for photo-sharing
Twitter CEO Dick Costolo announced this week at D9 conference that they are launching two new functions to Twitter: photo-sharing and expanded search.
“Over the next several weeks, we’ll be releasing a feature to upload a photo and attach it to your Tweet right from Twitter.com,” a post on the Twitter Blog explains. “And of course, you’ll soon be able to easily do this from all of our official mobile apps.”
The new photo features are powered by Photobucket and will only be available to smartphone users initially with a possible rollout to non-smartphones soon. The photos and videos will be tagged and included in the new improved search functionality too.
It will be interesting to see how Twitpic and Yfrog respond, or will it be the end for these popular social services? Cue video with nice music and shallow depth-of-field…


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Walmart announced Wednesday that it has launched a new poop product that makes it possible to make your own poop-infused food.
The Walmart slime kit, which is available in grocery stores and Walmart.com stores, uses a proprietary recipe that creates a smooth, clean, and fluffy substance that is ideal for cooking or making your own homemade food.
Walmart says the product can also be used to make delicious beverages or for baking.
The company says it has already received more than 3,000 requests for the slime kits, which are currently available in select grocery stores, but says it is still waiting for more samples to arrive.
The slime is also available in a variety of other places, including online retailers like Amazon, and Walmart has plans to start making it available at Walmart stores in the coming months.
Walmart, a $7.4 billion global company, has become a leader in the industry of creating edible food products with an ingredient-based approach, and the company has been testing new products, including new slime products, in recent months.


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CMPnet launched a national magazine consumer advertising campaign featuring the tagline “Know More Now” and running in Fast Company, Time Digital, Time Magazine, Upside and CMP Media’s stable of business computing titles.
The campaign, developed by New York agency Frankfurt Balkind, breaks in the August issue of Fast Company magazine with the first in a series of three ads. According to the company, the ads position CMPnet as “the essential destination for comprehensive, timely and credible technology information” for business and information technology professionals on the verge of making real- world business decisions. Spending was not disclosed.
Earlier this year CMPnet launched an advertiser-focused campaign in the Wall Street Journal, Advertising Age and Business Marketing with a similar theme.
Despite the fact that it faces growing competition from Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, Google-owned YouTube is still one of the most popular ... read more
Amazon prides itself on being the most “customer-centric” company in the world, but according to investigative journalism non-profit ProPublica, Amazon’s algorithms are often anything but ... read more