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Innovation in the smartphone market has slowed to a crawl. Maybe it has plateaued. Smartphone penetration is extremely high in many markets. The law of diminishing returns must be kicking in for OEMs seeking an edge that will enable their latest flagship to catch the eye as it slips out into an already packed ocean. If you don’t like the look of it, no worries, there’ll be another one along any minute.
As the market fully matures the battle shifts from innovative tech to price vs brand. It’s not a foregone conclusion. There’s always room for a surprise killer USP, or a technological breakthrough that triggers an avalanche of sales. The growth of wearables presents a whole new world of possibilities and smartphones will be at the centre of it, just as they’ll power Android’s move into our cars and homes... More at Android Authority.
Far too many people are fixated with the 2007 iPhone launch and all that followed it. These people view innovation as having to be something spectacular, something amazing that we have not seen before or a phone or tablet that is light years ahead of what we are currently using. They also believe that a mature market stifles true innovation and that we have gone as fas as we can with phone technology. And they are completely wrong because the mobile market is as innovative today as it has ever been and new features are being invented all of the time that help us do things we could not have managed so easily in the past.
If I had to think of true mobile innovation off the top of my head that has occurred in the past 2 years, it would not be difficult-
Apple's Touch ID is a wonderful implementation of a technology that only a year before seemed impossible. We had never seen fingerprint sensors work in a fashion that felt natural, but millions of us don't even notice the technology anymore.
Samsung's S Pen brings to life the dream of a stylus interface that feels like pen and paper and which offers so many usability benefits to the traditional finger / screen interface.
LG's laser focusing system on the G3 snaps photos quicker than you can imagine and really does work time and time again.
And then there are the evolutionary changes such as quicker processors, more accurate sensors, improved battery life (well, sometimes), tougher and water-resistant devices and so much more that is added to new mobile devices every month.
Innovation does not have to be a 'new' feature and if you take that view, the market is as innovative now as it always has been. However, when you really think about it, there are a lot of new features being added to mobile devices all of the time and it doesn't look like stopping any time soon.


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Halim Mazmin: THIS shipping company can sail through the current year with a profit despite the global economic downturn, thanks to an innovative business formula. In the acquisition of ships, Halim Mazmin as the purchaser ropes in its time-charter partners as associate partners by giving them stakes in joint-venture companies. An OSK In- vestment Research analyst says the main advantage of the company’s time-charter contracts is that it does not have to worry about fuel price fluctuations as the charterer bears that cost under the agreement. The counter should appeal to those with a low-risk appetite, given its stable earnings and decent dividends.
IJM: ANALYSTS view positively IJM Corp Bhd's maiden township development project in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh as it diversifies the construction giant’s earnings base. As its RM179mil Tada-Nellore Highway is nearing completion, the housing project will generate revenue from India for IJM as it bids for other construction projects. Analysts estimate IJM's current order book at about RM1.3bil without factoring in the township project. According to Multex Glo- bal Estimates, the consensus estimate is a net profit of RM142.7mil for the current year ending De- cember. In the last financial year, it reported a net profit of RM120.2mil and revenue of RM1.3bil.
BAT: AS the top choice among analysts and investors for defensive play, the country’s largest cigarette manufacturer touched a record high of RM39 in intra-day trade on March 27; its price has been locked in a tight trading range of RM38.25 and RM39 ever since. The stock has outperformed the benchmark in- dex by almost 12% since late Fe- bruary. Analysts like BAT’s re- silient business and steady consumer demand, its market share of 70% and widening profit margin, thanks to a lower cost structure. Analysts are not ruling out the possibility of BAT distributing its treasury shares as dividends to shareholders now that the company has proposed a share buyback of 10% of its paid-up capital.
VSI: CONCERNS over the integrated plastics and electronic product manufacturer's deteriorating margins remained although an analyst said that the downside for its price share was probably limited as it was already trading near the counter's net tangible assets. VSI reported a net profit of RM2.1mil for the six months ended Jannuary compared with RM14.9mil in the previous corresponding period. Turnover, however, surged to RM497mil from RM327.7mil in the same period in view of its new turnkey vacuum cleaner manufacturing operations in Malaysia and an increase in production from its China division. Last month, shareholders approved the company's proposal for a 3-for-5 bonus issue.
MPI: THE country’s largest semiconductor manufacturer remains a buy with UT Securities, which also likes Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd (MPI) for its leadership in the ad- vanced packages business des- pite lower global semiconductor sales in February. Sales in February fell 3.3% month-on-month to US$11.8bil from US$12.2bil in Jan- uary. The analyst said that sales in February marked the third consecutive month of negative growth. The semiconductor sector has shown improvement in most of the months in 2002 with month-on-month growth largely trending upwards. According to Multex Global Estimates, the consensus forecast is a net profit of RM28mil for this financial year.

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All-new Suzuki Access 125 to be launched in India on March 15, 2016
Suzuki Motorcycles which showed off its all-new 2016 Access scooter at the Auto Expo 2016 will finally launch the scooter in India on March 15, 2016. The Suzuki Access 125 was the manufacturer's first scooter when it started operations in India nearly a decade ago.
Based on an all-new platform, the new Suzuki Access 125 looks very different than the original scooter. It looks more modern now and comes loaded with features. Single push starter, reworked engine, alloy wheels, optional DC socket, telescopic front forks and new colours are few of the talking points.
The 125cc engine now comes with SEP and makes more power (8.7PS) and torque (10.2Nm). Suzuki says that the scooter is also lighter than before. We believe this should especially now make it more fun to ride while staying fuel efficient. Suzuki is also using a digital instrument cluster for the new Access 125. This display also shows a service due indicator- a feature which many others scooters in the segment had adopted a couple of years ago.
Suzuki says that they will not be phasing out the old Access anytime soon and the process will gradually happen once the new scooter has been around for sometime.
More from OVERDRIVE on the new Suzuki Access 125
Starts Rs 64,800
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text: Beer and spirits company Diageo has launched plastic-free spirits in paper-based bottles, made entirely from sustainably sourced wood. The paper-based bottle is said to debut with Johnnie Walker in early 2021. Developed in partnership with venture management company Pilot Lite, the new bottle is made from sustainably sourced pulp to meet food-safe standards and will be fully recyclable in standard waste streams. The packaging is said to be designed to contain a variety of liquid products and will form part of Diageo’s commitment towards Goal 12 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - Responsible Consumption and Production. This comes as Diageo and Pilot Lite partnered to launch Pulpex, a sustainable packaging technology company that allows brands to rethink their packaging designs, or move existing designs into paper, whilst not compromising on the existing quality of the product. This technology introduces a variety of plastic-free, single mould bottles that can be used across a range of consumer goods. To ensure that the technology can be used in every area of life, Pulpex has established a partner consortium of FMCG companies in non-competing categories including Unilever, and PepsiCo, with further partners expected to be announced later in the year. The consortium partners are each expecting to launch their own branded paper bottles, based on Pulpex’s design and technology, in 2021. Ewan Andrew, chief sustainability officer, Diageo, said the company was proud to have created this world’s first, and that as a company, it was "constantly striving to push the boundaries within sustainable packaging”, adding that the bottle had the potential to be “truly ground-breaking”. “It feels fitting that we should launch it with Johnnie Walker, a brand that has often led the way in innovation throughout its 200 years existence,” he added. Richard Slater, chief research and development officer at Unilever. said the company believed in tackling plastic waste through innovation and collaboration, adding that it was going to “halve its use of virgin plastic at Unilever, reducing its use of plastic packaging by more than 100,000 tonnes in the next five years”. Meanwhile, Simon Lowden, chief sustainability officer, PepsiCo said that innovative solutions and partnerships were critical to driving meaningful progress toward a circular economy. “The Pulpex consortium is well positioned to deliver sustainable packaging at scale and across industries, having impact beyond what any organization could achieve alone. We’re proud to be a part of it,” Lowden added. Sandy Westwater, director of Pilot Lite, said the company was thrilled to be working with global brand leaders in this consortium, and that by working together, it could use the collective power of the brands to help minimise the environmental footprint of packaging by changing manufacturing and consumer behaviours.


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iphone screen protector reviews 2018, need some protection for your new iphone Here are bunch of top cases to check out.
Apple launched its iOS 8 mobile operating system on Wednesday with a host of tweaks and refinements, including support for Apple Pay, a new predictive-typing keyboard, a "Hey Siri" feature, better Spotlight searches, new camera and photo editing capabilities, and a new Health app. Adoption of the new version so far has lagged behind that of iOS 7 over the same initial period last year. Data released early Thursday from mobile analytics firm Mixpanel showed iOS 8's adoption rate at around 14.22 percent since its launch at 10 a.m. PT Wednesday. On September 18, 2013, when iOS 7 launched, Mixpanel reported an adoption rate of about 15 percent before the day had even ended. The day after iOS 7 was released, the rate shot up to 38 percent.
As of early Friday, Mixpanel's results show a healthier adoption rate for iOS 8 of 21.6 percent, much more promising but still far trailing the rate for iOS 7 at the same time last year, iphone screen protector reviews 2018 Other mobile analytics firms have also noted a slower adoption rate for the new iOS, In a blog posted on Thursday, mobile ad platform Tapjoy found that iOS 7 reached a 12 percent adoption rate after 18 hours, while iOS 8 hit only 6 percent over the same period of time, Analytics firm Chitika found that after the initial 24 hours, iOS 7 had hit an 18.2 adoption rate, while iOS 8 had reached just 7.3 percent..
So why is iOS 8 apparently attracting fewer upgrades than did its predecessor? A few reasons spring to mind. Last year, iOS 7 introduced a radically new look and feel to Apple's mobile OS. Though some users complained about the new design, the changes did represent a major and long overdue shift in the way iOS presented itself. Version 7 also introduced new system controls and notifications, iTunes Radio, AirDrop, automatic updates, and a new way of juggling multiple apps. iOS 8 does offer several appealing refinements, but it may be missing that one killer app or feature to convince people they need the new version right away. Apple did add support for Apple Pay, but you need the new iPhone 6 with near-field communication, or NFC, to use the payments system. Apple also added a Health app to help you keep track of your health and fitness. But until third-party developers start to support the app, it's limited in functionality for now.
Tapjoy also suggested a couple of the ideas, "Based on Tapjoy's network-wide data, which has a reach of over 200 million unique iOS consumers per month, iOS 8 is being adopted at a significantly slower rate than iOS 7," Patrick Seybold, Tapjoy vice president for Communications & Marketing Partnerships, said in Thursday's blog, "This is likely due to having a separate release schedule for the software and hardware with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus not having been delivered to consumers just yet, It could also be because the download takes up quite a bit of space -- about 1GB."The folks at Chitika also proposed their own theories about the "muted iphone screen protector reviews 2018 reception" to iOS 8..
"Perhaps most importantly, the pool of iPhones eligible to upgrade to iOS 8 is limited to iPhone 5S, 5C, 5, and 4S models, and many outlets have suggested that iPhone 4S users should not upgrade due to subsequent performance and functionality issues," Chitika said in its blog. "If most 4S users decide to stick with their current OS, then the maximum potential adoption of iOS 8 shrinks to just over 65 percent of the North American iPhone user base who use iPhone 5-type models."Chitika also noted that some people ran into trouble downloading the update due to the size of the installation. Some users with limited available storage on their iPhone or iPad reportedly had to delete content in order to free up enough space to house the new OS.
With sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus kicking off today and preorders already having set record numbers, adoption of iOS 8 will naturally shoot higher, Could demand for the new iPhones be limiting the desire among iphone screen protector reviews 2018 current users to upgrade their existing phones? If I own an older iPhone and plan to buy an iPhone 6, I might not be in such a hurry to download the latest version, At least, that's another theory proposed by Chitika, "For any current iPhone users planning to buy either of the new devices, which come pre-loaded with iOS 8, the impetus to update their soon-to-be former phone is minimal," Chitika suggested..
Alibaba might not be a household name outside China -- yet. But that stands to change quickly now that the company, and its famous founder Jack Ma, is attracting investors overseas. In May, the e-commerce giant filed for an initial public offering in the United States. Four months later, it achieved the biggest market debut in history. On Sept. 18, the company priced its shares at $68 a pop, raising $21.8 billion, and the on Friday, Sept. 19, the stock began trading at a stunning $92.70. The Alibaba IPO, however, has been a bit of a paradox: it's simultaneously been one of the most anticipated and most mysterious IPOs in the tech industry.
That's because Ma, considered China's answer to tech iphone screen protector reviews 2018 icons like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, has built a massive empire, Alibaba's various ventures have made it arguably the largest e-commerce company in the world, It dominates in China, where most of the 302 million people who shop online do so on an Alibaba site, And Ma is ready to expand Alibaba's international reach, The company -- which also offers payment services, logistics, digital media and cloud computing -- has a lot of moving parts, complicated relationships with its investors, including Yahoo, and big numbers..


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Southwest restaurants hope to stem tough times and satisfy a growing demand by adding breakfast to the menu
Over the past few months, Southwest restaurants have been making big changes to boost business. Many sought liquor licenses to supplement losses from a sour economy, and now, another tactic has emerged: bacon and eggs.
Restaurants that have recently begun offering breakfast include Pasqual's, Caf Twenty-eight, Herkimer Pub and Brewery, Rudolph's Bar-B-Que and Golooney's East Cost Pizza Caf and Sub Shop. Although many owners said they added morning meals because they had to boost sales, others said they turned to breakfast because they've been missing out on a large and growing clientele.
Robin Bernabo, owner of Golooney's, 2329 Hennepin Ave., said his decision to add breakfast was purely revenue-driven. "I don't want to get up at 5 in the morning, but sales are so bad," he said.
Bernabo, who is also applying for a beer and wine license to boost sales, said the restaurant business has been slow for some time. "So many places are starting to go under," he said.
Golooney's breakfasts started this month. Bernabo said his "East Coast" breakfast menu includes coffee, eggs and bacon, and egg and cheese sandwiches.
Linda Haug, owner of Linden Hill's Caf Twenty-eight, 2724 W. 43rd St., said that since her patio closed for the season, she's noticed a slump in her Sunday business. Haug said although Linden Hills already had a popular breakfast spot, the Zumbro Cafe, she was up to the competition.
So in late January, Haug added a Sunday brunch to her menu, which highlights eggs, crepes, pancakes and quiche. "There was always a wait (at Zumbro); there's enough breakfast business for two," Haug said.
Yasser Ebrahim, the new owner of Pasqual's, 2528 Hennepin Ave., said he, too, could not turn a blind eye to the bustling breakfast market. "On Lyndale, it's a Mecca for breakfast," he said, "but there's always a long wait for the popular breakfast joints."
Since he took over the business in January, Ebrahim said he's been developing unique fruit sauces and syrups for breakfast.
"The breakfast trend has been growing a lot lately, over the last five years," he said. "It's catching faster than people think -- it's a romantic and family gathering."
Ebrahim, who is originally from Egypt, said in other countries, breakfast at restaurants is really big. "Instead of serving breakfast in bed, people go outside," he said.
Charlie Theros, manager of Rudolph's Bar-B-Que, 1933 Lyndale Ave. S., said he will add breakfast beginning Saturday, March 8, because of customer demand.
He said Rudolph's had served a buffet-style Sunday brunch for more than 20 years, but people didn't want to eat that much. With brunch numbers slipping, Rudolph's brain trust thought a simple breakfast would better fit their clientele. One interesting feature that the restaurant will offer is a build-your-own Bloody Mary and Screwdriver bar.
Chad Jamrozy, co-owner of The Herkimer Pub and Brewery, 2922 Lyndale Ave. S., started serving breakfast six months ago to pump up his day business. He said he added the menu not because business was hurting, but because the market was clearly there.
Herkimer's breakfast menu includes egg and omelet dishes, although it's being revised. Jamrozy said he thinks for the breakfast crowd his restaurant has an advantage to others. "We serve booze here, Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers," he said.
Does the breakfast crowd ring registers?
Jamrozy said adding breakfast to the menu has boosted business 10 percent in the last six months. He said the first few months serving breakfast was a test to see if enough people would come.
At first, the breakfast business was slow, but Jamrozy said it improved with a new weekend promotion that offered a free bar glass and chaser glass with a Bloody Mary or Screwdriver for $6.
Rudolph's Theros said he has no idea of breakfast-driven revenue, but said it isn't as expensive to produce as his brunches were. "Even if the breakfast falls flat, it will be more profitable," he said.
Caf Twenty-Eight's Haug said consumer response to breakfast has been very positive. "It's been amazing," she said, "We've probably tripled our Sunday business."
Haug said she could expect about 15 people on a normal Sunday, but since the brunch started, she gets 60 customers that day. Because her caf has 36 seats, she said the breakfast-goers tend to come in shifts.
Ebrahim said the breakfast crowd was slow to come at first, but admits he has relied solely on word-of-mouth. "The first day we opened for breakfast, we had two tables," he said.
Since then, Ebrahim painted the new breakfast hours on the store windows and said that business has picked up. He hopes it will continue to improve. "I would love to see $1,500 to $2,000 (revenue) for a breakfast brunch," he said, which is considered good for any meal rush.
New Breakfast Hours
Pasqual's , 2528 Hennepin Ave., breakfast hours are Saturday and Sunday,7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Golooney's East Coast Pizza Caf and Sub Shop, 2329 Hennepin Ave., breakfast hours have yet to be determined.
Cafe Twenty-eight, 2724 W. 43rd St., breakfast hours are Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Herkimer Pub and Brewery, 2922 Lyndale Ave. S., breakfast is served Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rudolph's Bar-B-Que, 1933 Lyndale Ave. S., breakfast hours are Saturday 11a.m.-2 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.


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IKEA considering drones for inventory management in Dubai distribution centre
The company is considering the use of drones for inventory management in its Dubai South distribution centre, Abdelaziz Kadri, managing director, IKEA Distribution Services DWC, tells ArabianSupplyChain.com.
“The Distribution Centre is one of the largest of its kind in the region, with a capacity to handle 120,000 cubic metres in conventional racking on eight levels of storage,” says Kadri. “The 100,000sqm of storage space is split into two sections with 135 134 loading docks and 180 parking spaces in the yard for containers and trucks.”
The DC is currently using RFID scanning and an in-house WMS to keep track of the tens of thousands of SKUs that are stored and distributed from the facility to stores across the GCC, but according to Kadri, IKEA is looking at new ways of keep track of stock. Continue reading “IKEA considering drones for inventory management in Dubai distribution centre”


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BIO International Convention 2021'Peter Goldberg'
Privo Technologies, Inc. attends the BIO International Convention online from June 14-18, 2021.
Despite the conference being held online this year due to COVID-19, Bio International 2021 was
informative and enjoyable. The company connected with potential investors and industry partners in
discussing their PRV111 and PRV211 technology. In addition, the company discussed technology
collaborations with pipeline products.


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SEARCHED FOR:CAPGEMINI INDIA
Pandemic experience helps Capgemini to start hiring rural women in India
The company is targeting to hire 500 such women by December and has already initiated the project with 100 women from southern states who are being trained currently.
Demand for smart factories expected to pick up: Capgemini MD, India Market
Digital features will be a staple of greenfield manufacturing proj...
Wipro CEO Delaporte writes to digital natives in strategy to drive growth
Last week, Delaporte wrote to junior employees, who are largely dig...
NTT to focus on growing new business in India
NTT has created a new Digital Sales Group (DSG) that will focus on the white spaces – emerging, mid-market, and digital-first customers – to convert these into larger accounts.
Zumba, Yoga, Wellness Leave: Companies roll out flexible health and wellness programmes for employees
Several companies are organising online zumba and exercise sessions, assigning ‘no-meeting’ hours, offering more days off, virtual counselling and sessions on how to strengthen immunity to keep the employees healthy.
Capgemini research finds that nearshoring will emerge as a top agenda for companies
The research detailing the impact of COVID-19 crisis on organizations’ value chains, trends in business and ways of working found that three developments will define what businesses are terming as the ‘new normal.
Mahindra Group appoints Amit Sinha as president for group strategy
"He will also oversee synergy, risk and economist functions and play a key role in coordinating international synergies between Americas, Asia Pacific and Africa," the Mahindra Group said in a statement.
Aiman Ezzat appointed new Capgemini CEO
Ezzat, earlier the Chief Operating Officer, was appointed as CEO of the Capgemini Group on Wednesday at the close of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
Capgemini is making new strides to help communities in Covid crisis & save the environment
The company’s well-thought-out initiatives have positively impacted its sustainability agenda.
NSRCEL partners with Capgemini in India to support social startups
The selected ventures will receive, from Capgemini, an entrepreneurial grant of Rs 75 lakh each, across three years, based on their progress and milestone.
Wipro is ready to be a little bolder and more ambitious: Thierry Delaporte, CEO Wipro
Acquisitions will be part of our agenda. There are positions to take, we will continue to look for companies that are reinforcing our position in areas that we feel are strategic; it can be a specific market, industry or technology, said Thierry Delaporte replying to a question.
IT major Capgemini announces increment for 84,000 employees
The company also announced Rs 10,000 cash for those who are stranded without any accommodation and is also paying salaries without any timeline of those who are benched and do not have any billable projects.
Thierry Delaporte has tough task at Wipro, where he takes over as CEO on July 6
Thierry Delaporte needs to “re-energize” the leadership team, turnaround failing businesses and drive growth.
Wipro's new CEO to draw up to 4.45 million euros annual pay package
In a notice for its 74th annual general meeting (AGM), Wipro said it will seek shareholders' nod for appointment of Delaporte as the CEO and managing director.The AGM will be held on July 13 through video-conferencing.
Trust, empathy key for Capgemini India CEO in WFH mode
Yardi misses the face-to-face chats with colleagues at the office.


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See which brand beat Denny’s, Applebee’s and others in a new ranking of full-service concepts by the strength of their customer following.
The third-wealthiest person in America is teaming up with the richest—Amazon's Jeff Bezos—and JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon to bring down health insurance expenses.
New reports make the case for expanding menu labeling to all restaurants and adopting a nationwide soda tax. It's enough to make you want to crave a $300 breakfast at Denny's.
See what’s driving diners to the morning meal as breakfast consumption dwindles.
In a magazine issue packed with big ideas, it’s only fitting we pause and salute the real stinkers—the notions that were somehow greenlighted instead of prompting hushed comments about the originator seeming so normal otherwise.
The parent company of O’Charley’s and Village Inn has appointed family-dining veteran Craig Barber as president, with oversight of 474 restaurants and franchise rights to 96 more.
How to foster a culture of giving that keeps on giving.
See which 10 chains are meeting consumers’ morning cravings the most.
These seven apps stand out from the current pack.
Effective communication usually defuses conflict. But not necessarily in the current-day restaurant business.
Up-and-coming restaurant chains and what’s propelling their growth
Food trends and recipes to keep menus fresh
New restaurants and soon-to-open concepts worth monitoring
RB’s exclusive ranking of the highest-grossing independent restaurants
Peter Romeo highlights the moments restaurateurs miss at their own peril
Ideas from the field you may want to borrow


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Apple has announced that the company will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference Virtually via the Apple Developer App and on the Apple Developer Website starting from 22 June 2020. This virtual event is going to be free for all developers.
Along with the event, Apple has also announced the Swift Student Challenge for Developers to showcase their coding skills by creating their own Swift playground. The WWDC20 will be the platform for millions of developers to unravel future models of the iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS – as well as to learn from Apple engineers about the Apple experience.
“WWDC20 will be our biggest yet, bringing together our global developer community of more than 23 million in an unprecedented way for a week in June to learn about the future of Apple platforms,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We can’t wait to meet online in June with the global developer community and share with them all of the new tools we’ve been working on to help them create even more incredible apps and services. We look forward to sharing more details about WWDC20 with everyone as we get closer to this exciting event.”
Apple mentioned that students are extremely important in the Apple Developer community where they had seen over 350 students from 37 different countries showcasing their talent last year at the WWDC. Apple also mentioned that although the event is virtually held, they are just as excited for the WWDC20. Apple wants to distinguish and celebrate the young developers globally, who will make ideas into realities by creating Swift playgrounds in the Swift Student Challenge.
Swift Playgrounds is an innovative app for iPad and Mac that makes learning the Swift programming language interactive and entertaining. Student developers from all over the world can submit to the Swift Student Challenge by generating an interactive prospect in a Swift playground that can be encountered within 3 minutes. For more information, visit developer.apple.com/wwdc20/swift-student-challenge.
Developers are advised to install the Apple Developer app where additional WWDC20 program details — counting keynote and Platforms State of the Union details, session and lab agendas, etc. — will be shared in June. Information will also be made accessible on the Apple Developer website and via email.


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A recent Forrester Research survey shows that only 11% of marketers have budgets specifically designated with allocations for marketing innovation. The research also found that [...]
Huub Rutten, Sopheon's Vice President of Product Research and Design, gave a presentation titled 'Implementation of Innovation Management - Lessons Learned' at the International [...]
Business, economic and market trends have companies exploring innovation opportunities move beyond and become more than new product development.
After helping more than 200 leading companies to adopt innovation and product portfolio management, we've got a few best practices up our sleeve.


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Atmosic’s wireless technology minimizes battery consumption and maintenance costs in connected devices.
Today Atmosic Technologies, an innovator in energy harvesting wireless platforms for the Internet of Things (IoT), and ETAG Tech, an leader in ultra-low power and high-performance electronic shelf labels (ESLs), today announced a partnership to bring Atmosic’s ultra-low power wireless solutions to ETAG Tech’s ESL portfolio.
ETAG Tech is using Atmosic’s ATM2 system-on-chips (SoCs) for several ESL designs and will be incorporating Atmosic’s ATM3 SoC in future designs to take advantage of energy harvesting technology.
David Su, CEO of Atmosic, said:
“By helping to solve the battery problems associated with electronic displays, we anticipate that ESLs will see much wider adoption across the retail industry and other sectors. Not only does Atmosic’s technology cut down on the cost of replacing batteries, but it also reduces the maintenance time needed for fleets of ESL display deployments.”
ETAG Tech selected Atmosic’s ATM2 series over a proprietary implementation since Atmosic’s solutions have best-in-class power savings. The ATM2 series is Bluetooth 5 standard-compliant and integrates Atmosic’s Lowest Power Radio technology to reduce power consumption low enough for ESLs and other connected devices to last years on a single battery, without needing replacement. ETAG Tech is also looking at deploying the ATM3 series in its next generation of ESL designs to take advantage of Atmosic’s Controlled Energy Harvesting technology, which can harvest energy from ambient light. The same SoC can also harness from other sources including radio, mechanical/kinetic motion, and even thermal sources to further reduce battery consumption. In some cases, Atmosic’s ATM3 series can enable devices to operate without any batteries at all.
Mr. Xia, CEO of ETAG Tech, said:
“Atmosic’s ultra-low power ATM2 SoC solution makes ESL products more robust in terms of interactivity and speed, in addition to removing the need for battery replacement. Atmosic’s technology is also easy to integrate into a range of ESL sizes and designs.”
Today ESLs are most popular in retail environments, but there are many industries where ESLs are useful including healthcare, manufacturing, enterprises, travel, and more. ESLs allow companies to update information in real-time and better manage inventory, without the hassle of constantly replacing paper signage and stickers. ESLs are also much cost-effective than LCDs and tablets, making ESLs ideal for environments where hundreds or even thousands might be on display in a store or other environment.


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Last week, Facebook sent a notice to users directly impacted by the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. “We understand the importance of keeping your data safe”, it began. The notice explained that Facebook has banned the app “This Is Your Digital Life”, the third party tool created by researcher Aleksandr Kogan, who collected and extracted the data of over 80 million Facebook users and sold this information to several political campaigns. Further, Facebook encouraged users to review the apps and websites which currently have access to information on their profile. They emphasize that they are “committed to confronting abuse and to putting you in control of your privacy”.
This is one of just many changes that are expected to come as many Facebook users
grapple with the fact that their data isn’t quite as private as they thought.
As Facebook moves forward from Cambridge Analytica, there are two truths we must acknowledge:
- Data is at the core of what Facebook does, and demographic knowledge such as age, location, and relationship status are only the start. The company brings in $40 billion in advertising revenue annually because it offers brands data that gives them an unparalleled ability to target consumers.
- Facebook is able to target ads to potential consumers by using artificial intelligence in order to analyze our behavior across the web. When internet users venture to other sites, Facebook can still monitor what they are doing with software like its ubiquitous “Like” and “Share” buttons. In fact, signing up for Facebook requires opting in to their data policy, which “includes information about the websites and apps you visit, your use of our services on those websites and apps, as well as information the developer or publisher of the app or website provides to you or us”.
It’s increasingly evident that the type and volume of data the platform has been collecting for years may be a revelation for most Facebook users who breezed through the lengthy terms and conditions portion of the sign-up process. What exactly does Facebook know about me? How are they collecting this information? Who has access to it?
Luckily, as mentioned above, there has already been action to combat the ability of third-party apps to mine user data when they are accessed by someone logging into the Facebook to share an article or take a quiz – in fact, the Cambridge Analytica outcry was triggered after The New York Times and others reported last month that a quiz app, “This Is Your Digital Life”, made by Mr. Kogan had collected information on Facebook users.
Which third-party apps might have had access to your profile? Games like FarmVille, Candy Crush and Words With Friends; apps that broadcast your extra-Facebook activities, like Spotify and Pinterest; and apps that were almost explicitly about gathering as much useful data as possible from users, like TripAdvisor’s Cities I’ve Visited app, which let you share a digital pushpin map with your friends.
New Privacy Controls
So, what can you do as a user with Facebook’s new privacy and data features?
- Check to see if your data was used by Cambridge Analytica here.
- Review the apps and sites that you’ve allowed access to your Facebook profile here.
- Explore your ad preferences and related settings here.
- Take a look at your Facebook privacy settings here.
Impact on Business
If you’re a business owner, you may also be asking yourself how Facebook’s potential changes will affect the ability of your content being seen on the platform, whether that’s organic posts having the reach and engagement they used to or your ads being seen by an audience of your target demographic. How can I target ads effectively when people are beginning to remove their data from Facebook? How will Facebook gather data offsite in a more transparent way moving forward? Will this affect the Pixel I have on my website?
How exactly the platform will change over time may not yet be apparent. We can be certain that Facebook will be held to a higher standard moving forward, especially when collecting data across the web for platform users and non-users alike, as the demand for transparent actions increases and the third party apps’ access to data decreases.
The Pixel itself is already a relatively transparent measurement. To review, your Pixel is set up through Facebook’s Business Manager and then activated by code you put onto your website. The Pixel can track conversions (newsletter sign-ups, completed online sales, etc) on your website or simply collect information on who visited your website and how long they spent there. You can create an audience based off previous website visitors within Facebook Ads Manager, which is advantageous for retargeting campaigns as well as the creation of “lookalike” audiences constructed from site visits. Taking advantage of the data your Pixel gathers is especially helpful when constructing audiences for your ad campaigns; coupled with meaningful and relevant messaging in your ad copy, the creation of targeted audiences allows brands a clear path forward as the uncertainty of access to user data clouds the future.
Shifting Strategy to Reach Facebook Users
As we mentioned to our clients earlier this year, the era of posting multiple times a day is over, and the platform is continuing to prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to allowing businesses the newsfeed space they used to: “Facebook will not measure its success based solely on the time its users spend watching videos,” said Zuckerberg on January 31. “It will optimize instead for meaningful social interactions”. Our content strategists have taken this to heart, searching for new opportunities to tell in-depth stories for our clients and shifting the language in posts and ads we create to minimize any “sales-y” calls to action (“come on down to the store”, “get this”, “stop by my event”).
If you haven’t already done so, now is a great opportunity to produce content that creates opportunities for meaningful conversation to cut through the algorithm. It’s also increasingly important that businesses of all sizes are focusing on customer service replies more deliberately than ever — keep in mind that positive and negative interactions are nearly equally ranked opportunities to drive brand reach.
For now, short video is still king, with intentional organic content close behind. Avoiding an overflow of organic posts (posting just for the sake of posting) is the best place to start when it comes to improving your brand’s presence on Facebook. It’s also important to maintain an intentional, relevant lens with a consistent brand voice when crafting ad campaigns.
No matter the changes that Facebook may make over the coming months, telling stories with your paid and organic content is one thing that’s here to stay.
Kailey Emerson is a senior strategist for Smirk New Media.
Editor’s Note: This is the fifth blog in a content series by Smirk New Media about the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal and Facebook’s response. Read the other posts here.


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Earlier this week when I received my Google Cardboard virtual reality contraption, I was amazed by the experience, but I could not come up with a way to leverage this new and upcoming medium to truly enrich the campaigns I manage for our clients. Today, that changed completely! Facebook has announced that they will begin
Earlier this week Microsoft unveiled a project that their Oxford AI team has been working on that actually decodes the eight core emotional states. Anger Contempt Fear Disgust Happiness Neutral Sadness Surprise Buck your seat belt, we are not too far off from your computer joining your significant other in asking you, “Are you okay?”
This is the first time that #technology has made me feel this excited since I was first introduced to the internet in 1994. The only other experience that even comes close was the day I got an iPhone. I knew that there was a monumental technology shift happening. When I decided in my early
TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) – Omnidronez is a company in Tucson looking to take advertising to the next level with the use of “drone-vertising.” The company uses drones to fly banners and also carry a projector to show videos. Omnidronez is one of only three companies in the world to use banner drone advertising.
Filtrie, a Salt Lake City based software firm founded in 2015, has launched a new patent pending technology that allows consumers to control what ads are shown across all of their screens. This level of content control has never before been available to consumers, and advertisers stand to win. That right, content filtering that let’s


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eBay has announced that it is not willing to sell the Mercedes 540K that belonged to Luftwaffe leader Hermann Goering amid concerns about its Nazi connection.
Despite having sold Nazi-related items for years, the company has taken exception to the sale, stating that it does not permit "the sale of items owned of affiliated with Nazi leaders such as Goering", according to a statement.
The news follows High Velocity Classics' announcement that the 540K, which is undergoing restoration, would go up for sale on June 9.
The 1941 540K was likely produced especially for Goering, but was captured by US troops as they took The Berghof, Adolf Hitler's Alpine hideout. It was then used as the personal vehicle of an army officer, before being sold to Staff Sergeant Sam Hosier.
It has since been looked after by collector Richard Taylor, having spent 60 years in his garage.
"We are motivated by the thought that we have found a piece of the war that has been buried. We saved it, and we want to put it into the right hands," commented High Velocity partner David Rathbun.
"We've consulted with the rabbi [Leonid Feldman] at Temple Beth El in West Palm Beach, and following his recommendation, we are going to see if the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington or Yad Vashem in Jerusalem would be interested in it."
Rathbun points out that, although eBay has objected to the sale, it will freely list items from similar regimes to the Nazis and has not took an exception before.
However, the sale of Nazi memorabilia is currently in the spotlight, after an Amsterdam dealer was charged for selling a copy of Hitler's Mein Kampf, with the book banned in the Netherlands.
Paul Fraser Collectibles keeps you ahead of the latest from the collecting world - sign up to our newsletter for more.


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Panattoni Development will build the facility, and the $10 million operation will initially employ 70 people. The facility is expected to be complete by spring 2013.
The governor’s office announced the deal, and in a statement, Gov. Nathan Deal said manufacturing is key to the state’s economic recovery.
“Our ability to land competitive projects like Interroll helps further position Georgia among the best places for business. This project is a significant win for Paulding County and Georgia,” Deal said.
The Interroll Group is specializes in the field of internal logistics. Interroll products are used at such well-known global brands as Amazon, Bosch, Coca-Cola, DHL, FedEx, USPS, Procter & Gamble, Red Bull, Siemens, Walmart and Yamaha’s motorcycle division.
The Switzerland-headquartered business, founded in 1959, focuses on airports, parcel and postal services, distribution centers and food processing facilities. It has more than 1,500 employees worldwide, and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
The Paulding County facility will manufacture material-handling products and pallet flow storage solutions for Interroll’s North American customers and select export markets.
Tim McGill, Interroll’s president of north American operations, said Paulding County’s economic development team made a compelling case.
“Paulding offered an excellent opportunity for Interroll. It provides easy access to the region’s skilled workforce, nearby interstates and Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport,” McGill said. “I was also impressed by the level of new investments being made around the Park, such as the new WellStar Paulding Hospital and Atlanta Film Studios. There is a level of energy and excitement to the area that fits in well with Interroll’s way of working. Paulding economic development officials, Panattoni Development, and Commission Chairman Austin won our confidence and trust early on, and that made Interroll’s decision an easy one.”
Jamie Gilbert, executive director of Paulding County economic development, said Paulding got into Interroll’s site search late but was able make up a lot of ground by putting together a very attractive proposal.
“We offered Interroll a location in a county-owned business park that would be developed into a true manufacturing campus and was part of our new opportunity zone,” Gilbert said. “Paulding showed Interroll how the utilization of local and state incentives could offset their construction costs, making our location extremely competitive with many existing buildings and significantly cheaper than build-to-suit options in other locations. Also, we wanted Interroll to be actively involved in the design, planning and development of the Park. The company found that very appealing.”


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Nigerian “High Priest” Arrested for Smuggling Skunk to Dubai Despite Sacrificing a Chicken With Freight Agent to Keep Her Lips Sealed
The founder of the Seraphic and Sabbath Assembly of Surulere area in Lagos has been arrested and charged with trying to smuggle 15kgs of “skunk” hidden in palm oil kegs destined for Dubai. This despite the freight agent’s oath of secrecy over a sacrificed chicken.
Cannabiz Africa/Premium Times, Nigeria
15 February 2023 at 09:00:00
"High priest," Nnodu Kendrick and several others, including theology student Udezuka Udoka and freight agent Oyoyo Mary Obasi, were arrested at the church on Saturday 11 February 2023. This was two days after officials at Murtala Muhammed International Airport discovered 14,9 kgs of 'skunk' and 283 parcels of methamphetamine concealed in four 25-litre kegs of palm oil for export to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirites.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Femi Babafemi, said the freight agent had been sworn to secrecy over a sacrificial chicken but confessed after her arrest: "In her statement, Mary indicted the General Overseer of her new-found church, Nnodu and his son, Chisom Obi, who is now at large, as the persons that gave her the consignments for export after being compelled to take an oath of secrecy as well as a sacrifice of chicken in the church while High Priest Nnodu prayed for her for the success of the transaction."
One of the suspects told the anti-narcotic agency she was threatened and compelled to take the illicit drugs "after they knew she had known their secrets, adding that High Priest Nnodu was always referring to the illicit drugs as Ice and Bible, (Street names for Methamphetamine and Cannabis) in their telephone text message chats."
The other suspect, the theology student, was allegedly introduced to Ms Obasi to tutor her because she was new in the illicit business.
Mr Udezuka said he was paid two million naira for his role and had to play it because he needed the money for his education.
Another attempt to send a consignment of skunk and tramadol 225mg to the UAE by a Dubai returnee, Nnamani Monday Innocent, was also halted by the agency.
"The suspect was arrested at the Trade Fair complex in the Ojo area of Lagos, where he had gone in the company of his friend Nwanana Ikechukwu with the cargo to a freight company to process the consignment for export on Tuesday," the NDLEA said.
Nigeria is the world’s third largest consumer of cannabis, despite the fact the the drug is illegal and is sold at almost every street corner and bus stops by a subset of locals. Cannabiz Africa sources say there are 5 prominent strains on the street three of which are more popular amongst others, they are:
Igbo or hemp a ruderalis indica mix,
S.K (Skunk) an indica strain,
Arizona (Nigerian landrace strain) a Sativa,
The other less popular strains due to the inability for most street consumers to afford them due to their slightly higher price are:
Mali kush (A hybrid) and
Colorado (Ketamine or K2 a synthetic substance)
It is estimated that Nigerian authorities seize an annual 200 tons of illicit cannabis every year.
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Cannabis in South Africa: The People’s Plant
We are a civil society organisation with the interests of the existing Cannabis industry and the Human Rights of ALL citizens at heart.
Resources & Equipment
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Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re looking to enhance your outdoor or indoor weed grow setup – we have the perfect range of cannabis growing equipment to match your marijuana growing ambitions.
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Zorz Studios joins the diverse ranks of some 500 small business owners brought by Meta from each US state to network. Representatives from each state also visited their respective Senators' offices, advocating for small business tools and resources.
Kentucky, August 2022 — Delegation Desk is a new division of Life by Design Virtual Solutions (LBDVS), a 2-year-old company with headquarters in rural KY, with team members spread out across the country.
Natural Netwalking, which combines a love of the outdoors, walking and business networking has launched a monthly event at the spectacular Wormsley Estate near Stokenchurch after securing privilaeged access to the private estate.
One year ago, Nathan DiPietro started his leather belt business (I WANT A BELT). In entering the world of leather, he was carrying on a legacy that had begun decades earlier when his great-grandfather immigrated to America in search of a better life.
Imagine a world where media companies celebrate everyday heroes rather than celebrities and influencers; a world where small businesses are appreciated and acknowledged for the support of their local community.
Chic Influencer is hosting a virtual event for anyone interested in starting a business or giving their current business a facelift! This event will be held on Thursday, October 21, 2021 from 1 PM- 5 PM EST.
The Internet marketing experts at MORBiZ are now offering a free web presence analysis for small business owners. Our goal in offering this no cost service is to provide business owners with insight into how their company is being found online.
The world is at war with the current tragic event – COVID-19. In the wake of all this, the economies of the respective countries have been struck hard. In particular, the SME sector is faced with the biggest potential backlash.
The Internet marketing experts at MORBiZ have released a new blog detailing keyword variations and their importance on websites. In this blog readers will learn which keywords to use on their websites.
GoDial is an auto call dialer & CRM app with voice note transcriber, payment tracker, custom disposition, multiple call list support. Enterprise version of the software lets you set up a call center with multiple agents and call lists within minutes
MORBiZ has released a new blog that outlines how a small business mobile app increases revenue. The blog outlines three ways a business owner will see a return on investment (ROI) if they create an app for their business.
Governor John Carney, New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer and the Delaware Division of Small Business on Wednesday announced grant program of at least $100 million to assist Delaware small businesses.
Virtonomics is an international massively multiplayer online game in which more than 2 000 000 people train their skills in building a profitable and effective business in conditions that are close to real.
World Business Learning" will be publishing a book with 100+ real start-up experience stories from business owners in Los Angeles as well as Attorneys and Doctors, and etc.. This book will guild new business owners from various types of business.


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UK tech sector smashed investment records in 2017, striking deals worth £3bn
Britain's pioneering technology sector smashed investment records in 2017, striking deals worth £3billion.
It was almost double the £1.6billion bagged in 2016, with most of it, or £2.5billion, raised in London.
Big deals included a £391million investment into software firm Improbable, £364million raised by takeaway company Deliveroo and £255million by mobile network Truphone.
Success story: Takeaway company Deliveroo raised £364m in 2017 while software firm Improbable bagged £391m
By comparison Germany, the nearest competitor, raised £695million and France raised £668million.
Both have been touted as challengers to London when Britain exits the EU.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said: 'The figures are further proof London is the undisputed tech capital of Europe.
'I am committed to ensuring we take over from Silicon Valley as the world's leading tech hub.
'Tech entrepreneurs and businesses are attracted to our city for its diverse talent pool and unique business ecosystem.'
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It seems that Ultimate Poker, the first regulated real money online poker site in the United States, isn’t going to let anything stand in their way. Just weeks after getting up and running for real money play in Nevada, Ultimate Poker has their sites set on New Jersey. In a deal announced Monday morning Ultimate Poker has partnered with the Trump Taj Mahal to begin offering real money play in the Garden State.
“Today we are excited to be entering into an agreement with Trump Taj Mahal Associates to bring online gaming to New Jersey,” said Tom Breitling, Chairman of Ultimate Gaming. “This represents a huge step forward in our desire to offer Americans across the nation the opportunity to enjoy safe and regulated online games.”
The deal sees Ultimate Gaming provide the Trump brand with more than just online poker. According to the company’s press release Ultimate Gaming will provide Trump with “a wide range of real money online casino games and poker, using its proprietary technology platform and the Ultimate Brands.”
Under a recently signed law, any game spread on a casino floor in that state can now be offered online in New Jersey. Like Nevada, action is restricted to people within the borders of New Jersey. Players should expect to see real money play as early as November 2013.
No timeline has been given for Ultimate Poker to be live in New Jersey.
“Ultimate Gaming is a pioneer in the online gaming space and can provide a turnkey solution for our online gaming needs in New Jersey,” said Trump Entertainment Resorts CEO Robert F. Griffin. “We are delighted to be working with a trusted partner that has a proven track record.”
Ultimate Poker, owned by Station Casinos, the same group responsible for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, launched real money play in April 2013 and quickly signed Antonio Esfandiari as their brand’s ambassador. During the 2013 WSOP the site added Jason Somerville, Dan O’Brien, Lauren Kling and Jonathan Little to their roster of representatives.
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Piaggio plans flex fuel engines for India 3-wheelers by 2025
The company has earmarked Rs 70-80 crore for development of electric powertrains and the existing ICE business.
Piaggio is at an advanced stage of developing India-specific flex fuel engines for its three-wheeler range. Work is underway at its R&D centres across Pontadera headquarters in Italy and will be ready for India by 2025.
Diego Graffi, Chairman and MD, Piaggio India, told Autocar Professional, “We already have global Piaggio R&D teams on standby for development of flex fuel engines and are over 80 percent ready in our development. With Indian mandates quite stringent, we want to be ready at the right time."
He was speaking on the sidelines of the launch event for the three-wheeler Ape NXT+ in Pune. “You will see world class products being rolled out while complying with regulations that are in sync with our global lineage,” he added.
Piaggio globally has very limited exposure — with almost no bandwidth — in Brazil, the bedrock for flex fuel engines. This will be the first time it will develop a completely new technology in-house for India.
Flex fuel vehicles can operate on a combination of 100 percent bioethanol and its blends. According to experts, companies need to undertake varying degrees of engineering intervention in the fuel, electrical, and exhaust components like the piston, cylinder block, cylinder head etc. Injectors will also have to undergo changes while making flex fuel engines.
Beyond Piaggio, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India is bullish on the prospects of flex fuel for its India two-wheeler business. “Honda has a lot of experience in Brazil over the last decade where we sell flex fuel bikes and have the technology to introduce flex fuels engines by 2025,” its MD & CEO, Atsushi Ogata had told Autocar Professional in an earlier interaction.
Emission norms in Brazil are less than Euro 4 levels while India is the toughest at Euro 5/BS6. Hence it will be difficult to copy-paste existing flex fuel technology, say experts. Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor are also believed to be in advanced stages of developing flex fuel engines to meet regulations.
Piaggio had invested nearly Rs 300 crore for the move to Bharat Stage VI emission norms and has earmarked Rs 70-80 crore for development of electric powertrains and the existing ICE business. “First it was BS VI that was a huge challenge from both technology and cost perspectives. Now, we are ramping up electric and talking about ethanol, flex fuels and have Cafe 2 norms also. Such multiple challenges are causing automakers to live on the edge,” said Graffi.
According to him, the more pragmatic option would be for the Centre to go step-by-step and give manufacturers to “fully evolve” and support these initiatives. The other challenge emanates from rising CNG prices which are hitting earnings of auto drivers who are Piaggio’s key customers.
Saju Nair, EVP and Head Domestic Business CV (ICE) & Retail Finance, Piaggio India, said the new APE Next+ CNG delivers 50 km to a kg of CNG which is substantially higher than what rival products have to offer. The company, he added, will look at a diverse fuel range from CNG and LPG to diesel and petrol.
According to Nair, rising input costs have come in the way of expanding electric three-wheeler production with the result that there is a huge demand-supply gap for its Ape E-City. Beyond this, lack of public charging facilities have also hit buying sentiment as evident in Delhi where only 279 e-autos have been registered against the intent for purchase of over 4,000 units.
Piaggio is now toying with the idea of electrifying its Porter range that will go head on with the Tata Ace EV. The sub-one tonne market is also seeing more competition from new players like Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) and Ashok Leyland. “We are ready to take them on,” declared Graffi.
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Transactions With Voice Assistants on Will Surge in 2025
Unique smart home gadgets will do more than $164 billion worth of exchanges in 2025, as indicated by a report from Juniper Research. That is over 630% development in a long time from the $22 billion anticipated for the current year, the aftereffect of a more splendid opportunity to utilize voice assistants to buy things.
The colossal spike in exchanges completed with voice collaborators can be ascribed to a couple of components. More individuals possessing brilliant presentations will help support how agreeable individuals are by utilizing their voice to make buys in light of the fact that they can observe what they will purchase and notice the cycle.
The report proposes that arriving at that number will require associations between smart speakers and smart shows. The buy starts as a proper inquiry before the client chooses to investigate the visual and affirm the deal. One more significant driver to voice business at home will be brilliant TVs, for comparative reasons.
Juniper predicts that more than a fifth of the 2025 worth, nearly $33 billion, will course through keen TVs. In the examination, under 1% of exchanges will happen through associated machines.
The center of the normal exchanges is the accessibility and utilization of computerized wallets. Smart speakers and related gadgets that can associate with computerized wallets offered by Amazon, Google, and Apple, including those related to administrations like PayPal, will lessen grating for making buys. There will be many alternatives to associate as Juniper expects there will be 2.7 billion gadgets fit for dealing with installments by 2025.
Even though the dollar sum sticks out, there is a lot of purpose behind good faith about the spread of voice business by and large. Individuals are exploring different avenues regarding the idea.
The continuous COVID-19 well-being emergency and resulting lockdowns have just urged individuals to utilize shrewd speakers and savvy shows more and with an eye for making buys.
Market information aggregator eMarketer anticipated 31 million Americans shopped with a keen speaker in 2019. Various reviews from various sources have reliably discovered that individuals are destined to purchase food supplies and family merchandise with a voice right hand. Regardless of whether the utilization of a brilliant presentation and finding the opportunity to perceive what you are buying before finishing the buy may influence the choice isn’t clear.
What’s more, the study didn’t represent the quickly developing, versatile utilization of voice technology.
Alexa now lets drivers pay for gas while driving, and 7-Eleven dispatched a comparable strategy for individuals to ask Apple’s Siri voice aide to deal with gas installments as a feature of its Fuel Loyalty program.
In any event, when zeroed in on making buys at home, stresses over security will, in general, restrict individuals’ eagerness to do their shopping by voice.
How much those perspectives should change to make the $164 billion attainable is harder to anticipate…


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By Collins Nweze
Nigeria spent N1.85 trillion to import food for nine months during the closure of international land borders, President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief economic adviser has said.
According to him, this is a signal of the nation’s lack of capacity to feed itself.
Dr. Doyin Salami, Chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (ECA), spoke during the National Economic Outlook for 2021 organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
It was the seventh edition held virtually on Tuesday in Lagos.
Salami, an ex-member of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said: “Despite border closure, our national import of food amounted to N1.85 trillion between January and Sept 2020 – a 62 per cent increase when compared to same period 2019. This suggests a weakness in our ability to feed ourselves and raises the need to consider review of intervention policies in agriculture.”
He said agriculture continues to decelerate, growing at 1.7 per cent year-to-date while consumer-sensitive sectors like manufacturing and distribution continue to contract, in double digits.
According to him, serious climatic concerns are undermining agricultural output with 2.5 million farmers being impacted by flooding in 2019.
Preliminary assessments suggest that 2020 was worse with persistence into 2021 to adversely affect output and food prices.
Nigerians’ spending on food rose significantly in 2019, according to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The report, released in May last year, showed that total expenditure by households on food and non-food items for 2019 was N40.21 trillion, up from N21.62 trillion recorded in 2018.
Read Also: The ban of food importation in Nigeria
The report showed that of the total household expenditures, food accounted for 56.65 per cent; 43.35 per cent accounted for expenditures on non-food items.
Food consumed outside the home constituted the largest expenditure followed by transportation costs.
Salami said during the period, Nigeria’s cumulative trade deficit amounts to N4.6 trillion ($12 billion).
He said Nigeria’s external imbalances are increasingly precarious, with continuing concern over exchange rate differentials.
He said uncertainty around foreign exchange – convergence, market-reflective rates and transparent determination mechanism, Balance of Payment imbalances are large and would remain key questions in 2021.
Salami said by the measure that drives the value of the naira based on the naira/dollar inflation differential, the currency should be trading around N439/$ at the official market.
To the economic adviser, the agricultural sector, ICT, real estate and oil and gas are vulnerable to a probable major adjustment to the foreign exchange rate.
Salami said official payment data showed that approximately US$30 billion (almost 10 per cent of our national economy) is obtained from sources outside the CBN, adding that the gap between the official and other exchange rates is a source for concern.
He said the COVID-19 shock of 2020 represents the third major shock to the Nigerian economy in 12 years.
According to him, ahead of the crisis, the Nigerian economy was contending with a set of pre-existing conditions such as macro Instability, stagflation – slow growth and rising inflation, pressure on households – in the form of rising inflation, unemployment, and poverty and pressure on corporate(s) margins – weak consumer and cost pressures.
He said there were also growing fiscal and external imbalances, monetary Policy distortions – the bifurcation of sovereign instruments leading to a distortion of the interest rate term structure.
He said with the impact of COVID-19, prices continued to rise – at the end of November 2020, overall inflation was 14.8 per cent with food prices increasing at 18.3 per cent when compared with November, 2019.
On the upside, he said stay-at-home imposition implied greater use of telco/tech communication platforms.
“A health crisis morphed into an economic crisis resulting in humanitarian and in some cases, security challenges, a global development visiting great disruption to established norms – largely negative short-term impact but some positives – especially with technology deployment, the full impact of which will manifest in the years ahead,” he stated.
For Salami, the international economic environment deteriorated very sharply last year but recovery expected in the new year, is contingent on the capacity to suppress the virus through vaccination.
He said Transport and Hospitality sectors were gravely affected by the lockdowns of April/May as well as by voluntary containment measures and/or imposed restrictions post-lockdown.
The Oil & Gas sector, given lower oil prices, OPEC quantity restrictions on Nigeria output, and long standing impediments to investment in the sector (not to mention the pass-through of the sector – through government revenues and forex – to the rest of the economy), is another major driver of recession.
President/Chairman CIBN, Mr. Bayo Olugbemi, said the National Economic Outlook initiated in 2014 was designed to bring together industry leaders, subject matter experts, seasoned practitioners, and relevant stakeholders together to discuss emerging and pertinent issues facing both the national and global economies and their implications for businesses.
The CIBN president was represented by second Vice President Prof. Pius Olanrewaju.


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The funds will be used to transform the homeware chain’s supply chain into using 100% renewable energy (electricity, heating, cooling and other fuels) by 2030, by working in collaboration with direct suppliers; and remove and store carbon through reforestation and responsible forest management. More than half of the IKEA climate footprint comes from materials in its products and production.
Torbjörn Lööf, ceo of Inter IKEA Group, said: “Our ambition is to reduce more greenhouse gas emissions in absolute terms by 2030 than the entire IKEA value chain emits, while growing the IKEA business. To reach this goal, we will continue to invest in areas that create impact.
“By taking responsibility and working together we can make a true change. We have a long-term perspective and the financial strength to invest in activities that will benefit both the planet and our own business future.”


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THE World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has named Manila, Philippines as the next global summit host in October.
This was announced by Gloria Guevara, WTTC president and CEO, after finishing a three-day successful virtual run in Cancun, Mexico on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.
The global summit also named Carnival Corp. president and chief executive officer (CEO) Arnold Donald as new chair of WTTC, which represents the global private travel and tourism sector.
“We concluded our Global Summit here in Cancun, confident that together we can revive a sector which will generate the world’s economic recovery and bring people back together thanks to the amazing benefits international travel and tourism can bring... Now we embark on a new chapter with Arnold Donald as WTTC’s next chair and look forward to our next Global Summit, which will take place in Manila in the Philippines later this year,” said Guevara in a statement.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat extended a warm invitation to all partners as the Philippines looks forward to hosting the next summit which will help restart the tourism industry and will further boost the continuing strategies to position the country as the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) hub in Asia.
“We, your Philippine partners in tourism, are eager to share our hopes, dreams and plans for our industry, [and are] ready to do our share in the global effort to overcome and break down barriers in this new dynamic and unpredictable tourism landscape,” Puyat said in a statement.
The WTTC Global Summit is an annual event that gathers over 800 delegates composed of CEOs, presidents and chairpersons of the largest and most prominent international travel and tourism companies from airlines, hotels and resorts, travel agencies, tour companies, global distribution system, transportation and allied enterprises, as well as tourism ministers and officials from international organizations, such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
“The WTTC brought together exceptional leaders from across the private and public sectors throughout travel and tourism at our global summit, united in their desire to safely revive international travel. Our very presence here shows that we can resume international travelling once more, by observing the latest health and safety protocols, which WTTC has helped develop for businesses large and small throughout the sector,” said Guevara.
The Cancun summit was anchored on the theme, “Uniting the World for Recovery.” It discussed pressing issues of protecting jobs, saving businesses, and supporting the global economy through the safe revival of international travel as well as the growing importance of using digital technology, such as biometrics being critical to creating a contactless, safe and seamless traveler journey.
Moreover, the country’s hosting came timely after the Department of Tourism granted the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp to 33 more hotels nationwide.
Sixteen tourism establishments in Cebu and Bohol were awarded the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp.
The WTTC Safe Travels Stamp is the world’s first safety and hygiene stamp for travelers to recognize governments and businesses that have adopted global health standardized protocols. (JOB with KOC)


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We’re raising a glass to new client Savour Beer, which has appointed Storm Communications to PR its wonderfully indulgent ‘sparkling beer brut’ and trio giftpack of farmhouse beers, for Christmas.
Brewed exclusively by British farmhouse brewery Savour, the ‘sparkling beer’ is the only one of its kind currently available in the UK; tasting notes: rich, floral and highly effervescent. The trio pack features Saison, Blonde and Dubbel beers, each with its own refreshing yet individual taste.
Storm will be in charge of raising brand awareness in mainstream consumer media to encourage sales and make sure there’s a lot of Savour Beer bottles being cracked open this Christmas.
For further information, please contact Anneka Wahlhaus on 020 7240 2444 or email firstname.lastname@example.org


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Microsoft has rolled out native mobile app versions of Delve, its search and presentation technology, for iOS and Android, as well as enhancements to core Delve functionality.
Showing results 1 to 20 of 3,008
The Australian government has asked the Productivity Commission to conduct a cost-benefit analysis into a dedicated national mobile broadband network for emergency services.
UK customers will only be liable for £100 of charges that are racked up on a stolen phone if they report it within 24 hours.
UPDATED. A vulnerability in Samsung mobile devices which placed social networking accounts has been patched -- finally.
5G was one of the dominant themes at this year's MWC, but is the next-gen network too much too soon for many operators?
At this year's MWC, mobile execs mull how best to balance consumers' right to privacy with the industry's hunger for data.
Google Play paid search ads could help developers reach more customers. For Google, Google Play seems like a natural mobile ad outlet.
Saguna focuses on improving the connection between mobile networks and users -- a fitting investment for companies looking to avoid bottlenecks.
The team behind photo backup and sharing mobile platform Odysee is set to join Google+ after the search giant acquired the San Jose-based company for an undisclosed amount.
Online privacy company Abine today announced its new Private Search anti-tracking tool for those who want to use Google Search in Firefox without being tracked by Google.
Is there a mobile privacy crisis? Symantec thinks so and has added features to Norton Mobile Security to save you from it.
A French/Silicon Valley start-up has introduced a multiplatform, 3D high-definition voice conferencing platform which alleviates many of the audio quality issues that plague most unified communications systems.
Getting back into mobile might make a lot of sense for the telecoms giant, says analyst.
Millions will take part in Black Friday deals this Friday and many of these shoppers will have their smartphone in hand. Google updated their mobile search results to help make your day successful.
From drug cartels to passwords, security expert Brian Krebs weighs in on how to keep your personal data and bank account safe.
Advice from teacher to student on technology, privacy, and why turning off that smartphone is a good idea.
Mozilla has celebrated the 10th anniversary of Firefox 1.0 with the launch of a 'forget button', DuckDuckGo search and other initiatives that will help users to protect their privacy in a snoopers' world
Sponsored by SAP
The imminence of digital transformation makes it imperative for all businesses to start or accelerate the process.
As one from the land of Blighty, I'm happy to say 4G coverage is pretty poor -- but will Ofcom's new spectrum auction push forward network improvements?
The best of ZDNet, delivered
- 1 Perfectly legal ways you can still get Windows 7 cheap (or even free)
- 2 How much does an iPhone 6 really cost? (Hint: It's way more than $199)
- 3 34 ways to improve your iPhone's battery life
- 4 Election 2016: How to filter politically sanctimonious Facebook posts from your news feed
- 5 So you have an app idea and want to make a bajillion bucks


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By Maria Rocha-Buschel
Heads up, crafters: there’s a new workshop space in town. A new location for national company AR Workshop has opened on Third Avenue and is offering DIY classes for projects in the retail space formerly occupied by clothing shop, Second Time Around.
The new spot in Gramercy that opened this past March is run by Murray Hill resident Jill Zadie, who has been living in the neighborhood for the last eight years and is originally from New Jersey. Her store on Third Avenue is the first location in Manhattan for AR Workshop and it was actually when she was visiting friends back in New Jersey that she first attended a class in one of the locations there.
“I just fell in love with it, and I said I wish they had this in Manhattan,” she said. “Then the owner of that workshop told me they’re a brand new company that is not in Manhattan yet and you should look into it. So I looked into it.”
Zadie, who is a corporate attorney by trade, said that she was drawn to the company because of their commitment to empowering women, giving back to the community and having a space for families to spend time together.


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6/12/2012 10:18:38 AM
O2 brings free Wi-Fi to Debenhams
Debenhams is the latest company to bring O2 WiFi to its customers after signing a deal with the operator.
All 167 stores will carry the service, which Debenhams said will herald the end of online versus instore purchasing. Customers, regardless of network, will be able to use the service after they register. Among the features for Debenhams customers is the ability to check for sizes and availability instore and arrange for a garment to be home delivered if unavailable.
O2 had ran a trial in three Debenhams stores across the UK. O2 WiFI MD Gavin Franks said: 'O2 WiFi has announced partnerships with leading brands in 2012. We are delighted to add Debenhams to our growing portfolio. Debenhams have realised the power of using instore connectivity as a basis to bring innovative services to customers. We’re delighted that we are consistently being chosen as a partner by premium brands such as Debenhams. This marks a continuation of our fresh thinking that has seen the rapid growth of O2 WiFi.'
Debenhams director Simon Forster said: 'We’re seeing the shape of shopping in the future emerging right before our eyes. With over one million customers already with our app on their phones, free Wi-Fi in stores has the potential to transform how people shop.'
Editor: Graeme Neill


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Home Tags Building Products
Tag: Building Products
JASPER, Ala., March 31, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- DAPA Products, a window and door components manufacturer, shares reasons to upgrade supplies with virgin raw materials. DAPA realized early in their manufacturing establishment that many suppliers received less than quality products. DAPA wanted to change the industry.
POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Feb. 5, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Current Builders has introduced a new time-saving technique to build parking garages using a "column hung shoring system." The award-winning general contractor based in Florida, recently topped out their Aura Boca project.
SAN LEANDRO, Calif., Jan. 23, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Matrix Systems announces the launch of its redesigned website. The site has been updated with a new look and feel that incorporates the latest features of online web design, as well as optimizing the site for mobile devices such as phones and tablets.
SOUTH LONDONDERRY, Vt., Jan. 16, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Jamaica Cottage Shop has hit a milestone. After 25 years of being in business, it's excited to announce it just shipped its 10 thousandth building. And, considering the company's owner first started out building dog houses, that's a pretty impressive accomplishment.
Dayna’s iCare Foundation Partners with Amish Builder to Send Shippable Homes to Bahamas Hurricane Victims
WEST CHESTER, Pa., Jan. 7, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- When Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, it destroyed thousands of lives and over 13,000 homes were lost. The region continues to be in the midst of a humanitarian crisis and thousands from Great Abaco are still displaced and struggling for shelter. Dayna's iCare Foundation, a 501(c)(3), is working to help solve the housing problem with its partner, TinyLux Homes.
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 17, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Bedrock Orlando, an American-owned brick and block supplier serving Orlando, Tampa, Daytona Beach, Lakeland and the surrounding areas is offering a Christmas promotion on all concrete decorative pavers, including permeable commercial pavers, until December 31, 2019.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Dec. 13, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- On September 24, 2013, Smart Vent filed a lawsuit against Crawl Space Door Systems, Inc. in the NJ Federal Court, case 1:13-cv-05691-JBS-KMW. Crawl Space Door Systems, Inc. filed a counter-claim. The lawsuit is now over and Crawl Space Door Systems won.
LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 20, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Braxtly Tools, a leader in heavy duty and industrial grade tools for Professionals and serious DIYers, announces the launch of their new Heavy-Duty Gel Knee Pads to combat knee and joint pain commonly found from prolonged kneeling.
BROCKTON, Mass., Nov. 12, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- At Moduline Cabinets, we specialize in custom cabinet solutions and offer products that help our customers transform their home and garage by providing unique, high-quality military-grade aluminum cabinets, toolboxes, and accessories.
MATTITUCK, N.J., Oct. 30, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Capital Industries, a leading non-slip floor coating manufacturer, works with industrial companies on selecting the right floor coating. After years of impact and daily use, floor coatings can wear down. Without the protective coating, industrial floors are easily damaged by foot and vehicle traffic.
BROCKTON, Mass., Oct. 10, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Whether it is for a cargo or a utility van or a trailer, Moduline Cabinets has van upfit solutions that will help maximize space in a way that promotes efficiency and functionality in work vans and vehicles. Finding tools amidst disorganization is a pain that is easily solvable with Moduline Cabinets' van upfits. Transform the company's work van, trailer, or other vehicle into an efficient workspace.
JASPER, Ala., Oct. 10, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- DAPA Products, a screen spline manufacturer and supplier, shares important tips to get the right fit in your window or door screen spline for repair. A screen spline is an essential element for window and door frames and helps them to remain secure.
Winter Ice Buildup in Lakes and Ponds Can Cause a Host of Problems for Boats and Docks, as Well as for Fish and Wildlife
SANTA MARIA, Calif., Oct. 3, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The change of seasons no longer means having to perform labor intensive tasks to safeguard your boat, dock and summer lake equipment from the damage that can occur from frigid, freezing water conditions. This winter use a Deicer in your lake or pond to prevent costly damage, says Discount Pumps.
BROCKTON, Mass., Aug. 13, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Leading military-grade aluminum cabinet manufacturer, Moduline Cabinets, launched a redesigned website to provide a better user experience. The newly designed website features a re-brand of Moduline Cabinets' logo and color theme, as well as enhancements that include easier navigation and improvements to page speed and design for the shop, product, and information pages.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Aug. 8, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- It's time to prepare for more downpours warns NOAA (Climate.gov). Heavy rain has increased across most of the United States, and is only likely to continue to do so. In fact, climate change is projected to increase the size of the flood plain by as much as 45% in the next 100 years. A new flood vent introduced by Crawl Space Door Systems, Inc. can help concerned home and business owners protect their property and save money too.
For a Healthy Pond and Aquatic Environment Discount Pumps Helps Size the Right Pond Aerator for Maximum Aeration
SANTA MARIA, Calif., July 26, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- A property with a pond and all of the aquatic life is beautiful and serene, but in order to keep a healthy balance and water clarity, a pond aerator is essential. To maximize your pond's aeration, the pond aerator you select needs to be large enough for the pond size. Discount Pumps presents a variety of pond aerators and sizes to choose from.
MATTITUCK, N.Y., July 1, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Leading supplier of concrete floor and driveway repair products, Capital Industries, shares tips on how to fix broken driveway concrete with repair products. Here's some tips on what to look for and how to fix broken concrete.
FORESTDALE, Mass., June 28, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- SunRa Solar, Inc. adds battery storage as an option for new solar energy system installations and as a retrofit for existing systems. The company is responding to the needs of Massachusetts homeowners to overcome reliability concerns.
SEATTLE, Wash., May 30, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Now residents of Western Washington have access to affordable backyard living space with the launch of MyKabin, a new construction firm specializing in backyard cottages. MyKabin has reimagined the construction process by focusing on creating a beautiful, prefabricated cottage with a minimally disruptive installation process that saves homeowners time, money, and the hassle of a lengthy construction project.
Preventative Maintenance: Save Up to 100 Times the Cost of Future Leaky Balcony Repairs and Leaky Shower Repairs
SYDNEY, Australia, May 16, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- While preventative maintenance to address problems such as potential leaky balcony repairs or leaky shower repair might not top everyone's to-do list, there are several reasons why it should, says Remedial Membranes.


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Team17 has revealed that The Escapists: Complete Edition will be making its way to Nintendo Switch later this month, launching on the system on 25th September.
If you missed the initial announcement last month, this edition of the game promises to be the most content-packed version so far, including all the prisons from the original game plus nine bonus maps. One of these maps - Fhurst Peak - has never previously been released on console.
The Escapists: Complete Edition will be available to download on Switch on the 25th September for just £9.99 / $14.99 / €14,99.
Will you be tunnelling your way to escape once again?


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Evergreen Pulp to Shut Down Indefinitely Due to Weak Market Conditions
Oct. 9, 2008 - The Evergreen Pulp mill in Samoa, California will shut down until markets rebound, the company announced Wednesday.
The plant warned last week that it might close temporarily when it announced it would cut up to 15 percent of its union and salaried workers. But as the markets for its pulp continued to weaken, Evergreen decided to take the more drastic measure.
Evergreen vice president Rex Bohn said that with a 48-day supply of pulp on the market and decreasing demand, the mill is spinning its wheels. It will keep a skeleton crew on for environmental and security reasons after the shutdown begins next week, Bohn said.
When the mill might restart is unknown, Bohn said.
"Hopefully it's not going to be very long, he added.
The company, if and when it starts up again, will have fewer employees and fewer management positions than the current 215, said Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Local 49 president Richard Marks. He said the shutdown is disappointing, and will have reverberating effects on the local economy.
My heart goes out to everyone who will be out of work for a while, Marks said.
SOURCE: Excerpted from The Times-Standard


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Next-Generation Nissan GT-R To Debut in 2016
As universally respected as the Nissan GT-R is, it’s hard to believe that Godzilla is already six years old. That may not be old in monster talk, but in the auto industry, that’s the equivalent of mid-life-crisis time.
So yeah, the current-generation Nissan GT-R is ready for a new generation and for so long, people have been clamoring for the next-generation model. Well, according to a Nissan representative who spoke to Motor Trend, the next-generation GT-R is coming, and its coming in 2016.
This is the first time that somebody from Nissan has provided details on the future of its supercar model, or specifically, the future model that will usher in a new era of GT-R supremacy.
Details about the next-generation model have yet to be disclosed but activity in the Nissan camp over the past couple of days could potentially point to a GT-R that will come with a hybrid package. It’s a rumor that gained some steam in the past week after it was reported that Nissan had trademarked an "R-Hybrid" badge.
That could be the first step in a long list of developments and new technology that the next-generation GT-R could come in. With competitors all around developing new and exciting supercars of their own — Acura and Honda are in the final preparations for the production model of their respective NSX supercars — it was high time for a new generation for the aging GT-R
And so, 2016 it apparently is.
Click past the jump to read about what we can at least expect for the 2015 GT-R, specifically plans to develop a NISMO-tuned GT-R
Numerous updates have given credence to the growing belief that the 2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo will make for a pretty incredible swan song model for the mighty Japanese supercar.
For starters, the majority of the changes will be limited to aerodynamic efficiency and downforce. It will also have a little more than 570 horsepower under its hood, a number that could still go up depending on what kind of performance tweaking Nismo does to it. Recent remarks by a Nissan engineer working on the model indicated that the GT-R Nismo could hit 60 mph in just two seconds, which is eye-popping however you look at it.
Source: Motor Trend


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Article | March 30, 2020
Microsoft Advertising unveiled the new look for its web interface in October. A select number of advertisers have had access to the new look for the past few months. Now those users will see the new look on more pages, including Manager accounts. The redesign preview now includes search terms, change history, reports, dimensions and more, the company announced Monday. The new UI, like the Google Ads redesign a couple of years ago, is aimed at helping advertisers access and act on information faster. For agencies and brands managing multiple accounts using a Manager account, the Manager Account Overview page will be the new default landing page in the new look.To start, it features four “insights tiles,” as shown in the screenshot above: Performance, Top changes: Accounts, Accounts and Devices.
Article | March 1, 2020
As more mundane tasks get automated, quintessential human skills such as creativity, innovative thinking, logical reasoning, communication, and personal rapport building are becoming increasingly important. Amazon will spend $700 million to re-skill around 100,000 workers in the US by 2025. Why? Because technologies such as Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation continue to take over boring, repetitive tasks. For enterprises to survive and excel in such a rapidly-evolving business ecosystem, they need skilled professionals. In the business context, ‘skills’ are not limited to technical acumen alone. As more mundane tasks get automated, quintessential human skills such as creativity, innovative thinking, logical reasoning, communication, and personal rapport building are becoming increasingly important. Due to the nature of these skills, let’s call them “Human Skills”.
Article | February 11, 2020
Since July 2019, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has been conducting an extensive investigation of the digital advertising market. In its preliminary report on the investigation, the CMA expresses concerns that Google and Facebook have grown so “large and have such extensive access to data that potential rivals can no longer compete on equal terms.” 2019 marked the year in which digital advertising finally took the crown from TV and other legacy media both in the US and worldwide. Estimates point out that digital ads now account for 51 percent of the almost $600 billion spent globally on advertising, a percentage that should only rise with time.
Article | March 16, 2020
With the stop of cookie-centered person journey tracking looming on the horizon, desire in marketing and advertising idea and techniques from the pre-attribution era is on the rise all over again. This is lousy information for the several ad tech vendors who count on cookie-based knowledge, but excellent information for the advertising business. Just after ten several years of regular hoopla, attribution modelling, together with multi-contact attribution, has hardly ever proven to be the guaranteed-hearth way of raising internet marketing success it promised to be. It is this significantly common realization that received the stone rolling in the very first location. Tightening GDPR cookie consent restrictions and Google’s announcement of programs to eliminate third-social gathering cookies by 2020 are only accelerating their drop. A couple months back, Adidas said that its attribution types tended to generate erroneous results these as suggesting that functionality advertising and marketing is the theory driver of e-commerce gross sales. Through econometrics, Adidas ultimately learned that the position of video and other brand name-centered routines had been vastly underestimated.