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SCOTTISH manufacturers experienced a strong second quarter but those in the service sector had more mixed fortunes, a closely watched survey has said.
The British Chambers of Commerce, which publishes its quarterly research today, said many indicators it monitors had fallen back between April and June including all those covering exports and investment.
While it acknowledged the first three months of the year were particularly strong the group warned it may downgrade its estimate of 3.1 per cent growth in GDP this year unless things pick up again. The research, which collates responses from more than 7,000 businesses, said concerns over interest rates had also risen.
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David Kern, chief economist at BCC, said: "Rises in sterling are making UK exports more expensive. Uncertainties around early interest rate increases are adding to the difficulties, and our excessively large current account deficit poses potential risks. UK growth cannot permanently rely on rising consumer spending, which is driven by a buoyant housing market, and on excessive household debt. Unless investment and net exports make bigger contributions to growth, the recovery could stall."
In Scotland, manufacturers were shown to be performing strongly with increases in domestic orders and sales. While there was some slowdown in export sales order books remained in good health.
Employment intentions dropped in the period with the number of firms expected to hire in the current quarter well down.
The research subtracts the proportion of respondents experiencing a fall from those recording a rise then adjusts the findings to give larger businesses a greater weighting. In manufacturing, the weighted balance of quarter-on-quarter domestic sales rose from 31 to 50, with export sales going from 28 to 23 but orders rising from 24 to 39. In the service sector domestic sales reversed from 3 to -5 with domestic orders dropping from 13 to 3. Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, described the service sector results as a concern.
Across the UK three manufacturing balances were at all time highs although that was down from the six categories at that level between January and March. No service balances were at their highest ever level in the most recent quarter, compared to two in the first quarter of 2014.


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Bitcoin Lighting is to be incorporated as a step forward towards fixing the long-standing payment problems. A new routing is proposed to be merged into the official definition of lightning.
Christian Decker, one of the most inventive lightning developers for the tech startup Blockstream, identified that the proposal, which he wrote, is moving on to the next stage at CoinDesk’s Consensus 2019 conference, emphasizing that this change will pave the way for many highly-anticipated lightning features.
Lightning is experimental even now and considered incautious to use. Some people lose money to bugs in the protocol. The new features of lightning are promising to fix the payment method and make it easier to use.
Decker stated to CoinDesk:
“This enables quite some cool new features, including multi-path routing, trampoline routing, and so forth. It’s on the agenda for today’s [IRC specification] meeting and I’m confident it’ll get merged today, so we can get started on the next wave of features.”
Decker has also already written up a code implementation, putting the proposal into practice. The proposal is a handy change and which is why it is now being merged into specifications.
These specifications need to be coded in order to remain interoperable, which implies that one person using one implementation can send a payment of another.
Decker said “It is a multi-frame proposal, which allows us to include more information in the routing onion, the same technology used in the popular privacy-minded browser Tor”.
The payment process which cannot be seen by the intermediaries is like “onion” where at each hop in the network, a layer of obstacle is peeled off. If there are four hops then four layers tend to be peeled off until the payment reached the recipient.
The onion routing format is changed by the proposal so that more information that the other routing tools needed could be included.

domain: news


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The junk bond markets junked; China's credit crunch still a controversial point; the housing market remains resurgent.
One major trader is taking a multimillion-dollar risk on Sirius XM—but it will probably may off.
Is the drop in Apple a reason to buy its stock?
Shares of Apple could climb from current levels due to a couple of catalysts, Steve Milunovich of UBS says.
Steve Milunovich, UBS analyst, provides the trade on Apple and explains what the tech giant needs to do to get back to $500 a share.
Investors aren't the only ones running away from Apple. The company is beginning to see a brain drain, an analyst tells CNBC.
Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:
Microsoft will offer its "Age of Empires" game for smartphones through a tie-up with Japan's KLab, seeking to capture growth in a booming mobile game market.
The popularity of smartphones and tablets has prompted some to declare the death of laptops and desktops. But judging from the newest designs, you shouldn't give up on PC makers just yet.
There are still reasons to consider Apple stock, Toni Sacconaghi of Sanford Bernstein says.
Sure China is a big influence on the market, but is it so big that it could take down the US?
Stocks closed in the red but well off their session lows Monday, as Treasury prices rose in choppy trading following comments from some Fed policymakers that downplayed worries over the end to the central bank's bond-buying program.
Apple's price target was cut to $405 at Jefferies, reports CNBC's Seema Mody.
Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster explains why he has a $655 price target on Apple when the stock dropped below $400 today. CNBC's Jon Fortt and Herb Greenberg weigh in on the action in Apple's stock and discuss Microsoft's plan to restructure its divisions.
Shares of Apple broke below $400/share, and many see this as an indicator of the tech giant's 'bleak future,' reports CNBC's Seema Mody.
Apple is now off of its lows, and concerns over China's credit crunch problem is weighing on Chinese ADRs, reports CNBC's Seema Mody.
Apple is now trading at the lows of the day as investors are concerned over its product pipeline, reports CNBC's Seema Mody.
CNBC's Bertha Coombs tracks the trading action on the tech giant since it hit an all-time high of $705.07 on September 21, 2012.
Ousting a founding CEO can have disastrous results or be the best thing that ever happened. We examine some notable cases.
U.S. stock index futures were sharply lower Monday, after a sharp global selloff in the previous week, amid worries the Federal Reserve's stimulus measures may be winding down and a possible cash crunch in China.


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|Home Depot to Acquire Compact Power Equipment Will focus on the market for rentals to pros. Home Depot, Atlanta on Thursday announced a definitive agreement has been reached to purchase Compact Power Equipment, Inc., a national provider of equipment rental and maintenance services for $265 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the company's fiscal second quarter.|
A commercial partner of Home Depot since 2009, Compact Power Equipment currently provides compact equipment rentals at more than 1,000 stores across the U.S. and Canada. The company also provides equipment maintenance services nationwide to a range of customers, including Home Depot. By acquiring Compact Power Equipment, Home Depot continues to invest in capabilities that uniquely serve its core customers.
"We've worked closely with the talented team at Compact Power Equipment for many years and are delighted to welcome them to The Home Depot family," said Craig Menear, chairman, CEO and president of The Home Depot. "The acquisition allows us to further improve the customer experience – in particular for Pros – through enhanced equipment and tool rental offerings. It also allows us to grow Compact Power's best-in-class building services capabilities."
The Home Depot offers tool and equipment rentals at more locations across the U.S. and Canada than anyone else, providing easy access for both Pro and Do-It-Yourself customers. Its large assortment of rental offerings saves customers from the cost and hassle of maintenance and storage.
"With a collective focus on convenience and execution, together our companies will be even stronger to serve customers while remaining on the cutting edge of life-cycle management for commercial equipment," said Roger Braswell, CEO, Compact Power.


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Tradition asks that you place a crest in the shape of a star on top of your Christmas tree. But what do you put when you are FIFA World Champion?
As France is still basking in the glow of winning the World Cup this summer and adding a second star to its first crown won in 1998, this Christmas, Coca-Cola France, sponsor of the French Football National Team, created a special Christmas tree topper featuring not one but two stars.
The limited edition topper is currently being offered as a gift on the Coca-Cola Store.
The collectible item is proven to be a hit among influencers. People are going crazy for the exclusive product that provides the perfect addition to Christmas trees this season.
The lucky few able to score the special crest are flooding Twitter and Instagram with pictures of their trees on social media with the hashtag #Noel2Etoiles.
This cheeky operation has been conceived by Herezie Group in Paris.
Source: Herezie Group


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Samsung outlined its foundry business roadmap for the next five years at its Foundry Forum event last week. The company plans to introduce its next generation fabrication technologies in a timely manner and intends to make chips on its 1.4 nm (14 angstroms) manufacturing process by 2027. Also, the company will keep investing in new manufacturing capacity going forward as it strives to strengthen its position in the foundry market. New Nodes Incoming Samsung has been introducing new production nodes and/or variants on production nodes every 12 – 18 months for several years now, and plans to keep its rather aggressive pace going forward. Though the company’s roadmap illustrates, fanfare aside, that it is now taking longer to develop new fabrication processes. The company’s second-generation 3...
Despite most discussion about chip manufacturing focusing on the leading edge and blazingly fast and complex side of the industry, the demand for the ‘legacy’ process technologies is also...11 by Dr. Ian Cutress on 10/6/2021
Toshiba in the past week has finalized plans to build a new production facility to make 3D NAND flash memory. The company will start construction in early 2017 and...8 by Anton Shilov on 11/15/2016
Toshiba this month has announced plans to build a new manufacturing facility to produce its BiCS NAND flash memory. The company intends to start making chips at the new...5 by Anton Shilov on 3/25/2016


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Canberrans are set to be bowled over by the arrival of a bowling alley, escape room and arcade at the Canberra Centre as huge multi-attraction venue Kingpin is set to open its doors next year.
Located on level one near Rebel, Kingpin will come with fully licensed bars, escape rooms, karaoke, bowling lanes, huge projection screens, pool tables and over 100 arcade games covering everything from classic games through to the latest high-tech experiences.
Kingpin, which is set to open early 2020, will be in the area previously utilised by the level one food court.
Canberra Centre’s retail manager Gary Stewart said there are currently no plans for the affected food retailers to reopen at the Centre but reminded customers they can still enjoy food from Ali Baba, Sumo Salad and Touch of India in their secondary locations on the lower ground food court.
Mr Stewart said the arrival of Canberra’s first Kingpin will provide a perfect location for birthdays, office parties, hen’s and buck’s nights, team building, year-end functions and launch parties.
“The arrival of Kingpin is an exciting moment for the Centre and our community, and we are very pleased to be able to deliver such a lively entertainment offer that will excite and engage customers of all ages and
backgrounds,” Mr Stewart said.
“Kingpin at Canberra Centre will be a multi-attraction experience with eight bowling lanes and four escape rooms among other exciting entertainment options including arcade games, pool tables, Kingpong and
“By welcoming Kingpin, we will be able to further position Canberra Centre as the ACT’s leading destination for dynamic retail, entertainment and dining experiences.”
Kingpin Canberra, with a contemporary new fit-out including upscale furnishings and modern artworks, will offer an impressive food and drinks menu to satisfy all customers, including healthy, vegetarian and child-friendly options.
There will also be a selection of small plates, specially designed to be easily shared by groups, with standouts including the Kingpin Signature Burger, Vegetarian Nachos and the Salted Caramel Smore’s Waffle.
The tenpin bowling chain already has eight locations across Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin and Townsville.
It is believed Kingpin will create jobs for 68 Canberra residents, covering areas across food and beverage, technical assistants and guest services.
If you’re looking for more information on escape rooms, check out our recently updated article on the best escape rooms in Canberra.


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Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is in short supply while the asparagus season is around two months ahead of schedule due to recent unseasonably warm temperatures.
Small volumes of British-grown asparagus appeared on wholesale markets last week, although picking has now stopped due to cold temperatures.
Full volumes of Yorkshire rhubarb, which relies on cold temperatures to force its early growth, will not hit the market until the second week of February, although small volumes are starting to appear with wholesalers now. Most retail volumes are still Dutch.
Grower and rhubarb pioneer Janet Oldroyd Hulme said so far this season has been a “disaster”, and the industry is now trying “desperately to catch up”. “The cold has been so long in coming, we’re only just getting decent amounts. Supplies are very short at the moment. There won’t be much availability during January, but we’re hoping to be back to normal by the second week of February," she said.
Oldroyd Hulme said prices are quite high at the moment due to the shortage, although the quality and colour is “lovely”.
Elsewhere, the British asparagus season is running around two months ahead of schedule, according to one leading grower. Henry Chinn, of Cobrey Farms, said early volumes have been harvested and delivered to wholesale, but due to a recent frost picking has now stopped.
“The forecast is not looking warm, but my thinking is we were bound to get some cold weather. We are potentially still on for an early season.
“We would normally expect big volumes from the tunnel crop by Valentine’s Day, with the main volume coming through by the end of March. We are hoping for another pick this week but it is weather dependent.”
Chinn said temperatures in December were around eight degrees higher than average, leading to the early season. “We’re always trying to be early, but our retail customers need big volumes," he said.


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Melanie Wright switched from T-Mobile to Cricket Wireless two years ago, pointing to price as the key reason.
“It’s one flat fee — you never have to worry about what your bill is going to be,” said Wright, who pays $43 a month for unlimited text and calling. “With the other companies, you better itemize that sucker yourself and you better have your Excel spreadsheet open.”
The Lakewood resident, who splits her time taking classes on the Auraria campus and working as a mortgage document specialist for Chase, embodies the younger, budget-minded customer that has helped Cricket add a million subscribers over the past two years.
But the pioneer of the unlimited, contract-free wireless service wants to shed the image of a company catering only to value seekers.
In 2010, as contract-based carriers tapped into Cricket’s prepaid sweetspot amid the economic downturn, the company rolled out nationwide service to help it compete against the likes of AT&T and Verizon.
Last year, Cricket launched Muve Music, an all-you-can-eat music service tied to a subscriber’s monthly rate plan. It was a bold move that, based on the service’s early success, may be copied by other carriers, analysts say.
“Cricket, as a carrier, needed something new,” said John Bolton, senior director of product for Muve. “The market over the past few years, especially the prepaid wireless market, has gotten severely competitive, and Cricket as a carrier was losing its edge.”
The company’s growth would bode well for Colorado because it can be considered the state’s only hometown wireless carrier.
While Cricket’s top executives are based in San Diego, the company’s operational headquarters is in Greenwood Village.
Colorado is home to more than 550 Cricket employees and 230 Cricket stores, including 10 corporate-owned retail locations.
New products considered key to the company’s future, such as Muve, are developed and managed at the Greenwood Village office.
Cricket serves roughly 6 million subscribers — far behind the nation’s Big Four wireless carriers. But Muve has already attracted more than 500,000 customers, ranking among the top three digital music services along with Rhapsody and Spotify.
Muve, which adds $10 a month to a subscriber’s rate plan, is available on a handful of Cricket cellphones.
“It’s extra revenue, lower churn (customer turnover) and it also probably helps adds subscribers,” said Bruce Roberts, an analyst with Brigantine Advisors. “I think other carriers would be interested in that as well.”
Each Muve subscriber on average listens to more than 40 hours of music and downloads nearly 300 songs per month, according to Cricket.
In its annual report, the company boasted that offering Muve and nationwide coverage has made its “services more attractive to customers” and improved its competitive positioning.
Denver resident Eliesa Wren said she is considering adding Muve to her $55-a-month rate plan not only for the music, but for ringtones. Muve allows subscribers to easily turn certain songs into ringtones.
“It’s an interesting service for the phone,” Wren said.
The biggest knock on prepaid carriers may be that they don’t have access to as many smartphones as contract-based carriers, which can heavily subsidize popular devices such as iPhones because those costs are recouped over the life of a subscriber’s two-year service agreement.
Still, Roberts said the prepaid market has room to grow.
“About a third of prepaid customers are people who have never had a wireless phone and another third comes from people who used to be a contract customer who are trying to lower their costs,” Roberts said. “I think that trend continues.”
Andy Vuong : 303-954-1209 or facebook.com/byandyvuong


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Imprinted Sportswear Show Orlando, Surf Expo Will Collocate
With the George Little Management shows now part of its portfolio, Emerald Expositions has decided to collocate the Imprinted Sportswear Show Orlando and Surf Expo Sept. 4-6 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
“Providing new and enhanced ways to bring more value to our customer base is a priority for Emerald Expositions,” said Emerald Expositions’ CEO David Loechner.
He added, ““The acquisition of GLM has expanded the scope of our resources to identify and develop targeted cross-marketing initiatives for our exhibitors and attendees that speak to specific market needs. This collocation is one such example.”
Surf Expo was named the overall fastest-growing show for attendance at last year’s TSNN Awards event in Reno, Nev., and had its biggest show in its 38-year history in September.
“We are excited to be co-locating with ISS this September. For years, t-shirts have been a mainstay in the product offerings of our exhibitors and attendees,” said Show Director Roy Turner.
He added, “From souvenir and resort to boardsports, imprinted sportswear has been and continues to be the backbone of brand identity.”
ISS Orlando, for the decorated apparel industry, was originally scheduled to be held April 3-5, but, according to show organizers, they wanted it to have additional access to the 25,000 attendees at Surf Expo.
ISS has shows in five other locations throughout the year: Long Beach, Atlantic City, Nashville, Las Vegas, and Fort Worth.
“We are very excited to bring ISS Orlando and Surf Expo together this year for the first time,” said Jeff Brown, ISS show director.
He added, “There has always been a great synergy between our groups with crossover within the resort wear and gift sections of our shows. From beach transfers on t-shirts to sublimated designs on surfboards, you will be able to see everything on display with this collaboration between ISS and Surf Expo.”
Attendee’s badges will allow them to visit both shows.
“Being able to offer the full production cycle to Surf Expo customers is a big win for us; from art, to production, to finished product, our buyers and exhibitors will benefit from the additional resources that ISS supplies,” Turner said.


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When Ford saw an opportunity to acquire Volvo Cars -- a profitable though smallish Swedish automaker -- in 1999, it jumped at the opportunity and paid $6.45 billion. A decade later, after supporting Volvo through years of losses and tentative efforts to integrate its operations, it sold the company to China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group for $1.8 billion.
Within days of disposing of Volvo, Ford announced it was also terminating Mercury, leaving Lincoln as its sole upscale brand. Lincoln is currently overhauling its product line -- as is Volvo. Under the leadership of CEO Stefan Jacoby, Volvo is focusing its gaze far out in the future and has set a goal of 800,000 unit sales by 2020.
Democrats and Republicans are debating that question today, but we may not know the answer for 10 or 15 years.


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reported Thursday that it swung to a profit in the third quarter, beating the Street consensus estimate by a penny a share.
The office-products vendor posted net income of $31.4 million, or 41 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $3.9 million, or 7 cents a share, in the third quarter of 2005. Excluding one-time charges, however, third-quarter net income was $43.2 million, or 56 cents a share, compared with $9.9 million, or 12 cents a share, in the prior-year period.
Adjusted earnings beat the average analyst estimate from Thomson First Call, which projected 55 cents a share.OfficeMax posted third-quarter sales of $2.24 billion, down from the $2.29 billion it posted last year, and shy of the analyst consensus estimate of $2.22 billion.
"We are pleased with our third-quarter results," said CEO Sam Duncan. "In both our Contract and Retail segments, we continued to execute our turnaround plan objectives to deliver substantial operating-income margin growth."
Retail-segment operating income in the third quarter benefited from targeted cost-reduction programs, including reduced store labor and advertising expense, resulting in an increase to $54.8 million, from $16.1 million in the third quarter of 2005.
OfficeMax retail-segment same-store sales growth during the third quarter of 2006 was flat.
Looking forward, the Naperville, Ill., company expects full-year operating income margin to be in the middle of its previously announced range of 3% to 3.5%, excluding special items. Special items, including charges for retail store closures and consolidation of its headquarters, are expected to reduce operating income margin by some 1.5% for the full year.
Shares were up $1, or 2.2%, at $47.12 in midday trading Thursday.


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Facebook TV to be released in August, says Bloomberg:
In the upcoming year Facebook will release TV says Bloomberg. Bloomberg the partner of Fb social network co-founder Mark Zuckerberg asked to send the report of their first episode of program.
News is in business in Hollywood studio that facebook will program a good quality TV, and they are willing to invest on large scale expected as $ 3 million per episode.
Facebook expect that user will tend to online with this TV program expected about 2 to 3 billion extra users worldwide as it said “more sugar will have more sweet”.
Facebook said that “it will not release all the seasons like Netflix and Amazon do, but it release episode wise interval”. Season is expected to launch in March but it is delay due to remaining work on this program and it is expected it will launch in August soon.
Stay tuned to our website for more update. Thanks !


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Indian doctors not accountable, says consumer reportBMJ 2000; 321 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.321.7261.588 (Published 09 September 2000) Cite this as: BMJ 2000;321:588
- Ganapati Mudur
- New Delhi
A consumer advocacy group in India has said that patients claiming damages for medical negligence are often unable to prove their allegations because doctors are unwilling to testify against other doctors.
“The complainants cannot muster evidence to prove negligence beyond doubt,” said the Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education in New Delhi after a survey conducted in three cities.
The survey examined grievance redress mechanisms in 81 large hospitals and small clinics …
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The rumors have made their way in, and its all about a budget Pixel phone this time, codenamed ‘Sargo“, and for several months now. The name actually popped up in an ARCore that was released just last week, which signalled that the device could be nearing completion. Russian technology blog Rozetked has just posted a hands-on with the unreleased device, calling it the “Pixel 3 Lite“.
The phone, visually, looks very similar to the Pixel 3 and Pixel XL, though with the larger bezels and no screen notch. A headphone jack, which was famously dropped from the Pixel lineup, is present on the top of the device. Also, the power button on this white model is a solid neon yellow color.
The display is also a 5.56-inch IPS screen (not AMOLED), with a resolution of 2220 x 1080. For the processor itself, Google chose the Snapdragon 670, which so far has only been used in phones intended for Asian markets (like the Oppo R17). THis could even mean the Pixel 3 Lite may not make an appearance in the United States.
Other specs for this new phone from Google includes 4GB’s of RAM, 32GB’s of storage (no MicroSD card slot), a 12MP rear camera, then theres the 8MP front facing camera, and a 2,915mAh battery. It’s not entirely clear right now when this phone will actually be coming out and what market it will be available in.


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Price Chopper and the Tops Markets declared Monday that the two organizations will combine.
In a news release, the two supermarkets with ties to New York State say the consolidation will double the organizations’ footprint in the northeast. There will be 30,000 representatives and 300 stores operating under the consolidation.
They say the consolidation will permit them to contend better and offer more value to their clients.
The new parent organization’s headquarters will be in Schenectady, N.Y. as well as Price Chopper’s HQ, where it was. Top’s Markets HQ will stay in Williamsville, N.Y.
Price Chopper President and CEO Scott Grimmet will serve as the new parent organization’s CEO and serve on the Board of Directors.
Likewise, Tops Markets Chairman and CEO Frank Curci will serve on the Board of Directors for the new parent organization and as a consultant to aid the progress.
The businesses say, the transaction is required to shut in the coming months. Insights about the financial terms of the transaction were not released.


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fashion show mall
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NEW garlic varieties from Taiwan may prove the key to extending its production window in Queensland.
Research scientists Dr Stephen Harper and Zara Hall, from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries' Gatton Research Centre, have recently imported 28 lines of garlic into Australia.
The material has been sourced from their collaborating partner, The World Vegetable Centre in Taiwan, because in south- east Queensland there is only one variety growers plant on a commercial scale.
"It's fine, it's a good yielding variety, but it could be better, particularly its visual quality, and also it's all harvested in September and we would like to extend the Queensland garlic production window," Ms Hall said.
"Out of the Taiwan collection we have selected lines suited to our latitude as growth of garlic is sensitive to day length."
Ms Hall explained that Dr Harper had trialled some lines of garlic from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries previously, but very few of them were able to grow in Queensland because they were not suited to our latitude.
"Apart from the one that we normally grow, called Glenlarge, there are maybe three or four others that are suited to growing at our latitude," she said.
"At the moment we are growing all 28 lines at both Gatton and Stanthorpe.
"Because the imported material is from the northern hemisphere the garlic is currently out of season for planting in Queensland, where garlic is normally planted in March and harvested in September.
"The garlic has been planted in pots under controlled conditions, with modified temperature and day length, with the aim of propagating the material and moving it to our local time of planting. The material in Stanthorpe is being propagated in glasshouse conditions.
"As we are growing it out of season and it has been imported from the northern hemisphere we didn't know how it would grow, but it is growing very well.
"Ultimately, we want to extend the production window for Queensland garlic growers by identifying a suite of several varieties with slightly different day length adaptation.
"Another major problem with garlic is that it doesn't produce true seed; it's like banana and sweet potato, where you are continually propagating from a piece of vegetative material.
"So there is virus building up all the time and if you are not careful you will end up with something that is limited in its yield potential because of the virus infections. DAF is also working on producing garlic planting material free of viruses.
"If you can remove all viruses, and our colleagues have shown there's up to 10 viruses in garlic, you can potentially double yield to about 20 tonne per ha."
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Unfortunately, nothing seems to be off limits for the bad guys.
According to a recent Forbes article, “Research released Thursday shows crooks and snoops have been rapidly registering vast numbers of potentially-malicious websites and sending out masses of scam emails as they try to make money from the pandemic.”
Which websites have been identified as malicious already?
According to that same article, Lindsay Kaye, director of operation outcomes at Recorded Future, specifically called out the following domains as potentially dangerous:
Forbes also had Bernardo Quintero, founder of the Google-owned malware repository and anti-virus testing service VirusTotal, take a look at the domains reported by Recorded Future. He said the following websites also showed signs of malicious behavior, as they’re being detected by anti-virus software:
Those domains are also being used to send phishing emails. So, for example, if you see an email from anyone @corona-virus[.]healthcare, report it as spam immediately and do not open it.
It’s Not Just Scammers
According to Forbes, “It’s not just opportunistic scammers who’re making the most out of coronavirus. Espionage groups associated with China, North Korea and Russia have been seen sending out spear phishing emails trying to find routes onto business networks.” Be especially careful with your work email, as you can put your entire company at risk, even if you’re working from your home network, especially as Working From Home is becoming more common.
This is not limited to specific companies, entire industries are being targeted as well.
How can you stay safe?
As always, make sure you good Cyber Hygiene. Do not open suspicious or unfamiliar emails. If you want to do research about COVID-19, proceed with caution.
While researching is important, it’s just as important to stay vigilant and only trust known sources (such as Forbes), especially with this reported rise in malicious websites and emails around COVID-19. Many of those websites look extremely legitimate, and our guess is that they would rank really well on organic search as well.
Stay safe out there, both with cyber security as well as your health. Until the next Malware Monday.


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/Giants compete in high-end TV: Samsung Force 8K LGD Plus ...
Abstract: The new trend in the high-end TV market has released a strong signal on the Shenzhen China Stock Exchange (CITE) held a week ago. In addition to Skyworth, Konka, TCL and other Shenzhen TV “land snakes”, Hisense, Changhong and LGD have been at home and abroad. Manufacturers are showing their latest TV products and technologies.
On the afternoon of Sunday, April 14, the first floor of the Tianhe City in Guangzhou was crowded with hundreds of people in front of the Samsung TV booth to experience its latest 8K TV products.
As a mature business district in Guangzhou, Tianhe City is a weekend leisure choice for many middle-class families, and it is also the second stop of Samsung 8K TV new products after Shenzhen’s first launch. The relevant person in charge of Samsung TV told the 21st Century Business Herald that South China is Samsung’s key strategic market and a battleground for high-end TV.
The new trend of the high-end TV market, as early as a week ago, the Shenzhen China Telecom Expo (CITE) released a strong signal, in addition to Skyworth, Konka, TCL and other Shenzhen TV “land snake”, Hisense, Changhong and LGD and other domestic and foreign manufacturers are Showcase its latest TV products and technologies.
Among them, OLED, 8K as the hottest topic in the current color TV market, almost took the focus of the audience. LGD not only brings its 88-inch 8K OLED self-sounding TV, but also highlights the OLED’s flexible features and value in commercial channels. LGD Global Marketing Department executive high standard Rong believes that with Hisense’s participation in the OLED camp this year, it will provide consumers with more choices of OLED TV products. This competition is benign and will further promote the development of the high-end TV market.
According to the latest sharing data from Skyworth, the sales volume of the color TV industry in the first quarter of this year increased by 14.4% according to the cumulative volume of the week. If the total volume of Avi Cloud (AVC) is pushed, the sales volume of the industry will increase by 25%, but the sales of Skyworth TV will increase by 8.2%.
Among them, in the high-end TV products, 4K ultra-high-definition TVs increased by 13.1% year-on-year, products above 65吋 increased by 62.8%, and products above 75吋 increased by 322.8%. TCL Electronics (01070.HK) reported a significant increase in sales of TV sets by 32.5% year-on-year to 8.43 million units. Overseas markets and 4K TVs are the main contributors. In the first quarter, TCL 4K TV sales increased by more than 80% year-on-year.
“The development of ultra-high-definition has driven the overall sales structure to be high-end and ultra-large-scale. The market share of the domestic market has increased by 4% year-on-year, and the gross profit margin has improved significantly.” The relevant person in charge of Skyworth Group told reporters. .
Aowei Cloud Network (AVC) data disclosed that in the first two months of this year, the domestic high-end TV market (6000 yuan + product) sold 594,000 units, with sales of 5.62 billion yuan. Among them, 65吋 products are the most popular, with high-end TV sales accounting for 50.5% in January and February, followed by 55吋 and 75吋, accounting for 22.8% and 13.8% respectively. In terms of regions, East China, Central South and Southwest China are the main battlefields for high-end TVs, ranking the top three in the country with 42.7%, 22.6% and 12.6% sales.
“China has a market size of 56 million units and is the world’s largest single TV market. Secondly, from the history of TV and display development, from 3D to 4K, UHD, and the acceptance of new technologies is the strongest and most Fast market. Third, according to our understanding that China has 220 million middle class, the purchasing power of the middle class is gradually increasing.” Gao Zhengrong believes that with the improvement of purchasing power, the ability to accept new technologies, and the huge In the market, China’s role in leading the development of technology in the global market will become more and more obvious.
Samsung: Take the lead in 8K
Dong Min, vice president of Avi Cloud (AVC), pointed out that the current homogenization problem of color TV market is serious, and the homogenization rate of LCD TV and smart TV products is as high as 97.4% and 92.2%. In contrast, the homogenization of 4K TV is much lower, at 66.8%.
On March 1 this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration of Radio and Television, and the Central Radio and Television General Administration issued the “Ultra HD Video Industry Development Action Plan (2019-2022)”. It is foreseeable that under the blessing of national policies, China’s color TV market will accelerate into the 4K ultra-HD era. At this time, Samsung took the lead in launching the promotion of 8K TV. Obviously, it is necessary to lay out and seize the right to speak in the high-end market in advance.
In the 4K and 8K comparison experience on the spot, consumers are excited from time to time, because it is easier to distinguish the difference between the two on the screen from the naked eye. However, Gao Zhengrong believes that 8K is only a relatively important technology in terms of TV definition, but it is not the only factor in the definition of high-end market.
In his view, in the current state of 4K content is still relatively poor, the popularity of 8K will take time. “By 2020, the world expects about 20% of 4K TV content. Last October, CCTV began to export 4K TV content. According to the plan, China’s 4K playback time per year is 10,000 hours, but even then, 4K content in the Chinese market is only about 1%.”
In this regard, Samsung Electronics Greater China District Consumer Electronics Department Southern District color TV sales general manager Zhu Xi said that in response to the current lack of 8K content, Samsung is intelligently analyzing images through 8K AI Upscaling technology to identify and enhance Image quality details, upgrade a variety of source content to close to 8K quality, improve picture quality and sound performance.
LGD: Comprehensive advancement of OLED
As the representative of the two major display technologies in Korea, Samsung and LG have chosen a different path. Also for the Chinese market, LGD will hope to look forward to OLED – this new generation of display technology.
“The global TV market has been in a downward trend. The Chinese TV market has also started to decline since 2016. The 75-inch TV is sold for less than 5,000 yuan. This price is very low.” Gao Zhengrong believes that in recent years, panel makers at home and abroad have been The huge investment in LCDs has brought about undesirable results such as oversupply.
Affected by the decline in the price of large-size LCD panels, LGD lost 179 billion won in 2018 (a contract of 1.078 billion yuan). But the good news is that last year’s large-size OLED panel shipments reached 2.9 million, accounting for more than 20% of total sales. It is also the first profit in five years since the large-size OLED panel was launched. In 2019, LGD will accelerate its transition from LCD to OLED.
With this year’s Hisense joined the OLED camp, LGD further increased its promotion and promotion of OLED. “We also advise customers to provide differentiated strategies.” Gao said that the main OLED customers of LGD include Skyworth, Changhong, Konka, Sony and Hisense, but the strategies are different, such as the first time in China this year. Hisense, which launched OLED TV, paid more attention to CSO (spontaneous sound TV); Skyworth, which promoted OLED at the earliest, has already pushed CSO, and this year will pay more attention to wallpaper TV.
It is reported that Skyworth will cooperate with local European brands in the market with strong artistic atmosphere such as Europe this year to launch a more artistic TV to highlight the characteristics of flexible display of OLED. As the sole supplier of large-screen OLED panels, LGD not only participated in the Shanghai AWE exhibition for the first time this year, but also exhibited wallpaper TV, transparent OLED, and other uses of OLED in car and commercial display at the Shenzhen Xinbo Expo. A glimpse.
In Gao Jurong’s view, the biggest challenge now is how to let more consumers understand the value of OLED. “Sales are not our main goal, let high-end consumers realize the value of OLED. This is our main focus. The direction.” He said that OLED will not consider the low-end market for the time being, but it will be subdivided in the high-end market. “For example, the top-end market is more than 2,000 US dollars, the middle is 1500-2000 US dollars, and the lowest is 1000- $1,500.”
The reporter noted that with the continuous expansion of the OLED camp, the minimum consumption threshold for OLED TV has dropped from the initial 10,000 yuan to more than 6,000 yuan today. In addition, the LGD Guangzhou plant will be put into operation in the third quarter of this year, when the supply of large-screen OLED panels will be relieved to some extent.


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McDonald's extends run on Olympic team
INNSBRUCK, Austria — McDonald's Corporation extended its global Olympic sponsorship for eight more years on Friday to remain a top-level sponsor through the 2020 Summer Games.
McDonald's and the International Olympic Committee didn't reveal financial details of the deal, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
McDonald's has been an IOC sponsor since 1976, and will now continue for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, and the 2020 Summer Olympics.
"We are very proud of our long-standing partnership," said Don Thompson, McDonald's president and chief operating officer. "It's great to see how we evolved from a national sponsor to a worldwide partner over these years. Every dimension of our partnership shares the same values: excellence, team work, giving your best."
McDonald's became the seventh top-tier sponsor to renew its partnership through 2020, following Coca-Cola Co., Dow Chemical Co., General Electric Co., Omega, Proctor & Gamble Co. and Visa Inc.
IOC President Jacques Rogge was "extremely happy" with the renewal of the sponsorship deal.
The IOC has 11 global sponsors for the London Olympics. Three have extended through 2016 and seven through 2020.
The IOC has secured close to $1 billion in sponsorship revenue for the current four-year cycle through 2012.


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Fort Louise restaurant coming to Inglewood
New Inglewood resident and business owner Jessica Bower is bringing a restaurant to the neighborhood she calls home.
Bower, who opened Steluta boutique in December at 1601B Riverside Drive, plans to open chef-driven restaurant and bar Fort Louise at 1304 McGavock Pike this spring.
“Living in Inglewood, I saw the opportunity to really dig in and to provide some new experiences that were just starting to pop up across the area,” Bower said in a statement. “It’s been great to be part of this community, not only as a business owner, but as a resident. I really feel that Inglewood is at the forefront of the East Nashville scene.”
An Alabama native, Bower’s resume is impressively diverse; she was an online professor at the College of Charleston, owned a liquor store in Alabama with her brother; managed her family’s corporate real estate; and worked at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in the education department. She’s held a range of positions in the hospitality industry, including front of house jobs at Charleston’s FIG and Pittsburgh’s Dinette. She also took an accelerated curriculum at pastry school in France.
Fort Louise is slated to open this spring in the 1,400-square-foot building formerly occupied by coffee shop/wine bar Perk & Cork. The building will undergo a substantial remodel to house a chef-driven kitchen and a large back porch for outdoor dining.
The restaurant will serve lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Bower said she plans to bring a prominent chef on board, though specific details have not been released.
“We’re pouring a lot of thought, heart and soul into this concept,” Bower said. “When you come to Fort Louise, we want it to feel like you’re heading to a friend’s home for a dinner party. It’s warm, intimate and cozy—a perfect place to enjoy great food and really fun cocktails.”
The name Fort Louise is in part a historical tribute to a prominent Nashville socialite, Louise Clark Fort, a descendant of one of Nashville’s most distinguished families, according to a news release. Fort was known for her community contributions and an extravagant 365-acre Inglewood estate called “Fortland.” She was also the founder of the Garden Club of Nashville.
Bower’s 900-square-foot Steluta boutique carries men’s and women’s fashion, accessories, jewelry and home decor. Bower carefully sources the brands and in many cases, she knows the designers personally or has visited their shops and studios across the country.
Reach Lizzy Alfs at email@example.com or 615-726-5948 and on Twitter @lizzyalfs.


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Value Added Distributor(VAD), Ingram Micro hosted Pinnacle 2018 at the St. Regis, Mumbai. A strategic event in the Indian ICT industry which comes as a forum for leading technology providers, resellers, and consumers where top ICT vendors and partners from across the country gather and discuss their current performance and potential for the coming years.
Expressing his views on Pinnacle, Diego Utge, SVP & Chief Executive, India said “Pinnacle 2018 is an initiative by Ingram Micro to bring together the leaders and partners in the ICT industry in India to discuss the market scenario and future trends. As market leaders, our endeavor is to create new benchmarks on how the market operates. With 35% market share in India, Ingram Micro is aiming to grow substantially over the next coming years.”
The event witnessed the presence of industry leaders including Sukesh Jain – VP, Samsung, Ashish Sikka – Director SMB, Lenovo, Rajan Malhotra, Future Group, B Raghavendra – Channel Head, Cisco, Sunil Jose – Country Head, Salesforce, Hemant Tiwari- Hitachi India.
‘’The Indian domestic ICT market (excluding IT &ITes) is worth over $20 billion. India sees sustained demand for hardware and cloud services, growing anywhere between 10 to 12% CAGR. This market, however, is subject to the same macroeconomic factors that affect the country, and in some ways even more so as it is heavily dependent on imports,’’ said Ingram Micro
The hosts of panel discussions centered around Consumer tech and retail trends highlighted pivotal factors of Indian ICT market including-:
- ·Retailers across online and offline see a surge in wearable products in the coming year
- E-governance, smart cities, and digital transformation is witnessing a collaborative effort from all the technology brands and building on the ecosystem
- The Government of India’s Digital India initiative has seen tremendous acceptance from leaders across the ICT segment
- Offline retail still dominates the market but online see a high attraction basis the discounting schemes and that product line that consumers are aware of


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China has taken a major step toward cleaning up the new cars sold in the country beginning January 1.
As numerous countries debate plans to end sales of fossil-fuel vehicles completely at points in the future, China has now forced the end of production for some 553 models, starting Monday.
The vehicles, from a wide range of automakers, can no longer legally be sold because they exceed fuel-consumption limits.
According to a Bloomberg report later confirmed by Chinese state media outlet Xinhua, the China Vehicle Technology Service Center said last Thursday sales of the offending Chinese-market vehicles would cease as of the new year.
(Neither outlet offers a link to the official list of vehicles, nor were we able to source a list from another outlet or any Chinese government agency website.)
The move is the latest effort by the government to curb pollution in a nation that's now simultaneously the world's largest polluter and the world's largest car market.
BYD Qin EV300
The 553 models represent just a small portion of the vehicles sold in the country, reports Bloomberg.
In September, Chinese government officials began "research on formulating a timetable to stop production and sales of traditional energy vehicles" in the country, it said.
At the start of December, authorities warned they would introduce stricter emission limits on new motor vehicles while continuing to incentivize electric vehicles.
The severe air pollution in most of China's major cities comes from a variety of sources, including motor vehicles, industrial production, and electric power generation.
With no domestic oil supplies, the country must import the majority of the gasoline used to power its surging vehicle fleet.
And it has long been official government-industrial policy to dominate the world's supply of photovoltaic solar cells, lithium-ion battery cells, and electric cars.
The new fuel-economy rules are just one small aspect of the country's effort toward realizing those long-term goals.


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Another Saudi FEC has incorporated Semnox’s Parafait system into its operation. Osool Entertainment is now using the cashless system in its first store of the company’s chain in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
The location has go-karts in its Doos sector, soft play in the Lambee section and an arcade in the Fizz part of the location. The debit card system from Semnox will enable players to move from one section of the FEC to another, using their membership cards to play.
“We were looking for a card system that could handle our multiple entertainment facets and that would allow our customers to move seamlessly from one store to another. Semnox has delivered in accordance with its commitments and we are happy to launch their cashless system in our first store. We will move our other locations to cashless as well in the up-coming weeks,” said Abdullah Norman, technical manager at Osool.
Meghashyam Jayaram, client manager for Semnox in the Middle East, said: "Osool with its unique offering in multiple stores, stands out in Saudi. Going cashless will help their customers in utilising their wallet across stores. In the current situation, going cashless is the way to go and our system, with its RFID technology solution, will help them to operate smoothly."


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Digital TV News: YouView
Accedo supports launch of ITVX in the UK
Dec 16, 2022 – Accedo has worked on the ITVX video service for a number of platforms, including Youview, Freeview, Android TV, Freesat, Roku, Samsung Tizen, Samsung Orsay, and Xbox, as well as for the ITVX website.
News categories: Accedo, ITV, Michael Lantz, Steve Forde, Apps, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, UK, UX
Regional versions of BBC One HD to roll out in England by Spring 2023
Nov 23, 2022 – People will soon be able to watch BBC One in HD without having to switch over to the current standard-definition versions for their local programming, following the roll-out of BBC One HD in England.
News categories: BBC, Kieran Clifton, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Satellite, Terrestrial, UK
UK's DTG releases D-Book 12.7
Oct 31, 2022 – The DTG has released D-Book 12.7, the latest update to the technical specification for all digital terrestrial television products and services in the UK market.
News categories: DTG, Simon Fell, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK
TalkTalk launches TV Hub powered by Android TV
Oct 17, 2022 – TalkTalk has launched a TV Hub powered by Android TV. The box offers over 70 live TV channels, catchup services including BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub with streaming & subscription services including Netflix, Prime Video and NOW TV.
News categories: TalkTalk, Vantiva, Susie Buckridge, Christian Lefebvre, Android TV, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, Terrestrial, UK
Shareholders conclude new YouView funding agreement
Mar 1, 2022 – ITV, the BBC, BT, Channel 4, TalkTalk and Channel 5 have agreed a new shareholders' agreement for YouView. YouView develops and maintains the software for the YouView service in the UK, currently available from BT, TalkTalk and certain Sony TVs.
News categories: ITV plc, YouView, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK, UX
UK's DTG releases D-Book 12.6
Oct 28, 2021 – The DTG has announced the release of its D-Book 12.6. Previously optional, support for HbbTV now becomes mandatory in the latest version, as the transition away from MHEG continues in the UK.
News categories: DTG, HbbTV Association, Richard Lindsay-Davies, Vincent Grivet, Content Distribution, Digital TV, HbbTV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK
Deltatre AXIS to power BritBox for a further five years
Dec 2, 2020 – Deltatre has extended its collaboration with ITV and continues to power its 'best of British' content streaming service, BritBox, across all major platforms. The new agreement will run for a further five years.
News categories: Deltatre, BritBox, Gilles Mas, Lee Marshall, Digital TV, UK, UX, Worldwide
DTG release D-Book 12.5 requirements for UK DTT
Nov 2, 2020 – The DTG has released the latest version of its D-Book which sets out the technical interoperability requirements for digital terrestrial TV in the UK, underpinning Freeview, YouView, Freesat, EE TV, BT TV and TalkTalk TV.
News categories: DTG, Richard Lindsay-Davies, Owen Jenkinson, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK
Britbox app now available on BT TV set-top boxes
May 29, 2020 – BritBox and BT have announced that the BritBox app is now available on BT TV set-top boxes. BT TV customers will be able to access the app with their current log-in or sign up online. BT plans to offer integrated billing fon BT TV later this year.
News categories: BT TV, BritBox, Siena Pakington, Reemah Sakaan, Apps, Digital TV, IPTV, Set Top Box, UK
- STARZ domestic OTT subscribers up 700,000 in 1Q 2023
- New DIRECTV STREAM customers get priority access to Telly waiting list
- Insys Video Technologies simplifies video streaming with Bitmovin
- BeIN Media and Google Cloud announce media and broadcast collaboration
- Activated STBs grow to 3,166,461 for South Africa's Openview
- Singtel TV subscribers down 6,000 in 1Q 2023
- Orby Elevate selects EUTELSAT for DTH TV distribution in the US
- U.S. SVOD revenues to grow at a 6.3% CAGR over 2022-2027
- Netgem releases trading update
- IPTV to partially offset revenue losses in cable and DTH in Korea
- Player.pl available on Xbox consoles, powered by Redge Media
- CHiQ launches latest Google TV series in Europe
- Imagination launches GPU for smart home platforms
- BMW 5 Series to include TiVo video media platform
- Chopin launches streaming service in Poland with Nagra
- Airtel Digital TV subscribers down 39,000 in 1Q 2023
- HBO Max becomes Max
- Tele Columbus selects NAGRA as solution provider for PŸUR TV
- Astro adds WeTV to its Ultra Box
- Comcast introduces NOW TV in the U.S.


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Square Enix’s Naoki Yoshida has revealed a few new tidbits on Final Fantasy 16, including the fact it will be ‘action-oriented.’
Search Results for PS5 games
Diablo II Resurrected Cross Play has not been ruled out by Blizzard, but the feature will definitely not be there for launch.
The Path of Exile update 1.75 patch notes have been announced by Grinding Gear Games. Read up on this latest PS4 update here.
The Guilty Gear Strive open beta has been extended for a few more days, and will now wrap up on February 23.
Dark Horse Comics is launching a three-part comic series, Far Cry Rite of Passage, on May 19 – get the full details here.
Hogwarts Legacy’s lead designer was previously involved in running an anti-social justice YouTube channel.
Psychedelic maze puzzler PUSS! claws its way onto the PS4 to frazzle your senses and your mind, but will you barf 8-bit fur balls or meow with pleasure?
Get a first tease of the story in Overwatch 2, which looks to be drawing from similar games.
A bunch of Overwatch 2 changes have been made since the last Blizzcon appearance.
Rogue joins the Diablo 4 crew, with a new twist on the dexterity build.


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More and more esports/gaming bars are cropping up across the UK - and Aberdeen's Engage Gaming is the latest to open.
Billed as Scotland's 'first esports centre and one of its kind in Europe', it provides gamers with a venue to meet, play and compete.
Owners say the cafe caters for everyone 'from after-school gaming clubs to summer camps and from children’s parties to corporate teambuilding events'.
Engaged Gaming has transformed the former Stage Door building on North Silver Street into a gaming facility with 180sq ft of space.
Stewart Gibson, a spokesman for Engage Gaming, said: "I knew there was a market out there for a full-time venue that could cater for the hardcore gamers and still appeal to a more mainstream market. When we found the former Stage Door restaurant I knew it was an amazing space that could easily be converted."
"We are looking forward to finally having a place where anyone with an interest in gaming can get together and play games, compete, or watch streamed tournaments."
Matt Sandholm, Engage Gaming
Engage Gaming has gaming PCs, Xbox Ones and PS4s, as well as virtual reality gear. It also has a relaxation zone for customers, with a licensed bar and café, and of course plans to host local esports tournaments.
Ten jobs have been created and as many as 20 are expected within the coming months.
The gaming space has been custom-designed by award-winning local design teams, artists and GT Omega Racing, with top of the range gaming chairs and cockpits in the centre.
Matt Sandholm, digital marketing manager at Engage Gaming, said: "We are really excited about this venture and looking forward to finally having a place where anyone with an interest in gaming can get together and play games, compete, or watch streamed tournaments.
"It's going to expand the gaming community in Aberdeen."


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Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is joining utilities throughout North America to make customers aware of telephone, mail, email and door-to-door/in-person scams that involve criminals posing as utility company representatives and demanding immediate payment or personal information.
The “Utilities United Against Scams” collaboration has designated Nov. 16 as “Utilities United Against Scams Day.” This day will be supported by a week-long campaign, beginning Nov. 14, with information focused on exposing the tricks scammers use to steal from customers, and how customers can protect themselves.
“The safety and security of our customers is the foundation of how we operate, so it’s heartbreaking when you hear about people being affected by these types of scams,” said Deb Affonsa, vice president, PG&E Customer Care. “Awareness is a key part of stopping this type of crime and we are working hard to continue getting the word out to our customers.”
The North American collaborative encourages the public to share these messages to help guard against scam activity.
To date in 2016, PG&E has received more than 2,400 scam reports. Scammers continue to employ increasingly more sophisticated tactics to exploit customers. PG&E continues to work with law enforcement agencies that are conducting investigations as well as supporting ongoing efforts to help educate customers about scams.
Red Flags and How to Protect Yourself
☆ A scammer tells the customer his or her account is past due and services will be disconnected if payment isn’t made through a prepaid cash card - usually within an hour.
☆ PG&E never requires a customer to purchase a prepaid debit card to avoid disconnection. Customers behind on their bill receive multiple advance disconnection notifications - never a single one an hour before their power is shut off. Customers can make payments online, by phone, through an automatic bank draft, by mail, or in person.
☆ Hang up on suspicious calls. Contact local police on a non-emergency number then call PG&E.
☆ Never dial phone numbers scammers provide or assume caller ID is accurate. Scammers use sophiticated systems where they can mimic caller ID to appear to be a PG&E number.
☆ An in-person scammer wears a hard hat, orange vest, and holds a clip board, then asks to see your utility bill or to be let inside your home.
☆ If someone is at your door claiming to represent PG&E, and is unwilling to show their ID or making you uncomfortable, don’t let them in, and call law enforcement. PG&E employees carry identification and are always willing to show it to you.
☆ Expect to receive an automated call from PG&E 48 hours before a scheduled visit. You may also receive a personal call from a PG&E representative before a visit.
☆ A scammer sends an email that demands immediate payment, asks for financial information, or contains suspicious links.
☆ Beware of emails requesting your personal information. Never click on suspicious links or open attachments that demand immediate payment or financial information.
Customers who suspect or experience fraud, or feel threatened during contact with one of these scammers, can call area authorities and then PG&E at (800) 743-5000.


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MARIETTA — An April 20, 2020, report from the National Restaurant Association estimated that more than 8 million restaurant workers were laid off or furloughed across the country. Dominic Belli and Jonathan Disser, brothers-in-law who both live in Smyrna, were part of that toll.
But like so many others, they pivoted to adjust to the times. They created Neighborhood Quarantine Catering, selling prepared, family-sized meals that only required popping a tray in the oven.
“Parents were working from home, kids were home from school, everybody’s in their house 24/7,” Disser said. “They didn’t have time to cook, or they didn’t want to cook at the end of the day.”
The duo, both veterans of the hospitality industry with a combined 50 years of experience, produced higher quality meals that were ready in 30 minutes.
“It was a lot better than going to the grocery store and buying a frozen Stouffer’s lasagna,” Disser said.
Their plan had been to continue that concept for the time being, but now, a year later, Belli and Disser are now partners in the rebranded Neighborhood Cuisines & Provisions. They still offer catering and takeaway meals, but now have a storefront on Powder Springs Street, a block south of Marietta Square.
“I think a lot of people would say ‘You’re crazy trying to open a restaurant during the pandemic,’” Belli said. “But, you know, in hindsight I think it was the right move. I always say, some things happen for a reason … I wouldn’t say being laid off is a great thing, but a lot of things developed from that.”
Oven-ready meals come with sides, feed four to six people and can be had in the $40-$50 price range. They run the gamut — Italian (lasagna, gnocchi, spinach and chicken manicotti), Cuban (mojo pork), Mexican (chicken enchiladas), Indian (butter chicken), Cajun (jambalaya) and traditional fare such as pork chops, barbecue or salmon.
The diverse menu came out of customers, themselves a mix of cultures, requesting different things in the early days.
“And we try to stick to as much authenticity as possible,” Disser said. “You know, try not to Americanize it too much, but keep it within the parameters of what people are used to seeing.”
For in-person dining, the menu features many of the same dishes, scaled down for individuals, as well as sandwiches, salads and sides.
The “provisions” part of the business are for sale in a deli counter — homemade pickles, pimento cheese, pomodoro sauce and spicy carrot hummus.
The hours are geared toward lunch, but there’s also four-course Saturday dinner pairings. Tickets will be sold online with limited seating to produce an intimate setting.
“That kind of allows us to get kind of to our roots with a little bit higher end, gourmet [meals]” Belli said.
On top of the ready-made meals, which are also available in smaller, two-person portions, they’ll continue to offer catering. It’s all about flexibility, they said.
“The more you say ‘no,’ the more it turns people off,” Disser said. “You say ‘yes,’ and you’re going to continue to be successful.”
Belli and Disser are both area natives. Community support has been “huge” in getting the business off the ground, the partners said. Early in the pandemic, they forged bonds with clients by delivering meals themselves. Their initial success was through plain old word-of-mouth. They, in turn, gave back by donating meals to families that suffered job loss. Customers started writing checks, asking that it go toward a meal for a family in need.
“It was 100% grassroots, I mean, we started off as simple as using MailChimp and just sending out emails trying to get a database going for our consumers.
After a soft opening of the brick-and-mortar store last week, during spring break, feedback has been positive. Disser said customers have told them a grab-and-go concept was a needed addition to the Square.
Belli and Disser had both worked for a hospitality group with 23 restaurants across the southeast. There was a stability in working their corporate jobs, where they were assigned concepts and brought new restaurants to fruition. But every chef, Belli said, dreams of “rolling the dice” and having their own place one day.
“Our confidence comes from the fact that we’ve done this for so long,” Disser said. And working for themselves, “it’s a big weight lifted off your shoulders.”
Neighborhood Cuisines & Provisions is located at 34 Powder Springs Street, open Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.


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Cord cutting has become a trend that is either reviled (by established broadcast industry types) or lauded as the wave of the future (by those who want to ditch their cable boxes for good).
There are thousands – nay, tens of thousands – of words written either in support of, or trying to predict the future of, cord cutting.
If you try and keep up, it seems like the prevailing popular opinion at the moment is that cord cutters are people who hate their cable company, or hate the idea of a cable company, so they are opting out. There is a popular image of cord cutters being people who cancel their cable bill, stick some type of antennae they bought on Amazon out of their apartment window and watch two or three local channels if their reception is good enough, then spend the rest of their time on NetFlix. The image of these viewers is that they are ‘hipster’ (said with the disdain that you might refer to someone who just walked across your clean floors with wet mud on their shoes) and that they hate sports or just care nothing for them. Broadcast executives in boardrooms are creating profiles of viewers who want to mountain bike in the morning, sip free trade coffee from their local artisan cafe in the mid day, then do their best to actively ignore any type of traditional advertising for the rest of their day.
But how accurate is that image? Traditional broadcasters are working to come up with new ways to insert advertising in a more palatable way to viewers. They introduce 6-second ads, or come up with new ways for product placement that they think will get around the more millennial consumer’s guard. All in a pursuit of trying to find out how to lure the cord cutters back to their viewing platform – and, boy, are people fleeing those platforms by the millions.
Add in another astonishing fact: despite viewership totals dropping rapidly, sports networks are paying more than ever for broadcast rights. So they are anteing up with more cash to pay for products that less and less people are watching. There is some pickup in live streaming, such as the massive numbers the World Cup is getting – but those numbers are still pumping into the existing cable model. I watch the World Cup (legally) on a live stream because I already subscribe to Fox Sports and FS1. However, do a search on Google or DuckDuckGo for World Cup live streams and you’ll see hundreds of sites who are providing those same feeds, bootlegged, for free. So you must consider: clearly fans want to watch. They also don’t want cable. This all seems to be an easy equation to me: cable television costs too much. I don’t mean it’s just expensive (it is), but also that the value isn’t there. Cable bills continue to rise several times a year and the quality doesn’t just remain flat, it’s actively getting worse.
It’s barely there for me, and I am a rabid sports fan. There’s almost nothing on today’s cable television package that is worth watching to me, and the only reason I still have cable is because of live sports (and HBO). I am fully aware I’m not alone, that this is the crux of the issue for cord cutters. They don’t see quality programming they are interested in, and if someone isn’t a sports fan, that just makes the decision to leave cable behind much easier.
Then there’s the legendarily bad customer service from cable companies, and people who don’t want to subsidize sports with their cable dollars are not only ready to leave, they are happy to leave cable.
In other words, people aren’t leaving cable television as a concept, they are leaving a bad, overpriced product being sold to them in a painful package.
I’m not sure people actually hate the concept of cable television, and I’m also not sure people are as vehemently against advertising in general in their programs (more on this later, as I’ll share some of our own numbers at NetCast Sports). My belief has been for some time that as a general rule, big businesses are reactionary to trends, and they try a lot of things to keep their businesses as-is. I often refer to McDonald’s as the number one example of a company that never changes, but believes that they do. McDonald’s is a company that constantly advertises that they are ‘changing’ their menu or their core business…but the reality is that their burgers are still the same, the fries are still the same and all they really do is change how they list the products on their reader boards. The most recent example of this is IHOP; a company that is known for breakfast, but has had burgers and other menu items for years. Facing competition and falling revenue, they’ve decided to launch a campaign to temporarily re-brand themselves as ‘IHOB’ – International House of Burgers. Ad execs and marketers lauded IHOP’s campaign, but the truth about IHOP is that other, better competitors have been growing and taking IHOP’s breakfast market share for years. IHOP hasn’t improved their product – they are just thinking that if they get enough publicity, people will come back to them instead of the better offerings their competitors are producing.
Contrast that with Dominos, which found itself with sluggish sales and made a bold choice: admit their pizza was no longer high enough quality to compete in the marketplace, then – drum roll, please – actually improved their product quality. This led to a turnaround that pushed Dominos back into relevance.
Let’s consider what it would have looked like if Dominos had done the same thing that cable television providers have been doing: instead of admitting their product wasn’t competitive, they could have simply changed the color of the boxes they deliver in. Instead of offering a better product at the same price as their previous product, they could up the cost with no changes. Instead of adding new, improved menu items, they could have scaled back the ingredients available so that their pizzas had less toppings, but cost the same or more. All of these things sound like terrible ideas, because they are – and yet this is effectively what cable companies and broadcasters are doing right now.
When I started NetCast Sports, it was born out of the idea of what I wanted – a la cart sports programming. We offer viewers the option of a cheap monthly subscription or single-event viewing. Don’t want to subscribe? We’ve got an option for that. Don’t want advertising in your monthly subscription? We’ve got an option for that. Want to watch for a week, then cancel, then subscribe again six months later? We’ve got all of those options, too. And you don’t have to pick up the phone.
I’m aware that the big networks are buying up rights to major sports such as the NBA and NFL. It’s because they are attempting to retain control of events that keep people subscribed to their cable packages and drive viewers. However, as I mentioned earlier, right now is the networks trying to bail out the Titanic with a small bucket. The trend isn’t in their favor. We are more active in smaller markets where we feel we can bring in interested viewers. Those aren’t massive multi-million dollar deals, but they aren’t losing multi-million dollar deals, either.
Some notes about our subscribers: while this may change, it may surprise people to know that the vast majority of our viewers do not opt for the ‘ad-free’ subscription. They take the option for traditional game broadcasts, ads and all. Sure, we have less ads than television, but the current trend for us today is that most of our NCSN subscribers are fine with ad supported broadcasts.
Here’s my opinion, at least as it stands today: sports fans and cord cutters are not at odds. The problem that sports fans run into is that the sports they want to watch are not available to them in an easy-to-access format, or there are rights deals that have become so entangled that they can’t get access to the games or events they want. What sports fans want, for example, is to be able to watch their favorite college football team or Euroleague basketball team without having to subscribe to cable AND make sure their cable provider has secured the digital streaming rights AND make sure there’s no blackout rules preventing them from watching. There are dozens of VPN services that exist primarily just to help people watch the sports content they want. That’s not only tedious, it’s hostile to the consumer. It’s no wonder there are hundreds of sites offering illegal sports streams – because they are easier to use.
Let that sink in for a moment: it’s easier to search on Google for an illegal sports stream and watch that stream than it is to pay and watch the event legally. That is completely absurd. What other viable businesses are there where it’s easier to steal the product and use it than just buy it? I’m not talking about ‘not wanting to pay for it’, we’re talking about a product that even when people want to pay for it, it’s too complicated or comes with too many strings attached. That. Is. Not. Sustainable.
I’m not sure when YouTube went off the rails with their algorithm, but as of right now, you can bring up YouTube in a browser and find live, illegal, 24 hour a day feeds of shows like The Simpsons, or Family Guy, and when the NBA playoffs are going on, those are on there as well. YouTube actively works to prevent illegal IP content on their site, and it’s still easier to get than subscribing legally. This is clearly a problem.
Our goal at NetCast Sports Network isn’t to reproduce the cable model – and we don’t think charging people $50/mo for a single channel is realistic, either. We are focused on live sports streaming that is truly a la cart. We’ll continue to add ways to access the content – and we’ll continue to add content that isn’t only live games as well – but the concept is that cable packages are going to be a thing of the past, and viewers need options for the future if that’s going to happen.


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Industrial design and advanced manufacturing business Integra Systems is this year’s inductee at the 2022 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards.
Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Ben Carroll congratulated the winners and finalists at an awards ceremony last night in Melbourne – marking the 20th anniversary of the renowned awards.
‘Made in Victoria’ was the theme for this year’s awards, which highlight the breadth of products, machinery and equipment produced in Victoria, and recognises the people and businesses that are driving the sector’s success and growth.
Awards were presented across 14 categories including three new awards for Leader in Low Carbon Economy, Outstanding Responsiveness to COVID-19 and Leader in Diversity and Inclusion.
Broadmeadows-based Integra Systems, which manufactures light metal products, also took out the award for Leader in Workforce Skills Development.
Health technology company Planet Innovation was awarded Manufacturer of the Year for large business and Outstanding Responsiveness to COVID-19 for its work in producing critical health products throughout the pandemic, including surface sterilisation and portable ventilators.
Care Essentials, a healthcare manufacturer in Geelong, took out Manufacturer of the Year for medium businesses, and 3D printing company, Amaero Additive Manufacturing in Notting Hill was the small business winner.
NCI Packaging received the inaugural Leader in Low Carbon Economy award for reducing its energy output by installing solar power across its Australian sites, while the Leader in Diversity and Inclusion award went to Elastomers Australia for providing more employment opportunities for Indigenous employees and women.
Victoria’s manufacturing industry contributes around $30 billion to the local economy each year, supports around 260,000 jobs and provides more than 27 per cent to the nation’s manufacturing output.
For the full list of winners and finalists, visit .
Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry Support and Recovery Ben Carroll
“Victoria is Australia’s manufacturing state and we are backing innovative companies to beat the best in the world.”
“These awards recognise the contribution of our leading manufacturers that are developing new technologies and processes that help to create jobs throughout Victoria.”
“We’re continuing to support our manufacturers because we want to expand what is made in Victoria – which will boost our economy.”
Reviewed 27 July 2022


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Downtown St. Louis residents and commuters last week witnessed the first outward sign of progress on a new grocery store, Culinaria – A Schnucks Market, when representatives from Midwest Sunray of Granite City, Ill., hoisted the sign onto the building.
The combination food-and-pharmacy store is being built by Legacy Building Group, LLC and is set to open Aug. 11. Unlike the typical construction project, most of the work is being done on the inside, which, according to store manager Tom Collora, makes the project a bit of a mystery to those passing by. “Construction is going very well, and the sign-raising is just the latest cause for celebration,” Collora said.
“Schnucks was founded in North St. Louis in 1939, so this is a lot like returning home,” he continues. “We have always maintained a strong connection to the city of St. Louis, and it will be good to see our name on a building in the heart of downtown. We see this new store as a tribute to our founders and to the St. Louis customers who have allowed us to serve them for the past 70 years. Later this summer, Schnucks is going to really give them something special.”
Culinaria – A Schnucks Market is located on the ground floor of the Ninth Street Garage at the corner of 9th and Olive Streets in downtown St. Louis. The new urban concept store is 21,000 square feet on the first level, and 6,000-square-feet on the mezzanine. Culinaria will be the ninth Schnucks store in the city of St. Louis, as well as the 67th in the metropolitan area.
St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets, Inc. operates a total of 105 stores (including five Logli stores) and 101 pharmacies in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Tennessee and Mississippi.


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Tag Archives: mCommerce
It’s no secret that Responsive Web Design is a growing trend in the world of eCommerce. As the number of different mobile and tablet devices available continues to grow, and the consumer market continue to snap up said devices, the … Continue reading
This Cyber Monday our CEO, Eric Abensur, was invited onto CNBC’s Closing Bell to discuss this years Cyber Weekend & the ways in which tablets are changing consumer behaviours.


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- Business Wire•11 hours ago
Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced today that its third quarter 2016 financial results will be released on Tuesday, November 1, after the market closes. At 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Gilead’s management will host a conference call to discuss the company’s financial results for the third quarter 2016 and provide a general business update.
- Benzinga•13 hours ago
Jefferies maintained its Buy rating on Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD ) saying that Wall Street underappreciated the impressiveness of last week's phase II 4997 data and shares don't reflect HIV stability ...
- Barrons.com•16 hours ago
Jefferies analyst Brian Abrahams and team contend that the Street missed the importance of last week's NASH data from Gilead Sciences (GILD). They explain why: Following discussions with a NASH key opinion ...
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD)
NasdaqGS - NasdaqGS Real Time Price. Currency in USD
|Day's Range||73.91 - 74.68|
|52wk Range||72.21 - 110.77|
|1y Target Est||N/A|
Trade prices are not sourced from all markets
|P/E Ratio (ttm)||6.53|
|Avg Vol (3m)||10,444,441|
|Dividend & Yield||1.88 (2.54%)|


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Lithuania is quickly turning into one of the more cryptocurrency-friendly nations in the world. It has been working to introduce new regulations, including on the operation of initial coin offerings (ICOs), and even the country’s central bank has voiced its modest support for digital assets. Now, the country is looking to keep the momentum moving forward and is going to introduce legal amendments that will provide oversight for businesses operating in the Bitcoin industry.
According to The Baltic Times, the country’s finance ministry is going to increase the control of crypto-related businesses, including those that operate virtual exchanges, depository wallets and ICOs. They are expected to adhere to more stringent requirements relating to anti-money laundering and terrorism financing and Sigitas Mitkus, who heads the Finance Ministry’s financial market policy department, explains, “We want to create a transparent legal environment for virtual currency exchanges, depository wallet operators and ICO initiators. We also want to contribute to ensuring better consumer protection.”
Under the new guidelines, companies will have to register with the Center of Registers to become a legal entity. Only as a legal entity will they be able to conduct business and the companies will also be required to adhere to the Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing and Know Your Customer regulations. In keeping with policies established across the globe, they will also have to report any transactions of considerably high volumes to the Financial Crime Investigation Service.
Based on the new regulations, Mitkus asserts that Lithuania is going to become the first country to implement guidelines established by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2018. It could also be the first to implement the requirements for both crypto-to-fiat conversions and internal fiat-to-fiat trading.
He explains, “By introducing limits for financial operations, we are going further beyond the EU directive and we will probably become the first in the world to implement the FATF recommendations and apply the requirements not only to the conversion of virtual currency to traditional ones and vice versa, but also when converting one virtual currency into another.”
The amendments, which still have to be approved, seek to make the European Union Anti-Money Laundering Directive and the FATF regulations part of Lithuanian law, the first country to make such a move.
New to blockchain? Check out CoinGeek’s Blockchain for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about blockchain technology.


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THQ Nordic has taken to Twitter to announce that they will be bringing a remastered version of the classic platformer-puzzle De Blob to the Nintendo Switch.
The Twitter posts reads that THQ Nordic is "pleased to announce that a remastered version of De Blob will be coming to the Nintendo Switch." It was also addressed in the Twitter post that THQ Nordic would be in "collaboration again" with the Spanish video game developer company Blitworks which worked on the first De Blob game.
THQ Nordic is pleased to announce that the remastered version of #deBlob will be coming to #NintendoSwitch in 2018! Again, in collaboration with @BlitWorks. #platformer #actiongame #thqnordic #blitworks— THQNordic (@THQNordic) February 13, 2018


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After twisting its way into the cooling and heating of nerd homes, the Nest has slimed down, metaled up and received an upgrade brain.
All posts tagged ‘Nest’
- 9:00 AM
- 2:01 PM
Honeywell, a company long known for its commercial and residential thermostats, filed a patent infringement lawsuit on Monday against Nest Labs, the outfit that launched the highly publicized Nest thermostat last October.
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This week on the Gadget Lab Podcast, the gang talks about wellness tech, funky robotic vacuums, and a stylish smart thermostat.
- 12:31 AM
What if you could apply all the skills and brilliance of Silicon Valley to produce a thermostat that was smart, thrifty and so delightful that saving energy was as much fun as shuffling an iTunes playlist? The new Nest thermostat …
- 6:00 AM
IPad stands are useful right up until you’re not using them to stand-up your iPad. Then they become desktop pariahs, turning from tabletop-tidies to plastic clutter in seconds. Unless, that is, the stand is the BlueLounge Nest. This little box …


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#Apple fan are always searching news about Cupertino's new products: when are #iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 coming out? And what features and design will they have? Here's all we can argue from latest rumours . iPhone 6 and 6c are going strong on the market (in a few months they have already broken all records set by previous models, 5c and 5s, securing the company a 40% market share in the United Kingdom, according to research firm Kantor Worldpanel ComTech) but Apple's developers are already working on new devices.
Let's start from the possible release dates. According to most tech magazines, next year we will see a new iPhone - be it iPhone 6s or iPhone 7 . Many experts argue the iPhone 6s will be released in 2015 first quarter, while iPhone 7 will be presented in September. Others think the first model will come out in 2015 and the next in 2016.
The imagined new iPhone, according to rumours, features a reduction in size between the screen and the home button. The new smartphone could have a sapphire glass display : a rumour by China Economic Weekly suggests that Foxconn Technology Group, Apple's main iPhone assembly partner, plans to spend $2.6 billions on a sapphire plant in Taiwan. Apple is reportedly working on extensively improving the camera of its next smartphone, something that can take pictures of DSLR quality. This feature would certainly be welcomed by Apple fans, as iPhone 6 has an 8 MP main camera while its main rival, Samsung Galaxy S5 has a 16 MP one. Next iPhone could also be powered by an A9 processor.
For Apple, 2015 will also be Apple iWatch's year: the smartwatch is probably coming out in the first quarter. Reports also say that the company is planning to discontinue the iPhone 4s and the iPhone 5c, stopping the production of these devices in the second half of 2015. As usual, Cupertino has not confirmed any of these rumours. But developers are working hard on new products, to try to win the ever-lasting "smartphone war" with its main competitor, Samsung.


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2020-10-17 › First Pistachio Processing Factory Opens in Badghis Province
The first pistachio processing factory in Badghis was
inaugurated last week in the presence of local government officials and business
With a processing line equipped with five pistachio crushing
machines, the factory has the capacity to process 300-500 kilos of pistachio in
one hour, which is 7,200-12,000 kilos in a day.
The factory’s processing line has the capacity for installation
of five more crushing machines that could double the processing capacity of the
Financed by the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture and the
private sector, this factory is built at
a total cost of USD 157,500.
“This factory is built according to the market standards. In
addition to crushing and processing pistachios, this factory also does sorting,
grading, cleaning, and packaging of the pistachios. We are sure this factory
will help Badghis pistachio gain international recognition,” said Head of Agriculture
Department in Badghis, Abdul Tawab Tayeb.
The current and traditional method of crushing and
processing pistachios in Badghis results in 10% waste of the products, but with
the establishment of the new factory, the waste is reduced to 1%.
According to estimates from traders in western Afghanistan,
if the Badghis pistachio is crushed and cleaned by a machine, the value of one kilo
of pistachio kernels will increase by 150 AFN. Based on these estimates, the
value of Badghis pistachios this year could go up by over 600 million AFN,
equivalent to over USD 7 million.
This year, about 36,458 tons of fresh pistachios have been
produced in the province, of which 18,299 tons of dried pistachios have been obtained.
источник › https://wadsam.com


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Samsung-owned Harman International has launched JBL Free, a ‘truly wireless in-ear headphone’ that is expected to compete with the likes of Apple AirPods and Bose SoundSport Free, as well as the new Sony Xperia Duo wireless earbuds. The device has been priced at Rs. 9,999, and will be available for purchase at various online and offline stores across the country, including the company’s own webstore – harmanaudio.in – as well as at 350 Samsung stores across the country.
The JBL Free was originally showcased at the IFA 2017 in Berlin, Germany, and features 5.6mm drivers that have a frequency response between 10Hz and 22KHz. The earbuds also have Bluetooth connectivity with support for A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.6, HFP v1.6, and HSP v1.2, all of which enables a seamless cross-platform experience.
According to Sumit Chauhan, Vice President at HARMAN India’s Lifestyle Audio division, “The cord-free earbuds encourage music lovers and executives to break up from wires and neckbands for truly unrestricted movement”.
In terms of ergonomics, the JBL Free earbuds come with three ear-tip sizes and two silicone sleeve sizes to ensure an impeccable and secure fit. Users can also interchange ear-tips and sleeves for nine different size combinations. The earbuds are also said to be build using sweat and water resistant materials, which means they can be used in the rain without any worries about liquid damage.
JBL is also emphasizing on the battery-life of its latest earphones, asserting that they can last up to 24-hours on a single charge, thanks to a smart charging case that provides for up to 4 hours of continuous listening and a 20-hour battery backup. It also offers a 15-minute quick-charge mode that adds an hour of music playback, says that company.


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Fifth of top brands’ social media accounts are ‘fraudulent’
Brands are at increasing risk of falling victim to social media fraud, research has found.
Read the full article at: www.campaignlive.co.uk
We’ve all seen fake brands on different social media channels but few realize just how common it is to find fraudulent accounts. This is an increasing problem for major brands who need to monitor various social media channels and ensure they are being represented accurately.


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What will be the next fintech breakthrough? On June 23, 16 startups from around the world gathered at the British Museum in London to pitch on the WIRED Money Startup Stage.
From blockchain to alternative lending and working in emerging markets, the startups had five minutes to pitch their ideas to our expert judges. On the panel, Marisol Menéndez Alvarez, open innovation manager at BBVA; Yann Kandelman, head of investment at Orange Digital Ventures and James Temperton, acting deputy editor of WIRED.co.uk.
These pitches are all focused on digital-only banks and new ways to pay.
WIRED Money 2016 Startup Stage winner
If you're coming to the US to work or study, getting credit and loans can be tricky. Kobina Ansah and Shuo Zhang, co-founders of ModernLend, are trying to change that. Their startup uses alternative data metrics to provide credit cards and loans to creditworthy international citizens shut out of the US system.
Traditional banks may decline borrowers who lack a US credit history, says Ansah. These people, hugely creditworthy in their home countries, are unable to borrow in the US as they lack a credit history or social security number. The startup is already working with the international student offices at the University of Pennsylvania and NYU and will launch its first card for international citizens this autumn.
Saving is a $35 trillion global market, but only 18 per cent of young adults save with a major financial institution. Benedetta Arese Lucini, co-founder and CEO of Oval Money, wants to make it more fun. The savings app uses MangoPay to create a digital wallet that lives on a user's smartphone.
Oval Money gamifies saving using an 'If This Then That' model to tap into pretty much any API: run five miles? Save £1. Buy something from Amazon? Save five per cent of the total purchase. Oval Money can also use micro-transactions, making it easy to save tiny amounts regularly to build up a large pot.
Herzliya, Israel-based PayKey wants to make it easy to pay for goods within any app. The idea is simple, Dario Mutabdzija, president and head of business development: a white-label keyboard for iOS that lets anyone transfer money to anyone else in an app. According to Mutabdzija, incumbent banking and payment apps aren't contextual or "integrated into the daily lives of consumers".
As PayKey is totally service agnostic, it can work anywhere, so users can pay within Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp - wherever.
If you've got kids, there's a chance you already provide them with financial services – but you probably call it pocket money. Robin aims to "connect kids to the financial world through their parents in a safe way," says Robin CEO Rogelio Valdés Garcia. The app, which links a wallet with a parent's bank account, uses gamification to encourage responsible saving and money management.
When it launches Robin will charge £2 per month to use the service and hopes to partner with banks to move children onto real accounts when they are old enough.