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From last May to May this year, the United States revised the rules twice in a row, and tried its best to suppress Huawei even if it used the emergency state law. This year, overseas manufacturers are also required to abide by U.S. policies. Huawei now needs to restructure its supply chain to avoid US restrictions, which is very difficult, but Huawei’s internal staff said it is not impossible.
on the evening of May 15, the US Department of Commerce’s Industry and Security Bureau (BIS) announced a “plan aimed at protecting US national security” on Friday local time “, as long as it is a direct product that uses the software and technology on the US business control list, it will be restricted.
With the announcement of this policy, TSMC will be restricted even if it uses no more than 25% or less than 10% of U.S. technology, resulting in huawei the chip developed by myself may be cut off.
However, the United States has also given a 120-day buffer for this policy, which is expected to be officially implemented in September, when more detailed approval policies should be released.
From last year to now, Huawei has been actively reshaping its supply chain, excluding US technologies and products, Mate 30 5G mobile phone and MatePad Pro tablets and other products, the proportion of U.S. technology or components is already very low, with a share of 2-5%.
How likely is Huawei to break the shackles of the United States? Everyone knows that this is very difficult. The network broke the news that Huawei has held many meetings to discuss this issue. It is not very optimistic about the result of completely replacing US technology.
However, sources of Huawei’s supply chain management still have not lost confidence, saying “The good news is that we still have time. The redesign of chip architecture and supply chain takes time, but it is by no means an impossible task.”


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» Tinju Dunia Terbaru
Tinju Dunia Terbaru
Tinju Dunia Terbaru on Technology News and Updates AdmaTechnology.com at Sunday, April 20, 2014
LG Optimus Vu also comes with a rubberdium pen.
LG Mobile Indonesia launched a smartphone LG Optimus Vu. Measuring at 5-inch screen, smartphone based on Android Ice Cream Sandwich is a sleek and stylish look.
“LG Optimus Vu, directed to the user [...]
Rotation with the sun at a distance equal to the Earth’s rotation on the solar system.
An expert team of Anglo-German astronomers have discovered a new planet orbiting a nearby sun in the same distance as the Earth orbits the sun so that it has [...]
Amazon, one of the sites online stores which previously launched the Kindle Fire, is currently preparing the set-top box itself.
Set-top box (STB) is a device that plugs into the receiver where the TV is capable of displaying special display or like [...]
One of the best Android smartphone HTC output, One X, is now getting a refresher with some improvement in terms of hardware.
Products named HTC One X+ uses an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core 2nd generation 1.7GHz speeds.
“One X+ equipped with batteries [...]
Casio introduces intensified digital camera products. Vendors who are familiar with the calculator’s current product offering premium grade camera at a price of Rp 3.9 million or about $390 U.S. dollars, is kind Exilim, the ZR 700 and ZR 1000.
For those who are used to using Microsoft Office
Windows Phone 8 (WP 8) is a second-generation operating system from Microsoft, Windows Phone, which was first launched in 2010. WP 8 first introduced in October yesterday and with it Microsoft hopes to [...]
Inspired by the MacBook Air.
Google seems to be more serious about growing its business into hardware, not only playing in mobile platforms, search engines, and internet advertising. The proof is in cooperation with Samsung, Google launched its Chromebook [...]
Samsung finally sealed on March 14, 2013 as the beginning of the emergence of new smartphone, Galaxy S4.
Excerpted from The Verge, Monday (2/25), is the boss of Samsung, JK Shin, which ensures that date when he was commenting on the 2013 MWC Barcelona.
The talk on social networking Twitter.
A photo cards appalling universe of cyberspace, especially on social networks. From the photo clearly visible a business card Apple Canada to that of a man named Sam Sung.
A business card is interesting when related [...]
BlackBerry, formerly known as RIM, decided not to sell latest BlackBerry 10 smartphone in Japan.
“Japan is not a major market for the BlackBerry,” said the company recently announced that BlackBerry Q10 and Z10.
Quoted from Cnet, Friday [...]
You are one of the fans of the game Plants Vs Zombies? If yes, then this time there is interesting info for you.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Wednesday (8/5), the latest version, Plants Vs Zombies 2: It’s About Time, is reportedly ready to slide in July [...]

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Bank of England meeting
An in-depth look at the Bank of England’s MPC announcement
– including its role in shaping the UK economy,
and how this affects traders.
The BCC’s head of economics, Suren Thiru, tells IGTV’s Victoria Scholar why a gloomy outlook on the UK economy is meant to serve as a wake-up call to the British government.
The UK economy is poised for its worst calendar year of growth since 2009, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). In its quarterly economic forecast, the business group downgraded its outlook for UK economic growth for 2018 to 1.3% from 1.4%, and also cut its outlook for 2019 growth from 1.5% to 1.4%. Consumer spending, business investment and trade forecasts were downgraded.
The BCC expects service sector output growth to slow to 1.2% in 2018, which would be the weakest level since 2010. The report said that disappointing consumer spending is likely to hit consumer facing industries like retail and hospitality. The construction sector is forecast to come under significant pressure, slowing from 5.7% growth in 2017 to 0.7% in 2018. In an interview with IGTV, BCC’s head of economics, Suren Thiru said, ‘what is actually underlying the below average growth has been the failure to deal with some of those longstanding issues, so weak productivity, the imbalances in our economy, overreliance on consumer spending and services to drive growth’.
This week the Bank of England (BoE) is widely expected to keep rates on hold, with a rate hike in August in the balance, according to market expectations. Thiru told IG, ‘during a period of both economic and political uncertainty, what the Bank of England should be doing is providing monetary stability’. He added that with growth and inflation coming down, ‘the case for increasing rates is really limited at the moment’ and accused the central bank of ‘sending out mixed messages’.
The UK’s net trade position is expected to worsen over the next few years, according to the BCC. Exporters are expected to ‘struggle to recover the ground lost in the year so far, as growth in key markets moderates’. A possible trade war is among the reasons cited for the BCC forecasts to suggest that ‘the economy is in a torpor’. When asked about the potential impact of global trade tension and increased protectionism, Thiru told IG ‘it is certainly a concern’. He said if trade tensions become more widespread then could hurt UK exporters and business investment, which could in turn weigh on confidence.
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The electric car industry in China has exploded over the past few years with big-ticket car manufacturers and start-ups getting into the act. In a fresh development, Japanese car making giant Toyota has decided to sell its electric car manufacturing technology to small Chinese outfit Singulato, which has been in the doldrums for some time now. The transaction is a highly advantageous one for both organisations as they both try to get a foot in the door before the electric vehicle industry explodes in a few years.
One of the most important outcomes from this deal for Toyota is the fact that it has acquired the rights for the green credits that Singulato will earn once it starts producing its own cars. These credits will definitely give Toyota huge leverage from the regulatory authorities when the industry in China has more competition. In addition to that, the deal will give the Japanese company key insights into the nature in which Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers work. It would allow them to make certain tweaks in their own business when it comes to their business strategy in China.
One of the people at Toyota, who is close to the developments as regards to this deal, stated that the company is looking forward to a new paradigm in the car industry and they would need to evolve their way of doing business if they are to remain dominant. He said,
“With electrification, autonomous driving and car-sharing shaking up the industry, old ways need to be re-examined. We have a century’s lead in automotive technology, but we also need to be humble enough to learn from newcomers.”
The deal is almost completed and it is all set to be announced on Tuesday, according to a report by Reuters.
Although Singulato has not been able to produce a signature car yet and has been in the doldrums, it remains a major player among electric vehicle startups in the country. Considering the fact that it has backers like Intel, it is perhaps a wise move from Toyota to side with the startup. The company is expected to sell its first electric car at some point in 2020 but with the purchase of technology from Toyota, it could well accelerate the process and march ahead of rivals in China. Shen Haiyin, the head of Singulato said,
“This deal gives us a way to save on time and costs to develop a reliable car and focus on what we excel in.”


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According to a survey posted on Monday by USA TODAY, your cracked iPhone could be the reason you’re not getting lucky. This comes as just one of many revelations revealed during the annual Singles in America survey, which asked 5,000 millennials their take on dating. When it comes to the iPhone, the singles surveyed made it clear that they don’t like phones which are cracked, old, or make those annoying clicking sounds when you text. To find out what else the survey revealed, check out the video here.
And if you’re looking for an update, expect to pay over $1,000 USD for Apple’s forthcoming iPhone.


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It is considered to be a historic artifact by many in the computer-engineering world, and one of the rarest of all computer platforms, it is the Apple I. Christie’s has announced that it will be arranging the auction for the computer, which will carry a starting bid of $300,000.
The computer in question (pictured above) is both authentic and functional, well-funded parties will be able to bid on the historic machine until the auction closes on July 9, 2013. The computer in question isn’t in its original configuration. The owner picked up the computer three-years ago, and since then has added a monitor, keyboard and a tape-deck for additional storage. The main motherboard of the machine is authentic however.
What makes the computer such an important piece is that the original configuration was built and designed by the Steve Wozniak and the late Steve . The computer itself is from 1976, older than many of the consumers that are reading this article on iPhones, iPads and Macs. “This is a piece of history that made a difference in the world, it’s where the computer revolution started,” said Ted Perry, a retired school psychologist and owner of the machine. This according to the AP.
It is estimated that only 200 of the computers were built, many of which have been lost or destroyed forever. The standard memory for the machine was eight kilobytes of memory.


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The presence of asbestos was once commonplace in construction, shipbuilding and automotive industries, a practice that continued into the 1970’s. Up until the 1990’s, home insulation and building materials believed to be safe contained asbestos. Today, deadly fibers are still released into the air when materials are disturbed despite efforts to curtail the risk of exposure.
The shocking discovery of asbestos in Johnson & Johnson baby powder has increased awareness of its presence in consumer products. It has also put a larger number of consumers at risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses.
A Cosmetic Catastrophe
If you have frequented a shopping mall over the past few decades, you have probably seen a Claire’s store. Established in 1961, the retail chain boasts thousands of locations throughout the world. The retailer markets products that imitate high fashion costume jewelry, hair accessories, clothing items and makeup products for teens and tweens.
Three of their branded cosmetics have now caught the attention of the Food and Drug Administration after their testing uncovered the presence of tremolite asbestos. The ban includes Claire’s Eye Shadows, Compact Powder and Contour Pallette.
Following the release of the FDA’s findings, Claire’s announced the removal of those products from store shelves. However, the retailer disputes the agency’s findings. They allege mistakes and mischaracterizations in their report and contest the highly public rush to judgement.
While products placed on shelves can be removed quickly, dangers persist with Claire’s cosmetics remaining in homes and likely still being used.


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P500M worth of smuggled goods seized in Tondo raid
MANILA, Philippines—Police seized about P500 million worth of smuggled goods in a raid in Tondo, Manila on Friday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin said operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group seized the smuggled goods during the raid on seven warehouses along Rivera Street in Tondo.
The confiscated goods consist of Sony batteries, children’s products, perfumes,and other items, Jasmin said.
She said the CIDG would coordinate with the product’s brand owner, saying the seized goods were suspected of being counterfeit.
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UNDATED (AP) -- Shoppers who think turkey and all the trimmings are more expensive this year are exactly right.
The Food Institute says turkey this year averages a dollar-five a pound, up from 79 cents last year -- an increase of nearly 33 percent.
Add to that hikes in potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions, and the total cost of Thursday's dinner heads skyward.
But there is some good news on other items -- frozen carrots, canned apples, green beans and corn are all lower in price this year than last.
And for those who live in the Northeast, the Shop Rite chain is offering a free turkey for shoppers who spend 300 dollars during a promotional period.
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Apple after releasing iOS 9.2.1 beta 2 for iDevices on January 4 2016, it has today released iOS 9.3 beta 1 for previously enrolled developers. The public beta test program has been going for quite some time now, as all apple developers and public beta testers are aware of. Instead of releasing it as 9.2.1 beta 3 it listed the new update as 9.3 beta 1.
As this is only available for developers, soon public users will be able to get their hands on this new release before they know it. So what is the point of all this new software or OS updates? It majorly fixes and covers the bugs and other back lagging process released in the previous versions.
The new update is reportedly said to be having some nice and brand new features. As for the people who are already on the developers enrolled list can directly update this using mobile network. For this navigate to Settings>General>Software Update and install the latest iOS 9.3 beta 1.
And if you are a new member for the developer program, then you have to download the IPSW file from the Member Center using your Apple id. Restore it using iTunes on to your device. And the recent rumors of Luca Todesco successfully jailbreaking iOS 9.2.1 proves that the new releases may be done easily. On the other hand he also posted about not upgrading from 9.1 to 9.2 as it is a bit hard and complex to achieve.
Let’s hope by the time the new releases are available to the public users a jailbreak will be available. Check out for iOS 9.3 preview here.


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With the rebranding of Vodafone Idea, the company is trying to bring better and more personalised plans for its users. With this in mind, it has extended its lineup of family postpaid plans. There is a new RedX family plan in the mix with a price of Rs. 1,348. Vodafone Idea bill payment can be made through multiple platforms. You can get good cashback through the Airtel Payments bank platform, however. Without further ado, let us take a look into what this new plan has to offer.
An overview of the new plan
The RedX family plan is a new offering which will bring benefits like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Zee5 Premium subscriptions for a year. An interesting feature of this new plan is that it will be offering two connections. This means that it can be shared between two family members. The primary connection under the plan has the ability to enjoy unlimited high-speed data. The Red family plans from Vi had been announced quite a while ago. The RedX is now a new addition into these family postpaid plans. This new plan will be an additional option along with the previous plans from the telecom service provider.
RedX will offer nice benefits
According to Vi, the unlimited high-speed data would be available only for the primary holder. However, the second user will also get good usage. #0Gb high-speed data can be used by the second user. In case the second user needs more data, this can be availed at a price of Rs. 20 per extra GB used. The second connection also has the facility of data rollover up to 50 GB. This postpaid plan comes with some distinct benefits. Unlimited voice calls can be made with this plan. Also, 100 SMS can be sent every year.
Vi has not said how much high-speed data and calling facilities will be termed as ‘unlimited’. However, the operator has a commercial usage policy where 150GB is termed as commercial usage. Vi will treat a user calling more than 300 unique numbers in a week, cumulative incoming call duration of less than 15 minutes and cumulative outgoing call duration of more than 300 minutes as commercial use.
The plans would offer a year-long subscription to Amazon Prime worth Rs. 999, ZEE5 Premium worth Rs. 999 and Netflix worth Rs. 5988. The plan would also be offering access to international and domestic airport lounges. Domestic lounge facilities are available 4 times a year and international lounges are available once for the primary connection. Considering all these facilities, this new RedX plan is certainly very useful. Vodafone Idea bill payment, Jio, BSNL, and Airtel postpaid bill payment can be made easily through the Airtel Payments Bank platform.
This new plan is limited to certain circles at this time. This plan is a revised version of the entry-level postpaid family plans. Even though there have been some recent hikes, you can perform Vodafone Idea bill payment with some cashback at Airtel Payments Bank platform.


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[Update: T-Mobile Note 9] September 2020 patch now rolling out for Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Right on cue, the September 2020 patch has been dropped for the Galaxy Note 9, continuing the excellent update record that Samsung has kept throughout 2020.
Should Samsung just merge the Galaxy Note and Galaxy S series? [Poll]
A new report out of South Korea suggests that Samsung is planning on adding an S Pen to the Galaxy S21 or S30 (depending on the overall naming convention). However, that poses a question, do you want to see the Galaxy Note and Galaxy S line merge?
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 bundles highlight today’s best deals, plus Jabra Headphones 33% off, more
Note 20 Ultra: 5 reasons to pick up this pricey powerhouse Android [Video]
The Galaxy Note 20 Ultra might be one of the most expensive smartphones on the market right now, but it comes with some serious hardware and is arguably one of the best devices you can buy, period.
[Update: Note 10 series] One UI 2.5 begins rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S20 series
The highly anticipated One UI 2.5 update is now rolling out to the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, having shipped pre-installed on the Galaxy Note 20 series.


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There are still many people who are deceived by this deception. For most consumers, what concerns them most when buying electronic products gets fake products, and the danger increases when purchases are made at corner stores.
In the smartphone market circulating fake devices (knockoff) disguised as the original device. Counterfeit is not simply a mimic of other brand designs, but it’s a straightforward copy of all aspects, from a physical look to a name to deceive buyers who seem to get the original device.
In its latest Knockoff Phones Report report, the popular benchmark software maker AnTuTu revealed that of the approximately 17.4 million mobile phones analyzed through AnTuTu Officer during 2017, as many as 2.64 percent turned out to be a fake device.
Antutu Knockoff Phones Report: CPU Cores of Knockoff Phones 2017
How many CPU cores are most seen in Knockoff phones in 2017? Antutu gives you the answer by analyzing a total amount of 17,424,726 verified phones from Antutu officer in 2017. pic.twitter.com/8Fe6rDm26c
— AnTuTu Labs (@AnTuTuLabs) January 19, 2018
Of that percentage, Samsung is the most forged brand of smartphones. Amounting to 36.23 percent of fake mobile phones in the data AnTuTu plagiarized Samsung smartphone models.
As summarized from GSM Arena, in succession following Apple iPhone 7.72 percent, Xiaomi: 4.75 percent, Oppo: 4.46 percent, and Huawei: 3.4 percent. The most fake model phones throughout 2017, according to AnTuTu Officer, is the Galaxy S7 series, folding phones Samsung W2016 and W2017, iPhone 7 Plus, OnePlus 3T, Xiaomi Mi5, and Galaxy S8 Plus Chinese version.
AnTuTu Officer is a service that can be used by AnTuTu benchmark users to verify whether his smartphone truly genuine or not. The number of users of AnTuTu Officer itself quite a lot, as mentioned in the above figures.
The quality of fake mobile phones are usually much different than the original device. As many as 60 percent using quad-core processors are cheap. Most also use the display panel 720p HD or Full HD 1080p.
Source: GSM Arena, An Tutu’s Twitter


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Cyberpunk 2077 is finally set to add new content to the expansive open-world RPG next month. Phantom Liberty promises massive changes to the game’s core mechanics in addition to famous actors like Idris Elba.
With a plethora of new trailers and gameplay footage over the last few months, fans are excited for the next big chapter of Cyberpunk 2077, which is also reflected in the game’s current position on Steam’s best-sellers charts.
Over a month before Phantom Liberty, Cyberpunk 2077 has already become the third-best-selling game on Steam.
Why it matters: Much like the game’s initial launch, Phantom Liberty is expected to be one of the biggest releases of 2023. CDPR has packed the expansion with enough content and changes to convince former players to return for another adventure in the game.
It should be noted that the list above excludes free-to-play releases like CS:GO.
Cyberpunk 2077 is currently 50% off on Steam. This sale, coupled with the excitement for Phantom Liberty, likely encouraged several new players to try the game.
CDPR’s latest release is no stranger to the Steam best-sellers charts. The game has already been on the list at various points of its lifecycle, but it continues to remain relevant in 2023.
With anticipated releases like Starfield and Armored Core 6 just over the horizon, Cyberpunk 2077 has still not been left behind. The game is currently outpacing both anticipated titles on Steam.
Recently, CDPR acknowledged that Cyberpunk 2077 has made a massive comeback on Steam. Following several years of patches and updates, over 80% of the game’s user reviews are currently positive on Steam.
However, CDPR believes that there is still work to be done. The studio had earned an exceptional reputation with The Witcher 3, but much of this was lost with Cyberpunk 2077.
CDPR hopes to win back lost trust through the promising revamp and the Phantom Liberty expansion.
While Phantom Liberty will be released to the public on September 26, the developer recently conducted a tour in Poland, allowing players to get hands-on time with the game for an hour.
Early impressions of the expansion have been extremely promising, and expectations are high for CDPR to deliver an enthralling RPG experience in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe.
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Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.


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According to insider reports, the PS5 Pro is currently being developed and could come out as early as next year.
Rumors about a new version of the PS5 have been heating up recently. While a lot of talk was about a PS5 Slim, people have also started wondering whether the console will get a slightly stronger version, like the previous generation did with the PS4 Pro.
It looks like that will actually be the case. According to Insider Gaming, a PS5 Pro is actually coming and aiming to release fairly soon.
PS5 Pro Is Coming
The report, which is quoting anonymous sources, claims that the PS5 Pro is currently in development and has a "tentative release date" of late 2024. Much more about the new console wasn't revealed, which is a shame. But it looks like Sony is looking into improving their implementation of Ray Tracing, which could be a feature of the PS5 Pro.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a new patent that suggests the format holder is looking to optimise its ray tracing effects on #PS5— Gamingnews (@Onion00048) February 25, 2022
Other graphical and technical improvements could only be speculated about at this point. Either way, it's hard to imagine the PS5 Pro making too much sense currently. The current gen has only really started to get momentum now, with most games still being cross-gen and not taking full advantage of the consoles' impressive tech.
Maybe all of that will change by the end of next year, when the PS5 Pro is set to release, and an even stronger console will make sense then.


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A travel mug designed in “Ausin,” Texas, and “mede” in China. Some Urban Decay eyeshadow primer that’s a few shades wrong, inside some slightly off packaging. Those were some of the 20 items purchased from third parties on popular e-commerce sites that proved counterfeit — among 47 assessed — in a 2018 Government Accountability Office report that called for an evaluation of the effectiveness of current intellectual property rights enforcement.
The problem appears to be growing. A 2019 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development report shows a pronounced increase, from $200 billion in fake goods, in 2005, to $509 billion in 2016.
More than just devaluing brands, knockoffs can also pose serious health and security threats. The GAO report spotlights counterfeit airbags and pharmaceuticals, a problem exposed further by the pandemic, and even integrated circuits “destined for Department of Defense supply chains.” Lawmakers invoked the GAO report in March, when they proposed legislation that would make e-commerce sites like Amazon, on which third parties operate, liable for counterfeits — a proposal that was introduced with rare bipartisan accord.
Up the I-95 corridor from D.C., in the Boston area, some MIT Research Labs alumni have developed a high-tech countermeasure to such supply chain vulnerabilities. DUST Identity has created a system that uses the quantum properties of low-cost, unclonable diamond dust to track and authenticate parts and components. (DUST stands for Diamond Unclonable Security Tag.)
It sounds like the stuff of Cold War spy fiction, but the benefits are very real.
“We’re providing the ability to trust things,” said DUST Identity co-founder Ophir Gaathon.
DUST has generated interest and investment in a way that mirrors the landscape described in overviews like the GAO report — an intersection of national security and commercial interest, from both consumer safety and brand value perspectives.
“It’s essentially identity management for physical objects.”
Airbus Ventures and Lockheed Martin Ventures both contributed to a $10 million Series A investment round last year, and industries that have both defense and commercial wings — like electronics manufacturers, additive manufacturers and logistics operators — have used DUST. Some automakers and luxury-goods companies have also taken notice, because it can be so difficult to source and trace parts. It could even potentially help boost the integrity of voting machines.
(For obvious reasons, Gaathon did not volunteer specifics about how clients use DUST. Built In reached out to Airbus, Lockheed Martin and SAP for general context about what category of parts might be secured with the system, but they did not return requests.)
Gaathon’s position has granted him a clear view of the supply chain sausage-making process, and it’s not always appetizing.
“Being able to authenticate components or sub-parts that go into assemblies really relies on trusting the vendor,” Gaathon said. “You make an assumption that the vendor will do good by you. Unfortunately, we’ve seen time and again that, either by error, economic incentive or security issues with a nation state actor, you’re not necessarily going to get the components you think you’re supposed to get.”
A Universe of ID Possibilities
For DUST, the answer to this big supply-chain challenge is small — nanoparticle small.
Here’s how it works: A dust of nanoscale diamonds, blended with one of several possible polymers, is applied to a part or component. Thousands of randomly distributed crystals create a distinct fingerprint, which can’t be reverse-engineered or cloned.
That’s because of a pretty remarkable opportunity that diamonds afford: Each identification is informed not only by the position of each crystal, but also the orientation of each crystal in relation to all the others. Added up, that creates a mammoth number of possible distinct fingerprints: more than 10230, according to DUST. Those orientations are made clear because the dust comes from engineered, nitrogen-vacancy diamonds, in which some carbon atoms are replaced with nitrogen ones.
And because we’re dealing with infinitesimal size — it can be applied at 0.0025mm2 — components as tiny as individual circuit resistors can be tagged.
The technology can also be used as supercharged security tape. Even if a thief replaced one of DUST’s anti-tamper stickers from goods, they could hardly replace it with another, with just-so distributed dust. Any tears or tampering would be evident in the dust pattern too. But the polymer blend has a high-stress threshold, which means simple jostling won’t disrupt the tag readability.
“The random nature of how [nanocrystals] fall, roll and tumble creates a fingerprint that is unique in the universe.”
“The random nature of how they fall, roll and tumble creates a fingerprint that is unique in the universe,” Gaathon said. “And that allows us to basically create a physical anchor that will allow us to associate information at different stages across the value chain.”
That means that, once the fingerprint is generated and loaded into the system, anyone along the supply chain with a DUST ID scanner can verify that the contents are the real thing and haven’t been meddled with.
“It’s essentially identity management for physical objects,” Gaathon added.
A Quantum Solution
The roots of DUST’s solution lie in one of the most buzzed-about emergent technologies: quantum computing. A stable, commercially scalable quantum computer will be a genuine watershed — a new class of machine that could usher in breakthroughs in drug discovery, financial modeling, materials science, artificial intelligence and more. But note the will be. Despite real milestones in quantum computing, including Google’s much-publicized “quantum supremacy” claim last year, researchers haven’t mastered a way to stabilize such processors’ highly noisy computational bits, called qubits.
That’s where diamonds come in. The most prominent method of quantum processing uses superconductors — that’s where IBM and Google are focused — but researchers have also found promising results with qubit systems based on, yep, nitrogen-vacancy diamonds. Notably, those don’t require the kind of herculean cooling systems that superconducting systems need.
“Diamonds happen to have very unique physical attributes that are associated with being able to hold qubits for a relatively long time at room temperature,” Gaathon said. “That’s the Holy Grail for quantum computers — the ability to operate not at very cold temperatures where quantum coherence can be longer, but actually operate at room temperature and still have quantum memory.”
Gaathon was exploring this very line of study during his time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“Dust is dust. It’s diamond dust, but we make it at scale.”
But regardless of method, even the sunniest optimists don’t anticipate quantum computers being commercially viable within even 10 years, and many expect the road to be far longer. That extended, murky timeline in part led Gaathon and some of his colleagues to explore other potential use cases that leveraged the same properties.
“Time horizons for those things are pretty long,” he said. “And we wanted to make sure that there’s a way for us to engage with customers and bring value faster.”
Turns out, the same property in diamonds that allows quantum information to be carried — the NV center — can also in effect create a sensor.
“If you have a system that is stable for a certain time, and you can put it in an unstable state because of external conditions, you’ve built a sensor,” Gaathon said.
Imagine a ball shifting across a shaking table, he said, by way of analogy. The ball movement is a sensor, allowing you to detect if the table is shaking.
“We used a qubit not to create memory, but to detect instabilities in the environment,” namely magnetic field disruptions, he said. “That was sort of like a quantum sensor.”
The commercial potential became clearer for Gaathon and his colleagues — DUST co-founders Jonathan Hodges and Dirk Englund, who currently leads the university’s Quantum Photonics Laboratory — especially as they developed the software and hardware to “talk” to the diamonds, namely a scanner system that leverages that magnetic resonance, and records and verifies nanodiamond distribution and orientation patterns. (DARPA took notice, too, investing $2 million in the project.)
And it all relies on the same kind of “quantum-engineered” diamonds that quantum computing researchers continue to investigate.
So if quantum processing will take us to another planet, computationally, then Gaathon and his crew at MIT “didn’t go to Mars — but we got to orbit,” he said, and that launched their supply-chain-security mission.
Diamond Dust Is Cheaper Than RFID Tags
Diamond nanocrystals, quantum engineering — without context, it all probably seems impossibly expensive. But once Gaathon learned the landscape of supply chains, it was clear that scalability — and therefore cost-effectiveness — would have to be paramount in any viable solution.
To that end, industrial diamond particulate is not exactly the stuff of Cartier watches. “Dust is dust,” Gaathon said. “It’s diamond dust, but we make it at scale.” Deployment for a-million-and-up products costs “fractions of a cent,” according to Gaathon.
He thinks it stacks up better than competing security options, like RFID tags, which are robust in terms of security and easy to operate, but more expensive, or barcode scanning, which is simple and cheap, but far from secure.
The fact that users can pick and choose how much coverage they need along their supply chain helps too. “We can build models that allow for customers to have dust on many devices, or have a limited number that go where they actually need those enhanced security needs today — and then work with that organization to expand how many customers can tap into that new capability,” he said.
In other words, target the big vulnerabilities, then widen adoption as needed. Companies “need to be able to close well-defined gaps,” Gaathon said. “Tackle that first, then expand either upstream or downstream.”


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With seven acquisitions in 2019 and a decline in RV shipments during the year, the annual results for LCI Industries, through its subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc. ("LCI"), showed a four percent decrease of net sales to $2.4 billion with a net income of $146.5 million.
During the year, LCI completed seven acquisitions, totalling $448 million, and boosted international sales by 40 percent to $145.8 million. Its aftermarket sales also grew, up by 20 percent on the previous year, to $279.6 million. It paid $63.8 million in dividends to shareholders.
"In 2019, we significantly advanced LCI's diversification through seven strategic acquisitions by investing nearly $450 million, including our largest acquisition to date, CURT Group, which effectively doubled the size of our aftermarket business and accelerated our path to becoming a dominant leader in the space.
In addition, as part of our efforts to broaden our international presence, in January 2020, we closed the acquisition of premier window supplier Polyplastic Group, which will enable us to grow further in key European markets. This expansion, combined with our commitment to innovation and execution on operational initiatives, supported a return to sales growth of 5 percent in the fourth quarter versus industry declines of 8 percent, while at the same time expanding operating margins by 120 basis points, year-over-year," said LCI Industries' Chief Executive Officer, Jason Lippert.
"Heading into 2020, we are maintaining our focus on delivering new, innovative products, leveraging our core competencies in adjacent markets, driving operational efficiencies, and realizing synergies from these recent acquisitions. We remain optimistic about the opportunities ahead of us, and are confident our team will continue their efforts to build on our momentum to further deliver value for our customers and shareholders," continued Jason Lippert.
Consolidated net sales for the full year 2019 were $2.4 billion, a decline of four percent from full year 2018 net sales of $2.5 billion. Net income for the full year 2019 was $146.5 million, or $5.84 per diluted share, compared to net income of $148.6 million, or $5.83 per diluted share, for the full year 2018.
The decrease in year-over-year net sales reflects a continuation of lower RV wholesale shipments seen throughout the year as dealers continued to correct their inventory levels, partially offset by continued growth in the Company's adjacent industries OEM, aftermarket and international markets. Net sales from acquisitions completed by the Company contributed $93 million in 2019.
Consolidated net sales for the fourth quarter of 2019 were $564.0 million, an increase of five percent from 2018 fourth quarter net sales of $536.6 million. Net income in the fourth quarter of 2019 was $28.8 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, compared to net income of $20.2 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The increase in year-over-year net sales for the fourth quarter of 2019 reflects the impact of acquisitions completed during the quarter, in addition to organic growth across the Company's adjacent industries OEM, aftermarket and international markets, partially offset by lower RV wholesale shipments. Net sales from acquisitions completed by the Company contributed $35 million in the fourth quarter of 2019.
The Company's content per travel trailer and fifth-wheel RV for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, increased $169 to $3,618, compared to $3,449 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018. The content increase in towables was a result of organic growth, including new product introductions and price increases, as well as acquisitions. The Company's content per motorhome RV for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, decreased $127 to $2,364, compared to $2,491 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018. The content decrease in motorhomes was primarily a result of the wholesale mix shifting to smaller units.
At December 31, 2019, the Company's cash and cash equivalents balance was $35.4 million, up from the balance of $14.9 million at the beginning of the year. The Company generated cash flow from operations of $269.5 million and used $447.8 million for acquisitions, $63.8 million for dividend payments to shareholders, and $58.2 million in capital expenditures for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. The Company's outstanding debt was $630.8 million at December 31, 2019.
LCI's January 2020 consolidated net sales were approximately $224 million, up 20 percent from January 2019.
LCI supplies a broad array of highly engineered components for the leading original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") in the recreation and transportation product markets, and the related aftermarkets of those industries.


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TAMARAC, Fla. — Sonny’s, the world’s largest manufacturer of conveyorized carwash equipment, parts and supplies, recently announced the acquisition of STI Conveyor Systems, according to a company press release.
STI is a family-owned manufacturer of belt conveyor solutions.
The complementary nature of the two companies presents substantial opportunity for carwash owners and for product innovation.
Both Sonny’s and STI are experiencing growing demand for their quality equipment in part due to their commitment to service and the strong relationships they have with their clients.
“Like Sonny’s, we strive to set the standard in every effort we undertake,” said Robert Stephenson, president of STI Conveyor Systems. “[Uniting] two companies with the same values of providing best-in-class products and experiences for our customers creates a stronger platform for our carwash clients to increase throughput and revenue.”
“When it comes to a belt conveyor, there is no company that engineers a belt conveyor better than STI. I have always been impressed with the equipment and the team’s emphasis on assisting carwash owners to create a premium customer experience,” said Paul Fazio, CEO of Sonny’s. “The combination of STI and Sonny’s conveyor options provides incredible opportunity for all express, flex and full-serve carwash owners.”
STI’s management and staff will remain in place with the factory in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.


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Snap, which could become the biggest technology public offering in years, defiantly operates unlike most Silicon Valley outfits. The question is whether this management style will help the company challenge Facebook.
South Korean prosecutors indicted Samsung’s de facto leader Lee Jae-yong on charges of bribery and four other offenses, setting in motion legal proceedings that could put the tycoon behind bars for years.
Uber enshrines “meritocracy and toe-stepping” in a list of 14 corporate values. That culture is now under scrutiny as the company faces allegations from a former engineer who said last week that managers dismissed her sexual-harassment complaints because the accused employee was a top performer.
Uber Technologies Inc. fired a top software engineer for failing to disclose allegations of sexual harassment at his previous employer, Alphabet Inc.’s Google, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Honda is creating a research arm focused on artificial intelligence, an area where car makers are racing against tech giants and upstarts—and where one of Honda’s American advisers says it risks falling behind.
That smartphone in your hand? Oh, it just has 10x more germs per square inch than a public toilet seat. You should give your phone a good cleaning at least once a week. Grab some of these household items and clean your phone the safe way.68
Within three decades, artificial intelligence will be smarter than the human brain, supersmart robots will outnumber humans and more than a trillion objects will be connected to the internet, says the CEO of SoftBank.78


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Honda aims to boost sales with new 2016 Pilot SUV
American Honda Motor Co. Inc. rolled out its new, more premium looking and family friendly 2016 Honda Pilot at the Chicago Auto Show Thursday, the third generation SUV that hits showrooms this summer.
The new Pilot, with a new front that looks more like the CR-V and HR-V siblings, is 3 1/2 inches longer with more cargo and passenger space than the current Pilot. The three-row SUV will be more fuel efficient, offering best-in-class fuel economy, said Marc Ernst, a Honda chief engineer.
"The all-new Pilot really raises the stakes in the midsize SUV segment," John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. Inc., said in a call with reporters this week.
Mendel said Honda expects to increase sales over the outgoing Pilot "pretty significantly."
Honda sold 108,857 Pilot SUVs last year, down 14.1 percent from the 126,678 sold in 2013. But January sales nearly doubled from January 2014 to 12,315, setting a new monthly record for Pilot. It competes with SUVs such as the Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder and Chevrolet Traverse.
The Pilot, which shed about 300 pounds in weight, gets a new 3.5-liter V-6 engine that uses cylinder deactivation to operate on three cylinders when it can to save fuel. It will offer a Honda brand first stop-start technology to shut the engine off at stops and seamlessly turn it back on when a driver lifts off the brake.
Honda is not yet releasing horsepower or torque figures for the new engine.
"This will be the most powerful, capable and refined Pilot we've ever made," Ernst said.
The Pilot has two transmission choices, a new six-speed automatic, and for upper trims, a new nine-speed automatic — the first offering for the Honda brand. It also has a new all-wheel drive system; Honda says about 68 percent of Pilot buyers choose all-wheel drive.
The first Pilot was introduced in 2002 and a second-generation launched in 2008. The automaker said it has sold more than 1.4 million in the U.S. since. The SUV and engine are manufactured at Honda's Lincoln, Ala., plant.
Honda pushed the current Pilot seven years, past the normal replacement cycle an extra year or two, with delays from natural disasters including the earthquake and tsunami and as the company had other priorities, Mendel said.
"We rode the existing model a little bit longer than perhaps we would have normally," Mendel said.
Pilot Product Planner Richard Pham said 95 percent of Pilot buyers are families, and the average age is about 47. Honda added many creature and technology comforts that families want such as Bluetooth and the available ceiling mounted back entertainment system gets increased screen resolution and Blu-ray.
The SUV also has a nicer looking interior and higher trim Pilots will be available with a seven-passenger seating arrangement featuring two captains chairs in the second row. The three-person bench seat is standard and allows up to eight passengers.
Honda also improved the ease of getting in and out of the third-row, with a one-touch button system available to slide and tilt the seat. Push button start is standard and the Pilot has a new remote engine start. It also has an available heated steering wheel and heated seats for the first two rows. The SUV now has an available panoramic roof, rear cross traffic monitoring and road departure mitigation. It also has up to five USB ports, four with 2.5 amp charging, "meaning you can charge an iPad or four of them simultaneously," Ernst said.
The SUV also gets a larger eight-inch touchscreen as part of a new Honda display audio system and vehicles with a new embedded navigation system have will see 3-D display of buildings, terrain and road signs, Ernst said.
Ernst said the upgrades to the Pilot aren't meant to target Honda's Acura brand and MDX luxury SUV buyers.
"We're targeting midsize regular family customers," he said. "They have a different target with MDX. We don't see that much cross checking between customers."
Honda said pricing and fuel economy for Pilot will be released later, but Ernst said he doesn't foresee a big jump in the sticker price.
The 2015 Pilot starts at $29,870, plus $880 destination, for a two-wheel drive LX model. The current lineup tops out with a four-wheel drive Touring edition priced at $41,620, plus destination. The current Pilot gets 18 miles per gallon city and 25 mpg highway.
Honda said it also will give a glimpse of styling cues for the new Honda Ridgeline truck during the Chicago Auto Show. The Ridgeline, with a more truck-like appearance, is expected to go into production next year.


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Search CSP Daily News
Hannah Prokop is an associate editor at CSP Magazine, covering snacks, candy and general merchandise.
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Goldman Sachs analyst says roadblocks still ahead
Agency evaluating ENDS product applications first
7-Eleven, Shell stores in Colorado carry Koios, Fit Soda
Categories include alcohol, healthy snack, sports nutrition and CBD
Category sales performance in Beverages, Candy, General Merchandise, Packaged Food/Foodservice and Snacks.
Will c-store sales and profit streaks overcome the forces of change?
Corporate retail news affecting the convenience-store industry
The latest information on products and trends in the convenience-store and foodservice industries.
Peek inside new convenience stores to uncover the best in retail store design across North America.


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Oppo launched the A77 5G in June with an LTE version. Today, the company launches the new A77 lineup, dubbed Oppo A77s.
The Snapdragon 680 SoC powers the Oppo A77s with Android 12-based ColorOS 12.1 on the box. The phone has 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The smartphone has additional storage through its microSD card for storage expansion up to 1TB, while the RAM can also be expanded by 5GB virtually using the handset’s internal storage.
The Oppo A77s has a 6.56″ 90Hz LCD of HD+ resolution. The screen is protected by Panda Glass and has a peak brightness of 600 nits. There is a Fibreglass-Leather Design for back panel cover.
The smartphone has a triple camera setup – an 8MP selfie camera, a 50MP main camera, and a 2MP monochrome unit. The company is still adding a 3.5mm headphone jack, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and Dual Ultra Linear Stereo Speakers with Dirac Sound. The phone has an IP54 dust and water resistance certification, but users don’t get 5G connectivity.
The Oppo A77s has a 5,000 mAh battery with a 33W wired charging through a USB-C port. The Oppo A77s has two colour options – Sunset Orange and Starry Black. This phone costs THB8,999 ($241/€242).


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Since a few days back a leak about the Galaxy Note 9, was not important to us in the Arab states until only yesterday, as news about the work of Samsung on the production version of the silver phone Galaxy Note 9 to the United States of America, but the news did not stay away from the Arab world anymore.
The silver version of the Galaxy Note 9 soon in the markets of Saudi Arabia
Where she explained the latest news that Samsung has plans to launch a silver version of the new Galaxy Note 9 globally in 30 countries besides the United States, and Saudi Arabia and is the gateway to the new phone home.
The report detailed that Samsung will begin selling the Silver Version new in 31 countries around the world have been classified in alphabetical order:
There’s nothing on the list, only one Arab country which is Saudi Arabia, but this might make it available in the rest of the Arab states after that.
At present it is not clear when Will Samsung release new phone, however it should be noted that the prices will remain as they are without change.
This means that in the United States will cost style silver 128 GB $ 999, while staying style silver 512 GB 1250$.
If you are a developer and publish your apps via the news app to reach for a large segment of Arab users to reason across the following mail: firstname.lastname@example.org will your app soon in the list of news apps if level befitting the user.
Do you want more apps and news?
Apps and news apps for Apple, Android and not available on our pages via social networks, follow us on our various Facebook and Twitter , and Google Plus , and Youtube , and Instagram , The Telegram


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Almost any guy will tell you that Valentine’s Day is mainly for women. The best that men can do is meet expectations and rarely exceed them. YouGov.org recently did a survey and found out that women don’t consider Valentine’s Day a real holiday either.
36% of people say they’ve never gotten a Valentine’s Day gift they loved and we’ll spend about $10 BILLION on unwanted gifts this year. 6% even say they hate it! Check out this interesting survey from NationalToday.com.
But, here we are celebrating another Valentine’s Day. May not be disappointed today and it exceeds your expectations.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
-- Doug O’Brien
©2022 Cox Media Group


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Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a game that is sure full of surprises. Previously, no one would have ever thought that a Multiplayer Online Battleground Arena (MOBA) game could ever have affiliation with a classic sci-fi story like Star Wars. But as it turns out, the Force was strong with Moonton, as Disney has decided to come up with a collaboration with Moonton and create 5 Star Wars-themed skins for 5 very lucky Mobile Legends Heroes. What better day to announce such a legendary partnership than on Star Wars Day (the 4th of May) itself?
Who are the heroes who will get these skins?
As of now, Argus “Darth Vader” skin and Cyclops “Master Yoda” skin release dates have been leaked. A collaboration trailer will likely release on July 3, and both skins will be available for a limited time in the game starting on July 10. Among other heroes, our April 2021 Leaks article also suggests that Eudora and Balmond are possible recipients of these special skins.
When and where will the skins be available?
The exact release date of these skins is still quite unclear, as MLBB still has many events lined up, like the 515 E-Party for almost the entirety of May, a King of Fighter (KOF) encore scheduled for late May and quite possibly a Summer Festival with Summer themed-skins as well.
As for the Where, Moonton has announced that due to licensing permissions, these Star Wars skins will only be available in the following regions: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, East Timor, and Japan. News for other countries in the European Union, Americas, and others may be still in progress, so stay tuned for that.
Potential future events
If anything is telling of Moonton, is that there will definitely be a narrative and a cool event to accompany these skins and entice players to buy them. Star Wars fans will definitely be in the running to pick them up, but a Lucky Spin or Grand Collection kind of event may be just what the community needs to make this collaboration even more exciting.
Are you excited about the upcoming Mobile Legends x Star Wars collaboration? Let us know your opinions in the comments below!


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Celebrating Valentine’s Day can get expensive between the lavish gifts and fancy dates that have become customary for Feb. 14. And this year’s celebrations will likely put an even bigger dent in your wallet than usual thanks to the rising costs caused by inflation and supply chain issues.
“Almost every Valentine’s Day cost you can think of will be more expensive,” said Kristin Myers, editor in chief of The Balance.
A dozen hybrid tea roses cost $12.42, a 22% increase from last year, according to The Balance.
The price of candles has increased 3% from last year, Myers said.
A 12-ounce box of assorted chocolates now costs $11.99, a 9% increase from last year.
“If you think you’ll save money by staying home and cooking your loved one a romantic meal, you’re wrong,” Myers said. “Some of the largest jumps in price can be found in the supermarket. Filet mignon is 154% more expensive than last year.”
The cost per pound is now a whopping $34.21.
Lobster is also more expensive than last year, with a 25% price increase, Myers said.
How To Save Money on Valentine’s Day Expenses
While you may end up spending more on your romantic meal this year, you can save some money by getting creative with your gifts.
“You can still find better deals in experiential gifts than elsewhere,” Myers said. “Consider movie tickets or even travel — basically any gift that isn’t a physical product impacted by supply chain constrictions and price increases. And of course, if you want to give a gift that keeps on giving, consider buying an investment for your loved one. Stocks and even NFTs are always a holiday gift option, and can be a great way to get someone started on their journey to building wealth.”
More From GOBankingRates


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Peter Schiff, a well-known critic of cryptocurrencies and a vocal opponent of NFTs, is preparing to make his foray into the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) by launching his own NFT art on the Bitcoin blockchain.
In a tweet posted on May 26, Schiff announced that he would be collaborating with the artist Market Price for the release of his NFT collection.
Notably, Schiff, who is the CEO and chief strategist of Euro Pacific Capital, has long advocated for the value of tangible assets like gold, silver, and oil, while expressing his disdain for cryptocurrencies.
During an interview with Kitco News, Schiff reiterated his position, emphasizing that he would only support a digital currency if it were backed by gold.
Given his preference for physical assets, Schiff has been critical of most cryptocurrencies, which he considers to be “fiat digital currency.” Drawing parallels with his distaste for fiat paper currency, he argues that digital currencies without real-world value hold little appeal to him.
The collaboration with Market Price will result in the creation of the “Golden Triumph” collection, which will include a physical painting, 50 limited edition prints, and 50 unique digital versions recorded as ordinal NFTs on the Bitcoin blockchain.
Ordinals represent a new category of assets that involve inscribing digital content onto satoshis, the smallest units of Bitcoin. This surge in ordinals became possible with the implementation of the Taproot upgrade on the Bitcoin network in November 2021.
Thanks to Taproot, users now have the capability to embed various forms of content, ranging from images to video games, directly onto individual satoshis, opening up new possibilities for creative expression and asset representation on the blockchain.


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Tesla China’s Global Vice President Grace Tao met with officials from the Chongqing Liangjiang District to talk about a new project concerning Tesla. Tao met with a member of the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal Party, the Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Liangjiang New District, and the Director of the Management Committee.
Duan Chenggang—a member of the Standing Committee of Chongqing Municipal Party—noted that Tesla was a global leader in new energy vehicles, which boded well for the American EV automaker’s new project in China. Chenggang also said that Liangjiang New Area had many ways to support Tesla and good prospects.
Grace Tao and the officials of Chongqing wish to expand their business relationship and engage in more collaborative projects in the future. Liangjiang New District said it would do its best to create good conditions and provide quality services.
Chongqing Liangjiang New District does seem open to working with Tesla and have reached a broad consensus to accelerate the new project Grace Tao discussed during the meeting. However, the details of Tesla’s new project have not been divulged.
Tesla Giga Shanghai Model 3 Production Surpassed 4,000 Per Week With Two Shifts https://t.co/L4ko68orJn— Tesmanian.com (@Tesmanian_com) July 8, 2020
Even though the project’s details haven’t been clarified, it is clear that Chongqing could be instrumental to Tesla China’s growth in the future. Chongqing is strategically located in China, as such, it has become an inland trading hub. It has access to multiple transit lines—trains, highways, airports—making it an ideal place for suppliers. Chongqing happens to be one of the older industrial bases in China with ties to the automobile industry as well.
The municipality mainly concentrated on motorcycle parts in the past but has been steadily transitioned to manufacturing car parts for the last 5 to 10 years. Chongqing also happens to be transitioning to green manufacturing practices. The city government implemented a 3-year plan in 2018 to shift to green manufacturing.
Other than its strategic location, ties to the automobile industry, and green manufacturing practices, Grace Tao’s personal appearance in Chongqing hints that Tesla’s new project will significantly contribute to the EV automaker’s growth in China. The presence of Tesla China’s Global VP at the meeting speaks volumes about Chongqing and its role in the EV automaker’s plans for the future.Follow @PurplePanda88
About the Author
Ma. Claribelle Deveza
Longtime writer and news/book editor. Writing about Tesla allows me to contribute something good to the world, while doing something I love.


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Brocade Communications Systems is making strides across the industry. Just recently, Brocade was tapped by cloud storage company Nirvanix Inc. to bring accelerated networking equipment into the Nirvanix...
Company officials want to help partners keep up to date on their products through their new Elevate channel events
Daily tech news and analysis channel partners need to know now, including SafeBreach's platform upgrade, Emerging tech's top five, Cisco's Bahr and more
The vendor's OneXafe and ShadowXafe designed to aid midsize enterprises with managing, storing and protecting data
Spiceworks study shows customers only replacing ageing tech when it fails


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Rising demand for resilient materials to augment the growth of flooring market
Significant rise in construction and infrastructure developments across the residential, commercial and industrial sector has drawn considerable attention towards flooring over the past few years. This is fueling the application of flooring material across these sectors, providing positive growth prospects for global flooring market.
According to Global Market Insights, Inc., flooring market size is projected to surpass USD 480 billion by 2027.
Flooring industry is witnessing strong growth from increasing expenditure towards construction in the commercial and residential segment. The economic growth across Latin American and Asian countries is fostering the construction industry, which in turn is impelling the adoption of flooring material. Increasing demand for new houses on account of growing population is further supporting the business expansion.
Request sample copy of this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/122
Similarly, commercial construction industry is also observing an augmented growth over the past decade driven by economic expansion and increasing development of office spaces. This in turn is fueling the demand for flooring products in these establishments.
However, the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has affected the global construction industry which has subsequently affected flooring market space. But with gradual relaxation in COVID restrictions, the market situation is expected to improve and will continue to grow over the upcoming years.
With regards to the industrial segment, it would be pivotal to mention that there has been a substantial increase in the number of industrial establishments across the emerging economies. This has increased the penetration of seamless floorings in industrial sector. With this burgeoning demand, industrial application segment is anticipated to register an appreciable valuation of more than 20 USD billion by 2027.
Request for customization @ https://www.gminsights.com/roc/122
Material for flooring comes in resilient and non-resilient type. Resilient flooring material is gaining immense popularity owing to the advantages offered by it such as resistance to cracks and crevices, resistance to moisture, sound absorption and cost-effectivity.
Besides, ongoing product enhancement and technical advancements in resilient flooring products is stimulating their adoption further. Citing an instance, in 2021, Unilin Technologies introduced its proprietary bevel technology for resilient flooring. According to the company, this technology involves pressing the edges of resilient flooring panel downwards into a bevel which ensures that the decor layer and board texture continue until the innermost point of the bevel. It improves the appearance of resilient flooring to be closer to real wood.
Elaborating on non-resilient flooring, the material is witnessing a heightened demand driven by the rising consumer preference for wooden flooring. With rising demand for wooden and laminate floorings across developing economies, non-resilient flooring segment is estimated to record a robust CAGR of around 6.5% through 2027.
Speaking of the regional outlook, Europe has emerged as a matured and developed market for flooring material. This is majorly due to the strong presence of end-user industries along with the expansion of residential construction industry in the region. The growth of regional industry is further backed by the mounting demand for office spaces which is fostering the commercial flooring. Considering these factors, Europe flooring market is projected to register a lucrative CAGR of around 3.5% through 2027.
Chapter 1 Methodology And Scope
1.1.1 Initial data exploration
1.1.2 Statistical model and forecast
1.1.3 Industry insights and validation
1.1.4 Scope, definition and forecast parameters
1.2 Base estimation & working
1.2.1 North America
1.3 Forecast calculations
1.3.1 COVID-19 impact calculations on industry forecast
1.4 Data sources
Chapter 2 Executive Summary
2.1 Flooring industry 360° synopsis, 2017 – 2027
2.1.1 Business trends
2.1.2 Product trends
2.1.3 Application trends
2.1.4 Regional trends


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468 news items tagged Sharp
Global small- to mid-size LCD panel shipment forecast, 2020 and beyondThursday 24 October 2019
Global small- to medium-size LCD panel shipments are estimated to reach 1.8 billion units in 2024, falling at a negative CAGR of 4.4% 2019 through 2024
Global large-size LCD panel shipment forecast, 2020 and beyondWednesday 23 October 2019
Global large-size LCD panel shipments will fall at a negative CAGR of 0.8% 2020 through 2024 mainly due to saturated demand for TVs, monitors and AIO PCs, notebooks as well as 9-inch...
Wus Printed Circuit posts sharp profit rise for 1H19Friday 30 August 2019
PCB manufacturer Wus Printed Circuit saw its net profits shoot up over 100% on year in the first half of 2019, thanks mainly to sharp increases in PCB demand for networking equipment,...
Alibaba sees sharp growth in 2Q19Friday 16 August 2019
Alibaba Group Holding has announced its revenues for the second quarter of 2019 grew 42% on year to RMB114.924 billion (US$16.741 billion).
Zhen Ding profit soars in 2Q19Thursday 15 August 2019
Flexible PCB specialist Zhen Ding Technology (ZDT) saw its net profit for the second quarter of 2019 surge 77.62% on year to NT$1.785 billion (US$56.85 million) on revenues of NT$23.08...
Taiwan large-size panel shipments increase 6.8% in 2Q19, says Digitimes ResearchWednesday 14 August 2019
Shipments of large-size (9-inch and above) LCD panels by Taiwan's makers (excluding Sharp) grew 6.8% on quarter to 58.09 million units in the second quarter of 2019, as clients pulled...
Highlights of the day: Uncertainty for notebook sectorTuesday 13 August 2019
Taiwan's major notebook ODMs had weak results in July as clients were reluctant to further build up inventory despite the upcoming 10% tariffs the US will impose on their notebooks...
Taiwan LCD TVs – 2Q 2019Monday 12 August 2019
Taiwan's LCD TV shipments grew 14.4% sequentially, but dropped 6.4% on year to arrive at 7.16 million units in the second quarter of 2019.
Taiwan large-size LCD panels – 2Q 2019Wednesday 7 August 2019
Taiwan's large-size LCD panel shipments picked up 6.8% sequentially to arrive at 58.09 million units in the second quarter of 2019.
Global server market – 2Q 2019Thursday 1 August 2019
Global server shipments are expected to increase 12.8% sequentially in the third quarter of 2019 with a flat on-year performance.
Faraday eyes sharp revenue increases for 3Q19Wednesday 24 July 2019
Taiwan-based Faraday Technology, a fabless ASIC service and silicon IP provider, expects its third-quarter 2019 revenues to surge over 27% sequentially after the company experienced...
Foxconn set to build 12-inch wafer fab in 2020 as IDMWednesday 3 July 2019
Foxconn Technology Group is likely to kick off construction of a 12-inch wafer fab in 2020 in Zhuhai, southern China in cooperation with the city government there, and will operate...
Foxconn enters post-Gou era with challenges for new management teamMonday 1 July 2019
Foxconn Technology Group has entered a new era after its new chairman Young Liu, who replaced Terry Gou, and a newly-formed nine-member operation committee officially took office...
Taiwan handsets – 1Q 2019Friday 21 June 2019
Taiwan's handset shipments slipped 39.5% sequentially in the first quarter of 2019, while compared to the same quarter a year ago, the volume dropped 23.5%.
Sharp introduces new laser projectors into TaiwanTuesday 18 June 2019
Sharp has introduced nine models of its laser projectors into the Taiwan market targeting the B2B commercial segment.
Taiwan LCD monitors – 1Q 2019Tuesday 4 June 2019
Taiwan's PC monitor shipments continued enjoying on-year growth in the first quarter of 2019, rising 5.6%.
China smartphone market and industry – 1Q 2019Friday 24 May 2019
Smartphone shipments to China slid to 71.7 million units, down 31.3% on quarter and 16.7% on year in first-quarter 2019.
HannStar Board braces for impact from US tariffs against ChinaFriday 17 May 2019
Taiwan PCB maker HannStar Board sees little impact from the US hiking tariffs from 10% to 25% on US$200 billion worth of Chinese imports starting May 10, but may face significant...
5G technology to lift 8K/4K video services, says Sharp executiveFriday 10 May 2019
The developments of related key technologies and solutions for the ultra-high definition (UHD) 8K/4K video services will be accelerated and realized by optimizing 5G networks, according...
Taiwan LCD TVs – 1Q 2019Friday 10 May 2019
Taiwan's LCD TV shipments plunged 35.5% sequentially to reach only 6.26 million units in the first quarter of 2019 due mainly to seasonality and decreased ODM/OEM orders.
Taiwan large-size LCD panels – 1Q 2019Thursday 9 May 2019
Taiwan's large-size panel shipments dropped 12.8% sequentially and 7.5% on year to come to 54.4 million units in the first quarter of 2019.
Shipments of large-size (9-inch and above) LCD panels by Taiwan's makers (excluding Sharp) are set to expand 4.9% sequentially in the second quarter of 2019 despite intensive competition...
DRAM market to shrink substantially in 2019Thursday 28 March 2019
Recent concerns over market conditions, coupled with a sharp downturn in average selling prices, will lead the DRAM market to reach just US$77 billion in 2019 - a 22% year-over-year...
Taiwan LCD TVs – 4Q 2018Tuesday 12 March 2019
Taiwan makers shipped nearly 9.7 million LCD TVs in the fourth quarter of 2018, up 13.9% sequentially, but down 2.7% on year.
Taiwan handsets – 4Q 2018Tuesday 26 February 2019
Taiwan's handset shipments rose 3.3% sequentially, but slid 8.6% on year to arrive at 22.53 million units in the fourth quarter of 2018.


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Misha’s Kind Foods Raises $3M, Investors Include NBA All-Star Chris Paul
Californian plant-based alt dairy company Misha’s Kind Foods has closed a $3M seed round. Misha’s, producer of a wide range of healthy and locally…
Californian plant-based alt dairy company Misha’s Kind Foods has closed a $3M seed round. Misha’s, producer of a wide range of healthy and locally sourced dairy-free cheese, will use the investment boost to further product development, explore retail expansion, and recruit talent in its team.
Among the investors for the LA-based Misha’s was Chris Paul, 11-time NBA All-Star Paul and LA Clippers legend. Paul has been a vegan since 2019, with the basketballer claiming significant statistical and performance improvements after making the switch. As a businessman, Paul seeks opportunities that accelerate social change and sustainably build a fair, equitable society, and is a brand ambassador for Beyond Meat.
Another investor, Lisa Shamus, a leader in innovative branding and licensing was drawn to Misha’s after struggling to find a vegan cheese for her daughter who could no longer eat dairy. “Everything we tried tasted terrible,” she explained. When Shamus discovered Misha’s cheeses in Los Angeles, she bought every flavor as her family loved them so much. “With Misha’s, I saw the opportunity to invest not just in one item, but in a team with a vision to create an entire category that has tremendous possibilities.”
LA’s Dairy-Free Dairy Company
Misha’s was co-founded by lifelong friends Chef Ian Martin and Aaron Bullock and began operating in 2018. As reported by vegconomist, Misha’s has registered itself with the state of California to be a certified and licensed Dairy Company which allows them to legally use the word “Cheese.” The plant-based dairy market is predicted to expand by nearly 3X over the next ten years according to research, with innovation in cheese a big aspect of the market’s estimated $32 billion future value.
“These investors, and their enthusiasm, not only confirm the quality and excellence of our artisan cheeses, but they also align with our long-term vision and mission. We are here to serve the large community of cheese lovers, plant-based and not. Everything we make is kind to your body, kind to the planet and kind to your wallet,” stated Aaron Bullock, CEO and co-founder of Misha’s Kind Foods.
“I’m confident having these investors at the table will be vital to the future growth of the company as they bring valuable cultural instincts, branding knowledge as well as operations and growth expertise,” he added.plant-based beyond meat nasdaq-bynd nyse-ingr nyse-lsf otc-nxmh otc-gurof tsx-guru otc-tofb otc-babyf tsx-baby otc-eatbf cse-eats otc-vryyf tsxv-very otc-burof tsx-bu otc-pltxf cse-vega nasdaqcm-mitc otc-agnmf st-simrisb tlv-svrt cse-vegn otc-vganf nasdaq-ttcf cse-meat tsxv-nsp cse-gdnp lon-tot nyse-kkr nasdaq-hain otc-veggf cse-plnt tse-food cve-gdnp tsxv-hulk cse-rsf nasdaq-celh kosdaq-64550 nyse-bio nyse-bp nasdaq-ilnm nasdaq-sial tlv-nto etr-srt cse-sire tlv-strs otc-kryay otc-gggsf nasdaq-smpl cve-gbly cse-pbic meat cheese dairy-free alt


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Have the tables turned? According to Gartner, Android tablets now own 62% of the market. D.B. Hebbard from Talking New Media breaks it down and lets us know that publishers haven’t noticed the shift. Hebbard writes, “According to Gartner, Android tablets now enjoy an almost 62 percent share of the market, while Apple has fallen from over 50 percent to less than 40. Critics of the report have said that Gartner’s number don’t seem to jive with what Apple reported, with around 4 million tablet sales missing from the report. Gartner reports that Apple sold just over 70 million, while Apple reported 74 million sold. But even using Apple’s numbers, Gartner says that Android tablets accounted for over 120 million units sold.”
One of the most interesting things that Hebbard reported was when he talked to a marketing company that dealt with consumer packaged goods. They said that, pertaining to users, “iPads tend to be buyers, while Android owners lagged behind.” You can read the rest of Hebbard’s report on Talking New Media.
Download a FREE copy of 7 Ways to Monetize your Portal Audience, and discover how today's top publishers are generating revenue through memberships, events, clubs, sponsorships, and more.


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A newsletter from The James Altucher Report stated that Amazon to accept Bitcoin soon. It is said that this will be officially announced on October 26th during their earnings conference call.
So, will Amazon really begin accepting Bitcoin?
There are still some speculations on this statement, however, since eBay and PayPal already accept bitcoin and with Google recently joining the community. It’s only a matter of time until Amazon follows the same path.
Back in 2013, Amazon Web Services partnered up with Digital Currency Group i.e. one of the major investors in bitcoin and blockchain firms in order to:
“… provide such a service so the blockchain providers in DCG’s portfolio can work in a secure environment with clients who include financial institutions, insurance companies and enterprise technology companies.”
Basically, Amazon’s aim is to be the intermediary between DCG’s portfolio and their customers while transacting cryptocurrency.
According to Altucher’s newsletter:
Amazon is “working with financial institutions and [crypto experts] to spur innovation and facilitate frictionless experimentation.”
If Altucher happens to be right about this then once this news is announced, it could cause a massive boost to the cryptocurrency’s price.
We’ll have to wait to wait until October to find out what’s in store for us.
Story Credits: steemit.com
Image Credits: change.org
Tags: Amazon Bitcoin, amazon bitcoin payment


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May is looking to be a great month for booking cheap last-minute holiday deals, agents and operators have confirmed.
Prices for short-haul breaks in May are dropping in the six week run-up to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and booking now should secure the best bargain.
Although you do run the risk of the holiday selling out, it’s been shown that the ‘grab-and-go’ method will probably work out as the cheapest option. And flights are available from most major UK airports, such as Heathrow and Luton.
Mark Atwell, managing director at Dealchecker, said: “In this market, booking at short notice will usually secure the best deal.
“To be exact – you’ll get the cheapest price on a package holiday if you can hold off booking until one month before.”
For example, if you’ve booked a seven-night break to Spain in May around five months ago it would cost on average £300, whereas if you book it now, it’s available for £200.
This actually comes as a surprise with many not expecting the bigger companies to drop their prices.
Maria Whiteman, chief executive at Directline Holidays, said: “I didn’t expect short-haul prices to drop in May because most operators – especially Thomas Cook – dramatically slashed capacity in expectation of a tough year.
“In fact, there are some amazing prices in May, some made possible by bedbanks working with local carriers offering cheap flights.”
Copyright © Press Association 2012


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Niagara Transformer to build new R&D site
Niagara Transformer has announced plans to open a new research and development facility.
The firm plans to open the $3.3 million facility next month at its location in Cheektowaga, New York.
The family-owned company makes substation-style transformers used around the world and at local sites including Tesla’s South Buffalo plant, the UB Stadium and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Niagara Transformer produces transformers up to 50 MVA base rating, 138 kV 650 kV BIL high voltage, and 90,000 Amp secondary current ratings
The company plans to add 10 to 15 jobs once its R&D center opens on Dale Road. Currently, the company has about 100 employees.
Source: Buffalo News
Photo (for illustrative purposes): Transformers current energy / Frauke Feind / Pixabay / Free for commercial use


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Calling all Cars! delayed AGAIN - David Jaffe crushes my dreams
Evidently, there were a handful of major bugs that were discovered at the last second that caused Sony to delay the release and push the game back indefinitely. It also turns out that the May 3rd release date was never official, and that Jaffe actually got in trouble from Sony for suggesting it did. Jaffe expressed hope that it will pass QA soon, but was clearly wary of offering up an exact release date.
But don't worry, according to the rumors, we are getting Super Rub-a-Dub as a replacement this week!


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Earlier this year, Daimler and Aston Martin signed a letter of intent to enter a technical partnership that would give the British marque access to Mercedes-Benz AMG’s V-8s and electrical architecture in exchange for a five-percent silent stake in the company. Today, that agreement has been finalized.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the British and German manufacturers have paired up. The Lagonda SUV concept that debuted in 2009—one of the ungainliest off-roaders ever constructed—used a Mercedes GL-class platform before ultimately being discarded. Soon after that, Daimler approached Aston about a plan to save the Maybach brand.
Mercedes’ high-performance brand will provide “bespoke V-8 engines” for future Aston Martin models, and we expect to see variations of AMG’s twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 in the British sports cars, distinguished by unique engine mapping. It’s possible that AMG’s forthcoming 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 could be used, but our bet is on the 5.5. Moreover, Aston’s access to Daimler’s electronics tech will give the British brand some serious assistance in an area in which it is severely lacking: driver assistance and telematics systems.
The first Aston Martin models with AMG technology could come to market within two or three years, as the brand replaces its aging VH architecture. Both parties will look into expanding their cooperation beyond just engines and electronics, and we suspect that any future collaborations would result in Daimler’s stake growing from its initial five percent.


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Tourism Australia has announced a $12 million visual marketing package aimed at supporting tourism businesses across Australia.
Aiming to support tourism operators in their recovery and to drive increased visitation by helping them to better market their experiences and attractions, the National Experience Content Initiative will provide new visual imagery for up to 1,800 tourism experiences from around 57 regions across Australia.
Tourism Australia said the new package would ensure operators’ marketing materials and online product listings “stand out” in search results and are booked more often by domestic and international travellers.
Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said the National Experience Content Initiative was the largest and most significant content initiative that Tourism Australia had ever embarked on.
“Visual imagery is one of the most important factors for inspiring consumers at the critical stages of researching, planning, or booking travel online,” Harrison said.
“The COVID crisis has dealt a heavy blow to our industry, with many tourism businesses that would normally invest heavily in marketing having had to significantly reduce their marketing budgets for the foreseeable future.
“While domestic travel has helped keep many businesses afloat throughout the crisis, our industry will not fully recover until international travellers return. With Australia likely to be slower than others to reopen to international visitors, it is vital that our operators are armed with compelling and contemporary marketing assets to ensure they are in the best possible position to capture demand in what will be a hyper-competitive global market.
“That is why we have set out to capture high quality imagery and footage that showcases the best tourism experiences on offer from every corner of Australia, and to really bring these to life for consumer and trade audiences.”
The National Experience Content Initiative is scheduled to run until June 2022 and is being delivered in close consultation with state and territory, and regional tourism organisations.
Between 10 and 50 products and experiences will be featured from each of the roughly 57 regions to be included in the program, based on “comprehensive eligibility criteria”.
The program will seek to engage locally-based professional photographers and content creators from each of the regions, with each featured tourism operator to receive at least 100 to 200 images as well as video footage to use across their social media channels, websites and brochures.
Content developed will also be published on the Tourism Australia image and video gallery, which is accessible by the general public, media and trade—free of charge.
For further information on the National Experience Content Initiative, click here.
Featured image source: Tourism Australia
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Canteen’s latest campaign features the combined talents of Director Luna Laure and creative agency Crater. The campaign strives to raise awareness for young people affected by cancer. The awareness campaign centres around Harry Barentson, who at 12 years of age found out his pregnant mum had cancer. While his mother fortunately survived, he lost his […]
In partnership with storytelling agency Enthral, AFL star Kevin Sheedy has voiced a video ‘Love Letter to Victoria’ using visuals to showcase the state’s natural beauty and culture. Victoria has been hit with the worst of the coronavirus pandemic compared with any other Aussie state experiencing four lockdowns. Sheedy has partnered with Ethral to share […]
Telstra’s lower-cost telco, Belong, has awarded its strategy and creative account to Howatson + White, and has reappointed OMD to its media buying account, after a competitive pitch process. Howatson + White will handle strategy, planning, creative and CRM, while former agency Clemenger will continue to have a relationship with Belong, managing PR and retail activation. […]
Coca-Cola Australia has rolled out its new campaign ‘Turn Up Your Break’. The campaign will be led by a TVC that encourages people to truly pause with a Coke on their break so they can walk away feeling refreshed and uplifted. The TVC features two busy chefs stepping outside for a break, the bustling kitchen […]
Nova 919’s Ben & Liam breakfast show announced that they’ll be throwing their support behind and raising awareness for a cause very close to their hearts, mental health. On Monday 21 June Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton will be locked in a purpose-built glass structure, in the middle of Rundle Mall, for an entire week […]
TRENDii has announced TRENDii Ads, a new contextual advertising solution that leverages content and context to promote eCommerce products at scale around the world. TRENDii Ads is user privacy friendly and offers a new way for businesses and brands to target consumers at the moment that they are most inspired to shop. “We believe good […]
ARN and The New York Times have reached an agreement for ARN to become the advertising sales representative for The New York Times’s podcast portfolio in Australia. The deal will enable Australian brands to connect with Australian listeners to The New York Times’s most popular podcasts, such as The Daily, Serial and This American Life, […]
Verizon Media’s talent program has come to an end for the third year, closing with a hybrid pitch-off event for Musicians Making A Difference (MMAD). The Verizon Media Academy class of 2021, made up of 44 emerging leaders from across Australia and New Zealand media, advertising and marketing industry, were given just one hour to […]


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Snappy Shopper has announced a partnership with Greens Retail to provide its new Home Delivery and Click and Collect offering.
The retail chain currently operates 21 stores across Scotland and recently signed a five-year deal with Nisa. The partnership will initially roll out in Greens Retail stores in the Fife area with a view to extending to all 21 once the model is established.
Greens has added former Snappy Shopper colleague Chris McGregor as Head of Online and Digital. McGregor will work on offering customers an efficient home delivery and in-app shopping experience, with wider expansions of the service expected in due course.
Commenting on the new partnership, Snappy Shopper founder & chief executive officer Mike Callachan said: “We are thrilled to partner with Greens Retail to bring Snappy Shopper’s advanced technology and delivery solutions to their stores. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to support retailers and use our technology to enhance the shopping experience for all customers. Greens Retail’s commitment to excellence mirrors our own, and together, we are excited to create something that we believe will be significant for the industry.”
Greens Retail managing director Harris Aslam added: “We are delighted to join forces with Snappy Shopper to revolutionise our customer experience for our convenience and food to go offerings such as Subway, Costa Coffee, Skwishee, and Fisher & Donaldson to the Snappy App. The seamless integration of Snappy Shopper’s technology with our stores will empower us to offer quick and convenient home delivery and click & collect services, aligning perfectly with our commitment to delivering exceptional service to our customers.”


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Sales of various items have not shown a sharp downturn so far since the consumption tax was raised to 8 percent from 5 percent on April 1, according to data compiled by Jiji Press.
Sales have been growing for some food items that are difficult to stockpile and at some restaurant chains, showing for most people buying power remains solid despite the tax increase, retailers said.
But, following a surge in last-minute demand in March, department stores have experienced a fall in sales, mainly concerning high-end items.
Their sales were down by 10 to 20 percent from a year earlier in the first six days since the tax increase, according to major department stores.
Sales at four major department store operators grew by 20 to 30 percent in March, reflecting the high popularity of jewelry and imported brand-name products, before a major drop early this month.
Many of the firms said the fall was in line with expectations.
“The result has not been bad,” said an official at Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd., a unit of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.
Department store operators have made efforts to curb the expected sales downturn.
Sogo & Seibu Co., a unit of Seven & I Holdings Co., saw sales of men’s dress shirts rise after Tuesday’s launch of a promotion campaign for Cool Biz office wear for summer. Sales kicked off about two weeks earlier than usual.
“New items have been supported by shoppers,” a marketing official at the firm said.
Supermarket chain Aeon Co. said that although it saw drops of 5 to 10 percent in overall sales and the number of shoppers between Tuesday and Sunday, sales of food items increased Saturday and Sunday compared to a year earlier.


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[Posted by Neil Strother]
Google has just announced an all-stock deal to purchase mobile ad network AdMob for $750 million in a bid to solidify its position as the leader in mobile advertising.
By acquiring AdMob, the search giant gets a mobile ad network that has leveraged the power of the mobile Web and in-app advertising, particularly on the iPhone. Now, as more people adopt devices that mimic the iPhone experience (Androids, of course, as well as BlackBerrys, Palms, etc.), Google stands to gain from a growing audience that will be increasingly attractive to advertisers.
The deal also signals a shift in the landscape, and it will be interesting to see how competitors like Microsoft, Millennial Media, Quattro Wireless, among others, respond.
Big picture: mobile advertising remains a small fraction of the overall interactive marketing spend (see our forecast report if you are a Forrester client). Google, however, expects mobile to be a key growth driver in the coming years, and the acquisition of AdMob plays right into that strategy.
What's your view of Google's takeover of AdMob? Will it spur more spending on mobile by marketers? Or is it just an evolutionary step? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below.


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Ecuador rips up toxic trade deals
Wednesday 31st May 2017 | Annalisa
Ecuador hit back against big businesses last week by ripping up 16 trade deals with countries like the US and the U.K.
President Correa of Ecuador named the notorious ‘corporate court’ system as the key reason for ending the deals and has been extremely vocal about the damage caused to his country by international finance and trade.
These ‘corporate courts’ allow foreign investors to sue governments for taking action they believe to be unfair even if it is something that benefits the country that they are operating in. Seems unjust, right?
This same system was used by Chevron, then operating as Texaco, to avoid paying compensation to Ecuador for one of the world’s biggest environmental disasters. Whilst digging for oil in Ecuador, the company dumped billions of gallons of toxic water into the Amazon, poisoning the land which thousands of Amazon residents rely upon, to survive.
Chevron claimed the government’s attempt to seek compensation was unfair and succeeded in getting a ‘corporate court’ to overturn the ruling.
It's good to see positive action taken by countries like Ecuador who are sticking it to the corporate world!
With South Africa and Indonesia also in the process of terminating corporate court deals, could this be the last legs for the corporate court system that allows business to reign havoc on developing countries, their economies and environment with no accountability? We hope so!