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ESPN and Discovery launching 3-D TV networks
Wednesday 06 January 2010
ESPN and Discovery Communications Inc both unveiled plans on Tuesday to launch 3-D television networks, reflecting a growing momentum in the entertainment industry to usher 3-D into the home.
Walt Disney Co's ESPN will roll out its 3-D network in June and will air a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year. ESPN's first broadcast will be a World Cup soccer match between South Africa and Mexico.
Separately, Discovery said it has joined ranks with Sony Corp and IMAX Corp to launch a dedicated 3-D network in the United States beginning in 2011. The network will feature natural history, space, exploration, and adventure shows along with films and children's programing from all three partners. Third parties may also provide entertainment.
Following the blockbuster success of 3-D epic "Avatar," many believe 3-D is poised to take over the home market and many 3-D technologies will be on display at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.
"This will be a meaningful step to drive adoption of 3-D television sets and afford opportunities for our affiliates to create value through new product offerings, and our advertisers, who want fresh sponsorship opportunities," Sean Bratches, ESPN's executive vice president of sales and marketing, said in a statement.
A lack of 3-D programing, in particular for sports, has been one of the key barriers to adoption of 3-D TV, analysts have said. Having to wear special glasses is another.
"The bottleneck has been content. What you are seeing is a feeding frenzy suddenly emerging for in-home 3-D, which is a step in the right direction," said Piper Jaffray analyst James Marsh.
But he noted that while theatrical 3-D success provides a beachhead for in-home solutions, the transition to widespread in-home 3-D adoption may prove more complicated due to challenges in convincing viewers it can be as enjoyable as inside the cinema.
Price also will be an issue for consumers who may have just recently upgraded their living rooms.
Richard Doherty, analyst with Envisioneering Group, believes one household in 30 may embrace 3-D in-home technology by New Year's 2011, and up to 20 percent by 2015.
"There's quite an effort among standards groups, broadcasters, cable and satellite operators and consumer electronics companies to get 3-D in the home quickly," he said.
Sports, perhaps even more than movies, is a prime driver of consumer sales for screen technology, including flat-screen TVs.
Along with up to 25 World Cup matches, ESPN said 3-D would be featured in broadcasts of the Summer X Games extreme sports, college basketball and college football, including the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona in the US on January 10, 2011.
ESPN has been testing 3-D for more than two years and last fall produced the college football game between University of Southern California and Ohio State University in select theaters and on the USC campus.
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Add Bluetooth to your cow and create your perfect smartwatch with these new Bluetooth devices shown off at an event in London.
A vegan-cheese project on Indiegogo aims to replicate cheese from cows' milk without involving any mammals.
Methane gas from 90 cows comes together with a static electric charge to cause a lot of damage.
Get ready, Simpsons fans. Next month, Lego will release a $200 Simpsons house kit, and a bit later it will put out a set of minifigures of the show's major characters.
We never thought that scrolling our mouse over a blank screen while a man shouts "Cow!" could be so amazingly great.
Researchers set loose a real-life electric rustler to round up livestock, and say the cows fared well with their new robotic herder.
Some things you cannot make up. In New York, a 21-year-old named Daisy Cowit is busy on her phone and, according to police, drives her Jeep into a herd of cows.
A history of agriculture is locked away in centuries worth of documents from the British Isles -- if you know how to find it.
An analyst estimates the wearable tech could be worth $3.27 billion in the next couple of years due to increased searches, better ad targeting, and app sales.
A Kickstarter campaign aims to bring the tools of DNA analysis to biohackers and researchers without access to expensive lab equipment.

domain: news


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Porsche features 25 new models at roadshow
Dubai, February 14, 2011
Porsche Centre Dubai, Al Nabooda Automobiles, showcased the complete line-up of 25 Porsche 2011 models at a recently concluded roadshow in Dubai.
The third Porsche World Road Show, spread across nine days from February 4 to 12 at the Dubai Autodrome, witnessed around 400 Porsche enthusiasts.
The models included the Panamera Turbo with 500 hp, the 320 hp Boxster Spyder and the new and much sought after 408 hp Porsche Carrera GTS 911, among others.
“Our aim is to allow enthusiasts to experience a Porsche in its natural surroundings, the sporting environment of a track. We also want them to understand the importance of harnessing power with safety,” said Vijay Rao, general manager at Porsche Centre Dubai, Al Nabooda Automobiles.
“Porsche Centre Dubai plays a vital role in the overall global retail strategy of Porsche. As of the end of 2010, our operation retained its number one position as ‘largest retail dealer’ globally for the seventh year in succession.”
“Innovative driving experiences such as the Porsche World Road Show contribute towards our sales strategy while at the same time developing brand awareness and ensure a first-hand experience of the Porsche offerings,” he added.
The objective of the event was to test drive the Porsche model range under the guidance of a team of professional instructors from Germany.
Invited guests had all their questions answered and were professionally trained on mastering the challenging driving techniques, both on and off-the-road through modules that included off-roading, breaking, handling and slalom exercises, a statement said.
The event included an introduction to Porsche history and a session where prospects learnt about the opportunities to ‘custom-build’ a Porsche via the company's exclusive tailoring programme. – TradeArabia News Service


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Drench your skin
It turns out that drinking water may not be the only way for our body to reap its benefits. Manufacturers have been adding a lot more H2O (from 30-80 percent) to makeup, making products glide on more easily and giving them a cool, refreshing feel. "Water-based products are all about letting skin look like skin and not like powdery makeup," says New York makeup artist Troy Surratt. "And they're hydrating and less pore-clogging, making them perfect for all skin types."


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Travel businesses failing to take into account the disabled market are missing out on up to £80 billion of potential spend in the UK alone. The headline figure was discussed a round table conversation organized by The Travel Tech Show at the World Travel Market (WTM) and Amadeus, which focused on disabled and responsible travel. The event featured an in-depth and informed discussion as eight experts from both business arenas gathered to discuss the markets. But it was the figure from the UK Government’s 2012 Legacy for Disabled People, Inclusive and Accessible Business which provoked much discussion. Ataxia South Wales Chairman Alan Jones said the report showed the UK’s estimated 10.6 million disabled people have a combined annual spend on goods and services of up to £80 billion, adding: “It is a big market out there. What’s the travel industry doing about it? In a word, nothing.” Jones said the problems start as soon as he tries to book a holiday as many people in the industry see his wheelchair rather than the human being using it, leaving agents too embarrassed to deal with.
Enable Holidays Managing Director Lynne Kirby said such problems are endemic in a trade which has failed to educate staff how best to handle disabled people. Amadeus Director of Marketing Rob Sinclair-Barnes added if the market is to be adequately served, it must be all encompassing: “Accessible travel is the only type of travel that has implications from the moment of departure from home to the moment of return.” However, Virgin Atlantic Passenger Disability Adviser Geraldine Lundy said the trade would need to go even further to meet the market’s needs, adding: “It is even before they (disabled travelers) leave home. It is when they’re thinking about the holiday and booking it. It is about getting the information about where they want to go.” Lundy said the information needs to be accurate to allow disabled people to make informed decisions. She added it must also take in to account that some disabled people are blind or have learning difficulties and will need the information presented in a different way. Sinclair-Barnes pointed out that as Baby Boomers enter old age and face increasing health problems, the industry must take action. “It (accessible travel) is a growing market. I’ve found it quite astonishing how little (product) there is.”
Source: World Travel Market. WTM is the leading global event for the travel industry, and holds a four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. Almost 48,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on ExCeL – London every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.


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An Alliance of California marijuana growers files a lawsuit
It seems like California should be riding the high of legalizing weed, but farmers and cultivators are wary of big businesses monopolizing the industry. Cue the lawsuit.
So the California Growers Association has filed a lawsuit on Tuesday (23 January) to block a regulation that lets big businesses acquire as many licenses as they want.
“Approving large cultivation operations in 2018 will significantly reduce the ability of small and medium cultivators to compete economically in the regulated market,” the lawsuit said.
According to the alliance, large farms could drive out business for smaller cultivators and would push them inevitably into the black market, which isn’t the purpose of legalization in the beginning, reports Associated Press.
This legal action would block states from issuing licenses that could create “vast pot farms.” The California Department of Food and Agriculture has not commented on the matter.
Despite marijuana legalization in California, farmers and small cultivators are facing doubts whether it has benefitted them.


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Archive for "PQube" Tag
The Plane Effect developers Paolo Pavani and Dennis Cabella speak with GamingBolt about the upcoming puzzle ad...
Innovina's Paolo Pavani and Dennis Cabella also feels that Xbox Series X can allow for 8K gaming.
"t will help to increase player insertion in the experience," says Tormented Souls developer Dual Effect Games...
Level 91 Entertainment founder and Inertial Drift's lead programmer and designer Michael O’Kane speaks with ...
Meanwhile, the PC market is starting to get too crowded.
The North American release will be available digitally on the Nintendo eShop.
PQube have announced that they are ending their support for the PS Vita.
"From me personally, my biggest expectation is not from graphics, but how we will play our games," says produc...
Check out the first trailer inside.
Releasing for PS Vita, PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
Winding roads, burnt rubber and texture pop-ins.
The updated graphics engine is out in full force.
Watch the handheld version of the game in action.
Demo releasing more than a week ahead of the game.
And the crowd goes mild.
Experience the rush of MotoGP this June.
Eight racers and four bikes are up for grabs.
MotoGP 13 New Gameplay Video Arrives


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Ford Fusion now made in U.S.
For the first time, Ford Fusion vehicles are being built just outside Detroit, a positive sign that the automotive industry is bringing production back to the U.S.
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It all started in March 2016, when Jerry Seinfeld collected 18 cars from his collection and commissioned Gooding & Company to auction them at the Amelia Island auction. Except for the 1964 Kombi Camper and the 1960 Beetle, the rest are Porsches.
“Jerry’s keen eye for important Porsches, his care and pride in maintaining its spectacular collection, and his passion and passion for the brand have made this one of the most exciting sales in our company’s history,” Gooding President David Gooding Say. & company.
Read more: Why the new Grand Cherokee L showcases Jeep’s unprecedented luxury
But why are such hardworking and millionaire fans of German manufacturers selling rare and special cars?
“I’ve never bought a car as an investment. I don’t even consider myself a collector. I just love cars. I still love those cars. But it’s time to send some of them back to the world for others to enjoy, like I.”
Only one Carrera GT prototype ran aground. The other 17 pieces had a combined value of $22.2 million at the time, well below the $32.5 million assessed for the collection.
Rare models include the 911 Carrera 3.0 IROC RSR, 597 Jagdwagen, 550 Spyder and 1966 911 with just 30,000 kilometers.
There was also one of 56 1958 aluminum-bodied 356 A 1500 GS/GT Carrera Speedsters that were valued at between $2 million and $2.5 million, but sold for $1.54 million.
I hope Seinfeld is also stranded.
True or false, that is the question
Officially, the buyer of the 356 A 1500 GS/GT Carrera Speedster is a Jersey-based company registered as Fica Frio Limited. Behind the company, however, is Carlos Monteverde, son of Alfredo João Monteverde, founder of the Ponto Frio network, and second husband of Lily Safra, the billionaire widow of banker Edmond Safra.
In March 2017, Monteverde hired Maxted-Page, one of the most prestigious Porsche dealers and repairers in the world, to inspect the vehicle – and people began to suspect it wouldn’t be one of Porsche’s 56 cars. 356A 1500GS. /GT Carrera Speedster, but a regular 356.
Gooding has defended itself, claiming that European Collectibles, from which Seinfled bought the sports car for $1.2 million in February 2013, offered the 356 a worthy restoration.
Bradley Brownell, a well-known parts supplier for Porsche workshops in the United States, said in an article published on the US website Yalopnik “As one of the most respected workshops in the field of (European collectibles) Porsche restoration, I have a hard time believing that a counterfeit GS/GT would pass their hands without them noticing,” but also noted that “determining the authenticity of the car Things that might have been used like a race car in the 1950s are often harder than they look.”
fight for justice
Triggered, Seinfeld even called Montevideo, leaving an apology in the collector’s mailbox and promising full compensation if the car was confirmed to be a fake.
He even said “I’d love to know how you guys found out (that car is fake) because it’s amazing that mine didn’t find anything wrong”.
However, in February 2019, Monteverde filed a lawsuit against Seinfeld, and Seinfeld subsequently took legal action against European Collectibles, requiring the California-based restorer and dealer to resolve the matter directly with Monteverde.
“Mr. Seinfeld was a very successful comedian who didn’t need to make and sell fake cars to supplement his income,” was one of the central arguments of the defense at the time.
Seinfeld’s attorney, Orin Snyder, claims that the comedian relied on a certificate of authenticity from European Collectibles to buy and sell the car in March 2016.
According to a petition filed by Montevideo’s attorneys in the Southern District Court of New York, Maxted-Page expressed “concerns about the limited content of the vehicle’s historical archives, particularly the lack of photographic evidence of restoration work.”
Bruno Maia Rosa said the fraud was discovered when Maxted-Page discovered traces on the front of the car where the chassis number had been changed.
“The message I got was that the front had to be original, but ‘marked up’ in a normal 356. Probably because the original had a rear-end accident,” explains Rosa, who, in addition to being a collector specializing in 356s, Also runs Invest Collection, a classic investment advisory firm.
Last week, Seinfeld and Monteverde struck a deal; the comedian also hit it off with a European collection.
However, the content of the agreement is confidential.
forbes car Contacted Brownell (currently curator of the Crawford Museum of Automotive Aviation) and he concluded: “I believe we will never know the real answer. Probably Seinfeld never knew the car was fake. And I’m not sure. Is there anyone who can definitively prove this.”
The report also tried to contact Seinfeld, Maxted-Page, European Collectibles and Gooding & Company but received no response.


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Ferromatik Milacron India (FMI) participated in a big way in 9th Plastivision India 2013 held at Mumbai from 12th to 16th December 2013. “With a focus to demonstrate innovation & Technology that is the key for future”. FMI demonstrated 3 Injection Molding Machine each targeting high output, Productivity & New Concept- first time in India for Stack Mold in Thin Wall & 2 Component Molding
Ahmedabad. During 11-13th October 2012, Ferromatik Milacron India (FMI) held Open House at its Vatva
based manufacturing facility at Ahmedabad, India. The event saw over 600 visitors including Plastics Processors, Suppliers, Processors' Associations, Educational Institutes, Polymer Producers and Distributors from India and abroad. Visitors took this opportunity to witness the live demonstration of
FMI's India Built High-performance Injection Moulding Machines, which was the main focus of the event. Along with this, visitors took facility tour on progress.
Leading Injection Moulding Machine Manufacturer Ferromatik Milacron India has set up a new Milestone for Injection Moulding Machinery Industry by handing over its 7001st Injection Moulding Machine – CPVC Line 275 T on 28th January, 2013 at Ahmedabad.
Ferromatik Milacron India (FMI) has achieved this greater height due to its Innovative Solutions to keep its Plastics Injection Moulding Machine customers ahead in this competitive arena. Also Product development is a continuous process at FMI to assist its customers in reducing their overall per piece cost of product & Energy Consumption and thereby increasing their productivity & Reliability.


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SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - Sawgrass Mills Mall is looking to fill over 500 seasonal positions at an upcoming job fair.
The mall will be hosting a job fair on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Fashion Row near the Calvin Klein store.
The shopping center is looking to fill seasonal and long-term positions with more than 80 retailers and restaurants. Organizers said they are looking for enthusiastic applicants, and they encourage multilingual candidates to attend.
Organizers recommend that attendees bring their resume and dress professionally.
For more information, click here.
Copyright 2018 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Employees from Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe accused the companies of conspiring against them.
TZ1001 model carries enhanced features for sport and fitness.
New Accenture research shows CSPs well-placed to gain from burgeoning market.
The new service will allow streaming of games similar to video and music.
Peel Smart Remote to be used on a range of home appliances.
Lumia 640 will take on Xperia M4 Aqua, whilst Windows tackles Android and iOS.
Cybercriminals seek data, must be well connected.


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Advertising has protected Britain's leading grocery brands from the onslaught of supermarket own-label products, according to research published this week.
Most well-advertised brand leaders continue to dominate the same markets they did 30 years ago, having seen off the own-label challenge, the survey concludes.
The verdicts come in a study carried out for the Advertising Association by Dr Stephen Buck, a marketing research expert and a non-executive director of Taylor Nelson Sofres, the UK's biggest market information services company.
The findings were hailed by Sir Martin Sorrell, the chief executive of WPP, the world's largest advertising group. No premium brand owner could 'ever again question the value of their advertising investment', he said.
The report follows an analysis of 52 brands in 26 leading grocery categories between 1975 and 1999. It showed that 19 of the brand leaders in 1975 remain so today and that half of these managed to increase their market share.
This is against a background of an explosion in own-label packaged grocery products. In 1975, the top four supermarket groups held 22 per cent of the market compared with almost 70 per cent today.
Yet own-labels have had little impact on grocery brand leaders, whose average market share has fallen from 34.2 per cent in 1975 to 32.6 per cent in 1999. Half the brands that retained their leading positions even managed to increase market share, despite the major inroads by own-labels into almost all product categories.
But the survey concludes that brand leadership has been sustained through relatively high levels of adspend and that brands with lower levels of advertising are likely to struggle.
It also suggests that the own-label threat to established brands has levelled off and may decline as supermarkets pursue a strategy of 'everyday low prices'.
Andrew Brown, the AA's director-general, said: 'I welcome this study and, in particular, the strong case it puts for the benefits that long-term advertising investment brings to brands.'


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HTC is using Nokia's High Amplitude Audio Capture technique in the new HTC One
Today Nokia has been granted a preliminary injunction by the Amsterdam district court concerning the technology HTC used in its current flagship HTC One, Engadget reports. Now it's not PureView, but since the PureViewClub is about Rich Recording as well, I think this news will interest you.
Nokia has been granted this preliminary injunction for the supply to HTC of microphone components invented by and manufactured for Nokia. It's (probably) all about the HAAC microphones you'll find in the Nokia 808 PureView, Lumia 920 and Lumia 720. Here's the full text from the Press Release as quoted by Engadget:
"The Amsterdam District Court has today granted Nokia's request for a preliminary injunction against the supply to HTC of microphone components invented by and manufactured exclusively for Nokia.
Nokia filed this action after it discovered these components in the HTC One; HTC has no license or authorization from Nokia to use these microphones or the Nokia technologies from which they have been developed.
In its marketing materials, HTC claims that its HDR microphone is a key feature for the HTC One, but it is Nokia technology, developed exclusively for use in Nokia products. This is one of the latest in a number of cases brought by Nokia to end HTC's unauthorized use of Nokia's inventions.
More than 40 Nokia patents have been asserted against HTC in Germany, the US and the UK. An injunction against HTC devices in Germany, which were found on March 19 to infringe Nokia's patent EP 0 673 175, is now in effect. The latest case, on Nokia patent EP 1 579 613 B1 was filed in Mannheim, Germany on April 16. Once again, Nokia calls on HTC to compete using its own innovations and to stop copying from Nokia."
This means that Nokia may try to ban the HTC One from the Dutch market, but if Nokia will do so is unclear at this moment - also, it looks like Nokia may even go a lot further than just the Dutch market. This looks like a major setback for HTC anyway, since many are eagerly waiting the arrival of the HTC One - like I am, to test its camera... (and sound :-)
I don't have enough knowledge about the implications of this verdict, and I understand Engadget will update as they learn more about the issue. As far as I've understood, the guilty party is the producer selling Nokia's technique to HTC (which would be ST Microelectronics). So this is not about "blatantly copying": it's about the use of a protected technique, and in general that makes for a much stronger case. But I'm not a lawyer, so I can't write in detail about this matter.
I'd just like to mention one thing though, that on february 19 I noticed that Nokia has been a big inspiration for HTC, a post from which I quote: "I read in The Verge’s coverage that “HTC has also improved the capture with “HDR sound recording.” Two mics, with membranes to record undistorted audio” – and that reminds us all of Rich Recording in the Nokia 808 PureView, doesn’t it?"
Well, now we know why. It appears to be the exact same microphone technology after all. It that's really true, it looks like HTC could be in pretty big trouble...
Update: I just received a short statement from HTC in The Netherlands - in Dutch, so I'll try to translate it as good as I can...
"Although HTC is a limited party in this matter we regret the decision. At the moment we are in agreement with STM and look at whether it is necessary to look for alternative solutions. In the meantime, we do not expect that this decision will have a direct impact on the sale of our phones."
That's quite optimistic I'd say... But it seems obvious ST Microelectronics is at least as responsible for the current situation, after breaking down on the Non Disclosure Agreement with Nokia (which is what has happened if I understand correctly).
To be continued, no doubt.
Update 2: BBC News has a patent lawyer from the UK commenting on the implications of this prilimanary injunction, which appears to be limited to The Netherlands at this moment.
According to patent lawyer Andrew Alton, from law firm Urquhart-Dykes and Lord, the ruling will be limited to the Netherlands. "The injunction was issued by a Dutch court and the extent to which is is enforceable in other jurisdictions is a complicated matter," he said. "Nokia will have to start legal processes in each country as there is no such thing as a worldwide enforceable injunction."
However, any other European court asked to pass judgement on it will have to consider the Dutch ruling. It is a fairly minor win for Nokia, according to Mr Alton. "This is going to be a pain for HTC, but it isn't going to cripple them. No-one buys smartphones on the basis of it having a really great microphone."
Nokia, which is struggling to gain ground on rivals such as Apple and Samsung, has filed about 40 patent infringement cases against HTC. It also has cases pending against Blackberry. "Nokia has got a decent patent portfolio. It was in the business from the start so have telephony patents as well as software ones so it is in a strong position," said Mr Alton.


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Hard Rock Cafe International, which has cafes, hotels, live music venues and other businesses in more than 40 countries, has an internationally oriented boss at the helm these days.
Hamish Dodds, the Orlando-based company's new president and CEO, was stationed in countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Central America while working as an executive with PepsiCo and Cabcorp, a multimarket beverage seller specializing in Pepsi products. Dodds was last posted to Guatemala, as CEO for Cabcorp, when he was hired by Hard Rock last March.
But his global roots extend back even further. Dodds, 47, was born and raised in east Africa, where his father was a commercial pilot. His family, from Scotland, moved back to Scotland when Dodds was 14. His wife, Susannah, is from Dublin, Ireland, and they have three U.S.-born children.
They now live in the new Keene's Point development of Windermere, where Dodds enjoys golf, running and water sports.
Globe-hopping tourists comprise a large segment of Hard Rock's customer base, and the company's brand is one of the world's best known, similar to Pepsi. So those factors fit well with Dodds' background, having lived and worked in many of the countries where Hard Rock has a cafe or hotel. He spent 13 years with PepsiCo, the last five as president and general manager for South America, Central American and the Caribbean.
Casinos are the coming thing for Hard Rock, Dodds said during an recent interview in The Kitchen, a casual restaurant in the Hard Rock Universal Hotel.
Hard Rock's parent company, Rank Group PLC of London, is a major player in European gaming. But in England, government restrictions prevent the more lucrative Las Vegas-style gambling.
Deregulation is anticipated in the United Kingdom, to make casinos more accessible to the public and more profitable to operators, but casinos in the United States and elsewhere are likely in the cards for the company, Dodds said.
"That's a big part of the strategy, to grow hotels and continue casino expansion in the U.S. and abroad," Dodds said. The company has licensed its name to the Seminole Tribe for two hotel casinos that recently opened in Florida, in Tampa and Hollywood near Fort Lauderdale.
The Hard Rock brand may end up being the brand that Rank will roll out throughout Europe when it expands its gaming empire, Dodds said. "It may be the brand with more legs," Dodds said.
But he cautioned that the company "must be careful where we go with the brand." The Hard Rock name is too valuable to tarnish with small, risky ventures, Dodds said. He recently closed the Hard Rock Vault museum in Orlando and ended an airline-food venture. Dodds said the company has "four or five" potential new hotel deals in the works, with announcements expected later this year and early next year.
The nearly 30,000 dentists and oral professionals attending the American Dental Association's annual session in Orlando last week had an easier time navigating the 700 exhibits in the vast Orange County Convention Center.
The association used an exhibiting concept dubbed the ADA Marketplace. Dr. John Olmstead, a Greensboro, N.C., practitioner and chair of the Council on ADA session, called the layout "consumer friendly." The various exhibits were clustered in four, easy-to-find, color-coded clusters: materials and infection control; instruments and equipment; dental services; and over-the-counter and pharmaceuticals.


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Zune, iTunes Sites Get Christmas Day Traffic Boosts
New owners signed up for accounts and downloaded software, according to a Hitwise survey.
Microsoft's Zune Web site increased its traffic by 299% on Christmas Day compared with Christmas Day last year, as new owners signed up for accounts and downloaded software, according to Hitwise.
Traffic to the site increased 392% on Christmas Day compared with Christmas Eve, according to the online intelligence firm.
Apple iPod owners also flocked to iTunes to give Apple's music Web site six times the traffic Zune received. Traffic for iTunes soared 339% from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, and the Web site's market share reached 0.68%, Hitwise reported. Zune's market share reached 0.009%.
The Nintendo Wii and the Australian women's shoe called Ugg topped the list of popular product search terms to send traffic to shopping and classifieds sites the week ending Dec. 22.
"Although the Nintendo Wii was the most-talked-about product during the holiday season, MP3 players were also very popular as Christmas gifts," Heather Dougherty, director of research at Hitwise, said in a prepared statement. "This year the Zune has captured interest from music listeners with a new line of redesigned players and discounted older models, while the popularity of iPods continued to drive traffic to the Apple Store and iTunes Web site."
The Apple Store also fared well, ranking ninth on Hitwise's list of most-visited retail sites on Christmas Day. The week before Christmas, Amazon.com was the most-visited Web site in the retail index, drawing 12% of U.S. online retail traffic. Wal-Mart's Web site ranked second with 8%. Shopping.com, Dell.com, and Macys.com saw the largest increases in Web site traffic last week compared with the week before, with jumps of 34%, 18%, and 18%, respectively.
Overall, U.S. retail traffic rose 16% last week compared with the week ending Dec. 23, 2006.
Although retailers expected a surge of online shopping on the Tuesday and Wednesday before Christmas, Hitwise found that traffic to retail Web sites dropped during the week ending Dec. 22, compared with the previous week.
[Interop ITX 2017] State Of DevOps ReportThe DevOps movement brings application development and infrastructure operations together to increase efficiency and deploy applications more quickly. But embracing DevOps means making significant cultural, organizational, and technological changes. This research report will examine how and why IT organizations are adopting DevOps methodologies, the effects on their staff and processes, and the tools they are utilizing for the best results.
Digital Transformation Myths & TruthsTransformation is on every IT organization's to-do list, but effectively transforming IT means a major shift in technology as well as business models and culture. In this IT Trend Report, we examine some of the misconceptions of digital transformation and look at steps you can take to succeed technically and culturally.


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Hotel booking websites are still skewing search results, using pressure tactics and claiming false discounts despite a major clampdown, new research claims.
An investigation by consumer watchdog Which? found that sites are still using “dubious tactics” to put pressure on holidaymakers to book during the summer.
Expedia, Booking.com, Trivago, Hotels.com, Agoda and ebookers were all named by the Competition and Markets Authority in February for employing unfair practices.
The sites were ordered to stop using measures that could mislead customers, including not displaying the full cost upfront, giving a false impression of a room’s popularity and dishonestly claiming that rooms are discounted.
While the six sites all agreed to voluntarily comply with the new rulings, the CMA gave them more than six months to make the changes.
With the deadline to comply not until September 1, holidaymakers are at risk of falling for “dodgy sales tactics” while booking their summer holidays, according to Which?
Which? is advising consumers to contact their chosen hotel directly by phone to secure the best deal.
Many hotels – especially smaller independents – are banned from undercutting the prices posted on booking sites as a condition of their contracts with the online firms.
But most will offer a cheaper stay or alternative perk to secure a booking from customers who call quoting prices they have seen online.
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “These sites have been getting away with dodgy sales practices for years and while the regulator’s intervention is a positive step, millions of holidaymakers still going to be duped this summer before any changes are made.
“You’re usually better off calling the hotel directly for the best rate anyway – even if it can’t beat the price it will usually offer an incentive, discount or even a bottle of champagne to sweeten the deal.”
A spokesperson from Expedia Group said: “Expedia Group continuously aims to deliver attractive travel options at affordable prices in transparent, clear and easy to understand ways, so that our customers can make informed travel choices. That’s why we have invested significant time and energy into working closely with the CMA to create a helpful industry standard for all UK booking sites offering accommodation search and booking services.
“We gave commitments to the CMA on a voluntary basis and the CMA in turn closed its investigation in respect of the Expedia Group with no admission or finding of liability.
“We have a two-decades’ old commitment to putting travel data and details in the hands of consumers, to make travel easier, more attainable, more accessible and more enjoyable. This mission is core to what we do on our Expedia, ebookers and Hotels.com sites here in the UK.
“As we always look for better ways to serve our customers and the broader travel community, we are proud to have been part of this new industry standard which supports UK customers with their online booking journey.”
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The vacancy rate for UK big box warehouses has dropped to a new low of just 1.18% - well below the 3% usually regarded as necessary to allow the market to “churn” as occupiers move premises.
The data from CBRE shows that take-up of UK logistics space climbed to new highs of 22.56m sq ft in the first half of 2022. This is 10% up on the same time last year.
But the surge in online retail appears to be over. In the first six months of this year third-party logistics accounted for the largest percentage of take-up at 27.6%. Manufacturing accounted for 15%, followed by online retail at 13.6%. CBRE say this is a large decrease when compared with the first half of 2021, which saw online retail account for 42% of take-up.
Paul Farrow, Head of UK Logistics at CBRE said: “Over the last two years, online retail has been the dominant force behind the rising demand for logistics space as a result of the recent e-commerce boom. However, the pendulum has swung and the shift in both occupier type and regional spread of take-up shows the true depth of the UK logistics market.”
The data relates only to warehouses over 100,000 sq ft with an eaves height of more than 10 metres, reflecting the UK big box market.


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Bestway is working with anti crime charity Crimestoppers.
This follows increasing attacks on members of the independent retail trade, and links in with Bestway’s mission statement of ‘Building Business for the Independents’.
A campaign on Hate Crime took place last month and one on Sending Money Safely is currently taking place, with Know Your Community to come later this month.
Zameer Choudrey, chief executive of the Bestway Group, said: “We have always been committed to the wellbeing of independent retailers. We are giving full promotional support to the Crimestoppers campaigns on a trial basis. Each campaign focuses on specific aspects of crime and the idea behind these campaigns is to make neighbourhoods safe by encouraging the public to report information on crime to Crimestoppers.”


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Latest Facebook Stories
For all Mexican expats worldwide MobileRecharge.com introduces a late Cinco de Mayo gift which takes less than 1 minute to send home. Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB)
Tweet #AWorldWithoutCF and CARSTAR will donate up to $100,000 to CARSTAR's Great Strides(TM) Walk for Cystic Fibrosis Canada HAMILTON, ON, May 6, 2015 /CNW/ - In promotion of
Facebook Joins IBM Commerce THINKLab to Accelerate Collaborative Innovation for Clients ARMONK, N.Y., May 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Facebook and IBM Commerce (NYSE:
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Temkin Group's Fourth Annual Social Media Benchmark Examines 10,000 U.S.
Facebook’s “Internet.org” initiative was launched to bring free, low-barrier access to the internet to parts of the developing world; however, this seeming act of goodwill had been criticized for favoring certain websites and mobile apps, like Facebook’s own social network.
Women’s Excellence has a very strong social media presence, with pages on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest, Instagram and You Tube. Birmingham, Lake
Baller – One on One Basketball by Spinnaker Innovation lets users schedule a one-on-one pick-up game at a nearby court in a matter of seconds.
New social media sweepstakes spotlights AccuFan Photos, awards a winner every day. STATE COLLEGE, Pa., May 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- AccuWeather, Inc., the global leader in weather information
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (born May 14, 1984) is an American computer programmer and internet entrepreneur. He is best known as one of five co-founders of the social networking website Facebook. As of April 2013, Zuckerberg is the chairman and chief executive of Facebook, Inc., and in 2013 his personal wealth was estimated to be US $16.8 billion. Together with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes,...
- The analysis of literature, focusing on the words and grammar to the exclusion of context or literary merit.


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Given their current valuations, could these e-commerce stocks be trading at
With online shopping gaining popularity, should you be keeping tabs on e-co
The reasonable valuation of these growth stocks could make them attractive
Should investors be watching these growth stocks given their current valuat
As the market is shifting towards a pandemic-recovery phase, these e-commer
E-commerce is booming throughout the pandemic, what are these top players d
Could these top consumer discretionary stocks rise on the upcoming stimulus
Could Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package give these e-commerce stocks
As we wrap up a volatile year in the stock market, could these 3 stocks con
Could these retail stocks bring you big gains this holiday season and well
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Starbucks is launching a credit card. Set to release later this year, the Starbucks Rewards Visa card adds another dimension to the digital-focused loyalty program that earned the coffee chain the top ranking in L2’s first Digital IQ Index: Restaurants.
A partnership with JPMorgan Chase, the card builds on Starbucks’ already solid loyalty offering. Cardholders will earn “Stars” for purchases made both at Starbucks and elsewhere, which can eventually be redeemed for free drinks at Starbucks stores.
As its top ranking in L2’s study makes clear, Starbucks surpasses other major restaurant chains when it comes to digital sophistication. The company wins high engagement across social media channels, and its mobile app facilitates both product discovery and on-the-go transactions. Loyalty has been a particular focus: the mobile app also includes best-in-class rewards tracking, and frequent email campaigns keep the program top-of-mind for consumers.
Building on that strength, the new card is both a physical piece of plastic and a digital version that lives within the company’s pre-existing rewards app. Cardholders will pay a $49 annual fee, although it could be worth it for people whose daily routine revolves around their Starbucks fix.
The strategy could also pay off for the brand. With Starbucks sales failing to meet expectations, the credit card may give coffee lovers a new incentive to keep coming back.


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FAIRBANKS, Ak. - Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (R) is criticizing a bill that would require states to collect sales taxes from online business and retailers, even if the business is not physically present in the state.
Senate Bill 743, also known as the "Marketplace Fairness Act," seeks to change current law, mandating state governments collect sales taxes from businesses across the country.
Murkowski says there is nothing "fair" about a law that subjects businesses to tax laws of other states.
The senator says the proposed law is nothing more than a directive from the Federal government of "uniform application," noting the bill is against the rights of states that have chosen not to have a statewide sales tax.


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- Shares of Coupang jumped as much as 84% in the e-commerce giant's public trading debut.
- Coupang and existing shareholders raised $4.6 billion from an upsized IPO on Wednesday.
- The South Korean e-commerce giant posted $11.97 billion in revenue in 2020.
Coupang's stock jumped as much as 84% on Thursday in the South Korean e-commerce giant's public trading debut. Shares began trading at an intraday high of $63.98 before paring gains.
In its IPO on Wednesday, Coupang priced 130 million shares at $35 each, above the marketed range of $32-$34. The company, along with a group of existing shareholders that includes SoftBank, raised $4.6 billion in the enlarged offering.
"This is one of the largest, if not this is certainly the largest capital raised by a tech company out of Korea," Coupang CEO Bom Kim told Insider in an interview shortly before shares began trading. "And what it means is now we have the ability to continue to make really, really big investments."
Kim also said that the company has no plans to enter the US market or expand outside of Korea.
Coupang's IPO is the largest on a US exchange since Uber raised $8.1 billion in 2019.
Coupang and its existing shareholders planned to sell 120 million shares at a lower price range of $27-$30 ebut had to increase the volume and price of the offering, signaling strong demand from investors.
SoftBank first invested $1 billion in Coupang back in 2015 when the firm was just a startup valued at about $5 billion. Then, in November 2018, SoftBank's Vision Fund invested another $2 billion in the company in a deal that valued Coupang at $9 billion.
The purchases made SoftBank Group Coupang's largest shareholder. The Japanese conglomerate now owns 35% of the firm.
Coupang was founded in 2010 by Harvard dropout Bom Kim and has quickly become South Korea's dominant e-commerce player, sometimes referred to as the "Amazon of South Korea."
Coupang turned in revenues of $11.97 billion in 2020, a 90.7% increase from 2019. Still, net losses continue to be an issue. Coupang lost $474.9 million in 2020 according to its S-1 prospectus filing.
Some of the losses are due to Coupang's aggressive expansion in delivery and logistics operations. The company put 70% of South Korea's population within a seven-mile radius of its distribution centers after a costly buildout.
In an interview with CNBC on Thursday, Coupang's CEO Bom Kim said investors have been "aligned and unwavering" in supporting his company's "long-term strategy to build real value for customers."
Coupang traded up 44%, at $51.00, per share as of 1:14 p.m. ET on


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Interview: Erik Brenneis, Internet of Things Director, Vodafone
As the champion of a technology that is still in the early years of its potential, it feels strange to refer to Erik Brenneis as an Internet of Things ‘veteran’, but that’s essentially what he is.
Since joining Vodafone’s IoT business in 2009, Brenneis has led the firm’s development from its early stages through to 136 million connected devices, helping to establish the British telecoms company as the market leader for managed IoT connectivity services for the eighth year in a row, according to Gartner’s 2022 Magic Quadrant report.
Brenneis currently heads Vodafone’s Business unit – the team responsible for supporting Vodafone’s largest customers, which include Ford and Amazon Kindle, as well as smaller businesses – with the exec believing they are a key driver of new technology adoption.
Across all this, Brenneis is also the face of Vodafone’s IoT Spotlight Report – the annual barometer on the impact that IoT is having on businesses. A couple of months ahead of 2022’s report – which will survey over 1,500 firms globally, TechInformed caught up with the exec to find out what the state of play is with IoT in enterprise today.
What role is IoT playing in digital transformation and how is Vodafone enabling this?
In the last few years IoT has become mainstream and the pandemic has only accelerated this journey as businesses adopted new technologies to achieve resilience, flexibility and maintain productivity.
We started out building the software systems and the global networks to be able to easily connect anyone who wants to connect a device – whether it’s a car or an elevator on electricity meter – and that has now been achieved.
Now IoT is at the centre of digital transformation as companies move on from simply trying to understand IoT to harnessing it to achieve their business goals.
Are your customers more data savvy now?
There are two categories. The first are the early adopters, the car manufacturers and large electric utilities companies who have had connectivity in their products for many years. They know what to do with the data, they know how to monetise the data; they build services on top of this and use the data to define – with car firms, for example, suitable insurance products based on how their customers drive. But there are many new customers who haven’t completed their processes yet and here we take on a consulting role, explaining to them what they can do with the data.
Where are the pain points now in terms of IoT adoption?
One would think that the biggest worry for customers is security – the worry that somebody might hack into their products and destroy them or sabotage them, but as our last Spotlight revealed, surprisingly few customers (18%) cited this as a barrier to IoT deployment.
The biggest obstacle now is that when a company decides to connect a product, it needs to change its internal processes to make full use of it.
“Many companies using IoT find themselves turning from a manufacturing company or product-only company into a service company – which can impact their business model”
Take a company that supplies botting machines, for instance. The old model would be to deploy them around the world and sign a (very expensive) support contract with the customer. The new model sees these machines connected and remotely supervised. But that means it’s not enough to ensure that the machine itself works (which we can help with, that’s the easy part) now they need to change all their internal processes, so that somebody is continuously monitoring these machines that need to be remotely managed.
So many companies using IoT find themselves turning from a manufacturing company or product only company into a service company – which can impact their business model.
Businesses willing to undergo this level of transformation must be weighing up the ROI – presumably the cost savings are outweighing the investment?
One of the first drivers for IoT projects was the cost savings – a fleet management company connecting its trucks to work out the optimal route so that it can save on fuel – that business case then pays for itself. But now the company might find that once all the trucks are connected there are other services it can offer. More and more IoT customers are using the technology to deliver better services– bringing a more digital experience into connected cars, for instance. This is the second wave of Internet of Things use which is focussed on further efficiencies and better customer service.
Now the next-level Internet of Things projects are the ones where firms want to have data to deliver a better product, by finding out as much as they can about how the customer is using the product. Car manufacturers are doing this already and that’s also been a key driver for consumer devices.
You mentioned IoT security – which aspects of the process are Vodafone’s responsibility and what are the customers’?
Normally, customers are responsible for their own IT systems. So, if somebody operates a fleet management system – that’s an IT system connected to the internet, so they need to take their normal cyber security measures. But the data which goes from the telematic device all the way to the assistant – that’s our job and we have the highest security. We encrypt the data between the device and the customer’s control centre as well as the data pipe, which we monitor through AI. We also have authentication mechanisms between the SIM card and the control centre. We have never had a successful cybersecurity incident where anybody has managed to break into our Internet of Things system.
Which sectors are you currently engaged with and where are you seeing the biggest uptake?
Despite semiconductor resource shortages the automotive sector is experiencing, the car industry is still seeing the biggest uptake. There are millions of cars produced every year and most are now connected with IoT. Our European market share (in automotive) is about 70% so that’s a huge business for us.
Utilities are also big users – electricity metres were the first to be connected but now more and more gas metres and water metres are also getting connected thanks to narrowband IoT.
Industrial applications, manufacturing companies, smart factories, production machines are also big business. Healthcare is also booming – on one hand we’re building IoT connectivity into medical devices such as pacemakers and dialysis machines for monitoring purposes, but IoT is also being used in the medical logistics supply chain.
How is the chip shortage impacting your business?
It is fortunately not impacting us directly as we deliver a service. The only physical device we need to ship to our customer is our SIM cards and we’ve put enough on stock in our agreements with suppliers to ensure we can deliver. But indirectly the semiconductor shortage impacts our business a little bit, because if it wasn’t there, then our customers would be producing more products that could be connected. But we believe that once the shortage has gone demand will return. And we’re also seeing strong connection growth despite that. We’re growing connections year on year now by roughly 25%.
Why do you think it’s important to democratise IoT for smaller businesses?
Well, for two reasons. One is that are there are just so many SMEs globally, that once they start connecting their devices and products – that’s a huge market. Ten years ago, somebody needed to invest quite a bit to get an IoT project up and running because things weren’t as standardised as they are today and building communication into your device meant some project specific work.
Secondly, if you land a really good product as a small and medium enterprise suddenly you can have millions of connections. There’s a company in Italy called Octo Telematics, which has fewer than 100 employees, but millions of IoT connections because their business is to produce telematic boxes, which they sell to insurers, who instal these boxes in cars to monitor driving performance. So, lots of these companies have been and will be very successful.
Complex supply chains and multiple stakeholders mean that today’s IoT platforms require interoperability – how does Vodafone support this?
That’s an interesting topic. In the past IoT systems were usually closed and data was only available in the control centre, but now you might want to share with others. You want to run artificial intelligence over it, you want to make more use of the data. How we deal with that via our IoT managed productivity platform with standard APIs, where everybody who is allowed to access the data can access the data.
What will be your focus at Mobile World Congress next week?
We’ll be looking at the impact that Internet of Things has on the green agenda and demonstrating how IoT connections can enable customers to reduce their carbon footprint. To measure carbon emissions, for example, we’ve developed algorithms to calculate this in partnership with The Carbon Trust. We’re also going to present a series of green products, such as forest monitoring solutions which can detect forest fires and monitor the health of trees. We want to show customers that we can connect their devices and drive efficiencies – that’s what we’ve always been doing – but now we can also help them articulate and optimise their carbon savings.
So, sustainability is linked to the improved efficiencies that IoT brings?
Yes, and our goal is to continue to develop our Internet of Things connectivity service to make it simpler and more reliable and offer solutions for our customers who don’t just want connectivity but maybe also an energy management or a waste management solution to monitor their operations.
Our digital agricultural platform MyFarmWeb, for instance – which we about to expand into Europe – gathers valuable Internet of Things data that will ultimately make it possible to save time and reduce water waste and pesticide use. This will enable them to demonstrate their farm’s sustainability credential while also improving yields and reducing bills.
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Responding to an appeal from Humane Society International and other animal welfare and conservation groups, the airline said "Jet Airways Cargo implemented a ban on the carriage of shark fin".
"After concluding a comprehensive and careful review including concerns related to shark finning globally, Jet Airways Cargo implemented a ban on the carriage of shark fin. This policy was made effective," Jet Airways was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Humane Society International (HSI), India.
HSI, India has welcomed the Jet Airways decision. Chemudupati Samyukta, wildlife campaign manager for HSI, India, said, "As top predators, sharks are important to the survival and maintenance of healthy marine ecosystems.
"We are thrilled that Jet Airways has taken this environmentally-responsible decision. We are certain that it shall go a long way in the ongoing efforts around the globe to protect these keystone species," it said.
Research has repeatedly pointed to the fact that India is the world's second-largest shark catching nation and one of the world's largest exporters of shark fins.
Reports have further revealed that the shark fin trade is today one of the leading contributors to the decimation of shark populations globally.
Trade reports and undercover investigations have revealed that shark fins are most commonly transported from India to places like Hong Kong, Dubai and China as cargo on airlines.
By instituting this ban against the carriage of shark fins, Jet Airways has joined the growing league of environmentally conscious airlines such as Emirates, Philippines Airlines, Korean Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Qantas and Air New Zealand, all of whom have made a public commitment to stop carrying shark fins, the release said.
- Front Page
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- Inflation Cools, Industrial Growth on Firm Ground
India’s consumer inflation eased to a five-month low of 6.71% in July on the back of a moderation in food inflation, firming up expectations that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may go for a softer increase in policy rates at its end-September review.I am a Chinese, not a Terrorist: Huawei India CEO to Court
Huawei Telecommunications (India) chief executive officer Li Xiongwei told a Delhi court on Friday, “I am a Chinese (national) and not a terrorist,” apparently borrowing a line from a Shah Rukh Khan movie.Chip Shortage in the Rear-View Mirror, Auto Cos on Launchpad
Automobile companies are gearing up for a record number of launches in the coming months as the semiconductor shortage that has plagued the industry eases.
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text: Sharhrvand newspaper reports that the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization has stopped issuing licenses for new Passenger Houses, an accommodation system where individuals could rent their apartments once registered at the Tourism Organization. The decision which was made to support the hospitality industry and hotels, has found many supporters and critics. On the one hand, the head of the Tourism Commission at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce believes that this decision will not solve the issues. A worker earning the minimum wage of 9.3 million IRR (253 USD) a month can never pay the nightly cost of 3 million IRR to stay in a hotel. He also considered the pricing of hotels illogical considering the quality of their services concludes that with the price of two nights stay at an Iranian five-star hotel, one could take a vacation in Antalya. The Head of the Hotelists Society believes that although travelers are in need of 3 star hotels, more 5 star hotels are being built. Based on the statistics from the Chamber of Commerce, there are currently 1240 hotels, 780 apartment hotels and 1200 inns active in the country.


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So, unless there is a last-minute breakthrough, the current line on the last-ditch Brexit talks is that a trade deal is “looking very, very difficult at the moment”.
Indeed, the prime minister is still warning that come 1st January 2021 “there’s going to be change and people need to get ready for that change” – at least according to news reports this morning.
Warning of the impact of that change came yesterday from Ted Baker. It said that a no-deal Brexit would result in a £16.1 million hit on profitability in 2021 due to the “negative impact” of higher duties.
“There is material risk to our future profit if the UK is not successful in signing new trade agreements with the EU and other markets in which we operate,” said David Wolffe, Chief Financial Officer at Ted Baker yesterday. That’s pretty unequivocal.
The one answer to this balance sheet woe is to up prices. But imagine that taking place not just at ted Baker, but across the economy. And especially in key retailers such as supermarkets. As Kantar points out grocery price inflation is running at 1.4% this year, and the average British household has spent a record £4,206 on groceries so far in 2020, meaning that even moderate price increases could result in the need to balance household budgets next year.
It’s not just Ted Baker that’s exposed to the risk associated with a Hard Brexit. The Port of Felixstowe, for example, is going through a high profile log-jam. In an operational note it said on Friday: “The Port of Felixstowe, like other major container ports worldwide, is still experiencing a spike in container volumes and dealing with the consequences of the ongoing Covid pandemic.
“In addition, we have had a high number of slow-moving containers of PPE occupying storage space. The current high volumes are expected to last into the New Year and we are working hard to minimise the impact on daily operations and to maintain vital supply chains.”
The fear for many supply chains will be that current oversubscription of delivery slots will be replaced by a spike in the processing of goods for import and export come 1st January 2021. The current situation, according to risk management specialists Russell Group, is exposing millions of pounds of trade from importers like Asda, John Lewis and Tesco, and exporters like Rolls-Royce and Diageo to risk. Risk through the impact of a global pandemic is one thing… risk though failed talks that everyone knows the deadline for is something else entirely.
What we do know is that the uncertainty of Brexit has led somewhat inevitably to questions, questions and more questions… and to that end Logistics Manager is here to help.
Tomorrow we will be hosting a webinar with our friends at Descartes to answer all your Brexit questions.
This free-to-attend webinar will look at the current Brexit situation, who is affected and what the implications are for trade with the EU and moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and what needs to be done to ensure a smooth transition on 1st January 2021.
I’ll be joined by Martin Meacock, Director, Product Management at Descartes Systems UK who – thankfully – has years of experience in international trade and customs and regulatory compliance having worked for over 10 years in UK Customs before joining an international trade consultancy firm and becoming technical director developing e-Customs software solutions in the UK.
We’ve already had plenty of questions come through for this webinar, so get them in early to make sure your questions are answered.


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Kenaf, a plant related to cotton and okra, is usually grown either as a forage crop for animals or for its fiber. But a middle Georgia businessman wants farmers to grow it for use in building materials.
"We're extruders. We make building materials from wood fibers and plastics," said Ron Rutherford, president of Integrated Composite Technologies in Montezuma, Ga. "I need cellulose to make a building material that termites won't eat and that won't absorb water."
Kenaf fibers have been used for years to make paper products and some fabrics. Now a Georgia business wants to use it to make a building material.
Kenaf, he says, is the perfect ingredient for such a product.
Rutherford was a guest speaker at the first Symposium on Value-Added Agriculture Dec. 13-14 in Tifton, Ga. He said kenaf, flax and cotton stalks all work well in his product.
Kenaf stalks produce two types of fiber: an outer, woody, bast fiber and an inner core fiber.
"We need the core fiber to make our product," Rutherford said. "Kenaf has been researched in Georgia for many years. Farmers know how to grow it. But they don't have a solid marketing program for selling it."
Up to 11,000 Acres Needed
Rutherford expects his plant to need 7,500 to 11,000 acres of kenaf within the next two years.
"Our Montezuma plant sits on the edge of where kenaf has been grown in Georgia," he said.
Rutherford said farmers could sell kenaf directly to him or establish a cooperative, turn the stalks into a flour and sell the flour to him.
"Harvesting it is the tricky part," he said. "A sugarcane harvester works best. Another good thing about kenaf is you can grow it, store it for several months and then use it."
Not Totally New
Kenaf isn't totally new for Georgia farmers. Four years ago they grew it in Sumter County for use in a new cat litter product and for the paper industry, said David Kissel, a crop scientist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He has worked with kenaf for the past eight years.
"The expenses and difficulties that come with a new product were too great, and the cat litter product failed," Kissel said. "It was a pilot project. And the costs were greater than anticipated on the processing end."
Since the end of that project, no commercial acreage of kenaf has been planted, he said.
The biggest problem in growing kenaf is fighting root-knot nematodes. But UGA research has shown that farmers can grow it successfully in soils with high clay content that are free of root-knot nematodes.
Kissel doesn't think harvesting with sugar-cane equipment is the best route for Georgia farmers.
"That's the Texas technology," he said, "and it would be expensive here because we don't have that equipment. And it's expensive equipment. That's an issue that needs to be addressed. There are other ways to harvest the crop."
UGA has used cotton equipment to harvest kenaf on research plots. "We have all that equipment here in Georgia," he said. "And dairies have forage choppers, which could also be used."
Having worked on the crop for so long, Kissel is still optimistic that it has a place in Georgia fields.
"Certainly I'm pleased to hear about this new market," he said, "because it adds value for Georgia crops. I haven't given up on it. We're not talking about a lot of acres in connection with this building materials project, but there's potential there. And it can lead to other opportunities for the crop."
Kissel says automobile manufacturers are beginning to use the kenaf bast fiber as a replacement for glass fiber in some products.
"Glass doesn't degrade, and kenaf does," he said. "Automobile companies are interested in using it to manufacture headliners and door panels. And they're not just using kenaf. They're using flax and hemp, too."


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James Pressley, associate solicitor at Merseyside law firm Kirwans, has issued the warning ahead of June 9, the date by which the EU Trade Secrets Directive becomes part of UK law
Businesses are being urged to review their processes around dealing with sensitive business information – or risk losing the right to have it treated as confidential by the courts.
James Pressley, associate solicitor at Merseyside law firm Kirwans, has issued the warning ahead of June 9, the date by which the EU Trade Secrets Directive – which was introduced in 2016 to provide a more cohesive approach to trade secrets across EU member states – must be implemented into UK law.
From that date on, a failure by businesses to take what the directive terms ‘reasonable steps’ to protect their trade secrets could result in a court refusing to punish those who reveal commercially sensitive information to others.
Mr Pressley said: “The introduction of the EU Trade Secrets Directive means it is more important than ever for businesses to review the way they protect commercially sensitive information.”
According to the UK common law definition of a trade secret: ‘Confidential information is protected when a person acquires information he knows, or ought to know, is fairly and reasonably to be regarded as confidential’.
However, the EU Directive’s definition of a trade secret is that it is ‘secret in the sense that it is not generally known among or readily accessible to persons within the circles that normally deal with the kind of information in question’.
There are two other ways in which the directive defines a trade secret, and they are if [the secret] ‘has commercial value because it is secret’ and if it ‘has been subject to reasonable steps under the circumstances, by the person lawfully in control of the information, to keep it secret’.
“The upshot of this,” said Mr Pressley, “is that businesses have to ensure they have taken ‘reasonable steps’ to protect their trade secrets, which can include anything from a product design to their own business plans.
“As this comes hot on the heels of the introduction of GDPR, most people are now familiar with the need to carefully store and handle data, but there are additional steps that all organisations should take to protect that information to prevent it from being wrongfully used.”


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It looks like LG will soon announce a new tablet. The LG GPad X2 8.0 Plus tablet has been spotted on T-mobile’s website. It sports an 8-inch display with 1920×1200 resolution.
Continue reading “LG GPad X2 8.0 Plus with Android 7.0, 2GB RAM spotted on T-mobile’s website”
It is that time of the year again when users are eagerly waiting for their devices to be updated to the latest version of Android which is 7.0/7.1 Nougat. As usual, the handset makers are taking their very own time to roll out the Android Nougat update to their devices. Continue reading “List of phones Getting Android 7.0 Nougat update”
Nokia had announced in August that it is coming back to smartphone and tablet market with new Android devices. Now, Nokia D1C smartphone has been spotted on Geekbench 3.
Continue reading “Nokia D1C with Android 7.0, Snapdragon 430 and 3GB RAM surfaces in benchmark”
During the Google I/O in May, HTC was first manufacturer to confirm the list of devices for the Android N update. The company had then tweeted saying that it will roll out Android N update for HTC 10, One A9 and One M9 smartphones first. Continue reading “HTC announces Android 7.0 Nougat update timeline for HTC 10, One M9 and One A9”
Google last night started rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat OTA update for select Nexus devices and it will gradually roll out to Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, Pixel C and General Mobile 4G (Android One) users over the coming weeks. Continue reading “How to get Android 7.0 Nougat OTA update instantly for your Google Nexus device”


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SAN FRANCISCO — April 28, 2015 — Bigcommerce, the ecommerce platform of choice for fast-growing brands, today announced it has acquired Zing, a provider of mobile retail technologies. As part of the agreement, Zing’s team and intellectual property will become part of Bigcommerce, further expanding the company’s omnichannel retail capabilities and accelerating partnerships with leading point of sale providers including Square, Lightspeed and NCR Silver.
Through the acquisition, Bigcommerce will make available to point of sale partners a set of robust APIs and foundational technologies to enable the development of best-in-class omnichannel solutions for retailers, such as the ability to enable real-time inventory sync between online and physical stores, in-store pickup, and dynamic order management as well as integrated customer data and reporting spanning ecommerce and brick-and-mortar operations.
“Since the company’s inception, our mission at Zing has been to help business owners sell more effectively through products that simplify and streamline how they manage their retail operations, both online and in store,” said Nate Stewart, Zing co-founder and CEO. “There is no better embodiment of that mission than Bigcommerce, and we’re thrilled to bring our expertise to a company that has proven itself to be the most flexible and scalable platform for emerging brands to grow their business.”
With more than 30 percent of Bigcommerce’s 85,000 online retail clients also operating one or more brick-and-mortar retail locations, business owners increasingly need omnichannel capabilities to consolidate store and inventory management and deliver personalized experiences to customers both in-person and online. Bigcommerce’s open ecosystem approach to point of sale, originally announced in November 2014, enables merchants of all sizes to select from a range of best-in-class mobile point of sale solutions based on business requirements.
“The industry has reached an inflection point where retailers of all sizes want and expect to deliver next-gen experiences, such as in-store pickup and ship-from-store, without the complexity of switching between multiple back office tools,” said Eddie Machaalani, co-founder and CEO of Bigcommerce. “Nate and the Zing team have done a remarkable job extending the Bigcommerce platform in a way that enables our merchants to do this and more, and I have full confidence their expertise and IP will further advance and expand our omnichannel strategy.”


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Under the hood of the monster lies a choice of two powertrains, both powerful enough to allow for the Silverado to stay at the top of the pack in its segment,
The first is the 6.6-liter gasoline V8 that is offered as standard and develops 401 hp and 464 lb-ft of torque when mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Compared to its predecessor, the engine has 11 percent more horsepower and 22 percent more torque.
Optionally, customers can go for the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8, cranking out 445 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque and coupled to an all-new Allison 10-speed automatic transmission. This is the version that offers the 35,500 pounds towing capability on the Regular Cab, two-wheel drive, DRW, diesel models.
“We set out to make the best HD trucks on the market, bar none,” said in a statement Jaclyn McQuaid, chief engineer for the Silverado HD.
“We increased towing capabilities across the line, not just for dually buyers. We added class-leading towing technologies, such as 15 available camera views1, to make trailering more convenient, whether pulling a large cargo trailer or fifth-wheel camper. And we made a host of changes to make tasks easier.”
Other than the updates on the powertrain, the new HD brings the Silverado to new levels of technology, being equipped with 15 unique camera views, a host of driver assist systems, and the latest connectivity tools.
The new Silverado HD goes on sales later this summer. Pricing will be announced closer to market launch.


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Marie Pierre Mercier
In a volatile macroeconomic environment, companies need to find certainty. Data can provide that, writes Marie Pierre Mercier.
President, CEO and SVP Digital Industries Siemens Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
The digital twin is used to create everything from a cellphone to an airplane, based on 3D simulation software, writes Alejandro Preinfalk.
Alvaro Rendón Montoya
Automation and digitalization are prerequisites for projects related to equipment and process autonomy, writes Alvaro Rendón.
View from the Top
Vice President of Global Retail and CPG Solutions
Digital twins allow companies to make intelligent decisions in real time, says SAS's Richard Widdowson.
Director of Strategy and Marketing Latam
Huawei Technologies Mexico
Designers and engineers have used scale models for years and Digital Twins represent an evolution. Huawei’s Joaquin Saldaña discusses their advantages
Vice President, Central Region
The digital era is an opportunity to significantly cut both costs and time to delivery, from design to entry into the market, writes Carlos Robles.
Billions of people are at risk of suffering water shortages. Technology can help, writes Marie-Pierre Mercier.
Datamine, the world’s leading technology provider to the mining industry, provides insight into the digitalization taking place in the mining industry


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Sydney MotoExpo 2015
Over 24,000 motorcycle enthusiasts flocked to Sydney Olympic Park for the 2015 Sydney Motorcycle Show proudly presented by InsureMyRide last month.
Despite scorching temperatures of 43 degrees threatening to keep patrons away on Friday, a record number of new bikes being unveiled ensured a bumper crowd for the opening day.
Brands including Oset Bikes, Triumph, BMW, Kawasaki, Indian, Victory, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, Yamaha, MV Agusta and Royal Enfield all released new model motorcycles just days after their global launch at EICMA.
The show was the perfect platform to also announce the plan for the 2016 Motocross and Supercross Championship campaign with the announcement of our signing of World MX rider and local hero Todd Waters.
A huge line-up of special guests mingled with show visitors across the weekend. Show Ambassador Robbie Maddison was easily one of the most popular guests, meeting fans Friday before returning Saturday to sign for almost two hours straight on the Transmoto stand.
Showtime FMX, Lukey Luke, Jack Field and Dave McKenna performed exciting stunt shows while Epic Darren captivated both children and adults alike with his motorcycle comedy routine.
Jack Field and the Flair Action Sports team performed exhilarating stunts in hall 2. Also teaming up with The Hell Teams Paul Arnott and Oset Bikes Downunder Peter Goddard with their electric trials bikes both performing demos all day and a unique come and try set up for kids ranging from the ages of 2 to 16.
The Honda Motorcycle Head2Head EnduroX was a popular feature with show visitors. The purpose built track within the Charles Moses Stadium featuring single and dual lane tracks which saw Saturday’s main event won by Peter Boyle while on Sunday Dylan Rees claimed the honours.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Tony Weber thanked Troy Bayliss Events for helping to showcase such a dynamic industry.
Australians witnessed the excitement, enthusiasm and professionalism of the Australian motorcycle industry, last month, with the Sydney Motorcycle Show displaying world-leading products, people and riders.
Congratulations to Troy Bayliss events and the FCAI for making this event happen
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Small businesses paying a big price for lower rates
- From: National Features
- April 14, 2013
SMALL business is again shouldering the impact of cheaper home interest rates, Reserve Bank data shows.
An analysis of indicator lending rates by Your Business shows small business overdraft rates have again crept up to 3 percentage points higher than the standard variable home rate.
Small business was hit by a 0.85 percentage point hike in 2008 when banks reintroduced a premium for risk as the global financial crisis hit.
Businesses were paying 9.95 per cent for an unsecured overdraft in December 2008, 3.1 percentage points more than the standard variable home rate.
Large businesses were also hit by the shock, paying more than the standard variable rate for the first time since January 2002, but both rates began to ease from June 2009.
But recently the tide has once again turned.
Large businesses are being charged a discount and small business now pays 9.45 per cent for an unsecured overdraft - a full 3 percentage points more than the home loan rate.
Secured small business loans have come back slightly from their 2008 shock.
MGI Melbourne principal Sue Prestney says she presumes rising levels of insecurity and company insolvencies likely contribute to the rising price of risk.
"When banks don't have a secured position and there are a lot of business failures going on, their perception of risk increases and they increase the risk premium they charge their customers in their lending rates," she says.
"Even if a business is well managed itself, it can find itself in trouble if one of its debtors fails and is unable to pay. There can be a big domino effect.
"And this risk is magnified in a small business because it does not have as much resources to fall back on."


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Apple’s ‘Let us loop you in’ event kicks off in just over 24 hours from now at 10:00 am PST or 1:00 pm ET, where it is expected to unveil a new 4-inch iPhone dubbed iPhone SE, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and new Apple Watch bands.
Apple Watch event: News, Updates and Announcements
The rumored March 15th media event from Apple will now reportedly take place in the week beginning March 21st, if sources of Re/code are to be believed. The publication’s sources cannot confirm if the event has been postponed by Apple or that the week beginning March 21st was the original intended schedule from Apple.
Apple’s September 9 iPhone event kicks off in just a few hours from now where it is widely expected to unveil iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, Apple TV 4, iPad Pro and iPad mini 4.
This is it folks! Apple’s highly anticipated “Hey Siri” iPhone 6s event should be underway in less than 12 hours from now (10:00 AM Pacific Time or 1:00 PM Eastern Time) at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.
Apple sent out invitations for a special event to be held September 9th in San Francisco. Apple typically uses this fall presentation to introduce new iPhones along with hardware upgrades to its existing product lines. Last year, the company revealed details about the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus, the Apple Watch and Apple Pay. What do Tim Cook and company have in store for us this year? Read on to find out.


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CNN+ seems to be missing its mission 2 million Subscribers in the first year with just 10,000 daily viewers, and around 100,000 (Paywall) Total subscribers. Those numbers would also put the streaming product well short of its goal of adding 15 to 18 million subscribers over the next four years.
The slow start, made worse given the approximately $300 million invested in the service, has led to speculation that CNN+ investments and subscriber projections for CNN+ could be slashed in the coming months. However, as the new CNN boss Chris Licht, there is still a chance for a trend reversal moves in Jeff Zucker’s old position in May.
But so far, CNN+ has begun inspiring references to the short-lived Quibi service, which has been criticized for offering fairly uninspiring content in a new format that audiences weren’t particularly craving.
Apple TV+ hinted at the dangers of CNN+ on one of its hit shows
The lukewarm response from viewers and media professionals to CNN+ appears to have been driven primarily by a relatively uninspired slate of programming. While other “Plus” services like Disney+ and Apple TV+ put out award-winning original series and movies and offer extensive catalogues, CNN+ seems to offer viewers much of the same type of content – mini-documentaries, interviews, news shows you get from the regular version of CNN.
CNN’s “Plus” movement is reminiscent of the cynically designed fictional UBA+ service The morning show, the hit Apple TV+ series about the inner workings of a fictional media giant. In the show’s final season, network star Alex Levy (played by Jennifer Aniston) saves the ill-conceived UBA+ service by delivering a brace Come to Jesus moment On-air while suffering through a bout of Covid-19. The show makes the subscription service a must, and the Zucker/Licht-esque network boss behind the service, played by Billy Crudup, watches appreciatively as Aniston saves the day.
Things might not be that simple for the real world of CNN+, but the network could take inspiration from the scripted story arc. If CNN+ insists on offering the same hosts as CNN, then these personalities must be allowed to stretch beyond their normal limits in order to attract audiences to the paid service.
CNN+ still has time to save itself from becoming a cautionary tale media tale
Instead of repackaged episodes of the now defunct ones Anthony Bourdain: parts unknownas well as same presenter and guest analyst Faces appearing on CNN, the streaming service may need to aggressively differentiate itself from its mothership with new on-air talent and fresh ideas leveraging its news-gathering pedigree.
While a growing list of streaming brands are trying to lock in viewers’ streaming budgets of $10-$15 a month, for an extra $60 a year, CNN+ just doesn’t deliver enough. convince consumers to count more is needed for a slightly different version of the regular CNN broadcast list.


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Topline: Following years of slowing growth, Nestlé, one of the world’s largest food companies, has been overhauling its business in recent months, and on Thursday announced that it now has a $20 billion war chest that it can return to investors or spend on new acquisitions in the next few years.
- The Swiss-based consumer giant said in its latest earnings report that the company will distribute a good deal of money back to shareholders over the next two years, with a new stock buyback program starting in January 2020 that could be complemented by special dividends.
- Nestlé is sitting on a big cash pile after selling a skin-care health unit for just over $10 billion earlier this month.
- The company indicated that it would spend some of that money on new acquisitions as part of its overall effort to get its business back on track with faster growth and better profit margins.
- Nestlé has been ditching underperforming businesses after coming under fire from activist investor Daniel Loeb and his hedge fund Third Point back in July.
- The 153-year-old brand has increasingly been investing in health and personal nutrition: One of its subsidiary divisions, Nestlé Health Science, recently bought Persona, a personalized vitamin startup that delivers straight to customers’ doors.
- Earlier this year, Nestlé also started selling Starbucks coffee and teas in 34 countries after signing a $7.15 billion cash deal for the exclusive rights to do so.
Key background: On Thursday, the company announced sales of more than $68 billion for the first nine months of the year, which was in line with its goal of expanding revenue. “We are pleased with our nine-month results and have made further progress towards our 2020 financial goals,” CEO Mark Schneider said in a statement.
Crucial statistic: Nestlé stock hit an all-time high in September and is up by over 30% so far this year.


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Late last year, Chinese-American autonomous driving startup Pony.ai began a self-driving taxi pilot project in Southern California.
But as the coronavirus pandemic emerged in the state, social distancing directives and shelter-in-place orders forced the company to shut down the robotaxis. Rather than entirely mothball its fleet, however, Pony.ai officials apparently decided to get into the delivery business.
CNBC reports that the company partnered with e-retailer Yamibuy to establish an autonomous delivery service in the Los Angeles suburb of Irvine. After local residents purchase Yamibuy products — goods primarily imported from Asia — one of 10 self-driving Pony.ai Hyundais picks up the order.
An operator rides in the autonomous car with the delivery to either drop it at customers’ doors or hand it to them from the vehicle. Company officials told the network the cars can make 500 to 700 deliveries per day.
The report noted that the modest delivery project could prove lucrative after the pandemic passes as logistics companies evaluate the rising costs of traversing the final miles to customers’ homes. Pony.ai was already valued at more than $3 billion after Toyota announced a $400 million investment in the startup in February.


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Cost cuts and a modest upswing in sales helped VF Corp. boost profits 62 percent in the first quarter.
Net income for the Greensboro, N.C.-based apparel giant increased to $163.5 million, or $1.46 a diluted share, compared with earnings of $100.9 million, or 91 cents, in the same period a year ago. Earnings per share came in 32 cents ahead of Wall Street’s expectations.
“This is a very good day for VF,” Eric Wiseman, chairman and chief executive officer, said during a conference call with analysts on Friday. “It’s a day that we announce record first-quarter earnings that surpassed both ours and industry expectations, and a day that we increase our full-year guidance for revenues, gross margins, brand investment and earnings per share.”
Revenues for the three months ended April 3 rose 1.4 percent to $1.75 billion from $1.73 billion. Sales improved 1.3 percent to $1.73 billion from $1.71 billion and royalties rose 8.9 percent to $19.8 million from $18.2 million.
The company’s outdoor and action sports segment, home to The North Face, Vans, Kipling and Napapijri labels, led results. Revenues for the segment were up 9.8 percent to $678.6 million from $618.3 million. The North Face reported a revenue gain of 9 percent, while Vans saw a 20 percent increase.
The company’s second-largest segment, jeanswear, felt the impact of the discontinuation of “non-core programs” in the U.S. mass business. Jeanswear revenues dropped 6.8 percent to $622.1 million from $667.4 million. However, the company did see revenues in Asia spike 40 percent and management said the European market has shown signs of stabilizing. Double-digit growth was also seen in key international markets such as Mexico, South America and Canada.
The imagewear segment posted a 2.4 percent decline in revenues to $221.3 million from $226.7 million. Revenues for the sportswear business unit slid 1.3 percent to $102.2 million from $103.6 million. The contemporary brands division, which includes Seven For All Mankind and John Varvatos, jumped 16.2 percent to $104.1 million from $89.6 million. The acquisition of the Splendid and Ella Moss brands contributed $14 million in revenues.
VF inched up its top-line guidance for the year and is now looking for revenues to rise 3 to 4 percent instead of the 2 to 3 percent previously projected.
“As all of us are aware, economic conditions are stabilizing, with consumer spending showing signs of recovery in the first three months of the year,” said Wiseman. “But given the volatility and uncertainty of the past year, it’s important to keep in mind that we still have three quarters to go and the economic recovery remains fragile.”


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The Ultimate Disappointment: The Optimus Keyboard
December 8, 2006 6:30 PM
comment(s) - last by
The release date and price of the much anticipated keyboard was announced last month
snazzy Optimus keyboard
that has been
grabbing headlines since early 2005?
Fast forward to today -- the company is still getting the headlines, but for just about all of the wrong reasons. Even though many people were considerably anxious at the idea of a keyboard like the one brought forth by the Art Lebedev studio, it appears that the whole idea may just be a mere gimmick to toy with your emotions.
If you were looking forward to purchasing an Optimus keyboard, we have news that will greatly disappoint you -- The keyboards will ship around May 2007 and will have a
retail price of $1,200.
I know what you're saying right now -- and yes, that really does say $1,200! Furthermore, there will only be 130 units available when the keyboard is finally released.
When will there be more keyboards available for perhaps something less than $1,000? According to reports, more pre-orders for sub-$1000 keyboards will be shipping in September 2007.
Both the Optimus keyboard and Optimus mini three have generated a lot of buzz, but design and financial issues have caused numerous delays.
And I was actually looking forward to really testing out the keyboard!
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
this is sad
12/11/2006 5:27:16 AM
It is sad that I actually know what this keyboard is without clicking on links.
Sadder yet was my mind trying to figure out if the cost was worth it.
man. I need to get out more.
I want that keyboard.
"If they're going to pirate somebody, we want it to be us rather than somebody else." -- Microsoft Business Group President Jeff Raikes
Optimus Keyboard Launch Date, Take 4
October 18, 2006, 12:01 PM
Updated information available on the Optimus OLED keyboard
January 9, 2006, 1:35 AM
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According to recent rumors, Huawei was expected to launch 5G smartphones. Now in response, He Gang, the Chief Operating Officer of the Consumer Business Group confirmed that the news related to the 5G launch is false. He Gang hinted at a major announcement happening after October, possibly related to 5G phones.
No Qualcomm-Huawei 5G Partnership, Claims Richard Yu
Huawei is currently using the 4G versions of Qualcomm chips. He Gang dismisses the rumors, he didn’t deny the possibility of a 5G phone launch either.
Huawei’s CEO, Richard Yu, talked about some rumors regarding Qualcomm providing 5G chips to Huawei again. He explained that Huawei can get the required 5G chips from sources within the country. They can use advanced semiconductor design tools and chips made by the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC).
As per the latest report, the 5G versions of flagship models, such as the P60, might release on 2024. A popular tipster claims that Kirin-branded processors will be launched later this year, but they are expected to have limited power.