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RightHand Robotics Picks Up Partners and Recognition, Expects Maturing Demand in 2023
January 30, 2023
RightHand Robotics announced key partnerships last year and expects robotic picking to work alongside automated storage and human workers across industries this year.
ASTM International Continues Work on Mobile Manipulator Performance Standard
January 23, 2023
ASTM International will discuss a performance standard for mobile manipulators, as scientists announce progress in research into finray-effect grippers for high-speed assembly.
Soft Robotics Uses NVIDIA Isaac Sim to Apply Automation to $8T Food Market
January 19, 2023
Soft Robotics has used synthetic data and simulation to train its mGripAI system to accurately and safely pick food items that may be occluded in a pile or reflecting light.
Exotec Adds Three Modular Technologies to Skypod Warehouse Automation
January 19, 2023
Exotec released a new conveyor system, machine vision-guided robotic picking, and system status software based on its ongoing product roadmap and customer feedback.
Atlas Humanoid Robot Gets a Grip in New Videos From Boston Dynamics
January 18, 2023
Atlas is now able to do more humanlike motions, thanks to software and electrical development around perception, locomotion, and manipulation at Boston Dynamics.
Universal Robots Predicts That Automation Will Help Manufacturers Meet 2023 Goals
January 13, 2023
Universal Robots predicted that turnkey workcells including collaborative robots, end effectors, sensors, and software, will help welding and other companies adopt robots in 2023.
5 Advantages of Using Robots in Electronics Manufacturing
December 11, 2022
Electronics manufacturing includes numerous opportunities for robots to increase productivity, worker safety, and quality. Here are five examples in the growing space.
RBTX Online Marketplace 2.0 Designed to Further Ease Robotics Development
December 5, 2022
The RBTX Robotics Marketplace 2.0 includes enhancements to connect users with providers of low-cost automation, consulting, and complete systems to address their specific needs.
Bridgestone Begins Testing Soft Robot for Piece Picking at Logistics Sites
November 28, 2022
Bridgestone is branching out from tires and hoses to rubber actuators for soft robotic grippers in a proof of concept under way at partner warehouses.
Collaborative Automation Can Boost Palletizing Prowess
November 27, 2022
Collaborative automation can address palletizing challenges by improving throughput and safety for small and midsize enterprises, according to gripper maker OnRobot.
Webcast: Robotic Piece Picking With Machine Vision
February 22, 2023 at 2:00 EST
In this Robotics 24/7 Roundtable, viewers can learn about the latest advances and applications for robotic piece picking in multiple industries.
Soft Robotics Picks Up Series C Funding From Food Producers for Its Grasping Tech
November 17, 2022
Soft Robotics, whose mGripAI picking system combines compliant grippers, machine vision, and AI, has raised funding from major food producers to expand deployments.
Flexiv Selects Sycodal as Its First Canadian Distribution Partner
November 17, 2022
Flexiv robots will soon be used by customers in Canada thanks to this partnership.
Team NimbRo Wins ANA Avatar XPRIZE, Demonstrating Effective Robot Telepresence
November 6, 2022
Team NimbRo from the University of Bonn swiftly demonstrated robotic telepresence, moving, perceiving, and manipulating in a test environment in record time.
Goods to Robot Systems Take E-Commerce Fulfillment to the Next Level
October 29, 2022
Goods-to-robot systems combine automated storage, bin-picking robots, and machine learning to speed order fulfillment for retailers and e-commerce providers.
Mujin Debuts QuickBot Robotic Case Handler to Simplify Warehouse Automation
October 27, 2022
Mujin demonstrated its QuickBot depalletizing system at A3's AMR and Logistics Week and announced that it will be available through a robotics-as-a-service model.
Soft Robotics, Partners to Demonstrate mGripAI at PACK EXPO 2022
October 24, 2022
Soft Robotics will display mGripAI, which is designed for easy integration into picking of food and consumer goods, at several booths in Chicago this week.
Plus One Robotics Parcel Handling Systems Surpass 500M Picks
October 19, 2022
Plus One Robotics, whose PickOne vision software and Yonder human-in-the-loop remote supervision suite enable fast, reliable picking, celebrated the parcel-handling milestone.
BeBop Sensors Seeks to Surpass Human Sense of Touch With RoboSkin
October 11, 2022
BeBop Sensors has been shipping its RoboSkin flexible sensors to warehouse automation and prosthetics customers and improved its spatial resolution in response to their feedback.
Robot Block Party Held by MassRobotics Shows Off Massachusetts Innovations
October 3, 2022
At its Fifth Annual Robot Block Party, MassRobotics and numerous companies showed the public how robots have developed to help companies and consumers.


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to protect aircraft and drones' software from interference. RELATED Estonia, five other nations to build unmanned military ground vehicle The EU's next seven-year budget has $22 billion earmarked for ...
We bring together the very latest drone news from hundreds of sources across the web! Product releases, reviews
& videos combined with help on finding some of the very best drone deals from stores and online outlets!
Constantly updated through the day - every day -
the site has everything for the beginner right right through to the seasoned drone professional!

domain: news


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The New Zealand sidelifter specialist Steelbro has a long history. For 137 years the Steelbro name has been synonymous with successful solutions for the transport industry. Things have come a long way since 1878 when brothers Joseph and David Steel set out to manufacture high quality horse drawn wagons, coaches, gigs and drays. Over the years Steelbro has had to evolve its business and its products to meet the changing demands of a global market.
Malaysia Among First Markets to Use Sidelifter
When the ground breaking sidelifter was developed in the to “stuff” and “de-stuff” their containers on the ground, rather than on the back of a trailer would save time and improve the sidelifter and the brand continues to enjoy a strong and reputable presence in the country.
Steelbro had over 40 sidelifters operating in the country when in 1996 the Malaysian operation began in Kuala Lumpur. The workshop was set up to focus on parts supply, repair work, maintenance and the assembly of new sidelifters.
“Kuala Lumpur is a large port area so there is obviously a big market for our product here,” says Steve James, General Manager International Market Development – pointing out that setting up a local entity has been a success from day one. “Since 1996, the workshop in Kuala Lumpur has more than doubled in developed, based on a solid reputation for quality and product support. It was just a natural progression to set up a local manufacturing presence as it enables us to immediately react to a changing market.”
In December 2014, the New Zealand based company, announced that it had been purchased by Australian transport equipment manufacturer Howard Porter. The new owner also started life as a family based pioneering coachbuilder whose origins date back to the late 1800s. Howard Porter recognised Steelbro’s strengths and has shown great commitment to growing the brand and supporting the sidelifter growth strategy. They plan to continue to invest in and strengthen market presence.
“The support we have received from customers is acknowledged and we are committed to strengthening the foundations of the brand and growing the Steelbro brand globally.” said Roy Lombardi, Managing Director of Howard Porter.
The new owners are committed to provide adequate funding and capital expenditure to support innovation, quality manufacturing and transport return on investment for customers.
Steelbro now has the opportunity and backing to fulfil its potential in the Malaysian and world market. This move will significantly increase Steelbro’s ability to provide innovative engineering and support to their valued customers. It provides a formidable growth opportunity for the company. “Our experienced manufacturing, engineering, sales and marketing and management teams look forward with high expectations for the future of Steelbro Sidelifters within the Howard Porter operations,” says Roy.
“Following the new ownership we are now able to focus strongly on reducing lead times with units being held in stock to feed the increasing demand we are experiencing throughout Malaysia,” says Steve James.
Andy Ersalle, Steelbro’s Regional Manager South East Asia, is based in the Malaysian office. He added ” Other initiatives in Malaysia are the improved 24 hour/7 day service and support operating out of our wholly owned service facility. Among the improved resource and capabilities being introduced are new fully equipped service support vehicles, more factory trained technicians and an expanding regional support network.
We have also introduced new service and maintenance packages to help optimise efficiency, reliability and sidelifter resale value. Packages can be tailored to meet each customer’s specific needs.
These initiatives have been a result of listening to the markets needs and wants through extensive customer visits and consultation and ensuring we action them.”
“The team will continue to focus on the stringent maintenance of quality standards across our manufacturing centres and through the very best quality materials and components in our equipment. We are proud to be associated with globally recognised manufacturers, that help us ensure commitment to quality, availability and support,” adds Lombardi.
Right product for the right market
“Having the right product for the right market is crucial,” says Steve James. Steelbro believe they managed to get it right with the SB450 sidelifter. Designed for heavy-duty use and demanding work environments, the 45 tonne unit has been optimised to suit the Malaysian market and has revolutionised the local wharf sector.
“In earlier times, the highest lift capacity we could safely offer was 40 tonnes,” says Steve. “The SB450 has a massive 45 tonne safe working load rating, enabling it to safely transport very heavy containers.”
He adds, “The market demanded added capacity, and we now know that the SB450 is the best solution. This is an example of Steelbro’s ability to adjust the product offering according to changing customer expectations. Customers across Malaysia have seen the huge benefits of a 45 tonne unit and recognise that smooth, efficient delivery solutions are the key to success in today’s challenging and fast moving transport market.”
One selling point that has convinced Malaysian customers is the SB450’s outreach of 3.9 metres, measured from the centre of the trailer to the centre of the lifted container. “The SB450 can lift to its full hydraulic capacity at a further distance than previous models, giving the operator more freedom and less reason to take risks. The unit is still very stable which is especially useful when transferring containers from sidelifter to a trailer and from sidelifter to rail wagon,” says Steve.
According to Steelbro, having a superior outreach is crucial to ensuring an efficient transfer of shipping containers to and from companion vehicles. Having a bigger outreach increases the efficiency of the whole operation by providing greater flexibility when lining up containers. Where other machines need to drive very close to companion vehicles in trailer-to-trailer operations, this sidelifter will even handle badly positioned or misaligned containers and in doing so speed up the whole process.
“Being a stronger, more powerful unit, less stress is placed on the unit, extending the life of the componentry and reducing the overall cost of life of the unit,”
A stand-alone power pack reduces running costs and adds fleet flexibility as can be sued with any head truck.
The idea behind the sidelifter concept is simple, yet revolutionary. A sidelifters ability to shift containers between different transport systems means operators can save time and thereby increase efficiency. The option to load and unload containers on the ground also increases efficiency and safety. To most organisations, this will eventually add more to the bottom line. In Malaysia, the concept has been embraced on the spot. ” Malaysia is a significant market for us and being present here helps us understand all the requirements of our customers in order to provide the best solutions for their current needs,” says Steve.
First published in Asian Trucker – September 2015


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[LINK] Industry defends security of bank customers' data
jwhit at melbpc.org.au
Sat Oct 7 17:27:56 AEST 2006
And keep your eye's out for the story in the UK that has uncovered indian
call centres selling personal info - including real credit card security
check info. The ABA is smoking something funny if they think it won't be
done to 'the pure Australian bank'. Oh, I forgot, we're US allies. Oh, so
is the UK. hmmmmmm
At 03:56 PM 7/10/2006, Howard Lowndes wrote:
>The very fact that it's the ABA that is flying this kite and not the
>gummint, makes my BS meter max out.
>The Australian Bankers Association says consumers can be assured any data
>collected by overseas call centres comes under Australian regulations.
>New South Wales Fair Trading Minister Diane Beamer has expressed concerns
>over claims of security failures that allow personal details to be stolen
>and illegally traded.
>She is calling on banks and financial institutions to guarantee customer
>Australian Bankers Association chief executive David Bell says the
>industry regulator, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA),
>has issued specific standards that are designed to ensure banks manage the
>risks of outsourcing.
>"Banks are absolutely determined to protect the customer relationship they
>have with their customers," he said.
>"It's one of the principal things that we cherish.
>"Banks spend a lot of money doing this and the same standards, the very
>high standards that apply in Australia, also apply overseas."
>LANNet Computing Associates - Your Linux people <http://lannetlinux.com>
>When you want a computer system that works, just choose Linux;
>When you want a computer system that works, just, choose Microsoft.
>Flatter government, not fatter government; abolish the Australian states.
>Link mailing list
>Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
'Seed planting is often the most important step. Without the seed, there is
no plant.' - JW, April 2005
_ __________________ _
More information about the Link


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BAR HARBOR, Maine — The skies over Bar Harbor turned overcast Saturday, but the outlook for many of the businesses here was decidedly rosy.
With Memorial Day ushering in the tourist season, Main Street was bustling with visitors in town for the three-day weekend, and businesses seemed pleased with the official start of the tourist season and optimistic about what the summer season holds.
Parking was at a premium in downtown Bar Harbor and groups of tourists ebbed and flowed on Main Street, moving past — and into — the shops that line the street. Bright yellow, green and pink plastic bags signaled where they had stopped and shopped.
“People are happy,” said Mary Musson, a manager at the Cool as a Moose apparel shop on Main Street. “It’s like it’s supposed to be. People are happy, they’re smiling and they’re shopping.”
The shop stayed open through the winter this year as the owners made improvements inside the store, and Musson said that despite the state of the economy the store was busy, especially on weekends.
“Business was good,” she said. “We were busy; they’d come for the day on Saturday from all over. We’re coming off the winter optimistic and we’re hoping for the same this summer.”
The number of people in the store on Saturday, she said, was a “good sign” for the coming season.
Down the street at Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium, where a steady stream of pedestrians were lured by the irresistible aroma emanating from within, managers Yvonne Higgins and Adrienne Buckley were equally optimistic.
“We’ve had a few good days,” Higgins said. “The town is definitely starting to liven up.”
Despite reports that fewer Americans will be traveling throughout the U.S. than in past years, Higgins and Buckley said they were optimistic about the rest of the season. Some are coming early, hoping to take advantage of specials that some hotels are offering, Buckley said.
“At least that’s what we’re hearing,” she said.
Although there is always a lull right after Memorial Day, they predicted others will travel to Bar Harbor but may not come from as far away.
“I think people will stay local rather than go farther afield,” Buckley said.
That seemed to be the case on Saturday. Most of the vehicles parked at the Acadia National Park visitors center lot and at the town dock parking lot bore Maine license plates. With a scattering of vehicles from places such as California and Texas, most of the others were from New England and other East Coast states.
The variable in the tourist season, as always, is the weather and that will be true again this summer. The recent stretch of warmer weather attracted visitors to the park where a steady stream of tourists sought information at the visitors center and to other outdoor activities.
At National Park Sea Kayak, the warm weather over the past few days attracted adventurers who came to see the area from the water. There was so much interest that for Sunday, the company increased the number of trips from two to three to meet the demand.
“For Memorial Day, that’s pretty big,” said guide Andrea Russell, who has been leading kayak trips for 10 years.
That number will increase to about six trips a day during the height of the season, and Russell said they already have advance bookings through the summer and into September.
In economic times like these, travelers are looking for a good value, and, according to Russell, kayak trips such as those her company offers are still a bargain. The price of a trip has increased just $3 — to $48 — in the 10 years she has been guiding, she said. That price is comparable anywhere in town.
“We’re still a pretty cheap vacation here,” she said. “It’s a cheaper vacation than going to a lot of places — cheaper than going to Disney World or flying to Europe.”


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Dave Parrack is the Tech News writer and Entertainment editor at MakeUseOf. He hails from the UK, where he enjoys eating, drinking, and sleeping. Kinda like a cat.
Barnes & Noble has pulled the new Nook Tablet from sale over safety fears. Furthermore, existing owners of the Nook Tablet 7 are being advised not to charge their devices using the supplied adapter.
Facebook is expanding its efforts to filter fake news. Having previously launched tools designed to counter bogus narratives in the U.S. the social network is now launching a similar set of tools in Germany.
2016 was notable for the amount of data breaches made public. Which gives us an insight into the worst passwords you can use right now.
App.net, the social network that promised to beat Twitter at its own game, is shutting down. App.net will cease to exist on March 15th, 2017.
With the release of Chrome 56, Google Chrome is finally adding support for FLAC. Audiophiles around the world, rejoice!
Whether you love them or loathe them, ridesharing services are here to stay. So much so that you don’t even need the Uber app to hail an Uber any more.
Opera has launched a brand new web browser called Opera Neon. This is a concept web browser designed to offer a tantalizing glimpse at the future.
Instagram is adding adverts to Instagram Stories. Thankfully these video ads aren’t going to be as bad as all that. But still, they’re ads, and no one likes ads.
Apple claims to have fixed one of the bugs affecting battery life on the MacBook Pro. But it’s clearly “a” bug, and not “the” bug. Unfortunately.
Ahead of the release of the Creators Update, Microsoft is addressing people’s privacy concerns regarding Windows 10. But will this be enough to appease privacy advocates?
If you’re lucky enough to be using a Verizon Wireless unlimited data plan, you’d better start keeping a close eye on your data usage. Or else.
Facebook is planning to start showing ads in the middle of videos. These ads will generate revenue for both Facebook and content creators.


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|By Tim Murphy||
|November 20, 2012 02:10 PM EST||
The exponential growth of smartphone users around the globe is no secret. IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker reports that vendors shipped a total of 444.5 million mobile phones in 3Q12 alone. The importance of the mobile evolution reaches a broad range of industries from financial services to travel and hospitality. Integrating mobile strategies includes meeting the needs of the mobile generation and is a crucial element for any business to grow and sustain.
The burden of creating great consumer experiences and high quality enterprise applications across multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows, sits on the shoulders of mobile Web and app developers worldwide.
While the perception of an iPhone world may be grandiose, the reality is iPhone and iOS only contribute to a small percentage (18 percent according to IDC's 2011 research) of the total global smartphone usage. Most mobile Web and App developers aware of the fragmented mobile market understand the headaches when faced with the daunting task of having to create for multiple platforms in order to capitalize on the 81 percent that are not iOS users. Even though Android has recently emerged as the popular platform leader, there are still numerous feature and smartphone devices that also need to be considered during development.
When it's all said and done, the judgment of quality rests in the hands of the end user. Most companies do not have the resources or second-chance opportunities to release a product without proper testing on multiple platforms. The caveat for developers working in the mobile space relies on the ability to test on multiple devices, which means having access to hundreds of devices, not generally the case. The current trend is shifting to testing on the cloud with emulated software, avoiding the need to make space for multiple devices in the development laboratory and alleviating the need to expend an exorbitant amount of resources to find, purchase and ship hundreds of mobile devices just for testing purposes.
The fragmented mobile landscape has also been a pain point on the enterprise level. The growing adoption of BYOD has presented the need to push out quality-assured applications on a multitude of devices. This trend has increased the need to use effective testing tools that can speed up development time and push out products to keep up with the push toward mobile, where devices and their platforms are frequently updated. Enterprise customers need to be able to deploy effective communication to their employees and create mobile apps and tools that will ultimately increase productivity, and real-device testing is an efficient way for the enterprise to stay ahead of user issues.
- Not testing apps based on different device screen sizes. Don't trust that just because an app looks okay on one device, it will look fine on other platforms. Platforms vary in the slightest ways and can change the entire experience or perhaps not function as intended in some areas. You should test apps based on actual screen size and device types.
- Assuming that performance issues are consistent across all devices. Make sure to look for device-specific problems. Usually, if you can reproduce a bug or glitch using a desktop browser, the issue is likely not device-specific. However, if a bug shows up on one device and not another, realize that you need to figure out which device and platform the bug is affecting.
- Neglecting use and idle tests. Run through use and idle tests. Fully charge the device and do one of each type of test, for example:
In mobile development there are some common mistakes during testing process that are critical to the end product.
Use-test: Use the application on a fully charged device for a number of hours. Take battery life and other readings at regular intervals. Set automated scripts to run and test the application for up to 12 hours to determine how many resources your application uses while it is being accessed.
Idle test: Turn on the application while the device has a full battery, and leave it running on its home or menu screen for up to 12 hours. Record battery and resources usage at regular intervals in order to determine if the idle application is using additional resources behind the scenes.
HTML5: The Ultimate Solution?
The big nudge in the HTML surge was pushed further as Steve Job addressed his aptly named "Thoughts on Flash" public note in 2010. The search for simple has sparked complexity though. Developers have been toying with the idea of hybrid apps; web apps wrapped as native apps. LinkedIn is a good example of a native app providing an embedded web view.
The introduction of HTML5 has been a great advancement in the development community and helps to streamline cross-platform coding. Simplified and minimalist is the key for success in today's on-the-go mobile culture. The "write once, run anywhere'" method has been a strong wish for developers for decades; HTML5 has not solved the issue but brought us much closer. The debate between native, hybrid and HTML5 applications is not likely to be resolved in the near future. In order to untie the complex shoelace, it's imperative for developers to consider which approach best suits their application and end-user requirements.
Nevertheless, testing remains a critical component of speed and efficiency in the development process; advances in automated testing solutions make testing hundreds lines of code efficient and consistent.
The Mobile Bottom Line
The mobile development cycle has increased in demand and become more complex and engulfing to our everyday lives. Developer pain points may never disappear but leveraging tools that will enable speed and efficiency are critical to implement in any development cycle. Will there be a single, solve all, end-all solution to cross-platform development issues? While HTML5 addresses the case, the answer will probably be no. As the demand for mobile devices continues to grow, so will usage and the need for new development and maintenance. Now that smartphones are becoming integrated into our daily habits, the next phase (which has already begun) is using a single device to align all areas of our lives: home, work and leisure. The way to stay quick and nimble with the growing demands of mobile development is to create an efficient process. Develop, test, monitor and repeat is key!
Internet of Things (IoT) will be a hybrid ecosystem of diverse devices and sensors collaborating with operational and enterprise systems to create the next big application. In their session at @ThingsExpo, Bramh Gupta, founder and CEO of robomq.io, and Fred Yatzeck, principal architect leading product development at robomq.io, will discuss how choosing the right middleware and integration strategy from the get-go will enable IoT solution developers to adapt and grow with the industry, while at the same time reduce Time to Market (TTM) by using plug and play capabilities offered by a robust I...
Mar. 31, 2015 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 506
After making a doctor’s appointment via your mobile device, you receive a calendar invite. The day of your appointment, you get a reminder with the doctor’s location and contact information. As you enter the doctor’s exam room, the medical team is equipped with the latest tablet containing your medical history – he or she makes real time updates to your medical file. At the end of your visit, you receive an electronic prescription to your preferred pharmacy and can schedule your next appointment.
Mar. 31, 2015 03:45 PM EDT Reads: 990
SYS-CON Events announced today that Solgenia will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Solgenia is the global market leader in Cloud Collaboration and Cloud Infrastructure software solutions. Designed to “Bridge the Gap” between Personal and Professional Social, Mobile and Cloud user experiences, our solutions help large and medium-sized organizations dr...
Mar. 31, 2015 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,996
While not quite mainstream yet, WebRTC is starting to gain ground with Carriers, Enterprises and Independent Software Vendors (ISV’s) alike. WebRTC makes it easy for developers to add audio and video communications into their applications by using Web browsers as their platform. But like any market, every customer engagement has unique requirements, as well as constraints. And of course, one size does not fit all. In her session at WebRTC Summit, Dr. Natasha Tamaskar, Vice President, Head of Cloud and Mobile Strategy at GENBAND, will explore what is needed to take a real time communications ...
Mar. 31, 2015 02:39 PM EDT Reads: 408
The world's leading Cloud event, Cloud Expo has launched Microservices Journal on the SYS-CON.com portal, featuring over 19,000 original articles, news stories, features, and blog entries. DevOps Journal is focused on this critical enterprise IT topic in the world of cloud computing. Microservices Journal offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. Follow new article posts on Twitter at @MicroservicesE
Mar. 31, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,548
SYS-CON Events announced today that Litmus Automation will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Litmus Automation’s vision is to provide a solution for companies that are in a rush to embrace the disruptive Internet of Things technology and leverage it for real business challenges. Litmus Automation simplifies the complexity of connected devices applications with Loop, a secure and scalable cloud platform.
Mar. 31, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 596
SYS-CON Events announced today the IoT Bootcamp – Jumpstart Your IoT Strategy, being held June 9–10, 2015, in conjunction with 16th Cloud Expo and Internet of @ThingsExpo at the Javits Center in New York City. This is your chance to jumpstart your IoT strategy. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the IoT Bootcamp is not just based on presentations but includes hands-on demos and walkthroughs. We will introduce you to a variety of Do-It-Yourself IoT platforms including Arduino, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, Spark and Intel Edison. You will also get an overview of cloud technologies s...
Mar. 31, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,222
Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities. Accordingly, attendees at the upcoming 16th Cloud Expo at the Javits Center in New York June 9-11 will find fresh new content in a new track called PaaS | Containers & Microservices Containers are not being considered for the first time by the cloud community, but a current era of re-consideration has pushed them to the top of the cloud agenda. With the launch of Docker's initial release in March of 2013, interest was revved up several notches. Then late last...
Mar. 31, 2015 09:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,292
The WebRTC Summit 2015 New York, to be held June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY, announces that its Call for Papers is open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 16th International Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, Big Data Expo, and DevOps Summit.
Mar. 31, 2015 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,697
SOA Software has changed its name to Akana. With roots in Web Services and SOA Governance, Akana has established itself as a leader in API Management and is expanding into cloud integration as an alternative to the traditional heavyweight enterprise service bus (ESB). The company recently announced that it achieved more than 90% year-over-year growth. As Akana, the company now addresses the evolution and diversification of SOA, unifying security, management, and DevOps across SOA, APIs, microservices, and more.
Mar. 31, 2015 08:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,105
Wearable technology was dominant at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) , and MWC was no exception to this trend. New versions of favorites, such as the Samsung Gear (three new products were released: the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit), shared the limelight with new wearables like Pebble Time Steel (the new premium version of the company’s previously released smartwatch) and the LG Watch Urbane. The most dramatic difference at MWC was an emphasis on presenting wearables as fashion accessories and moving away from the original clunky technology associated with t...
Mar. 31, 2015 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,560
SYS-CON Events announced today that robomq.io will exhibit at SYS-CON's @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. robomq.io is an interoperable and composable platform that connects any device to any application. It helps systems integrators and the solution providers build new and innovative products and service for industries requiring monitoring or intelligence from devices and sensors.
Mar. 30, 2015 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,574
The list of ‘new paradigm’ technologies that now surrounds us appears to be at an all time high. From cloud computing and Big Data analytics to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and the Internet of Things (IoT), today we have to deal with what the industry likes to call ‘paradigm shifts’ at every level of IT. This is disruption; of course, we understand that – change is almost always disruptive.
Mar. 30, 2015 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,184
SYS-CON Events announced today that SafeLogic has been named “Bag Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo® New York, which will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. SafeLogic provides security products for applications in mobile and server/appliance environments. SafeLogic’s flagship product CryptoComply is a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic engine designed to secure data on servers, workstations, appliances, mobile devices, and in the Cloud.
Mar. 30, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,548
GENBAND has announced that SageNet is leveraging the Nuvia platform to deliver Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) to its large base of retail and enterprise customers. Nuvia’s cloud-based solution provides SageNet’s customers with a full suite of business communications and collaboration tools. Two large national SageNet retail customers have recently signed up to deploy the Nuvia platform and the company will continue to sell the service to new and existing customers. Nuvia’s capabilities include HD voice, video, multimedia messaging, mobility, conferencing, Web collaboration, deskt...
Mar. 30, 2015 01:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,525
SYS-CON Media announced today that @WebRTCSummit Blog, the largest WebRTC resource in the world, has been launched. @WebRTCSummit Blog offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. @WebRTCSummit Blog can be bookmarked ▸ Here @WebRTCSummit conference site can be bookmarked ▸ Here
Mar. 29, 2015 10:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,868
SYS-CON Events announced today that Cisco, the worldwide leader in IT that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, has been named “Gold Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Cisco makes amazing things happen by connecting the unconnected. Cisco has shaped the future of the Internet by becoming the worldwide leader in transforming how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco and our partners are building the platform for the Internet of Everything by connecting the...
Mar. 29, 2015 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 5,282
Temasys has announced senior management additions to its team. Joining are David Holloway as Vice President of Commercial and Nadine Yap as Vice President of Product. Over the past 12 months Temasys has doubled in size as it adds new customers and expands the development of its Skylink platform. Skylink leads the charge to move WebRTC, traditionally seen as a desktop, browser based technology, to become a ubiquitous web communications technology on web and mobile, as well as Internet of Things compatible devices.
Mar. 29, 2015 06:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,890
Docker is an excellent platform for organizations interested in running microservices. It offers portability and consistency between development and production environments, quick provisioning times, and a simple way to isolate services. In his session at DevOps Summit at 16th Cloud Expo, Shannon Williams, co-founder of Rancher Labs, will walk through these and other benefits of using Docker to run microservices, and provide an overview of RancherOS, a minimalist distribution of Linux designed expressly to run Docker. He will also discuss Rancher, an orchestration and service discovery platf...
Mar. 29, 2015 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,471
SYS-CON Events announced today that Vitria Technology, Inc. will exhibit at SYS-CON’s @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Vitria will showcase the company’s new IoT Analytics Platform through live demonstrations at booth #330. Vitria’s IoT Analytics Platform, fully integrated and powered by an operational intelligence engine, enables customers to rapidly build and operationalize advanced analytics to deliver timely business outcomes for use cases across the industrial, enterprise, and consumer segments.
Mar. 29, 2015 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,231


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Chinese Online Insurer Waterdrop Suffers 19.2% Share Price Decline in NYSE Debut
Caught short by a domestic regulatory crackdown this year on fintech firms, Chinese online insurance brokerage Waterdrop’s effort to mount a U.S. IPO suffered a setback on Friday as its shares tumbled 19.2% during their New York Stock Exchange debut.
The American depositary shares of Waterdrop Inc., which is backed by internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd., had been priced at $12 apiece in the IPO, thus raising $360 million through the sale. The shares closed at $9.70 on Friday.
Starting 2016, Beijing-based Waterdrop operates an online platform to distribute insurance products along with a medical crowdfunding platform. The company is tackling a Chinese online life and health insurance market where premiums are expected to more than triple to 592 billion yuan ($92.3 billion) over five years up to 2024, according to research firm iResearch Consulting Group.
Waterdrop’s annual revenue grew more than tenfold to 3 billion yuan in 2020 from around 238 million yuan in 2018, according to its prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The vast majority of its revenue — 89.1% in 2020 — comes from commission fees generated from distributing insurance companies’ products on its platform.
But despite its rapid sales growth, the company has been losing money since its founding. Net losses more than tripled from 209.2 million yuan in 2018 to 663.9 million yuan in 2020, the prospectus showed. The biggest factor contributing to the losses was high operating costs tied to sales and marketing expenses of about 2.1 billion yuan, mainly for acquiring users and promoting its brand.
Waterdrop’s co-founder Yang Guang said in an interview with media on Friday that since the company remains in a rapid growth stage, it makes sense to continue to focus more on the speed and quality of its business development than on profits for the time being. The company will plow more money into user acquisition and business expansion in the next few years, Yang said.
Waterdrop’s IPO comes as Chinese regulators are tightening up scrutiny over fintech firms, including giant Ant Group Co. Ltd., whose highly anticipated and potentially record-breaking IPO was scuppered late last year.
In March, Waterdrop shut down one of its former main businesses, an online healthcare mutual aid platform, which provided users with a shared basic health plan covering various types of critical illnesses. The move followed regulators’ criticism (link in Chinese) that healthcare mutual aid platforms are essentially commercial insurance providers doing business outside supervision, and, as such, need to be fully licensed to operate.
In recent years, more and more of Waterdrop’s insurance customers have come from third-party referral channels, searches, and repeat purchases, accounting for a combined 83.4% of its traffic in 2020, rather than from its once popular mutual aid and medical crowdfunding platforms which had been early drivers of its insurance business.
The company also highlighted its dependence on Tencent, operator of China’s ubiquitous social media platform WeChat. If its ties with Tencent were to break down, that “could have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects for growth,” it cautioned in the IPO filing.
China’s insurance watchdog rolled out regulatory measures (link in Chinese) on the internet insurance industry effective on Feb. 1 that could reduce Waterdrop’s attraction to consumers.
“We currently engage third party user acquisition channels to attract consumers for the insurance products offered on our platform,” the company said in the filing. “If our cooperation with such user acquisition channels is deemed to be in violation of the Regulatory Measures, we may be required to modify our business practice.”
Contact reporter Luo Meihan (firstname.lastname@example.org)
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Action camera maker GoPro is integrating with Periscope, the livestreaming app from Twitter. Owners of the GoPro HERO4 cameras will be able to broadcast their adventures directly to Periscope.
As soon as the GoPro is paired to an iPhone, it will recognize the Periscope app and let users record and share their surroundings with a live audience. (The GoPro will still be able to record the videos for later viewings).
The cameras, which are popular with surfers and skiers, also enabled broadcasting on Periscope-competitor Meerkat last year. And GoPro has a product called the HEROCast, a wireless transmitter geared towards professional broadcasters.
Twitter recently announced that it is integrating Periscope into user’s Twitter feeds. It’s unclear how many of Periscope’s 10 million accounts are active, but the company claims that more than 40 years of video is watched on Periscope each day.
Livestreaming has become a hit with teens, as apps like YouNow continue to gain traction. YouTube and Facebook have also introduced livestreaming, in an effort to capture this growing audience.
Both Twitter and GoPro are at a crossroads and the companies are hoping that capitalizing on the livestreaming space will attract some new fans. Slowed user growth meant that Twitter stock posted a record low of $17.02 on Monday, following the departures of several top executives. GoPro stock also hit a rough spot this month when the company announced layoffs.
GoPro is expected to report earnings next Wednesday and Twitter will report on February 10.


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SIOUX CITY -- Younkers has served as an anchor at Southern Hills Mall since the indoor shopping center opened in 1980.
The department store's 38-year run at Southern Hills soon will come to an end, following the liquidation of the chain's remaining merchandise. The going-out-of-business sale, which started April 20 and is expected to run up to 10 or 12 weeks, followed the bankruptcy of Younkers' parent company, Bon-Ton Inc., which operated 254 stores across 23 states under various nameplates.
The sudden loss of a tenant housed in a two-story space in the 794,010-square-foot mall could spell more trouble for Southern Hills, which has seen increased competition from several large open-air shopping centers in recent years.
Up until now, Southern Hills has largely avoided the pitfalls experienced by some other indoor malls by retaining its largest tenants. In addition to Younkers, it's currently anchored by two other department stores, J. C. Penney and Sears, and Scheel's, Barnes & Noble and AMC Theatres.
The mall's first major blow occurred in 2003 when Target, also an original anchor, left to open a standalone store in the then-newly developed Sunnybrook Plaza. Target's former space in the mall was quickly replaced by Penney, which closed its longtime downtown store at the same time.
Southern Hills owner, Washington Prime Group, is already exploring options for the soon-to-be-vacant Younkers' space, said Kim Green, a spokeswoman for the Columbus, Ohio-based real estate investment trust.
"Regarding the anchor space currently occupied by Younkers, we have started discussions with potential new tenants and we will share additional details in the future," Green said in an email.
Washington Prime Group CEO and director Lou Conforti noted the demise of Bon-Ton and its affiliates stores was not a surprise to the investment group.
“The liquidation of Bon-Ton Stores was expected and we planned for it," Conforti said in an email. "We are currently vetting opportunities for the 16 stores within Washington Prime Group’s portfolio.”
RISE OF E-COMMERCE
Last year, Washington Prime Group paid $55 million to retain Southern Hills Mall. At the time of the transaction, the ownership group highlighted Southern Hills as the only indoor shopping center of its caliber in a 90-mile radius and noted the Sioux City market consistently ranked as one of the top small markets for businesses.
Additionally, the shopping center has an occupancy rate of 90.9 percent, according to Washington Prime’s 2017 annual report released in December.
But losing a store the size of Younkers could have a domino effect on Southern Hills. A CNN report pointed out that the departure of a large department store opens the door for other stores to break their leases or negotiate for much cheaper rent.
Two other Southern Hills tenants, Penney and Sears, for example, also have had financial hardships as of late. In April, Sears sold and leased back four stores and adjacent auto care centers to Washington Prime, including its Southern Hills location.
Analysts are predicting 20-25 of American malls to close in the next five years, flames fueled by the rise of e-commerce and the slow death of traditional department stores.
The demise of Younkers and other retailers is something Sioux City’s economic development director Marty Dougherty has noticed. He attributes it to the “Amazon Effect,” a general way of pointing out how e-commerce is outpacing most brick-and-mortar retailers in sales.
“Younkers has been in Sioux City a very, very long time," Dougherty said of the brand, which traces its roots in the city to the 1880s and the former Davidson Brothers Co. "It’s kind of disappointing that they would close. But, I mean obviously, there are enormous changes occurring in the retail world in America.”
Still, Dougherty thinks Sioux City will be OK and that traditional retailers will maintain a presence here.
“We are fortunate in Sioux City to have a lot of retail. We have always been kind of a regional center and we have new development going as we speak,” he said. “Exactly how all that plays out?
“Time will tell, but again we are fortunate to have strong developer interest, we’ve seen sales tax growth continue even through this time period in Sioux City but it’s going to look different and we’ll probably see more changes down the road.”
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REGIONAL RETAIL HUB
Data backs up Dougherty's sales tax boast and shows that Sioux City’s retail sector has been pretty consistent, even with the Amazon effect claiming retail victims left and right.
For the last 10 fiscal years, Sioux City has hovered around the $1.5 billion mark for real total taxable sales, according to research from the Iowa State University Department of Economics.
Additionally, it rose to nearly $1.7 billion in fiscal years 2015 and 2016, which coincided with the timing of the CF Industries expansion project that attracted more than 5,300 temporary construction workers to the community. Retail sales stood at $1.62 billion in the last fiscal year.
The author of the Iowa State research paper is Liesl Eathington, an assistant economics professor at the school and the director of the Iowa Community Indicators Program, an initiative that provides resources for understanding regional economic and demographic change.
Eathington’s office compiles retail data for each county and city and uses that to compare municipalities within those peer groups. There are 21 communities considered part of Sioux City’s peer group, including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs.
“Overall, your position within the peer group looks to be pretty stable in the last 10 years,” Eathington told a Journal reporter. “Sioux City is a fairly strong retail trade center and seems to be not losing ground to other retail competitors.”
Furthermore, Eathington noted Sioux City has a significant "pull factor" ratio, a formula used to determine how many people shop locally and how many people from outside city limits visit a community for goods and services.
“There are smaller trade centers in the region but what we expect is that the bigger the place, the bigger the range of goods and services that you are able to offer and that in of itself creates a draw for people because they know if they go to Sioux City they’re probably going to find not only what they are looking for but choice in what they are looking for,” she said.
Because of Sioux City’s ability to draw people in, Eathington thinks other retailers should see a boost from the demise of Younkers. Clothing was the store’s most abundant product, but kitchen goods, home supplies, beauty products and other assorted items also were sold there.
"Just because the store goes away doesn’t mean the demand for those types of goods goes away,” Eathington said.
While former Younkers’ customers will find a new place to buy apparel and other items, it still leaves questions about the future of Southern Hills Mall, which turns 40 in two years.
Although Washington Prime officials are staying tight-lipped about the Younkers space, analysts have offered a number of solutions for malls to save themselves. The most common thought appears to be drastic redevelopment.
A.T. Kearney, a Chicago-based global consulting firm, suggests that when redeveloping, malls consider embracing one of these four options:
- Becoming a destination center, a place where a major attraction, it can range from amusement rides to a museum, serves as the centerpiece for the mall.
- Becoming an innovation center, which would use pooled tenant data to influence and create targeted offerings to consumers.
- Becoming a value center, a place where tenants' and consumers' shared values dictate the environment.
- Lastly, becoming “retaildential," making it a place where people can live and shop with the amenities dictated by customer demographics.
Chris Bogenrief, president of NAI United, a Dakota Dunes-based commercial real estate firm, agrees that redevelopment is the key to Southern Hills survival and offered a few solutions.
He noted the mall hasn't had any major upgrades or renovations with the exception of projects taken on by the anchor tenants themselves in quite a while.
"As far as the interior of the mall, they haven’t touched that in a long time," he said. "Unless they are going to commit to serious redevelopment and upgrading the interior, I think they are going to have a tough time."
Bogenrief also suggested Southern Hills look into becoming an open-air shopping center like the adjacent Lakeport Commons or the upcoming Sunnybrook Village, a $50 million project he is involved with.
“The days of a typical mall are kind of numbered, I think," Bogenrief said.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story mistated the number of years Younkers has been at the Southern Hills Mall.


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With its share price bottoming out, Bank of America is in makeover mode, selling off investments and taking a big, warm $5 billion bath with Warren Buffett. Late yesterday, they joined Yahoo in announcing personnel changes, which one analyst called the “Tuesday-afternoon massacre,” saying farewell to two top executives, veteran Joe Price and the president of the wealth-management division Sallie Krawcheck, who DealBook passingly dubs “one of the top women on Wall Street.” The bank created two new COO spots, reporting directly to CEO Brian Moynihan, which “splits the sprawling empire into two main units, one focused on consumers, the other on businesses and institutions.”
The move is Moynihan’s second such managerial rearrangement this year, and Bloomberg reports that it could be a safety measure. “Moynihan knows he’s in the line of fire, he’ll do everything he can to save the bank,” said one source, “and if for some reason he’s gunned down, he knows he has to have an heir apparent.” That’s Thomas Montag, one of the new co-chief operating officers, who received $15.2 million in bonuses for running the company’s most profitable division. Since, B of A has posted a $8.8 billion quarterly loss and has seen its shares, which closed at $6.99 on Tuesday, fall nearly 50 percent since the start of the year.
BofA Shakeup May Put Montag in CEO Contention [Bloomberg]
Struggling Bank of America Shakes Up Its Top Management [DealBook/NYT]


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In a bid to enter the crypto market, lending firm LQD Business Finance launched the development of a bitcoin business lending platform.
Claiming to be the first company to use bitcoin as a lending currency for commercial loans, LQD Business Finance will leverage blockchain technology therefore bridging the lending sector with cryptocurrency. The new feature will allow investors, business borrowers and bitcoin holders to efficiently transact where they can lend and borrow the digital asset.
The FinTech firm will leverage the Provenance blockchain to document and package loans making it more efficient, quick and accurate.
Currently, bitcoin is used as collateral to obtain a loan but not as lending currency. With more financial institutions and investors considering Bitcoin as a usable currency, the trend of crypto becoming more mainstream will most likely continue, the firm said.
As private debt demand in economies worldwide escalates, the platform’s new development will encourage more lending firms to do so.
Aiming to become the “Amazon of private debt”, LQD CEO George Souri believes the firm’s latest move “to innovate in crypto-debt is a natural continuation of our core mission.”
Copyright © 2021 FinTech Global


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Cinema 3D, a newly released technological innovation developed by researchers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, promises to bring moviegoers their spectacular 3D blockbusters without forcing them to wear special glasses. While glasses-free 3D imaging exists in portable video game devices and on TVs, those systems require users to view the screen from a very precise distance and angle, one that can't be replicated in a theater full of people. Cinema 3D solves that problem with a screen system that presents 3D images to every seat in a theater.
The key to the technology is in the fact that, once viewers are seated for a movie, they don't need to move. Researchers seized on this immobility, using a system of "parallax barriers" and mirrors to mimic the previous technology but apply it each seat in the house, effectively giving each viewer a personalized 3D experience.
By reducing the costs associated with 3D eyewear, Glasses-free 3D movies could lower the price of viewing a 3D film, ultimately bringing more people into the theater.


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Start-up.ro reports that Amber Studio has raised $20 million from a London-based fund that finances Emona Capital LLP. After receiving the funds, the company is valued at $190 million. The studio will spend the investment to accelerate global growth through mergers and acquisitions.
Side note: ByteBrew has raised $4 million.
Part of the funds will be invested in the company’s internal infrastructure to enable further expansion. Dominik Dolenec, managing partner of Emona Capital, will become a member of Amber’s board of directors.
The company is excited to partner with Emona Capital and welcomes Dominik Dolenec to the board. After ten years of purely organic development, the studio is excited to enter a new phase. Emona Capital has a background in emerging markets that aligns with the company’s expansion thesis. We will continue to develop a shared vision of making Amber a global player that sets the industry standard.Jaime Giné, CEO of Amber
Founded in 2013 in Bucharest, the company is an agency structured as a network of studios with different specializations that offer a wide range of game development solutions: full production cycle, co-development, platform transformation, operations and support services.
Today the company has 1200 employees based in Bucharest, Botosani, Guadalajara, Montreal, Kyiv, Warsaw, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The investment, combined with Amber’s own profits, will fund mergers, acquisitions and acquisitions of studios worldwide. This will give the company a presence in high-potential emerging markets.
In addition to entering new geographic regions, the aim of the expansion is to increase the range of services and bring out new specializations in game genres.
This is the beginning of a new chapter in Amber’s history. The company will expand its studio network to cover all genres and platforms while strengthening its studio service capabilities. At this large scale, the company realizes the vision of developing game development ecosystems worldwide through investment in community and innovation.Mihai Pohontu, chairman of Amber
Over the past five years, Amber’s revenues have grown at a compound annual growth rate of more than 50%. In 2021, the company reached a record turnover of $30 million, up 56% from the previous year.
The company received 70% of its revenue from game development projects, and the rest came from development support services: quality assurance, customer support, and localization.
Today the company works with global brands like Amazon, Disney, NBC Universal, Paradox Interactive, Rovio, That Game Company, N3twork and others. The studio is headquartered in Bucharest and has offices in Botosani, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guadalajara, Montreal, Warsaw and Kyiv.


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Exclusive: GlaxoSmithKline reviews $1bn global media roster to ‘find the right operating model’ after Novartis joint venture
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is reviewing its $1bn global media agency roster in an attempt to tweak its structure to the consumer health joint venture it is building with fellow drug maker Novartis.
The two companies completed the deal in March that saw both pool their consumer healthcare assets in a new business. The combined effort, is billed as the best of both companies, and GSK will review its media in order to make sure that statement rings true when it comes to advertising.
The Drum understands that Starcom, PHD and GroupM – all of which have worked with the business in the past - were involved in the final stages of the review.
A spokeswoman for the business confirmed the review in a statement: "GSK Consumer Healthcare is conducting a review of its current media planning has agencies following the completion of a joint venture with Novartis. Starcom has decided not to pursue the opportunity at this time following ongoing discussions around the terms of the review. We would like to thank Starcom for the work they have done on behalf of the Novartis brands. Starcom will continue to service the business through a period of transition."
GSK had split the bulk of its estimated £1bn global media and planning account between Group M and Omnicom in 2013 though continued to let Dentsu run its media in Japan. The move ended its relationship with Publicis Groupe owned Starcom and Dentsu Aegis agency Carat, which had worked alongside PHD and GroupM.
The healthcare business will become the latest global advertiser to review its media in search of a better blend of efficiency and creativity amid changes like programmatic advertising and content marketing. Coca-Cola, Mondelez and Volkswagen are among more than 20 brands said to be reviewing a combined $26bn of media spend so far this year.
GSK’s tie-up with Novartis comes off the back of a tough year for the business, which was slapped with a record fine of nearly $500m in China for bribing doctors. Poor performances from other parts of the business resulted in the bonus paid to chef executive Andrew Witty last year being slashed by 51 per cent.


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A fresh new lawsuit has been instigated against Ripple which claims that the company used the sales proceeds of their XRP cryptocurrency for “funding their day-to-day operations as well as for the development of their XRP ecosystem.”
The lawsuit which was filed by David Oconer, a resident of California, lists Ripple Labs, Brad Garlinghouse and 25 other affiliates as the primary parties of interest in relation to the matter. The lawsuit reads
“Here, the XRP offered and sold by the defendants had all the traditional hallmarks of a security, yet defendants failed to register them as such. The purchase of XRP constitutes an investment contract, as XRP purchasers, including plaintiff, provided consideration (in the form of fiat, such as U.S. dollars, or other cryptocurrencies) in exchange for XRP. XRP purchasers reasonably expected to derive profits from their ownership of XRP, and defendants themselves have frequently highlighted this profit motive.”
What is Oconer looking to get out of this?
Like many other petitioners before him, Oconer is seeking damages owing to the drop in value that XRP has been experiencing since the start of this year. Oconer even argues in his claim that Ripple is not decentralized like its contemporaries (Bitcoin and Ethereum) and thus does not allow asset owners to gain some measure of control over the issuing company.
It is also interesting to note that, Garlinghouse has time and again publicly stated that “XRP is not a security,” citing that the technology is independent of Ripple Labs and that purchasing XRP tokens does not give investors ownership of Ripple.
Lawsuits like the ones mentioned above are seemingly becoming a trend as earlier this week, another similar case was filed by Avner Greenwald, which once claimed again that ‘XRP is a security’.
Content on CryptoMode is not investment advice. Conduct due diligence before making financial commitments. CryptoMode is not liable for any losses sustained by acting on information found on this platform.


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Four separate reports of Android malware on the Google Play store have been published by ESET, McAfee, Dr Web and Malwarebytes.
Security vendor Malwarebytes has released versions of its anti-malware software for macOS and Android.
Malwarebytes opened its Australian office last October, targeting both business and consumer customers, and iTWire spoke to its regional director Jim Cook about ransomware, Macs and more.
And here I was thinking that it was the greedy shareholders and management that didn't care one shit about its[…]
That's amazing Michael could set that up properly as he said he would take responsibility for me getting ADSL for[…]
Lost in the raucous noise is the cost of refurbishing the pits and pipes to achieve an acceptable reliability and[…]
LOL. Read some history pal.
Quigley is 100% correct. The spin by Fletcher that it's only being done now in response to greater demand is[…]


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Philippines’ 2020 dairy imports forecast to fall on easing demand
October 29, 2020 - The Philippines imports virtually all of its dairy products, especially milk powder, as domestic production cannot meet the country’s dairy demand of nearly 3.0 million metric tons (MMT) liquid milk equivalent (LME) per year, according to the National Dairy Authority (NDA).
Total imports in 2020 are projected to drop due to dampened consumer demand caused by the COVID-19 induced economic slowdown.
Dairy imports in 2021 will likely increase marginally as the local economy recovers and purchasing power improves. Major suppliers are New Zealand (37 percent), the United States (31 percent), and Australia (5 percent).
In 2019, the Philippines was the sixth largest market for U.S. dairy products by value at $273 million.


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After word got out that Edison Pena, one of the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped for more than two months, was a big fan of the King, Elvis Presley Enterprises sent a package of tunes and merchandise to help ease the ordeal of being stuck in a certain kind of heartbreak hotel. (Pena led Elvis sing-alongs to keep their spirits up.) Now Elvis Presley Enterprises is treating its famous fan with a plan to fly him to Memphis for the annual Elvis birthday celebration that runs Jan. 6-9.
Pena will get a special guided tour of the city — plus heaping helpings of its famous barbeque — and, of course, Graceland. He’ll also be flown to Las Vegas to catch Cirque du Soleil’s “Viva Elvis.” – — Cynthia Littleton


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Following the HolyGrail 2.0 member meeting just ahead of Packaging Europe’s Sustainable Packaging Summit and an insightful panel discussion at the event, Elisabeth Skoda catches up with Jan 't Hart, the European Brands Association’s project manager for the HolyGrail project, and Pranav Goenka, one of the Alliance’s senior advisors. Together, they look at the role that digital watermarking can play in increasing sorting and recycling rates, explore the final phase of R&D trials to prepare for market entry, the launch of a pilot market in France in 2024 and steps towards market adoption at scale.
Packaging Europe's podcast, featuring the leading international figures in packaging innovation, sustainability and strategy, is now weekly! Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
For more packaging news, interviews and multimedia content visit Packaging Europe.


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Sources speaking to the New York Post have said that employees are testing the new technology at the company’s New York offices through vending machines selling cold drinks, granola bars, and phone chargers.
Though Amazon has neither confirmed nor denied the report, it is reportedly planning to introduce the system to a couple of Whole Foods stores by the beginning of 2020, before a national roll-out to its more than 450 stores.
What’s new: The tech, codenamed “Orville”, is different from fingerprint scanners such as those on mobile phones in that users will not have to physically touch the device. Instead, Amazon will use computer vision and depth geometry to identify the shape and size of a user’s hand before taking payment from a linked credit card.
Ultimately, the objective is speed. Typical card transactions, the Post says, tend to take between three and four seconds. According to sources, the technology under testing can process in less than 300 milliseconds. Engineers are working to make the technology as accurate as possible ahead of a potential launch.
The aim: Amazon’s focus has long been to become the world’s commerce platform. As such, the company has offered a payments API in the US since 2007, which has since expanded to markets around the world. Like many other retailers it also offers a handful of card products.
Recent innovations, such as its Amazon Go stores which include no cashiers or checkouts – charging a consumer’s card when they leave the store – have made headlines often for the sheer novelty of the experience. There is no friction to the experience.
Reducing friction has brought direct revenue benefits. Edge, the digital research consultancy, says that in the short time the nine Amazon Go stores have been operational, they have generated 50% more revenue than the average convenience store of the same size. There is enormous potential to license this technology.
Not all customers are enthused by the idea of the checkout-free store, however. Research from Retail Week, published in June, found that half of surveyed British shoppers would be less likely to visit a store if it is checkout-free.
It is likely that for large purchases – Whole Foods is, after all, quite pricey – friction is still an important part of consumers’ perception of trust. The jump in payment systems for the US will be large. Whereas contactless cards have been issued in the UK since 2007, they remain in their infancy in America. Some form of verification in the shape of a users’ hand stands a chance of bridging the gap.
The Echo strategy: Unlike the payments API, this system will have to use hardware, which Amazon is experienced in producing and ruthless about pricing.
Amazon has become a leader in voice technology by getting its Alexa-enabled Echo product to as many people as possible before the next competitor. It can worry about profits later – they will come.
If Amazon gets this technology right – accurate, quick and trusted – it’s not a wild leap of the imagination to see the company flogging units to retailers for peanuts with the enormous promise of picking up valuable payments data in return.
Sourced from the New York Post, Edge, Retail Week; additional content by WARC staff


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UAE takes strict action on Kalyan Jewellers complaint against false social media posts
March 30, 2018: Dubai Public Prosecution has directed the Dubai Police to initiate criminal proceedings for charges of cyber crime and abuse using the internet / social media platform
against five persons of Indian origin. Investigations by the Dubai Police has confirmed one of the above manipulated and circulated false social media posts giving the impression that the gold jewellery sold by the brand is impure and fake. The said person, has during the investigation process admitted that he had logged in and slandered the Complainant Company. The investigation against the others are under process.
The maligning posts were made viral across social media platforms and more evidently on Whatsapp groups. The posts further claimed that the UAE showrooms of Kalyan Jewellers were
sealed and the owners arrested.
The legal action follows a complaint filed by Kalyan Jewellers LLC before the Dubai Public Prosecution against spreading fake videos and false news on social media. Dubai Police is working closely with the cybercrime department and is actively pursuing investigations to identify other possible perpetrators who had uploaded similar false videos/posts.
Kalyan Jewellers had immediately refuted the false claims by posting a statement on their official social media handles.
Lauding the vigilant and methodical procedure of the Dubai police, Mr. T.S Kalyanaraman, Chairman and Managing Director of Kalyan Jewellers said, “It is very reassuring to see the
steps taken by the Dubai Police to contain the social media abusers. This is evidence enough for the perpetrators to know that social media slandering will not be taken lightly. A brand’s
reputation is built over the years by the contribution and hard work of many people. Such instances of fake propagated by a few irresponsible individuals, is an attempt to tarnish the
image and reputation of brands. These acts have deep impact on the emotions of all those associated with the brand and the company. I thank the UAE’s legal system and the Dubai
Police for taking strict measures in preventing cybercrimes and establishing the truth in such situations.”
About Kalyan Jewellers
Headquartered in Thrissur in the state of Kerala, India, Kalyan Jewellers is one of the largest jewellery manufacturer distributors in India and the GCC. The company has a century-old
business legacy in textile trading, distribution and wholesaling. Starting with the first jewellery showroom in 1993, Kalyan Jewellers has enjoyed a long-standing presence in India for over two decades. Kalyan has been present in the GCC since 2013 and has operations in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. It has set industry benchmarks in quality, transparent pricing and innovation. Kalyan offers an array of traditional and contemporary jewellery designs in gold, diamonds and precious stones catering to the distinct needs of the customers.
Today, Kalyan Jewellers has 121 showrooms across India and West Asia. Kalyan Jewellers continues to adhere to the founding principles of its forefathers of pursuing fair and ethical


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Sale dismantling Stirling Energy piece by piece
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SRP spokesman Scott Harelson said the utility couldn’t comment about whether that plant, Maricopa Solar, performed according to expectations because of a nondisclosure agreement.
Technology for sale
While Stirling’s office equipment was auctioned off this week, its solar power plant is waiting for a new owner . The plant has not been operational since Stirling filed for bankruptcy.
“At this point, SRP does not have any specific plans for the plant,” Harelson said. “Maricopa Solar has now filed for bankruptcy, and the future of the plant will be tied up in those proceedings. However, the combined bankruptcy of SES and Maricopa Solar makes future operations of the facility difficult. SES built the dishes and engines, so without their existence there will no longer be a company providing parts and technical support.”
While Solyndra’s bankruptcy had a ripple effect in the Valley, Stirling’s was a body blow. The company had lined up Tower Automotive and Linamar Corp. to be part of its supply chain in very public announcements touting the success of the Valley’s solar industry.
Linamar has filed in court proceedings as a creditor to receive updates on the case. Instead of opening in Glendale to supply Stirling with engine components for the SunCatcher, Linamar now is manufacturing its SkyJack lift system for industrial uses at the facility.
It portends a tough road for concentrated solar power, at least in the short term. Regulators in some states have started to examine the contracts signed between developers and utility companies and are asking them to take a new look at those agreements.
Patrick O'Grady is managing editor of the Phoenix Business Journal.
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The Carlstar Group has launched a sweepstakes giving away a 2016 Cragar Camaro SS. The sweepstakes comes as a result of Carlstar Group’s new partnership with RTM, the producer of the TV show Detroit Muscle. The team at Detroit Muscle will build the Camaro giveaway.
The 2016 Cragar Camaro will be outfitted with Cragar’s new wheels, which were recently launched for Modern Muscle.
“Joining forces with the team from Detroit Muscle was a great way for us to pay tribute to our loyal fans and help celebrate two iconic brands that enthusiasts know and love,” said Laren Harmon, executive vice president of sales at The Carlstar Group. “It’s also a great way for us to reinforce our recent announcement of three new Cragar styles and fitments launched for Modern Muscle.”
The car features the new Cragar 620BMBC wheel, one of three new styles Cragar unveiled in August. The featured wheel offers a contemporary design with a machined aluminum face, according to the company.
In addition, the 2016 Cragar Camaro features several aftermarket upgrades, including:
- Chevrolet Performance brakes and suspension kit
- Hooker Blackheart headers and exhaust
- New set of Firestone Firehawk tires
- Edelbrock E-Force supercharger with 578 horsepower
- 6LE Designs splitter package
- BASF paint with custom graphics
“We are excited to be able to partner with The Carlstar Group to giveaway this incredible Camaro,” said Matthew Hawkins, president of RTM. “One lucky PowerNation viewer will get the chance to own a piece of automotive television history by winning this custom modified 2016 Cragar Camaro SS built by Detroit Muscle.”
To enter for a chance to win the brand new, custom built Cragar Camaro, visitors can register on Cragar’s new website, www.cragarwheel.com . The new site was launched in conjunction with the sweepstakes and offers car enthusiasts a more user-friendly experience when searching for Cragar wheels, according to the company.
“The site comes complete with a Vehicle Visualizer so you can actually see how our wheels will look on your make and model car,” Harmon said. “Additional features include an easy Where to Buy feature for quick access to online and local retailers and easy to navigate product specifications and details so consumers can ensure they’re getting the right fit for their car.”
The three new Cragar styles launched include the 614C, 615BMBC and 620BMBC/MB. The wheels come in sizes ranging from 18×8 to 22×9 and are available in four different finishes. The new Modern Muscle line targets 2005-2016 model cars. All three styles will be available in dealerships in September 2016.
“The unveiling of our new brand, the new styles for Modern Muscle, and the new website combined with this Camaro car giveaway is an exciting way for us to pay tribute to our Cragar brand and the auto enthusiasts,” Harmon said.
Official rules and to sweepstakes entrance information can be found by visiting www.cragarwheel.com or www.powernationtv.com.


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A small business in Melbourne’s east has turned to Facebook in a bid to help find several guitars stolen at the crack of dawn.
Music Junction’s owner arrived at the Camberwell store on Monday morning after being alerted by the shop’s security system.
Four guitars were missing in total, having been swiped in the early hours of the morning by a thief who managed to pick the lock. The stock is estimated to be worth approximately $10,000.
After notifying police and reviewing the CCTV footage, Music Junction’s employees decided to turn to social media for help.
Pictures of the thief posted to the business’s Facebook page have garnered 170 likes so far and have been shared more than 1200 times.
The post has also resulted in a wave of new likes and messages of support for the retail store.
The incident is the latest example of a small business turning to social media in order to highlight the issue of shoplifting and even shame trouble-makers into returning stolen goods.
Earlier this year, a sporting goods store in regional New South Wales took to Facebook to name and shame two young shoplifters who were caught on CCTV footage stealing hoodies.
As a result, the goods were returned by one of the teenagers’ mothers and the business received an apology.
The tactic has also worked for the hospitality industry, with a restaurant in Western Australia posting a plea for help on its Facebook page last summer after two patrons walked out without paying for their meal.
The post went viral, resulting in one of the offenders losing their job.
The couple later returned to the restaurant to pay their debt.
Guitar salesman Tim Fogarty wrote the Music Junction Facebook post and says the support from people online has been “incredible”.
“It’s a little humbling,” Fogarty says.
“People have really got behind it and I think they all understand the tragedy of losing four guitars straight up, especially given the situation and how brazen it was.
“The guitar community is a relatively small one, and the people who follow us we serve every day. People don’t always buy brand new, they often buy second-hand as well, so we can assume that’s where these guitars are going.”
Fogarty says while the stolen guitars have not been retrieved, the public’s response has “renewed” his faith in people who are eager to do what they can to help small businesses.
“We don’t expect the guitars to be back here, but the point being it gets the word out there and makes people consider their security,” he says.
“We’re only a little store and a little community, so it’s very important. It certainly shows the potential of social media.”
*Tim Fogarty is the partner of SmartCompany associate editor Eloise Keating.


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Rod and Patti Blagojevich spent more than $400,000 on clothing over about six years - half of that on custom clothes - and were awash in debt at the time of his arrest, an IRS expert testified Thursday at the ousted governor's corruption trial.
Next to their mortgage payments - $392,000 - their second-biggest payment from 2002 to nearly the end of 2008 was $205,000 on Tom James/Oxxford custom clothes, revenue agent Shari Schindler said. A former aide had testified that Blagojevich was used to having his suits custom-tailored and sometimes bought nine at a time.
Schindler said their income had fallen over the years, mainly due to a dropoff in Patti Blagojevich's earnings, and the two were hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt because of their eight or nine credit cards and their home equity loan. She said they sometimes they used credit cards to pay credit card bills.
The debts could explain in part Blagojevich's alleged efforts in the last days before his December 2008 arrest to parlay his ability to fill President Barack Obama's former Senate seat into a high-paying job.
Blagojevich looked uncomfortable, shifting in his chair and managing a weak smile at times, as Schindler read off payment after payment he made for expensive ties and suits. Jurors followed the credit card statements projected on a screen, some looking down to jot notes. Patti Blagojevich, who entered the courtroom in the morning wearing a fashionable pink outfit, left the room before testimony about the family finances began.
Schindler said several entries showed Blagojevich spent more than $10,000 a day on suits. One tie, a basketweave tie from Saks, cost $179.85. Around the same time, she said, he spent $2,590 in a single store on shirts. A charge on Patti Blagojevich's card showed a payment for furs of $3,800.
Blagojevich, 53, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he schemed to get an important or high-paying job in return for the appointment to the Senate seat. He has also pleaded not guilty to charges that he plotted to launch a racketeering operation using his powers as governor. If convicted, he could face up to $6 million in fines and a sentence of 415 years in prison, though he is sure to get much less time under federal guidelines.
His brother, Robert Blagojevich, 54, a Nashville, Tenn., businessman, has pleaded not guilty to taking part in the alleged scheme to sell or trade the Senate seat and illegally pressuring a racetrack owner to make a $100,000 campaign contribution.


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- New reports have emerged about Apple's long-rumored self-driving car. Earlier this year, Apple was said to be in talks with Hyundai-Kia to partner on a self-driving car, but the talks fell apart.
- The new rumors say Apple is close to signing a deal in which it would partner with Canadian manufacturer Magna International to build an EV powered by LG-supplied batteries and running on Apple software.
- So far none of the companies involved have commented on the reported negotiations, so there's no guarantee that this deal will be finalized or that it will result in a physical car.
A report in the Korea Times today suggests that Apple has still not given up on its dreams of building (or at least selling) a self-driving electric vehicle. The first rumors that Apple was working on its own car surfaced in 2014. Since then, the company seems to have focused its car-related ambitions on the development of self-driving software, which would be used in a vehicle built by a partner company with expertise in vehicle manufacturing. Earlier this year, negotiations on the project between Apple and Hyundai-Kia fell through. But now, Apple may have found new targets in LG and Magna International.
If the reports circulating now are correct (none of the three companies responded immediately to our request for comment), Apple may be close to inking a deal to sell self-driving cars built by a joint venture between Korean tech company LG, and Magna International. LG's automotive batteries are already in over a million hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles, including in the Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Hyundai Kona Electric. Magna is a Canadian manufacturing company that supplies parts to dozens of auto manufacturers worldwide, including BMW, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, and Volkswagen. The joint venture between the two, still in its infancy, is working under the title LG Magna e-Powertrain, and will (theoretically, eventually) design and supply electric motors, inverters, and onboard chargers.
It's still far too soon to say whether these talks will pan out. The LG/Magna partnership itself won't be final until at least July 2021, and will require approval by both shareholders and regulators. But there are some hopeful signs for those hoping to match their car to their smart phone: Apple has an existing relationship with LG (LG's Display division has built monitors sold by Apple). And while word on the street is that the Hyundai talks broke down because Hyundai executives worried they would appear to be merely acting as a supplier to Apple, rather than having significant ownership or control over the project, LG and Magna are already suppliers, so should be comfortable with the arrangement Apple is seeking.


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Latest Digitizing Stories
In a controversial effort to digitize the world's books, Google is set to start scanning Europe's cultural treasures -- starting in France, where the US giant got a digital foothold this week.
A coalition of US library associations has organized itself in a collective effort to force Google to keep access to its in-the-works digital library cheap.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct.
Microsoft, Yahoo!, Amazon, and non-profit library associations have joined forces to fight a legal settlement which would allow Google to digitize and sell books.
NEWPORT, R.I., May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Digital Ark has launched an e-commerce web site, The Digital Ark Store (http://www.TheDigitalArkStore.com), which offers online sales of historical and cultural images as archival prints and downloadable digital files.
A website that will offer free access to rare books, maps, manuscripts, films and photographs from across the globe called The World Digital Library is set to launch April 21 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
FRESH MEADOWS, N.Y., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Conversion Laboratory, Inc.
What stands a better chance of surviving 50 years from now, a framed photograph or a 10-megabyte digital photo file on your computerâ€™s hard drive?
Frost & Sullivan will host a live briefing on Tuesday, September 30, at 3:00 PM EDT to provide industry participants an overview of a recently published study focused on digitizing processes in healthcare institutions.
By Miguel Helft Brad Stone contributed reporting. * Google has begun scanning microfilm from some newspapers' historical archives to make them searchable online, first through Google News and eventually on the newspapers' own Web sites, the company said.
- totally perplexed and mixed up.


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The U.S. trade gap with China, the nation's most important -- and controversial -- trading partner, widened to a record $280 billion last year, and is on pace to get even bigger this year.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticized the latest Obama action against China as too little, too late.
"President Obama's credibility on this issue has long since vanished. I will not wait until the last months of my presidency to stand up to China, or do so only when votes are at stake," he said in a statement.
However, the Obama administration can point to some victories regarding China. This includes getting Beijing to let its currency, the yuan, rise in comparison to other currencies, rather than keeping it pegged to the dollar.
That has reduced one of the key advantages Chinese exporters have when competing with U.S. companies: when the yuan is undervalued, it drives down the cost of Chinese goods, giving those goods an advantage in the marketplace.
Since China loosened the peg to the dollar, the yuan has gained nearly 8% in value.
The Obama administration also says it's getting tough on China. It has filed more trade cases against China than did the Bush administration, winning fights to protect a number of industries, such as tires.
But critics of U.S. trade policy with China say more is needed, even if it sparks retaliation.
The auto complaint by the White House takes place as President Obama once again steers his campaign to Ohio -- a state saturated with auto part suppliers and industry workers.
Manufacturing, the auto industry and its bailout are all issues central to the presidential campaign, and Ohio is crucial to the president's re-election plans.


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Brexit: Boris Johnson says Britain is not obliged to abide by EU trade rules An EU-Australia partnership framework was agreed in 2008 that removes trade barriers but was not a free trade agreement. These are just the provisions of copyright. There are sections dealing with patents, trademarks, designs and (shortly) geographical indications. Canada`s trade commissioners provide expert advice and important contacts for exporters, partners and investors. Review of the main milestones and arrangements that led to the provisional entry into force of CETA. An agreement in principle was signed on 18 October 2013 by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and european Commission President José Manuel Barroso. Negotiations were concluded on 1 August 2014.  The trade agreement was concluded on September 25, 27, 2014 presented by Mr. Harper and Barroso at an EU-Canada summit at the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto.  The Canadian Business Roundtable served as a parallel business process from the launch to the conclusion of the CETA negotiations. The EU and Canada meet regularly to discuss issues and best practices in the implementation of the agreement. The committees meet regularly.
The EU`s agreement with Canada is called the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, abbreviated ceta. CETA is Canada`s largest bilateral initiative since NAFTA. It was launched following a joint study entitled “Assessing the Costs and Benefits of a Closer EU-Canada Economic Partnership”, published in October 2008. Officials announced the opening of negotiations on May 6, 2009 at the Canada-EU Summit in Prague   This following the Canada-EU Summit held in Ottawa on March 18, 2004, at which Heads of State and Government agreed on a new framework for a new Canada-EU Trade and Investment Promotion Agreement (TIEA). The TIEA should go beyond traditional market access issues and cover areas such as trade and investment facilitation, competition, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, financial services, e-commerce, temporary entry, small and medium-sized enterprises, sustainable development and exchange of science and technology. The TIEA should also build on a framework for regulatory cooperation between Canada and the EU to promote bilateral cooperation on regulatory governance, promote best regulatory practices, and facilitate trade and investment. . . .


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August 23, 2019
Potato production likely to be significantly below average in both Poland and Czech Republic. Germany, their main source of imports, may not be able to meet the increased export demand due to growing regions remaining in drought.
Opportunity for UK.
Opportunity for UK.
February 03, 2016
The impact of drought and water quality on Australian potatoes could be significantly reduced by a new research project from Potatoes South Australia and Landmark Australia.
November 11, 2015
The US Agency for International Development has awarded Michigan State University (MSU) a $5.8 million cooperative agreement to improve potato production in Bangladesh and Indonesia. Additional partners include the University of Minnesota and J.R. Simplot as well as in-country partners in both Bangladesh and Indonesia.
May 21, 2014
The potato and vegetable growers in Wisconsin's Central Sands are not content to debate causes, and they have united to proactively seek solutions to Tackle Water Issues in Central Wisconsin.
July 27, 2013
For over 30 years, the International Potato Center (CIP) has played a significant role in developing Sino-Peruvian relations through the introduction and promotion of various varieties of drought and disease resistant potato and sweet potato to China.
September 19, 2012
La presidenta del Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Tecnológica (Concytec), Dra. Gisella Orjeda Fernández, presentó el trabajo titulado Secuenciamiento del Genoma de la Papa y Análisis del Transcriptoma de Papas Nativas bajo Estrés H...
May 09, 2011
In the future, plant breeders may be able to develop potato varieties that are better able to withstand long drought spells than the currently grown varieties.
March 13, 2011
The Israeli Biotech company Rosetta Green Ltd. recently listed at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE:RSTG), demonstrated improved tolerance and survival of RGN-131 potato plants to drought stress.


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Bharti Airtel urged Indian regulator TRAI to take action against rival Reliance Jio for openly continuing with an offer it was told to discontinue, The Economic Times (ET) reported.
Jio was told to drop its Summer Special discount by TRAI last week. Following the ruling, the operator said it would take a few days to implement the withdrawal across its sales channels and it would be done as soon as “operationally feasible”.
However, Airtel is unhappy the offer wasn’t suspended immediately. In a statement to the ET, it said Jio was still running an aggressive campaign on social media and other channels to promote the deal.
In response, Jio maintained it kept within the bounds of TRAI’s order.
This is far from being the first occasion the two have locked horns since Jio launched services in September 2016.
In February, Airtel filed a complaint with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) complaining about Jio’s “predatory pricing” and accusing the company of abusing its dominant position – brought about by its relation to one of India’s largest firms, Reliance Industries.
Previously, Airtel had complained to TRAI about Jio’s continuing offers.
In November, Jio filed its own complaint to the CCI, accusing Airtel – and the country’s other leading operators – of abusing their market position and stifling competition.


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I traveled to downtown Los Angeles on Saturday to view the Star Wars Empire custom storm trooper helmet show at the Robert Vargas Gallery. The show was cool! Check out the over 800 pictures from all angles.
Stormtrooper helmets re-imagined by celebrities and artists will be on display in celebration of the global fan holiday, May the 4th.
Lucasfilm, Disney Consumer Products and Neff announced today the upcoming Star Wars Legion exhibition. Artists from across the Walt Disney company including Lucasfilm, Industrial Light and Magic, Marvel and Pixar -- as well as select street artists chosen by Neff and celebrity Star Wars fans -- all come together to create individualized interpretations of the iconic stormtrooper helmet in celebration of the global fan holiday, Star Wars Day or "May the 4th be with you."
"Creativity has been a hallmark of the Star Wars franchise for over 35 years," said Troy Alders, Lucasfilm creative director for Disney Consumer products. "May the 4th is a perfect time to celebrate this fantastic group of artist's unique creations and share them with Star Wars fans."
As a lifelong Star Wars fan, it's been a dream of mine to collaborate with Lucasfilm," says NEFF Founder and CEO, Shaun Neff. "Teaming up with some of the most prominent street artists from around the world, we are thrilled to work alongside the Walt Disney company -- to re-imagine such an iconic piece of cinematic history as the stormtrooper."
Thanks for reading!