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News - Mitsubishi - i-MiEV
Mitsubishi to ship 70 more i-MiEVs to Oz
Australian SOS for more Mitsubishi EVs granted as pioneering first 20 arrive
5 Aug 2010
A PLEA by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) for more i-MiEVs to meet strong customer demand in Australia has been heeded by head office, with an extra 70 of the all-electric city cars destined for Australia before the end of the year.
The additional shipments – bringing the total 2010 i-MiEV allocation to 110 units – were announced by MMAL president and CEO Masahiko Takahashi at a ceremony today in Melbourne marking the arrival of the first 20 i-MiEV customer cars from Japan.
However, the extra deliveries will not satisfy the more than 300 applications for the vehicles received by the Adelaide-based distributor, which is also hoping for further deliveries in 2011 at the rate of 10 a month.
Representatives of the i-MiEV Foundation Group – the first 33 Australian companies and government organisations in line to receive i-MiEVs on three-year leases – were at a windswept Webb Dock to see the first i-MiEV driven off the NYK car carrier Orion Leader from Japan by Victorian premier John Brumby.
These customers will have to wait until late this month or early September for delivery of their new babies, which most are using to trial EV technologies with an eye to broader fleet application in future.
Once they hit the road, the i-MiEV will become the first mass-produced EV from a major manufacturer on Australia roads.
From top: MMAL president Masahiko Takahashi and Victorian premier John Brumby welcome the first shipment of Mitsubishi i-MiEVs in Melbourne, Mitsubishi PX-MiEV concept and Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo.
Powered by 47kW electric motor, the four-seat i-MiEV has a range of up to 160km from its 16kWh lithium-ion battery pack which can be charged in seven hours from a 240-volt domestic electricity outlet.
Several of the i-MiEVs due in Australia this year are destined for state government trials in most states.
One batch will be assigned to the Victorian government’s five-year EV trial under which a total of 60 electric-powered vehicles from a range of manufacturers are destined to be shared by 180 volunteers drawn by ballot later this year.
The Victorian transport department has requested 10 i-MiEVs for the trial, but MMAL says the final number will depend on supply.
Mr Brumby described the Victorian EV program – announced in February – as one of the most comprehensive trials of electric vehicles in the world, testing new technologies in real-world conditions.
He said 76 companies – including organisations from the EV charging infrastructure, power, IT and motor industries – had made submissions to take part in the trial.
The list of successful applicants is set to be released in September before the first vehicles are rolled out to the volunteers who will be selected in a ballot by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) motoring organisation.
Mitsubishi’s initial i-MiEV lease customers will pay $1740 a month over three years, equating to a total $62,640, after which the cars will return to Mitsubishi.
Despite the cost, Mr Takahashi said it soon became clear that MMAL’s original allocation of 40 cars for 2010 would not be sufficient to satisfy demand.
“Over 300 private and company applications for vehicle have been received. It soon became clear that 40 vehicles were not going to be enough to satisfy our customers, so I am very pleased to announce that despite huge world-wide demand and initial limited capacity of our parent company to bring another 70 vehicles to Australia.
“These vehicles will arrive by the end of the year taking total of i-MiEV vehicles to 110.” Mr Takahashi said the second batch of 20 i-MiEVs would arrive from Japan within two weeks, and distribution would start either in late August or early September.
“All of the foundation members will receive their cars within one or two days,” he said.
Mr Takahashi told GoAuto that Mitsubishi’s first plug-in hybrid SUV based on the PX-MiEV concept was “more or less confirmed” for Australia after its goes into production in 2013.
He said that while the i-MiEV would be aimed at city commuters, the plug-in PX-MiEV vehicle would be better suited for longer distances.
“It is hybrid, but still a pure EV vehicle, though,” he said.
Mr Takahashi was less certain about the future of a mini delivery van based i-MiEV, the Cargo.
“We are still thinking what is the best shape for that,” he said. “It is not yet fully confirmed.”
The Road to Recovery podcast series
26th of July 2010
More i-MiEVs on the way
Mitsubishi Oz to lobby parent company for more i-MiEVs this year and next
20th of July 2010
Fleets switch on to Mitsubishi EV
First Mitsubishi i-MiEVs destined for 33 government and corporate organisations
2nd of July 2010
Mitsubishi, PSA to work on EV powertrains
Mitsubishi looks set to supply PSA with an EV micro-van under new collaboration
2nd of June 2010
Mitsubishi confirms plug-in hybrid SUV
Plug-in hybrid SUV and new 'Global Small' car to come to Oz from Mitsubishi by 2013
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Motor industry news


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The websites of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Federal Trade Commission contain information relating to online loans. More information on the subject is available at the websites of online business loan lender Kabbage and financial educator the Simple Dollar.Continue Reading
The short-term, small-dollar, high-interest personal loans popularly known as payday loans are generally more expensive when offered online, reports the Pew Charitable Trusts. In addition, a significant number of Internet-based payday loan lenders deliberately encourage long-term indebtedness by, for example, structuring loans to automatically renew. This and other practices, such as overdrawing borrower’s accounts and charging extremely high annual percentage rates, have contributed to the industry’s lousy reputation; 90 percent of complaints made to the Better Business Bureau about payday moneylenders relate to online lenders.
However, not all Web-based lenders have unsavory reputations. NetCredit, an Internet loan provider, made the Simple Dollar’s 2015 list of recommended lenders for individuals with poor credit scores, but the Simple Dollar warns that the company, similar to other online lenders, charges annual percentage rates as high as 299 percent for borrowers with extremely poor scores. To its credit, the lender offers flexible length terms, varied repayment options and unsecured loans that can be as high as $10,000 for borrowers with scores as low as 550.
Fortunately, regulators have cracked down on fraudulent online lenders; in 2015, for example, the Federal Trade Commission recovered $21 million from two firms that had engaged in deceptive lending practices and also ordered them to waive $285 million in uncollected fees, reports the FTC’s website.Learn more about Personal Loans

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Fossil has had a relatively quiet 2020 wearable tech wise. However we may soon see at least one Fossil Gen 6 Wear OS timepiece.
The quiet period so far this year is very unlike the previous years. But an FCC approval is confirmation the company is working on some new watches. These might be the first timepieces featuring the company’s 6th generation technology.
The FCC listing (via Droid Life) is for four devices, a couple from Fossil and another two from Michael Kors. They go under the monikers DW11F1, DW11F2, DW11M1, and DW11M2. The company has a naming convention where one of the letters stands for the sub-brand. This is how we know these are Fossil and Michael Kors Watches in multiple variants.
Coincidently, the first two of these also dropped by Bluetooth SIG in July. This offers further confirmation they are in the works.
The new Wear OS watches have WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC, but apart from that not much else is known as there have been no credible leaks. Here are some images from the FCC documentation.
The earlier filing from the Bluetooth SIG confirms the upcoming watches adopt the Bluetooth 5.0 standard. As this is only available on Qualcomm’s latest wearable SOC it is a strong indicator the devices will come packing the Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor. This comes with performance and battery improvements.
Interestingly, the earlier regulatory filing also mentions watches labelled C1NF1, C1CF1,C1EF1. It is not clear what the NF,CF and EF variants stand for. We have not had these before.
It is logical to expect an official unveiling by Fossil in the next few weeks. It would make sense as the watches would need to be out in time for Amazon Prime Day and the holiday sales period. The first is expected to occur sometime in October, the second starts in late November.
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Lopesan Hotel Group has signed a white-label deal with Expedia Affiliate Network that will allow customers to book dynamic packages through its websites.
Spanish hotel group Lopesan is claiming a first in offering customers the facility through its lopesanhotels and ifahotels websites.
The deal will provide access to Expedia’s flight and car-hire offers through a white-label site, allowing their combination with rooms at the 21 Lopesan Hotel Group properties in Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, the Dominican Republic, Germany and Austria.
The packaging option will be available to customers in the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy and the US.
Lopesan says 40% of its customers buy their hotel room as part of a package from a third-party distribution channel.
Expedia Affiliate Network has more than 10,000 private-label partnerships, including recent deals with The Guardian travel pages and BankersAvenue, a social-networking service for the financial sector.


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The video game retailer says total profits were lifted by 16.6 per cent while like-for-like sales are 5.4 per cent on last year in the six weeks to January 10 across the group. In the UK and Ireland sales have risen 10 per cent.
For the 50 week period to January 10, Game's sales increased 24.2 percent, a 9.5 percent rise on a like-for-like basis. The company expects profits to be at least £122 million.
The news comes as little surprise as video games as industry experts expect video games to become more popular than film and music.
The Nintendo Wii sold the most out of the home consoles, with sales jumping from 2 million units in 2007 to 4.9 units last year. Xbox 360 edged closer to its rival, selling 3.2 million units, while the Sony PS3 sold 1.9 million units.
Nintendo also continues to lead the handheld market, posting combined sales of 8.8 DS and DS Lite units. The PSP reported a drop in sales with 3.2 million down from 3.4 million in 2007.
Overall, 2.2 million next-gen consoles have been sold in the UK so far and demand is expected to continue well into 2009.
Nintendo's strong sales stem largely from its dominance of the casual gaming market through titles such as Wii Fit, Wii Sports and Wii Music. Microsoft has been agressively pursuing the casual market with games like Your In Movies, Lips and Guitar Hero World Tour. Sony is battling Microsoft's overhauled Xbox Live for a share of the online gaming community with its Second Life-like virtual world, PlayStation Home.
Game Group admits its sales figures were likely helped in the latter half of 2008 by the recent collapse of high street retailers Zavvi and Woolworths.
Commenting on the announcement Peter Lewis, Chairman said: "The Group has delivered a strong Christmas sales performance in a very difficult trading environment.
In spite of the continued demand for next-gen consoles and software, Game Group remains cautious in its outlook for the coming year. The Group has released statement saying it is aware that general economic conditions are likely to deteriorate further and it expects revenue growth for the Group will be challenging.


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EAC Partner States will soon adopt the EAC Pass to facilitate the movement of citizens amid the pandemic.
The Covid-19 Authentication Pass for Block Citizens is intended to facilitate travel across the region’s internal borders.
The Principal Secretary of the East African Community Department of State, Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development, Kenya, Dr. Kevit Desai, hailed the efforts to strengthen the regional integration agenda.
He was speaking at the East African Business Council (EABC) Trade Facilitation Forum held at the Taveta/Holili One Stop Border Post.
Dr Desai called for collective efforts towards trade facilitation and value addition to boost manufacturing and urged East African businesspeople to boldly tap into the markets of the Democratic Republic Congo and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
On their part, the Chairpersons of Women Cross-Border Traders said that the non-harmonised measures on COVID-19 increase the cost of doing business, citing the USD 10 antigen test on the Tanzanian side while on the Kenyan side is free. Women cross-border traders also clarified that the simplified EAC trade regime is not being implemented as expected.
Speaking at the Forum, Mr. John Bosco Kalisa said, “The Taveta/Holili One Stop Border Post cleared 33,000 cargo trucks in 2021, a 73% increase from 19,000 in 2020” . He explained that the increase in trade volume highlights the importance of removing non-tariff barriers for the rapid recovery and resilience of EAC economies amid COVID-19.
He called for a green channel for East African products across the border to boost intra trade and competitiveness of the region.
Levies on transit and EAC-originating goods (East African products) by counties in Kenya and re-testing of products by standards bureaus are among other hurdles raised by chief executives. company during the forum.
Women cross-border traders recommended more awareness campaigns on the simplified EAC trade regime, customs procedures and the formation of clusters and consolidation of products to be deployed in order to facilitate trade.
The East African Grains Council and Taha Fresh have called on customs agencies to offer priority clearance for perishables and all agricultural products, especially during computer system outages to avoid delays.
Dr. Desai urged the regular holding of joint border management committees, strengthening of partnerships to set up the Jumuiya market in Taita/Taveta and explained that the trade reform unit of the ministry will work closely with EABC and chambers of commerce to analyze county regulatory compliance. .
Kalisa said that Holili/Taveta OSBP connects the Northern and Central Corridor and has strong potential to develop into a leading commercial hub on the continent.
The forum also recommended that cross-border traders be allowed to cross and do business up to 10 km on both sides of the border, the rapid deployment of the EAC COVID-19 pass and the improvement of infrastructure such as cargo scanners.
The EABC Trade Facilitation Forum brought together over 60 delegates comprising of officials from the EAC Ministry, Trade Facilitation Agencies, Importers, Exporters, Carriers and Freight Forwarders, the sub-regional initiative to support the advancement of East African women (EASSI) and women. cross-border traders.
The forum was supported by the GIZ program “Support for Market-Oriented and People-Centred Integration” (SEAMPEC) of GIZ.


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LONDON, ONTARIO—June 1, 2022—Les Mills fans, who are GoodLife members, now have another way to enjoy their favorite classes. Today, GoodLife Fitness added Les Mills virtual content to the list of On-Demand features available on the app and website, to complement the popular and well-established Les Mills classes that are available live in the 200+ GoodLife Clubs across Canada.
GoodLife is the only gym in Canada that offers live Les Mills classes like BODYPUMP, BODYATTACK, BODYCOMBAT, SH’BAM and BODYBALANCE led by some of Canada’s best Les Mills-certified group fitness instructors. GoodLife members attend hundreds of thousands of Les Mills classes across Canada each year.
“GoodLife has proudly offered Les Mills classes in our clubs for decades. During that time, we’ve built a loyal following of members who come for as many classes as they can,” said Kim Lavender, vice president of group experience. “We’re now able to deliver our most popular Les Mills classes live and via the GoodLife app and website, to accommodate members’ schedules and preferences. This is another step to deliver the best, most engaging live and digital experiences that will keep people moving, wherever they are.”
The GoodLife Fitness app features 15-, 30-, 45- and 55-minute Les Mills classes taught by top Les Mills instructors like Rachael Newsham, Glen Ostergaard and Diana Archer Mills. The website and app will host the four newest releases of each program, and every quarter, new releases will be added to the library.
“The Les Mills following in Canada is strong and our partnership with GoodLife has made that possible. Now we’re delighted to work with GoodLife to offer Les Mills classes virtually via the GoodLife app to give fitness lovers more ways to move with our programming and instructors,” said Keith Burnet, CEO of global markets, Les Mills International.
Les Mills virtual content is available on-demand via the GoodLife app and website as part of an Ultimate or Performance-level membership as well as through the On-Demand Plus subscription. Learn more about GoodLife On-Demand.
About GoodLife Fitness
Proudly Canadian since 1979, GoodLife is the largest group of fitness club chains in Canada and the fourth largest in the world. With almost 10,000 employees, more than 1.1 million members, and 400+ clubs, GoodLife is helping to transform the health and fitness of 1 in 35 Canadians every day. The GoodLife group of clubs includes GoodLife Fitness, Fit4Less, Éconofitness, and Oxygen Yoga & Fitness. goodlifefitness.com
About Les Mills
Les Mills is the global leader in group fitness and creator of 20 programs available in leading fitness facilities around the world. Les Mills programs include the world’s first group exercise resistance training workout BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT (martial arts), RPM (indoor cycling), BODYBALANCE (yoga), LES MILLS GRIT (30-minute high-intensity interval training) and the revolutionary immersive cycle experience, THE TRIP. Each workout is refreshed and updated with new choreography and music every three months.
The company was founded by Les Mills – a four-time Olympian and head coach of New Zealand’s track and field team – who opened his first gym in 1968 with the aim of taking elite sports training to the masses. Today, Les Mills workouts are delivered by 140,000 certified instructors in 21,000 clubs across 100 countries and are available as live, livestream, virtual and immersive classes, as well as via the LES MILLS+ streaming platform.
Holly Dunn, GoodLife Fitness


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US Airways Group Inc., which carries 69 percent of air travelers here, said peak travel days will be Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday - and the same three days next week.
Planes will be full; 108 flights have been added Thursday and 32 flights on Friday across US Airways' network, including a second red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia some days.
"We are also adding additional frequencies on certain days to destinations as diverse as Miami, Seattle, Aruba, and Nashville from Philadelphia," said US Airways spokesman Todd Lehmacher.
Air travel is expected to fall 9.7 percent nationally - 8.4 percent in the five-county Philadelphia area - from last year, accounting for about 6 percent of holiday travelers, the auto club AAA said.
Jet-fuel costs and capacity cuts in seats and flights are driving holiday airfares higher, with ticket prices expected to be up 21 percent compared with last year, AAA said.
"Air travel came back pretty strong last year, but now with fares increasing as much as they are, we think that's going to ease back air travel," said Shane Norton, director of travel and tourism analysis for IHS Global Insight Inc. Travel by air has declined every year since 2007, he said.
The trade group for the nation's airlines expects a "slight drop" in air travelers for the holidays: roughly 43 million, or about two million per day.
"Reasons for the drop are largely due to the economy, specifically energy prices, reduced personal disposable income, reduced household wealth," said Airlines for America spokeswoman Victoria Day.
Philadelphia airport officials urge travelers to give themselves plenty of time to go through security. Planes will be packed; passengers will cram more into carry-on bags to avoid checked-luggage fees, and not all bags will fit into overhead bins.
To ease the trip, they say:
Arrive two hours before a domestic flight, three hours before an international trip.
Have ID out, coats and shoes off, laptops out for screening. Passengers 12 and under may leave shoes on.
Put carry-on liquids in a clear plastic zip-top bag. Adhere to the 3-1-1-rule: 3-ounce or smaller containers for liquids, gels and aerosols, in a 1-quart clear bag, one per passenger.
Do not wrap gifts.
Contact staff writer Linda Loyd at 215-854-2831 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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You really can believe it: In the not-too-distant future self-driving cars will dominate the streets, packages will be delivered by drones, robots will take over the house cleaning and eyeglasses will make fantasy worlds look real.
You disagree and you consider this as utter nonsense? Think twice and look back at the history. Despite initially widespread doubts and often considerable start-up difficulties, many technical innovations prevailed over the years and have become an indispensable part of our daily life. One of the most prominent and still topical examples is the replacement of analog by digital photography. An even better example is the displacement of landline phones by mobile phones. Younger readers probably cannot imagine it, but even in the year 2000 only 10 percent of the U.S. population owned a cell phone – a technology that was used for the first time in 1973.
Many innovations are entering the market
If history repeats itself, we will witness enormous technological changes in our daily lives in the next decade. At present, more innovations are pushing simultaneously into the mass market than ever before. In science, innovations that have what it takes to displace an existing technology, an existing product or an existing service, are called disruptive innovations. The current list of innovative technologies is indeed very long, as the following most prominent examples prove: Internet of Things, autonomous driving, biosimilars, commercial and personal drones, automatization/robotics/artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech/digital banking/mobile payments/robo-advisers, sharing economy, virtual and augmented reality, 3D printing or floating LNG.
The market sizes and the growth rates we speak about here can easily be demonstrated with the help of the forecasted development for the robo-adviser market. In a June study looking only at the U.S. robo-advised market (excluding virtual advice services where there is a human adviser), consulting firm A.T. Kearney projected robo-advised assets of $0.3 trillion by end 2016, and $2.2 trillion by the end of 2020, citing Citi research.
From an investor’s perspective, these emerging developments not only offer great opportunities, but also harbor substantial risks. As a prime example of what can happen even to former market leader, the example of Eastman Kodak can be used. The inventor of the hand-held cameras missed the digital transformation and as a consequence, more than 130 years after the company was founded, had to file for bankruptcy in 2012. By contrast, Apple serves as a model that successfully climbed the technology ladder. In that case, extremely popular self-developed new products, like the iPhone, made Apple the world’s largest company by market capitalization.
In order to successfully separate the potential losers from the future rising stars, from an investor’s perspective, it makes sense to be familiar with the typical schedule patterns in the introduction of disruptive innovations.
For example, it is important to be aware that success of the challengers, despite their technological superiority, is far from guaranteed. This has a lot to do with the often long time-period until a disruptive innovawtion has penetrated the mass market. Until this has been achieved, many pitfalls have to be avoided.
Among other things, a newcomer can run out of money or the company from the old guard, with the help of its financial strength, simply buys the necessary know-how to stay ahead of the competition. But the incumbents should also not feel too secure, since management errors and overconfidence often lead to situations where developments are underestimated or overlooked. These are mistakes that the market usually does not forgive, and once a company has failed to keep abreast of the latest technological developments, its market share starts to shrink permanently.
In this context it is necessary to recall the forecast made in a study by Washington University, which found that 40 percent of the Fortune 500 companies will no longer exist in 10 years.
Breakthrough time is accelerating
Emerging as well as endangered companies are forced to speed up. This applies all the more nowadays, since statistics confirm that the pace of technological change has been speeding up. According to Citi research, the U.S. has seen a rapid increase in the rate of adoption of new technologies, while globally there has been a drop in the average technology adoption lag, as well as a convergence between Western and non-Western adoption times. In addition to an expanding pace, the costs of innovation have been falling, as Citi research highlights in a report, which in turn lowers the barrier to entry and the price of failure.
With the attempt to earn money by betting on disruptive innovations on the stock market, another important problem arises. This has to do with the hype that usually surrounds long-term investment mega-topics like disruptive technologies.
The usually promised high growth rates typically lead to great interest among investors at an early stage. The investments made in the mood of euphoria often are accompanied by high valuations which no longer take into account the involved risks that also exist.
An example that underpins the assumption that this valuation risk exists today can be seen in the number of unlisted startup companies with a value of at least US$1 billion. Their number has almost tripled from the beginning of 2014 until August 2015, from 42 to 113. This seems like an exaggeration and also suggests a selective approach with investments in already listed disruptive innovations companies. But it would be wrong to ignore this investment topic completely, since the stocks of the winning companies promise to make their shareholders really rich.
That means investors can benefit from the spread of disruptive innovations, but in order to do so, they must avoid the pitfalls. Or as Citigroup Global Product Head Robert Garlick puts it:
“For corporates and investors, the increased pace of innovation change creates both higher opportunities and increased risks.”


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Over 500,000 Zoom accounts are being sold on the dark web and hacker forums for less than a penny each, and in some cases, given away for free.
These credentials are gathered through credential stuffing attacks where threat actors attempt to login to Zoom using accounts leaked in older data breaches. The successful logins are then compiled into lists that are sold to other hackers.
Some of these Zoom accounts are offered for free on hacker forums so that hackers can use them in zoom-bombing pranks and malicious activities. Others are sold for less than a penny each.
Cybersecurity intelligence firm Cyble told BleepingComputer that around April 1st, 2020, they began to see free Zoom accounts being posted on hacker forums to gain an increased reputation in the hacker community.


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It would be a massive understatement to say that the controversy surrounding the national anthem protests is not going anywhere soon. In addition to the NFL not having a resolution in place despite the fact that the regular season begins on Thursday, Nike has again shored up its bona fides as the company willing to take risks in support of not only what is right, but in support of Black people by making Colin Kaepernick the face of its 30th anniversary campaign. Yes it is a company that is seeking to profit off of this movement. Yes we are aware of its outrageously priced Jordans and its less than stellar labor practices. But this is a business like every other, and it exists to earn profit; and while others such as Adidas opted to shun or otherwise make their support of Kaepernick conditional, one must respect that Nike has demonstrated once again that it is willing to step into tumultuous territory. As many have noted, Nike owes much of its largesse and success to Black athletes like Michael Jordan and Bo Jackson who were instrumental in catapulting a then young company into sports apparel supremacy. And Nike signed these men when it was not necessarily routine to have Black athletes as the face of one’s entity.
With moves such as these, as well as its most recent bold stances in support of Serena Williams following the French Open’s ludicrous rule changes directed at her, Nike has again stepped up to the plate with this Kaepernick branded line and campaign unveiling. I am personally not a fan of endorsements unless it is clear how the company is investing in and positively impacting the Black community; but credit must be given where due. And Nike has earned a nod for its actions which have resulted in the expected apoplectic reaction from white racists everywhere. Ridiculous spectacles of these geniuses burning merchandise (already purchased) and otherwise expressing their disdain for…a man who exercising his right as a citizen not to participate in a nationalistic ritual due to systemic racism and police brutality. This is America. Indeed.
Article below by Andrew Beaton at wsj.com.
Nike Inc. NKE 0.40% will feature Colin Kaepernick, the National Football League quarterback who led national-anthem protests, in a new advertising campaign, a move that joins one of the NFL’s biggest business partners with a controversial star who is engaged in a high-profile legal battle with the league.
Read the rest here.


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In a statement to TechCrunch Apple stated that it has suspended the Siri response rating program as it reviews the initiative designed to determine if the virtual assistant is unintentionally triggered. The company will also allow users to unsubscribe or exit Siri ratings as part of an upcoming software update.
"We are committed to providing a great Siri experience while protecting users' privacy," said an Apple spokesman. "While doing a thorough review, we are suspending Siri's rating globally. In addition, as part of a future software update, users will have the opportunity to choose to participate in the rating."
Apple came last week when a report from The Guardian cited an employee of the Siri grading program who said the process could inadvertently reveal a user's identity, personal information and other private material.
In an effort to make Siri more accurate, Apple employs contractors who listen to snippets of Siri questions uploaded from devices like the iPhone and HomePod. The goal, according to the company, is to resolve whether the assistant was invoked purposefully or by mistake, a determination that can only be made by a human operator.
Although Apple is taking steps to anonymize digested data and separate evaluated recordings from device owners, users can sometimes retrieve identity and private information from overheard audio, the entrepreneur says. The contractor also claims that some audio clips contain "private discussions between doctors and patients, business agreements, apparent criminal matters, sexual encounters, and so forth. These recordings are accompanied by user data showing location, contact information and app data." [1
The contractor also questioned Apple's transparency in the subject, stating that the company does not go far enough to reveal to consumers how the grading process is conducted and what it entails.
Apple responded to the claims, saying "a small portion" of Siri requests – less than 1% of daily activations – are being evaluated by quality control personnel. Reviewers must comply with "strict confidentiality requirements" and perform their work in "secure facilities," Apple said, adding that typical recordings subject to grading are a few seconds.
Although Apple informs users of ongoing Siri quality control measures in its terms, the language used is vague and does not specifically state that audio clips will be recorded and reviewed by other people.
Apple's move to halt temporary Siri ratings is in line with the company's well-cultivated public image as a bastion of consumer privacy. With critics loading Google, Facebook and others to gather user information, Apple uses privacy as a powerful marketing tool, promising customers that their products and services provide world-leading data security.


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Marico sees slower consumer demand over last three months
today Oct 3, 2019
Fast moving consumer goods business Marico has seen overall consumer demand decrease in the most recent quarter of the financial year, although the brand’s e-commerce business remained strong.
As with a number of FMCG firms, the July to September quarter of the current financial year, which ended on September 30, saw less demand than the previous quarter. Marico said in a statement on the bourses on Tuesday that "soft consumption trends and tight liquidity conditions"' has caused a "much subdued quarter" for many of its product categories, the Press Trust of India reported.
The Mumbai-based business, which retails a large range of haircare among other product categories, reported slower category growth in the July to September period. "The demand and consumer sentiments weakened progressively during the quarter,” said the business. However, modern trade and e-commerce sales were more positive, it said.
Marico’s official financial results are currently awaiting approval from its board of directors and will be released shortly. The business hopes for a recovery during the second half of the current financial year and reported a revenue total of Rs 5,971 crore ($897.5 million) in the 2019 financial year.
Copyright © 2019 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Visitors to a hot spring in central Japan will soon be able to snack on $460 grapes, or rather, grape.
That’s after the manager of a chain of hot spring hotels in Ishikawa Prefecture, on the northern coast of the main Honshu island, became the winning bidder for a bunch of Ruby Roman grapes at an auction in Kanazawa on Tuesday.
Takashi Hosokawa will pay 1.2 million yen, or around $11,000, for the 24 plump, deep red grapes prized for their juiciness, high sugar content and low acidity. It’s the most expensive bunch since the breed came to market 12 years ago, the auctioneers said.
“We offered 1.2 million yen to mark the 12 years and to celebrate Reiwa’s first auction,” Hosokawa told reporters, referring to the country’s new era, which began in May with the coronation of Emperor Naruhito.
“We would like to convey to our customers our exhilaration when we held the (box of) grapes.”
Ruby Red grapes were developed in Ishikawa and first came to market in 2008. They’ve been hugely popular ever since, with only a select number being sold to keep demand and exclusivity levels high. Around 26,000 will be sold this year, though not all will go for the record prices seen at the Kanazawa auction.
Expensive fruit, prized for their appearance and taste, are a key luxury good in Japan, bought as gifts or for promotional purposes by businesses.
“People purchase these expensive fruits to demonstrate how special their gifts are to the recipients, for special occasions or for someone socially important, like your boss,” Soyeon Shim, dean of the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told CNN in 2017.
These can often be uniquely shaped or colored fruit, which are painstakingly cultivated or forced to grow in a specific way, such as square watermelons, heart-shaped strawberries or the albino White Jewel strawberries grown in Karatsu, on Japan’s southern Kyushu Island.
“Everyone is surprised when they see a white strawberry,” farmer Yasuhito Teshima told CNN’s Great Big Story. Because of the difficulty of growing the strawberry and protecting them from blemishes or damage – which shows up far more on white than red fruit – he is only able to sell around 10% of his crop. Packs of the strawberries cost around $40 each.
That’s nothing compared to Okuda Nichio’s “scoop-shaped” Beautiful Princess strawberries, tennis ball sized red fruit that go for about 500,000 yen ($4,395) each. Only around 500 of the strawberries are produced every year.
Lynne Nakano, a professor of Japanese studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that the structure of Japan’s farming market encourages producers to focus on specialty goods.
“The structure of farming (in Japan) is different from many other places, in part because of its history of the US coming in during the occupation and saying no more large farms,” she said. “With small farms the way to compete is not through scale but through having some kind of special product.”
She said that many of the purchasers of these record-breaking fruits have close connections to the farming communities and want to support, and be seen to support, them.
“There’s a lot of talk about problems in the Japanese farming industry,” Nakano said. “Particularly as farmers are aging … people want to give encouragement to young farmers that they can make a profit or do well.”
And while $11,000 may seem an insane amount of money to spend on a bunch of grapes, it’s not as excessive as it seems.
“It’s a lot of money for grapes but it’s not a lot of money for an advertisement,” Nakano said. “It’s something that people would like to talk about because it’s so crazy. It actually makes some economic sense.”
The demand for high-end fruit shows no sign of slowing, with new records seemingly set every year. Nor is it confined to Japan. In January, an Indonesian shopping center sold a variety of durian – the stinky “king of fruits” beloved and loathed in equal measures throughout Asia – for 14 million rupiah (around $1,000) apiece.
Hong Kong too has adopted Japanese expensive fruit gifting, with boxes of excessively wrapped and beautifully presented fruit going for staggering amounts, such as $22 per individually packaged strawberry, or $550 for an apple.


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Aug 21, 2024
Buying Drugs Off Darknet
BTH stands for black tar heroin. And these are all reviews for drugs sold openly, in plain sight on illicit marketplaces on the dark web.Far from the depths of the "darknet", modern dealers are turning to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to find new. An Australian artist who created a portrait of overdose victim Anna Wood using 20,000 empty pill casings has been flooded with personal stories from young. Latest figures show that buying drugs off darknet per cent of recreational drug users in England ordered narcotics via encrypted browsers on the internet last year. By R Damien Cited by 106 Besides, online selling of traditional illicit drugs (cocaine,. Page 2. Rhumorbarbe et al. / Forensic Science International (2024). 2 heroin and cannabis). The Daily Dot doesn't recommend or endorse the purchase of illicit substances, contraband, or any other illegal goods. But if you're curious how. Last week the FBI arrested Dread Pirate Roberts, founder of Silk Road, a site on the 'dark net' where visitors could buy drugs at the click. On February 11th, investigators accused Haoyu Wang, a 26-year-old University of Utah student, of killing 19-year-old Zhifan Dong--his.
What Wickr offers is great in principal, but an underbelly of criminals have set up shop on the highly encrypted messaging app. The dark web is mysterious, but to understand the future of drug trafficking, you have to understand how dark web drugs are sold on the. Suspicious cryptocurrency transactions can be detected through forensic analysis software buying drugs off darknet and the police is using that to their advantage. Most people don't think about the dark web as common place where people score drugs. However, it's much eaiser than you think. Learn more. We take a look at how internet users buy drugs online using Tor browser and the DarkNet, along with the risks that come with it. The illegal drug market is worth over 300 billion a year in the US and up to 36 trillion globally. Much of it can now be found online in. Cybersecurity firm Sixgill reports that the sale of drugs on the dark web has increased amid lockdowns. German authorities took down the. TOI investigation finds buying drugs online jusy as easy as buying a smartphone.
By R Horck 2024 of the illegal activities on the dark web, namely drug traf- ficking. In this research, the dark web's illicit drug markets and. Vincenzo Granato's intelligence meant he got kingdom Market involved in buying party drugs and selling them among friends, Swindon Crown Court was told. A. They (IIRC it was the CIA) got into all sorts of shenanigans, dosing people (including CIA officers) without their consent. Some people died and. A TEENAGER who used the dark web to buy drugs to 'self medicate' his undiagnosed ADHD and autism has been given 150 hours of community. PDF Darknet markets, also known as cryptomarkets, are websites located on the Darknet and designed to allow the trafficking of illicit. By J Buxton Cited by 130 As outlined by Martin (2024),5 illicit drugs have been bought and sold on the internet since it was first established. According to Markoff6. (2005), cited in. Illicit drug trade crimes for heroin, crack cocaine and marijuana increased by 5 to 10 in the US during the two weeks following shutdowns of. Buying drugs online and through social media or on the dark web can be extremely dangerous with fatal consequences. The strength of drugs.
From banned books to illegal weapons, they can be bought online. Unsurprisingly, you can also buy drugs online and a surprising amount of people already engage. Edison Hernandez, 46, allegedly pushed drugs under the kingdom Market url pseudonyms dragoncove and Nino on dark web sites for about six years starting in. An Australian artist who created a portrait of overdose victim Anna Wood using 20,000 empty pill casings has been flooded with personal stories from young. An insight into the sale of prescription drugs and medicine on the AlphaBay cryptomarket Buying drugs on a Darknet market: A better deal? Chemical. The illicit drug trade is thriving on the dark web because it's seen as safer and more profitable than street dealing, according to. By A Afilipoaie 2024 Cited by 19 An average internet user leaves data trails that law enforcement can follow and therefore understanding how to obfuscate or remove these trails altogether is a. Ahead of a panel discussion for the Cambridge Festival of Ideas next week, we spoke to two of the researchers who shone a light on the dark. Bangalore drugs seized, drug trade dark web, dark net scrimes, drgs in bengaluru The drugs seized by Bengaluru Central Crime Branch police.
A screenshot of Dream Market, below, shows drugs on offer, including crystal meth, cocaine, hash and MDMA. (CBC). In October 2024, the kingdom Market link FBI shut down the Silk Road, a website on the so-called darknet that had become notorious for selling illegal drugs and. The drug trade is moving from the street to online cryptomarkets. Forced to compete on price and quality, sellers are upping their game. All blockchain and pricing data on bitcoinwallet. com is provided as-is and is to be used for entertainment purposes only, and should not be used or. 272 Europol, Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment. (IOCTA) 2024 (The Hague, 2024). selling buying drugs off darknet, 262 As reported previously,263 an analysis of the. A group called the Drug User Liberation Front says it is buying and testing illicit drugs to provide to certain drug users in order to. The illegal drug market is worth over 300 billion a year in the US and up to 36 trillion globally. Much of it can now be found online in. Trusted Darknet VendorsOnce done, the account is converted to a vendor account. it Search: table of content Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4.
Now, one of the things I want to talk about is what kind of services or what is out there on the Dark Web? It has gaineda reputation of being a reliableanonymous online buying drugs off darknet marketplace among other darknet marketplaces. When you need to impress everybody kingdom Market darknet and stay relevant, you must look ahead and aim to be the first. LSD degrades readily, particularly in biological specimens, unless protected from light and elevated temperatures; it may also bind to glass containers in acidic solutions.
Distributed by Dora, LLC.


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For almost 60 years, the Hi-Way Cafe in Vinita has been a popular stop for old-fashioned hamburgers and other diner food on Route 66. Now it has a new claim to fame. It just won a Guinness World Record for putting the most stickers on a car – a whopping 60,066 stickers, beating the previous record of 41,500.
Owner Beth Hilburn bought a 1963 American Rambler for the project. Seven days and countless volunteers later, the car was done and ready for inspection. It is on display at the diner and visitors are welcome to add their own stickers to the car.
– Staff report, The Oklahoma 100


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Viola Davis leads off 'Lion King' concert at Animal Kingdom's Harambe Nights
Disney's Animal Kingdom stays up late with new Harambe Nights
See video and check out photos of the new after-dark event at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom: How Disney's new roller coaster fakes guests out
How Disney's new roller coaster fakes guests out (Clue: Think green)
runDisney adding Star Wars-themed race weekend
The Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend will debut at Disneyland Resort in California Jan. 15-18, 2015.
Deal extends IAAPA expo in Orlando through 2025
IAAPA Expo will extend stay in Orlando through 2025
Now open: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Disney World
Disney set to open Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster
'Dancing With the Stars,' Miami Heat tops for week
"Dancing With the Stars" connected with Central Florida viewers in a big way last week. The ABC dance contest ended its season and swept the top three spots in the weekly ratings.
Disney guests show their 'Disney Side' at 24-hour event
Disney World guests dressed as their favorite Disney characters for the 24-hour "Rock Your Disney Side" event May 23-24.
Epcot: 2014 Food & Wine Fest will include Patagonia, Parisian breakfast, sauerkraut pierogi
Epcot food fest going Patagonia
Author gives tips for saving money at Disney World
"102 Ways to Save Money at Walt Disney World," details how you can have "the most magical Disney vacation without breaking the bank."
Potterwatch: There be dragon at Universal
Look up, Harry: Dragon now atop Universal Studios' Wizarding World attraction
Hoax: Six Flags park not opening in Florida
Six Flags is expected to soon start building its first-ever Florida theme park, slated to open in 2018, according to the Spring Hill Courier.
Tips for surviving Star Wars Weekends 2014
Tips and tricks of how to have the best experience during Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
'Modern Family' wins in 'Idol,' 'Survivor' showdown
When the season finales of "American Idol" and "Survivor" faced off, the real winner may have been "Modern Family."
'The Middle' sends love letter to Disney World
"The Middle" celebrated Walt Disney World its own way Wednesday night with a bracing valentine.
SeaWorld app adds 'QuickQueue' line-skip feature
SeaWorld adds `QuickQueue¿ line-skip feature to mobile app
Disney World welcomes fighting 'Middle' clan
ABC sitcom "The Middle" films season finale at Walt Disney World
Jimmy Fallon bringing 'Tonight Show' to Orlando
Jimmy Fallon's first road trip as "Tonight Show" host will be to Orlando.
SeaWorld Orlando offers weekday discount tickets
SeaWorld Orlando offers $30 off on weekday tickets
Michael Jackson hologram, CBS draw crowds
Jennifer Lopez, Lorde and a Michael Jackson hologram helped the Billboard Music Awards score in the ratings Sunday night.
Disneyland raises ticket prices ahead of Memorial Day weekend
'Middle' at Disney World; 'Dancing,' 'Voice' winners
The 2013-14 TV season officially ends this week with a slew of major programs. A few highlights:
'Funniest Videos' season finale at Disney World
"Tom Bergeron shows off his Disney side," ABC says of the season finale for "America's Funniest Home Videos."
Disney's vintage Polynesian hotel gets makeover
The Disney World Polynesian hotel will get a makeover with a South Seas theme
'Modern Family,' 'Criminal Minds' lead Wednesday pack
"Modern Family" and "Criminal Minds" were the big winners in the Wednesday night ratings.
10 novelties to try in Central Florida this summer
Here are 10 new things -- in no particular order -- you may wish to check out if you are in Central Florida this summer.
What makes new Four Seasons a Disney-themed property
Castaway Cay Challenge added to Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
On Jan. 14, 2015, runners will be able to take part in the Disney Castaway Cay Challenge, a joint venture by runDisney and Disney Cruise Line.
Jim Henson challenge: Did Orlando man win?
On national television, Robert Bennett of Orlando has lived the adage: It¿s not where you start, it¿s where you finish.
Woman accused of Disney vacation scam pleads not guilty
An Ohio woman accused of orchestrating a Disney vacation scam that lost families thousands of dollars has pleaded not guilty.
Universal's new Harry Potter ride will have big cars, Gringotts Bank story
Universal plans to give Gringotts ride broad appeal
Orlando memoir becomes ABC sitcom
Orlando will have a starring role on ABC next season.
MATHCOUNTS competitors tackle integers in Orlando, visit Disney World
The California team that won the Mathcounts national competition rode in a parade Saturday at Magic Kingdom
Epcot: Disney announces 2014 Eat to the Beat acts
Disney World announces acts for 2014 Eat to the Beat at Epcot
Harry Potter watch: More Gringotts ride details coming Tuesday, Universal Orlando says
Harry Potter watch: Universal set to share Gringotts ride details on Tuesday
Harry Potter watch: Loews chairman mentions 'mid-June' opening of Diagon Alley
Harry Potter watch: Loews chairman mentions 'mid-June' opening of Universal's Diagon Alley
Disney World resorts offering free dining plan
Walt Disney World Resort hotels are offering savings for guests who book fall and winter vacations.
Countdown over: Aquatica debuts extreme-drop slide
Disney's Polynesian Resort changes include new name, new dining
See renderings and get details for the changes coming to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort including the introduction of a Trader Sam's Grog Grotto.
Disney World 1971 monorail cab for sale on eBay
Theme Park Connection has listed an original monorail cab car on online auction site eBay.
Watch: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train time-lapse
Disney Parks released a video time-lapse of the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction at Disney's Magic Kingdom.
Six romantic honeymoons: Three if by land, three if by sea
Here are some ideas to consider for wedding trips -¿ both land and sea programs ¿ that are dripping in romance in Florida, the Caribbean and beyond.
Seven things about Disney's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
More on Disney World's new Seven Dwarfs ride
'GMA' meteorologist celebrates Fantasyland
ABC's "Good Morning America" helped promote the Festival of Fantasy Parade in a big way Friday morning.
On Moving the Florida Capitol to Orlando
Hills and valleys of roller-coastering
Orlando's roller coasters: The ups and the downs
SeaWorld Orlando: Parking fee rises to $17
SeaWorld Orlando raises parking fee. matching Universal, Disney
Busch Gardens: Video of Falcon's Fury fall
Video: See the dramatic drop of Falcon's Fury, coming to Busch Gardens Tampa
Much ado about MagicBand
Much ado about Disney's MagicBand, FastPass+


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The country music star, 75, created a new Strawberry Pretzel Pie flavor to benefit Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The dessert company said the flavor is “sweet and salty, with timeless appeal, deep American roots, and makes you feel darn good.”
“It’s a throwback to the triple decker pie from the potlucks of our youths. Layers of salty pretzel streusel, subtly sweet and effortlessly tangy cream cheese ice cream, and lipstick red strawberry sauce,” Jeni’s added.
When the collab dropped last week, it sold out online and in some select Jeni’s locations forcing fans to buy on the secondary market.
Dolly Parton’s ice cream flavor collaboration with Jeni’s sold out within hours. (AP, File)
A seller on eBay listed the ice cream for a staggering $1,000 for a pint.
Jeni’s updated fans on its future availability saying the company is “working around the clock” to get more products on shelves.
“We aren’t there yet,” Jeni’s added. “As promised, we’ll give 48-hour notice via email and social media before we release the flavor, but we wanted to let you know that it won’t be this weekend. Thank you, again, for you
Read more here:
Dolly Parton’s ice cream selling on eBay for $1000 per pint


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16:19 27th Nov, 2014
GoPro To Launch Consumer Drones Late Next Year
According to WSJ the drones will be equipped with GoPro camera tech and will sell for $500 to $1,000
GoPro is supposedly working on a line of consumer drones to supplement its action camera business, according to the Wall Street Journal. The report claims that the drones will retail in the range of $500 and $1,000 and will come with GoPro camera technology on-board.
Given the popularity of drones with enthusiasts and budding filmmakers, it only makes sense for the company to sink its teeth into a market where its cameras are already in use. Further, the move can help the GoPro further dominate the adventure/action camera space, as strapping one to your helmet doesn't cut it anymore.
The WSJ report says that GoPro will launch its drones late next year, possibly ahead of the 2015 holiday season. Given that current leaders in the drone space - DJI and Parrot, are increasingly looking at providing their own imaging hardware, it's important for GoPro to bring its own drones to maintain leadership.
If the information in the WSJ report is accurate, GoPro could also beat its drone making rivals on the price front, assuming that it maintains the video quality it currently offers on its action cam lineup. Drones could also help the company diversify its business, which currently starts and ends with making great action cameras.
Like it or not, drones are the future of how a lot of us will shoot video, for the simple reason that it opens up the possibility of doing something that only pros could. They do raise questions of security and privacy, but those are mere hindrances which policy and law should look to address rather than shun the entire movement.
- Genelec Announces 1235A: Classic Heritage, Cutting Edge Performance
- Unbox Robotics, an early stage startup from the maiden cohort of Entrepreneur First, receives initial round of funding
- boAt audio ranked No.1 in India in the earwear category
- Kodak HD LED TV launches India’s most affordable Dolby vision Android certified 4K TVs
- Global debut of Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Redmi Note 9 Pro in India
- POCO announces ‘Head for Red’ sale for Phoenix Red POCO X2
- Xiaomi India launches new Mi Dual Driver In-Ear Earphones
- Xiaomi to bring NavIC technology from ISRO to several smartphones in 2020
- Bobble celebrates 'Namaste Trump" with new GIFs, and Stickers
- Fujifilm unveils the new X100V camera with high performance and advanced functions along with two new XC 35mm F2 and GF 45-100mm F4 lens


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When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it confined most of us to our homes and dramatically increased our demand for online and streaming media. Netflix rode a wave of soaring subscriptions as a bored public sought an escape from the constant reminder of our predicament.
In 2020, Netflix added a whopping 36.5 million new subscribers globally which was easily its best year for subscriber growth. By contrast, 2019 had seen a decline in growth from 28.6 million to 27.8 million the previous year.
While more users were signing on to the service, Netflix was hit by the same production problems as others in the industry. Filming of its popular TV shows and much of its new movies and other content ground to a halt as COVID-19 restrictions also kept directors, producers, actors, studio engineers, writers, and everyone else required for production at home.
In the first quarter of 2021, Netflix recorded just shy of 4 million new subscribers, down dramatically from over 15 million for the same period a year earlier. Worse, it warned shareholders that it only expects to add just 1 million new subscribers in Q2.
The streaming giant attributes the dramatically cut in subscriber growth to the delay of new content going to the service - a delay caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is now looking to new seasons of popular shows like The Witcher and Money Heist to accelerate subscriber growth in the second half of 2021.
Netflix counts more than 207 million subscribers globally.
Written by: James Delahunty @ 20 Apr 2021 23:20


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When iRacing announced its acquisition of Monster Games in early 2022, it touted the prospect of expanding its reach into simulation racing and gaming. Eight months after the partnership was unveiled, the first product hit the market, a major milestone for the company behind one of the leading racing sims.
For Monster Games, “World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing” is another release in the history of producing console racing games, but for iRacing, it is the brand’s first foray into the console market.
Monster Games had already been developing the product for eight months when it was acquired by iRacing last December. This led to what Steve Myers, iRacing’s executive vice president, called a “hybrid project” about halfway through the game’s production.
Myers told RACER that while he’s excited for this game’s release, he’s just as excited about the future prospects and titles that may be on the horizon as iRacing finds its footing in the console gaming market.
“I’m really excited to see how the game looks, but I think it’s been a trial by fire in a lot of ways,” Myers said, explaining that iRacing wanted to learn as much as possible about the development process for Monster Games’ console game, adding its own improvements to prepare to future releases.
What those future releases will be remains to be seen, but Myers noted that the company is exploring a NASCAR title. Monster Games created the NASCAR Heat series before the NASCAR license went to another studio after 2019.
“I think it’s too early to tell,” Myers said of the next title. “I think we started kind of kicking around ideas. Obviously, our customers are bothering us about making a NASCAR title, and that’s something we’re definitely looking into. But I don’t think we’ve made any final decisions yet about what we want to do with (Monster Games).”
One of the most heated debates in the virtual racing world is what qualifies as a “simulation” and what qualifies as a “game.” While the distinction may seem pedantic, determining which category you want to fall under is one of the first steps in product development, Myers explains.
“I think it should be very clear that iRacing and these console products that we’re doing are different,” Myers said. “We understand that these studios are creating a different product, we understand that 95% of the people who are going to play these games are going to be playing with a gamepad.”
All handling development for World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing was done using a traditional handheld controller.
“You can’t create a simulation where 95% of customers will use a gamepad, that’s just not realistic,” Myers said. “I think that anybody in the console industry that tries to say they’re making a ‘sim’ is not entirely true because you just can’t do the same thing by building a product around a gamepad as you can when you’re building a product around a steering wheel and pedals.
“With Orontes (another game studio acquired by iRacing in 2021) and Monster, we can create a product that is completely focused on racing fans, but is much more accessible and can be played with your kids. It’s something that hopefully people who aren’t even into racing can try these games and get to know something that they really enjoy.”
One of the new challenges iRacing had to face when releasing the game was establishing a working relationship with Microsoft and Sony on whose consoles the game would be available. Myers explained that iRacing has, in a sense, spoiled itself by being able to quickly update its own independent products.
The game was sent to Microsoft and Sony a month before the planned release date so that it could be approved for sale in the companies’ stores. Any post-release game updates must also be sent to the two before they become available.
“I’m still new and learning how the space works, but from what I understand, once you’ve passed the first release and whatever your day one patch is, you’re moved to where the product is now considered stable.” he said.
“Apparently there is a faster process to remove patches, but it’s not as fast, obviously, as we can do in iRacing.”
Monster Games is handling this part of the game’s release.
One area where iRacing was able to help was the relationship with World of Outlaws, which hasn’t had a dedicated video game since World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars in 2010.
The World of Outlaws series visits more than 50 tracks across the country, many of which are independently owned, making licensing difficult. iRacing and Monster were able to acquire licenses for 14 of them, all but two of which are available from iRacing.
Game review: World of Outlaws – Dirt racing
The result of iRacing and Monster’s collaboration is a game that seems well-suited to the market it aims to attract. Driving is challenging enough to keep experienced players satisfied, while plenty of difficulty sliders allow new players to tackle the game on their own terms.
The career mode is long and allows drivers to advance through the dirt racing ranks, improve their car’s performance, attract sponsors and customize their car’s design. Events include a practice session, qualifying, heats, B-mains and the main event that add substance to the weekend.
For a game that was half Monster and half Monster/iRacing, World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing delivers. It doesn’t reach the level of perfection that games like F1 22 achieve, but for the first product of a new relationship with a much smaller market, it’s a more than respectable depiction of the world of dirt racing.
I’m excited to play World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing, but like Steve Myers, I’m eager to see what other projects are on the horizon as Monster Games and iRacing bring their unique experiences to racing fans’ consoles in the future.


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Epic Games Store, GOG and Amazon Prime Gaming Giving Away Exciting...
December 28, 2022
The season of giving isn't over just yet, as gaming storefronts continue to provide free access...
The Witcher Is Getting a Remake on Unreal Engine CD Projekt...
October 27, 2022
The announcement that every fan has been waiting for has finally arrived. CD Projekt Red has...
Find the latest news and updates for PC, Console, and Mobile Games. Read reviews, walkthroughs, and patch notes. Get tips and tricks from Flizzyy.
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Posted on March 06, 2015 by Minerals Make Life
In a recent Automotive World piece, National Mining Association’s (NMA) president and CEO, Hal Quinn, discusses the contributions that minerals and metals make to the technological advancements of the automotive industry. Citing Ford’s 2015 aluminum-bodied F-150, Hal writes:
“The 2015 aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 is one of many examples of ingenuity and innovation in the U.S. automotive industry. As U.S. automakers continue to improve vehicle efficiency, lower emissions and implement cutting-edge technology, they are not only looking to aluminum, but countless other minerals and metals. However, the auto industry, like the rest of the manufacturing sector, is increasingly challenged by growing global competition for minerals and metals needed to produce today’s transportation fleet—a problem that more efficient U.S. mine permitting could help address.”
Unfortunately because of a lengthy, outdated federal permitting process, it has become increasingly difficult to fulfill the needs of the U.S. auto industry, let alone support a full domestic manufacturing renaissance. In order to compete in global markets, it is critical for U.S. manufacturers, like Ford, to have access to the key minerals and metals that are critical to these technological developments. Quinn explains, “Aluminum alloy, for example, is used in the 2015 Ford F-150’s front-end, cab, box and tailgate and the frame is made out of high-strength, lightweight steel. In fact, aluminum is one of several metals indispensable to automakers as they modernize ‘lightweight’ U.S. vehicles to comply with a requirement that new cars and trucks average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.”
Although the U.S. is home to a mineral reserve base worth $6.2 trillion, it is cursed with an inefficient and duplicative permitting process. Quinn says it best, “To drive continued momentum of U.S. auto manufacturing, both the House and the Senate should work to move legislation that brings America’s outdated mine permitting process into the 21st century so the U.S. auto and other industries can meet the 21st century realities requiring secure and reliable supply chains.”
Read more from Automotive World here.


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TAMPA (WFLA) – The FDA is issuing a warning about potentially contaminated raw oysters sent to Florida and other states.
This week, the FDA announced that oysters harvested in parts of Baynes Sound in British Columbia, Canada, were possibly linked to a multi-state norovirus outbreak in the United States. The oysters were shipped to restaurants and retailers in at least 13 states, but possibly more “through further distribution” within the U.S. the FDA writes.
It affects oysters shipped to restaurants and stores in at least 13 states, including Florida. The other states were California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
The FDA and the states conducted what is known as a “trace forward investigation” to determine where the raw oysters were distributed and remove them from the food supply.
Retails are advised not to serve or sell oysters harvested from the following locations:
- Baynes Sound: #1407063, #1411206, #278737 in BC 14-8 and #1400036, in BC 14-15.
- “Baynes Sound” will show on product tags as “14-8”and/or “DEEP BAY”, or “14-15.”
The words “Baynes Sound” will also appear on tags. Further identifying information is available at the FDA’s website.
Restaurant operators and retailers are also being urged to sanitize any surfaces the oysters may have come into contact with.
As of April 4, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had received 91 reports of illnesses linked to the outbreak. It’s possible the actual number of illnesses is much higher, considering many people may not seek treatment. State and local health authorities are also not required to report cases to a national database.
The FDA’s ongoing investigation is working to determine where, exactly, the oysters were served or distributed based on interviews with those who became ill.
Norovirus is currently the most common cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., where it is responsible for approximately 20 million cases each year, the CDC estimates. It is largely contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water, or coming into contact with contaminated surfaces or other infected persons.
While food contaminated with norovirus may look, smell and taste normal, it can cause diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, fever, headache and body ache within 12 to 48 hours after being eaten.
“Anyone who consumes raw shellfish is at risk of contracting norovirus,” the agency notes.


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According to the results of a survey conducted by Brand Keys, the currently most innovative company in the world is Google. Around 4,000 subjects participated in the research, whose results were published on July 25.
The last year's winner, Apple, placed fourth, Samsung went down from the third to the fifth place and Microsoft dropped from the eleventh to the eighteenth place.
Amazon placed second and the third place went to Facebook, cnet.com reports.
Still, the owner and director of Brand Keys, Robert Passikoff, believes that it is the new brands, those which have placed among the top 20 twenty for the first time, that provide the true image of consumer trends. These are Airbnb, Snapchat, Shutterfly, BuzzFeed, ClassPass and theSkimm.
The presence of these companies in the list means that certain giants, like Uber, LinkedIn and Slack, have disappeared from the list.


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The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities has today launched a new national newspaper advertising campaign across some of the UK's most read print publications. Coordinated by Media Agency Group's print advertising division Press Mag Media, the campaign draws attention to the controversial commercial sale of a piece of unique Egyptian art; The Statue of Sekhemka.
The 4,500 year old artefact was sold by Northampton Borough Council to an unnamed private buyer abroad for £15.76 million in July 2014, a sale which the Ministry has described as "incompatible with the role and values of museums worldwide, where culture must be spread, and human inheritance ought to be shared."
The irreplaceable statue was blocked from being exported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport earlier this year in an effort to allow potential UK buyers to put forward a serious bid to keep it in the country. However, this embargo is due to expire on 28 August. The Egyptian Ministry has issued this outcry in order to maintain the export ban on such a historic and cultural gem to prevent it from falling into private hands.
The press campaign will see the Ministry's message reach millions of readers across the country, with some prime advertising space secured in national publications including The Daily Mail, The Guardian, The Times, The Independent and Metro.
Managing Director of Press Mag Media's parent company Media Agency Group, John Kehoe, said:
"The sale of the unique Statue of Sekhemka is an issue that the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities feels very strongly about, and we're pleased to be doing our part in spreading their message across the UK national press. As the Ministry appeals to extend the export ban, we've secured some fantastic advertising space in some of the UK's most famous news publications that will see the Egyptian message reach millions of readers."
Press release distributed by Pressat on behalf of Press Mag Media, on Tuesday 25 August, 2015. For more information subscribe and follow http://www.pressat.co.uk/


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Supply Chain Gain: Shades of Green
Sustainability efforts can help companies grow more efficient supply chains.
More to the Story:
From renewable energy development to carbon emissions calculators to recycling and reverse logistics, lean packaging, LEED-certified warehouses, and hybrid electric delivery vehicles, green is everywhere. Consumers are buying the idea, government is regulating it, carriers and logistics service providers are mandated by it, manufacturers and retailers are selling it, and supply chains are posturing to varying degrees of greenness.
Even with the media and market attention that blankets sustainability, there are leaders and laggards, and those looking to take advantage of a good thing. Businesses are capitalizing on obvious, inexpensive ways to operate more efficiently and protect the environment; many have followed suit for pure economic reasons.
“Energy efficiency in machine use and processes has been industry’s biggest win,” says Patrick Penfield, assistant professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management. “We have a long way to go, but we have made strides compared to energy consumption 10 years ago.”
Much of this progress is a consequence of better technology, processes, education, and efforts to mitigate global fuel price volatility.
Setting the Standards
Penfield cites material waste as an area that needs improvement. In the context of supply chain management, this raises an interesting point.
Businesses can individually create green objectives, benchmark progress, and continue to remove waste from the process. Internal functions within an organization can do as much. But efficiencies gained at one touchpoint may be lost at another, unless standards are broadly communicated and enforced.
In trying economic times, compliance is often challenged for one simple reason— true supply chain sustainability requires time, money, talent, and thought.
The business case for being sustainable is saving money. The global economic recession placed industry in a position to squeeze costs out of the supply chain. In the process, many companies achieved notable sustainability gains— whether they realized it or not.
A red light on green?
When Inbound Logistics surveyed third-party logistics providers in early 2009 as part of its annual 3PL Market Perspectives industry overview, nearly 40 percent of respondents indicated that sustainability was a top priority among their outsourcing customers. In 2010, that number dropped to 21 percent. Why the difference? Did companies suddenly give the red light to green?
To some degree, this marked drop is a matter of perspective. Businesses that entertain opportunities to be more efficient— optimizing transportation, realigning distribution networks, outsourcing more— don’t necessarily identify these efforts as “green.” When the recession was in full swing, day-to-day optimization and cost reduction were a priority over everything else.
Creating more efficient vehicle routes and mandating drivers not to idle trucks are, first and foremost, operational achievements. By comparison, purchasing a new fleet of hybrid-powered trucks or holding suppliers compliant to specific sustainability operating procedures are green progressions. In reality, efficiency and sustainability are intrinsically tied and difficult to tell apart.
For the most part, these instances of shared gains are positive. It’s hard to find fault with companies that grow leaner and greener together. Identifying and executing a business case for protecting the environment is a necessary first step.
A problem arises, however, when a sustainability improvement is the by-product of another optimization— and not directly attributed to a specific green goal. Its value and ROI often become obscured.
isolating sustainability investments
A recent report by global consultant Accenture speaks to this issue, and the challenges companies face trying to unbundle, then distill, the real worth of sustainability investments.
Can Business Do Well By Doing Good?, by Bruno Berthon, David Abood, and Peter Lacy— all managing directors in Accenture’s Sustainability Services global group— offers follow-up insight on a 2010 Accenture-United Nations study that captured how global CEOs are dealing with the long-term perspective of sustainability and the near-term pressures of the bottom line.
While research suggests that sustainable business practices correlate closely with high performance, “on an operational level, sustainability is not yet seamlessly woven into the fabric of business,” the authors write. “Executives still must make, almost daily, difficult trade-offs between practices that meet short-term business needs and those that will contribute to sustaining the needs of future generations.”
This snag is apparent within many organizations and supply chains, where individual functions and departments, or suppliers and service providers, arbitrarily work toward different sustainability standards. While some might cut corners to reduce costs, others hold fast to their own guidelines— perhaps to their own detriment in meeting customer expectations. Relatively few companies in the world have the clout and sophistication to dictate comprehensive compliance inside and outside the enterprise.
“This conflict can be seen on another level, as well,” Accenture’s analysts continue. “Investments in sustainability today are seldom reflected in next quarter’s earnings announcement. This misalignment…a function of basic financial performance analysis, must be reconciled before sustainability can be integrated and embedded in operations— that is, before sustainability becomes a truly integral part of what it means to be a high-performance business.”
Geographic, political, and cultural factors make widespread compliance even more challenging for globe-spanning enterprises.
This isn’t to say that businesses aren’t trying or have been unsuccessful in their efforts. There are some well-publicized examples among both large and small manufacturers and retailers— from Stonyfield Farm to Walmart— that have committed significant capital and time toward making sustainability a seamless function within the extended value chain.
As critical links between supply and demand, many carriers and 3PLs have helped steer customers along a greener path as well. This remains a current and future goal for the transportation and logistics segment at large.
There’s something to be said for the cascading impact green best practices can have within an organization, then within a supply chain, then across other supply chains. In addition to standardizing processes, increased communication, visibility, and collaboration are bound to follow. Internally, many forward-thinking companies are developing their own sustainability benchmarks and using them to measure performance among business partners.
“Companies are grappling with this issue,” says Penfield. “Organizations are working with suppliers to institute their own environmental policies, then follow up with audits.”
These types of progressions will bring greater transparency to sustainability efforts and hold businesses accountable for meeting customer, industry, and government expectations. In the meantime, some will continue to spin the marketing cachet of “greenness” without backing it up— largely because its true value has yet to be fully appreciated.
“Some companies, unfortunately, are taking advantage of the green movement. But I truly believe sustainability is here to stay, especially with the growing population base and lack of resources,” says Penfield.
Sustainability in its purest form implies continuity. It’s not a one-off; it carries the entire lifecycle of a product from source to shelf; and its empirical value, in relation to revenue growth and cost savings, still needs to be more broadly qualified.
That’s the tomorrow for today’s supply chain sustainability visionaries.


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This is just one of the points raised by EAT founder Gunhild Stordalen when asked how to inspire a new generation of seafood consumers in a chat with Norwegian Seafood Council CEO Renate Larsen at this week’s North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF).
Stordalen and her organization EAT has been appointed by the UN ahead of this autumn’s Food Systems Summit, the first of its kind, to come up with groundbreaking solutions on how to shift global food systems into more healthy andsustainable consumption patterns. The Norwegian Seafood Council have joined forces with EAT as a strategic partner to work together on lifting the role of sustainable seafood in the future of food debate.
Seafood must not be forgotten
And while the battle lines so far have been drawn between vegan warriors and meat lovers, Stordalen calls for sustainable seafood to step off the sidelines and take a more prominent stance as part of the solution when we embark on a momentous overhaul of global food systems.
“We can’t let “blue” become the forgotten part of the puzzle when we start our journey for more sustainable food systems,” she told Larsen in the 20-minute interview where the role of sustainable seafood in the future food debate was the topic up for discussion.
Renate Larsen, spoke of the trends and challenges facing the industry, who as the CEO of the world’s biggest generic seafood marketing organization, the Norwegian Seafood Council, knows very well what it takes to inspire consumers and build knowledge about sustainable seafood.
“The world needs to eat more sustainable seafood if we are to meet the dietary needs of a growing world population, but we still have a job to do as an industry to get our message across in a meaningful way and to inspire younger consumers to become seafood lovers.
“Seafood is still much less visible than other major protein sources, both in advertising and in store. We also see many young people are looking to veganism in the belief that it is the only sustainable choice,” Larsen says.
She refers to the recent stir caused by Netflix documentary Seaspiracy, which called for an end to fishing altogether. Many of the documentary’s statements have since been discredited by a vast array of NGOs and scientists.
"There are many challenges still to be tackled, but giving up seafood all together is definitely not the way," Larsen says.
Vegan is not the only way
In the interview Stordalen, whose organization caused much international debate when they launched the “EAT-Lancet planetary health diet” in 2019, highlighted that although most people would benefit from eating more plant-based, there is no need to give up seafood.
“If you would like to lower your climate footprint through your diet, going vegan is not your only choice. Replacing meat with fish and seafood will also generally lower your dietary footprint,” Stordalen pointed out, but stressed that what an how the seafood is produced or sourced matters.
Steep learning curve to a fishier diet
Stordalen admitted that whilst she is personally a big seafood lover, she is not very confident when it comes to cooking anything fishy in her own kitchen. This is a challenge Larsen and the Seafood Council are not unfamiliar with:
“This is something we hear very often and is a focus area for our communications. It is a myth that fish and seafood is harder to succeed with in the kitchen, but it is an unfortunate result of several factors including perhaps that the industry initially was a bit slow to jump on the convenience trend, providing quick and delicious seafood products that fit with a modern lifestyle.
“Thankfully this is changing, and actually the pandemic has been a bit of a helping hand here, with more people trying out new foods and eating healthily at home. At the NSC we also work to educate and inspire consumers of all ages to not be intimidated by fish in the kitchen, starting already with kindergarten through our Fiskesprell-program here in Norway,” Larsen adds.
Blue Foods Assessment
In the run up to the UN Food Systems Summit, the importance of food from our oceans will be highlighted through a series of scientific papers dubbed the “Blue Food Assessment”.
A total of 9 papers by international scientists led by Stanford University and Stockholm Resilience Centre together with EAT will be looking at various topics related to seafood and other aquatic products and their role in our food systems, in order to feed 10 billion people enough healthy food within safe planetary boundaries.
Future trends for the seafood industry
The Norwegian Seafood Council recently issued a major seafood trend report, identifying the most prominent trends facing the seafood industry now. The report was also one of the main topics for the interview at NASF.
“Sustainability is one of the really big trends we see in many markets. The rate at which consumers are aware of the origin of the seafood they buy, how it has been caught or produced and demand trustworthy sustainability credentials is growing exponentially,” says Larsen.
Along with convenience, new sales channels and health, sustainability and transparency are the most important trends for the seafood industry, outlined in detail in the report from the Norwegian Seafood Council.
“Not long ago sustainability and transparency were potential selling points for our seafood, but not essentials, now it is a whole different ball-game. In a world where consumers are constantly inundated with messaging about what they should and shouldn’t do, it is becoming ever more difficult for people to make informed choices about the food on their plates.
“As an industry we all have a responsibility to make sure we communicate clearly and confidently about sustainability credentials as well as challenges. Through knowledge and inspiration, we will win over a new generation of sustainable seafood lovers,” Larsen says.


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Iconic celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, Interpublic Chairman-CEO Michael Roth, and MediaLink Vice Chairman Wenda Harris Millard are among the inductees to the American Advertising Federation’s 2020 “Hall Of Fame.”
Other inductees include:
Nina DiSesa, former chairman and Chief Creative Officer, McCann
Richard Edelman, CEO, Edelman
Judy McGrath, former chairman and CEO, MTV Networks
J. Melvin Muse, founder and chairman emeritus, Muse Communications
Andrew Robertson, president and CEO, BBDO Worldwide
IBM will also be inducted as the Class of 2020’s corporate honoree, marking the 11th company to receive the recognition in the 71 years the AAF has been inducting the annual Hall of Famers.


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According to article on HotHardware.com, Apple reported the time is nigh for the iPhone 5C, says MacRumors which cited a report from Taiwan’s Industrial and Commercial Times. According to the report, Apple will discontinue production of the smartphone in 2015.
Last year, Apple unveiled the iPhone 5C as a cheaper alternative to the iPhone 5S with the 16GB model retailing for $99 and the 32GB version for $199. Lacking features such as the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and the A7 processor from the iPhone 5S, the iPhone 5C is available in five different colors. However, sales of the iPhone 5C reportedly failed to meet expectations when it launched in 2013 due to the high demand of the iPhone 5S. To compete with the lower-end segment, Apple then released an 8GB version.
Currently, consumers can acquire the smartphone for free with a two-year subscription plan. Even so, it appears that the iPhone 5C is heading to the chopping block now that Apple has released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Article Credit: Sean Knight


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SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian banks and retailers were getting back online on Thursday after a nationwide telecoms outage knocked out electronic payment systems and cash machines for several hours.
Telstra, the country’s biggest telecoms provider, said service was being restored to a number of large customers but did not give details about the nature of the problem.
Australia’s four major banks had said some of their transaction-handling machines in stores were not working early on Thursday afternoon. Retailers and a state ambulance service also reported service disruptions.
“Good news. Many of our services are starting to restore. We’ll provide another update when we know more,” Telstra said in a post on social media.
Telstra is regarded as Australia’s premium communications provider, but has been embarrassed in the past by service outages. In 2016, customers suffered six internet or telecoms outages.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia said some services are back to normal and it thanked customers for their patience.
“Our telecommunication provider continues to work to resolve their incident that is impacting our services,” the bank said on Twitter.
Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank Ltd and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group had also reported problems with automated teller machines and payment processing.
The New South Wales ambulance service said there have been no interruptions to emergency services while it works with Telstra to resolve technical issues.
The nation’s biggest grocer, Woolworths Group Ltd, said cashiers were processing transactions manually.
A Reuters reporter at one supermarket in Sydney said the problem caused havoc as automated checkouts - which account for most checkouts at many stores - were shut down and staff checked customers’ signatures to process card payments.
Reporting by Tom Westbrook, Melanie Burton, Paulina Duran, Swati Pandey in SYDNEY; Editing by Kim Coghill and Darren Schuettler


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The need for greater bandwidth when re-locating back to the office
The coronavirus pandemic forced almost the entire country’s workforce to relocate to a makeshift home office.
March 2020 saw a surge in home Internet usage – and with the parents working in the living room and the kids streaming on their devices, the need for fast and reliable Internet access was more critical than ever.
Fast-forward to summer 2021, and we are ready to come out of restrictions once again – for (hopefully) the final time.
Although, with businesses and organisations alike forced to move online quicker than expected, people made new online connections and decision makers pivoted towards different aspects of digital income they didn’t consider before.
Now, business all round has a greater reliance on video calls, downloading large amounts of data and digital marketing for sources of revenue.
And if you’ve been working from home during the pandemic, you’ll know there’s nothing more frustrating than a colleague’s face freezing on the screen or not being able to send off important information before a deadline.
It is fair to say, the sharp rise in bandwidth usage is close to reaching tipping point.
Unlike before, businesses that are serious about being on the frontline of the digital transformation require full fibre gigabit Internet access to operate effectively in the office.
With full fibre, you don’t have the street cabinets and copper lines interfering and slowing your connection down. Gigabit technology allows your business’ communications go straight to the heart of the Internet.
Video calls are effortless, downloading information is instant and creativity can prosper with the security of an ultrafast and ultra-reliable Internet connection.
The government pledged 85% of UK premises would have full fibre gigabit Internet access by 2025 – so the upgrade to bridge the digital divide is a matter of when and not if.
Get ahead of the game today and enquire about your businesses office accessing full fibre gigabit Internet access.
Gigabit Networks is a City Champion of CityFibre – the UK’s third largest digital infrastructure provider.
Our packages are tailored to each businesses specific needs and requirements to bolster your capabilities at a cost-effective rate.
Join the movement today. Reap the benefits. Enquire now.


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Poco India has launched a new smartphone in India. It comes with four rear cameras and a Snapdragon 720G SoC. Read more to find about Poco M2 Pro Price in India, Specifications, and Features
Price and Availability
|Price||Rs 13,999 (starting)|
The Poco M2 Pro is priced at Rs 13,99 for the 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage variant. The 6GB RAM/ 64GB storage and 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage models are priced at Rs 14,999 and Rs 16,999, respectively.
The new handset will be available via Flipkart. The first sale will take place on 14th July at 12PM.
|Processor||Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618GPU|
|Internal Storage||128GB UFS 2.1|
|Display||6.7-inch, FHD, 20:9 aspect ratio|
|Primary (Rear) Camera||Quad (64MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP)|
The Poco M2 Pro is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor with Adreno 618GPU, up to 6GB LPDDR4X RAM, and 128GB UFS 2.1 storage (expandable up to 512GB).
The new handset is backed by a 5,000mAH battery with33W fast charging support. Users can get up to 50% charge in under 30 minutes.
On the back, the Poco M2 Pro features a quad-camera set up (housed in a square-shaped module). It uses a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens (119-degree field of view), a 5MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.
Camera features include 1080p (FHD) video recording), RAW mode, Pro color mode, and a Pro video mode.
For selfies and video calling, the smartphone comes with a 16-megapixel front camera. The company has also added a night mode for the selfie cam.
- Four rear cameras
- RAW mode
- Night mode for selfie cam
- Elite gaming optimization
- Z-Shockers Haptic feedback
- 5th Gen AI engine
- Android 10 OS
- 2×2 MIMO WiFi
- 6.7-inch FHD display
- Three color options
The Poco M2 Pro runs the Android 10 operating system. A fingerprint sensor is placed on the side.
The new smartphone sports a 6.7-inch display with FHD resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio. It comes in three color options – Out of the Blue, Green and Greener, and Two Shades of Black.
For gaming, users will get Snapdragon’s Elite gaming optimization, a 2×2 MIMO WiFi, and Z-Shockers (offers 120 haptic effects for different scenes).
Poco is a sub-brand of Xiaomi in India. The Poco M2 Pro will be its second smartphone in the country this year (Poco X2 that was launched in February).
What do you think of the price and specs of the new smartphone? Please share your views in the comments section


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DUAN QIANQIAN | ZHANG YUSHUO
(Yicai Global) March 17 — Demand for anti-epidemic materials is growing as the coronavirus epidemic rings alarm bells. As China brings its own epidemic under gradual control, its counter-epidemic material makers are gearing up to export their face masks, drugs and other products.
The Chinese government took over management on Jan. 28 amid the Covid-19 outbreak of a protective product maker in China’s eastern Hebei province that had started to turn out face masks during the SARS coronavirus epidemic in 2002, a company staffer who requested anonymity told Yicai Global, adding various of its products have won certification from the EU and the US and it can currently export 100,000 face masks per day, is striving to resume exports and has already filled orders from Europe.
Jiangsu province-based petrochemical firm Oriental Energy has sent more than 3,000 tons of Y381H, a raw material used to make the medical meltblown non-woven fabric that forms the microbe-intercepting middle layer of face masks and which is also used in other protective clothing, to India, Vietnam and other countries since last month, it said, adding it will rationally structure its production and export plan based on market conditions.The firm has received orders from many countries, including the UK, US, France and the UAE. Its surgical gloves are now exempted from US tariffs.
“There is often a delay in matching supply and demand. We can see a large amount of mask production capacity is being built in China. As the domestic epidemic has gradually come under control and [the virus] has spread overseas, this time lag will feed external demand, opening a window of opportunity for face mask exports,” an industry analyst told media.
The EU granted market access to the SARS-CoV-2’s antibody test kit developed by a unit of Beijing-based Lepu Medical after the product was certified, the firm said in a March 12 statement. Various companies, including Shandong province-headquartered Sinocare and Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech, also said their virus detection products qualified to enter the EU.
The role of traditional Chinese medical compounds such as Banlangen and Japanese honeysuckle in fighting against the Covid-19 epidemic has drawn much attention. Shenzhen-based China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharmaceutical’s overseas transactions made up a tiny proportion of the company’s overall business, and it has exported a small amount of Banlangen — some of the recent exports were donations — the firm said on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s investor relations management platform.
With the effective control of the Covid-19 epidemic in China and the increasingly serious epidemic abroad, the firm is researching and developing granulated Chinese medicines to expand its overseas markets.
Editor: Ben Armour