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Maintaining the freshness and quality of foods and consumable goods is a notorious challenge across supply chains, so much so that companies across the world are wracking their brains to come up with the most effective strategies to tackle it.
The pandemic has further aggravated this need, and consumers are now demanding 24/7 temperature control for safety (TCS) at grocery stores, restaurants and even from last-mile delivery services. The return to college dorms, classrooms and offices should inspire a whole new system and infrastructure that guarantees privacy and safety for consumers, which is why last-mile TCS, in particular, plays a vital role.
The International Finance Corporation states that temperature-controlled logistics represents a crucial yet under-recognized tool for improving food security, ensuring economic prosperity and even helping limit carbon emissions and guaranteeing public health. So, in times when ordering more food online, from birthday cakes to seafood platters, TCS becomes a fundamental aspect for the entire logistics industry to revisit.
How can TCS help advance freshness and drive a better customer experience throughout the entire supply chain?
New standards of the post-pandemic world
Both the e-grocery and restaurant take-out segments are seeing a golden era, but bigger sales don’t come for free. The need for enhanced service and greater efficiency was only heightened by the pandemic, and customer expectations remain sky-high. And meeting those is key for business. Out of all customer pain points, the most common one is that the delivered food isn’t warm or fresh enough, making up for 17% of complaints.
But, freshness standards are critical even once food is delivered. Orders that are left without adequate temperature control, such as those left in an apartment or office lobby, equate to a potential health risk. And, with different touchpoints, varying packaging and improper handling, sanitation can remain a notable challenge even in the post-pandemic world.
Moreover, younger consumers particularly have crowned environmental awareness as their principal value. However, if food waste – to some extent aggravated by imperfect supply chain processes – was a country by itself, it would rank third in terms of carbon emissions. Investing in temperature-controlled infrastructures is thus of paramount importance.
TCS solving food logistics problems
The reason why freshness can be difficult to achieve lies in the different characteristics of foods, imposing different requirements on their treatment in the supply chain. It can be challenging to design and implement a truly comprehensive temperature-controlled structure, but fortunately, technology is here to help.
Cloud interconnectedness has introduced an era defined by easy monitoring and fast responsiveness. Through Internet of Things (IoT) systems and smart sensors, temperature within storage and distribution warehouses can always be monitored in real-time, meaning that any fluctuation can be immediately accommodated.
This level of visibility is then key to guaranteeing customers that their foods are handled safely. Apart from that, storing and logging temperature data points represents a gold mine for storage operators: By logging and analyzing temperature data points, they can identify opportunities for efficiency optimization and enable processes such as preventative equipment maintenance in the long run.
Temperature-controlled vehicles are then an extension of those technologies in the last-mile delivery itself. Some trucks and autonomous delivery vehicles already leverage moveable insulated walls that can be adjusted to create compartments for goods with different temperature needs. Even without the need to halt the delivery, drivers can also manage the smart refrigerating units to help maintain the desired temperature, for example by directing dry cold air into a specific section.
TCS for enhanced customer experience
From logistics providers to food retailers and even restaurants, the main focus of TCS is directed toward perfect storage and transport conditions. But, the food journey doesn’t end when it’s left at the delivery pickup table at a restaurant or arrives at the lobby of the company where the customer works.
With the pandemic having shifting preferences toward off-premise dining and in-store pickup, the exact moment until the food gets into the customer’s hands deserves particular attention. This true last-mile is an extremely fragile stage but can represent a key competitive advantage. Mastering a contact-free, asynchronous pickup that ensures top quality of the delivered goods can transform the customer experience once and for all.
TCS can therefore be extended, even for when the food waits to be picked up at a restaurant or a customer location, be it a dorm, hotel, office complex or residential building. For example, deploying climate-controlled boxes with both cold and hot storing options at those locations can help ensure that the food is maintained in optimal conditions to maximize freshness until it’s ready to be collected by the customer.
With IoT-enabled features, the customer can simply pick up the food whenever it suits them best. Particularly for restaurants, this means saying goodbye to long queues for people waiting for their takeout order. And, through smartphone apps and QR codes, security is enhanced too – a huge factor considering that 1.7 million packages are reported stolen, lost or spoiled every day.
TCS represents a key aspect of food logistics. Yet, companies and providers looking to make progress in this area shouldn’t only focus on storage and transport. To provide the ultimate customer experience and food safety standards, visibility needs to fall on the entire process, including the very last part of the supply chain.


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The ides of March have never been exactly bountiful for coat makers, but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to wait for fall for business to get going.
Even though 2001 posted a 14 percent decline in women’s outerwear sales to $4.3 billion, 2002 sales should show an improvement, especially since cold weather came relatively early this fall and spurred sales.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)

domain: news


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Here at Woodfield Lexus we are more than excited for 2012. Why? The new year is bringing many big things for Lexus including nine new or updated models. With this lineup evolution, Lexus is sure to be one of the fastest-growing luxury brands this year. In addition to visiting Woodfield Lexus, the area’s best new and used Lexus dealership, Glenview area drivers can learn about all that is new from their favorite automaker by tuning into this year’s Super Bowl game. That’s right, Lexus will debut their first ever Super Bowl commercial during Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5 on NBC.
Lexus’ Super Bowl commercial is expected to reach over 50 million people and is set to appear during the first half of the game. The commercial will be 30 seconds in length and will star the 2013 Lexus GS, as well as other Lexus products. Viewers unable to wait until the February 5th event can view a 15 second sneak-peek via Lexus’ social media channels, including Facebook.com/Lexus and YouTube.com/Lexus. These highly anticipated ads were created by Attik and the GS’ overall launch advertising is headed by Lexus’ agency, Team One.
In addition to its Super Bowl commercial debut, Lexus will be reaching fans via TweetDrive Engineered by Lexus. This socially-fueled game engages football fans by offering the opportunity to earn yardage and score touchdowns during actual playoff games. To learn more or to register, visit www. NBCsports.com.
To learn more about the 2013 Lexus GS or any of Lexus’ other new products visit Woodfield new and used Lexus dealership. Glenview drivers, be sure to tune in to Super Bowl XLVI on February 5th.


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After a year into the pandemic, the rise of baking bread has been one trend that has endured among home cooks.
Building confidence in the kitchen begins with an eagerness to learn and the right recipes, tools and techniques. That’s why “Good Morning America” Food is helping you get back to basics with expert culinary advice to help simplify success in your kitchen.
When bakers want to graduate from their early comfort zone, Philip said that’s the perfect time to test recipes with various whole grain and alternative flours, but “start small with a recipe where someone else has done the testing.”
Different flours require a different level of hydration to create and produce proper formation of gluten. So as much as home cooks may want to take a rustic pain de campagne recipe and make it with whole wheat, Philip cautioned against what he calls “cowboy cooking.”
“If you’re off-roading or doing cowboy cooking, don’t rush into a baguette recipe that’s written for all-purpose flour and just sub in 100% whole wheat,” he said.
A starchier ingredient such as whole grain and bran, he said, “on the outside is much thirstier than the starchy endosperm [inside of the grain], so hydration changes and functionality changes.”
Easy no-knead recipes
Many people hold the misconception that baking bread will automatically entail an onerous 20-minute arm workout standing at a countertop, but Philip said “you can actually get great bread in very few minutes of active work.”
“The no-knead recipe — which is simply combine flour, water, salt and yeast, stir briefly and leave on your counter for 12 to 24 hours — recipes like that make the process more approachable.”
In the last year, this highly sought-after sourdough version on King Arthur’s website saw a 2,370% increase in views since the start of the pandemic.
Top recipes to start baking
This recipe for sourdough banana bread combines two beloved loaves of 2020.
The father of three who lives in Vermont said throughout 2020, his family’s weekly bread was a classic no-knead pain de campagne, or classic country bread, recipe from Maura Brickman.
“It’s a very approachable, but very high quality bread,” Philip said.
Source: Read Full Article


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- Apple unveils 'World's First Thunderbolt Display'
The 27-inch Thunderbolt Display has an LED-backlit, 2560-by-1440 pixel. A single two-ended cable attaches to a Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro or Air, one lead going to the notebook's MagSafe power port, and the other to its Thunderbolt port. The display has three powered USB 2.0 ports, plus one FireWire 800 and one Gigabit Ethernet port, all connected to its Thunderbolt host. The display also has its own Thunderbolt port so you can daisy-chain up to five more Thunderbolt devices.
- Sandy Bridge's GPU makes room for Thunderbolt in new MacBook Air
Apple's latest MacBook Air has already made its way to iFixit's labs, and it's currently in 12 pieces. Though its insides and outsides are barely different from the last-generation Air released last October, a couple internal changes were necessary to add support for the backlit keyboard, Bluetooth 4.0, and Thunderbolt.
- Apple posts record quarter on sales of 20 million iPhones, 9 million iPads
A large chunk of that revenue is due to massive increases in iPhone and iPad sales. Apple sold 20.34 million iPhones, a 142 percent increase over last year's third quarter, and up sequentially from last quarter's 18.65 million units. The iPhone accounted for $13.3 billion of quarterly revenue, or 46.6 percent.
- T-Mobile's new data plans: limited 3G/4G, unlimited 2G
T-Mobile will begin offering unlimited data plans starting July 24, the company announced today. T-Mobile says that "high-speed" (read: 3G and HPSA+) data will be capped at 2GB, 5GB, or 10GB a month depending on the plan, so only data as slow as 2G will flow freely.
- Acer to deliver ARM notebook within nine days
The battle of the 'books will really kick off next year, when, it has been forecast, some 7.6m ARM-based machines will ship, rising to a whopping 74m - 22.9 per cent of the laptop market - by 2015.
- Shale gas frees Europe from addiction to Putin's Pipe
The Baker Institute estimates that with shale as little as 13 per cent of Europe's gas imports will come from Russia by 2040, compared to 27 per cent today. The European Union gets 80 per cent of its gas imports from Russia via the Ukraine. Russian's state energy company, Gazprom, has used its gas exports as a political weapon: most recently turning off the tap to the Ukraine, which affected some European countries as collateral damage.
- Shale Gas and U.S. National Security
This study assesses the impact of U.S domestic shale gas development on energy security and U.S. national security. Prepared in conjunction with an energy study sponsored by the Baker Institute and supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. (Publication date: July 19, 2011 )
Newer trends in higher-end user workstations continue to show promise, where new network management centers will be able to provide their workforce portability for better 24x7 escalation performance, without the need for traditional docking stations, using Thunderbolt technology, which integrates data and video. This author remembers combined data/video being used was with SPARC Printers, where basically a video port was used to print to a printer.
The global use of energy efficient laptops and the creation of global energy are two topics which go hand-in-hand. New highly efficient form factors are being produced and consumed. Ultra-light laptops, smart phones, and tablets are becoming the most common form factors. The reduction in energy consumption as well as the combining of battery technology into common computing allows computing to work without "reliable power" at the same time where new energy sources are being tapped world-wide to provide stable priced reliable "base power" to highly available networking infrastructure, to allow modern society to function.
Information consumers require greater access to highly available networks in formerly unreliable places is a cornerstone to modern society. Reliable electrical power for servers & network infrastructure is as key to modern Western information based society as water and sanitation was in the former Western industrial society.


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The high-top boots, the happy pants, the US team baseball caps. It was peak 1990s teen fashion dominating the front page on this day in 1994.
And it was the day our readers were first introduced to Generation Y, who've been an one-and-off obsession for marketers, media and older generation grumps ever since.
"Just as society was coming to terms with the concept of Generation X a new world report on youth ... has defined a generational niche for eight to 14-year-olds," a report read.
The report was from an advertising agency, and identified the "tweens" (10-14) and "pre-tweens" (eight to 10) as a powerful new consumer base.
To give insight into this new generation, Rami Annous, 13, and Arran Kiloh and Leigh Hennessy, both 14, modelled the fashion of the day, which was very much all-American.
"I get $15 a week pocket money and I spend most of it on clothes...fashionable stuff like Slouch pants and a lot of American college tops," Arron, described as a "self-confessed fashion fiend" said.
Another boy, 10-year-old Michael Melican, was not-so-carefully managing with his $6-a-week pocket money.
"Sometimes I save my money but usually I just go out and spend it on wrestling magazines or save up for Sega games," he said.
The report referenced in the article cited the top five generations for Gen Y in order as being CDs, entertainment, snacks, confectionery, clothes and video games.


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Ubisoft hit me right in the nostalgy bone announcing He-Man and G.I. Joe will be joining “Toy Soldiers: War Chest“, the upcoming fourth installment in the “Toy Soldiers” series of action/strategy games, which will be released soon for Windows, Xbone and also PS4, making it the first in the series not to be a Microsoft exclusive.
As in the previous editions, players control an army of toy soldiers and fight their opposing counterpart in a diorama of a battlefield. Apart from the returning original characters, only a special “Hall of Fame” edition of the game will include characters from these Mattel and Hasbro franchises, and Ubisoft also said other two (yet to be announced) licensed armies are going to be included in this special edition of the game.
I really don’t “get” things like the Lego games ???? But something like this sounds interesting and sure looks neat, specially since we probably won’t get to play an actual nextgen “Masters of the Universe” game in a while.


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THEIR LUCKY DAY: Lucky magazine and its brother publication, Cargo, teamed up with such fashion sponsors as CK Jeans, Sigerson Morrison and Safilo USA/Solstice sunglasses to host a hospitality suite at the Parker Meredien this week. “Complimentary shopping” was on the menu for celebrities in town for the up-fronts, the television networks’ presentations of their fall season schedule. The three-day event brought out nearly every star of “The Apprentice,” Jamie-Lynn DiScala, Rachel Bilson of “The O.C.” and even Christine Lahti, as well as Cargo-friendly celebs such as Adam Brody, also of “The O.C.;” Wilmer Valderrama of “That ’70s Show,” and Jason Bateman. WireImage photographers captured swag-friendly attendees getting manicures or trying on Lacoste polo shirts. But for Kristi McCormick, model booker for Lucky (which, like WWD and Cargo, is owned by Advance Publications Inc.), the hospitality suite exemplified where the magazine is going: toward celebrity-driven covers. “If we’re going to have models on the cover, they’re going to be people with a television show or a movie,” McCormick said. For example, the June issue of Lucky features former “Married with Children” star Christina Applegate. “The cross-the-board talent seems to go with our readers.” McCormick added the hospitality suite will likely become a regular promotion and may even appear at celebrity-driven events such as film festivals or on the West Coast. As for what free merchandise was the biggest hit, “I walked several celebrities through, and I asked, ‘Do you want clothes or beauty products?’” McCormick said. “They said. ‘We like it all.’” — Marshall Heyman
STYLIN’: The skinny spring issue of Time Style & Design may have given the impression that Time Inc. was rethinking the title. Not at all. The quarterly magazine is ramping up for fall with two key hires. Art director Henry Connell was most recently at Glamour; he also spent three months as interim art director at Real Simple. Associate Publisher Celeste Harwell has held a number of sales and marketing jobs at The New York Times and elsewhere. Kate Betts, Time Style & Design’s editor, said the fall issue will differ from those that came before, with a more even balance of fashion and design coverage. “It’s going to be a lot more rounded and lifestyle-oriented,” she said. She confirmed there have been discussions about publishing Style & Design six times in 2005, but added, “We’re not committed to that yet.”
One thing Betts is committed to is public speaking. She gave a talk on fashion to a group of 200 or so women at the Hampshire Country Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y., Thursday. “They called me several months ago out of the blue and said they wanted to have a speaker talk about fashion,” she said. “It’s strangely and secretly something that I love to do.” Betts, who also has spoken to groups in Boston and Princeton, N.J., said she will donate the honorariums she receives to charity. — Jeff Bercovici
CASTING STONES: With so much fashion news coming out of the hip-hop world, it’s no wonder Rolling Stone wants a piece of the action. On Thursday, the magazine got the go-ahead to do a musically inspired fashion issue in September, employing the talents of Andre 3000 of Outkast as its guest fashion editor and David Lipman, chairman and creative director of New York advertising agency Lipman, as the guest creative director. It will be photographed by Mario Sorrenti.
Rolling Stone does fashion issues twice a year, according to Steve DeLuca, publisher, but this is the first time the magazine has tapped into the outside world for talent.
Both men’s and women’s fashion will be highlighted in the 20-page well, ranging from “street to tailored clothing for men, and street to couture for women,” said Lipman, adding that Andre will be photographed in the pages, along with a yet-to-be announced supermodel.
“We’re looking to capture the sort of excitement that happens between fashion and music,” DeLuca said. — Lisa Lockwood
T+L TAPS CRAWFORD: Nancy Novogrod, editor in chief of Travel + Leisure, has found a replacement for former creative director Luke Hayman, who moved over to New York magazine last month as design director. And she didn’t have to search far — Hayman will be succeeded by Emily Crawford, T+L’s art director since 2002, who will take on the title of design director. Crawford handled both T+L and T+L Family, and before that worked as a designer at The New York Times Magazine. — L.L.


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The Pan Arab Research Center has released Q3 advertising statistics. The research center found that regional measured ad spend increased 22% during the first three quarters of the year buoyed by the growth observed in major advertising markets of the region. Pan Arab media, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have posted a double digit growth, while the total measured spending during the period was US$ 12.735 billion with Ramadan accounting for nearly US$ 2.4 bilion.
Pan Arab media consisting of media titles with significant multi market reach maintained its healthy growth as it posted 33% gains.
UAE is the top spending market and witnessed 8% increase. Saudi Arabia has increased its spending by 11% while Egypt has reverses its downslide as spending surged by 32% in the market. However, the growth is sluggish across all other regional markets with the following variation :
- Advertisement -
Kuwait(+2%), Qatar(+5%), Lebanon(-4%), Oman (-5%), Jordan (-1%) and Bahrain(-18%).
Food and Beverages sector replaced Communication sector as the top spending sector amidst heavy spending by Pepsi. The sector has gained 55% during the period as compared to same period last year. Communication sector posted 15% gains. Government sector holds third rank in the top advertising sectors.
Television now shares 69% spending as the carrier spending surged by 32%. The morning part posted more growth than other day parts in TV.Press saw a flattened growth as Newspaper and Magazine posted a single percentage gain.Other media vehicles are on the upswing.Digital advertising is reportedly on a spending spree as internet penetration in the region reaching new highs as per TGI surveys.
Pepsi, Coca Cola, Vodafone, Mobily and Etisalat Egypt are the top spending brands according to the monitored spending.


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GEORGE TOWN: A top official of MBI Group International has been remanded to assist in investigations into a pyramid scheme.
Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) enforcement chief Datuk Mohd Roslan Mahayudin said the man, in his 50s, was arrested on Monday at a house in Taman MBI Desaku in Kulim, Kedah.
"The man, believed to be the founder of the Group, has been remanded for four days from yesterday for investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
"Operations were conducted at about 6.30am yesterday at three premises believed to be involved in the pyramid scheme Mfc Club or Mface Club under the Group," he told a press conference at the Bank Negara Malaysia office in Light Street on Tuesday.
Mohd Roslan added that the authorities have frozen four company bank accounts belonging to the suspect's relative, holding funds totalling RM30mil.
"We have also seized three luxury vehicles and cash during the operations.
"The value of confiscated items and cash totalled RM2.235mil," he said.
On May 31, a total of RM177mil in 91 bank accounts was frozen following raids on several locations linked to MBI International.
A multi-agency team raided the M Square logistics centre in Kuala Lumpur and M Mall, a shopping complex in Penang where shoppers use loyalty reward points in exchange for goods.
Dubbed Ops Token, the raids were conducted under the Direct Selling and Anti-Pyramid Scheme Act 1993 and led by officers from the ministry, police, Companies Commission of Malaysia, CyberSecurity Malaysia and Bank Negara.
The raids came after the ministry received complaints from the public.
MBI International was earlier red-flagged by Bank Negara for having a questionable financial scheme.
Members put money into the scheme and get a number of virtual coins in return.
After an “incubation period” of over a year, they can then convert these coins into points to spend on goods and services at retail establishments under the MBI umbrella, such as M Mall.
The scheme is said to give substantial returns each year and is believed to be the longest-running financial scheme founded in Penang.


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RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Richmond police need help to identify four people caught on camera stealing from a denim shop in Richmond earlier this month.
According to police, the four people cut a hole in the exterior wall of a store in the 6800 block of Midlothian Turnpike to enter on Monday, June 1. Once inside, they took some denim items but mostly targeted athletic shoes.
Anyone with information on the crime or suspects is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
Copyright 2020 WWBT. All rights reserved.


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Olympic Torch Voted Design of Year Before London’s Games
Designed by London-based Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, the tapered rod has 8,000 holes representing the 8,000 bearers who will carry it over 8,000 miles (12,874 kilometers). Runners-up in the “Design of the Year 2012” announced last night included Catherine Middleton’s wedding gown, a Zaha Hadid opera house in China, and Vivienne Westwood handbags made in Kenya.
“Nothing is harder to get right than designing for the Olympics,” said Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum, which runs the awards. “The lightness and simplicity of Barber Osgerby’s London 2012 Olympic Torch does just that.”
The torch was not the only Olympic-themed winner: The London 2012 Velodrome, designed by London-based Hopkins Architects, picked up the award for architecture, one of seven subsidiary prizes given out in individual categories.
The fashion award went to Issey Miyake’s 132.5 collection; the digital award to Kinect by Microsoft; the transport award to a redesign of the London Emergency Ambulance; the graphics award to Nokia Pure, a font design that can adjust to all languages and the furniture award to Kihyun Kim’s balsa chair.
The torch and other nominees are on display at the Design Museum, Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD through July 4.
To contact the writer on this story: Farah Nayeri in London at Farahn@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at email@example.com.


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Now to make the connection between my beloved Instituto Palmas and mobile payments!
In December of last year (2011), Instituto Palmas commenced an important partnership along with Redecard, MasterCard, Vivo, & Caixa Econômica to allow for the purchase and sale via mobile phone of any product by registered vendors in the neighborhood (in Conjunto Palmeiras, Fortaleza, Brazil – see my previous post for more info about Instituto Palmas).
Taking a quote from the Institute about the partnership:
It is a local consumption strategy on the way to become a huge technological innovation for community development. The customer does not pay anything to the cell phone operator to make the payment. Banco Palmas coordinates and runs the entire process.
The program is still in its beginning months, so I’m excited to see how this introduction to mobile payments catches on in Conjunto Palmeiras going forward!


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New Israeli burger chain Burgerim now has 3 San Antonio locations
As quick as you can flip a burger, San Antonio’s been swarmed with franchises of an Israeli restaurant chain. Burgerim — the name, in Hebrew, is the plural form of “burger” — has three restaurants now serving the community with two more to come soon.
The first opened in July at North Star Mall followed by an outlet at Ingram Park Mall in August. A standalone store joined the burger bash in late September in the Park North Shopping Center. Next week, the fourth will debut at Rolling Oaks Mall, with a fifth to come at an undetermined date on La Cantera Parkway near The Rim.
Burgerim specializes in small, slider-style burgers. Customers can build burgers from nearly a dozen types of patty, several styles of bun, and numerous sauces and toppings. Burgerim was launched 2011 in Tel Aviv and has rapidly expanded, with more than 200 locations worldwide.
Paul Stephen is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | email@example.com | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen


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"India was always a software story, high-tech manufacturing was never a priority,” says Amar Babu, chief operating officer (COO) Lenovo Asia pacific & chairman Lenovo India.
Industry experts point out India never had the `ecosystem’ of component makers—chip makers or, say, specialists making displays for medical equipment, TVs or smartphones. Road and port connectivity was poor. Global and local manufacturers grumbled that sometimes parts from ports took two months to reach their factories. There was too much paper work and too many bureaucratic bottlenecks. Importing smartphones, medical equipment and smart TVs was far easier than trying to make in India.
That seems to be changing, thanks to the government acting as a catalyst, kindling hope that high-tech gadgets will be made in India. "Technology is seen as an enabler for governance and better life,” says Babu. And about time too. The market for electronics promises to be $400 billion by 2020. Without local supply India will be importing three-fourths of that, easily exceeding oil imports in value.
With a market of more than a billion consumers with increasing purchasing power, local manufacturing is a compelling idea. The 'Make In India’ drive has contributed to changing sentiment and attracting investments. The initiative, kicked off in December 2014, seeks to focus on 25 sectors, including high-tech electronics, identify pain points and improve ease of doing business in these areas.
"We will make in India whatever we sell in India," Yang Yuanqing, CEO of Lenovo, told ET in a recent interview. The $46-billion Chinese gadget-maker already has two factories in India. Others, including global giants such as GE, Siemens, HTC, Toshiba, and Boeing, are lining up to set up factories in India. Even local players like Micromax which till 2012, imported phones they sold in India are now preparing to produce locally.
Ease of Making
The government has looked at the pain points and is providing solutions. Says Babu, "small changes can have a cascading impact as the local market is big now.” Earlier congestion and paperwork claimed at least 48 hours to offload goods at ports. That is down to about 10 hours. Companies can now `self-declare’ goods instead of inspectors ripping open consignments.
Says Rajesh Agarwal, co-founder of Micromax, "It takes 12 days for a consignment to reach Mumbai from China. But from port to our factory in Rudrapur in Uttaranchal it used to take 30 days." It should take no more than 15 days for goods to move from China to Micromax’s Rudrapur unit. Still, things have improved and it now takes about 20 days, says Agarwal.
Other factors like cheaper power and states offering incentives are also attracting industries. In the first week of March Haryana is organizing 'Happening Haryana’, an investment jamboree to attract global manufacturers. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Orissa have already held similar events.
MN Vidyashankar, president, India Electronics and Semiconductor Association met a delegation from China’s Guizhou district scouting for local manufacturing partners in Bangalore. "This was during China’s New Year when everything is shut there. This shows the importance India is gaining in manufacturing. We see more than just green shoots in high-tech manufacturing now," He says.
So far Rs 1.15 lakh crore has been committed to electronics manufacturing. A Japanese and South Korean consortium is setting up a fab in Madhya Pradesh at an investment of $1.2 billion. Foxconn, which makes iPhones for Apple, plans to set up seven factories in India, two are ready at Sriperembadur near Chennai and Sri City in Andhra Pradesh. The company assembles Xiaomi’s Redmi 2 Prime smartphone at its Sri City plant.
"When Toyota came to India it made a difference to automobile manufacturing here. We see a similar change happening in electronics manufacturing with the likes of GE and Foxconn setting up factories here," adds Vidyashankar.
Adds Deepak Puri, founder-chairman,
Moser Baer founder Deepak Puri says despite drawbacks, India has a number of advantages such as a cost-effective workforce and large local market. "We need to ensure strong focus on R&D and strong brands to sell products on global scale,” says Puri.
Micromax’s Agarwal sees this wave as the third phase of high-tech manufacturing. The first is assembly line, where factories here assemble imported components. Second is completely knocked down (CKD) and semi knocked down (SKD) kits being imported and sold in India. "Now, in the third phase we are moving to local sourcing of components as the components ecosystem is getting ready.”
At Lenovo, the value add in India is about 20 per cent, which it plans to raise to 30 per cent in the next 12 months and to 100 per cent in five years. Babu says 30 per cent of Lenovo’s India requirement is made in India.
While the goal is to make everything in India Babu cautions that global companies look at global supply chains. Things are better but power is still 10-12 per cent costlier than in other countries and cost of capital is high. He is hoping the government would look at duty drawbacks to encourage exports as well.
"Factories go wherever it’s cheaper to make,” he says.
India may not score on all the metrics, but the change is for the positive. Says Pallab De, partner, operations consulting, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), "India’s wage cost is two-thirds that of China, though productivity is lower by about 30 per cent compared to a Chinese worker. All things will never fall in place, but it’s much better now than five years back."
Future Tech & Jobs
Earlier, critics used to argue that India has missed the manufacturing bus will remain limited to assembly-line operations. Babu offers a counterview. "In high-tech you never miss the bus. Future opportunity is different from past."
He points out that display screens moved through CRT, LCD, LED, OLED to bendable screens. He expects Internet of Things (smart sensors), data management equipment, auto mobile electronics, drones and robots to be big opportunities and offer room to build large factories.
By 2020, for example, Cisco estimates there will be a market for 50 billion connected devices, up from 12 billion at present. Manufacturers looking at this can meet global and local demand.
Industry insiders also say that the belief that technology manufacturing won’t create many jobs is misplaced. Micromax’s Agarwal sees mobile phone manufacturing alone doubling employment to two lakh in the next year. Vidyashankar sees 28 million new jobs being created by 2020 in high-tech factories, up from about 1.7 million now.
Companies will not only make for local buyers but for global markets as well as Moser Baer did a decade ago when it owned 20 per cent of the global market share for compact discs. Vidyashankar says China gets more attention because it makes practically everything. But automobile manufacturing shows that Indian quality is better. China makes three times more cars than India, but India exports more than Chinese car makers do, he points out.
"If Thailand and Vietnam can do it, India is definitely far better placed," says Lenovo’s Babu.
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Film industry awards, ‘The Oscars’, is about to kick off on Sunday 22nd February. You would think that Award Ceremonies by their very nature would generate a flurry of positivity, a celebration of achievement and an appreciation of talent. But according to Twitter, award season has become the time of year that the most negative tweets are sent – by women in particular.
Twitter says that an alarming 5 million negative tweets about body image and beauty (their own or someone else’s) were sent out last year by women alone. Yet, only 9 percent of women actually admit to posting negative comments on social media. It seems that seeing other women strutting their stuff on the red carpet sends many of us off to social media world to air our insecurities and criticise others. I use the term ‘us’ very loosely as I am sure you are not one of the 91% of women who do tweet such negativity and do not admit it…
But Wow! That’s an awful lot of negativity flying around in one short period don’t you think?
It has become such a serious issue that Dove has teamed up with Twitter to run a campaign during this year’s Oscars that aims to counteract negative tweets as they come in with positive ones. The Dove/Twitter campaign is called #SpeakBeautiful, and it begins with a video posted online just a couple of days ago on 19th February that will air during the red-carpet coverage of Sunday’s Oscars (when Twitter is perhaps at its cattiest as the stars parade by in their designer outfits). The ad is based on a theory that “it only takes one positive tweet to start a trend.” Here’s hoping…
In an article in www.adweek.com, Dove explains how this campaign is actually going to work:
“When a negative tweet is posted, the technology will be used by Dove to send non-automated responses to real women, which include constructive and accessible advice to encourage more positive online language and habits.
“Advice will come directly from social media and self-esteem experts who collaborate with Dove and Twitter to empower women to speak with more confidence, optimism and kindness about beauty online.”
The skin and hair care beauty brand have some worrying statistics to support their decision to launch the campaign. It’s understandable when the stats show that:
- 8 out of 10 women encounter negative comments on social media that critique women’s looks
- Women are 50 percent more likely to say something negative about themselves than positive on social media
- 82 percent of women surveyed feel the beauty standards set by social media are unrealistic
- 4 out of every 5 negative tweets Twitter identified about beauty and body image are women talking about themselves
But when did women become so self-loathing and hateful towards other women? Or have we always been this way but have managed to conceal this ugly-secret-of-a-character-flaw before the permeation of social media? Is there something about seeing seemingly successful, glamorous and beautiful women that brings out the worst in others? Or maybe women watching the award ceremonies at home are reacting to the undeniable pressure from the media to be body perfect.
It’s an extremely worrying thought when one considers that the next generation of young women will be developing their ideals on beauty, self-worth, and acceptance from an increasingly media driven society.
But maybe something can be done now. What if we all got on board with this campaign? What if we denounced the impulse to post a negative comment about a fellow female’s weight, height, hair, nose and any other physical attribute? Let’s instead do our best to celebrate the positives, the talents, the gifts, the imperfections that makes every women beautifully unique. You never know, we may just start a trend that impacts a whole generation and beyond. #SpeakBeautiful
What are your views on the Dove/Twitter campaign? Let us know below.


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The wait is almost over for the next Koenigsegg hypercar! The brand has announced that the Koenigsegg One will grace the stage of the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in Palexpo next month. The Geneva Motor Show is possibly the most exciting show of the year, brimming with new supercars and technology, and the Koenigsegg is geared up to ignite further excitement.
The press days for the 2014 Geneva Motor Show begin on March 4th and 5th, with the show opening to the public the 6th-16th. Following months of speculation and build up, the Koenigsegg One will finally be revealed in full and official detail.


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Misty, a robot concept seen at CES 2018, is all circuit boards and potential now. But it’s already cute, and it could be a kit for designing future robots.
Misty Robotics’ home robot brings the far-off future to CES 2018: https://www.cnet.com/news/misty-robotics-development-kit-ces-home-sphero/
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COSTA RICA NEWS – The phasing out of production by Intel has begun to be felt by companies located in the Zona Francas (Free Zones), according to the monthly index of economic activity (IMAE) and exports.
The Asociación de Empresas de Zonas Francas (Azofras) and the Coalición Costarricense de Iniciativas de Desarrollo (Cinde) say lower production has occurred in the first five months of 2014, based on the data compilation.
According to the IMAE index measured by the Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR), economic activity has shown growth since January if production in Free Zones is excluded. The same trend is for exports from the country.
Carlos Wong, vice-president of Azofras, said that for now there is a process of change, with a mix of companies going out and new ones coming in.
Wong cites restructuring cases such as Intel, that although having an negative effect on production in Free Zones, there is a trend to the positive in areas such as medical devices, like the arrival of Bayer with operations in Zona Franca Metropolitana.
Just today, a national conference on Free Zones is being held at the Real Intercontinental hotel is being held, where business leaders can discuss the future trends,


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Leaked screenshots allegedly of Telltale Games’ Game of Thrones, an episodic game series based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, have found their way online.
Appearing on PS4 France, the alleged Game of Thrones screenshots offer a look at the in-game depictions of some of the series well-known characters. According to Kotaku, the images were first released by a Xbox Live-centric Twitter account.
Telltale's video game adaptation of Game of Thrones will run concurrently with the TV show and may go on longer than one season thanks to a "multi-year, multi title" deal. The six-episode long first season is slated to launch by the end of 2014 on iOS, Mac, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. According to reports earlier this year, Martin's personal assistant, Ty Corey Franck, was assigned by HBO to aid Telltale Games in the development of Game of Thrones.
Jenna Pitcher is a freelance journalist writing for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter.


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JUJUTSU KAISEN Soundtrack Heads to Vinyl and CD Through Anime Limited
Anime Limited is bringing the heat of the JUJUTSU KAISEN anime's original soundtrack to North America, Europe, and Oceania, and the digital release is officially set to launch day and date with Japan on April 21.
All 60 tracks from the Japanese release will come together in one collection, so look for the soundtrack to hit each region's platforms of choice, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, and YouTube Music.
For those who want something they can hold and jam physically, Anime Limited also plans to release the JUJUTSU KAISEN soundtrack on vinyl and CD in North America, Europe, and Oceania in Q4 2021. Stay tuned for details on the releases and pre-orders later this year, and go ahead and check out some exclusive sample tracks while you wait.
© Gege Akutami/Shueisha, JUJUTSU KAISEN Project


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Seen through a shop window, a Nike employee stands in the entrance of the Nike SoHo store in New York City.
Drew Angerer | Getty Images
Nike said Monday that the vice president and general manager of its North American division, Ann Hebert, left the dealership immediately.
Her sudden departure comes after serving more than 25 years at Nike. The company said it plans to announce a new lead in North America soon.
The upheaval follows a Bloomberg Businessweek article last week on Ann’s 19-year-old son, Joe. According to the report, he used a credit card in Ann’s name to buy sneakers for his resale business, West Coast Streetwear. It said he spent more than $ 100,000 on the card to buy shoes in limited edition and turn it around for a profit.
His business was booming, even during the Covid pandemic, Bloomberg reported. It described how Joe was able to buy sneakers at even discounts from retailers like Foot Locker, and sell them for more and more money.
West Coast Streetwear could not be immediately reached for comment. A Nike spokesman told OilGasJobz that Herbert himself had made the decision to resign and declined to comment further.
Joe admitted to Bloomberg that Ann is his mother, but said she is high enough in the company to be removed from what he does. He told Bloomberg that he never received inside information, such as discount codes, from his mother.
A Nike spokesman also told Bloomberg that Ann disclosed relevant information about WCS LLC to Nike in 2018.
After joining Nike through Nike in 1995, she rose to positions, including head of sales in North America, head of Nike’s divisions in the Asia-Pacific and Latin America, and eventually head of North America. America – she took a job in June last year.
She was recently responsible for accelerating Nike’s direct-to-consumer strategy, making the brand less dependent on wholesale partners, such as sporting goods stores, and more dependent on its own stores and websites to reach buyers.
Ann could not be immediately reached for comment.
Nike shares were unchanged in trading after hours, rising 2.13% on Monday to $ 137.65. The company’s share has risen by about 54% over the past 12 months. Nike has a market capitalization of $ 217 billion.


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A top Disney investor is totally tickling my balls with their latest plea. Bro wants the company to drop Black Widow on streaming, and it makes all the sense in the world to me. Why? Cause I fucking want it! But, also? Cause we have no idea when this shit is ending.
Disney is celebrating ‘Star Wars Day’ by dropping ‘The Mandalorian’ documentary series. Oh fuck yeah!
Friends, Disney is dropping a documentary series about The Mandalorian on Star Wars Day. You know, I typically think Star Wars Day is lame as fuck. An excuse for dudes who wear airbrushed Star Wars t-shirts to go “dur, dur, May the Fourth Be With You!” and shit. But now this year? I’m actually excited.
Disney has revealed the staggering list of all the content dropping Day One on its streaming service. And, goddamn, it’s overwhelming
Disney ain’t just generating an overwhelming amount of original idiot-stew for its streaming service. Though, it’s certainly doing that. I mean, they have already announced an insane amount of upcoming content that appeals to the capes-and-lasers child in me. But additionally, they have revealed the almost suffocating amount of Day 1 Content.
Marvel reveals ‘Moon Knight’, ‘She-Hulk’ and ‘Ms. Marvel’ series for Disney Plus. Jesus Christ, slow downnnn
Marvel has revealed three more series for Disney Plus. Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Ms. Marvel. Like, all of these properties make me juiced. But? Too much content, dude. Too fucking much.
Jesus Titty Fucking Christ, Disney is back at it. The company has gained full control of Hulu, ahead of Disney Plus launching. Not good for our culture, hopefully good for bringing back Daredevil. Maybe?


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Facebook on Tuesday mentioned it should give precedence to authentic information reporting as a part of an effort to divert consideration from spam, click on bait, and specious articles.
The world’s main social community mentioned it should additionally downplay information tales that lack bylines that may be checked or from publishers that do not clearly share details about their workers.
“We’ve discovered that publishers who don’t embrace this data typically lack credibility to readers and produce content material with clickbait or advert farms, all content material individuals inform us they do not wish to see on Facebook,” Campbell Brown, Facebook’s vice chairman for world information partnerships, and product supervisor Jon Levin mentioned in a blog post.
The strikes come as Facebook tries to diffuse an advertiser boycott that has morphed into a world digital activist marketing campaign geared toward curbing hateful and poisonous content material on the social media large.
The unprecedented transfer has been joined by major brands like Unilever, Starbucks, Levis, and Coca-Cola, with practically 200 corporations pausing promoting on the social community, wiping out billions in Facebook’s market worth.
Some corporations have signed on to the #StopHateForProfit marketing campaign organised by social justice activists, whereas others have merely acted on their very own to keep away from the poisonous environment of Facebook.
The boycott gained momentum amid the newest civil unrest as activists pressed Facebook to be extra aggressive about curbing racist and inflammatory content material, together with from President Donald Trump.
Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University professor of communication, mentioned the newest motion “suggests that social media need to take this issue seriously or it’s going to affect their bottom line.”
Facebook appeared to reply late final week by asserting it will ban a “wider category of hateful content” in adverts.
Chief govt Mark Zuckerberg mentioned Facebook additionally would add tags to posts which might be “newsworthy” however violate platform guidelines — following the lead of Twitter, which has used such labels on tweets from Trump.
The adjustments introduced Tuesday are geared toward tales displayed as a part of the News Feed at Facebook.
“Original reporting plays an important role in informing people around the world, from breaking a news story, to creating an in-depth investigative report, uncovering new facts and data, sharing critical updates in times of crisis, or broadcasting eyewitness reports,” Brown and Levin mentioned.
“This important journalism takes time and expertise, and we want to ensure that it’s prioritized on Facebook.”
Facebook will begin with English language information and subsequently increase to incorporate different language.
Stories most frequently cited on a subject might be thought-about authentic sources, in keeping with Brown and Levin.
Facebook can even verify articles for bylines or workers pages at writer web sites to assist decide who’s behind tales.


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Slot studio Evoplay has gone from strength to strength over the past six months with some fantastic new titles as well as celebrating its debut across MGA markets.
Ready for the World Cup and an exciting few months ahead for the company, we sat down with Evoplay CEO Ivan Kravchuk to talk through their CEE team’s perseverance, as well as overcoming the challenges that have made the studio such a standout brand today.
Evoplay has performed fantastically so far this year expanding into multiple new markets – despite the challenges faced in Eastern Europe and Ukraine for your team, how have your team persevered?
The beginning of the war wasn’t an easy time for us and our team, but we managed to overcome the difficulties and continue our story as an outstanding provider of some really fantastic games. In order to do that, we really needed to summon a lot of resources in order to quickly adapt our operations to quickly and ensure the safety of our employees.
Our people are what we value the most, and that is why our first measures were focused on relocating employees to a safe place. As part of our contingency plans, we relocated 15% of our staff to our main office in Cyprus, and opened a new office in a safer area part of the country – in Lviv, the west of Ukraine. Accommodation, transfer, and any other support were our main priorities as we wanted to provide our people with a helping hand at this difficult time.
I am very proud to work with such compassionate and courageous people as from the first days of the war, they have participated in many volunteering activities, and I believe we as a country will return from this stronger than ever.
Following on from an outstanding year of success in 2021, which saw you awarded with SBC Leader of the Year as well as the launch of Star Guardians, how has Evoplay built on its momentum during the first six months of this year?
Star Guardians was presented to the iGaming industry at the end of 2021, so the first half of 2022 was also focused around entertaining players around the world with the release, with the futuristic title snagging two awards at this year’s CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards. As a revolutionary product, it’s received sos much positive attention not only from players and casino providers but also from our team. I should also mention Star Guardian’s artbook and comic book – which were both released this year – have become an unprecedented offering in the industry, and a fan favourite
Of course, Evoplay never wants to rest on its success, we have an ‘eternal engine’ which keeps pushing us to create something new, investing in innovations that other developers are afraid of. During the half-year period, we launched 12 products, supercharging our titles with Bonus Buy, Jackpot, and other gamified features that challenge the traditional concept of gaming. To illustrate this, our April release Goblin Run is an industry-first crash game that turns gameplay on its head to offer something fresh. We totally deviated from the classic crash-style game scenario, creating a fully-fledged storyline with a protagonist, antagonist, an opportunity to change skins, all played out with a very the impressive range of settings for a 3D game.
2022 has also been marked by entering into new partnerships with outstanding representatives of the iGaming business, while we also received a letter of recognition from the MGA and Italian certification for our 62 titles.
Looking to gaming trends – what’s in demand from players right now? What kind of gaming experiences are players looking for now that we’re truly post-pandemic?
More traditional demographics still choose retro-styled slots, while new generations are thirsty for unconventional products and immersive gameplay. At the same time, even retro games fans can find a fresh gaming experience and innovation with retro slots – if they offer something new. That is why we take a new look at classic slots and reconceptualise them with additional features such as multiplayer modes, Bonus Buy, jackpots, etc.
I’m very proud of our team and I believe Evoplay’s uniqueness lies in its ability to deliver excellent, high-quality products for both categories. One of our most commercially successful games is Fruit Super Nova which delivers an old-school ambiance, while Star Guardians offers futuristic take, and both of these are spectacular examples of our diverse product offering. That, I believe is what is key to catering to player demand right now – it’s all about multiple themes that can engage and excite.
With the World Cup on the horizon, we no doubt expect Instant Games to again perform strongly with sports fans looking for additional entertainment. How is Evoplay looking to capitalise on this, given your heritage for Instant Games?
We are well-prepared for the World Cup as we already have an exciting package of titles dedicated to football on our teamsheet, all with a host of exciting features available that we’ve created to wow fans! Currently, we’re working on a new sports-themed title, which is set to win the audience of bettors and instant games fans who have always been our focus of interest. Not to give too much away, suffice to say, it will be a game delivering a multiplayer experience and a completely new level of betting excitement. We see it as the next all-time hit in the vertical of sports-themed games and we’re looking forward to seeing what sports fans make of it.
Last but not least, one for our readers – with Star Guardians still proving to be a one-of-a-kind hit with players – what’s up next for Evoplay’s next flagship game?
Our current flagship game, Star Guardians, is still among ours and ours players’ favourites, so we keep giving it attention, fleshing out its promotional activities and enhancing the gameplay in real-time with user feedback. It’s a launch that has meant to us, and we’re here to keep evolving the game to entertain players even more.
On to the next big news, I’m sure plenty will be delighted to hear that our team has already started developing a conceptual idea for our next flagship game, and we can’t wait to see the result, so stay tuned! We also have several ambitious games in the pipeline, aimed at targeting a real variety of players. One of our primary goals is to extend our audience reach with sports bettors and Esports fans, as we know exactly what kind of exciting fast-action gameplay they’re looking for, being players ourselves. Our job is now to create that for the gaming world!
BF Games bolsters Romanian presence with Stanleybet deal
BF Games, the dynamic games development studio, has strengthened its position in Romania having struck a deal to supply Stranleybet.ro with its broad catalogue of games.
The operator will benefit from BF Games blockbuster titles including Buffalo Trail Ultra™, Wild Jack Remastered™, Cave of Fortune™, and Book of Gates™ as well as its classic smash hits like Stunning Hot Remastered™, Energy Fruits™ and Hot Sunrise™.
This latest surge in BF Games’ ambitious growth in Romania follows its recent partnership with operators Favbet.ro and Superbet.ro.
The supplier’s extensive library of slot games has expanded significantly over the past year as the company continues to grow its geographical and commercial reach through partnerships such as these.
Stanleybet has been active in the Romanian retail betting market since 2004 and secured an igaming licence in 2016. It relaunched its Kambi-powered Stanleybet.ro site in June 2018.
Commenting on the deal, Claudia Melcaru, Head of Business Development at BF Games, said: “We’re thrilled to have signed this deal with Stanleybet.ro and are excited about beginning the next stage of our partnership as we both continue to grow in the Romanian market.
“We’re always looking to extend the reach of our titles, and we look forward to an exciting future with Stanleybet.ro.”
SoftGamings Expands Its Footprint with a Romania License
The National Office for Gambling in Romania granted SoftGamings a Class II license reserved for software distributors in the gambling market.
SoftGamings is pleased to announce it has received a Class II license from Romania’s chief gambling regulator — Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN). Under the license agreement, SoftGamings is entitled to provide management and hosting services for gaming platforms, per Article 20 (6) of GEO 77/2009.
The legislative framework of Romania changed in 2015 to address the development of the iGaming industry and position the country among leaders in Europe.
ONJN-licensed remote gambling operators are now able to integrate SoftGamings’ award-winning casino and sports betting solutions into their platforms and use our management and hosting services for the enhancement of their products. Local clients can explore the quick and easy API integration opportunities, flexible Turnkey and White Label Casino solutions, and highly-customisable bonus programs from SoftGamings, hoping to increase player retention and loyalty.
The license from ONJN is another one in the long line of local gaming licenses after the company has managed to secure B2B certificates from the Hellenic Gaming Commission in Greece, and B2B supplier licenses from gambling regulators in Belarus, Latvia, and Belgium.
“We are steadily pushing forward towards new regulated markets and gaining a foothold in new regions, and the ONJN license we received is another testament to that fact. The licensing agreement resulted from years of hard work and dedication we invested in understanding the iGaming market and improving it. By recognising our clients’ and the market’s needs and, ultimately, learning how to align the two, we have devised solutions guaranteed to help our Romanian clients distinguish themselves from the competition. We are excited for all the new partnerships and projects that are bound to come out from this new milestone for the company.”, said Anna Lalina, director of partnerships at SoftGamings.
Playson agrees content integration deal with SkyWind Group
Leading supplier expands presence in regulated Romanian market
Playson, the fast-growing digital entertainment supplier, has reached an agreement to supply the SkyWind Group with its popular collection of casino games.
The latest partnership sees Playson integrate its exciting portfolio onto SkyWind’s 360 platform, allowing more players to access popular titles Lions Gems: Hold and Win, Burning Fortunator and Joker’s Coins: Hold and Win.
Thanks to the latest deal, Playson can further distribute its titles to Romanian brands such as Princess Casino, Luck .com, Magnumbet.ro and cashpot.ro allowing the company to expand in the regulated market that remains a crucial jurisdiction.
Summarised in Playson’s invigorated brand identity, the current collaboration emphasises the supplier’s enhanced aspirations to deliver popular titles and promotional tools to more people across the globe.
Blanka Homor, Sales Director at Playson, said: “We’re delighted to announce our latest partnership with the SkyWind Group, a prominent platform supplier within Romania’s regulated market.
“The current deal will bring our popular titles to more players across Romania, giving us the opportunity to deliver exciting content to a broader range of slots fans.”
Daniela Asaftei, Head of CRM at SkyWind Group, added: “We’re pleased to have Playson’s popular games on our platform, as the company has built a reputation for producing amazing content.
“We are confident that the supplier’s titles will appeal to our player base and generate impressive engagement and retention rates.”
Week 47/2022 slot games releases
BetGames Will Start Accepting Fasttoken (FTN) as a Supported Cryptocurrency
Game Changers and Guild X broke records in Berlin
The Global Casino Gaming Equipment Market is expected to grow by $14265.1 million during 2023-2027, accelerating at a CAGR of 5.55% during the forecast period
AvatarUX takes control of the mic in HipHopPop™
ZITRO WINS “SLOT MACHINE OF THE YEAR” WITH ITS AMAZING WHEEL OF LEGENDS
Inter Esports Partners with Mkers
Emperors Palace Launches New Tables Privé
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – October 24-30
ATG, Svenska Spel and Kindred Group Partner to Publish Harmful Gambling Data
Playson agrees content integration deal with SkyWind Group
Major European Operators Finding Growing Success in New Ontario Market
CT Gaming Installs its Diamond King Multi-game Pack at Grand Pasha Kyrenia Casino
Exclusive interview: Superlotto kicks off the World Cup in Africa!
UK’s best student VALORANT teams to battle at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere for Red Bull Campus Clutch World Final Qualification
Norppa Kasino and the Nordics
Interviews7 days ago
Exclusive interview with Dr. Jaime Gonzalo, VP, Huawei Consumer Mobile Services Europe
Gaming6 days ago
Exclusive Q&A w/ Antoine Jullemier, VP of Gaming at Bidstack
Asia7 days ago
Team Heretics and Team Secret Light Up Day One of the Valorant India Invitational by Sealing Semi-Final Berth
Balkans7 days ago
7777 gaming team will attend BEGE Expo
Compliance Updates7 days ago
Popok Gaming has received a Certificate for Sweden
Industry News6 days ago
Golden Palace Group Buys Noirétable Casino
Gambling in the USA6 days ago
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 14-20
Compliance Updates6 days ago
Kindred Challenges the Coercive Fine in Norway


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Sam Adams, Budweiser Join Krispy Kreme in Branded Vaccine Promo Trend
April 12, 2021
Last month, Emory University marketing professor David Schweidel told us how a vaccine card promo (Krispy Kreme’s doughnuts-for-jabs offer) could hurt brand trust more than help it if much of your “customer base has political views against vaccination.”
Since then, however, some Very American Brands™ with large, diverse audiences (not to mention ad budgets) haven’t seemed worried about alienating anti-vaxxers: Budweiser and Sam Adams rolled out branded “vaccine awareness” content last week. Color us intrigued.
And it just might work: Data shop Gravy Analytics analyzed foot traffic in US Krispy Kreme stores, reporting a jump of 19.81% from February to March. While correlation doesn’t equal causation, it’s not hard to imagine folks rewarding themselves with a post-vaccine doughnut.
Data like that, plus wanting to participate in the Everyone Gets a Vaccine™ game show, could partially explain why these beer brands rolled out vaccine awareness promos last week—just in time for National Beer Day on April 7.


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(Reuters) – General Motors Carbon monoxide given on Friday it had in fact expanded the production at its Detroit Hamtramck plant till January 2020, versus an earlier technique to end up production in June this year.
The No. 1 U.S. autos together with vehicles in addition to moreover car supplier is upgrading its treatments, which have plant closures along with a selection of job cuts, as it needs to boost success sticking to decreasing U.S. automobiles in addition to lorry sales.
The Hamtramck plant will definitely stay to be to produce the Chevrolet Impala in addition to along with that Cadillac CT6 lorries along with lorries up till absolutely incredibly very early extensive right detailed right here year, company exposed.
“We are maintaining production timing while continuing the program of Cadillac proceeded improvement features currently contained in the CT6-V – the Blackwing Twin-Turbo V-8 (engine) in addition to Super Cruise (automobiles in addition to in addition auto vehicle driver support group),” GM specified.
The plant has in reality truly presently discontinued production of the Buick LaCrosse cars and truck along with Chevrolet Volt electric crossbreed automobile.
Detroit-based union United Auto Workers’ President Gary Jones went over GM’s choice to continue production at the plant was a reduction for the employee together with their member of the family.
“We match GM for today’s selection along with together with that we recreate the well worth of an instance working out treatment in times like these,” Jones discussed.


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Kazakhstan Simplifies Food Imports
A green corridor was created for food imports in Kazakhstan. According to the press service of the Kazakh Finance Ministry, customs barriers, inspections and cost controls have been temporarily eliminated.
Kazakh Agriculture Ministry has imposed restrictions on flour and grain exports to avoid the shortage of these products and ensure the local needs are satisfied. Restrictions will last during the state of emergency. Flour and grain can be exported only within a monthly quota established by the Kazakh Agriculture Ministry.
Earlier, a ban was introduced on the exports of buckwheat, sugar, potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, sunflower oil from Kazakhstan. Export customs control has been strengthened at international border checkpoints.


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Aston Martin has revealed that its new production facility in T Athan, South Wales is almost completed.
The company will use the facility to produce its new SUV which will be launching near the end of 2019.
Already home to some 100 employees, St Athan is nearing completion with the Paint Shop fully installed and construction of the production line well underway. Once fully commissioned early in the first quarter of 2019, when production of the first prototype models will commence, the workforce will be boosted to nearer 200. Over 70 Welsh employees are set to join the St Athan team having spent the last two-and-a-half years at Aston Martin Lagonda’s Gaydon Headquarters learning the Aston Martin way.
Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group Chief Executive Officer said: “As the St Athan facility nears completion, there is a very real sense this is the start of a bold new era for Aston Martin Lagonda. A second production facility is a critical step in delivering our Second Century Plan. The St Athan facility will initially commence with the production of our first SUV but will ultimately be a global centre of excellence for the production of luxury high performance EVs, including Lagonda: the world’s first luxury electric automotive brand”.
You can find out more information about the company’s new production facility in ST Athan at the link below.
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.


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UK lockdown: All non-essential shops ordered to close
Following a statement by Prime Minster Boris Johnson yesterday evening, all non-essential shops in the UK have been ordered to close, but online retail continues as normal.
Addressing the nation at 8:30pm last night (23 March), Johnson told people in the UK to stay at home to help slow the spread of Covid-19. Movement is now restricted in the UK, gatherings of more than two people have been banned, and non-essential shops have been closed.
As well as restaurants, pubs, bars and cafés, other premises that must now shut include non-essential retail stores, hotels, and outdoor gyms.
Exceptions include supermarkets and other food shops; health shops; pharmacies including non-dispensing pharmacies; petrol stations; bicycle shops; home and hardware shops; launderettes and dry cleaners; bicycle shops; garages; car rentals; pet shops; corner shops; newsagents; post offices; and banks.
Takeaway and delivery services, however, are allowed continue and be operational in line with guidance given on 20 March. This guidance was that all pubs, bars and restaurants should close to people dining in, but could provide take-out services instead.
Online retail is also “still open and encouraged and postal and delivery service will run as normal”.
Further guidance can be viewed here.
Johnson added: “To ensure compliance with the government’s instruction to stay at home, we will immediately: close all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores, and other premises, including libraries, playgrounds, outdoor gyms and places of worship.
“No prime minster wants to enact measures like this. I know the damage that this disruption is doing and will do to people’s lives, to their businesses and to their jobs. And that’s why we produced a huge and unprecedented programme of support for workers and for business.
“I can assure you that we will keep these restrictions under constant review. We will look again in three weeks, and relax them if the evidence shows we are able to. But at present, there are no easy options. The way ahead is hard and it is still true that many lives will sadly be lost.”
Alcohol retailers have already been closing their stores and moving to online deliveries, while many breweries and distilleries are now operating ‘drive-thrus’ to limit contact with the public.
The Wine Society and Wiltshire-based Yapp Bros also told db they had all seen increased demand for online sales over the last week – but fulfillment remains a slight concern.
Laithwaite’s told The Telegraph that the boom in sales was on a par with those experienced during Black Friday.
Jancis Robinson MW has also published a list of over 450 retailers around the world, though predominantly in the UK, who are able to deliver to customers. The list can be viewed here.


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Updating their image: American Sheep Industry launches new wool marketing campaign
At the beginning of August, the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) and its division the American Wool Council announced the official launch of their new promotional and educational website for American-produced wool.
The website is part of a multipronged campaign strategy, including logo redesign, website creation and use of social media, to increase awareness and education about the many uses of wool for modern consumers.
The campaign began taking shape in 2016 when a newly designed logo to promote American wool was released as part of the new wool marketing campaign, says Rita Kourlis Samuelson, ASI director of wool marketing.
“We’ve developed a new wool logo to help bring some ‘newness’ to wool,” she explains.
Samuelson continues, “As wool is a high-performance fiber, it’s one of those fibers that people have forgotten. They think about wool in their grandmother’s sweater rather than all of the new techniques that can be used in spinning and weaving or all of the fine wool breeding that’s taken place to produce high-performance, lightweight garments.”
According to Samuelson, the new logo is helpful in rebranding the appeal of wool products to American consumers and is an image to associate with the American Wool Council’s educational efforts.
“Our new logo is one of the ways we’re reintroducing wool to consumers as new and improved,” she comments.
Samuelson explains that a website, which can be found at americanwool.org, was also created in the initiative to compliment the newly designed logo.
“The website is geared toward consumers to help them understand why to wear wool,” she says. “The new site introduces wool to millennials and also reminds others about the versatility of wool and variety of products available.”
The website includes many features, including pages that showcase wool as a high-performance fiber used in athletic wear, as a premium fiber used in modern fashion and also as a fiber for use in the home.
“One of the more wonderful products that’s become popular in the United States that we showcase are wool socks in the hosiery market,” comments Samuelson. “Wool is just perfect for socks because it absorbs moisture, breathes so the foot doesn’t sweat as much and doesn’t promote the growth of bacteria, so it doesn’t have the odor that other socks do.”
The website also features information on wool care, production and processing practices and animal welfare.
The initiative also reaches out to consumers through a number of social media handles, which can be found by searching “Experience Wool” on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Creating the new wool logo and online platform is a critical aspect of consumer education, says Samuelson.
“One of the main reasons our re-branding effort is important is to remind consumers and retailers of the versatility of wool and how it meets the needs of today’s consumer,” she comments.
Samuelson explains, many sheep breeds around the world have utilized genetic selection to create “fine wools.”
“With fine wools, we can make finer yarn, which makes lighter fabrics,” states Samuelson.
She continues, “Lighter fabrics mean more lightweight garments,” also noting that many modern wools can be worn comfortably next to skin and washed easily in a washing machine, while still providing traditional characteristics of wool.
“There are new concepts for many traditional products, so this effort helps reintroduce some young customers to wool and also reminds and re-educates those who tend to think of wool in a more traditional fashion,” Samuelson says.
According to Samuelson, impacts from the wool marketing changes will take time to see, but they will have a greater value in educating consumers than for sales alone.
“These are the changes we expect to take time because they’re not product-specific,” she comments. “We’re really focusing on education about the fiber. It’ll be one of these education efforts that will have a long-term effect.”
As she looks toward the future of wool marketing for the U.S., Samuelson explains that the industry will continue to expand product development, particularly to service the U.S. military.
“About 20 percent of our wool goes to into the military market,” she says. “We will continue to work with the military to create products to better serve and protect our soldiers.”
Samuelson notes wool is a popular fiber for military products for many reasons, one of which is that wool is naturally fire resistant.
“For instance, when a soldier wears a wool base layer, it actually helps protect them from fire dangers, such as improvised explosive devices,” she comments. “Wool also resists soiling and bacteria, and as a result, it does not need to be washed as frequently as other fiber products.”
Innovation and new products will continue to be a part of other parts of the wool industry, as well.
“There are a lot of new topical products we can put on wool to enhance certain characteristics, so new product development is a top priority,” notes Samuelson.
Currently, the U.S. exports approximately 50 percent of wool that is produced.
“We plan to continue working on domestic and export markets and finding the best buyers for our U.S. wool products,” she concludes.
Emilee Gibb is editor of Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at email@example.com.


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We’re stronger together. That’s the basic idea behind International Female Ride Day (IFRD), a movement dedicated to celebrating women on motorcycles on the first Saturday of May each year. Now in its 13th year, IFRD has become an unofficial holiday for women riders across the globe.
If you’ve ever been part of a big motorcycle group ride, you know it’s a special feeling. Alone, you’re at the mercy of cars on the road, whose drivers are often distracted and don’t seem to even notice you’re there. But in a big group, motorcycles are impossible to ignore.
While IFRD celebrates all women riders, whether you ride alone or in a group, some people have taken the group riding idea to heart. One of them is Becky Goebel, who five years ago started organizing an annual IFRD ride in Vancouver, Canada.
“Four women showed up and I was stoked,” she says of that very first event. Since then, Goebel has organized the ride from a different motorcycle shop in British Columbia each year, and it has grown exponentially.
“The last year I put it on was year four, and over 100 women showed up,” she says.
The 27-year-old event organizer, content producer, and influencer recently relocated from Vancouver to Long Beach, California. But the move hasn’t stopped her—this year’s IFRD ride is still happening on May 4 at Trev Deeley Motorcycles in Vancouver.
“It’s cool to watch it grow and continue to meet new babes on bikes,” Goebel says. “Each year, one of my close friends finally buys a bike and gets her license just in time to participate—I love this. I don’t make any money doing it, it’s a passion project.”
One for the history books
International Female Ride Day is the brainchild of another Canadian, Vicki Gray. The motorcycle racer, instructor, and founder of Motoress started IFRD in 2007 as a way to raise awareness of female motorcyclists and encourage more women to start riding. Gray calls it “a synchronized ride day for women, unified in the passion for motorcycling—across all borders and languages.”
Under the moniker “Just ride,” rides are being organized in many countries and cities on May 4. While there is no official tally, Gray has a rough idea of how many people participate.
“Through the years I have received photos and/or messages from women from over 120 countries,” she says. “I can only guess at the number of participants each year, but it’s in the thousands—double digit thousands.”
This year a new country is being added to the list: Saudi Arabia. In June last year, the country’s widely-criticized ban on women driving was finally lifted. “I’ve heard from Saudi women who will be joining in on May 4 this year,” says Gray. “That makes the 13th edition of IFRD one for the history books!”
There are also a number of rides happening all over North America—and if there isn’t one in your area, you can always organize your own. It doesn’t have to be complicated, Gray says: “Many partner up with their local dealership or start a Facebook group to gather riders in their area. Using the IFRD social media channels, the Facebook page and group are places where events are listed. Motorcycle clubs are a great place to get an event happening too.” She iterates that it doesn’t have to be a big, organized event: “It is important to remember that it’s about getting out there and joining in, even if you’re solo or with a few friends. Riding is all it takes to be part of IFRD.”
In organizing her annual Vancouver ride, Becky Goebel wants to highlight the sense of “community and strength” you only find at a women-only motorcycle event. “You can’t really explain it until you go to one,” she says, adding: “You can’t show up without making friends.”


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East Haven man accused of $75 theft in Hamden
HAMDEN — A man arrested Tuesday is accused of stealing $75 worth of energy drinks from a supermarket, according to a press release.
Michael Girolomoni, 47, of Church Street in East Haven, was charged with second-degree robbery. He was detained on in lieu of $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court July 16.
Police responded March 30 to Stop & Shop, 2335 Dixwell Ave., on the report of a larceny. An investigation revealed Michael Girolomoni allegedly exited the store with several bottles of energy drinks without paying for them, police said. As Girolomoni was placing the items into his motor vehicle, he was approached by a store manager. Girolomoni “yelled” at the store manager and “pushed her out of the way.” He subsequently fled in his vehicle onto Dixwell Avenue, the release said.


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Dupes – affordable alternatives that mimic high-end products – are trending among consumers today due to their stylish and cost-effective nature. Consumers can purchase a range of dupes, from clothing to beauty products, to follow today’s trends without compromising financial well-being.
In addition to financial benefits, its popularity is largely attributed to social media. The hashtag “#dupe” has over 3.5 billion views on TikTok, and many influencers share cheaper alternatives for expensive trending products.
As dupe culture grows more prominent, many retailers are having to adapt their marketing strategies. For instance, athleisure company Lululemon hosted a “dupe swap,” where consumers traded in a pair of their dupe leggings for a free pair of Lululemon leggings with the goal of creating new customers.
CivicScience data also proves that dupe culture is prominent. Seven percent of U.S. adults report they buy dupes ‘often,’ and another 22% say they buy them ‘sometimes’ (n= 4,157). This is still a significant share of consumers, despite the majority that has never purchased a dupe before (71%).
So, how can brands spot dupe buyers? Here are five key insights generated by the CivicScience InsightStore:


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Ikea is still popular, but growth is slowing
Since Ikea opened its first store in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi, in 2014, the company has seen double digit growth almost every year as its do-it-yourself furniture and competitive prices quickly proved popular in Korea.
Like many Swedish companies, Ikea tracks its fiscal year from September to August.
From September 2018 through the end of August, Ikea’s estimated sales stand at 503.2 billion dollars, a five percent increase from the 480.2 billion dollars in the previous year. It is the lowest sales growth since it entered the Korean market.
“We don’t see it as sluggish,” said Fredrik Johansson, IKEA Korea Country Retail Manager, at a press event held in Gangnam, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. “We see it as a big success.”
Johansson, who was appointed to his role in June, stressed that improving customer touch points is the company’s primary goal, not increasing sales.
Ikea had 38.5 million online visitors in the last year, putting its total number of visitors at 47 million during that period. This shows Ikea’s total number of visitors actually increased by more than 38 million on year, according to Johansson.
The furniture company launched its new website in September last year.
Although Johansson believes “there’s a correlation” between the housing transaction slump and the impact it could have on home furnishing companies, he said “the market is still there.”
Ikea currently operates two stores, in Gwangmyeong and Goyang, Gyeonggi. It will open its third store in Giheung in Yongin, Gyeonggi on Dec. 12 and plans to open another branch in Busan in the first quarter of next year. Ikea expects each new branch to create 500 jobs.
The one in Yongin will “merge the offline and online shopping experience in the store” to offer a new multichannel shopping experience for customers, according to Anje Heim, the Ikea Giheung store manager.
Ikea also intends to open a city center store, but it lacks specific plans about its location or the format of the store.
City center stores are smaller Ikea branches located in cities. Ikea has opened such stores in several city center locations, including in New York, Paris and London.
There are several kinds of city center stores. Planning studios in London and Manhattan, N.Y., for instance, offer a home interior consulting service to visitors, who can also place furniture orders at the store. Another form of a city center store, like the one in Paris, is a complete store just on a much smaller scale.
Celebrating the start of its new fiscal year, Ikea Korea has launched a new campaign.
“The Great Wake-up,” is a pop-up exhibition that displays furniture like beds and drawers that the company believes could enhance people’s sleep. Located in Gangnam, southern Seoul, the exhibition runs through Sept. 8.
BY JIN MIN-JI [firstname.lastname@example.org]


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Windows Mixed Reality users will be able to take advantage of upcoming 4K graphical upgrade to Minecraft.
Guest Writer Michael Park, the CEO and Founder of LipSync discusses the burgeoning interest in augmented reality on mobile thanks to ARKit
Back for another year, Kevin E dishes out his own awards after watching E3 from afar. And it's the usual unusual affair...
For a start it seems that the PS4 isn't going to be joining the fun any time soon...
The unification process is nearly complete.
In his own unique way Kevin E prognosticates on what might befall the VR industry in 2017.
Nintendo are going to wait. Microsoft are going to wait - except they're not.
Play Minecraft on Gear VR with the new Xbox One controller with Bluetooth.
It has been released as a public beta for Android for now, with the full version for all other platforms to come later this year.
Relive the horrors that happened 350 years ago and meet historical figures along the way in this map.


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In news that will perhaps give you some hope in what is arguably the dreariest month of the year, McDonald's has launched its January sales menu.
Kicking off yesterday (16 January), the two-week promotion will see a different discount applied to your favourite menu items each day.
So, for example, yesterday the fast food giant allowed customers to enjoy a core item such as its Big Mac for just £1.59.
Today, Micky D's is offering a decent 15% off with a £10 minimum spend - that's breakfast and lunch sorted, eh?
The rest of the week is as follows:
- Wednesday, 18 January – Spend £15, save £5
- Thursday, 19 January – £1.99 for a core Item
- Friday, 20 January – 10% off with £10 minimum spend
- Saturday, 21 January – £1.99 for a core Item
- Sunday, 22 January – £1.99 for a core Item
You can expect information on next week's deals in the coming days.
It's worth pointing out that the offers are only available when you order through the McDonald's app.
But they are valid for both pick ups and deliveries, although delivery charges still apply.
Still, you can't argue with saving a bit of cash on your next hangover order.
What's more, it might be the perfect opportunity to try out some of the new menu additions, which include a spicy wrap and an extra option for vegans.
Fast food chains are always trying to figure out what people want to eat more of and McDonald's is no exception.
The company no doubt reckons these New Year menu changes will give people more of what they want.
First up, you've got the 'Spicy Sriracha Chicken One', consisting of a toasted wrap packed with chicken, lettuce, cucumber and onions with spicy sriracha sauce.
You'll need to be quick if you want to wrap your chops around one of these, however, as it's only sticking around until 14 February.
The original McPlant burger was launched back in 2021, and now by popular demand McDonald's has doubled it up for people who want to chow down on a vegan friendly fast food option.
Whether you're up for trying one of these exciting new offerings or you're a traditional McChicken Nuggets and Quarter Pounder sort of person, it's worth making the most of the January sale while you still can.


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Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox – the Xbox One – at its headquarters in Redmond on May 21, 2013. With abounding rumors and speculations, what did the actual event cast for eager fans? Here’s a brief look.
The Xbox One Launch Event
The launch event sparked off an exciting moment for the gaming world. The newly launched Xbox One will succeed the Xbox 360 launched in May 2005. As expected, the event detailed more on the non-gaming environment, calling Xbox One an all-in-one device with a forward thinking system. There was some emphasis on games as well, but more details are expected at the E3 event next month. The new Xbox One did flaunt a good number of avant-garde features to kindle the enthusiasm of its long-time fans.
Key demoes on non-gaming entertainment features
Among the key demonstrations, Microsoft highlighted its Instant Switching feature, which is basically multitasking. The second generation Kinect responds to voice commands, such as “Xbox On,” “Go to Music,” “Watch Movie,” and “Xbox, Show Fantasy.” You can switch between actions seamlessly.
The Snap Mode lets you engage in Skype while watching TV or checking sports statistics. So, you can talk to friends and family without having to pause.
Kinect’s new infrared vision ability signifies a market improvement over the previous version. Even with all lights turned off, its camera could detect gamers and objects facing it. Its “Time of Flight” function gauges the speed at which emitted photons return to the unit, so as to reveal minute details of participants, including wrinkles in clothes and varying button sizes.
Xbox One will facilitate group Skype. The SmartGlass feature is more integrated with enhanced functionality. Microsoft is collaborating with NFL for integration of Kinect and SmartGlass with fantasy sports. It is also increasing the number of Xbox Live servers for its new console via cloud computing.
Xbox One requires an Internet connection though it need not be online all the time. It allows up to 1,000 friends and can update achievements by assessing gamers’ behavior. It also features a new matchmaking tech.
Xbox One Exciting Games
Microsoft unveiled a good number of games including Call of Duty: Ghosts, Remedy’s Quantum Break, and Forza MotorSport 5, the next in Turn 10’s racing series. Quantum Break will merge live-action and traditional gameplay, based on player choice and in-game decisions.
EA and Microsoft have collaborated to provide four sports games namely, FIFA 14, UFC, NBA Live 14 and Madden NFL 25. Powered by EA Sport’s Ignite game engine, these games will be made available over the next year. Ignite is designed to reduce the demarcation between virtual and real sports by replicating true player motion to mimic human intelligence. It simulates gamers’ play-styles and creates living worlds with ten times more animation detail.
Microsoft Game Studios is developing lots of titles. During the first twelve months of Xbox One release, there will be over fifteen exclusive games, with eight coming from new IPs.
Ubisoft announced Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed for the new console.
Microsoft announced the establishment of Xbox Entertainment Studios to create original programming on Xbox. The studio-head revealed that Microsoft is working with Steven Spielberg on Halo television series.
A built-in DVR will allow users to record, edit, and even share gameplay, so you can easily share your triumphant moments with friends.
The console comes with a Revamped Multiplayer that features a system called Dynamic Maps, where gamer-driven movements, such as floods and earthquakes will show on a map layout in real-time. With character customization, gamers can get a better personalized experience.
The controller is supposed to have obtained forty different enhancements. With a better input performance, it is expected to be 15 to 20% faster.
The event also included tours through work spaces where Xbox One was designed, prototyped and tested.
Release date and price of Xbox One
Microsoft is planning to release Xbox One in November this year, but did not reveal pricing details or launch packages.
The Xbox One is undoubtedly a big leap from its predecessor as evident from the features revealed at its launch event. Nevertheless, excitement still lingers as eager gamers still have several questions to be answered.


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HTC has announced its plans to roll out Android 6.o “Marshmallow” to some of its mobile devices. Two devices, the One M8 and One M9, will get the update beginning this year, but most other devices on the list appear to be getting support next year.
The handset maker also notes that some carriers and regions will still not have completed their One M8/M9 rollout by the end of the year, but until the release starts it will be difficult to tell which ones will take that long.
While the rough time frame for this release has been announced, HTC hasn’t provided an exact date for when it will begin.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Up to 25 Cups of Coffee a Day Is Safe for Heart, Says New Study
If you’re worried that drinking coffee is bad for your heart, rest assured. Consuming even large amounts of coffee won’t stiffen your arteries, says a new study.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, found that drinking five cups of coffee a day, and even up to 25, was no worse for your arteries than drinking less than one cup a day.
The study was presented at the British Cardiovascular Society Annual Conference in Manchester.
Coffee won’t increase stroke or heart attack risk
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London divided 8,412 people into three groups. The first group drank less than one cup of coffee a day, the second group drank one to three cups a day, and the third group drank more than three cups a day, with some consuming up to 25 cups a day.
Even those who drank 25 cups did not experience stiffening of their blood vessels. Previous studies have suggested that coffee hardens arteries, putting you at a higher risk of stroke or heart attack.
All the study participants underwent infrared pulse wave tests and MRI scans, and the researchers accounted for factors like age, smoking status, weight, and blood pressure.
“There are several conflicting studies saying different things about coffee, and it can be difficult to filter what we should believe and what we shouldn’t,” says Professor Metin Avkiran, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, in a statement. “This research will hopefully put some of the media reports in perspective, as it rules out one of the potential detrimental effects of coffee on our arteries.”
How to supercharge your performance
Now, this isn’t an invitation to start drinking 25 cups of coffee a day. If you’re following the Bulletproof lifestyle, then you shouldn’t need huge amounts of caffeine to get you through your day. Follow these tips for long-lasting energy and limitless brain power:
- Drink Bulletproof Coffee: Instead of reaching for a black coffee made from inferior beans, start your day with a Bulletproof Coffee. Made from high-quality coffee beans, grass-fed butter or ghee, and Brain Octane oil, these ingredients work together synergistically to keep your energy stable for hours. You won’t experience the same energy dips as you would with regular coffee, allowing you to power through your day without needing constant top-ups of caffeine to keep you going.
- Eat a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet: Cut down on energy-sapping sugar and processed foods, and instead load up on organic vegetables, grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, and high-quality fats. These foods feed your brain, stabilize your energy, and keep you full for hours. No more distracting cravings or brain fog! Learn more about the Bulletproof Diet here.
- Get good quality sleep: If you’ve ever felt sleep-deprived, then you know how hard it is to make it through the day. Clean up your sleep hygiene and adopt healthier sleep habits starting today. Good sleep improves brain function and balances your hormones, making you stronger, happier, and more productive.
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