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The payments landscape is changing fast. New technologies and regulations are drastically impacting the way consumers can pay. On top of that, younger generations have different demands and expectations, affecting the way they want to pay.
How will these changes in payments affect the financial industry and brokers, in particular? Finance Magnates spoke with Philip Ternhem, Senior Sales Manager at European FinTech Trustly, for his in-depth perspective.
How does a shifting environment create new challenges for brokers and will conversion remain an integral focus?
Indeed, the payments landscape is evolving quicker than ever before. Consumers’ payment preferences are changing as new technologies emerge and new regulatory efforts and scheme compliance rules set new standards.
Many areas of the financial industry also face increased competition from emerging players that are battling over the same consumers with different technologies, fueled by the transparency at different price comparison sites. As this affects the cost of acquiring and retaining new customers, companies need to make sure to get the most out of each sales effort.
As a result, conversion will remain in heavy focus. Some industries are tackling this by moving towards instant payments, or even making payments invisible.
Take the online gaming industry, for instance. In 2018, several European markets embraced “Pay N Play®,” a technology that removes potential churn points and improves conversion by combining the payment and registration steps.
The player simply makes an instant deposit from his or her bank account and during this process, Trustly fetches relevant KYC data and passes it on to the operator, who creates an account in the background. It’s a frictionless experience for the player and fully compliant for operators, demonstrating the power of combining instant payments and data.
As for leverage brokers, the regulatory prerequisites still set some limits. But a crucial part of creating a solid acquisition funnel is payments — to constantly optimize the payment options you offer in each market you operate in.
Some brokers see a more than 50% drop-off between opening the account and the first trade. This means that the payments experts within trading companies will play a big part in their overall performance.
In addition, an example of how regulatory changes will affect the trading industry is the update around Merchant Category Codes (MCC) from international card schemes to “high risk” for certain traders. The update took place in 2018 and we will likely see an increasing effect spill over to 2019.
Payment options need to be closely monitored and constantly optimized. It may require some resources to do so, but it’s definitely worth it.
How do brokers stand out in an increasingly competitive field?
Access to similar platforms, affiliate networks, and general market transparency has made it hard to stand out. But one payment trend has successfully been used to spearhead marketing messages in other industries: instant payouts. As opposed to waiting days in some traditional handling, instant payouts let customers access their funds instantly.
Several European gaming operators, for instance, are already promoting this feature in marketing campaigns as a way to differentiate themselves and drive customer acquisition. Just ride the subway in Stockholm and you’ll see advertisements that read, “Receive your winnings in your account before you reach the next station.”
The recently prolonged European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) regulation sets some boundaries on marketing, but using the solution to improve the overall service could act as a competitive advantage.
Not convinced yet? Contrary to popular belief, our findings from the gaming industry show that instant payouts don’t pose a churn risk but actually trigger people to engage more with the service. Perhaps they are more likely to feel comfortable with keeping the balance on the provider’s account due to the liquidity of the balance.
After all, if customers know that it will take days to access the money, they’ll be more likely to initiate a withdrawal so they can have the money for the weekend.
With so much buzz around instant payouts in other industries, we will see this spread to industries like trading and soon become an industry standard.
What do you make of PSD2? Is it tearing down walls and opening up borders?
The second payment service directive (PSD2) from the EU is said to be the biggest thing ever to have hit modern European banking. Its purpose is to open up banking to digital competition.
In short, banks have to provide standardized access to customers’ bank accounts, which will allow third-party providers to initiate payments and access account information.
And as banks’ authentication methods become more convenient, it will pave the way for more mobile-optimized payment options. These new payment options, as opposed to cards, also don’t come with transaction limits.
But whether PSD2 will live up to the hype in its entirety remains to be seen. The regulation is, to some extent, already in place and by September 2019, the directive will be in full effect.
As with all major regulatory changes, it will take some time before all the dust settles and the consequences surface. But one thing is certain: the regulation will not be an overnight revolution.
Banks and other financial institutions will be forced to figure out the best ways to comply and deliver new value to the market. Some of this value will come in the form of data. Account information services (AIS) can offer a much better understanding of the end customer, which will lead to the development of new services.
Another new form of value that will derive from PSD2 comes out of the possibility to allow third parties to initiate payments from consumer bank accounts. However, simply initiating a payment isn’t enough if true value will be added to the payment process.
So, when evaluating emerging players, it’s important to ask: what functions are really handled? Reconciliation, returns, irreversibility of payment?
When a payment is initiated, a payment provider must be able to guarantee that the payment actually has arrived and is not cancelled by the consumer or the bank after the service is delivered.
This requires a more advanced offering from a full service payment initiation service like Trustly. Trustly resolves this issue by being embedded in the flow of funds and is therefore able to notify merchants that funds have settled and issue seamless returns. That is a key takeaway, in my opinion, from PSD2.
Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that not all banks will offer access to customer bank accounts via an API, and many of those that will are behind schedule. In fact, 41% of banks missed a recent PSD2 deadline to provide a test environment for third party providers.
Exactly when PSD2 will reach its full impact remains to be seen but, especially in the interim, it is essential to partner with an experienced payments provider that is not just reliant on fully functioning PSD2 APIs.
Will mobile continue to loom large for brokers and how can they maximize user experience?
According to our data, preference for mobile payments is still on a steep rise. Therefore, having a mobile-adjusted service and an optimized checkout is simply a must-have, especially if you want to cater to the younger, mobile-first demographic. And the services that offer the best mobile experience will win.
The trading industry, which often offers services that rely on access to analytics and market trend analysis, needs to be able to package this information an intuitive way. Payments play an important part of that mobile experience — or at the very least, it should not interrupt it.
Trustly is a FinTech company driven by the idea that online banking payments and transfers should be fast, simple and secure for businesses and consumers alike. It supports cross-border payments to and from consumers’ bank accounts in 29 European countries and today offers the market’s best bank coverage, linking together over 3,300 banks.
By signing just one agreement, merchants can accept payments and transfers from bank accounts across Europe and reach more customers at no additional cost. Trustly is an authorized Swedish payment institution under the supervision of the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is sponsored and does not represent the opinions of Finance Magnates.


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With TECNO Mobile Camon 18 series just around the corner, anticipation has continued to build after GSMArena released an extensive first look at its features.
The article highlighted the shake-free triple camera of the Camon 18 with 16-135 equivalent lenses and f/1.6-3.5 apertures. This is in addition to its 5x optical zoom with image stabilization. The device also has strengthened camera features which are great to use for capturing selfies and as an all-around camera.
The design of the device was also mentioned. This includes squared-off edges and a selfie camera that’s smaller than its predecessor.

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Green Bay Packers fans throughout Wisconsin and beyond often celebrate their support of the Packers by wearing their favorite green and gold clothing to work, to school and in the community on Fridays.
The Packers are encouraging fans to participate in the tradition with Green and Gold Friday each week to help show their energy, enthusiasm and support as the team prepares for the next game.
Green and Gold Friday has perks for the fans too. Fans wearing Packers apparel on Fridays during the season can visit participating Wisconsin CITGO locations to receive a free small coffee, no purchase necessary. To redeem the free coffee, fans can download the Club CITGO app and check in while at a CITGO station. As an added bonus, they can also check in on the app to receive a free green and gold beanie, limited to one hat per customer, while supplies last.
Additionally, fans wearing green and gold on Fridays this season can also visit participating Wisconsin Qdoba restaurants to get a free order of chips and queso with the purchase of any entrée.
Fans are invited to share photos of themselves and fellow fans dressed in green and gold on Fridays through social media by using the hashtag #GGFriday. Selected photos will be featured Fridays on packers.com, PackersEverywhere.com, Packers social media accounts and on the TundraVision video boards in Lambeau Field during home games.
The Packers Pro Shop will also stock different Green and Gold Friday themed items, with new items added throughout the season.
For more information about Green and Gold Friday, please visit packers.com/fan-zone/green-and-gold-friday.html.


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The government said Sunday night that it had decided to allocate an additional NIS 6 billion ($1.7 billion) to help hundreds of large businesses return employees to the workforce as, as the chains recommended reopening of stores. Most of them remained closed Monday, but were expected to reopen by Thursday.
The decision came after the major chains refused to reopen Sunday since they hadn’t received the same level of government support that small businesses and self-employed Israelis got.
The chains were seeking government compensation for recent closures and ongoing restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
A joint statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Finance Ministry and the Bank of Israel said the additional funds — not included in the current NIS 80 billion stimulus package — would be brought before the Knesset for approval in the coming days.
It said the new loan fund, backed by state guarantees, would start operating immediately after Independence Day, Wednesday.
The exact allocation has not yet been determined and will be published in the coming days, the statement added.
The major employers had applied intense pressure on politicians to compensate them as well as small businesses, and experts have estimated that the new budget would mean millions or tens of millions of shekels per firm, the Ynet news site reported.
“We are happy the government has decided to help us weather the crisis and expect the decision to be implemented in practice,” said the protest action group of the Association of Fashion and Commerce Chains, recommending that companies open from Monday, in accordance with their level of preparedness.
Earlier Sunday, a source in the Finance Ministry had slammed the chains for refusing to resume operations, telling the Calcalist website that it was an “attempt to blackmail the state and hold the workers hostage.”
The chains had demanded NIS 10,000 ($2,850) for each employee returning from unpaid leave and compensation equal to 10 percent of their business cycle from March and April last year.
On Monday morning, the CEO of the Big chain of outdoor shopping centers demanded that his tenants open up their shops starting Thursday at all of its 22 shopping centers across the country.
“As we’ve said all during this crisis, without strong tenants there are no healthy shopping centers. We’ve stood by you patiently. Now the time has come to fully return to normal,” CEO Hay Galis wrote in a letter, according to Hebrew-language media.
According to current regulations in place, indoor malls must remain closed, but outdoor shopping centers may reopen.
The Israel Competition Authority, which oversees fair trading and anti-trust laws, said Sunday that it was probing possible breaches of competition laws by the hundreds of large businesses that coordinated their decision to remain closed on Sunday.
“To the extent that the results of the checks show that the actions taken may have infringed competition in a manner that violates the provisions of the law, the Authority will not hesitate to take enforcement action,” it said in a statement.
Some 200 chains, including leading stores in clothing, optics, home decor, camping and sports gear as well as cafes and restaurants, chose not to open their doors even as many pandemic restrictions were lifted at midnight Saturday.
According to a government decision Friday, all stores that are not in shopping malls or open-air markets were allowed to operate from Sunday if they adhere to guidelines regarding cleanliness, protective gear and social distancing.
Meanwhile, there were clashes at Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda fruit and vegetable market, where vendors protested the continued closure of the landmark open air market. One person was arrested in scuffles with police.
Hairdressers and beauty salons were permitted to resume operations from midnight Saturday, if hygiene regulations related to the virus are adhered to. In addition, restaurants and food shops are now allowed to sell products for takeaway, not just home deliveries, if a physical barrier is placed between the cashier and the customers.
However, a restriction barring the general public from traveling more than 100 meters from their homes (unless for work, shopping or other essential purposes) or more than 500 meters for exercising or prayers will remain in effect until after Independence Day.
Additionally, the various fines for violating the guidelines have been doubled.
On Friday, the government approved an NIS 8 billion ($2.27 billion) plan to increase support for self-employed Israelis and small business owners who have been hit hard by the coronavirus, following accusations that Israel was not helping businesses forced to shut down.
Workplaces in the industry, production and services sectors are allowed to have 30 percent of their employees come to work, or 10 workers at the same time at the same workplace — whichever is higher.
Header: Women getting their nails done at a beauty salon in Jerusalem on April 26, 2020. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
Source: TOI Staff


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Before IFA LG announced that they would exhibit a 180 inch plasma TV at the fair. We were excited to see this but unfortunately the 180â€ť plasma-TV wasnâ€™t really a 180 inches TV.

FlatpanelsHD will be in Berlin to cover the worldâ€™s largest consumer electronics fair IFA 2010. Starting September 1 through September 10 you can read all about the new products and electronics trends here on FlatpanelsHD. Check out the front page or our IFA 2010 Coverage site. You can also subscribe to our Newsletter or RSS feeds.

180" 3D plasma TV from LG
Yes, LG did exhibit a 180 inches screen displaying 3D with 3D glasses but the big screen was comprised of 9 smaller plasma TVs.

LG 180â€ť Multi Vision

The large screen was showing different 3D clips that required 3D glasses and as we have said before 3D is better on large TVs, but I also advise you to drop that idea to pair four 50 inch 3D plasma TVs in your living room, because the borders between the TVs are not really contributing to the impression of 3D depth.

Each year, manufacturers run a small race to exhibit the largest TV in the world. Panasonic is still the winner with their 152 inches plasma TV. Letâ€™s see what happens next year.


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Phones Canada Team: Smart homes have become a reality for millions of people worldwide, and Google is at the forefront of this technology. In a recent blog post, Google announced the introduction of new starters and actions in their Home app, as well as innovative ways to personalize your home. These updates provide users with enhanced automation options and the opportunity to customize their homes according to their unique needs.
The Automation tab on the Google Home app now includes nine new starters and nine new actions. Users can set up sensors for temperature, humidity, contact, and occupancy within the Google Home ecosystem and incorporate them into automations. Whether it’s turning off the thermostat when a window is opened or adjusting the fan or opening a window when the temperature rises above a certain level, these new starters offer increased functionality and convenience.
Additionally, Google has introduced the script editor, which is currently in Public Preview. This feature is designed for tech-savvy users who can take advantage of its advanced capabilities to hack their homes precisely the way they want. With the script editor, users can customize their homes by incorporating new camera options and creating custom notifications. For example, you can set up an announcement on your speakers and flashing lights when a package is delivered to your front door. You can also receive notifications when your kids return home from school, ensuring their safety.
It’s important to note that these new starters and actions are available to all Google Home app users. This means that anyone can take advantage of the enhanced Household Routines offered by these updates. So whether you want to control sound, devices like vacuums, mowers, or TVs, the Google Home app provides a range of options to meet your needs.
By continually expanding the capabilities of the Home app, Google aims to make smart home technology more accessible and user-friendly for everyone. With these new starters and actions, along with the script editor for advanced customizations, users can create a truly personalized smart home experience. Explore the possibilities and unlock the full potential of your smart home with Google Home.


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This update was expected, but it’s great to have the Nvidia Shield Tablet Android 7.0 update officially confirmed. As of yet, it is only the update itself that is confirmed, so what week the update will roll out, will be announced later.
So that brings the official number of Android 7.0 tablets up to 4 in total, with the 3 others being the out of production HTC 9, the was out of production but is occasionally in production anyway Google Pixel C, and the soon to be Android 7.0 tablet Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet that was believed to get the update in late December, so the update should be here any week now.
These are the officially announced Android 7.0 tablets, but the rumor that the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 will get the “Android N update” should also be mentioned, even though this isn’t 100% official yet. But Samsung’s Android 7.0 update have been reported to be in development by Samsung since November.
– Tom Bowen


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The Flour Mills Association on Wednesday (July 10) announced to increase the price of 80-kilogram flour bag by Rs550. According to details, the mills association increased flour prices after withdrawn of General Sales Tax (GST) exemption on flour bags.
“The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has withdrawn General Sales Tax (GST) exemption on flour bags weighing more than 20 kilograms as a result of which a GST of 17 percent will now be imposed on the 80kg flour bag,” said a statement by flour mills association.
Flour bags weighing up to 20 kilograms will remain exempted from GST while the price of fine flour bag has increased by Rs700.
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17 November, 2019


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The Trebil border crossing between Jordan and Iraq was reopened in late August after being shut for over two years over security fears. Trade has begun to trickle, but it will be quite some time before Jordanian exporters are able to claw back their original market share.
By Dina al Wakeel
Iraq has been absorbed in fighting its own demons since the toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003. From sectarian tensions between its Sunnis and Shiites, to fighting extremism embodied by ISIS that has not only ravaged towns and killed civilians, but also severed several vital trade routes between Iraq and its neighbors.
ISIS launched several attacks on the area adjacent to the border crossing with Jordan, terrorizing drivers and collecting hefty taxes from trucks carrying Jordanian merchandise into Iraq, which prompted Iraq to close Trebil, about 320 km from Amman and 575 km from Baghdad, in 2015.
Today, as the Iraqi government—aided by a US-led coalition—pushes to regain its power over its territories, defeating ISIS in their Mosul stronghold, the state has been simultaneously working to revive its bilateral trade agreements with the likes of Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
And after regaining control from ISIS of the main highway to Baghdad, Iraq and Jordan decided to finally reopen the crossing to passengers and vital trade in late August.
While this move was welcomed by both Jordanian and Iraqi businesspeople, businessmen in the Kingdom acknowledge that reentering the Iraqi market will not be a walk in the park.
Prior to the closure of Trebil, Iraq was the Kingdom’s main export market, accounting for almost a fifth of domestic exports or about $1.2 billion a year, according to the IMF.
But according to The Jordan Times, this trade exchange came to a complete halt through land crossings since the summer of 2015 due to security concerns, dropping from JD915 million in 2014 to JD533 million and JD353 million in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Jordanian exporters were forced to think of alternative routes, using expensive sea routes to the Umm Qasr port in Southern Iraq, or another land route through Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
This has dealt a heavy blow to Jordanian truck drivers whose losses have exceeded JD670 million during the past six years and a half, according to Mohammad Dawood, head of the Jordan Truck Owners Association. Before that, between 200 and 400 Jordanian trucks crossed into Iraq on a daily basis, he said.
Also during this period Iranian, Chinese, and Turkish goods managed to cement their position in the Iraqi market across multiple sectors, including pharmaceuticals, food supplies, and others.
While trade between Iraq and Iran has reached $6 billion in the last two years, Turkish exports jumped to $4.5 billion, a 30 percent increase from the same period last year, during the first half of this year.
Jordan also needs to speed things up, as Iraq has recently signed agreements with Saudi Arabia to boost bilateral trade. The two countries have agreed to open the Arar and Jamima crossings, for both pilgrims and trade. Not only that, but the Iraqi Minister of Transportation Kadhim al-Hamami was recently quoted as saying it was also possible that the railway between the two countries will be reopened to unleash economic activity.
But not all is lost.
“There are many positive aspects to the reopening of the road, especially that Iraq is a market with 30 million consumers with a high buying power,” said Majid AlSadi, president of the Iraqi Business Council in Jordan.
Jordanian products are also known for their good quality, added AlSadi, and they are different from the Chinese, Turkish or other products. Additionally, the Iraqi consumers also got accustomed to buying them since the 1980s.
Jordan has always been a hub for Arab and foreign investors who have in mind the Iraqi market. Its proximity to Iraq and the special economic zones across the Kingdom make it lucrative for many business people.
However, high running costs, and an ever-changing taxation system, coupled with the unrest in the region and the closure of both the Iraqi and Syrian border crossings have pushed many potential investors away.
Currently, the Iraqi Business Council is in talks with the Iraqi investors who left to the likes of Turkey seeking a friendlier investment climate to convince them to come back and do business here after the reopening of the border. AlSadi expects more capital to come back.
“Before we can regain our previous customers in Iraq, there must be sacrifices in terms of prices, delivery timing, and of course we also need the government’s support,” AlSadi said.
But with a growing debt that has reached JD26.472 billion, accounting for 94.4 percent of GDP, the government is in a difficult financial position and nobody is expecting the support.
Dawood said despite the border closures and the losses his association’s members endured, the government still charged each truck owner JD325 each year.
“This is unfair for the truck owners, [the government] should’ve tried to facilitate things for us due to all the hardships we’ve been facing and on top of that the losses,” he said.
Merchants are also waiting for the road to be completely cleared of any bandits or the remnants of ISIS. A US company has been contracted to take that responsibility, but hasn’t started operations yet. For now, Jordanian truck drivers hand over their cargo to their Iraqi peers in the area between both borders due to safety concerns, said Dawood.
“The road is vast and there is the Anbar desert, where there could be some remnants of ISIS fighters. So to make sure that our truck drivers are safe we decided that during the first six months they would deliver their truckloads to their Iraqi peers and then we will see how things develop,” explained Dawood.
Moreover, both governments are currently in talks for a possible waiver of the 30 percent custom fees that are imposed on Jordanian goods.
A Change in Strategy
AlSadi believes that Jordanian foodstuff have particularly high potential in the Iraqi market due to their high quality and reasonable prices compared to others, as well as agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. As for engineering products, which are usually procured through government agreements, then companies here will need to wait until January for the new budget to be approved.
Although some vegetables and fruit trucks have already made their way into Trebil, vegetable exports are expected to officially resume in November, Saadi Abu Hamma, president of the Jordan Exporters and Producers Association for Fruits and Vegetables, was recently quoted as saying.
Some 120 to 200 tons of Jordanian fruit is already passing each day into Iraq since the crossing reopened last month, Abu Hamma said.
“We are now in discussion with Iraq and we expect the start of exports of vegetables to the Iraqi market in November,” Hamma told Xinhua news agency. Prior to the closure of the borders, Jordan exported some 500 to 600 tons of produce per day to Iraq.
Yet, Khaled Kanaan, managing director of Mawared Investment Jo. and also chairman of the Jordan Iraqi Economic Council, believes with the new geopolitical alliances in Iraq, Jordan needs to start thinking differently about its relationship with its eastern neighbor.
“I believe the Iraqi-Jordanian relationship that we got used to for 30 years has changed,” said Kanaan. “Today we have new circumstances with new alliances and a changed Iraqi economy.”
The Iraqi-Jordanian relationship in the past was built on the exporter-importer basis, Kanaan explained, Jordanians export and the Iraqis import, and the Jordanians were well looked after.
“Then after 2003, conditions changed in Iraq but Jordan still couldn’t depart from this old way of doing business,” he said.
Kanaan believes that the Iraqi-Jordanian file should not remain supervised solely by one or two ministries which still view things in a traditional manner, constrained to export and import goods. Alternatively, this requires an all-inclusive effort on a national level encompassing multiple government agencies working jointly with private sector business and professional associations representative of the economy sectors that will drive the bilateral economic agenda.
Furthermore, instead of the traditional way of doing business and concentrating on the merchandise that Jordan got accustomed to exporting, services should be the next focus of Jordanian businesses eyeing the Iraqi market.
“Iraq has other sources when it comes to importing merchandise based on relationships that they built during the past few years. But there are other opportunities for Jordan,” said Kanaan. “Today we talk about reconstruction. I sit on the World Bank Working Group for Reconstruction of Syria and I am also an active participant in the discussions concerning Iraq. Part of the discussions that we are having is what can Jordan do? Most importantly HOW?”
According to Kanaan’s strategy, Jordan needs to establish for itself a value added niche that the Iraqis want; human skills, engineering services, professional services, banking services, logistics, health care, renewable energy, and IT, where Jordanians are known to excel.
Endorsed by the Iraqi government, the Jordan Iraqi Economic Council promotes joint socio-economic growth and integration through the development of joint businesses and investments between the two countries. Its members, said Kanaan, are high-ranking Jordanian and Iraqi businessmen.
“We are looking at a new form of relationship to enhance economic and mutual investment opportunities between both countries, not trade which is cared for by others. We need to look at new dynamics of doing business and this is where the Jordanians have lagged behind so far,” noted Kanaan.
For now, Jordanians and Iraqis are quite hopeful the reopening of Trebil will be a shot in the arm for the ailing Jordanian economy.
“The opening of the Trebil border crossing with Iraq represents a lifeline for the national economy as a whole and will give a strong impetus to growth in the trade, service and productivity sectors,” Issa Murad, president of the Amman Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. “Border crossing points are a major artery for all domestic goods.”


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UPDATE AS OF 4 P.M. MONDAY
Syracuse, NY -- A notice of bid deadline, auction and sale in connection with the sale of Syracuse-based The Penn Traffic Co. has been filed, locking down Jan. 19 as the deadline for any further bids on the 79-store supermarket chain.
With the CEO of the next-highest bidder, Price Chopper supermarkets, conceding Monday the Tops bids of $85 million is on a fast-track to acquire Penn Traffic, there appear to be few obstacles in Tops’ path.
However, just as Tops filed its bid just hours before bankruptcy court Judge Peter J. Walsh was going to rule Friday on Price Chopper’s bid of $54 million for 22 P&C stores, other bidders could potentially step in up to Jan. 19.There are at least a half-dozen other supermarket chains still interested in portions of the Penn Traffic chain, which is mostly in Upstate New York and Pennsylvania and employs 5,700 people.
Sources in the supermarket industry say liquidators, teaming with other supermarket chains, are still interested in Penn Traffic’s assets. Chains doing business in eastern New York and toward Syracuse — Hannaford is one — have shopped for certain Penn Traffic supermarkets. Sunbury, Pa.-based Weis Markets, which recently entered the Binghamton market, is interested in Penn Traffic properties in Pennsylvania and possibly as close to Syracuse as Cortland, the sources say.
There are at least a half-dozen other chains still interested in portions of the Penn Traffic chain, which is mostly in Upstate New York and Pennsylvania and employs 5,700 people.
But that would mean topping the $85 million bid by Tops, which, together with $70 million in Penn Traffic debt it has agreed to take on, is hurtling a $150 million offer at Penn Traffic's holdings.
And what does all of this mean for Penn Traffic’s warehouse and warehouse workers?
In an agreement filed in bankruptcy court between Tops and C&S Wholesale Grocers, which operates the warehouses and staffs it with Penn Traffic employees, C&S is signed on to continue to use what was once Penn Traffic’s trucks at the DuBois, Pa., warehouse for 30 days.
The agreement states Tops, no later than March 1, will no longer have an interest in that warehouse.
All three of Penn Traffic’s warehouses, including the two in Syracuse, were sold in 2004 for $37 million to the investment firm Equity Industrial PT Limited Partnerships. In December 2008, Penn Traffic sold for $43 million its lucrative grocery distribution business. It was acquired by New Hampshire-based C&S, which supplies Penn Traffic and other supermarkets with groceries from those warehouses.
The agreement also states that C&S will remove its wholesale-grocery business from the Syracuse facilities and transfer those good to DuBois, effectively ending a need for grocery warehousing at the two Syracuse warehouses.
That is to be done within 60 days of closing on the sale of Penn Traffic’s assets to Tops.
March 1, it will no longer have an interest in that warehouse.


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Warhammer 40,000: Storm Of Vengeance out now on PC and iOS
Eutechnyx' lane strategy title Warhammer 40,000: Storm Of Vengeance is out today on the PC and iOS devices.
Storm Of Vengeance's storyline is based on the WH40K novel Purging Of Kadillus by Gav Thorpe and gives players the opportunity to battle as either the brooding Dark Angels Space Marines or the ramshackle and brutish Orks.
The game is out now on Steam for 6.99 GBP and iTunes for iOS devices at just 2.99 GBP.
- Borderlands 2 writer leaving Gearbox to join Freddie Wong's RocketJump production company
- Bloodborne will be harder than Demon's Souls and features procedurally generated dungeons
- Hearthstone users pass the 75 million mark, new expansion on the way says new report
- Square Enix unveils the Final Fantasy Type-0 Collector's Edition
- Life Is Strange arrives today
- SEGA cuts jobs in the biggest strategic shift since they binned the Dreamcast
- Big new update arrives for Frozen Cortex
- Introversion's Prison Architect will see its full launch this year, mobile version announced
- Ken Levine's next game is a first-person sci-fi title


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Tesla produced 53,339 vehicles and delivered 40,740 vehicles in 2018 Q2
In an official press release, electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors has disclosed the exact numbers pertaining to the production and delivery of its electric cars in the April-June 2018 quarter.
According to the figures revealed by Tesla Motors in the official press release, the company’s total production of electric cars in the reporting quarter was 53,339 units, including a significant 28,578 units of the Model 3. The production numbers for Model 3 during the quarter were higher than expected.
So far as Tesla’s deliveries for the 2018 second quarter are concerned, the automaker delivered 40,740 units of its electric cars during the quarter.
Going by the breakdown of the deliveries given by Tesla, the total number of Model S units delivered by the automaker in the second quarter stood at 10,930; with Model X deliveries being 11,370 units, and Model 3 deliveries being a lower-than-anticipated number of 18,440 units.
However, the most remarkable achievement highlighted by Tesla is a recent confirmation by the company that it achieved the targeted ‘5,000 units per week’ production rate for the Model 3 at the end of the April-June 2018 quarter. As per a leaked email sent by Tesla CEO Elon Musk to employees, the automaker produced 5,031 units of Model 3 in the last week of the quarter.
In a move which will enable Tesla Motors to commence the deliveries of its Model 3 Dual Motor and Performance versions to customers, the EPA has recently released its official ratings for the two versions.
Engineering research and consulting firm Munro & Associates has recently revealed that it has completed its teardown and analysis of Tesla’s Model 3 electric car.
The results of a survey conducted by British motoring group AA have revealed that 50% of the youth are eager to own an electric vehicle (EV).
At the Goodwood Festival of Speed event in the UK this week, Swedish technology start-up Einride has unveiled an all-electric and autonomous logging truck called The T-Log.
In a recent announcement, Fiat-Chrysler (FCA) has said that the company is significantly accelerating its electric vehicle (EV) programs, and is “going after Tesla” with their own luxury brands.
US electric vehicle maker Tesla’s exports to China are possibly on the verge of a possible slowdown because of a recent move by the Chinese government to increase import duties from the current 25% to a significantly high 40%.


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Monday, November 23, 2015
ATLANTA, Ga. (November 23, 2015) – The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), the licensing affiliate of IMG College, today announced an extension of its partnership with Fresno State to continue managing the University’s successful trademark licensing program through to 2025. Fresno State began partnering with CLC in 1983.
“CLC understands the importance of the Fresno State brand and works side by side with us to expand our brand presence while staying true to the values and priorities of the university,” said Paula Castadio, Vice President for Advancement, Fresno State. “We are pleased to renew our long-time partnership and look forward to more success in the future.”
“Fresno State has taken a strategic approach to its licensing program by partnering with CLC to educate retailers and licensees about its fan base and distinct brand attributes,” said Brian White, Vice President, CLC. “As a result, the number of retail doors carrying school merchandise has grown from a handful in 2000 to hundreds today, throughout the state of California and nationally.”
The University’s licensing program has grown by more 250% in revenue in the past decade. During this period, with CLC’s assistance, retailers including Victoria's Secret, Costco, Sam's Club, and Dick's Sporting Goods began carrying Fresno State officially licensed merchandise.
Fresno State has also participated in CLC-exclusive retail programs including College Vault, College Colors Day and other national brand marketing platforms.
CLC, the leading collegiate licensing agency in the U.S., has signed or extended its licensing agreements with more than 50 partner institutions in 2015. CLC currently represents nearly 200 collegiate institutions, including 29 Bowl Games and the College Football Playoff.
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About Fresno State
For more information, please contact:
California State University, Fresno, also known as Fresno State, is one of the 23 campuses of the California State University system and serves Central California’s diverse, growing population, while interacting with the state, nation and world. The prestigious Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has awarded Fresno State its Community Engagement Classification, acknowledging the University’s extensive partnership with Central California.
With an enrollment of more than 23,000 students, Fresno State is designated by U.S. Department of Education as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.
Fresno State is accredited by the California Board of Education and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The University offers 62 undergraduate degree programs and 45 master’s degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and in professional disciplines emphasizing agriculture, business, engineering and technology, health and human services, and education.
Fresno State also has established doctoral programs in educational leadership, physical therapy and nursing. Through transformational applied research, technical assistance, training and other related public service activities, the University builds partnerships and linkages with business, education, industry, government and community benefit organizations.
The Fresno State campus is a 1,400-acre green space comprising a 1,000-acre farm that is part of the agriculture program and a near-400-acre academic campus that is shaded by 4,000 trees and is designated as an arboretum.
It sits near the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, home to Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. Fresno is California’s fifth-largest city, and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley is one of the world’s richest agricultural areas. The University is within easy driving distance of San Francisco, Los Angeles, the Monterey Peninsula, Central Coast beaches and Lake Tahoe. Sailing, lakes, camping, fishing, hiking and ski resorts are nearby, and Fresno offers a wealth of cultural arts, unique shopping and ethnic restaurants, parks and bike/running trails that promote a healthy lifestyle; and affordable housing.
IMG is a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 25 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages thousands of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment agency, to form WME | IMG.


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Software Bootlegger Indicted In Albany County
Attorney General Spitzer today announced a three count indictment of an Albany man stemming from the alleged sale of counterfeit computer software with an estimated retail value exceeding $2 million.
The indictment, which was unsealed today, charges Mario J. Stacchini, 31, with one count of Trademark Counterfeiting in the First Degree, a class C felony, one count of Trademark Counterfeiting in the Second Degree, a class E felony, and one count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony.
Stacchini was arraigned before Albany County Court Judge Larry J. Rosen and entered a plea of not guilty. Bail was set at $10,000.
The indictment alleges that between May and October 1999, the defendant participated in a conspiracy to distribute counterfeit Microsoft products. It is alleged that as part of the conspiracy Stacchini obtained thousands of copies of counterfeit software products and packaging worth millions of dollars in retail value from suppliers in Ohio, California, Pennsylvania and Illinois and that he distributed that software to customers in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
As part of the conspiracy, the indictment alleges that in October 1999, Stacchini ordered 100 copies of counterfeit Microsoft Office 2000 software from a source in California. The indictment further alleges that as part of the conspiracy, defendant shipped more than 600 copies of counterfeit Microsoft Office 97 software to a customer in the United Kingdom in September 1999.
The case is being handled by William Comiskey, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Attorney General's Criminal Prosecutions Bureau. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.


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Independent award-winning development studio, Lucid Games, have announced today that Switchblade, their 5v5 free-to-play action MOBA, will be launching on Steam PC and PlayStation 4 on January 22.
Switchblade will be released for free on January 22
Switchblade is set futuristic world where war is the new sport and heavily armed sci-fi vehicles deliver its deadly strategies. The game see’s two teams of 5 compete in a frantic battle as players work together to take down enemy towers.
In Switchblade, players have the ability to choose two vehicles at the start of each match and switch them at any moment during battle, allowing for endless tactical possibilities. Each vehicle in Switchblade offers an entirely unique strategy on the battlefield and with 17 vehicles spread over 4 car classes, everyone can find their sweet spot.
Lucid Games will be supporting their free-to-play action MOBA with even more content in the coming months, including: new vehicles, maps, modes, cosmetics and more. So now is the perfect time for players to enter the fray and build the ultimate squad.


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Costa on Lincoln High Street remains closed after initially closing on Monday, October 9 "due to unforeseen circumstances".
At the time, staff told Lincolnshire Live that they believed the plumbing problem would be resolved by the following day.
But this has now not appeared to be the case as the coffee shop continues to be closed ten days later.
And now, newspaper pages have been spotted covering the inside view of Costa and the sign still remains on the shop front.
When Lincolnshire Live attended the shop this morning, chairs could be seen stacked up and tables pressed against the door of the shop inside.
A man in a high visibility jacket was also spotted inside the shop just before 8am - the shop is due to open at 6.30am every day except Sunday, according to Google opening times.
The store shut on Monday, October 9, and a sign was placed in the window stating: "Due to unforeseen circumstances regarding our plumbing, this store is closed until further notice."
There was a mixed reaction when the store first closed - with some disappointed and others not too bothered.
One woman, who occasionally visits the coffee shop, said: "It's a bit annoying. I like going to Costa. I bet some people will be left disappointed. I hope it opens soon because I like a good Costa."
Another person added: "That's a popular place to get a hot drink. I always see people inside. I'm sure some people will be left disappointed about the closure. But it doesn't look like it'll be shut long, which is good."
But one man, who isn't too bothered about the move, said: "I think it's obscene how much these such places charge for coffee when you can actually save loads of money by making the stuff yourself."
Costa has been contacted for comment on the closure.
The branches at the Odeon and at St Marks are both believed to be open as usual.


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By Syma Chowdhry
MARLTON, NJ (CBS) – The advertisement is catching shoppers’ eyes – but not for the reason you might think.
It’s no secret that Victoria’s Secret uses thin models for its campaigns, but add the words “perfect body” and that will stir up the perfect debate.
Women – and men – took their opinions to social media, and soon, the hashtag #IAmPerfect started trending.
Now, there are online petitions for the company to take the ads down.
“There is a consumer sentiment and backlash against the line ‘perfect body’ because a lot of women are feeling this is not representative of their perfect body,” says adverting expert Annie Heckenberger, of Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners.
She says this kind of criticism from consumers has a silver lining for the company.
“In this instance, it’s very interesting that they have gotten a lot of people talking about a bra…
View original post 163 more words


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Unfortunately, in Azerbaijan there are families that follow sectarian rules, said Haji Abdulla, head of the sector on internal projects at the Knowledge Fund under the President of Azerbaijan.
This is a very dangerous trend, Abdulla said addressing a conference “Islamic Solidarity: Azerbaijan’s Example”, organized by the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations in Baku on Friday, APA reported.
“My relative who is working in a shopping center in Baku says that he always buys goods from them [so-called Wahhabis]. He said that his “brothers” who come from Dagestan and Azerbaijan’s districts also buy goods only from them. This is a very dangerous trend, and measures should be taken to prevent this,” he added.


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AIS has reported total revenues of 172,890 million baht as part of its results in 2020, a slight reduction of 4.4% as a result of the COVID-19 situation since the first quarter, which has also impacted the economy continually all year. Net profit is 28,423 million baht. Overall in its mobile phone business, AIS still has the greatest number of subscribers at 41.4 million. Meanwhile, the home internet business of AIS Fibre has shot up with growth of over 22% year on year, outpacing the industry, now having 1.3 million customers. In 2021 AIS has set total investment budgets of 25,000 - 30,000 million baht. Expansion of 5G/4G Networks is proceeding to build the country strong digital infrastructure. AIS will retain its policy to pay dividends not less than 70% of net profit, with payment set at 3.68 baht per share and scheduled for 20 April 2021.
*Not including results from Thai accounting standard 16
Somchai Lertsutiwong, CEO of Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) commented, "The COVID crisis at the start of 2020 was a steep learning curve for all sectors, and generated awareness of the importance of digital technology as a tool to defeat infection, revive the economy and be the foundation for national development with sustainable growth. We remain confident about digital infrastructure and 5G in particular, of which AIS currently holds the most spectra in both 4G and 5G, with the best coverage in Thailand, counting 1420 MHz. Within this February the company will receive licenses for 26 GHz of bandwidth covering all three frequency bands, high medium and low. These will enhance the efficiency of the 5G network rollout to support usage by Thai customers and encourage take-up by the industrial sector. In recent months, we have continued to cooperate with variety of partners in the ecosystem, and we have been trialling usage in real-time situations."
In the overall 2020 results, AIS has recorded combined revenues of 172,890 million baht, a reduction of 4.4% on the previous year.
Mobile-phone business: income is down 6.5% on the previous year which is the result of losing income from customers in the as yet unrecovered tourist sector, from restrictions on international travel. However, AIS has maintained number one market share in terms of both revenue and subscriber numbers. The company currently has the most mobile phone customers in the market at 41.4 million numbers, of which 10.2 million are prepaid customers, an increase in the fourth quarter of 420,900 users. Prepaid customers stand at 31.2 million, an increase of 74,400. Usage of 4G continues to grow. As of the year-end, 4G customers had increased 77%. Customers used an average of 18 GB of data per month, a rise of 42% on the previous year. As for usage of 5G, since the service launched in October 2020 until now, it has gained a total of 239,000 customers.
AIS has continued to develop the 5G network, the company is focused on rolling out the 5G network to support maximal efficiency of customer usage as well as supporting its deployment in various industrial sectors such as medicine, logistics, manufacturing, security and the Smart City. The company is confident that 5G will become a new technology for the Real New Normal supporting every sector - the economy, society and the general public.
AIS Fibre home internet business: This has continued to grow outpacing the industry, with users increased over the lockdown period. This is mostly from a massive change in lifestyles to Work from Home and Learn from Home. Throughout 2020, customers increased by over 299,300 or 29%, a much higher rate than the industry which showed average growth of 10-12%, currently standing at 1.3 million customers. AIS' dedication to develop excellence in its products and services has resulted in AIS Fibre being chosen as the best internet service provider in Asia Pacific for 2020 by Frost & Sullivan, a leading business consultant and researcher with over 50 years of experience. Also, Ookla(R) Speedtest(R), the world's premier benchmarking service for internet access speed, has crowned AIS with the award of Thailand's fastest ISP for two years in succession (2019-2020). The company aims to enter the top three of Thai broadband internet providers by the end of 2021."
Enterprise segment: Corporate and SME customers have shown interest in the Telecom Services group, which provides infrastructure for communications, corporate networks and Digital Enabler services. Businesses can apply Digital Technologies in the new era such as IT, Cloud, IoT, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, and future 5G.
Overall, good cost management, on both providing service, and sales and management costs, have resulted in Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) of 76,619 million baht, a reduction of 2.7 percent on the previous year and have a net profit 28,423 million baht, 8.9% decrease compared to the previous year. AIS will pay dividends on earnings for the second half of 3.68 baht per share, or approximately 75% of net profit, on 20 April 2021.
"The lessons of this crisis have given us the belief that we have immunized ourselves as best as we could. We have faced up to the changes and learned a great deal about the new things which can enable us to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Today, digital technology is no longer something remote, but this depends on who is adapting it, and how. AIS today has both core business, Including growth in new business groups Whether it is a video business, insurance, digital payments and services with partners, etc which is the source of both challenges and huge opportunities, and the key is future mutual success. AIS is allocating 2021 budgets of 25,000 - 30,000 million baht to develop Thai digital infrastructure sustainably, and so it is ready to be a core of support for every sector by forming partnerships in the digital ecosystem. This will power the country to overcome every challenge sustainably," concluded Somchai.
Source: Advanced Info Service


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HP announced Thursday that it is discontinuing webOS operations specifically the TouchPad and webOS based phones like the Veer and Pre. HP had taken control of webOS a little over a year ago when the purchased Palm, Inc. for $1.2 billion.
HP Kills TouchPad, Pre and WebOS
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After its well-received 2015 show in Las Vegas last month, NamesCon has confirmed a third annual domain name conference for 2016 and is offering deeply discounted tickets for “super early birds” until the end of the month.
Until February 28, conference passes can be bought for $199. That’s an 80% discount on the regular $999 fee. No other early-bird discounts have yet been announced, but NamesCon says this is the “lowest” price the tickets are going to get.
As the event is targeted largely at domainers, NamesCon notes that tickets are non-transferable. Touts are not welcome, in other words.
The show will run from January 10 to 13 next year, in Las Vegas. The venue will be the reasonably priced Tropicana hotel for the third year in a row.
Conference producer Richard Lau said that the 2016 show will have a new sponsorship opportunity in the form of a “Meetery” on the first day.
With space for about 30 companies on small tables, the six-hour window will be “ideal for companies who do not want to man a booth for the entire conference but still want to be able to meet with all of the attendees,” Lau said.
NamesCon is also expanding the number of small tables available for sponsors that want to exhibit for the whole four days from six to 15 to 20, he said.
Tickets can be obtained through the NamesCon web site.
ICM Registry president Stuart Lawley may be just weeks away from launching his second and third gTLD registries, but that doesn’t mean he has a positive outlook on new gTLDs in general.
“I think people need to wake up,” he told DI in a recent interview. “If you do the math on some of these numbers and prospective numbers, it just doesn’t stack up for a profitable business.”
“The new ‘Well Done!’ number seems to be a lot less than it was six months ago or 12 months ago,” he said.
Lawley said he’s among the most “bearish” in the industry when it comes to new gTLD prospects. And that goes for ICM’s own .porn, .sex and .adult, which are due to launch between March and September this year.
While he’s sure they’ll be profitable, and very bullish on the search engine optimization benefits that he says registrants could be able to achieve, he’s cautious about what kind of registration volumes can be expected. He said:
If you add up everybody that has ever bought a .xxx name, including the Sunrise B defensives, we have got a target market of about 250,000 names. People to go back to and say, “Look, you still have a .xxx or you had a .xxx at some stage. Therefore, we think you may be interested in buying .porn, .sex or .adult for exactly the same reasons.”
So, our expectations to sell to a whole new market outside of those quarter of a million names is probably quite limited.
Lawley said that he believes that the relatively poor volume performance of most new gTLDs over the last year will cause many registrars to question whether it’s worth their time and money to offer them.
I can see why registrars can’t be bothered. How many of these am I going to sell? Am I going to sell two hundred of them? Am I going to make five dollars per name? That’s one thousand dollars. It’s not worth it to me to put in ten thousand dollars worth of labor and effort to make one thousand dollars in revenue. So, I think that’s a challenge that many of the small lone player TLDs may face.
Lawley said he’s skeptical about the ability of major portfolio players, such as Donuts, to effectively market their hundreds of gTLDs, many of which are targeted at niche vertical markets.
He said in an ideal world a gTLD would need to spend $20 million to $30 million a year for a few years in order to do a proper PR job on a single TLD — ICM spent about $8 million to $9 million, $5.5 million of which was on US TV spots — and that’s just not economically viable given how many names are being sold.
But he added that he thinks it’s a good thing that some new gTLDs are seeing a steady and fairly linear number of daily additions, saying it might point to better long-term stability.
A lot of the TLDs that seem to be doing okay — .club for argument’s sake and several others in that ilk — seem to be doing their three hundred domains per day ADD, or 32 or 12 or whatever the number is, in a relatively linear fashion six or seven months after launch, which I think is potentially positive if one extrapolates that out.
Remember when sex.com sold for $13 million?
The owner of sex.co, which according to Whois is Amsterdam-based Quattro Media Co, has put the domain on the market with a buy-it-now price of $200,000.
That’s according to Heritage Auctions, which says it is managing the sale.
There are no buyer’s fees associated with the offer, HA said in an email blast.
Given there’s only one letter difference between sex.com and sex.co, you’d imagine that the .co benefits from a fair bit of typo traffic. The domain is currently parked.
For sale at less than 2% of the price that sex.com went for back in 2010, would $200,000 be a bit of a bargain?
The first new gTLD to go live is seeing its first-year renewals at 55% one year after hitting general availability.
dotShabaka Registry’s شبكة. (or “.shabaka”, the Arabic for “.web”) has also seen its zone file shrink by about 27% over the last two weeks.
The zone peaked at 2,069 domains on February 1, 2015, but today stands at 1,521. Exactly one year ago, it was at 1,561 names.
The zone is smaller today than it was just two weeks after GA began, in other words.
“We can confirm we’re seeing renewal rates for names due in February at around 55%,” Adrian Kinderis, CEO of ARI Registry Services, which runs .shabaka’s back-end, told DI in a statement.
The registry added 1,608 domains in February 2014, 1,400 of those in the first half of the month.
The 55% is the number of domains that were renewed before their February expiry date. The full number for February will not be known until the grace period ends in mid-April.
“We have a handful of cancel renews and all other expired domains are in the auto-renew period,” he said. “It’s too early to examine the numbers for renews post-expiry date, but we expect this will increase the overall tally.”
“Given the market conditions we face in the region, the results align with our forecasts and we expect the numbers to improve for renewals due in the coming weeks and months,” he said.
In gTLDs, domains can enter a Auto Renew Grace Period for up to 45 days after expiration, during which they can still be renewed by their registrant and may or may not appear in the zone file.
It wouldn’t be fair on other new gTLD registries to read to much into these numbers, assuming they do not improve, as شبكة. is a bit of an unusual case.
It’s seen low registration volume, despite the apparently attractive string, largely because it’s restricted to Arabic script at the second level and the Arabic-speaking market is in its infancy.
When شبكة. launched there were no registrars offering an end-to-end Arabic shopping cart, Kinderis said. He added:
The most significant problem still remains demand and consumer awareness…
In regards to demand, the lack of awareness is a direct result of little to no marketing in the region. Apart from our own efforts, there has been little marketing or education programs deployed to increase awareness of new Top-Level Domains and Arabic script domain names.
We have even limited our marketing efforts because we identified early that market readiness is inadequate. Any large investment in marketing from dotShabaka Registry at the moment would be premature and wasteful until supply, demand and universal acceptance issues have been addressed.
He called on ICANN and its recently created Middle East Working Group to focus on ways to increase awareness and demand for domain names in the region. To date, it’s focused too much registrars and technical issues, he said.
شبكة. has its own set of issues and is probably not the best test case for new gTLDs in general.
That’s going to come soon. Donuts’ first batch of gTLDs — .guru, .bike, .holdings, .plumbing, .singles, .ventures and .clothing — had their base-price GA anniversary on February 4, and it appears that domains have already started to drop.
There’s little indication of anything amiss in the .guru zone file so far but the other six are down slightly — by maybe 100 or so names apiece, or less than 1% each — over the last two weeks.
Donuts executives have said they expect first-year renewals to be strong, but we’ve got a few weeks left before anyone will be in a position to know for sure.
A little over a year into the live phase of the new gTLD program, a group of domain industry companies are getting together to make sure the expansion is supported across the whole internet.
A new Universal Acceptance Steering Group has formed, with the support of ICANN and the Domain Name Association, to help fix many of the compatibility problems facing new gTLD registrants today.
“The basic problem is that these new types of domains and email addresses just break stuff,” Google’s Brent London said during a UASG meeting at the ICANN meeting in Singapore last week.
“You try to use an internationalized domain or a long new gTLD, or even a short new gTLD, or certainly an internationalized email address and you’re likely to run into problems,” he said. “What we’re doing is going around asking developers to make their products work.”
Universal acceptance is a long-understood problem. Even 15 years after the approval of .info there are still web sites that validate email addresses by ensuring the TLD is no longer than three characters in length.
But the 2012 new gTLD round has brought the issue into sharper focus, particularly given the introduction of internationalized domain names, IDNs, which use non-Latin scripts.
Over the last year we’ve seen scattered examples of popular software — including browsers, instant messaging and social media apps — not recognizing new gTLD domains as domains. The problems I’ve seen are usually fixed quite quickly.
While I’ve not seen any deal-breakers that would prevent me registering a new gTLD domain, I gather that IDN email addresses are often basically unusable, due to the chain of dependencies involved in sending an email.
In my experience as a programmer, supporting all TLDs is not a particularly challenging problem when you’re coding something afresh.
However, when bad practices have been coded in to large, sprawling, interdependent systems over decades, it could be likened to the Y2K problem — the so-called Millennium Bug that caused developer headaches worldwide at the end of the last century.
There’s also a tonne of bad advice on the web, with coders telling other coders to validate domains in ways that do not support an expanding root.
UASG members think the problem is large-scale and that it’s a long-term project — 10 years or more — to fix it satisfactorily.
Members include Donuts, Google, Microsoft, Go Daddy and Afilias.
The DNA has started creating a repository of information for developers, with the aim of describing the problem in plain English and providing code samples. Along with other UASG members, there’s a plan to conduct outreach to make more people aware of the acceptance issue.
You can check out the repository in its unfinished state here.
ICANN is getting involved in a coordination role. After the UASG’s inaugural meeting in Washington DC a few weeks ago, ICANN hosted a session during ICANN 52.


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Tesla plans to go smaller and more affordable for its next generation of electric vehicles, CEO Elon Musk has revealed.
Speaking during a conference call on Tuesday following the release of Tesla’s third-quarter financial results, Musk said the company was working on a next-generation platform designed for vehicles smaller than the current Model 3 and Model Y crossover.
He also said the platform would cost half what the platform of the Model 3 and Model Y costs, which points to any vehicle based on it also being more affordable than the Model 3 and Model Y.
“At this point, we are done with the engineering for Cybertrucks and for Semi,” he said. “So, it’s obviously what we’re working on, the next-generation vehicle, which will be probably be about half the cost of the 3 and Y platform. It will be smaller, to be clear.”
Musk also predicted that production of vehicles on the new platform will exceed the combined production of the rest of Tesla’s lineup.
“But it will, I think, certainly exceed the production of all our other vehicles combined,” he said. “I mean, obviously, we’re going to take everything we learned from S, X, 3, Y, Cybertruck and Semi into that platform.”
Musk didn’t go into detail about how Tesla will cut costs but said the company had a goal to get the “effort” required to build EVs on the next-gen platform to half what is required for the Model 3 and Model Y.
The Model 3 is the most affordable Tesla at present, starting at $48,490. As for the cost for a future EV, Musk in 2020 said Tesla could cut costs via further improvements in the production process coupled with cheaper battery chemistry, which could result in an EV costing as little as $25,000.
Before its launch in 2018, Musk said the Model 3 would start at $35,000. A $35,000 Model 3 was offered in 2019, though Tesla pulled it from sale after only a few months.
- New Jersey bill would ban in-car subscriptions
- Porsche tests possible Tesla Plaid-topping Taycan
- 2024 GMC Sierra EV Denali: 400 miles of range for $108,695
- Mercedes aims for zero crashes by 2050
- 2024 Porsche Taycan spy shots: Mid-cycle update coming


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Before being sworn in as President, Donald Trump was tweeting at Boeing and Carrier about business practices and costs. It was somewhat cringe-worthy, but since he held no official role in government, it ultimately didn’t matter.
That all changed when Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States. Earlier today he tweeted the following:
My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person — always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017
This is in response to Nordstrom’s notice that they’re going to stop carrying daughter (and administration adviser) Ivanka’s clothing line in their stores. Nordstrom says their decision was based on business saying Trump’s clothing line is not selling well enough to justify keeping the clothing in their stores. Some are saying the decision is political, but there’s no evidence to suggest that. These kinds of decisions are made all the time, especially in retail. If a product is not moving, you remove it from the racks and shelves for something that will sell.
The President of the United States, with that tweet, is attempting to bully a company that stopped doing business with a family member who happens to work in his administration. If this is not crossing an ethical line, then what does it look like to do so? What happens when Eric and Donald Trump Jr. have an issue with another company? Will Dad call them out as well? When does it end?
Doing the right thing, in this case, would be saying nothing.


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Addictive indie computer game Minecraft was knocked off it's little block wheels yesterday apparently by a group of self-identifying disenfranchised Minecraft players demanding more updates from the game's creator.
Developer Notch writes that the game's servers are getting hammered by a distributed denial of service, or DDOS, attack.
"A real world example would be running up to the cashier at a super market and paying in small coins, counting every single one really slowly, then finding out at the end you didn't have enough in the first place," Notch wrote on his Tumblr today. "The "Distributed" means it's done from a lot of places at the same time, so it's much harder to simply deny access to the clients that do that. Usually this is done via computers infected with trojans, so people participate in this without even knowing they're doing it.
"As to why minecraft.net is being targeted, I'm not sure."
A post on 4chan claiming responsibility for the attack says that the group launched the DDOS because they want more updates from Notch. They also point out they are not active 4chan members or people from rival games.
Here's the full statement. Do keep in mind we have no way of knowing whether these really are the people behind the ongoing attack.
Minecraft is currently experiencing a stimulation provided by us.
It's purpose is to send Notch a clear message of how the future of minecraft will turn out unless he gets to work, namely by influencing the amount of sales taking place, due to the attacks.
Start providing your customers with the updates that you promise them.
We have roughly 83,000 bots available, and preserved for this seizure, we could if we wanted to keep this going for weeks, however we have decided to give it a week, and see whether or not your attitude, and commitment will change, we believe it will when money stops rolling in for the time being...
anyhow, no we're not from roblox, or any other minecraft clone, not to mention none of us have been around 4chan for years, and nor has any real 4channers for that matter, its all newfags now, and has been for quite a few years."
Is the official quote. I don't know the origin of the quote, but it is happening.
So if you're missing your daily Minecraft fix, just keep in mind that you can apparently blame other Minecraft fans for the problem.
The DDoS attack continues, I'll just get back to coding, then. [The Word of Notch, thanks Pigmassacre]


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Xiaomi is getting an excellent response in India, with most of its products going out of stock in just seconds in flash sales. After honing its product portfolio for the Indian market and adopting the Indian government’s Make in India initiative, Xiaomi’s Manu Kumar Jain has revealed that the company will launch 6 more smartphones in India this year.
Earlier last month, Xiaomi launched the Mi TV 4, Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Redmi Note 5 in India. Xiaomi also launched the Mi TV 4A earlier this month, bringing its high quality smart TVs in the country starting at just Rs 13,999.
Xiaomi to launch 6 more smartphones in India in 2018
Xiaomi’s Global Vice President and India head, Manu Kumar Jain said in an interview with Livemint that the company has a plan of increasing the investments over the next few years. Xiaomi is going according to a strategy of investing about $1 billion in Indian ventures.
Xiaomi is not only planning to launch six smartphones, it is also planning to expand the offline presence by opening 100 exclusive stores called Mi Home stores. The company has plans to introduce new product categories apart from the smartphones and TVs.
Manu Kumar Jain said in the interview,
“India is changing drastically. We really believe that India will become hugely digital in the next five years and we want to help promote that. We would want to increase the pace of investments to support these Indian companies. In India, we started with smaller investments…but if there’s a need, we can do bigger ticket sizes.”
He further added to the statement,
“Our aim is to launch many more product categories in India—we already have 7-8 categories in India. If you look at our product line-up in India right now, we have phones, smart TVs, fitness bands, power banks, smart routers, smart air purifiers, and few other smaller categories like t-shirts and backpacks, and some smaller products like audio players.”


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Does buying “green” products rather than the more conventional alternatives really make a difference in terms of improving the environment? Environmental activist Joel Makower says not so much.
He argues that the drive for efficiency and cost savings in business makes a bigger difference:
But there’s a deeper problem with green consumerism: It’s often hard to know which companies are improving their environmental performance—and how. The key element of making consumer choices—knowledge—is missing. Companies’ environmental improvements (or lack thereof) aren’t usually obvious, even to the experts. In fact, some of the most environmentally improved products make no green claims at all.
Here’s why: To save money, reduce risks, improve quality, and remain competitive, companies in nearly every sector are continually engineering waste, inefficiency, energy intensity, and toxicity out of their manufacturing and distribution. A few have upended their business models in the name of efficiency and enhanced productivity. They sometimes do this because of the reduced environmental impact, but mostly they do it because it makes good business sense—not something companies usually bother to tell their customers.
The fundamental problem is not post-consumer waste, but rather the waste that’s generated in creating things and delivering them to consumers. The numbers are staggering:
What’s the point? It’s only a matter of time before the story of GNT gets told and the public recognizes that for every pound of trash that ends up in municipal landfills, at least 40 more pounds are created upstream by industrial processes—and that a lot of this waste is far more dangerous to environmental and human health than our newspapers and grass clippings. At that point, the locus of concern could shift away from beverage containers, grocery bags, and the other mundane leftovers of daily life to what happens behind the scenes—the production, crating, storing, and shipping of the goods we buy and use.
This is not altogether bad news. An inefficient power supply in a computer may raise your electricity bill by $5 or $10 a year, and isn’t something you’re likely to worry about. If Google used that power supply, it would cost them millions of dollars in power bills. So they build their own servers and fund research into improving power supply technology.
Higher commodity prices create incentives to limit waste, but also make increasingly invasive extraction methods economically feasible. There was a recent article in National Geographic about mining for gold in the face of rising gold prices that exemplifies this problem. Rising commodity prices lead directly to habitat loss, which is the primary cause of species extinction.
It’s tough being an environmentalist.


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The Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) is a recently passed data privacy bill in Colorado. The CPA is the latest data privacy act passed at the state level, following the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) and the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA). Many insiders predicted the CCPA would kick off a wave of state-level privacy laws, particularly as data privacy has become an important issue for consumers, brands and legislators. The Colorado Privacy Act will take effect July 1, 2023.
What Are The Guidelines Of The Colorado Privacy Act (CPA)?
The CPA hews closely to the CCPA and VCDPA, but it does contain several important differences from prior state-level privacy laws.
A summary from the Colorado General Assembly explains that the CPA applies to:
Legal entities that conduct business or produce commercial products or services that are intentionally targeted to Colorado residents and that control or process personal data of more than 100,000 consumers per calendar year; or derive revenue from the sale of personal data and control or process the personal data of at least 25,000 consumers.
The bill gives consumers the right to:
- Opt out of the processing of their personal data
- Access, correct or delete the data
- Obtain a portable copy of the data
Similar to other current state-level privacy laws, the CPA does not offer consumers “private right of action” which would have allowed consumers to bring suit in the event of personal data violations. The recently proposed, but not yet passed, New York Privacy Act does allow consumers to bring suit for violations.
Additionally, the Colorado General Assembly explained that the CPA:
Specifies how controllers* must fulfill duties regarding consumers’ assertion of their rights, transparency, purpose specification, data minimization, avoiding secondary use, care, avoiding unlawful discrimination and sensitive data;
Requires controllers to conduct a data protection assessment for each of their processing activities involving personal data that present a heightened risk of harm to consumers, such as processing for purposes of targeted advertising, profiling, selling personal data or processing sensitive data.
*A “controller” is defined as “a person that, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of processing personal data.” (This terminology is commonly used in Europe and outside of the U.S. and will likely be familiar to businesses that have undergone GDPR compliance.)
How Is The Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) Different From Other Data Privacy Laws?
There are some notable distinctions between the CPA and other state-level data privacy laws, including:
- Under the CPA guidelines, the cure period, when advertisers can remedy violations, is 60 days, instead of 30 like the CCPA and VCDPA.
- Unlike the CCPA and VCDPA, which have fine limits of $7,500 per violation, CPA violations are classified as deceptive trade practices and can incur a $20,000 fine per violation. Additionally, the CPA can be enforced by the “Colorado office of the Attorney General as well as local district attorney offices.” Other state-level privacy laws rely only on their states’ attorney generals.
- The data protection assessments are more rigorous, with Dan Clarke, a data privacy law expert, noting that a lack of exemptions in the CPA means “companies will have to do impact assessments for any project that collects personal data.”
- Most significantly, the CPA is the first data privacy law that will require companies to eventually offer a universal opt-out option. “It [universal opt out] can be programmed into your mobile phone as the default setting, and you have to abide by it. I think that will accelerate the industry's adoption and understanding of these universal opt-out signals,” said Clarke.
Do Advertisers Support The Colorado Privacy Act (CPA)?
During the amendment phase, several business advocacy groups expressed their hesitations to the Colorado Senate committee. The Colorado Retail Council asked for a change to the CPA implementation date, which was ultimately granted by the committee. Other groups, like TechNet, a bipartisan network of technology CEOs, raised concerns about the cost for companies to comply with the CPA, which was echoed by the Association of National Advertisers, American Association of Advertising Agencies, Interactive Advertising Bureau, Network Advertising Initiative and American Advertising Federation, who said in a letter to Colorado lawmakers that the bill: “has the potential to impose crushing compliance costs on Colorado businesses – particularly small businesses – that support the state’s economy and its residents.” These same organizations also took issue with the broad definition of sensitive data in the CPA.
Conversely, Microsoft’s Ryan Harkins, Senior Director of Public Policy, spoke in support of the CPA and the universal opt-out option. Harkins said, “We [at Microsoft ] support state [privacy law] efforts. New, robust laws are needed to address real and serious concerns about privacy and restore public trust in technology.”
What Does The Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) Mean For Advertisers?
Like other data privacy laws, the CPA could impact personalized advertising, an increasingly important issue for advertisers due to recent changes from Apple and Google. Looking ahead, advertisers should adapt to changes in data privacy laws, by testing contextual targeting and other digital advertising strategies that reach consumers throughout the funnel.
Businesses that comply with CCPA and VCDPA may be more prepared for the CPA to take effect, but advertisers should still be proactive, understanding the nuances of the CPA and how it differs from other privacy laws. In the case of the CPA, the ongoing data protection assessments and preparation for the universal opt-in are areas where businesses will need to stay alert and prepared. Additionally, advertisers and businesses should aim to reassure consumers their data isn’t being misused, preparing consumers to opt-in when the time comes.
Are You Looking For Safe Ways To Reach Opted-In Audiences?
Digital Media Solutions® (DMS) understands how important it is for brands to adhere to regulations like CCPA, TCPA and CAN-SPAM, so we have prioritized and operationalized compliance across everything we do to offer brand-safe digital consumer engagement opportunities. DMS de-risks ad spend while helping our advertiser clients connect with more consumers and expand their customer bases.
Related News From DMS Insights:
- Deleting Consumer Data Under CCPA Compliance Guidelines
- What Is California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) & Why Should Businesses Care?
- Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA): Just The Facts
- What Is Contextual Targeting?
- Apple iOS 14 Operating System Targeting Changes: Just The Facts
Additional Digital Advertising Resources
- Ensuring Data Compliance In Email Campaigns: Best Practices
- Landing Page Optimization Drives Incremental Conversions
- The DMS Approach To Sustainable, Scalable & Reliable Customer Acquisition


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PS5 Pro leaked specs have been "confirmed," revealing multiple architectural improvements
Per App Store policy, emulators can only use ROMs provided by IP owners
Users have complained about burned power connectors since late 2022
Over 80% off. Available for Windows and macOS.
"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain"
The Zoom app has been renamed to Zoom Workplace, featuring a new appearance, additional AI companion options and improved collaboration with Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.
Evidence collected on a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event confuses scientists
Around 14,000 people will lose their jobs
Can Apple regain its crown with the iPhone 16?
Celebrating its 10th year anniversary
An easy-to-use, cost-cutting cold storage solution for enterprises and cloud providers
Samsung will bring 2nm chip production to the US by 2026, ahead of TSMC
Ubisoft seems hell-bent on killing any chances of reviving the online-only racing game
"These approvals must stop"
Once the disassembly process is complete, it spits out the usable components
Because sometimes you need to move tons of data when you are on the go
Former Microsoft dev says Windows Start menu's performance is "comically bad"
The WD Ultrastar Transporter supports up to 368 terabytes of storage in a 30-pound form factor
NASA engineers identify root of Voyager 1 malfunction
Nvidia advises crash-prone gamers to look to Intel for assistance
Fallout TV series is now streaming
MORE HIKES EXPECTED
Demand for HDDs by AI has pushed prices up 20%
The new mod adds 6 DoF movement support with motion controls
Plaintiffs claim they never agreed to only purchase HP ink cartridges
WD unveils its first SD Express cards, following Samsung
Video memory-related errors are Intel's fault, Nvidia says
Improving connectivity and bringing new business opportunities to the Pacific region
The Samsung ViewFinity S9 features a matte 27" IPS display with a 5K resolution and great build quality. It's currently on sale, over 40% off at $899 on Amazon. Running on Tizen OS, it offers smart capabilities and includes a built-in 4K webcam.
A significant upgrade over the third-gen iPhone SE
But then he would say that
The iPhone 17 series is expected to arrive in 2025
US risks losing space and military tech dominance without commercial sector support, Space Force commander warns
China and Russia are challenging the US' space superiority
You can turn them off, though
Amazon CEO says company is going all-in on generative AI, thinks it could be as big as the cloud and internet
Amazon "isn't done with lowering costs"
GenAI does video enhancements in Meet, dynamic content generation in Gmail, and more
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U.K. shopping centre owner Intu Properties said it was considering a 215 pence per share preliminary takeover offer from a consortium led by its deputy chairman John Whittaker, sending it shares 14 percent higher on Friday.
The proposed deal, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Olayan Group and Canadian property investor Brookfield Asset Management, values the FTSE 250 firm which owns Manchester’s Trafford Centre at 2.91 billion pounds (US$3.8 billion), a 21 percent premium to the stock’s closing price on Thursday.
Earlier this year, larger rival Hammerson made and eventually dropped an offer of 253.9 pence per share for Intu, which has suffered from the downturn in British bricks-and-mortar retailing which has seen many high street stalwarts go bust.
Intu’s CEO David Fischel stepped down in July as the company swung to a loss and warned of lower growth in rental income.
Whittaker’s consortium initially offered 205 pence per Intu share on October 11. Olayan and Whittaker’s Peel Group already hold 29.9 percent of Intu.
“We struggle to see how the Intu board will be able to recommend a cash offer below 239p,” Liberum analyst David Brockton said.
The consortium has been granted access to company documents to conduct due diligence with a view to making a firm offer, Intu said. The offer consideration will be reduced by any dividends or other distributions declared, payable or paid by Intu prior to completion.
Intu’s shares have now risen 37 percent since the consortium first confirmed on October 4 that it was considering making an offer.
(Reporting by Shashwat Awasthi and Shariq Khan in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri and Elaine Hardcastle)


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Stocks to Watch This Week
Apple shareholders gather at the consumer device giant’s headquarters on Wednesday to hear directly from management after having seen the shares tumble in recent months from a high of just over $700 last September. To add to the drama, star hedge fund manager David Einhorn has embarked on a blitz to get Apple to loosen its $137 billion purse strings. It remains to be seen how much support he has among Apple investors.
After reporting weak holiday sales across the board, from its bookstores to its Nook business to its college stores, Barnes & Noble is under pressure to show investors where its future growth will come from. The retailer, which posts results on Thursday, has said it will close a third of stores in the next decade, so its best hope remains continuing to find investors for its Nook unit, a tough sell considering it is fast losing share to Amazon’s Kindle and other tablets. Barnes & Noble already issued a warning its Nook profit and sales for the year would miss its own earlier forecasts.
Liberty Media, fresh off its spinoff of premium movie channel Starz, reports results on Friday. Investors are curious about the media holding company’s stake in Live Nation, now that Chairman Irving Azoff has departed, as well as the direction of Sirius XM. Liberty CEO Greg Maffei will be leading the call and may provide more details on the search for a permanent CEO of Sirius XM.
Rival department store operators Macy’s and Saks report quarterly earnings on Tuesday. While Macy’s has already reported its holiday quarter sales numbers, investors will want to know if the retailer thinks it can keep its streak going in 2013 and whether the discount-heavy holiday season hurt its profits. Saks will be under pressure to tell Wall Street how it plans to rev up same-store sales, which analysts expect to be flat for the fourth quarter, a weak performance compared to Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, which are far ahead in terms of ecommerce. Later in the week, look for earnings reports from Target and J.C. Penney on Wednesday, and Best Buy, Gap, Kohl’s and Sears on Thursday.
Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co, leads his new team of managers in an annual day of presentations to Wall Street about the outlook for businesses operated by the biggest U.S. bank. Analysts and institutional investors at the conference in New York will be closely watching Marianne Lake in her first in-person appearance before the group as chief financial officer, a post she took at the start of this year after Dimon reshuffled his lieutenants in the wake of the bank’s London Whale trading loss of $6.2 billion last year. New chiefs of investment banking are also expected to make presentations.
Lastly, Hertz will post quarterly results on Monday. The car rental company, which acquired rival Dollar Thrifty in a $2.56 billion deal late last year, is expected to benefit from higher rental volume, especially in North America. Another highlight will be a strong domestic used-car market that has helped car rental companies to reduce fleet operating costs in the quarter. Hertz is also expected to provide its 2013 forecast as well as an update on the acquisition of Dollar Thrifty.
Tags: AAPL, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Dollar Thrift, Gap, Hertz, JPM, Kohl's, Liberty Media, Macys, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, Sears


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Lady Gaga Steps Out in a Stylish Bomber and Converse After Announcing New Album Release Date
Fresh off the heels of the release of her new single, "Perfect Illusion," and the news that her upcoming album will be titled Joanne, Lady Gaga headed out from a recording studio on Thursday in New York in the chicest of bomber jackets and high top Converse.
The 30-year-old songstress flashed a hint of her toned abs in a white crop top, which she covered up with a colorful luxe varsity-style bomber jacket with cream sleeves and brown-and-tan piping.
The "Bad Romance" hitmaker paired the silk statement piece with medium wash jeans featuring distressed knees and casual high top Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers for a stylish and comfortable afternoon look. Mother Monster finished off her ensemble with small silver hoop earrings, which she accentuated by pulling her long platinum locks back up into a high ponytail, and very Gaga-esque oversize black sunglasses.
Lady Gaga's new album, Joanne, is set to be released Oct. 21, and we can't wait to hear what the singer has in store for us!


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Twitter has unveiled its new First View video service, which aims to help advertisers get their message to the social media site’s users.
In a blog post Tuesday the social network introduced ‘First View,’ a feature that will allow marketers to share their “brand story” with Twitter’s audience through videos that appear in the top spot of their timelines.
Twitter wrote on its blog, “marketers come to Twitter to reach this live, premium audience through Promoted Trends and Promoted Moments, creating significant brand moments for their product launches, event sponsorships, and film premieres. Now, with First View, marketers can scale their efforts even further.”
The news comes just days after Twitter calmed users’ frazzled nerves following a media report that it would introduce an algorithmic timeline, which sparked user outrage and the hashtag #RIPTwitter.
Twitter CEO Dorsey weighed in on the brouhaha Saturday. “Hello Twitter! Regarding #RIPTwitter: I want you all to know we're always listening. We never planned to reorder timelines next week,” he tweeted.


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Pi Beam Funding : Raises 5 crore from GAIL India
Pi Beam which is working in building sustainable and affordable micro-mobility electric vehicles raises pre-series A funding INR 5 crore from the Public Sector Unit (PSU) GAIL India Limited.
“With this fundraise; Pi Beam has raised a total of $1 million in 2019. Previously, Pi Beam has raised capital from Eagle10 Ventures, Bluehill Capital, Keiretsu Forum, and industry leading HNIs. The fresh capital raised will be used for expanding product portfolio and ramping up sales,” says Visakh Sasikumar Founder and CEO of Pi Beam, which was initially incubated at IIT Madras.
Founder of StartupLanes, Shishir Gupta says: In this era where climate change is the most crucial topic. Each and every country determined towards Global Climate Change Initiative to limit the global temperature below 2 degrees centigrade. We need more initiaves like Pi Beam. Pi Beam is directly helping India toa chieve its SDG 13 goal. We really need to look forward to save energy and sustain the resources for our future generation. As fossil fuels are limited and petrol, diesel prices are rising gradually. Electric vehicles are not only working towards energy saving but also cost saving. Our youth is taking climate change sincerely and greatly stepping towards sustainability. StartupLanes Compliments to Pi Beam on this success.
Pi beam was founded by Visakh Sasikumar incubated at IIT Madras. It designs, develops and sells future mobility hybrid vehicles i.e Solar + Electric+ Peddal Assist. It emphasizes to switch to more sustainable energy. It is basically working on the range of electric vehicles. It aims to provide sustainable solutions in micro-mobility space, with zero cost of fuel. It is currently working on a two-wheeler and three-wheeler commercial vehicles basically. Right now it is operating in Chennai with PSU on last-mile delivery of gas cylinders and with municipal corporations for garbage collection. The startup has stated that Pi Beam is also the first Indian company to offer pedal-assisted electric vehicles for logistics and passenger movement.
In COP 21, 2015 India and France initiated the idea of Solar Alliance with headquarter based in Gurugram. Electric Vehicles; products operating with solar energy are in high demand. We have some good examples of electric and solar vehicles in India like Emflux Motors, Anther Energy, Sun Mobility, Storm Motors, etc. According to the Economic Times, it has been acknowledged by the United Nations Environment that India is going to achieve climate goals before the schedule. So, there is an acute need for startups who can work towards sustainability, climate change, energy-saving, etc.


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A fake SMS message has reportedly been circulating to Indian mobile phone users, with a link to malware, posing as a vaccine registration app. Meanwhile, Samsung ...
Galaxy A52 5g
Samsung launched Galaxy A52, Galaxy A52 5G, and Galaxy A72 today, bringing features like optical image stabilisation and IP67 water resistance to its 2021 Galaxy ...
There is no word on price and availability in India yet.
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A72 smartphones at its second Unpacked event tonight.
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G will feature a 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-O display.
The Galaxy A52 5G has been spotted on a Polish retailer's online site and while the listing is still up, the store has removed the price.
Here's a good look at the upcoming Galaxy A52 5G in an unboxing video published by a YouTuber.
The Galaxy A52 which is expected to sport a quad cam setup, could also bring Optical Image Stabilisation, a feature usually found on flagship devices.