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It's not the kind of announcement you'd expect from Verizon Wireless. But the notoriously protective carrier known for crippling many of the devices running on its network, as well as suing the FCC over the open access stipulations attached to the 700 MHz auction, did a complete about face on Tuesday. In doing so, the U.S.'s second largest carrier nowsays it will allow anyone with a compatible phone to access its network.
In theory, that means any CDMA phone will now work on Verizon's network. (In practice, those phones will still have to be vetted by Verizon's $20 million testing lab.) It also means that customers will be able to download and use the third-party applications of their choice on those devices, once Verizon publishes technical standards for the development community early next year.
Tuesday's announcement is perhaps the strongest evidence to date that the mobile industry as a whole is undergoing some fundamental shifts in the way it approaches openness, both from a network and device perspective. Three weeks ago, Google announced its Open Handset Alliance (OHA), which is comprised of a group of handset makers, carriers and silicon manufacturers. OHA centers on a new open source mobile operating system for smartphones. That announcement undoubtedly played a major role in Verizon's new stance on openness, as the wireless provider remains one of only two U.S. carriers (AT&T being the other) that hasn't committed to the open source alliance.
Also at play is the FCC's upcoming 700 MHz auction. Google has already announced it will bid on a swath of spectrum that will, by law, be open to all devices and applications. Wearing its brand new open network badge, Verizon could end up going head-to-head with the search giant during the bidding process in January.
Let's not forget the competition the company currently faces, either. Verizon has arguably had a tough time competing with GSM carriers, which far outnumber their CDMA counterparts worldwide. Because GSM phones use SIM cards, it's relatively easy to use them on different (GSM) networks – something you can't do with CDMA phones, which must be unlocked through the network. Estimates vary, but globally there are from 400 to 500 million CDMA phone users as opposed to 2.6 billion using GSM, which puts Verizon in a very small minority worldwide. Verizon may be trying to cultivate a more diverse CDMA ecosystem by sailing the open seas.
Some analysts even say the company's decision may not have that much to do with traditional mobile phones at all. Instead, Tuesday's announcement could be a preemptive move to get ready for the company's 4G network and a new generation of mobile internet devices – all of which will bring new services and, most importantly, new customers to Verizon.
"Remember, this move isn't just limited to traditional mobile phones," says IDC mobile analyst Chris Hazelton. "In many ways we're talking about the same thing that WiMax will offer: devices that are constantly connected to the network, as well as ones that syncing with it constantly," he says.
In the end, Verizon could gain from being the network of choice for these new devices. However, it can't do that by maintaining a closed approach.
Hazelton gives the recent example of Amazon's Kindle, which includes data network access provided by Sprint. "You don't pay Sprint for access, you pay Amazon," he says of the business model forged between the two companies. "It's built into price of the device. Now, there are a lot of device vendors out there looking to push new services and Verizon will probably want to run these services along side of its own to remain competitive."
Regardless of Verizon's ultimate strategy, Tuesday's surprise announcement drew a good deal of praise from some unlikely candidates. One of them happened to be FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, who reiterated that more openness at the network, service and application level will ultimately help foster innovation in the industry. Microsoft chimed in as well, saying that it was glad to see "such a bold move" from Verizon.
Others weren't as easily impressed, however. David Farber, a professor of computer science and public policy at Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science and an outspoken proponent of open access, sees no reason to jump for joy.
"So, basically, Verizon has now joined every other carrier out there – with the exception of AT&T – in saying they will allow other devices to run on their network. They're just saying 'me too, me too!'"
Farber notes that if you have an unlocked GSM phone, you can already do pretty much everything Verizon is now agreeing to let its own customers do.
"They're doing what T-Mobile and most GSM carriers have done for years," he says. "My guess is that this business with Google (the recently announced Open Handset Alliance) and the iPhone (the upcoming release of the SDK) made them twitchy."
That said, Farber does admit that Verizon's decision is a step in the right direction, albeit one that was probably forced upon on the company.
"The only reason a carrier will go this [open] direction is if it thinks it can get a huge amount of customers and hold them," Farber says. "Why give up profit unless you get a something out of it?"
Ultimately, Farber says that Verizon Wireless is reacting to competitive pressure and an industry that is increasingly moving toward openness. It's not just Google and Apple, either, but manufacturers of GSM phones, all of whom are all publishing their own SDKs as well.
Yet despite such skepticism and outstanding questions about how open Verizon's network will ultimately be, there are those that think the decision was undeniably shrewd for a company that's never seemed that concerned with its public perception.
"I think this is brilliant move," concludes Hazelton. "They're answering Google in a way that doesn't limit them to Google's platform." In other words, Verizon has figured out a way to avoid locking itself into using one operating system (Android), while at the same time following the clear trend for open and customizable devices – all in one fell PR swoop.
Indeed, as more people begin to use smartphones, and as pressure mounts for open devices and services that anybody can publish and use, Verizon has at the very least made its chief rival (AT&T) look like an inflexible dinosaur.


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STATE CENTER, Iowa — Randy Hilleman has been raising hogs on his family's farm for most of his life. "I’ve been raising hogs since I was in 4H," he recalled. That was more than six decades ago.
These days, his focus is Berkshire hogs, a heritage breed that produces high-quality pork products.
"It’s the best pork you’ll ever eat," Hilleman said.
The demand for the specialty type of pork is growing, especially internationally. That's where Hilleman and more than 80 other farmers come in. With the help of the co-op Berkwood Farms, they're helping meet the demand.
"We realized there was an opportunity with the Japanese market, and their high regard for premium products," said Nick Jones, CEO of Berkwood Farms.
Over just a few years the farmers have been able to sell more and more product internationally. About 15% of their business is overseas. Most of their products are going to high-end restaurants in Japan.
"That's what people want...that really good eating experience," Hilleman said.
Alone, family farmers might have a hard time breaking into the Japanese market.
"It's unknown territory, and you're not sure who the right people are," said Jones.
But by joining together and partnering with local trade organizations and business development groups, the farmers have carved out a space.
And there are other projects on the horizon. For example, the co-op will supply Berkshire pork to American athletes competing in the Olympics later this year.
"The U.S. Olympic team will be eating Berkshire pork from Berkwood Farms right out of the heart of Iowa which is pretty exciting. All the athletes will be eating quality product right out of the heartland," Jones said.
There's also an Iowa-themed restaurant that's in the works that will feature not only local pork but also local beers and barbecue products.
"Words can't describe the feeling that we have," Jones said.
It's a similar sentiment for Hilleman, as he ponders what his grandfather and father would think of where he's taken the family business.
"He probably wouldn’t of though that we could have been doing that," he said.

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9 in 10 consumers surveyed support the Government move to standardise charging cables for smartphones and tablets
- ● 7 in 10 believe that different chargers for different devices enable companies to sell more accessories
June 17, 2023, New Delhi: India is likely to soon adopt the recommendations of a Consumer Affairs committee on common charging port, like the European Union has done, by June 2025. The recommendations have been forwarded by the Department of Consumer Affairs to MEITY, which is likely to notify the framework soon, according to reports.
Earlier the Consumer Affairs Ministry had announced that mobile device makers and technology companies in India will have to adopt USB Type-C as the standard charging port for electronic products by March 2025, three months after the European Union, as the country strives to align with the global timeline. With the objective to reduce the number of chargers per household to minimise the amount of e-waste generated, the EU has directed that all the smartphones including iPhones sold in its member states should come with a common USB Type C charger from December 28, 2024. Laptop makers have been given time till 2026 to comply. While over 98% Android smartphones use USB Type-C as a charging port, iPhones rely on proprietary lightning ports. USB Type-C is a cable and port standard set by the USB Implementers Forum, a global non-profit organisation, created to promote and maintain specifications of the universal serial bus.
LocalCircles has been receiving feedback from consumers on the need for standardisation as well as the high price and poor availability of OEM brand accessories. As a result, most users in India end up buying generic chargers and charging cables. While some generic charging cables perform well, there are also counterfeit cables that are rampantly available across shops and online and they are dangerous to use. There are media reports rife about how fake mobile phone chargers, when connected to the electric port, either blasted or caused fire leading to consumer injuries. Many of them over time, cause damage to the mobile device as well.
To understand the consumer feedback, LocalCircles has conducted a national survey asking consumers about why they think that smartphone and tablet makers have different types of charging cables for different devices. It has also attempted to understand if there is a need for the Government of India to introduce a uniform standard for charging cables. The survey received over 23,000 responses from consumers located in over 303 districts of the country. 64% respondents were men while 36% respondents were women. 43% respondents were from tier 1, 37% from tier 2 and 20% respondents were from tier 3, 4 and rural districts.
Majority consumers believe makers of smartphones and gadgets have different charging cables for different devices to maximise sales of accessories for device makers and due to lack of government standards
The first question in the survey asked household consumers, “Why do you think smartphones and tablet makers many times have different types of charging cables for different devices?” In response, 32% said “To maximise sales of accessories”, 6% said “Consumer convenience and standards thinking is missing”, 13% said “Lack of government standards”, and 38% said “All of above”, and 4% cited “Other reasons” while 7% did not have an opinion. On an aggregate basis, the majority of consumers believe makers of smartphones and gadgets have different charging cables for different devices to maximise sales of accessories and due to lack of government standards. This question in the survey received 11,907 responses.
9 in 10 consumers demand that charging cables for smartphones and tablets must be standardised by the government
With the Government announcing earlier that they are considering standardisation of chargers and a common charger for different types of gadgets, the following question in the survey asked household consumers, “How should charging cables for smartphones and tablets be standardised by the government?” In response, the majority, 78% of consumers said “All smartphones and tablets should have the same USB charging cable regardless of the company”, 9% said “All smartphones should have the same USB charging cable”, and 4% said “All smartphones and tablets from the same company should have the same USB charging cable”. Only 6% of consumers said “The current system is fine where different smartphones and tablets have different charging cables regardless of the company”. 3% did not have an opinion. On an aggregate basis, 91% of the consumers surveyed support the government move to standardise chargers for different smartphones and tablets. This question in the survey received 11,796 responses.
To summarise, the findings indicate that majority of Indian consumers are unhappy that there are different charging cables for different devices like smartphones and tablets, and believe that brands do the same to maximize sales of accessories. Since the charging cables made by brands are priced high, majority end up buying generic version. 9 in 10 consumers feel that there should be common standards for USB charging cables like the European Union as they believe it will help to drive prices lower and make OEM brand charging cables more affordable.
LocalCircles will share findings of this survey with the Department of Consumer Affairs and MEITY so the framework can be finalised quickly and Indian consumers can soon have common charges across various devices.
The survey received over 23,000 responses from consumers located in over 303 districts of the country. 64% respondents were men while 36% respondents were women. 43% respondents were from tier 1, 37% from tier 2 and 20% respondents were from tier 3, 4 and rural districts. The survey was conducted via LocalCircles platform and all participants were validated citizens who had to be registered with LocalCircles to participate in this survey.


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Weleda Wins Sustainable Beauty Awards
Weleda are thrilled to announce that the company has won two prestigious new Sustainable Beauty Awards! The awards ceremony took place at this year’s Sustainable Cosmetics Summit in Paris.
These prestigious international awards give recognition to companies that are pushing the boundaries of sustainability in the cosmetics industry.
Weleda gained an impressive second place in the Sustainability Pioneer category, with the jury acknowledging Weleda’s commitment in the field of ethical and ecological resource extraction. Weleda has become the first beauty company in the world to ensure that all of its 1200 supply chains for raw materials meet the standard of the Union For Ethical BioTrade. Weleda’s natural and organic cosmetics will bear the new UEBT certification seal from 2019 onwards.
The shortlist for the Pioneer award included Brazilian beauty brand Boticario, Asian haircare brand O’Right International, and Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Even more exciting was Weleda’s win in the Sustainability Leadership category, for the third time after earlier triumphs in 2013 and 2016!
The jury was impressed by Weleda’s extensive commitment to corporate social responsibility. Since the company was founded, almost 100 years ago, Weleda’s business model has taken into consideration more than just economics, and more than just the environment. Weleda has also focused on treating all its trading partners fairly.
The shortlist for the Leadership award included Greek cosmetics brand Apivita, fragrance company Symrise, and Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Dr Stefan Siemer, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Weleda, commented:
“We’re extremely happy about these awards because they are confirmation of the commitment we’re putting in, as well as giving us an idea of where we stand. We operate around the world, but we’re not a big company. Our own impact is limited. This makes it all the more important to win over like-minded parties and to inspire other companies. A new supply chain standard, which the NGO UEBT developed, starts here. The more companies take part, the better it will be for people and nature all over the world. Because business isn’t part of the problem any more, it’s part of the solution.”
After nearly a century Weleda is clearly still leading the way when it comes to sustainability in the beauty industry!
Read more about Weleda's sustainability


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Closely following entry of British bike makers Triumph into India, Indian Motorcycles is also set to make their presence felt in India on 22nd January 2014.
Organized by the Mumbai Police along with Wheelieboy Adventures (I) Ltd on Sunday, December 8, 2013, the Ride for Safety Rally saw over 2000 two wheelers participating in the event. The Rally was flagged off by Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh with Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar in attendance.
DSK Hyosung are celebrating the first anniversary of Hy Ryders, an exclusive DSK Motowheels club, by launching a new Hyosung GT 250 R Limited Edition. Priced from Rs 2.97 lakh, ex-showroom Pune, was launched at the hands of Mr. Shirish Kulkarni, Chairman of DSK Motowheels today.
Bologna based superbike makers, Ducati Motor Holding has officially declared that they will re-establish their presence in India. The company was among one of the first International superbike brand to enter India’s two wheeler segment in 2008.
Mahindra Centuro, the 110cc segment commuter motorcycle from Mahindra Two Wheelers Limited (MTWL) stands apart due to its four indigenously developed technologies seen on board. The company, a part of Mahindra Group, has recently received international patents for these technologies which were developed at MTWL state-of-the-art R&D facility in Pune.
A new Activa i Ad Campaign-Udh! TVC draws more attention to their personal compact scooter –Activa i launched by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. This TVC has been created by Dentsu Marcom and will run across TV channels nationally.
TVS Motor Company, leasing two wheeler manufacturers and experts in autos, bikes, scooters and motorcycles have reported a 5.77% decrease in sales during November 2013. The South India based automakers sold a total of 1,61,908 units in November 2013 as against 1,71,837 units in November 2012.
Bajaj Auto has now launched Pulsar 200NS in dual-tone colours. Now Pulsar 200NS is available in 4 colour options; full Ebony black and 3 dual colors, Passion red and Ebony black, Safire blue and Ebony black and Metallic white and Ebony black.
Pictures of the soon to be launched Mahindra S101 compact SUV have been revealed. The model, which should come in at a base price of INR 5 lakhs, has been sighted on test in a number of locations though heavily camouflaged.


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When Bimota teased the new KB4 neo-retro sportbike in May, 2020, it was clear that the firm was keeping its cards close to the chest. By November, 2020, the House of Rimini felt secure enough to reveal the KB4’s top-shelf componentry via social media while setting a loose launch date for April, 2021. Well, spring came and went and we still haven’t seen the retro-racer hit the road.
While Bimota may have fallen behind schedule, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been hard at work, testing the new platform before its long-awaited debut. Now, European approval-type documents uncover even more specifications as the brand puts the final touches on the KB4. Before we dive into the details, however, we have to recognize Bimota’s history of building world-class chassis around Japanese-manufactured engines.
After a two-year hiatus, Kawasaki saved Bimota when it acquired a stake in the Italian brand in 2019. That relationship presented the perfect opportunity for Bimota to get back to its bread and butter, developing sweet-handling chassis with Team Green’s reliable mills in tow.
That’s exactly what Bimota is doing with the KB4 project. Leveraging the liquid-cooled, 16-valve, 1,043cc inline-four from the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX, the upcoming neo-retro will produce 140 horsepower at 10,000 rpm and 82 lb-ft of torque at 8,000 rpm. Despite the powerplant, the KB4 will share practically nothing with its sport-touring relative.
With a 428-pound curb weight, the Bimota sportbike will weigh a stunning 90 pounds less than the Ninja 1000SX. In addition to the trimmer figure, the KB4 will reduce both its length and width by two inches at 80.7 inches and 30.5 inches, respectively. The biggest difference, however, will be the reduced wheelbase, with the retro-racer going to 54.7 inches (from the Ninja’s 56.7-inch wheelbase).
Bimota didn’t achieve that number with a shorter swingarm though, it brought the front wheel closer to the frame instead. Unfortunately, that change left no room for a front-mounted radiator, with many speculating that the unit could be tucked under the seat. As always, we’ll have to wait for Bimota’s official unveiling before we see the full details behind the neo-cafe racer, but with EICMA 2021 coming up, hopefully, we won’t have to wait long.


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Indian auto giant opens Palo Alto subsidiary to build electric scooters
A giant Indian automaker is opening a Palo Alto-based subsidiary that will design and produce an inexpensive, electric-powered, two-wheeled scooter.
Called GenZe, the company will be administered from Silicon Valley and produce its vehicles in Ann Arbor, MI., where the first scooter is expected to roll off the assembly line in the fourth quarter of this year. The company hopes it will appeal to students and others with a need to travel frequently in small areas, such as workers on corporate campuses.
GenZe’s first showroom will open on University Avenue in Palo Alto next month, and vehicles will be sold direct through an e-commerce web site that will go live later this month for consumers in California and Portland, Ore. The company has also leased 16,000 square feet in Fremont for a distribution center.
Vehicle prototypes will also be on display this weekend at TiECon (The Indus Entrepreneurs), an annual conference in Santa Clara that draws many South Asian entrepreneurs, and one will be given away as a raffle prize.
CEO Vish Palekar said the GenZe vehicle will have a durable aluminum exoskeleton and be capable of going 30 miles on a charge and traveling 30 miles per hour. The battery will be easy to remove and charge using a typical wall outlet and the scooter will also feature storage space, digital device charging capability and a large touch-screen display.
The Mahindra Group, based in Mumbai and operating in more than 100 countries, has $16.7 billion in revenue and is the largest manufacturer of tractors in the world.
Palekar said the GenZe is intended to make Mahindra a household consumer brand name in the United States.
Patrick covers technology.
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NXP Semiconductors’ CES 2022 announcements target IoT connectivity with a secure tri-radio device family to support the Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and 802.15.4 protocols, plus new updates to its automotive radar portfolio, which now serve the L2+ through L5 autonomy sectors with 4D imaging radar for 360-degree surround sensing.
For IoT, the company announced the IW612, which it said is the industry’s first secure tri-radio device to support the Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and 802.15.4 protocols. Part of NXP’s new family of tri-radio products, the new device enables seamless, secure connectivity for smart home, automotive and industrial use cases, and supports the new Matter connectivity protocol. The IW612 frees consumers from the restrictions of single protocol ecosystems, allowing them to enjoy seamless interoperability across different ecosystems and wireless network technologies. Additionally, developers benefit from NXP’s state-of-the-art coexistence capability, which enables simultaneous support of three radios on a single device, reducing costs and development time.
For automotive, NXP announced two updates to its automotive radar portfolio, now designed-in at 20 top global OEMs. It said the industry’s first dedicated 16nm imaging radar processor, the NXP S32R45, has been released into mass production, with initial customer ramp-up starting in the first half 2022. Additionally, the new NXP S32R41 has been introduced to extend 4D imaging radar’s benefits to a much larger number of vehicles. Together these processors serve the L2+ through L5 autonomy sectors.
More details of each of these product announcements and updates follow below.
IW612 – tri-band radio device for seamless IoT connectivity
One of the primary challenges facing the IoT is limited interoperability, which can restrict the consumer’s ability to mix smart home products from different companies. Matter, a new standardized IoT connectivity protocol, designed by a consortium of industry leaders including NXP, addresses these limitations by unifying how devices communicate, independent of the manufacturer or wireless technology. The protocol creates more connections between more objects thereby simplifying development for manufacturers and compatibility for consumers.
To support a new era of interoperability, the IW612 integrates three of the industry’s leading connectivity radios onto a single device for the first time, delivering robust radio performance and integrating a high-performance RF front end. This technology combination enables true interoperability in the smart home, significantly reducing development time, simplifying design and reducing costs. The highly integrated solution overcomes hardware co-existence challenges that developers face today, while also enabling advanced security protocols to help thwart the ever-increasing number of security threats faced by the IoT.
The IW612 offers secure boot, debug and over-the-air firmware updates for ongoing protection, as well as WPA3 security and hardware encryption engines.
“With the IW612, developers can leverage different wireless connectivity protocols on a single device to create an easy-to-use, secure product for smart home, industrial and automotive use cases,” said Larry Olivas, vice president and general manager for wireless connectivity solutions, NXP Semiconductors. “From door locks and smart speakers to in-vehicle entertainment and telematics, products can now benefit from our tri-radio solutions that address multiple technologies and ecosystems, including Matter. This provides developers with a more cost-effective solution while streamlining deployment for the consumer.”
“Interoperability has been a key challenge that has fragmented the smart home market for years, but Matter-enabled devices can change that,” said Jonathan Collins, research director at ABI Research. “With its new monolithic devices, NXP enables developers to leverage Matter-supported connectivity protocols for their smart home applications and help accelerate Matter adoption. This, in turn, will provide consumers with improved useability by making smart devices easier to connect and greater choice among the interoperable devices they can use.”
The IW612 is ideally suited for use in border routers, bridges and gateways in the smart home that require connecting Thread or Bluetooth devices to the cloud using the integrated Wi-Fi 6 radio. Additionally, the IW612 enables communication between Matter devices regardless of whether the devices use Wi-Fi or Thread. This allows Matter-over-Wi-Fi products to control and monitor Matter-over-Thread devices, and vice versa, for seamless interoperability.
Key features of IW612 include:
- Tri-Radio Integration
- Wi-Fi 6 reduces network congestion, extends range, improves robustness and lowers power
- Bluetooth 5.2 for audio (A2DP, LE Audio), voice and network commissioning
- 802.15.4 for Matter with Thread mesh networking
- Advanced coexistence for internal and external multi-radio operation
- Robust security for protection against IoT attacks
- Pre-validated connection to NXP’s broad microprocessor and microcontroller portfolio
- Integrated RF front-end including LNAs, high-power PAs and switches for system cost savings, reduced bill-of-materials and footprint.
S32R41 – new automotive 4D imaging radar
Imaging radar extends radar’s ability beyond detecting bulky objects to “seeing” a vehicle’s environment through fine resolution point clouds that enhance environmental mapping and scene understanding. These images enable the classification of objects, such as vulnerable road-users and vehicles, in complex urban scenarios, such as a motorcycle driving close to a large delivery truck or a child entering a roadway between parked cars. In addition, imaging radar needs to be able to simultaneously measure velocity and classify objects at distances of up to 300m, beyond the range of human eyesight. It also needs to identify fast-moving vehicles and distinguish them from slower ones or even static obstacles, like a lost tire, in the driver’s path. NXP addresses these needs with its latest imaging radar processor updates.
NXP said its 4D imaging radar is the first to deliver concurrent 3-in-1 multi-mode radar sensing across short-, mid- and long-range operation, enabling the simultaneous sensing of a very wide field of view around the car. To achieve this, NXP leverages an innovative architecture to boost performance beyond raw sensor hardware capabilities with a low-complexity sensor configuration utilizing 192 virtual antenna channels. The boost is enabled by the combination of proprietary radar hardware acceleration which can deliver up to 64x the compute performance of standard processors, super-resolution radar software algorithms to achieve sub-degree angular resolution and advanced MIMO waveforms that allow simultaneous operation of antenna channels. This architecture also helps overcome the limitations of other high-resolution sensors like lidar and high antenna count massive MIMO radar, whose cost and complexity limit their applications to a narrow set of use cases.
“NXP’s new imaging radar processors are shaping the way vehicles understand the world around them by creating high resolution images that enhance the detection and classification of objects, a key step in improving road safety and saving lives,” said Torsten Lehmann, EVP and GM, radio frequency processing, NXP. “The extended S32R family line-up harnesses our leadership in radar processing, super-resolution algorithms and advanced MIMO waveforms to deliver the benefits of imaging radar to the rapidly growing L2+ vehicle segment.”
The introduction of the S32R41 delivers the industry’s first 16nm radar processor tailored for L2+ autonomous driving applications, which some industry analysts project could account for close to 50% of vehicle production by 2030. The L2+ segment, which was not well served by classical high-resolution sensors, will now benefit from 4D imaging radar sensing with up to six corner, front and rear radar sensors in 360-degree surround fashion.
The S32R45 radar processor is the flagship of NXP’s 6th generation automotive radar chipset family. It helps to enable increasingly autonomous driving, from L2+ through the most demanding L5 use cases, where more than ten imaging radar sensors per vehicle may be required. It also addresses transportation, traffic management and other industrial applications where reliable high-resolution sensing is required.
The combination of NXP’s S32R45 and S32R41 radar processors with the NXP TEF82xx RFCMOS transceivers delivers the fine angular resolution, processing power and range required for production-ready imaging radar solutions. The S32R platform offers a common architecture for software reuse and speedy development along with a highly performant hardware security engine, OTA update support and compliance with the newest cybersecurity standards.
- Thread vs Bluetooth: the VHS vs Betamax of IoT connections?
- Standards are critical for secure connectivity in industrial IoT
- Groups optimize smart metering IoT with OMS over LoRaWAN
- Imaging radar development platform offers 2K resolution
- Radar chip supports automotive 4D point cloud applications


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Google has agreed to pay a $22.5m fine to settle charges that the company lied to users about the company’s use of behavior-tracking cookies.
The Federal Trade Commission said that the company would be paying a record fine over charges that users of the Apple Safari web browser were unknowingly served with cookies when visiting Google sites.
According to the FTC, Google misled customers when it said that it would not use behavior-tracking tools with Safari on its sites. As part of the settlement, the company will be required to bring its policies in line with the original promises made to users.
“The record setting penalty in this matter sends a clear message to all companies under an FTC privacy order,” said FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz.
“No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to consumers, or they will end up paying many times what it would have cost to comply in the first place.”
The $22.5m figure has loomed over Google’s head for some time. As far back as early July, reports have suggested that the company was looking to pay the fine in order to settle the case.
User privacy has long been an issue for Google, which relies on search and targeted advertising for the overwhelming majority of its revenues.
The company prompted an international outcry when officials learned that cars used to collect images for the Google Street view service were eavesdropping on activity from passing Wi-Fi networks.
Earlier this week, Google announced that it would be integrating Gmail message search into its web search engine, prompting V3 to question whether additional privacy concerns could surface for the company.
This article was originally published on V3.
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Fast recovery after the sales drop due to COVID-19
Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the continuously difficult market environment Feintool was able to close out the 2020 financial year with an EBIT slightly in the black in the amount of CHF 3.3 million. For the full year, net sales dropped by 22.2% to CHF 492.0 million; the EBIT margin amounts to 0.7%.
The progress of the pandemic worldwide and its impact on business activities cannot be assessed conclusively at the present time. Nevertheless Feintool remains optimistic about the future, as the international automotive industry – the group’s most important market – is showing clear signs of recovery in Europe, Asia, and the United States, and promises to remain a growing global market between now and 2035.
Feintool took advantage of the year 2020 to continue refining its corporate strategy for the period through 2030 and, with its products and technologies, is well positioned for the transformation process in the automotive industry. Lasting improvements were achieved through measures to increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness. As such, Feintool’s plants are positioned for highest efficiency. The company is active in key markets with high-performance sheet-metal technology for the automotive market and for industrial applications. Feintool’s precision components and their applications enable the future of individual mobility possible.
The Feintool Group generated net sales of CHF 492.0 million in the 2020 financial year, which corresponds to a decline of 22.2% (19.1% in local currency). Both segments suffered a significant decline in sales: the press and tool business shrank by 40.6%, and the parts business decreased in local currency by 15.7%.
The Feintool Group generated operating profit (EBIT) of CHF 3.3 million, corresponding to an EBIT margin of 0.7%. This contains one-off effects in the amount of CHF 0.3 million; without one-off effects, operating earnings amounted to CHF 3.0 million.* Operating earnings generated by the System Parts segment fell to CHF 16.7 million.* Thanks to the measures aimed at increasing efficiency which were rapidly implemented following the drop in sales, the EBIT margin in the parts business decreased by a mere 0.4 percentage points to 3.6%. The capital goods business of the Fineblanking Technology segment suffered more severely from the slump in sales and posted a loss of CHF 4.9 million.* Similar to the previous year, research expenses came in at CHF 4.4 million. Development activities continued unchanged – as an investment in the future – despite the difficult environment.
All in all, including the one-off effects, this resulted in a consolidated loss of CHF 3.9 million. The Board of Directors proposes to the General Meeting to refrain from distributing a dividend for the 2020 financial year.
Pleasing development in the second half of the year
In the second half of the year, Feintool sales in Europe and the United States developed in line with the market. Thanks to many new products, Feintool underwent above-average development in Asia. Consolidated sales still sank by 3.4% – adjusted for currency effects – to CHF 279.7 million. While the press and tool business experienced a sales decline in the second half of the year as well, the parts business grew – adjusted for currency effects – by 1.1% to CHF 266.8 million compared to the same period in the previous year.
Operating profit (EBIT)
In the second half of the year, the Feintool Group generated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of CHF 20.4 million*, corresponding to an EBIT margin of 7.3%. Thanks to the measures implemented during the first half of the year, operating earnings of the System Parts segment doubled to 26.1 million*, corresponding to a margin of 9.8%*. The capital goods business of the Fineblanking Technology segment showed signs of significant improvement, but still remained at a loss.
All in all, the second half of the year – without one-off effects – resulted in net income of CHF 13.6 million; the profit margin thus amounted to 4.9% during this period.
Feintool may make use of additional market opportunities
With the goal of quickly making use of opportunities that present themselves on the market, the Feintool Board of Directors recommends to the General Meeting of April 20, 2021, that it create authorized capital in the amount of 1 000 000 shares – corresponding to 20.3% today’s share capital – with the possible exclusion of subscription rights for existing shareholders.
Uncertainties about the impact of the coronavirus crisis and shortages in the supply of semiconductors and steel for the automotive industry continue to weigh on expectations and make it difficult to issue a forecast for 2021. Market forecasts continue to anticipate production volumes below those of 2019.
On the other hand, combating the pandemic through efficient hygiene measures and vaccinations on a sufficient scale will have a positive impact on business trends in the automotive sector. We continue to see a reluctance to invest in new machinery, although the first encouraging inquiries from Asia and Europe are helping to revive the business. The long-term competitiveness of our technologies in times of structural change in the automotive industry remains the key success factor. Through our “Strategy 2030,” we have laid the necessary groundwork and set a milestone – with streamlined structures and processes, state-of-the-art machinery, and innovative mobility concepts, Feintool is extremely well equipped for the future.
Feintool expects sales to increase in line with the market in the 2021 financial year and profitability to stand significantly higher than in the previous year.
* Without one-off effects
All the information on the Feintool annual results of 2020 can be found in the 2020 Annual Report, which is available online.
Media release as pdf


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Privately held telecom Iris Technologies Inc. is suing the Canada Revenue Agency and several of its agents for $275-million, alleging the agency’s actions have forced the company to lay off workers and scale back its expansion plans, costing it significant business opportunities.
The lawsuit filed in the Federal Court on Monday by Markham, Ont.-based Iristel is the latest development in a two-year-long legal battle over tens of millions of dollars in GST and HST refunds that the company says it is owed.
The CRA has alleged that Iristel may be using a “carousel scheme” to wrongly claim GST and HST refunds for taxes that were never actually paid, an allegation that Samer Bishay, president and CEO of both Iristel and Ice Wireless, has denied. (Ice Wireless is a Northern wireless carrier owned by Iristel.)
In a statement of claim, Iristel, which operates a voice network in all of Canada’s provinces and territories, alleges that the CRA has “engaged in a pattern of persistent cat-and-mouse obfuscation and delay” for more than two years, has withheld information from Iristel, and has not granted the telecom “procedural fairness.”
“The defendants negligently, intentionally and maliciously ignored their statutory obligations and misused the audit and assessment powers granted by statute,” the document reads. The CRA’s auditors were “motivated by self-interest, including the impact on their compensation,” the lawsuit alleges.
A spokesperson for the CRA said that the confidentiality provisions of the act that the agency administers prevent it from disclosing information about taxpayers. The agency also does not comment on ongoing court cases, the spokesperson added.
As a result of the agency’s actions, Iristel has incurred interest and penalties on late payments to its customers, suppliers and service providers, the lawsuit claims. The telecom has also scaled back expansion plans, laid off employees, lost customers and suppliers, and was unable to acquire the wireless airwaves it needs during the most recent spectrum auction, the company said.
Exporters are permitted to claim refunds on sales of goods and services made outside of Canada, which is what Iristel has done. The company, which generates the majority of its revenue from the U.S., claims it is owed more than $80-million in refunds for the period between Sept. 1, 2019, and Feb. 29, 2020.
However, Vance Smith, the manager of the CRA’s Aggressive GST/HST program, said in an earlier court filing that Iristel’s wholesale long-distance business “bears many of the hallmarks of being a long-distance carousel scheme.”
Under such a scheme, businesses working in collusion with one another create a fake supply chain and then sell the same goods over and over among themselves. At least one of the companies collects GST and HST, but does not remit the tax to government.
Mr. Bishay has said he is not engaged in fraudulent activity and that the agency does not understand the complexities of Iristel’s international long-distance business.
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NEW DELHI: Shares of Hero MotoCorp rose a per cent in Tuesdays trade ahead of its quarterly results.
Analysts expect the two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp to report a marginal dip in its bottom line figures for the quarter ended September 30. Realisations, they say, may improve due to the companys timely price hikes and non-adoption of aggressive pricing strategies.
On Tuesday, the scrip rose 0.90 per cent to Rs 2,909.35 on BSE.
Hero MotoCorp may report 5.50 per cent year-on-year rise in sales volume to 21,34,047 in Q2FY19 over 20,22,805 units in the same period last year.
An assessment by BOBCAPS showed that the two-wheeler major may report 3.10 per cent YoY fall in net profit for the quarter ended September 2018, while net revenue may increase by 8.1 per cent on YoY basis.
“We expect realisations to improve by 2.5 per cent YoY on account of price hikes and non-adoption of aggressive pricing strategies. Operating margins could decline around 140 basis points YoY as we estimate around 190 bps shrinkage in gross margins,” BOBCAPS said in a report.
Brokerage firm IDBI Capital Markets expects 6.40 per cent year-on-year fall in net profit at Rs 946.30 crore for the quarter ended September 2018. Hero MotoCorp had posted a net profit of Rs 1,010.50 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. However, the brokerage firm also projected 8.9 per cent year-on-year rise in topline figures in Q2FY19.
Ebitda and EPS may dip by 4.2 per cent YoY and 6.4 per cent YoY.
“EBITDA margin to decline 210 bps yoy (30bps qoq) due to higher raw material cost, IDBI Capital Markets said.


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Sun Micro warning casts US shadow
THE bears were back in command on Wall Street last night, dragging the Dow Jones down more than 170 points and below the 10,000 mark last breached in April. US weakness sent the Footsie into retreat in late trading. It closed 84.9 points off at 5332.7.
The main factor behind the big drop in the US was an overnight profit warning from Sun Microsystems, which cautioned that it would not meet first quarter targets. Job losses at discount broker Charles Schwab added to the gloom.
The downdraft was led by the technology sector. The Nasdaq was back under pressure and dropped more than 3%. Dealers in New York were upset by the first indications that the recession, which has focused on the corporate sector, is now feeding through to consumers.
Personal spending slumped to its lowest level in nine months and credit ratings agency Moody's reported a sharp rise in consumers failing to make credit card payments on time. A record number of Americans also filed for bankruptcy in the first half.
Meanwhile, whispers from a man in a hard hat suggest that shares of gravel pit giant Aggregate Industries will soon be put through the mixer. Industry gossip is that the Office of Fair Trading is about to launch a full investigation into the aggregates industry. In particular, it will focus on the steep rises - between 5 and 7% - in the price of gravel and sand since March.
The cartel busting powers given to the OFT in March 2000 has made the UK the harshest competition regime in Europe. It has apparently been on the industry's case for several months and is now ready to go public because of its growing concern about possible restrictive practices and price rigging.
Buoyed by persistent takeover gossip and reflecting its defensive qualities, Aggregate has performed strongly this year. It closed a further 1 3/4p dearer at 99 3/4p on Thursday, but dealers say it could drop like a stone if the OFT announces a full investigation.
Rival gravel group Hanson, 4p off at 541 1/2p, would also be affected. In addition, the market awaits further news regarding the possible sale of its entire global bricks business for about £500m.
Elsewhere, gloom and despondency was again in evidence as markets ignored the quarter-point cut in European interest rates and focused on a raft of abysmal trading statements.
Spirent plummeted 24 3/4p to 115 1/2p after warning shareholders that it expects the second-half to be 'depressed' by market conditions.
Sun Microsystem's words rubbed salt in chip designer ARM Holdings' gaping wounds. Dragged down on Wednesday by a Commerzbank recommendation to sell down to 110p, the shares plummeted 28p more to 275p.
Other casualties included TeleWest Communications, 8 1/4p lower at 56p, COLT Telecom 19 1/2p at 160 1/2p and Logica 41 1/2p at 677p.
Heavily weighted banks were battered too. Barclays fell 98p to 2109p, Standard Chartered 30p to 850p and Royal Bank of Scotland 67p to 1708p. Lloyds TSB shed 21p at 708p amid reports it is to cut 500 jobs.
Mobile phone giant Vodafone resisted the malaise, closing 1p dearer at 135p in response to a Merrill Lynch recommendation. The broker repeated its end of 2002 target price of 245p.
London Bridge Software advanced 10p to 106p after reporting a 36% rise in first-half revenues to £36.9m.
Down 80p on Wednesday following the resignation of joint broker ABN Amro, Bioglan Pharma succumbed to renewed selling pressure.
It fell a further 29p to 206p prompting fears that its proposed £540m acquisition of the skincare division of US pharmaceuticals giant Bristol-Myers Squibb is now doomed. The rot set in when new finance director Peter Johnson resigned last week after just six weeks in the job.
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As the month of June is dedicated to all fathers around the world, SM Supermalls gives importance to the most important man in our life- our dad. SM Dadventures is a month long event and promo filled celebration of all dads that families can enjoy.
At the SM Supermalls recent media event on June 14, Idol Dads such as actor-Patrick Garcia, stage performer- Apollo Abraham, SM Supermalls AVP for Marketing- TJ Cuenca and SM Hero Ronald Llaneta (security guard who found and returned a huge sum of money) were present to inspire as well as watch the SM Daddy’s Girl viral video.
After watching the video, they gave out their reactions and felt emotional afterwards.
This year, SM Supermalls brings to the whole family a grand Father’s Day celebration honoring dads in 62 malls nationwide through DADventures at SM.
Happening this month are fun-filled activities, offering many ways for us to show how much we love dad as we create family-first moments on his special day.
SM Dadventures Activities
- Beer Festival on June 13 to 25
- Extreme Wheels Expo featuring classic car models, monster trucks, and big bikes on June 13 to 18 / 18 to 25
- Grab Some Grub group meal promos on June 13 to 25, and special dining treats for dads on weekends starting June 16
- Mini Me casual fashion show featuring dads and their kids wearing matching OOTDs on June 16 to 18 / 23 to 15
- Blessing for Dads after the mall’s regular Sunday mass on June 18
SM Daddy's Girl went viral- watch it:
Shoppers can also share their happiest moments with dad and win exciting prizes. Interested participants can check out the SM Supermalls Facebook page for the #DADventuresAtSM digital promo details and updates.


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Trading company of wall Street Jane Street will not be called a small player in the market. In 2017, its volume of trades amounted to more than $ 5 trillion.
It became known that the giant company start to trade bitcoin:
“Jane Street trades more than 56 000 products worldwide in a variety of asset classes including Bitcoin”
Every day, the company enters into transactions for $13 billion, using instruments such as ETFs, stocks, futures, options, bonds, currencies as well as bitcoins.
The company was founded in 2000, in the state of Jane Street 600 employees.
“Jane Street has always considered different approaches to trading opportunities and will continue to do so.” — from the statement of the representatives of the company.
Jane Street is not the only player on wall Street who shows interest in cryptocurrencies.
DV Trading company, Virtu Financial, Hehmeyer Trading + Trading Investments and Jump aside criticisms about Bitcoin and configured to cryptocurrency very seriously.
After the launch of futures on Bitcoin, all of these companies started with instruments tied to exchange rates of cryptocurrencies. Traders are attracted by the rising value of Bitcoin and the high volatility of cryptocurrency due to low volatility of traditional assets.
Companies recognize that the ability to arbitrage on the market of cryptocurrencies “very appetizing” — Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on different exchanges are trading with a difference on the exchange rate that gives traders the ability to buy cheaper on one platform, and then sell expensive to another.
Often, for such a use trade High-frequency trading (high frequency trading), algorithmic trading, where positions are bought and sold using computers in less than a second.
Toby Allen of company Akuna Capital shared his impressions:
“Sometimes, the profitability of this deal could reach 10%. For a trader it is a fascinating space, especially against the background of traditional assets.”


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On Tuesday at its Unpacked event, Samsung finally told us what we all expected to hear: Its new flagship phone line is called the Galaxy S20, and all three models support 5G.
This is big news for fans of speedy mobile networks. A handful of 5G-enabled devices launched in the United States last year, but Samsung is going all in. These aren’t just more expensive models of existing phones like the Galaxy S10 or Note 10; these are arguably Samsung’s most important phones, and they all work with 5G out of the box for the first time.
That brings us to the biggest question everyone has about 5G: Is it worth it? We’re still at the stage where you’d be considered an early adopter for investing in 5G, but how early is too early? We talked to multiple industry professionals in the hopes they could answer those questions and more.


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Atari to finally reveal Neverwinter Nights MMO?
Rumours are growing about Atari having a Neverwinter Nights MMO in the pipeline.
The latest rumours have come out of GenCon where an Atari rep made some mysterious comments about an announcement on a D and D video game coming soon published over on Critical Hits.
Couple this with Atari registering no less that seven domains featuring Neverwinter in the name.
The Neverwinter Nights MMO is supposedly in development at Star Trek Online studio Cryptic who are due to announce their next project by the end of September.
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Maplebrook Farm expands at new site
The local cheesemaking business has grown from humble beginnings at a kitchen to a large new production facility. It means the company, which distributes award-winning artisanal cheeses to markets and stores as far as California, will have the space to churn out more product and set its sights on future growth, according to co-owners Johann Englert and Michael Scheps.
"There's so much that's changed for us," Scheps said during a recent tour of the new production facility at 441 Water St. here.
At the 10,000 square-foot facility on East Road, the business was churning out over 40,000 pounds of cheese each week. Scheps said they'll be able to make even more after completing phase one of an expansion. The second phase calls for bringing the East Road operation to the Water Street site.
"Everything will be under one roof," Englert said.
The company's roots go back to 2003, when Englert visited an Italian groceria in Manchester owned by Scheps' family. She asked Scheps, a third-generation cheesemaker, for 20 balls of mozzarella. They were brought to gourmet shops in Boston, who wanted more.
"It was fate," Englert remembers.
The acquisition and subsequent renovation of the Water Street manufacturing building effectively quadruples the business' operations, she said.
The new main production room has better ventilation and humidity control, with better plumbing and electrical infrastructure and a pitched floor for better drainage. A new walk-in cooler is about four times as large as the one on East Road. And it means workers have more space to move around.
During a recent visit to the facility, employees in white aprons were hard at work. At one end of the room, they were rolling balls of fresh mozzarella by hand. At another, they were stretching stracciatella that would be soaked in cream and folded into balls of mozzarella to make its signature, buttery burrata.
That product is truly award-winning. Maplebrook's cheeses took four awards last year: Buratta, ricotta alta and feta received first place ribbons from the American Cheese Society. And the business took a "Best in Fest" award from the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival. A dozen types of cheese are offered, some in a smoked variety, smoked on-site with cherry wood smoke.
Other changes include automation. "We used to take a handgun and date all of our boxes," Scheps said. But a brand-new boxing machine labels them for them. And a new thermo-former will wrap 600 pounds of fresh mozzarella in an hour. That will give that cheese a 60-day shelf life, meaning it can be shipped to markets and restaurants in California, Texas, and Colorado. (One line of fresh mozzarella is still hand-rolled and wrapped by hand.)
Englert and Scheps hope that with the expansion, they'll be able to have more visitors. More space would mean they could someday welcome the public to tour the facility, as part of the Vermont Cheese Trail. (Maplebrook is listed on the Vermont Cheese Council's list of cheesemakers across the state, but isn't yet designated as one open to the public for retail sales and farm tours.)
They've also been able to invest in bringing new talent, including marketing, officer and a general manager.
"They help us grow," Englert said.
Ed Damon can be reached at email@example.com, at @edamon_banner on Twitter and 802-447-7567, ext. 111.
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It’s confirmed that AMD will be launching its new 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper CPU this November, but that’s not the only thing that you’ll be seeing at its launch. Just like the Ryzen 3000 series desktop CPUs, the new 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper will be accompanied by a new TRX40 chipset motherboard as previous rumors suggest.
The alleged TRX40 chipset motherboard was teased on Gigabyte AORUS South Africa’s tweet a few days ago, with multiple hashtags such as #motherboard #ryzen #amdryzen #threadripper which suggests that this could be a teaser for one of its upcoming TRX40 chipset motherboard.
While AMD has yet to announce the actual launch date for its new 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper CPU, rumor has it that both the new Threadripper CPU and TRX40 chipset motherboards will come to light on November 5th.
It is still unknown whether the 3rd Gen Threadripper will be supported on X399 chipset motherboards, but if we look at what AMD has to offer with its X570 chipset motherboards and Ryzen 3000 series desktop CPUs, features such as PCIe 4.0 and better memory compatibility is probably something that we can expect to see on the TRX40 motherboards and 3rd Gen Threadripper.


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Tourists will eventually flock back - but with masks, sanitisers and perhaps a lot of anxiety.
Turkey's hotel revenue per available room and average daily rate for rooms also registered a three-year high.
Just four to seven minutes long, Halil Bekar's documentaries feature undiscovered tourist spots in Turkey.
Culture and Tourism Minister Numan Kurtulmus says early booking data from Germany signals an increase in reservations by up to 100 percent compared to last year.
European tourists have set aside security fears as travel bookings surge, says tour operator Thomas Cook.
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Copyright © 2021 TRT World.


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Confronted with declining exports to European Union (EU) nations and reduced exports to Russia due to sanctions, the German government is pushing for an expansion of trade with China. The demand for further market liberalisation is at the center of this drive.
On October 10, the third round of German-Chinese government consultations took place in Berlin. Chinese President Li Keqiang attended alongside 14 government department heads and 130 businesspeople. He held discussions with Angela Merkel’s government, including 12 ministers.
At the same time, the German-Chinese forum for economic and technological cooperation met in Berlin. Some 500 executives from the two countries’ industrial, trade and banking sectors participated. The following day, the Chinese delegation met with some 600 economists, politicians and representatives from academia at the “Hamburg Summit: China Meets Europe,” where economic relations between the two regions were discussed.
Since 2009, China has risen to become Germany’s third largest trading partner, behind France and the Netherlands and ahead of the US and Britain. Trade between Germany and China has increased five-fold since 2000. In 2013, it reached €141 billion, and in 2015 it is expected to increase by a further 43 percent and reach €200 billion. China could become Germany’s most important trading partner as a result.
In contrast to the US, which exported goods totaling $122 billion to China in 2013, German exports to China totaled roughly $198 billion. The figure shows the significance of trade for German industry. Investment by German business also doubled in China between 2009 and 2012 to €45 billion.
The EU is China’s largest trading partner, and Germany plays the leading role. At the Berlin meeting, trade deals worth €2.3 billion were signed, including investments in the German auto industry (Volkswagen and Daimler) as well as in telecom and air travel.
Guidelines for over 110 cooperation agreements over the next five-to-ten years in the areas of agriculture, science, environmental protection and health were signed. “The largest agreement of its kind China has ever signed with another country,” China Daily reported.
The head of the Chinese industrial and economic association, Yizhong, noted at the Hamburg Summit that China needed Europe’s quality and technology, while Europe desired the Chinese market and tempo.
However, the pace of growth in trade between Germany and China between 2009 and 2011 has not been matched in subsequent years. Calls for a further opening of the Chinese market have thus been getting louder.
At the Berlin and Hamburg meetings, business representatives demanded equal treatment for European firms tendering for state contracts. Until now, Chinese producers have received preferential treatment for public contracts.
They also demanded equal treatment for European and Chinese producers in regard to the issuing of licenses, the opening of certain areas of public services to European companies, the protection of creative property rights, and the protection of European investments in China, including guarantees against nationalisation.
The slowing global economy and the struggle for new markets are intensifying competition between states. Chinese firms, which have developed technologically over the past decade, are emerging increasingly as competitors of their foreign rivals. Trade relations have been soured by accusations on both sides. China has imposed sanctions against foreign auto manufacturers for price-fixing, and the European solar industry has complained of price-cutting by China.
The owners of Chinese firms, who are well connected politically, are demanding transfers of technology rights to Chinese companies in larger joint ventures. In the past, this led to the founding of new Chinese-controlled firms that made the technology their own and competed with the joint ventures.
President Li hailed the cooperation between China and Germany, saying it was running like “two cogs in the same wheel.” However, growing competition will throw a spanner in the works and turn talk of harmony into a pipe dream.


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A sealed original iPhone made from an early production run recently sold for $35,000 at an auction.
Based on the box design, this “iPhone” was among the first batch of original “iPhone” models to be sold in the first few months after the “iPhone” was launched in June 2007, as the home screen does not have an iTunes Store icon contains. The iTunes Store app was not initially included on the “iPhone” and was not added until a few months later with the release of “iPhone” OS 1.1 in September 2007. The design of the “iPhone” box was then updated to include the icon to add.
The listing offers no clues as to the condition of the actual “iPhone” in the box, but since it’s still sealed, it should be in brand new condition.
Images reportedly show real iPhone 14 Pro display cutouts and status bar items
Following Apple’s announcement that it will hold an event on Wednesday, September 7, several alleged leaks from Asia claim to show the iPhone 14 Pro’s display cutouts and status bar items. iPhone 14 Pro concept render by Ian Zelbo based on alleged leaked information Twitter user “DuanRui” shared several images from Chinese social media site Weibo today, one of which is apparently…
Rumors of ‘Apple Watch Pro’ with larger 47mm case with flat display
The so-called “Apple Watch Pro” will have a larger 47mm case, according to a report by the Japanese website Mac Otakara. By comparison, the Apple Watch Series 7 is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes. A larger 47mm case would result in the Apple Watch Pro having a larger screen, which could be 1.99 inches diagonally. The report, citing information received…
Purple and blue colors of iPhone 14 Pro appear on dummy models
Ahead of the expected announcement of the iPhone 14 lineup at Apple’s September 7 event, a spate of dummy models from Asia are claiming to showcase the iPhone 14 Pro’s selection of color options, including new blue and purple finishes. The images of iPhone 14 Pro dummy models were first shared on Weibo earlier today and show similar gold, graphite and silver color options from recent years.
Mark your calendars: iPhone 14 launch, iOS 16 release, and other key Apple dates to come
Now that Apple has officially announced that it will be holding a special in-person event on September 7, expected for the iPhone 14 and the brand new Apple Watch Series 8, we can start mapping out all the key dates for Apple customers for September. The event itself The event, which is expected to be a hybrid between a digital and in-person event, will take place on September 7 at…
Rumors of Four Wildcard Features for iPhone 14
We’re less than two weeks away from the launch of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. We’ve been hearing rumors about these new iPhones for almost a year now, and while many rumors have been reported repeatedly, there are a few wildcard features we’ve heard about that we’re not so sure we’ll see in the upcoming iPhones, and we’ve listed them below. four listed. Satellite connectivity Bloomberg reports…
10 Apple Devices You Shouldn’t Buy Right Now
Ahead of Apple events expected in the next two months, there are now ten Apple devices that customers shouldn’t be buying right now, and replacement models are fast approaching. Fall is always a very busy time for Apple, often with at least two special events to launch new products and the release of major software updates across all of the company’s platforms. This year doesn’t seem…


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Profit decrease for STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics, the largest chip manufacturer in Europe, saw its profit fall in the third quarter compared to a year earlier. That emerged Thursday from a trade report from the company. Turnover did grow.
STM recorded a profit of $ 302 million, an annual decrease of more than 18 percent. The turnover increased by 1.2 percent to 2.55 billion dollars. However, the result rose sharply compared to the second quarter, by more than 88 percent. Turnover was more than 17 percent higher. Performance at the automotive division, among others, remained weak, but was offset by the results at other branches.
STM expects an increase in revenue for the fourth quarter.
Comments are closed.


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I thought the nightmare was all over on the seventh of this month when I knew no more political ads would pollute my TV watching, as limited as it already is. Newton N. Minow, former chairman of the FCC, was certainly on target when he said in a now famous speech in 1961 that TV had become a “vast wasteland.”
We TV watchers endured months of insipid commercials touting the political candidates and ballot propositions as either God-sent or something about to destroy America as we have come to love it.
My outrage was ignited this time by the incessant commercials encouraging me to take part in “Gray Thursday,” “Black Friday,” “Small Business Saturday” and “Cyber Monday.” If that wasn’t bad enough, the media joined in the fray reporting on it all as if it were legitimate news.
The electronic news media isn’t just reporting it; I believe it helps whip people into a frenzy of shopping during irregular store hours in the lead-up to Christmas. Pictures of people in line days before a store opens, and then employees opening the doors to the waiting throngs, are the ultimate display of gluttonous behavior, and they get shown on television to be seen by the rest of the world.
We are led to believe that if sales of electronics, clothing, toys, automobiles and all those playthings do not increase, it is an economic disaster and not good for the country. I cheer when I see a headline saying that sales for those consumer goods are down, that people are being more careful about how they spend their money.
This materialistic activity is further displayed with shows such as “Ellen” where people in the audience scream when they find out they are getting some doodad for free. I do applaud her donations to folks in genuine need.
I realize I am no longer the target audience for anything except adult diapers or Metamucil. But I’m very concerned about both the retail industry and the news media’s ongoing attempt to whip us into extreme shoppers who turn any given holiday into a reason to spend.
Lon Allan's column is special to The Tribune. He has lived in Atascadero for nearly five decades and his column appears here every week. Reach Allan at 466-8529 or email@example.com.


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China: Modernised industry regulation, greater oversight, and a strengthened DTA network
In September and October 2017 a series of new and proposed rules sought to modernise industry regulation, give the public authorities greater oversight of payments and asset ownership, and strengthen China's network of international tax agreements.
Modernised industry regulation
China's economic transformation demands the continual upgrade of the national regulatory framework, as the economy shifts from simple processing to advanced services and manufacturing, and a modernised financial system evolves to support this.
China's private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) industry has grown exponentially in recent years. This has been driven by the growth in demand for alternative channels, outside the largely state-controlled banking sector, for the financing of innovative, new enterprises. It has also been propelled by the growth in pools of private wealth seeking more diverse investment opportunities. To facilitate this, the State Council (cabinet) held a public consultation (which closed on September 30 2017) on the draft Interim Regulations for the Administration of Private Investment Funds to replace the existing 2014 measures. The draft regulations set out how the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) will regulate PE funds, what they may invest in, who may invest in them, who may manage them and the rules governing promotion and the raising of funds. It should be noted that the China tax rules governing PE and VC funds are in a state of rapid evolution. Guidance published in June 2017 clarified asset manager VAT administration obligations, and guidance in July 2017 set out how enhanced corporate income tax (CIT) and individual income tax (IIT) incentives are available for VC investment in innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at seed capital and start-up stages. The China PE/VC tax and regulatory frameworks will continue to develop at an accelerated pace.
Many of China's privately owned enterprises (POEs), especially in the blossoming SME sector, rely heavily on finance guarantee companies for the capital to operate and expand their businesses. From October 1 2017, new Administrative Regulations on Supervision of Financing Guarantee Companies took effect, replacing the existing 2010 rules. The new regulations focus in particular:
On ensuring that financing guarantee companies have adequate capital;
That they have arrangements in place for other companies to assume their obligations, under outstanding guarantee contracts, where the original guarantor is dissolved; and
That they refrain from self-dealing with owners or from engaging in business activities unrelated to their core guarantee business.
Oversight of payments and asset ownership
In line with other countries around the world, China is seeking to get a much better handle on the ownership of assets and conduct of payments by residents, partly to limit money laundering risk but also to tackle tax evasion more effectively.
On September 1 2017, China's Administrative Measures on Trust Registration, issued by the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC), came into effect, requiring Chinese trust companies to register trust products that they have issued, including details of the beneficial owners of such products. The CBRC and other government authorities are set to have access to these records – it remains to be seen how much access the tax authorities would have, however. There is a global trend towards establishing obligations for the registration of the beneficial ownership of trusts with public authorities, with the EU and OECD both developing relevant frameworks. While the proposals in some EU countries look to establish public registers of trust ownership, the Chinese trust register does not yet go this far.
In August 2017, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) set new rules for non-financial institutions providing online payment services to clear their transactions through a centralised national clearing house, starting from June 2018. This would catch in particular mobile payments made using the extremely popular Alipay and WeChat Pay services, which are progressively replacing cash and card payment throughout China. It might be noted that the draft Tax Collection and Administration (TCA) Law, expected to be finalised in 2018, requires Chinese financial institutions to bulk report, on a spontaneous basis, taxpayer bank transactions exceeding certain thresholds to the Chinese tax authorities. Centralisation of mobile payment clearing would facilitate a similar tax reporting move.
China is set to bring a huge amount of additional tax relevant data on tap over the next two years. This fuels a big data-driven approach to tax audit targeting and taxpayer credit ratings, which is facilitated by major technology and systems investments by the Chinese tax authorities in recent years. The trust beneficial ownership and payment reporting measures outlined above cross over with the 2018 commencement of the tax data exchange under the OECD common reporting standard system, and a TCA Law measure requiring e-commerce platforms to submit a tax report on online trader activity. A transformation of the China tax compliance landscape is on the cards for the coming years.
Strengthened network of international tax agreements
China's tax and regulatory modernisation is supported by ongoing enhancements to its network of international tax agreements.
In June 2017, China signed the OECD Multilateral Instrument (MLI) for the rollout of the BEPS changes to its tax treaties. This initially provided, through a matching mechanism, for updates to 46 of China's treaties, including those with most of China's major OECD trading partners, such as Japan, Korea, Germany and the UK, but excluding the US. As more of China's treaty partners sign up to the MLI and set out their treaty update preferences, the number of China's tax treaties set for update will grow. Since June, MLI signing/updates by Nigeria and Norway have led the number of China treaties updated by the MLI to rise to 48 by October 2017. This continued expansion has key consequences for business and investment activity with China.
From September 1 2017, a China-Netherlands bilateral social security agreement will be in effect. This allows for seconded staff to just pay social security contributions in one, as opposed to both countries. With the increased integration of China and foreign business operations, China has been rapidly building up its network of such agreements – nine have been signed with Germany, South Korea, Denmark, Finland, Canada, Switzerland, Netherland, France and Spain. China is also negotiating further agreements with Belgium, Serbia, Japan and Romania, with more to follow.
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BELPRE, Ohio (WTAP) - A local tradition of more than 35 years returned to the Mid-Ohio Valley, to the delight of apple lovers.
The apple butter stir-off festival took place at Civitan Park in Belpre. The process of making the butter involves cutting and boiling apples, making them into apple sauce and then cooking it over the fire for multiple hours. Members of the Pioneer Presbyterian Church have the honors of stirring the apples every year.
The lions club helped put on the event, with the proceeds going towards K-9 companies for wounded veterans.
Maggie Webster helps organize the apple butter stirring. She said, "We sold out yesterday so they're waiting today, maybe for fresh apple butter once we get it canned in a couple of hours. I will add to that, with the apple sauce that’s in there right now we add sugar, cinnamon red drops to give it some color and some cinnamon oil. Once its thick enough and three of us agree that it tastes good, we can it.” She says the flavor is, “cinnamon-y, sweet [and] apple-y… People like it on biscuits, corn bread, toast, I like to use it over a pork roast, makes it nice and moist and delicious".
The stirrers encouraged the public to try to stir the apple butter as well, and even our reporter covering the story gave it a shot herself.


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Movember 2013 has begun, and it’s more than just a hairy face. It’s main purpose is to help raise money and awareness for men’s health, such as testicular and prostate cancers. Whether you call it No Shave November or Noshember it’s time to ditch the razors and let your freak flag fly.
The movement began in Australia back in 2003 when the ‘Mo Bros’ decided to grow out their mustaches in an effort to bring awareness to men’s mental health issues. Now, 10 years later, Movember has grown to to over 1 million men (and some women) in over 20 different countries. Mustache growers can create a team of fellow fuzzy faced friends and set up a fundraising site on the official Movember web page. Although it’s not required for a participant to belong to a team to donate money it’s definitely encouraged.
Here in the U.S. Movember has gained such a following that it has attracted national sponsors, such as Gillette and TOMS. The Movember partners support the movement by promoting the campaign, and bringing awareness to such issues as prostate and testicular cancer, as well as its original intended purpose, mental health.
Senior Brand Manager of the North American Shave Care Delivery, Hooman Shahidi is thrilled to partner with Movember in order to generate awareness for men’s health. And the founder and CEO of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie, is honored to join the Movember partnership for his fourth consecutive year.
Some famous faces joining in Movember this year are Kate Upton, a Mo Sista, and NFL star Victor Cruz. Things are bound to get a little hairy at NBC, as the cast and crew of The Today Show, including lead anchor Matt Lauer, Willie Geist, weatherman Al Roker, and correspondent Carson Daly have all pledged to spare the razor for the entire month.
If you want to participate but can’t grow an actual mustache you can always turn to alcohol. Katsuya in Glendale, CA is offering up the Burning MANdarini as their November martini of the month. The drink was created in honor of Freddy Hernandez, a customer who is fondly remembered for his impressive caterpillar mustache. Some of the proceeds from sales of the drink will go towards men’s health and wellness.
Now, let’s talk about the rules of Movember. Rule one, shave your ‘stache clean on November 1st. Rule two, each ‘Mo Bro’ should grow and groom their mustache for the entire 30 days of the month. Rule three, no mustache is to grow into the sideburns. That would be considered a beard. Rule four, no mustache should grow into the chin, which is considered a goatee. The final rule, a personal favorite, is that each Movember participant shall conduct himself like a gentleman. That’s right, ladies. Doors shall be held open, chairs shall be held out, and be prepared to have some mustachioed brother help you across the street.
Movember is more than just a hairy face, ladies and gentlemen. Whether you choose to grow a pencil thin mustache, a full-on Fu Manchu, or a classic handlebar you are promoting a most worthy cause. The Movember movement is all about brotherhood and kindness. And it’s just plain fun.
By Mary Kay Love


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News tagged ‘test’
The device on the photo looks pretty much the same as the iPhone 5s, however, it is slightly thinner and has a larger display. Neither Apple, nor its suppliers haven’t yet confirmed the legitimacy of the photo, so I recommend you to take it with a few pinches of salt.
According to what Jason Snell of Macworld writes, Apple's new OS X Yosemite 10.10 may be designed for Retina screens. What this means is that the guys from Cupertino are planning to refresh the entire Mac lineup by adding Retina displays to new computers.
According to the latest report from Taiwanese reporters, Apple's supplier Foxconn is currently in talks with Sharp. The company wants to start producing the screens for the iPhone and iPad using Sharp's technologies. This may allow Apple to become less dependent from Samsung.
Apple is expected to make its next-generation iPhone with a 5.5-inch display more expensive. In fact, the guys from Cupertino may charge $100 more for the handset, Tavis McCourt of Raymond James claims.
Google is expected to announce a HealthKit competitor soon. According to the latest reports from people familiar with the matter, the release of Google's fitness tracking application will take place at the annual conference for developers called Google I/O, which is set to be held later this month in San Francisco.
Good news for all those who have a jailbroken iPhone running iOS 7. According to the latest rumors, a well-known hacker nicknamed Saurik has just released Cydia 1.1.10. It can boast of a number of important improvements and bug fixes.
Apple on Wednesday released the second OS X Mavericks 10.9.4 beta to registered developers for testing. There’s no information about new features added to this OS X version. Looks like it contains only some minor improvements and bug fixes.
Good news for all those who plan to purchase Apple's latest cylindrical Mac Pro, which was announced about a year ago. The shipping estimates for the long-anticipated device have improved to 24 hours. What this means is that if you buy a Mac Pro online today, it will be shipped within only one day.
According to the latest rumors, the guys from Cupertino are planning to refresh the iMac lineup as soon as next week. As to the changes, there will be only some minor ones. Apple may slightly boost the desktop's processor speed and change some internal components. That's all we can expect.
According to the latest rumors, the guys from Cupertino on Tuesday posted a video showing OS X Yosemite 10.10 enhancements to YouTube. The short clip, which allows us to see main OS X features as well as design improvements, was first shown at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last week. You can watch it below.
A new photo showing iPhone 6 back panel has recently appeared on the Internet. According to what can be seen on the image, the back shell is made of metal. It resembles iPhone 5s panel, however, it is slightly bigger.
As you probably know, Apple's iOS 8, which was announced at Worldwide Developers Conference last week, contains a number of important enhancements. However, those who have upgraded to iOS 8 beta may have noticed that there're no updates for Apple's native Maps app. According to the latest reports, lack of updates is caused by the fact that many developers left the company in 2014.


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Price of meat rises by more than 30% in a year due to falling pound
Shoppers may feel they have been cheated by not getting the lower prices they were expecting
The price of meat is spiralling - despite promises that shoppers would see lower food bills.
The most popular cuts of lamb, pork and beef are up by as much as 59 per cent in a year, putting enormous pressure on household budgets.
Families were promised that food bills would fall this year because of the collapse in oil and commodity crop prices.
But there is little evidence of these savings being passed on to the consumer.
Food industry leaders claim one of the main reasons is the decline in the value of the pound against the euro and the dollar. It meansmore British meat is being exported to Europe, creating pressure on supplies and forcing up prices for British shoppers.
Supermarkets are now buying more home-produced meat because Irish and European alternatives have become too expensive.
But it has left shoppers feeling cheated as the lower prices they were expecting have not materialised.
Fresh pork has seen the biggest rise, up 19 per cent on average from last year, followed by beef, which is 17 per cent dearer, and lamb, up 9 per cent. A 500g pack of 85 per cent Fat Free British Pork Mince from Tesco is up from £1.28 to £2.00 in a year, a rise of 59 per cent. The price of lamb chops at Asda is up from £7.00 per kilo to £9.99 - a rise of 43 per cent.
Asda's pork brisket is more than a third dearer at £5.48 a kilo; while a half shoulder of lamb from Sainsbury's is up 34 per cent to £4.98 a kilo. Sainsbury's British Pork Thin Cut Loin Steaks are up by 54.6 per cent to £8.38 a kilo.
The Daily Mail Cost of Living Index for February showed a 20.5 per cent annual increase in the cost of a basket of staple foods. A study from the food industry magazine The Grocer puts the annual increase at 15.4 per cent.
Its research shows the increase in supermarket prices was higher in the first two months of 2009 than for the same period last year - 3.1 per cent compared to 2.8 per cent.
It said the weak pound, delays in the effect of falling commodity prices and last summer's wet weather are largely to blame.
The Grocer said the UK had hoped to shake off food price inflation by now but the latest data revealed that prices are continuing to climb. 'Tumbling world commodity prices and a global recession were expected to quickly put an end to higher prices on supermarket shelves,' it said.
'But that is not the story revealed by new figures . . . Supermarket prices in February have risen 1.3 per cent since last month and remain 15.4 per cent higher than this time last year.
'Much of the inflation is still due to the high commodity and oil prices of last year, experts say, as prices take a long time to filter through the system, especially for goods with longer shelf lives.
'Another issue for the UK, especially in the fresh produce category . . . is the collapse of the pound. Though the pound is stronger against the dollar and the euro than it has been in recent weeks, it is significantly down year-on-year.'
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