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Muzmatch saw a 45 per cent increase in packages in March worldwide and 16 % in Canada
The epidemic might killed wedding events, however the locate really love continues.
Dating during pandemic happens to be tough and even though customarily Muslims don’t date, because it is regarded forbidden, these people nevertheless depend on public happenings locate someone. Mom, aunties and uncles will look for the ideal complement either at wedding events, dinner get-togethers or maybe even spiritual happenings, but since COVID-19 end those, many changed online locate a match.
Muslim matchmaking apps like Muzmatch and Minder have-been growing in popularity within the last many years. But the pandemic learn another even larger increase in downloads and intake.
Minder, a Muslim matchmaking software that released in 2015, noted a 20 per cent increase in downloading worldwide throughout the pandemic. Muzmatch, which released in 2014, noted a 45 % upsurge in downloads internationally and 16 % in Canada in March.
The latter furthermore saw an 8.7 per-cent improvement in meets, implies more and more people were using the applications than there are in the past.
200 per-cent upsurge in swipes in Canada
Hawaya, a unique matchmaking software that launched in Canada in March, watched a 200 per-cent boost in swipes from its Canadian owners between will to Summer.
Yasir Sherazi obtained Minder at the outset of the entire year but didn’t start using they until as soon as the pandemic reach.
“bash pandemic I managed to get more interested in this app and begin working with it more,” he mentioned.
The Calgary resident begin swiping on prospective matches in June after he or she knew the pandemic got not going away soon.
“you’re a lot more comfortable and not meeting much instead achieving lots of people, which is my own major reason. It is form of [a] limited cultural ring to let’s the reason,” they explained.
Sherazi’s explanations echoed several owners which have not too long ago taken the leap into on-line matchmaking. Having seen the rise in downloads, Muzmatch decided to review their owners wondering these people when epidemic was actually rendering it difficult to acquire a spouse and 83 per-cent believed yes.
Which was a response the app’s teams located rather shocking.
“we all felt that there is a long time for introspection or anyone would discover that the earth can be somewhat a bit too sad to get fancy,” claimed Sim Ahmed, item marketing and advertising for Muzmatch.
“But I presume if nothing, uncertain hours helps make folks are interested in some kind of security and guarantee there are’s simply several than creating a loved one as you are able to really hold onto and get connected to.”
In search of that connections, Sherazi has gotten a good number of matches nevertheless they unsuccessful for numerous motives. Very first, he wasn’t in identical town as the majority of his own meets and neither comprise prepared to shift.
Unlike the mainstream counterparts Tinder and Bumble, the Muslim apps will not be location-specific. Therefore Muslims in Alberta can correspond to with any people in the arena. According to Muzmatch, the most notable three countries that many Canadians correspond to with outside of Canada are the U.S, Morocco in addition to the U.K.
His own secondly factor is despite lots more people on these software, there still appear to be a mark connected to relevant anybody online as it is nevertheless regarded as comparable to dating, and that is prohibited in Islam.
He or she claimed he or she improves answers through WhatsApp people than he does regarding the software.
On Twitter and WhatsApp many people are available for any only purpose of matchmaking. Families of individuals would put complete autobiographies which includes from their label, career, family and location to also their top and lbs.
Sherazi stated because those users are typically controlled by grown ups during the relatives, they’ve got better communication and quicker reaction moments.
Although obtaining at ease with the idea of making use of applications is actually gradual, Sara Shah, interactions for Muzmatch, mentioned they’ve been witnessing more and more people able to explore their particular suits freely.
“i do believe it an excellent tale to share merely found during a pandemic, undoubtedly,” she said.
Shah claimed they is presently operating a marketing inquiring individuals into the future ahead whenever they has discover their own soulmate of these unprecedented times.
“Some attended forward already. We’ve have two effective couples at this point,” she claimed.


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New standards ensure humane conditions across board for organic livestock, poultry
By Larissa McKenna, Food Animal Concerns Trust
The USDA finalized its Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule in January, immediately before the change in administration. This rule sets new and improved welfare standards for certified organic farm animals, adding to – and in some cases clarifying – the existing organic regulations. It also marks the first time that federal regulations will govern the treatment of animals on farms.
The new welfare standards are a significant improvement over the current regulations regarding the care and treatment of animals raised under the certified organic seal.
Trump administration has added a 6-month delay to the finalized animal welfare rule and is asking again for public comment to decide whether to:
1. implement in November;
2. suspend indefinitely;
3. delay further;
4. withdraw altogether.
A lot of people worked really hard to get this rule in place to ensure humane treatment of organic livestock. Please join us in supporting #1.
Improve Animal Welfare
USDA’s organic regulations already require that animals be raised in conditions that allow them to express their natural behaviors. The refinements and additions included in the new standards help clarify what this means, and specify which conditions are acceptable or unacceptable.
When these welfare standards are implemented, organically raised animals, particularly animals that are raised on industrial-style organic operations, will benefit. According to the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistic Service, more than 22 million animals were raised organically in 2015. So the impact will be sizeable.
The new standards set the bar higher in many respects. Some of the most notable changes are for poultry, specifically addressing the requirement that organically raised chickens have true access to the outdoors. Under the new standards, enclosed porch systems and concrete pads will no longer satisfy the outdoor access requirement in organic poultry production. The USDA explicitly defines “indoor” and “outdoor” space in terms of how walls, roofs, and floors are designed – and requires that birds be able to move freely into outdoor space. “Enclosed porches are not considered outdoors,” states the agency regarding what constitutes outdoor space. Once these standards take effect, all organic poultry birds must have meaningful and ready access to outside space. The birds’ outdoor areas must also include both soil and vegetative cover to allow the birds to engage in natural foraging behaviors while reducing soil erosion and nutrient run off.
Additional poultry requirements included in the new rule will improve the comfort and health of the birds’ indoor environments. The new standards place restrictions on the use of artificial light, limit the amount of ammonia in the air indoors, and set requirements for perching space, scratching, and dust bathing areas for laying hens, making it more likely that the birds will be able to engage in their natural behaviors. The rule prohibits forced molting.
The standards address living conditions for mammals as well. Daily outdoor access is required for all animals, and there are new provisions about group housing for swine. Also included in the standards are humane handling requirements for transporting livestock and poultry to sale or slaughter. For example, bedding material must be provided to keep livestock clean and dry, and “seasonal-appropriate ventilation” is required to protect animals against temperature-related stress. To minimize the suffering of sick or injured animals, the standards also address practices used for euthanasia, and prohibit suffocation and the use of manual blunt force.
The standards also prohibit or restrict certain types of physical alterations, such as tail docking for cows and pigs, debeaking of birds, and desnooding of turkeys.
The new standards are a step in the right direction to improve the lives of organically raised animals. However, continued improvement and expansion of these animal welfare standards is needed. Providing daily access to the outdoors is not equivalent to raising animals in a pasture-based system. The standards also do not require that pigs have access to soil or vegetation when they are outdoors. The rule also fails to set minimum space requirements for pigs, turkeys, ducks, and geese, which USDA says it will address in future rulemaking.
Level the Playing Field
Most certified organic livestock and poultry farmers already meet a very high standard of welfare for their animals. However, there historically has been significant variability in how the rule is interpreted and implemented by different producers. For example, in 2010 the USDA Office of the Inspector General cited inconsistent application of the outdoor access requirements for poultry, particularly with regard to the use of enclosed porches systems.
Why is this? Due to the growing demand for organic foods, some industrial-style operations have taken advantage of loopholes in the organic rule to aggressively expand into the organic marketplace. This is not fair to farmers who are committed to preserving the deep-rooted integrity and original spirit of organic agriculture. These farmers are at a competitive disadvantage because they don’t take shortcuts when it comes to the care they take with their animals.
By reducing variability in how the regulations are implemented, and closing some of the most problematic loopholes, the new welfare standards should level marketplace standing and create more uniform animal welfare expectations. As USDA states, “clear rules allow for effective enforcement and fair competition all among certified organic livestock producers.”
Although not exclusively intended to be an animal welfare label, shoppers and eaters have high expectations for certified organic foods. And it is big business – the USDA reported over $43 billion in sales of certified organic in 2015.
In an online survey Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) conducted among its supporters that same year, more than 70 percent of respondents reported that they thought organically raised animals should have meaningful outdoor access and adequate living space. Consumer Reports found similar results in a national telephone survey also conducted in 2015. In addition, the Consumer Reports survey found that 84 percent of respondents said that “better conditions for farm animals” were important or very important to them. Informed consumers are attuned to how animals are raised and expect organic animals to be raised humanely.
What happens to consumer confidence when it is exposed that some organically raised chickens spend their lives on a concrete pad or within an enclosed porch rather than truly outdoors? The integrity of the certified organic seal, and possibly individual products that are certified organic, is undermined in consumers’ minds. The USDA states that this new rule is meant to “assure consumers that organically produced livestock products meet a consistent standard,” maintaining that crucial fidelity of the certified organic seal.
What Happens Next
The new administration is in the process of reviewing this rule, along with all of the other rules that were finalized but not implemented during the previous administration. As such, all effective dates have been delayed by 60 days to allow for this regulatory review. Accounting for this procedural delay, the final welfare rule should take effect on May 19, 2017, contingent upon the results of the review. Implementation for livestock and poultry producers will then be phased in over five years, depending on the species raised and the farm’s date of organic certification.
Going forward, it is in our best interest that the rule proceeds as scheduled according to the agency’s published timetable, and that it is fully implemented and adequately enforced. Stronger welfare standards would improve the lives of millions of farm animals each year. The clarified standards would also help to level the playing field for farmers who already meet a very high standard of welfare for their animals. Finally, the new standards would reduce confusion and inspire consumer confidence that the meat, milk, and eggs they purchase bearing the USDA certified organic seal do indeed come from animals that were raised humanely.
Larissa McKenna is the humane farming program director at Food Animal Concern Trust (FACT), a national nonprofit that promotes the safe and humane production of meat, milk, and eggs.
From the March | April 2017 Issue

domain: news


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Dosh, New Zealand’s first digital wallet app, is about to make financial transactions a whole lot easier.
Launching later this year, the app will allow instant payments via mobile numbers or QR codes on a smartphone, significantly reduced fees for retailers and the ability to earn rewards from stores.
After several years in Singapore, Kiwi co-founders Shane Marsh and James McEniery returned home to find New Zealand had not kept up with the rest of the world in terms of real time payments.
“One thing I really miss from Singapore is the ability to pay friends instantly and purchase goods at the touch of a button bia the digital wallet on my smartphone,” McEniery says.
“After years away, seeing how everyday Kiwis pay and receive money seems outdated, slow, inconvenient and costly.”
Marsh says the realisation of Dosh is a long-held dream. He is a payments and fintech expert with 14 years’ banking experience across the UK, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
“The easiest and fastest way to pay and be paid in other leading countries is by a mobile payment app. New Zealanders do not have this option today and we look forward to bringing this technology to Kiwi smartphones, this year,” he says.
Marsh says recent Covid lockdowns have seen retailers revert to contactless number 8 wire payment solutions, ranging from manual bank account input to IOUs.
To make a person-to-person payment, Kiwis are currently having to enter a 16-digit bank account number into their online banking platform, then wait for funds to clear.
Dosh will be New Zealand’s first fully integrated, instant, and secure contactless mobile payment platform benefitting all involved parties.
The app will be free for consumers and offer significantly lower merchant fees. Brown says with over 50 platforms either already in use or being built, the way people pay will change forever. Dosh will make payments simple which will be very refreshing for Kiwis.
The app will also allow users to split a bill, pay someone back, earn rewards and redeem special offers.
With 90.2 percent penetration of smartphone users in New Zealand and a trend of early adoption to tech and digital disruption, Dosh will deliver to everyone in everyday financial transactions.


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New Tech From U.K.'s Sky Offers Promise for Targeted Advertising
While marketers and ad buyers in the U.S. are wringing their hands over how to make addressable advertising part of the TV-viewing experience, their counterparts in the U.K. are also trying to figure out how to harness the decidedly mass devices to reach specific niches.
U.K. broadcaster Sky has developed the technology to dynamically insert ads into recorded programs and target those ads to specifically desirable demographic niches.
The pioneering satellite broadcaster, part-owned by Rupert Murdoch, is beginning trials for its new targeted advertising platform, AdSmart, next year, with plans to take it to market in 2013. Sky has already written to its 10 million customers to tell them about the service, promising that it will result in more relevant advertising.
Here's how it works: Sky will store a library of ads on its set-top boxes, creating an ad server of sorts that can feed content to the TV screen when a desired ad break begins during a show being played back on a DVR. The challenge, executives say, is to stream the ads in a seamless way, so the viewer doesn't notice.
The technology will allow Sky to update the ads that appear in recorded programs to make them more timely and potentially derive revenue from every ad served during subscribers' DVR playback sessions. At present, Sky doesn't get credit or payment for ads in shows viewed more than seven days after they were recorded.
One potential concern: tripping alarms about consumer privacy.
"Many consumers find the whole concept of personalized and targeted advertising creepy and strongly oppose the concept of 'big brother' registering what they are watching," said Martin Olausson, director at Digital Media Strategies. "AdSmart is less invasive than some other solutions, but it will still seem intrusive to some people."
Sky is well aware of the scaremongering that will no doubt ensue. "We have an army of lawyers and data-privacy experts climbing all over this," said Jeremy Tester, Sky Media's brand and strategy director. "We're not about to upset our customers. Our guiding principles are consent and transparency."
MediaCom has been working with Sky on AdSmart's online version, which is already up and running on Sky's catch-up TV service, Sky Player.
Rhys McLachlan, managing partner of futures and implementation at MediaCom, said, "Consumers are very favorable toward the idea. Completion and click-through are up dramatically and opt-out is in line. Weirdly enough, getting the right ads in front of the right people gives positive results."
For marketers, particularly those in the film and retail sectors or those that have time-sensitive campaigns, the benefits of targeting are obvious. Sky also claims that AdSmart could bring in premium advertisers for whom TV has always been too scattershot.
"Clients don't care for demographics, they care for customers," said Mr. McLachlan. Another possible example cited by Sky could be a Ford campaign that shows different ads for different models simultaneously.
Sky is polishing AdSmart to make the experience seamless so the viewer won't know if it's been in the program all along or inserted at that moment. It also wants to have the measurement capabilities down so it can start to judge just how much more effective targeted advertising can be.
How will Sky share revenues with other broadcasters using the Sky platform? The model demands a radical change from the "station average price" model currently used. Mr. Edwards said, "This is a very different model to buy against, but we could see a swift shift when all three parties [marketers, agencies and Sky] pull together."
Sky is available in 10 million of 26 million U.K. homes, so the reach is not comprehensive. But Jean Paul Edwards, executive director, futures at Manning Gottlieb OMD, said, "Sky is a big platform. Certain programs have 10-20% of viewing. If it's the right show and the right brand, it's a big deal. There are no guarantees but this has the potential to be transformative."


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New players are cutting into the category’s generous margins with extended sizing, greater customisation and competitive pricing.
The US’s $2.4 billion bridal store market is shrinking as millennials eschew marriage, and as department stores and direct-to-consumer brands snap up market share.
A new crop of direct-to-consumer brands is wooing brides with inclusive sizing and customisable dresses that cost a fraction of off-the-rack designer gowns.
Legacy bridal brands are responding by introducing e-commerce and more customisation.
NEW YORK — In the US, bridal retailers have traditionally served as gatekeepers who dictate styles, withhold price information, provide generic, if not impersonal in-store experiences, and fail to offer inclusive sizing and samples. So it’s no surprise that they are being disrupted. David’s Bridal, which controlled more than a quarter of the highly fragmented US bridal store market, declared bankruptcy last November, while the industry faces headwinds like changes in consumer behaviour and the declining marriage rate among millennials.
According to IBISWorld, the US bridal store market generated revenue of $2.4 billion in 2019. With the downturn in marriage rates, an influx of venture-backed, direct-to-consumer brands, and increasing competition from mass-market and high-end, ready-to-wear designers, revenue is expected to fall at an annualised rate of 0.3 per cent over the next five years.
Brands like Floravere strive to improve the bridalwear shopping experience, basing their strategy on consumer feedback.
“The bridal experience is not dead, it’s just terrible and needs to be better,” says Danielle Wen, founder and chief executive of Lace & Liberty, a San Francisco-based startup that offers made-to-measure wedding dresses online.
More than two-thirds of US women wear a US size 14 or larger, but traditional retail stores typically only offer fitting samples in a size 6 or 8 — and then only in certain styles. The lack of options has been a boon to e-commerce players, as brides who wear a size 12+ are 10 per cent more likely to buy their wedding dresses online.
Lace & Liberty, which offers customisable and made-to-measure separates and gowns, sizes up to a 28. Before it launched its made-to-measure, plus-size collection this year, the startup partnered with popular bridal blog A Practical Wedding to survey hundreds of women about their needs, wishes and frustrations. The feedback, coupled with a year of testing, led to the development of built-in corsets with multiple adjustment points for a more custom fit.
Every bride wants to feel unique, yet customisable luxury wedding gowns are hard to find for less than $5,000. Both Lace & Liberty and Floravere recognised this gap when they launched their online DTC businesses in 2016, enabling brides to customise necklines, sleeve lengths, leg slits, embellishments and more.
Anomalie goes even further, inviting brides to custom-design an original dress in any size via its Dress Builder, an enhanced online tool that combines survey data, machine-learning technology and 4 billion potential dress permutations to serve users a blueprint of their dream bespoke gown. “We employ 10 times more engineers than designers,” says co-founder and chief executive Leslie Voorhees Means.
Brides can custom design Anomalie dresses online.
These brands’ prices are competitive and fall within most brides’ dress budgets. A high-end, off-the-rack wedding dress generally starts from around $5,000 and can run upwards of $15,000. Lace & Liberty’s comparable made-to-measure and customisable gowns cost from $1,200 to $3,500, while Floravere’s styles range from $870 to $3,000 (with most under $2,000). Anomalie’s completely customised dresses average between $1,000 and $2,000.
Traditional bricks-and-mortar retailers mark up dresses by about 56 per cent on average, according to bridal brand consultant Flora Petakas – leaving DTC brands, which lack the same overhead costs, plenty of margin to play with. DTC brands also cut costs by leaning on machine manufacturing rather than tailoring by hand. Lace & Liberty produces its dresses in Shanghai; Floravere in New York, Los Angeles and Southeast Asia; and Anomalie in China’s bridal manufacturing-focused Suzhou region.
Venture capitalists see the potential. Three-year-old Anomalie has raised $18 million to date, while Floravere has raised $5 million, including financing from Serena Williams’s venture fund Serena Ventures.
Legacy brands are pivoting in response. In April Amsale launched a modular concept line, Amsale x You, as part of its tech transformation. The dresses – which start at $4,850 and run from size 0 to 24 – give customers the ability to create combinations of gowns from bodices, skirts and belts based on a library of patterns. They can be ordered both online and in-store at partner retailers.
Under the new leadership of CEO Amandine Ohayon, Pronovias has introduced customisations on all of its Atelier gowns. The dresses are designed with an in-store stylist and either hand-sewn in the 97-year-old brand’s facilities in Barcelona or altered by in-house tailors in the US. Prices start around $3,000 and runs upwards of $25,000.
While e-commerce now accounts for about a quarter of wedding dress sales, many of those transactions still involve a physical touchpoint.
“Our research tells us that 96 per cent of [brides] are not going to buy anything without trying it on,” says Amsale CEO Neil Brown. The company has more than 375 stockists globally and operates a flagship on Madison Avenue in New York. To enhance the power of its retail network, Amsale now offers partners a cut of online orders they generate for Amsale x You dresses in-store.
“[We have] essentially re-engineered a historically competitive relationship between brands that have an e-commerce presence and retailers to make it collaborative,” says Brown.
In response to strong feedback from consumers, Floravere phased out its buy-online, try-on-at-home model and set up bricks-and-mortar showrooms with flagships in New York and Los Angeles, as well as tie-ups with seven partner hotels around the US. After filling out a questionnaire, brides arrive to find their favourite pieces in their size, a customised digital mood board and even a curated playlist. Since expanding into physical retail a year ago, Floravere has seen a sixfold increase in sales.
Anomalie, meanwhile, uses human stylists to liaise with clients after its AI-powered Dress Builder produces a sketch. “We’re never going to digitise the entire process,” says Voorhees Means. “We need to have a human component because it is this very emotional purchase.”
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Jaybird Skedattle· Registered
2017 KIA Forte S
Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I wonder how these would work in our KIA
Hyundai's New Spark Plug Safeguards The Future Of The Combustion Engine
While Hyundai is highly focused on the developing EV market, a radical new spark plug design from the South Korean manufacturer shows that it also wants to extract greater efficiency from the internal combustion engine. According to a patent found by CarBuzz at the US Patent and Trademark Office...


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Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced four big departures at midnight last night, following multiple reports over the weekend. The company has struggled to hold onto its top executives in the past, but this is the first round of major resignations since Dorsey returned as permanent CEO last year.
In a late-night tweet, Dorsey revealed that Twitter is losing its head of media, product chief, engineering chief and human resources chief. All four are apparently “taking some well-deserved time off,” according to the CEO.
Was really hoping to talk to Twitter employees about this later this week, but want to set the record straight now: pic.twitter.com/PcpRyTzOlW
— Jack (@jack) January 25, 2016
While Twitter searches for replacements, several of the company’s remaining execs will step up to carry the load. Chief Operating Officer Adam Bain, who was reportedly considered for the CEO position last year, will temporarily take over revenue-related products, the media team and HR. Chief Technology Officer Adam Messinger will also expand his responsibilities, mostly focusing on the on the consumer-facing side of the company.
Twitter is still struggling to prove it can compete with Facebook. Under Dorsey, the company has already rolled out a few new features designed to drive user growth. It may be hard to continue to do that with several key execs jumping ship.


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In this photo illustration, the new Impossible Whopper sits at a table at a Burger King restaurant on August 8, 2019 in Brooklyn, New York.
Drew Angerer | Getty Images
Burger King doubles down meatless burgers.
On Monday, the Brands International chain announced plans to launch a vegetarian burger in more than 20 markets across Europe. Rebel Whopper, made with patties from Unilever-owned The Vegetarian Butcher, will be available in more than 2,400 European locations Tuesday.
Burger King first launched Rebel Whopper and another meatless sandwich, Rebel Chicken King, in Sweden earlier this year.
In the United States, the burger chain will test replacing beef patties with impossible carbs in their Whopper Jr. burgers and signature burgers. The company said that 1[ads1]80 restaurants in Milwaukee, Cedar Rapids, Augusta, Cincinnati and Buffalo will test the expanded Impossible burger line.
Partly thanks to the success of Impossible Whopper, Burger King sales in the same store increased by 5% during the third quarter, the biggest jump since 2015.
"The Impossible Whopper is a big hit among our guests and has quickly became one of the most successful product launches in Burger King & # 39; s history, "Jose Bril, CEO of Restaurant Brands, told analysts at the company's conference call in October.
Cil also said during the conversation that the company works with meat-free products also for Latin America and Asia.
The Burger King announcement comes because some of its biggest competitors have been slower to jump on the meat alternative trend. McDonald's is testing a burger made with Beyond Meat patties at select locations in Ontario, Canada, while Wendy's is testing black bean burgers.
The share of Restaurant Brands, which has a market value of $ 31 billion, is up 28% so far this year. Shares of McDonald's, valued at $ 148 billion, have risen 8% over the same period, while Wendy's stock, which has a market value of $ 5 billion, has jumped 33% so far this year.


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David Braben, founder of Frontier Developments, has spoken out against retailers' pre-owned sales practices, during his talk at the Develop conference in Brighton.
Speaking at the event about the generally positive view of the games industry and its future, Braben showed a picture of a GameStation window completely occupied by pre-owned titles, which he said was an issue the industry had to face.
"More than half their floor area is dedicated to pre-owned and that is something as an industry we don't see... those same retailers are only carrying new copies of games from the past few months – if it's a game that's been out for two months and you want to buy one from a shop not Amazon and you don't want pre-owned, it's very hard," he explained.
"This is essentially rental, and it's not tolerated by other industries... Why can we not introduce special 'for rental' copies?"
Braben went on to say that developers and publishers could do more from their end to limit and control the trade of pre-owned games.
"We can make pre-owned detectable, we can put a code on the disc or the packaging... We should be doing something and it should result, in the longer term, in cheaper retail prices, which helps us all."


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Students and faculty at the School of Art, Design and Art History (SADAH) grapple with the complex world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the discourse surrounding them—that some people are making money off their art without getting a degree for it . .
According to the New York Times, NFTs are a $40 billion digital collectibles market. These media pieces can be created by anyone and sold for millions of dollars. A debate has arisen as to whether they devalue, or should be considered, art.
Danielle Gish (’22), a recent graphic design graduate, said she and her roommates first went down a “little YouTube rabbit hole” trying to figure out what NFTs were.
Gish said an NFT is a digital licensing or ownership of a work of art that gives you full ownership of its rights and, if stated in the contract, any entertainment.
Gish said that while she understands the goal of NFTs to ensure more copyright and ownership of art, she said she doesn’t think it reflects their real-world impact.
“I don’t think it’s actually helping or protecting people’s art,” Gish said. “It’s just making it so rich people can buy art, but other people can’t access it.”
She said there’s an assumption that graphic design is digital work that anyone can do, like creating NFTs, so it’s not as valuable as other skills. Gish disagrees with this.
“Once you look at someone’s work, you can see that they’ve improved those skills more,” Gish said.
Access to online content in everyday life has opened the door to careers in graphic art and design, but it also presents new challenges. Dawn McCusker, associate director of SADAH and a professor of graphic design, said the process of creating art on and off campus is important, but it can be difficult to strike a balance.
“Our students are bombarded through Pinterest and Instagram,” McCusker said. “Anybody can put their design out there and then they’re influenced and they say, ‘Oh, I want to make it look that way'”.
McCusker said SADAH is about more than teaching digital art programs.
“For [SADAH], it’s a bigger deal than that,” McCusker said. “We’re teaching a deep dive into it as a creative profession—not this surface of programs.”
McCusker said SADAH tries to stay current with trends like NFTs, but “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“We know what works,” McCusker said. “You have to have that balance between the fundamentals of design and how graphic design has been taught over the years with current trends.”
McCusker said the impact the trends are having on students is troubling but inevitable.
“For me, it’s a scary time because there’s so much influence out there,” McCusker said. “You really want students to be able to build their skills, but it’s so hard not to look.”
Students and graduates pursuing graphic design careers must struggle with whether NFTs are something they can support or want to create. Lindsey Guzzardo (’22), a recent graduate and graphic design major, said it bothers her that people with no training can make so much money in NFT. Guzzardo said it’s frustrating that people with no training are making money for what she’s getting a degree for.
“Even though it bothers me that artists are getting paid for it without spending the time I have, I can’t say I blame them for taking that route,” Guzzardo said. “If I could get paid for my work, my art or digital art, I don’t think I’d be too upset about it.”
Alyssa Wood (’22), a recent graduate and graphic design major, said she feels good about people creating NFTs and making money from them.
“I don’t mind them in any way,” Wood said. “If people want to use or do NFT, go for it, and if you don’t, that’s fine too.”
At the root of the conversation lies the question of what makes art, art. Christian Arnder, an adjunct instructor of graphic design, said he thinks there is artistic inspiration to be found at NFT.
“I think a lot of people were reinvigorated in their creativity by having this new opportunity,” Arnder said.
Arnder said he has friends doing interesting work through NFTs, but he finds personal reluctance on the subject.
“I think at the end of the day, for me personally, it still ends up feeling a lot like a false absence,” Arnder said. “It ends up feeling very much like this approach to art that is still very capitalist.”
Arnder said he doesn’t think trends are a bad thing, but to figure out how to be successful, artists need to look beyond them.
“I think what trends lack a lot of the time, at least as they grow and evolve, is the human connection — they lack that emotional connection,” Arnder said. “I think if artists and designers and illustrators can find a way to really connect emotionally with people, it goes way beyond trends.”
CONTACT McKinley Mihailoff at [email protected]. For more JMU and Harrisonburg news coverage, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.


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Sri Lanka has preferential and free trade agreements with India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Singapore and Israel. It is currently in the processing of upgrading its agreement with India to a much more comprehensive one.
Sri Lanka is also party to SAFTA, the agreement on a South Asia Free Trade Area, as well as BIMSTEC, which aims to hammer out a regional FTA.
last update: May 2012
Photo: Sri Lankan engineers’ association
Sri Lanka and Israel have held their first bilateral consultation on enhancing trade ties, authorities said.
The calls to boycott American goods and services in the wake of the recent resolution at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) have highlighted the fact that Sri Lanka’s export trade is heavily dependent on a narrow slew of countries.
The companies from Sri Lanka are seeking for Azerbaijani partners for export development to Azerbaijan, a news report said. Economic Development Ministry of Azerbaijan reports that Sri Lankan companies are ready to supply fruits, spices, fabric and paints to the country.
Sri Lanka is expected to delay the decision to sign a comprehensive trade agreement with India that would encourage bilateral trade, a top government official said on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka has agreed to import its entire basmati rice quota of 6,000 tonnes from Pakistan under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) through the private sector from 2012.
’Moving forward’ on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Sri Lanka and Pakistan which also goes beyond only trade in goods outlined in the existing bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), into services and investment promotion, will boost trade between both countries, according to Seema Ilahi Baloch, High Commissioner for Pakistan in Sri Lanka.
A spokesman for the anti-CEPA group, Managing Director Multichemi Group Samantha Kumarasinghe said that CEPA is bound to cause serious harm to Sri Lanka. According to him the Indian authorities have consulted around 1000 Indian economists on CEPA. But in Sri Lanka’s case it was the opposite, he alleged.
Given the strong economic, political and cultural ties shared by the two countries an FTA to further bolster bilateral trade had been a topic during a meeting between Japanese Ambassador Kunio Takahashi and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen.
The Sri Lankan government has broken an impasse over the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement which has been dragging for several years, and decided to renegotiate some sections of the proposed agreement with India.
Summarises basic features of a regional services trade agreement with specific reference to India and Sri Lanka


text:
Samsung announced various exciting new products during the Mobile World Congress and even after the event Samsung continues to announce some of the finest smart phones in the market. However, still there has been no official news about the most anticipated Samsung product, Galaxy S3. This phone, that was previously supposed to be announced during the WMC, was delayed by Samsung to be announced at some later Samsung event, but so far we don’t have any information about that event or the device itself. But recently, Samsung filed patents for three new devices which have made people curious since one of these three devices might even turn out to be Galaxy S3. The trademark filings were submitted a few days ago at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, but unfortunately, there is not any more information about these devices more than this simple plain fact, which makes us question whether one of these devices might be Galaxy S3.
Apparently these devices are being called Stellar, Emerge and Halo but of course, these might turn out to be the code names. However, all these devices might be just mid range fillers with average specs. They, on the other hand, might also turn out to be among the best high end devices from Samsung but not Galaxy S3. So anything that would be said about these devices at this stage is simply nothing more than speculation and rumor. In past Samsung has filed patents for smart phones with their original names as well as code names so we can’t say for sure whether these are the real names or code names of the devices. Examples of previous smart phones from Samsung with different names include Galaxy Axiom, Galaxy Awaken, Galaxy Heir and Galaxy Rite.
So far, no details have been disclosed about the technical specifications, release date or price of the devices. We are also not sure when Samsung would be announcing these devices. It is possible that Samsung announces these devices and Galaxy S3 during the same event, in which case these devices would most probably be the mid range phones. The announcement of Galaxy S3 might take place in April or Samsung might even decide to delay the announcement till summer. We would have to wait for some more time to see how things actually turn out to be.
Unlock Samsung Galaxy Stellar , unlock Samsung Galaxy Halo, unlock Samsung Galaxy Emerge
After the release date, you can unlock Samsung Galaxy Stellar with us, folowing some simple steps. You can also unlock the other two devices, by simply changing the name : unlock Samsung Galaxy Halo or unlock Samsung Galaxy Emerge.


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The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is complaining that unchecked operations of online sabong (cockfighting) is impacting negatively on its lotto sales.
PCSO general manager Royeca Garma said this is because the concerned authorities aren’t doing anything much to curb the illegal activities of online sabong operators.
She said the online sabong phenomenon has flourished during this lockdown period due to the strictures imposed by the IATF on traditional sabong activities.
PCSO director Sandra Cam said the agency has not yet fully recovered from the effects of the months-long lockdown imposed by Malacanang to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which is why there is this appeal for an honest-to-goodness crackdown on illegal online sabong.
PCSO’s lotto revenues reportedly suffered a 57-percent drop from P44 billion in 2019 to only P18.6 billion in 2020.
Photo: Philippine Star


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HMV shares jump 11% after troubled retailer says it is targeting a £10m profit this year
Music chain HMV insists its recovery remains on track despite announcing an annual loss and the departure of its two top bosses within the space of a week.
The group's shares jumped 11 per cent after it reassured that City that it anticipates a profit of at least £10million in the current financial year.
HMV said it was successfully ramping up sales of electronic devices such as the latest iPad, Google's Nexus tablet and wireless headphones, following turnaround efforts that included a new deal with suppliers and selling its Waterstones book chain and Hammersmith Apollo venue.
Turnaround: HMV said it was successfully ramping up sales of electronic devices such as the latest iPad, Google's Nexus tablet and wireless headphones
Chief executive Simon Fox, who has just announced he will be handing over the reins to ex-Jessops boss Trevor Moore in September, admitted the past year had been 'difficult and challenging'.
News of his impending exit was followed by an announcement last Monday that finance director David Wolffe was leaving too.
Wolffe, who helped HMV secure a £220million bank lifeline two months ago, will be replaced by Ian Kenyon, the ex-finance director of Carphone Warehouse.
HMV, which operates 252 stores, today announced a loss of £16.2million for the year to 28 April, compared with a profit of £17.6million the year before.
Its sales fell 19.7 per cent to £923.2million, while like-for-like sales slid 12 per cent amid fierce online competition.
Electronic devices now represent 11 per cent of HMV's business after it rolled out an extended range to 144 stores, and it plans to revamp a further 25 stores in coming months.
HMV said the market for games, music and films on DVDs or CDs have all shrunk by between 10 per cent and 20 per cent over the year as more people download content from the internet. However, it was encouraged by market share gains in the final quarter.
It hopes sales of computer games will benefit following the demise of rival Game earlier this year, although some analysts have doubted this, pointing out that it failed to gain a noticeable uplift from the collapse of Zavvi in 2008.
Following the sale of the Hammersmith Apollo for £32million, HMV is still looking to offload the remainder of its HMV Live business, which runs numerous venues and a number of festivals including Lovebox in London and Global Gathering near Stratford-upon-Avon.
It today booked a £37.1 million charge for the business.
Fox said: 'Although we have clearly been through a turbulent period, our financial position is now stable thanks to the support of our suppliers, banks and colleagues, and I am confident, as I hand over the reins to Trevor Moore, that HMV has a secure future under his leadership.'
Shares in HMV were up 0.4p at 4.05p in early trading, but the company is still worth just £16.4million after its stock tumbled from 140p before the financial crisis.
Income shares watch: The firm is not paying a dividend for last year, after awarding 0.9p per share the year before. HMV shares yield 24.79 per cent, reflecting its business woes.
Stock watch: HMV shares have been on a rollercoaster ride over the past year
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Android Chief Andy Rubin Steps Down, to be Reassigned at Google
March 13, 2013 3:20 PM
comment(s) - last by
Currently head of apps and Chrome browser takes his place
Just months after Apple, Inc. (
) shook up its ranks with the
departure of former iOS senior vice president Scott Forstall
, Google Inc. (
) has announced its own executive shakeup in its mobile operating system ranks. Google has announced that Android co-founder and former Android Inc. CEO Andy Rubin will be stepping down from his post as head of development for the mobile operating system.
I. Google's Smartphone Team Gets Fresh Blood
Mr. Rubin will remain at Google, but will begin an undefined "new chapter" at the company. Google CEO Larry Page
, "Having exceeded even the crazy ambitious goals we dreamed of for Android—and with a really strong leadership team in place—Andy’s decided it’s time to hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google. Andy, more moonshots please!"
Taking those reins will be Google senior vice president Sundar Pichai, a leader on the Chrome browser and Android apps teams. Mr. Pichai holds a M.S. degree from
and a MBA from
, where he earned numerous honors.
Sundar Pichai will lead the Android team. [Image Source: Reuters]
Mr. Pichai will continue to manage Chrome OS in addition to the Android ecosystem, which today consists of 750+ million devices and hundreds of thousands of apps. There's a great deal of speculation that Google may merge Chrome OS with the Android platform, a move that could reenergize the struggling Google laptop operating system.
II. A Decade With Android
Andy Rubin had been leading the Android team for a decade.
He started his career in the 1980s as a roboticist with Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (
). He first jumped into the consumer electronics industry with a 1989-1992 stint in Apple's manufacturing department. From there he went on to work as engineer at MagicCap, a mid-1990s PDA operating system maker, which was run by later
iPod co-creator Tony Fadell
After MagicCap was folded into the MSN TV project, Andy Rubin set out on his own in 1999 co-founding Danger Inc., an all-in-one hardware/software/services firm that created the "Sidekick", a top early proto-smartphone.
) would eventually acquire Danger in Feb. 2008 for $500M USD.
Andy Rubin (left) at the 2011 unveil of the Galaxy Nexus. [Image Source: Reuters]
But by then Mr. Rubin had already left. In 2003 he left his position as Danger Inc. CEO to co-found a new mobile operating systems startup, Android Inc. He served as CEO at Android until 2005, when Google acquired the company.
The Android unit would continue to quietly develop its product under Mr. Rubin's leadership until 2007, when the smartphone OS
stormed onto the market
. Despite its high profile backing, Android would not catch on in a big way until 2009. But slowly, it accelerated its sales pace, thanks to strong third party support.
it was the market leader in unit sales. Today it is by far the world's most used smartphone operating system.
While coverage of Mr. Rubin's departure will likely jump on the angle of its timing with respect to Mr. Forstall's departure, the departures appear merely coincidental;
unlike Mr. Forstall
, Mr. Rubin was widely regarded as well-liked and has not been forced out of the greater Google empire.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: Larry Page's announcement decoded
3/14/2013 2:01:30 PM
This a very good article on Rubin's departure from The Guardian,
"I modded down, down, down, and the flames went higher." -- Sven Olsen
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text:
Posted on August 5, 2011 AT 07:00am
Information on Borderlands 2 continues to trickle in since its official announcement two days ago.
Today some new artwork for the game has been released showing off one of the new classes that will be available in the game.
Sadly no details about the skills or abilities that this class has were shared, even the name of the class is being kept a secret, but he looks like the sort of guy that you don’t want to mess with.
Borderlands 2 is set to release in 2012 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
Today's Top 10 Stories
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Website Interface © 2012 EGM Digital Media, LLC.


text:
Despite being a small industry, the Thai gaming industry has a high potential. It has potential to become a regional gaming hub. The sector is expected to generate over $2 billion in revenue by 2025.
Can you play GTA in Thailand?
The Thai government has supported the development of the gaming industry. The government has set up a national master plan for the industry. It has also supported the growth of the gaming sector through the establishment of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency.
The DEPA Game Accelerator Program has been implemented to improve game developers in Thailand. It provides opportunities to run trials prior to commercial launch, training for game design, and access to funding. In addition, the program also works to improve the capabilities of game publishers. ตรวจสอบ https://aeufa.cc
In addition to developing new games, the Thai gaming industry is also trying to attract eSports athletes to Thailand. The Professional Sports Promotion Fund, a government-run organization, provides financial support to eSports athletes.
Thailand’s gaming market is expected to reach $XX Billion by 2030. It is expected to grow at a rate of 15 percent annually. In addition, Thailand has a large gaming community, with 28 million gamers. This community is active and passionate.
According to NewZoo, the Thai gaming market is expected to be worth US$692 million in 2019. Thailand has a lot of potential in the global gaming market. It is also a top market for PC gaming and mobile gaming. Its mobile gaming market is expected to increase at a rate of 7 percent annually.


text:
Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 |
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LIHUE — Susan Matsunaga’s prayers were answered Monday.
“I was wondering what we were going to have for the Lihue Public Library used book sale,” said the Friends of the Lihue Public Library volunteer. “I was looking for some good stuff, and even prayed for books.”
A few days later, Matsunaga said the library received about 10 big boxes from a person in Texas.
“They didn’t send it to any other library,” Matsunaga said.
A note in the box stated the items came from a collection of a person who died and contained a number of Hawaiiana items, including more than 40 hardcover books, 20 large hardcover books, more than 80 record albums, and more.
“I prayed, and this came,” Matsunaga said. “Some of the items were put out on the library shelves, but many will be part of the used book sale.”
Doors to the Lihue Public Library used book sale open at 10 a.m. today and will stay open until 4 p.m. The sale continues through Friday and features books, CDs, DVDs and records.
“Some of the people featured on the records have passed away, but their sounds live in the records,” Matsunaga said, discovering vintage titles like “South Pacific,” and “The Sound of Music,” which celebrated its 50th anniversary last week.
Owen Moe, a Friends volunteer from Kekaha, said there are more fiction titles compared with the last sale.
“We’ll even have the free table outside the door,” Matsunaga said. “We don’t know what’s going to be in there, but it’ll be there, and it’s free.”
Proceeds support the library, 4344 Hardy Street in Lihue.
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text:
New Delhi/IBNS: The Oberoi Group entered in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) to enhance sustainability initiatives.
New Delhi/IBNS: The sale of national carrier Air India has reached the financial bidding stage and the transaction is likely to be concluded by September this year, said media reports.
New Delhi: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company, a ‘Maharatna’ and a Fortune Global 500 Company and Accenture (NYSE: ACN) are collaborating to transform India’s second largest oil and gas company digitally through reimagining its extensive sales and distribution network.
New Delhi: The Renewables arm of Larsen & Toubro’s Power Transmission & Distribution Business has secured the go-ahed to begin constructing the 300MW Jeddah Solar PV Power Plant.
Mumbai/UNI: Mahindra & Mahindra on Tuesday gained by 8.02 pc to Rs 811.65, a major gainer in 30 scrips of the BSE.
Mumbai/UNI: The BSE Sensex on Tuesday rallied 660.69 pts to close at 48,544.06 following gains in Auto, Bankex, Finance and Realty stocks amid strong global peers.
Kolkata/UNI: BharatPe, one of India's fastest-growing fintech companies, has announced that it has achieved a big milestone by clocking 106 million transactions/ month in the UPI QR payments category in March 2021.
Mumbai/UNI: Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) on Tuesday said that it has become the top enabler of digital payments in the country by registering over 970 million digital transactions in the month of March 2021.
Mumbai/UNI: Pharma major Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Tuesday said that it has received the permission from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to import the Sputnik vaccine into India for restricted use in emergency situations.
Mumbai/UNI: The BSE Sensex on Tuesday recovered pts to 48,033.74 in opening session following gains in Materials, Finance, Energy, Consumer Discretionary Goods and Services stocks.
Mumbai/IBNS: According to a recent study, digital payment transactions in India have gone up by 76 per cent in the January-March period this year compared to what it was in the same period last year.
Coimbatore/IBNS: Tamil Nadu based TABP Snacks and Beverages recently raised a pre series A round of rupees six crore from the Chand Family Office Yukti.
Srinagar: Footwear company Columbus Sports today unveiled its Columbus Gold collection at its first grand Srinagar Dealer’s Meet 2021.
Mumbai/UNI: The Rupee on Monday slid by 32 paise to 75.06 against the US Dollar on brisk demand for US Dollar by bankers and importers, dealers at the Forex Market said.
Mumbai/UNI: IndusInd Bank on Monday tumbled down by 8.60 pc to Rs 844.40 as a major loser in 30 scrips of BSE.


text:
Google Named Next Android version official Release as Nougat.
The wait is over! Google has officially revealed that the next version of Android will be known as Android Nougat!
– – Android (@Android)June 30, 2016
Aside from the official name, no other details have been disclosedabout the new version of Android. We will let you know the detailsonce they start rolling in.Update:Here’s the official Android Nougat statue outside of Google HQ.


text:
Operating in eight states and set to expand, Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM -1.17%) describes itself as a neighborhood grocery store specializing in healthy living for less. CFO Amin Maredia joined the Fool to talk culture, margins, growth, and more. A CPA and Harvard Business School alum, Maredia joined Sprouts in 2011 after serving at major companies including PricewaterhouseCoopers and Burger King (NYSE: BKW).
Many companies talk in terms of a customer-centric approach, but Maredia prefers the term "product sense," which goes beyond understanding what the customer wants to include product innovation as well.
A full transcript follows the video.
2 retailers set to succeed for the long haul
To learn about two retailers with especially good prospects, take a look at The Motley Fool's special free report: "The Death of Wal-Mart: The Real Cash Kings Changing the Face of Retail." In it, you'll see how these two cash kings are able to consistently outperform and how they're planning to ride the waves of retail's changing tide. You can access it by clicking here.
Brendan Byrnes: Let's talk about your recent IPO. It popped over 100% and it's maintained that, pretty much. Could you talk about the process leading up to the IPO, what that was like, and also how Sprouts changes now, as a public company?
Amin Maredia: This was my third IPO. I think that, from a company standpoint, if anything it's been a positive because it's allowed our brand to get out in the public marketplace a little bit more. As far as changes, we're laser-focused on the four tenets of the business, and focused on opening the stores right, focused on training in the stores, focused on growing talent within the stores.
One of the things I think is a positive benefit of becoming a public company has also been that attracting talent has become even easier. Over the last year it's been incredible, some of the people we've been able to hire. I've been in scenarios where somebody comes in to interview, and I sit back and reflect -- because I've come from $20, $30, $40 billion companies and you step back and go, "Am I going to be able to attract this person?" -- and the same night you get an email from that person, who's passionate about coming to Sprouts. That's fun.
Really, as we go forward it's so important to the success in the future for the company.
Byrnes: Let's talk longer term, maybe 10 years out. What are some of the big drivers that investors can expect if they're going to hold the stock for a while, like we would; we're long-term investors here. Not in and out. If they were looking for the long-term trends, what are we doing?
Maredia: Well, we hope every investor is like Warren Buffett; buy the stock and put it in the drawer!
Byrnes: Yeah, exactly. His favorite holding period is "forever."
Maredia: I think what I laid out in terms of our four key things -- of healthy food, service, value pricing, and selection -- is something that, baseline, we have to continue to do as a company. Culture and building talent; that we have to continue to do. We have a great leadership team who has been at $10, $20, $30 billion companies in their past, so who knows how to grow the company, so we're not worried about that.
Then when you think about five to 10 years out, you've really got to step back and reflect and look at food retailing and customer-facing companies. There's a lot of research, and you see a lot of the successful companies; you mentioned some. Whether it's Apple or McDonald's ... I actually like 7-Eleven. It's been a very successful retailer over the last decade.
You look at companies that sustain, and what have they done really well? When I was in business school, if I've learned one thing in business, it's that you hear the term "customer-centric" sometimes, but I like to use the term "product sense."
For us to be successful long term, we've got to have good product sense. That to me means one, product innovation has to be there, and second you have to really focus on the customer and what the customer wants. Sometimes, the customer may not know what's coming up, and that's where product innovation plays a key role.
Today, health, selection, value, and service are our key tenets. As we go forward, there may be different things. Today we're looking a lot at how do we engage more with the customer, just not in our stores, but outside the store?
We send over 11 million fliers to our customers every week, and that's one point of engagement. We're starting to look more and more at social media engagement and have some fantastic platforms that we're building out to engage with me, talk to me as a consumer -- because remember we cater from the everyday supermarket customer to the lifestyle customer.
There's a lot of young people who are coming into our stores, and the millennials more and more are looking for knowledge, and are looking for ways to understand attributes in products. They're not just looking for that big brand; the Coke or Pepsi or Tide. They're looking for "What's actually in my product? What is the attribute of the product?"
That's exciting for us, and it plays right into our wheelhouse, so we have some pretty exciting things under way to build on that. The bottom line is, as we grow as a brand we've got to continue to widen our moat. When we see our service scores -- which are way higher than your conventional supermarkets -- that's not good enough for us. It's continuing to widen the moat, continuing to look forward, to the side, and to the back.


text:
Asian tech site BenchLife delivers exclusive news about Intel's Optane launch plans.
It appears the first products based on the 3D XPoint memory technology will be launched alongside the Kaby Lake processors, towards the end of this year. Interestingly, the first Optane products will focus on two very different markets. There will be no mainstream models but there will be a "Stony Beach" release for "system acceleration" purposes.
The upper end of the enthusiast workstation segment will be served by "Mansion Beach", while the "Brighton Beach" will be a notch below this. The slide also talks about a future "Mansion Beach Refresh" as well as "Carson Beach".
As mentioned above, there will be no Optane for the mainstream market in the near-term future. Instead, this market will be served by second-generation 3D NAND.
Leading the pack is the Optane "Mansion Beach" SSD, positioned in the upper-end of the "Enthusiast Workstation" segment, with PCIe gen 3.0 x4 interface, and NVMe support. A notch underneath this is the Optane "Brighton Beach" series, featuring PCIe gen 3.0 x2 interface. Interestingly, Intel doesn't have a mainstream SSD based on the 3D XPoint tech around this time, yet has an entry-level "System Accelerator" segment drive codenamed "Stony Beach," which also takes advantage of PCIe gen 3.0 x2. This drive comes in M.2 form-factor. Some time later (2018?), the company plans to launch a single-chip successor to "Stony Beach," codenamed "Carson Beach."


text:
Food giant Nestle said Wednesday that its Japan unit would hire 1,000 robots as sales clerks at stores across the country.
The first batch of the robots — a chatty humanoid called Pepper — will report to work by the end of this year at outlets that sell coffee capsules and home espresso machines.
“From December, they will start selling coffee machines for us at big retail stores,” said Nestle Japan spokeswoman Miki Kano.
“We are sure that our customers will enjoy shopping and being entertained by robots.”
I – Word Understanding
chatty – likes to talk
humanoid – having an appearance or character like human
II – Have Your Say
1. Why is Pepper a special robot?
* it can sing and dance
* it understands 4,500 Japanese words and still learning
* it can communicate with emotion
2. Pepper is created not just to work but also to keep people happy. Softbank expects to sell Pepper to businesses as well as consumers for personal use.
3. A hardware store in California has also starting employing a robot sales assistant to help customers find itmes they are looking for. Robots may become sales assistants in the future leaving many unemployed.


text:
CNET news editors and reporters provide top technology news, with investigative reporting and in-depth coverage of tech issues and events.
- Feast your eyes upon first 'self-driving' pizza delivery car - Roadshow
No, you won't have to leave a tip.
- Uber officially names Dara Khosrowshahi as its new CEO - CNET
The appointment ends a two-month search to replace Travis Kalanick, who was forced out in June.
- Houston Best Buy accused of hurricane price-gouging on water - CNET
Commentary: The retailer says several employees made "a big mistake" in offering packs of water for $42.96.
- Everything we know about 'Star Trek: Discovery' so far - CNET
From Klingons to starships, warp through all the known details of "Star Trek: Discovery" and its new crew of space explorers.
- FAA warns drone users about flying in Hurricane Harvey area - CNET
The agency says unauthorized drone use could interfere with rescue and recovery efforts currently underway.
Haikona! | Web Directory - InteligentD | www.inteligentd.com


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AMSTERDAM – The 2020 HISWA Amsterdam Boat Show opened, as planned, on March 11, against a backdrop of a global coronavirus epidemic. Organizers said Dutch health authorities had no objection to the show taking place.
World Surfing Champion Kiran Badloe of the Netherlands rang the show’s opening bell. In a nod to the benefits of a circular economy, electric propulsion and a 6m printed boat were key show themes.
The 5-day Amsterdam show, the 65th edition, is the largest boating and water sports event in the Netherlands. More than 200 exhibitors are to show off sail and motor yachts, water sports, accessories, gadgets, innovations and boating lifestyle events and locations. The 2020 event displayed the world’s largest range of tenders and weekenders. Among them:
Seafury BV premiers its Hawker 650 tender that, says the company, is available in over 1,000 colors. Enkhuizensloepen premiers the Evolution 6, a fast and sleek, highly finished tender. Antaris premiers its Antaris X, a 10m polyester day cruiser that is also suited for staying on the water for a few days, even at sea. The 8.55m Makma Cayos 28 is a new, fast tender that can do up to 70km/h, depending on the engine power.
In the sailboat category, Saffier Yachts’ Saffier Se 27 Leisure has its world premiere. A roomy, fast family yacht that comes standard with a 4.0 Kw Torqeedo engine which makes the craft 70% lighter than a diesel-powered yacht.
Also, at the high-end of the market, Domani Yachts shows its sail and motor yachts. It just launched the E32, chase boat, a sturdy, lightweight electric craft in-house technology of E drive systems. Domani’s S30 Sport is about sailing Gran Turismo style.
Jachtwerf Heeg’s daysailers – the Splash, Randmeer, G2 and Pointer 25 cater – cater to many tastes.
Recent addition: The Pointer 22. In Amsterdam, the yard can update you on its production of Winner Yachts. The brand’s current owner, Nordic Yachting, has transferred the molds from Poland to Jachtwerf Heeg which is highly knowledgeable in the construction of polyester yachts.
Vetus, the Dutch developer and manufacturer of marine engines and related gear, introduces the new E-Line of electric motors that combines the sensation of sailing with the power of a motor yacht. Its electric propulsion features ‘‘active engine braking’ system that lets you shift from forward to reverse without any delay.
If you worry about all the stuff that settles on your hull, see Rik Breur. In 2019, he won a European Inventor Award for his Finsulate antifouling fiber wrap, a carpet-like material covered by tiny nylon spines. Traditional antifouling paints release toxins and copper into the water, placing marine ecosystems at risk.
IJssel Coatings has made paints since 1930 and can still surprise the market. Most recently in 2019 when it launched a 2-component primer in a spray can. The company’s products are used in the yacht building and other sectors.
USAFE,the remote controlled rescue float (and overall winner of the DAME Design Award at the 2019 METSTRADE show) returns to Amsterdam. USAFE is a rescue device that’ll collect you when you are knocked overboard.


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Vintage bike and car rally to hit Panjim streets on October 1, 2016
Panjim, 29 September 2016: Goa is abuzz with excitement as vintage bike and car owners, users, collectors and fans are decking up their priceless possession which they will parade along with pride in Panjim on Saturday.
More than 85 vintage cars and around 50 vintage bikes will be participating in Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s rally cum festival on Saturday, 1st October 2016. Read more>>
Meaningful celebrations mark World Tourism Day
Panjim, 27 September: Meaningful celebrations by Goa Tourism in keeping with the theme of promoting tourism for all and ensuring universal accessibility marked World Tourism Day on Tuesday, 27th September 2016.
On the occasion, Goa Tourism and Goa Tourism Development Corporation announced plans of ensuring proper access’ for tourists with disabilities and providing all tourism projects, tourist spots and locations with access’ for tourists with special needs. The SPV Cell of GTDC has been entrusted with the task of implementing the same. Read more>>


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Indian CFOs optimism on business environment climbs to 5-quarter high
Around 57 per cent and 62 per cent stated no change in need for raising short-term and long-term funds, respectively, for the third quarter of this year.
Indian general insurers say Brexit not to hit their business
Some of the major energy insurance and aviation deals involving ONGC, Indian Oil...
Global Investors, Agrochemical Giants Eye Indian Business
Most of the top agrochemical companies already have presence in India in the form o...
Too early to understand Brexit implications on Indian business, students: MEA
Vikas Swarup also emphasised that India has a strong and multifaceted relationship with the UK and the EU and are committed to strengthening these ties further.
Centre batting for Indian businesses abroad: Jaishankar
He was speaking at the inaugural event of the two-day 'The Gateway of India Dialogue' on 'Where geopolitics meets business' here this evening.
President Pranab Mukherjee seeks new avenues for Indian businesses in Africa
The President said country's foreign investment regime has been liberalised through simplified procedures and the removal of several restricting provisions.
Indian tycoon in Australia misappropriates $150 mn from business
It was alleged that the misappropriation included 60 mn dollars to a Burrup account, 11 mn dollars to a property, millions to parcels of land and 8 mn dollars to restaurant chain.
Indian government did a lot for city gas distribution business: Shalin Sharma, British Gas
"BG is now part of Shell and in a few months it will be formally part of the Shell Group worldwide and we have invested in this company. It is a listed company now."
Market share of Indian IT in European business quite marginal: Vineet Nayar, Former CEO, HCL Tech
" I believe that everybody was, in the corporate sector, gearing up to this eventuality."
British Indian business leaders back anti-Brexit campaign
"80 British Indian business leaders have supported Britain's membership in the European Union, saying Brexit will have the "double whammy effect"
Stocks of Indian businesses with EU links take a big knock ahead of the Brexit vote
Experts believe companies that use the UK as a base to gain access to other European markets, such as those from IT and pharma sectors, will take a hard knock.
Indian School of Business plans to attract students from Africa, ASEAN
ISB said it sees these countries as an untapped talent pool that has the potential to contribute to the leadership needs of emerging economies and the world.
Seven Indian companies participating in Thai business meet
Wings Travel Management and Zilingo will be the first Indian companies from the services sector to participate in Subcon Thailand 2016.
British firm RSK Business Solutions merges with Indian company BSL Information Technology
The two companies claim to deliver consultancy services that help clients minimize business risks and maximize their business performance.
Jeff Bezos announces $3 billion investment in Indian business in the presence of PM Narendra Modi
Jeff Bezos said the company would invest an additional $3 bn in India, boosting the company's committed investment in the country to $5 billion.
No plans to shut jewellery business: Reliance Retail
Terming as "incorrect and speculative" reports of Reliance shutting down jewellery business, the spokesperson said the company has opened seven new stores in recent times.
Government hopeful of improving 'ease of doing business' rank
India's rank in the World Bank's Doing Business Report 2016 was was up at 130th from 134th slot in the previous year.
Hong Kong woos Indian investors to set up business ventures
"Indian companies are very strong in doing jewellery, diamond and other luxury trading business and they can also make Hong Kong as hub for the same," Chiang said.
Emami raising overseas business
During the last fiscal, Emami spent Rs 531 crore towards brand promotion and brand building, comprising 24 per cent of total costs.
Ibibo becomes profitable in air-ticketing business
"We are trying to solve problems of each group - from travelers to owners - in a single shopping cart through creating an engaging app," says Kashyap.
Indian School of Business rolling out new initiatives two new cenrtes and programmes
The two new centres are positioned to bridge theory and practice. With this, the number of research institutes and centres at ISB will go up to nine.
Too busy for Pokemon? These entrepreneurs will play for you
Many of their customers want to compete in the game at a high level but don't have time to roam the city playing the game all day.
'Private equity business performed well this quarter'
The private equity business, whose first fund has come to a closure, performed well and we have been selling stocks from that particular fund, says Raamdeo Agrawal, Joint MD, Motilal Oswal Financial Services.
JPMorgan wary on Indian telecom sector
Firstly, it raised a question about whether smartphone penetration which is necessary for data growth will be sufficient for continued 3G and 4G expansion.
Women run just 14 per cent of Indian businesses, most self-financed
The report observed that in India, unequal inheritance rights for women and work restrictions limited their access to startup capital and collateral.
Women run 14 per cent of Indian businesses, most self-financed
India ranked 29th of 31 countries in the 2015 Global Women Entrepreneurs Leader report by ACG Inc, a consultancy, above only Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Exide Industries springs to life on business recharge
Analysts estimate that Exide has nearly two-third market share in batteries directly sold to vehicle makers and one-third in the replacement market.
Future Lifestyle to raise Rs 500 crore to fund fashion retail business
The company is due to pass a special resolution at its annual general meeting scheduled for August 29 to raise the said amount by issuing non-convertible debentures.
Indian gold standard bars in the works
A committee has been formed to work on the guideline for introducing the Indian gold standard bar.
AAP leader demands independent probe some business houses
Khetan alleged that companies including the Adani and Essar groups have siphoned money through "over-invoicing" of imports under power and infrastructure heads.
WNS-NIIT University start first MBA batch in Business Analytics
About 51 students were selected for the first batch, after going through a stringent three-level selection process.
Business activity by angel groups grew significantly in 2015-16: Report
A strong preference for revenue generating startups observed in recent years continued in fiscal, with approximately 71 per cent of the startups backed by angel groups generating revenues.
Boxing and business: When Vijender Singh met Subrata Roy
Not seen much in the public eye since his bail in May, Roy’s hairdo coincidentally mirrors Singh’s spiky cut.
Indian embassy in Turkey asks Indians to remain indoors
The Emergency contact numbers for Indian nationals:In Ankara: +905303142203In Istanbul: +905305671095.Martial law has been imposed by the army in Turkey.
Mahindra launches hiring centre for farm equipment rental business
The first centre was inaugurated by Karnataka Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda at Hithnal Hobli in Koppal District, in the presence of other company officials.
Kesoram to infuse Rs 600 crore in tyre business, to acquire mine
About funding the investment plan, Das said the company was evaluating between raising debt and equity and no firm decision had been taken yet.
'Continue to remain positive on Indian markets'
In a chat with ET Now,Gautam Trivedi, CEO of Religare Capital Markets talks about the market view and factors affecting Indian market.
On the grape vine: Superhero's car puts business man in trouble
A business heavyweight had said that he remodelled a fast car to match a certain dark knight’s ride. It turned out to be his relative's car.
Indians are happy at workplace, but constantly on the lookout
A study, by New York-based leadership training company Dale Carnegie has found that level of job satisfaction in India is extremely high at around 88%.
SpiceJet sets up unit for consumer merchandise business
The wholly-owned subsidiary 'SpiceJet Merchandise Private Limited' would engage in business of various goods including readymade apparels, through various channels.
Hero Electronix buys India business of Germany's TES DST Holding
The new division, Tessolve Embedded Systems, will focus on supporting the design and manufacture of innovative electronic products for global companies.
Industry business confidence rose in June quarter: CII
Over 60 per cent of the 200 firms that participated in the survey expect the country's real GDP growth to range between 7-8 per cent in the current fiscal.
Delhi urges Kazakhstan to simplify business visas for Indians
India has urged its main partner in Central Asia -- Kazakhstan -- to simplify visa process for its business community who is keen to tap the mineral rich country.
Yes Bank gets Sebi nod for mutual fund, AMC business
Yes Bank said it has already identified senior leadership and technology architecture to establish this business, and will commence operations within 12 months.
Salman Khan's brand to venture into jewellery business next month
Arpita Khan said: "I'm here because we are launching Being Human jewellery next month and that's really close to our hearts. So I decided to come out and support this as well."
Global giants like Citigroup, RBS are shifting business away from Indian IT companies. Here's why
Some customers feel that the cost benefit of Indian IT is starting to become less relevant and that top outsourcing vendors need to transform fast.
Embraer gets business jet order from Indian customer
Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer today said it has bagged an order for a new entry-level business jet, Phenom 100E, from an Indian customer.


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Regulating Cryptocurrencies: Finding Ways To Protect Investors
As the Indian government continues to debate regulation of cryptocurrencies, crypto exchanges are suggesting ways to protect users from the worst bouts of volatility. This, according to industry representatives, could be done via regulating exchanges but also keeping a check on tokens that are permitted for trading.
The Indian government is currently in the midst of reviewing a cryptocurrency legislation which had earlier intended to impose a ban on these tokens.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a review meeting on digital currencies on Saturday, and it was decided that the government will continue to proactively engage with experts and other stakeholders on the evolving technology, Bloomberg reported.
The industry has been arguing in favour of regulation in the hope of avoiding a complete ban that was earlier contemplated.
As a start, any legislation around cryptocurrencies would have to define different kinds of tokens. This, according to Siddharth Menon, co-founder and chief operating officer of WazirX, is essential because the industry continues to change at a rapid pace.
According to Menon, cryptocurrencies can be broken down into four categories:
An asset that stores value, like Bitcoin;
A utility-based token, like Ethereum;
A virtual currency, like Tether;
And a central bank backed digital currency.
So while some tokens would fall under the category of assets and could be regulated as such, others may be more in the nature of utilities, he explained.
This categorisation itself can help weed out non-serious coins, commonly known as meme coins. These tokens, like Shiba Inu or Dogecoin, began as jokes but have still surged in value even though they lack any intrinsic worth.
As a next step, authorities can set up a framework to determine which tokens can be offered on local crypto exchanges to investors. "From the perspective of retailer protection, we can look at limiting retail investments on coins with low liquidity or high risk," said Vikram Subburaj, co-founder and CEO of Giottus.
The government could do periodic screening of available cryptos, said Subburaj. The screening can include the purpose of the project, liquidity, viability, transparency, market cap and even whether coins or tokens are withdrawable, he said.
Globally, some models are starting to emerge on ways to regulate cryptocurrencies.
For instance, the European Union has proposed segregation of different types of tokens along the following lines:
Crypto-assets like Bitcoin and Ether;
Utility Tokens like Filecoin and Basic Attention Token;
Asset-Referenced Tokens like Facebook's Libra;
E-Money Tokens like Tether and USD Coin.
The EU also proposes that any new crypto project be preceded by a white paper submitted to regulatory authorities. To be sure, authorities do not currently have the power to authorise or reject projects other than stable coins, which are backed by fiat currency.
Other geographies, such as Malaysia, have also implemented screening processes.
"Malaysia has already implemented regular screening checks to ensure rogue cryptos aren't able to operate fly-by-night operations. At the same time, some minimum parameters such as market cap or volume should be required to ensure credibility," Subburaj said.
In Malaysia, the exchanges have to be registered with the regulator and only a few cryptos are available for purchase. For example, Luno Exchange is permitted to host only five cryptos, unlike thousands which are listed globally.
A similar setup is available in Singapore, said Avinash Shekhar, co-CEO of ZebPay. According to Singapore's Securities and Futures Act, tokens are called capital market products. An issuer of such a token must hold a licence for the issue of such a token. Independent due diligence is conducted to address any risks associated with money laundering and financing terrorism during the issuance of tokens.
Some of these models could be used as benchmarks as India develops its own set of regulations.
While learning from what other developed countries have done, we will have to create regulations that benefit us. Regulators have to work with the stakeholders to keep track of the cutting-edge innovation crypto offers.Ashish Singhal, Founder & CEO, CoinSwitch
Fast Changing Market
While exchanges, eager to avoid a cryptocurrency ban in India, are offering up solutions, they acknowledge that these options are less than ideal in a fast changing market.
"We are still discovering applications of crypto and tokens, so more than outdated, the classifications will become narrow and limited," said Edul Patel, co-founder and CEO, Mudrex. "We'll need better classifications if new purposes like voting or land registries start moving to crypto. Hence, it's said that these terminologies shall remain constantly evolving."
Sandboxing is the best way to go forward since it helps establish the pros and cons in a controlled environment, he said. The RBI already has very good experience with sandboxing, as we've seen with a host of fintech innovations like payments, wallets, and even cross-border transactions.
The RBI, however, has remained opposed to cryptocurrencies. Speaking at a Business Standard event last week, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das reiterated the central bank’s concerns around cryptocurrencies, saying that these pose a financial stability risk.


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Profits for the six months to 6 November surged by 80% to £27.9m before tax and exceptionals, and the dividend is raised by 25% to 0.75p.
But the results were overshadowed by news that underlying sales dropped by 1.4% over the first 10 weeks of the second half. Somerfield was down 1.2% and the Kwik Save chain by 1.6%, compared with gains of 0.9% and 0.1% respectively in the first half.
Chief executive Steve Back said the group had enjoyed good trading in the run-up to 25 December but was hit by a number of factors over Christmas and the New Year, including the timing of the bank holidays.
"The big boys have a lot of non-food so they open on bank holidays like New Year's Day, but we don't,' he said. 'It fell badly for us.'
Turnover was also boosted the previous year by an offer on DVD players at £29.99, a promotion which was not repeated for Christmas 2004.
The group, which last year bought 114 smaller Safeway stores from Wm Morrison for £260 million, is in the middle of a major store conversion programme, which Back reckons cost it £20m in lost sales.
This was suspended over Christmas to ease the impact on trading but is under way again and should be largely completed by the year-end.Reuse content


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$KFY said for Executive Search, 4Q16 new business reached an all-time of $166MM. The company had experienced a relatively weak Jan. and that was followed by a stronger Feb. and then a seasonally strong March and April. At actualized ForEx rates, worldwide Executive Search new business was up 2% YoverY with a number of new engagements up almost 6%.
The latest earnings report by $VZ shows how it is losing customers despite offering the unlimited data plans, a record for the company.
$BEBE is closing down all its stores by the end of May.
$WFC agreed to hike its payout in a class-action settlement over unauthorized accounts by $32 million to $142 million for its retail sales practices. The settlement will now include customers who were impacted as early as May 2002.


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Tickets for the upcoming Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens have gone on general sale today (Thursday).
Some 10,000 three-day tickets are now on sale for the first Sevens event in three years. Tickets are traditionally distributed through a public ballot but this is not the case for November’s event.
All tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and prices have been frozen at 2019 levels. Three-day event passes will cost HK$1,950 (£229/€255/$248) for adults and HK$950 for children aged 12 and under. There have also been a small number reserved for international demand, should COVID-19 restrictions be relaxed further.
It was reported in August that tickets will be available through ticketing company Ticketflap and distribution platform Tixserve.
Local rugby club members have already purchased more than 16,500 tickets, which represents more than 50% of Hong Kong Stadium’s (pictured) capacity. Attendance is still currently restricted at 85% due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in Hong Kong.
Robbie McRobbie, chief executive of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union, told the South China Morning Post: “We are hugely thankful for the support we have received from our rugby community and stakeholders to date. It is comforting to know that we have already sold well over half of our tickets within our sporting community, and we are delighted to welcome the public to welcome the rugby world back to Hong Kong this November.”
The Sevens will run from November 4-6.


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The wireless industry has been defined by rapid change since its inception, and that should continue in the coming months and years. In fact, the pace of change may even increase, as carriers race to deploy 5G networks, as new media and content emerges to take advantage of 5G connections, and as individuals and industries expand use of internet of things technologies.
The much-anticipated deployment of 5G networks will be the driving force for the wireless industry, starting very soon. The first commercial 5G network launches are coming this year to the US, and GSMA projects that by 2025, there will be roughly 200 million 5G mobile connections in the US and Canada, representing 49 percent of the total market.
5G networks will enable vastly improved download speeds, lower latency, and improved processing power. Verizon has reported that in its trials it achieved download speeds of 30 to 50 times faster than 4G connections, and some projections suggest it could be 100 times faster than existing networks.
Verizon’s Ronan Dunne said 5G is not “just another iteration of wireless innovation. Just as the next generation of the television industry reinvented content based on the unique properties of the medium itself, the potential of the fifth generation of wireless technology demands that we fundamentally rethink what can be done on a wireless platform.”
Verizon has announced that it will begin with a fixed wireless 5G offering, Verizon 5G Home, which it is touting as the world’s first commercial 5G broadband Internet service. Verizon plans to initially launch the 5G Home service Oct. 1 in four markets – Indianapolis, Houston, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, Calif. Verizon said the offering would provide typical speeds of 300 Mbps, with peak speeds of 1 gigabit per second.
Meanwhile, AT&T says it will have mobile 5G service up and running in a dozen markets by the end of 2018 – Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas; Houston; Indianapolis; Jacksonville, Fla.; Louisville, Ky.; New Orleans; Oklahoma City; Raleigh, N.C.; San Antonio; and Waco, Tex. Early in 2019, AT&T also plans to launch the service in Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Nashville, Tenn.; Orlando, Fla.; San Diego; San Francisco; and San Jose, Calif.
AT&T claims its service will be the first mobile 5G service to be made commercially available, as well as the first to be standards-based, as Verizon’s fixed service is using non-standards-based technology.
Sprint is eyeing the first half of 2019 for its 5G mobile rollout, which it plans to begin with service in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, and Washington. Meanwhile, Sprint says it has teamed with LG Electronics to make available the first mobile 5G smartphone in the US in the first half of 2019.
T-Mobile says it will have 5G networks deployed in 30 US cities by year-end, but that it won’t officially launch service until next year when true 5G-capable smartphones hit the market. T-Mobile also promises full nationwide 5G coverage by 2020.
If Sprint and T-Mobile are given clearance to complete their proposed merger, the combined company would be able to move more quickly and more broadly into 5G deployments, they argue. They promise that by 2024 the combined company’s network would have double the total capacity and triple the combined 5G capacity of T-Mobile and Sprint after combining T-Mobiles 600 megahertz spectrum with Sprint’s 2.5 gigahertz spectrum holdings. To win regulatory approval for the merger, the companies have promised $40 billion in investments and improved services for rural customers.
Even cable operator Charter Communications is pledging to enter the 5G market, albeit focusing initially on using 5G for wireless services within homes and businesses and using 5G fixed wireless technology to expand its coverage. Eventually, Charter plans to offer a mobile service as a mobile virtual network operator.
Enabling expansion of IoT, autonomous vehicles
The higher-capacity 5G networks are necessary to address the dramatic increases in mobile data consumption in the US. Wireless industry trade association CTIA found that American used 15.7 trillion megabytes of mobile data in 2017, nearly four times amount used in 2014 and 40 times more than 2010.
Mobile operators expect that the initial demand for 5G services will likely come from consumers who are demanding additional mobile data bandwidth, according to GSMA.
“The majority of mobile operators around the world, including those in the US, indicate that the provision of enhanced mobile broadband to the consumer market will be the core proposition for early 5G deployments, with massive IoT and ultra-reliable and low-latency communications gaining scale at a later stage,” says a recent GSMA report. “Ultra-reliable and low-latency communications may be utilized in a number of emerging or future areas, such as autonomous vehicles, industrial and vehicular automation, remote medical surgery, and advanced AR and VR.”
The number of IoT connections in North America will triple from the roughly 1.9 billion at the end of 2017 to 5.9 billion in 2025, GSMA projects. Consumer electronics, smart homes, and smart vehicles make up most of these connections now, with connected vehicle options a growth area for wireless service providers. But GSMA projects that industrial IoT applications will overtake consumer IoT applications by 2025, driven by smart building, smart city, and manufacturing applications.
Investment demands & regulatory questions
The move to 5G networks requires extensive investment, which carriers have already begun and expect to continue for the next several years. CTIA reports that a record 323,448 cell sites were in operation at the end of 2017, up 52% over the last decade. Observers project that as many as 800,000 new wireless antennas will need to be deployed within the next few years to support 5G deployment, which relies on small cell technology.
With the wide range of 5G-enabled applications requiring these small cells, navigating the regulatory approval process will be a major issue for wireless operators. Localities can be slow to clear wireless operators to replace existing wireless infrastructure or install new equipment, prompting the wireless industry to push for new legislation and regulation to streamline processes and enable them to move more quickly. Among their desires are improved access to government facilities and rights-of-way, uniform standards for approval time frames, and limits on the fees that government agencies can levy.
The FCC is working on regulations designed to streamline and expedite processes, and several state legislatures have passed legislation designed to address these concerns, but the debate is likely to continue in the many states that have not yet done so.
Brian Hammond is technology news editor at SmartBrief. He was previously managing editor at Telecommunications Reports International, a Washington-based publisher slate of news and research products for telecom insiders, including Telecommunications Reports, TRDaily, and Cybersecurity Policy Report. Brian has a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University.