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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is no stranger to innovation. From cars to rockets to tunnels, the prolific entrepreneur often redefines entire industries, sometimes beginning with a single joke or tweet.
Now he has dropped a new bomb on us, opening the door to a Tesla electric bicycle.
A Tesla electric bicycle?
Musk recently sat down with Kara Swisher for an interview on Recode Decode.
The far-ranging interview spanned topics from the Tesla CEO’s copious twitter use (“What’s Twitter?” Musk asked) to the toxic US political climate and the upcoming new Tesla pickup truck.
But near the end of the interview, Musk dropped a whole new kind of bomb. After talking about how undignified electric scooters such as those used by Bird and Lime are, ruling out that Tesla would ever build one, he set his sights on a different two-wheeled EV: electric bicycles.
“Electric bike, I think we might do an electric bike, yeah.”
And with that, Tesla could set in motion huge changes to the growing electric bicycle industry.
Could Tesla spawn US electric bicycle manufacturing?
Despite taking a hard hit after the Trump Administration imposed 25% tariffs on imported Chinese e-bikes, the US electric bicycle market has been growing impressively year after year.
Electric bicycles are becoming an increasingly popular form of both recreation and everyday commuting in the US. However, there is almost zero domestic US electric bicycle manufacturing. Even after the Trump Administration’s import tariffs have increased the price of electric bicycles, most US e-bike companies have confirmed they have no plans for moving production to the US.
The cost to develop the necessary tooling, supply chain and skilled labor force would be so high that no current US e-bike company could cover it.
But Tesla could.
Leveraging their existing design and manufacturing capabilities to produce a Tesla electric bicycle would be relatively easy for the company. And doing so could create a monumental shift in the electric bicycle industry unlike anything seen before.
A Tesla electric bicycle could be unlike anything before
The electric bicycle industry has come a long way in the past decade. Early designs were largely standard bicycles with bolted-on motors and batteries. Newer designs have become sleeker as parts, cables and electronics have been further integrated into the vehicles.
However, there hasn’t been a huge amount of major technological improvement in e-bikes over the last few years.
On the battery front, many packs look sleeker and sexier, but still use the same old 18650 battery cells that have been on the market for two or three years. E-bike batteries haven’t gotten much lighter or longer lasting.
E-bike hub motors haven’t seen drastic changes in nearly a decade. Incremental improvements have made stronger gears and slight efficiency bumps, but nothing major.
Mid-drive motors were a big innovation three or four years ago, but have since largely seen smaller updates making them fractionally lighter or adding slightly more torque. Nice improvements, though nothing major.
But Tesla could take changes to the extreme, leveraging their motor and battery know-how to create a paradigm shift in the industry.
Batteries could become more energy dense and last for a decade instead of just two or three years.
Motors could be half the size or twice the power while becoming quieter and perhaps invisibly hidden in the frame.
A Tesla electric bicycle could include huge weight savings or be easily foldable to fit in a frunk.
E-bike range could skyrocket with large efficiency improvements and better regenerative braking.
A Tesla electric bicycle could potentially be theft-proof, or at least theft-resistant, with integrated GPS tracking.
The user interface could become a central design focus and not an afterthought.
Perhaps charging could be incorporated into public stations or even (gasp!) Tesla Superchargers.
Maybe a Tesla electric bicycle could even feature Autopilot! Alright, now I’m wildly speculating, but you get the point. With Tesla’s resources and the company’s laser focus on changing the future of transportation, nearly anything could be possible for a Tesla e-bike.
What would a Tesla electric bicycle even look like?
When Tesla designs a new product, they don’t just make it a technological feat. It’s also a beautiful example of form meets function.
The electric bicycle industry has been so slow to embrace radical redesigns that it is hard to even imagine what form a Tesla electric bicycle might take.
One thing is for sure though: If Tesla’s Chief of Design Franz von Holzhausen and his team take a crack at redesigning an electric bicycle from the ground up, it would be legendary.
Until then though, we can rely on other designers’ interpretations. Multiple artists and designers have played out thought experiments that could give a glimpse into the future. The designs featured here were sent to Electrek by Industrial Design student Kendall Toerner.
It’s hard to imagine how Tesla might innovate regarding the design of an electric bicycle, but lightweight materials and ultra sleek, flowing lines would likely play a key role.
Is a Tesla electric bicycle a reality?
Let’s start with the fact that Elon Musk has made much more outlandish statements that turned into reality. So with him, nearly everything is possible.
Despite Musk previously stating that he would never build a Tesla electric motorcycle, he sounds much more optimistic about a Tesla electric bicycle.
Of course we won’t know for sure until he decides to expand on his interest in e-bikes. But from the sound of his Recode Decode interview, it sure seems like he has already given thought to Tesla electric bicycles. So you might be pedaling a Tesla sooner than you would have imagined!
What do you think? Should Tesla build an electric bicycle. Let us know in the comments below!
Image credit: Kendall Toerner
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Fortnite downtime: Epic Games Fortnite servers shutting down for update 13.20
We’re just hours away from one of the first major Fortnite updates of Season 3 being released across PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile and PC.
A new patch is launching today, June 30, that’s set to add “new flare” to the game, which sounds like a fresh piece of arsenal to try out on the map.
Epic Games has also confirmed they will be shutting down servers, meaning the game will be unplayable for a short period.
As mentioned above, this will be one of the first major updates since Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 began earlier this month.
For now, the map remains flooded in many areas, making for one of the biggest shake-ups since it replaced the old one.
Data miners believe that further changes are coming, with hints founds in the game files suggesting that water levels will eventually fall.
This would make for a neat way to show off new locations, however, it remains just a rumour for now.
If this does start happening, the first drop in water levels could happen today, following the release of Fortnite update 13.20.
The start of a new Season usually heralds some big changes, be it through new ways to travel across the map, or POI to explore.
A message from the beginning of Season 3 adds: “The Island has flooded, there are new areas to explore, Marauders to take on and… sharks to ride?
“Survive more than just the Storm. Adapt to the new flooded way of life on the Island.
“Watch your back! Defend yourself from new Marauders as they crash down onto the island and challenge your survival.”
So it will be interesting to see what has been planned for Fortnite Season 3.
The only downside with today’s update is that it means the game servers will be unavailable for several hours.
The good news is that we know what time Fortnite downtime will be starting, and they have also given a rough outline for how long it might last.
WHEN ARE FORTNITE SERVERS GOING DOWN?
According to Epic Games, Fortnite servers are scheduled to go offline on Tuesday, June 30, on PS4, Xbox, PC, Switch and Mobile.
This means that Battle Royale and Save the World modes will be unplayable for the duration.
Epic estimates downtime could last up to three hours, however, it’s more likely that everything will be completed much sooner.
Recent updates have only taken around an hour or two to deploy but it will all depend on how many fixes are included.
Epic Games has confirmed that Fortnite server downtime and maintenance will begin at 7am, GMT.
This means that Fortnite will be unavailable in the United States from 2am ET onward, for however long maintenance lasts.
An update will be shared on Twitter when Fortnite servers are going offline, and another will be posted for when they are back online.
The latest message from the team confirms that they are closing down servers this morning, with new content a good possibility.
Source: Read Full Article

domain: news


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Former University of Notre Dame and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Blair Kiel is leading a local group that thinks it can put up big numbers with a series of sports DVDs.
Kiel-along with former Indianapolis Colts marketing chief Ray Compton, Grand Slam Cos.’ Milton Thompson and Pathway Productions’ Michael Husain-formed Legendary Sports LLC this year, and the company is preparing to launch a string of video productions.
Legendary Sports’ debut DVD, “Inside the Irish Huddle,” the tale of the University of Notre Dame’s greatest quarterbacks, will hit shelves in South Bend Aug. 26.
Kiel also announced the launch of the company’s first Web site, www.ndqb1.com, which promotes and offers direct sale of the 80-minute video along with a line of licensed merchandise. Kiel hopes to expand the Web site to include timely game analysis from some of the great Notre Dame quarterbacks.
“We want this Web site to be the place to go for Notre Dame football,” Kiel said.
Kiel set out early this year to produce a quarterback skills and drills DVD. After interviewing former Notre Dame quarterbacks Joe Montana and Joe Theismann in March, he changed the project’s scope.
“What we had were so many great stories that no one had ever heard before,” said Kiel, 43. “We think there are a lot of stories here that will really touch people’s emotions.”
Kiel set out to contact all former Notre Dame quarterbacks who had either been four-year starters, were in the top 10 for all-time passing yardage in Notre Dame history, won the Heisman trophy or a national championship, or were in the college or pro football Hall of Fame. Kiel came up with a list of 20 quarterbacks. Sixteen were living and all agreed to participate in the video. Kiel, in turn, offered to contribute part of the royalties for the project to charities of the participants’ choosing.
Kiel is the company’s CEO, and as such will be responsible for making contact and landing agreements with some of the nation’s biggest universities.
Husain, who has worked extensively with ESPN and other documentary makers, is handling video production and Web site operations.
Thompson, who has worked on licensed product deals with numerous professional and collegiate sports entities, is handling merchandise development and licensing.
Compton, who formed Compton Strategies after departing the Colts last season, is handling marketing and public relations.
“Blair Kiel has done a wonderful job of bringing good, qualified people together, and I think this venture really has potential,” said Mark Geddis, president and CEO of Fort Lauderdale-based Collegiate Images LLC, which licenses products for more than 120 universities, collegiate conferences and events nationwide. “You don’t often see these types of people come together on one project.”
Geddis said while more than half the ideas that come across his desk get licensed and even make it to market, less than 20 percent are financially successful.
Pathway’s Husain thinks “Inside the Irish Huddle” will have broad appeal.
“I’m usually my own worst critic, and I was really pleased with the way it turned out,” Husain said. “We really focused on the storytelling. If we can get people to see it, we’re in good shape.”
Husain thinks this project and others like it the company is considering are perfect for TV.
“We definitely have plans to talk with the networks,” Husain said. “We think it has real potential for TV, because it goes through the history in a pretty compelling way.”
Kiel said he’s already got Notre Dame on his side and is working with retailers locally and nationally for a wider launch.
“What separates this project is, it’s not just about the DVD,” Kiel said. “We have components for licensing and merchandising and an interactive Web site. We think it’s a model we can broaden on a national level.”


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Australian travel technology company TripTech reveals important data for recovering tourism industry
Australians love to travel and despite remaining restrictions and slowly returning domestic flights, a new and innovative travel index is outlining the where and how Australians are returning to travel with easing coronavirus enforced restrictions and starting school holidays.
TripTech, a travel technology company operating across Australia & NZ, uses its suite of A/NZ travel apps to generate real-time data from the activities of Australian and Kiwi road travellers.
The real-time domestic tourism data enables TripTech to build comprehensive dashboards and reports filled with rich information around actual traveller movement and behaviour. This is now informing and inspiring our tourism industry and authorities with actionable insights.
TripTech’s launched Independent Road Travel Index shows Australians are again getting back out there. Whilst many still aspire to travel and soon holiday, the Independent Road Travel Index is identifying it remains a slow and winding road back for Australian tourism and travel!
The Independent Road Travel Index allows touring Australians, tourism officials and governments to determine how our tourism industry is ‘travelling’ in the COVID-economy.
Senior Tourism leader and TripTech CEO Nick Baker said: “This Road Travel Index provides realistic signposts around how Australians are making the ‘return to travel’ – and it is by road.”
“TripTech’s apps provide practical consumer travel tools for pre-booking, in-trip information gathering and allowing users to best experience our great regions when on the road. But they also drive analysis and insight opportunities of Australians undertaking leisure road trips that we believe can even more effectively inform industry and governments,” Mr Baker said.
The Index’s inaugural release provides important insights into the present state of our slowly recovering tourism and travel industry. The Road Travel Index by TripTech found:
- Australians are getting out there again – but it’s not like 2019 – user data from late June 2020 compared to 12 months prior, shows Australians travelling around 60 per cent less. But as travel restrictions continue to ease, including some state borders, road travel trends are rising, with month on month growth of 15 per cent and climbing.
- Leading road trip states – user data from TripTech’s apps identified South Australia as the strongest state for getting back on the road, followed by Victoria and New South Wales. The Northern Territory was the lowest in comparative terms compared to 2019.
- Regional travel hot spots – the top five Australian regional travel hot spots during June were (in order) Murray East and the Eyre Peninsula (both South Australia), Victoria’s High Country and Yarra Valley, followed by regions through Southern New South Wales.
Via leading States in the Index the top visited regions were:
|State||Top Regional visited locations (Source: IRTI)|
|South Australia||Murray East, Eyre Peninsula|
|Victoria||High Country, Upper Yarra, Central Highlands|
|New South Wales||Southern NSW (Country & Outback)|
|Queensland||Whitsundays, Mackay, Tropical North Queensland|
- Overnight Stays and Road Trips – the Index states overnight stays are only slowly recovering – down a significant 80 percent for the past four weeks (to 21 June 2020) compared to 2019. But the Index data also shows road travel levels is now increasing.
- TripTech app usage – Users of TripTech’s most popular consumer travel apps have more than doubled in the last two months and the growth trajectory continues with new downloads surpassing 2019 figures every week through June 2020. Travel normality, at least for on-the-road and intrastate drive activity, is returning.
“Three-quarters of domestic tourism across Australia was previously done by car, caravan or campervan. The Independent Road Travel Index has identified road holiday travel will soon reach, then pass this level based on the exciting volumes we’re seeing,” said Nick Baker.
“The road trip is clearly back in vogue and this Index can closely track the progress of this new normal in Australian travel as school holidays begin.”
Mr Baker said the Index provides immediacy to critical insights, travel patterns and how the Australian tourism landscape is also being dramatically re-shaped with the loss of international visitors and still constrained interstate travel.
TripTech’s Independent Road Trip Index maps in real-time the intrastate and interstate tourism market. Future changes such as remaining State and Territory border re-openings and more domestic flights will be monitored for cause and effect of visitor volumes and activity.
Mr Baker said the Index would also be of value to Councils as well as State and regional tourism bodies needing to respond to changing travel behaviours and COVID-clean tourism drivers.
TripTech is a travel technology company operating across Australia and New Zealand. Our apps include 14 custom branded apps from the likes of car hire companies, accommodation and RV hire companies. The data these assets generate enables us to build comprehensive, real-time dashboards and reports on tourist movement and behaviour — powering the industry with actionable insights. The company first commenced in NZ a decade ago before its expansion to Australia.


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Bitcoin is such a prime possession; criminals will actively look for new ways to ensure they can steal funds from other users. Jered Kenna, a prominent name in the world of cryptocurrency, has been keeping most of the funds offline since day one. However, when passwords of this email addresses were reset, and this phone number suddenly belonged to another carrier, fear started setting in. As it turned out, a lot of Bitcoins ended up getting stolen in the end.
Phone-based 2FA Is Never A Good Idea
Criminals can obtain a lot of personal information about individual users if they want to. Retrieving one’s phone number may seem inconspicuous at first, but it has severe consequences in the long run. Through social engineering and other undisclosed hacking methods, criminals can use the phone number to obtain other sensitive information.
In the case of Jared Kenna, they used this information to switch this phone number to a different provider. In this case, that carrier was linked to a Google Voice account, which gave hackers full control over Kenna’s incoming calls and text messages. This also allowed them to reset account passwords by having codes sent via SMS, including the passwords to this email accounts.
But that was only the beginning, as Kenna quickly found himself locked out of his own bank accounts, PayPal credentials, and Bitcoin services. What is rather distressing, however, is how the no longer had access to this Windows account either, as this Bitcoin wallet’s private key was stored there.
Keeping a Bitcoin wallet on an encrypted hard drive is a good security practice. The average cryptocurrency user does not take these precautions, even though they usually should. Keeping that wallet offline is of the utmost importance, but at some point, users will look to sell their cryptocurrency.
Once Kenna started selling off small amounts of Bitcoin, the hackers struck. This is despite securing the wallet with a 30-character password, but it turned out not be enough. Security in the modern world relies on using different additional tools to provide security, but they all present a weak link of their own. In his case, a phone number can be used to cause a lot of havoc in quick succession.
It is important to note relying on two-factor authentication through SMS codes is not native to just cryptocurrency. A lot of social media platforms, banking services, and online payment platforms use this method of verification. Unfortunately, it appears this is far from a secure solution.
Header image courtesy of Shutterstock


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Global HTC One gets Android 4.3 update, improved low-light camera performance
If you're the proud owner of an unlocked HTC One smartphone, you should now have access to an Android 4.3 update. If you picked up a locked device from a US carrier, you're likely out of luck, but global users can now snag the latest version of Jelly Bean.
HTC One Android 4.3 Developer Edition ROM posted for download
HTC Posts Full Android 4.3 ROM For Developer Edition HTC One
HTC One Android 4.3 update camera fixes and changelog


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Apple launched the first instalment of its now iconic iPhone series back into 2007. The launch of this device changed the way we use our mobile phones forever, not only because of its features, but also its integration with Apple services such as the AppStore. The ability to download apps onto a smartphone gave users the opportunity to instantly skyrocket the versatility of the device, turning it into much more than the phone. Today, the AppStore is used by millions of people on a daily basis 155 countries around the world.
While Apple was the first to launch an application download service for its handsets, other operating systems quickly followed suit, with the likes of Google Play and Windows Marketplace becoming increasingly popular. However, many people regard the AppStore as the superior application download service, on account of its catalogue of over 750,000 apps (which is growing on a daily basis), and the quality of applications which comes as a result of being optimised for Apple devices. Visit us at PhonesLimited where we compare all the popular iPhone 5 Deals and contract offers for the iPhone 4S.
It was only a couple of years that Apple announced that the number of application downloads from the AppStore had reached the one billion milestone. This week though, Apple has made another announcement, and the number of applications downloaded from the AppStore has now surpassed the 40 billion mark, which demonstrates the growth in popularity of the service. What makes this number even more impressive is the fact that this only accounts for new downloads, and does not take into account apps which had been downloaded by users and installed onto different devices, or updates or re-downloads.
According to an article over at SlashGear, over two billion apps were downloaded from the AppStore in December 2012 alone. Of course, the September launch of the iPhone 5 will have significantly contributed to this number, on account of the phone selling well over five million units during its opening weekend on the market.


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[Addis Fortune] The World Bank, through its International Development Association (IDA), has approved the guarantee under its Renewable Energy Guarantees Program, which is the first guarantee deployed in Ethiopia.
[FrontPageAfrica] PRESIDENT GEORGE Manneh Weah finally got his chance to face the Liberian people, who for most of the past few months have been growing weary over the rapidly declining and dismal fate of the country’s economy.
VENDORS SELLING mobile-phone airtime and money-changers swinging bags of Congolese francs mill around beneath a billboard in Kinshasa that reads “Kabila forever”. It reminds people that Joseph Kabila, who stepped down in January as president of the Democratic Republic of Congo after 18 years, has not really gone.
[Nation] Mothers make the most sense, especially when they are saying the most irrational things. A little while ago, my daughter sent me an image of a young male hippy on WhatsApp.
[Thomson Reuters Foundation] London -Most British parents think “pink for girls, blue for boys” marketing reinforces messages about what girls and boys can do, according to a survey released on Tuesday ahead of a major inquiry into the impact of early stereotyping.
EVEN HIScritics found Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s last moments as president difficult to watch. After two decades in power, the Algerian leader stepped down on April 2nd.
[New Times] Rwanda is set to generate extra 56 MegaWatt of electricity after Symbion Power established a $200 million energy plant on the shores of Lake Kivu.
[New Zimbabwe] Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor, John Mangudya says the country’s fuel consumption has gone down by 35 million litres following the January price increases announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
[East African] Rwandan fashion designer Cedric Mizero, 25, the owner of Amizero, a fashion brand that has won a special Mention Award at this year’s International Fashion Showcase held in London on February 11-24.
[allAfrica] Extraction of methane gas could reduce deadly danger to lakeside populations as well as fuel development.


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Samsung Gulf Electronics has announced the early access phase for Samsung Pay – a mobile payment service that works as a credit or debit card – in the UAE.
Samsung is currently working with a number of banks in the UAE to carry out the initial testing stages including Mashreq Bank, ENBD, NBAD, ADCB, RAK and SC.
Samsung Pay is the only mobile wallet that allows users to pay with Samsung eligible smartphones at terminals where they can swipe or tap using a debit or credit card. The safe and secure payment system protects user’s information with a fingerprint or PIN authentication. During the early access stage, Samsung will be establishing its Samsung Pay services with a number of banks in the UAE, and will announce the official access date of the contactless payment service.
Prior to the UAE, Samsung Pay has been launched across twelve different countries, allowing Samsung smartphone users to make convenient contactless payments at their favourite outlets with card machines.
“Since the introduction of Samsung Pay, we have seen great momentum and experienced significant consumer adoption in the countries where it is now active. We are excited to be in the early access phase of bringing this service to the UAE and we hope to introduce this value-added service to the entire public permanently very soon, in order to drive and lead innovation in mobile commerce. In addition, Samsung Pay also provides consumers in the UAE with a safe, smart and better mobile wallet,” says Mohammad Gharaibeh, head of IT and mobiles (B2B) division at Samsung Gulf Electronics.
“Once launched, Samsung Pay will be accepted wherever you can swipe or tap your credit card in the UAE and the merchants do not need to upgrade their existing terminals. UAE Samsung smartphone users will be able to perform transactions at almost any merchant in a simple, convenient and secure manner, without having to use a plastic card. The mobile service is secure and compatible with the latest Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) and Near Fields Communication (NFC) technologies. Smartphone users will be able to use Samsung Pay at their favourite chains, as well as thousands of independent shops,” he adds.
Words by Farimah Moeini, Snapchat Head of Industry – Retail and Travel TheJuly 5, 2021 | By RetailME Bureau
Snapchat has been betting big on Augmented Reality’s (AR) retail future consideringJune 22, 2021 | By Jibran Chouguley
Nando’s has revealed their revamped Sheikh Zayed Road outlet where newcomers and
UAE-based Al Maya Group announced that it will be boosting import of
UAE-based grocery retail chain, Grandiose has opened its first hypermarket in Abu
UAE-based Carrefour announced its theme and plans for Ramadan 2021. The brand
Locally owned supermarket Spinneys celebrates 60 years of doing business in the
UAE-based Carrefour will become the first retailer in the region to offer new levels
The Organic Farmers’ Market is back in Bay Avenue for its 12th
UAE-based Lulu Group recently inaugurated its first-ever all-female staff store in Jeddah,
Jones the Grocer, the gourmet grocer and cheese retailer launches the Jones
UAE-based Al Maya Supermarkets is hosting a two-week food festival at select
Locally-owned supermarket Spinneys has launched its ‘Power of Plants’ initiative in the
Dragon Mart, the world’s largest Chinese trading hub outside mainland China, has
Alshaya Group this week celebrated the ‘go live’ of its 100th online
Extravagant, conceptual, great food and views are some of the ways that
UAE-based GMG is embarking on a wide-ranging digital transformation project that will enhance its
Abu Dhabi’s state investment company ADQ is in talks to invest about $500 million
Jumbo, the second largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, is part of the
Remember the teleshopping channels on cable TV or the long home shop
Words by Joanne Joliet, Head of Worldwide Fashion & Apparel at Amazon
Amazon.ae recently announced the launch of Amazon Warehouse for customers in the
UAE-based BFL (Brands for Less) Group recorded a 56 per cent growth
The bricks versus clicks debate has been made redundant today with traditional


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The world needs to bet on Africa to feed the 9 billion people that will inhabit the planet by 2050, as Africa has 65% of the uncultivated arable land left in the world.
3 days ago
Every business leader today faces immense pressures of power and responsibility. All it takes is a few wrong decisions, or a dollop too much complacency, for disaster to land. Today this pressure is more poignant than ever. Change is in the air, only now it is happening at breakneck speed. The lifespans of companies are fast becoming shorter. Uncertainty reigns.
Gilbert Saggia 19 Oct 2017
Africa must focus on young people, empower women and girls, and be innovative in leveraging resources and financing for development, United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, said as the UN kicked off Africa Week.
19 Oct 2017
Big brands shared the role of design in their business at Business of Design, with Adrian Morris, partner and MD at Design Partnership speaking of the current physical reboot trend responding to a changing landscape, while Brian Mtongana, head of design at Woolworths, honed in on the role of packaging in sales.
Leigh Andrews 16 Oct 2017
As African produced content continues to draw the attention of distributors and content aggregators from Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as from around the world, DISCOP Johannesburg 2017 has seen a significant rise in the number of registered African content producers, as well as of interested buyers.
16 Oct 2017
Nigeria has beaten South Africa in the roll-out of the DVB-H mobile TV... Details Nigeria, MultiChoice Africa's local business partner in Nigeria, has launched Africa's first commercial mobile broadcast TV service in the city of Abuja.
30 Aug 2007
MagnaQuest Technologies Pty Ltd, a global customer management and billing solution provider with its headquarters in Hyderabad, India, has announced that its flagship product MQSubscribe has been chosen by Gateway Broadcast Services.
28 Aug 2007
Tanzania, Ghana are two of the top 10 global reformers for 2005-2006 and the continent as an entity moved up the rankings.
24 Aug 2007
President Mwai Kibaki has refused to sign a media bill into law on the grounds that a last-minute amendment limiting the confidentiality of sources posed a threat to press freedom.
24 Aug 2007
Mobile phones have revolutionised communication in Africa - even during elections.
30 Jul 2007
Press freedom suffered a substantial worldwide decline in 2003, according to a major study released internationally today by Freedom House. Legal harassment, political pressure, and violence by state and non-state actors against journalists combined to worsen conditions in many countries, resulting in the second consecutive year of a global decline in freedom for news media.
6 May 2004
The newest addition to the Johnnic Communications' stable, Business Day Africa, a weekly newspaper destined for the African continent, was published today, October 31, 2003.
PR Newswire 31 Oct 2003


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CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. stock took a beating yesterday — falling nearly 12% to just over $20 — as the company reported a net loss of $874.9 million, or $1.35 per share, for the third quarter, due primarily to a write-down of $1.05 billion at its Ralphs division in Southern California. It also lowered guidance on sales and earnings for the year.
The company said it took the noncash charge because of the weak Southern California economy, high unemployment levels, population declines and lower business valuations, prompting Kroger to revise its near-term profit projections for Ralphs.
Sales for the quarter, which ended Nov. 7, fell 0.3% to $17.7 billion, including fuel, while identical-store sales, excluding fuel, rose 1.3% — "a solid quarter," David B. Dillon, chairman and chief executive officer, said, "based solely on our tonnage," which was up more than 8.5%.
However, the difficult operating environment "was more challenging than we anticipated," he added, which obscured the company's strong fundamentals, which he said included the tonnage growth, market-share gains, increases in loyal household count and good cost controls. Near-term results are being pressured, he added, "by persistent deflation [of minus-0.8%], unusually intense competition and the cautious mindset of customers."
For the year to date the company had a net loss of $185.4 million, with sales falling 1.1% to $58.2 billion and ID sales, excluding fuel, up 2.4%.
Read More of Today's Headlines


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On Wednesday, Apple announced that it will open a data centre in China for the first time in order to comply with new cyber-security laws introduced last month. As part of the move, the iPhone maker will begin a partnership with data management company Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry.
According to an Apple spokesperson speaking to Reuters, the data centre is part of a planned 1 billion US dollar investment in the province of Guizhou:
“The addition of this data centre will allow us to improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations. Apple has strong data privacy and security protections in place and no backdoors will be created into any of our systems."
"These regulations require cloud services to be operated by Chinese companies so we’re partnering with GCBD to offer iCloud.”
Aside from this being Apple’s first data centre in the country, it is also the first foreign firm to announce amendments for the storage of Chinese users’ data following the introduction of the new cyber-security law last month. Some other American companies such as Microsoft and Amazon already have data centres setup in China.


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The Global Cards and Payments Market Expected to Grow to $999.3 Billion by 2023 at a CAGR of 8.5%, Reports TBRC
PRNewswire is a press release distribution service. On Apr 07, 2020 released an article on the global cards and payments market, sourced from TBRC`S Global Cards And Payments Market report. Security remains an important concern in any type of digital payments, therefore, the introduction of new security features in digital payments is expected to drive the cards and payments market in the forecast period. Payment service providers and merchants have implemented various solutions including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance, EMV technology, 3-D Secure services, tokenization, biometrics and end-to-end encryption.


text: Midland Park Mall will welcome two new retailers this summer. Luciano, opening in the 1,112-square-foot location next to Chick-Fil-A, will offer authentic Italian specialties from complimentary bruscetta to pizza, salad and pasta dishes made from original recipes. The restaurant will offer lunch and dinner menus. Simply Mac, opening in the 2,205-square-foot location between Great American Cookie and Foot Action, will carry all Apple products, prices and warranties. The Simply Mac team can discuss product features and functions, warranties and trade-ins. Customers can receive one-on-one training through its Simply Answers program and team members can assist with software set-up, even Windows support. Now open at 1019-A N. Midkiff Road is MGB, Mike's Gold Buyers. The Texas-based chain of stores buys yellow and white gold, silver, platinum and diamonds. MGB also specializes in unique purchases like gold or silver bars, antique coins or collections of coins, gold jewelry or Rolex and gold watches. More information is available by calling 699-4022. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. The company was founded in Temple with stores in Copperas Cove, San Angelo, Hewitt and two in Lubbock. "We continue to grow and we look forward to opening more stores, maybe in Odessa and maybe another one in Midland," said Louisa Bigelow, manager of the Midland store. AT&T has announced plans to roll out 4G LTE service to Midland and Odessa this summer. Customers will be able to stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before on the latest 4G LTE-compatible smartphones, tablets and devices. AT&T's 4G LTE network's radio components are placed close to the antenna at most cell sites, instead of inside the base station, which helps minimize power loss between the base station and antenna and, in turn, improves the performance of its 4G LTE network. Even as AT&T continues to expand its 4G LTE coverage, customers can get 4G speeds outside of 4G LTE areas on its 4G HSPA+ network. Over the past five years, AT&T invested nearly $98 billion into its operations across the country. Since 2008, AT&T has invested more capital into the U.S. economy than any other public company. In a July 2012 report, the Progressive Policy Institute ranked AT&T No. 1 on its list of U.S. "Investment Heroes."


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Nintendo has confirmed its showing for PAX East in Boston happening this weekend, from April 22 to April 24. The line-up is looking rather skimpy, especially for Wii U releases which leads us to believe the Nintendo NX is truly just a few months away from being announced.
- Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
- Star Fox Zero
- Kirby: Planet Robobot
- Monster Hunter Generations
- Metroid Prime: Federation Force
While not specifically at the Nintendo booth, the official press release makes special mention of both Axiom Verge and Tumblestone, which will be playable at the show at the respective booths of their developers.
Also of note is a special Bravely Second: End Layer panel that will be held on April 24 at 1pm EST in the Dragonfly Theatre. The developers of the game will be presenting a panel and doing a Q&A session afterwards.


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New Delhi: Ather Energy has begun test-rides of Ather 450X at Hinkal, Mysore in association with Honnassiri Energy Pvt Ltd, the company said in a release.
The company said it commenced early test rides in Mysuru ahead of the opening of its experience centre in May, due to the surge in bookings, enquiries, and test ride requests from the city.
Along with test rides, Mysoreans can learn about all features of the vehicle and different ownership and purchase models to buy the Ather 450X and Ather 450 Plus.
Ather Energy will set up its Experience Centre at Hunsur Road, Hinkal and begin delivering vehicles within the next couple of weeks.
The electric vehicle will install about 3-4 fast-charging points, Ather Grid, across key hotspots in the city by next month and double it by the end of 2021. The company is looking to partner with a couple of hosts including cafés, restaurants, tech parks, malls, and gyms.
The Ather 450X is powered with a 6kW PMSM motor, a 2.9 kWh lithium-ion battery, and comes with 4 riding modes. In addition to Eco, Ride, and Sport, Ather has introduced a new mode, 'Warp'. Ather 450X can go from 0 to 40 kmph in just 3.3 sec in Warp mode. The Ather 450X will also charge 50% faster than before at 1.5km per minute.
Ather Energy also offers a lower-powered Ather 450 Plus which offers a top speed of 70 kmph and a range of 70 km in Eco mode.
The workers union filed a case at the industrial court in Pune on July 15, challenging the retrenchment of service and sought a stay on the sale of the factory to Chinese SUV maker Great Wall Motors or any other party. GM had stopped production at the factory in December 2020 and had agreed to sell it to Great Wall, though the deal had been stuck in part due to the labour issue at the plant.
Consequently Suman Mishra , sr VP ,Business transformation , Insight and Analytics , automotive sector will take over as chief executive of MEML and chief executive designate of Last Mile Mobility business with effect from August 14.


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The right mix of fashion and faith
If you asked me to conjure up an image of what a Muslim looks like in Ramadan, aside from the caveats about diversity of cultures, I would imagine a picture of serene looking men and women in long, pure white robes and headcoverings.
Not so, according to haute couture brand DKNY which has just launched a fashion range especially for Ramadan aimed at Middle Eastern women.
Two well-known Arab fashionistas were part of DKNY’s Ramadan collection, which features high necklines and longer lengths that include maxi dresses and long sleeved blouses. Dubai-based designer Tamara Al Gabbani and Styles magazine fashion editor Yalda Golsharifi, who is Kuwaiti, styled the line and are featured in the lookbook.
It’s the first time that a designer brand has made such an overt global outreach to the Muslim consumer audience. To be honest, it was just a matter of time – Muslim fashion is one of the growing but untapped fashion markets. Bloomberg estimated its worth around $100 billion.
In any city around the world with a Muslim population, young fashionable Muslim women are likely to float past. It’s a trend that has taken root since the millennium, as Muslim women assert an identity that is both fiercely Muslim but also adamantly modern, believing both are part of who they are, and they have a right to both. September 11, 2001 forced a choice on Muslim women who have been targeted since the event either to hide or be proud of their faith and the public expression of their faith through their dress is the result of this decision.
The growth of Muslim fashion also indicates something curious about women’s self-empowerment in religion. Excluded or at best heavily policed in traditional spaces of religiosity, fashion has offered Muslim women an open field in which to explore their religion and how to express it. Ironically, the traditional male voices that define how women should or should not behave are absent from fashion as it is considered frivolous, and this leaves women free to explore their faith and their identity.
Muslim fashion is itself contentious – on the one hand modest dress is an important expression of faith. On the other hand, there are worries about whether such fashion really adheres to the “modest” and humble aspects of Islamic dress, but more so whether it leads Muslims into the same consumerist and image-conscious domain that women globally have been increasingly fighting, and which modest dress is supposed to combat.
The Ramadan timing also highlights the commercialisation of Ramadan. Trade, business and shopping have always been part of Muslim cultures, including during Ramadan. But with prices rising in Ramadan for staples, and soap operas and advertising campaigns bursting out every minute of the blessed month, Muslims worry Ramadan will go the way of Christmas – all shiny baubles, and the meaning sucked dry.
Both controversies are rooted in the same challenges of asserting consumer rights and voice, of balancing the spiritual with the worldly. But what should give us pause for thought is that the determination of this cultural and religious balance in both of these controversies is not in the hands of clerics and institutions but in the hands of women traditionally excluded from those arenas.
With purses in their hands, and a consciousness of self and faith, women have the power to determine our expression and embrace of faith in the modern world.
Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is the author of Love in a Headscarf and blogs at www.spirit21.co.uk
Published: July 11, 2014 04:00 AM


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TopNews New Zealand
Born with less vitamin D? You may be more likely to wheeze, catch cold
Los Angeles Times
There was no correlation, however, between low vitamin D levels and asthma. The study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, expanded on earlier work …
Vitamin D Helps Kids' Breathing, Study Says: Are Supplements Smart?
Maternal Vitamin D Levels Tied to Infant Respiratory Health
Vitamin D levels "inversely associated" with childhood …
View full post on asthma – Google News


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GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – One local non-profit organization is giving artists a chance to showcase their artwork.
The reception for the holiday artist market is an emerging gallery’s annual holiday sale and it features handmade fine arts and crafts from more than ten local artists.
The opening reception is set up in a booth style, this allows each booth to feature one artist or business.
On display is a variety of different crafts and styles.
Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge has two galleries and at the reception in one gallery artists will be present so visitors can meet and talk with them.
The back gallery will be open for people to shop and look around at the art and with the holidays around the corner, this is an opportunity to get a jump start on shopping for gifts.
“We always have like a highlight of our new opening reception so since it’s the holiday artist market pretty much it’s just the time to get any like holiday shopping out of the way and make it really unique for anybody you’re getting it for,” says Rakia Jackson, the marketing assistant at Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge.
This is the perfect time to show some support to local artists in the Greenville area this holiday season.


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Tesla news | Norwegian court fined Tesla for mileage drop due to software update
According to foreign media reports, a Norwegian court recently ruled that Tesla was convicted of restricting the charging speed and battery capacity of electric vehicles through software upgrades. The Norwegian mediation commission ordered Tesla to pay each client $16000.
According to previous reports by Electrek, after Tesla updated its software in 2019, the mileage of its electric vehicles dropped significantly, ranging from 12 to 30 miles. The vehicle involved is Tesla models produced between 2013 and 2015, and about 10000 customers in Norway may be affected.
However, Tesla responded to media reports at that time, saying that the purpose of the software upgrade was to "protect the battery and improve battery life", which only caused "a small number of car owners" to lose mileage.


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Jericho High School recently held a toy drive to benefit Jericho Board President Bill Ferro’s charity toy store that he holds each December. Arranged by the Student Council and National Honor Society, a record number of toys were collected this year from the all schools in the district and from Jericho’s administrators.
Ferro, managing partner of the law firm Ferro, Kuba, Mangano, Sklyar, P.C., turns his Hauppauge Law Firm into a toy store filled with toys, games and other desired items and allows families to come “shop” for holiday gifts – allowing each family to take four gifts per child for free. While the parents are “shopping,” the children are in another area eating cookies, singing Christmas carols and visiting Santa. It is a truly wonderful day.
Many children had gifts under their Christmas tree thanks to Ferro’s generosity and the donations from Jericho.


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A report continues to be written by Dr. Susan Nagel that expresses that e-cigarettes are not a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes. The good reason for it is because they do not have got nicotine. There are many smokers who would rather use the products to stop their habit. So what’s wrong with them?
Properly, e- Vapox Vaping Shop https://vapox.co.uk have already been used by lots of people and now it’s the responsibility of the federal government to look into them and see if they actually provide a much healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes. It is a well established proven fact that the amounts of those who begins smoking cigarettes continues to be at epidemic proportions.
In any market there are constantly those who try to benefit from it and drive the people to consume cigarettes plus they can even find ways to set up just as much nicotine as you possibly can in cigarettes in order to increase the cigarette consumption. People who continue to use cigarettes have the effect of the disease that lots of others need to suffer. The ongoing health issues caused by smoking are usually in a way that no one can deny it.
As the numbers are increasing and the number of those who are smoking and causing diseases to others is increasing, so are the correct numbers of those who believe that they can stop smoking. This helps it be even more hard for your ongoing health businesses to work on.
Now you have read this article, you have to know that the use of e-cigarettes has become popular. The federal government has recently made a formal dedication that the use of e-cigarettes in certain areas would be banned or limited.
And that is just for the people who have began to smoke cigarettes. Do you want to ban all of the customers actually? more tips here are very serious about taking care of their customers’ safety.
Because the use of e-cigarettes have become so popular and people have began to choose this product over cigarettes, this type of person dispersing the word to other people that using e-cigarettes is certainly healthier than smoking. This is due to the fact that there surely is no tobacco present in the product.
There is also nothing on the merchandise that can harm an individual. So there is absolutely no reason why an individual would still continue steadily to do the same as the first time they smoked a cigarette. In order to get the figures to stop smoking cigarettes, there needs to be a more powerful drive from your nationwide government.
These products are being banned in schools and even in hospitals due to the fear they may get into the hands of young children and cause some health issues. That the world offers noticed this product Right now, it is only natural they are right now banning them from the public.
Now which you have learned some facts about stop smoking and the risks associated with using them, you will need to make sure that you don’t use this product. I hope that by reading this article, you have discovered some valuable details.


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Meghan Markle shines spotlight on another Canadian designer, Mackage, at first official outing
Daksha Rangan, CTVNews.ca
Published Friday, December 1, 2017 8:17AM EST
Last Updated Friday, December 1, 2017 12:05PM EST
Meghan Markle’s wardrobe is yet again shining a light on Canadian brands, as Prince Harry and his bride-to-be made their first joint official public appearance since announcing their engagement.
Markle wore a navy blue ankle-length coat to the Terrence Higgins Trust charity fair for World AIDS Day in Nottingham, U.K. on Friday. Patricia Treble, Royals reporter for Write Royalty, confirmed that the double-buttoned coat is the 'Elodie' wool coat, a $790 piece by Montreal designer Mackage.
“[Mackage is] another Canadian line that she often wears,” Treble told CTVNews.ca in an email. “So, 100 per cent Canadian coats so far, with two appearances.”
Mackage’s communications director Hugo Thibault told The Canadian Press that the company’s website traffic increased approximately 500 per cent after photos emerged of Markle in the Elodie coat.
Thibault said that there were only four similar jackets left in Mackage’s online store at the time of Markle’s appearance – all of which quickly sold out.
Markle paired the coat with slick black-heeled boots, a classy turtleneck, a full-length camel-coloured skirt, and a burgundy, navy, and vanilla coloured purse.
The “midi tote” worn by Markle is from Scottish luxury handbag company Strathberry; naturally, the design has already sold out.
“Interestingly, her purse has handles, like the Queen – both stylish and practical,” Treble said.
“Kate wears clutches, which can be awkward to hold when shaking hands and going on walkabouts.”
Markle has been spotted on numerous occasions wearing Canadian designers, including at the Invictus Games, where she wore a maroon dress by Canadian retailer Aritzia, and a matching leather jacket by Mackage.
At the couple’s engagement announcement on Monday, Markle wore a belted coat from Canadian knitwear label Line. The graceful white wrap coat sold out within hours of the announcement and has since been renamed “The Meghan.”


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According to the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Telecommunications Report, video streaming services scored higher customer satisfaction than traditional subscription pay-TV services.
The subscription pay-TV service score has remained consistent at 62 out of 100. Video streaming services scored 76 out of 100. Individual streaming services were also scored, with Netflix earning a 79, Vue at 78 and Microsoft Store at 77. Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Apple iTunes scored 76.
Additional findings include:
For more information on this ACSI report, click here.
The post Video Streaming Customer Satisfaction Surpasses Traditional Pay-TV appeared first on Actiontec.com.


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We offer a service to help companies to organize faster and in the better way their professional events. Every company which need to organize a meeting, a seminar, a training, a conference and every other event can rent a room on Bird Office website. To complete our offer, a catering service (breakfast, lunch, cocktail
) is available for every room rented, with other services if needed.
Room availability and prices are apparent online instantly, and all the administrative part is automated (contract, insurance, invoice ). All the elements regarding the access to the room are automatically sent by text and e-mail to every participant before the event, and our team is available anytime to help you and make sure that your event is going well.
We work with professional partners such as hotels and business centers which provide unused rooms and places. Today, we have more than 6500 bookable meeting rooms online.
Bird Office is present in France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxemburg, and offers more than 6500 venues and atypical places around Europe.
Articles about Bird Office:
- July 29, 2021 Fabric Ventures announces new €109 million fund to invest in digital assets and decentralisation
- July 22, 2021 Startups are spending over €3K on Back-Office Management yearly – Enty will change that! (Sponsored)
- July 2, 2021 “Leave your ego aside, roll up your sleeves and surround yourself with people that are passionate and capable”: Interview with Hristo Borisov, CEO/Co-Founder, Payhawk
- June 17, 2021 Finland-based Contract Mill raises over €1 million to disrupt document automation business
- June 16, 2021 Who controls your startup’s community? (Sponsored)
- May 12, 2021 British startup Birdie raises €9.5 million to reinvent care for older people
- December 16, 2020 Amsterdam-based MessageBird announces €28.6 million Pusher acquisition, to boost its cloud communications portfolio
- November 25, 2020 London-based RevLifter raises €3.6 million to encourage online retailers to deliver AI-driven personalised deals for customers
- October 27, 2020 Reinventing the way people interact with machinery – Interview with Inxpect founder Luca Salgarelli
- October 9, 2020 Weekly VC Overview: All 69 European funding rounds we tracked this week (Oct. 5-9, 2020)
- April 15, 2020 Dashbird snaps up €1.9 million to help developers fix serverless apps in seconds
- March 16, 2020 Sofia-based Payhawk raises €3 million in seed funding to simplify business expenses
- March 13, 2020 10 tips for productive homeworking
- March 11, 2020 10 most promising Finland-based startups to watch in 2020
- February 25, 2020 Join the Startup Executive Academy 2020, June 28 – July 3, in Salzburg (Sponsored)
- January 31, 2020 Munich-based SimScale closes €27 million to expand pioneering cloud-based 3D simulation software
- October 29, 2019 Cambridge-based Sense Biodetection raises €14 million to develop its point-of-care diagnostic tests
- October 16, 2019 Bratislava-based startup Minit raises €7 million in Series A round led by Target Global


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On Sunday afternoon, the value of cryptocurrency bitcoin topped more than $11,770, up from a low on Thursday of $9,400. The volatility of the currency that has risen in value by 1,434 percent since last year at this time is leading many to think that the bitcoin bubble will burst.
“Be ready for the blockchain apocalypse,” warn the makers of Bitcoin Bubble Burst, an alerts service that promises to scan social media and news reports about bitcoin and use neural networks to predict what changes in bitcoin value may result before those changes occur.
“Sometimes huge events, like the ban of Bitcoin in China, are mentioned in social media and the news - before it affects the value,” the service’s makers mention on their website, promising that their email service will spot those movements and advise bitcoin users about them so they can make decisions to buy or sell.
The program debuted at Tech Crunch’s Disrupt hackathon in Berlin, Germany on Sunday.
The three developers — Claudio Weck, Saad El Hajjaji, and Karthick Perum — told TechCrunch the new app had been correct in predicting bitcoin value changes, but there’s not much history or evidence just yet.
They say the service won’t have “spam” or ads and it will be open-source, keep data private, be encrypted, and only give you alerts if they are important. Seems nice! You can sign up for alerts on its site.
The group’s 60-second presentation was awkward and clunky, but the promise they make is enough to investigate their service more deeply. Great things have come from inauspicious beginnings, before, after all.


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Google's CEO Larry Page wasn't afraid to be candid when expressing his views on rival tech companies during a recent interview. Talking to Wired, he says Facebook is "doing a really bad job on their products", though he does admit the social networking giant is "strong" in its space.
And it's not an attempt to do down Facebook's recent Graph Search either, as the interview took place in December, before Facebook announced its search tool.
Page had something to say about Apple too, admitting that while the company's approach is very successful, it's not one he'd seek to emulate. "You may say that Apple only does a very, very small number of things, and that's working pretty well for them," Page told Steven Levy. "But I find that unsatisfying. I feel like there are all these opportunities in the world to use technology to make people's lives better."
He says investors always worry about Google spending too much money on "crazy things", but adds, "If you're not doing some things that are crazy, then you're doing the wrong things."
On Steve Jobs' bid to "" on Android, Page said, "How well is that working?" but wouldn't be drawn further on the matter. Boo hiss!
He says most companies are focused on incremental improvements, but that's misguided, because "incremental improvement is guaranteed to be obsolete over time." Hencespecs, self-driving cars, and all the rest of its space-age projects.
What, though, of the company's rival to Facebook (though Google insists it's not a social network), Google Plus? "I'm very happy with how it has gone," Page said. "We're working on a lot of really cool stuff. A lot of it has been copied by our competitors, so I think we're doing a good job."
Is Facebook doing a bad job with its products? How does Google compare? And what do you think of Page's comments on Apple? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.


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Reports are surfacing that the European Union will soon file formal antitrust charges against CPU maker Intel. The investigation is predicated on a complaint filed in 2000 by rival AMD. The complaint alleged that Intel illegally used marketing funds and rebates to prevent AMD and other chipmakers from signing contracts with PC manufacturers while punishing others that bought too many CPUs from AMD.
Since filing that complaint, AMD has made other allegations against its chief rival, whose offices were raided by EU investigators in 2005. In July 2006, AMD filed a complaint with the Bundeskartellamt, the German Federal Cartel Office, accusing electronics retailer Media Markt and Intel of entering into an agreement under which the German retailer would only sell Intel PCs in exchange for undisclosed payments from the chipmaker. Two months later, the European Commission assumed responsibility for that investigation from the Bundeskartellamt.
EU Antitrust Commissioner Neelie Kroesa familiar face to those following the European Microsoft sagawill reportedly make the decision on whether to formally charge Intel soon. The EC investigators who have been handling the case have recommended that charges be brought, according to the WSJ, arguing that Intel's payments to manufacturers ultimately harmed consumers by restricting competition.
The competitive landscape has changed a bit since the investigation began six years ago. Currently, AMD and Intel are in the midst of a price war which is hitting both companies in the pocketbook. AMD's market share hovers around the 20-percent mark, compared with just over 16 percent in 2000, but its reach has extended into areas (like the server room) where AMD wasn't much of a player at the beginning of the decade. Intel has also gotten out of the practice of giving massive price breaks to some providers (like Dell).
AMD and Intel are already joined in what will certainly prove to be a long and costly antitrust fight in the US. AMD filed suit in June 2005 accusing Intel of anticompetitive practices such as forcing PC manufacturers into partial exclusivity agreements, using discriminatory pricing and quotas, and even coercing OEMs and other industry partners into boycotting AMD product launches and promotions.
Intel fired back at AMD's accusations, calling the claims "ridiculous." Instead, it laid the blame for AMD's problems at the feet of its rival, saying that "the many business failures AMD has experienced... are actually a direct result of AMD's own actions or inactions." Intel's motion for dismissal was denied, but many of AMD's claims relating to Intel's foreign conduct were tossed out by a judge in September of last year. Since that time, AMD has managed to win a significant pretrial victory with a special master's ruling that Intel must release documents pertaining to its foreign business practices. The most recent timeline for the trial has it starting in 2008.
Last October, the WSJ also reported that the EU was at the point of bringing antitrust charges against Intel, with EC lawyers having prepared a draft of the case against the chipmaker. Is the EC finally about to level a fine against Intel and require it to change how it does business in Europe? The decision is obviously a significant one, as formal antitrust charges would certainly mark the beginning of another titanic battle between EC regulators and a large American technology company. Are the stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic up for it?


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Hot on the heels of their new G2 comes another T-Mobile handset with HSPA+ support. Announced as part of the myTouch series of phones, the latest device runs a 1GHz Snapdraogn processor and features a 3.8-inch touch display. Other details include 8GB pre-installed memory card, a 5-megapixel camera with HD video recording, and four color choices.
Amazon is doing their part to cozy up next to Android developers. We recently saw the terms and conditions leak online which showed a $99 annual fee that devs were
It appears that an official Android 2.2 build has leaked for the Samsung Galaxy S series AT&T Captivate. A user from XDA forums going by the name of designgears has
Google has released a new version of their Car Home application for Android devices. Already awesome in the way it turns your devices into a personal navigator/assistant for your on the go needs, it gets better with customizable shortcuts.
New figures hot off the press! Google has released the latest figures for devices accessing the Android Market and we’re getting closer to a Froyo majority. The period ending October
Engadget is reporting that hardware problems are already popping up with the T-Mobile G2. Two major issues seem to be happening. The first issue is that some of the handsets
Ever wonder what happened to the company BlindType? You know, the company that has the bad ass predictive keyboard (to see a demo click here). Well Droid-Life is reporting that


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Revolution Beauty has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Lake as the company’s new chief financial officer.
Lake will replace current chief financial officer Andrew Clark, who stepped down yesterday after three years at the company.
To help the business transition, Clark will remain with Revolution Beauty until July.
“After what has been an incredibly busy few years, I feel that this is the right time for me to step down and take some time out ahead of taking on a new challenge,” said Clark.
Before joining Revolution Beauty, Lake was chief financial officer of cinema chain Everyman, which she joined in 2019 and helped the company navigate the pandemic.
“Elizabeth is a highly experienced executive, and we are delighted to welcome her to Team Revolution as our new CFO,” commented chief executive Adam Minto.
“She has worked across some of the UK’s top consumer and retail brands, and brings a deep understanding of the wider industry, as well as a strong track record leading the finance function at UK PLCs.
“I look forward to working together as we execute Revolution’s strategy and continue to grow our market share around the world, while delivering meaningful shareholder value”


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Fastrac Revs Up With Opening of Largest-Ever Store
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Fastrac Markets LLC opened its largest-ever Fastrac Cafe convenience store in Utica, N.Y., with an upgraded store model that will be implemented across the chain. The 5,600-square-foot store has 12 fuels positions and three high-speed diesel pumps for tractor trailers.
The new store — located at 1400 Oriskany St. West in Utica that replaced a previous model located less than a quarter mile away — offers an expanded array of products and services that include a drive-thru window, freshly prepared food and baked goods, online and in-store kiosk ordering, bistro-style seating, expanded grocery items and bulk foods, and an assortment of frozen drinks and other beverages.
"It's our largest store to date, and one of seven launched over the past 18 months," said Jim Allen, vice president of marketing for Fastrac. "We're proud to offer the Utica community a place that serves a variety of needs, whether it's picking up a cup of coffee or a gallon of milk at our drive-thru, stopping for a fresh breakfast sandwich on the run, sitting down to a toasted sub for lunch or carrying out a made-to-order pizza for dinner. It's truly a one-stop shop for travelers, commuters, local residents and last-minute shoppers."
The store held a special ribbon-cutting event that was open to the public on Aug. 5. Attendees included Mike Saxe, general manager of the store; Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri; Fastrac President and CEO Tom Waddle; Vice President of Marketing Jim Allen; Vice President of Operations Tom Wright; Vice President of Food Service Dave Hogan; Chief Financial Officer Sharon Parker; and other Fastrac personnel.
To commemorate the store opening, the Utica Fastrac Cafe will hold a variety of specials and promotions through the end of September.
Syracuse-based Fastrac owns and operates 44 convenience stores across New York State. The company also partly owns and/or supplies fuel to over 40 other locations throughout its service area.


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The app continues its fifth day of gift-giving with one of two free movies. Which title you get depends on where in the world you live.
In response to claims that the new Mi 4 copied the iPhone, Barra called out a "flawed" patent system for hindering innovation in the market.
Acer's new Chromebooks come in two processor flavors.
The Xiaomi global vice president, and former Google VP, sits down for a chat with CNET in Beijing to talk more about the rapidly growing Chinese company's plans to go global, its next steps in India, and its commitment to Android.
Google's former head of Android product management now is in charge of bringing Android smartphone upstart Xiaomi to new markets. First stop: southeast Asia.
Chavez was a media-savvy politician with more than 4 million Twitter followers. He promoted access to the Internet, while at the same time suppressing a free press.
Vice President Hugo Barra apologizes after it's revealed the Chinese smartphone maker's iMessage-like service was collecting some user information.
Behold the best look yet at a massive intergalactic train wreck in progress. It's also a glimpse at what the universe looked like when it was only half its current age.
With local smartphone makers in China and India toppling Samsung, the company is feeling the heat in the fastest-growing markets.
The Chinese smartphone company makes its first foray into the Indian market with a relaunch of last year's flagship device.


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Research In Motion finally released a couple of new Blackberry devices, but they were not the only new things that the Blackberry maker revealed.
The big wait is finally over. On Wednesday, Research In Motion took the wraps off its new set of smartphones, which are believed to be on par with their Android and Apple rivals.
BlackBerry Z10, a touch-screen phone, and the BlackBerry Q10, a touch-and-type smartphone having both a physical QWERTY keypad and a smaller touch-screen, were unveiled by the company.
Blackberry, not RIM
But the Canadian company had another surprise for the press – it has chosen to rename itself simply as Blackberry. From Research In Motion to just one word synonymous with its devices is quite an unexpected leap.
The new name for the company was one of the biggest surprises of the launch event.
Why the new name? According to chief marketing officer of BlackBerry, Frank Boulben, the new name is intended to integrate everything that the company makes and is widely known for.
“We thought this was time to symbolize a real change with a name change. We wanted to have one brand, one premise, to focus all of our marketing efforts,” he said.
Super Bowl Blackberry ads coming
With the Super Bowl just around the corner, Blackberry is getting ready for an aggressive marketing and advertising campaign to woo users to its new platform. The new ads will focus on the latest Blackberry smartphones and the unique features that they flaunt.
Blackberry sure has a daunting task ahead of it, as it struggles to regain its market share. According to data released by IDC, the share of Blackberry phones has fallen to about less than 5 percent.
Blackberry also declared at the event that over 70,000 apps can be easily had from the Blackberry app store.
The big question that now remains is if this new name and new slew of products will revive Blackberry or not.


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A Midlands-based firm, that has grown to become one of the nation’s largest, privately-owned interior fit-out and display specialists is celebrating its first 50 years of success, this week.
The Alan Nuttall Partnership ltd was set up by Mr Nuttall in 1966 with just £137 in his garage on his Wife’s birthday, 2nd September 1966. Now employing 600 partners and boasting a million square foot of manufacturing, engineering and office space, the company has grown from a small display firm into a multi award-winning business, which counts many of the UK’s top retail and hospitality brands amongst its customers.
Mr Nuttall said he was incredibly proud of the business.
“There have been enormous changes within the industry over the years and many hurdles to overcome, but we have adapted and grown with these challenges to become leaders in what we do,” he said. “I’m incredibly proud to be celebrating the first 50 years and look forward to the next chapter in our history.”
Seeing growth of 35 percent in the last decade, today Nuttall’s offer a wide range of services, including interior fit-out, design and build, signage, refrigeration and display equipment for retail, commercial, hospitality, leisure, foodservice and public sectors.
Nuttall’s client portfolio includes airports and universities across the UK through to many premium and high street brands installed across the globe.
Over their 50 years, Nuttall’s has picked up a number of accolades for projects, including awards for design, innovation and Health and Safety. Recently their works have been recognised with a nomination for Chef, Bruno Loubet’s Grain Store Café & Bar at Gatwick Airport. The restaurant was built with a unique ‘airside window’ into a restaurant kitchen and is the first offshoot for the Chef. Habitat’s flagship Tottenham Court Road store has been another of their hugely successful projects, having been shortlisted for prestigious awards taking place in November.
As a key player in the retail sports sector, Nuttall’s have just completed the fit-out of West Ham United’s club shop, along with a casual dining area for fans, at the new London Stadium. They also delivered the first size? store, a brand of JD sports, in one of the world’s most fashion-conscious cities Madrid, Spain.
Expanding their international portfolio, Nuttall’s work on multiple global store concepts for clients such as Calvin Klein, Monsoon, Accessorize and many others including the supply and installation for the high street giant Topshop across the US. Continuing global endeavours include signage for Holland & Barrett in Sweden, as well as exporting their own manufactured specialist food service products across the world.
One of the company’s proudest achievements was becoming an employee-owned Partnership last year, with every employee becoming a partner – from skilled joiners, experienced sheet metal engineers, project managers and designers to support team staff – all now receiving a share of profits.


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Smalls Sliders, the trending cheeseburger slider concept, has announced its latest multi-unit agreement to open six locations across Missouri and Arkansas.
The expansion will be led by the ownership duo of Amber and David Kearbey and their operations manager, Matt Crews, according to a press release. The Kearbeys tells What Now Memphis they plan to start with a location in Jonesboro, expected to open in the next six to eight months. The group plans to open the next five locations over the next three years. While the Kearbey’s already have experience with franchising through McCallister’s Deli, they say the team behind the company is what really attracted them to Small Sliders.
“When looking for our next business venture, we wanted to invest in a brand that allowed us to have a close relationship with the entire team,” Amber said in a press release. “We were immediately attracted to Smalls Sliders for the unique structure of the Cans and the fresh, cooked-to-order sliders. After meeting the Smalls Sliders Squad, we knew that we made the right decision. The team has been very helpful and insightful, making this process seamless. David, Matt, and I are proud to be a part of the brand’s incredible growth and look forward to opening our first Can soon.”
Smalls Sliders opened its first restaurant in 2019 from Louisiana and has grown to eight locations in the state, with more than 60 locations already in the development pipeline. The company is working on new locations in Flowood, MS; Gonzales, LA; and West Monroe, LA. While Small Sliders has only been around for four years, it has become very popular. QSR magazine featured the brand in its “40/40 List for 2022: America’s Hottest Startup Fast Casuals” and its 2023 QSR 50 Contenders list, while last year, Nation’s Restaurant News named the restaurant one of the publication’s “Breakout Brands of 2023.” The Kearbeys will bring the brand to Missouri and other parts of Arkansas, including Fayetteville and Rogers.
“Amber, David, and Matt bring a wealth of knowledge to their Smalls Sliders ownership, and we’re thrilled that they’re joining our brand during such an exciting time,” Maria Rivera, CEO of Smalls Sliders, said in a press release. “With so much experience under their belt, I’m confident their team is the perfect one to bring our name to these new communities across Missouri and Arkansas. We look forward to supporting them as they begin developing their Cans.”


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(CBS) - In Business News, Innovators at Apple may have something up their sleeve.
The company is trying to trademark the name 'iWatch' in Japan. There is speculation the tech giant is developing a smart wristwatch that works similar to an iPhone.
The company has not confirmed those reports, but hasn't denied them either.
(CBS) - Both the director and deputy director resigned from the Vatican bank.
The resignations come just days after the arrest of a Vatican accountant , accused of trying to smuggle $20 million euros into Italy from Switzerland.
There's been allegations of money laundering for decades at the bank which controls billions of the catholic church's money.
The director and deputy director say they're stepping down in the best interest of the church.
(CBS) - American automakers report their latest sales figures today and Wall Street is expecting strong results.
Some forecasts predict it will be the best June in years.
The improving economy helped drive more customers to the dealerships in recent months and economists expect the trend to continue.


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Marks & Spencer has suspended shipments to its Turkish franchisee's Russian business following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it said in a statement.
FiBA Group has worked in partnership with the UK retailer since 1999. It operates 48 M&S stores in Russia and 10 in Ukraine as well as stores in Turkey.
M&S said it was building on its existing support for UNICEF UK's Ukraine appeal with a £1.5 million (€1.8 million) package of aid.
'This is made up of a kickstart £0.5m donation to UNHCR with a further £0.5m for matched fundraising for all our global colleagues and double donations on Sparks transactions to support UNICEF; and activation of till-point and online giving in the UK,' the retailer said.
'We are also providing practical help through UNHCR; donating 20,000 units of coats and thermals for families in need totalling a further £0.5m.'
German Retailers Pledge Support
In Germany, Schwarz Group, which operates the Lidl and Kaufland chains, has pledged a €10 million donation to support humanitarian measures both in Ukraine and for refugees fleeing the conflict.
This is an increase on the €3 million the retailer has already pledged to the cause.
"It is important for the Schwarz Group of companies to live up to their responsibility as a large trading company,' it said in a statement. 'Fast and unbureaucratic help is now the top priority.'
Fellow German retailer REWE Group has said that it is making aid packages available for refugees that arrive in Germany, working closely with its operations in Austria, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Poland on providing support.
Logistics support for the aid packages is being provided by toom Baumarkt and REWE Group logistics.
Jerónimo Martins Makes Donation
Elsewhere, Portuguese retailer Jerónimo Martins has said that it has made a donation of €5 million to five organisations that are assisting refugees.
The retailer has donated €1 million to the Polish Red Cross, €1 million to Caritas Polska, €1 million to Polish Humanitarian Action, €1 million to Polish Medical Mission and €1 million to SOS Children’s Village in Poland.
The donation, worth around PLN 24 million in local currency, builds on the PLN 10 million that the retailer's Biedronka brand have put in place in recent days.


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THE Volkswagen Group is planning to invest almost £160 billion pounds in electric vehicle development in the next four years as it sets out to become the leading global EV brand.
As the group posted a profit of almost Â£20 billion for 2022 - up 13 per cent on the previous year - its chief executive Oliver Blume said VW had ‘clear and ambitious' targets.
The group remains the BEV segment market leader in Europe and continues to grow in China and sold a total of 193,200 all-electric ID.4 and ID.5 models last year alongside 76,600 smaller ID.3s and 53,700 Skoda Enyaq iVs.
It has just announced a gigafactory in Canada to produce batteries and a factory in the United States to build electric off-roaders and SUVs.
By 2025 every fifth vehicle sold worldwide is expected be one with an all-electric drive and VW will be launching a number of new EVs this year including a new ID.3, the ID.7, ID. Buzz Long Wheel Base, Cupra Tavascan and Audi Q8 e-tron.
The group said that with the launch of these new models, it aims to reach a BEV share of around 10 per cent of total deliveries in 2023.
Arno Antlitz, Volkswagen Group chief operating officer, said:"FY22 has impressively demonstrated the robustness of our business model.
"Under challenging conditions, we delivered 572,100 BEVs and increased our overall revenues and operating profits. FY23 will be no less challenging in view of the overall economic developments. Nevertheless, our strong brands, with their convincing product offerings and the order backlog of around 1.8 million vehicles allow us to look ahead to FY23 with confidence."
The Volkswagen Group operates a number of major car companies throughout the world including VW, Audi, SEAT, Cupra, Skoda, Lamborghini and Bentley.


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It could be you! The National Lottery has revealed the location for Saturday's €8.5m winning Lotto ticket and it could be Ireland's luckiest shop.
The National Lottery revealed that Blanchfield's Centra store on Main Street in Mooncoin, Co Kilkenny sold the lucky ticket.
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It's the second big winner the shop has sold in less than two years. In December 2019, the Mooncoin shop sold a ticket worth €6.8m.
In an interview Radio One's Claire Byrne, the shop owner Michael Blanchfield said he was delighted with the win. 'This really is great news for the community as we're a busy store so I'm sure as soon as the news goes out, there will be great excitement around the place.'
Michael added: 'After having a big Lotto jackpot win just over two years ago in our store, I never thought we'd have another. It's amazing we had one so soon..
Michael said he couldn't hazard a guess as to who could've picked up the winning ticket, 'We would see hundreds of them, every Saturday especially -- it could've gone to any part of the country.'
Michael said he doesn't think 'anybody has a clue' yet but hopes it's someone 'local' and 'deserving.'
'There's a Mooncoin player out there with a ticket worth of €8.5m – let's hope they check their numbers soon!' the shop owner said.
The winning Quick Pick was sold on Saturday May 7, the day of the draw.
01, 31, 35, 39, 42, 46 were the winning numbers, and the bonus number was 45.
The winner of the fortune should contact the National Lottery prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email firstname.lastname@example.org to arrange claiming the life-changing money.
A Lotto spokesperson revealed that the winner of the €8.5m jackpot has become the fourth Lotto jackpot winner of 2022.
Mayo, Meath and Dublin were the locations of the previous three wins of the year.


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Upmarket cookware brand Le Creuset id repositioning its 80-year-old range to make it more appealing t oyuonger, style conscious consumers and boost market share.
The repositioning will be supported by a marketing campaign, developed by the brand’s agency Maher Bird Associates. It will include press ads in women’s and lifestyle magazines and a direct marketing drive. It has also created a coffee table-style brochure.
The idea behind the revamp is to broaden Le Creuset’s appeal and raise awareness of its cast iron and non-cast iron products among younger consumers who are interested in cooking but also want stylish products for their kitchen.
The strategy include launches of limited-edition cast iron, stoneware and kettle products in fashion colours such as chocolate brown and pastel yellow. The company also plans a number of limited-edition retro items.
Le Creuset marketing manager Alison Thorne says research shows there is a lack of awareness about the products in the Le Creuset range. She adds: “We are focusing on repositioning Le Creuset as a premium but accessible, contemporary brand which has moved with the times.”


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January 06, 2011, 12:54 PM — Wasn't it only a couple of months ago that AT&T was criticizing wireless carrier rival T-Mobile USA for bragging in ads about having "America's Largest 4G Network" when, in fact, T-Mobile's network was decidedly 3G?
(Also see: In the spirit of 4G!)
What a difference a few weeks can make. AT&T has eagerly taken a page from the T-Mobile playbook and started referring to its 3G network as "4G", the Wall Street Journal reports:
As recently as September, AT&T executives had referred to the company's current network, which runs on a technology it calls HSPA-plus, as 3G. But AT&T has subtly shifted its marketing message since then, now proclaiming "the nation's fastest mobile broadband network" instead of the fastest 3G network.
The 4G network claim is already prominent on its consumer website and will be affixed to new phones being rolled out for its network this year.
What is 4G?
4G means faster mobile broadband speeds – where data transfers take less time to complete.
(Ooh, I have a marketing slogan coming on! This is a good one, so you carriers can fight over it. Ready? Here goes: "It's 4G if you want it to be". What's ingenious about that is it makes the
suckers consumers feel empowered, which is the ideal state of mind for manipulating educating them.)
The best part of AT&T's definition of 4G is that it avoids the fussy details obsessed over by the geeks at the International Telecommunication Union, which has established a downstream speed benchmark for 4G (fourth-generation) wireless of 100 Mbps (bits per second), a speed that no commercial wireless network can approach.
This raises an obvious question: What makes a wireless standards group think it's better-qualified to set wireless performance standards than the experienced marketers employed by the wireless carriers?


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The line at the Vodafone store on George Street, Sydney, this morning wasn't as long as the one at Optus' midnight launch, but excitement was still in the air.
If you haven't implemented a mobile device policy, now is the time to start, according to an Info-Tech Research Group analyst.
Mobile printing has never been easier. For a busy office, reliable and easy-to-use tools are essential. Samsung's latest smart printers are equipped for wireless printing from mobile devices. Find out more about what is all about.
We managed to get our hands on the all-new iPhone 3G from Apple
With summer finally upon us, the sunshine's (sort of) beating down. The weather's getting (a bit) hotter, and so are the gadgets. Here's our top nine products announces in Japan this month.
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Apple's first retail store in Australia will open in Sydney's George Street on Thursday, 19 June at 5:00p.m. Check out our sneak preview!
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Believe it or not, one of the main reasons I ordered a Lucid Air and not a Tesla was because Lucid Motors says the car supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I am not alone, a lot of EV buyers are not going with Tesla because it does not support Apple CarPlay and/or Android Auto.
But as you know, Lucid said on several places on its web site that CarPlay and Android Auto is supported. Truth is, today, it is not – but the company is promising it is coming with an over-the-air update. And yes, I believe Lucid Motors, I do think it is coming and coming soon.
CarPlay Coming To The Lucid Air End Of Summer
The latest rumor I heard is that it is coming by the end of this summer. A Lucid buyer was told by his Lucid Sales Advisor that CarPlay was coming by the end of this summer, so in a few months. This buyer posted in the Lucid Owners Forum saying “The SA on yesterday’s test drive said CarPlay was coming by the end of the summer.”
Why Is It Not Supported Today
Now this is not clear – there are tons of rumors out there. Some thought it was an Apple issue, where Apple has not given approval to Lucid Motors yet. But most do not believe that.
Most believe that Lucid just hasn’t made the process with the current displays work well with CarPlay. The huge 5k display, the split screen and sharing screens with swipe one screen to the next, can be a bit tricky to get perfect and also support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
This sales advisor also told this Lucid buyer that the issue was “was a UX issue, getting everything to fit nice in Lucid’s screen shapes.”
The moderator of the forums agreed, he added “I said this on like page 3 but yes, I believe UX has always been the biggest constraint. CarPlay was made for horizontal screens of a certain ratio. Unless Lucid plans to have the CarPlay only on the top half of a screen, adapting everything to a vertical screen will be difficult. Because it’s not just CarPlay’s homescreen you have to account for, each developer’s app as well.”
Hopefully we will see it soon – I use CarPlay a heck of a lot when I drive and I can’t see myself driving without it.


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Nike may be tooting its horn about the brand awareness buzz it’s stirring up as part of the World Cup, but Adidas has just fired back in the war of words with some hard figures: Its sales will near $2 billion from football in 2010 alone.
Adidas CEO Herbert Hainer couldn’t be more direct: “After the first ten days it is already clear that this World Cup will be a great success for Adidas. We will not only achieve our ambitious goals in football, we will over-achieve them.” And though Nielsen measures that Nike’s “official competitor buzz” outranks Adidas’s with 30.2% over 14.4%, the fact that Adidas is outfittingt 12 of the teams versus Nike’s nine seems to be paying off–it’s expecting record sales of at least €1.5 billion in its football-based markets ($1.85 billion). That’s 15% over its last record year in 2008, and 25% up over the 2006 World Cup sales figures.
According to Hainer, this reduces the debate about who’s the brand winner to something very simple: “No matter how you look at it: In terms of sales, market share and visibility — Adidas is and will remain the leading football brand.” The company’s press release notes its position as brand leader is consolidated by an NPD-reported market share of 34% overall, with 38% in Europe and over 50% share in markets like Germany and the U.S. Since Adidas is a German company this elevated percentage perhaps isn’t surprising, but the fact it’s so big in the U.S., which has a relatively small football market, is interesting–Adidas’ PR effort must have really hit the right emotional chord here. We’re also wondering exactly how much it cost Adidas to get its official FIFA sponsor status, since this will tell us whether that $1.85 billion is a worthwhile return on investments.
More than anything else, this demonstrates that the global football market is absolutely enormous. The only bigger phenomenon seems to be the dreaded vuvuzela horns–does Adidas sell them?