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Brett and Shirley Hall go all in to keep the certified-organic fast-casual restaurant embraced in Southern Hospitality
Clean Juice, the first and only USDA-certified organic juice and food bar franchise, announced today that raving fans Brett and Shirley Hall will take over ownership of the Birmingham store located in the popular neighborhood of Greystone. Currently, the store is open and serving guests, while the Hall family plans a grand event to celebrate their ownership and to share big plans with the community for the award-winning brand.
Brett and Shirley first discovered Clean Juice in 2019. After visiting other juice bars in Nashville and Atlanta, they were curious about Clean Juice’s USDA-certified organic product offerings. When Clean Juice Greystone opened in Birmingham, Brett tried a cold-pressed juice, bought a t-shirt, and became an instant fan. They became regular guests for the next three years, trying every product including the limited-time seasonal menu offerings.
In December of last year, Shirley’s mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a condition that required an all-organic diet as part of her lifestyle change. With such a restrictive diet, Clean Juice was the only place in town where she could take her mom “out for lunch or dinner” where she could get the right food.
During Easter celebrations, Shirley told a mutual friend about her mother’s condition and diet needs, expressing her gratitude that a restaurant like Clean Juice was nearby. Half joking and serious, the friend asked if she wanted to buy the Clean Juice location. Shirley said yes without hesitation. The current owners wanted to spend more time with their grandkids and travel and didn’t feel they couldn’t steward the store in the best way for the community. The Halls agreed that Clean Juice was an essential staple in the Birmingham community, and their love of the brand gave them no hesitation about diving in.
“We are thrilled to become the new owners of Clean Juice, keeping the power and value of this brand available to our residents and neighbors,” said Shirley. “What Clean Juice’s all organic food options did for Mom made her feel like there was a place to enjoy a meal without worrying about how and where the food was sourced. That is a powerful brand value, and we want others to have the same experience by having access to the best all-organic fast casual food options in and around Greystone.”
The Halls pointed out that buying a Clean Juice that was already up and running with a growing customer base and an established supply chain made the decision easier. This allowed them to bypass the planning and construction, real-estate procurement, and municipal application and approval phases and focus on serving their guests and staff with a new energy and dynamic in managing, marketing, and operations.
With big plans to market Clean Juice that further integrates the brand within the tapestry of the community, the Hall family plan to be heavily involved in the day-to-day operations. With Shirley running her real estate business and homeschooling four kids, Brett is poised to take on the family’s Clean Juice venture.
In addition to supporting Clean Juice’s national charitable program Quarters 4 Kids, the Halls plan to partner with area schools, churches, and community centers to strengthen nutritional education and child-focused health and wellness programs.
Clean Juice continues to receive a steady flow of development leads, and discovery calls from existing Franchise Partners and new prospects who want to bring healthy, organic fast casual food options to their communities. Clean Juice has more than 200 store units since its franchising in 2016.
- More from Clean Juice
The post From Guest to Owner: Raving Fan Takes Over Clean Juice in Birmingham, Ala. first appeared on RestaurantNews.com.


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A former supermarket is set to go under the hammer and could be transformed into homes.
The former Co-operative building, in High Street, Measham, is due to be sold at SDL's November auction, to be held in Nottingham.
A guide price starting at £125,000 has been set by auctioneers, which has development potential for six flats or three townhouses, subject to planning consent from council officials.
The sale of the supermarket includes both the building and an adjoining car park.
A description on property website SDL Auctions reads: "An opportunity to acquire a former retail premises and former car park with development potential for six flats or three townhouses (subject to planning consents).
"The premises are situated along the High Street within the village of Measham in the county of Leicestershire some three miles south of Ashby and 17 miles north west of Leicester city centre.
"The village is easily accessible via the M42 dual carriageway.
"The property is in close proximity to the health centre together with multiple retailers in the form of Tesco and Dean and Smedley Pharmacy."
The property consists of a detached retail space, which has both a ground and first floor.
However, access to the first floor has been lost but can be reinstated, if required.
The former shop building will be sold at SDL's Auction on Thursday, November 21 at Nottingham Racecourse, in Colwick Park, Nottingham.

domain: news


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The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has vowed to clampdown on unregistered and counterfeit products and bring offenders to justice.
Mrs Nora Narkie Terlabi, Ashanti Regional Zonal Manager of the Board, expressed concern about the increasing rate at which the market is being flooded with fake products.
This was after leading an operation to seize unregistered and pirated liquor and alcoholic beverage in parts of the region.
These included “V8 Ginger Bitters”, “Yenko Nkoa”, “Lina Communion Wine” “Lina Lime Juice”, “J H Elycee Aromatic Schnapps”, “J H Baron Aromatic Schnapps”, “Madingo Bitters”, and “Nananom Aromatic Schnapps.”
The products were seized at Adako-Jachie, Fumesua, Gyinyase, Atonsu-Bokoro, Tanoso and other locations in the Kumasi Metropolis.
Mrs Terlabi said these beverages were identified and seized after intensive monitoring adding that appropriate sanctions would be taken against the culprits.
She appealed to the people to remain vigilant and to check the labels of products they buy.


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Retail companies as well as law enforcement agencies have used the service, says a report.
Customers of controversial facial recognition app Clearview AI include not only law enforcement agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Justice, but also companies such as retail giant Macy's, according to a Thursday report by BuzzFeed News, which cited internal documents reviewed by the publication.
Clearview AI has also been used by some people working at the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, Interpol, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile , Best Buy, Eventbrite, Las Vegas Sands, Coinbase, Bank of America, Walmart and Kohl's, according to the BuzzFeed report.
"This list, if confirmed, is a privacy, security, and civil liberties nightmare," said Nathan Freed Wessler, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. "Government agents should not be running our faces against a shadily assembled database of billions of our photos in secret and with no safeguards against abuse."
Interpol confirmed a "small number" of its officers in the Crimes Against Children unit used 30-day trials of the Clearview AI product, but that Interpol has no formal relationship with the company. In an emailed statement, ICE confirmed its use of Clearview AI, saying it's primarily for agents with Homeland Security Investigations who are involved in child exploitation and cybercrime cases. The FBI declined to comment.
AT&T said it's not a client of Clearview AI. Best Buy denied ever using or planning to use Clearview AI. Bank of America said it's not a customer. Eventbrite denied being a client of the company.
Clearview AI didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. On Wednesday, the company revealed that it had suffered a data breach that saw its customer list stolen, along with information such as the number of searches those customers have made and how many accounts customers had set up. Clearview attorney Tor Ekeland said in a statement then that security is the company's "top priority."
The app identifies people by comparing photos to a database of images scraped from social media and other sites. It came under fire after a New York Times investigation into the software company last month, and in late January, Democratic Sen. Edward Markey called Clearview AI a "chilling" privacy risk. Since then, Google , YouTube, Microsoft and Twitter have sent cease-and-desist letters to Clearview AI, and the company is also facing multiple lawsuits.
"This is a crisis for our democracy," Evan Greer, deputy director of Fight for the Future, said in a statement. "Lawmakers need to get off their butts, do their jobs, and pass legislation to ban the use of facial recognition surveillance not just by government agencies but by corporations too."
Coinbase said it hasn't yet made a commitment to use Clearview AI.
"Our security and compliance teams tested Clearview AI to see if the service could meaningfully bolster our efforts to protect employees and offices against physical threats and investigate fraud," a Coinbase spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "We have not tested nor would we use Clearview AI's service with our customer data. We maintain strict privacy controls that prevent customer data from being used in this manner."
The Department of Justice, Customs and Border Protection, Macy's, Verizon, T-Mobile, Las Vegas Sands, Walmart and Kohl's didn't respond to requests for comment.
The BuzzFeed report also said Clearview AI has expanded to law enforcement agencies in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, India, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Originally published Feb. 27 at 2:11 p.m. PT.
Updates, 2:30 p.m.: Adds Best Buy statement, info on more companies, expansion globally; 2:35 p.m.: Adds Bank of America statement; 2:56 p.m.: Adds Coinbase statement; 3:05 p.m.: Adds statements from ACLU and Fight for the Future; Feb. 28: Adds comment from AT&T; March 2, 11:55 a.m.: Adds Eventbrite and Interpol responses.


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An app called "If I Die" has been released, which lets you post updates to Facebook which will only go up after you pass away. To have the update go up, three designated friends need to verify the update. According to CBS, the app has faced mixed reviews on the social network with some users finding it inappropriate, while others saying that it's something that is needed. One user said that a lot of people pass away without saying certain things to people that might be important. Another user said that there may be some people who are terminally ill who would like to leave a message behind.
Post to Facebook posthumously
However, other users say that after you're dead, it's probably too late and things should be said while people are still alive. The app, which was made by Israeli developers, already has more than 5000 likes on the social network. Facebook has had to deal with user deaths for a while now, especially since 2009 when it started the 'People you may know feature'. In response, Facebook 'memorialized' the accounts of the deceased where they would no longer show up in "People you may know" and their contact information would be protected.
Published Date: Jan 16, 2012 11:36 am | Updated Date: Jan 16, 2012 11:36 am


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They can singe hair off your arms, take hours to heat up and cost thousands of dollars. But such obstacles are tolerable hurdles to a small band of pizza fanatics who are making outdoor wood-burning ovens -- the kind more often found in Italian restaurants -- the latest addition to the multitasking backyard.
Marshall Gurley, a commercial general contractor from Indian Beach, N.C., spent $50,000 on one, a custom 14-foot-high stone oven that also includes a fireplace and grill. "Everybody likes to come over. It's an event," he says. "A pizza event."
Oven-maker Wood Stone in Bellingham, Wash., which caters primarily to restaurants, says it has sold 150 ovens for home use over the past 12 months, triple the volume of the year before. (Its smallest model, at $10,750, weighs half a ton.) Small companies and masons say they've started receiving handfuls of orders in the past couple of years: Peninsula Building Materials, for example, a supply company in Redwood City, Calif., says it introduced the ovens in 2004 and sold seven last year. This past March, Pomona, Calif., outdoor appliance company Cal Spas introduced a portable, gas-powered version for $499.
Wood-burning models start at about $5,500 (gas versions usually cost more), including installation. Masonry costs for decorative facades can run from $500 to $10,000. These ovens can also be custom built from scratch for about $10,000. (Installing a wood-burning oven inside an existing home could cost even more, to account for special venting.)
Pizza ovens are part of a continuing move toward the outdoors that started with grills and fireplaces. Enthusiasts say the ovens -- usually lined with special brick and capable of reaching 900 degrees Fahrenheit -- impart a crispy crust and seal in fat and juices, and are also good for cooking meat and bread. According to Brian Glicklich, a syndication radio executive who has a wood-burning oven in his yard in Simi Valley, Calif., the oven grills meat better than any barbecue. "We're talking ethereally good Italian steak," he says.
Still, these ovens have their challenges. They often take at least three hours to warm up and require steady supervision. Michael Lee of Encore Restaurant Equipment in Seattle says he often fields requests from pizza-oven owners, pointing them to a local restaurant to learn techniques such as pie rotation and how to find the oven's hot spots. "It's a real art," he says.
The Value of Pie
And not everyone will find these backyard pizza parlors alluring. Barbara O'Connor, a real-estate agent with Baird & Warner in Chicago, says that the specialized pieces might not pay for themselves at resale. "It's very subjective," she says. "For some people, it would add no value."
Mr. Glicklich likens his wood-burning oven to a "cranky beast." The custom 8-by-14-foot oven -- which sits near a pool, Jacuzzi, refrigerator and granite pizza-dough rolling table -- cost the executive about $25,000. He says he must wear elbow-length gloves to help prevent singeing, and he's still working on techniques for creating an even fire. "Using this oven is a weekend project," he says. "Weeknights, we order in." -- Christina S.N. Lewis
Write to Christina S.N. Lewis at email@example.com


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In the past 15 years the digital technology revolution has turned the global economy on its head, opening up new business opportunities, creating new markets, transforming business models and workplaces, challenging legacy industries and changing consumer and social behaviours.
The great digital paradigm shift, and not for the first time in the history of business, means the future belongs to the nimble, the visionary and the innovative – and to Australian business, according to leading demographer and Adjunct Professor from Curtin University Business School Bernard Salt.
“I’m very positive about Australia’s future,” Salt says. “We are 24 million people with the resources of an entire continent, we should be a prosperous people for a hundred years. We simply need to be innovative and in fact create our own jobs of the future, and I think technology can actually deliver those new businesses, new occupations of the future.”
Networked and nimble
The jobs of tomorrow will be enabled by and dependent upon excellent networking infrastructure, according to Christopher Smith, director of Telstra’s Managed Network Services Practice. Networking, according to Smith, is a bit like our arteries, we all use it every day, but it’s so deeply embedded in the technology stack that we rarely think about it. Nonetheless Smith points out that well designed networks boost the capacity of business to seize emerging opportunities to provide workplace flexibility, increasing talent pools and address diversity issues, factors that have been shown to drive innovation, employee engagement and productivity.
More flexible workplaces and work practices, companies scaling up or down and moving in and out of markets and geographic locations, and the rise of the digital customer are just some of the factors “driving a dynamic network requirement” in business, Smith says.
Add to this the impact of the cloud and software collaboration tools and “dynamic” is truly the operative word. But if this sounds imposing, Smith only sees opportunity at a time when the network is becoming software driven and opened up to application developers to create value tailored to each enterprise.
“What we are seeing now is the network equivalent of what the enterprise software market went through,” Smith says. “We’re about to see a massive shift and acceleration in innovation in the network space, which means more agility and a greater ability to innovate for businesses.”
Business grows from data flows
A consequence of the proliferation of digital networks connecting businesses, supply chains, consumers and workplaces is the massive flow of data, which in turn has created new business opportunities. Having moved beyond the “internet of things”, networking powerhouse Cisco is now using the term “internet of everything” (IOE), to refer to the information that flows from the networked connection of people, data, processes, devices and applications.
Vice-president and chief technology officer for Cisco’s IOE Vertical Solution Team, Aglaia Kong, says the challenge for business leaders is to understand the disruptive impact – as well as the opportunities – that will emerge from IOE.
Not acting on the cascade of data flowing through and around businesses is no longer an option. “Business leaders need to be mindful of what is coming – if they don’t do something about it, their company will be displaced or will cease to exist,” Kong warns.


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A Bizarreness that would seem impossible to sustain in a world of fast-changing, global retailing.
That is the case at the University of Maryland, where the bookstore is going through an experiment in “retailing through digital” that is aimed at keeping its books in the hands of more than 500,000 students and staff.
It’s a unique approach for a university that has long relied on students, faculty and alumni for its sales.
But it’s also something that the university has had to contend with before.
In 2015, it was forced to shut down its flagship store in College Park because of a shortage of books.
It also shut down a branch in Alexandria, Va., that was one of the largest in the country, due to the same reasons.
“The challenge that we’re facing is the same thing we’ve been facing for years,” said John P. Sartor, the university’s vice president for academic affairs and provost for human resources.
The school has struggled to stay afloat amid a $5.3 billion budget shortfall over the past decade, which has forced it to sell books through the university library.
That’s made it difficult for the university to get new customers, including students.
But in the end, the strategy has paid off.
“We had to cut costs,” said Michael O’Keefe, the assistant vice president of business development at the university.
“That’s part of the challenge.”
A small library has helped keep books in stores The first step to creating a bookstore that doesn’t depend on students is finding a way to sell its books online.
The university is taking the digital approach to help get the books into the hands the students and faculty want to read, said Sarah M. Miller, vice provost and chief operating officer for university bookstore operations.
The first steps are typically in the form of a digital version of the library, such as a book from the school’s new online catalogue, or a digital book that is the perfect complement to a library book.
The books go to the library and the staff, who then bring the books back to the store to read.
“It’s not just about the physical books that you buy from a bookstore,” Miller said.
“You also have a digital product.”
The new online store is part of a plan to keep books at the library by making it easy for students to find them, but also by making the online experience more flexible.
Books will be available in their original form, rather than as digital copies that can be downloaded.
The library will also make it easier for customers to find books online by adding the option to buy digital books directly from the library.
In the end it could be the difference between keeping a book and buying a book, Miller said, which could be good for students, but bad for the library’s bottom line.
The new approach is different from a traditional bookstore, which typically has a physical book in its collection and sells it online.
In an online store, books have to be bought at the counter.
In a traditional library, books are shelved in a specific location, and the books are picked up and delivered by mail.
The online store will allow books to be picked up from the shelves and delivered in a timely manner.
Miller said that the digital store is similar to a bookstore because it will be open to students.
It will be the first bookstore on campus to offer the option of paying for a book online.
For a library, it will make it even easier for students who want to purchase books online and to get them delivered to their homes.
It can also be used to attract new customers to the campus.
The plan is to sell a handful of books a month, but it could grow to as many as 1,000 books a year.
Miller told The Globe that the online bookstore is expected to open this fall and open more stores over the next two years.
She expects the program will cost $5 million to $8 million, depending on the number of books it sells.
She said the plan is not dependent on the University’s future fundraising efforts.
The University of Michigan, which also has a library and online bookstore, plans to begin selling books in 2018, said David L. Jones, the vice providnet of human resources and public affairs.
“I’m confident that this is going to work well for the University,” Jones said.
The digital book sales will be more flexible than traditional books because the library is expected at the beginning to sell about 5,000 of them a year, he said.
Books that aren’t part of that book collection will be delivered to the shelves, he added.
“So there’s a certain amount of flexibility.”
The university will be able to sell more books than the current book collection.
In 2018, the library sold more than 1,300 books, including a large number of new titles.
“This is the first digital bookstore we have on campus that will be sold by the library,” Miller told the Globe. “And


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Nokia has officially announced the launch of its new phone- Nokia-801T. Nokia made 801T official via its Chinese blog. What makes Nokia 801T different from its other handsets is that it comes with an antenna. That is to say it enable users to receive signals to watch television on their handset.
The device seems to be running on Symbian^3 operating system and features a 4-inch screen. It comes strapped with the TD-SCDMA network. It sports NFC functionality as well as per My Nokia Blog.
The pricing details are not yet available and the handset is available only in the Chinese market as of now.


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The biggest health crisis in world history has left a massive impact on the global cruise market, the fastest-growing sector of the travel industry. If we look back, the demand for cruise travel had consistently risen for five consecutive years until coronavirus halted all operations globally. In response to the pandemic, countries across the globe closed their borders, and passengers were kept at sea for months before being repatriated. Countries banned all foreign ships from docking in their ports, resulting in massive chaos and disappointment. Some of the troubling coronavirus cases emerging from cruise ships even led to further reputational damage to the cruise industry. In addition to the inconvenience faced, the cruise sector had to undergo a massive financial fallout. In 2018, the industry fared at approx $150 billion, and two years after, it came down to its nascent stages.
The pandemic hit the borders in mid-January and it wasn’t too long before cruise stock prices plummeted by 70 to 80% from the prices observed before the crisis. The cruise liners, therefore, had to rely on huge loans to stay afloat. All hopes for its revival had almost vanished but surprisingly, the cruise loyalty and popularity didn’t seem to have drowned like its profits. Recent events prove how customer loyalty have become investors’ only beacon of hope in recent times. Let’s take a closer look!
The revival of the Cruise Industry
After manning the ships for months due to stern cross border regulations, the cruise industry is finally bouncing back. Apparently, against all odds, cruise liners are finally reporting an uptick in travel sales for 2021. The sector has certainly incurred heavy losses but instead of giving a complete refund for advance cruise bookings, the operators are offering extra credit points for future travel. The ‘extra’ here goes as high as 125 percent over the booked amount. In addition to this, cruise companies have also made several iterations to their cancellation policies to ensure that they aren’t locked into the next trips. Travelers are given the flexibility to reschedule their bookings. The extra credit points is another factor that has encouraged travelers to rebook for 2021 instead of asking for a cash refund.
The American cruise travel company, Cruise Planners, reported fairly good numbers of rebooking along with brand new reservations in May. In fact, by the end of March, around 76% of the travelers whose cruise bookings were canceled due to the pandemic chose cruise credits over a cash refund (USB bank report). According to a survey conducted by CLIA (Cruise Line International Association), 82% of cruisers will any day choose cruise travel over anything. Multiple cruise lines have also reported an increase in the bookings for 2021 as compared to the year before. This shows that cruise travelers are still loyal to their first travel choice.
Performance of cruise stocks during the breakout of the pandemic
Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian are the top cruise liners that make 70% of the industry’s ships. The cruise kings may have survived many outbreaks in the past such as Sars and Mers but they suffered a crippling blow at the onset of deadly coronavirus. Between February and mid-March, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian lost more than 70% of their value while Carnival Cruises Lines stock dropped by approx. 60%. The fall in share prices put pressure on the entire cruise industry which was eventually forced to secure revolving loans worth millions of dollars.
But after months of suffering, we saw some respite after the industry decided to resume operations in adherence to the global health advisories. Shares of the biggest cruise operators are finally making gains. Speaking of the stock performance, The Royal Caribbean Group saw a sharp fall from $105 (December) to $32 in March but has once again risen to $71.19 (September) as the industry prepares to resume sailings. Shares of the world’s largest cruise operator Carnival also fell from $58 (December) to a straight $13 in March. The current month is the best of all six months for Carnival with a steady rise to $18. The Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) stock was also seen making gains from $10 in March to $18.59 in September.
Cruise trips are finally back. The MSC Grandiosa was the first cruise liner to return to the Mediterranean sea since the global shut down. In August, the ship welcomed 3000 cruisers for a seven-day voyage with new rules and regulations. While American cruise liners are still bound by a no-sail order, this voyage restored hope for the top cruise lines and passengers across the world. The rules were more stringent than basic protocols and some passengers were even denied boarding on account of leniency. To get a boarding approval, passengers were asked to pass both primary antigen and molecular COVID test. Temperature screening and health questionnaires were mandatory. The ships were held to 70% capacity to ensure social distancing and all cruise activities were planned for smaller groups. Everything was pre-planned and anyone found breaking the rules was not allowed to re-board.
The recent events have proven that the stakes for the cruise industry are incredibly high. Cruising experienced a major boom in the past decade and it will soon emerge from its darkest times. After making big gains, the world’s largest cruise operator, Carnival, will soon resume operations out of Italy. Royal Caribbean says that it will start sailing from November. We haven’t heard anything from Norwegian yet but the success stories of the new COVID-proof ships will change a lot in the coming years. The good news is, the world’s biggest cruise lines are safe and floating, even through the darkest times in world history. It’s tough but like every other industry, they’ve made their way into the new normal.
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In the Apple Keynote today at the Steve Jobs theatre, Apple unveiled the iPhone 11. The new iPhone comes with a lot of upgrades but doesn’t have the OLED screen as it’s predecessors. Instead, it has an LCD or what Apple calls as a Liquid Retina display.
This is perhaps the best LCD display Apple has ever put in an iPhone. Just like XR, the iPhone 11 might have a slightly lower resolution display. iPhone XR was the best selling iPhone last year. And it proves that numbers on paper don’t matter.
A13 Bionic – The Fastest CPU and GPU in Any Smartphone
While numbers don’t matter, Apple also made sure to flaunt their new processor – the A13 Bionic. They compared the power of the A13 chip with other flagships processors like the Snapdragon 855.
The iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch display. The design is very similar to the XR. Except that this year, there’s a wide-angle lens as well!
iPhone 11 – The Phone with Two Camera Bumps
The camera module on the new iPhone is upgraded. It now comes with dual cameras instead of a single lens like the XR. We already have seen that Apple can also do portrait shots without the telephoto lens. Which is why there’s one wide-angle camera and another ultra-wide camera both with 12 MP sensors.
Apple has changed the camera interface with iOS 13 as well. The camera now has an immersive view when you switch to ultra-wide so that you can see the details of your photos. There’s also a Night Mode which is similar to what we’ve seen on Samsung and Google flagships recently. The neural network on the A13 Bionic combines multiple images for lower noise and increased stability and most importantly – more light.
Interestingly enough, Apple didn’t want to create a really huge camera bump. So, they went with two bumps instead. The whole square camera module on the iPhone 11 is a bump. Then there are separate bumps for each of the two lenses.
This is one clever design choice, but it clearly won’t stop your phone from rattling over your desk.
Coming to the front, there’s still the old-school notch with the FaceID sensors. But FaceID is now twice as fast! The front camera also gets a new Slo-mo mode, which Apple wants to call Slofie but we don’t.
The iPhone 11 will last an hour longer than the XR. It also has IP68 water resistance rating upto 2 meters, whereas the XR was IP67 rated.
Apple is pricing the iPhone 11 starting at $699, and shipping will start on September 20th. You can preorder starting Friday, September 13th at 5 AM PT /8 AM ET.
You can watch the introduction video below because we liked the music.


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With the Internet of Things in Retail gaining more traction by the passing day, the boundaries of technological innovation appear to be limitless. The primary focus of retailers is to simplify and enhance the shopping experience of customers. For ensuring this, they must look to make themselves available to the customers on every possible platform of technology. Amidst a lot of contradictions, many experts still believe that Voice Technology might be the next big technological breakthrough in Retail.
People already have a slight idea of voice technology in the form of Apple’s Siri and Microsoft’s Cortana. Although they were not the worst personal intelligent assistants, they were certainly far from being the real deal. But voice technology has evolved and advanced ever since. Last year, Amazon had rolled out the Amazon Echo device equipped with the virtual intelligent assistant ‘Alexa’. Customers can ask Alexa to add items to their shopping list. Google too recently launched its assistant equipped device by the name of ‘Google Home’.
Let’s look at how apart from convenience, fun, and interactivity, voice technology can also help in establishing brand loyalty.
Voice Technology Gaining Traction
Voice Technology is still quite a new concept but is quickly gaining traction. The internet of things in retail has ensured that customers look to adopt all the various kinds of technologies on offer. Voice Technology is still not yet at its’ most powerful stage. But, it’s growing for sure. The following statistics reveal how voice technology is slowly gaining traction.
- From statistical zilch, voice searches across the globe rose to more than 10% in 2015 (Accenture Research)
- In 2016, 20% of mobile searches by Android users in the USA were made by voice (Google)
- According to a research, 87% of respondents feel that voice technology simplifies their life when it works properly. (Mindshare & JWT)
The research conducted by Mindshare and JWT also revealed the several reasons why people use intelligent assistants. 55% use it because it’s convenient while 52% use it because it’s simple to use. The following illustration shows the list of all the reasons.
The Little Drawbacks and the huge opportunity that lies ahead
Findings reveal that most of the users of voice technology will be of the age group of 18-34. Brands and Retailers should take a note of this. Brands especially should also know that customers tend to develop a strong and unified emotional connection with them when using voice technology. As a result, chances of establishing brand loyalty becomes high. Brands should look to provide a frictionless experience to the customers by adding value to their voice-integrated offerings. This will help them maintain this advantage.
Although we see that brand loyalty can be easily established through voice technology, many experts still hold up a few drawbacks. They feel that developing long term customer loyalty and trust to this technology is a little difficult. This is because with voice devices like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home, customers can’t see the products that they are ordering. In this state of uncertainty, they are bound to lose interest in this technology at some point and adopt more traditional means. What’s missing is a touch screen for display where in customers can see the products that they are ordering by voice.
However, there are experts who also believe that this technology will only grow from strength to strength in the time to come. They feel that with time, voice devices with integrated touch screens will come out that will solve the problem of the customer’s uncertainty. The next Amazon Echo device is expected to come out with such a touchscreen. These experts also feel that this touchscreen will mostly be required by customers while they make fancy and premium end purchases. For common and routine purchases like toothpastes, etc. customers won’t exactly bother about the display. Therefore, this technology is expected to be exceptionally handy for a sector like grocery among others.
Experts also believe that soon, voice devices will also be able to register ordered items on the list and prompt customers when they enter a Brick-and-Mortar store. So, it might just turn out to be a force to reckon with in offline retail as well.
With Internet of things in retail powering widespread transformation, customers are now more tech savvy than ever. This will certainly work in the favor of voice technology. By 2020, 50% of all searches is forecasted to be conducted through voice. (ComScore)


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- Mobile users 'more likely to be struck by lightning' than infected by malware
- Government-private sector collaboration vital for cyber security: Brandis
- Talking ’bout my generation – the next wave of infosec
- Australia's online ads less fraudulent but lower quality than elsewhere
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OpenOffice.org - News, Features, and Slideshows
OpenOffice.org in pictures
The German city-state of Berlin won't migrate to open source software. Instead, its parliament decided in principle to choose workplace IT based on open standards.
By switching from Windows to LiMux, its own Linux distribution, the German city of Munich has saved over €11 million (US$14.3 million) to date compared to the costs of a similar migration to a more modern Microsoft-based IT infrastructure.
A majority of the city council in Freiburg, Germany, has voted in favor of ditching the open source suite OpenOffice to return to Microsoft Office after severe problems and complaints from employees.
The city council in Freiburg, Germany, is planning to ditch an open source office suite and go back to using Microsoft Office.
In its new role as steward of the OpenOffice.org open source office suite, the Apache Software Foundation expects to offer an Apache-branded version of the package for developers in 2012. Apache also is carefully guarding its trademarks.
Microsoft Word is ubiquitous: It's the standard word processor in most places of business, and it often ends up installed on home PCs due to compatibility and familiarity. It isn't the only choice, however. Whether your main concern is price, complexity, specialized functionality, system footprint, or some combination of the above, you might have many reasons to look beyond Word.
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- Twitter boosts beacon technology with investment in Swirl Networks
- NetSuite to acquire Bronto's digital marketing platform for US$200m
- Beacon trial aims to engage Sydneysiders with new World War II sculpture
- MCG rates success of beacon trials for customer engagement


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Facebook Vice President David Marcus is the face of the company's Libra digital currency, but the original driving force was a 26-year-old female engineer named Morgan Beller.Technologyread more
After a year of flooding, Midwest farmers face a stifling heat wave that's spreading across the U.S.Agricultureread more
Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims a British tanker it still holds, Stena Impero, failed to follow international maritime rules.World Newsread more
A quarter of the S&P 500 companies report earnings next week, and that could buffet the market as investors await the July Fed meeting.Market Insiderread more
Moving lots of data to a public cloud over the internet can take months or years. CNBC got an inside look at how AWS transfers data to the cloud for its clients.Technologyread more
Some 40% of Americans would struggle to come up with even $400 to pay for an emergency expense. Just how are so many Americans so short on cash? Blame debt.Personal Financeread more
Amazon hires Trump-allied lobbyist Jeff Miller as battle for Pentagon contract heats up.Politicsread more
In a series of tweets, the president addressed an unusual controversy stemming from a speech delivered Thursday by New York Fed President John Williams.Marketsread more
"You need to understand that we're about to embark on the busiest week of the year for industrial earnings," CNBC's Jim Cramer says.Mad Money with Jim Cramerread more
Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren is lining up against an apparent push to cut interest rates, telling CNBC in an interview Friday that the central bank can...The Fedread more
The MTA reported that the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 trains are all facing delays due to a network communications issue impacting service in both directions, NBC New York reports.Transportationread more
With hundreds of auto dealerships closed and vehicle imports slowing down, or in some cases stopping completely, Hurricane Harvey is slamming the brakes on the auto industry in southeastern Texas.
By extension, the entire industry will feel the impact of the storm that continues to inundate the Houston area.
"This is bad; real bad," said Marc Cannon, an AutoNation executive vice president. "Right now, we are focused on making sure all of our employees are safe and taken care of. At the same time, we're focusing on getting all of our stores up and running."
That may take some time.
AutoNation's 18 dealerships in the Houston area are shut down. Widespread flooding has not only swamped thousands of buildings in the Houston area, it's likely damaged hundreds, perhaps thousands of new cars and trucks parked on dealership lots.
"We're holding calls with our staff every three hours," Cannon said. "We have reopened our stores in Corpus Christi and Austin, but some of the Houston stores may take some time."
With more than 500 dealerships, the Houston metropolitan area is a major driver of auto sales in the state of Texas and the entire Gulf Coast.
Given the widespread flooding that will swamp dealerships and kill potential sales, analysts are bringing down estimates for the August new vehicle sales in the U.S.
Citi analyst Itay Michaeli has cut his estimate for the rate of monthly auto sales in August, which are reported on Friday. He estimates Harvey will affect some 125 counties in Texas and about 60 percent of the state's auto sales.
Before Harvey, Michaeli estimated the August sales pace for the country was going to be in the mid-$16 million range. As the storm lingers over the area, Michaeli has dropped his estimate.
"Our analysis suggests that Hurricane Harvey could push this down to the low-$16 million unit range," Michaeli wrote in a note to clients.
Questions? Comments? .


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Have you ever wondered why eating chicken soup when you had a cold or chest congestion made you feel better? Recent studies have shown that the ‘feeling better‘ response to chicken soup is more than a placebo. Dr. Steven Rennard from the University of Nebraska Medical Center has published a study in the journal Chest in which they conducted a series of tests to examine the health benefits of chicken soup. “Everyone’s heard this from their mother and grandmother in many cultures,” Rennard said. “We found chicken soup might have some anti-inflammatory value.”
After examining blood samples from study volunteers, the researchers found that homemade chicken soup reduced the movement of a type of white blood cells, called neutrophils, which help defend against infection. By inhibiting movement of these cells in the body, chicken soup can help reduce upper respiratory cold symptoms, Rennard theorized. The reduction in movement of neutrophils may reduce activity in the upper respiratory tract that can cause mucous production symptoms associated with a cold,” the University of Nebraska said in a press release.
Based on their research results they have theorized that benefits from a combination of chicken and vegetables have an anti-inflammatory effect. Some of the benefits of chicken soup include:
- They help the cilia of the nose and bronchial passages move quickly so they can defend the respiratory system against contagions.
- Sometimes just increasing the intake of warm tea or broth, to assure proper hydration of the body, can make a major difference in healing. (You don’t need medical technology to check if you are hydrated – just keep drinking until your urine turns light yellow to clear.)
- The salt in broths can help soothe sore throats. If you need to reduce salt, use dried herbs like oregano, parsley and chili pepper flakes to enhance flavor.
- The soup’s warm liquid works to open stuffy sinuses.
- They’re packed with immune supporting minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, silicon and sulphur. Chicken soup delivers these in a form that is easy to absorb.
- The onions, garlic and additional vegetables provide a healthy dose of phyto-nutrients, important for a properly functioning immune system, as well as serving as anti-inflammatants.
- When your body is busy fighting off infection lots of energy is required. Chicken soup is a great source for easily digested calories.
- Digestive system health is especially important when our bodies are sick so they can absorb infection fighting vitamins and minerals. Glucosamine, a main building block of our digestive system is released from bones when they’re cooked. The gelatin that congeals on the surface includes glucosamine and is used to repair connective tissue and reduce inflammation.
- Chicken noodle soup boosts vitamin A and selenium consumption. Both support thyroid function.
Chicken soup has been a mainstay for generations for parents who seek to comfort their families.There is value there. Eat up!
Billie Nicholson, Editor


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We knew it was only a matter of time before Olivier Rousteing brought back his #BalmainArmy, and the 30-year-old creative director is now delivering.
Man of the hour Kanye West is returns for Fall 2016 after fronting ads for the label with wife Kim Kardashian West last year. Meanwhile, model Joan Smalls is living out Taylor Swift’s fantasy, pushing the rapper over in what appears to be a very graceful dance battle. (It was shot by Steven Klein, after all.)
Fans of Balmain will notice that West is wearing the same intricately embellished jacket that he wore to this year’s Met Gala, though no word yet on whether his unnerving blue contact lenses will also make an appearance.
Rousteing captioned the image simply “music meets fashion,” and recently appeared on the cover of Paper magazine alongside Jennifer Lopez, so prepare for more muso-model collaborations from Balmain in the near future.


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UoB freshers are being given incredibly posh food boxes full of soy sauce and Propercorn
Obviously no Bristol fresher could survive without passata
Bristol University is providing boxes of free food to students isolating and honestly, they’re pretty boujee.
While other unis are charging freshers over the odds for boxes of apples and Pot Noodles, Bristol freshers are being treated to Oreos, soy sauce, Propercorn, and passata.
One “standard box” costs the university over £50 per week, while one “vegan box” costs the uni £60 per week. Who knew vegetables were so expensive.
The food boxes are meant to last a week. The first box is delivered within 12 hours and the second is delivered on day seven of the isolation.
The university is planning to deliver free food in halls for the foreseeable future.
From the video, the boxes contain at least the following: man n cheese tins, raisins, pasta, soya sauce, custard, soya milk, Jacob’s crackers, pasta, fruit and jelly, beef chilli ready meals, Walker’s crisps, cereal, Lyons instant coffee, and own brand baked beans.
Sophia Lees, a Film and TV fresher currently isolating in Hiatt Baker, published a viral video on TikTok showing all the food her flat that was sent by Bristol. “Asparagus in a tin is probably the strangest food I received,” she told The Bristol Tab, although gave a positive review to the rest.
Teegan, studying Computer Science is isolating in The Courtrooms, told The Bristol Tab: “We got a box each and when we opened it, it was like Christmas. Oreos, long-lasting stuff. There’s some stuff in there we can’t eat so we’re donating that to the homeless”.
A university spokesperson said: “Back in late July we started discussions with our supplier to produce an emergency quarantine pack that is nutritionally sustainable, has a long shelf life and is transportable.
“Many universities have taken on the format that we put together and we are glad to hear that the quarantine box that originated for Bristol students is now being supplied across the University sector.”


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According to Japanese website “Photo of the Day”, Ricoh will release a new Pentax APS-C DSLR camera next year around CP+ 2020. According to rumors, this camera will be the successor of Pentax K-3 II, but not K-3 III, will be a new line of camera similar to K-3 line with best image quality of all Pentax APS-C cameras. The image processing mechanism of this APS-C DSLR camera will dramatically improved.
According recently interview with Ricoh executives by dpreview, Ricoh will announce the replacement of Ricoh GR II and Pentax K-3 II.
According to NokishitaCamera, Ricoh will announce the new Pentax K-1 Mark II soon. The announcement date is unknown yet, maybe around CP+ Show in Japan in early March.
A new DSLR camera named Pentax KP is registered at Indonesian telecommunication agency. This camera will be officially announced at CP+ Show in Japan in February, 2017.
The upcoming Pentax K-1 full frame DSLR will be announced soon, probably on February 18th, 2016. According to PR, the price for Pentax K-1 body only is Euro 1,999. And there will be a kit lens available: Pentax 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. A new HD Pentax-D FA 15-30mm f/2.8 SDM lens will be also announced at the same time.


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Enjoy Lobster On the Wildwood Boardwalk This Summer
You may already be familiar with the restaurant bringing it's lobster rolls to the Wildwood Boardwalk. With several locations in South Jersey already, the new lobster joint on the Wildwood Boardwalk will mark this place's 4th location in the region.
Quincy's Original Lobster Rolls already has locations from Sea Isle to Ocean City and, according to Wildwood Video Archive, has set their sights on the Wildwood Boardwalk. The new location is going up across from the dog park at 3000 Boardwalk. Quincy's isn't just a walk-up. Reports say they will have seating inside in addition to the counter service.
Get all the info about Quincy's coming to the Wildwood Boardwalk HERE.


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THE MAIN EUROPEAN KIT COMPANIES show us what’s up-and-coming at Scale ModelWorld. At the 2016 show, Revell served up a feast for the year to come.
Mat Irvine: It’s good to see Revell with such a strong showing at Scale ModelWorld 2016. There was plenty to look at on the stand, both from the existing range and trailing new products to come.
The Revell stand (below) showed a mixture of existing and new products. Topping the display (below) was a giant 1:8 scale 1965 Chevrolet Corvette model. Originally a Monogram kit, the Corvette is being reissued once more.
The 1:48 scale Eurofighter Typhoon (below) has been given a fresh treatment with exotic ‘Bronze Tiger’ markings, as seen at the NATO Tiger Meet of June, 2014.


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RTKF Net, the UK’s largest independent provider of RTK GPS corrections, has installed their latest base station at the RVW Pugh Market Drayton depot.
We are back after a few busy days at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in Builth Wells.
RVW Pugh is pleased to announce Väderstad as their newest cultivation franchise
RVW Pugh's will be present at the upcoming Ploughing Matches.
Congratulations to Massey Ferguson who have scooped the Prestigious Tractor of the Year award at SIMA in Paris this week!
Another successful LAMMA show...has bringing it indoors made it the best yet?
Our Massey Ferguson Celebration tractor is on the journey back to red!
Buying Teagle for 20 years and no sign of stopping!
AGCO welcome Llysfasi College onto their Apprenticeship scheme
Exciting news for local customer Ben Davies
Don't miss out on this ex-demo cultivation equipment
RVW Pugh had another successful show with sales and promotion!
A bittersweet farewell to Paul Mottram, Cheshire Workshop Manager.
A new product offering from RVW Pugh is now available.
RVW Pugh awarded Merlo GOLD dealer award for second year running.
THE ALL NEW MASSEY FERGUSON ROUND BALERS


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As in 2023, this year promises to be busy with video game releases. Titles awaited for years will finally see the light of day. This is the case of Skull and Bones, the pirate game developed by Ubisoft whose release date is scheduled for February 16. Players were able to get their hands on it sooner thanks to theopen beta which took place from February 8 to 11 inclusive. It was an opportunity for potential customers to test the game for free before forming a final opinion.
If the operation generally went very well, the boss of Ubisoft took the opportunity to speak about the economic model of the title and its intentions. Yves Guillemot, CEO of the company, says that the price of Skull and Bones is entirely justified. It actually reflects criticism from users, but also from investors, who think that the gaming system would have had everything to gain from going free-to-play. Instead, its classic editions are priced at €59.99 for digital and €79.99 for physical. The Premium edition costs €89.99.
Ubisoft invents AAAA games (yes, there are four)
It is during a conference call that the boss gives his opinion on the future of Skull and Bones. He explains to investors that “It’s a really big game, and we think people will really see how big and comprehensive this game is. It’s a truly complete game, triple…quadruple-Awhich will keep its promises in the long term.”
By complete, he obviously means the possibility of having naval battles with his friends, against players from around the world, but also the customization of ships, pirates or even the epic quests which will form the story of the title. Given the number of years it took to develop it, it is intended to last over time, so it is placed in the category of service games. It will benefit from regular content updates, but also from micro transactions allowing additional income to be generated from the initial sale of the game.
Ubisoft is well known for this hybrid economic model, bringing the methods of free-to-play games into AAAs that are already quite expensive to purchase. This has always been a big disadvantage for players. Here more than with any Assassin’s Creedthe structure of Skull and Bones lends itself even less to such a high base price when so much effort is put into reaping long-term revenue.
It remains to be seen what the players think.
For the moment, Metacritic has not opened its rating since the game has not been released, so we can only rely on the feedback from players on the networks to take the temperature. As with every release from the studio, reviews are mixed. Some criticize the game for being too repetitive while others complain about the “dated” graphics (more or less the same criticisms as for the Starfield of Bethesda). We will have to wait a few more days to find out for sure.
Pre-order Skull and Bones
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Google has released a subtle update to the iOS version of its Hangouts messaging app. While the small list of changes includes mentions of group names appearing in notifications, and the ability to reply to messages directly from notifications, the real surprise is that the app works on the Apple Watch now. While Facebook Messenger and even BBM have already come to the Apple Watch, Hangouts is at least better late than never.
As one would expect, Hangouts on the Apple Watch allows users to read incoming messages, as well as reply. Just don’t expect to say anything meaningful unless dictating a message via voice; sending a written response is only possible with a handful of pre-written messages.
The ability to reply from notification on the iPhone also makes it easier and quicker to keep up with conversations. Users just need to pull down the notification that appears along the top of the screen to get access to text entry. Of course, Hangouts on the Watch may be the best when really on the run, as there’s no need to take the phone out at all.
The new update brings Hangouts up to version 6.1, so if that’s not what’s running on your device, you can hit the iOS App Store to download it, then you’re on your way to messaging from your Apple Watch.
SOURCE Google Hangouts


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Apple on Thursday borrowed another $7 billion in new debt, in a series of notes that mature between 2020 and 2027, according to a new regulatory filing. The company ended the first quarter of 2017 with more than $98 billion in total debt.
Apple isn’t exactly hurting for money. The company generates $3.6 million in cash per hour, or roughly $40 billion in cash every six months. It ended its most recent quarter with $256 billion in cash savings. So why does it need to take on new debt?
Apple CEO Tim Cook has spent years arguing that the country’s corporate tax policies don’t make sense for large companies like his. Currently, if Apple sells an iPhone outside the United States, say at a store in Germany, it pays local taxes, and then would be subject to additional taxes if it tried to bring that cash back home.
Rather than paying U.S. corporate taxes, the most valuable publicly traded company on the planet parks its cash overseas and borrows billions to keep the lights on.
“...You look at this and you go, 'This is kind of bizarre,'” Cook said in a recent CNBC interview. “... We are in a good position, but an unusual one. Our good position is we can borrow. And so to invest in the United States, we have to borrow. This doesn't make sense on a broad basis.”
Apple says it sold six types of debt notes this week:
- $500 million in floating-rate bonds due in 2020
- $1 billion in 1.8 percent bonds due in 2020
- $750 million in floating-rate bonds due in 2022
- $1 billion in 2.3 percent bonds due in 2022
- $1.75 billion in 2.85 percent bonds due in 2024
- $2 billion in 3.2 bonds due in 2027
Critics say Apple uses complex accounting practices with a series of subsidiary companies to decrease its global tax rate to as low as legally possible. The European Commission claims Apple paid a 0.005 percent tax rate in Ireland in 2014 — roughly $50 for every $1 million in profits. Apple disputes that figure.
Cook hopes Republican lawmakers will approve a tax repatriation holiday, temporarily lowering the tax rate on repatriation of overseas cash.
President George W. Bush approved a similar tax holiday in 2004, saying allowing American companies to bring cash back at a lower tax rate would stimulate the economy and add jobs. A s ubsequent analysis found the 15 largest beneficiaries of the tax holiday ended up paying out dividends, paying down deb — and cutting 20,000 jobs.


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Microsoft has been testing a new Outlook for Mac design over the past year, and it’s now ready to roll out to all users next month. The new design includes Microsoft’s Fluent icons, rounded corners, and changes to make the email app ready for macOS Big Sur.
Microsoft’s Ribbon interface has been removed, and everything looks a lot cleaner. It’s a hybrid of Apple’s macOS design and Microsoft’s own Fluent design. Reading and writing emails have been improved with single-line views, a new mail compose UI, and even a feature to ignore emails. Panels are also collapsible so it makes Outlook for Mac a lot more customizable for the main view of emails.
Microsoft has also improved the way contacts work in Outlook for Mac. The People section now separates out contacts and co-workers from events and email messages, and it’s easier to see frequent contacts or simply mark existing ones as favorites.
Every part of Outlook for Mac sees some changes, including the calendar and search features. Calendars can now be grouped by ones you own, those that are shared with you, and group calendars found on Microsoft 365. There’s a Microsoft Teams meeting toggle and the ability to click and drag over the calendar to create entries. Search should also be a lot more relevant now, as Outlook for Mac is powered by the same Microsoft search found elsewhere in Office 365.
Microsoft seems to have focused a lot on customization and personalization with this new Outlook for Mac design. You can now tweak the message list density to compress it to see more.
While the design is the main change, there are some significant changes that won’t be as visually obvious. Microsoft is bringing its sync technology that’s used on Outlook for iOS and Android and Windows Mail to this version of Outlook for Mac. It means Office 365, Outlook.com, and even Google accounts will sync faster thanks to Microsoft’s cloud services. Support for iCloud and IMAP accounts is coming soon.
Microsoft says the new Outlook for Mac design will be available to all users in mid-October.


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Microsoft is looking to cash in on the goodwill of the recent Windows 10 launch with a new line of merchandise to help promote it — and it’s surprisingly cheap too. The firm has now launched a number of t-shirts, all bearing Windows-related logos and catch phrases. Although sizing options are varied, colors are much less so, with blue and black being the only real choices.
Microsoft has been selling t-shirts showing off its company logo, the Xbox brand, and Minecraft for some time now, but this is the first time it’s made Windows 10 apparel available to consumers. Some of the t-shirts sport the Windows 10 logo, while others sport the logo plus catch-phrases like “I do.” Is Microsoft offering to marry each of us?
If you’re not marriage-minded, another t-shirt reads “Eat Sleep Do,” and there’s one that reads “Never Stop Starting,” which is one of the few available in a grey/black alternative to the Windows blue.
There’s also a subtle stab at Apple’s traditional 1984 advert, with one that simply reads “1985.”
While the selection isn’t exactly wide, the pricing seems pretty fair. Most of the new Windows 10-inspired t-shirts cost just $7 each, with only a few priced higher than that — and even most of those are on sale at just over $10. All are available in sizes from small right through to 3X-Large and in some cases there are even baby alternatives, with designs that will fit 12-24 month-old children.
The pricing becomes even more surprising given that the quality of the shirts appears to be quite high. Microsoft claims that each is made from “4.5-ounce, 100% ring spun cotton,” so these are no cheap polyester garments.
The question is — despite the decent quality and low price tag, would you actually wear one? Are you a big enough Windows fan that you would sport one of these?
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Having a ban on gatherings and public events being called off, people throughout the globe have been in search of entertainment on streaming platforms. Netflix, YouTube, Zoom, and social media sites like Facebook are being utilized to make use of time and communicating with each other in the quarantine situation. In recent years, users of these services have moved increasingly to smartphones, creating an industry-wide mobile focus.
This made the Pandemic bearable for the individuals as staying home would have been difficult without personalized devices. To begin with, the internet providers have complied with the situation and introduced packages or the time. Families are sitting at home with less trouble, all because of cheaper internet bundles helping them stay connected with the outside world.
Internet For Surviving in the Quarantine
As mentioned by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), there has been a significant increase in
the use of the Internet, ever since the lockdown was endorsed on March 24, 2020. There is an estimated increase of about 15% in the usage of the Internet across Pakistan with Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Netflix, Tiktok and WhatsApp being the big trends. There is an estimated increase of about 15% in the usage of the Internet across Pakistan with Facebook, YouTube,Instagram, Netflix, Tiktok and WhatsApp being the big trends.
Although traditional social media sites have evolved, users seem to want more than to communicate via text messages. This has provided a big boost to apps that used to remain in relative obscurity as people now want
to see each other, through apps such as Google’s video messaging app, Duo and Houseparty. These apps allow groups of friends to join a single video chat to play games and enjoy movies together.
Organizations and institutions have refrained from having physical interaction, so the impact is shifted at home. Offices and schools have moved into the basements and living rooms, with every sector trying to make positive use of this isolation.
The educational tasks shared by the Schools are posted on Google Classroom, whereas, interactive sessions of meetings are taking place on apps like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Microsoft Teams. Websites like Coursera are providing online courses from world-renowned educational hubs like John Hopkins University and Yale University.
The classes are accessible free of cost, and a minor fee is applicable if one desires certificate with payment of about $50. The economic sector has also witnessed a transition, and the businesses also shifted online to avoid human interaction.
Even the citizens have shown avoidance to banknotes and are using digital payments as a mode of economic fluidity. In Pakistan, daraz.pk shares their experience of e-commerce where there has been a notable increase in online shopping and online payments. Similarly, people are avoiding payments in cash and making use of credit cards, either in online shopping or physical cashless transactions from stores.
People are avoiding payments in cash and making use of credit cards, either in online shopping or physical cashless transactions from stores. The banking sector has used the situation as an opportunity for increasing digital banking adoption in the country. Retaking Pakistan’s example, the JS bank has given the statistics of a 10-12% increase in the rise of digital transactions in their JS wallet use ever since the lockdown was announced.
E-commerce can be an effective solution until the situation stays restricted and uncertain, though there won’t be any harm in promoting the phenomenon in the long run too. The Telenor Microfinance banking has also highly encouraged digital finance for the public in these times. Mobile wallets have been put as an alternative until the situation normalizes as the use is easy to be adopted by all.
Mobile wallets have been put as an alternative until the situation normalizes as the users easy to be adopted by all. In this time of need, people have also started to become familiar with online pharmaceutical services as they are easily assessable. There are many options to purchase the desired medicine online in Pakistan, like shifa4u.com and nibd.edu.pk, where the option of home delivery and the cash on delivery is also present.
Cooking and baking are some of the activities that have helped occupy people to stay indoors and improve their skills in the kitchen. Websites like tasty.co and allrecipies.com are easily accessible and carry delicious meals
that can be replicated conveniently.
They have different levels that elevate to complicated dishes having an option to identify the level at which an individual stands along with his maturity at cooking.
Quarantine has also helped people to come out of their shell and rediscover themselves. TikTok is a smart phone app that is packed with short clips of pranks and lip-syncing, started before the outbreak of Covid-19. Since its creation, it has continued to have a steady rise in its users. Charli D’Amelio the 15-year-old dancer is such an example who started like any other TikToker, but within a small span of quarantine she has gained about 60 million followers on TikTok. This had made her a social media celebrity making her the most followed person on the app and 18.7 million followers on Instagram.
In terms of fitness, although the gyms are closed, there are means of keeping the workout on track. Different online gym services are functioning in the Pandemic like Wello and iTrain that help in maintaining the
fit lifestyle. Online yoga and meditation class subscription can also be purchased
online at minimum costs.
At a time when staying indoors is the best way to survive the coronavirus pandemic, the internet has emerged
as savior for millions of internet users across the world.
The lockdown doesn’t look quite as unbearable with the internet. Take it away and chances are our lives will fall apart like dry cake. It’s about work, leisure, shopping, family bonding and myriad other things as people recalibrate their lives.
For every closed grocery shop, restaurant, movie hall, gym or even doctor’s appointment, the internet has an alternative ready at the click of a button.
Internet is the only thing that has made isolation less boring rather it has brought a more viable option to stay safe home and wait for the COVID to end.


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Maruti Suzuki India has inaugurated its 300th commercial vehicle showroom in India. The 300 th outlet comes in less than three years, and with it Maruti Suzuki's Commercial retail outlet network is now present in over 230 cities across the country. With the recent addition, the Company's total sales network has crossed over 2,940 showrooms covering more than 1,860 towns and cities.
Currently the company sells only the Super Carry LCV in the country and it commands a 12 per cent market share in India and it's sold 23,000 units already eversince it was launched. It is offered in two colours Superior White and Superior Silver. The Super Carry LCV comes with a loading bay of 3.25 sq.mt and offers a payload capacity of 740 kg.
The ground clearance stands at 175mm, while suspension duties are performed by MacPherson struts at the front and a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear. The wheelbase measures 2110mm and at 4.3 metres, the turning radius similar to that of a hatchback. The LCV gets all the basic features including a light steering wheel, mobile charging socket, dual assist grip, multi-purpose storage spaces, lockable glovebox and bottle holders. An air-conditioner however, is missing from the ensemble.
The Super Carry is available with a diesel engine in the country and this 793cc twin-cylinder diesel engine that made its debut on the Celerio last year and comes paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. However, the diesel variant will be discontinued as it would not comply with the upcoming BS6 norms. The company will therefore only offer it with the petrol and the CNG variant, which according to the company will be great for its consumers.
Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director (Marketing and Sales), Maruti Suzuki India said, "The Light Commercial Vehicle segment has been the largest volume contributor in the commercial vehicle industry in the country. Globally, Suzuki Motor Corporation has expertise in this segment and the Super Carry is part of that lineage.
Super Carry for India has been developed specifically keeping in mind the unique requirements of the Indian mini truck customer. Starting the commercial segment with Super Carry, we have rapidly rolled out our network to keep pace with the growing demand and business opportunity for light commercial vehicles. With the growth in entrepreneurship and businesses, we see a continuous requirement of Light commercial vehicles for various business applications."


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In the heart of central Israel on Yom HaShoah, a hate crime was perpetrated against a Chareidi-owned store, with swastikas spray painted on the door and a pile of shoes left outside, as if to represent the piles of shoes next to gas chambers.
The horrifying incident occurred in Ramat Gan overnight Wednesday. When Amnon Goldis arrived at his store “יין כשר אור הגנוז” in the morning, he was greeted with the disturbing sight.
Goldis summoned the police who arrived at the store and opened an investigation.
Goldis’ store has already earned fame (or notoriety) as a Charedi store from an incident last year when Goldis hung a sign above his store stating “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad.” To his surprise, the next morning he received a call from the Ramat Gan municipality threatening to fine him unless he immediately removes the sign.
Goldis hung the Shema Yisrael sign in response to the signs plastered across the street from his store and on surrounding streets by the Ramat Gan municipality advertising a pride parade.
“How can it be that the municipality threatens me in response to hanging a Jewish sign while signs that offend many local residents are plastered on the streets?” Goldis said at the time.
Unfortunately, the disturbing incident is not the only such one in recent days in Ramat Gan. Over Pesach, a number of hate crimes were perpetrated in city shuls, with chametz strewn in the shuls on Pesach.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)


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The financial crisis has altered the behavior of consumers worldwide and companies that fail to make adjustments will have difficulty emerging from the storm unscathed, experts said at a forum in Taipei yesterday.
Johnsee Lee (李鍾熙), president of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (工研院), said the global downturn appeared to have stabilized, but it continued to have an impact on the world economy.
Lee said that emerging markets such as China, which is expected to retain GDP growth of 7 percent this year, would play an increasingly important role following the financial turmoil.
“The financial upheaval taught consumers to be more conservative in their spending and they now favor lower-priced products with fair quality,” Lee told a forum on competitiveness.
Lee said that prior to 1973, Japanese automakers had difficulty making inroads in the US market, but the energy crisis led people to realize the importance of conservation. As a result, smaller, fuel-efficient Japanese cars became popular.
Lee said the financial crisis would also deal a structural blow to the supply chain of assorted industries, with some firms surviving and others failing, depending on whether they can innovate and stay competitive.
Lee voiced concern at the Lausanne-based business school IMD ranking Taiwan’s competitiveness at No. 23, down from No. 13 last year.
While the government cited the shrinking GDP as the reason, corporate efficiency also contributed to the downgrading, the IMD report showed.
Simon Lin (林憲銘), chairman and chief executive officer of Wistron Corp (緯創), the nation’s third largest contract maker of laptops, said his company achieved 30 percent growth in the first quarter of this year, mostly the result of its pragmatic strategy.
“Wistron was little affected by the economic slump, which has led consumers to refrain from luxurious items in favor of low-priced computers,” Lin said.
As an original design manufacturer (ODM), Lin said, Wistron seeks to build on low-return operations and its down-to-earth strategy has shielded the company and the industry from the risk of a bubble bust.
“No bubble, no burst,” he said. “The principle does not apply to sectors featuring high earnings, high risk.”
Lin said he saw new business opportunity for ODMs to provide technology services, adding that the key to success was innovation so that makers can develop products to meet users’ needs, not merely suppliers.
Sophia Tong (童至祥), chief executive officer of Test Rite International Co (特力集團), said the financial crisis did not substantially weaken the purchasing power of Taiwanese, but their lack of confidence drove them to favor products at discount prices.
Tong said her company took note of the trend and adjusted its procurement and other policies to cut costs and stay competitive.
“That strategy proved effective in helping the company weather the downturn,” Tong said.
POOR INTERNAL CONTROLS: Insurance Bureau Director-General Shih Chiung-hwa said the company is expected to get back on track while its chairman is suspended The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) yesterday fined Shin Kong Life Insurance Co (新光人壽) NT$27.6 million (US$939,415) for a reckless investment that endangered its solvency, and suspended its chairman Eugene Wu (吳東進) for poor supervision. The penalty is the second-highest in a single case after Nan Shan Life Insurance Co (南山人壽) was fined NT$30 million in September last year and its chairman Du Ying-tzyong (杜英宗) suspended for two years, the commission said. In three rounds of special and regular examinations conducted since last year, the commission found that Shin Kong Life had given too much power to an asset and liability management committee
HEAVY INVESTMENT: Moody’s affirmed the firm’s ‘Aa3’ rating with a ‘stable’ outlook due to its leading position in the industry and ability to match customer requirements Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s (TSMC, 台積電) revenue this year is expected to increase about 21 percent to NT$1.29 trillion (US$44.01 billion) from NT$1.07 trillion last year, driven by strong demand for advanced 5-nanometer and 7-nanometer chips mainly used in smartphones and high-performance computing devices, a Moody’s Investors Service report on Wednesday said. TSMC’s rate of revenue growth next year is to increase to 7.5 percent, the ratings agency said. The company, which supplies 5-nanometer chips for Apple Inc’s new iPad series, has introduced the advanced chips ahead of its competitors and gained a significant share of the market for the foundry industry’s
Sony Corp has cut its estimated Play Station 5 (PS5) production for this fiscal year by 4 million units, down to about 11 million, following production issues with its custom-designed system-on-chip (SOC) for the new console, people familiar with the matter said. The Tokyo-based electronics giant in July boosted orders with suppliers in anticipation of heightened demand for gaming in the holiday season and beyond, as people spend more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the company has come up against manufacturing issues, such as production yields as low as 50 percent for its SOC, which have cut into
O2O BICYCLE SHOW: The Taiwan Bicycle Show next year is to be online to offline, with forums, audio-visual conferences and livestreaming of the offline events Local bicycle makers expect demand to continue outpacing supply due to orders triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, with some companies seeing orders back up through next year. “Next year is all full in terms of orders. Our lead time on components is one year,” Giant Manufacturing Co Ltd (巨大機械) chairwoman Bonnie Tu (杜綉珍) told a news conference in Taipei organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) to announce next year’s Taipei Cycle Show. The pandemic has reduced bicycle supplies and increased demand around the world, Robert Wu (吳盈進), chairman of KMC (Kuei Meng) International Inc (桂盟國際), one of the world’s


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Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company has taken up the reins at the prestigious event having grasped what other leading 4×4 companies have gained from supporting the sport of three day eventing. Sponsorship and product placement are often touted as dirty words amongst the purists but the harsh reality is that in order for the sport to continue and grow, the sport needs sponsors and the sponsors need the sport.
With the recent launch of the luxurious Rexton 4×4 model, which prides itself on its practical 3.5 tonne towing capacity and sensible price tag, Hannah Brook-Lawson caught up with SsangYong Motor UK’s CEO, Paul Williams to hear more about the company’s hopes and plans for reaching the UK’s savvy equestrian community.
Avid eventing supporter Rory Bremner was spied making enquiries!
Speaking to Mr Johng-sik Choi, SsangYong Motor Company CEO about the company’s long term goals, he said
“SsangYong believes in the winning spirit that Blenheim symbolises, so the partnership is a great fit. It might not be a well-known competition in Korea, but when I heard its story I thought it would be the perfect place to launch the new Rexton. It’s well-matched to build our brand image as the new face of premium-class luxury. Blenheim is very impressive, in its story, the grounds, and the details. We want to inspire a younger generation and create momentum to build a Korean eventing team.”
We have seen many great brands grow when absorbed into the equestrian community and we look forward to watching SsangYong thrive amongst the sport’s loyal fanbase. If you are visiting Blenheim this weekend, be sure to visit the SsangYong stand next to the member’s entrance to see the stylish Rexton 4×4 for yourself where the team are on hand to talk you through its genuine towing capacity that has been developed for real equestrians.
With thanks to Hannah Brook-Lawson and Tilly Berendt.


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RooLife Group (ASX: RLG) has generated its first revenue from selling Merino & Co wool garments into China using its e-commerce and digital marketing technology.
The company has received first cash from more than $310,000-worth of sales of the Merino & Co products during February.
As a result, RooLife anticipates the sales of the Merino & Co wool products will contribute to strong growth in the March 2022 quarter.
RooLife has attributed the high Merino & Co cash receipts to its partnership with China-focused sales channel and strategic investor China Cross Border Trading Group (CCTG), which was announced in December 2021.
CCTG purchased $1 million RooLife shares in mid-December, and agreed to market, sell and introduce RooLife’s products to new sales and retail channels in China.
Although RooLife does not consider the initial cash receipts from the Marino & Co sales material, it says it is “particularly pleased” with the sales growth achieved in the current March quarter.
Sales for the period are expected to increase between 25-30% on December 2021 quarter levels.
Strong December half year result
The sales momentum for the March quarter follows a strong December half year result (H1 FY2022).
Revenue from ordinary activities rocketed 304% to $8.1 million compared to $2 million in H1 FY2021. Total cash receipts rose from $1.66 million in H1 FY2021 to $5.65 million in H1 FY2022.
The higher revenue resulted in a 41% reduced loss for the period of $865,305.
RooLife closed out H1 FY2022 with a 33% increase to its net assets of $7.6 million.
RooLife’s technology and services platforms manage the sale of food, beverages and health and well-being products into growth markets with a focus on China.
During H1 FY2022, RooLife’s fresh food store was launched on Pinduoduo, and achieved top 10 status for sales in its category in China within three months.
With more than 850 million active users, Pinduoduo is China’s largest online shopping platform.


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The usa and you can European countries has fighting visions from ideas on how to feed the fresh world – so we could all be caught in the get across-flame.
Batten down the hatches for another superpower showdown along side Atlantic. This time the new ideological clash is all about how we grow our very own dining.
In the race to minimize the damage that agriculture is wreaking on the weather, the newest Eu while the You.S. is veering into the a premier-stakes standoff more how exactly to alter the global dinner system, and their dueling visions you will suggest everyone lose-out.
Brand new making Cold War between them agricultural heavyweights along side future of farming risks undermining not only tens out of billions of euros’ property value farming exchange annually, but also threatens so you can undercut the greater number of standard aspiration so you can opposite all over the world home heating using venture towards the restaurants systems, which can be guilty of over a third from greenhouse gasoline emissions.
“It’s pretty clear there are two main more routes, and i believe the us and other places was browsing go-down one to roadway [and] the fresh new Eu is just about https://datingranking.net/tr/swipe-inceleme/ to go down a unique road,” U.S. Farming Secretary Tom Vilsack informed POLITICO into the an interview in which the guy barely veiled his problem of EU’s agriculture beliefs.
America’s head bogeyman was Europe’s Farm to help you Shell method, and that tries so you can prioritize sustainability from the slashing pesticide need in half of the 2030 and also by making certain all-natural development covers 25 % regarding European farmland. To own Arizona, this really is a menu to have emergency that may treat pick output, push-up eating cost and you may threaten eating shelter. The new U.S. Company out of Farming features put out economic patterns claiming world dinner creation would visit 11 percent and you will cost manage come out 89 per cent if every places observed the new Western european design.
“The fresh world’s surely got to rating given, and it’s really reached rating given inside a lasting way. And we also can’t fundamentally sacrifice that towards other,” Vilsack told you.
Coalition of one’s tilling
As to what Vilsack features also known as America’s a reaction to Ranch so you can Hand, the fresh You.S. uncovered an alternative in the world coalition to own growing food design in the good renewable method included in the U.N.is why Dinner Solutions Summit inside Sep. It is a grouping by which he is seeking ericas initial, to make certain that the Eu wouldn’t determine new norms across the the earth’s cornfields and you will milk farms.
“There are a number of regions who believe highly that people cannot lose production to come to a sustainability objective,” Vilsack told you.
Nowadays, trade is about the fight getting in the world conditions, and also the You.S. features much time smarted more the way the European union provides flexed their muscle owing to change rules to help you enforce all over the world dinner norms, like the geographical signal labels that include the advanced brands like Champagne and you may Parma ham.
Arizona does not want the fresh new Western european gastronomic and you can agronomic model distributed people after that, such as once the backlash up against pesticides and you can genetically changed foodstuffs is actually don’t restricted so you can Europe. Mexico, eg, has actually sent shockwaves from the farming globe featuring its want to ban the new common herbicide glyphosate and you may naturally changed maize.
The new transatlantic dating descends on a meal endeavor
Vilsack’s overarching anxiety would be the fact Europe could use their diverging dining standards to help you throw up so much more traps in order to trade. And then he is useful that composing is on the new wall surface.
While in the its European union presidency in the first 1 / 2 of the coming year, France is looking for in order to legislate into the constraints into imports originating from countries that the European union sees due to the fact having second-rate conditions, including when considering the employment of agri-toxins. Vilsack retorted one Paris’s package do would “a trading system and this very actually a trading and investing program.”


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So you may have read the reports in the past suggesting that Rocksteady, the studio behind the main Batman: Arkham games, was hard at work on a Superman game. Alas, those rumors were shot down quickly, leaving us wondering just what the studio may be working on. Well, we have a good idea, based on a report from PlayStation Lifestyle.
The site has uncovered information hinting that the developer could very well be returning to Batman territory, and with material that tied in with the mysterious hints surrounding Court of Owls, indicating that it's their project instead of something being worked on by WB Montreal, who previously worked on Batman: Arkham Origins.
According to the site, the information came from a play-tester who reportedly got hands on with the game, which is being called Batman: Arkham Crisis. They noted that the team is shooting for it to be "Game of the Year" material, with a release around Halloween this year.
As for the story, it's supposed to be the most intricate yet for a Batman game, with a dozen or so acts revolving around the Dark Knight and the supposed Court of Owls.
Apparently, the tester notes that the Batwing will make its debut, and you can actually utilize it over the course of combat, as well as getting around the city.
What's really interesting, however, is that the game could very well introduce a co-op mode, with side missions available to open up. They didn't say who the secondary character could be alongside Batman, but Robin, Nightwing or Batgirl would be safe guesses. Maybe all of them…?
Speaking of side missions, they're reportedly much deeper than in previous games. And Arkham Crisis could have the most intricate open-world to date in the series, complete with a day/night cycle and a wide open map that could be even bigger than Grand Theft Auto V's.
As always, these rumors are unconfirmed. After all, the play-tester could very well just be making stuff up. Rocksteady hasn't said a word about their next project, so we're going to tread very lightly on these details. That said, though, WB Games' next project, Mortal Kombat 11, drops in April; so that leaves the rest of the year open for a potential blockbuster. Could Arkham Crisis be it?
We'll let you know as soon as any information is confirmed.
(Hat tip to PlayStation Lifestyle for the scoop!)
Would you want Rocksteady to produce another Batman game, or does WB Montreal deserve another shot? Let me know on Twitter at @TheDCD!2comments


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Google announces an event to be held on September 29th
Google has been up to some big things in the past few months, including playing around with the very ABC’s that structure the company and announcing Android 6.0. Rumors and leaks have been flowing freely as well, of new Nexus products and even a second Chromecast. While we don’t know exactly what Mountain View has on the plates, we do know when it plans to serve them: earlier today the search giant sent out official RSVP invites for an event to be held on September 29th from 9AM in San Francisco.
Given the aforementioned leaks, we expect the conference will include the official announcement of not only the LG-made Nexus 5X/Nexus 5 (2015) but presumably the larger and more premium HUAWEI Nexus. It has been widely speculated that this year will not see the release of a new Nexus tablet device, something that appears all the more believable in light of the absence of leaks. Yesterday word broke that a new Chromecast refresh will also be introduced.
The LG-made Nexus is rumored to come with a 5.2-inch display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM and a 13MP rear-facing camera. The Huawei-made device is said to sport a 5.7-inch Quad HD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and 3GB of RAM. Both devices will likely come with USB Type-C ports and rear-mounted fingerprint scanners, as well.
While it’s possible additional products or services will be announced, the event will most likely focus on the Nexus devices, their pricing, availability, and to an extent, the Android 6.0 Marshmallow build running on them.
We will be there live to bring you full coverage of the event, so make sure to tune in on the 29th to see what Google has in store for what is soon to be in stores.


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Final Fantasy XIV crosses 14 million cumulative players worldwide
Square Enix has announced their mega-popular MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV recently crossed 14 million cumulative players worldwide, with 4 million joining the experience just in the past year. This news occurs just as the game celebrated its 5th anniversary earlier this week. Not bad for a game that was nearly canceled after its failed 1.0 launch, hmm?
Here's a special message from director and producer Naoki Yoshida:
Although the original Final Fantasy XIV failed to meet expectations, through the support of people in the media, the companies we have worked with, and of course our dedicated players, we were able to launch A Realm Reborn in 2013. Final Fantasy XIV was indeed reborn, and over the course of these past five years, it has grown to become the title that we all know and love today. I cannot thank you enough.
We in the development and operations teams have been working at full capacity ever since the launch of A Realm Reborn, and while we have made our share of missteps along the way, the Warriors of Light continue to spur us onward.
There are many new gaming experiences and epic tales that we wish to share with you all. We will be working harder than ever to expand the world of Final Fantasy XIV, where players form lasting bonds with one another through their adventures.
Final Fantasy XIVis the result of everyone’s passion and commitment, including all of you Warriors of Light, and I hope you will continue to support us as we build this world together.
In honor of this important milestone and its 5th anniversary, Naoki Yoshida also revealed he will be hosting a 14-hour live stream for Final Fantasy XIV on August 31 (aka today) at 8:00 PM PT. Special guests will include members of the development team, voice actors for the game, and Capcom's Ryozo Tsujimoto who will chat about the Monster Hunter: World X FFXIV collaboration. Yoshida will also cover the upcoming Patch 4.4: Prelude in Violet update in the newest Letter from the Producer Live. You can either catch it on YouTube, Twitch, or Niconico.
You can find out more details regarding other 5th Anniversary celebratory activities over here.
Finally, Square Enix has shared this illustration designed by Yoshiteru Tsujino, the artist behind the Far East of Eden RPG series, in honor of the anniversary: