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Given the frequent appearance of butterfly designs wavering throughout the WWDMAGIC fashion trade show, held in February in Las Vegas, fashion professionals might have thought they were at an entomology convention. At the biannual affair, the butterfly motif was just one of many trends that mark fall 2005 as a season of — to use a phrase echoed throughout the event — “bohemian chic.”
“Butterflies are very hot this year — [they are] very retro,” said Michelle Kim, the creative force behind 213 Industry, a juniors contemporary line from Los Angeles. “And bling-bling is very in this year. Anything glittery with glitz.”Like many of the fall lines exhibited at WWDMAGIC, Kim’s tops were designed to be paired with jeans. “The trend is to wear $200 jeans with a $60 top,” she explained.
The ubiquitous butterfly appeared in an embroidered sequin pattern on at least one of Kim’s “romantic-funky” tops. The light, lingerie-like blouses glistened with sequins, particularly a dainty number Kim called her “glass top” because of the iridescent, mesh and clear sequins that adorn it.
For Kim, mesh is a perennial. “It’s easy to take off, you can wash it, it doesn’t wear out or have a lot of stretch to it. Mesh is in every year, all the time. This stuff is so sexy.”
Butterflies also alighted in embroidered patterns on tops by Los Angeles-based She’s, owned by Erica Chin. Long a fan of butterflies in fashion, Tammy Smith of Los Angeles’ T. Smith & Co., was quick to remind that she’s been using butterfly themes in her work for the past eight years. Used in bold, colorful prints on tunic-like tops, the butterfly has long been a staple for the designer.
“We’ve always done well with a big type of print, and people seem to love the butterfly. Maybe it’s just getting back to nature,” she laughs.
Also getting back to nature is denim, which was represented in a multitude of variations primed for fall.
Josh Dorfman, founder of Brooklyn’s environmentally friendly lifestyle brand Vivavi, was excited to discover an organic denim line called Loomstate.“There’s this whole movement toward organic materials,” said Dorfman. “What’s been exciting now and for the last year or two is that there are a lot of designers who get design and also have this drive to use materials that are better for the planet.” Loomstate’s denim line appealed to Dorfman not just for its ethos but also for its aesthetic. “They look like ‘normal,’ that’s what’s so refreshing,” he said.
Normal, of course, is all relative when considering the distinct directions many designers are taking denim this fall. It Jeans, whose line, according to publicist Grace Hwang, is geared toward “young, very motivated, driven individuals that are working in entertainment, film and music,” was promoting the oodles of features to be found on its denim line.
“We have embroidery, embellishments, stitching details and finishes on the denim,” said Hwang, who added that these elements are “not overdone or too played out. It’s tastefully done. … The jeans are fashion-forward — strong pieces that are offered at a mid-tier price point, which ranges from $50 to $88. The quality is significant.”
Likewise, Paula Haberichter, sales manager for Capital Tailors, a premium denim line with headquarters in Los Angeles, featured French tabs among other signature accoutrements. She also said there is a trend toward more finishing touches in denim. “Everything is finished on the inside and outside of the garment, including the smallest details, like having chambray on the underside of the pocket,” said Haberichter.
Ghetto, a new line that marks singer Macy Gray’s first foray into fashion marketing, is taking denim into an interesting direction this fall in the form of blazers.
The blazers come in classic, fitted cuts and are complemented by matching jeans, also by designer Nonjan McKenzie.“We have a trouser that matches it, so it’s a two-piece suit,” said McKenzie. “It’s like a twist. It goes from your streetwear to your classy classic woman who also goes to the office.
“Macy is a big accessory person,” said McKenzie, referring to the popular singer’s penchant for scarves and other items — hence her line’s ascots that pair with classic silk blouses, all of which can be worn with jeans. “It’s all about the fabrics — all the shirts are 100 percent silk charmeuse. Even our trousers are lined with silk.”


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The British Property Federation has launched a website highlighting the impact empty property rates have on businesses.
Emptyrates.com will catalogue the effects of the tax and is backed by retailers such as Asda and Tesco as well as landlords like Westfield.
The BPF is calling on Government to reinstate the relief on the tax which was removed last April. The relief meant empty offices and shops were liable for only half their rates bills while industrial units paid nothing. Since then they’ve been taxed the full amount.
Last night chancellor Alistair Darling backed down to pressure over business rates, cutting the planned 5 per cent rise to 2 per cent, with businesses paying the remaining 3 per cent between 2010 and 1012.
BPF chief executive Liz Peace said: “We’re not asking for any bailouts, we just want fairness and taxing empty space is simply not fair. The retail sector is vital to local prosperity and this tax is serving to hit retailers who are trying to survive with a tax bill for space they can’t use because spending has fallen off. With every passing day Gordon Brown and Lord Mandelson are digging a bigger hole for us to climb out of.
“Demolitions of perfectly usable buildings will continue, new investment won’t happen and the misery of thousands of hard working individuals will be heightened.”
Asda’s head of property communications Jonathan Refoy said: “Empty rates are an unfair tax and ill timed. Instead of investing in regeneration and jobs, we have to pay this unfair tax on vacant properties that we cannot let or redevelop in the current market. This tax is an anti-regeneration measure.”

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Innovation Across Our Estate
Trialling Tomorrow’s Tech
Canary Wharf has been created through a pioneering spirit. That spirit continues to guide and shape us as we become the city of the future.
London is predicted to grow by 1.3 million people by 2030. Rising urban populations will demand that cities of the future radically transform how they operate. People will need to live, travel and behave in new ways. At Canary Wharf, we can use our unique advantages to trial the technology of the future – creating a blueprint for the future city and enabling innovation that will change the way we live forever.
Self-driving cars show the way around Canary Wharf
Driverless cars will soon be on the streets of Canary Wharf. Addison Lee is currently trialling self-driving car technology from start-up Oxbotica, where cars are creating a 3D map of Canary Wharf for future vehicles to use. With more people than ever before working, living and visiting here, we need extra capacity for people to move around. Once the trials have been completed, driverless cars could be introduced in London by 2021.
Canary Wharf was the site of the UK’s first 5G trial in 2018
5G is coming
Canary Wharf became the first UK location to use 5G in 2018. Trialled in partnership with EE, 5G uses brand-new technology and radio waves to deliver the fastest, most reliable mobile connectivity ever seen, with a far greater throughput of data than present technology. The next-generation technology, which can achieve data speeds 100 times faster than 4G, will be a vital part of the UK’s digital infrastructure and key for the development of future smart technologies, businesses and products.


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Walmart to Open 4,000 Healthcare ‘Supercenters’ by 2029 That Include ‘Comprehensive’ Clinical Laboratory Services
With the majority of Americans living just a few miles from a Walmart, how might independent clinical laboratories compete?
Retail giant Walmart (NYSE:WMT) plans to install 4,000 primary care “supercenters” in stores by 2029 that will include clinical laboratory testing services. This is on top of the dozens of Walmart Health locations already in operation in Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Illinois, and Texas.
Clinical laboratories already have growing competition in the healthcare marketplace from pharmacy chains CVS (NYSE:CVS), Walgreens (NASDAQ:WBA), and Rite Aid (NYSE:RAD) which have installed in-store healthcare clinics in their retail locations—many of which offer limited, but common, medical laboratory services—as well as from existing Walmart Health locations.
Now, Walmart is poised to become a much bigger healthcare player. According to MedCity News, Walmart is “looking beyond traditional retail clinics as it seeks to create ‘supercenters’ with comprehensive healthcare services.”
Presumably, this includes an expanded menu of clinical laboratory testing services—along with the EKGs, vision care, dental care, and more—that Walmart Health locations currently provide for children and adults.
And though Becker’s Hospital Review reported in March that Walmart’s “plan is in flux,” the major national retailer continues to disrupt healthcare in significant ways.
Not the Average Retail Health Clinic
In “Walmart Health Opens Two Primary Care Clinics at Retail Supercenters in Chicago with Plans to Open Seven Florida Locations in 2021,” Dark Daily covered CNBC’s question, “Is Walmart the future of healthcare?” from its article, “How Walmart Plans to Take Over Health Care.”
We reported that Walmart Health’s list of services included:
- Primary care,
- Clinical laboratory testing,
- Health screening,
- Fitness and nutrition, and
- Health insurance education and enrollment.
However, the new Walmart Healthcare supercenters differ from Walmart Health clinics and the clinics operated by Walmart’s retail competitors Target, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid.
Those clinics are designed to draw customers into existing retail setting. Walmart has a different goal with its healthcare supercenter concept.
“There’s a big difference between offering healthcare services to drive more people to your store and offering healthcare services because you’re in the healthcare business,” said former President of Health and Wellness for Walmart, Sean Slovenski, during a panel hosted by the American Telemedicine Association. “We’re in healthcare,” he continued, “We’re not in retail healthcare. We’re recruiting physicians in all of these areas and bringing them in.”
Providing Transparency with Clear, Consistent Pricing
In response to consumer demand for transparency, Walmart is taking a different approach to charging patients for healthcare services. The cost of an appointment for primary care is $40 for an adult and $20 for a child. The patient can choose to bill insurance or not, and people without insurance can pay out-of-pocket.
Prices for individual services are equally transparent. Explaining why Walmart is becoming a player in the healthcare industry, Marcus Osborne, Senior Vice President Walmart Health, told Fierce Healthcare, “It’s issues of affordability. That people can’t afford the care they need for themselves and their families. It’s issues of access … That really is the business that we’ve been in. Walmart’s business has been about helping people afford the things they need, getting them in a more accessible, convenient way, and doing it in ways that are simple. Healthcare’s no different in that regard.”
According to STAT, some 35 million Americans were uninsured in 2020. Thus, the idea of transparent pricing and walk-in affordable care should appeal to a sizable market. Walmart is banking on that. Considering that 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart, the potential success of the healthcare supercenters becomes clear, Becker’s Hospital Review noted.
Walmart’s Other Healthcare Moves
In addition to opening 20 Walmart Health Centers, and its plans for 4,000 healthcare supercenters, Walmart has made other moves that indicate its intention to disrupt the healthcare industry.
Walmart Insurance Services, for example, partnered with eight payers during the open enrollment period in 2020 to sell its Medicare products. Through a partnership with Clover Health, a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), and a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) with a Medicare contract, Walmart made its insurance plans available to 500,000 people in Georgia, Becker’s Hospital Review reported.
“We’re going to have a consumer revolution in retail for point of care,” John Sculley, former Apple CEO and current chairman at RxAdvance (now called nirvanaHealth), told CNBC. “Why? Because if the Walmart tests are successful, and I suspect they will be, people will be able to go in and get these kinds of health services at a lower cost than if they had health insurance.”
How Will Clinical Laboratories Compete?
Change is constant. Clinical laboratories that cannot adapt to changing market forces are ill-equipped to withstand the coming “consumer revolution.” However, labs that have already begun to plan for more direct-to-consumer interactions will be better positioned to adjust as changes come.
“My goal is that we have done the work on Walmart Health as a model, to really get it to work from a consumer perspective and get it to work in a way that it scales effectively, that we are able to reach more people,” Osborne told Fierce Healthcare.
Clinical laboratory leaders should understand that this trend is being driven by consumer demand for convenience, lower costs, and price transparency. Labs that don’t prepare to address those forces will be left behind as Walmart provides what consumers want.


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iGPS is offering what it claims is the world’s first pallet rental service to supply plastic pallets with embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
The global market for RFID products and services in the pharma industry will be worth $884m (€631m) in 2015, according to a report, but apprehensions about initial costs and return-on-investment need to be overcome.
The promise of genuine returns on investment, facilitated by
plummeting hardware costs, will fuel a dramatic growth surge in the
US market for radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in
pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution...
A UK-based technology company is part of a trio leading the way in
innovative supply chain solutions by combining real-time
temperature monitoring with a radio frequency identification (RFID)
tag for the pharmaceutical industry.
While technology cost and lack of a demonstrated return on
investment constitute the biggest barrier to adoption of radio
frequency identification (RFID) in the pharmaceutical industry, the
lack of a frequency standard runs these...
Millipore is launching the first in a line of filtration products
for the biopharmaceutical industry with embedded Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) technology to facilitate record-keeping and
data transfer in the manufacturing...
The first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that
authenticates, encrypts data and monitors product
temperature hit the shelves last week, aimed specifically at
protecting the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Packaging giant Rexam has fixed a radio frequency identification
(RFID) chip in pharmaceutical bottles in response to Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) recommendations to make use of the technology
to track products through the supply...
A new radio frequency identification (RFID) chip has been developed
by Pliant and IBM that can not only track drug products through the
supply chain but also identify when a product has been tampered


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Despite efforts from the U.S. Government to limit critical technology sales to Russia, Chinese drone exports remain difficult to stop.
In the past year, China has sold drones and drone components to Russia, with official Russian customs data from a third-party revealing that these shipments include Autel and DJI drones and products from several smaller firms.
It is difficult to determine whether or not these Chinese drones infringe on US restrictions by including any US technology.
Shipments frequently go through a network of small-scale middlemen and exporters. Moreover, convoluted sales channels and vague product descriptions in export data make it difficult to verify whether or not Chinese products contain components sourced from the United States.
Official sales only show fraction of drones going to Russia
Official drone sales represent only a fraction of the technology flowing to Russia, which also likely passes through informal channels and other Countries friendly to Russia, such as Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Belarus.
Due to these sales, Russia is receiving an ongoing supply of new Autel and DJI drones to use in the war with Ukraine.
These drones are increasingly critical for reconnaissance and are just as important as other essential supplies like ammunition and artillery rounds.
China has emerged as a critical support for Russia's war effort, both militarily and economically. The country remains one of the largest buyers of Russian oil, thus financing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Several Chinese corporations have been singled out by US export regulations, notably DJI, which was included to a blacklist in 2020. This blacklist prevents American companies from exporting technology to foreign buyers without first receiving approval.
Despite this, DJI's industry dominance remains unaffected. DJI drones made up nearly half of the Chinese drone deliveries to Russia, some sold directly by its subsidiary, iFlight Technology. Since the invasion, around 70 Chinese exporters have sold 26 different drone brands to Russia, the NY Times reports.
While the $12 million in drone shipments might appear small, experts believe it considerably affects the front lines.
Drone maker finds no evidence of DJI drones sold to Russia
A DJI spokesperson reportedly stated that the company found no evidence of direct sales to Russia since April 16, 2022, and the drone maker would look into other companies seemingly selling to Russia.
They added that DJI halted all shipments and operations in Russia and Ukraine since the war began and had strict procedures to avoid violating U.S. sanctions.
“Like any consumer electronics company with products sold at many different electronics stores, we cannot influence how all our products are being used once they leave our control,” the DJI spokesman told the newspaper.
DJI's official response
Later in the day, drone maker DJI tweeted the following statement:
We are aware of recent media reports claiming that DJI is still shipping drones to Russia.
These reports quote a small number of databases we believe to be highly inaccurate. The only named database we can access, ImportGenius, identifies us as shipping agent for competitors such as Parrot and Insta360 with whom we have no relationship whatsoever.
We asked media to name the sources of the other databases they referred to, as the screenshots they shared with us lack concrete and traceable information. They did not respond.
We state again: DJI and its subsidiaries stopped all shipments to and operations in Russia and Ukraine in April 2022. We have notified our distribution network that they must block any sale of products or spare parts to customers in the two countries regardless of intended end use.
The NY Times also reported that drone maker Autel Robotics was “not aware of any sales to Russia and was conducting an internal investigation about the issue.”
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Pricing for Google's upcoming Android TV dongle may have leaked courtesy of retailers, including Home Depot, Target, and Walmart. Based on leaked pricing, the new device could run between $50 and $60 when it lands, and come in three colors: Rock Candy, Como Blue, and Summer Melon.
A few months ago in June, a Stadia app update added (unofficial) support for Android TV. To get it up and running, you need a mouse, a Bluetooth controller, and you have to sideload the Stadia phone app including some weird scaling, all of which makes it more of a proof of concept right now. The latest Stadia update to version 2.26 doesn't quite fix any of these gripes, but at least you don't need a mouse to navigate the Stadia store and game selector anymore — controllers are finally supported for that.
According to a recent teardown by our friends at 9to5Google, the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Android apps may be gearing up to add dark theme support. And it won't just be for the main document-browsing UI, we're talking full-on dark theme in their respective document editors, too (though not in the case of Slides). Even better, screenshots of the change in Google Docs have been published by @Alex193a, so we can see what it will look like in action when it does eventually land.
According to a report by 9to5Google, a new Nest-branded speaker with the hardware name "prince" is on the horizon, seemingly to replace the now-discontinued original Google Home. Apart from its abstract existence, all we know is that it should pack a bit more thump than the previous model did — 9to5 puts it somewhere between the OG Home and the Home Max.
According to a recent app teardown by the folks at 9to5Google (and further confirmation by XDA Developers, who got the feature working) the Files by Google app is picking up a new "safe folder" meant to protect files in a PIN-protected and encrypted hidden area, inaccessible to other apps. In other words, it's a porn folder.
Based on an APK teardown from that Pixel 4a that leaked earlier, new details regarding Google's upcoming Pixel 5 might also be coming to light. The folks at 9to5Google, in concert with Gcam modder Cstark27, have confirmed the Pixel 5's codename, and through that, further confirmed that the Pixel 5 won't have your usual "flagship" chipset inside it. Google's next high-end Pixel will probably be packing a Snapdragon 765, based on what we know.
Google's Home Mini smart speaker debuted all the way back in 2017, from which point it's worked its way into almost every cheap internet giveaway or coupon deal in the last two years. According to 9to5Google, a second-generation "Nest Mini" is planned, which will bring better audio quality, wall-mounting, "proximity awareness," and a 3.5mm jack — a feature even the hotly anticipated Pixel 4 doesn't have.
Google's plans for better face recognition have been known for a while. After all, Apple's Face ID is so good that Google has to do something to play catch-up. According to teardowns by both 9to5Google and XDA Developers, new "face authentication" labels (strings) for settings options are hidden in Android Q Beta 4, and a search of the Settings app is showing related settings for some.
Last week, the folks at XDA Developers spotted the "Pixel 3a" and "Pixel 3a XL" names while digging through some code in the Connectivity Monitor app on the recent Android Q beta release. Today 9to5Google has been able to confirm, via an independent source, that those names aren't just placeholders for something else. For some reason that escapes us, Google is actually going to give the pair of upcoming mid-range phones the awkward "3a" moniker.
Both XDA Developers and 9to5Google have spotted another upcoming feature in Android Q: more secure native facial recognition. Think Apple's Face ID rather than Android's existing Trusted Face system. Other OEMs like Xiaomi and Huawei have already shoehorned in their own facial recognition solutions, but now Google is bringing the feature to the (literal) source.


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Nokia PureView Engineer Joins Apple
Nokia's PureView line of smartphones were considered to be the best smartphone shooters around due to their impressive optical image stabilization, high-resolution sensors and competent downscaling. And while the Apple iPhone 5S is no slouch either when it comes to the current competition, Apple is probably looking to improve the camera further. It seems the company is serious about it by hiring senior Lumia engineer Ari Partinen, who was part of the team that worked on the PureView line. So don't be surprised if one of the future iPhone models come with optical image stabilization or other tweaks that will make it an even better smartphone shooter.


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Ever typed Bitcoin into Google? Chances are you had some specific questions you wanted answered. Google offers some interesting suggestions after typing ‘Bitcoin is’ into the Google search bar.
When you click enter and search Google’s first auto-complete suggestion, “bitcoin is dead,” numerous articles – and even websites – dedicated to the ‘bitcoin is dead’ phenomenon pop up.
News of Bitcoin’s death have been greatly exaggerated in the past years. At the website Bitcoin Obituaries, you can read all of the obituaries for Bitcoin posted online by mainstream press and blogs. The search“bitcoin is dying” returns similar results.
When you search the auto-complete suggestion, “bitcoin is bullshit,” a BitcoinTalk article, “Does anyone still doubt that bitcoins are bullshit?” is the first result. The post recounts prices woes. “Just another example of a great idea with poor execution,” the post reads. The Bitcoin Bullshit Generator pops up as well.


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Hudle has secured $1 million in a round of funding led by Inflection Point Ventures. The sports tech startup will use the money to fuel growth, and bolster its business, among other things.
Hudle, a sports technology business, has secured $1 million in a fundraising round headed by Inflection Point Ventures. Existing investors Survam Partners and Indian Angel Network also participated in the investment round, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
The funds obtained will be utilized to drive expansion in existing and new geographies, enhance the business and technology teams, marketing, and new product additions.
Hudle, which debuted in 2018, is a smartphone app that allows sports aficionados to discover and schedule sporting events.
According to Founder and CEO of Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), Vinay Bansal, Hudle bridges the gap by allowing users to explore and book numerous sports venues, events, and pursue their favorite sport as a pastime or fitness activity. Vinay said his company believes in assisting purpose-driven businesses who are devoted to building a sustainable business and filling a market niche.
Suhail Narain, Founder and CEO of Hudle, stated, “We passionately believe in scaling up via cooperation and bringing together all stakeholders, and are happy to welcome IPV on board.”


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Get the latest Apple security protections by updating your Mac computer to the new macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 software through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.
- macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 is available now for all compatible Macs
- It includes a fix for a vulnerability in IOMobileFrameBuffer
- Apple says the issue may have been exploited in the wild
Apple also launched iOS and iPadOS 14.7.1 alongside macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, indicating the patched vulnerability could easily affect iPhones and iPads as well rather than just Macs.
What security issues does macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 fix?
A support document on the Apple website provides additional insight into the security content of the new macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 software. The bug-fix update, Apple clarifies, patches a vulnerability allowing an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
Apple is also aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
The discovery of the vulnerability is credited to an anonymous researcher, another clue that this is a fix for a major zero-day vulnerability rather than just another quick bug fix. The document says the memory corruption issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
It’s unclear whether this fixes the many security issues with Apple’s iMessage protocol, which has been blamed for being a major attack vector for NSO’s Pegasus spyware. From what’s known so far, Pegasus installs itself onto an unsuspecting device via a specially encoded iMessage that gets delivered silently and requires no action on the user’s part.
How to install the macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 update
You install macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 just like you would any other modern macOS update.
Firstly, click the Apple menu and choose the option labeled “System Preferences”. In the System Preferences window, click the icon Software Update. If an update is found, you’ll see a message. To download and install the update, hit the option “Update Now” or “Upgrade Now”.
Follow onscreen instructions to finish installing the update.
For more information about Apple’s security updates, visit this dedicated page.


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How are CPG and retail enterprises leveraging EIIR providers? (Deals/Contracts/ Partnerships)
Atos announced a multi-year contract with Triple Five Group to serve as a key technology provider and build and manage a smart IT experience using IoT and AI solutions for American Dream, a three million-square foot entertainment and retail complex in East Rutherford, NJ.
Haga Golf brings greens keeping into the digital age with Orange Business Services IoT solutions
How are CPG and retail enterprises organizing their EIIR activities? (GICs/ R&D Best Practices/Solutions)
Carlsberg has unveiled its latest designs for what it is hailing as the world’s first ‘paper’ beer bottles, as the brewing giant continues its bid to drive down the amount of plastic used in its packaging.
How are CPG and retail EIIR providers building their solutions and capabilities?
CPG and retail industry news
CPG and retail resources: consultant/ analyst updates


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Indian startup body seeks interim relief from CCI against Google's Play Store policy
The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), an industry body of 422 Indian startups, has filed a petition before the Competition Commission of India (CCI) seeking interim relief from Google’s new PlayStore policy, which goes into effect from next March.
The development follows CCI initiating a probe against Google in November last year on allegations of abusing its dominant position to force app makers to exclusively use its billing system.
In its petition to the Commission, a copy of which Mint reviewed, ADIF stated that the 30% commission charged by Google is "extremely high and unfair". Further, the industry body stressed upon that the core issue was of mandatory imposition of the Google Play billing system and the exclusion of other methods of payment.
“ADIF foresees that barring an order passed by this Hon’ble Commission to maintain status quo until the completion of the ongoing inquiry, Google shall proceed to enforce its terms on the Play Store, thereby leading to adverse and irreversible consequences on India’s fledgling startup ecosystem,” said Sijo Kuruvilla George, executive director, ADIF.
Further, high commissions from Google’s Play Store billing system will have a "destructive effect" on operating margins of a large number of startups, ADIF wrote in the petition.
Google India did not respond to Mint’s queries until press time.
“The commission does have the power to give interim relief during an ongoing probe, if it believes there is enough reason to do so. However, this power is used sparsely and the complainants both have to provide additional proof to show how non-grant of this relief will lead to market failure,” said Anisha Chand, partner, competition and antitrust at law firm Khaitan and Co.
Earlier this year, CCI had given interim relief to hotel chains Treebo and FabHotels, during an investigation against online travel portal MakeMyTrip (MMT) abusing its dominant position. Even though CCI was still investigating the matter, it had asked MMT to relist properties of Treebo and FabHotels.
As a part of its November 2020 probe, CCI is currently investigating Google on two counts comprising “exclusivity regarding the mode of payment for the purchase of apps and in-app purchases", and “pre-installation and prominence of Google Pay on Android smartphones".
In March, Google said it will cut its Play Store billing fee globally to 15% from a flat 30% for the first $1 million clocked by a developer annually, for in-app purchases of digital goods. Google had then added that its PlayStore billing system is applicable to only 3% of developers globally, who actually sell in-app digital goods and services. The enforcement timeline for non-compliant Indian developers, which sell digital goods to use the Play billing system is until March 2022.
“The matter is not as much about the percentage of commission charged as it is about the anti-competitive practice of forcing a payment option as well as of forcing out other payment providers. If not kept in check, such anti-competitive policies and gatekeeper commissions will be imposed on more and more categories, causing a disastrous effect on competition and prices in India,” said Murugavel Janakiraman, the Founder and CEO of Matrimony.com.
Last year, startup founders, including Paytm’s Vijay Shekhar Sharma and Razorpay’s Harshil Mathur, publicly criticized Google for making it mandatory for app makers to use its own payment tools for purchases made through the Play Store.


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The news follows rumours of its plans to sell off half the Simply Food portfolio, which the company has since denied.
Simply Food stores have already been launched in Toddington services as well as Reading and the Cherwell Valley. Another store will open at the Knutsford motorway service station in Cheshire next week.
The expansion is part of an extension of its franchise contract with Moto, part of Compass Group. The new Moto stores are in addition to the 500,000 sq ft of extra simply Food and food-only space that is being rolled out by 2006.
Stuart Rose, Marks & Spencer’s chief executive, said: “As part of our Simply Food rollout, we are delighted to be extending out contract with Moto so we can give our customers more choice in more locations.”


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WITH hundreds of thousands of people thrown out of work throughout the Northeast and Middle West because of the shortage of natural gas, perhaps we are ready to begin to tap the greatest single reservoir of all—waste.
Assume for a moment that your local gas utility had a way to supply more gas to tens of thousands of homes or factories without drilling new wells or laying new pipelines. Assume further that the utility could supply the power so efficiently that it could lower heating bills of consumers by as much as 50 to 60 percent, and that despite these reductions of demand that the company could increase its profits.
With such a “win‐win” situation benefiting both consumers and the companies, wouldn't you think that your utility executives would be blazing that exciting new trail?
Don't hold your breath for Consolidated Edison to take such a step, Con Edison has not moved much beyond public relations in trying to cut gas consumption or consumer costs. On the other hand, the Washington Natural Gas Company of Seattle has done such a remarkable job that its vice president for marketing, Donald C, Navarre was invited by Ralph Nader, the consumer activist, to tell of his company's work to consumer advocates in Washington.
“We suddenly realized we had been sitting atop a new gas field for years and did not recognize it,” said Mr. Navarre. “Simply by adding proper attic insulation to 6,000 to 8,000 homes in the Seattle area, homeowners are saving 744 million cubic feet of gas a year.”
Its aggressive advertisement campaign urging customers to cut heating costs has prompted 21.000 other homeowners to insulate homes through regular home ‐ improvement contractors. “This means we can supply gas to another 8,000 insulated homes without any increase in gas supply,” says Mr. Navarre.
Of greater interest is the extraordinary level of savings that are possible. On the average, uninsulated homes given six and a half inches of ceiling insulation were able to reduce gas consumption by 22.8 percent and by inserting foam insulation into the sidewalls of houses an additional 28 percent saving can be achieved. A customer can also buy a “night setback thermostat” that automatically turns down the heat at night, saving an additional 8 percent of the average home‐heating bill, and a device that eliminates the pilot light in the furnace for a saving of 7.5 percent more. That adds up to a 65 percent total energy savings.
Because Westchester County is so overwhelmingly a region of singlehome owners, such ideas should be of great interest here.
Utilities in the Northeast have generally refused to market products to conserve energy, though it is patently in the interest of consumers, the companies and the nation at large. A Con Edison spokesman recently testified that such a step would “require a company like Con Ed to re‐establish a sales force. Insulation can be sold just as readily by the contractors.” Another Con Edison spokesman recently said he felt the company was prohibited by the Public Service Commission from direct marketing. But a check with the commission reveals companies are encouraged to do so and noted that Brooklyn Union Gas was selling ceiling insulation.
Con Edison's home‐insulation program is more of a public‐relations effort than a program that will result in savings of energy. It has offered to lend up to $800 to homeowners who add ceiling insulation or thermostats but no loans are available for wall insulation, which can save more than ceiling insulation. And although all customers have been sent two bill inserts announcing the program, so far only 28 customers have taken a loan.
So, perhaps what ought to be considered is a proposal by William Rosenberg, the outgoing assistant administrator of the Federal Energy Administration. He would require all gas utilities to retrofit all homes at no cost to the consumer.
“One‐third of the nation's 34 million gas‐heated homes have no insulation and another third are inadequate,” he says. “An $8 billion investment over the next seven years would create 130 percent as much gas as can be produced by Alaska, the equivalent of 590,000 barrels of oil costing $3 billion per year.”
In the current gas crisis there is hope.■


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Microsoft is giving PC retailers one more year to sell machines with Windows 7 installed. The company this week updated its “Windows lifecycle fact sheet” to extend pre-installed sales of Windows 7 Professional to October 31, 2016.
Microsoft stopped selling Windows 7 directly on October 31, 2013, and would have ceased supporting it a long time ago. But thanks to widespread dislike of Windows 8, many PC users continued to buy Windows 7 PCs — and refused to upgrade — long after it was replaced.
As a result, Microsoft has been forced to extend Windows 7 support longer than it would have originally planned, and it will continue to ship Windows 7 Professional to retailers and OEMs until October 31, 2016. Support for Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate ended last October.
Thanks to this extension, Windows 7 Professional won’t be taken off the market until the same day Windows 8.1 is pulled. It will actually be available for four months longer than Windows 8, which will no longer be shipped to retailers and OEMs after June 30, 2016.
If you buy a Windows 7 PC between now and next October, Microsoft will continue to support it with software updates and technical assistance until January 14, 2020 — at which point, the company will finally turn its back on Windows 7, as it did with XP last April.


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The flow of work orders to the garment industry is rebounding strongly due to the reopening of retail and branded stores in Europe and the US, the two main export destinations for the apparel manufacturers in Bangladesh.
The flow of work
orders to the garment industry is rebounding strongly due to the reopening of
retail and branded stores in Europe and the US, the two main export
destinations for the apparel manufacturers in Bangladesh.
estimate that their exports in the next summer might go up by 20 to 30%. The
production for the season runs from September to March. Bangladesh is strong in
the manufacturing of knitwear and woven clothes, which are mainly worn during
the days of summer and mild winters. Moreover, work orders are shifting to
Bangladesh from Myanmar and China because of the competitive prices offered by
the local items.
president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and
Exporters Association, said confidence in Bangladesh had been restored as local
manufacturers had been able to supply items to international retailers and
brands even during the pandemic.
garment shipment improved in recent months. The industry, which accounts for
about 85 per cent of the national exports, fetched $5.64 billion in July and
August, data from the state-run Export Promotion Bureau showed.
Source: The Daily Star
Source: Google Images


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DRIVERS were stunned when they found out what a single button in their car actually does.
The handy tip was shared by TikTok star Megan’s Bubble, who regularly posts useful advice on various topics, including cars, on social media.
The footage begins with the caption, “Car tips and tricks, I bet you didn’t know what that car button is actually used for…”
Megan says, “Things you should know before you’re 30, let’s go.”
Then the automatic start-stop button of a car is shown, which is located in her car on the center console between the front seats.
Megan says, “If you have a button in your car that looks like this, that’s your automatic start-stop button.”
“Your vehicle will automatically switch off if it is stationary for a long period of time.
“Like sitting at a stoplight on a Starbucks thoroughfare.
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“It’s designed to increase fuel consumption and reduce emissions.”
Although stop-start technology has been around in cars for decades, it wasn’t until 2008 that it really took off.
Most new cars are now equipped with it and in the last 14 years more and more models have been equipped with it.
Not everyone likes their engine stopping and starting all the time, but it will save you fuel and money over the months and years.
There is also a myth that it will damage your starter and engine – cars with stop-start technology are designed to deal with this.
The car’s electronic brain determines when it can and cannot be used based on many different factors, including engine temperature.
The button will likely have an A in a circle, but if you’re having trouble finding it, check your car’s manual or ask a dealer.


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(continued from the previous page)
Powered by a significantly revised naturally aspirated 6.0-liter V12 petrol
engine mated to the proven Touchtronic 2 six-speed automatic gearbox, the new
car offers suitably impressive performance figures. The V12's power peak of 565
hp makes it Aston Martin's most potent production model yet, outmuscled only by
the strictly limited edition One-77 supercar.
The raw statistics speak for themselves: 573 hp at 6,750 rpm, 457 lb-ft (620 Nm)
of torque at 5,500 rpm, 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 183 mph place
the Vanquish firmly into supercar territory. Yet the brand's team of engineers
have been working towards economy and emissions improvements, too.
The latest engineering methods, innovative technologies and typically
understated classic British design come together to make the muscular new
Vanquish a true super GT. For instance, each body panel on the car is
constructed from carbon fiber because of its high strength-to-weight ratio and
flexibility of form. Meanwhile torsional rigidity is improved by more than 25%.
Practical improvements such as a newly designed and significantly more spacious
cabin and a boot that, at 368 liters, is more than 60% larger than that of the
DBS, ensure the new Vanquish can carry sufficient luggage for even the most
ambitious grand tourist.
Designed and hand-built at Aston Martin's global headquarters at Gaydon in
Warwickshire the new Vanquish, available as a 2+2 or 2+0, sits atop a broad
line-up of world-class sports cars including the exquisite DB9, sporty V8
Vantage and luxurious four-door Rapide.
Dr Bez said: "The Aston Martin range is stronger now than at any time in our
99-year history. The new Vanquish represents the perfect way to signal the
beginning of our centenary celebrations next year."
Priced from 189,995 GBP (233,000 EUR) first deliveries of the new sports car are
expected to begin in the UK and Continental Europe late in 2012.
Aston Martin Vanquish: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications


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In Rural India, a Sales Force in Saris Delivers Soap, Social Change
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
CHOLLERU, India — With its open sewers and mud-walled homes, this impoverished farming village of 2,200 in southern India did not look like fertile territory for an entrepreneur. But Srilatha Kadem was undeterred. Oblivious to the midday heat, she marched briskly along the unpaved streets, her cloth bag filled with soaps and shampoos and her heart with vaulting ambition.
She stopped at a tile-roofed house, where a gray-haired woman in a green sari lounged in the shade of the small verandah. “You’re charging the same as the shops,” the woman said grumpily.
“There is a difference in quality,” replied Kadem, a cheerful woman with silver toe rings and a fifth-grade education who works as a saleswoman for Hindustan Lever Ltd., the Indian subsidiary of the Dutch consumer products giant Unilever. “What you buy on the streets, it doesn’t come from a good company. These products which I brought are from a good company.”
Consumer culture, spurred by rapid economic growth, is spreading to the vast rural hinterlands where two-thirds of India’s 1.1 billion people still live. The trend is creating new opportunities not just for big business, which has long focused on the urban middle class, but also for some of India’s poorest citizens.


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BVO - T-Mobile U.S. is yanking out BlackBerry phones from its stores saying it's no longer efficient to keep them in retail locations. But it will still ship BlackBerrys to customers who want them.
From the get-go, it wasn't exactly a match made in heaven.
BlackBerry smartphones are mostly purchased by businesses, which don't make buying decisions in retail locations. And T-Mobile, as the nation's fourth largest carrier, is focused more on the consumer market.
The company has been fighting to stay alive and has been offered a buyout. It now says its second-quarter results coming out on Friday will feature slumping sales, a big operating loss, and hefty job cuts.


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A man looks at the screen of his mobile phone in front of an Apple logo outside its store in Shanghai, China on July 30, 2017. REUTERS/Aly Song
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Apple will let you unlock the iPhone X with your face – a move likely to bring facial recognition to the masses, along with concerns over how the technology may be used for nefarious purposes.Unlocking one's phone with a face scan may offer added convenience and security for iPhone users, according to Apple, which claims its "neural engine" for FaceID cannot be tricked by a photo or hacker.While other devices have offered facial recognition, Apple is the first to pack the technology allowing for a three-dimensional scan into a handheld phone.Garvie said her research found significant errors in law enforcement facial recognition databases, opening up the possibility someone could be wrongly identified as a criminal suspect.Apple appears to have anticipated this situation by allowing a user to press two buttons for two seconds to require a passcode, but Garvie said court battles over compelling the use of FaceID are likely.Regardless of these concerns, Apple's introduction is likely to bring about widespread use of facial recognition technology.Garvie added that it was important to have conversations about facial recognition because there was little regulation governing the use of the technology.
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In an era where innovation is the lifeblood of the fashion industry, Faith Tribe Ltd. confidently takes the center stage with the announcement of its inaugural cohort of Ambassadors. These are not just any ambassadors, but a fusion of tradition and technology, each echoing the values of Faith Tribe.
Set to roll out its membership platform this month, Faith Tribe offers a unique “phygital” utility toolkit—a blend of physical and digital tools—that will be the game changer for the fashion-forward. Members can anticipate solutions for manufacturing, distribution of fashion items, and engaging content from industry experts. However, it’s the collaborative spirit that stands tall in this initiative.
Maria Buccellati, the passionate Co-founder of Faith Tribe and President of Faith Connexion, put it beautifully, “The Ambassadors represent the essence of Faith Tribe. Their dedication to artistry and sustainable practices is the embodiment of what our Tribe stands for.”
Diving into this eclectic group of Ambassadors:
- Alexandre Bertrand, once a Parisian stylist dabbling in the magic of magazines, found his home with Faith Connexion as their Head of Design. His career is a testament to the potent mix of music, art, and fashion.
- Winston Bartholomew III, a former architect and now a streetwear mogul, is no stranger to innovation. Having worked alongside icons like Snoop Dogg and Fivio Foreign, and securing a win in HBO’s “The Hype, Season 2”, Barth champions the on-demand manufacturing model that Faith Tribe proudly promotes.
- Nayibe Warchausky redefines jewelry. This Venezuelan artist, with her training spanning the US and Italy, transforms unconventional materials into ‘wearable pieces of art’. For her, Faith Tribe is a platform to further the mission of protecting global craftsmanship.
- Then we have the prodigy, Andrea Albrizio, who made waves in the fashion industry while still in high school. His phygital approach to fashion led to the revolutionary introduction of an Augmented Reality garment at Paris Fashion Week. The Parisian marvel views phygital as a gateway to uncharted territories of creativity.
Andrea Abrams, Faith Tribe’s Chief of Strategy, aptly mentions, “These Ambassadors are the front runners in their fields, with their tales of ingenuity bound to spark inspiration in our community.”
In a strategic move to keep the momentum, Faith Tribe will be introducing new Ambassadors every six months. The next big event on the horizon? The Phygital Fashion Show of Digital Fashion Week NYC, which promises to be a spectacle, showcasing the creative genius of Winston Bartholomew and Andrea Albrizio.
Ending on a high note, Wahid Chammas, Faith Tribe’s Co-founder, envisions a revolutionary change. He states, “Our platform aims to democratize fashion, giving independent designers the tools and mentorship to flourish.”
In essence, Faith Tribe is not just a platform but an ecosystem. Offering a plethora of Web3 tools, both off-chain and on-chain solutions, and sustainable partnerships, Faith Tribe is steadfast in its mission to amplify the success of creators from diverse backgrounds.
For those eager to dive deeper into the Faith Tribe universe, a visit to email@example.com is a good starting point.
— Fashion, as we know it, is evolving, and with Faith Tribe leading the way, the future looks dazzlingly phygital.


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The company said it was studying a series of scenarios to plan next year’s festival
Plans for Cannes Lions Festival 2021 Constantly Changing
16 de marzo de 2021
In January the Cannes Lions organizers said that its annual Festival of Creativity will return to an in-person format this June after having been canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Later, however, they announced their choice of a hybrid format: virtual and in-person at Cannes “if at all possible.” Now the announcement has been confirmed in the 2020 financial report by Ascential, the company that runs the event, that the awards part of the festival, which will evaluate the entries for both 2020 and 2021, will now be “completely digital.”
According to the financial report, Ascential’s cash flow from its continuing operations suffered a great blow last year, falling more than 70 percent to 25.7 million pounds sterling (some $35.6 million). Total income dropped 31 percent.
Income of the company’s marketing division, which included Cannes Lions, the WARC research unit and the media/marketing consultancy MediaLink, dropped some 60 percent to 54.3 million pounds sterling (about $75.4 million).
The firm’s other major event, Money 20/20, was also canceled. Many of the fees collected for last year’s Cannes Lions Festival were retained and are being applied to the fees of this year’s participants in the event. But the company did issue refunds for Money 20/20.
The company said it was studying a series of scenarios to plan next year’s festival. The worst of cases would include a slower recovery than expected and the launch of vaccines that result in “the cancellation of all events in 2021” so that “its normal list of events could not be renewed until 2022.”
Ascential reported that WARC registered a “strong income growth” backed by solid subscription renewals and by the first complete year of a new offer of consultancy.
CEO Duncan Painter commented that 2020 “underlined the importance of our strategic focus: serving brands that operate in digital marketplaces. We were already operating in a highly digital world, and the fundamental shift towards online channels has only accelerated since the pandemic. This further drives demand for our data-driven insights in the three ways we support customers: creating the right products, maximizing their marketing impact, and optimizing their trading performance on ecommerce platforms.”


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Food packaging will be labelled to show how many teaspoons of sugar or salt are being added in a move made possible by leaving European Union, the Department of Health has said.
Amid anger at the decision to water down the Government’s obesity strategy, it has now emerged that officials want to use Brexit to allow “visual labelling” on food products such as pictures of teaspoons of sugar.
There are concerns about how difficult it is for consumers to understand the current “traffic light system”, which assigns either a green, amber or red circle to food packaging according the percentage of fat, saturates, sugar and salt.
Under the new plans consumers would simply see images of teaspoons on packaging...
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Uber Inc. launched its Uber Eats service in Cedar Rapids Tuesday, hoping to leverage its existing customer base in the area to compete against other food delivery companies already in the city.
Uber, the world’s most-used ride-hailing company, started the delivery service in 2014 and launched in Des Moines in March of this year.
Spokeswoman Charity Jackson said the company chose Cedar Rapids because of “robust” ridership in the area. She declined to say how many ride-shares it provides in the city.
Uber debuted its ride-hailing in Cedar Rapids in 2014.
Uber enters the Cedar Rapids market about two months after Bite Squad, a Minneapolis-based restaurant delivery service, started operations in the city. Food delivery companies GrubHub and MyTown2Go also have partnerships with local restaurants for delivery.
Uber’s delivery fees start at $3.99 and rise depending on how busy the restaurant is, weather conditions and how far the customer is from the restaurant.
The Cedar Rapids delivery range stretches north to the southern border of Fay M. Clark Memorial Park in Hiawatha, and parts of Marion west of 22nd Street.
Uber Eats launched in Iowa City earlier this July.
Residents can use Uber Eats by downloading the app from Apple’s App Store or Android’s Play Store on their devices.
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Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky delivers a keynote address at the AWS re:Invent conference in Las Vegas on November 29, 2022.
Noah Berger | Getty Images
Amazon Cloud revenue increased 20% in the fourth quarter, at a slower pace than analysts expected 27.5% growth rate in the third quarter.
Cloud growth appears to have surged over the past decade and, like the rest of the pandemic-accelerated tech industry, has slowed as companies embraced services that could facilitate remote work. is.
Amazon Web Services leads the cloud infrastructure market, Approximately 39% market share in 2021, according to estimates by industry researcher Gartner. Microsoft’s Azure business and Google The cloud is AWS’s biggest competitor.
microsoft said last week Revenue from Azure and other cloud services the company doesn’t report in dollars increased 31% from 35% in the year-ago quarter. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, will report earnings after Thursday’s bell.
AWS revenue growth has generally slowed since 2015 as the segment has grown larger and competition has increased. In the fourth quarter, AWS posted his $21.4 billion in revenue. This represents 14% of Amazon’s total revenue. Analysts surveyed by StreetAccount had expected AWS revenue to be $21.87 billion.
In an interview late last year at AWS’s annual Reinvent customer conference, AWS CEO Adam Selipsky said: Said “Some customers are tightening their belts now.”
The AWS division’s fourth quarter operating profit reached $5.2 billion, nearly doubling the company’s overall profit number. However, it decreased by almost 2%. This was at least the first quarter since 2015 that AWS failed to grow its operating profit year-over-year. AWS’ stand-alone operating margin of 24.3% isn’t this narrow since 2017.
AWS Introduced in November supply chain, clean room and security data storage Service at the Reinvent conference. Also this quarter, AWS announced the availability of data center regions. Spain and Switzerland.
Analysts at Oppenheimer, which equates to buying ratings on Amazon, said in a report this week, “As the digital economy has somewhat unfolded, we’ve seen clients move to discounted fixed-term contracts to optimize their workloads and use “Their research shows they’re doing less.” Man. “
clock: Amazon Web Services’ revenue growth will slow further in 2023, says Satori Fund’s Niles.


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Bad news for Starbucks, the brand I love to blog about. It seems that profit forecasts won’t be quite so perky, leaving stockholders disappointed. The BBC has a quick study of how the sluggish US economy has hurt the coffee giant.
I guess they haven’t been selling enough of those $1 Short brews.
Business types will analyse this in 15 different ways, but I’m looking at the brand. For Starbucks and other large brands, a slow economy is a time of great anxiety. Will the same giants weather the storm or will it give new opportunities for upstarts? I am of the firm belief that a slow economy is the perfect time to invest in your brand and solidify your core businesses. Gimmicky products and cheeky advertising campaigns will seem like a glorious waste of money if it doesn’t produce long-term, loyal customers who will stick with a brand for years, not weeks.
And Starbucks has been doing this. Aside from their throwback logos, they’ve been making a number of smart moves aimed at focusing, not expanding, the business. But still, when times are tough, Americans are less likely to spend on luxury items, even coffee. Spending becomes more cerebral, more calculated, and less impulsive. Considering the so-called “Starbucks Effect” is based on folks not keeping tight track of their finances, this isn’t a good sign. But perhaps this is a good opportunity for Starbucks to grow its supermarket and retail coffee businesses. Buying by the pound, instead of by the cup, is always more economical. And with the US dollar in flux, maybe now is a good time to stockpile a warehouse of coffee bricks. Hey, it could be the next currency.


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Sentiment in Singapore’s office market is starting to lift. After last year’s blockbuster deal involving the sale of Asia Square Tower 1 for US$2.5 billion, investors have once again taken notice as Blackrock sold Asia Square Tower 2 to Capitaland… Read More>>
According to a new report from Colliers International (NASDAQ and TSX: CIGI), a global leader in commercial real estate services, landlords and occupiers will reap the benefits of opportunities presented by preparing for the workplace of the future. The Future… Read More>>
Pressure from e-commerce is focusing physical retail on the appeal of shopping as a social activity. Leveraging the social aspect effectively will require creating distinctive, attractive shopping environments.
Building a social retail hub is one of the central themes of… Read More>>
Asia Pacific’s data centre market is worth US$12 billion, according to a recent PWC report, and it’s continuing to grow with the region’s financial centres of Hong Kong and Singapore leading the way.
“We expect the region’s data centre market… Read More>>
According to a new report from Colliers International (NASDAQ: CIGI; TSX: CIGI), a global leader in commercial real estate services, multinational corporations are reaping the benefits of using flexible workspace in Asia Pacific.
As revealed in Colliers’ newly released Flexible… Read More>>
China overtook the US to become the largest cross-border real estate investor in the third quarter of this year, with total investment in the first nine months already surpassing 2015’s record volume, according to JLL data.
Investors from mainland China,… Read More>>
Chinese investors, including developers, have spent billions on European football clubs, reaping dividends from instant global branding and recognition, which is subsequently leading to real estate investment in the region.
In recent days, as Brexit takes a backseat, British news… Read More>>
After the largest developer in China signed an MoU with India’s Haryana state earlier this year, more developers from China and other countries are expected to follow suit
Given Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on improving India’s stature amongst the… Read More>>


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Sunrise, FL (PRWEB) August 3, 2007
SNC Destinations has announced that it has partnered with Incentives Golden Escapes of Costa Rica, expanding its network of destination management companies and options for incentive houses and corporate meeting planners. Incentives Golden Escapes joins a portfolio of six independently owned destination management companies (DMC) represented nationally by SNC Destinations, a Florida-based company that provides incentive firms and meeting planners the convenience of interacting directly with Latin American and Caribbean DMCs via a U.S. representative.
"We are excited to welcome Liliana Bonilla and Golden Escapes to our network," says Simone Champagnie, managing director of SNC Destinations and membership committee chair for the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE). "Liliana brings more than 15 years of creating experiences in a destination that has over the past few years emerged as a choice destination for meetings, incentives, and corporate events given its accessibility from U.S. gateways, capacity, and diverse topography which lends itself to a variety of activities."
"Our team at Incentives Golden Escapes is confident that as we expand our sales into the U.S. market, the presence, professionalism and values that SNC Destinations brings us will enable planners to add Costa Rica and Central America to their portfolio of destinations," says Liliana Bonilla, owner and general manager. "We are just one of a few destinations in the world where we can actually arrange an exclusive event in a rainforest rather than recreating a rainforest in a ballroom," explains Bonilla. Incentive Golden Escapes has offices in both Costa Rica and Panama.
SNC Destinations officially launched Incentives Golden Escapes on its website, giving meeting planners and incentive travel buyers immediate access to destination information and an online RFP form.
About SNC Destinations
SNC Destinations is the national sales and marketing representative for a select group of Destination Management Companies (DMCs) in the Caribbean and Latin America. Retained by its destination partners, the company facilitates the interaction between incentive houses and corporate meeting planners and its overseas-based DMCs. Read about each of the destinations in which SNC Destinations has a DMC partner at http://www.sncdestinations.com.


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Epic Games teased its upcoming Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) today with a detailed look the super sharp and detailed gameplay it will make possible. While the demo shared today on YouTube was done with the PlayStation 5, Unreal Engine 5 will also bring its impressive tech to games on iOS and Mac too.
Epic Games Stories May 13
Epic Games Stories July 17, 2014
Epic Games releases Unreal Engine 4.3 with Metal API support on iOS and much more
Epic Games today announced Unreal Engine 4.3, the latest version of their gaming engine technology, which includes over 500 updates. Included in the latest version of Unreal Engine is support for Apple’s new Metal API for game developers, first introduced last month at WWDC, for code compiled with the Xcode 6 beta. Unreal Engine launched version 4.0 earlier this year introducing its current subscription model for developers as well as Mac support.
As mentioned above, Unreal Engine 4.3 includes over 500 updates including new features for Mac, iOS, Android, and more. Below you can read the change log for iOS and Mac.
Epic Games Stories February 5, 2014
Epic Games announced today that it’s partnering with Y Combinator-backed startup Kamcord to offer its in-game recording platform to iOS and Android devs using Unreal Engine 3. We spoke to Kamcord CEO Matt Zitzmann who told us why it’s a big deal that Epic Games and the Unreal Engine team are backing Kamcord— and not its competitor— as the go-to platform for implementing in-game recording features in mobile apps. expand full story
Epic Games Stories August 2, 2013
ChAIR employee’s LinkedIn profile hints at possible Infinity Blade 3
First spotted by Kotaku, it appears that Epic Games, developer of the Gears of War series for Xbox 360 and the Unreal Engine used to power many console and mobile games, may be working on an additional Infinity Blade sequel appropriately titled “Infinity Blade 3 for iPhone.” According to a Senior QA Tester’s LinkedIn profile, Epic’s iOS publishing arm, ChAIR, looks to be in the midst of either development or beta testing for a new Infinity Blade title to follow the studio’s last release, Infinity Blade II.
A prequel to the popular series entitled Infinity Blade: Dungeons was demonstrated by Epic Games at Apple’s iPad (3) with Retina Display announcement earlier last year, but the title still has yet to see the light of day. Infinity Blades: Dungeons was expected to launch sometime in the later half of 2012, but the company pushed back development of the title and then officially canceled the project earlier this year, squashing little remaining hope for the action-RPG’s eventual release.
Kotaku reports that major changes have been afoot at Epic Games since Chinese internet giant Tencent acquired a 40 percent stake in June 2012. Such a change in Epic’s management may have pushed back development of certain titles and may have even been responsible for Impossible Games (the studio responsible for Infinity Blade: Dungeons development) closure earlier this year. Tencent is often associated with an assortment of freemium titles, so many have wondered if Epic couldn’t find a way to bring such a model to Infinity Blade: Dungeons or if it may show up in a future release in the series. A freemium model would put the pay-to-play series in the same position as Real Racing 3, which was originally a pay-to-play title but then turned to a freemium model when the series’ developer Firemint was acquired by EA.
ChAIR has been unusually quiet since the release of the final content pack for Infinity Blade II last August, but Kotaku believes that the development of Infinity Blade 3 may be more of a reality than rumor due to nods from the company’s newly appointed Community Manager, Hilary Goldstein. In his first blog post as Community Manager, Goldstein hinted that fans may see a new tile in the coming months. If that’s true, we may actually see Infinity Blade 3 demoed alongside Apple’s latest hardware come this fall as with previous installments in the series. It’s also interesting to note that iOS7 will officially support third-party game controllers, and although the Infinity Blade is known for its touch-and-slash gameplay, we could see suport for more traditional controls as well.
Epic Games Stories February 20, 2013
What happens when you make your app free for a week
For an app developer like Infinity Blade maker Epic Games, making an old iOS game free for a week accounted for an enormous boost in revenue and downloads. As noted by The Wall Street Journal, Epic’s decision to drop the price of its original Infinity Blade title from 99 cents to free brought the title up hundreds of spots in App Store rankings. The increase is highlighted in the chart above from AppData. While being featured as one of Apple’s “App of the Week” certainly didn’t hurt, temporarily switching to the freemium model allowed Epic to generate more money than it was earning when the app was 99 cents. It also created a nice increase in sales for the developer’s $7 Infinity Blade II sequel, as shown in AppData’s second chart below:
Epic Games Stories January 5, 2012
Epic Games and Chair Entertainment, developers of the popular on-rails, hack-and-slash iOS franchise called “Infinity Blade,” just announced the two titles have earned over $30 million since the first game launched in the App Store in December 2010. Assuming “earnings” accounts for total earnings, Apple’s 30 percent cut would be $9 million.
Epic Games, Inc. and its award-winning Salt Lake City-based development studio, ChAIR Entertainment, today announced that earnings from ChAIR’s blockbuster Infinity Blade video game franchise have eclipsed $30 million in just one year since the introduction of the original game. One of the most popular gaming franchises to be launched on the App Store, the award-winning series has also created significant licensing interest in the underlying Unreal Engine 3 technology from developers worldwide.
In the announcement (via Joystiq), the developers also noted that Infinity Blade II reached over $5 million in net earnings since its release last month on Dec. 1, 2011. In comparison, it took the first Infinity Blade title three months to achieve that milestone. The first game now accounts for more than $23 million of the franchise’s earnings.
The original Infinity Blade is available as a universal download for $5.99 here. Infinity Blade 2, which IGN gave a “Perfect 10” score, is available for $6.99. The companies also noted a number of other products in the franchise were released, including the Infinity Blade: Awakening digital novel (on Amazon here), and the Infinity Blade: Original Soundtrack.
Epic Games President Dr. Michael Capps said the following in a statement:


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The security of the automobile manufacturer Volkswagen was one of the losers of the day with a negative development of 1 percent. At the close of trading, the price of the share was EUR 144.66.
The share of the automobile manufacturer Volkswagen was one of the losers of the day with a minus of a barely noticeable 0.97 percent. Compared to the previous day’s closing rate of 146.08 euros, it had deteriorated insignificantly by 1.42 euros to 144.66 euros.
The automobile manufacturer’s share started trading on Friday at a price of EUR 145.02. The daily high was 146.70 euros.
The 52-week high for Volkswagen shares was recorded on December 13, 2019. The stock exchange is currently trading the share 22.9 percent below the high. The 52-week low on March 19, 2020 was reached at 79.38 euros.
The share reached 105.5 million euros in sales by 5:45 p.m. 727,132 papers were traded. On the previous trading day, 776,293 papers with a value of 108.1 million euros were traded at the same time.
Bernecker experts provide you with top investment recommendations for stocks such as Volkswagen Vz. And Co. (Partner offer)


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Before I visited Kiev I never thought that it would be a city that takes coffee seriously, but it appears that the local residents love to drink the stuff – coffee trucks fill the streets.
Outside metro stations, beside parks, and in residents streets – there was no end to where I found them!
In 2012 Forbes listed coffee in their top five things to do in Ukraine.
You can get really good coffee in Ukraine, Turkish style, Americana, or whatever you prefer. These days you can see random coffee trucks in the streets selling real cappuccino and espresso drinks, in addition to regular coffee.
With coffee trucks also noted by the reporter from the Chicago Tribune who visited Kiev in 2015.
It is impossible to walk more than a block along any commercial street in Kiev without encountering at least two — but more often four or more coffee trucks or kiosks and cafes in a row.
On a street leading to St. Michael’s Cathedral in the administrative sector of the city, I counted 12 coffee trucks lined up in less than half a city block. I encountered three parked in front of a small playground; and four on a street flanking Kiev’s Golden Gate Museum, which was the western city gate when it was built in the 11th century.
But the granddaddy of them all was a double-decker coffee bus painted with cafe scenes that was parked just off Lavivska Square off busy Artema Street, a location that links business and residential districts.
But in December 2015 city hall cracked down on the vendors.
The Ukrainian capital is a coffee-lovers’ paradise, with the streets dotted with more than 1,500 trucks serving drinks to a city with a growing love of caffeine.
But officials in Kiev have recently tightened the regulations, increasing red tape and running costs for these roadside baristas in a move which could put many of them out of business.
Maxim Rozhin had been selling coffee for 18 months when officials turned up and seized the vehicle without any explanation.
“It was 4:00 pm. The truck was parked when about 10 people arrived. They surrounded it and took it away,” the 34-year-old told AFP.
Rozhin said he had submitted all the necessary documents to operate his coffee truck but said the authorities “were asking for more” — namely, a sticker ‘proving’ that he had gone through a newly-established auction procedure in order to be able to trade there.
In August , new regulations came into force requiring coffee truck owners to bid for the rights to sell at a certain spot, in a move the city hopes will help fill its coffers.
“If we want Kiev to be a European city, then there needs to be clear regulations,” Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said in a statement.
“Coffee trucks and kiosks cannot just set up wherever they want and not contribute to the budget.”
So far, more than 230 spots have been sold in two rounds of actions, with prices running from 4,388 to 361,000 hryvnias ($200 to $16,000/175 to 14,500 euros) per spot, city hall said.
Until the new measures came in to place, traders paid nothing and only a small amount in tax, with city hall earning a modest 500,000 hryvnias ($22,000/20,000 euros) from the coffee business over the past three years.
Now it is expecting to bring in millions.
But the crackdown was short lived – the scene as of June 2016 was a stalemate between the two sides.
Now the pink snails and other coffee trucks — licensed and unlicensed — are returning to city sidewalks. So far local authorities have refrained from another crackdown, and some baristas have become more mobile, changing spots regularly.
According to this piece, coffee trucks first appeared on the streets of the Kiev in 2008. They sure spread fast!


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Manama, Nov. 15 (BNA): Under the patronage of Zayed R. Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Bahrain Fashion Incubator (BFI), Dilmun Star, has launched the first Pre-Incubation Programme in the MENA region.
The programme is geared towards fashion designers and organised in strategic partnership with Tamkeen, UNIDO, AICEI, Fashion Technology Accelerator (Italy) and Kingdom of Innovation (a 3D print-provider).
Dilmun Star, is a competitive seven-month programme that will provide 20 aspiring fashion designers requisite technical and business tools to start a fashion business. The participants are expected to develop a capsule fashion collection based on one or all of the following themes: technology, sustainability and heritage.
To achieve this, they will be offered masterclasses by local and international experts, practical workshops, access to machinery and skilled technicians as well as mentoring. The participants will be able to use the latest in technology such as laser fabric cutting machines, digital printing machines and 3D printing to create their collection.
The participants will then be required to pitch their concepts and present their creations to a panel of judges which will include professional industry buyers, and fashion experts. The objective is to showcase local talents in the field of fashion design and prepare them to embark on the entrepreneurial path to start their own fashion label that can compete globally. For that BFI has a special incubation programme.
A few seats are left and BFI encourages aspiring fashion designers to apply and benefit from this unique opportunity. Applications deadline: November 18. The successful candidates will be contacted directly. For more info and updates: www.bahrainfashionincubator.com.
BNA 0939 GMT 2018/11/15


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ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Jack Fitzgerald, chairman of the first auto dealer group in North America to be certified to the environmental standard ISO14001, calls on regulators to consider their options before punishing consumers for the emissions failure plaguing VW.
"The Wall Street Journal's writer Holman Jenkins has the best idea," said Fitzgerald, "offset their excess nitrogen oxide with an investment in energy that helps consumers, rather than punishes them." Writer Homan Jenkins suggested that VW pay to keep open some of America's NOX free nuclear plants. Jenkins noted that the 482,000 U.S. Jettas and Passats identified by VW produce an almost equivalent amount of NOX as a 1,000-megawatt gas-fueled power plant, while a nuclear plant produces zero. "It's a novel idea that would really benefit consumers and the environment," said Fitzgerald.
The current emission standard requires that cars after 2008 be restricted to 0.07 grams of nitrogen oxide output per mile. According to the WSJ, "it represents about 1/40th the output of the average full-size pick up (gasoline or diesel), of which more than 10 million are on the road." Rather than anger customers by lowering their mileage and horsepower, VW might consider an alternative like investing what would have been spent on a recall on nuclear power.
Fitzgerald is the first dealership group to become an EPA Green Power Partner Member of the EPA Green Power Leadership Club and a long-standing member of the Clean Energy Partnership in Maryland. All energy at Fitzgerald facilities is purchased from Green renewable energy sources, with 100 percent wind power used at all of the dealerships in Maryland. The Germantown Maryland dealership is the first LEED Gold certified dealership east of the Mississippi.
See Holman Jenkins' op-ed at http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-settle-the-vw-scandal-1444169764
To learn more about Fitzgerald's commitment to the environment, please visit www.FitzMall.com or view our short 30-second video: https://youtu.be/Owhx1GPE4LI?list=PLT8VC3kmnhpfx5NgRgIIPUszIBqZP0v1y
SOURCE Fitzgerald Auto Malls


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TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — With Taipei's biannual fashion week scheduled to kick off next week, stylish editors around the country are eagerly preparing to present their latest trendy creations to the public.
Co-organized by the ministries of culture, education, and economic affairs, the 2021 Taipei Fashion Week AW21 will take place March 10-15 at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, featuring "sustainability" as its theme. It is being hailed as the world's first physical fashion week to have a live audience amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The event will showcase the best of Taiwan's autumn/winter collections from 50 notable local fashion brands. It will be followed by a spring/summer edition sometime later in the year.
The press conference for the Taipei Fashion Week on Thursday (March 4) saw Vice Culture Minister Lee Lien-chuan (李連權), Foreign Trade Bureau Secretary-general Tai Wan-jung (戴婉蓉), Ministry of Education official Lee Yu-chuan (李毓娟), and veteran actress Chen Shu-fang (陳淑芳) take part. There were also catwalk shows spotlighting the work of 13 major designers.
Lee described the fashion week as a platform for Taiwanese designers to demonstrate their creativity to the global community. He explained that next week's event will highlight elements of "function, sustainability, cross-border collaboration, diversity, and the humanities," reported CNA.


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AccorHotels Group has set plans to expand across India with two new hotels. Not only is Accor debuting the Raffles brand in the country with its first property in Udaipur, but also the group is developing India's second Fairmont-brand hotel near Mumbai Airport in partnership with the Shrem Group.
As part of a $2.7-billion deal with Qatar Investment Authority, Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding, Oxford Properties and Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, Accor acquired FRHI Holdings and its brands, including Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel in 2015. The group reportedly paid for the hotel portfolio acquisition by issuing 46.7 million Accor shares on top of an $840-million cash payment.
Gaurav Bhushan, GCDO for Accor, told the Economic Times that the group has planned to expand its luxury hotel portfolio in emerging markets like India. “The next big wave of growth for us is going to come from luxury and emerging markets. Luxury is an important component in these markets,” Bhushan said. He added that Accor was receiving active enquiries for Fairmont and Raffles hotels in India.
AccorHotels has added even more hotel projects to its global development pipeline, including the debut of the Fairmont brand in the Caribbean with the Fairmont St Lucia at Sunset Bay opening in 2019. The group's signing of an exclusive partnership with the Hinduja Group and OHL Desarrollos followed soon after. As part of the agreement, the companies will redevelop London's old war office building in Whitehall into a Raffles hotel, which is expected to begin operating in three years.


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Since the uptiered version of the Snapdragon 888 has been announced, called the Snapdragon 888+, there are of course bound …Read more
Tag: Qualcomm Snapdragon
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ 5G is a Snapdragon 888 on steroids
Qualcomm has wrapped up the new Snapdragon 888+ processor, and it’s basically the Snapdragon 888 but clocked up a notch, …Read more
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A tipster from Twitter has revealed new specs about Snapdragon 888’s successor. Though it has no official name yet, it …Read more
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New TV Service Earmarks $50 Million for ’99
LOS ANGELES–A Silicon Valley startup has selected Campbell-Ewald/West to handle its ad account, with projected billings of $50 million this year.
Personal television service TiVo hired the Los Angeles agency, known primarily for its DirecTV work, after informal discussions with California agencies including Goldberg Moser O’Neill and Foote, Cone & Belding in San Francisco and TBWA/Chiat/Day, Playa del Rey, Calif., said Lisa Varni, the company’s director of marketing communications.
“The [agency] selection criteria came down to two important factors,” said Ed MacBeth, TiVo vice president of marketing and business development. “First, when stuck at Chicago O’Hare in a snowstorm, which agency would you prefer to be stuck with? Second, which agency would let you sleep nights knowing your options were in good hands? In other words, chemistry and performance.”
Set to launch in March, TiVo premiered at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The TV-top device enables viewers to control what, when and how they watch TV. Viewers can pause or replay live broadcasts while at the same time recording the rest of the program; the system can also record shows based on consumers’ preferences.
TiVo will also provide advertisers with demographic information, allowing them to specifically target messages toward particular audiences. The Sunnyvale, Calif., company has also formed marketing partnerships with DirecTV and other TV-related companies.
“We’re first going to target new enthusiasts, those who embrace new technology,” said agency executive vice president/managing director Ian McGregor. He added that sports fans and movie buffs will be among those expected to buy TiVo, which will retail for $400-500. –with Tanya Gazdik
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Posted on 19.01.2017
Speakerprofile: Gerriet Danz
“Innovation is oxygen for business!”
We are excited to announce that we were able to allure Gerriet Danz as Keynote Speaker for the 19th European Shopping Center Symposium. The expert for innovation and creativity will speak about ideas, visions and permanent reinvention.
Gerriet Danz has been one of the most recognized experts on innovation and creativity for over two decades. The lectures
of this passionate lateral-thinker, multiple startup founder, and best-selling author (CAMPUS/Random House) are as inspiring and unusual as the mix of his experiences. He worked initially as creative director of the international advertising agency BBDO, supporting global players in the development of innovations. His second career led to television: Gerriet Danz developed new TV formats, and even moderated the knowledge game-show classic: JEOPARDY. Motivating, humorous, and practical, he describes in his appearances how companies can create the perfect innovation climate and overcome creativity barriers. “One of the best in his field!” writes Computer Week; “It’s hailing ideas…” says GQ. And Der Spiegel asked him, “…what really matters.” Gerriet Danz is a lecturer at the Steinbeis Hochschule Berlin, advises the European Patent Office in The Hague, among others, is a member of the German Speakers Association as well as of GSF Global Speakers Federation Toronto, and is a winner of the CONGA Award in the “Speakers & Coaches” category.


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Updated with Uber’s clarification 2/19 2:24 AM PST
Uber is stepping into the international meal delivery wars (yes, that’s a real thing) with the start of UberEATS in Barcelona.
As the ride-sharing company makes its first foray into meal deliveries outside the U.S., it also remains in search of a name for the service that will stick.
Uber has UberRUSH making deliveries of various kinds of New York. Of course, in Europe, anyone who uses “eating” and “rush” in the same sentence would probably be deported.
Uber had previously launched meal deliveries under the name “UberFRESH” in Los Angeles. Since that link leads to a page that says “404,” we’re guessing that service didn’t do so well. (UPDATE: Uber contacted us to let us know that its link in the Barcelona blog post was wrong. The real link is here, and UberFRESH is alive and kicking.)
Thus is born UberEATS.
“Uber is always looking for ways to use technology to get people connected to their world as quickly and as efficiently as possible,” the company wrote in a blog post announcing the service.
Uber is partnering with local food guide Plateselector to identify local restaurant partners in the city. Users can open their Uber app in Barcelona and select from a menu of choices from a handful of local restaurants that will be delivered in under 10 minutes.
While the choice of Barcelona may seem random, it’s worth noting that the city will host the Mobile World Congress in two weeks. One of the globe’s largest mobile conferences, it will draw more than 30,000 attendees to the city who will now be able to try Uber’s nascent food delivery service.
Any time Uber sets its sights on a market, it poses a potential threat due to the fact that the company has raised a gazillion dollars in financing. However, Uber is also coming into a crowded market where it will eventually face off against well-financed rivals such as Berlin-based Delivery Hero, GrubHub in the U.S., and the U.K.’s Just-Eat.
In addition, Rocket Internet of Germany has been pumping money into meal-delivery services, expanding the footprint of its Asian-focused Foodpanda and acquiring related meal services such as La Nevera Roja of Spain.
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The iPhone SE would not get a successor this year. According to the latest rumors, Apple would not get a new version of its cheaper iPhone on the brand until 2022. It will immediately receive a serious upgrade in many areas compared to its predecessor.
At the beginning of this year, surprising rumors surfaced that Apple would already come with a new iPhone SE in April 2021. That was striking because there were no less than four years between the first two versions of the iPhone SE.
So now it appears that these rumors are indeed incorrect. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, we won’t get the third-generation iPhone SE until the first half of 2022.
5G and better processor
The biggest change compared to the most recent version of the iPhone SE (2020) would be the support of 5G. In addition, the new model would also get a better processor. That processor will probably be the A14 Bionic chip that Apple uses in the iPhone 12 series. It is also possible that they immediately opt for the processor from the iPhone 13 series that will be on the market this fall.
Other things – such as the design – would remain identical to the version from 2020. The iPhone SE (2022) will therefore also have a 4.7 inch display.


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Reed selects InterGame as publisher of choice
Reed Exhibitions Deutschland has appointed InterGame as its official international publication for the German coin machine trade show, IMA, which next year will be held at Düsseldorf from January 15-18.
The show was re-introduced this year after a one-year gap caused by the introduction of new gaming machine legislation in January, 2006.
The 2007 event was an enormous success and extra space had to be organised through a temporary structure next to the show hall at the Düsseldorf Messe.
“The liaison between IMA and InterGame,” said show manager Petra Lassahn, “recognises InterGame’s position as the premier global publication for the games and gaming industry.
“We are putting into effect a series of mutually beneficial projects, which can only be undertaken by a close relationship between a trade show and a leading publication.”
For InterGame, David Snook said: “Germany is set to become Europe’s major market for the limited gaming machine business and IMA will reflect that. The show can only grow from here to once more holding a prominent place in Europe’s ‘must go’ annual events.”
Coastal Amusements, the US equipment supplier, has added to its sales team with the appointment of Patrick Mills.
The Boost Bingo campaign orchestrated by the UK’s Bingo Association, which secured a reduction in bingo duty from 20 per cent to 10 per cent in this year’s Budget, was named the winner of the Best Public Affairs Campaign category at the PR Week Awards 2014.
Coin Tech Debit Card System will be present at the IAAPA show in Orlando, Florida, next month, where the company will be showcasing its latest innovations in technology and solutions for the amusement industry.
InterGame is the only monthly magazine covering the international coin-op amusements and gaming industry.Learn more
InterGaming is the leading monthly magazine covering the international land-based casino and gaming industry.Learn more
Published bimonthly, iNTERGAMINGi is the leading publication for the growing international online gaming industry.Learn more
An extensive annual review of the industry covering all three gaming sectors and including a global directory of suppliers.Learn more
All the latest innovations for children in the indoor play, edutainment, outdoor adventure and simulation sectors.Learn more


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Category: Endoscopic / Arthroscopic
Endoscopic / Arthroscopic
Medrobotics closes $20 million in new funding as it gear up to commercialize its robot-assisted flexible endoscope in Europe.
Medrobotics said it closed on $20 million in new funding in a preferred stock sale to prior backers as plans to expand its commercial footprint in Europe.
Raynham, Mass.-based Medrobotics also said that it's "met all applicable FDA requirements" to distribute its Flex Retractor in the U.S.
Johnson & Johnson voluntarily recalls power morcellators used in fibroid surgeries on the risk that they may unintentionally spread cancer.
A federal judge agrees to award legal fees to Steris and Medtrica in their patent infringement win over Cygnus Medical, after a U.S. Supreme court decision reboots the rules on awarding legal costs.
Cantel Medical says it's agreed to pay nearly $27 million for British endoscope reprocessor PuriCore.
Cantel Medical (NYSE:CMN) said it agreed to put up $26.9 million in cash to acquire PuriCore International, a British endoscope reprocessing company.
FDA medical device regulators put a lower-risk label on Covidien subsidiary Given Imaging's PillCam ingestible endoscopic camera.
Covidien (NYSE:COV) subsidiary Given Imaging landed a victory with FDA medical device regulators who agreed to downgrade the PillCam capsule endoscope to a lower-risk classification.
Covidien touts FDA clearance for its novel camera-equipped Kangaroo feeding tube designed to provide visualization for an otherwise blind procedure.
Medtech titan Covidien (NYSE:COV) received FDA clearance for its visual Kangaroo feeding tube, equipped with an endoscopic camera that allows physicians to see into the procedure in a new way.
Covidien reportedly agreed to a $100 million buyout of New Wave Surgical and its D-Help device, designed to keep endoscope lenses clear during surgeries.
Covidien (NYSE:COV) reportedly paid $100 million to acquire New Wave Surgical and its medical device for keeping endoscope lenses clear during surgeries.