text:
Carnival Cruise Lines is set to offer a special series 10- to 14-day voyages on six different ships between October 2015 and February 2016 that feature extended calls at destinations throughout the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexican Riviera and The Bahamas.
Reservations are open on 11 different voyages offered on Carnival Miracle, Carnival Dream, Carnival Glory and Carnival Sunshine which depart from Long Beach, Calif., Port Canaveral, Fla., San Juan, Miami, and New Orleans and visit more than two dozen tropical destinations, including less travelled ports like Bonaire, Martinique, Dominica, Grenada and, for the first time on a Carnival ship, Tobago. Several of the 10- and 11-day voyages can be combined into three-week-long Caribbean adventures.
These new voyages are in addition to a previously announced series of nine 10- to 14-day departures to the Caribbean and Bermuda offered on Carnival Triumph from Galveston and Carnival Pride from Baltimore in 2015-16.
“Based on feedback from our guests and travel agent partners, we’re delighted to offer these longer length voyages which provide vacationers an opportunity to visit some of the world’s most breathtaking destinations while enjoying all the wonderful on-board innovations and features found aboard Carnival’s ships,” said Terry Thornton, Carnival’s senior vice-president of itinerary planning.


text:
- 2 min read
Delay in Chinese supplies to see 30% drop in production
Most Chinese factories had set Monday as their reopening day after an extended Chinese New Year holiday due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak that has so far affected 40,000 people and claimed 900 lives. However, with several cities still under lockdown many of them have extended their holidays till February 17.
KOLKATA: Smartphones, electronics and white goods manufacturers in the country expect their production to fall 20-30% in March because their Chinese component suppliers would take another 7-10 days to resume production in full scale as the novel coronavirus scare lingers.
The brands fear this would have a spiralling impact on their sales in April-June quarter.
“The entire supply chain is impacted,” said Kamal Nandi, president of consumer electronics industry association CEAMA and business head at Godrej Appliances. “There will be an impact on March production which will create a setback on April-June revenue due to lower availability of finished goods.”
Most Chinese factories had set Monday as their reopening day after an extended Chinese New Year holiday due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak that has so far affected 40,000 people and claimed 900 lives. However, with several cities still under lockdown many of them have extended their holidays till February 17, executives said.
Even those who opened factory gates on Monday have skeletal staff since travel within the country is still restricted with the Chinese government using all means to fight the epidemic, they said. Also, component makers are facing issues with supply of raw materials.
Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO of Super Plastronics, which sells Kodak and Thomson televisions in India, said the firm’s March production will get affected by 30-40% especially in fastest selling models like 43-inches-plus screen sizes. “This will have an equivalent impact on sales,” he said.
India imports 85% of smartphone components from China, while for television it is 75% including the television panel. For refrigerator and air-conditioner compressors, again the industry is heavily dependent on China, while washing machine motors too are imported. Microwave ovens are imported from China as finished goods.
“Unless brands use air freight, there could be production slippage in India next month since some factories have partially opened without too much worker attendance,” said Sunil Vachani, chairman at Dixon Technologies, a homegrown mobile phone and electronics contract manufacturer.
Find this Comment Offensive?Choose your reason below and click on the submit button. This will alert our moderators to take actions

domain: news


text:
Retail shelf intelligence company Pensa Systems has appointed retail industry executive Mark Abernathy its head of market development for the retail sector. Abernathy will lead Pensa’s efforts to meet retailers’ growing demand for automated real-world shelf visibility data.
“Profitability has never been more challenging for retailers; the added expense of e-commerce fulfillment coupled with the rising cost of transportation and wages is a significant headwind,” said Abernathy. “I’m excited to join Pensa, where I can marry my decades of experience improving operations in real-world retail environments with Pensa’s powerful, automated shelf intelligence solution that helps retailers improve sales, reduce labor and monetize their data.”
Abernathy was head of e-commerce operations at The Kroger Co. for approximately five years. During his time with the company, he created and led a profitable $6 billion business across more than 2,000 locations in 19 regional divisions and expanded operations to support new lines of business, including home delivery, ship to home, and click-and-collect. Earlier in his career, Abernathy spent 13 years at Kroger wholly owned subsidiary Harris Teeter in a variety of store operations roles.
“Pensa’s system is uniquely effective at detecting stockouts and bringing the shelf online in the new omnichannel world, and that’s driving up interest and demand for our syndicated shelf data,” said Richard Schwartz, president and CEO of Austin, Texas-based Pensa. “Mark intimately understands how to help retailers drive growth while simultaneously navigating market disruptions. We are thrilled to have him aboard as head of retail.”
[To view the "Know Your Shelf: Getting Store Execution Right in 2022" on-demand webinar, click here.]
Pensa’s footprint has recently expanded across multiple retail formats and regions, including leading grocery, drug store and convenience channels. Its automated shelf intelligence, powered by artificial intelligence and video-based computer vision, closes the gap between retail inventory and point-of-sale data, helping retailers minimize stockouts and create new data sources to monetize and improve the customer experience to drive revenue and loyalty in the omnichannel world.
Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 3 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.


text:
The companies will also donate face masks to Food Banks Canada.
As many parts of Canada tentatively move into stage two of reopening, restaurants and bars are starting to be given the green light to reopen. And whilst we’re thrilled that patios will be coming back into our lives, there is undoubtedly some hesitation from consumers and workers alike in regards to safety – which is why Labatt Breweries has teamed up with Toronto-based fashion brand Pink Tartan to create 135,000 non-medical face masks to be donated to restaurants across Canada.
The face masks (which are washable and made with 100% cotton with a poly-cotton interior) are part of reopening kits being distributed to Labatt’s restaurant partners (which also include hand sanitizer, sanitizer towers and social distancing signage) as well as Food Banks Canada.
Speaking with FASHION about the collaboration, Pink Tartan designer Kim Newport-Mimran, said, “When Labatt approached us, we loved their idea to partner on stylish face masks to support employees at bars, restaurants and Food Banks Canada. I wanted to do something that could be worn by anyone. I also wanted to define the partnership between Labatt and Pink Tartan – two iconic Canadian companies – and capture the strong, sense of Canadian pride that we all share.”
As for her designs, Newport-Mimran said, “I came up with three Canadiana-inspired designs, a red and black buffalo check pattern, a Canadian poppy print and my signature graphic quatrefoil pattern both on a denim base, signifying the Canadian tuxedo. I’m thrilled with how they turned out. I can’t wait to see them in use on local and national restaurant patios in the near future. Labatt has been doing great work to support bars and restaurants throughout the pandemic. It’s gratifying to be able to do my part with them.”


text:
Aragon, a decentralized management platform for businesses, announced today its upcoming token sale will commence on May 17, 2017, and run until June 14, 2017. Built on Ethereum, Aragon is the first management tool developed specifically to dis-intermediate the creation and maintenance of companies all around the world.
Aragon will offer a new, more efficient model for companies to operate and requires only the internet to function.
Co-Founded by two recognized tech prodigies, Luis Cuende, and Jorge Izquierdo. Aragon implements basic features such as cap table management, governance, fundraising, payroll, and accounting, supporting all areas of company management through an easy-to-use interface.
Aragon Co-Founder and Project Lead, Luis Cuende has been featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, is an MIT TR35, and was a former Advisor to the VP of the European Commission. Most recently, Cuende co-founded Stampery, a blockchain data certification startup backed by renowned venture capital firm Draper Associates, investors in companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, Skype, and Baidu.
Co-Founder and Project Lead at Aragon, Luis Cuende, said:
“With Aragon Core, a minimally-specified organization will be able to run on the Ethereum network. A module system will then be implemented so further functionality can be built on top. Fully decentralized organizations will also be able to take advantage of the Aragon Network, a token-governed digital jurisdiction, to resolve core governance issues and increase efficiency.”
“After the dot-com revolution and the rise of cloud computing, a new type of company has begun to emerge: businesses without traditional corporeal and geographic forms. The catalyst has been blockchain technology changing the incentive structure for companies. Aragon is building the tools for this next generation of decentralized organizations.”
“In 2016 we saw the rise in token sales and already in 2017 we are seeing that this trend is very much continuing. As a team we are dedicated and committed to the long term success of the project. Therefore, the Aragon token sale will be one of the first to restrict Founder and early contributor rewards with token which vest using smart contracts.”
Since February the number of Aragon organizations deployed to the testnet has grown from 130 to more than 770.
In addition, the Aragon Slack channel now comprises over 510 community members.
The platform is available for Linux, macOS, Windows and web browsers.


text:
Ardent Mills acquires Firebird Artisan Mills assets
December 21, 2021
By Bakers Journal
Denver, Colo. – Flour-milling and ingredient company Ardent Mills has acquired the business assets of Firebird Artisan Mills, a gluten-free, specialty grain and pulse milling company.
Over the next several months the Firebird Artisan Mills brand and products will be fully integrated into Ardent Mills as the company continues to bolster its nutrition offerings, the company said in a news release.
“Integrating the Firebird Artisan Mills products and expertise into Ardent Mills will maximize the synergies in our offerings and enhance the customer experience,” said Angie Goldberg, chief growth officer at Ardent Mills.
According to the release, the acquisition builds upon Ardent Mills’ specialty ingredient and gluten-free products, provides additional supply chain assurance and bolsters capabilities in its research and development, technical, food safety and quality assurance teams.
“We’ve made tremendous progress in our growth strategy this year and are very excited to add the Firebird Artisan Mills team to the Ardent Mills family,” said Dan Dye, chief executive officer at Ardent Mills. “Together, we will continue to bring nutritious solutions to our customers and communities.”
Print this page


text:
Jailbreaking is a taboo subject for many and we also don’t promote it here on iPhoneTricks.org. However, we can’t stay on the sidelines when such an important breakthrough is announced by the community. The famous iOS hacker “Pwn20wnd” and his team have recently released a new version of the version of the popular update tool…
Tag: iOS 11
iOS 11.4.1 is the most recent official software update for iPhones and iPads released by Apple. Considering that we are only one month away from the public roll out of iOS 12, can we assume that this is the last software version of the 11th iOS generation. The answer is most likely, yes. Apple isn’t…
The most recent public iOS version is iOS 11.4, which is most likely the last big update of the 11th iPhone and iPad operating system generation. With iOS 12 already available for Beta testers, we are getting closer and closer to the next big leap in the history of Apple’s famous mobile OS, scheduled for…
Apple has introduced iOS 12 to the world, on June 4, during WWDC 2018 and many of us have immediately installed the first Developer Beta on our test devices. However, there are many of you that downloaded iOS 12 for their main iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. After the first wave of enthusiasm provided by…
As expected Apple has rolled-out iOS 11.3.1 with the main goal of patching a bug that caused some iPhone 8 Touchscreens to become unresponsive. We’re talking about those devices that have been serviced by third party companies which use non-genuine replacement displays. It’s an issue that surfaced after the official release of iOS 11.3. We’ve…
- Unable To Verify Update iOS 17 Is Temporarily Unavailable?
- iOS 17.0.2 Issues, Bugs, Fixes For iPhone 15 & 15 Pro
- macOS Ventura 13.6 Issues, Features, Bug Fixes And Security
- iOS 16.7 Issues, Features, Bug Fixes, Security Improvements
- watchOS 10.0.1 Issues, Bugs, Security, Fixes, Changes & More
- iOS 17.0.1 Issues, Fixes, Bugs, Problems, Changes & More
- iPadOS 17 Issues, Features, Bugs, Changes, Problems & More
- Listen For Siri Not Available On iPhone In iOS 17? (Fix!)
- iOS 17 Notifications Sound Too Quiet? Low Volume? Fix?
- AirPods 6A300 Issues, Features, Improvements, Bugs & More


text: Compiled ByJill Jusko Manufacturers have until March 30 to participate in an online warehouse benchmarking survey administered by The Logistics Institute (TLI) at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. TLI will use the survey results to develop a "State of Warehousing" report that will be presented at the Warehousing Education and Research Council conference in San Francisco April 28-30. Company names related to the survey will be kept confidential, says TLI. Participating companies will be rewarded for their participation. Each will receive a tailored report highlighting its place in the results. For more information on the survey, visit the 2003 Warehouse Benchmarking Survey introductory page, which will lead you into the survey.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? The U.S. newspaper industry’s financial slump reached a discouraging milestone during the second quarter. Advertising revenue, newspapers’ main source of revenue, has now been falling for five years.
The April-June period marked the 20th straight quarter that ad revenue at U.S. newspapers decreased from the prior year. Newspapers brought in nearly $6 billion from print and online advertising combined during the second quarter, a 7 percent decline from the same time in 2010.
The Newspaper Association of America released the figures Thursday.
Newspapers have been stung by a weak economy and a technology shift that has driven more readers and advertisers to less expensive alternatives on the Internet.
Publishers have been trying to adapt by expanding their digital operations, but online ads aren’t as lucrative as print.


text:
American Express decides to cut 5,400 jobs
WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse
American Express has said that the jobs to be eliminated will be mostly in travel businesses. The company currently has 63,500 employees prior to lay-offs.American Express said Jan.10 it would lay off 8.5 percent of its workforce in 2013, in an effort to contain operating expenses and adapt to customers moving to online and mobile platforms.
The bank said it would eliminate 5,400 jobs, though some of those will be offset by new positions, for a net cut of 4-6 percent of the 63,500-strong workforce.
The layoffs will span different staff groups and businesses, both in the United States and its international operations, the company said.
The largest reductions will be in AmEx’s travel businesses “which operate in an industry that is being fundamentally reinvented as a result of the digital revolution.” It said it took a $400 million restructuring charge in its fourth quarter to December 31 to cover some of the severance costs of the layoffs.
The restructuring is “designed to contain future operating expenses, adapt parts of the business as more customers transact online or through mobile channels, and provide the resources for additional growth initiatives in the US and internationally,” AmEx said.
Excluding the restructuring costs and other special items, the bank said its fourth-quarter net earnings came in at $1.2 billion, the same as the year-earlier figure.
After the extra costs, net income was at $637 million, or 56 cents a share, compared with $1.01 a share for the fourth quarter of 2011. “Maintaining our momentum in this environment will require us to evolve our business, embrace new technologies, become more efficient and generate resources to invest in the many growth opportunities we’ve identified,” said chief executive Kenneth Chenault.
“For the next two years, our aim is to hold annual operating expense increases to less than three percent.
“The overall restructuring program will put us in a better position as we seek to deliver strong results for shareholders and to maintain marketing and promotion investments at about nine percent of revenues.”


text:
Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
The OPPO R9s and R9s Plus are here with 16MP front and rear cameras
Follow the handset's announcement last week, the OPPO R9s is now on sale in China with a modest 2,799 Yuan (approximately $415) price tag. The smartphone is available to purchase through a variety of offline and online stores in the country, including OPPO's official website.
Unfortunately, there's no sign of the OPPO R9s Plus just yet, which was announced at the same time as the R9s. OPPO says that we will have to wait until December for that model to go on sale. In the meantime, the R9s is available in rose gold and regular gold color options. The company says that it has stocked up on 1 million of the handsets in advance, in order to keep up with consumer demand.
There's good reason for such a claim too, as OPPO has just become China's number one smartphone manufacturer for the first time, according to IDC research data. The vendor's market share is up a notable 5.8% year-on-year in the country, securing the company a 17.5% market share or 20.1 million shipments for Q3 2016. vivo came in second place with 19.2 million shipments and a 16.7% share, followed by HUAWEI (18 million, 15.7%), Xiaomi (10 million, 8.7%), and Apple (8.2 million, 7.1%). Importantly, OPPO and vivo have been on upward trends in the past year, while Xiaomi and Apple have seen sales in the country fall by around 50 percent.
Original, Oct 19th:
If you’ve been eager for 16 million pixel selfies, OPPO has you covered. At an event in China, the Chinese manufacturer lifted the lid on its new R9s and R9s Plus smartphones, both of which feature 16MP front and rear cameras.
The R9s is the smaller of the two metal-clad devices, with a 5.5-inch 1080p display and Snapdragon 625 processor, while the R9s Plus comes with a 6-inch 1080p screen and Snapdragon 653 chipset.
Similar to the OPPO F1s series, the handsets have a particular focus on photography. They feature a Sony IMX398 sensor with f/1.7 aperture on the rear and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture. The smaller R9s lacks OIS and dual-LED flash, but these are in place on the larger R9s Plus.
Both R9s and R9s Plus make use of a combined fingerprint sensor / home button and benefit from OPPO’s proprietary flash-charging system VOOC – said to boost devices by 75 percent in 30 minutes – for their respective 3,010mAh and 4,000mAh batteries.
Rounding off the vital specs is 4GB RAM for the R9s and 6GB RAM for the R9s Plus, in addition to 64GB internal storage space expandable via microSD card (up to 128GB).
The devices will run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box with OPPO’s ColorOS 3.0 skin on top when they go on sale – the OPPO R9s is launching in China on October 28 and the R9s Plus following in December. There’s currently no word on US pricing or availability, but we’ll let you know when we learn more.
What are your thoughts on the new OPPO duo? Let us know in the comments.


text:
By Caleb Garling
Microsoft just paid $1.2 billion for Yammer. But it still plans on giving away the company’s social-networking service for free.
At least, that’s the word from David Sacks, the CEO of Yammer, a San Francisco outfit whose service is best described as Facebook for use inside businesses. The almost-4-year-old company is part of a new breed of startup that seeks to find its way into the world’s businesses by offering a free service that office workers will start using on their own. The idea is that once their employees are hooked on the product, businesses will pay for tools that give their IT departments more control over the thing.
According to Sacks, Yammer will stick with this “freemium” model as it moves under Microsoft’s wing, and it will use the strategy to encourage adoption not only of its own products, but existing Microsoft tools as well. Microsoft declined to comment for this story, but clearly, the company is working to change the way its core business operates in order to keep up with the latest wave of tech outfits.
“Everybody has shifted to this model because its so compelling to let the end users try the software before [businesses] buy it,” Sacks tells Wired in his first interview since the big acquisition. “We’re going to look to see if Yammer can keep fueling its own growth — but fuel the growth of Office 365.”
Office 365 is the online incarnation of Microsoft’s venerable Office suite of business applications that includes such familiar tools as Word and Excel. In launching the latest version of Office earlier this month, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that the software giant would eventually integrate Yammer with various Office applications.
Ballmer called Office “the most important product we sell,” and though the suite is still a mainstay in businesses across the planet, it’s getting some serious competition from Google Apps — the search giant’s suite of business apps, which operates entirely online.
“Google is cutting into Microsoft’s business for both email and personal productivity suites — the latter, by slow attrition rather than direct replacement,” read a report from research outfit Gartner in May of this year. “Compared with Microsoft, Google appears to be winning one-third to one-half of new, paid-for, cloud-based office system seats.”
In response, Microsoft has moved Office onto the net. Office 365 launched over a year ago, but Ballmer calls the new version the first version “designed from the get-go” as an online service. That said, it continues to build and sell local software applications as well. These can be used in tandem with the online services, but they can also plug into back-end software running on your own servers. When you’re the size of Microsoft, you can only change so much.
Microsoft has long touted its Sharepoint software — a broad tool that facilitates office collaboration — as a platform for building social networks, and many companies are using it in this way, including game developer Electronic Arts. But it seems that Microsoft sees Yammer as a way of backing its Office tools with a social network more along the lines of Facebook and the various business services that mimic Mark Zuckerberg’s creation, including Salesforce.com’s Chatter.
According to Sacks, the Yammer and Microsoft product teams are already exploring how Yammer can better integrate with Office 365, SharePoint, the customer relationship management tool Dynamics, and Skype, the voice-over-IP service that also came to Microsoft by way of acquisition. Yammer will join Microsoft’s Office Division, led by Kurt DelBene.
At the same time, Sacks says, Microsoft hopes to significantly expand the reach of Yammer, which claims more than 5 million corporate users, including such names as Deloitte, Ford, and 7-11. And apparently, this means the company will double-down on the freemium idea. “[Microsoft] really believes in the viral, freemium business model and we’re going to continue that,” he says. “I think Microsoft would like to see us at hundreds of millions users.”
Andy McLoughlin — the co-founder of Huddle, a startup offering online collaboration tools that compete with Yammer — believes Yammer’s acquisition validates the notion that social networks can play into a larger ecosystem of business applications. But at the same time, he questions whether Microsoft can actually make this work with its existing suite of tools, which come from a very different world.
“I think a lot of businesses who have been running Yammer are going to be shocked three months later when they get a call from Microsoft and hear, ‘You’ve been using this tool that you like. How about spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on enterprise software?’” McLoughlin says.
“If I was Yammer, the biggest concern that I would have is if [Microsoft] is going to take my nice, friendly brand and re-release it as something like ‘Microsoft Social Cloud Server 2015.’”
Aaron Levie — the CEO of Box, another outfit that seeks to work its way into business using the freemium model — has been a vocal critic of Microsoft in the past, associating the giant with the software of the past. But he has cooled on his criticisms recently, and he now believes that Microsoft is moving in the right direction as it uses Yammer to further consolidate the many tools it offers to businesses.
He compares the move to software giant SAP buying SuccessFactors, another outfit that sought to reinvent business software by moving it online. Indeed, Microsoft is just one of many tech giants who are scrambling to keep up with the new world order. At the very least, you have to say it’s moving in the right direction.


text:
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WTXL) -- The Bainbridge Farmers' Market is back in full swing for the fall season!
It's a place to get fresh food and other produce, and gives area vendors the chance to see their products and other homemade goods.
Organizers say, "We strive to bring the community together around fresh local food."
Some of the popular produce is season now includes greens and peppers. Bakers are usually on hand as well, selling homemade bread and even pumpkin bread for the season. There's also a vendor who sells boiled peanuts each week.
Organizers say there are also kids activities, including corn hole, chalk and other games, to keep children entertained while their parents are shopping.
The Bainbridge Farmers' Market is every Saturday, rain or shine, from 8 a.m. until noon. It's running now through December 19, and then reopens from March through June.
Everything is on the Square in Downtown Bainbridge.
For more information, call (229) 329-3135 or click here.


text:
Meet Rich Bloomfield, Zack Day, and Greg Williams; they are the founders of a brewery in Chicago called Funkytown Brewery. The trio have been friends since 4th grade, grew up together, and are graduates of Grambling State University (Louisiana).
After university, the trio returned to Chicago together and later realized that they were the only Black people bringing craft beer to the baby showers, parties, backyard barbecues, and other events they attended.
“We noticed at all types of functions where there were women, Black people, and Hispanic people, we were the only guys bringing it around,” Bloomfield, who is Funkytown’s CEO, told PorchDrinking. “Friends would ask them questions about the beers they’d brought, and it gave the trio opportunities to explain their interest in craft to an audience that historically hadn’t been included in that scene.”
“We explained that stuff and were able to get this feedback and find beers that were palatable to these people,” Bloomfield recalled. “So it was just like, this is natural to us. If we start brewing beer, understanding these underserved communities’ palates, we can reach a whole different market and introduce a new community to craft beer.”
The trio started homebrewing together ahead of a plan to launch a brewery that serves black and other minority communities.
In 2021, the business partners opened Funkytown inside Pilot Project, a brewery incubator in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood.
“We’re trying to get more Black folks, Brown folks, and women involved in craft beer, so we figured the best way to do that was to make more palatable and traditional styles that are low in bitterness,” said Day, director of brewing operations. “That way, people can find their own type of on-ramp into the craft beer game. We don’t want to turn them off with something that’s too bitter.”
Meanwhile, their beer has found success in the market. Funkytown beer can be found in Wisconsin and Indiana aside from Chicago. In 2022, they brewed 800 BBLs of beer and they are on pace to double that for this year. With Funkytown beer, the founders said they are determined to reach underserved potential craft fans. They also indicated that their business reflects their love for 90s hip-hop, and that is why they call it Funkytown Brewery.
In February, WLS reported that Funkytown is the only Black-owned brewery that actually makes its beer in Chicago. At the moment, less than 1% of the breweries across the country are Black-owned, the platform added.


text:
Only four weeks since its launch, Jess and Soph Blazkowicz broke into the wild, punching Nazi’s in the face throughout Paris, and even wreaking havoc on local Nazi leaders. Now, to help them out comes a brand new set of changes that help improve the experience.
The Blazkowicz twins have been a busy duo since the launch of Wolfenstein: Youngblood, the latest spin-off in the Wolfenstein series to accompany the launch of their sister title, Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot.
Since the launch of their latest title, MachineGames and Arkane Studios Lyon have been a busy duo themselves, working hard to bring out Patch 1.0.4 to PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in just the past couple of weeks. The follow-up patch, 1.0.5 is on its way and will bring with it even bigger changes than its predecessor including the adjusted difficulty to all boss encounters, adjustments to enemies feeling like absolute “bullet sponges” and granting ammo for basic weapons after a players death.
The update, available now on PC, also comes with some other improvements including enhancements to your characters A.I. sister. You can check out the key highlight elements from the 1.0.5 patch notes below:
- Adjusting difficulty of all boss fights
- Taking a variety of actions designed to reduce the feeling of enemy “bullet sponginess”
- Granting ammo for basic weapons after player respawn
- Adding more special weapon ammo throughout more difficult areas
- Adding duplicate tutorial laptops to the game to make 100% completion more attainable
- Fixing an issue that could cause an area to respawn enemies prematurely
The patch is expected to arrive on consoles in the upcoming weeks. Meanwhile, you can check out our review for the PC version of Wolfenstein: Youngblood where we state that “Wolfenstein: Youngblood could very well be one of the greatest the series has to offer in quite some time,” with a score of 9 out of 10.
About the Writer(s):
Dustin is our native console gamer, PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the borders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter or Facebook.


text:
Starbucks Corporation SBUX reported its fiscal third quarter adjusted earnings at 84 cents per share, beating the consensus estimate of 75 cents per share.
KeyBanc Capital Markets On Starbucks
Analyst Eric Gonzalez maintained a Sector Weight rating for the company.
Starbucks delivered an earnings beat on the back of better-than-expected margins in North America, Gonzalez said in a note. “International results were weighed down by COVID restrictions in China, but results outside the region were relatively strong,” he added.
“Inflation is expected to remain near F3Q22 levels in F4Q, wage increases took effect on August 1, and conditions in China remain volatile,” the analyst wrote.
Wedbush On Starbucks
Analyst Nick Setyan reiterated a Neutral rating, while raising the price target from $81 to $86.
The Seattle-based coffee chain delivered “another solid quarter,” driven by momentum in the U.S., Setyan said in a note. “Management also noted that International ex. China outperformed, led by Japan, which contributed to the bottom-line beat,” he added.
“Near- and medium-term visibility remains limited ahead of 9/13 Investor Day,” the analyst further mentioned.
Check out other analyst stock ratings.
BMO Capital Markets On Starbucks
Analyst Andrew Strelzik maintained an Outperform rating and a price target of $105.
“SBUX’s F3Q22 EPS of $0.84 exceeded consensus by $0.07 as stronger North America margins and $0.05 of favorable non-recurring costs more than offset investments and softer China trends,” Strelzik wrote in a note.
He added that the upcoming Investor Day “could be a catalyst for a shift in market's focus to SBUX's future earnings potential.”
RBC Capital Markets On Starbucks
Analyst Christopher Carril maintained a Sector Perform rating, while keeping the price target unchanged at $87.
“SBUX delivered a 3FQ EPS beat, though results were mixed, with ~in line Americas comp and better-than-expected margins helping to offset ongoing COVID impact on China top line,” Carril said in a note.
“Looking ahead, a slower-than-anticipated China recovery and increased US investment levels will pressure 4FQ margins/EPS,” he added.
SBUX Price Action: Shares of Starbucks had risen by 2.75% to $86.01 at the time of publication Wednesday.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


text:
David – Cryptocurrency Expert
The acting Chief Accountant of the SEC stated that they are cautioning investors to be wary of statements made by cryptocurrency exchange platforms
Paul Munter noted that the SEC will take a referral to the enforcement division under consideration
Proof-of-reserve filings don't include enough information, the SEC cautioned
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly tightened its monitoring of cryptocurrency auditors' work for cryptocurrency businesses.
"We are telling investors to be very skeptical of some of the promises that are being made by crypto firms. If we come across fact patterns that seem troubling, we will think about referring the case to the division," said Paul Munter, acting chief accountant for the SEC, in an interview. Crypto firms have been working to regain consumers' faith since FTX's demise by utilizing their proof of reserves report demonstrating that they still hold their customers' money. As a result, cryptocurrency businesses are contacting audit companies to provide third-party guarantees to clients and investors.
The SEC stated that these proof-of-reserve reports do not give adequate information and that people who are investing in cryptocurrency should exercise caution when relying on them. Additionally, according to the SEC, some of these disclosures do not contain all the pertinent financial information because crypto businesses later claim that doing so violates confidentiality.
As investor anxiety grows, the SEC is also cautioning auditing companies that publishing crypto audit findings might harm their reputation. The auditing assertions were recently deemed untrustworthy by FTX's new CEO John Ray. Many companies, including Mazar, the author of Binance's reserves report, have halted as a result of the increasing pressure on auditors. Due to the possibility of legal action, damage to their image, and increasing regulatory scrutiny, the Big Four accounting firms are actually not prepared to audit the proof of reserves report.
Even that said, considering that most users have already taken their coin holdings and other crypto assets out of these various crypto exchange platforms, exchanges that make it through this winter market could be considered reliable. But ultimately, it seems that the major lesson from this bear market is to store your assets in wallets that do not have access to your private keys.
Store your crypto in your personal wallet and if you are looking for a regular top-up, make sure to visit BCBitcoin – a cryptocurrency broker. The website lets its registered users to buy and sell cryptocurrency and so much more.


text:
Kabul (BNA) Clothing store has fired in 13th district of Kabul.
According to BNA, minutes ago, a large cloth store got fire.
Kabul police spokesman Ferdows Faramarz said firefighters have arrived and are trying to contain the blaze.
Kabul police spokesman did not say what caused the fire. Police are on the scene and an investigation has been launched into how the fire broke out.


text:
Indian EV Industry Welcomes Incentives Under The New Maharashtra EV Policy 2021
The Indian government and stakeholders are pressing for the adoption of electric cars to be accelerated. Climate change is a global problem, and sustainability has emerged as a potential option for a safe future. Governments are becoming more used to charting global sustainable paths. Climate change objectives are incorporating into industry and society to show accountability for a more ecologically conscious future. Emerging technology and game-changing breakthroughs are paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future. Electric cars (EVs) are emerging as a game-changing sustainable alternative, and India has recognised large-scale EV adoption as crucial to reaching its targets.
What is the new scheme this time?
Revolt Motors, a RattanIndia-backed EV manufacturer, has praised the new Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy, claiming that its implementation, together with the FAME II incentives, will hasten the state EV adoption. Furthermore, Revolt Motors stated on Wednesday that the higher subsidy given under the new plan, making EV bikes more cheap and accessible to users.
Separately, credit rating agency ICRA stated that considering the significant contribution of the state to overall car sales in India, the policy's allocation towards demand incentives (including early-bird discounts) is a big plus.
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government revealed its new EV strategy, which aims to attain a 10% share of total registrations for electric vehicles by 2025, among other things.
According to the Policy, the state government aims to reach 10% EV penetration as new vehicle registrations by 2025, as well as 25% EV adoption in public transportation and last-mile delivery trucks in six main cities by 2025: Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Nashik.
What is the government aim for by updating it?
It also intends to have an all-electric fleet of government cars by April 2022. In addition, the strategy calls for the government to provide subsidised incentives for the installation of 2,500 charging stations in cities and routes around the state. According to the New EV policy of the state, new real estate projects will require EV charging ready parking.
According to the firm, Maharashtra was one of the first states where Revolt began sales in February of last year, and it is rapidly expanding its sales dealership network in the state in response to high demand.
According to Revolt, the Maharashtra state government would give Rs 10,000 every bike as an incentive. Customers who purchase an e-bike before December 31, 2021, will receive an extra early-bird incentive of Rs 15,000 in addition to the benefits of Rs 10,000, for a total incentive of Rs 25,000.
It is similar to the FAME II incentive for EV producers, released today by the central government, which amounts to Rs 48,000 per bike in the case of Revolt, adding that merging these incentives will result in at least Rs 64,000 for every bike sold by Revolt in Maharashtra.
Additionally, EV bikes will be exempt from road tax and registration costs, allowing customers to save even more money. In addition, owners of petrol two-wheelers who transition to EVs would earn a scrappage incentive of Rs 7,000.
What is the view of the company towards the revised EV policy?
"In addition to the FAME II incentive, Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 of Maharashtra will expedite the state's adoption of electric cars," According to the company, “the new scheme's enhanced subsidy would make electric bikes more inexpensive and accessible to users."
The Maharashtra government's EV strategy, according to ICRA, is another step toward attaining speedier EV penetration in India.
Shamsher Dewan's Reaction: What did Shamsher Dewan, Vice President for Corporate Sector Ratings at ICRA Ltd. say on this?
"Like other states, Maharashtra's administration has disclosed its EV policy. The state government has proposed allocating Rs 930 crore over the next four years to encourage the use of electric vehicles and provide the essential charging infrastructure", ICRA Ltd Group Head and Vice President for Corporate Sector Ratings, Shamsher Dewan, stated.
"Considering the state's large contribution to overall vehicle sales in India, the policy's contribution toward demand incentive (including early bird discount) is a huge plus," ICRA said, noting that the expenditure will support by a mix of environmental and fuel cess.
It claims that combining the policy's numerous benefits will considerably reduce the price gap between EVs and ICEs, particularly for electric two and three-wheelers. The programme also encourages widespread usage of e-buses in important cities around the state, according to ICRA.
Although the policy framework of the state government will significantly contribute to the promotion of EV systems in the country, its implementation will be dependent on several factors, including the cost of the vehicle, the distance covered by a single fee, and, most importantly, the accessibility of charging infrastructure. In terms of EV adoption, India is off to a terrific start. To guarantee that EVs become a mainstream transportation choice in the country, tailor-made policy efforts, fast implementation, and industry-friendly regulation will be necessary.
Who are we?
At Kazam, we take care of our EV buyers and provide you with complete EV solutions. From battery and charging solutions to the range and cost of electric vehicles. Make an appointment right now! Visit Kazam EV at https://www.kazam.in/ for more information, or send us a message on our social media handles Kazam EV, and we will respond to your kazamly!


text:
Our Continued Commitment to Downtown Seattle
Nordstrom supports our hometown with donations to Friends of Seattle Waterfront and Challenge Seattle's coalition to aid the unhoused
LaQuan Hearts Nordstrom Fall/Winter 2022 Celebration
On Monday, February 14th, we partnered with LaQuan Smith to celebrate his Fall/Winter 2022 collection
NYC Center Stage: Black-Owned Brooklyn
In honor of Black History Month, we have launched an in-store marketplace with Black-Owned Brooklyn
Nordstrom Named World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune
Today, Fortune Magazine released their Most Admired Companies list, and Nordstrom is honored to be recognized for the 13th consecutive year.
Introducing The Nordy Pod, a New Podcast Hosted by President and Chief Brand Officer Pete Nordstrom
We've launched our very first podcast, The Nordy Pod
Pete Nordstrom Joins NRF: How Curiosity and Collaboration is Key
President and Chief Brand Officer Pete Nordstrom joined the NRF Big Show to talk about new brand partnerships and our alternative merchandising approach
New to Nordstrom: Tom Brady Releases Sports Apparel Brand, BRADY
Bringing Flexibility to Payments with Buy Now, Pay Later Programs
Part of the Nordstrom customer experience now includes flexible payment options
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
This year, we are proud to be honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by supporting local communities and providing our employees the resources to help give back
Center Stage Latest Activation: Diptyque
From January 10 to February 13 our Center Stage at Nordstrom NYC will feature luxury perfumer Diptyque.
A Year in Review: Celebrating 2021 with our Brand Partners, Customers and Employees
Celebrating 2021's major milestones and events
CTO Edmond Mesrobian Joins the Bloomberg Technology Summit
See highlights from the Bloomberg Technology Summit as Edmond shares insight into the journey of building our digital-first platform
Partnering with Operation Warm to Deliver Coats to Kids in Local Communities
We partnered with Operation Warm to host coat delivery events in Toronto and NYC
2021's Top Trends: A Year of Joy and Self-Expression
We rounded up a few of the year's top trends and launches as we look back on 2021
Good Housekeeping Raise the Green Bar Summit: Gigi Ganatra Duff
Good Housekeeping hosted their annual Raise the Green Bar Summit, where they aim to help consumers, companies and industries create more sustainable products and practices.
Nordstrom Celebrates Giving Tuesday by Launching Holiday Giving Campaign and Giving $1.5 Million Benefitting Underserved Youth
Each holiday season, Nordstrom continues our commitment to give back to the communities we serve by helping organizations that support the basic needs of kids and families. We're proud of all our charitable efforts throughout the year, but the holidays are an especially important time to support
Sub Pop Records Releases Nordstrom Signature Song Never Be Another You
The Project Is a Collaboration with Seattle-based emerging artist Shaina Shepherd benefitting Africatown
Vogue Business and Google Summit: Shea Jensen on the Evolving Merchandise Strategy
Shea Jensen, joined the Vogue Business and Google Summit to discuss brand discovery and connection
Gifts that Give Back this Holiday Season
Looking for a gift that gives back? We’ve rounded up some of our favorites!
New Concepts@Nordstrom launches Concept 015: Make It Bazaar
Make it Bazaar features an eclectic mix of the very best gifts and fashion items for the upcoming holiday season
Finding the Right Fit: Styling Services for Every Occasion
Regardless of budget, body type, or lifestyle, our styling services provide an easy and accessible experience to serve every customer on their terms
Announcing Our Partnership with Zerina Aker's Black Owned Everything
We are proud to launch a partnership with Black Owned Everything and founder and celebrity stylist Zerina Akers
Sounds Like Nordstrom
We're excited to share our Make Merry holiday campaign video featuring the song Never Be Another You
Over the next few days, we'll highlight employees from around the company and the important role AfroTech plays in achieving our goals.
Celebrating with CFDA/Vogue and the 2021 Emerging Designer Finalists
We have partnered with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund on an in-store installation and cocktail event to celebrate the 2021 finalists
Nordstrom to Hire More Than 28,000 Employees Across Supply Chain, Stores and Care Teams for the Holidays
The holidays are the busiest time of the year, and we need your help to make this season a merry one!
Starting School on the Right Foot: Shoes That Fit Local Delivery Events
We hosted shoe delivery events at local elementary schools in Chicago, New York and Seattle
Presenting Sponsor of The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT Luncheon
We joined The Couture Council as a presenting sponsor honoring Wes Gordon, creative director of Carolina Herrera with its 2021 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion.


text:
Economic instability and high inflation rates have had a significant impact on the authorized retail resale sector for household appliances in Kosovo. Quickly adapting to the difficulties brought by the reflection of the global crisis in the domestic market, Neptun Kosova, part of BALFIN Group, is investing in two main directions: network expansion and technologies that improve internal process.
Neptun Kosovo’s CEO, Faruk Ademi, briefly explains Neptun’s plans and the current situation.
What are Neptun’s plans, will there be an expansions and new stores in Kosovo?
In the short term, the expansion chain includes two new openings in Gjakova and Malisheva, cities where we are not yet present. Meanwhile, in the long run, the expansion trend will continue to cover the country’s map with Neptun’s blue colour.
What can you tell us about your cooperation with international partners? Who are they and how do you interact with them?
Our portfolio includes the world’s most powerful brands, which through their products continue to leave important traces in the world of technology, such as Apple, LG, Samsung, Sony, Beko, Grundig, Philips, and many more. In addition, the ongoing market fluctuations resulting from the recently built crisis have exacerbated the post-pandemic difficulties, both in terms of logistics and in terms of price increase caused by a shortage in raw materials. However, we remain committed to strengthening the bridges of cooperation and providing ways for interaction to avoid blocking the work processes.
Neptun is seen as the supplier of the latest technology in the homes of citizens. How is Neptun Kosovo itself benefiting from technology?
A first step in the technology that Neptun is implementing in Kosovo is the digitalization of the system, an innovation that will ensure the most effective management of day-to-day operations in each segment. Beyond the tendency to follow the pace of digitalization, this initiative will move the level of operational action to another scale. The integration of all units through the intelligent system will enable the reflection of business performance in analytical and visual reports, easily readable and comparable.
Which platforms or applications are used to reward consumers?
Our Loyalty program “haPPy”, whose sole scope since its launch is the rewarding of our customers through the scheme of promotional prices and coupons from the points collected.
What is your performance forecast for the rest of the year?
Judging by the fact that we are impacted by the constant economic changes not only at a national but also at an international level, we forecast a decline in performance and difficulties, compared to last year. Therefore, for a growth trend trajectory, a strong and rapid economic recovery is needed. However, we are constantly accommodating prices in line with consumer demand and organizing campaigns that raise awareness not only of the challenging prices but also of the rewards as an added value of promotion. In addition, dynamics similar to these will be followed throughout the year. Thus, we see such challenges as opportunities to embrace positive changes, like the digital transformation, which has significantly altered consumer behaviour and the way industries operate.


text:
A few years back, Samsung was ruling the Indian smartphone market’s budget segment. But then, it lost its crown to Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi. Now, it seems like the South Korean technology giant is working on taking the top spot back with its upcoming Galaxy M series. The line-up is set to replace smartphones from Samsung’s existing Galaxy On series and Galaxy J series.
Last week, the company confirmed the launch of its Samsung Galaxy M10 and now, it has confirmed that it will be launching its first Galaxy M smartphones in the country on January 28. It is worth noticing that this will be the global launch of the company’s Galaxy M series devices.
It has also been announced that the smartphones will be sold exclusively via Amazon India’s website along with Samsung’s online store. According to Samsung, the devices will deliver a power-packed performance. Having said that, it didn’t disclose any specifications of the upcoming smartphones. Samsung just said that the smartphones in Galaxy M series will come with a powerful display, powerful camera, powerful battery and a powerful processor.
Various reports about the upcoming smartphones have surfaced online and it has been claimed that Samsung will be launching three devices – Galaxy M10, Galaxy M20 and Galaxy M30.
In an interview with Reuters, Samsung India’s Senior Vice President said that the upcoming smartphones will house large batteries and come equipped with fast charging. This is in-sync with an earlier report that Samsung Galaxy M20 will feature a 5,000mAh battery, which is the highest battery capacity ever seen on a Samsung smartphone.
Previous leaks have also thrown some light on the Galaxy M10 smartphone. According to reports, the device will come with a 5.6-inch LCD display and will be powered by an Exynos 7870 processor coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. It has also been reported that the smartphone will house a 3,000mAh battery.
Speaking of Samsung Galaxy M20, it will feature a 6.1-inch LCD display and will run the Exynos 7885 processor. Much like Samsung Galaxy M10, the device will have 3GB of RAM, but will come with a bigger 64GB of internal storage. As we mentioned earlier, it will reportedly house a 5,000mAh battery.
Coming to Samsung Galaxy M30, it will come with an Infinity U display and will house a 5,000mAh battery too. Samsung Galaxy M30 will come with a triple rear camera setup comprising of a 13MP and two 5MP sensors. For selfies and video calls, there will be a 16MP sensor on the devices.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.


text:
The recent lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) against the largest crypto exchange in the world, Binance, has stirred up a variety of opinions within the cryptocurrency sector. According to Jim Bianco, president and founder of Bianco Research, this lawsuit could be a massive mistake if other countries embrace the crypto industry’s development, eventually replacing traditional banking systems. Bianco believes that this enforcement action is another attempt by U.S. lawmakers to drive crypto out of the country.
The SEC accused Changpeng Zhao‘s Binance of offering unregistered securities and staking services, violating U.S. securities laws. This allegation followed similar charges against Justin Sun and three of his companies earlier this year. Aaron Kaplan, co-CEO and co-founder of Prometheum Inc., sees the enforcement action as the beginning of a shift in the U.S. towards a regulated market, which should ultimately help the industry move forward.
However, the regulatory crackdown could negatively impact U.S. investors. Richard Mico, the U.S. CEO and Chief Legal Officer of Banxa, believes that the lack of regulatory clarity is causing digital asset ventures to leave the United States for friendlier jurisdictions, potentially depriving the country of jobs and innovation.
On the other hand, some experts approve the SEC’s actions against Binance, considering them long-overdue. Steve Rosenblum, founder of Libertify.com, criticizes Binance for its perceived lack of operational transparency, as high-ranking executives within the company seem to be largely inaccessible.
The SEC’s crackdown has created a wave of uncertainty, even for U.S.-based exchanges such as Coinbase. The exchange received a warning in March regarding potential enforcement action due to its listing of unregistered securities. Consequently, Coinbase shares dropped 10% following the news of the Binance lawsuit as the company shifted its focus towards operations in Canada and Seychelles.
Valerii Brizhatiuk, co-founder of Swisstronik, acknowledges that balancing a wide range of features, products, and investing services aimed at a global user base while adhering to U.S. regulations could be a challenge for industry players like Binance.
In conclusion, the SEC’s legal action against Binance has sparked a contentious conversation about regulating crypto exchanges in the United States. While some argue the lawsuit is a mistake that could hinder innovation, others believe that it represents a step towards a more transparent and accountable crypto industry.


text:
Christmas beer cheapest at Iceland arrivals duty-free
Varieties of Christmas beer are 22-55% cheaper at the arrivals duty-free shop at Iceland’s main international airport than in alcohol outlets around the country, it has been revealed.
The cheapest Christmas beer on sale at Keflavík International Airport (KEF) is Föroya jólabruggið, a six-pack of which will cost arriving passengers ISK 1,499 (approx. €12) – as compared to ISK 1,926 once outside airport.
At the other end of the scale, the most expensive beer on sale at KEF is Giljagaur, at ISK 2,999 (approx. €25) for a six-pack, as compared to ISK 4,662 in State-run alcohol stores – over 50% more expensive.
Under new customs allowance rules, passengers can now buy eighteen litres of beer at arrivals duty-free to bring into the country.
This information come from Icelandic travel and tourism news website Turisti (link in Icelandic).


text:
Merck beats expectations, helped by Keytruda sales
Jul 27, 2022, 4:11 PM | Updated: Jul 28, 2022, 4:13 am
Merck’s second-quarter sales and profit easily beat Wall Street expectations Thursday, boosted by sales growth of some of its key drugs.
Merck & Co. posted profit of $3.94 billion, or $1.87 per adjusted share, easily beating the $1.70 that analysts surveyed by data firm FactSet expected. Sales of $14.6 billion, 28% higher than a year ago, also topped expectations. Analysts expected sales of $13.9 billion.
As expected, sales of Merck’s COVID-19 treatment Lageverio treatment fell to about $1.2 billion from $3.25 billion in the first quarter when it became Merck’s second-biggest selling drug behind the cancer blockbuster Keytruda.
The treatment Paxlovid from rival drugmaker Pfizer was shown to be more effective in clinical trials than Lagevrio, which is not authorized for patients under age 18 because it might interfere with bone growth. The drug, which inserts tiny errors into the coronavirus’ genetic code, also isn’t recommended for pregnant women because of the potential for birth defects.
Excluding the drop in Lagevrio revenue, Merck reported sales growth of 18%, helped by sales of Keytruda, which grew 26% to $5.3 billion, and Gardisil, which saw sales growth of 36% to $1.7 billion.
The drugmaker, based in Kenilworth, New Jersey, raised its full year sales outlook to between $57.5 billion and $58.5 billion.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
One of the leading smartphone manufacturers, OPPO, has just announced plans to release the latest version of the Android operating system on its device lineup. The update, called ColorOS 14, brings many new features and improvements aimed at satisfying users.
Among several interesting additions, OPPO has introduced a tool called Image Matting, which allows for cutting out figures or other objects from photos. This is an excellent feature for people who enjoy experimenting with photo editing. Additionally, the company has focused on optimizing the management of background apps to improve performance and energy efficiency.
Another important aspect of the update is the ability to manually change the screen refresh rate, which will be available on selected models. This gives users greater freedom to customize display settings according to their preferences. Furthermore, OPPO will also introduce new security patches to enhance smartphone protection against cyber threats.
OPPO began updating its smartphone lineup in the fall of 2023, and the list of supported models is extensive. In the next wave of updates, scheduled for February 2024, many other OPPO models will receive Android 14 with ColorOS 14. This means that users will have access to the latest features and enhancements that contribute to better performance and usability of their OPPO devices.
However, it is important to note that plans may change, and timelines may be adjusted due to any potential software issues. Nevertheless, OPPO is ambitious and hopes to fulfill its plans according to schedule. Users can eagerly anticipate the new Android 14 update and enjoy even better capabilities on their OPPO smartphones.
FAQ based on the article:
1. What update is OPPO planning for its smartphone lineup?
OPPO plans to introduce the latest version of the Android operating system called ColorOS 14 on its devices.
2. What are the main features and improvements that will be introduced in the update?
– Image Matting tool for cutting out figures or other objects from photos.
– Optimization of background app management for improved performance and energy efficiency.
– Manual screen refresh rate adjustment.
– New security patches that enhance protection against cyber threats.
3. When did the update of OPPO’s smartphone lineup begin?
The update started in the fall of 2023.
4. Which OPPO models will receive the update in spring 2024?
In spring 2024, Android 14 with ColorOS 14 is planned to be introduced to many other OPPO smartphone models. Unfortunately, the article does not provide a list of these models.
5. Are delays possible in the planned update?
Yes, there is a possibility that plans may change or timelines may be adjusted due to any potential software issues.
6. Why is OPPO updating its smartphones?
OPPO updates its smartphones to provide users with access to the latest features and enhancements that contribute to better performance and usability of the devices.
Recommended related links:
– oppo.com (official OPPO website)
– android.com (official Android website)


text:
Salem Center sold for $27 million after former owners defaulted on loan
Salem Center is under new ownership after lenders purchased the mall for $27 million last month.
The mall's former owners, OGG Salem Center, owed $31.5 million on a loan originally issued by JP Morgan Chase Bank in 2012. But they stopped making payments, defaulting on the loan earlier this year.
That forced them into receivership and, eventually, a trustee's sale on Aug. 30, where the mall was purchased by an Oregon limited liability company — RSS JPMCC2012LC19-OR SCL.
MORE ON SALEM CENTER:
- Salem Center mall changes hands, faces foreclosure
- Nordstrom to shutter its store at Salem Center mall
New owners plan to continue operating the property normally, with the goal of selling it in the future, said David Foraker, an attorney with Miller Nash Graham & Dunn in Portland, who is representing the company.
"The mall is continuing to operate," Foraker said. The mall "will continue to operate as it always has." The shopping center has the same property manager, he said.
Salem Center General Manager Dana Vugteveen declined to comment.
An approximately 60,000-square-foot Nordstrom location that closed in April was not part of the August sale. JC Penney and Macy's department stores attach to the mall via skybridges, but are not part of the mall property.
According to court records filed in Marion County Circuit Court, there was "no new status on the progress of the sale of the vacant Nordstrom parcel" as of July.
Salem Center was originally the Nordstrom Mall, which opened in 1980. According to the mall's website, it now has approximately 70 stores, including Kohl's and Ross, as well as a food court.
Email email@example.com, call (503) 399-6714 or follow on Twitter @jonathanmbach.
More:Wanted: New home for the 14-foot, 3,000-lb. happy Buddha from Kwan's restaurant


text:
IKEA Canada reports sales of $2.6 billion for 2022
BURLINGTON, Ontario – While national store visits increased by 123%, IKEA Canada reported last week sales for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, only edged forward by 1.3% to $2.63 billion. However, that was sufficient to ensure it remains this country’s second largest furniture retailer.
The Canadian branch of Inter IKEA Group, the global home furnishings retailer based in the Netherlands, revealed it vital statistics for its last fiscal year in its newly published 2022 Summary Report.
It also announced it will open its second small format store in the Scarborough Town Centre – in the east end of Toronto – in the summer of 2023. Covering nearly 7,500 square meters on the ground floor at the northeast corner of the shopping centre, it joins the IKEA Toronto Downtown/Aura location that opened in May 2022.
“We are grateful Canadians are returning to connecting in-person, including at our IKEA stores, plan and order points, and design studios, and are pleased to announce our continued Canadian expansion,” IKEA Canada chief executive and chief sustainability officer Michael Ward said in a statement.
“The planned Scarborough store is part of our broader investment in sustainability, affordability, and omnichannel shopping experiences that help to make us more accessible to our customers,” he continued.
Like other major Canadian furniture and mattress retailers, instore has been measurably stronger than online since government restrictions imposed to curb the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted in mid-2021. IKEA Canada said e-commerce sales for its 2022 fiscal year totalled $640.5 million, or 24.3% of sales. However, that’s down 33.9% from the $969.5 million – or 34.7% of its $2.59 billion in sales – recorded for the prior year. Instore sales climbed an estimated 22.8% on a year-over-year basis.
Although classified as a furniture store by Statistics Canada – meaning sales of furniture and mattresses account for at least 50% of annual revenue – IKEA Canada doesn’t break down sales by product category.
However, the 2022 Summary Report does provide some insight into the retailer’s business – from furniture to food. For example, Canadian consumers turned thousands of preloved products into in-store credit this year through the IKEA Sell-Back program, while more than 78,000 spare parts orders were fulfilled, and hundreds of Canadians attended Care and Repair workshops to maintain and extend the life of their IKEA furniture.
Meanwhile, Canada has become one of the strongest global markets for the sale of plant balls, the recently launched plant-based alternative to IKEA’s classic meatballs.
“Our impact on the planet starts with the positive impact we make in the lives of our people. The continued growth and expansion we have achieved in Canada would not have been possible without the hard work, determination and skills of the co-workers who are at the heart of the IKEA Canada business. It’s only fitting that we show our gratitude through our actions,” Ward said.
IKEA Canada’s investment in its people included the disbursement of a one-time financial gift estimated at $6 million to eligible co-workers, in recognition of the contribution they made during the pandemic. The company has also expanded its benefits, enabling co-workers to use their Wellness Spending for a wider range of health services such as alternative medicine, holistic health services, Indigenous traditional healing practices, and gender affirmation.
Other key findings in the IKEA 2022 Summary Report include:
- Customers made over 189 million online visits to IKEA.ca and the IKEA app between September 2021 and August 2022 while 1.77 million orders were delivered and 776,510 click and collect orders were processed.
- Food sales increased 160% to $97.5 million, with customers enjoying more than 20 million meatballs, nearly seven million plant balls, more than 1.7 million hot dogs and 1.8 million frozen yogurts.
- Canada’s most-purchased items included FRAKTA shopping bags, as well as classic, affordable dinnerware from the OFTAST Series.
To learn more about the 2022 results achieved by IKEA Canada, visit IKEA.ca/Reports.
Related Story: IKEA setting plan and order point location for Brossard
Related Story: IKEA stores hosting Indigenous art


text:
The PC platform is a "centre of innovation" and key to the future of gaming according to Valve boss Gabe Newell.
Speaking to Develop, Newell explained, "We see [the PC] as the centre of innovation of everything that's going on, whether it's microtransactions, MMOs, free-to-play, or something like CityVille which – after its first month – has 84 million people playing.
"To us, this is just an indication of why open platforms are where innovations are going to occur."
Even thought the traditionally PC-focussed studio behind the likes of Half Life, Portal and Left 4 Dead has now embraced console development too, Newell insisted that he was "tremendously excited about the future of PC gaming."
Despite many commenters' claims that PC gaming has seen better days, a number of high profile developers have joined Newell in sticking up for the platform in recent months.
Back in October, Blizzard's Rob Pardo said, "I always laugh because as long as I've been in the games industry, every year I'm asked 'is PC gaming dead?' But it keeps on growing despite the fact it's been pronounced dead 20 times."
And in September, id Software boss Tim Willits told Eurogamer, "In my opinion the PC will always be the core of the gaming industry - it is the timeless stable platform that as developers we will always be able to rely on.
"Unlike consoles, the PC doesn't disappear because one company decided it wasn't profitable or decided to make a new version. The PC platform is always evolving but staying stable."
Next up from Valve is Portal 2, due out on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on 21st April.


text:
Apple is an American multinational company that develops, licenses, and produces tech devices. Apple is immensely famous as the first-ever smartphone created (after the communicator) was from Apple. This has given them various appreciative titles like the innovators, as Apple makes the first step in experimenting. Every Apple device comes with a price tag wiping the pockets of an average earner. Be it the iPhone, Mac device, watches- each of them is high end and expensive. It has always been a hot debate whether Apple serves the users for what they cost or is the branding and reputation that the users pay for. But Apple devices are known for smooth performance and excellent interface.
As you can see in the title, a huge transition is about to take place in the Mac line-ups and the time is nearing. Therefore, here we are with all that you need to know about the new chipset Mac devices will be powered by.
Apple to announce first ARM Mac chipset
Apple’s laptop/ desktop series, Macs presently, is powered by Intel’s microprocessor chipset. But seems like its bye to Intel, because Apple is all set to announce its new, custom-designed chipset series. It is officially confirmed that Apple will announce ARM chipset for Mac devices. iOS and WatchOS fantastically power the smartphones/ tablets and watches. So, it is time for the company’s laptops and computers to run on the very brand’s chipsets expected to drastically enhance the work of MacBook and Mac desktops.
It is reported (Bloomberg) that Apple has been working on ARM chipset for a while now. The company is developing a 12-core ARM chipset to power the Mac devices. This chipset will run on a 5-nanometer fabrication process. ARM chipset will massively increase the performance in comparison with the Intel-powered MacBook Airs. Also, users will get to enjoy longer battery backup after the shift to ARM chipset. But that’s not all, Apple dropping Intel will lead to a huge price cut in the upcoming MacBook devices, powered by ARM chips. So, all those who are planning to get yourself a Mac, you might want to wait a bit longer!
Bloomberg also reports that the team working on the project have seen various developments and better functioning with ARM chips. The GPU is now better as a system and the computational performance is boosted and improved. We can expect MacBook at its best as Apple makes the final steps in producing the ARM chips. The official announcement about ARM chipsets will be made at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Check out the dates below.
Apple’s ARM chipset official announcement and release dates-
Though the WWDC date isn’t officially announced yet, sources have reported that the conference will take place on June 22, 2020. WWDC this time is an online event due to the pandemic. Apple will announce the official transition from Intel to ARM chipsets for their Mac devices on the very same day. Alongside this, we will get to see iOS 14 announcement, WatchOS 7, and much more.
ARM chipsets will be available by 2021. This will fetch enough time for Mac developers to do the needful. This includes readying applications based on ARM chipsets and checks on compatibility.
Rest assured, we post related content and updates every day, so stay tuned! Also, share this article with all those who were waiting for this news!


text:
The rumour mill is in overdrive.
Grab the tissues
Here's what our favourite royal brides wore on their big day.
The Princess of Wales embodied quiet luxury when she stepped out for World Mental Health Day.
The royal has opened up about the passing of his mother, Princess Diana, in a new Netflix doco-series.


text:
One of the best ways to support members of your local community is to participate in Small Business Saturday. Always held the day after Black Friday, it’s this weekend!
In the midst of the recession in 2010 — American Express created Small Business Saturday® to encourage people to Shop Small and bring more holiday shopping to small businesses. Then in 2011, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of the day, with officials in all 50 states participating. In an effort to support their local communities, organizations across the country signed up to serve as Neighborhood Champions. These supporters brought their communities together with events and activities on Small Business Saturday and throughout the year.
You might not think about it, but every time you pick up a cup of coffee from your favorite neighborhood cafe or buy a gift from a local artist’s online store, you’re shopping small and making a difference. There are many ways to support small businesses every day. Not just on November 26. Here are some easy ways to become engaged…
- Buy gift cards.
- Post positive online reviews.
- Shop small business before big businesses.
- Share their social media posts.
- Check-in with small business owners and employees and see if they have a special event you can help spread the word on.
- Refer the business to your friends and family.
- Buy their products online.
So, let’s get out this weekend into our neighborhoods and support out local businesses. Buy those special holiday gifts from those who we interact with every day. When they thrive, we thrive!
These great local – Arlington, VA – businesses are having pop-up sales for Small Business Saturday in 2022. See more here: https://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/holiday-markets-shop-local-arlington/


text:
Dutch EV developer Lightyear has revealed its latest investment. The Helmond-based solar mobility specialist is receiving an Innovation Credit totaling 3.8 million euros from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The funds will be used to develop a production facility for the company’s solar roofs, which will allow the EV maker to scale up its production capacity and better anticipate the growing demand for solar roofs on vehicles. This comes just after Lightyear revealed its plans to expand its solar cell production with a new facility located in Venray.
To further develop its solar technology, Lightyear is also working with its renowned partners like TNO, among others. The new production facility in Venray will make it possible to further scale up research, development and production of its solar technology, with the final goal of making clean mobility possible for everyone and everywhere in the world.
“We’re extremely honored to receive this funding from RVO,” says Hans Heijmans, chief operations officer and managing director solar products at Lightyear. “We see it as a statement from the government that they believe in the technology Lightyear is developing and that solar mobility is seen as an important solution.”


text:
The author has also set up multiple lighting scenarios.
Chinese 3D Environment Artist Li DeCai has unveiled a beautiful new project. This time, the artist created a tiny stylized bridge environment, based on a 2D concept art. According to the artist, the model was made using a high poly and hand-painted workflow in 3ds Max, ZBrush, and Substance 3D Painter. The tree in the background was made with SpeedTree. What's more, the artist has managed to set up five different lighting scenarios – Overcast, Bright, Sunset, Night, and Rain. This was done using Unreal Engine 4.
Here are some behind-the-scenes shots:
And here's an amazing concept by Lao Yin:
You can check out more of Li's environments by clicking this link. Also, don't forget to join our new Reddit page, our new Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are sharing breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.


text:
“According to recent HP data, construction employees said almost a fifth of their projects have major layout errors leading to significant reworks, with delays of over 15 days, on average. The cost of these reworks amounts to a significant proportion of a project’s profit margin,” said Xavi Juarez, director, HP Construction Services. “There is clear demand in the industry for new productivity-boosting technology, with 66% of the workers we surveyed wanting layout tasks automated. HP’s collaboration with Topcon will help deliver our autonomous SitePrint solution throughout the U.S., allowing firms to achieve up to ten times the productivity of manual layout techniques, reducing the occurrence of costly reworks.”
The LN-150 has a one-button, self-leveling setup, Wi-Fi and long-range Bluetooth communication options, and works with nearly all popular cloud-based workflows. Offering contractors precise 3D layout capabilities, it is designed to help increase productivity, accuracy, and provide a substantial return on investment (ROI) over traditional, manual methods, which is of growing importance with labor shortages.
“HP SitePrint, paired with the unique simplicity and ease-of-use of the LN-150, makes this an ideal combination for MEP contractors and other professionals working in the building construction trades,” said Mark Contino, vice president of North American retail distribution, Topcon. “We are excited to work with HP to help bring it to the U.S. market. This is the type of forward-thinking integration — the pairing of the Layout Navigator with the new SitePrint tool — that we welcome in our pursuit of providing state-of-the-art, advanced solutions to our customers. The combination allows a contractor to progress from paper plans and measuring tape to a completely digital workflow in no time at all.”
TSS is an Autodesk Platinum Partner and currently has locations across 20 states. For more information, visit topconsolutions.com/product-group/construction-field/3598-hp-siteprint.
About Topcon Solutions Store
Topcon Solutions Store serves the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry as the North American retail division to Topcon Positioning Systems, and is an Autodesk Platinum Partner. It is headquartered in Carol Stream, Illinois and currently includes 15 locations across the U.S. (topconsolutions.com, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube).
About Topcon Positioning Systems
Topcon Positioning Systems is an industry-leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of precision measurement and workflow solutions for the global construction, geospatial and agriculture markets. Topcon Positioning Systems is headquartered in Livermore, California, U.S. (topconpositioning.com, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram). Its European head office is in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. Topcon Corporation (topcon.com), founded in 1932, is traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (7732).


text:
Microsoft had a recent issue where data of some of their customers were left exposed to the internet for anyone who knew where to look.
Security researchers at SOCRadar informed Microsoft on September 24, 2022, of a misconfigured Microsoft endpoint. This misconfiguration resulted in the potential for unauthenticated access to some business transaction data corresponding to interactions between Microsoft and prospective customers, such as the planning or potential implementation and provisioning of Microsoft services.
The business transaction data included names, email addresses, email content, company name, and phone numbers, and may have included attached files relating to business between a customer and Microsoft or an authorized Microsoft partner.
Microsoft has concluded that the issue was caused by an unintentional misconfiguration on an endpoint that is not in use across the Microsoft ecosystem and was not the result of a security vulnerability. Microsoft is working to improve their processes to further prevent this type of misconfiguration and performing additional due diligence to investigate and ensure the security of all Microsoft endpoints.
Despite appreciating SOCRadar informing them about the misconfigured endpoint, they did express unhappiness about how the security company went about the release.
They note that SOCRadar has greatly exaggerated the scope of this issue and that their in-depth investigation and analysis of the data set shows duplicate information, with multiple references to the same emails, projects, and users and that SOCRadar did not correct their account even after Microsft highlighted their error.
Microsoft also expressed disappointment that SOCRadar has chosen to release publicly a “search tool” that is not in the best interest of ensuring customer privacy or security and potentially exposing them to unnecessary risk.
They note that any security company that wants to provide a similar tool should follow basic measures to enable data protection and privacy:
- to implement a reasonable verification system to ensure that a user is who it purports to be;
- to follow data minimization principles by scoping the results delivered solely to information pertaining to that verified user only;
- where that company is not in a position to determine with reasonable fidelity which customers had affected data, to not then surface to a given user information (including metadata/filenames) that may belong to another customer.
Microsoft says they have focused their attention on directly notifying impacted customers and providing them with instructions for contacting Microsoft with questions or concerns. Microsoft notes that if customers did not receive a Message Center communication, the investigation did not identify an impact to them.
Microsoft says upon being notified of the misconfiguration, the endpoint was quickly secured and is now only accessible with the required authentication. Their investigation ultimately found no indication customer accounts or systems were compromised.


text:
Chrysler minivans under investigation for stalling after fuel refillWed, 10 Sep 2014
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at least one man has reported that his 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan stalled unexpectedly on the highway shortly after being refueled. The unidentified man who contacted NHTSA regarding the issue cited as many as eight similar instances reported by other drivers.
NHTSA has announced that it will launch an inquiry into this issue, which could affect as many as 160,000 minivans from Dodge and Chrysler that were sold in 2007 (or more, if a problem is found that extends to additional models years, we'd assume). As of yet, there's no formal investigation, let alone a recall, on these vans, as the agency is merely determining if further action is needed.
Two months ago, Chrysler recalled nearly 700,000 vehicles, the majority of which were minivans, from the 2008-2010 model years to replace ignition switches after an investigation found that their weak springs and detent positions could fool a driver into thinking the car was in the "Run" position, when it's actually in the "Accessory" position.
No injuries have been reported related to this potential engine-stalling problem, and Chrysler has said it will work with investigators, should such action be required, according to The Detroit News. Feel free to read the official inquiry announcement down below.
INVESTIGATION Subject : Engine Stall After Refueling
Date Investigation Opened: SEP 05, 2014
Date Investigation Closed: Open
NHTSA Action Number: DP14002
Component(s): FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Manufacturer: Chrysler Group LLC
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received a petition (ODI No. 10607913) requesting a defect investigation of an alleged defect condition resulting in engine stall after refueling in certain Chrysler minivans. The petitioner alleges a defect in the fuel system of model year (MY) 2007 Dodge Grand Caravans causes the vehicle to stall, without warning, after refueling and that repair requires fuel tank replacement. A defect petition has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and safety consequences of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and any similarly equipped Chrysler minivans. The following eight ODI numbers were included in the Defect Petition: 10607913, 10562878, 10556902, 10548540, 10460791, 10427063, 10378031, 10587559
By Jeremy Korzeniewski
See also: 2015 Dodge Challenger configurator has all the Hellcat you can dream of, 2015 Dodge Viper price drops $15k for 2015, Subaru Legacy pitted against Roadkill project cars.


text:
PlayStation Rumored to Reveal New IP for PS5 Soon
Just got word of a AAA PlayStation New IP being revealed in the next 2-3 weeks. You know what that means… More details to come.
And yes, I’m the one who sent @insider_wtf the DM.
— The Insider (@TheReaIInsider) September 12, 2022
It’s worth stressing that this new PlayStation gossip ought to be taken with a pretty large grain of salt. Despite the fact that “The Insider” has had an accurate scoops lately in relation to other computer game announcements, they still haven’t built up a sufficiently enormous track record to be thought of as entirely dependable just yet. As such, don’t get too excited about this gossip until we advance more from Sony in an authority capacity.
Still, as mentioned before, considering that we’ve heard recent bits of gossip and reports about a new PlayStation Showcase occurring sooner rather than later, this talk isn’t implausible using any and all means. Assuming that PlayStation held a new event soon to flaunt impending titles coming to PS5, it would check out for a new IP to be among these reveals.


text:
Secretlab unveils stunning new 2022 series gaming chairs
The best just got even better.
What you need to know
- Secretlab has just unveiled its brand new 2022 series of gaming chairs.
- It features updated designs, new lumbar support, and new-generation upholsteries.
- It comes in a variety of finishes including leather and Secretlab's SoftWeave fabric.
Secretlab, maker of some of the best gaming chairs in the business, has today unveiled its brand new 2022 series of chairs to take your gaming setup to the next level.
Secretlab's new 2022 series combines the best aspects of its current chairs, the OMEGA, and the TITAN, culminating in the Secretlab TITAN Evo for 2022, boasting improved ergonomics for greater comfort, as well as more personalization options thanks to a new lumbar support system, pebble seat base, and more. The new chairs also come with upgraded upholstery either leather or Secretlab's trademark SoftWeave.
Plenty of features from the previous gen remain, that includes patent-pending cold cure foam for excellent support and heat dissipation for those long gaming sessions, a multi-tilt mechanism that can fix your chair at any angle imaginable, pretty massive wheels, a 165-degree recline backrest, and more.
For the 2022 series, Secretlab has upgraded its SoftWeave Plus Fabric, as well as its NEO leatherette, both of which come in a wide range of colors. There's also a new 4-way L-ADAPT Lumbar support system, which lets you adjust the height and depth of the lumbar support. Other new features include swappable magnetic armrests and a new Technogel Premium Armrest top, a magnetic memory foam head pillow, shorter hydraulics, and more.
The new chairs will be available in small, regular, and XL with regional pricing information available here.
Secretlab's OMEGA is my absolute favorite gaming chair, and iMore will be bringing a review of the 2022 offerings very soon!


text:
Submitted by admin on Tue, 09/01/2015 - 10:01
following accepted customs and proprieties
Conventional nettings kill fewer than 10% of mosquitoes, the study said.
Researchers have discovered a protein that can be used to create ice-cream that melts more slowly than conventional products.
On the webpage, the supermarket purposefully perpetuates the myth that organic food is more nutritious than conventionally grown produce.


text:
Haitian Mars III IMM now available in Canada and the U.S.
The servo-hydraulic machine from Absolute Haitian all-electric unit has numerous upgrades plus a new fast-cycling version.
On the heels of launching Generation 3 for the electric molding machine product lines earlier this year, processing machinery maker Absolute Haitian is making the Mars III, the third generation of its servo-hydraulic injection molding machines, available for molders in Canada and the U.S.
Mars III IMMs are available with clamping forces from 67 to 3,709 U.S. tons (600 to 33,000 kN) and provide solutions for all standard molding applications, Haitian officials said.
The latest technology in the Mars III includes new developments in hardware and software; optimized drives (Motion Plus) to improve accuracy and responsiveness; and an open communication strategy (Connectivity Plus) for automation and business interfaces leaves the customer free to choose integration partners and improve business operations, increasing processing and production flexibility.
“Additionally, the new generation of hydraulic servo drives in combination with a new generation of inverter promises more power and ensures more precise movement of all axes,” said Mike Ortolano, one of the owners of Absolute Haitian and chief technology officer.
Injection unit improvements include injection unit speed increases ranging from six per cent to 19 per cent on models under 1,200 tons and three percent to five per cent on models over 1,200 tons, facilitating shorter cycle times; newly designed plasticizing components for increased pressure and injection speeds; injection carriage and injection movement supported by linear guides with a lower friction coefficient, higher operational accuracy and lower energy consumption; and a new high-performance servo drive system for injection acceleration (100 milliseconds versus 200 milliseconds in earlier generations) and deceleration response during injection; more precise back pressure control.
Clamp unit improvements include optimized platen design for centralized force transmission to the mold; graphite/steel bushings that provide better lubrication and lower lubrication consumption, improving the life of the clamping unit; improved repeatability of mold opening and closing by optimization of the overall clamp structure, oil circuit and programming; and a flexible part drop area with an open base on the front side to accommodate part removal conveyors.
Absolute Haitian, based in Worcester, Mass., is the exclusive sales and service partner in the U.S. and Canada for Haitian International, in Ningbo, China.


text:
Buy Art Fair campaign from Glorious highlights Spinningfields move
A campaign to promote Manchester art event, Buy Art Fair has been developed to mark its change of location from Urbis to Spinningfields, created by Glorious.
Using photography by Tim Ainsworth, the campaign will run over a series of ads with different images displaying the architectural design of the buildings in the Spinningfields area.
Tom Shaughnessy, design director at Glorious, said: “The overall message remains the same; Buy Art Fair is the place to buy art in the North. This time we also had to communicate the physical move across the city.”
Shaughnessy added; We wanted to sell the advantages of Spinningfields. It’s a brand new part of the city, but people don’t often associate it with the green areas. The short depth of field was key to giving it texture,” says Shaughnessy.
Clare Tams, marketing manager of Moorfield Media explained that the brief given to Glorious wanted a campaign which didn’t look like art.
“The red mark that Glorious created has really established itself now. The campaign was really a case of us working together. We’re really pleased the creative and the signs are already good – the projections for 2010 are already up.”
Buy Art Fair runs from October 28-31.


text:
A post that may be of interest for colleagues working with deaf young adults as well Audiologists would wish to be involved in a trial of the service.
Following the BAA, BSA & BSHAA conference at the end of March 2019, Audacious has launched its online hearing test, designed to help people get clearer calls based on their individual hearing ability.
Audacious is a clinically proven, EUMDD certified mobile service launching across the UK this summer. Their technology has been developed in conjunction with leading Audiologists including Professor Brian Moore and Dr. Michael Stone to automatically adjust the frequency of mobile calls based on an individual’s hearing profile. Audacious will be providing their customers with a SIM card which can fit any mobile phone to access the service, along with all of the normal voice, text and data service you’d expect from a mobile provider. To try the test and find out more go to www.audacious.co.uk . For further information email [email protected] or phone/text +44 (0)7986 126771