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You're at the airport when you remember that the person you're meeting with said there might be a change in the time and place. You didn't get a voice mail, and your laptop is being fixed--what if she sent you the change via email?
A company called e-Now is attempting to solve this high-tech problem with a low-tech instrument: the telephone.
Subscribers to the $12-per-month service call a toll-free number, enter a seven- to ten-digit ID number, and are given a summary of their messages (who sent it, the subject, and the date). They also can listen to their full email messages, read to them by a computerized voice.
The service is available to anyone with an Internet-accessible email account that uses the POP3 message protocol. In other words, corporate users with Net-based email as well as Hotmail members can use e-Now, whereas America Online, CompuServe, and other online service customers cannot.
"People very quickly become addicted to it," said Thomas Wagner, president of the Ojai, California-based company. "People are able to send our users information and know they're going to get it. It makes email more like voice mail."
Along with the standard message retrieval, users calling during business hours (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT) can press 0 to get to an operator, who can perform advanced functions such as forwarding or replying to messages. These services cost extra, typically about $1 to $3. For now, Wagner said these functions are fairly low-tech; to reply to a message, a user dictates it to an operator, who types and sends it.
Wagner added the company plans to add more services in the coming months, including a forwarding option where users can choose up to five email addresses to which they forward material often (e.g., a secretary or supervisor), and the user will be able to push a number on the phone to forward a message to one of those accounts automatically, 24 hours a day.
The basic service includes 20 minutes of toll-free access; extra minutes cost 15 cents each. In addition, e-Now is offering a service to companies that want to sign up 25 or more users at once. It will sign up the group with individual accounts but will bill the company as a whole each month for only the members who use the service.
Wagner admitted there are some problems with the computerized voice system, such as occasional pronunciation problems with names. But, he said, those of the company's 400 users who have mentioned problems have been able to understand the missing information based on the context of the message.
He also said the service is not able to get through any company firewalls or other security measures. "We can't get to anything we're not supposed to," he said, adding that the service is not meant to substitute for regular email access.
"This won't replace laptops or anything--it's $12 a month for a 'why not' service for people who use email a lot." Although we're almost at the "age of satellite modems, the fact is most people are always around a phone."


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If all goes as planned, this February the workers at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama (TMMAL) in Huntsville will watch as their 5 millionth engine rolls off the assembly line. The event, says spokesperson Kimberly Ogle, will be the plant’s latest milestone.
“We hit our 4 millionth last September, ” says Ogle. “We ended 2016 with approximately 690, 000 engines produced, a 10 percent increase over 2015.”
The workers at TMMAL manufacture 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines for the Camry sedan, the Sequoia, RAV4 and Highlander sport utility vehicles and the Tacoma and Tundra pickup trucks. It has been the only Toyota engine plant in the world to manufacture all three engine types inside the same facility. Today, the Toyota engine plant employs about 1, 500 workers, Ogle says.
“We are basically building about 3, 000 engines a day, ” says Tom Cashin, the administrative affairs manager for TMMAL. “So our increased capacity helps us to achieve those milestones now.”
By the time TMMAL produces that 5 millionth engine, David Fernandes will already have spent a month as the Alabama facility’s new president. Fernandes, who took the reins as president on Jan. 3, became the second American to take the top spot at TMMAL since its 2001 groundbreaking. He succeeded the plant’s first American president, Jim Bolte, who has accepted a new job as vice president of manufacturing efficiency for Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) Inc. Bolte had been the plant’s president since 2009.
Fernandes started his career at Toyota in 1998 as a group leader at the company’s West Virginia plant. Afterward, he led production engineering at Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America and later was general manager at Toyota Kentucky.
Fernandes’ and Bolte’s promotions were among several executive changes that Toyota Motor North America announced in December as part of the company’s “One Toyota” plan to “enhance regional autonomy, self-reliance and responsibility” in order, they say, to help speed up decision making and to put the company in a better position for sharing best practices, among other benefits.
“I am grateful and humbled for the opportunity to lead Toyota Alabama as president, ” Fernandes said in a written statement. “In 2017, we will focus on continuous improvement of daily operations and supporting our team members who are committed to meeting customer demand with the highest quality engines.”
Under Bolte’s leadership, Toyota expanded the TMMAL facility four times. The latest expansion brought Toyota’s investments at the plant to more than $864 million and added a new V-6 production line, which, Ogle says, has allowed the plant to build more fuel-efficient engines with reduced emissions and increased performance.
One of the most significant features of the latest expansion, Ogle says, involves the company’s environmental efficiency activities in the plant. The effort is part of a nationwide environmental sustainability initiative by Toyota that focuses on promoting biodiversity, manufacturing hybrid models for lower carbon emissions, reducing water usage in its factories and reducing, reusing and recycling nonregulated waste.
“We’re continually looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint, specifically as it relates to the reduction of water use, energy and waste reduction, ” Ogle says.
The new building, for example, has more LED lighting and solar panels to reduce energy usage, she says. They have also installed a unit to collect rainwater and a pumping station that moves that water to the plant where the water is treated and used in plant operations.
In February, 2016, managers and workers at TMMAL marked the 15th anniversary of the announcement of Toyota’s engine plant in Madison County. “We’re really proud to call Alabama home, ” she says, “and very grateful for the continued support.”
Gail Short is a freelance contributor to Business Alabama. She is based in Birmingham.
Text by GAIL ALLYN SHORT

domain: news


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Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, are a new type of tobacco vapor. They simulate the feeling of regular cigarettes. You can find a variety options, such as vape pens or refillable tanks. You can learn more about e-cigarettes from various websites, such as the American Cancer Society. These organizations also have valuable information about the adverse effects of tobacco use on health. When you have just about any questions regarding where by and also the way to work with พอต, you possibly can call us in our site.
Although research suggests that e-cigarettes can cause lung cancer, the evidence is mixed. However, e-cigarettes are not as harmful to the body as cigarettes. While they are not as addictive as smoking, they do expose the pharynx to carcinogens, which can lead to inflammation and cancer. An e-cigarette’s vapor contains carbonyls. They here are the findings carcinogenic. They react with DNA and cause cells to die.
The FDA ruled in 2008 that e-cigarettes are unapproved devices. It invoked its authority to regulate drugs under the FD&C to ban their import. In 2010, however, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled e-cigarettes were not drug delivery devices. The FDA is still investigating whether the e-cigarette is safe and effective.
Some eliquid flavours here are the findings cytotoxic, however. Researchers evaluated the metabolic activity of e-liquids from 36 different brands and 29 flavors. Although bubblegum, butterscotch, and caramel flavours did not exhibit overt cytotoxicity, e-cigarette aerosols had a detrimental effect on pulmonary fibroblasts. The researchers also observed changes in the vascular tone and morphology of epithelial lung cells.
In April 2015, Juul Labs was funded with $12.8 billion from the Altria Group. Juul Labs also raised $47 Million from the tobacco industry to expand the ecigarette market. Other competitors, such as Reynolds’ Vuse, have entered the market. Juul’s popularity is being criticized by critics who claim copycats are flooding the market. Jenny Yuen’s column in The Economist recently criticized Canada’s legality of the e-cigarette market. We will see some ecigarettes that look similar to Juul over the coming weeks.
However, the FDA is not currently regulating the chemicals used in ecigarettes. While there are concerns about the potential health risks of these products, no studies have been done that prove they are dangerous. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began an investigation into a spike in vaping-related hospitalizations. It was found that in three months patients with respiratory conditions had used ecig products. EVALI (or e-cigarette-related lung injury) is linked to 68 deaths. It also carries potential health risks.
One study found that one-in-four teens reported dripping their e-cigarettes. Dripping, in which e-liquid is placed on the heated Atomizer coil, creates thicker vapor and stronger throat hits. Dripping is an alternative method to e-cigarettes. However, more research is needed. To be safe, you can stick to your favourite cigarette.
If you have any type of inquiries pertaining to where and ways to utilize พอต, you could contact us at our own page.


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With 2018 in full swing, online gaming giants are drawing the line behind their 2017 dealings.
One of the world’s leading online gaming outlets – Mr Green – has announced its financial reports for the final quarter of the fiscal year behind us which marked its fifth successive growth of all individual metrics for the Nordic powerhouse.
Mr Green managed to break the SEK 1 billion mark in group revenues to 2017, whereas the Nasdaq-listed behemoths also recorded a whopping total revenue in excess of SEK 1.1 billion.
To put these numbers into a clearer perspective, it’s worth noticing that Mr Green’s total revenues stood at SEK 924 million in 2016.
The most successful year in business came on the back of the companies enhanced marketing efficiencies recorded across the entire group which encouraged Mr Green to declare a corporate full-year 2017 EBIDTA worth SEK 185.6 million.
Once again, comparing the numbers from a year before Mr Green achieved an 103% rise to SEK 91.4 million registered in 2016.
Standing proud as a pillar of Mr Green’s yearly success is predictive ‘Green Gaming’ as the most pronounced new product added to the ever-growing toolkit. Further detailing the 2017 highlights, Mr Green honoured the introduction of a new casino tournament functionality called ‘Reel Thrill’.
Mr Green’s ‘Green Gaming’ allows player to have firm control over how much they can deposit, wager and lose which goes in accordance to the company’s attitude towards responsible gambling. As for the ‘Reel Thrill’ – this slot tournament feature allows players to compete against other slot players, all for the sake of some rather fantastic rewards.
Another highlight of Mr Green’s year in review is the company’s double-digit European growth.
Successful twelve months of Mr Green action saw the company expand its portfolio with a €7 million acquisition of Evoke Gaming and tap into lucrative assets of Vinnarium Casino, Bertolt, MamaMia and Redbet sportsbook.
“During 2018, we will focus on geographic expansion and integrate Evoke Gaming. At the same time, we will continue to develop our offering and enhance the efficiency of our customer communication. Mr Green celebrates its tenth anniversary this year and it will be another exciting year in the company’s history.”, Group Chief Executive Per Norman commented.
BestCasinos team consists of online casino experts dedicated to spreading their knowledge and experience to a wider audience, all in effort to help even the most inexperienced players gain their footing in this exciting industry.


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Microsoft has implemented automatic installation of the new version of malware removal tool and security dashboard Microsoft Defender ABOVE Windows device with personal activity Microsoft 365 (M365) register.
Document (opens in a new tab) for the new Microsoft Defender (via Latest Windows (opens in a new tab)) confirmed that M365 subscribers are being used as test subjects, stating that other users will likely be affected by the change in March 2023, although an M365 subscription is required to use it. service.
But if for some reason you’re really anxious to install the latest update of a largely ineffective security app, you can get it right now from the Microsoft Store via the Microsoft Store. Official website (opens in a new tab).
New Microsoft Defender
While the latest Microsoft Defender isn’t yet available for business users, due to the odd requirement to sign in to apps with a Microsoft account, and work accounts aren’t supported yet, they probably won’t give up. miss many things.
Microsoft Defender itself does very little, acting more as an overview of the system’s security. On a computerit’s actually Windows Security that does most of the actual day-to-day security protection operations like detecting files and performing periodic system scans.
Even then, TechRadar Pro strongly advises you to invest in an alternative, more powerful solution business anti virus soft stool solution. Microsoft Defender is meant to at least disable itself if it detects a third-party device is installed on the system.
For others who insist on staying with Microsoft’s default offer, be aware that even avoiding Windows 11, at the time of writing the current version of the operating system, won’t be enough, as one commented on Windows Latest wrote that the new Microsoft Defender installed itself on their 10 . window device.


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NFL's Extends Holiday in search of Prime target -- You!
While you feasted Thursday. . . .
The second annual John Madden Thanksgiving Special featured the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49er reconfirming their dominance while the new Detroit Lions disappointed expectant fans by reverting old losing ways as millions of football followers were treated to a three-part holiday drama over trio broadcast networks.
Green Bay, 29, Detroit 22
Dallas 45, Washington 10
San Francisco 31, Seattle 13
But wait there’s more and you are a Prime target. Literally.
For the NFL, Thanksgiving was just an appetizer. The league has its sights set on a more important scoreboard – the profit ledger. And this is just the beginning of a far-reaching new plan to reel in profits. And by far-reaching we mean into your pockets. Have that credit card ready.
The Business of Football
Today (Nov. 24, 2023), the $11 billion NFL will team up in a mass media cash grab via a league-first Black Friday game with their new, retail giant partner – Amazon.
With the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in the spotlight, the NFL can potentially leverage Amazon to hawk merchandise via a streaming broadcast to 80 million U. S. Prime subscribers and a combine 200 million worldwide
Media and broadcast insiders believe this is part of Amazon’s $1 billion a year agreement to exclusively stream “Thursday Night Football” through 2033. Peter King of NBC Sports, and others, report that Amazon bid an additional $70 million-to-$100 million for the Black Friday broadcast.
Based on recent metrics, the Black Friday strategy looks like a smart business play.
It is possible the NFL will dominate your TV screens during the extended Thanksgiving weekend.
--Fox Sports set a new TV record by drawing a monster 42 million viewers for its Thanksgiving Day 2022 broadcast of Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants (numbers pending for 2023)
Last year’s Thanksgiving Day telecast between the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders was the most-watched game of the 2021 regular season, averaging 40.8 million viewers. Considering those numbers, look for a packed Thanksgiving Weekend game schedule next year featuring a double or tripleheader on Turkey Day, followed by games on Black Friday, Sunday, and Monday.
But the NFL won’t have football fans to itself. Already, the Big Ten Conference is planning a pair of Black Friday games for next year. This Friday, there will be over a dozen college football games played across various conferences.
Marie Donoghue, Amazon’s vice president of global sports video, addressed Amazon and the NFL potentially cross-promoting each other during next year’s Black Friday when the shopping frenzy reaches its peak.
“It’s a day when millions and millions visit our site,” she told reporters on a press call. “We will start with the customer first, so they are coming first and foremost to watch a football game, to the extent we can serve them and potentially delight them. When they also have their … shopping, obviously that’s something we’ll work through with the NFL.”
Amazon previously noted its first exclusive stream of “TNF” on Sept. 15 led to more Prime sign-ups during a three-hour period than any other day in its history, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Prime Day, which typically takes place in mid-July.
The nation’s biggest online retailer, with 2021 revenue of $469 billion, could boost its already massive sales on Black Friday, drive subs to Amazon Prime, and help Amazon with advertisers on Madison Avenue.
Through the first 10 TNF telecasts this season, Amazon is averaging 9.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen. That’s below its guarantee of 12.5 million viewers to TNF advertisers.
Friday Proving Ground
Big viewership, sales and subscription numbers on number on Black Friday would do wonders. Delivering promised audience guarantees will enable the online giant to avoid paying costly “make-goods,” or free compensatory ads, for audience shortfalls.
During their first exclusive season, the NFL and Amazon have shied away from interactive game features to pull viewers into its retail site, noted the Los Angeles Times. But that could change next year on the one day of the year when consumers are most in a buying mood.
In the future, Amazon.com and NFLShop.com could broadcast exclusive offers throughout the game to their subscribers.
“Thanksgiving is synonymous with football, and we’re excited to give our fans another day of NFL action during this holiday weekend,” offered Hans Schroeder, chief operating officer for NFL Media “Amazon is uniquely positioned to partner with us for this game as Black Friday is one of the most important days of the year for their business.”
Next year’s Black Friday kickoff is expected at 3 p.m. ET to avoid the long-standing prohibition against the NFL encroaching on high school football games on Friday nights.
As King of TV, the NFL can pretty much have any day it wants. Since the kickoff of the 2022 season, NFL games have generated the Top 38 TV shows and 47 of the Top 50.
This season — because the calendar lines up perfectly, with the holiday falling on a Sunday — the NFL will challenge the NBA with its first-ever Christmas Day triple-header.
But don’t be surprised if the NFL keeps planning games for future Christmas Days and Christmas Eves — even if they fall on odd days of the week.
Over the last two seasons, the league has played Christmas Day games on a Friday and Saturday respectively.
Neither the NFL nor Amazon have confirmed that Black Friday games will continue past 2023, but if all goes well — from a viewership and sales perspective — chances are this new national game window becomes an expanded Thanksgiving tradition.
-- Some data and details from NBC and Front Office Sports


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CFTC forces FXCM US Forex market exit, according to the official Order filed by the US regulator. Moreover, the firm is obliged to pay $7 million in the civil penalty. What now for FXCM?
7 February, AtoZForex – The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has just published an order in relation to the Forex Capital Markets, LLC (FXCM). The regulator has settled charges with the Forex brokerage firm for $7 million in a civil monetary penalty. According to the official announcement of the regulator, the fine was imposed at FXCM for engaging in fraudulent and misleading solicitations. Moreover, CFTC has ordered FXCM and CEO Drew Niv to withdraw from the CFTC’s regulation.
CFTC forces FXCM US Forex market exit
FXCM was the top market share retails Forex broker in the US. The company was registered with CFTC as a Futures Commission Merchant and Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer. FXCM has been offering retails customers the access to over-the-counter (OTC) Forex markets via a proprietary technology platform. Moreover, the company has been acting as the counterparty in transactions with its retail customers, where the customers were able to buy one currency while selling another.
Specifically, the official Order from the CFTC lists charges against FXCM, its parent company FXCM Holdings, LLC (FXCM Holdings), and two members of the group, Drew Niv, and William Ahdout. Furthermore, the order states that in the period from September 4, 2009, to at minimum 2014, FXCM has been engaging in fraudulent solicitations of the retails customers. Reportedly, the company was hiding its relationship with its most important market maker.
Related: See AtoZ Forex Approved Forex Brokers
Additionally, the US regulator found that FXCM has provided false information about its “No Dealing Desk” platform. The company claimed that the platform had no conflicts of interest with its customers. However, the FXCM, FXCM Holdings, and CEO Drew Niv are found collectively responsible for FXCM misrepresenting statements about its relationship with the market maker to the National Futures Association (NFA).
As a result of the above-mentioned breaches, the CFTC has imposed a $7 million civil monetary penalty on the FXCM. Moreover, the regulator required the Forex company to desist order from further breaches of the Commodity Exchange Act and the CFTC Regulations. Also, FXCM, Mr. Niv, and Mr. Ahdout agreed to withdraw from CFTC registration and never apply for the US regulation again. Following the announcement, the firm did not admit nor deny the CFTC’s charges.
FXCM sells its US accounts after CFTC Order
In addition, after CFTC’s official Order has been published, the FXCM has decided to sell its US accounts, as the company is forced to leave the US market. The firm has published an official announcement, where it outlined the information for its US clients.
The FXCM will be selling its US accounts to the company under the name GAIN Capital Holdings. The firms have inked a non-binding letter of intent for the transaction. The agreement is awaiting the regulatory approval by the US authorities and the ultimate consensus between companies.
Reportedly, both firms are currently in the process of working on the transaction agreement.
The FXCM and GAIN will publish the detail of the deal in the next days, according to the market experts. Gretchen L. Lowe, the Principal Deputy Director and Chief Counsel of the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement, has stated the following:
“Full and truthful disclosure to customers and honest discourse with self-regulatory organizations such as NFA are vital to the integrity and oversight of our markets. Today’s actions demonstrate that the CFTC is committed to protecting customers from harm in the markets it regulates.”
NFA FXCM Complaint: misleading information
What is more, as the CFTC forces FXCM US Forex market exit, the NFA has also required that FXCM founders William Ahdout and Dror (Drew) Niv, as well as FXCM, will leave the NFA regulation, thus facing a permanent ban. The above-mentioned orders will be effective as of February, 21st, 2017.
The official document from the NFA states that the regulator is charging William Ahdout and Dror (Drew) Niv and FXCM itself on six counts. As the complaint by the NFA states, the company, and its principles have failed to properly supervise FXCM and its staff. The key issue in the NFA’s complaint reflects the advertisement of the FXCM’s “no dealing desk” platform as a superior to the firm’s competition. The latter was stated to employ “dealing desk” execution.
Following on this, the dealing desk model has been promoted as a market making model, with the FXCM taking the other side of the clients’ trade. The “no dealing desk” model was presented as straight-through processing (STP) of orders through various liquidity providers.
NFA exposes FXCM relationship with Effex Capital
As the NFA’s complaint states, the FXCM’s “no dealing desk” model was directing orders to a “dealing desk” model. The liquidity provider (LP) Effex Capital was servicing the latter platform. The FXCM has presented Effex Capital as an independent counterpart. Yet, the document states that FXCM was supporting and administering Effex Capital.
The NFA mentions that the FXCM has received almost $77 million in rebates from Effex in the period between 2010 and 2014. As CFTC forces FXCM US Forex market exit, the official complaint from NFA also stresses:
“In cases where the price at the end of the hold timer had moved against Effex and in favor of the customer, Effex would reject the trade. On the other hand, of the price had moved in favor of Effex and against the customer, Effex would execute the trade and give the client negative price slippage.”
The regulator highlights that the FXCM not only misled its own clients about the practices with Effex, but also tried to hide the information from the NFA.
Think we missed something? Let us know in the comments section below.


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MrBeast Burger is now officially available in the UK
Enterprising YouTuber Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson has announced that the fast food brand bearing his name will finally be available in the UK at several new London locations.
MrBeast is already one of YouTube’s most-subscribed creators thanks to his expensive and philanthropic videos, and in 2020 he debuted a delivery-only fast food chain called MrBeast Burger that quickly became popular with his millions of fans.
Since release, it’s steadily become available in most of the 50 US states, and as of May 10 according to a Tweet from the YouTuber himself, the content creator-themed comfort food is now available in the UK.
MrBeast Burger is now available in the UK! We just opened 5 locations in London and are doing everything we can to expand to the rest of the UK and then all of Europe!❤❤❤❤❤
— MrBeast (@MrBeast) May 10, 2021
MrBeast Burger’s European takeover starts with five locations, all in London, but the star promised more locations coming soon to the rest of UK, and eventually the continent as a whole.
Now, fans on the other side of the Atlantic can enjoy exclusive menu items including the “dream burger,” and maybe look forward to UK-based creators like Tommyinnit, GeorgeNotFound, and KSI getting their own menu items soon as well.
We didn’t just randomly choose three English content creators out of a hat either, MrBeast specifically mentioned each of them along with the announcement on Twitter.
Only time will tell exactly who will be the next influencer to get their own item on the MrBeast Burger menu, but George and Tommy at least seemed eager to try it out, even if the latter might have to make a trip, as he doesn’t live in the capital.
can you send me a dream burger for free please jimmy
— TommyInnit (@tommyinnit) May 10, 2021
thanks for opening them for me 🙂 ill try buy a beast burger tomorrow
— George (@GeorgeNotFound) May 10, 2021
MrBeast Burger rolled out across the US fairly quickly compared to a traditional fast food business, since it’s 100% delivery-based, with no brick and mortar locations to build. Thanks to that and possibly major world events over the last year, it was able to expand to almost every state.
It remains to be seen how long more foreign locations will take to open up, but if the trend continues like it has in the past, Tommy and fans in the rest of the UK/Europe might not have to wait too much longer to give the menu a try.


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Earlier (2006): Andrew Young Was Right, Not That Anyone Dare Admit It
One of the more noticeable aspects of the media’s hyping of 2020’s Racial Reckoning is the need to not mention Asians. For example, you know and I know that high schools for the gifted like Manhattan’s Stuyvesant and the D.C. suburbs’ Thomas Jefferson are dominated by Asians. But that doesn’t fit the Narrative so it is seldom mentioned. Business journalists, however, have a harder time ignoring the Asian in the Living Room. Thus, from the New York Times’ business news section:
At a Chicago beauty supply shop, one American dream has come true. Another is still waiting for its chance.
By Michael Corkery
Oct. 15, 2020, 5:00 a.m. ET
The crowd was growing impatient as Crystal Holmes fumbled with the keys to the store.
Dozens of people were swarming the street around Western Beauty Supply, the Chicago shop where Ms. Holmes works. She had persuaded some of them to let her open the store so they could rob it without breaking the windows.
“She’s taking too long,” someone yelled. “Let’s go in and get it.”
Western Beauty Supply sells products like wigs, hair extensions and combs mostly to Black women. Most of the employees, like Ms. Holmes, are also Black, but the owner is a Korean-American man, Yong Sup Na.
When a few young men appeared outside the store earlier that evening in May, Mr. Na went out to speak with them. He offered some of them cash, and they walked away. At that point, Mr. Na told Ms. Holmes that he felt confident his business was safe. “They are not going to break into the store,” he told her.
A few minutes later, though, a larger group showed up. A woman snatched Mr. Na’s keys, but Ms. Holmes persuaded her to give them back. Then she ordered Mr. Na, her boss, to leave. “You don’t know what could happen,” she told him.
Even as Ms. Holmes tried to save the store from ruin that evening, when protests and looting followed the police killing of George Floyd, she understood what was causing the turmoil roiling Chicago and dozens of other cities.
“I understand where the rage is coming from,” Ms. Holmes, 40, said in an interview. “We don’t have any businesses in the community and we are getting killed by the police and killing each other, and we are just getting tired.”
In the years she has spent working for Mr. Na, customers have constantly told her that she should open her own store. But she has watched some Black women struggle as owners in the industry, and her priority has been keeping a steady job to support her family.
Outside the store, people in the crowd kept pushing for Ms. Holmes to let them in. But she couldn’t get the keys into the lock. Her hands were shaking too much.
‘The same small slice of pie ’
Mr. Na, who is 65, grew up in South Korea in a home with an outhouse. He watched television by standing outside a neighbor’s window and peering in at the set. Mr. Na was in his late 20s when he arrived in the United States. He knew only one person, a friend from his village who had moved to Chicago.
I saw the same phenomenon in Chicago’s extremely diverse Uptown neighborhood almost three decades ago. Our drycleaners were run by a pleasant Korean family. They mentioned that their in-laws had just opened a hair care products next door. My wife and I promised to go buy something to help their in-laws get off to a good start.
But when we looked in the beautifully set-up new shop, we discovered there wasn’t a single hair care product in the store for naturally straight hair. The owners and employees didn’t speak English, but clearly Korean wholesalers were publishing three-ring binders of how to run a black hair care products store that anybody off the 747 from Seoul could follow perfectly.
That led me to some of my earlier Doubt about whether immigration was as beneficial for Americans as we had been told. Retailing black hair care products had traditionally been a fairly easy first rung on the ladder to prosperity for African-Americans, going back to the first black millionaire, Madame CJ Walker, inventor of the conk. But now workaholics were coming from 10,000 miles across the Pacific to crush our black fellow citizen retailers. Sure, black customers would get cheaper prices and longer store hours from Korean retailers, but how big would the price of foreclosing black entrepreneurship be?


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Microsoft announced new partner opportunities for reaching, connecting and driving digital transformation at its Microsoft Inspire event in Las Vegas this week.
The company announced an updated partner website and improvements to its Microsoft Partner Network program. The improvements include new approach to showcasing specialized expertise with advanced specializations, Microsoft Azure Expert MSP program, flexible benefits packages, new e-books and new practice development playbooks.
“For me, our annual partner conference is the best way to celebrate a year of collaboration, learning, and succeeding together. It’s also an opportunity to look ahead to how we can achieve more together by delivering innovative solutions that drive customer success with digital transformation,” Gavriella Schuster, corporate vice president of One Commercial Partner program at Microsoft, wrote in a post.
In addition, Schuster announced that in 2019 the company is going to start putting partner solutions in the product catalog for the first time ever. “That means our direct salesforce and reseller partners will be able to sell 1st and 3rd party solutions individually or combined,” she wrote.
Microsoft also announced a five-year agreement with Walmart to accelerate digital innovation in retail. “Walmart’s commitment to technology is centered around creating incredibly convenient ways for customers to shop and empowering associates to do their best work,” said Doug McMillon, Walmart CEO. “Walmart is a people led, tech empowered company, and we’re excited about what this technology partnership will bring for our customers and associates. Whether it’s combined with our agile cloud platform or leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to work smarter, we believe Microsoft will be a strong partner in driving our ability to innovate even further and faster.”
As part of the partnership, Walmart will leverage Microsoft’s public cloud for compute capacity, an elastic environment, access to new toolsets and access to a cloud native environment. The two companies will also collaborate on the assessment, development and support of moving hundreds of existing apps to cloud native.
Other announcements from the conference included:
TimeXtender announces updates to its Discovery Hub
TimeXtender’s Discovery Hub is getting new capabilities to align with Microsoft Azure as well as support Azure Data Lake, Azure SQL Database, and Azure Analysis Services. Discovery Hub is the company’s next generation data architecture solution for automating the implementation and operation of data infrastructure.
“Discovery Hub helps to address their growing customer demand for advanced analytics in a governed data environment. TimeXtender on Azure enables organizations to optimize their data without draining time or resources,” stated Bharat Sandhu, director of product marketing for Big Data and analytics at Microsoft.
Nintex releases new research on digital transformation
According to new research from Nintex, business decisions are based on improving the customer experience first and foremost over employee experience when it comes to digital transformation. Nintex believes this shows the need to educate enterprises on the role of employee experience within a digital transformation.
The findings are based off of more than 450 decision markets and 650 line of business employees from US companies. The research also found there is a disconnect between decision makers and how technology investments and digital transformation efforts will impact employees.
“Focusing on customer success is critical for all enterprises, but we must not neglect the success of our employees in the process in order to fully realize the benefits of enterprise-wide digital transformation,” said Nintex CEO Eric Johnson. “At Nintex, we believe that our channel partners are well-suited to advocate for both the customer and the employee as they provide robust technology solutions and services that help organizations around the world realize their strategic business goals.”
More information is available here.
Nintex also announced new improvements to its workflow automation solution including component workflows for Nintex for Office 365, new form variables, and form version control. “Microsoft and Nintex have been strong partners for more than a decade,” said Eric Johnson, CEO of Nintex. “Together we’re committed to driving our partnership forward to benefit customers who turn to our integrated technologies to accelerate business outcomes.”
CloudJumper’s Workspace as a Service platform
CloudJumper unveiled its Cloud Workspace for Azure at the conference. The platform integrates Cloud Workspace Management Suite with Microsoft’s Remote Desktop modern infrastructure. According to the company, this will give users increased visibility into Azure, Office 365 and Cloud Workspace.
“The Cloud Workspace Management Suite for Azure seamlessly and automatically deploys IT application workloads, eliminating the need to host components outside of Azure’s Compute environment. To simplify system access, the solution allows users to pass their Active Directory Domain Services credentials throughout the platform, using single sign-on to access applications based on user-defined policies for a better overall experience. The user-friendly updates for desktop services in Azure will manage every layer of the administrator’s technology stack, as well as server resources with dynamic resource adjustment as requirements change,” the company wrote in its announcement.
TeamViewer extends Microsoft Intune integration
TeamViewer announced it will now include integration with remote iOS device screen sharing for better remote support. The company previously provided integration with Intune for remote assistance on all PCs and Android devices. Microsoft Intune is a security management platform for managing iOS, Android, Windows and macOS devices.
With the newly added integration, IT admins can view iOS and macOS devices remotely, in real time.
“TeamViewer will continue to work closely with Microsoft to keep innovating our integration with Intune,” said Alfredo Patron, VP of business development at TeamViewer. “We support more devices and operating systems than any other remote assistance solution on the market and we are very excited to bring this new capability to their customers.”


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The Turkish state of Trabzon has become a favorite destination for newlyweds from the Gulf countries, especially the Sultanate of Oman, to spend their honeymoon.
In addition to its cultural and historical richness, Trabzon has emerged as a destination for nature tourism and has recently become a magnet for foreign tourists who have recently entered the marital nest.
The province’s director of culture and tourism, Tamer Erdogan, said that Trabzon hosted more than a million domestic and foreign tourists last year.
He expected a 30 percent increase in the number of tourists this year, pointing to the preference of new couples from outside the country to spend their honeymoon in Trabzon.
He pointed out that Trabzon witnessed a significant increase in the number of newlyweds coming to it, stressing that the requests received from tourism companies show that the increase will continue this season as well.
He explained that the greatest demand in this regard comes from Omani tourists.
For his part, Farid Berenji, sales manager of a hotel that provides services to married couples wishing to spend their honeymoon, said that they had received large numbers of reservations from Gulf countries and the Middle East.
He added, “Trabzon is one of the destinations that Omani tourists come to for their honeymoon. 70-80 percent of our guests coming from Oman come for their honeymoon or for special celebrations.”


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Digital DNA Belfast 2023
"Growing Your Digital Business."
We are pleased to announce that digital transformation expert Brenda Clerkin from Queen's University Belfast will be leading an expert panel of small business leaders Iain Wilson the CEO of IBC-Music, Jemma Simpson the founder of DiverseTalent.ai and Aaron Ayre a business development officer from Allsop.
The panel discuss how prioritising digital transformation has helped them to build agile, profitable, sustainable businesses. Brenda explains the key elements of a digital disruption strategy and highlights the wide range of support available to SME’s to embrace a bright digital future.
You can find our executive education team at stand 5 to hear how we can support you in growing your digital business through our impactful Help to Grow: Management Course and our range of short, executive courses.
Register now and join us on Wednesday 7th June at 8:30-5:30pm here.


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We all know there is a huge market for phone cases. Some boast sleek functionality, some boast absolute protection, and some are simply aesthetically beautiful. Designers such as Ted Baker and Tory Burch even have lines of name brand iphone cases for the fashion savvy consumer. While this is standard practice in the mobile phone industry, designer Kate Spade is taking it one step further.
Kate Spade, the company well known for iconic handbags and women’s clothing, has joined forces with startup company Everpurse to design a fashionable handbag that will charge your phone. Yes- you read that right. Fashion and functionality have never been more beautiful!
Everpurse, the brainchild of inventor Liz Salcedo, raised over $200,000 on Kickstarter in 2012 for a line of rechargeable bags. The collection, set to premiere in September, features a line of clutches, totes, and backpacks that can last a typical iPhone user for two full days.
While some may see a cell phone charging bag as a bit superfluous, having a mobile charging station in your hand can be priceless depending on your daily mobile phone use. Those who live their life on the go or are highly dependent on battery-sucking apps know how inconvenient it can be to find a free outlet or even the right charger if you don’t have your own.
Kate Spade puts the power in your hands (literally), and has made it that much more stylish to be connected. But just remember, if you can’t afford the $198 to $698 price tag for one of Kate Spade’s charging bags, InCharged has got you covered! Keep your eyes peeled for our mobile charging stations in some of your favorite local businesses!


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Renault to launch new traction assistance system called X-Track
- Created: 27 April 2016
Renault have announced that they will be launching a new traction assistance system across its range of light-commercial vehicles.
The new X-Track system will assist business customers who regularly drive their vehicles across more challenging terrain. Renault's Trafic, Master and Kangoo light-commercial vans can be fitted with the new X-Track conversion which offers a limited-slip differential, raised ground clearance, underbody protection and is finished off with all-weather tyres.
Additionally the Renault Master can be specified to come equipped with a 4x4 transmission. Drivers of the 4x4 transmission vaiants will be able to choose between a 2x4 transmission for normal road use, or can switch to 4x4 transmission for off-road or poor conditions driving.
Renault have claimed that the new X-Track vehicles and Master 4x4 variants will be available for use along with their existing 'Grip Xtend' technology which offer improved grip on slippy terrain. Grip Xtend is fitted as standard on the ICE versions of Renault's Kangoo, Trafic, Master PC and LCV vehicle range.
The new X-Track models will be made available across Europe later in 2016 with the Master 4x4 will be on sale in the summer. Renault will confirm UL dates for the range in the upcoming months.


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Selena Gomez Opens Up About Her Relationship with Makeup
At 27 years of age, Selena Gomez is a global sensation. With more than 152 million Instagram followers, she continually ranks in the top five most popular celebrities on the social media platform. Acting since the age of 7, Gomez is no stranger to stardom. She is a hugely successful international pop star and business entrepreneur. Gomez is now following in the footsteps of Lady Gaga and Kylie Jenner to launch a new line of beauty products, and her fans couldn’t be more excited.
The global appeal of Selena Gomez
Gomez has been tabloid fodder for many years. Whether it’s her romantic relationship with Justin Bieber, friendship with Taylor Swift, or ongoing health battles, the tabloids seem to always have something to talk about. Gomez struggles at times with her huge success, but despite the attention, she has found ways to be happy. Gomez keeps busy in the recording studio, with three of her albums hitting number one on the Billboard Charts. Gomez is also no stranger to hard work developing successful product lines, such as her exclusive fragrance line, the Dream Out Loud clothing line with Kmart, a collection with Coach, and an athletic line with Puma.
Gomez has spoken openly about being diagnosed with Lupus. In 2017, she underwent a highly publicized kidney transplant. After the life-saving surgery, she started to experience bouts of depression. Gomez went through a very public struggle with anxiety and depression, and in a 2019 interview with The Today Show referred to it as “one of the scariest times in my life.” Recently, Gomez revealed to Miley Cyrus on the Bright Minded Instagram series, that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Gomez took a short break from the music industry to overcome her demons. She returned full throttle in November 2019, with the release of “Lose You to Love Me.” When the emotional ballad skyrocketed to number one on the Billboard charts, Gomez reached out to fans on Instagram saying, “Thank you all for standing by my side through the highs and lows. I couldn’t do it without you all and I can’t wait to start my next adventure with you.”
Fans are excited to see the new makeup line from Selena Gomez
Now, stronger than ever, Gomez has decided what her new adventure is going to be. Expected to launch this summer, exclusively at North American Sephora stores, Gomez is releasing a line of beauty products. According to Harper’s Bazaar, Gomez filed for a patent “to create a line of “Selena Gomez” beauty products including fragrances, cosmetics, skin-care preparations, hair-care preparations, soaps, moisturizers, and essential oils.” When news of the new line broke, more than one million followers immediately joined Rare Beauty on Instagram to support the new brand. Gomez posted a short video to the page, introducing the product line, with the official brand stating,”Our founder @selenagomez believes everyone is unique and rare. But today, too many people feel trapped by unrealistic expectations that are impossible to achieve. @rarebeauty Is about accepting who you are–and finding the beauty in your imperfections.” It is believed that lipstick, highlighters, blushes, and eye products will be the first products introduced in the line.
Fans believe that the release of Gomez’s newest album, Rare, correlates to this new line of products. Gomez recently stated, “I think Rare Beauty can be more than a beauty brand. I want us all to stop comparing ourselves and to start embracing our own uniqueness.” She has been seen around town the past few months in new shades of lipstick, wearing bold and bright colors. Fans believe her new look is an indication of what’s to come with her new Rare Beauty products, and they couldn’t be more excited to try them out themselves.
Selena Gomez’s relationship with makeup
Gomez recently talked with comedian Amy Schumer for Interview Magazine. When asked about her upcoming Rare Beauty product line, Gomez responded, “I wanted to start a conversation about how can you make yourself feel great. It’s not necessarily about needing these things to make yourself feel beautiful. People of my generation have all this pressure to look a certain way, and I wanted to make a line that took away a bit of that pressure.”


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The Colorado School of Public Health University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus is conducting a study to determine the effects of THC on drivers. If you drive high, this may be the perfect study for you to participate in. You’ll have to have your own weed, your own ride, insurance, driver’s license, but you’ll help potentially change the way THC is viewed when it comes to operating a motor vehicle. Many cannabis consumers believe that their consumption does not affect their ability to drive. In fact, many of these consumers think cannabis helps them to drive better. They say they are more focused and less irrational being able to keep a cooler head on today’s uptight highways.
The Study Deets You Need to Know
Ashley Brooks Russell is co-directing this study to determine how marijuana affects consumers who use it daily vs. those who consume once or twice a week vs. noncannabis consumers. The goal of the study is to learn how cannabis affects drivers and what role it plays inhibiting the performance of drivers. It’s common knowledge that intoxicants such as alcohol and prescription drugs affect a person’s ability to operate machinery or drive a vehicle. It’s unclear the role that cannabis plays. Does cannabis impair a consumer’s ability to operate machinery or drive a vehicle? Does it make them more dangerous drivers prone to accidents?
“We know that certain drugs really deteriorate people’s performance behind the wheel. Alcohol is a classic example of that. Our understanding of how cannabis affects driving is less well developed.”-Ashley Brooks Russell
The Many Benefits of Cannabis Legalization
Improved tax revenue, increased employment opportunities, and better health care are some of the good sides of cannabis legalization. Another good thing that comes from cannabis legalization is that it opens doors for research and credible studies to take place. For every study that says one thing there’s bound to be another study that concludes something else. It took over 80 years for us to get to the point where we’re starting to break down the myths and lies that supported cannabis prohibition. It wouldn’t be surprising if it took us another 80 years to fully understand the complexities of this widely misunderstood plant.


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Disney Interactive has announced the release date for the new 2.0 version of Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (see "'Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes') as Tuesday September 23.
Disney recently announced that sales of the game will hit $1 billion will the addition of the new Marvel characters to the game this summer (see "Disney's 'Infinity' Will Hit $1B"). Disney also announced a pre-order program with the release date, which will allow consumer to receive a bonus Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel figure with pre-orders of the Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes Starter Pack from select big box retailers.
The Starter Pack includes the Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) video game disc, the Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) base, 3 Marvel Super Heroes Figures (Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow), a Marvel's The Avengers Play Set piece, 2 Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) Toy Box Games and a web code for online content. MSRP is $74.99. Additional individual figures, including Captain America, Hawkeye, and Hulk have an MSRP of $13.99.
Posted by ICv2 on July 24, 2014 @ 3:30 pm CT
Column by Steve Bennett
September 15, 2021
This week, columnist Steve Bennett delves into DC's Webtoons and Marvel's Infinity Comics.
The Return of a Classic, Plus Family Drama, Cat Baristas, and Robots
September 17, 2021
This month’s picks include a new edition of a classic crime manga, as well as a searing memoir, a collection of stories about robots in a future society, and a series set in a coffeehouse staffed by cats.


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Spar Scotland is launching a new advertising campaign, aimed at surprising shoppers with deals on key food and drink products available in Spar stores in Scotland.
In a series of TV ads being aired exclusively on STV, the new media campaign from Spar Scotland focuses on six headline products including Goodfella’s, Irn Bru, Budweiser, Tennent’s, Tanqueray and Golden Wonder.
The adverts will run every day from January 26 until 15 February, and it is forecast they will reach 1,588,080 adults on average 3.8 times across Scotland.
Commenting on this latest investment into Spar Scotland’s advertising, Colin McLean, CEO at CJ Lang and Son Ltd, said: “Spar is the leading convenience retail brand in Scotland. We want to ensure that our marketing has real stand out and is identifiable with shoppers.
“Our aim is to continue driving our strategy for growth and now is the right time to put Spar back on mainstream TV. Through the investment we have made into retail pricing, Spar stores are now able to offer shoppers even more value on these leading brands.”
McLean added: “We firmly believe our new advertising will drive sales through extra footfall and an increase in basket spend. The TV adverts have been created with a view to improve consumer perception of Spar. By focusing on these six headline products, our Spar stores are offering shoppers credible options.”


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R. House Inc., a company led by Michael Frangos, owner of the Rascal House pizza chain, is the new owner of the New York Spaghetti House, 2173 E. Ninth St.But that won’t mean the long-closed eatery from 1927 will get another shot at life.Louis Frangos, owner of USA Parking Co., sold the property and adjoining parking lot to his brother’s firm June 19 for $1.5 million, according to Cuyahoga County records. Louis Frangos said he will continue to run the parking lot next to the site, but they will try to get a city OK to demolish the restaurant. They would add 40 parking spots on the site until they find someone who wants the land. Parking at the adjoining lot, across from Progressive Field, is $20 on game days.“I’ve marketed it for years without getting any takers,” Louis Frangos said. He insisted his brother paid him real money for the quaint but dilapidated building and parking lot.He said the transaction also provides a means for the Rascal House owner to shelter from federal taxes some of the proceeds from the sale of his original location to CSU. That building was demolished by CSU to help produce the site of its new Center for Health Professions.
NY Spaghetti House in downtown Cleveland changes hands


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Toronto grocery store is now doing a happy hour with lower prices
Bars use happy hours to attract customers at slow times of day, so why shouldn’t grocery stores do the same to reduce waste?
Every Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m., customers can enjoy deep discounts on the store's stock of products with a strong environmental bent.
"We'll heavily discount products with an upcoming best-before date, and to make it fun, we'll have a draw for a small giveaway and also discount some of our everyday products," says Dipesh Shah, owner and founder of Canary & Fox.
Discounts of anywhere from 10 to 50 per cent (depending on expiry date and shelf life) will apply to items like milk, bacon, veggie broth, gravy cubes, spices, snacks, sauces, and spreads.
Of course, what's on sale will change week to week, so you'll just have to check out the shop yourself to try and snag a sweet deal.
Join the conversation Load comments


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European Imprisonment in UAE for stealing pant and fined 1,375 dirhams
To avoid paying the full asking price of 1375 dirhams for a pair of trousers from a popular brand, a European picked out a shirt that cost 575 dirhams, took both items into the dressing room and then paid the cashier the 575 dirhams for the shirt before leaving. For the stolen article of apparel, the Dubai Misdemeanour Court sentenced him to one month in jail and a fine.
Read also : Urgent Emirates: All you need to know about housing in the Emirate of Ajman
The Dubai Police were alerted to a shoplifting occurrence, as detailed in the report.
A store employee said that a stranger walked into the store, picked out some trousers and a shirt, tried them on and then paid 575 dirhams for the shirt with a credit card before leaving.
Worker verification revealed that he had failed to return the trousers and had also failed to pay for them.
Surveillance footage revealed that the offender removed the trousers from the changing room and left without the victim. The authorities recognised him and took him into custody. He admitted to stealing while being questioned.
The court determined that the defendant should serve only one month in prison, pay a fine equal to the worth of the trousers, and be deported from the country because of the special circumstances of the case.


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The Berlin-based incubator Team Europe has today announced the founding of the Delivery Hero Holding. Team Europe aims to turn Delivery Hero, which initially started as Lieferheld in Germany, into the world’s leading online food ordering platform.
The Delivery Hero Holding is headquartered in Berlin, and Niklas Oestberg has been appointed as CEO. The platform bundles thousands of delivery services offering freshly made food like pizza, sushi and burgers. into one easy-to-use service. Customers can order meals to their homes conveniently online, meaning no more annoying calls and rummaging around for ordering menus. The restaurants then receive the orders via fax or computer, which the platform receives a commission for. The process is also much simpler for the restaurants than the traditional order placement by phone.
“Last year we built the corresponding company for the German market and were actually surprised by the big success of ‘Lieferheld’,” commented Lukasz Gadowski, partner at Team Europe. “As such, the next logical step was to found Delivery Hero Holding, and Niklas Oestberg was the perfect choice as CEO.”
Oestberg has already successfully set up online food ordering platforms in Finland, Austria, Poland and Sweden. He commented on his enthusiasm for the recent developments: “Team Europe is the right partner to help me realise my vision of a global food delivery platform. When it comes to scaling businesses, they’re professionals”.
Delivery Hero is already working intensively on launching its website in its first foreign market – Australia. “We are planning a very broad international roll out,” explained Markus Fuhrmann, Venture Partner at Team Europe. Fuhrmann has already gained experience in the field three years ago when co-founding an equivalent model in Austria. Among other countries, he also lived for several years China, where he built up a corresponding business as well. Now he is pushing the global expansion of Delivery Hero together with Oestberg.
By the way: If you’d like to stay up-to-date regarding startup news and interesting opportunities, make sure to subscribe to our free weekly EU-Startups Newsletter.


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The other day we reported that Farmville had invaded the real world, making their Farmville Bucks available through various Green Giant produce products, today the tables have switched and the real world is invading the social game.
The invasion comes courtesy of Cascadian Farms, an organic Blueberry farm which has watched as 310 million organic blueberries have been planted. To put those numbers into perspective, it took 1 million players purchasing 20 coins each to plant that number of crops.
While Taami Nutz had a brand-sponsored peanut in early 2010, Cascadian Farm is the first to see their logo and brand enter into the FarmVille market. [Read more…]


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American fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has opened a fully automated outlet of its popular franchise in Moscow featuring essentially zero contact between customers and employees, and a biometric payment option.
The ‘restaurant of the future’ — as KFC calls it — in Moscow comes three years after the company launched its first ‘naked payments’-ready store in Hangzhou, China, through a partnership with Alibaba’s Alipay and its Smile to Pay platform, which connects a user’s face biometrics to their payment account.
At the Moscow location, staff prepare the customer’s order in the kitchen, placing the food on a conveyor belt when it is ready. An automated robotic arm then takes the order off the belt, placing it into a cabinet that can only be unlocked from the customer’s side with a code provided to them.
Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and attempts by governments everywhere to mitigate its spread, restaurants around the world have had to close for several months. Moscow — where there have been 200,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 — is preparing to allow some restaurants to reopen this week, with restrictions to promote safety.
Though the new Moscow location is equipped with the ability for customers to pay using facial recognition for biometric authentication, it is not clear whether KFC and Alibaba are working together again with the Smile to Pay system in this case.
June 23, 2020 – by Tony Bitzionis


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When one in three sales are a distress purchase, it’s important that the customer experience works, says Currys’ Lindsay Haslehurst. For that, she says, is the case for 30% of the sales that the electricals and technology retailer makes.
“They need it now. It’s a central tech, it’s running their lives, whether that’s organising them, connecting them, helping them work, play, entertain, feed and clothe, they want it now,” says Haslehurst. “That’s where our 300 stores, our same-day order and collect, and our same-day delivery service allows us to do something that nobody else can do. But it has to be easy and it has to be right first time.”
Haslehurst says that shoppers are more demanding than ever in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Getting it right has never been more important, customers expect more,” said Haslehurst, chief supply chain officer at Currys, speaking at Salesforce World Tour earlier this month, adding: “Expectations are constantly evolving, and we’re expected to respond to that.”
‘Right first time’
Meeting that level of demand for “right first time” service is important for the retailer, which runs the sixth biggest website in the UK, visited more than 406m times in 2021. The retailer, whose website operates on Salesforce Commerce Cloud and which uses its Service Cloud to interact with customers across sales channels, says that 80% of its in-store customers say they value the expert advice that staff give them – especially when they buy technology products that are relatively complex and can be confusing to use. “That’s what really drives a value for them is that expert guidance and support throughout that journey,” says Haslehurst. “So for us, it’s absolutely critical one-two differentiator for us.” Making the complexity simple for customers is a key part of that. “Our customers expect it every step of the way to be a seamless personalised and integrated experience. So for us ‘easy to shop’ is about ensuring for the customer, they don’t notice any of the joins, however they choose to shop with us online, or in store.”
Also important is building long-term relationships with customers, from the point of delivery and installation to repairs and recycling further along the way. It’s about giving customers reasons to keep coming back to them. That, says Haslehurst, is about “about us helping them, taking customer needs and matching it with products and services.” It’s also, she says, about offering credit to make purchases affordable.
“I think really our biggest challenge, the biggest opportunity for us as a business lies way beyond the point of purchase, we have a long term relationship with our customers, whether that’s in our delivering installation, repairs, trading, recycling,” says Haslehurst. “The relationship with our customers isn’t just days, hours or weeks after we sell the product, it’s years. And that creates a huge opportunity for us to live with our customers throughout that lifecycle. But that’s difficult. It’s a complicated to do. And fundamentally, that’s what we really go into when we want to delight customers and go beyond their expectations to do things that constantly surprise them and delight them. And that’s really the challenge.”
Currys is ranked Top100 in RXUK Top500 research.


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The National Retail Federation (NRF) held its annual Retail’s Big Show event last week in-person at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. In 2021, the conference took place virtually. This yearly conference and expo bring together the retail industry with informative sessions, product and services trends and ample networking opportunities.
Other highlights from NRF 2022: Retail’s Big Show included:
- Zach Freeze, senior director of strategic initiatives-sustainability at Walmart, and Saskia van Gendt, head of sustainability at Rothy’s, discussed the future status of environmental sustainability in retail.
- Chewy CEO Sumit Singh shared about the company’s vision, strategy and future goals after another year of incredible growth. In the past three years, Chewy has tripled revenues to over $9 billion.
- Ralph Lauren recently moved into on-demand production and custom manufacturing markets, and Jason Berns, senior vice president of product and manufacturing innovation, discussed the motivation behind the expansion.
- Company leaders from YUM! Brands, The Vitamin Shoppe and Saks OFF 5th spoke on fostering more inclusive workplace cultures and making meaningful progress in DEI efforts. Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, and Frida Polli, CEO and co-founder of Pymetrics, led another DEI panel discussion. Executives from Best Buy, Albertsons, Savage X Fenty and Marjani Beauty spoke on training, conversations and policies that make a difference.
- IBM chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna spoke with Jon Fortt, co-anchor of CNBC’s “TechCheck”, about all things technology and retail. Topics included inventory optimization, blockchain, digital currencies, supply chain and clean energy.
- Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison shared how the company kept pace with the pandemic and the needs of consumers to turn their homes into places for work, school, recreation and entertainment.
Photo credit: National Retail Federation


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Howdy, folks, and welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s newsletter that summarizes the significant tech market happenings over the previous week (approximately). Microsoft’s Ignite conference, where the tech huge pitched its vision of a “copilot”-powered future, flooded the channels midweek. There was plenty of note.
In this edition of WiR, we have a look at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s unanticipated shooting, Humane’s unusual– and maybe overambitious– Ai Pin, the shutdown of the popular video chat service Omegle, Airbnb obtaining the secret company of a Siri co-founder, and Amazon introducing an affordable health insurance. We likewise cover the watermelon emoji being utilized as a sign of political unity on social networks, electrical air taxi screening in New York City, the continuous Epic-Google antitrust case and driverless automobile business Cruise’s getting worse problems.
It’s a lot to get to– so let’s hop to it. Initially, a suggestion toregister here to get WiR in your inbox every Saturday if you have not currently done so.
The majority of check out
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman fired: In an unexpected turn of occasions, Sam Altman has actually been fired from OpenAI, the AI start-up behind ChatGPTDALL-E 3GPT-4 and other extremely capable generative AI systems. In apost on OpenAI’s main blog site, the business composed that Altman’s departure followed a “deliberative evaluation procedure by the board” that concluded that Altman “wasn’t regularly honest in his interactions” with other board members, “preventing its capability to exercise its duties.” OpenAI CTO Mira Murati will take control of as interim CEO.
The Ai Pin personally:Brian had a look at the Ai Pin, a curious brand-new item from Apple-veteran-backed, well-funded start-up Humane. He composes that the matchbook-sized gadget, which includes a laser system for forecasting UI components onto surface areas and a mic and speaker range for reacting to voice commands, feels “really early days”– which the cost ($699) and compulsory membership ($24 each month) does not assist. Still, it’s clear that a great deal of care entered into the item, he includes.
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra make their name: In other hardware news, Brian test-drove Bose’s brand-new QuietComfort Ultra earphones, which begin at $429. In his evaluation, Bose has actually developed a few of the most comfy and best-sounding earphones on the marketplace– combined with best-in-class sound cancelation. That’s full marks for Bluetooth earphones.
Omegle closes down: Omegle, the popular online chat service that let individuals link and talk with complete strangers (which was all the rage in this author’s high school days), has actually closed down after more than 14 years. Creator and CEO Leif K-Brooks pointed out growing abuse of the platform, consisting of individuals dedicating “unspeakably abhorrent criminal offenses.” A subsequent Wired report recommends Omegle was required to close down by a suit from a sexual assault survivor.
Airbnb purchases Siri co-founder’s company: Today Airbnb got a deceptive AI start-up, GamePlanner.AI for around $200 million, CNBC states. GamePlanner was co-founded by Adam Cheyer, who notoriously assisted co-launch the start-up Siri, which Apple got and whose innovation ended up being the basis for Apple’s AI-powered Siri assistant. In revealing the acquisition, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky hinted that the 12-person start-up integrates know-how in AI and style towards crafting AI-driven experiences– sort of like an AI-focused consultancy.
Amazon releases brand-new health insurance: Amazon revealed today a One Medical subscription advantage for Prime members, providing access to health care services for $9 monthly or $99 each year. (Recall that Amazon nabbed up One Medical, a medical care tech company, in February for around $3.9 billion.) Initially $199 a year, members are conserving $100 on One Medical’s 24/7 virtual care services with the brand-new strategy, Lauren composes, in addition to gaining from in-person gos to at places throughout the U.S.
The watermelon emoji, a sign of demonstration: Morgan discusses how the watermelon emoji has a complex history in Palestinian demonstrations online. The watermelon theme as a political declaration ended up being prevalent after the 2nd Intifada in the early 2000s, however watermelon images is specifically common this year as Israeli authorities impose restrictions on the Palestinian flag– and amidst around the world require a ceasefire in wake of Israel’s reaction to the Hamas attack.
Air taxis cab hover above NYC: Joby Aviation and Volocopter offered the general public a brilliant peek of what the future of air travel may appear like this previous weekend, with both business carrying out short presentation flights of their electrical airplane in New York City. The presentation flights were performed throughout an interview last Sunday, throughout which New York City mayor Eric Adams revealed that the city would energize 2 of the 3 heliports situated in Manhattan.
Legendary and Google fight: Match settled its antitrust case with Google over Play Store costs for north of $300 million, Fortnite maker Epic Games continuedto take its case to trial todaySarah reports. The video game maker argues that Google’s commissions on in-app purchases are anticompetitive which Google has actually applied its power in the market to unjustly complete by working out unique handle designers and makers running their own app shops.
Cruise takes a detour: Cruise, the GM self-driving automobile subsidiary, today began laying off contingent employees after stopping briefly all of its driverless operations. This follows it lost crucial industrial licenses that permitted it to run a robotaxi service in San Francisco and halted production on its purpose-built Origin self-governing vehicle. Cruise likewise suspended its staff member stock program as GM takes a more active function in forming the security culture at the business, placing among its officers to direct Cruise’s legal and policy, interactions and financing groups.
Uber fights unjust deactivations: Uber has actually presented a function tailored towards dealing with the problem of unreasonable deactivations that ride-hail and shipment motorists typically deal with. Beginning Monday throughout the U.S., the business has actually been presenting an innovation that determines riders or Uber Eats clients who regularly offer bad rankings or feedback with the intent of getting a refund.
Required a podcast to pass the hours, possibly throughout Thanksgiving preparation? (This author will be baking– perhaps an ube babkamotivated by his caring Filipino partner.) Well, you’re in luck. TechCrunch’s got you covered– there’s plenty to contribute to the playlist from TC’s library.
Today on Equitythe team discussed the Google search-related antitrust case that’s presently continuous and what it might imply for start-ups.
Found included 2 discussions everything about sustainability in style from TechCrunch Disrupt 2023. In the very first, 3 visitors– Jim Ajioka from Colorifix, Beth Esponnette from unspun and Julie Willoughby from Circ– talked to Harri about current patterns. In the 2nd, Morgan talked to Jemima Bunbury from Blend, a curated style app that’s altering the method individuals store online.
And over on Domino effect Stani Kulechov, the creator of Avara, discussed the Aave procedure, Avara’s platform-focused stablecoin GHO and its social media procedure Lens.
TC+ customers get access to extensive commentary, analysis and studies– which you understand if you’re currently a customer. If you’re not,think about registeringHere are a couple of highlights from today:
Compliance, a moneymaker: German software application business EQS Group is being taken personal by Thoma Bravo for about EUR400 million ($435.1 million) in an offer that represents an enormous 53% premium over its pre-announcement worth. Alex explores what it might suggest for rather a variety of start-ups running in the regulative tech market.
What it implies to be human in a world of AI:Haje reviews the significance of art– and why we’re distressed that robotics are making it now– due to pushback versus generative AI, especially art-generating AI like OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 and Midjourney
The time to triage is over: While the fundraising market still looks bleak for start-ups, continuing to triage isn’t sustainable for their financiers, Rebecca reports. VCs are investing all of their attention and capital on assisting their existing portfolio business ride out the harder fundraising market– however funds aren’t established to support this method.


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Banks are stepping up to provide loans and capital to beleaguered businesses. The challenge is making sure SMEs get more than just a trickle.
With the spread of the novel coronavirus forcing businesses and whole countries into lockdown, global trade faces even greater uncertainty than during the 2008 economic collapse, as global supply chains experience a severe demand/supply shock. The World Trade Organization predicts that merchandise trade could fall by as much as 32% this year, with the biggest drops likely in the services sector due to travel restrictions.
Governments have announced unprecedented financial support for businesses and international trade, and development banks have moved swiftly to minimize the economic fallout from the pandemic. On March 13, the Asian Development Bank made $200 million available via its Supply Chain Finance Program to companies that manufacture and distribute medicines, test kits, protective masks and ventilators needed to combat the infection. Financial support could rise to $800 million, the ADB said, if the risk is shared 50/50 with commercial banks.
“We’re looking to support companies that want to ramp up production, and therefore need to engage suppliers,” says Steven Beck, the ADB’s head of Trade and Supply Chain Finance. “We want to make sure this is contained, so we’re bringing all the [financial] firepower we have.” He says he is in daily contact with clients and partner banks in Asia. “The sense of communication and coordination is much tighter than it was during the 2008 financial crisis. We’re much better equipped to respond more quickly.”
Lessons learned from the 2008 crash are the silver lining in the current heavily clouded environment. Big commercial banks are in a much better position to lend to businesses than they were then, when their balance sheets were loaded with risky loans and dubious financial structures. Today, they are better capitalized and better able to be part of the solution, rather than the problem.
Beck, Asian Development Bank: We’re looking to support companies that want to ramp up production.
“We’ve heard from many government agencies around the world,” says Geoff Brady, head of Global Trade and Supply Chain Finance at Bank of America. “They’re asking what they can do and how they can help. Banks could play a significant role in this environment, guaranteeing loans and providing capital to help stabilize supply chains for buyers and suppliers.”
The Hardest Hit
The liquidity taps have been turned on, but will it reach the businesses that need it the most in time? For some, it may already be too late. “In the UK, we’ve already seen the collapses of Laura Ashley and Flybe, driven in part by the virus,” says Kerstin Braun, president of Stenn Group, an international provider of trade finance. “In China, we know only 10% of businesses feel they can hold out six months or longer.”
Small and medium-size enterprises will be the hardest hit by the pandemic. Unlike larger, cash-rich companies that can draw down preapproved bank credit lines or tap into rainy-day cash war chests, smaller companies typically have only enough cash to see them through a month or two. SMEs also find it difficult to access trade finance, which has led to a persistently high global trade financing gap, estimated at some $1.5 trillion.
“This crisis is only going to exacerbate that gap,” says Beck. “At times like this, you have companies hoarding liquidity. And in this environment, SMEs, who are the most underserved segment, know that financial institutions will be looking to service top-tier clients.”
For businesses to survive months of interruption under lockdown, fast and flexible financing is vital. Business loans offered by governments and well-intentioned banks may have more attractive repayment terms or even be collateral-free, but now is the time when many companies, particularly SMEs, are looking to expand their sources of off-balance sheet financing, which isn’t counted as debt.
One product that fits the bill is supply chain finance, sometimes referred to as working capital finance. “Supply chain finance is an excellent product right now as it enables suppliers to get paid earlier,” before the invoice due date, says Patrik Zekkar, global head of Trade Finance & Working Capital at Nordea Bank. “Multinationals don’t want their suppliers to go out of business.”
Jose Maleh, CEO at S&J Distribution, a consumer electronics company, says working capital finance provides quicker approvals and more flexibility than bank loans. It also keeps a company from having to exhaust its existing credit line with banks. The current challenge, says Maleh, is that suppliers globally are not extending payment terms, which kills cash flow.
Using financing from Stenn Group, S&J can pay suppliers at shipment for goods imported from overseas. Suppliers usually receive payment within 24 to 48 hours of receipt of all documentation, Maleh says. S&J is still able to purchase goods on extended payment terms, but without putting unnecessary strain on its suppliers’ cash flow.
During periods of financial stress, when many companies struggle to borrow or use their own cash, supply chain finance is a particularly good solution for suppliers, says Brady: “Banks have maintained their appetite for this type of financing throughout the different market cycles. Short-term, self-liquidating financing may become even more attractive to banks in the future, when decisions around deploying capital could take on greater significance.”
But supply chain finance isn’t always a good deal for smaller SMEs in the lower tiers of corporate supply chains, argues Roger Vincent, CIO at Trade Ledger, a lending-as-a-service platform. “SCF, in a global context, is heavily biased toward the top tier of the supply chain,” he says. “It is the players in the mid-market that tend to lose out.”
Prior to the pandemic, most buyers may have had their top 10% to 20% of suppliers participate in bank-led SCF programs, says Nathan Feather, CFO of PrimeRevenue, a multibank supply chain finance provider. But now, he says, they want SMEs and smaller independent contractors on board. “Buyers may not have focused on SMEs in the past, but they are trying to provide a liquidity lifeline with no strings attached to keep them going.”
The Case for Digitization
As buyers look to onboard more suppliers to SCF programs, Feather says it’s important for providers to be able to do so at speed and scale. That requires purchase orders and invoices to be received and approved electronically.
And that means supplier onboarding is one area where fintechs have the upper hand. “The technology the banks operate is old and they have difficulties supporting programs with thousands of suppliers,” says Stenn Group’s Braun. “We do everything using APIs.”
As the coronavirus shines a spotlight on the fragilities of global supply chains, some banks have seized the opportunity to roll out new solutions that leverage the latest digital technologies to speed up how quickly companies can access financing. In early April, for example, DBS Bank launched a new digital platform using APIs and integrated online account opening and onboarding. This gives the distributors for Haier Group, a Chinese consumer electronics company, many of them SMEs, access within 24 hours to lower-cost financing for their purchase orders.
The current crisis in global supply chains underscores the need for banks to promote higher levels of digitization and to provide financing that reaches all segments of global supply chains, Brady argues. “SCF has validated itself as a useful tool, and seen us through different financial crises,” he says. “Our clients, as well as governments, agencies and the broader market, are all seeking to increase this type of financing, not decrease it. We need to figure out how SCF can be more ubiquitous.”


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Lindsay Kennedy Eversmeyer – The Pressure Is On
Last week, Southwestern Illinois College announced a new Head Coach for their men’s soccer team – Lindsay Kennedy Eversmeyer. If you’ve been around soccer in Saint Louis for any amount of time,…July 25, 2022
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If a female/femme in the world of soccer told you they faced misogyny on a pretty regular basis, what would you say? Would you believe them? Would you tell them to…April 26, 2022
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During the early weeks of the pandemic, many Americans were buying extra items that were hard to find in grocery stores, such as toilet paper, paper towels, rice and cleaning supplies. Now that supplies are back on the shelves, using those items can help feed hungry children in Africa.
Grocery Shoppers Are Stockpiling
According to a survey conducted between March 13 and 15, 2020 among American grocery shoppers, 54% said that they had stockpiled supplies that would last them for two weeks. Almost one-fifth of the shoppers purchased items that would last between three and four weeks, while 20% stockpiled enough for one week, and 7% were supplied for over a month.
Toilet paper was not the only item being hoarded. This spring, worried consumers bought staples such as rice and pasta in record numbers. But does a family really need that second oversized bag of rice gathering dust on the pantry shelf? Statistics show that many people in the United States were over-supplying their pantries. For example, a five-pound bag of rice equals about 13 six-ounce servings, which would feed two people for almost a week if each person ate a serving of rice every single day. Similarly, five pounds of uncooked pasta is equivalent to 13 servings, which feeds two people each a serving of pasta every day for about a week. Instead of stockpiling and letting these items linger on the shelf until their expiration dates, it makes sense for people to use just five pounds each of rice and pasta per week. Doing so could save close to $20 at the grocery store.
Now that supplies such as toilet paper are back on the shelves, families can also use stockpiled paper goods regularly instead of storing them indefinitely in the closet. By not buying two 12-roll packages of toilet paper this month, and instead using the rolls already in the closet, a family could save around $25. This amount could feed a child in Africa for an entire month, according to the World Food Program.
Feed Hungry Children in Africa for an Entire Month
If a family also uses the package of paper towels sitting in the pantry instead of buying a new package, they would save around $20, which would feed a child in Africa for another three weeks. And using the extra cleaning supplies that are stashed under the sink — such as laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, hand soap and spray cleaners — could save another $25, which would feed yet another child for one month. To sum up: dusting off and using just a few stockpiled paper goods, cleaning supplies and five pounds each of rice and pasta could cut around $90 from the next grocery bill. According to the World Food Program, $15 could feed a hungry child in Africa for one month. With the savings gained simply from using these items and not buying new ones, a person or family could feed six hungry children in Africa for an entire month.
The Pandemic Increased Global Hunger
The global need for aid is greater than ever. Prior to the pandemic, around 149 million people suffered from extreme hunger, but as the coronavirus spreads, that number could reach 270 million by December 2020. According to the World Bank, the prevalence of undernourishment in Zambia’s population is over 46%. This means that almost half of all people in Zambia do not have enough to eat. In the Republic of the Congo, 40.4% of people are hungry, while the same is true for 29.4% of Kenyans and 13.4% of Nigerians.
In addition, South Sudan has declared a famine, with an estimated one million children acutely malnourished. As of March 2020, South Sudan is one of the most food-insecure countries in the world, and the pandemic has exacerbated the situation. Around 6.5 million people, or about 51% of its entire population, could face acute food insecurity and require urgent food assistance this year. The need to feed hungry children in Africa has never been more pressing.
Easily Save $90 and Give
Again, simply clearing out those crowded pantries and kitchen shelves and using the stockpiled items could save around $90 in one month. What to do with the savings? Why not simply cross those stockpiled items off of this week’s grocery list and donate the money? The pantry shelves will be less crammed — and that is a good feeling, along with the knowledge that using these stored items has helped to feed hungry children in Africa.
– Sarah Betuel


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Fitness tech firm Peloton was worth more than $48bn at its peak earlier this year. Now it’s worth just over $30bn, with its latest financials – although showing growth – not likely to set its market cap rising again.
In the second quarter of this year (its fiscal Q4) Peloton generated $936.9m of revenues, up by 54.3% year-on-year. However, $683.2m cost of revenues, with $229.3m of sales and marketing costs, $93.9m of R&D and $232.1m of general and administrative costs meant that the company recorded an operating loss of $301.7m.
The issue – certainly for its share price – being that the losses were greater than predicted, as CNBC explains. Peloton ended June with more than 5.9 million members, including more than 2.33m ‘connected fitness’ subscriptions to its service.
There was more news alongside the financials. First, Peloton is dropping the price of its exercise bike to $1,495 – a 20% cut – which it says aims to make its service “more accessible and attainable”.


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Pandora reported net revenue of $125.5 million in the first quarter.
That compares to $80.7 million for the quarter a year ago.
Its ad revenue in particular was $105 million, compared to $70.5 million for the same period a year ago. Total mobile ad revenue was nearly $84 million.
Pandora CFO Joe Kennedy told analysts in an earnings call the company implemented a limit on mobile listening, to help manage content acquisition costs. That 40-hour-a-month limit on mobile listening did result in fewer hours streamed for the quarter, with minimal impact on listenership or revenue growth, according to Kennedy.
Still, the company’s content acquisition costs increased, to $82.5 million in the quarter, compared to nearly $56 million a year ago.
Pandora claims total active listeners hit 70.1 million in Q1, up 35% from last year.
Overall, the company continues to grow. It has 883 employees as of Q1, compared to 560 a year ago. Out of those, 248 employees are sales reps. Seventy-two of those sales reps are focused on local ad sales, said CFO Mike Herring.
Asked how the company determines the national versus local mix, Herring said most of its revenue is still derived from national sales. Pandora looks at where the biggest demand is and where it gets the highest return, both in markets where it has and where it does not have people, he said.
Pandora has made a big push to drive mobile revenue and that’s paying off, according to Kennedy, with total mobile ad revenue of nearly $84 million in the quarter. Pandora has a mix of display, audio and video ads, and is seeing the greatest growth in audio in terms of local ad sales. The company plans to gradually increase the number of sold ads per hour on the audio service.


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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that in the coming weeks, unemployment insurance benefit payments will no longer be made by debit card. Beginning December 27, 2021, claimants who defaulted to a debit card option as their preferred method of payment will begin receiving paper checks instead of the benefits being placed on a debit card. The Department will continue to make benefit payments as normal to those claimants who chose to receive them via direct deposit.
The change comes after the Department’s vendor, KeyBank, made the decision to stop providing debit cards for unemployment insurance benefit purposes. To ensure there is no interruption or extended gaps in benefit payments to claimants, IDES has contracted with Chase bank. Benefit payments will be made via paper check rather than a debit card, or via direct deposit to the claimant’s banking institution. While claimants will still have access to remaining funds on their KeyBank debit card, no further payments will be made to those cards beginning December 27. KeyBank debit cards will continue to work normally until the card expires.
Claimants who currently receive benefit payments via debit card are strongly encouraged to switch to direct deposit. Doing so will result in quicker access to benefit payments. Claimants who switch to direct deposit can do so within their IDES account after they have successfully registered with and created an ILogin account. Step-by-step instructions on switching to direct deposit can be found in Direct Deposit Guide on the IDES website at ides.illinois.gov/payment.
Claimants who do not select direct deposit will receive benefit payments via paper check. Paper checks will be mailed to the address associated with the claimant’s account. It is important that claimants who do not enroll in direct deposit have an updated address on their IDES account. Address changes can be made on a claimant’s IDES account after they have successfully registered with and created an ILogin account.
IDES will provide more information directly to claimants via email about how this change may impact their benefit payments, detailed instructions about how to switch to direct deposit, and will work with stakeholders to provide information and resources to individuals who currently lack access to a direct deposit option. Information will also be available on the IDES website at ides.illinois.gov/payment.
ILogin is a new identity verification and multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution that has been integrated into the IDES unemployment insurance benefit system. ILogin creates a new, simple, more secure login process for claimants accessing their IDES accounts, including integrating MFA and identity verification software to protect claimants.


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Everything indicates that soon we will have a new Chromecast with us, but it seems that the new version will be much more different from what we are used to seeing. And no, this is not bad news, on the contrary, since the new accessory aims to be the new portable multimedia center for all types of televisions.
A Chromecast with Android TV
The secret lies in the interface. This new device, which has the codename Sabrina, would offer Android TV as an operating system, and would be marketed within the Google Nest family. Next to it, a remote control would arrive that previously we had already seen in profile thanks to a leaked patent, and today said design has been confirmed with another image leaked.
The device would seek to offer a multimedia experience beyond television, since in addition to recommending related content, it will allow us to take control of other home automation devices such as a Nest smart peephole or receive alerts from a smart lock or smart doorbell.
A very minimalist design
As you can see in the images, Sabrina has very rounded lines, although the interesting thing about the leak is that the images were created in October 2019, five days before the Pixel 4 was presented.
The video in the leak that accompanies the files have the name OOBE_End, where OOBE would mean out-of-box-experience (something like saying immediate experience).
This invites you to think of a plug-and-play device that allows users to enjoy a complete system based on Android TV just by connecting the dongle to our Smart TV. As a novelty, the device could come in beige in addition to the classic black and white, and apparently the finish of the case would be soft to the touch.
Main features of the new Chromecast
Leak also shows a firmware of the device that details some technical aspects of the device. Among them we can find compatibility with Dolby Vision thanks to an Amlogic SoC, although there are no exact details of what type of processor it will mount inside. This is undoubtedly a very important detail for some users, since a powerful CPU will allow you to run applications and even emulators on your television.
When can we buy the new Chromecast with Android TV?
The big question could not be with all this information, so for now you have to keep waiting until Google says something about it. Some bet on a price of about $80, a figure that would be more or less balanced with the price of the current Chromecast Ultra, and that would serve to stop other options such as the NVIDIA Shield TV and the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick that could see the light soon.