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Bitcoin is a digital asset designed to work in peer-to-peer transactions as a currency. Bitcoins have three qualities useful in a currency, according to The Economist in January 2015: they are "hard to earn, limited in supply and easy to verify". However, as of 2015 bitcoin functions more as a payment processor than as a currency.
According to The New York Times, libertarians and anarchists were attracted to the idea. Early bitcoin supporter Roger Ver said: "At first, almost everyone who got involved did so for philosophical reasons. We saw bitcoin as a great idea, as a way to separate money from the state." The Economist describes bitcoin as "a techno-anarchist project to create an online version of cash, a way for people to transact without the possibility of interference from malicious governments or banks".
On 1 August 2017, a hard fork of bitcoin was created, known as Bitcoin Cash. Bitcoin Cash has a larger block size limit and had an identical blockchain at the time of fork. On 24 October 2017 another hard fork, Bitcoin Gold, was created. Bitcoin Gold changes the proof-of-work algorithm used in mining, as the developers felt that mining had become too specialized.
According to the European Central Bank, the decentralization of money offered by bitcoin has its theoretical roots in the Austrian school of economics, especially with Friedrich von Hayek in his book Denationalisation of Money: The Argument Refined, in which he advocates a complete free market in the production, distribution and management of money to end the monopoly of central banks.:22
On 19 June 2011, a security breach of the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange caused the nominal price of a bitcoin to fraudulently drop to one cent on the Mt. Gox exchange, after a hacker used credentials from a Mt. Gox auditor's compromised computer illegally to transfer a large number of bitcoins to himself. They used the exchange's software to sell them all nominally, creating a massive "ask" order at any price. Within minutes, the price reverted to its correct user-traded value. Accounts with the equivalent of more than US$8,750,000 were affected.
The future of global payments could be in the early stages of significant change, with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies gaining in popularity and use. These charts can keep you up to date on Bitcoin prices and market activity, and can be a useful tool for timing purchases or sales. While prices could go down as well as up, the Bitcoin market has enormous potential, and prices seen in 2017 could eventually look like a genuine bargain.a
In January 2012, bitcoin was featured as the main subject within a fictionalized trial on the CBS legal drama The Good Wife in the third-season episode "Bitcoin for Dummies". The host of CNBC's Mad Money, Jim Cramer, played himself in a courtroom scene where he testifies that he doesn't consider bitcoin a true currency, saying "There's no central bank to regulate it; it's digital and functions completely peer to peer".
Josiah is an assistant editor at CCN. A former ancient and medieval literature teacher, he has been reporting on cryptocurrency since 2014. He lives in rural North Carolina with his wife and children. He holds investment positions in bitcoin and other large-cap cryptocurrencies. Follow him on Twitter @Y3llowb1ackbird or email him directly at josiah.wilmoth(at)ccn.com.
Behind the scenes, the Bitcoin network is sharing a massive public ledger called the "block chain". This ledger contains every transaction ever processed which enables a user's computer to verify the validity of each transaction. The authenticity of each transaction is protected by digital signatures corresponding to the sending addresses therefore allowing all users to have full control over sending bitcoins.
Stefan Thomas, a Swiss coder and active community member, graphed the time stamps for each of Nakamoto's 500-plus bitcoin forum posts; the resulting chart showed a steep decline to almost no posts between the hours of 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time. Because this pattern held true even on Saturdays and Sundays, it suggested that Nakamoto was asleep at this time, and the hours of 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. GMT are midnight to 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (North American Eastern Standard Time). Other clues suggested that Nakamoto was British: A newspaper headline he had encoded in the genesis block came from the UK-published newspaper The Times, and both his forum posts and his comments in the bitcoin source code used British English spellings, such as "optimise" and "colour".
In the early days, Nakamoto is estimated to have mined 1 million bitcoins. Before disappearing from any involvement in bitcoin, Nakamoto in a sense handed over the reins to developer Gavin Andresen, who then became the bitcoin lead developer at the Bitcoin Foundation, the 'anarchic' bitcoin community's closest thing to an official public face.
In September 2015, the establishment of the peer-reviewed academic journal Ledger (ISSN 2379-5980) was announced. It covers studies of cryptocurrencies and related technologies, and is published by the University of Pittsburgh. The journal encourages authors to digitally sign a file hash of submitted papers, which will then be timestamped into the bitcoin blockchain. Authors are also asked to include a personal bitcoin address in the first page of their papers.
Although there are no guarantees that Bitcoin will continue to rise in value, the future does look bright for this exciting cryptocurrency. Unlike leveraged instruments, you can rest assured that your exposure to Bitcoin is limited to what you pay for it. (This does not apply to Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency derivatives that may be leveraged or shorted).
Because of bitcoin's decentralized nature and its trading on online exchanges located in many countries, regulation of bitcoin has been difficult. However, the use of bitcoin can be criminalized, and shutting down exchanges and the peer-to-peer economy in a given country would constitute a de facto ban. The legal status of bitcoin varies substantially from country to country and is still undefined or changing in many of them. Regulations and bans that apply to bitcoin probably extend to similar cryptocurrency systems.


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The freight industry is inching closer to electrification and autonomy, and much of the action is taking place in the distribution yard.
Among the beneficiaries is Outrider, a startup that automates operations for logistics hubs.
On Wednesday, the Golden, Colorado-based company announced it had closed $65 million in Series B funding. Koch Disruptive Technologies led the round, with participation from existing investors NEA, 8VC and Prologis Ventures. New investors included Henry Crown and Company and Evolv Ventures.

domain: news


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MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Globe Gamer Grounds, an esports platform that connects gamers of all skill levels, is calling out to all gamers to be a part of its growing community through its Raffles Fiesta and Daily Like, Share & Win campaigns with up to 500,000 PHP worth of prizes to be won, including a customized gaming PC and Sony PlayStation 5, among others. Also up for grabs are Ember Points, the platform’s currency that can be exchanged for Steam gift cards, in-game currencies across multiple games including Mobile Legends Diamond, PUBG UC, and more.
Participants are required to sign up at https://bit.ly/GlobeGGRaffleFiesta in order to stand a winning chance from today until 31 October 2022. They will then need to complete a series of simple tasks on the Globe Gamer Grounds official platform to gain entries, and achieve specific milestones to secure any of the Grand Prizes.
Prizes are as below:
Daily prizes: Up to 7,500 Ember Points (equivalent to 800 PHP)
- Customized Gaming PC
- Sony PlayStation 5
- Gaming Peripherals from Razer
- Xiaomi Pad 5
- Realme Narzo 50
- Gcash worth 1,000 PHP
Daily Like, Share & Win
For those who have never been lucky when it comes to giveaways, this is the chance. With this daily giveaway campaign, gamers are bound to be one of the lucky ones. All they have to do is:
- Like and Share the post of the day on Ember Philippines’ Facebook page
- Screenshot your Shared post
- Share the screenshot on Globe Gamer Grounds’ Discord server
That’s simple. Giveaways begin now until 31 October and two winners will be picked to win 3,000 Ember Points (equivalent to 300 PHP) daily, so hurry.
Globe Gamer Grounds is a platform that connects gamers of all skill levels, where they can join exciting events and be rewarded for playing. Just by signing up as a member, gamers can compete with like-minded gamers and participate in tournaments and matches. The platform aims to provide the gaming community accessibility to multiple games with its large offering – from Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG, Pokemon Unite, to Tekken 7 – while allowing them to connect and interact with each other while honing their skills. That’s not all, gamers also have the option to play against their favorite streamers.
About Globe Gamer Grounds
Globe Gamer Grounds is a platform to unite Filipino Gamers regardless of the games or devices they play. Registered users will be able to participate in daily tournaments, influencer challenges among others and be rewarded with Ember Points which can be redeemed into in-game currency, gift vouchers and many more.
About Globe Telecom
Globe is a leading full-service telecommunications company in the Philippines and publicly listed in the PSE with the stock symbol GLO. The company serves the telecommunications and technology needs of consumers and businesses across an entire suite of products and services including mobile, fixed, broadband, data connectivity, internet and managed services. It has major interests in financial technology, digital marketing solutions, venture capital funding for startups, and virtual healthcare. In 2019, Globe became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, committing to implement universal sustainability principles. Its principals are Ayala Corporation and Singtel, acknowledged industry leaders in the country and in the region. For more information, visit www.globe.com.ph. Follow @enjoyglobe on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Swarmio Media
Swarmio Media (CSE: SWRM; OTC: SWMIF) is a technology company focused on deploying its proprietary end-to-end gaming and esports platform, Ember, which enables telcos to monetize their gaming customers. Swarmio has engaged with several telcos that have launched Ember as an add-on service, allowing subscribers to access tournaments, engage in a localized gaming community, challenge friends and influencers, and earn points that can be used to purchase gaming content. Ember is powered by Swarmio’s patented Latency-Optimized Edge Cloud (‘LEC’) technology, which reduces lag and allows gamers to enjoy an optimized gaming experience.


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BALLWIN, MO (KTVI) – The last time you went shopping, how private was the dressing room you walked into? Many of us don’t take the time to look for security cameras while trying on clothes, but when one thrift store shopper did look, she was shocked by what she saw.
While DeAnna Morris was shopping at the Ballwin Red Racks, she noticed a security camera, clearly visible, even with the door shut. She took a video to document what she saw. “When you’re undressing, you don’t want to see a camera. That’s an invasion of privacy,” she explains.
A Red Racks store manager showed FOX 2 the video that this security camera captures. It is pointed towards the dressing rooms, but when you enlarge the image, it’s blurry and pixelated. The manager also let Morris view the surveillance, on a separate occasion. Despite the poor image quality, she was still bothered by what she saw. Morris says, “I was actually able to see a lady changing. I could see her standing there in her red bra from the waist up.”
Ballwin police investigated the placement of the security camera on the store’s ceiling, but didn’t find anything criminal about it.
The manager says this is one of several security cameras inside the store, meant to prevent shoplifting. Proceeds from this non-profit thrift shop benefit disabled veterans.
What do other shoppers think? Glenda Mertz says, “It’s a safety precaution against shoplifting, which I’m very much against. And to be shoplifting from the veterans’ store is just unbelievable.”
“Well I can understand the reason for it, because there’s so much shoplifting going on, and the stores are losing so much money, but I think they also need to protect the privacy of the person,” adds Helen Sanders.
FOX 2 visited the other St. Louis-area Red Racks, located in Creve Coeur. None of the cameras inside that store pointed towards the fitting rooms.
Now, the Ballwin Red Racks manager says he will be changing the angle of that camera, but won’t say why.
Still, Morris wants all women to be aware, and not just at Red Racks. “Women, you need to really, really watch those cameras when you’re changing,” she says.


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The pre Black Friday 2017 deals have already started
Black Friday 2017 will begin in just a few week's time but the deals are already starting.
There's already been some great offers in November with Sky cutting prices and Mobiles.co.uk offering a discount on the new iPhone X.
Now it's the turn of Argos and Currys to bring some pre Black Friday cheer.
Both of the high street retailers are offering some big discounts with Apple's iPad Pro and MacBook laptops getting their prices slashed.
Argos currently has a deal which will give customers 10 per cent off the brilliant iPad Pro 10.5-inch.
The deal uses a special code which must be entered at the checkout to receive the discount.
If you fancy buying this flagship tablet simply head to Argos.co.uk and use the IPAD10 code to get the money off. • YOU CAN FIND THE DEAL HERE
Prices for the iPad Pro start from £619 and rise to £889 - so this deal could see savings of almost £100.
Those wanting something more powerful than the iPad can also get a big discount on Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops.
Currys have not only reduced some of these portable PCs in price but is also offering an extra £250 off when customers trade in their old devices.
Deals currently include £200 off the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and £150 off Apple's ultra-thin MacBook. • YOU CAN FIND THE DEALS HERE
Along with the trade in discount on MacBooks, Currys is also offering a similar deal on iPads and the Apple Watch.
Other pre Black Friday 2017 offers from Currys include up to £1,600 off 4K TVs and £100 off some kitchen appliances.
Although these deals are good expect plenty more in the run-up to Black Friday.
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday, which takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, falls on November 24 this year.
Many deals will appear online as soon as the clock strikes midnight, while a majority of UK’s high street retailers will open at 6am.
The shopping bonanza will last all weekend, and is followed by Black Friday’s online equivalent Cyber Monday on November 27.


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Solar Exchange has launched its cloud-based commerce platform, which automates the buying and selling of goods for the solar industry. Professionals across the solar value chain have begun to do business with each other via the trading platform. More than $28 million in solar content has been put up for auction in the first week.
Solar Exchange uses online business-to-business (B2B) auctions and request for quote (RFQ) capabilities to facilitate sales and procurement activities. These capabilities create a direct connection between qualified solar businesses, large and small, along the entire solar value chain, including raw material and component suppliers, panel and BOS manufacturers, Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC) companies, developers, integrators, utilities, and power companies.
The company unveiled the Solar Exchange trading platform this week with 25 solar companies participating in their Founding Member program. Current founding members include: Hanwha SolarOne, Astronergy, REC, GCL, ReneSola, LDK, Conergy, ET Solar, Wirsol, Omnik New Energy, Motech, GPPV, AEG, Empergy, Eoplly, Harsha Abacus Solar, Hareon Solar, Galileo Solar, Kohima, TATA Power, Amro Technology, Jaisun Solar, Cinnamon Solar, and Delta Energy Systems.
SolarExchange.com is accessible in English, German, and Chinese, and has local service offices in the United States, China, Germany, and India, with plans for future market support in other emerging solar markets. To enable solar companies to benefit from this new trading solution, Solar Exchange is offering a free 6-month trial offer for all companies that register by Sept. 30, 2013.


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In 2013 the sale of electric cars is set to double, especially as they are becoming cheaper and more charging points are being built across the country. In 2012 only three thousand electric cars were bought, which is set to rise to about six thousand this year according to Ben Lane from nextgreencar.com. At the moment most electric cars are bought by businesses as part of their company car fleets, as it helps them reduce their carbon emissions and improve their corporate responsibility.
Lane has said that it is taking a long time for Britain to convert to electric cars, especially due to the fact that “The pricing is not quite right and the range is still not long enough. Very few people in 2012 were willing to pay a significant sum more for a car that still cannot do everything.” However, this is set to change as large car manufacturers are starting to produce electric cars that are more affordable, such as the Renault Zoe which costs only £13,650.
Furthermore, additional charging points are being built across the UK, with the number in London increasing from nine hundred to one thousand three hundred within the year. Those living in London and the east of England will now also be able to use each other’s charging points, whereas previously electric cars could not always be charged at points outside of the zone from which they originated.
The government has also already put aside £400 million for incentives that encourage members of the public to invest in electric cars. The Department for Transport said: “Electric vehicles are the arrowhead for a low-carbon revolution in motoring and we are determined to make sure the infrastructure is in place to encourage more and more people to make this switch.”
Those that decide to invest in an electric car this year will start to save money immediately as they will not have to worry about expensive petrol prices. It is important to also shop around for motor insurance that can provide specialists in electric cars whom can repair parts of the vehicle not found in more traditional models.


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Boy, it's a good time to be a dark chocolate lover.
We've noted before the growing evidence that a daily dose of the bitter bean may help reduce blood pressure. There also seems to be a link between a regular chocolate habit and lower body weight.
Now scientists are offering an explanation for just why cocoa powder may be good for the heart and waistline. The magic may reside in our microbes.
The friendly bacteria in our guts can gobble up cocoa powder and turn it into compounds known to help the heart, food scientists from Louisiana State University reported Tuesday at the American Chemical Society meeting in Dallas.
The critters also convert the cocoa powder into molecules that reduce inflammation and help tell us when we're full.
Click "source" to read more.


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Kiev, Ukraine Hotel Market Update - H1 2013 Results Reported by Jones Lang LaSalle
August 7, 2013 1:41pm
Moscow, 7 August 2013 — Jones Lang LaSalle’ Hotels & Hospitality Group announces the H1 2013 Kiev hotel market results.
“The Kiev hotel market, for a number of reasons, is proving to be highly competitive and as expected is showing a decline in performance in 2013 compared with 2012. For the first 6 months, the ‘branded market’ is down in RevPAR by almost 32% compared to the same time period last year – an alarming situation. This is coming through a drop in occupancy for the year of 10% and a drop in average rate of over 20%,” - reports David Jenkins, Head of Jones Lang LaSalle’ Hotels & Hospitality Group, Russia & CIS.
Results in brief:
Kiev Hotel Market in details
This year the city occupancy is sitting at 48.3% compared with 53.5% last year. The boom in hotel openings in the past few years has led to an intense competition in the city for any corporate and limited leisure business that comes in. Aligned with the well documented financial and political challenges in Ukraine, the downward trend looks set to continue with several new hotels still expected to open in the city over the next few years, including a Park Inn, Hilton and a Renaissance.
The 10% drop in occupancy is not as bad as potentially it could have been, given the new hotel supply in the market. “We see the significant drop in average rate – from USD280 in H1 2012 down to USD212 this year to date,” - David Jenkins says. – “On the one hand, the city has been well recognized as being ‘expensive’ for hotels, especially when there were so few brands on the market. With the opening of hotels such as Ibis, Holiday Inn and Ramada Encore, the city is now able to offer slightly more affordable options.”
At the top end of the market the opening of the Fairmont in 2012 created a stronger price competition amongst the higher end hotels – including Hyatt and Intercontinental. There were simply too many available rooms for the limited high-end business coming to the city. Inevitably prices are dropping across the board.
It is though important to note that in June 2012, Kiev hosted the UEFA football championship. If we compare the results just for June 2012 v 2013 we can see that the major impact the football had was on average rate. June 2012 saw a city ADR of USD446 with June 2013 at USD207. Occupancy was flat year to year.
So if we remove the June figures as an ‘event influenced’ change, the drop in ADR for the year comes in at a 14% drop – still significant.
David Jenkins comments: “Despite a visa free regime for most travelers, Kiev has been unable to tap into the lucrative European weekend break business, though again given the drops coming in prices and the availability of more hotels at better rates – there should be hope for this segment to grow and help boost occupancy in a city that should really be on the list of top European cities to visit. The opening of new airport terminals last year and more direct international flights should also be helping.”
jones lang lasalle
In Russia and CIS Jones Lang LaSalle have offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev and Aktau. Jones Lang LaSalle, Russia was voted Consultant of the Year in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 at the Commercial Real Estate Awards, Moscow and Consultant of the Year at the Commercial Real Estate Awards 2009, St. Petersburg.
For further information, please visit www.jll.ru
For more news, videos and research from Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group, please visit: www.jll.com/hospitality or download the Hotels & Hospitality Group’s app from the App Store
Contact: Natalia Kopeychenko, Head of PR
+7 495 737 8000
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JLL's Hotel Investment Outlook Predicts Global Hotel Sales to Reach 8-Year High of US$68B in 2015
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Brazil Beckons Tourists, but Can Hotels Keep Up?
Myanmar Hotel Market Poised for Another Record Year in 2014 Following a 46% Increase in Visitors
Figures for Q1 2014 Show 155% Hike in London Hotel Investment Market According to Jones Lang LaSalle
St. Petersburg, Russia Hotel Market Update - 2013 Results and 2014 Forecast from Jones Lang LaSalle
"2014 Top Trends for UAE Real Estate" Outlined in Jones Lang LaSalle Report
EMEA Hotel Investment Volume to Grow by 20+% to $16 Billion in 2014 Forecasts Jones Lang LaSalle
Moscow Hotel Market Update: 2013 Results & the Forecast for 2014 Shows Little Upward Market Trend
Moscow Hotel Market to Double in 5 Years; 13,000 New Rooms Could be Delivered by 2018
Global Hotel Investment Sentiment Survey Shows Positive Trading Expectations for EMEA Hotels
Real Estate Implications of a Successful Bid for Dubai to host World Expo 2020
EMEA Hotel Transaction Volumes Up 50% in First 9 Months of 2013 According to Jones Lang LaSalle
Investment Volume for Select Service Hotels Increased 145% Through August 2013; 2014 Outlook Robust
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265w ago - When it comes to technology debacles, every major company has a few (remember the Newton?), but right now one of the top spots has to go to Windows Vista, Microsoft's clunky operating system that has IT shops and consumers desperately clutching at XP for as long as they can.
Jason Hiner over at Tech Republic thinks there may be a light at the end of the Vista tunnel; he predicts IT shops and consumers will have a chance within the next year to upgrade to a cleaner, more modular version of Windows Vista under the Windows 7 moniker.
It won't be a completely new OS but rather a more streamlined version of Vista. He also suggests the pricing for consumers will be lower in an effort to win back those who are turning to Macs.
This could be another step by Microsoft toward shedding cumbersome release cycles and creating software that can be updated every year or so via a subscription model. Hiner lays out a nice case, and as a consumer who once was stuck with a laptop running Windows ME, I have to hope that before the third strike (Vista being the second), Microsoft can score a hit.
266w ago - Appro said it has started with the installation of a new AMD Barcelona B3-based supercomputer at the Renault F1 HQ in Enstone. Appro won the contract in early March, just before the new racing season started: The system not only highlights the increasing investments in computer design and simulation in Formula 1, but also stresses the rivalry between AMD and Intel in this small but very prestigious market segment.
Formula 1 is a serious and very cash-heavy business. Sports car manufacturers such as Ferrari as well as mainstream companies such as BMW, Renault or Toyota leverage their successes in this racing series to transfer technology and enthusiasm into their commercial lineup.
The top teams invest several hundred millions of dollars per season to be able to stay on top. Lots of that money goes into the design and development of racecars that are being fine-tuned for each racetrack. Supercomputers are increasingly important for teams as racecars are fine tuned for each racetrack and more simulations are likely to result in a better setup of a car.
The ING Renault F1 Team recently decided to buy a 36 TFlops system consisting of 1024 sockets (Socket 1207+) for AMD quad-core Opteron processors, resulting in 4096 K10 cores being deployed. Overall, Renault acquired eight Racks, each with 128...
266w ago - Mobiles are getting more powerful and sophisticated, and so are the games you can play on them.
No more Tetris or Space Invaders. Soon even old shooters Doom will seem outdated, as phones are able to handle better graphics and bigger levels.
Here are some games we reckon are worth a look. You can download them from your mobile provider if available.
Pro Bike Racing
If you've ever felt the need to hurtle round a track at speeds around 200km/h while on your mobile phone, then Pro Bike Racing could be the title for you.
While the controls seem too awkward to begin with, they eventually become easier to use, and are kept at a very user-friendly level. Combine this with the racing line provided on the two lower levels and in no time you'll be speeding around the track in both single-player and championship mode, with both modes allowing you to unlock more tracks, bikes and riders.
The graphics and overall package are a little basic for the mobile gaming genre, especially for a Gameloft title. This isn't a true 3D game and the tracks may have plenty of bends but they are all flat. That being said, all the animations are rather clean and it keeps in line with the tone of the game by keeping it simple and fun to play.
266w ago - Linux usage has grown fast over the past several years as the operating system moved from perimeter Web servers to workloads much closer to the heart of the business, while gaining a broad following of contributors and commercial users. But the days of these easy advances may be past.
That's the message IDC analyst Al Gillen delivered to about 300 attendees at the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit in Austin, Texas, last week. Linux has made many gains at the expense of legacy Unix systems. However, server virtualization combined with head-to-head competition with revitalized competitors, both Unix and Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) Windows Server, will likely slow things down.
Meanwhile, other problems plague Linux, including issues with driver development stemming from an unwillingness of some peripheral device manufacturers to reveal where they've deviated from specifications, said Chris Wright, a Linux kernel developer and conference attendee.
Moreover, many Linux users fail to report bugs, whether out of laziness or ignorance of the process. Bug reporting is a priority of kernel developers, who depend on the larger community to help detect and correct problems.
BILLIONS OF REASONS
Nevertheless, Gillen stressed that Linux is still a force to be reckoned with. It's more and...
266w ago - Nvidia CEO and co-founder Jen-Hsun Huang's jeremiad against Intel heralds future melees with the chip giant over computer graphics technology. Behind the sound and fury lurks Moore's Law.
Most observers agree that the graphics processing unit (GPU) is gaining on the central processing unit (CPU) as the single most important piece of silicon inside the PC. "When you start looking at a PC today, the (central) processor means less and less," according to Jim McGregor, an analyst at In-Stat. The GPU is simply becoming a better way for PC makers to differentiate in a landscape dominated by Intel CPUs, he said.
The question is, who is going to be the largest provider of that differentiation and what form will it take? The pressure on Nvidia--expressed by Huang on Thursday at an analyst meeting--is understandable, as the company seeks to fend off both Intel and AMD, who are increasingly focused on graphics, said McGregor. "Nvidia faces serious challenges. One of their big customers (AMD) went out and acquired a competitor (ATI) and then (you have) Intel saying we're going into your territory." That has put Nvidia on edge. Intel, not surprisingly, is the biggest threat.
"Intel is going to be as competitive as they can possibly be," said Dean McCarron, founder and principal of Mercury Research. "There...


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Ecuador's Foreign Trade Committee announces approval of zero import tariff on EVs
Ecuador's Foreign Trade Committee (Comex) has announced the approval of a zero import tariff on electric vehicles (EVs), reports M-Brain. According to the decree, which is in line with the tax incentives implemented with the new productivity promotion and investments law that established a zero-percent value-added tax (VAT) on EVs, a zero import tariff will be levied on EVs, charging equipment, as well as batteries. Before the decree, the electric cars with a value of up to USD40,000 were exempt from import tariffs, while the remaining vehicles were subject to a duty of 30%, and a tariff of 25% applied on replacement parts and batteries.
Significance: In November 2018, Saucinc, a transport operator in the city of Guayaquil (Ecuador), decided to convert its entire fleet of transit buses to EVs with the purchase of 20 units of 12-metre buses with a capacity of 80 passengers each. To promote EV use, in March 2015, Ecuador's Coordination Ministry of Production, Employment and Competitiveness (CMPEC) signed a framework agreement for the promotion, marketing, and manufacturing of batteries and EVs in the country. In January 2019, the Indian government also cut the customs duty on EV parts by nearly half, from 15-30% to 10-15%, in a bid to promote domestic assembly of such vehicles, and it is looking to facilitate lending by banks to consumers buying EVs.
Read more articles like this one. Get a free trial to AutoIntelligence Daily
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The global auto industry continues to navigate a challenging supply chain environment as well as lingering COVID-19… https://t.co/Z5fAb0yo7i
What is Polk Automotive Solutions doing to help transform automotive retailing? Find out on Monday, May 23rd at th… https://t.co/sk9pvjeYZM


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—As winter’s icy grip has its last gasp in Chicago, a trendy taste of sunny Hawaii is nearly ready to come to the suburbs. Aloha Poke Co., the first establishment to bring trendy raw-fish poke bowls to the area, will open Evanston’s first dedicated poke shop at 630 Davis St. on Friday, owner Zach Friedlander says. It’s the fourth Aloha Poke location, following the original in the Chicago French Market, Lakeview, and inside Revival Food Hall in the Loop.
—An acclaimed drinkmaker who’s well-known in the Chicago scene has brought a cocktail infused with Chicago-style hot dog ingredients to New York and Los Angeles. Adam Seger’s concoction, which infuses Templeton Rye with boiled Vienna Beef hot dogs, Colman’s mustard powder, raw white onion, sweet pickle relish, dill pickle spears, sliced tomatoes, sport peppers, celery salt, and poppy seeds, is on the menu at Tuck Room in NYC and LA, and Bon Appetit calls it "shockingly delightful" and "vaguely briny and salty in a savory way that makes you hungry." Would you want to drink one?
—Hackney’s, a popular family-owned South Loop neighborhood bar and eatery that’s currently temporarily closed for renovations, will shutter its longstanding location in suburban Lake Zurich on Sunday after 48 years in, the Daily Herald reports. Meanwhile, the city location at 733 S. Dearborn St. in Printer’s Row is slated to reopen this month as Hax, which will be more of a fast-casual operation.
—Tickets for the area’s preeminent beer festival/release party, Three Floyd’s Dark Lord Day, go on sale this Saturday at noon. The May 13 event costs $180 a person. Click here for more details, and good luck.
—A renewed push for $15 minimum wage in Illinois by 2022 is coming from progressive state representatives, Crain’s reports, which would be similar to existing laws in California and New York. A hike would greatly effect many local restaurant workers and restaurant operations.
—And finally, the Chicago Cocktail Summit, which debuted last year and features a deep roster of acclaimed barfolk and educational panels, is coming back for year two on April 2 and 3. Tickets and more information is this way.


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Generative AI was the biggest talking point of GDC 2023, but few commercial products have so far reached the market. Meanwhile the metaverse, last year’s big theme, has taken a backseat, though there remain some reasons for cautious optimism.
AI's potential is clear—but the revolutionary products are yet to arrive
There was no doubt that generative AI was the biggest talking point of GDC 2023. Presentations and roundtables on AI were consistently packed out, the topic constantly popped up in casual conversations, and the big Game Developer Awards show was peppered with AI-themed gags. Attitudes among developers ranged from enthusiasm to apprehensiveness to outright hostility (the issue has tended to divide programmers, who are typically excited by the potential of AI-assisted coding tools, from artists and designers, many of whom fear their roles could be displaced by AI).
A certain body of opinion continues to see generative AI as the latest in a series of hype cycles – from stereoscopic 3D, to VR, to NFTs – that have failed to deliver on their exaggerated promises. The majority of developers, however, recognize that the rapid recent advances in AI technology and their clear and obvious use cases when applied to games development set this case apart from previous overhyped technologies. This is also Omdia’s view.
But while the sense that generative AI was going to have a major impact on the games industry was pervasive at GDC, AI was strikingly absent from the show floor. Few companies had AI-powered products to show off, and almost all of those on display were based on what could now be called “traditional” machine-learning technology rather than the more radical approaches demonstrated by the likes of ChatGPT and Midjourney 4. This should be no surprise. Those two models are less than five months old, and their even more capable successors launched just weeks before this year’s GDC. The sheer speed at which the technology has developed has created a limbo where the capacity of generative AI has become abundantly clear, but there has been little time to develop the raw potential into commercial products. As of March 2023, just 5% of vendors tracked by Omdia’s Games Tech Market Landscape had managed to bring AI-powered development tools to market.
That commercialization is a critical step to enable widespread adoption. The general-purpose tools currently available have mostly yet to be adapted to game development-specific use cases. More importantly, uncertainty over licensing and copyright issues means that developers are still unsure whether they can rely on AI-generated outputs. But the current limbo will not last long. The sheer scale of the opportunity for tech vendors who can capitalize on AI breakthroughs in areas from generation of textures to QA testing and voice chat moderation is generating a rush of investment that will soon translate into real products on the market. It's a safe bet that the GDC 2024 show floor will be teeming with AI-powered game development tools as a slew of companies jostle to carve out market share in this nascent segment.
Metaverse has muted presence, but some keep the faith
The metaverse is on a very different part of the hype cycle to generative AI. While the latter arrived as an instantly usable tool (and with instantly applicable use cases), the former remains no more than an idea, albeit one that many still believe to be worthy of investment.
The idea, and embodiment, of the metaverse could be divided into two main strands at GDC. One set of evangelists wish to tie this concept down to blockchain technology and NFTs. The general crypto downturn and a number of high-profile blockchain game failures have significantly dented enthusiasm for Web3 gaming since last year’s GDC, when it dominated the show. Nonetheless, there remained a significant show floor presence for this type of company. The tone is strikingly different, however, with NFTs and other blockchain technology now positioned as additive to the appeal of traditional games rather than being on the cusp of revolutionizing the industry. It remains to be seen whether the remaining enthusiasts can change consumer (and wider games industry perceptions) about Web3 and its accoutrements.
The second, and to Omdia’s mind far more promising, way of looking at the metaverse focuses more on gaming and/or immersive reality. Thus a large stand from Pico showcased its latest VR headsets and related experiences, with VR in general continuing to feel a few standout games away from a major breakthrough. Then there was the news from Fortnite while GDC progressed of Creator Economy 2.0, where 40% of Item Shop expenditure would go to creators. The immersive, ever more sophisticated worlds of Fortnite and Roblox (and perhaps BARB’s forthcoming title Everywhere) remind us that games worlds are the only metaverse in town right now, while their future possibilities remain enormous.
The Rise of Generative AI: A Primer (February 2023)
Metaverse Games Benchmark 2022 (July 2022)
Games Tech Market Landscape Database – March 2023 (March 2023)
Liam Deane, Principal Analyst, Games Tech
Dom Tait, Research Director, Games, Music, Consumer Platforms and AI


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Filed under: GM, Earnings/Financials
Ford isn’t the only American automaker that’s in the money. General Motors has just reported a second quarter income of $1.2 billion, although that number actually represents a year-to-year drop compared to Q2 2012. This drop can be chalked up to the expense behind launching a new line of full-size pickup trucks (the 2014 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado), as well as the acquisition of GM Korea. Aside from those one-time costs, GM reported a seven-percent increase in income before interest and taxes, to $2.3 billion.
Like Ford, GM also trimmed its European losses, but by a larger margin – where Ford’s losses were $58 million lower for Q2, GM slashed $284 million over the second quarter of 2012 (the equivalent of $71 million per quarter). GM’s North American success, like Ford’s, can be tied largely to strong demand for pickups. Even with the changeover from the old Sierra and Silverado to the new models, Automotive News reports that full-size truck profits actually increased by five percent versus 2012. According to AN, this is GM’s fourteenth straight quarter in the black since its bankruptcy in 2009.
For all the numerical details, check out GM’s official press release by scrolling below.
Continue reading GM joins Ford in booking $1.2B quarterly profit
GM joins Ford in booking $1.2B quarterly profit originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It s been billed as one of the major face-offs of the NATO summit, and it had nothing to do with troops in Afghanistan or relations with Russia.
No, it was the breathlessly anticipated moment last Friday when two of the most scrutinized women on the planet – Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy – finally met, in the grandeur of an 18th-century palace in Strasbourg, France.
Only a day earlier, the airwaves had been filled with dissections of Mrs Obama s meeting in London with Queen Elizabeth II – how the two had bonded, despite what some in Britain implied was a mild faux pas on the first lady s part of draping her arm briefly around the monarch.
All due respect to the queen. But suddenly on Friday that story seemed so, well … yesterday.
Fashion Face-off, wrote Britain s Guardian newspaper of the meeting between Mrs Obama and Bruni-Sarkozy, wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Others called it a Style Summit between the First Ladies who Lunch. Women s Wear Daily wrote in an online update that the much drum rolled First Lady fashion showdown had confirmed that both women were sticklers for their pet designers.
Even the Hollywood entertainment site E! Online posted an item on European summit fashion – undoubtedly a first. (It added: Yeah, we never thought we d say that. )
The meeting began with a friendly Bonjour! from Mrs Obama as the couples approached each other, then a French-style double-cheek kiss between the women.
Then it was time for the presidents to greet the opposing spouse. While Sarkozy and Mrs Obama kissed, the other pair did not, leading to a vigorous debate in the blogosphere: Did Bruni-Sarkozy suddenly turn shy and avoid a customary kiss from the US president?
Or was it Obama who hesitated? Or, more likely, did Bruni-Sarkozy anticipate that Obama might hesitate, and thus hesitate herself? Or did Obama … well, never mind.
Because the focus was really on fashion. And for the record, the women did not look exceedingly different. Each wore a stylish but proper coat with a bow at the neck – for Mrs Obama a black silk number flecked with fuschia flowers by Thakoon, one of her favorite designers, whose ivory tweed coat she wore to board Air Force One in Washington.
For the French first lady, it was a gray coat by Dior, also a favorite. Both women removed their coats inside to reveal coordinated dresses – Bruni-Sarkozy s in gray, and Mrs Obama s in fuschia. Mrs Obama wore kitten heels, and Bruni-Sarkozy wore flats – apparently to avoid towering over her husband.
And for the evening later in Baden-Baden, Germany, the two also looked remarkably similar in chic knee-length black dresses.
One fashion expert thought both women looked elegant, but that Bruni-Sarkozy, a former supermodel, may have toned down the flash just a bit too much.
I d prefer a little color with that beautiful tailoring, said Sasha Igleton, deputy fashion director of Glamour magazine. Then again, she suggested, the French first lady may have been purposely toning down the glamour. As for Mrs Obama, Igleton especially liked the gorgeous fuschia dress.
Although both first ladies are hailed for their sense of style, they are in most ways vastly different. The Italian-born Bruni-Sarkozy, 41, was a celebrated supermodel and is still a songwriter and singer. She dated Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, posed famously in the nude, and raised eyebrows in July by releasing an album with lyrics mocking her reputation as a man-eater and comparing her lover to a drug.
Mrs Obama, 45, is a Princeton and Harvard-educated lawyer who grew up on Chicago s south side and was a hospital executive until she stopped working while her husband campaigned for president.
Her popularity at home has grown enormously since the election, and she s now seen as a fashion icon who, with one wearing, can cause an item of clothing to sell out – as she did with a champagne J. Crew cardigan a week ago.
Her first European trip has brought countless comparisons to Jackie Kennedy. And it s worth recalling that it was Mrs Kennedy s first presidential trip to France in 1961 that led her husband to introduce himself as the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris.
But to some, all the attention to Mrs Obama s fashion and style, though overwhelmingly positive, is an unfortunate distraction from her other endeavors.
I ve seen so much more attention to her clothes on this trip than to the poignant remarks she made at that school in Britain, said Carl Sferrazza Anthony, one of the nation s foremost experts on first ladies.
He was referring to an emotional speech Mrs Obama gave at an all-girls school in north London on Thursday, telling them about her youth in Chicago and the importance of education in her life. Afterward, she hugged many of the students, and some were moved to tears.
But Anthony, the historian at the National First Ladies Library, also notes that the media has always loved to compare first ladies, especially when they re standing together on the world stage.
It happened in 1985, when Nancy Reagan met Raisa Gorbachev in Geneva. The media really blew that into a full-blown rivalry, Anthony says.
He also notes that fashion comparisons were rife when Princess Grace of Monaco, the former actress Grace Kelly, visited the Kennedys in the United States.
Everyone was asking, Who s more elegant? Anthony says. Even JFK teased Jackie that Grace had more jewels on.


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Nearly 3 in 4 have encountered at least one cyber threat via electronic payments
By Bronte H. Lacsamana, Journalist
NEARLY THREE in four people in Southeast Asia (SEA) have encountered at least one type of threat associated with digital payment technology, according to a recent study by internet security firm Kaspersky.
Titled “Mapping a Secure Pathway for the Future of Digital Payments in APAC,” the 2021 study found that 72% of SEA respondents had experienced cyber threats, while nearly all (97%) were aware of at least one. least one type of threat related to e-payment platforms.
Of those with experience, 37% have encountered them in the form of social engineering scams via text messages or calls, making them the top threat in the region. Other common types of scams are fake websites (27%), fake deals and offers (27%) and phishing (25%).
A total of 1,618 working professionals from 10 Asia-Pacific countries were included as study participants. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 65 and are all digital payment users.
The Philippines, which ranked fourth in Kaspersky’s 2021 global ranking of countries most targeted by web threats, also rated social engineering scams via text messages or calls as the top risk, 42% of respondents having met them.
Sandra Lee, managing director of Kaspersky in Asia-Pacific, said the adoption of digital payment methods appears to be a double-edged sword, with convenience representing the benefits and cybersecurity risks showing their less desirable aspects.
“On the contrary, we believe it is premature to categorize digital payments in such a binary way. As with all emerging technologies, there are no good or bad characteristics inherent in them; on the contrary, the how we use them to achieve beneficial results is determined by how we interact with them,” she said in a statement.
The study also found that the financial loss from a cyber incident involving digital payments ranges from less than $100 to $5,000, with a small number of respondents reporting a loss of more than $5,000.
More than half (52%) said they had lost money due to bank account and credit card fraud. Causes of financial loss in Southeast Asia included accounts hacked in a data breach (47%), fake and fraudulent apps (45%), ransomware (45%), and bogus deals and offers ( 43%).
As for victims’ response to threats, 67% said they had become more vigilant while 32% said they felt anxious about recovering lost money. Some 36% said they still believed banks and mobile wallet providers could solve the problem, while 18% did not.
TO TAKE PART
In March, the Department of Information, Communications and Technology (DICT) said the Philippines was still at Level 1 in terms of awareness and communication as well as cybersecurity skills and expertise, with procedures not yet sophisticated enough.
The government’s goal is to advance the Philippines to maturity level 5 or a “resilient enterprise” in terms of cybersecurity within five years, DICT Acting Secretary Emmanuel Rey R. Caintic said in an interview with Business world.
Kaspersky’s Ms Lee added: “If we are to realize the full benefits of digital payments, it is important that all stakeholders, including government, digital payment providers, users and even cybersecurity companies, work together. together to build a stable and secure environment. , and a future-proof payment ecosystem. »
The security company suggested the following steps to protect against cyber threats:
• Beware of false communications and adopt a cautious attitude when it comes to transmitting sensitive information. Do not easily share private or confidential information online, especially when it comes to requests for financial information and payment details.
• Use your own computer and internet connection when making online payments. As with how you would shop only at trusted stores when making physical purchases, translate the same caution when making online payments – you will never know if public computers have spyware logging everything you type on the keyboard, or if your public Internet connection has been intercepted.
• Do not share your passwords, PINs, or one-time passwords (OTPs) with family or friends. Although it may seem convenient or a good idea, these provide a doorway for cyber criminals to trick users into revealing personal information in order to collect banking credentials.
• Embrace a holistic solution of security products and practical steps. These can minimize the risk of falling victim to threats and protect your financial information. Use reliable security solutions for comprehensive protection against a wide range of threats to establish a secure connection and verify the authenticity of the websites of banks, payment systems and online stores you visit.
The Kaspersky study also shared the top actions of respondents in Southeast Asia after encountering threats:
• 64% changed passwords and other security settings on their banking and mobile wallet apps;
• 50% called the associated bank or mobile wallet company;
• 45% informed family members and friends of the incident;
• 26% have installed security solutions on infected devices;
• 26% installed security solutions on infected and non-infected devices; and
• 15% downloaded a new mobile wallet and created a new account.
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The Dakar Joint Port Control Unit seizes over USD 380,000 in counterfeit medicine
In the framework of the joint UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme (CCP), the Joint Port Control Unit (JPCU) of the Dakar seaport seized over USD 380,000 in counterfeit medicine in early 2016.
This operation represents a tangible improvement for both national authorities and the region at large, which has increasingly fallen victim to illicit trafficking of all sorts. Illicit drugs, precursors, counterfeit cigarettes, protected fauna and flora, and counterfeit medicine are among the many goods that are trafficked via containers along West African coasts and dry ports. Strengthening the interdiction capacity of law enforcement agencies at key entry and exit points is therefore a priority for the security, stability and ultimately, the development of the West Africa region.
Originating from India and Nigeria, the goods were intercepted in January and early February by the Dakar Port JPCU aboard four containers that had previously been profiled due to the nature of the shipment and their countries of origin. The team in charge of the investigation, currently composed of 7 members, has received continuous support, training and mentoring from CCP.
The Head of the JPCU reported that the smuggled counterfeit medicine consisted mainly of anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory skin gels. While seemingly harmless, he affirmed that according to the research carried out on the matter, "the dosage and/or the inappropriate use of these medicines could have highly harmful consequences on their users."
What is more, these illicit operations reinforce the power of organized crime syndicates, while also fueling corruption and impunity, dramatically adding weight to their health-related consequences mentioned by the Head of the JPCU. Successful seizures like these ones can thus provide authorities with the tools and information required to grasp the modus operandi of the criminals behind such operations, and ultimately dismantle these networks.
The Container Control Programme is being operationalized in a number of seaports and dry ports across the region, including in Bamako, where a JPCU will be established in the coming months. Since the beginning of the Programme in 2004, more than 100 metric tons of cocaine, 60 metric tons of cannabis, 2.9 tons of heroin and 1,275 tons of precursor chemicals were seized in containers.
CCP activities in Senegal and the Sahel region fall within the framework of the UNODC Sahel Programme, and are made possible thanks to the contribution of the Government of Japan.


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Flight Prices Have Already Increased 40% Since January & Will Continue to Rise
We knew tickets would be getting more expensive this year, but this number is still shocking.
Experts have been telling the public that flight tickets will increase for quite some time now. In January, the consensus was that prices would hit their peak in June. Earlier this month, when fuel prices were at record highs, it was expected that travelers would start feeling the effects sometime in May. But new data shows that prices have been rising dramatically since the beginning of 2022.
Hopper released a report sharing that domestic flight travel has increased costs by 40% since January. At an average price of $330 roundtrip, domestic flights are also 7% more expensive than they were at this time in 2019. At an average cost of $810 roundtrip, international flights are about the same as they were in 2019.
These flight prices, coupled with the number of travelers returning to the skies, are significant indications that airline travelers are likely to return to pre-pandemic rates. Unfortunately, the return is expected to come at a higher cost.
Based on current data, Hopper predicts that domestic flights will rise an average of 10% by May and slowly decrease in June. International flights are expected to make a big jump in average price, nearly 15%, by June. The anticipated increase in the average roundtrip flight will be $940, which is 5% more than in 2019. This mostly aligns with predictions made earlier in the year.
Travelers who booked through Hopper commonly book trips to New York, Las Vegas, and Orlando. Internationally, the top destinations are Cancun, Mexico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Mexico City, Mexico.
The key takeaways of these reports are that if you are planning to travel this year, you should be strategic about when you book. May will see higher fares domestically and internationally, and they aren’t likely to decrease by much in June. This means you should either plan on booking in April (sooner rather than later in the month) or wait until July if you want to save 10 to 15% on your trip.


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After what has obviously been a bad year for Uber in the press, we've taken a look at what really has happened with the firm in 2017.
The lightbulb moment
It all started in 2008 when Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp couldn’t hail a cab in snowy Paris. If only they could click a button on their phone and a cab would be requested. EUREKA… Uber was born.
What originally started as an app covering a small number of cities to request a few premium cars, it has now grown into the largest ride hailing service globally, operating in over 630 cities.
With years of success, and an expansion rate beyond imaginable, Uber seemed unstoppable. Then some cracks began to appear…
Timeline of events; 2017 controversies
In February of this year, Uber ex-employee Susan Fowler published a blog addressing her “very strange year at Uber” in a “slightly horrifying story”. Sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination within the company was made apparent, with serious complaints being overlooked and a lot of seriously sneaky cover ups. This revelation sparked an almost constant Uber slamming year.
Following this huge outing made by a former employee, Uber brought in lawyers to investigate the claims addressed in the blog.
Less than 2 weeks later Uber was across the news for the wrong reasons again. A dash cam video footage was released of CEO Travis Kalanick swearing at one of the firms drivers. This raised further concerns of the mistreatment of employees at the business.
In June, Uber fired 20 of its employees after a law firm investigated the company culture. They addressed over 200 staff complaints since 2012, with over 40 relating to sexual harassment.
Shortly after this, Uber announced a campaign to help improve the companies dire public image with the introduction of allowing to tip drivers (I wonder where they got this idea from… *cough* Lyft *cough*).
Finally, Kalanick resigned at the end of June.
So, after all this bad press, why aren’t people boycotting Uber?
The app has revolutionised the use of taxi travel in major cities across the globe. Not only does it solve the issue of not having any cash, as the money comes straight out of your account, it also shows a constant live map of where your uber driver is and how long it will take them to arrive. It is the perfect middleman between flagging a black cab and getting a lift.
Ubers biggest rival in America, ride hailing company Lyft, has yet to infiltrate Europe. But what if it does? Maybe this introduction will begin the ultimate downfall of Uber… or maybe not.
Sources: The Guardian, Wired, Shortlist, Fortune, MSL, susanjfowler.com


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I have two particularly distinct memories from Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019, the last 'true' MWC to take place before the pandemic.
Now MWC 2022 is here, and boots are on the ground in Barcelona again for the event - but the Xiaomi 12 is missing in action, and LG Mobile is nowhere to be seen either, for reasons that tech fans already know about.
MWC has changed since its last real event, and LG's absence is indicative of larger trends in the smartphone market - and in the annual event.
Bye-bye LG Mobile
LG isn't exhibiting any smartphones at MWC 2022 because, in April 2021, it announced that it was to stop producing smartphones - so it has nothing to show off.
This wasn't a huge surprise, as it followed months of rumors to that effect, and was also foreshadowed by LG's dwindling market share (which can be seen in these Statista stats), hastened by a few rapidly-growing Chinese up-and-comers which were eating up market share.
LG phones used to be popular - their flagships introduced new features to smartphones like ultra-wide cameras, dual-screen devices, vein tracking and more (some of which caught on and some of which absolutely didn't). Their budget phones were also popular - even I had one for a time.
But clearly, it couldn't keep up with the changing market, and in the years from MWC 2019 we saw it release its smartphones sporadically, focusing on odd concepts (like the LG Wing) over its core flagship series.
Quirky mobiles are great for the tech fans, but they don't bring home the bacon, and this novelty reflected the core issue with LG's devices: they didn't offer the same value for money as the wave of Chinese mobiles that was crashing upon global tides.
Would LG have fit in at MWC 2022?
If LG Mobile hadn't stopped in its tracks, and was still making phones, it still wouldn't have fit in with MWC this year. The LG V70 ThinQ, or whatever its next flagship phone would be called, would stick out like a sore thumb from the other mobiles we're seeing at MWC 2022.
That's because this MWC is different - it's no longer the flagship-packed convention of yesteryear, and we've seen a very different type of mobile take center-stage on the showroom floor.
MWC 2022 has been defined by budget mobiles. We've seen five of them from TCL, four of them from ZTE, three from HMD Global, two from Xiaomi Pocophone; even Realme's two new mobiles, which are ostensibly its premium models, are still priced as mid-rangers.
That's not to say MWC in previous years only had top-end devices, but there wasn't such an overwhelming majority of budget mobiles in previous years.
In fact, only the Honor Magic 4 series and the OnePlus 10 Pro (which launched in China nearly two months ago), carry the premium-phone baton that would have previously defined MWC. And they represent just a fraction of the devices launched at the show.
A new era
LG Mobile was ended by the same thing that's now flooded the halls of MWC 2022: the burgeoning budget phone market. We mentioned earlier that lots of Chinese brands had rapidly grown in market share over the past few years - most of them are exhibiting at the convention.
While 'cheap phones' used to be rubbish little things, now they're feature-packed powerhouses, and manufacturers are tripping over themselves to offer low-cost phones that are as capable as fully-priced flaships.
The budget phone market has been increasingly impressive for a while now, but it was in the Covid-19 pandemic when things really kicked off, with Redmi, Realme, Pocophone, Motorola and more all furiously pumping out fantastic affordable mobiles.
MWC 2022 is the logical conclusion of that, where the stage floor is a battleground between loads of low-cost Androids.
LG Mobile would never have fit in there. Its devices were novel but not exactly competitive - they were like delicate little flowers, which are nice to look at, but don't exactly stand up to pressure.
So maybe it's okay that LG Mobile isn't at MWC 2022, even though it makes for a noticeably different show. The mobile world has changed since 2019, and nothing lasts forever (we don't mean tech company Nothing) - and perhaps if LG was still around, MWC wouldn't be as wonderfully budget-mobile-heavy as it is.
- MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting on the show all week. Follow our MWC 2022 live blog for the very latest news as it happens and visit our dedicated MWC 2022 hub for a round-up of the biggest announcements.
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Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.
He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist. He also currently works in film as a screenwriter, director and producer.


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Nvidia has recently launched its 16GB RTX 4060 Ti GPU without any prior announcement or promotion. This unexpected move has surprised many tech enthusiasts and journalists who were eager to receive advanced review samples of the new graphics card.
Traditionally, tech websites and publications are provided with early access to new products for thorough reviews before the official launch. However, Nvidia has broken this tradition by not sending out any review samples of the 16GB RTX 4060 Ti. This means that tech journalists will need to purchase the graphics card themselves if they wish to test and review it.
The 16GB version of the RTX 4060 Ti comes with double the VRAM compared to its 8GB counterpart. It’ll be interesting to see how this increased VRAM capacity affects performance, especially in memory-intensive PC games. However, both versions share the same 128-bit memory bus and PCIe Gen4 x8 interface, which might limit the overall impact on performance.
The decision by Nvidia to forgo review samples is likely due to the poor sales performance of the 8GB RTX 4060 Ti. Despite receiving generally positive reviews, the 8GB version has not performed well in the market. Therefore, it seems that Nvidia believes sending out review samples for the 16GB version would not significantly impact sales.
Another factor contributing to Nvidia’s indifference towards graphics cards could be its focus on AI-related projects and products. The company has been investing in AI technologies like Neuralangelo, which uses AI to transform 2D video clips into high-quality 3D structures. Additionally, Nvidia has collaborated with Dell on Project Helix, bringing AI-powered hardware solutions to enterprises.
These AI investments, along with Nvidia’s tensor-core technology, have propelled the company’s value to over a trillion dollars. Nvidia’s expertise in matrix multiplication, a vital component of machine learning, has made it a leader in the field. As a result, the company may no longer prioritize graphics card production, even if some models are struggling in the market.
The lack of reviews for the RTX 4060 Ti has led to less-informed consumers making purchasing decisions. Without detailed assessments from tech journalists, potential buyers may find it challenging to gauge the graphics card’s performance and suitability for their needs.
The implications of Nvidia’s disregard for graphics cards remain unknown. However, it is evident that the company’s focus has shifted towards AI and machine learning technologies. It remains to be seen how this shift will impact Nvidia’s future involvement in the graphics card market.
In conclusion, Nvidia’s surprise launch of the 16GB RTX 4060 Ti GPU without providing review samples has caught the attention of the tech community. The increased VRAM capacity in the 16GB version may enhance performance, but the limitations of the memory bus and interface could still affect overall speed. Nvidia’s move may be influenced by the underwhelming sales of the 8GB version and the company’s growing focus on AI-related projects. However, the lack of reviews may lead to less-informed consumers and uncertainty regarding the future of Nvidia’s graphics card production.


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Raghuram Rajan, an economist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, has built a reputation for prescience. Back in 2005, at a gathering to honor then Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, he presented a paper asserting that the financial developments of the past couple decades could lead to disaster. It was an unpopular position that garnered harsh reviews at the time. Now people listen more attentively to what he has to say.
Mr. Rajan, who served as the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund from 2003 to 2006, spoke with The Wall Street Journal about the implications of the U.S.’s dismal economic performance in the 2000s -- how it has affected perceptions of the U.S. model of capitalism, and how that model might change as a result.
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iPhone Clears FCC Hurdle
May 18, 2007 11:21 AM PT
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Apple's iPhone for sale in the U.S., according to FCC documents.
The documents surfaced shortly after a false rumor started this week on the gadget blog Engadget.com that Apple's iPhone delivery would be delayed for months. Apple denied any delays, and the FCC documents add evidence to that assertion.
Just because the FCC has approved the device doesn't necessarily mean Apple has the product in stock and ready to roll in a public launch; however, because the iPhone's core phone functionality meets regulations, the odds are good that the iPhone is either ready or nearing readiness for mass production.
The cellular functionality is the only technology in the iPhone that Apple is relatively inexperienced at producing. Clearing that hurdle eliminates a potentially large reason for Apple to fail to deliver.
"We've said all along, both we and Apple, that the phone is on track for the launch in the latter part of June, and that's where we are," Mark Siegel, the executive director of media and analyst relations for Cingular, told MacNewsWorld. Cingular is the only cellular service carrier that will offer the iPhone during this summer's launch. "You shouldn't believe in everything you read on these blogs."
The iPhone will be a GSM cellular telephone with Bluetooth, WiFi and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) data standard, which is about half as fast as Cingular's upgraded networks that zip at 500 kb/sec for downloads. Despite less-than-best speed performance, the iPhone still seems to hold massive customer interest.
"We've had about a million people who have expressed interest by leaving information on our Web site, and obviously we think that is an indication of pent-up demand," Siegel noted. "It's exciting."
'A Substantial Discount'
Current Cingular wireless customers eligible for a phone upgrade should be able to buy the iPhone at a discounted price if they renew or extend their contracts.
Cingular hasn't provided details but has previously noted that a two-year contract renewal should earn the buyer "a substantial discount" on the iPhone.
Customers will also be able to buy the iPhone at full retail cost. The 4 GB model iPhone is US$499 while the 8 GB is $599.


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Assa Abloy owned smart card and RFID chip maker AdvanIDe has launched a range of contactless reader modules aimed at the NFC market. The product line includes a plug-and-play option, an OEM board, chipsets and a firmware licensing program for clients developing high volume solutions.
- US merchant groups call for creation of open tokenization standards
- Facebook closes gifts business
- Amazon Wallet teams up with Blackhawk
- Square unveils EMV card reader
- Nestle runs NFC marketing campaign in 480 Woolworth stores across Australia


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Erwin Van Osta, owner and CEO of the Belgian DIY store chain Hubo, is new chairman of the Belgian retail federation Comeos for the period of 2020 to 2023. The association represents 18 sectors, not only home improvement but also, for example, food, fashion and e-commerce, and makes up 11.2 per cent of the Belgian GDP as well as around 500 000 jobs in the country. Comeos CEO continues to be Dominique Michel.
The new chairman, Erwin Van Osta, is not only head of Hubo with more than 150 stores and annual sales of around EUR 660 mio, but also co-founder of the European purchasing cooperative Bricoalliance, whose members have 856 stores in nine countries and combined sales of EUR 2.2 bn. In addition, Van Osta is also active in the international home improvement association Edra/Ghin.
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Sales of Nokia’s super-deluxe Vertu range of handsets have slowed dramatically, an analyst claims, in the latest blow for the beleaguered phone-maker.
According to a tweet from Eldar Murtazin of Mobile Review, who has frequently broken exclusive news of matters down at Espoo, weakening demand for the line of handmade, blingtacular kits has already prompted a major Russian retailer to reassess its position as one of Vertu's most prominent supporters in the land of absurdly moneyed oligarchs.
Murtazin stated: “Vertu under the fire [sic]. Biggest russian retailer Euroset who managed some Vertu boutique going to stop this business. Sales aren't good.”
News of developments comes after earlier this year Murtazin forecast that Nokia could attempt to breathe fresh life into the line new handsets running Windows Phone 7.5, aka Mango.
However, with nary a sign since that this strategy is being pursued, the future does indeed look decidedly uncertain for a range that, by bringing us everything from an on board concierge service to precious metal shells, epitomised the best and worst of pre-credit crunch smartphone excess.
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Koper port among best connected in the world, says UN
The first place went to the Shanghai port, while the port of Antwerp was the best in Europe, having been placed 6th in the world.
The Unctad ranks ports according to their liner shipping connectivity index, which takes into account the number and frequency rate of their connections with other ports as well as average and maximum vessel sizes.
The higher the index, the easier it is to access a high-capacity global maritime freight transport system and thus effectively participate in international trade.
"The greater the number of destinations and the higher the frequency of connections, the more options clients have in selecting the most optimal logistics solution," said Luka Koper, the operator of Slovenia's sole maritime port.
The Adriatic transport route has been making a name for itself in the past decade, with four north-Adriatic ports transshipping a total of 1.12 million container units in 2009. Last year, the figure rose to 2.47 million, said the operator.
The maritime transport world has acknowledged the advantages of southern European ports, including in servicing middle-European markets.
According to the Unctad's list, the port of Koper is on par with northern-Adriatic ports in terms of their connections, but the Slovenian port surpasses its neighbouring ports when it comes to the number of container units each vessel transships on average.
The Koper port has a 40% share of all container transport in north Adriatic Sea and is the biggest terminal in the region. Luka Koper expects to reach a record number of a million container units transshipped this year.


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Driven: 2017 honda cr- honda sensing – , Following the opening of the order books for it as well as previews in penang and kota kinabalu, the 2017 honda cr-v has now made its press debut, the fift.


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A ban on single-use, plastic checkout bags is being seriously considered by the Regional District of the North Okanagan.
On Wednesday, the regional district’s board of directors gave preliminary approval to a bylaw banning the plastic bags.
However, the Regional District of the North Okanagan (RDNO) announced on Thursday that they have not yet been banned, “and changes may occur to the bylaw before it is considered for final adoption.”
Salmon Arm moving to ban plastic bags
The regional district said at its earliest, the ban wouldn’t take effect until January 2020. But the RDNO reiterated the bylaw has only received first reading from the board, and that it takes four readings to approve a bylaw.
Notably, the regional district said four readings can take place in one meeting, but a longer timeline is taking place with this proposal to allow businesses and consumers time to prepare for this possibility.
WATCH BELOW (Aired March 4, 2019): North Okanagan plans to regulate single-use plastics
Below are questions and answers from the RDNO regarding the possible ban.
Who will the ban effect?
- If the bylaw is approved, North Okanagan businesses will not be allowed to offer their customers plastic or biodegradable/compostable checkout bags. Customers will be encouraged to bring reusable bags with them, or expect to purchase a reusable bag or paper bag.
What is a single-use checkout bag?
- A single-use checkout bag is a plastic bag that cannot withstand 100 uses. Plastic bags marketed as “biodegradable” or “compostable” are also defined as plastic bags and included within the ban.
I reuse my plastic bags, so they are not “single-use”. Why should we ban them when they can be used time after time?
- Single-use plastic is defined as plastic that is useable less than 100 times. Plastic checkout bags begin to degrade after each use, and are generally not usable after 100 times leading to them being thrown in the garbage or recycling.
Where will the ban be put into effect?
- If the bylaw is approved, electoral areas and member municipalities within the RDNO boundaries will be affected. This includes: Armstrong, Coldstream, Enderby, Lumby, Spallumcheen and Vernon plus Electoral Areas B (Swan Lake, Commonage), C (BX, Silver Star), D (rural Lumby), E Cherryville) and F (rural Enderby).
What types of bags are businesses allowed to offer as checkout bags?
- If the bylaw is approved, reusable or paper bags will be allowed as checkout bags.
How much will reusable and paper bags cost customers?
- If the bylaw is approved, customers will be charged no less than 15 cents per paper bag and $1 per reusable bag.
Why ban plastic checkout bags? Aren’t there other single-use plastics that should be banned?
- There are many types of single-use plastics that can also be banned. The RDNO is taking it one step at a time, and has chosen checkout bags as a starting point as they are one of the most commonly improperly recycled single-use plastics. By starting with one type of single-use plastic, there is better potential for widespread support.
Should businesses offer biodegradable or compostable checkout bags?
- No. Plastic bags marketed as “biodegradable” or “compostable” do not degrade easily without industrial compost facilities. These products are problematic for recycling machines if they are mistaken for and mixed with conventional plastic bags.


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The National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada said a study showed that the recreational boating industry had estimated revenue of $10 billion in 2016 that generated $5.6 billion in gross domestic product and supported nearly 75,000 jobs in the country.
“This new economic impact data reinforces the importance of recreational boating in Canada and the significant contribution our industry makes to the Canadian economy,” NMMA Canada executive director Sara Anghel said in a statement. “Boating is a favorite pastime of millions of Canadians, and the 8.6 million boats on the water in Canada stimulate jobs, revenue and taxes.”
The study’s release coincided with the fifth annual Recreational Boating Day on the Hill in Ottawa. Day on the Hill is a gathering of leaders from all sectors of the Canadian recreational boating industry on Parliament Hill to advocate for 4,792 Canadian marine companies.
The annual legislative event provides the marine industry with an opportunity to communicate with Parliamentarians on key issues affecting recreational boating.
“Findings from this study provide vital boating data we can deliver directly to Parliamentarians to illustrate the important role recreational boating plays in the Canadian economy and lends further support to our industry efforts to protect and grow recreational boating in Canada,” Anghel said.
The study, The Economic Impact of Recreational Boating in Canada: 2016, defines the core recreational boating industry as boat and accessory manufacturers, boat and accessory dealers, marina operators, repair and maintenance shops, schools and boat clubs and other related companies.
The study was conducted by Hickling Arthurs Low on behalf of NMMA Canada and in cooperation with the recreational boating industry’s national marketing program, Discover Boating Canada and Canada’s regional marine trades associations. The complete study is available for NMMA members at nmma.org and nmma.ca.
- The core recreational boating industry was directly and indirectly responsible for $10 billion in revenues in 2016, a 12.4 percent increase from 2012.
- That revenue contributed $5.6 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2016, a 12 percent increase from 2012.
- The core boating industry supports about 75,000 jobs, generating $2.9 billion in annual salaries and wages, an 11.5 percent increase from 2012.
- The economic activity supported by the core recreational boating industry contributes $868 million in annual taxes and subsidies to Canada’s economy, a 12.1 percent increase from 2012.
- Forty-three percent of Canadians went boating in 2016.
- Canadians own about 8.6 million boats.


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The San Diego International Airport plans to provide COVID-19 testing to guests and employees traveling through the airport starting in early 2021, a spokesperson confirmed to NBC 7.
An exact date of when testing would be available and how it would operate, including the cost of such a service, were not disclosed.
Some airlines across the country have already begun offering COVID-19 testing for travelers to certain destinations, including here in San Diego; Alaska Airlines started on November 16 offering testing for travelers to Hawaii.
The testing, which can provide results by 9 a.m. the following day, is available through appointment only at the SAN valet parking area. The tests cost $170 and is available daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Similarly, United is offering COVID-19 testing for passengers out of San Francisco International traveling to Hawaii and, later this month, American Airlines and British Airways will be offering their own testing services.
Other airlines may soon be offering their own testing programs at SAN as well, Sabrina LoPiccolo, a spokesperson for the airport said.
In the meantime, SAN is ramping up their health safety protocols to ensure the safety of its travelers this holiday season.


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In June, the number of average players on Steam playing social deduction game Among Us was roughly 600. That number has since grown to 101.63K in just a few months.
Naturally, Twitch’s leading streamer is at the top of this remarkably resilient and still-surging trend.
Twitch’s Top Channel – xQc
Félix “xQc” Lengyel’s fans have consumed more than 9M hours of Among Us content in the last 30 days, making him overwhelmingly the game’s most popular streamer. Second place, at roughly 4M hours watched is Spanish streamer and fellow Top 10 regular Raúl “Auronplay” Álvarez Genes. In fact, most of the platform’s most prominent names have spent at least some portion of the last month streaming Among Us, following the latest trend.
The game’s surging popularity both on stream and on Steam highlights just how much content creators can impact the success of a game – especially a title from a smaller studio. One stream from a Top 10 figure can make thousands of potential new customers aware of a little-known title, and for Among Us, this massive wave of promotion has come at little to no cost to the developer as streamers, including the biggest names, are simply playing what performs well with viewers.
Twitch’s Top Content – Among Us
It’s difficult to overstate just how rare it is to see a game like Among Us topping the Twitch charts. Recently, the only way to overtake the all-purpose Just Chatting category has been with a major new release of a viewer incentive campaign.
Instead, Among Us has effectively become similar to Just Chatting – something utilized by most streamers on the platform to collaborate and create engaging content that audiences on Twitch want to consume. What’s more, Among Us is just one of dozens of socially collaborative games with a traitor element. Streamers can create similar experiences with many other titles should the buzz for Among Us die down. While it’s possible this is simply a flash in the pan, the general trend towards variety, personality-driven streamers succeeding means that we are likely looking at the start of a trend towards social games succeeding more on Twitch.


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Is HTC Thunderbolt 4G coming to India? Letsbuy puts it on pre-order
I would say it is highly unlikely considering none of the Indian telecom operators support LTE as of now. Indian online retailer Letsbuy has put HTC Thunderbolt 4G on pre-order priced similar to HTC Merge at INR 35,000.
To remind you, HTC Thunderbolt was recently launched in US with Verizon as the first Android smartphone to support its high-speed 4G network. It features HTC Sense, 1GHz processor, Andorid 2.2, 8 MP camera, 4.3 inch TFT and 1400 mAh battery.
We are taking this pre-order with a pinch of salt and would like you to wait for an official word from HTC before going for it.
Thanks Karan 🙂


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Trevose, PA (PRWEB) February 07, 2012
Airclic, a proven leader of cloud-based mobility software that transforms the accuracy, efficiency and competitiveness of mobile supply chain and logistics operations around the world, today announced that it has named Dan Saltzman as its Vice President of Client Services.
In his role, Saltzman is responsible for leading Airclic’s Account Management and Professional Services teams.
“We are happy to announce the expansion of our executive team with the addition of Dan Saltzman,” said Mike Lee, CEO, Airclic. “With more than 20 years developing and leading service organizations, not only does Dan have the ability to manage large-scale initiatives that improve bottom-line results, but he also brings an unmatched passion for outstanding client relationships.”
In his role, Saltzman leads the teams responsible for getting Airclic customers up and running on Airclic’s products quickly and effectively and then providing ongoing customer relationship management. Prior to joining Airclic, Mr. Saltzman served as Director of Professional Services for CyberShift, Inc., now SumTotal Systems, Inc., a SaaS provider of Workforce Management Systems, responsible for professional services and strategic account management. Earlier in his career, Mr. Saltzman led professional services organizations for LongView Consulting, Forte Systems and Siemens Healthcare. He is also Treasurer and Board Member for the Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, PA.
“With more than 300 global customers, Airclic is well-known for delivering high-quality client service and customer-focused support,” said Saltzman. “I look forward to using my expertise to further boost this reputation.”
Airclic is the leading provider of proven, cloud-based mobile software solutions that transform the accuracy, efficiency and competitiveness of mobile supply chain and logistics operations worldwide. The Company’s industry-specific products are scalable, reliable and operate on any device or carrier – ensuring seamless deployment and rapid ROI. Annually, more than $165 billion of business transactions are automated on Airclic’s Perform products for a competitive advantage through increased efficiency, reduced operational costs and improved customer service. For more information, please visit http://www.airclic.com.


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The Kawasaki Ninja line began life with the Kawasaki GPZ900R (the Ninja 900 to its friends) in 1984. Now 30 years later, Kawasaki is celebrating three decades of Ninja motorcycles, a model name that has become synonymous with the sport bike segment.
While the Ninja 900 began as Maverick’s daily ride in the movie Top Gun, the model sparked what would later become the superbike wars amongst the Japanese manufacturers.
The Ninja name has grown in time to become the Ninja ZX-10R superbike, refined itself to become the Ninja ZX-14R sport-tourer, and also grown into the small-displacement offerings of the Ninja 250R and Ninja 300, with many models in between.
A Ninja also just recently won the World Superbike Championship — not bad for a Gen-Xer. So we bid Happy Birthday to the Ninja, and hope for another 30 years of awesome green bikes with the Ninja name emblazoned upon them. Got a story about your Ninja? Leave it in the comments.
According to TMCBlog (more photos on their site), Kawasaki may be planning to release a new entry level sport bike as a cost effective option for the Southeast Asian market. Rumor has it that this 250cc, single-cylinder bike is under construction and would be the more economical cousin to the Kawasaki Ninja 300 and its parallel-twin engine, while providing more competition for the Honda CBR250R.
While none of this can be confirmed, for time being it is a safe bet that if Kawasaki wants to remain competitive in its Asian markets, and it would be a good business strategy for Kawasaki to produce a bike that is comparable to many of the other single-cylinder bikes in the region, which are being produced by Honda, Suzuki, and KTM.
Two curious things happened today: an EPA certification document outed details on the 2013 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R and Kawasaki USA announced the “global debut of its 2013 line of iconic Ninja motorcycles in New York’s Times Square.” Add in to the mix that the EPA documents also make mention of Kawasaki Ninja 300 & Kawasaki Ninja 400R models, along with the recently updated Kawasaki Ninja 250R, and Team Green could very well be dropping the news about three or four brand new models for the US market.
Of course what is really interesting about this news is how Kawasaki could do a two-fold offer of 300cc & 400cc bikes in the US market, and how those two models would fit alongside the Ninja 250R, which we can only assume will be updated in the United States to the model that was debuted in Indonesia earlier this month. Or will it?
Several sources have now confirmed that Erik Buell Racing is considering making a 250cc learner-style motorcycle to compliment its EBR 1190RS race/sport bike. Presumably filling the niche left behind by the crushed Buell Blast, the 250cc bike would be geared towards new and first-time riders, and would likely be MSF RiderCourse friendly. With bikes like the Kawaaski Ninja 250R / EX250 topping the sales charts as the best selling sport bike in the US, the folks at Erik Buell Racing are surely eyeing the market potential of a smaller, lightweight sport bike for the company’s growing product line.
Make it a double recall Monday, because Kawasaki is recalling 259 Ninja 250R (EX250) motorcycles from the 2009 and 2010 model years. Apparently, porosity in the engine case could allow motor oil to leak from the engine, and be deposited on the rear tire.


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Bounce seeking investors to expand and sell beetroot and cashew energy balls and other healthy snacks overseas
A healthy snacks firm set up by a husband-and-wife team is seeking City investors as it chases international growth.
Bounce – started by Andy and Paula Hannagan in a garage in 2004 – has appointed corporate advisers from Spayne Lindsay to help sell a stake in the firm, which makes high-protein and gluten-free foods.
Its products, which include beetroot and cashew energy balls, left, are available in major supermarkets.
Bounce is breaking even with £20m sales annually but is hoping to expand internationally
A City source said the firm based in Guildford, Surrey, is breaking even with sales of up to £20 million a year.
It is also expanding globally, notably in the United States. The global healthy snacks market is forecast to reach £25 billion by 2025, growing at an average annual rate of 5.1 per cent, according to Grand View Research.
Bounce chief executive Gary Smith said: ‘We are gaining momentum with the more mainstream consumer in each of its global territories.’
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At last, the long-awaited option has finally arrived for The Last of Us 2. The Naughty Dog title now has 60 fps support on PS5!
On Wednesday, PlayStation’s blog shared the news of The Last of Us 2 receiving the highly requested 60 fps feature for PS5.
‘The Last of Us 2’ is even better now!
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) May 19, 2021
While sharing the big news, the official PlayStation blog also mentioned that TLOU2 has so far gained many accolades. It includes more than 300 Game of the Year Awards, which is an “unprecedented achievement.”
The blog said that it finally adds the option of 60 fps on PS5, coming onto the newly released performance patch.
After installing update 1.08, which is unrestricted, players will find a toggle in the Display options. They will have a choice of going with a 30 fps or 60 fps setting for the gameplay.
Thus, the fans can choose their preferred way of running The Last of Us 2 on their PS5 consoles.
The framerate addition complements the backward compatibility and other significant enhancements in the Naughty Dog’s blockbuster.
And in case you missed it, a faster loading time was already present for TLOU2 on PS5.
Furthermore, the blog added that more features would make their way for the title, on the latest platform, in the future.
ALSO READ: 2021 G.A.N.G Awards: The Last of Us 2 wins big
Will there be a ‘Last of Us 3’?
While the franchise is only growing since its origin in 2013 with the first installment, there are still expectations for more.
Since that shocking ending, many people have wondered if there will be a third party or not in the future.
Interestingly, a few weeks some reports did reveal that there was a draft for the threequel.
It implies that Naughty Dog may announce The Last of Us 3 at some point in the coming years.
However, nothing can be confirmed as of now since there’s been no direct and robust hint from the developers’ side.
On the other hand, Sony has planned a PS5 remake for the first part. It will arrive soon when it’s finished under the original team.
Coming back to The Last of Us 2, it’s now available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
What are your thoughts on the Game of the Year? Have you already played it?
Drop your reactions on our social media handle on Twitter at @MICKYNewsOz.
Image courtesy of Boss Fight Database/YouTube