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Apple recently purchased Beats Audio for a whopping $3 billion. This was unbelievable news to lots of people, being that it was an absolutely staggering amount of money to invest into a headphone company.
If you think about it though, it is one of the best moves Apple has ever made. They created the iPod, which turned into the iPhone. They created iTunes, which is the biggest music store in the entire universe and is also 100% to blame for the long and slow death of the CD, the CD player, and the home entertainment system as we used to know it. They pretty much changed everything about the music industry and have found a way to make money off of every single artist and every single record label of all time. Why not buy the most successful headphone company out there, and end up owning the best music subscription service in the world while they are at it? Seems completely logical to me. Apple owns music. Apple is music.
What does this mean for HP?
Since 2010, HP has been using Beats technology in most of their higher end devices. It all started with the HP Envy, which was kind of marketed as an audio workstation. Since then it has been a huge selling point for the company. They put it in a lot of laptops and more expensive tablet models, and users could plug their headphones in and have a way better listening experience than with any other computer. All of the music was equalized perfectly to bump hard, suck you in, and make you feel like you were at your favorite artist’s concert.
Now, that is being stripped away from HP. They have until the end of this year to put out any new products that they may create using the Beat Audio technology. Then, they have until the end of 2015 to sell the products that they created the previous year. After that, they must pull every piece of equipment with the Beats name off of every shelf and never sell it again. This is a bad day for HP. They are losing one of their most hyped up selling points.
What is HP going to do about it? Well, considering that the Beats software is nothing more than a software that equalizes all of the audio, they will probably sit down for about 20 minutes and create something that is exactly the same, call it something different, claim that it is way better than before and get on with their lives. It shouldn’t be that hard, realistically, but it still isn’t the ideal situation.
As far as Apple goes, no one has really talked about it, but I’m thinking that future Macbooks will probably have the same Beats technology that was sold with HP products for a long time, along with a few new cool upgrades to it.
Will HP lose tons of business because their main competitor bought Beats? Will the next generation of Macbooks be the most overrated audio workstations that an over privileged college student’s parents could ever buy? Tune in next time to find out.
Interested In A Laptop Or Tablet Rental For Your Next Event? Contact A Tech Travel Agent With Rentacomputer.com Today At 800-736-8772


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Sony Corporation’s computer system is the recent prey of the latest attack launched by unscrupulous hackers. The group LulzSec claimed responsibility of the recent attacked. The incident proved that even Giant electronic companies like Sony are also vulnerable to different types of security infringements like hacking.
LulzSec is the same group that also claimed to have made the attacks on world renowned television networks like Fox.com and U.S. PBS television. The server of electronic giant, Sony is its latest prey. LulzSec claimed it successfully hacked the server running the websites of Sony Pictures Entertainment. It had also claimed responsibility for the hacking Sony Music Japan.
In it’s publish statement, LulzSec claimed it easily encroach into Sony’s network system with merely a single try. To prove its claim, the unscrupulous group of hacker posted the basic personal info of the million users especially those who have joined in different promotions of Sony. Data posted by the hackers include Sony users’ names, post and email addresses, telephone numbers and even some passwords.
The recent attack on Sony came just in time when this electronic giant was trying to make their case to lawmakers in the United States by assuring them to safeguard its computer networks amidst the rising number of cyber attacks. Hence, the incident has become an eye opener for policy makers to come up with appropriate measure to address cyber security effectively as well as the need for cyber liability insurance for businesses today.

domain: news


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The No Hands Syndrome
Last week I saw this tweet from Dan Primack who covers the VC sector for Fortune:
At VC breakfast (90 attendees), I asked how many would invest in Bitcoin startup (not general blockchain). Zero hands. #FortuneTech
— Dan Primack (@danprimack) July 14, 2015
I replied to it and I also mentioned it in a comment thread here at AVC recently.
Here’s what I can’t reconcile.
I know that measuring something using y/y growth rates can be misleading because of the small numbers involved. But Bitcoin is the fastest growing area in startup investing over the past three years.
And yet not one VC in a room full of them (90 of them) raised their hands when asked how many would invest in a bitcoin startup.
Maybe the distinction is bitcoin vs blockchain. I understand that. But bitcoin and blockchain are joined at the hip. You don’t get one without the other. So I’m still scratching my head.
But I do know one thing. When not one hand goes up in a room full of VCs, go there. It is going to be profitable.


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Footfall across UK retail destinations increased week-on-week in the seven days ended 20 November as the Christmas trading period began in earnest.
According to retail experts Springboard, footfall in UK retail destinations rose 4.1% last week, with increases being seen on six out of seven days, a marked improvement when measured against the previous week’s 1.5% improvement.
In high streets, the increase was even greater at 6.2%, nearly double the rise of 3.3% in shopping centres and far ahead of the 0.4% uptick seen in retail parks.
There were also increases in footfall across all types of town centres last week, with the greatest rises in Central London at 8.3% and regional cities outside of the capital at 11.4% as shoppers gravitated to larger destinations where Christmas festivities had already commenced.
Springboard also pointed out that last week’s footfall uplift meant that the gap from 2019 continued to narrow to -12.4% from -14.8% in the week before but remained more than double the levels seen in 2020.


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HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A fire at a Galleria-area store Thursday may have been started by a neon sign.
Fire crews were called out to the Kate Spade store on Drexel and Westheimer at around 2:30pm. The neon sign that's believed to have started the fire was in a second floor window.
The fire burned for about 10 minutes.
We're told there were about 10 people inside the store at the time. They were all able to get out safely.
There was no impact to neighboring businesses.


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Update: Thank you so much to everyone who took part in Giving Tuesday 2015 and helped raised $1,583! We are humbled and inspired by your generosity. Together, we will continue speaking out for the health of our lake!
Dec. 1 is Giving Tuesday – a global day to give back – and this year, we’ve set ourselves an ambitious goal: raise $2,000 in 24 hours.
We’re spending this week celebrating people who are helping make a healthy Lake Winnipeg possible by giving to LWF, adding a new story each day. We hope their passion for our great lake will inspire you to get involved, too.
For generations, Lake Winnipeg has given us so much. On Dec. 1, let’s give something back.
Occurring on the first Tuesday after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday – immediately after the sales frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – Giving Tuesday is a day to celebrate and support charities.
We’ve set ourselves an ambitious 2015 goal: raise $2,000 in 24 hours.
We’ve also created a special online donation page that makes giving even easier. (It’s already live, should you prefer to join those who have already begun the celebration.)
Looking to leverage the impact of your gift? On Dec. 1, online donations made through CanadaHelps.org or GivingTuesday.ca using Interac Online will be matched* up to $25 per donation!
Starting today and for the rest of the week, we’ll be using our website, along with our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, to celebrate some of the people who are helping make a healthy Lake Winnipeg possible by giving to LWF: People like Pam and Rob, who made a donation to LWF in lieu of guest favours at their wedding; Ella, whose connection to Lake Winnipeg spans nine decades; and Gabby and Eddie, two elementary students whose efforts have inspired their entire school to take action.
These passionate supporters share a commitment to being part of the solution. We hope their stories will inspire you to get involved, too.
Thank you for your continued interest in the health of Lake Winnipeg,
The LWF team
* Matching dollars will be granted on a first come first served basis, starting at 8 a.m. CT and continuing up to a maximum total of $10,000 in matching dollars.
You are receiving this e-update because you are currently subscribed to the Lake Winnipeg Foundation’s online mailing list.


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In honor of Thanksgiving in the United States, the staff of GameSided would like to give its thanks to all of our readers. We appreciate your help in getting this site off to a great start this year, and we hope you’ll stick with us going forward. The best is yet to come!
"Sony’s European arm will switch off two PS4 online features at launch in a bid to avoid PSN issues.In a post on the PlayStation Blog, the company states: “Following the successful launch of PS4 in North America on the 15th November, we have seen an unprecedented influx of players onto PSN.In order to avoid network congestion and slow speeds, Sony will therefore be switching off the following features:What’s New – Discover and engage with all of your friends’ PS4 related activityContent Information Screen – See friends’ activity and information specific to the title you are looking at"
"The release of its first original video game in 2011 should have been a celebratory moment for Cambridge-based Fire Hose Games, but instead it was a nightmare. Almost immediately after Fire Hose launched “Slam Bolt Scrappers” for PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Network was hacked, forcing Sony to shut it down for 24 days to prevent loss of users’ personal data.Ultimately, “Slam Bolt Scrappers” sold well, and Fire Hose has since enjoyed success with a second game, “Go Home Dinosaurs,” and with collaborations on hits such as “Rock Band Blitz” and “Dance Central.” The company now employs 11.But the disappointing debut exemplified the risky business of video game development and planted the seed for a major shift in strategy. Starting next year, Fire Hose will transform itself into an incubator for indie game developers, who will receive stipends, mentoring, and workspace at the company’s Inman Square office in exchange for sharing the proceeds of games they produce."
"I’ve never heard of a game being cancelled after it has technically been released before, but now it’s happened: the absurdly dreadful Ashes 2013 game that made a brief appearance on Steam last week has now been officially canned.This means there will be no console versions forthcoming, as was originally planned. Publisher 505 Games plans to issue refunds to anyone who mistakenly bought it during the brief period it was up on Steam before it was pulled.The statement reveals a troubled development – and in the end, all of this is really rather sad. “As most people who have followed the project closely can affirm, the development of Ashes Cricket 2013 has been fraught with challenges almost from the outset,” it reads."


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Some travel companies — Ebix among others — are rumored to be considering taking over all of the cash-strapped Cox & Kings.
Things are not looking good for Cox & Kings. The famous tour operator, one of the longest-standing travel companies worldwide, is deep in debt.
Now, the company is losing part of its business in India, where it is based. EbixCash, the Indian subsidiary of insurance software company Ebix, signed an agreement with Cox & Kings Ltd to take over the legacy tour operator’s business travel clients. It will transfer them to Mercury Travel, which is the corporate travel division of EbixCash.
This transfer applies to all of Cox & Kings’ contracts with corporate clients in India, “across the length and breadth of the country,” the press release states. On top of this, some of the “key, core employees” of Cox & Kings’ India operations will also be transferred to the EbixCash payroll, starting immediately. By signing this agreement, EbixCash hopes to double its corporate travel revenue by the end of 2019.
“We are simply transferring the corporate agreements of Cox & Kings to ensure that the customers continue to be well serviced and looked after,” said Naveen Kundu, managing director of the EbixCash Mercury Travel Division. “Our vast experience, success record in the corporate travel business will be key in servicing the corporates and they shall benefit from our bouquet of travel and technology products.”
This announcement is only the latest in a string of bad news for Cox & Kings, which closed down its Australian/New Zealand operations just last week. A few days later, luxury travel agency Virtuoso announced it had officially ended its partnership with Cox & Kings in the U.S. and Dubai, citing the tour operator’s ongoing financial troubles.
Cox & Kings is $500 million in debt. Of that, $100 million is short-term debt, which is due soon. Fears are rising that the company may meet the same fate as Thomas Cook, the world famous travel brand which collapsed Monday after 178 years in the industry.
In 2018, the company acquired Mumbai-based Mercury Travel and the Delhi-based Leisure Corporation, combining them to serve both the business and luxury traveler. It recently signed an agreement to buy Indian online travel agency Yatra, in part to increase its presence in the corporate travel and meetings and events market.
As Ebix’s Indian subsidiary, EbixCash provides software and e-commerce services to businesses within India, and currently has over 9,800 corporate clients.
“All these corporates were already being serviced by Cox and Kings using EbixCash’s technology platform Zillious. That further ensures a seamless experience for all the constituents involved in this transfer,” Kundu said.
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Photo credit: Travelers at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. plynoi / Flickr


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Former Kmart executive Andre Reich is expected to take embattled retailer The Reject Shop back to its discount variety roots as part of a strategy to restore sales growth and reverse a three-year slide in profits.
Mr Reich, a 25-year veteran of the Australian retail sector, takes the helm on January 13 from acting chief executive Dani Aquilina, who stepped into the role when former chief Ross Sudano lost his job in May after a profit warning.
The Reject Shop's new chairman, Steven Fisher, hopes Mr Reich can turn around the struggling retailer in the same way he helped engineer the turnaround of discount department store chain Kmart – by delivering customers better value.
"He knows how to execute and get value for our customer and give them a taste level that's appropriate," Mr Fisher told The Australian Financial Review
"I think people are desperate for value – when you look at what's going on overseas in America this sector of the market is very strong.
"If he gets us back to where it used to be and then put his edge on top of it, we'll be in a good position – I think it will be a good turnaround."
Reject Shop shares, which have fallen 27 per cent this year, rose 12.5 per cent to $2.25 but remain well below the $2.70 a share offered last year by Raphael Geminder's Kin Group.
Mr Fisher, who took the chair from Bill Stevens in October, dismissed suggestions Mr Reich's appointment was driven by Kin Group, which owns a 19 per cent stake and has two seats on the board.
"Absolutely not – the board had everything to do with it," said Mr Fisher, who is also chairman of appliance maker Breville and is a former CEO of Solomon Lew's private company, Voyager Group.
"He was the best candidate [and] the work he did at Kmart was certainly one of the big reasons, also his reputation is unbelievable among the people that worked for him," Mr Fisher said.
"We had a very good selection of candidates – he stood out among the pack."
Mr Reich is currently chief operating officer of Wesfarmers' Target chain, a position he has held for three years.
Before Target, Mr Reich was general manager merchandise and marketing at Kmart for seven years and played an instrumental role in helping former Kmart chief Guy Russo turn around the once-underperforming discount chain.
Before joining the Wesfarmers stable, Mr Reich was chief executive of womenswear chain Review for 18 months and held various management roles at Myer for almost 13 years.
Mr Reich said The Reject Shop had a successful history of discount retailing.
"Our future will include superior focus on our customer, fostering of a positive and proactive team culture and the delivery of sustainable commercial results," he said.
The Reject Shop's earnings have been falling since 2016 amid increasing competition from bricks and mortar and online retailers. The retailer plunged to a $16.9 million loss in 2019, breaching banking covenants, after writing down its distribution centres and store network by $15.4 million.
Mr Reich will receive an annual fixed salary of $800,000. From 2021 he will be eligible to receive short-term incentives worth as much as 40 per cent of his fixed remuneration and long-term incentives worth as much as 100 per cent of fixed pay.
Upon commencement of his role, Mr Reich will also receive a one-off allocation of 300,000 performance rights, 50 per cent of which will vest in three years, 25 per cent in four years and 25 per cent in five years.
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Meet Dfree: a smart wearable device that predicts when you need to visit the bathroom. It uses ultrasonic waves to monitor your internal organs and sends the data to your smartphone. As explained by Triple W Japan, the device targets users who suffer from incontinence. It fits on the user’s underwear to get the job done.
As the developers explain, the device needs to be tweaked a bit more before it is ready to be released. Reuters has the story.


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Salt Lake City, known for its picturesque landscapes and outdoor recreational activities, is now making significant strides to solidify its position as a prominent fintech hub. This remarkable development comes as the city seeks to foster an ecosystem that nurtures technological innovation and attracts top talent from the financial and technological sectors.
In recent years, Salt Lake City has witnessed a surge in fintech startups and established companies expanding their operations within its borders. The city’s favorable business environment, supportive regulatory framework, and access to a highly educated workforce have been instrumental in attracting these enterprises.
One of the key factors behind Salt Lake City’s fintech growth is its close proximity to renowned universities and research institutions. Collaborations between academia and the industry have facilitated the exchange of ideas, talent, and resources, fostering an environment ripe for innovation. Local universities have been quick to adapt their curriculum to include specialized courses in financial technology, further enhancing the skill set of aspiring fintech professionals.
The establishment of dedicated incubators and accelerators has also played a crucial role in nurturing fintech startups in Salt Lake City. These platforms provide crucial resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities to budding entrepreneurs, allowing them to transform their innovative ideas into viable businesses. With a flourishing startup ecosystem, the city has attracted venture capitalists and angel investors keen on supporting promising fintech ventures.
Furthermore, Salt Lake City boasts a robust infrastructure that supports the needs of fintech companies. The city’s reliable internet connectivity, data centers, and cloud infrastructure lay a strong foundation for businesses operating in the digital space. Additionally, collaborations between local authorities and industry stakeholders have led to the development of advanced cybersecurity measures, ensuring the integrity and security of financial transactions.
To solidify its position as a fintech hub, Salt Lake City has actively fostered a supportive regulatory environment. By engaging with industry leaders and policymakers, the city has developed regulations that strike a balance between innovation and consumer protection. This collaborative approach has garnered praise from industry experts, who acknowledge Salt Lake City’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for fintech growth.
The emergence of Salt Lake City as a fintech hub not only benefits the local economy but also contributes to the overall advancement of the financial industry. As the city continues to attract fintech talent and investment, it is poised to become a center of excellence, driving technological advancements and shaping the future of finance.


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Symantec Corp. continued its recent run of acquisitions last week, announcing plans to buy BindView Development Corp., of Houston, for $209 million, or $4 per share.
The acquisition adds BindViews IT security compliance software to Symantecs enterprise software product line. However, at least one expert expressed concern over Symantecs ability to absorb yet another computer security company, following the acquisitions of Sygate Technologies Inc. in August and WholeSecurity Inc. last month.
BindView makes security compliance software that allows companies to create and enforce security policies on networked computers. Symantec already sells ESM (Enterprise Security Manager), an IT compliance software product. However, ESM requires a client to be installed on machines that it manages, whereas BindViews technology is agentless.
Symantec officials said they plan to combine BindViews technology with complementary products in Symantecs portfolio to create a comprehensive product for policy compliance and vulnerability management.
However, Symantec engineers will face a daunting task in integrating all the companys recent acquisitions, including anti-phishing technology from WholeSecurity Inc. and endpoint security products from Sygate, not to mention the monumental task of integrating Symantecs management products with backup technology from Veritas Software Corp., said analyst John Pescatore, of Gartner Inc., in Stamford, Conn.


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As UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim and LuLu set out expansion plans, Saudi Arabia-based Savola, which owns the Panda chain, and Qatar-based Al Meera announce third quarter results, we round up news from th…..
Following ecommerce websites in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, Lidl is preparing to launch online in Spain.
Online trend cannot be ignored
As reported by efeagro.com, Lidl Spain’s managing …..
Japanese leading retailer Aeon has seen its revenue edge up 0.9% to JPY 4,112bn (US$39.2bn), for the six months ended 31 August, while its operating profit improves slightly by 0.1% to JPY72.4bn(US$0……
According to a local newspaper, Aldi Süd is planning to enter the Italian market in summer 2017 with an investment of €200m.
First store in Trento
Italy will be Aldi Süd’s tenth market across the …..


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A character-based bug on iOS was discovered that can disable messaging apps, and also crash your device. Apple has responded to the discovery of the bug, and says that a fix will soon be coming via a minor iOS update. Also Read - Apple TV Plus for free: PS5 owners get six months subscription free of costAlso Read - This photo shot with iPhone X by an Indian wins iPhone Photography Awards
Responding to iMore, Apple has said that a bug fix is coming in a minor update that will be rolled out ahead of iOS 11.3. While an iOS bug, it is also said to affect devices running on watchOS and macOS. Apple has also said that a fix for these platforms will soon be rolling out via minor updates. Also Read - Top Apple gadgets, accessories for less than Rs 15,000 for Apple fans
The bug in question essentially affects the devices when a message with Telugu characters are sent. Apart from iMessage, the bug affects apps like Safari, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other apps that accept text input. In trying to load the characters, the device and potentially the apps too crash.
Once crashed, the app won t open as it is constantly trying and failing the Telugu characters. One solution was discovered as far as iMessage is concerned. You basically need to ask a friend to send another text message, and then delete the original thread containing the buggy characters.
Apple s software have lately been in the limelight for the wrong reasons. Nearly all recent OS updates have been affected by bugs. It has reached a point where Apple is reportedly planning to tweak its strategy. A recent report claimed that instead of rolling out OS updates with a bevy of new features, Apple is now more focused on rolling out stable and bug-free updates.


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In 2016, the European e-commerce revenues rose to 530 billion euros according to the most recent report of Ecommerce Europe. This means a whopping 15% growth compared to the previous year, but Hungary is running ahead of Europe in this matter.
eNET Internet Research’s latest report was presented at the 14th Hungarian Ecommerce Conference. The whole industry was looking forward to this, but the result was quite a pleasant surprise to everyone. Hungarian webshops generated 427 billion HUF (approximately 1,39 billion in EUR) turnover – an extraordinary growth of 34%, surpassing all expectations. Now, e-commerce is responsible for more than 5% of the total national retail trade volume, which is another significant milestone.


text: Another Viewpoint is a column The News-Herald makes available so all sides of issues may by aired. William A. Weimer is the vice president of Phantom Fireworks in Youngstown. The time is long overdue to change the fireworks laws in Ohio to provide for sensible and regulated use of all consumer fireworks. Forty-five states now allow some level of consumer fireworks, and the national trend has been to liberalize the fireworks laws. Statistics released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission show a reduction from 12,500 estimated fireworks-related injuries in 1994 to only 9,800 in 2007, a reduction of more than 21 percent. In 1994, America imported 117,000,000 pounds of fireworks rising to 265,500,000 pounds in 2007, an increase of over 125 percent. When you factor in usage, based on injuries per 100,000 pounds of fireworks used, the fireworks-related injuries reduced by 65.42 percent from 1994 to 2007. That is impressive. The 1994 time frame is meaningful. In 1994, the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory began its Quality Improvement Program and testing of the fireworks products at the factory level in China prior to the products being permitted to be exported to the U.S. Most consumer products with which any degree of risk is associated, such as ATVs, Jet Skis, trampolines and the like, produce increased injuries along with increased use. Not so with consumer fireworks where use has increased and injuries have decreased. Indiana legalized the regulated use of consumer fireworks in 2006, and the result is more tax revenue and more employment for Indiana. That state also has had an amazing reduction in fireworks-related injuries over the three seasons. We have an American fireworks-buying public who respects the products and follows the suggested safety rules to keep fireworks use safe and keep injuries down. Despite the overwhelming evidence, anti-fireworks groups continue to misrepresent the truth about fireworks-related injuries. The facts cannot be disputed. Fireworks-related injuries have decreased at a time when fireworks use has significantly increased. We Americans have celebrated our heritage of freedom with fireworks since 1776 when then-future President John Adams suggested in a letter to his wife, Abigail, that Independence Day “ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade … bonfires and illuminations (fireworks) from one end of this continent to the other, from this day forward forevermore.” Write or e-mail your state legislator and ask that the legislature reconsider the out-dated consumer fireworks laws. Tell your legislator that you support the right to celebrate freedom with fireworks in the spirit of former President John Adams, and that you support the sensible and regulated use of consumer fireworks. Please enjoy the Independence Day holiday with your family and celebrate safely.


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Nevada Bill Aims to Outlaw Cigarettes by 2030
It doesn’t seem like this bill does anything to change how cigars, even flavored cigars, are sold or consumed in Nevada.
Graycliff 50th Anniversary Salomon
Graycliff is celebrating a 50 year anniversary with a new line, but it might not be the anniversary you’re likely thinking it is.Graycliff 50th Anniversary Salomon
Quality Importers Names Longfiller Co. for Dutch Distribution
That means the Longfiller Co. will distribute XIKAR, Palió, Humidor Supreme, Cigar Caddy, Stinky and Hydra in the Netherlands.
Viaje Honey & Hand Grenades Adds Falchion Collector’s Edition
The new size will be released in a new Nicaraguan corojo wrapped version as well as the Mexican San Andrés maduro version of the blend.
Wyoming Cigar Shops Lose Fight for Lower Taxes
Instead of getting a tax cap or lower tax rate for premium cigars, the Legislature made just one change to how cigars are taxed in Wyoming. Retailers can now wait to pay the taxes until after the products are sold.
Black Label Trading Co. Shipping New Black Works Studio S&R, Rorschach Sumatra Next Week
S&R gets a new barber pole design, while the Rorschach Sumatra is a lighter version of the original blend thanks to a new wrapper and a focus on Jalapa tobacco.


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Fresh Express recalling hundreds of cases of spinach
Salinas-based Fresh Express, Inc., has voluntarily recalled 350 cases of packaged baby spinach that may have been exposed to almonds.
Almonds mixed with food can cause severe, and even life-threatening physical reactions among people allergic to the nuts.
The 12-ounce bags have use-by dates of Jan. 24 and the product code, G010A17A. Company officials say in a press release that they are working with stores to remove the spinach bags from stores in unspecified southern and eastern states.
Salinas man sentenced for DUI deaths
No other Fresh Express products have been recalled.
The release issued on Friday goes on to say that the company has no reports of anyone becoming ill from the spinach.
“The recall was necessitated when a portion of a single almond was inadvertently introduced into the production supply. In order to safeguard the health and well being of consumers, Fresh Express is conducting a precautionary recall of product that could have come into contact with the almond during this isolated incident,” says a statement by the company.
Cops: Nude woman attacks Waffle House customers
Anyone in possession of any of the affected bags of spinach is asked to discard it and to request a refund from where it was purchased or to request a refund by calling toll-free the Fresh Express Consumer Response Center at 800-242-5472 between 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
It wasn’t immediately clear Wednesday how much the recall might cost Fresh Express.
The company called the incident “isolated” and announced it is cooperating with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation of what happened.


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BMW have announced their intention to leave Formula E at the end of this season, on the day after the end of Valencia testing.
BMW entered the series as a full factory team at the start of FE’s second generation era in 2018, having worked increasingly closely with Andretti’s Formula E squad in the two seasons prior and been a sponsor of several E-Prix. The team has had mixed success, winning their debut race as a factory team and taking a further three wins in the subsequent season but equally suffering mechanical and set-up problems at some venues.
In a statement today, BMW said they had “always used Formula E as a tech lab for production” – which they felt had now run its viable course, repurposing engineering resource to their road vehicles.
“The same engineers who develop the drivetrains for electric production vehicles are also responsible for the drivetrains in the race cars,” said BMW in a statement. “Examples of the successful transfer of technology between the Formula E project and production development include new findings regarding energy management and energy efficiency, the transfer of software for power electronics from racing to production, and an improvement in the power density of the e-motors.
“When it comes to the development of e-drivetrains, BMW Group has essentially exhausted the opportunities for this form of technology transfer in the competitive environment of Formula E.”
A similar sentiment was expressed by Audi, who announced their departure from the all-electric series on Sunday. BMW said that electrification was now the “new normal” while Audi stated that during the course of their time in Formula E their development had changed so that “electromobility at the four rings is no longer a dream of the future, but the present.”
Both Audi and BMW have developed their powertrains for the two-season homologation cycle Formula E is currently in but will depart halfway through that, after just a single, further season as factory entrants.
Audi are refocussing on an electric Dakar entry and hybrid technologies for endurance racing, while BMW announced no further motorsport plans, instead saying “the strategic focus of BMW Group is shifting within the field of e-mobility. In the future, greater emphasis will be placed on the comprehensive scaling of the offering and global production.”
Formula E moves to a rapid-charging-focussed third generation of cars in 2022, which Mahindra were the first manufacturer to commit to. Audi are one of two teams, with Nissan, who have worked on advising the FIA and representing the interests of manufacturers in the coming regulations and team boss Allan McNish said that their departure was not prompted by concerns over the next generation.
Audi and BMW both also withdrew their factory DTM teams at the end of the 2020 season, although were supportive to supplying privateer entrants their GT cars.
It is understood there are multiple manufacturers looking to enter Formula E, with KIA and Hyundai amongst names that could take up Audi and BMW’s slots.
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In a big step-up in trade negotiations, China reportedly agreed to raise penalties for intellectual property violations and to lower punishment thresholds for intellectual property theft. The move was a positive sign that could see both countries reach a phase one agreement. However, closer to the end of the week investors were a bit cautious after president Trump signed a bill supporting Hong Kong protesters into law. It remains to be seen whether this will affect negotiations.
In addition, the beginning of the week saw three major deals. Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW) announced that it would buy TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: AMTD) for $26 billion. eBay Inc (NASDAQ: EBAY) agreed to sell online ticket exchange platform StubHub to Viagogo for $4.05 billion in cash. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (OTC: LVMHF) entered into an agreement to buy American luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) for $16.20 billion.
Investors were also pleased to see new home sales reach 733,000 in October, higher than the expected 707,000 figure. Overall, new home sales were 0.7% lower compared to September but also grew by an impressive 31.6% compared to October 2018. Similarly, sentiment was lifted by an upward revision of Q3 GDP. The Bureau of Economic Analysis now says that the US economy grew by 2.1% in the third quarter, compared to the previous estimate of 1.9%.
In the meantime, Financial Advisors were focusing on a handful of stocks last week, according to data compiled by TrackStar, InvestingChannel’s official newsletter capturing and analyzing the trends of Financial Advisors. Amid the start of the holiday shopping season, the most searched ticker among financial advisors last week was Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). It was followed by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), which got in the spotlight amid strong demand for the new AirPods Pro. The company has reportedly doubled the production of the new AirPods to deal with orders.
Another stock that made the list of the five most-searched tickers is Alibaba Group Holding Ltd – ADR (NYSE: BABA). The Chinese tech behemoth started trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange last Monday, enjoying a very successful first day of trading. The debut was the largest public offering of the year and the largest share sale in Hong Kong in nine years. The listing was also viewed as a show of confidence in Hong Kong that has been marked by months of protests, political unrest and violence.
The fourth and fifth most searched tickers among Financial Advisors last week were Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) and Eversource Energy (NYSE: ES) a Fortune 500 utilities company operating in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) has not been only in the spotlight of Financial Advisors lately. It has been widely discussed for the past several weeks after the company unveiled the much-awaited electric pick-up truck. The vehicle, called Cybertruck, will start at $39,900, which is lower than Rivian R1T’s starting price of $69,000. Another competitor is Ford’s upcoming electric F-150, although its price is still unknown. The truck’s futuristic design initially received mixed reviews but managed to capture a lot of attention. Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter that pre-orders for the Cybetruck topped 250,000 in just five days after the presentation.
Beyond the design and driving capabilities, Tesla’s latest vehicle can be very promising for the company, with many on Wall Street expecting that it can boost the company’s profit margins. Tesla’s stock has been on a rollercoaster ride so far this year. After tumbling by over 40% in the first five months of the year, it recovered by more than 80% in the following six months and is currently nearly 8% in the green year-to-date.


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Boston Celtics small forward Gordon Hayward has agreed to a four-year footwear and apparel offer sheet with Chinese brand Anta, according to Nick DePaula of ESPN.
Hayward was reportedly close to signing with Nike last week. Nike will now have 10 business days to exercise their match clause.
Boston Celtics All-Star @GordonHayward has agreed to a 4-year footwear & apparel offer sheet with Anta.
The massive shoe deal also includes a signature apparel collection and marketing throughout Asia and the US. Nike will have 10 business days to exercise their “match clause.” pic.twitter.com/GIrLpxFA6d
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) September 26, 2018
NBA fans all over the world are rooting for Gordon Hayward this season after what happened last year. The All-Star swingman suffered a gruesome left ankle injury on opening night last season against the Cleveland Cavaliers and missed the entire 2017-18 campaign. He’s one of the best players in the league, on and off the court, so whatever shoe company Hayward ultimately signs with will surely see a boost in their revenue.
Hayward spent the first seven years of his career with the Utah Jazz. He signed a four-year, $127.8 million free agent deal with the Celtics in the summer of 2017, reuniting him with his college coach at Butler, Brad Stevens. The 28-year-old Hayward has career averages of 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 517 NBA games. He is expected to play in Boston’s preseason opener this Friday against the Charlotte Hornets in Chapel Hill.
Anta’s other big shoe endorser is Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson.


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Companies like General Motors, Apple, Microsoft, Toshiba, and Hewlett-Packer, to quote just a few, are affected by a global chip shortage and it looks like this problem isn't going away until next year - or even later.
What is the Global chip shortage?
Known as the 2020-2021 Global chip shortage, this event refers to a semiconductor chip shortage or in other words, a demand for integrated circuits that greatly exceeds the supply possibilities. This crisis affects over 169 industries and results in longer production times, an important profit decrease for companies, and, in some cases, increased price tags. The production of video games consoles, cars, and electrical devices was amongst the most impacted.
Examples of affected automaker companies include Tesla, which is reportedly experiencing difficulties securing chips for airbags and seatbelts, and General Motors, which had to halt the production of some pickup truck plants. Consumer tech is no exception, as Sony had to warn customers that a large supply of PlayStation 5 won't be possible until 2022 or later, and Xiaomi had to delay the shipment of a new model in India.
What is the chip shortage 2021 cause?
The Chip Shortage has various explanations.
The first and most obvious reason is the COVID-19 pandemic. On one hand, many countries experienced a lockdown and companies had to stop or slow down chip production. On the other hand, new home office working conditions and increased home time led to a growth of 26.1% of traditional computer sales during the last quarter of 2020 - and thus, to the demand exceeding the production. In addition, the pandemic caused a fluctuating demand from the industry: some tech companies overstocked chips in advance, while others couldn't acquire any. Many others, especially car companies, canceled chip orders, fearing that the industry was going to take a hit, so manufacturers adapted to the situation by switching their production to chips for consumer products.
Unfortunately, things didn't stop there: a winter storm pushed Texas semiconductor factories to shut down, while a fire in Japan's Renesas plant caused delays - and this is where nearly one-third of the car chips used worldwide are produced.
Another cause could be the trade war between the United States and China. Restrictions placed on Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) pushed companies to rely on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC) and Samsung but those manufacturers had already been working at their full capacity.
When will the Chip shortage end?
Although there is no consensus on this question, many CEOs and analysts seem to agree that the shortage will continue throughout 2022, even though production is already on the right track. For example, President Joe Biden is asking for a $50 billion investment in American chip manufacturing.
An estimation from the CEOs of Intel (Patrick Gelsinger) and IBM (Arvind Krishna) states that the shortage could last at least two years.
Building new factories may seem like a quick solution. However, it is important to note that this is not as simple as it sounds for two reasons: firstly, this is a long process that takes years, and secondly, manufacturing chips requires a highly specialized workforce that will need training.
What is the conclusion?
The global chip shortage (2021) is defined by a demand that exceeds the production possibilities. It is the result of the interaction of various factors including less than optimal planning and decisions from the companies, a halt in production during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies switching to chips for customer tech, an increased customer demand, natural disasters, and incidents, among others.


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Virus fears drive Kathmandu residents towards cashless payment methodsAround 1 million Nepalis are using digital wallet services, according to service providers.
Cooped up in their homes with lots of time to think about payment options other than cash, Kathmandu residents are going digital with a zeal spurred by concerns over becoming a coronavirus statistic.
Digital wallet transactions are down because there's nowhere to buy or spend with the country in lockdown, but app downloads have swelled tremendously, say those in the know.
Roshan Lamichhane, chief operating officer at eSewa, said that the awareness level among the public has increased, and that the government has also been urging people to make online payment.
Mobile top-ups, utility payments and bank transfers have been helping operators to earn organic customers which will be helpful in increasing the number of users in the coming days.
As commerce is down to zero with economic activities at a complete halt across the country, e-transactions have plunged by 40 percent, he said.
“The number of app downloads has increased comparatively after the lockdown, which has provided support to organic growth,” he said.
The volume of mobile top-ups has surged, but since people are staying home and mostly using social media to connect with family and friends, turnover is at the average level, added Lamichhane.
Most internet service providers and the Nepal Electricity Authority have waived fines for late payment, so the volume of utility payment is also normal.
But people who have trust issues regarding digital payment have started understanding its convenience, added Lamichhane. There is growth in terms of the awareness level of people, he said
According to Lamichhane, all the company's internal work is being done from home. Employees are performing technical work, development and updates off site. Even customer care service is being operated remotely with the staff fielding calls at home, he said.
People are choosing digital payment as there are chances of transmitting Covid-19 when handling cash. But it is not only the virus threat, people now are beginning to feel that the time has come for digital payment, said Amit Agrawal, director and co-founder of digital wallet service Khalti.
“The number of Khalti users is increasing by 200 percent daily,” he said. "With people staying home, they are sharing the convenience of making digital payment," added Agrawal.
Business is down because economic activities have stopped, but it could have plunged to 80 percent if not for the mobile top-ups, utility payments and bank transfers we are handling, he said.
Digital wallet service providers say that though the economy is going through hard times, the crisis has created an opportunity for them to grow as the government has been supporting them by telling people to make digital payment.
The current situation has drawn people towards digital transactions and made them feel positive about it, said Pawan Pradhan, managing director of payment service provider Cellcom.
The service providers have also been running schemes and offers to motivate people to use digital payment. Khalti is providing cash back and discount offers while CellPay also offers various schemes to customers.
According to these companies, around 1 million Nepalis are using digital wallet services.
Frequently asked questions about the coronavirus outbreak
UPDATED as of September 22, 2020
What is Covid-19?
Covid-19, short for coronavirus disease, is an illness caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, short for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Common symptoms of the disease include fever, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
How contagious is Covid-19?
Covid-19 can spread easily from person to person, especially in enclosed spaces. The virus can travel through the air in respiratory droplets produced when a sick person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. As the virus can also survive on plastic and steel surfaces for up to 72 hours and on cardboard for up to 24 hours, any contact with such surfaces can also spread the virus. Symptoms take between two to 14 days to appear, during which time the carrier is believed to be contagious.
Where did the virus come from?
The virus was first identified in Wuhan, China in late December. The coronavirus is a large family of viruses that is responsible for everything from the common cold to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). After an initial outbreak in Wuhan that spread across Hubei province, eventually infecting over 80,000 and killing more than 3,000, new infection rates in mainland China have dropped. However, the disease has since spread across the world at an alarming rate.
What is the current status of Covid-19?
The World Health Organisation has called the ongoing outbreak a “pandemic” and urged countries across the world to take precautionary measures. Covid-19 has spread to 213 countries and territories around the world and infected more than 31,405,983 people with 967,505 deaths and 22,990,260 recoveries. In South Asia, India has reported the highest number of infections at 5,557,573 with 88,943 deaths. While Pakistan has reported 306,304 confirmed cases with 6,420 deaths. Nepal has so far reported 65,276 cases with 427 deaths.
How dangerous is the disease?
The mortality rate for Covid-19 is estimated to be 3.6 percent, but new studies have put the rate slightly higher at 5.7 percent. Although Covid-19 is not too dangerous to young healthy people, older individuals and those with immune-compromised systems are at greater risk of death. People with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, or those who’ve recently undergone serious medical procedures, are also at risk.
How do I keep myself safe?
The WHO advises that the most important thing you can do is wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol content. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands. Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces like your computers and phones. Avoid large crowds of people. Seek medical attention if symptoms persist for longer than a few days.
Is it time to panic?
No. The government has imposed a lockdown to limit the spread of the virus. There is no need to begin stockpiling food, cooking gas or hand sanitizers. However, it is always prudent to take sensible precautions like the ones identified above.


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Twisted Metal's European Release Pushed Back to March
North American gamers will go head-to-head when Twisted Metal drops Feb. 14 but their European counterparts aren’t so fortunate. The game has just been pushed back to March in that territory with no certain date set. Additionally, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has censored parts of the game, although lead designer David Scott Jaffe has said it’s mostly changes to cutscenes and that gameplay shouldn’t be affected.
But that’s not to say nothing’s been changed in-game. Those of you who’ve downloaded the Twisted Metal multiplayer demo through the PlayStation Store know the Meat Wagon comes standard with a screaming victim loaded on a gurney overhead. Not so for European gamers: That’s officially just a lifeless corpse for those folks. You can check out Joel’s interview with Jaffe here.


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Today, Bibliotheca unveiled biblio+, a new streaming service for libraries and their patrons, in a live virtual event attended by 400 librarians from all around North America. biblio+ is turning the library streaming model on its head by offering unlimited, ad-free streaming for one affordable subscription price.
"Libraries have been telling us for years that the standard streaming model is broken," says Stephane Richard, SVP Movie & Streaming Products at biblio+. "Patrons expect high-quality streaming options, but the pay-per-view model makes the cost unpredictable for libraries. It causes budgeting headaches, and sometimes even frustration for patrons as libraries must limit or interrupt streaming to stay within budget. We are very excited to be able to offer a service that allows libraries to provide patrons with high-quality entertainment without restrictions or hassle."
The biblio+ service was built from the ground up to deliver a top-notch, modern streaming experience on any device. biblio+ is now available from all major app stores, including Apple iOS and Apple TV, Android and Google Play, Amazon FireTV, and Roku. The catalogue includes a diverse range of groundbreaking film and captivating television, including critically-acclaimed documentaries, book-adjacent films and adaptations, popular and cult favorites, and more. New titles are being added regularly.
"Whether libraries are starting from scratch, or looking to add to their current streaming offerings, biblio+ is an exciting new option," says Stephane. "The unlimited viewing model opens up all kinds of possibilities for community outreach including curated watchlists, Library Movie Clubs, and Book to Movie discussion groups."
For more information about biblio+, visit biblioplus.com.
Bibliotheca is dedicated to the development of innovative technologies and library management solutions that help sustain and grow libraries around the world. Bibliotheca reimagines how libraries function, using integrated technology to inspire and delight all kinds of people, wherever they are: at home, on the move, or within the library walls.
Bibliotheca employs 400 people across 22 countries, partnering with 30,000 libraries to make the library experience—physical and digital—seamless, intuitive, and inclusive.


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Band Bansari Mayur Kamdar and Devik Jain
April 26 (Reuters) – The tech-heavy Nasdaq led Wall Street lower on Tuesday with a 3% plunge as nerves over earnings growth from megacaps and tech companies added to worries about slowing global growth and a more aggressive Federal Reserve.
Market-leading growth stocks have been hammered this year as investors worry about the impact of rising interest rates on their future earnings, while the COVID-19-led lockdown in China and the hawkish pivot from major central banks eclipsed what was better than expected. earnings season so far.
Promising sectors such as technology .SPLRCTCommunication Services .SPLRCL and consumer discretionary .SPLRCD fell between 2.8% and 4.1%, the biggest losers among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500.
Alphabet Inc. GOOGL.O and Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O slipped 3.4% and 2.9%, respectively, ahead of their results after Tuesday’s closing bell. About a third of S&P 500 companies are expected to report results this week.
“If earnings and guidance are bad, we could have a lot more trouble. Earnings from these big guys are going to set the tone,” said Joe Saluzzi, co-director of trading at Themis Trading in Chatham, New Jersey.
“In addition to the war issues, you have COVID issues that could affect the supply chain. China is a major supplier, especially for some of these tech companies. That could be a big deal, so investors are watching this one carefully.”
The United States and its allies pledged new, ever-heavier weapons packages for Ukraine at a meeting on Tuesday, brushing aside Moscow’s threat that its support for kyiv could lead to nuclear war.
The S&P 500 energy sector .SPNY rose 2.1% as oil prices rebounded following reports that Russian gas supplies to Poland were halted.
At 11:36 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI was down 530.97 points, or 1.56%, at 33,518.49, the S&P 500 .SPX was down 81.69 points, or 1.90%, at 4,214.43, and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was down 394.64 points, or 3.03%, at 12,610.21.
Twitter TWTR.N fell 3%, a day after the social media platform agreed to sell itself to Tesla Inc TSLA.O leader Elon Musk, while Tesla fell 9.5%.
Of the 134 S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings so far, 80.6% have exceeded analysts’ earnings expectations, according to data from Refinitiv. In a typical quarter, 66% exceeded estimates.
General electric company GE.N fell 11.6% after forecasting full-year profits at the low end of its previous estimate.
United Parcel Service Inc. UPS.N fell 3.9% despite an increase in quarterly adjusted profit, while US hospital operator Universal Health Services Inc. UHS.N fell 9.1% after its earnings missed estimates.
Meanwhile, data showed U.S. consumer confidence fell slightly in April, although households planned to buy automobiles and many home appliances, which should help support consumer spending in the second quarter. .
Falling issues outnumbered advances for a 3.01-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 4.08-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P index recorded no new 52-week highs and 34 new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 18 new highs and 464 new lows.
(Reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Sriraj Kalluvila)
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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Through grassroots encouragement and the popularity of craft beer, the popularity of hard cider is back and on the rise.
“There’s definitely a boom happening in the cider industry,” said Kris Nelson, cofounder of Citizen Cider in Essex. “If you look at any of the industry magazines, cider is the fastest growing segment (of the alcohol market) nationwide.”
While he often references them, Nelson doesn’t need industry magazines to tell him about the growth of the hard cider industry. He’s experienced the boom first hand.
In 2011, Nelson, Justin Heilenback and Bryan Holmes — while working as a wine salesmen, farmer and chemist, —started making test batches of hard cider in Holmes’ basement. Pleased with their results, the trio tracked down a 1950s cider press, produced 5,000 gallons of hard cider and released Citizen Cider’s flagship brand, Unified Press.
“As it happened, our cider was popular and it sold out quickly,” the partners explain on their website. “We spent the summer of 2012 trying to figure out how to make and get more cider to the people.”
That effort resulted in the production of 28,000 gallons of Citizen Cider last year, but even that didn’t seem to quench the thirst of local cider lovers. With apple season nearing its prime, Nelson, Heilenback and Holmes are gearing up to produce 100,000 gallons of cider this year.
“It’s a pretty dramatic jump in three years,” Nelson said of the 20-fold increase in production. And while Citizen Cider’s rapid growth does seem dramatic, it’s not completely out of line with what other Vermont cideries have experienced over the past few years.
“Hard cider is the fastest growing part of our business, although it represents a small percentage of our revenue at this point,” explained Ben Calvi, a hard cider maker at Champlain Orchards in Shoreham. “Three years ago, we put out a test batch of 1,000 gallons…and last year we put out 10,000 gallons. The market (for hard cider) is obvious, so we’re investing a lot of time and resources into growing that part of our business.”
While cider was the most popular alcoholic beverage in colonial days, its resurgence would have been hard to imagine a decade ago. Vermont Hard Cider Co., producer of Vermont’s most widely distributed cider, Woodchuck, was hemorrhaging
around $300,000 a month at its nadir in 2003. But that’s a distant memory for the company that sold 2.2 million cases of cider in 2011 and is currently constructing a $30 million dollar cidery in Middlebury, Vt. Vermont Hard Cider Co. produces about 60 percent of the nation’s hard cider market.
Company spokesman Nate Formalarie attributes Woodchuck’s recent success to a number of factors, including the increasing
presence of gluten allergies, the popularity of craft beer and “a grassroots effort to get people to try hard cider.”
Those same factors have led to increased competition in the industry amid the ongoing cider boom – a boom that has prompted brewing giants Anheuser-Busch, Boston Beer and MillerCoors to debut cider lines and inspired the influx of craft cideries in Vermont.
“When we came on the scene (in 1991), we were really the only game in town,” Formalarie said. “Now the secret’s out.”
Despite its growing presence in Vermont, hard cider still represents only a fraction of the beer sales in the United States. But local cider makers are making strides to move beyond the organic growth they’ve experienced over the past few years.
“[Sustained growth] will depend, in part, on the expansion of interesting heirloom varieties available to cider makers,” Holmes noted. “There needs to be a lot of variety in taste and style to keep people’s interest.”
Calvi agrees, and Champlain Orchards plans to put that theory to practice.
“We started growing hard-cider-specific apples, things you’d never see in a grocery store, about five years ago and this will be the first year we’ll have access to those fruits,” Calvi said. “We’re going to be doing a lot of experimentation with different styles and tastes to show people all that Vermont apples can do in the alcohol world.”
As more styles of cider hit the market, cideries are hoping they can appeal to an even larger audience.
“There’s a lot of people out there who like cider and don’t even know it,” Holmes said. “We’re always meeting people who have never tried cider or who have tried cider and didn’t like it, but then taste a certain style of our cider and get turned on to it.”


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Blockchain AI platform NetMind has denied rumors of a hack on March 15, clarifying that the incident was limited to an individual miner and did not impact the platform itself. This follows a significant drop in NetMind’s token, NMT, due to a large sale, sparking concerns of a broader security breach.
NetMind, known for its cloud computing services for GPU owners in exchange for tokens, operates on the NetMind Chain blockchain, with NMT tokens available on BNB Smart Chain as well.
On March 15 at 1:15 pm UTC, NMT’s price plummeted from $11.34 to $2.77, marking a 76% decline. Speculation arose about a potential mint exploit, allowing unlimited token creation and subsequent market dumping.
However, NetMind refuted these claims at 4:19 pm UTC, attributing the drop to an early miner’s sale of 440,000 NMT, stating no platform compromise occurred.Market reassurance led to NMT’s recovery to $9.70, a 250% increase from the low, down only 14% from pre-incident levels, currently trading at $7.20.
Decentralized finance investor Alan purportedly identified the hacker’s wallet address as 0x4484, which bridged and sold tokens on PancakeSwap, although sales timing during the price drop remains unverified.
The NetMind team’s swift denial of a hack and subsequent market recovery reflects their proactive approach and investor confidence in the platform’s security measures.


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The Startup That Could Bring Airline Ticket Shopping to Amazon
Airlines are increasingly using application programming interfaces, or APIs, to distribute their fares. That could let Amazon and other companies more easily sell tickets. That opens up an opportunity for tech players.
Sean O'Neill, Skift | 3 years ago


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The recreational real estate market appears to be taking a turn for the better in Sun Peaks with the recent sale of a multi-million dollar home in the resort. For Sotheby’s International Realty broker, Liz Forster, that deal started the New Year off on the right foot.
“It was very, very sweet to be involved in a significant sale like that,” beams Forster.
The 4,500 square foot timber chalet was listed at $3.9 million and sold for $3,392,500 after being on the market for two years. The last time Sotheby’s sold a home for more than a million dollars was 18 months ago when a home on Sundance Drive was purchased for $1,050,000. But that wasn’t the highest priced home in the resort.
“The highest ever sale price of a residential property in Sun Peaks, prior to this one, took place in January, 2010 with a sale price of $2,205,000,” says Forster, noting the February 2012 sale eclipsed the previous one by more than 50 per cent.
Brokering million dollar deals may put a lot of pressure on some, but for Forster and her team, it’s just another day at the office.
“I don’t see it as making any difference to the actual pressure,” she says. “It may have spurred more buying interest. We’re very busy with people that have been considering buying for a while and holding back. I think this sale may have helped with that motivation for some to step forward.”
The Sotheby’s team has yet to officially celebrate their multi-million dollar sale, but Forster says that will happen soon enough. In the meantime, the team is busy fielding inquiries from Sotheby’s overseas offices.
“We’ve been in direct contact from the Moscow office and the London office about listings,” says Forster. “It’s definitely a sign that Sun Peaks is considered to be very attractive in the recreational market and I think it’s a sign that other people can now see the quality and special unique nature of Sun Peaks.”
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Every January, Las Vegas hosts the CES convention, which provides innovators with the opportunity to showcase their products that span various technological fields. A number of unique items were demonstrated at this year’s show. Take a look at some of the offerings for the year.
Smart Baby Monitor
Many are familiar with wearable devices that monitor heart rate and other vital signs via biometric sensors. But, a group from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s IBM Watson AI Lab demonstrated a low-power device that is both inexpensive and need not be worn. Cocoon Health exhibited its smart baby monitor. The device uses computer vision and AI to monitor the respiratory rate, movement, and sound produced by infants. Parents are able to determine when the baby goes to sleep, awakens, and stores data for viewing.
Augmented and virtual reality devices are popular devices in the gaming industry. However, the devices have many other applications. Human Capable demonstrated their device named “Norm Glasses.” The eyewear resembles a traditional pair of glasses but contains an Android computer. The eyewear has voice activation. When functional, the glasses provide a heads up display that enables users to choose to listen to music through dual speakers. The device also makes phone calls, sends text messages, and performs other functions.
Smart refrigerators have been available for a while. Among other functions, the appliances have the ability to monitor food contents and alert owners when particular foods require replacement. The Pantryon is a companion device that monitors the staples stored in the pantry. Alerts on automatically sent to a smartphone via the downloadable app. The pantry assistant makes shopping lists when items run low. The technology also suggests ingredients and shops around for the best grocery prices in the area.
World travelers often try to learn basic words and phrases before venturing to a foreign country. They also often carry a bi-lingual dictionary in order to communicate with the locals. The Langogo makes conversing easier. The pocket-size device translates 70 different world languages in less than one second. Users simply need to ask a question or state a phrase. The Langogo instantly translates and states the response in the chosen language. The unit also acts as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to six devices in addition to being a virtual assistant.


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While Majority of Canadians Own Cars, Few Drive Them: Turo
Turo Canada, in partnerships with Léger, released its Car Ownership Index study analyzing the state of car ownership in Canada.
The report reveals that while 83 per cent of Canadians own or lease a vehicle, their cars sit idle 95 per cent of the year. That means on average, Canadian car owners are behind the wheel for just 400.6 hours per year. This is down only slightly from a similar study Turo conducted in 2019, which found that cars sat idle 96 per cent of the year and driven for just 380 hours annually.
Despite using their vehicle so infrequently, 81 per cent of car owners feel it would be impossible to not have a car, and that same percentage has no plan to stop owning a car in the future. Among the reasons to have a car, convenience is most important (31 per cent), followed by commuting (30 per cent), and the desire for freedom (17 per cent). However, car ownership continues to be a significant expense for Canadians, costing an average of $4,937 per year.
“Our findings shed light on a paradox when it comes to car ownership,” said Cedric Mathieu, vice-president and head of Turo in Canada. “It’s clear that car ownership is still a central part of Canadian life, but these cars largely go unused while costing owners thousands of dollars a year. Car ownership is an inefficient model, but the alternatives are limited for Canadians who still need access to a vehicle.”
COVID-19 has not had a significant impact on Canadians’ car buying intentions. Eight-one per cent said that the pandemic has not affected their decision to get a car, while 12 per cent are less likely to do so. That said, they’re driving less, with 51 per cent using their car less frequently due to the pandemic.
When Canadians return to the office, nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of employed respondents will be taking their personal car, while 14 per cent will be taking public transit. Nine per cent are either unsure of how they’ll be commuting for work, or don’t commute at all. Eighty-seven per cent of respondents that know their preferred method of transportation for commuting to work said that preference has not changed due to the pandemic.


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June 19, 2016
At a press event last week in Gothenburg, Sweden, Volvo Penta unveiled a variety of innovative and long-anticipated products aimed at making the boating experience easier and more enjoyable. By focusing on features that are desired, demanded and consistent with the way that consumers use products, Volvo Penta continues to fulfill the philosophy of Easy Boating.
The newly introduced products and features include:
D8 diesel engine – for both IPS and inboard shaft applications
Expanded range of IPS – D8-IPS700 and D8-IPS800
Volvo Penta joystick for inboard drives
Battery Management Solution with e-Key Remote
View more details of Volvo Penta’s new offerings here: www.pitchengine.com/pitches/2b43ccc8-f8bb-430a-b1d8-7926e5361947.


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Germany’s largest utilities are set to move closer together after striking a deal for Eon to acquire RWE’s share in Innogy with RWE taking a significant stake in Eon in return.
The agreement, subject to shareholder approval, would also see RWE pay Eon €1.5bn in cash Eon to make a buy offer to Innogy shareholders.
Eon would acquire RWE’s 76.8% stake in Innogy, and some other interests, with RWE taking a significant minority stake, 16.67%, in Eon’s business.
Eon would then focus on energy networks and retail, with RWE more generation focused.
The companies said Innogy would be integrated fully into the Eon group with the transaction to take place “in several steps”.
Prior to the deal, Innogy’s retail business Npower was set to merge with SSE.
The Energyst is seeking on record clarification from RWE on whether that transaction will be affected.
SSE has issued a statement indicating the deal remains on and that the company “does not believe that its agreement with Innogy should be affected by the EON/RWE agreement”.
See Eon’s announcement on the deal here.
Amazon would be a good buyer for SSE plus Npower
MPs urge competition watchdog to probe SSE-Npower merger
SSE merger: Npower says business customers will not feel billing pain
SSE customer losses accelerate
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Ruilong Tech, a Chinese lithium-ion battery recycling startup, announced on Wednesday that it had raised “hundreds of millions of RMB” in a Series A led by Nio Capital, an investment firm founded by Nio CEO William Li. Established in 2016 in Ganzhou, a city known for its rich lithium mineral resources in the central Chinese province of Jiangxi, Ruilong is included in a whitelist by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology that allows approved companies to operate battery recycling facilities. The company said it has the capacity to process 100,000 tonnes of battery packs on an annual basis. Other investors include Midea Capital, an investment arm of the namesake home appliances maker. [36Kr, in Chinese]
Correction: an earlier version of this article misidentified Nio Capital as Nio.


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David Hart takes over at Kubota from Dave Roberts, who left earlier this year to become chief executive of Hitachi Construction Machinery UK.
Dai Watanabe, president & CEO of Kubota Europe, said: “We are very proud of the fact that we have a leading market position in the UK & Ireland with our current product portfolio. Our ambitions reach even further than that. With David on board we have a leader that can support that ambition by bringing his extensive experience and knowledge to identify and exceed our dealers and customers’ needs and requirements.”
David Hart said: “Kubota has a deserved reputation as market leader in many areas. We have a big opportunity to grow further and continue to diversify into new sectors, bringing our strong business values and quality delivery to match the demands and rightly high expectations of our dealers and end user clients. Kubota’s brand, values and proven quality are facets I have respected as a competitor over many years, and I am excited to be part of the team that will take these to the next level.”


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Why did the ‘apple‘ fall? Newton said it was gravity, latest reports by Morgan Stanley say it is due to a lack of innovation.
As Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares plummet down to $110.49 at the closing of trade yesterday, we are left wondering if the golden era of the iPhone is at an end. Since its inception in 2007, iPhone’s have been the primary source of revenue for Apple commanding nearly 62.54% of the total revenue in the last fiscal quarter of 2015.
While we have previously delved into why the iPhone 6s sales might not live up to previous reputations, today we take stock of Apple as a whole. Have they been reduced to a one-trick pony or does Tim Cook have an ace up his sleeve to get the Apple juggernaut going again?
Troubling Times Ahead For iPhone And Apple?
Steve Jobs had once said that Apple was like a three-legged stool in the way that the company was held by three main legs or pillars. However, in recent times, sales of iPads have been disappointing, and the PC market as a whole is under fire leading to Macs gradually diminishing in popularity. Apple has become from more of a one legged pogo stick with their record revenue figures being fuelled by the popularity of iPhone.
The other interesting fact to see how Apple iPhone has been performing in the market could be derived by putting Apple’s smartphone market of the last 3 years in a single frame. The third quarter of every year has always been the best performing quarter for the company by the number of iPhone sales and revenue. Therefore, when we compare Apple’s share of the smartphone market in Q3 2012 with Q3 2015, the results are quite surprising; In the last three years, while the worldwide shipments of smartphones almost doubled, from 179 million units in Q3 2012 to 355 million in Q3 2015, Apple’s market share decreased from 15% to 13.5% during the same period. Though the company performed fairly well with the revenue came in from iPhone sales, the figures clearly articulate how Apple failed to develop new user base for iPhone.
Despite all the impressive numbers, investors in the company have been worried for quite a while. Reacting to Apple’s latest Quarterly Report, Michael Obuchowski, an Apple shareholder and portfolio manager at Concert Wealth Management had an ominous thought in mind,
Once again, we are back to the situation where iPhone…completely drives the company’s future.”
And if recent numbers and future predictions of part manufacturers for fiscal 2016 are taken into account, it does seem to be a bleak few quarters ahead for Apple. While the stagnation of iPhone sales in Q3 2015 was brushed off as people holding out for the release of the new iPhone, it might have been a foreboding that iPhones were losing their mass appeal.
According to the report, chief Apple analyst of Morgan Stanley, Katy Huberty predicts that there will be a 6% drop in iPhone shipments for the fiscal year 2016 which roughly translates into 2.9% for the next calendar year. While the percentages may look small, putting the numbers into units of iPhones makes us realise how big of an impact this will be for the company. Former estimates by Huberty pegged the numbers for fiscal 2016 at 247 million units while recent estimates fall 29 million short at 218 million iPhones sold.
Just How Much Trouble Are They In?
Before we get to that all-important question, we would first like to take a step back and actually validate the claim. This year has had its fair share of sensational analytics like Samsung leaving the smartphone industry, but more often than not, they have had their basis on theory books and not numbers of the real world.
As the numbers indicate, it has been for a fair while that iPhones have earned the bulk of Apple’s revenue and they have done admirably so far! Then, Why would Apple fail or rather Could Apple really fail?
For that, we would have to take a closer look at the current range of iPhones and their potential market. The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus broke many records in their first few days of sale – 13 million units in just 3 days. However, as the initial excitement died down, news of slow sales came trickling in. Without going into further detail, the basic reasons for Apple’s failure with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus can be summarised in a few points:
- While excellent devices in their own right, the new iPhones just don’t provide enough of a reason for people to upgrade.
- The exorbitant pricing in price sensitive, but far bigger and promising, markets like India alienated them from a potential new market.
- The economic slump of China caused Apple’s largest customer base to slow down in the growth spur.
- Low penetration in newer markets due to lack of LTE infrastructure coupled with the lack of financing programmes for the new iPhones caused them to lose out to Android.
That being said, it seems like Apple realises that they have made a few mistakes with the new iPhones. The reduced estimates of their equipment manufacturer Dialogue for the March quarter of 2016 indicates Apple has internally reduced the predicted sales numbers for new iPhones. And while this evidence reinforces Huberty’s claim of a bad year ahead for Apple, the very line gives investors a glimmer of hope.
What Does Apple Do From Here?
The fact that Apple has informed their equipment manufacturer means that internally they’re well aware that iPhone 6s and 6s Plus didn’t do as well as predicted. Knowing is half the battle and a company like Apple, with the amount of technical talent and pedigree they possess, should be able to mount a comeback. In fact, for as noted analyst, Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster pointed out, the S generation of devices are for incremental updates only, and the real facts would come out when the iPhone 7 is launched late next year.
However, it’s not like Apple has put all their eggs in one basket, and we have already seen a few efforts from Apple to branch out into other streams of revenue as well. These are the things that we will look forward to seeing from Apple in 2016:
- A more fine-tuned approach to the already profitable wearable market with the new generations of the Apple Watch with improved iterations of Watch OS on them.
- Increasing their penetration in markets like India where they have a huge fanbase but very few customers.
- Targeting other segments of the smartphone market with the smaller form factor iPhone.
- Upgrading their older customers into newer generations of iPhones.
- Trying to bring back the iPad and targeting niche audiences with the iPad Pro.
While we don’t know for certain if all of these rumours like the specs of the Apple Watch 2.0 are correct, it is heartening for investors to see that Tim Cook & Company are looking at capturing the larger share in the wearable space.
While this section is generally reserved for summing up the entire article into one cohesive answer, this time sadly we have none. While there are clear prospectives for Apple in the future, their recent design choices like the iPhone 6s case and their refusal to listen to their consumers feature requests, might make them their own worst enemy. Their strategy of selling products at a high markup has set industry standards in the past, the arrival of cheap Android phones may cause them to rethink the game plan. With recent reports of top CEOs of major tech companies like Marissa Mayer and Satya Nadella losing their way, it remains to be seen if Tim Cook can carry on the legacy of Steve Jobs a little further than the turtleneck dress code!


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The Consumer Electronic Show, this year in Las Vegas, is becoming a nice homage to Microsoft’s toil and effort making Windows 10 an extensible experience for hardware manufacturers. From new laptops to voice activated speakers, Microsoft’s Windows 10 is making its way to the ever-increasing amount of devices.
As Windows 10 becomes more accessible, new manufacturers are appearing with new design types for the operating system as well. CES 2017 can now welcome the Mirabook to its list of new Windows 10 powered devices.
The Mirabook is the French startup Miraxess’ interpretation of Windows Continuum. The Mirabook is a 13.3-inch aluminum-clad laptop dock that houses a 1080p screen and sporting an HDMI, USB Type-C, SD card slot with 128 GB hard drive and weighs a little over 2lbs.
While the Indiegogo backed laptop dock would be a more than worthy standalone laptop experience, the Mirabook is designed with Windows 10 Mobile and Continuum in mind. So, without a Windows 10 Mobile powered device, the the Mirabook is, unfortunately, nothing more than a moderately spec’d paper weight.
The Mirabook is debuting at CES 201 7 but the crowdsource funding and preorder for the device won’t begin until March or April of this year.
Here at OnMSFT, we’ll be keeping an eye on its develop for the time being.


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IMDb TV announced today the second season of UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers, which will premiere Friday, December 17, exclusively on IMDb TV, Amazon's free streaming service.
In this emotionally charged second season, the story picks up after a quiet 12 months without prep sports. The six-part docuseries will take viewers on a journey as the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers emerge to resume their quest for victory after the abrupt end of their 2020 campaign to repeat as California state champions. Sierra Canyon will look to earn their third straight Southern California regional title with a squad of top Division-I prospects—Amari Bailey, Shy Odom, Ramel Lloyd Jr., Bronny James, Ryan Grande, and Dylan Metoyer. LeBron James and Maverick Carter will return as executive producers with their Sports Emmy Award-winning athlete empowerment brand, UNINTERRUPTED. Also returning are executive producers Jamal Henderson, Devin Johnson, and Philip Byron, co-executive producers Camille Maratchi and Josh Kahn, producer and co-director Matt Maxson, and Top Class director Tevin Tavares.
Sierra Canyon, home of the Trailblazers, is a small school in the San Fernando Valley that has become an academic—and athletic—powerhouse. Their basketball program is a perennial contender for California high school state titles, and hopes to bring a national championship to Los Angeles County.
All six episodes of the new season will be available to stream for free beginning Friday, December 17. The entire first season of UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers is currently available exclusively on IMDb TV.
IMDb TV uniquely offers premium Originals on a free streaming service, including the upcoming second season of the spy thriller Alex Rider, premiering December 3, and the recently released court program Judy Justice. Spanning drama and comedy, scripted and unscripted, additional IMDb TV Originals include the heist drama Leverage: Redemption, a Bosch spinoff, the comedy series Sprung, new home design series the Untitled Jeff Lewis Project, On Call, a half-hour drama from executive producer Dick Wolf, and the holiday special Play-Doh Squished, hosted by Sarah Hyland.
About IMDb TV
IMDb TV is a free streaming video service with thousands of premium movies and TV shows available anytime. Always entertaining. Always Free.
Expansive Catalog: IMDb TV is a modern television network, offering viewers ambitious originals, including Judy Justice, Luke Bryan: My Dirt Road Diary, Leverage: Redemption, Alex Rider, Moment of Truth, and UNINTERRUPTED’s Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers, and an always updating library of broadly appealing hit movies and TV shows that customers would expect to see on a paid service. IMDb TV adds new titles to the service every month across a wide selection of genres including comedy, family, romance, thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, horror, and more.
Free: IMDb TV is free. No paid subscriptions necessary.
Half the Ads: IMDb TV has half the ads of traditional linear TV.
Instant Access: IMDb TV is available as an app on Fire TV and as a free Channel within Prime Video, across hundreds of devices. To use IMDb TV on Fire TV, customers can find the icon in the “Your Apps & Channels” row or using the Alexa Voice Remote, simply say “Alexa, go to IMDb TV.” IMDb TV is also available as an app on third party devices including Roku, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, LG Smart TVs (2018-2021 models), PlayStation 4 consoles as well as Chromecast with Google TV, NVIDIA SHIELD and other Android TV devices. The app is also available on iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices.
UNINTERRUPTED is a Sports Emmy-award winning athlete empowerment media, experiences and consumer product brand that is part of The SpringHill Company, the media conglomerate spearheaded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter with the mission to empower greatness in every individual. UNINTERRUPTED’s original content properties, including The Shop: UNINTERRUPTED, Kneading Dough and More Than An Athlete, are impacting culture and inspiring important conversations within and beyond sport and entertainment.


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A few days ago, the 4th Guangzhou International Commercial Vehicle Exhibition was held at the Canton Fair Complex. The four manufacturing plants of CIMC Vehicles participated in the exhibition with 11 star models and sold 1,700 vehicles, which fully contributed to the adjustment of the national transportation structure.
The country is making every effort to promote the adjustment of the transportation structure, and CIMC Vehicles welcomes the historic development opportunity
In order to further win the battle to defend the blue sky, fight the battle against pollution, improve comprehensive transportation efficiency and reduce logistics costs, in recent years, the state has continuously increased its efforts to adjust the transportation structure. Lightweight vehicles.
In 2016, the relevant state departments respectively released the new editions of the "Outline Dimensions, Axle Loads and Quality Limits of Automobiles, Trailers and Vehicles" (new edition GB1589) and the "Special Action Plan for the Remediation of Illegal Excessive and Overloading Behaviors of Highway Freight Vehicles", both of which focus on increasing Overload control of road freight vehicles.
In October 2018, the "Three-Year Action Plan for Promoting Transportation Structural Adjustment (2018-2020)" issued by the General Office of the State Council clearly stated that it is necessary to strengthen the management of overloaded and overloaded road freight vehicles. Vigorously promote the standardization of freight vehicles and steadily carry out the management of dangerous goods transport tankers, ultra-long flatbed semi-trailers, and ultra-long container semi-trailers. Guide and urge industries and enterprises to accelerate the replacement and elimination of non-compliant vehicles, and promote the replacement and replacement of standardized models. Carry out the demonstration operation of center-axle car trains, and speed up the promotion and application of lightweight trailers.
According to statistics from the China Automotive Technology Research Center, in the first half of 2018, the domestic semi-trailer industry market was bleak, and the industry's overall sales fell by 34.5%. "Under the guidance of national policies, the development of the domestic semi-trailer industry has indeed experienced a buffer period, but the sales of CIMC Vehicles have hardly declined, because CIMC Vehicles actively responded to the call of the state to control the overloading of car carriers in accordance with the law, and seized the opportunity of sedan transportation. It is a historic opportunity for car sales, and the layout is ahead of schedule to successfully transform and upgrade.” Sun Chunan, general manager of CIMC Vehicles Southeast Sales Center, said, “It is expected that CIMC Vehicles will sell 14,000 center-axle car carriers this year, which will account for the total sales volume in the Chinese market. about 40%.”
Production line upgrade, technological innovation, 1700 vehicles sold in 15 minutes
According to Sun Chunan, the market entered the fourth quarter, and the domestic semi-trailer market fell sharply almost across the board. However, on the first day of CIMC Vehicles' participation in the auto show with the upgraded "Lighthouse Factory" products, customers raised their placards and snapped up purchases in less than 15 minutes. The total number of cars sold exceeded 1,700, and nearly 800 potential sales were reached.
In this regard, Yang Lin, vice president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that the exhibitors can sell more cars, which means that no matter how cold the weather is, some people can sell ice cream. But the government issued a series of important plans this year to adjust the transport structure, which means that the money supply for road transport will decrease and the total demand for vehicles will decrease. Therefore, companies need to continuously optimize their products, launch more cost-effective standard models, build a well-known brand, and achieve counterattacks.
"The reason why CIMC Vehicles' "Light Tower Factory" products can achieve a counter-attack is that we continue to manufacture good products and create new value for customers through production line upgrades and technological innovations," said Sun Chunan.
In recent years, CIMC Vehicles has pioneered the exploration and practice of intelligent manufacturing of special vehicles in China, and has successively established digital "lighthouse factories" in Dongguan, Yangzhou, Zhumadian and other places. It is reported that the production line of the digital "lighthouse factory" has changed the traditional production and management methods. The production of special vehicles by the production of commercial vehicles will greatly improve the production efficiency, shorten the product delivery time, and achieve zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emissions. , become the world's leading digital special vehicle production line.
According to reports, the "Light Tower Factory" production line of CIMC Vehicles can realize flexible mixed-line production of various models through the production form of modular work island. "Modular work island" is a new mode that is combined with modular product design to adapt to flexible product manufacturing. Through the modular configuration of the product, limited modules can be used to meet the individual needs of customers.
"In layman's terms, it is to break the concept of the traditional assembly line and concentrate the production of various small parts of the car, and then according to the customer's order requirements, the parts are assembled like stacking wood into the models required by the customer." CIMC Vehicles The relevant person in charge said, "This not only meets the current market demand for flexible production, but also greatly improves production efficiency."
According to reports, in terms of energy conservation and emission reduction, in the past, the special vehicle production line used the traditional paint and primer process, and the phenomenon of 'rusting water' generally existed in the waste water. The wastewater discharged from the process can still be used for fish farming.
"Design digitalization, production automation, management digitalization, energy saving and environmental protection, CIMC Vehicles' 'Light Tower Factory' is not only the leading digital special vehicle production line in China, but also the world's leading digital special vehicle production line. With such a production line, this ensures that CIMC Vehicles is in When dealing with the transformation and upgrading of the entire industry, we have always been at the forefront of the market." The person in charge said, "The products we produce not only meet the new national standards, but also meet the individual needs of customers, and are naturally favored by customers."
Deeply cultivating intelligent technology has broad prospects in the future
During the exhibition, CIMC Vehicles also held the unveiling ceremony of "Deep Sail" and a new product launch conference. At the press conference, a total of intelligent muck trucks, side curtain trucks, 45-foot/40-foot skeleton vehicles, and central axle box vehicles were displayed. 5 "Deep Sail" products. It is reported that in addition to beautiful painting, anti-rust, anti-wear, and lightweight design, the most important feature of "Shenyangfan" products is that they are very intelligent.
Taking the intelligent muck truck as an example, the vehicle adopts the Beidou/GPS two information transmission modes to provide 24-hour uninterrupted monitoring information for the muck transportation supervision department. Real-time monitoring and alarming of , wrong roads and emergencies. By installing on-board monitoring equipment to comprehensively monitor vehicle status information, it can provide real-time status information for drivers and passengers, such as overloading, speeding, fatigue driving, etc., it will alarm to remind drivers and passengers.
Li Guiping, Vice President of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers and CEO and President of CIMC Vehicles, said that the intelligentization of vehicle technology is the general trend in the future. We will eliminate the backward production platform and make every effort to build an intelligent semi-trailer platform. As an independent brand, "Shenyangfan" bears the ideal of CIMC Vehicles to rebuild the global operation system of semi-trailers. It is the only way for the enterprise to grow qualitatively, and it is also a win-win choice to lead the industry to the mid-to-high end.
"Currently, the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is a hot topic, and the 'Blue Sky Protection Plan' is a key plan of governments across the country. CIMC Vehicles should efficiently seize these opportunities and actively participate in mature intelligent environmental protection products and high-quality services. Among them, the future market prospects are definitely broader." Li Guiping said.