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The company will deliver manufacturing capabilities in phases, the first of which, available in its 3.1 product, is targeted at manufacturers with assembly operations. Capabilities include support for multi-level bills of material, work-in-process tracking, completion of final assemblies to shipping, work order costing, the ability to create work orders and select customer specific options at order entry time, and seamless integration with Compiere’s existing materials management, purchasing, sales order management and financial systems.
According to the company, Compiere 3.1 is currently available in three editions, professional, standard and community. Additional manufacturing capabilities will be announced in future offerings.
Don Klaiss, president and CEO of Compiere, said: Manufacturers today face new business pressures that are causing them to rethink their ERP strategies. Most midsize companies that currently have an ERP system are using either custom, in-house developed software, or expensive, inflexible, vendor-dependent software based on technology that is at least a decade old. Chief information officers and business executives are looking for new alternatives that lower the ERP cost of ownership and improve their ability to respond to business change.


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The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration and indulgence. Families gather around for festivities filled with sweet treats, and retailers stock their shelves with sugary delights to meet the increased demand. However, this year, there's a bitter twist to the holiday tale – weather factors and an impending sugar shortage may leave both producers and consumers in a sticky, pun intended, situation.
The sugar shortage is primarily driven by a convergence of factors that have disrupted the global sugar market. According to Pawan Joshi, EVP of products & strategy for e2open, reports cite that the rising threat of El Nino’s weather could reduce sugarcane yield by 10-15% globally, leading to higher prices for the lower supply. Sugar shortages could become a valid concern given that the U.S. agriculture policy requires at least 85% of U.S. sugar purchases to come from domestic processors, so when demand rises, prices spike and supply tightens.
"Like other shortages, if sugarcane yield continues to be constrained, we can expect to see a rise in price since it’ll be more difficult for companies to source, tipping the balance of supply and demand," says Joshi. "Food and beverage manufacturers may need to reduce their production or make other changes to accommodate a sugar supply constraint. This could include products such as soda, baked goods and candy."
And sugar is not confined to the sweetener itself; it has far-reaching implications for various supply chains, particularly during the holiday season.
- Confectionery and Bakery Industry: Manufacturers of candies, chocolates, cookies and cakes rely heavily on sugar as a primary ingredient. A soar in cost of sugar would have these companies faced with the tough choice of either absorbing the increased costs or passing them on to consumers through higher prices.
- Beverage Producers: Many sodas and juices require significant amounts of sugar to maintain their taste and consistency. As sugar prices rise, these companies may resort to using alternative sweeteners, which could alter the taste of their products and potentially deter consumers.
- Food Processors: Beyond sweets and drinks, sugar is a common ingredient in a wide range of processed foods, including sauces, condiments and canned goods. Food processors may rethink their recipes and explore alternative ingredients or reduce the sugar content in their products, which can be challenging for maintaining flavor profiles.
- Restaurants and Bakeries: Restaurants and bakeries that rely on sugar for their recipes will be feeling the pinch. Some establishments may be forced to adjust their menus or limit the availability of certain dishes, affecting the dining experience for their customers.
Preparation comes in the tried-and-true form of technology and solid relationships. Joshi explains, "The best-prepared companies have well-connected supply chain ecosystem and technology that provides a 360-degree view of the supply chain – from forecasting demand to better plan production and inventory, to monitoring disruptions and optimizing the transportation of goods." Where "sugarflation" might skyrocket, Joshi says, companies might combat the instance by optimizing their supply chains to minimize any waste and save costs along the way.
Supply shortages put a damper on consumers and manufacturers alike at the height of the pandemic. At the time, substitutes were made to fill the gaps and systems were tweaked to bring about success in a strained time for supply chain. Similar acts maybe on the horizon, as the holiday season quickly approaches. The trends for sugar serve as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of supply chains and the vulnerability of our food systems to the external factors lurking just around the corner.

domain: news


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European mobile voucher startup tests Dubai's market
With daily deals potentially on the decline, the time might be ripe for a return to basic coupons; TWOFORONE GO is a new mobile platform focusing on just that: simple, two-for-one deals, at restaurants, spas, and outlets in Denmark and Dubai.
The idea follows the same mold as The
Entertainer, an offline coupon book that has been popular
throughout the Gulf and Cyprus, securing investment from Riyada Enterprise Development
around a year ago.
Now, TWOFORONE GO might be hoping to take a slice of its market. After working for several years in the U.S. with an entertainment and coupons book company, Swedish entrepreneur Robert Meza decided to launch the mobile platform for iPhone and Android users in early last year.
While he launched in Denmark as well, he moved his headquarters to Dubai following advice from his investors, who are also located in the UAE. “We came last summer to test the market and see if there would be a demand for the product,” says Meza. “We had very good feedback and response from customers and merchants, so we moved here full time in September.”
Since then, over 7,000 users have joined
the free platform, and the Dubai-based team of ten is seeing around
800 new users per day since their launch, he says. They
have 300 merchants signed on in both Dubai and Denmark, and
are beginning to expand in Europe and the Gulf.
Rather than go for Riyadh, their next target is Stockholm, where they’ve recruited over 100 merchants and also have a sales team. “Depending on the results, we might expand the model in the Middle East as well,” he says.
How it works
Customers pay for specific offer packages at a range of prices and styles. In Dubai, their most expensive package, which includes all 680 of their offers, costs AED 199 (US $55) for a year’s subscription. TWOFORONE GO also offers the occasional free selection for the first 5,000 redeemers, in order to boost word of mouth marketing. Users can pay via the app or by credit card.
When a user wishes to redeem an offer, they simply click on the offer and have a specific time limit within which to show the merchant a voucher. For restaurants, a deal is active for 15 minutes which is presumably enough time to pay your bill. After time is up, the deal is marked as redeemed and can’t be reused. This means that users can plan ahead, based upon a deal's availability, but only have a moment to actually redeem it.
Their most popular deals are at restaurants and spas, and the reason Meza focuses on two-for-one deals, as others have, is simply that the social aspect makes it popular. “The whole thing with having two-for-one deals is that we’re encouraging people to be social as well; not to go out alone, but to go out with friends and share the experience,” he explains.
From Dubai to
When it comes to competition like The Entertainer, Meza insists that printed books and other mobile coupon platforms don’t compare to what he offers as far as number of deals and user interface, which he's built based on customer feedback.
He also notes that Dubai is an increasingly strong base for startups from Europe to test and expand. “I’d recommend a move to Dubai,” Meza says, emphatically. "But remember that entrepreneurship is not so easy; one day you have the best day of your life, the next day you have no idea how you’ll make it – it’s a roller coaster.”
Yet, again, the team is looking to expand into Europe rather than the Arab world. While they may launch in Abu Dhabi, “We have to do a little more research and prototyping to see what the next country in the Gulf will be," says Meza. "But for now we’ll look towards Europe.”


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No Name's Twitter account has been garnering positive attention since it went live earlier this summer. And now, the brand has popped up on another digital media platform: YouTube.
The Loblaw-owned private-label brand has published a series of spots that mirror the simplicity of its tweets. For instance, one 7-second spot for Smooth Peanut Butter says both the product and the ad were made without hydrogenated oils. A similar approach was taken to promote the brand's ketchup chips.
And, a 20-second "viral cat video" featuring a number of No Name brand products (and, of course, a Persian cat) is making good on its title. It has been viewed more than 1.2 million times since it was published to the video site Sept. 5.


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Celebrating love in its multitude of expressions, Dockers® has unveiled its eighth Pride collection that powerfully resonates with the LGBTQIA+ community and beyond. This year’s collection, a tribute to love in all its diverse forms, beautifully encapsulates the Pride spirit and mirrors the vast spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ experiences.
Every piece in the Dockers® 2023 Pride collection is a testament to the countless facets of love, whether it’s expressing affection, choosing to get a tattoo, or supporting someone through their gender transition. This range of experiences weaves a rich tapestry that forms the heart of this year’s collection.
The new collection shines with five unisex designs, each characterized by Dockers®’s signature khaki tones. Vibrant colors and intricate designs are showcased throughout, with a striking multicolored sun motif and American Sign Language symbols for “Peace” and “I love you“, thoughtfully embroidered onto select pieces. These symbols and colors are not just aesthetic choices, but represent the joy and tranquility found in the freedom to express one’s identity and love.
Global Head of Design at Dockers®, Nic Rendic, explained the ethos behind the collection, saying, “Pride is an inclusive expression that should be celebrated all year round, and we wanted this year’s collection to mirror that inclusivity.” Versatility and comfort were at the forefront of the design process, creating a collection that is not only meaningful but also suitable for a wide array of looks.
Dockers® has always been a brand that takes pride in collaboration, and the 2023 collection is no exception. The brand partnered with six LGBTQIA+ creatives, resulting in a unique blend of styles and perspectives. Each individual contributed to the Dockers® Pride campaign shot in Paris, sharing their interpretations of love and what it means to be loved.
Beyond its sartorial contributions, Dockers® has also shown commitment to LGBTQIA+ causes through tangible actions. The brand continues its strong partnership with the Stonewall Community Foundation, supporting initiatives that benefit the LGBTQIA+ community. This year, Dockers® extended its support to Casa Frida, a shelter in Mexico City offering refuge and health services to LGBTQIA+ individuals escaping severe violence.
Dockers®, a part of the Levi Strauss & Co. portfolio, has been a steadfast supporter of LGBTQ+ rights since its inception in 1986. Levi Strauss & Co. holds a groundbreaking legacy, being the first Fortune 500 company to offer benefits to same-sex partners, and one of the earliest to step up in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Their commitment continues with consistent financial and political support to relevant issues, including marriage equality.
In a world that is constantly evolving, Dockers®’s commitment to equality and recognition of LGBTQ+ individuals remains unwavering. The Dockers® Pride 2023 collection will be accessible from May 18 on Dockers.com, offering everyone the opportunity to celebrate love in all its radiant forms. This collection is more than just a statement; it’s a celebration of identities, a promotion of love, and a pledge for continued support to the LGBTQIA+ community.
The Pride 2023 collection by Dockers® 2023 is already available on Dockers.com.
Click on this link to read this article in French version


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Top Poultry Companies
Hen Housing Systems
Could China’s egg industry go cage-free?
While the term free range may be familiar to Chinese consumers, cage-free is not. Significant change will be needed both up- and downstream for egg producers to benefit from abandoning traditional cages.
Prepare Today, Protect Tomorrow: Put Poultry Food Safety First
Vaccines are critical for reducing salmonella on live-side. Brand Insights from Elanco
Geneticists can help improve cage-free production, welfare
Genetic selection has changed over time to adapt to the needs of the egg industry, customer demands, housing laws and animal welfare improvements.
Are brown egg layers better suited in free-range systems?
Brown egg layers show better production results when housed in free-range or cage-free housing compared to conventional systems, according to research conducted by North Carolina State University (NCSU).
Dynamic lighting can help improve shell egg production
A dynamic lighting system could help commercial egg producers improve layer production and welfare, reduce floor eggs and prevent keel bone damage.
Open Wing Alliance names cage-free frontrunners, laggards
Food manufacturers are increasingly sourcing their eggs from cage-free producers, but not all are reporting on their progress.
Cage-free shift study proves many consumers are indifferent
A recently published research study identifies the cage-free conversion challenges the U.S. egg industry faces related to costs, construction, lack of consumer demand and insight concerning what consumer and producer perceptions are on the transition.
Activists fail to acknowledge HPAI, cage-free logistics
Animal welfare activist groups Humane League and Open Wing Alliance (OWA) recently published reports identifying companies that are behind or not reporting on their cage-free sourcing progress.
RFID technology could help track cage-free layer movement
Layer movement can be tracked in cage-free environments through radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, according to a research study conducted by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY).
CVS, Walgreens complete cage-free egg transition
CVS and Walgreens completed their transitions toward sourcing 100% cage-free eggs, the chains announced in separate statements.
Colombia is a leading example for the egg industry
The Colombian egg and poultry producers’ association has brought about an increase in the country’s egg consumption and implemented an advanced model for industry sustainability.
Insurance firm sues for US$25 million over egg farm fire
Rhode Island based insurance company Factory Mutual sued construction company Henning Companies LLC for US$25 million over an egg farm fire that occurred in February 2020.
Page 1 of 23


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Durex is making a move into the world of fashion with its own streetwear collection. Slated to launch on 1 April, the limited edition collection features "Gen Z staples" such as an oversized white slogan tee, statement socks, a casual tote bag and a bucket hat. According to Durex, the collection aims to empower individuals to make their condom purchases bolder and in style. The apparel will also be unisex, allowing "anyone anywhere to put their Durex on, even in public", a Durex spokesperson said. The apparel will also don taglines such as "Safe Tee First”, and “Wrap That Head”, which aim to give a new meaning to sex-positivity.
Earlier today, Durex posted a teaser of the apparel on its Instagram, along with the caption "Keep other parts of your body covered with our new wearables...Available in a variety of sizes, just like our condoms", drumming up hype for the streetwear collection leading up to the launch on 1 April.
MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Durex for a comment. While some might be inclined to think that the move is a part of an April Fool's prank, Durex would hardly be the first unconventional brand breaking into the world of fashion.
For instance, malt whisky Monkey Shoulder launched its limited-edition pyjama suits in November last year, which it said will help people who work from home (WFH) "go from ZZZs to Zoom". Tapping on the WFH pool in Singapore, the pyjama suits were the second installation of Monkey Shoulder's "Don’t Let The Grind Get You Down" campaign; which aimed to help the working population in Singapore escape the stresses of the rat race and the monotomy of WFH.
KFC Singapore also celebrated all things local last National Day with an exclusive streetwear capsule collection in collaboration with home-grown fashion designer Amos Yeo. Titled “STATE: ORIGINAL”, the collection drew inspiration from KFC’s “Always Original” brand positioning. According to KFC then, it marked the first partnership between a quick-service restaurant and local fashion designer in Singapore. The collection comprised 11 limited edition pieces of apparel and accessories, showcasing Amos Yeo’s interpretation of “the original state of self” in his signature design and style.
The real question is, how comfortable would consumers be with Durex all over their body, everywhere?
From ZZZs to Zoom, Monkey Shoulder entices WFH crowd with pyjama suit
KFC SG bites into streetwear scene with new collection to celebrate local
Durex SG gives flavoured ice-cream hand outs a second chance
Durex SG unwraps CNY zodiac reading to help you find your best fit
'Weapon loaded, ready, safe,' says Durex SG in celebration of SAF Day
Get the daily lowdown on Asia's top marketing stories.
We break down the big and messy topics of the day so you're updated on the most important developments in Asia's marketing development – for free.subscribe now open in new window


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"I am confident that Naveen’s addition to team Pepperfry will help expand and accelerate our marketing agenda towards cementing our leadership of India’s home and living market,” Ambareesh Murty, cofounder and CEO, Pepperfry said in a statement.
Commenting on the new role, Naveen Murali said, "Over the years, Pepperfry has secured a significant consumer mind share in the country. I am super excited to work towards enabling Pepperfry to further increase this share and building an unrivalled brand of the future."
Murali has experience of over 10 years in marketing, sales and building business competencies. Prior to joining Pepperfry, he was associated with brands like Asian Paints and Oracle across business and marketing roles.
Murali is an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode and holds a degree in Engineering from NIT, Warangal.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- Sumitomo Mitsui, 4 Others Sought Info on IDBI Sale
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and one other global bank are among five potential investors that have sought information from the Centre about the sale of state equity in IDBI Bank through a formal query process that closed on November 10, people familiar with the matter told ET.Flipkart may go in for $700m Esop Buyback
Walmart-owned homegrown ecommerce marketplace Flipkart is likely to facilitate a $700 million employee stock buyback as part of digital payments platform PhonePe’s new financing round, multiple sources briefed on the matter told ET.Falling Input Costs may Cool Prices of Essentials, Apparel
Prices of groceries, daily essentials and apparel are likely to fall over the next two quarters as input costs are expected to decline, spurring sales in the process, according to consumer goods makers.
ETPrime stories of the day
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By Bruce Nagy
It might be a good time to learn more about natural refrigerants.
With the pandemic keeping many of us indoors this year, it might be time to do what comes naturally. I don’t mean watching Netflix with your significant other. I’m talking about planning a refrigeration system using natural refrigerants.
It seems like only yesterday that this would have been considered a radical idea, but the industry has moved quickly, quietly and significantly into natural refrigerants, especially carbon dioxide, ammonia and propane.
For the past 10 years retailers, food manufacturers and distributors have been rolling out C02 – based transcritical systems, energy recovery, ammonia/C02 brine systems and R290 propane standalone retail refrigeration cases.
“I find it impossible to believe that there will be a law anywhere allowing refrigerants with ratings of more than 150 global warming potential (GWP) within a short time. It might be one year or five years, but it’s inevitable,” said Dave Malinauskas, president of CIMCO Refrigeration, Toronto.
“C02 is non-toxic, not flammable, naturally occurring, no ozone depletion and a GWP of one. Blends are at 600-700 GWP, which over a 20-year time horizon adds up to 3000. C02 costs about a dollar a pound. Synthetics are $40 per pound. There are now about 30,000 transcritical C02 systems around the world, so it’s definitely the prevailing trend, and it makes so much sense in Canada with our temperatures,” he added.
He talks about systems that CIMCO is designing and installing in B.C., Ontario and Quebec, including one of the first Ammonia/C02 brine systems at Canada Wide Fruit and Vegetable near Montreal.
Low GWP, better efficiency
“When they asked us for a proposal, they expected a freon system, but an ammonia/C02 system is a modern way and it is 30-35 percent more efficient,” reported Benoit Rodier, CIMCO vice president of business development. “C02 meant stainless steel, so a more robust system with fewer leaks, smaller pipes, simpler insulation, and less equipment.”
It is a low charge ammonia system with a heat exchanger and C02 in the secondary loop, circulated around the plant. Phase one was 280 tons with one two-kilowatt pump. “Before that this company was spending about $10,000 each year on leaking refrigerant, failing compressors, condensers, and evaporators. Not now.”
The CIMCO equipment also comes with smart controls and temperature sensors. It worked so well that Canada-Wide used it again for a plant expansion, with the new system totaling 320 more tons.
“After that we used the same approach for Metro (grocery store) distribution centres in Laval and Mississauga, Vegetable Pro warehouses in Montreal’s eastern townships, and also in Kelowna, BC, and at Flanagan Food in Whitby,” reported Rodier.
“This system and transcritical seem to be the trend. Transcritical is more popular, probably because the cost has been dropping; but this is more of an industrial grade approach with a 25-year life. Transcritical might be around 15 years.”
Natural refrigerants are becoming popular beyond Canada. At the February 2020 AHR Expo in Orlando, Florida, North America’s largest heating, cooling and refrigeration industry event, the top innovation award went to a new carbon dioxide-based transcritical system from Danfoss.
Walmart uses a secondary loop refrigeration system in about 125 stores. Many of them use carbon dioxide. Whole Foods, Albertsons and Raley’s are also operating successful ammonia/C02 systems. Whole Foods has at least 20 installations.
In 2015 Piggly Wiggly opened a 36,000-square-foot store in Columbus, Georgia using ammonia/C02. It employed a 53-pound ammonia charge and a 1,400-pound CO2 charge. It saves about 25 percent on energy, conforms with ammonia safety standards (IIAR-2, IBC, IMC, IFC, EPA and ASHRAE-15), and is approved by the local fire marshal.
OEMs like Evapco, Azane and NXTCOLD (Hillphoenix), among others, have unveiled low-charge packaged systems and CIMCO and Stellar have begun installing them. Low-charge central systems now include ammonia DX systems from Colmac Coil, ammonia/CO2 cascade systems from M&M Refrigeration, and a remote condensing system developed by Frick. U.S. Cold Storage has adopted this technology at more than a dozen facilities.
At Icewater Seafood in St. John’s, Nfld. they were using old oil boilers to heat the plant and offices until they brought in an engineer to design a better way. “We were using 160,000 litres of oil for heat each year,” reported Icewater CEO Alberto Wareham.
“We decided to upgrade our ammonia refrigeration system by adding heat recovery and use that instead of paying for oil. It was an investment of about $400,000, but we were able to qualify for a government program that paid for about half of the project.
“We used the heat reclaim from the ammonia for the existing hydronic system. It’s 70,000 square feet, so we reduced greenhouse gases by about 355 tons and saved a lot of oil,” added system designer Randy Peddle of HRCM Consulting in St. John’s. “We took 140F from the condenser. Normally it would be 180F, so we had to bump up the number of heaters a little bit.”
He talks about the trends toward new refrigerants. “People are afraid of ammonia because it can be flammable, but you have to have a perfect storm of conditions for that to happen. Still, keeping the charge low is a good idea.”
On ships too
“Out here in Newfoundland we also work on systems for fishing trawlers,” added Peddle. “They need about 8000 to 10,000 tons of refrigerant charge and the blended products don’t work. They just separate. Ammonia works, but again people worry about fires. You don’t want a fire on ship. But we’re figuring out ways to make things safer. They’re building a fishing trawler in Turkey right now and installing an ammonia system.
“You have to keep looking ahead,” he added. “It’s the same thing with the requirements for operating engineers. That standard hasn’t been updated since 1996. Today’s control systems are better than any operating engineer. We recently did a big 1500-2000 horsepower system and the computer is so good you could control the whole thing from your bedroom.”
Food giant converts
Global food giant Nestlé also makes extensive use of natural refrigerants. For large and medium-sized systems, and for processing, they usually use ammonia/CO2. Most of the Nestlé factories have now transitioned from HFCs to natural refrigerants. “Not many” are left to convert, reported Vincent Grass, the company’s global refrigeration leader. He describes a “loss of trust” in synthetic refrigerants because every time a new product came out, a few years later problems would be discovered.
Nestlé also operates 21 supermarkets in Switzerland. Since 2016, the company has only used hydrocarbons in its ice cream freezers, (Propane R-290, Isobutane R-600a, and Propylene R-1270).
Unilever, Pepsi and Coke have placed thousands of plug and play cabinets that use R290. Target, Walmart, McDonald’s and Starbucks have also begun using them. In Europe, in France in particular, tens of thousands have been deployed.
Some 197 countries have ratified the Montreal Protocol, which will phase out virtually everything but natural refrigerants over the course of the next 25 years. For industrial applications, that means the next system you install, so now may be the time to consider going ‘au natural.’


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Why Law Firms Are Integrating Bitcoin And Blockchain
Lawyers are constantly handling transactions with people and entities in other parts of the world
Kenyans sinking billions in crypto-currencies risk big losses
Kenyans have invested more than Ksh160 billion ($1.6 billions) in crypto-currencies without understanding how it works. Cryptos run on a technology called block chain - a ledger of blocks of information, such as transactions or agreements that are stored across a network of computers. Speaking...


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If you also have an iPhone and are looking for an iPhone update, then we have important news for you all: the IOS 17 Release Date has come out, and it has been more anticipated among users, on June 5, 2023. And this iOS 17 release date announcement came out during the Worldwide Developers Conference. If we talk about the IOS 17 Release Date globally, it is highly expected to be available in mid-September 2023. According to the instructions issued by Apple, all the updates being made available will be free. You will have to read this article till the end for information such as what is new in the Apple iOS 13 update and who it will be made available for.
IOS 17 Release Date
All iPhone users are waiting for the IOS 17 Release Date with great eagerness, and all these people are checking the compatibility of Ayurveda 17 with their devices. If you are also one of those users who have Apple iOS 17, For your convenience, we have attached a list below where you will be able to get information like support for the Apple iOS 17 update very easily.
On June 25, Apple released an update regarding iOS 16, which also gave some new features and proved to be very useful for the user. After this, a beta update called IOS 17 Release Date is coming out for your information. You have to read this article from the beginning to the end.
IOS 17 2023 Release Date Overview
|Article Title||IOS 17 Release Date|
|Released date||1st June 5, 2023|
|iOS 17 public beta date||July 2023|
|Officially Released||September 2023|
Apple IOS 17 System App and Facilities
Apple is trying to introduce you to the features of the application in the context of iOS. If we talk about wallpaper customization, it comes out that users will now also be able to customize their wallpaper according to light mode or dark mode, and you will also be able to set a live picture on the lock screen.
According to Apple IOS 17 System App and Facilities, you get the facility to pin multiple apps to it simultaneously for better multitasking. That is, you can read notices while typing them while watching videos or playing games, you can also chat on messaging applications, and so on.
There have also been some reports that have surfaced, according to which it turns out that iOS 17 has a significant change with Apple moving away from exclusive use through its App Store and allowing distribution from third-party app stores. If we look at the feature of airdrop, the IOS 17 Release date is fixed for September 2023. In this feature, you can also share the necessary information to bring the device together.
iOS 17 Features
As soon as iOS 17 was announced, on the same day many new features were demonstrated by Apple under iOS 17 Features, but they also included some rumored information regarding iOS, so we thought it was very important to clear up your confusion as well. So let you read the information related to the features of iOS 17 that we have provided below here today before the IOS 17 Release Date so that you know what features you are going to get.
In this new iOS 17 version from Apple, you get an instant messaging feature. Through this feature, you can tell your family and friends whether you will reach your desired destination safely or not. If we write about the standby feature, we get that it is a brand-new feature. With the help of standby mode, your iPhone can also be turned into a display. Previously, you’d say “Hey Siri” when commanding Apple’s voice assistant Siri, but from now on, you’ll just have to say Siri and request multiple commands at a time.
|IOS edition||IOS 17||–||–||–||–||–|
|Notable Features||iPhone 14 series||iPhone 13 series||iPhone 12 series||iPhone 11 series||iPhone XS series||iPhone XR series|
|Compatibility||Journal app, standby, contact posters, live voicemail||FaceTime video |
|Stickers airdrop enhancer||Improve keyboard |
And dictation Siri enhancement
|People album improvement |
In photos app
|Spotlight search, notes autofill, and apple|
Apple IOS 17 IOS 17 Release Date
|iOS 12||Monday||17 Sep 2018|
|iOS 13||Thursday||19 Sep 2019|
|iOS 14||Wednesday||16 Sep 2020|
|iOS 15||Monday||20 Sep 2021|
|iOS 16 |
|12 Sep 2022 |
Apple iOS 17 Supporting Device
- iPhone SE
- Iphone S
- iPhone 11 Series.
- iPhone XS and XS Max
- iPhone XR.
- iPhone 14 Series.
- iPhone 13 Series.
- iPhone 12 Series.
- iPhone SE (2nd generation or later)
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
FAQs Regarding IOS 17 Release Date
When has the Apple iOS 17 update been released?
Apple iOS 17 beta will be released on June 5, 2023; Apple iOS 17 public beta will be released in July 2023; and the official rollout will be released in September 2023.
Will the ability to use third-party applications be available on the iPhone after iOS 17?
According to Apple’s announcement, iOS 17 allows you to install third-party apps on your iPhone device.


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- Shell opened its largest EV charging station in Shenzhen, China, with 258 fast-charging points.
- The station serves over 3,300 EVs daily and offers retail outlets and amenities.
- Shell commits to providing convenient EV charging and expanding its services in China.
The Shenzhen charging station is operated in collaboration with BYD
Shell has marked a significant achievement in advancing its commitment to electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. On September 19, 2023, in Shenzhen, China, the company unveiled its largest charging station globally. The hub, located just 2.5 kilometres from Shenzhen Airport Terminal, boasts an impressive 258 public fast-charging points.
Operated in collaboration with BYD Electric Vehicle Investment Company Limited, a joint venture between Shell and BYD. The charging station will serve over 3,300 EVs daily. Beyond charging capabilities, the station offers various conveniences. These include Shell Select retailing, Shell Café, vending machines, and a dedicated drivers lounge.
One notable feature of the station is the installation of rooftop solar panels. These panels contribute around 300,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity annually. This sustainable energy source directly powers the charging of customers’ vehicles, further enhancing the station’s eco-friendly profile.
István Kapitány, Shell’s Global Executive Vice President for Mobility, said:
“The opening of this new site is part of our ongoing commitment to meet the evolving needs of our customers in China. We know that EV drivers are looking for a charging experience that is fast, convenient and comfortable and this is reflected in the utilisation rates of our sites in China, which are two to three times the local industry average. China is one of the most important growth markets for Shell Mobility. We look forward to offering pleasant mobility experiences to more customers in China in the future.”
In addition to the Shenzhen charging station, Shell recently inaugurated the Panlong Integrated Energy Station in Wuhan. This comprehensive facility offers a wide range of mobility services. These include traditional fuel options, EV charging, hydrogen refueling, car wash facilities, a convenience store, restaurant, and a drivers lounge.
The Shenzhen EV charging station is a major boost for both the Chinese and global EV transition. It’s important for large companies to shift their focus towards sustainable transport if they’re to survive the emobility transition.


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It looks like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) has made good on what seemed like a lofty claim made just two months back that it plans to overtake iPhone’s market share in China. According to the company’s COO for the Greater China region, Microsoft’s Windows Phone has already reached a 7% market share in the country trumping Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone’s 6%.  While it was never a tall order for Microsoft to achieve that target considering that iPhone’s market share wasn’t too high in the first place, the fact that the company has reached this milestone in such a short period of time shows that China will play a key role in shaping Windows Phone’s as well as its key partner Nokia’s (NYSE:NOK) fortunes in the coming quarters.
Our price estimate for Nokia’s stock is $5, about 75% ahead of market price.
- Can Nokia Stock Continue Weathering The Storm In The Broader Markets?
- Can Nokia Stock Continue Its Post-Earnings Outperformance?
- What’s Next For Nokia Stock After 7% Drop In The Past Month?
- What’s Next For Nokia Stock After 14% Rise Last Month?
- What’s Next For Nokia Stock After 5% Drop Last Week?
- Forecast Of The Day: Nokia’s Licensing Revenue
China’s growing smartphone market a huge opportunity…
According to IDC, China’s smartphone market will become the largest in the world by the end of the year. With 3G penetration at a lowly 14%, the growth potential in this market is huge. Even the carriers here are actively trying to transition their huge 2G base to 3G. China Telecom has already jumped on Nokia’s offering and it shouldn’t be long before China Mobile and China Unicom also lap it up.
While selling the iPhone is more lucrative considering its incredible popularity among buyers, emerging market carriers are wary of the margin pressures that selling such an expensive phones entails. Nokia is alleviating these concerns by offering more handset choices at lower prices, or packing in more features for the same price. While the iPhone retails at an unsubsidized $775 in China, Nokia’s Lumia 800C is priced at a competitive $570, more than $200 cheaper. Nokia also plans to bring the cheaper Lumia 610 to China soon.
Nokia’s traditional strength has always been emerging markets such as China. We estimate that emerging markets account for close to 40% of Nokia’s value, almost double as much as developed markets contribute. Nokia’s brand value in these markets together with the low-cost offerings that it plans to bring out should build a solid ground for Windows Phones to pick up strength. (see Lumia And China Drive Nokia’s $5 Value)
…to generate critical mass for the Windows Phone
Growing acceptance for Windows Phones will help Microsoft and Nokia draw in developers to build apps for the platform. Although the Lumia has garnered rave reviews on the web and is seen by many as a worthy third competitor to Apple and Google, lack of app support for the platform is Windows Phone’s biggest weakness currently. The iTunes store and Google Play boast of more than 600k and 400k apps respectively, while there are only 80k available in the Windows Phone Marketplace.
However, a point to be made here is that even Android was slow to take off when it was launched. But slowly and steadily, it gained in popularity and once it hit an inflection point, the rise both in terms of apps and market share was phenomenal. We concede that the smartphone market has changed significantly since then and Nokia/Microsoft are going to face even greater challenges than Google ever did considering that Windows Phone has to contend with two platforms instead of one. However, Microsoft’s long-term strategy of integrating its mobile experience with the PCs, where it has a huge user base to leverage, gives it a big competitive advantage over rivals.
China gives Nokia/Microsoft a huge opportunity to build a critical mass for its Windows Phones and generate developer support. Nokia’s mobile hardware skills, which were never in question despite its falling market share, will help it offer well designed handsets at cheaper price points, undercutting Apple in the country. Together with a competitive and an un-fragmented OS , it will also be able to offer a consistent app experience across its Lumia portfolio, something which the plethora of Android smartphones in the market customized by handset makers lack.Notes:
- Windows Phone overtakes iPhone in world’s largest smartphone market, BGR, May 18th, 2012 [↩]


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(ATTN: RECASTS throughout with details; ADDS photo; CHANGES headline)
SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- SK hynix Inc. said Wednesday it swung to a deficit in the fourth quarter due to the global chip market's slowdown amid weak demand and oversupply.
The world's second-largest memory chip maker logged an operating loss of 1.7 trillion won (US$1.37 billion) for the three months ending in December, compared with a profit of 4.21 trillion won a year ago.
Its net loss came to 3.52 trillion won, swinging from a profit of 3.31 trillion won a year earlier.
Sales fell 37.8 percent to 7.69 trillion won during the three-month period.
SK hynix makes most of its profits from selling memory chips. But the macroeconomic woes, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, soaring inflation and rising interest rates, led consumers to tighten their spending on electronics that need such semiconductors.
The company said market conditions have significantly deteriorated, with PCs and smartphone manufacturers, major buyers of DRAM and NAND flash, moved to deplete their inventories and cut back on spending.
In October, SK hynix said it will reduce its investment by slightly more than half this year from last year's volume estimated at the upper range of 10-20 trillion won, citing a precipitous fall in demand.
DRAM prices are projected to drop 13-18 percent and NAND flash by 10-15 percent in the first quarter, research firm TrendForce said, as "Inventory pressure on suppliers remains significant due to the persistently weak demand for consumer electronics."
For all of 2022, SK hynix reported a net profit of 2.43 trillion won, down 74.6 percent from a year earlier.
The operating income for the year was 7 trillion won, down 43.5 percent on-year. Annual sales rose 3.8 percent to 44.64 trillion won.


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Travala is known in the crypto community for being a crypto-friendly travel management platform. It is one of the few platforms that allow buying flight tickets, booking hotels, and more with cryptocurrencies. The platform supports all major cryptocurrencies.
In their recently released Q3 report, it is clear that the firm has grown alongside the growth of crypto. On top of that, the company believes that cryptocurrency has helped them recover more than what they lost due to the pandemic.
The Q3 report shows a 651% growth compared to the 3rd quarter of 2020. It is not very surprising considering the easing down of lockdowns across the world. However, there is another important feature at play here. With the introduction of Community Pool and Community Vote with its proof-of-travel NFTs, the travel company has seen considerable success.
As the reports show, a total of 49% of users transacted in cryptocurrencies while using Travala’s booking platform. Of this 49%, 8% used Bitcoin and the remaining 41% used other tokens like ETH and AVA. Travala also reported that many users made use of their travel credit feature.
Travala’s stellar bounceback against the backdrop of Covid-19 is testimony to the immense potential of crypto. Despite a global pandemic of unforeseen stature, cryptocurrency continues to thrive. Such reports will influence more and more companies to adopt cryptocurrency and accept payments in them. CEO of Travala, Juan Otero, is hopeful that crypto will only improve their business in the coming days.


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Chilean Blueberry Committee executive director Andrés Armstrong says export volumes this season will likely be very similar to last year’s figures, but the campaign just underway started a bit slow.
“What we’ve seen to date, and we’re just at the start of the season, is that we’re a bit later than we’d expected,” he told Fresh Fruit Portal.
“Weather conditions were normal compared to historic averages. Yes, we’re later compared to last year but last year was one of the earliest seasons we’ve had.”.
Armstrong said shipments should be more in line with a normal year within the coming weeks, with a season total forecast of 102,000 metric tons (MT) for fresh blueberry exports.
“Our fresh blueberry export estimate is a very similar number to last year, which was very high, given a productive increase on the one hand but there was also fruit that went from frozen to fresh because of the pricing situation in the frozen category,” Armstrong said.
In frozen blueberries the country is set to produce 35,000-40,000MT worth of product this season, according to the executive.
He said the United States and Canada would continue to be the leading markets for fresh Chilean blueberries, having received a combined total of 66% of volume last season, followed by Europe with 22% and Asia with 12%.
Promotional activities for Blueberries from Chile also started off recently across different Northern Hemisphere markets in collaboration with ProChile, including the first program of its kind launched in China last week.
Armstrong pointed to a varietal shift toward blueberries with higher productivity and better shelf life in response to increasing competitiveness in the sector.
“There has been productive development allowing for growth in markets like Asia, which last season represented 12% of our exports while the previous season it was 9% and six years ago it didn’t even reach 3%,” he said.
He highlighted India as the most recent country to allow access for fresh blueberries from Chile, emphasizing that an official protocol would be established soon so the campaign can hopefully get started this year.
“India implies a series of logistical challenges, both in terms of getting there and at the distribution and commercialization level within the country. Retail isn’t so developed and nor are the cold chains,” he said.
“Indian importers are starting to prepare themselves to offer the right conditions for fruit like blueberries, which require particular care so that the product is optimal from the point of view of the consumer and they want to repeat the purchasing experience.”
Organic market development
Armstrong said the committee was also monitoring shipments of organic blueberries, a category that is increasingly seeing more demand in overseas markets.
“The start of our exports, while they are very early as the season has advanced just 1%, show, shows that 40% of the exported total to date is organic,” he said.
He said the main market for organic blueberries is the United States, while the category is increasing in Europe and is still very incipient in Asia.
“Our exports of organic blueberries are developing both in fresh and frozen,” he said.


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Intel has announced two new additions to its line-up of 11th Gen Intel Core processors at Computex 2021.
The company has introduced two 11th Gen Intel Core U-series processors -- the Intel Core i7-1195G7 and Intel Core i5-1155G7.
The processors operate in the 12W to 28W range. Both the Intel Core i7-1195G7 and Intel Core i5-1155G7 have four core / eight thread configurations.
The processors are powered by Intel’s Iris Xe integrated graphics. The Core i7-1195G7 comes with 96 EUs, while the Core i5-1155G7 is equipped with 80 EUs.
The Core i7-1195G7 is the first U series chip that has recorded a 5.0 GHz clock speed. It has a base clock speed of 2.9GHz, but can go up to 5.0GHz maximum single core speed, with Intel’s Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology.
The Core i5-1155G7 has a base clock speed of 2.5GHz and an over-clocked speed of 4.5GHz.
More than 60 designs based on the Intel Core i7-1195G7 and Intel Core i5-1155G7 are expected by this holiday season, with laptops from Acer, ASUS, Lenovo and MSI available this summer. Nearly 250 designs powered by 11th Gen Intel Core U-series processors are expected by this holiday season, Intel has said.
The company has also introduced its first 5G modem for laptops, the Intel® 5G Solution 5000, following the previously announced collaboration with MediaTek and Fibocom.
The Intel 5G Solution 5000 can deliver five-times the speed of the Intel Gigabit Long-Term Evolution (LTE), it said. The company has partnered with MediaTek on product definition, development, certification and support of 5G modem solutions for the next generation of PC experiences and Fibocom to supply 5G M.2 solutions (FM350-GL), it said.
Acer, ASUS and HP are among the first OEMs expected to enable modern connected laptops with the Intel 5G Solution 5000 this year. The momentum continues in 2022 with over 30 designs expected.
Intel has also partnered with over 150 ecosystem partners to create a deeper level of premium mobile computing, with plans to invest more than $50 million in Intel Evo ecosystem innovation this year.


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- Brazilian soccer star Neymar is the fourth highest-paid athlete on the planet.
- He took home $90 million between May 2021 and May 2022, according to Forbes.
- Here’s how he makes and spends that money.
Neymar is the world’s second-highest paid soccer player when it comes to on-field earnings.
According to Forbes, between May 2021 and May 2022, Neymar earned an eye-watering $70 million on the field.
Over the same period, only the Brazilian’s Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi, who took home $75 million, earned more.
Off the field, he earns a pretty penny too.
Neymar took home $25 million in off-field earnings last year.
Most of that money came from his partnership with PUMA, according to Forbes, which Neymar became the face of in 2020 after he announced an early exit from his contract with Nike’s Jordan Brand.
Versus reports that the deal is the single biggest individual sports sponsorship contract in history.
His net worth is approximately $200 million.
Like many other soccer stars, Neymar likes to spend his fortune on cars.
According to The Sun, Neymar’s multi-million dollar car collection includes a $230,000 Ferrari 458 Italia and an Audi R8 Spyder worth $120,000.
He also owns a rare MC12 Maserati that is worth over $500,000 and is one of only 50 in the world.
While he also has properties in Brazil, Paris, and Beverly Hills.
His villa in Rio de Janeiro is worth $7 million.
Situated in Mangaratiba, the lavish property has six bedrooms, a gym, a tennis court, a swimming pool with panoramic view, and a wine cellar, according to The Richest.
And has a helipad, where he keeps his very own helicopter.
In 2019, Neymar bought an Airbus H-145 for almost $15 million.
On top of having his initials painted on the wing, the seats of the vehicle are stitched with the famous logo of fictional superhero Batman, of whom Neymar is a huge fan, according to The Richest.
The Brazilian also owns a private jet.
Neymar uses his Embraer Legacy 450, which worth approximately $15 million, to travel between France and Brazil.
According to Aero Corner, the plane has enough space for nine people and can reach speeds of 600 mph.
And a yacht.
According to Forbes, in 2012, Neymar bought a luxury second-hand Italian yacht for $8 million.
The yacht has three floors, four suites, and a jacuzzi. Neymar keeps it in a marina in the Brazilian coast city, Santos, where he was born.
Neymar likes spending his money on flashy watches.
Once, in 2014, Neymar walked into a GaGá Milano boutique in Tokyo and spent $180,000 on 16 watches and other accessories. According to the company, “the entire staff [was] in awe.”
And fancy jewelry.
When not on the soccer field, Neymar is often dressed head-to-toe in expensive designer gear.
According to The Sun, Balmain, Louis Vuitton, Off-White, Tommy Hilfiger, and Giuseppe Zanotti, are among his favorite brands.
In 2017, he starred in an episode of Complex’s “Sneaker Shopping” – which sees celebrities stop by Los Angeles sneaker store Flight Club to talk and shop everything sneakers.
He broke the show’s spending record, finishing up with an impressive tab of $18,000.
And his hair, which he spends $2,000 a month on.
That’s according to a report from Sport, via Bleacher Report.
Some of Neymar’s purchases are a little more unconventional, such as NFTs.
Neymar signed with the platform NFTSTAR in November 2021 and in January 2022, he spent more than $1 million on two Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs in one day, according to Forbes.
While he also loves to gamble.
Neymar is a huge fan of poker.
In April 2021, he became the cultural ambassador for online poker brand PokerStars, and in June 2022, he made his World Series of Poker debut at an event in Las Vegas.
According to Sportbible, the Brazilian wants to become a professional poker player once he retires from soccer.
And throw huge parties.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Neymar threw a lavish three-day-long party to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2021 with his friends and family.
There was live music, a dance floor, and fireworks at the party, which was held at his Mangaratiba mansion.


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Start the conversation
The COVID-19 coronavirus is having a massive impact on manufacturing in China. And the "experts" on Wall Street are largely overlooking this problem.
Yes, the markets are now in correction territory. The S&P 500 is down 13% from its February high.
But things could get uglier.
You see, the lag that follows in trade will be very disruptive for companies that rely heavily on production in the world's second largest economy.
While everyone is thinking about Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), there are many other companies that are going to take a very hard hit from the ongoing freeze in China's manufacturing sector.
Several of these may be lurking in your portfolio without you even realizing it.
These five stocks should be avoided now...
Stocks to Avoid Now, No. 5
Qorvo Inc. (NASDAQ: QRVO) manufactures radio frequency (RF) and Wi-Fi modules. It generates almost half of its revenue from two companies: Apple and Huawei.
It also generates more than one-third of its revenue from China and boldly projects that China's handset market is its key to future growth. Right now, demand is falling, and the forecasts of more than 7% revenue growth and earnings growth next year don't look likely.
The company's leaders have said they're watching the outbreak with "extensive checks on the supply chain."
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That uncertain outlook indicates Qorvo's growth could decelerate significantly if the outbreak worsens.
Shares are already off more than 16% from their December highs.
However, we could see downside for this stock under $80 if the coronavirus outbreak worsens. Shares trade over $95 today.
Stocks to Avoid Now, No. 4
Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc. (NYSE: RH) received a boost last quarter on news that Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A) had a big stake in the furniture company.
Despite that, shares have fallen by 30% since Feb. 18. It's not unreasonable to think RH has another 20% to drop.
China is the world's largest exporter of furniture, and the nation produces these products for countries all over the world. Restoration Hardware is already facing a significant challenge given that its sales strategy centers on storerooms (which people will avoid during an outbreak) and negative economic outlooks.
Factor in that the company produces about 35% of its products in China as of 2018, and you have a firm that could see its stock plunge if its supply chains are dramatically affected.
Stocks to Avoid Now, No. 3 and No. 2
China is considered one of the top auto-parts markets given its solid production efficiency and advanced technology. But the automotive industry is facing serious challenges in China and in other countries around the globe.
Hyundai Motor Corp. (OTC: HYMTF) said two weeks ago that a shortage of auto parts will lead to the suspension of production in its South Korean plants. Meanwhile, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (NYSE: FCAU) might have to suspend production in Europe given the slowdown in parts manufacturing.
That makes those stocks No. 3 and No. 2 on our list.
Auto companies are already facing dire economic outlooks while watching companies like Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) pull away investor capital. A prolonged slowdown would ripple through the entire supply chain up to the dealerships.
Fiat Chrysler was already sitting at lows last seen in 2017. Shares could easily fall under $10 in the coming months should supply chain challenges compound with greater economic uncertainty. Right now, FCAU is just under $12 per share.
Stocks to Avoid Now, No. 1
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About the Author
Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, consultant, and political risk analyst with decades of trading experience and degrees in economics, cybersecurity, and business from Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Indiana University, and Northwestern.


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The metaverse will control much of the physical world
The American weekly magazine Time told its readers that the penetration of meta universes into everyday life and social consciousness will change the world.
Time cites data from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which estimates that in the first six months of 2022, the word “metaverse” has appeared more than 1,100 times in official regulatory documents, while the year before there were only 260 mentions.
Many commercial executives, wishing to demonstrate a progressive stance, mention metaverses in their speeches. Time journalists found. Few speakers can explain what meta-villages are or what exactly can be done in Web3 virtual digital worlds. But this does not prevent all sorts of speakers from emphasizing how the metaverse fits naturally into traditional business and expands opportunities for their companies, compared with competitors, say the authors of a large review of the magazine.
If you look back in time, you’ll see that about every few decades there is a shift in platforms – from PCs and the Internet to mobile devices and cloud computing, for example.
Nearly 20% of the world economy is now considered digital, and most of the remaining 80% interacts or functions on digital solutions. The next stage of evolution will probably be a “permanent and living” virtual world, which will not be a passive surrogate of social networks and messengers, but an equal place to stay. This trend partly explains why developing 3D technology, immersive VR headsets and avatars is so necessary, experts involved with Time argue.
The attitude of the world’s big brands toward the prospect of expanding into virtual universes reflects the fact that six of the world’s largest public companies — Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tencent — are also busy preparing to enter the metaworld.
In January, for example, Microsoft announced the largest acquisition in Big Tech history, paying $75 billion to gaming giant Activision Blizzard to “provide the building blocks for the metaverse.” Another example of the increased interest in metaverses was Facebook’s rebranding to “Meta.”
McKinsey & Company estimates that in the first five months of 2022, companies, corporate and private investors have invested more than $120 billion in metaverse-related projects. Experts at McKinsey suggest that by 2030, one of the main ways to make money in the meta-villages will be e-commerce, the turnover of which will reach about $3 trillion.
It is expected that metavalleys, acting as a place of parallel virtual existence, will absorb all new digital technologies and even control parts of the physical world.
Most likely, at the initial stage of development, the first new inhabitants of metavalleys will spend most of their time relaxing, playing games and attending virtual events. However, we can already conclude that the virtual world should not be seen as a replacement for the Internet.
Metacommunities shape new technologies and behaviors, offer a chance to unite people, transform entire industries, and build a more stable global economy.
Over the next three years, the government of Shanghai, China, one of the largest metropolitan areas in China, intends to invest $52 billion in programs to support virtual reality projects.
Hong Kong allocated another $50 million to the crypto industry
Hong Kong has allocated another $50 million to accelerate the development of the crypto industry after local authorities allocated HK$50 million (about $6.37 million) in late February to develop the Web3 direction. This is stated in a press release on the website of the government.
Legalization of cryptocurrencies in Hong Kong
According to the head of the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau of Hong Kong (FSTB) Christopher Hui, the pool of funds will be allocated, in particular, to organize major international Web3-events. Hui also said that the government will organize educational programs for young people, for which preparations have already begun.
In addition, the 2023 budget provides for the creation of a working group to focus on developing virtual assets and study the situation in the crypto market, development opportunities and the need for changes in regulation.
“Hong Kong is well positioned to become a leading hub for Web3 in Asia and beyond, and we attach great importance to virtual assets (VA) and Web3. The government is committed at a high level to developing this sector and providing a comprehensive support system for enterprises,” Hui said.
He added that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is now working on regulating stablecoins to introduce them into the economy next year. The country also plans to improve securities regulations so that retail investors can access ETFs based on cryptocurrency futures.
Despite several personal initiatives, Hong Kong authorities are also working closely with mainland China, testing international payments in the digital currency and working with the Central Bank. In all, as of the end of February, more than 80 Chinese companies had expressed interest in operating in Hong Kong.
Bloomberg wrote about China’s support back in late February. The agency pointed out that after Hong Kong set out to develop the crypto industry last October, Chinese officials have become more frequent visitors to Hong Kong. According to sources, this interest is because Beijing wants to use the city as a testing ground for digital assets amid tight control of crypto activity on the mainland.
We previously reported that the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank is spurring demand for crypto apps.
Tether printed for one billion dollars on the TRON network
Stablecoin issuer USDT is rapidly printing “digital dollars” in the TRON (TRC-20) ecosystem. This time, Tether printed another billion dollars in USDT, according to transaction details. The total number of USDT in circulation in the TRON ecosystem is over 42.1 billion USDT. By comparison, the Ethereum ecosystem issued significantly less – 34.2 billion USDT.
As TRONScan data shows, this is the second billion-dollar tranche issued by Tether for TRON. The last time the USDT-issuing company issued a similar amount of Stablecoin was on March 14. Since the beginning of 2023, this is the fourth transaction to issue such a large amount of USDT. As of 2023, the largest issuance occurred in February. At that time, Tether issued two billion dollars in USDT at once.
Amid the news, bitcoin barely reacted to the USDT pump. According to TradingView, the bitcoin (BTC) exchange rate in the BTC/USDT trading pair is $27,949, up just 1.4% overnight. Bitcoin has a market capitalization of $540.4 billion.
In early March, The Wall Street Journal revealed that Tether had opened bank accounts using fake documents and shell companies. It turned out that one of Tether’s Turkish accounts had been opened in the name of Denix Royal Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, which had previously been caught laundering money for a terrorist group.
Tether chief technology officer Paolo Ardoino ridiculed the publication on Twitter and said the WSJ’s information was untrue. Tether said it adheres to legal requirements to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and uses KYC mechanisms of the highest level. Renowned cryptocurrency critic Molly White, for her part, said that The Wall Street Journal journalists couldn’t “just make this stuff up.”
We previously reported that major cryptocurrency exchanges have moved offshore.
Where are crypto exchanges registered? Major crypto exchanges have moved offshore
According to a report by platform CoinGecko, 21 of the 30 largest crypto exchanges (70%) are based in offshore financial centers – territories that want to attract companies from abroad through loyal laws and schemes with low or no taxation.
Analysts of the service note that offshore zones, as a rule, offer non-residents more financial services and on more loyal terms than “in the home country”.
Where are crypto exchanges registered? They choose islands
Seychelles, the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands were among the most popular offshore locations for cryptocurrencies. These territories are also considered tax havens for many corporations.
Also, one in five Crypto exchanges in offshore locations (20%) are registered in the Seychelles. This jurisdiction has become home to many centralized exchanges. Among them, there are well-known major platforms such as OKX, KuCoin, and MEXC Global. Many companies are “moving” to the Seychelles because the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA Seychelles) refuses to license and oversee activities or companies related to cryptocurrencies.
In total, according to CoinGecko, the top 30 cryptocurrency exchanges are listed in 15 different countries: 11 of the 30 platforms (37%) are in North America – mostly in the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands and the United States. The number of companies located in Europe, Asia and Africa is evenly split: 20% each (or 6 countries).
The number of companies offshore may grow
Because of stricter U.S. regulators’ policies toward cryptocurrency companies, many firms are having to move to more cryptocurrency-friendly countries.
For example, the Hong Kong government, to turn the state into a new crypto hub, has allowed retail investors to trade digital tokens such as bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). The Hong Kong authorities themselves admit that they want to create a “favorable environment” for developing the local crypto industry.
Also, Ras Al Khaimah, one of seven regions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is preparing to open a free zone for cryptocurrency companies. Entrepreneurs in these areas own 100% of their businesses and have their own tax schemes and regulatory frameworks.
We previously reported on the Top 5 low-cost AI tokens with huge growth potential.
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Office furniture manufacturer from Melle presents new brand identity
Clear, modern and timeless – that’s the new brand identity for ASSMANN. To chime with the company’s 80th anniversary next year, the corporate design and logo of the family firm from Melle have been modified and redesigned in a more contemporary style.
“Modern and reduced to the essentials, the brand name ASSMANN is the clear focus,” says Dirk Assmann, Managing Partner. Consequently the additional text ‘Office Furniture’ and the slogan ‘Good work’ are being dropped. The latter will continue to be used only in selected contexts. The new corporate design and logo celebrated their début at ORGATEC 2018, along with the relaunched website and all communications materials, which have been conceived along more functional lines and redesigned in a clear, modern style as part of the new brand identity.
The relaunch was preceded by some fundamental reconsiderations. ‘In eight decades, the company and its way of working have changed just as much as our products and services, as well as the demands of our customers and trading partners. It was time to adapt the brand identity to these changes,’ says Assmann. Accordingly, the direction taken by the design process was clearly oriented in terms of market strategy – with the aim of significantly increasing the future market visibility of ASSMANN, even outside its sector. The previous addition of ‘Office furniture’ to the logo was restrictive, since ASSMANN, with its wide range of services and provisions, has long been more than simply a manufacturer of office furniture systems.
“The brand identity is timeless and clear: the name ASSMANN speaks for itself and is placed more clearly at the centre. Reduced to the essentials,the logo gives the brand a more modern, self-confident image. Moreover, in future, the colour red will be more dominantly foregrounded, since a good corporate design only needs one main colour,” says Marc Schumann, Marketing Director at ASSMANN. And even if the slogan ‘Good work’ will no longer necessarily be connected with the logo, it is precisely this promise that ASSMANN will, of course, continue to honour. As Dirk Assmann says: “Our firm has stood for good work for 80 years, and nothing will change that.”


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Metal-bodied device looks to directly take on the likes of the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6
Huawei has announced its intentions to challenge the smartphone industry’s big players with the release of a new flagship device, the Huawei P8.
Looking to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone 6 and Samsung’s Galaxy S6, the metal-bodied P8 (pictured above) is Huawei’s most powerful smartphone yet; packing in a 5.2in Full HD screen powered by an octa-core 2.0Ghz Kirin 930 processor, 3GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, all packed in to a body just 6.4mm thick.
There’s also Android Lollipop 5.0 running alongside Huawei’s latest EMUI 3.1 software, all powered by a 2680mAh battery.
But the Chinese manufacturer didn’t limit itself to one release, also announcing the P8max (pictured below), a super-sized phablet version of the P8, featuring a mighty 6.8in FullHD display, longer battery life and a souped-up camera with unique light tracing technology.
At the launch event in London today, Huawei set out its plans to take on Apple and Samsung, with a particular focus on the need for a top-level camera.
The P8 comes with a 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilisation and the ability to rotate up to 1.6 degrees, alongside a 8MP front lens with new image enhancement settings to allow users to capture the perfect selfie.
The company was also keen to promote its Kirin 930 chipset, which it says boosts performance by approximately 20 percent compared with other phones with similar levels of battery life.
The P8 also supports 4G LTE, and features improved connectivity through its Signal+ dual antenna technology, which it says allows the smartphone to instantly switch between antennas, ensuring a continuous strong network connection.
It also comes with dual SIM capabilities to make it an ideal handset for both work and personal use.
“The goal of Huawei P8 is to become the most user-friendly smartphone for consumers globally” said Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group,
“Through in-depth market research, Huawei has addressed the most pressing pain points for premium smartphone users today. Huawei seamlessly combines the best elements of style and durability in this device, delivering a revolutionary user experience – especially in terms of camera capabilities and network connectivity.”
Two versions of the P8 will go on sale – a standard device for €499 (£350), and the premium version for €599 ($430). It will initially be available in more than 30 countries including China, Columbia, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, UAE and the United Kingdom.
The Huawei P8max will also be available in two editions – the standard device costing €549 (£395) and the premium version for €649 (£465).
Take our smartphones of 2014 quiz here!


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More evidence has arrived that The Last of Us is indeed coming to the PS4 later this year.
A Spanish retailer named XtraLife has listed The Last of Us Complete Edition for PS4. The retailer says the game will come with the “Left Behind” DLC and also a one-strap backpack. They also list that the game is coming out in June exactly one year after the PS3 version came out last year.
Don’t get too excited just yet because Sony and/or Naughty Dog has yet to officially confirm The Last of Us is coming to the PS4 at all. If it’s true though, Sony should make an announcement sooner rather than later due to all the rumors flying around.


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SmartDrivingCars ZoomCast 353 / PodCast 353 Danny Shapiro, VP Automotive, nVIDIA, CES 2024 and more
F. Fishkin, Jan. 13, “NVIDIA VP for Automotive Danny Shapiro joins Princeton’s Alain Kornhauser and Viodi’s Ken Pyle for an interview from CES 2024. With AI, Kia, LG and more making headlines at CES, Alain and Fred look at the innovations, plus Hertz, a letter to the editor of the NY Times from Alain and more. Tune in and subscribe.
0:40 Interview with NVIDIA’s Danny Shapiro
11:00 Alain’s letter to the editor of the NY Times
15:00 A look at the Las Vegas Loop
19:35 Kia PBV at CES
20:10 Hertz unloading many electric vehicles
23:55 Skwheel One electric skis at CES
25:40 AI everywhere at CES with Rabbit and more
26:20 Smart glasses and Apple Vision Pro
27:50 LG shows transparent OLED screen
31:00 The Real Case for Driverless Mobility arriving this month
33:00 More thoughts on CES
Las Vegas Loop
K. Pyle, Jan. 9, “The Las Vegas Loop is an all-electric, zero-emissions, high-speed underground public transportation system in which passengers are transported to their destination with no intermediate stops. Also known as “Teslas in Tunnels!” CES is famous for highlighting the outlandish, the uncompromising, and the immobile in the auto industry, but props to Kia for thinking more practically with its latest concept.
The South Korean automaker unveiled the PBV, or Platform Beyond Vehicle, which utilizes a flexible chassis to support a variety of vehicle types designed for businesses and individuals. How flexible? Kia is thinking of at least nine different vehicle variations built on the same platform….” Read More Hmmmm…. Elizabeth and I rode it this year @ CES. Its stations are emblematic of MOVE-style kiosks, and if it became Driverless, it would become a modern Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system. In fact it could readily become a “Dual Mode” version of PRT in that it could readily extend Operational Design Domain using surface streets as it does now using human drivers in getting vehicles to & from its surface depot. Alain
A Not So Boring Ride with Dr. Kornhauser and Dr. Monroe – #ces2024
K. Pyle, Jan. 13, “A joy ride is one way to describe this video that documents Dr. Kornhauser’s first adventure through the Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel. This brief sojourn under the massive Las Vegas Convention Center at CES2024 provides a glimpse of things to come, as this is the start of a larger network, as outlined in this previous Viodi article and video..” Read More Hmmmm…. You can tell how excited I was. J Alain
Kia’s ‘Platform Beyond Vehicles’ is a family of modular electric minivans for businesses
Andrew Hawkins, Jan. 8, “CES is famous for highlighting the outlandish, the uncompromising, and the immobile in the auto industry, but props to Kia for thinking more practically with its latest concept.
The South Korean automaker unveiled the PBV, or Platform Beyond Vehicle, which utilizes a flexible chassis to support a variety of vehicle types designed for businesses and individuals. How flexible? Kia is thinking of at least nine different vehicle variations built on the same platform….” Read More Hmmmm…. Interesting for autonomousTaxis. If Tesla offered something similar with FSD, life ahead would be really interesting. Alain
The Grandma of Robotaxis Is Winning
J. Karl, Jan. 9, “…The Alphabet-owned robotaxi company recently announced that it plans to unleash its cars onto the Phoenix freeway soon. The news is a game changer for Waymo employees, some of whom use the cars to get to work. Until now, riders could only take surface streets to get to their destination.…
In a few years, who knows what other cities will allow Waymo to compete with the likes of Uber and Lyft. Will people prefer the comfortable silence of a driverless car over the awkward chitchat you endure with other rideshare businesses? …
“the newly uncovered video showed the Cruise car dragged the woman 20 feet at 7 miles an hour before coming to a stop — on top of her.” In contrast, Waymo’s robocars have traveled 7.1 million miles and have caused less than a handful of minor injuries.” Read More Hmmmm…. What a simply horrendous piece. Touting Waymo for spending who knows how many billions to create a competitor to an existing mobility service (Uber/Lyft/taxis) for which its most salient feature is “comfortable silence”? Really?! Every Lyft/Uber driver I’ve interacted with has been politely taciturn or interestingly engaging. Slamming thousands of working people as awkward chit-chatters seems unfair, at best. More importantly, if that’s the best advantage Waymo has to offer, no chit-chat, it has zero chance of being successful in the marketplace. I also wonder why the writer (I won’t say reporter) takes the lazy route in failing to mention that the woman who was struck was flung in front of the Cruise vehicle by a hit-and-run human driver, and that it is only by the grace of god that it wasn’t a Waymo vehicle at that location at that time? Not much, if any, of the substance of what happened would have changed.
Hot take? This “opinion piece” is purposely misrepresenting what happened in the incident by only reporting about the dragging. Is everything else in Bloomberg so misrepresenting of its real context? Shame on you, Bloomberg! Alain
[Elizabeth also wants me to protest the author’s perpetuation of the sexist and ageist description of cautious driving as “Grandma.” Are you for real? Our grandmothers were bold, brave, and incredible role models. Dissing careful driving as “grandmotherly” is a low blow on so many levels.]
Hertz is selling 20,000 EVs so it can buy more gas guzzlers
Andrew Hawkins, Jan 11, “Hertz went from scaling back its electric vehicle ambitions to selling off its actual EVs in the span of three months. The rental car agency said in a regulatory filing today that it will sell 20,000 vehicles, or roughly one-third of its global EV fleet, and use that money to buy gas guzzlers.
The decision was made after Hertz reported higher depreciation and damage than expected to its EVs, amounting to $245 million in costs for the company. Also, Hertz apparently couldn’t find enough customers for the EVs in its fleet, so selling a huge chunk of them will “better balance supply against expected demand of EVs,” the company said. The company had previously set a target for 25 percent of its fleet to be electric by the end of 2024.
All of which is to say: if you’re in the market for a used EV, now would be a really good time to pop over to Hertz’s sales page and start browsing. Tesla Model 3s can be had for as little as $20,000, used Chevy Bolts are going for $21,000, and there’s one BMW i3 that lists for a little less than $17,000. I’m not seeing any Polestar 2s or Ford Mustang Mach-Es, but I’m guessing they’ll start showing up there soon….
Hertz’s problem is a bit unique. Of the 100,000 Teslas acquired by Hertz, half were to be allocated to Uber drivers as part of a deal with the ridehail company. And while drivers said they loved the Teslas, they also tend to drive their vehicles into the ground. This higher rate of utilization can lead to a lot of damage — certainly more than Hertz was anticipating.” Read More Hmmmm…. Lol! They assumed EVs would not wear out, and insurance upsells weren’t as ridiculously profitable as they are for ICEs. I see what is going on here. J Alain
Skwheel One electric skis set out to turn urban streets into alpine slopes
B. Coxworth, Jan 9, “People looking for an ebike alternative can already choose between electric scooters, skateboards and roller skates. With the debut of the Skwheel One system, they now have another option – electric skis.
Designed by Parisian startup Skwheel (pronounced “Skywheel”), the Skwheel One package consists of two motorized “skis” along with a wireless handheld remote.
Each ski has one wheel at the front and one at the back, along with a carbon composite deck, front and rear running lights, a quick-swappable lithium-ion battery and a snowboard-style binding. Each wheel in turn contains a 600-watt hub motor, giving both skis a combined power of 2,400 watts.
The wheels are clad in pneumatic all-terrain tires, allowing the skis to be used both on- and off-road. What’s more, the front wheels pivot relative to the deck, reportedly mimicking the carving sensation of downhill skiing. Riders accelerate, brake and monitor battery life via the remote….” Read More Hmmmm…. See video. Maybe. Certainly for certain warehouse personnel and possibly for some mail carriers and security personnel. Maybe. Alain
Rabbit sells out two batches of 10,000 R1 pocket AI companions over two days SpaceX Starship Update 2024
E. Roth, Jan 11, “The R1, the pocket-sized AI gadget from Rabbit that’s supposed to use your apps for you, has already sold out of its first batch — and its second batch, too….
Rabbit introduced the R1 during CES on Tuesday, which comes with a small 2.88-inch touchscreen that runs on the company’s own Rabbit OS. It uses a “Large Action Model” that works as a “sort of universal controller for apps,” according to my colleague David Pierce, who got to try out the device during the showcase. This allows it to do things like play music, buy groceries, and send messages through a single interface without having to use your phone. It also lets you train the device how to interact with a certain app.” Read More Hmmmm…. Interesting, I certainly need something to manage my stuff, but is that another piece of hardware or a master app on my phone? And is this “AI”? Alain
SpaceX Starship Update 2024
E. Roth, Jan 13, “Elon Musk held a private SpaceX company all hands meeting at Starbase, TX where he gave and update on Dragon, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Starship! Read More Hmmmm…. Enormous accomplishments in 2023. Alain
Apple won the CES headset game without showing up
J. Peters, Roth, Jan 12, “Apple isn’t at CES, but it had a huge presence anyway. On Monday, just before a string of CES keynotes were set to kick off, the company announced that its Vision Pro headset would be launching on February 2nd. Apple had already promised that the headset would launch early this year. So the stage was set for its rivals to compete by making CES 2024 a showcase of new ideas about virtual and augmented reality.
Ultimately, that didn’t pan out. Lots of companies showed up with AR and VR tech. A lot of the headsets offered similar functionality to the Vision Pro, like an AR / VR monitor for your computer or a substitute TV. But none were as impressive a package as Apple’s headset, nor were most arriving nearly as soon.
That’s not to say what was shown at CES wasn’t interesting: …” Read More Hmmmm…. Headsets may make a dent in needing to travel? Folks have been working on that future for almost 60 years: Sword of Damocles (1966) – First augmented reality head-mounted display … Five or so years longer than I’ve been working on automated mobility for cities J without much more success L Alain
Nvidia’s RTX 4080 Super arrives on January 31st at a more reasonable $999
T. Warren, Jan. 8, “Nvidia is introducing three RTX 40-series Super cards this month that offer more performance at price points that are similar or better than existing cards. Pricing of the RTX 40-series has been a sticking point for gamers, particularly for the RTX 4080. Nvidia is replacing this GPU with the RTX 4080 Super and cutting the price to $999 when it launches on January 31st.
The $200 price cut will put a lot of pressure on AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XT ($899) and XTX ($999) cards. Before the RTX 4080 Super launches, there’s also the RTX 4070 Super on January 17th priced at $599 and the RTX 4070 Ti Super, with some interesting changes, on January 24th at $799. Nvidia is also phasing out the RTX 4070 Ti but keeping the RTX 4070 around at a lower $549 price point….” Read More Hmmmm…. What a big week for nVIDIA. Up 10% over previous high. See my interview with Danny Shapiro’87, VP of nVIDIA Automotive. Also see as background. Alain
I’ve looked through LG’s new transparent OLED TV and seen something special
C. Welch, Jan. 8, “Transparent display prototypes have had a presence on the CES show floor for many years. They’re a guaranteed way to wow people and showcase the unique capabilities of an OLED panel. But LG has seemingly decided that the time has come to ship a real, bona fide transparent TV that people will actually be able to buy this year. At some undisclosed date. For what’s certain to be an exorbitant amount of money.
The company has announced the OLED Signature T (you can guess what the T stands for) here at CES 2024. The product that LG demoed for press in Las Vegas isn’t exactly “final.” The 77-inch display won’t be changing at all, but the company hasn’t decided whether it’ll come bundled with all the side furniture you see in these photos or if it’ll sell those items separately.
….” Read More Hmmmm…. Watch the video. Whatever. Alain
Cybertruck Non-Employee Impressions, Tesla Cuts China Prices, Point-of-Sale Credit
R. Mauer, Jan. 12, “0:00 TSLA 0:26 PPI 1:42 Cybertruck first impressions 5:12 Point-of-sale credit 6:39 China price cuts 8:39 Piper Sandler note 9:15 Voice assist update 10:29 Covered vehicles at Texas 11:27 FSD Beta v12.1.1 11:55 Rivian impact report 12:31 SpaceX company update 13:25 Calendar” Read More Hmmmm…. Interesting, especially the FSD v12.1 rollout. Alain
May 29 (evening) -> May 31, 2024
Save The Date!!


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Tisci was announced as the brand's new chief creative officer Thursday, according toBusiness of Fashion. Tisci follows Christopher Bailey, who left Burberry last October after nearly two decades in the CCO role. "[Tisci's] designs have an elegance that is contemporary and his skill in blending streetwear with high fashion is highly relevant to today's luxury consumer," Burberry boss Marco Gobbetti, who previously worked with Tisci at Givenchy, said in a statement. "Riccardo's creative vision will reinforce the ambitions we have for Burberry and position the brand firmly in luxury."
During the Tisci era, Givenchy was known for a romantic-dark aesthetic and became one of (if not the biggest) brands on the planet, with the likes of Kanye West and Rihanna wearing it regularly. His work on Kanye and Jay Z's Watch the Throne merch, as we outlined back in 2016, altered artist merch forever. With Tisci now in their corner, we can hopefully expect a similar rebirth for Burberry.
In his own statement, shared via a pair of Instagram posts early Thursday, Tisci said he was "honored and delighted" to be stepping into this new role at Burberry. "I have an enormous respect for Burberry's British heritage ad global appeal and I am excited about the potential of this exceptional brand," he said. "I want to thank Burberry for this incredible opportunity. I am so excited to join the team and for everything we will achieve together."
Tisci begins his Burberry duties March 12.
Following Tisci's exit from Givenchy in February of last year, rumors started floating around about Virgil Abloh being considered as his replacement. Those rumors were firmly squashed by Givenchy, who later tapped Clare Waight Keller as artistic director for its women's and men's ready-to-wear divisions.


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Samsung XR Headset to “surpass the Apple Vision Pro” with Samsung’s dedicated ‘Immersive Team’ consisting of 100 members.
Apple Vision Pro made its debut around two weeks ago and has reportedly been sold to hundreds of thousands of users during this period. This success of Apple’s new $3500 product in a new category has been widely recognized, and it seems that Samsung took notice and doesn’t want to be left behind.
According to the Korean outlet Hankyung, Samsung Electronics’ Mobile Experience (MX) Division has established a dedicated division for XR development aimed to “accelerate the development of extended reality (XR) headset devices”. Referred to initially as the “Immersive Team,” this division is described by the Korean outlet as a “secret organization.”, though it may be a translation error.
Hankyung revealed that the Samsung Immersive Team initially consisted of only a few members, but since its establishment last summer, it has expanded to include a group of 100 people referred to as “Ace Talents”.
Samsung’s development of a VR/AR headset is now official and certain. This was confirmed by the company’s announcement of the “XR Alliance” collaboration with Google and Qualcomm in May of last year. Within this partnership, Samsung takes charge of hardware development, Google concentrates on software, and Qualcomm leads chipset creation for the new XR platform.
The Samsung XR Headset will be powered by Qualcomm’s latest chip, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2. This chipset is anticipated to be a more robust iteration of the one found in the Meta Quest 3. The XR2+ Gen 2 is set to support resolutions of up to 4.3K per eye at 90Hz or 3.7K per eye at 120Hz, along with features like more cameras for better Mixed Reality, Eye Tracking, Face Tracking, and more.
Interestingly, reports from last year indicated that Samsung’s planned headset fell short in comparison to the Apple Vision Pro, making the company reconsider its approach. Samsung’s headset was planned to feature a 2000 PPI display and an underpowered Exynos 2200 chipset, whereas Apple’s headset boasts a 3386 PPI display and a powerful M2+R1 chipset.
Samsung VR Headset Release Date and Price
According to Hankyung, the Samsung VR Headset is slated for release by the end of this year, possibly alongside the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 smartphones. This aligns with information from other sources, which also mention Samsung’s intention to manufacture only 30,000 units this year. This limited production may be caused by Samsung’s reported plan to begin manufacturing in December.
A now-deleted Korean source, which purportedly leaked a prototype of the Samsung XR Headset, also mentioned that the company wants to position its headset in the “mid-range” pricing category. While the exact definition of “mid-range” remains unclear, it suggests a price point between the Meta Quest 3, priced at $500, and the Apple Vision Pro, priced at $3500. The price of a Samsung VR headset can ultimately land somewhere at around $2000, which, interestingly, aligns with the rumored price of the Meta Quest Pro 2.


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Online retail sales in Europe are seen doubling by 2018 to €323 billion, with Amazon.com expected to grow even faster than that, market research firm Mintel said.
In a survey of 19 markets in Europe, Mintel predicted that online sales would grow to €188 billion in 2013 from €166 billion in 2012.
Mintel said Germany, Britain and France would remain by far the biggest markets for online retail by 2018.
However the Netherlands, Spain and Poland should grow at a faster rate and Norway and Sweden have the highest online per-capita spend.
"There is a big North-South divide in e-commerce in Europe," said Mintel European retail analyst John Mercer, noting French participation levels lag Britain and Germany by five years and Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy are even further behind.
Mintel said Amazon is extending its lead on the continent, growing market share to 9.8% in 2012 from 9.2% in 2011, while Germany's Otto, its next closest rival, saw its share slip to 3.3% from 3.9%.
Mintel predicted Amazon could double its Europe-wide market share in the next three to four years despite negative publicity in Britain over its low tax bills and in Germany prompted by strikes at its distribution centres.
Mercer said Amazon was performing strongly despite having only five dedicated country websites in Europe - in Britain, Germany, France, Spain and Italy.
"Italy is a tiny market. Perhaps it would be more worthwhile to have launched dedicated sites for the Nordics," he said. "In terms of spend per capita, the Nordics are much higher."
Mintel said it would still be 2021 before Amazon overtook Germany's Schwarz group, owner of Lidl discount stores, as Europe's biggest retailer, assuming current trends continue.
Amazon last month forecast disappointing income and revenue as it grapples with a weaker international market, overshadowing improving profitability and economic conditions in the United States.
British grocers are also well represented in Mintel's European top 10, with Tesco holding its market share steady at 2.3% and Walmart-owned Asda and Sainsbury on 1.1% and 0.9% respectively, reflecting the popularity of online grocery shopping in Britain.
"In mainland Europe, online shopping is largely non-grocery," Mercer said. "That is not going to change fast."
The Mintel report said Britain and France have the strongest demand for buying online and collecting in-store, a trend yet to take off for Germans, who prefer their goods to be delivered.


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Here’s a strange one: A number of people who signed up for Google Play Music many years ago, which was initially offered by Google for $8/month as part of a “sign up early” promotion, have found their accounts mysteriously canceled. And this isn’t something that Google has allegedly been very forthcoming about.
As one (former) subscriber posted to Google’s Support forums:
Recently I noticed I was receiving ads in YouTube and upon further investigation I found that my grandfathered Play Music Subscription ($9.99/month with included YouTube Premium) is no longer being recogniz
ed. When I open either Play Music or YouTube Premium it just offers me the option to sign up for them again.
I even have a charge on my bank statement from five days ago for the subscription so I have no idea why it’s disappeared.
To start, if you’re a Google Play Music subscriber that’s been paying any kind of discounted rate for the service, you might want to check and make sure your subscription is active—and check a day or so after your next scheduled renew date, just in case.
And if you find that you no longer have an active subscription, resist the urge to sign up for a more expensive subscription than what you might have had—or something completely different, like YouTube Music Premium. Instead, your best bet is to contact Google, which can be a difficult task in itself.
You can try bouncing through the various “Contact us” options in Google Pay Help, which might get you in touch with a living, breathing human being instead of a FAQ. There’s also the “Help & feedback” option in the sidebar of the primary Google Play Music page, which will also give you a “Contact us” link for assistance.
You could also just wait and see if Google addresses this issue itself. A spokesperson recently told Android Police that the company is “aware of the issue” and “working on fixing it.” So, sitting tight for a few days isn’t the worst option, even though that means you’ll be stuck without your ad-free streaming service for the time being.
I wouldn’t attempt to resubscribe to Google Play Music in the hopes that it kicks you back on at a discounted rate, as that’s just going to create one giant headache and probably cause you to miss out on whatever fix Google plans to implement. Either bug them, sit tight, or sit tight then bug them when your patience runs out. Saving $2/mo doesn’t sound like it’s worth a big hassle, but it’s really the principle of the issue more than anything.


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Microsoft announced Windows 10X at the Surface Presentation Event in the fall of 2019. Initially, the concept was described as a light and modern version of Windows optimized for dual screens, but it was also assumed as a competitor to Chrome OS.
However, after that, the development of Windows 10X was delayed, the dual screen support disappeared, and the release date was reportedly delayed. Eventually, there were reports that Microsoft would stop developing Windows 10X.
However, the features that have been developed for Windows 10X so far are not wasted. It is expected to be integrated into the general version of Windows 10. These features include user interfaces and application containers. Microsoft hasn’t announced anything about this, but the reason for discontinuing development is that while testing Windows 10X, many people liked the feature itself, but preferred to use it in an operating system such as regular Windows.
In 2020, despite the shortage of semiconductors in the PC industry, the number of PC shipments reached the highest in the past 10 years due to strong demand such as remote work, and Microsoft announced in the financial statements that more than 1.3 billion Windows systems have been distributed worldwide. In this situation, rather than releasing a simplified version of Windows 10X, increasing sales of general Windows 10 can be a better result in terms of profitability. Related information can be found here.


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Gas prices in Bulgaria may rise by about 35% from May, because due to the suspension of gas supplies from Russia, prices will almost completely depend on European exchanges, stated Stanislav Todorov, Chairman of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission of Bulgaria.
“We need to enter the free market and replace 80% of supplies with alternative suppliers. This amount will go at market prices, so we can expect that in May gas prices in Bulgaria will be equal to European ones,” Todorov believes.
At the same time, the executive director of Bulgargaz, Lyudmil Yotsov, said that the company already provides consumers with the necessary volumes of gas, and there are no restrictions on supplies.
On April 27, Gazprom completely stopped gas supplies to Bulgargaz (Bulgaria) and PGNiG (Poland) due to non-payment in rubles.