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Party time! Excellent!!
Ice cream lovers and "Saturday Night Live" fans, rejoice! Ben & Jerry's has unveiled its final "SNL"-inspired flavor, Wayne'Swirled — a caramel- and fudge-laden homage to sketch comedy's favorite metalheads.
Wayne'Swirled's blend of dark caramel and vanilla ice creams with fudge and caramel swirls is, the creamery says, "an ode to the yin and yang that are Wayne and Garth."
It's currently available only in Ben & Jerry's ice cream shops.
Wayne'Swirled marks the final installment in a line of four flavors marking the landmark NBC sketch comedy show's upcoming 40th anniversary.
Last year, Ben & Jerry's offered up Two Wild & Crazy Pies, a pie-heavy tribute to the classic recurring Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd sketch about two overeager Czech brothers' antics.
Before that came two others: Lazy Sunday, full of cupcakes and frosting, and Gilly's Catastrophic Crunch, with caramel clusters, fudge-covered almonds and a marshmallow swirl.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
The three-hour "SNL" 40th Anniversary Special will air live Sunday at 8/7c on NBC.


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As has long been anticipated, FDA, on April 28, 2022, announced a proposed rule that would prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes, and all characterizing flavors other than tobacco in cigars.
Once finalized and implemented, FDA enforcement will address manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, importers and retailers who manufacture, distribute, or sell such products within the U.S. that are not in compliance with applicable requirements. These proposed regulations do not include a prohibition on individual consumer possession or use.
The proposed menthol ban is the latest effort by the Agency aimed at reducing/eliminating the appeal of combusted tobacco product use, including by youth, by reducing experimentation and addiction, and increasing the number of smokers that quit. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act prohibited all characterizing flavors (other than tobacco and menthol) in cigarettes in 2009. Said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., “The authority to adopt tobacco product standards is one of the most powerful tools Congress gave the FDA and the actions we are proposing can help significantly reduce youth initiation and increase the chances that current smokers quit. It is clear that these efforts will help save lives.”
Published modeling studies have estimated a 15 percent reduction in smoking within 40 years if menthol cigarettes were no longer available in the United States. These studies also estimate that 324,000 to 654,000 smoking attributable deaths overall (92,000 to 238,000 among African Americans) would be avoided over the course of 40 years.
The comment period for the proposed rule begins May 4, 2022 and ends July 5, 2022. Public listening sessions to expand direct engagement with the public will be held on June 13 and June 15. Once all the comments have been reviewed and considered, the FDA will decide whether to issue final product standards.
Please contact EAS Consulting Group with questions on this proposed rule or for regulatory assistance with your tobacco products.

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New data has found that international digital remittances will reach $525 billion by 2024, up from an estimated $332 in 2019. According to Juniper Research, the mobile channel will become... more
The post International digital remittances to reach $525 billion by 2024 appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.
Google has announced that it has been granted an e-money licence and authorised as a payment institution in the Republic of Ireland, paving the way for it to begin providing new... more
TransferWise has teamed up with Groupe BPCE, in a deal that will give the money-transfer startup access to the banking group’s 15 million retail customers, the companies announced at Money... more
Transferwise is moving another step closer to banking territory with the expansion of its “borderless” account and debit card for consumers. The accounts can hold cash in more than 20 different currencies and will initially role out to 1,000 users following its launch last year for businesses. The company is also launching its own debit card, [...]
The post Transferwise launches consumer “borderless” account and debit card appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.
TransferWise has extended its offering by launching a new service that takes it into the realms of looking more like a bank. For the first time, TransferWise will hold money on deposit for its customers and provide them with bank account numbers in several countries. The London-based company also plans to supply customers with debit cards to spend their [...]
The post TransferWise to offer cost effective cross-border bank accounts appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.


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Set to be positioned between the second-generation X1 and the current X3, the new five-door mini SUV will go on sale in 2017. Sources say the first prototype will begin road testing in a few weeks. “We’re finalising the first prototypes now,” said a source. “They should be in action by the end of the month.”
BMW’s X2 will be built on the X1 front-wheel drive platform and will follow the example of the larger X4 and X6 in receiving a uniquely styled steel body. It will feature a five-door layout, with its tailgate set at a more extreme angle than that of the more practical X1 to give it a coupe-like silhouette. The interior is expected to be largely shared with the new X1.
BMW X2 is planned to be sold exclusively with three-cylinder and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, along with the choice of either front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. An X2 M Performance variant is scheduled for 2018 using a tuned up B48 2.0 liter four-cylinder petrol engine.
In standard guise the B48 makes 228bhp, although that is set to rise to somewhere in the region of 300bhp. They will be mated to either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearbox in combination with front or four-wheel drive.
The X2 will be produced alongside the new X1 at BMW’s Regensburg factory in Germany, unlike the first-generation X1, which was built alongside the 1 Series and 3 Series at the company’s Leipzig plant.


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ASUS today announced the launch of R9 290X, a new graphics card powered by the latest AMD Radeon™ R9 290X graphics-processing unit (GPU). It includes exclusive ASUS GPU Tweak, 4GB GDDR5 memory and AMD Eyefinity and TrueAudio technologies for expansive multi-display setups and accurate environmental sounds. R9 290X supports both DirectX® 11.2 and AMD's Mantle application programming interface (API) and includes Battlefield 4™ free.
ASUS today announced the launch of its ‘Give Your ASUS Gear Some Gold' competition, inviting fans from around the world to demonstrate their creativity by surrounding ASUS gear with gold to win fantastic prizes. From 9 October 2013 until 13 November 2013, contestants are encouraged to submit creative photo compositions that feature an ASUS product or products.
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the launch of Matrix R9 280X Platinum and standard edition graphics cards, powered by the latest AMD Radeon™ R9 280X graphics-processing unit (GPU). A unique thermal design delivers performance that's up to 20% cooler and three times quieter than reference. R9 280X Platinum's core is cranked up to 1100MHz — 100MHz higher than reference.
ASUS today announced the launch of its R9 200 and R7 200 Series DirectCU II graphics cards, powered by the latest AMD Radeon™ R9 and R7 series graphics-processing units (GPUs). The new R9 280X, R9 270X and R7 260X graphics cards include exclusive ASUS technologies such as DirectCU II for cooler, quieter gaming performance and DIGI+ voltage-regulator modules (VRMs) for stable power.
ASUS today announced the launch of R7 250 and R7 240, two new graphics cards powered by the latest AMD Radeon™ R7 series graphics-processing units (GPUs). R7 250 and R7 240 benefit from exclusive ASUS technologies and tools including Super Alloy Power components for superior stability, dust-proof fans for improved card lifespan and GPU Tweak, an easy-to-use tuning software.


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As the economic crisis dies down, its full ramifications are still unclear — but it’s becoming possible to see just what cracks the storm revealed in the foundations of national economies. Although countries around the world have experienced the crisis differently, and are recovering at varying rates, a single unifying element has left them vulnerable: Their economies are not sufficiently diversified.
That statement would probably come as a surprise to most of the national leaders responsible for economic development. After all, economic diversification has traditionally had a fairly narrow definition referring only to a country’s mix of industries. Discussion of insufficiently diverse economies usually centers on countries whose entire industrial base relies on oil or another single resource, such as some nations in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.
However, even countries that appear extremely diversified — such as the United States — may still be vulnerable to unexpected events. Imagine that every country in the world falls along a continuum. At one end is a country with just a handful of companies producing a limited number of commodities, and sharing them with very few trading partners. Although such a country would be at severe risk of external shocks — for example, a sudden glut of one of its key products in global markets — the parameters of its economy are simple to track, and such threats are easy to predict.
At the other end of the continuum is a country with a fully diversified economy in every possible sense — in its exports, investments, industries, sources of spending, labor pool, technology, and knowledge. It has anticipated and accounted for every possible risk and diversified its assets so thoroughly that even a complete collapse in one area cannot significantly damage the whole.
Both of those countries are pretty safe from global economic risk. The exposed countries are those in the middle of the continuum; at present, that includes every country in the world. No single country has diversified its economy so completely that it will be protected from all shocks, but nearly all are so diverse, complex, and globally connected that they cannot fully anticipate each potential source of risk. In other words, although most nations aren’t aware of it and most economic leaders believe the opposite to be true, global economies are simply not sufficiently diversified.
At present, there is little statistical data to prove the correlation between lack of diversification and economic instability, but the recent economic crisis has provided a plethora of anecdotal evidence that countries can be over-concentrated in any number of ways — with too much reliance on consumer spending, exports, small business, large companies, or foreign investment.
For example, in 2007, as the global crisis was about to break, Ireland’s foreign trade (i.e., imports plus exports) was equal to roughly 150 percent of its GDP. The credit crunch of the following year and the recession in the economies of Ireland’s major trading partners resulted in the collapse of its export growth. Real GDP contracted by 3 percent in 2008 and about 7 percent in 2009, and unemployment increased from 4.5 percent in 2007 to 12 percent in 2009. Today, it’s clear that Ireland is doubly burdened: Its economic crisis has turned into a fiscal crisis, with over-concentration in the banking sector translating into major liabilities for the government as it was forced to bail out major institutions.
For other countries, such as the U.S. and U.K., the problem is another form of over-concentration: Rather than too much trade, these countries have an overdependence on domestic consumers whose purchasing activities are largely financed by debt. In the early days of the crisis, in 2008, consumption made up 71 percent of GDP in the U.S. — roughly six times the share of exports. Even during times of expansion, such economies are subject to seasonal swings and the whims of consumer behavior. During periods of economic contraction, when household income typically declines, consumer confidence plummets, with devastating effects; the fact that the U.S. economy is still bogged down with high unemployment and relatively low confidence is a case in point.


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Lex Fridman lands another top notch interview.
Chris Lattner is a senior director at Google working on several projects including CPU, GPU, TPU accelerators for TensorFlow, Swift for TensorFlow, and all kinds of machine learning compiler magic going on behind the scenes. He is one of the top experts in the world on compiler technologies, which means he deeply understands the intricacies of how hardware and software come together to create efficient code. He created the LLVM compiler infrastructure project and the CLang compiler. He led major engineering efforts at Apple, including the creation of the Swift programming language. He also briefly spent time at Tesla as VP of Autopilot Software during the transition from Autopilot hardware 1 to hardware 2, when Tesla essentially started from scratch to build an in-house software infrastructure for Autopilot. This conversation is part of the Artificial Intelligence podcast at MIT and beyond. Audio podcast version is available on https://lexfridman.com/ai/


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The openness of Android is what many people love so much about the mobile OS – you can run your own code on it, customise it however you see fit, and generally tinker about much more so than you can with it’s competitors. The Android Market is open too – anybody can put an App on there and wait to start raking in the cash.
On Monday, I wrote an article about the competition between Apple’s iPhone and smartphones running Google’s Android. The article discussed some of the advantages and disadvantages of Apple’s vertically-integrated and closed approach and Android’s more open strategy. It concluded by quoting experts and analysts saying that while Android, and perhaps other systems, are likely to do well, Apple has little reason to worry.
Apple declined to comment for the story. But on Monday, Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, took time to address the issue during the company’s fourth quarter earnings conference call. This was unusual, as Mr. Jobs doesn’t typically participate in the company’s earnings calls. But Mr. Jobs said he couldn’t pass the opportunity to drop in for Apple’s first $20 billion quarter.
Mr. Jobs stared by pointing out that Apple sold 14.1 million iPhones during the quarter, a 91 percent surge from a year earlier. Apple sold those smartphones at an even faster pace than the overall market for smartphones.
Then he made an impassioned attack on Android and forceful defense of Apple.
“In reality, we think the open versus closed argument is just a smokescreen to try to hide the real issue, which is what’s best for the customer: Fragmented versus integrated,” Mr. Jobs said. “We think Android is very, very fragmented and becoming more fragmented by the day.”
Mr. Jobs noted that major Android manufacturers like HTC and Motorola put their own user interfaces on their devices and that different versions of the operating system with different capabilities are built into different devices, causing headaches for both consumers and application developers. Mr. Jobs said that Android sometimes left users to be the “system integrators.”
“We think this is a huge strength of our approach compared to Google’s,” Mr. Jobs said. “When selling to users who want their devices to just work, we believe integrated will trump fragmented every time.”
Then he added: “We are very committed to the integrated approach, no matter how many times Google tries to characterize it as closed,” he said. “We are confident that it will triumph over Google’s fragmented approach , no matter how many times Google tries to characterize it as open.”
Mr. Jobs wasn’t just dissing Google. With a bit less passion, and perhaps a touch of disdain, he also dismissed Research in Motion, the maker of the BlackBerry. Mr. Jobs noted that the iPhone had beat the BlackBerry, which sold 12.1 million handsets in the most recent quarter. “We now passed RIM and I don’t don’t’ see them catching us in the foreseeable future,” he said. Mr. Jobs said that RIM was now forced to move beyond its comfort zone and attempt to become a software platform. “RIM has a high mountain a head of them to climb,” he said.
Mr. Jobs also had a word about those who want to compete with the iPad in tablets. He said that while many in the media have said that an “avalanche” of tablets are expected to compete with the iPad soon, he believes only a handful of tablets will be released this year. He said all are Android-based tablets and are only 7 inches, far smaller than the iPad’s 9.7 inch size. A 7-inch screen, he said, is only 45 percent as big as a 9.7-inch screen, and Apple’s user testing has shown that is too small for a usable tablet.
“The 7 inch tables are tweeners, to big to compete with a smartphone and to small to compete with an iPad,” Mr. Jobs said. Lest there be any doubts about his confidence, he added: “The current crop of 7-inch tablets will be D.O.A.: Dead on arrival.”
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Rovio launched its full Android version of Angry Birds on Friday and the popular multi-platform game caused a stir. The game launched exclusively with GetJar and promptly crashed their servers. Despite its efforts, GetJar was unable to ramp up fast enough to meet demand and Rovio had to launch the app in the Android Market earlier than planned. With two marketplaces offering the app for download, Android fans were finally able to snag the download and launch some birds at those wily pigs.
Rovio confirmed via Twitter this weekend that the number of downloads on that first rocky day exceeded one million. While Angry Birds is not the first application to break this notable milestone, it did so with unsurpassed rapidity. Other applications like Adobe Flash 10.1 and Skyfire for Android have been downloaded one million times but it took those apps weeks and months to reach that number, not hours.
This milestone is significant as it shows the popularity of mobile devices as a casual gaming platform and confirms that Android is no slouch when its comes to the mobile applications market. Any lingering doubt about Google’s mobile OS as a viable option for mobile app development should be dispelled. Android may not be able to boast of 300,000 apps in its marketplace but it is an up and coming force that should be considered by any company or individual developer deciding on a business plan for mobile application development.
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Google TV will finally be available this Saturday, Sony says. The electronics giant just unveiled its line of Google TV products, including televisions and Blu-ray players, at a press conference in New York.
Each of the devices includes Google software designed to bring the complete Internet experience to TV sets. They’ll be on sale in Sony Style stores and at sonystyle.com on Oct. 16, and at Best Buy “shortly after,” Sony says.
Other upcoming Google TV products include a $299 set-top box from Logitech, which will be available at the end of the month.
Sony’s Blu-ray player is a pricey $399. Its line of four Google TVs have a wider price range than analysts had expected, starting at $599 for a 24-inch LCD, and going all the way up to $1,399 for a 46-inch LCD TV.
All of the Sony devices use Google’s Android operating system. You will be able to download Android apps — currently designed for Google phones and tablets — onto them starting early next year. Perhaps developers will come up with some new, TV-specific apps?
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The Apple iPhone and iPad made up more than half of third-quarter new activations of mobile devices by enterprise customers of Good Technology, a messaging and mobile management software company.
Who will give the ipad a run for its money? I would bet my bottom dollar on Motorola, or better yet, the dynamic duo of Motorola and Verrizon. Read more…
Google’s Android has overtaken Apple’s iOS in the global smartphone operating system market, the Financial Times reported Friday.
According to market researcher Gartner, Android’s market share climbed to 17.2 percent in the second quarter to rank third after Nokia’s Symbian (41.2 percent) and Research In Motion’s BlackBerry (18.2 percent).
iOS, used in the iPhone and other Apple mobile devices, slipped to fourth place with 14.2 percent.
Android is especially popular in the U.S. where it has also pushed aside Nokia and RIM to dominate the market, the business daily reported.
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The online games provider Kongregate has declared its support for its Flash-based games to be played from an Android handset.
Following the announcement from Steve Jobs at Apple that he has no plans to ever support the Adobe platform, this recent news is good for online games players who want to play their games while on the move.
At present, there are 30,000 games to be played on the games website and, along with a number of other games providers, offers free games to its site users.
Flash-based browser games are proving to be extremely popular amongst gamers looking to the Internet to play games for free. These titles are quick to load and offer players the chance to try out games in a wide variety of genres.
So, although Apple may not be backing the platform for its iPhone, those mobile users who have the Google operating system installed will soon be able to play these games from their smartphone devices.
Google has already encouraged Flash game developers worldwide to continue what they are doing, with a nod of approval to the imminent Flash Player 10.1, and this news that games will be going mobile through Android OS 2.2, just goes to show the future of online gaming is secure.
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Horsemeat scandal hurting Alberta industry
The horsemeat scandal rocking the European Union is having a ripple effect on Alberta’s small industry.
In Europe horsemeat has been found in frozen supermarket meals such as burgers and lasagna that were supposed to contain beef or pork.
The scandal widened on Monday with news that Ikea’s iconic meatballs were discovered to contain horsemeat in the Czech Republic.
Reaction to the scandal in Europe is now causing a slowdown of the horsemeat industry in Alberta, said Bruce Flewelling, who sells horses for slaughter.
There are two plants that slaughter horses in Alberta — one in Fort Macleod and another in Lacombe.
"They haven’t quite shut it down 100 per cent, but they’ve really… put it to a standstill because there’s a couple of countries that aren’t accepting any horsemeat until we get this clarified."
The two plants in Alberta process tens of thousands of horses every year, selling the meat to places such as Belgium, France and Japan, said Flewelling.
The animals tend to be older quarter horses or surplus stock from native reserves. No horses are raised specifically for slaughter in Alberta, he said.
Once the controversy fades in Europe, business will return to normal in Alberta, Flewelling predicted. "I think the market will return," he said.
In response to critics who are opposed to killing horses for food, Flewelling says slaughtering the animals is humane.
"Look at the United States. Look at the chaos that caused down there when they shut down all the plants," he said. "Look at the horses that are turned out in the parks and the highways that are starving to death."


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Backpacks, caps and other products for the 2008 Beijing Olympics are being made in Chinese factories that use child labor, a report said.
The report, compiled by PlayFair 2008 – an alliance of global trade unions and labor groups – identified four factories that it says are abusing Chinese and international labor standards to produce Olympics-licensed products. The findings are likely to prove embarrassing to organizers of the 2008 Olympics and the International Olympic Committee.
The communist government wants to use the Beijing Games to project a positive image of China, spending an estimated 40 billion dollars on a complete makeover. „Licensing of the Olympic brand is a major source of income for the IOC and national Olympic committees,” said Guy Ryder, general secretary of the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation, a PlayFair campaign member and worldwide union association. „It brings shame on the whole Olympics movement that such severe violations of international labor standards are taking place in Olympic-licensed factories.”
Officials with the Beijing Olympic organizing committee declined to comment, saying they had not seen the report. The International Olympic Committee said it does not have direct control over all official products that carry the Olympic label but that it has created policies on fair labor standards that it expects Olympic host cities and licensed manufacturers to follow. The Beijing Olympics are expected to be the most profitable in the games’ history, attracting 500,000 foreign visitors.
Corporate sponsors are using the event to raise their profiles in China’s rapidly growing consumer market. PlayFair said it looked into four factories producing Olympic-licensed products in southern China. Investigators, some of whom got jobs in the factories, found: forced overtime; 12-hour work days; failure to pay overtime; child workers as young as 12; wages below the legal minimum; long working hours and hazardous working conditions. (icwales.icnetwork.co.uk)


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Three Companies That Are Hiring: UPS, Google and Dollar General
If you're looking for a job, these three themes can help you focus your search: Seasonal hiring, growth in discount retailers and competition in tech. I've identified three companies that represent each of these hiring trends:
UPS (UPS): The package delivery company announced recently that it is adding 50,000 seasonal jobs. Best Buy (BBY), Kohls (KSS), Toys R Us and other retailers have announced major hiring plans to cover the holiday rush. The trick is to get a seasonal job and perform so well that the company offers you a full-time job after the holidays are over.
UPS has announced that it will convert some of the seasonal workers to full-time employment. It is looking for drivers, package sorters and other jobs in its huge distribution centers.
Dollar General (DG): Companies that focus on the discount sector are doing well while the economy sputters Hence, Dollar General, which competes with WalMart (WMT) on the low-end (25% of its products are $1 or less), is expanding. It has 9,000 stores, mostly in small town or rural areas, and is looking for managers around the country. No doubt many of these stores are also looking for part-time clerks and seasonal workers.
Google (GOOG): The Internet behemoth only seems to get larger and more powerful. Yet it is facing increasing competition from the likes of Facebook and Twitter, who are hiring away some of its top talent. It needs more engineers and will pay handsomely for them. But you don't have to be a computer whiz to work at Google. The New York office list 32 openings for advertising account managers, for example.
Don't let the onset of the holiday season discourage you from jump-starting your job search. Companies are hiring now. Also check out AOL Careers, which lists 10 Companies that are hiring each week. If you're out of work, there is no better gift for your family for the holidays than getting a new job.


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The Sprint Samsung Galaxy Nexus is set to be the first 4G LTE smartphone on Sprint, which is somewhat surprising as we’ve always seen HTC go for such ‘firsts’. They were the first to unveil a 4G WiMAX phone on Sprint (HTC Evo 4G) and also the first to unveil a 4G LTE smartphone on Verizon Wireless (HTC Thunderbolt). So why did they drop the ball this time around?
HTC Jet to sneak in ahead of iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 with LTE this summer?
With rumors suggesting that the Sprint Samsung Galaxy Nexus will likely land on April 15th, just as Sprint’s LTE network is expanding, it may be too fast for HTC to fire out an LTE capable device, especially given that they promised to release fewer smartphones in 2012 and only focus on ‘hero’ devices. And that is what the HTC Jet may just be.
According to the folks over at S4GRU who managed to get their hands on an internal Sprint document, the HTC Jet with 4G LTE will land on Sprint in early June. This may very well put it ahead of the other only two rumored Sprint LTE devices, the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3. The iPhone 5 is now expected to launch any sooner than late mid-summer after WWDC, while the US variants of the Samsung Galaxy S3 will likely be months away from the international version’s launch (could go into the fall)
So what does the HTC Jet have to offer other than LTE? The source suggests that it will be similar to the HTC One X: 1.5 GHz dual core “Krait” (28 nm) CPU, 1GB RAM, CDMA1X, EV-DO Rev 0/A/B, LTE (UE category 3), LTE band class 25 (PCS A-G blocks), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 4.7-inch S-LCD 1280×720 screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 2, and a solid polycarbonate body.
Will HTC’s ‘hero’ phone have what it takes to go up against the Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5? Sound off in the comments below.


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Konami has reached out to fans through Polygon to apologize for causing anxiety & promise continued support for consoles & PC
If your a fan of Konami games or follow the gaming world closely then you’ve seen the storm of controversy surrounding the famous developer. Starting off with the alleged firing of Hideo Kojima the mastermind behind the Metal Gear Solid Series, followed by the cancelling of the much anticipated Silent Hills title. If that wasn’t enough the companies newly appointed president has suggested that they switch their focus solely to the mobile market. Overall it has been a roller coaster ride for Konami and its fans that the company is trying to clear up.
Today they reached out to Polygon with a letter apologizing to fans, that tries to explain what has really been going on at Konami and why they shouldn’t worry. In the letter they are quick to apologize for the confusion that all the recent changes the company has made caused. Saying “We are aware that the conjecture surrounding our recent changes has prompted a great deal of anxiety, for which we apologize,” Going onto say that quotes from a recent interview “lacked the necessary context and caused unrest within our key stakeholders including our community, members of the press, our partners and our fans”
Throughout the rest of the letter that Konami translated for Polygon to post on their site tried to give fans the truth behind everything that has been happening. Stressing that when president Hideki Hayakawa said they would begin focusing on “mobile first” he did not mean leaving consoles and PC behind. Instead he was trying to explain the companies desire to react to swift changes in the market quickly by branching out to mobile devices. Specifically they want to move away from just making games to making add on content that stretches across every device we use.
After touching on the “mobile first” controversy Konami touched on an even bigger hot button issue, what happened with Silent Hills and Kojima. Saying that in March they introduced a new centralized production division system designed to make a clear distinction between management and creative roles.
Explaining that “Until now, in addition to game development duties, our creators were handling a wide range of responsibilities including managerial roles. This can be a helpful approach when a studio concentrates on progressively specializing in a specific style of product, but we have found that a sudden market shift can render that specialization invalid and leave the studio unable to keep up.”
Suggesting that they had tried to remove Kojima from the Metal Gear Solid creative team and place him in a strictly managerial position. An idea that likely didn’t sit well with Kojima who has said he left Konami behind by choice. Company president Hayakawa was quick to say that even with these changes they are still dedicated to the Silent Hills and Metal Gear Solid franchises. If that and anything else the company said in the letter to Polygon are true is still up in the air.


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Hoping that we could also get the all-new Nissan Sylphy in the future.
Ford Philippines announces the official availability of the power roller shutter for the Wildtrak 4x4.
An iconic model is on its way back to the Philippines.
Make sure to keep your vehicle in top condition as these warning signs could prove to be costly repairs later on and could leave your vehicle unable to move under its own power.
Marquez, Miole, and Moreno successfully dominate the Tokyo circuit.
Power, space, tech, you name it.
The new 300 series Land Cruiser's spec sheet leaks with three variants listed.
This means more power and better practicality for the miniature off-roader.
A large vehicle that comes big on power and big on technology that ticks all the right boxes for those looking to get an advanced 7-seater SUV in the Philippines.
These hatchbacks offer practicality for just under P700,000.
Do you want to be the first to know about the latest automotive deals? Just subscribe with your email address and we’ll send you alerts on the most incredible deals as they happen.
The all-new Nissan X-Trail has officially made its Asian debut featuring an e-Power Hybrid drivetrain and the same looks as its Nissan Rogue counterpart.
Whether you’re shopping for a sedan or a pickup, more power comes at a price, but do you need it? Let’s digress.
Nissan pushes forward with the electrification of mobility by recycling old Nissan LEAF battery packs for their automated guided vehicles.
An entry-level variant that comes with big power under the hood and 4x4 capabilities at the ready.
Do camshafts make a difference? We compare the two systems to help you understand which is a better choice.
What is the deal with Isuzu’s engines? There is more to Isuzu’s engine tech than you think.
After giving the SkyActiv-D a significant boost in power, Mazda has then treated its gasoline range with an upgrade.
Aside from a new logo the South Korean automaker now has a new company slogan.
Kia will continue to serve with its Power to Surprise as the brand gears towards normalcy.
Spark plugs are essential for the combustion cycle in a gasoline engine, here’s how to tell if they need replacement.


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DUBAI: China’s Tencent Games has chosen Dubai as regional headquarters for its Middle East and North Africa operations, with Dubai Internet City housing the gaming giant’s office.
Tencent Games was launched in 2003 and has since grown into a global platform for game development, publishing and operation. Its ownership stakes and alliances with many major video game companies includes Fornite, Ubisoft, Activision-Blizzard, Riot Games, Supercell and Take-Two Interactive Software.
The opening of Tencent Games’ regional headquarter is an indication of increased activities in the local and regional games industry which covers digital entertainment, education and cultural experiences, a statement said.
According to market research firm Newzoo, the revenue of the UAE games sector is estimated at $324 million (1.2 billion dirhams) in 2019. Furthermore, over 80 percent of smartphone users in the UAE play mobile games, it said.
The UAE has the highest mobile penetration rate in the world at 173 per cent – nearly double the country’s population, according to a report by Statista released in late 2018. This is a considerable figure and represents a wealth of opportunities for game developers, with revenues from mobile games representing more than half the income generated in the entire industry.
“Gaming moves beyond entertainment and is increasingly used to engage and educate, and as more gamers and creative enthusiasts enter the industry, we can certainly expect the market to develop rapidly in the coming years,” Ammar Al-Malik, managing director of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource City said.
Vincent Wang, general manager of the Global Publishing Department at Tencent Games, said: “The UAE’s high mobile and internet penetration is an extremely encouraging indicator for tech firms across the world, and is especially relevant to the global games industry.”


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Nobuyuki Idei may not leap tall buildings in a single bound, but to some people, he seemed super-powered in March when, in an unexpected move, he was named to head Sony Corp.
When Idei, 57, was tapped to succeed Norio Ohga as Sony’s prexy, the move stunned Sony insiders and the entire industry.
“It just wasn’t expected,” said a former American colleague of Idei’s who declined to be named. “He certainly had visibility and was known to be close to Ohga, but some of us expected a very different approach.”
Sony’s failure over the past few years to come up with a hit product and its desire to lead the digital age had many in Japan speculating that an engineer would be chosen to replace Ohga.
Even Idei, whose background is in marketing and public relations, admits to having been “speechless” when he was selected over no fewer than 14 more senior executives.
“Ohga chose him mainly because he can talk with all those Hollywood people comfortably. And with Sony moving more and more toward becoming an entertainment company rather than an electronics company, that’s key,” said Masami Fujino, an electronics industry analyst for Swiss Bank in Tokyo.
In that sense, Idei may be a throwback to Sony founder Akio Morita, who delighted in hobnobbing with the likes of Leonard Bernstein. But Idei’s tenure as Sony chief is going to be no Hollywood party. With the company facing financial and technical turmoil, Idei has the weight of the consumer electronics world on his shoulders.
Not completely. Ohga will stay as chairman to help run things.
The task facing Idei and Ohga will be to steer Sony through tough waters in an industry in which the line between hardware and software has blurred.
The company’s troubles were underlined in a big way in November, when it wrote off $3.2 billion from its Hollywood studio operations, a galling public admission that it had overpaid for Columbia Pictures in 1989. Of greater concern are the strong yen and competition from lowcost Asian rivals.
Sony’s recent push to set the standard for the digital video-disc (DVD) relies heavily on support it can drum up from Hollywood and personal computer makers. So far, however, a rival camp led by Time Warner and Japan’s Toshiba and Matsushita appear to have the early lead in Hollywood.
Before being named president, Idei was managing director in charge of Sony’s brand image and corporate communications.
At almost every crucial technology juncture in recent years, Idei has been a key player.
Analysts say it was Idei’s ease in handling the firm’s marketing, advertising and public relations and his eagerness to jump into new fields that catapulted him over his senior colleagues.
Idei is usually soft-spoken, but those who know him say he can speak harshly when necessary.
Idei, who declined to be interviewed for this article, speaks English and French, and spent nine years in Europe, where he played a key role in setting up Sony’s French unit.
Idei says his first priority is fixing the financial problems in Sony’s Hollywood operation, which already has undergone a major overhaul. Earlier this year, he hinted that the company might consider selling a stake in its entertainment operations, possibly to a cable television, satellite or telecommunications concern.


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Hearts on Fire opens store in PA, closes in NJ
Philadelphia--Hearts on Fire announced Tuesday that it opened the second of its new concept retail stores in Philadelphia while also confirming that it has shuttered its first U.S. retail location, the boutique located in the Borgata hotel in Atlantic City, N.J.
The new store is located on the upper level of King of Prussia Mall next to Neiman Marcus and, like the brand’s Las Vegas location, is owned in collaboration with retailers; in this case, Harvey and Maddy Rovinsky of Bernie Robbins Jewelers.
The Rovinskys are the jewelers who owned and operated the Hearts on Fire boutique located in the Borgata in Atlantic City, which opened in June 2008 but closed last year. Hearts on Fire Vice President of Marketing Caryl Capeci said at the time that store closed, the brand already was working with the Rovinskys on the new store in the King of Prussia Mall.
The brand said its newest store represents an evolution of the selling and conceptual design first introduced with the opening of its Las Vegas store in May 2012.
The 1,200-square-foot space has eye-level transparent “jewel boxes,” as opposed to the traditional long display cases, that allow sales associates and customers to work side-by-side; interactive digital screens, videos and a digital jewelry catalog; and a “community table,” where shoppers can sit down while they try on diamond jewelry, similar to the way they would in a store dressing room.
“With all of the technology and digital innovation in our lives today, consumer expectations have changed when it comes to how they want to shop,” said Glenn Rothman, CEO and founder of Hearts on Fire. “Especially when it comes to highly considered purchases, such as diamond jewelry, consumers no longer want a traditional feel and are searching for a more unique, personal experience. That is why we are excited to continue to refine and expand our retail concept -- breaking conventional shopping barriers and making the diamond jewelry retail experience enjoyable and fun again.”
The other Hearts on Fire retail store is located in The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It is operated in conjunction with Las Vegas retailers Cliff and Darlene Miller of MJ Christensen Diamonds.
Hearts on Fire, which bills itself as The World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond, is sold in 650 retail outlets in 34 countries, 13 Hearts on Fire stores around the world as well as on HeartsonFire.com and authorized retailer websites.


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Intel has been putting itself in odd spots lately with regard to its product lineup and this latest piece of news is just adding fuel to the fire.
Intel’s AIB partners ASRock have confirmed in a tweet that Intel’s next gen Coffee Lake processors will require an all new motherboard to work on.
This means that the 8th gen Intel Core processors won’t be compatible with either the current gen 200 series or the older 100 series motherboards, which is a big bummer for not just Intel fans but PC enthusiasts in general. Intel’s 8th gen processors are supposed to bring high clock speeds and a higher core count to the consumer market.
The company was expected to win back the enthusiasts' attention from the currently popular AMD Ryzen chips, but that seems to be a lost cause now. This is especially a big blow for system builders and upgraders who were hoping to jump to a better Intel processor in the next year or so. On the other hand, AMD has declared that the company will support their current gen AM4 socket till 2020. This means all processors coming from AMD till 2020 won't require a current AMD user to change their motherboard to run it. One also needs to consider that with a new motherboard, PC builders may also have to buy a new compatible CPU cooling solution and other specific hardware.
Now, there could be many reasons for Intel to ditch older motherboards, as leaks suggest that to counter AMD, the company plans bring hexa-core processors to the mainstream consumer market for the first time. So, even though Coffee Lake will be based on Kaby Lake (14nm only), its physical requirements might be different.


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The prototype of the rarest Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato spotted on the trackNovember 4, 2020
Reporters have published test photos of the British sports coupe Aston Martin DBS in the anniversary edition of GT Zagato. The car was spotted at the Nürburgring race track.
The prototypes of the Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato continue a series of high-speed tests that they undergo at the Nürburgring Nordschleife race track (Germany). The published photos show the British low-slung coupe leaving the Aston Martin development center, which is located on the famous circuit, exits the track, and then returns back.
Aston Martin originally planned to build only 19 DBS GT Zagato units, and these were to be available to people who also received the DB4 GT Zagato sequel. The whole set costs 6 million pounds.
The DBS GT Zagato features a beautiful wavy body shape. One of the most interesting design elements is the windowless rear. Instead, the double roof “flows” down to the rear deck, and the designers hide the engine in a tiny niche above the trunk.
The car in this video has mismatched wheels. At the front are discs with five pairs of spokes. At the back, the design has a more sophisticated look with Y-spoke design and dark trim. There are also sensors on the roof to collect data.
While not visible in the video, the photos above show the DBS GT Zagato has the same wild interior as the exterior. The company uses 3D printed metal to create complex mesh surfaces to create elements unlike anything else.
Like the DBS Superleggera, the GT Zagato uses a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine producing 760 hp.
Not so long ago, AutoTimesNews wrote that a convertible Aston Martin from Mansory appeared on sale. A 2007 Aston Martin DB9 Volante convertible is up for auction on the Bring a Trailer website.
- Third generation Haval H6 SUV prices announced
- BMW plans to double EV sales in 2021
- Mercedes-Benz has published details of the new electric crossover EQA
- Automotive brands that patent the most innovations named
- Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn may go to jail for 10 years


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RioCan to Buy Montreal Retail Portfolio from ING for $67M
- Jan 23, 2009
Toronto-headquartered RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust has just struck a deal to take six grocery-anchored shopping centers in suburban Montreal off the hands of ING Real Estate Canada L.P. RioCan REIT will shell out $67.5 million for the portfolio, which encompasses an aggregate 454,000 square feet. “These are safe assets you buy for the income with a little bit of growth through rent,” Jonathan Gitlin, vice president of investments for RioCan REIT, told CPN. Sicard Centre in Sainte-Thérèse and Saint-Jean Centre in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu are the two largest assets in the group, featuring approximately 107,000 and 103,000 square feet, respectively. The remaining properties include the 69,000-square-foot La Prairie Centre in La Prairie; the 63,300-square-foot Concorde Centre in Laval; the 52,000-square-foot René Robert Centre in Sainte-Thérèse; and Sainte-Julie Centre in Sainte-Julie, a 49,000-square-foot property that is being expanded to 60,000 square feet. The shopping centers have an average age of 14.5 years, and lease agreements with an average 7.9 years remaining. Approximately 82.8 percent of the collective tenant roster consists of both national and regional businesses, with 74 percent of the income being produced by grocery, pharmacy and bank tenants. And the average occupancy level, presently 99.4 percent, is indicative of a particularly tight segment of the retail market in Montreal, and pretty much all of Canada. “Grocery-anchored centers’ occupancy rates are still really strong,” Gitlin said. Grocery stores in Canada are doing well–a sign of, or in spite of the economy–so there’s not much in terms of tenant fallout.” Aside from the grocery stores, he said, the major tenants in the ING portfolio are highly coveted national and regional retailers, as opposed to local shops that may be more vulnerable in a changing economic climate. Occupancy levels for Canada’s retail market overall have been kept in line by the fact that Canada did not build as much as the U.S. over the last few years. “In the States, the barriers to entry weren’t there, and capital was easily attainable,” Gitlin noted. “Now, it’s a better market in general up here, especially for uses like this portfolio.” Brookfield Financial listed the six shopping centers on behalf of ING as part of a 37-property offering.


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PUBG Mobile India is expected to launch in the country on January 19. Here's what you should know.
Here's everything you should look for in your next vacuum cleaner.
Skullcandy Jib True wireless earphones have finally launched in India. Here's everything you need to know.
Oppo has finally announced the launch of the much-awaited Oppo Reno5 Pro 5G, which is the first 5G-ready smartphone in the Reno series. Here's what you need to know.
Apple has introduced a new cashback offer on select product via its online store. Here's what you need to know.
Vaio, that was once known for offering a sleek design, on Friday announced the launch of two new laptops in India.
In this article, we will provide options for Android users for other stores that ought to explore.
The Indian government has announced that the CoWIN app’s availability will be initially limited to the healthcare workers only.
Samsung Galaxy S21 flagship smartphone series launched alongside the Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Smart Tag. Here's everything you need to know.
HTC has launched a new 5G smartphone dubbed HTC Desire 21 Pro 5G. Here's everything you need to know.
WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new Read Later feature for its Android and iOS apps. Here's how it will work.
Flipkart Big Savings Day is set to kick off on January 20 and will go on till January 24. Here's what to expect.
Samsung Galaxy S21 series is set to launch at the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event tonight. Here's what to expect and how to watch the live stream.
Here are the 50 most dangerous passwords used around the world. Are you using any one of them?
Bolo Indya is a popular application that can be used as a TikTok alternative. Here's how you can download and install the app.
Amazon Prime Video Mobile Edition plans have been introduced in India in order to make the streaming platform more affordable to mobile-only viewers. N
Surface Pro 7+ joins the Surface for Business portfolio - offering the versatility, connectivity and security that business and educational institutions need to adapt to the changing landscape.
Samsung has just announced the launch of its new Exynos 2100 chipset through its first virtual event, Exynos On 2021.
Oppo Reno 5 Pro, Oppo Enco X to launch in India on January 18. Here's everything you can expect.
As we now inch towards 2021, these 5 emerging technologies will continue to redefine the sector.


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Marie-Paule LeBlanc says Memories from the Kitchen is "one of the best projects I've done in my life."
The book is a collection of recipes and stories from people with dementia and their families.
LeBlanc, a self-proclaimed foodie who is the philanthropy co-ordinator for the Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick, said the society always does a special holiday campaign, and that the holidays are often about family gatherings, laughter and creating memories.
"And since memories is that aspect of life that our clients and the people we serve, they're trying to hold on to, we thought about keeping those cherished memories alive in this cookbook," said LeBlanc.
She said most of the recipes have notes from the families of caregivers.
LeBlanc said the society used social media and its newsletter to reach people and get them to submit recipes. She said the response was great, and it was nice being able to read the stories and to try some of the food as well.
"That food, or that special recipe, represents the love of their family, the love of their mother," said LeBlanc.
"The love that is passed on through food and through gathering around the kitchen table is really something that, for us, was the cherry on top."
The stories behind the recipes
She said the titles of the recipes are the same as what was submitted. Instead of just saying chocolate cake, it would say "Grammie Mullins' chocolate cake."
One of LeBlanc's favourite recipes is for "Jimmy's birthday cake." She said the story behind it makes it special.
When Jimmy was a kid, he didn't like typical birthday cakes, so his mom made him a type of cheesecake that became known as "Jimmy's birthday cake," said LeBlanc. His mother continued to make this cake for years until he was in his 40s and she had dementia.
Another that stuck out to LeBlanc was "Italian Sunday gravy," which takes a day to make and involves the whole family.
"It was a little bit of tradition also because we do have recipes from different countries, not just from the Maritimes," she said.
LeBlanc said it wasn't hard to get people to share their recipes due to the message behind the book.
One woman, said LeBlanc, gave them her "very famous, very secret brownie recipe" because her husband died from Alzheimer's and she wanted to share that recipe to support the cause.
The book is available on their website with each purchase of the $20 book going to support the Alzheimer Society of New Brunswick.
LeBlanc said the design of the book is "very dementia friendly" and that dementia-friendly tips for the kitchen are included.
She said something special about the book is that people with dementia "will not forget feelings."
"They will forget things and objects or people, but the feelings are there," she said. "Just being around a table, the smell, the food — they can feel that and that can make them feel special."


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Shares of Walt Disney touched an all-time high on Friday after Wall Street analysts said the aggressive pricing of its new video streaming service could help it better compete with Netflix.
Netflix’s shares fell about 4 per cent after Disney priced its streaming service, Disney+, at $6.99 per month, below the video streaming pioneer’s basic plan of $8.99.
Maulana Tariq Jameel now has YouTube’s most coveted ‘Golden Button’
“Investors find a lot of promise in Disney’s offerings because it’s well positioned to fight the likes of Netflix for consumers’ money,” said Clement Thibault, an analyst at global financial markets platform Investing.com.
Shares of Disney jumped 10 per cent to $128.26, adding $21 billion to the company’s market capitalisation of $209 billion on Thursday.
JP Morgan analysts also noted that Disney+’s interface appears similar to that of Netflix with personalisation of user profiles, recommended content, search capabilities and parental controls.
Disney+ will launch on November 12 in the United States, featuring content from a host of Disney brands including Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar as well as recently acquired Fox properties such as “The Simpsons” and National Geographic programming.
YouTube quietly offers free movie streaming
Disney said it expects to attract between 60 million and 90 million subscribers and achieve profitability in the fiscal year 2024. It plans to plow a little over $1 billion in cash to finance original programming in fiscal 2020 and about $2 billion by 2024.
“It’s still very early on, but the streaming war has officially begun. By fighting back with a competitive offering, Disney at least gives itself a chance to win in the streaming industry, rather than just losing user after user to other streaming services,” Thibault said.
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The Muckenthaler Cultural Center is planning a benefit performance of “The Vagina Monologues” on Feb. 24 that will feature several special guests.
The performance of Eve Ensler’s piece – described as “revolutionary” – will feature Phil Varone, drummer for Skid Row and Saigon Kicks, actress Suzanne Whang, Rachel Federoff from Bravo’s “Millionaire Matchmaker,” and Beth Sussman, a Julliard trained pianist.
Organizers said there will be interactive booths on display to spread awareness about women’s issues and hat sales will benefit arts programs for “marginalized” women and girls.
– Heather McRea
If you go
When: Doors open 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m.
Where: The Muckenthaler’s outdoor ampitheater, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton
Cost: $30 plus beverages and catered food will be available for purchase


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Infiniti, an automotive brand under Nissan, has revealed a design sketch of their latest electric-powered concept car, named Prototype 10. And this concept car is planned to be publicly announced on August 23, 2018 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California.
|A design sketch of Infiniti Prototype 10 Concept. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2wlgvgg)|
"In the creation of a Prototype 10 single-seat car, Infiniti has re-imagined a classic speedster with a cool, clean and futuristic design," said Infiniti's Executive Design Director Karim Habib in a statement on the official Nissan Motor website recently.
|Infiniti Prototype 10 Concept. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2PBsxev)|
The concept is the natural evolution of form language that was first seen on the Infiniti Q Inspiration and hints at future design cues for this brand. Infiniti plans to attack the fully electric-powered car market by 2021 onwards.
Infiniti Prototype 10 echoes the layout and design of some of the most evocative car designs of all time, where power is celebrated through a high-strength single seat racing car.
Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Tech stocks rose to mostly solid gains Tuesday, as Amazon.com Inc. rose sharply on the announcement of the company’s new cloud-based music service.
Amazon AMZN, +1.31% advanced 3.1% to close at $174.62 after the online retailer announced the launch of a new cloud service for buying, storing and playing music, movies and other digital content. The service comes ahead of similar offerings rumored to be in the works at companies like Apple Inc. AAPL, +1.86% , Google Inc. GOOG, +1.77% and Facebook. Read full report on Amazon's cloud music service.
The Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +1.35% rose 1% to close at 2,757.
Other notable gainers came from the networking and telecommunications equipment groups. Wireless chip maker Qualcomm QCOM, +2.17% rose 3.3% to close at $53.91.
RBC analyst Mark Sue issued a note on the company before the open, saying he expects strong demand for smartphones and tablets to help boost the company’s bottom line.
Some tech stocks in the red included RealNetworks Inc. RNWK, +3.70% , which slumped 4.3% to close at $3.77 on the surprise news that Chief Executive Robert Kimball has resigned.
Motorola Mobility MMI, -1.06% was down 2.2% to close at $25.45. CreditSights initiated coverage on the company with an underweight rating, saying he does not believe the market has “fully discounted the potential magnitude” of the handset maker’s losses at Verizon.


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Most of the reports we’ve seen thus far regarding the iPhone 6 point to a larger display and much thinner profile. And earlier today, our friends over at Nowhereelse.fr posted new evidence to support that theory: a case maker’s model for the handset from Chinese case manufacturer Elam.
As you can see in the photo above, the design of the phone looks very similar to what we’ve seen so far. Note the device’s extremely thin profile, rounded corners and larger display. It looks very much like the device we’ve been seeing lately in purported schematics and designer mockups…
Here’s a schematic drawing of the two rumored iPhone 6 models, published by Japanese magazine MacFan last week:
There are a few discrepancies within the images though. For example, in the schematics it shows two separate pill-shaped volume buttons, but the case-maker model atop shows a unified volume rocker switch. And we also don’t see the sleep/wake button, which has been rumored to be relocated to the side.
As for the hardware, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported last night that both iPhone 6 models will feature an A8 processor, 1GB of RAM, upgraded cameras, an NFC chip and Touch ID. He also believes the 4.7-inch version will have a 1334×740 display (326 ppi) and the 5.5-inch a 1920×1080 display (401 ppi).
Apple’s next-gen iPhone is expected to go into production as early as May, ahead of a September launch. But we have seen multiple reports now calling for the 5.5-inch version to be delayed a few months due to production issues.


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OAKLAND, Calif., (March 11, 2021) – Today, Fair Trade USA – the leading certifier of fair trade products in North America – announces that Kvarøy Arctic, the third-generation sustainable Atlantic salmon producer from Norway, is the first salmon farm globally to receive Fair Trade USA certification after a rigorous vetting process of the farm’s social, environmental, and economic impacts. The Fair Trade Certified seal will now be carried on all Kvarøy Arctic fresh, frozen, burgers, hot dogs, and smoked salmon sold in the United States.
Fair Trade USA is the first and only tool available to offer industry and consumers a holistic choice in sourcing responsible seafood by addressing impacts through social, environmental and economic issues throughout the supply chain. Underpinned by a human rights approach, Fair Trade USA standards go beyond fisheries and farms by protecting the rights of workers within the certified company and its supply chain. As part of this process, all of Kvarøy Arctic’s processors including Vega Salmon, Het Urker, Eat Salmon of Norway and Santa Barbara Smokehouse now also carry the Fair Trade USA Certified seal, which signifies the products were grown, harvested, manufactured, and traded in ways that improve livelihoods and protect the environment.
“We have a 360 approach to sustainability and place equity and employee wellness with the highest priority,” says Kvarøy Arctic CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen. “Now we have a recognizable Fair Trade USA seal on our products so people discovering our salmon for the first time know we care deeply and have a thoughtful approach to supporting our teams.”
Of the nearly 80 people residing on Kvarøy Island, all of them are connected to the island’s namesake business and the family-owned company is intrinsically tied to the local school. Through the Fair Trade USA program, an extra sum paid by Kvarøy Arctic will go directly to its farmers and workers to support community development projects and education. A democratically-elected body of farmers will manage the Community Development Funds and projects, which will focus on improving the livelihoods and futures of the workers and their families.
“Through our seafood program, fishers, farmers and workers have earned an additional two million dollars in Community Development Funds, which they have put to use on environmental impact projects like habitat protection, pollution cleanup, and much more,” said Paul Rice, Founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA. “With aquaculture supplying more than half of all seafood for consumption today and continuing to grow, we’re bringing these same protections and benefits to producers of cultured seafood and fostering socially responsible growth in the industry. We’re grateful for this partnership with Kvarøy Arctic and their commitment to their farming community.”
Since launching in the USA in February 2020, Kvarøy Arctic has committed to implementing technology and achieving Fair Trade USA certification that substantiates its mission of responsible, sustainable aquaculture to feed the world. “It’s not possible to decouple environmental sustainability from economic stability,” says Kvarøy Arctic Strategic Development Officer Jennifer Bushman. “It’s time to commit to higher standards in the industry and this is one of many programs, including the Women in Aquaculture program we started last year, that will serve that purpose.”
Kvarøy Arctic is currently available through wholesale distribution in the U.S., Pod Foods, at restaurants, for direct delivery on FultonFishMarket.com, and at retail through select retailers like Cherry Hill Market, Cox Farms Market, Acorn Acres, and Whole Foods Market U.S. locations.
About Fair Trade USA
Fair Trade USA is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the leading certifier of fair trade products in North America. Its trusted Fair Trade Certified seal on a product signifies that it was made according to rigorous fair trade standards that promote sustainable livelihoods and safe working conditions, protection of the environment, and strong, transparent supply chains. Rather than creating dependency on aid, Fair Trade USA’s model empowers farmers, workers, and fishermen to fight poverty and earn additional money to improve their communities. Winner of Fast Company’s Social Enterprise of the Year Award and recognized as a leading social venture by the Clinton Global Initiative, the Skoll Foundation, and Ashoka, Fair Trade USA also helps brands and retailers tell their stories of impact and educate consumers about the power of their purchase. The Fair Trade Certified seal represents thousands of products, improving millions of lives, protecting land and waterways in 45 countries and counting. Purchases have sent $740 million to farmers and workers since 1998.
Contact: Kasi Martin at email@example.com
About Kvarøy Arctic
Kvarøy Arctic is a third-generation Atlantic salmon farm on the Island of Kvarøy along Norway’s Arctic Circle. Led by CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen, Production Manager Gjermund Olsen, and Operations Manager Håvard Olsen, the Kvarøy Arctic team is ushering in a new era of sustainability for salmon farming as a net producer of fish protein with a commitment to traceability and transparency through IBM blockchain technology.
Kvarøy Arctic is BAP, ASC, and Global G.A.P. certified and has the merroir of Norway’s cold, clear waters with delicate marine flavors and slight brininess. It is one of a small number of farm-raised fish certified by the American Heart Association’s® Heart-Check program. Kvarøy Arctic is actively expanding its U.S. retail presence. It is currently available through Pod Foods, at restaurants, for direct delivery on FultonFishMarket.com, and at retail through select retailers like Cherry Hill Market, Cox Farms Market, Acorn Acres, and Whole Foods Market U.S. locations.
Learn about the heritage of Kvarøy Arctic by visiting www.KvaroyArctic.com, Instagram @kvaroyarctic, Facebook @KvaroyArctic, and Twitter @KvaroyArctic, and use #TasteTheArctic.


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Vector Group Ltd. said its Vector Tobacco subsidiary has closed on the purchase of a former Crown Craft textile manufacturing facility in Roxboro, N.C. and will immediately begin refurbishing the approximately 328,000-square-foot facility, which will be used for the processing and manufacturing of Vector's new Omni and Omni Free cigarette products.
"We are excited about the purchase of this facility which will be used exclusively for the processing and manufacturing of Vector Tobacco's innovative new cigarette products," said Bennett LeBow, chairman and CEO of Vector Group.
Vector Tobacco has the rights to a process that enables the production of tobacco that is virtually free of nicotine and tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), a potent carcinogen found in tobacco, the company said. In addition, Vector Tobacco has developed a proprietary technology that significantly reduces one of the most serious cancer-causing agents in cigarettes, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds.
Vector Group expects to introduce these new products later this year and in early 2002 under the Omni and Omni Free brands.


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Hot on the heels of the recent P70 chipset reveal, MediaTek has today announced that its new AI-equipped Helio P90 SoC will be unveiled on December 13. It's set to be the first chip of its kind to bring hardware-accelerated neural networking to the mid-to-high-end smartphone space. In a nutshell, that means less expensive phones running this chip will soon be getting AI features and performance which, in the Android world, were until now limited to high-end chips like Huawei's Kirin 970 and 980.
AI features from more expensive phones are about to become more attainable.
The P90's new AI hardware, combining two APUs (application processing units) with an AI Accelerator, helps the new chip boast three times the neural networking performance of the P60 and P70.
As we've seen from existing flagship phones with dedicated AI hardware, on-device AI can have a host of benefits, and current versions of Android support this hardware acceleration through Google's built-in neural networking APIs.
In today's pre-announcement, MediaTek specifically called out biometric face recognition, digital noise reduction in photos and realtime photo/video effects as areas that'll be enhanced by the P90's new AI hardware, as well as improved environment recognition to assist with exposure control.
In addition to Android's built-in NN APIs and MediaTek's own NeuroPilot SDK, phone makers using the Helio P90 will be able to support TensorFlow, TensorFlow Lite, Caffe and Caffe2.
More details will come when the chip officially lands on December 13, but based on the early details revealed today, the P90 could offer the chipmaker a unique leg-up on the competition in the mid-high smartphone tier.
Microsoft teaming up with Samsung for gaming and XCloud could be HUGE
At Samsung's 2020 Unpacked event, the Korean tech giant announced a partnership with Xbox. Details are scant, but what could it mean for the future of Microsoft's gaming platform?
Samsung takes folding phones mainstream with the Galaxy Z Flip
Last year's Galaxy Fold was very much an experiment for Samsung is an entirely new product category, but in just a year's time, the Galaxy Z Flip has debuted with the makings of a mainstream hit. If you ask me, that's mighty impressive.
Would you rather have the Galaxy S20+ or Note 10+?
The Galaxy S20+ and Note 10+ are two of the best Samsung phones you can buy in 2020. If you could only choose one, which would it be and why?
Believe it or not, Philips Hue is far from the only smart bulb you can buy
The are plenty of smart lights available that are similar to Philips Hue bulbs at nearly half the cost. Most offer easy management from a designated app on your smartphone or tablet, too.


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We are proud to announce that Form Technologies has been named to the 2018 Grant Thornton North Carolina 100® (NC100); […]Read More
CHARLOTTE, N.C., January 9, 2018
Dynacast International Inc. is pleased to announce that as of Tuesday, January 9, 2018, Dynacast and its associated brands will become a family of brands under a newly formed entity, Form Technologies, led by Dynacast’s current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Simon Newman.
“As we continue to make strategic acquisitions that add processes and capabilities to our portfolio of companies, it became evident that we needed a larger, more inclusive brand that allowed us to expand our identity beyond a specific metal or process,” said Newman. “With Form Technologies, we are better positioned for future acquisitions that fall within our same strategic vision of becoming the leading global manufacturer of precision components.”
Form Technologies will combine three world-leading precision component manufacturers in their respective market segments—Dynacast for precision engineered die cast components, Signicast for investment casting and prototyping, and OptiMIM, the company’s new brand for metal injection molding.
Under Form Technologies, the companies will undergo a brand redesign for consistency across the platform. Each company will maintain its own identity and continue with business as usual.
In addition, future transformative acquisitions will become part of the unified Form Technologies platform.
“Our strategic vision of becoming a multi-billion organization relies on strengthening our position for growth in the years to come,” said Newman. “Providing operational, customer, and employee support from a single business platform while allowing our specialist companies to innovate in their areas of expertise will enable each to be a leader in its field.”
Form Technologies is fully operational at its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The complete rebrand will be rolled out across each company’s facilities and communications throughout the 2018 calendar year.
About Form Technologies, Inc.
In today’s cutthroat global markets, manufacturers must deliver more innovative products, faster than ever before. They must be able to out-think, out-pace, and out-perform competitors if they are to survive and thrive. And there is no room for failure.
Form Technologies and its portfolio of companies offer a direct route to sustained competitive advantage.
Designing and delivering the highest quality precision components, we give our customers freedom to create the products their customers’ value most. We support them with unparalleled expertise from the most knowledgeable professionals in the industry. And, with 26 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries, we have the scale and capacity to deliver virtually any volume, anywhere around the globe.
As seen on: Business Insider


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VALPARAISO — Officials with Opportunity Enterprises said Monday they are fully cooperating with law enforcement to resolve the theft of approximately $13,000 through fraudulent use of the non-profit's corporate credit card account.
The Porter County Prosecutor's office has charged Dana Snodgrass, 39, of the 200 block of East 129th Place in Crown Point, with four felonies for allegedly charging personal items on the credit card in her role as director of respite houses.
As a result of the theft allegations, Opportunity Enterprises has tightened its credit card policy, officials there said, and another non-profit, Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County, said it also keeps a close eye on credit card use to prevent unauthorized purchases.
The alleged theft from Opportunity Enterprises was discovered in late November when a receipt from a corporate credit card contained unapproved personal purchases. A thorough investigation revealed the extent of the theft and Snodgrass was immediately terminated, according to Ellen DeMartinis, CEO of Opportunity Enterprises.
Full restitution has been made, she said.
"We are deeply saddened by this incident, but it is important to note that the theft in question was of agency dollars and was not taken from any of our clients' personal accounts. While still alarming, OE has a system of financial checks and balances in place to protect our agency resources and detect digressions of this nature immediately," said DeMartinis.
All employees with individually issued corporate credit cards undergo credit checks and are now required to obtain pre-approval for all credit purchases, officials said. Opportunity Enterprises also performs criminal background checks on all employees.
Board policy for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County states that the president has the authority to approve credit cards with limits for those who need one, said Ryan Smiley, that agency's president and CEO.
The cards are in the name of the employee and the agency, Smiley said, and receipts are to be turned in promptly. They are reconciled each month by the agency's finance director, who does not have a credit card, and Smiley gives them final approval.
"There's some internal controls within the reconciliation process," Smiley said, "and we have small limits on the cards and email alerts that go to the director of finance for large or unusual purchases."
Only a select number of full-time employees have credit cards, including Smiley, and the limit is around $1,000. The cards are typically used for program supplies and food for special events.
"Through our alerts, we know what's being purchased and when, and it's minimal for us," he said.
Snodgrass oversaw residential situations in Lake and Porter counties for Opportunity Enterprises, which provides services to people with disabilities.
OE officials told police that even after they fired her at on Dec. 2, she made two more charges at Wal-Mart in Hobart. Snodgrass made the personal purchases between April and December 2014, according to court records, and told police before she was charged that she used the credit cards because she was behind on bills and items for her sick child.


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Sky Betting and Gaming saw huge rises in revenue and earnings during the first half of its financial year.
The group identified successful promotions, favourable sports results and improvements in customer service as reasons for its 47% rise in group revenue, to £339m, for the 26 weeks to the end of December 2017.
Overall EBITDA was up 92% to £118m, with Sky Bet revenue up 58% to £210m. Sky Gaming revenue was up 31% to £117m.
Richard Flint, chief executive of Sky Betting & Gaming, said: “The business continued to perform very well in the first half of 2017/18. Our focus on the customer, and delivering quality experiences, offers and promotions continues to differentiate our brand, and we extended our lead as the UK’s most popular online betting brand.
“During the period, we continued to enhance our range of markets, products and offers, with more betting options than ever and over 20 exclusive new games launched on our gaming brands.”
Total customer count increased by 19% to two million, while 230 net jobs have been created.
During the period, Sky Bet launched its second international site live, with skybet.de for German sports betting customers.
Flint added: “Our investments in data science are delivering greater personalisation to our customers, with the home page tailored towards the individual, and recommended games and bet options delivering relevant and appealing content.”
In January iGamingBusiness reported that Sky Bet could be set for an IPO in the near future after its majority owner hired investment bank Rothschild to lead the process.
Related article: Sky Bet linked to IPO


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Pioneering online video platform Blip is no more: Disney-owned Maker Studios officially pulled the plug on Blip Thursday afternoon, replacing the service’s homepage with a page featuring the Blip logo on black background, and the words: “Sorry, this Blip has sailed. :'(“
Maker had announced the planned shutdown of Blip a month ago, at the time encouraging video producers to instead use YouTube, and apply for inclusion in Maker’s MCN on the Google-owned video platform.
Blip was founded in 2005, and at one time had around 900,000 publishers on its platform. Maker Studios acquired Blip in 2013, in part to use Blip’s player for its own platform, and was subsequently itself acquired by Disney in early 2014.
The Mouse paid $500 million for Maker, with the possibility of forking over another $450 million in the form of performance-based earn-outs. However, Recode reported earlier this month that these earn-outs may be much smaller than initially anticipated.


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The Australian government has released draft legislation that would enable the creation of a binding online privacy code for tech companies that would prohibit social media companies like Facebook from directing children to harmful content.
Under such a code, social media companies would be required to ensure children's best interests are the primary consideration during the collection, use, and potential disclosure of their personal information.
It also would require social media platforms to obtain parental approval to create accounts for children under 16.
The legislation is expected to be introduced in Australia's parliament early next year, and if passed, Australia's privacy regulator would oversee the development of a code within 12 months, with input from the tech industry.
Companies found to violate the code could be fined 10% of their annual Australian revenue.
From The Wall Street Journal
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In a bid to make Search results more diverse than ever, Google has made a major change in its algorithms.
The technology giant has pushed an update, which would keep websites from appearing more than twice in the top results.
The move, as the company says, will give users more options to choose from while looking up for information.
Here's all about it.
Same site appearing multiple times affected user experience
In its current configuration, Google Search throws up top relevant results from credible publishers.
The ranking methodology used by the company remains unknown, but sometimes, the top results can include multiple pages from a single outlet.
This, as the company said, took the element of variety away from Search and affected the overall experience of the users.
Now, same sites won't appear more than two times
Now, with the latest change, Google Search won't usually show one particular website more than two times in top result listings.
However, the company, which has been leading the online search category for decades, has particularly emphasized that it is not a hard rule.
It could still show a site more than two times if its algorithms deem that relevant to a particular query.
Domains and sub-domains will be treated as one site
While announcing the change, Google noted that domains and sub-domains won't be considered different under the new ranking mechanism.
This means that publishers won't be able to circumvent the latest restriction by offering similar kind of content through different sub-domains; they all will be considered as one website (mostly) and won't appear more than twice in search results.
Here's Google's tweet on the move
Site diversity will generally treat subdomains as part of a root domain. IE: listings from subdomains and the root domain will all be considered from the same single site. However, subdomains are treated as separate sites for diversity purposes when deemed relevant to do so….


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It's been a little more than a year since we compiled as many iPhone 5 concept designs as we could find on the web and delivered them in a nice tidy iPhoneys slideshow for you. And of late, more of the buzz has been about a potential iPad 3, possibly being announced in early March (See: "Hottest iPad 3 design concepts").
But across our radar today has flitted a fresh iPhone 5 design concept that's worth sharing -- a curvaceous imagining of the next iPhone This courtesy of Cicarresedesign, which designs iPhone/iPad accessories. Among other things, the design company envisions a glowing Apple logo.
Follow Bob on Twitter at www.twitter.com/alphadoggs


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Zite will fade away as a standalone app, as Flipboard folds the rival's recommendation tech into its own news reader.
Flipboard, the magazine-style news reading app, is buying competitor Zite from CNN, the companies announced Wednesday.
The deal includes an advertising partnership between CNN and Flipboard, which will phase out Zite as a standalone app while adding the Zite recommendation technology into the Flipboard app. The majority of the Zite team, sans CEO Mark Johnson, will join Flipboard.
Neither CNN nor Flipboard would discuss the financial details of the purchase. CNN's news team is reporting that the deal is worth $60 million, but a CNN spokesman said, "While we're not sharing the terms of the deal, the reported valuation is inaccurate." Additionally, Bloomberg reported that CNN is getting a stake in Flipboard instead of cash.
"We're going to integrate the technology into Flipboard in the coming months," Flipboard CEO Mike McCue said during a press call Wednesday. "We do not plan to continue to evolve Zite, we think we should focus on a single product."
He added that Zite users will be able to use their logins to set up a new Flipboard account, and that Flipboard will continue to support Zite for the time it takes to complete the integration of its technology.
Flipboard and Zite's current user numbers are unclear. McCue did say that the Flipboard is adding 250,000 new readers each day, and Zite will accelerate Flipboard's growth.
KC Estenson, general manager of CNN Digital, said Zite's user numbers were "smaller than Flipboard by a decent number, but its power is in its technology."
CNN purchased Zite in 2011 in hopes of strengthening its presence in mobile and riding the trend of news aggregation.
When asked if CNN was concerned about Zite cannibalizing its traffic, Estenson replied that CNN has over 80 million unique visitors a month.
"We're honestly not that worried about losing traffic," he said. "I think anything this extends the ecology of CNN."
McCue said the advertising partnership, which the companies described as "long-term," means that CNN and Flipboard will be "jointly selling these ads together to really big brands."
In addition to the mobile advertising sales, Flipboard will deliver CNN's content through its magazines, including three new magazines by CNN journalists Fareed Zakaria, Jake Tapper, and John King.
Flipboard has been rapidly expanding its product line. In November, it moved into mobile e-commerce by adding the ability to create product catalogs of purchasable items found on Flipboard and on the Web. In March, the company added the ability for users to create their own digital magazines. In July, it moved onto the desktop as well, expanding its platforms and McCue talked about how much more effective Flipboard advertising is compared to traditional media advertising.
The company raises $50 million from investors in September, giving it an $800 million valuation.
Johnson, Zite's CEO, wrote in a LinkedIn post that he didn't want to join Flipboard because he'd like to do another startup. He wished the new merger success.
"The combination of our two teams is going to be an epic force," Johnson wrote. "Zite has a small but stellar team with expertise in building a discovery engine and an interface to harness the full power of that engine. With Flipboard, Zite's technology finds a distribution megaphone of more than a hundred million users worldwide."
Update, 1:31 p.m. PT: Adds news report from Bloomberg and comment from Zite CEO Mark Johnson.


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"What company can realistically give Apple a run for its money?"
From a note to Above Avalon members ($) posted last Tuesday:
As product strategy changes were underway within Apple, the competition began to flounder. A growing number of bad product bets were placed, peaking with the ultimate misdirection in tech of the past decade: voice computing and the stationary smart speaker mirage. The subsequent embrace of stationary screens positioned on kitchen countertops has seen limited adoption. Foldable smartphone sales have not been impressive. Apple competitors are now struggling to capture consumers’ attention and money with routine annual smartphone updates.
We are at the point when tough questions have to be asked about Apple’s competition, or lack thereof. What company can realistically give Apple a run for its money? The number of paid subscriptions across Apple’s platform is increasing by 170 million per year. Google wants to compete in some hardware verticals that Apple plays in, but it’s fair to question Google management’s commitment. At times, their heart just doesn’t seem in it. Amazon and Microsoft have stronger motivations to do well in hardware, but their lack of design thinking is hard to miss. Meta would win the award for strongest public commitment to hardware, but the company’s culture and heritage don’t seem to mesh well with what it takes to do well in hardware. Snap, Spotify, Sonos, and the long list of smaller companies dabbling in hardware all lack the ecosystems to truly go up against Apple toe to toe.
When thinking of competition outside the U.S., a growing number of consumers are looking for entry points into comprehensive (and premium) ecosystems. Apple is selling both the all-around best smartphone in the market and tools and services designed to live both below and above the smartphone. Android switching rates are increasing while Apple entices hundreds of millions of iPhone-only users to move deeper into the ecosystem.
My take: Don't know how I missed this last week week, especially because Cybart -- who is good with unit sales estimates -- offers some fresh numberts drawn from Apple's commentary and his own assumptions...
- iPhone new users: 60 million per year (a five-year high)
- Apple Watch new users: 30 million per year (an all-time high)
- iPad new users: 30 million per year (an eight-year high)
- Mac new users: 15 million per year (an all-time high)


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Analysis by Julie Dautermann, Competitive Intelligence Analyst
This update helps automotive suppliers inform their legal and operational decisions to help address challenges and opportunities. Contact your Foley relationship partner, or Ann Marie Uetz, Vanessa L. Miller, or Nicholas J. Ellis, to follow up.
- Foley & Lardner will host a half-day Automotive Forum on Wednesday, September 13, at the Detroit Athletic Club to coincide with the 2023 North American International Auto Show. Register HERE to attend the morning forum and hear more about key business and legal issues impacting the automotive industry.
- Foley & Lardner provided an overview of certain key issues for suppliers to consider in preparing for a potential strike by the UAW. The Union’s contracts with General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis are set to expire on September 14, 2023.
- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is communicating with automakers and the UAW in an effort to avert a strike.
- The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) estimates total U.S. new light-vehicle sales for the first eight months of 2023 are up by over 13% compared to the same period last year.
- The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total new-vehicle sales reached 15 million units in August, falling slightly short of analyst projections.
- Cox Automotive estimates new-vehicle inventory surpassed 2 million units at the start of September, up from 1.96 million units at the beginning of August. According to the analysis, inventory levels last exceeded 2 million units in April 2021.
- Analysis from UBS predicts Chinese OEMs could double their share of the global auto market by 2030, due to factors that include an ability to produce affordable EVs at a significant cost advantage in comparison to Western automakers. (Full report requires subscription)
- China exported 2.3 million passenger cars in the first eight months of 2023, representing an increase of 72% year-over-year, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association excerpted in CNN. Roughly 25% of the exports were EVs, and Europe was the top destination for vehicles made in China.
- EVs now represent at least 5% of new car sales in 23 countries, marking a threshold that signals the start of broader adoption, according to analysis in Bloomberg.
- GM resumed pickup truck production last week at three North American plants following full or partial shutdowns due to parts shortages.
- Toyota set a global production target of 10.2 million vehicles for this calendar year. If achieved, this would mark the first time vehicles produced under the Toyota and Lexus brands surpass 10 million units in a calendar year.
Electric Vehicles and Low Emissions Technology
- Cummins, Daimler Truck and Paccar will form a joint venture and invest up to $3 billion in a 21-gigawatt hour (GWh) factory in the U.S. to manufacture batteries for commercial electric vehicles and industrial applications.
- The U.S. Department of Energy will provide $2 billion in grants and up to $10 billion in loans to help auto companies convert existing factories to produce hybrid and electric vehicles. The DOE will also provide $3.5 billion in funding to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for applications including EVs.
- Hyundai and LG Energy Solution will invest an additional $2 billion into an upcoming battery cell manufacturing plant located in proximity to the automaker’s future EV manufacturing facility in Bryan County, Georgia. With the announcement, the EV and battery complex represents an estimated $7.59 billion investment, and it will create up to 8,500 new jobs in the region.
- Consumers have experienced a number of challenges with rental EVs, including inadequate operating instructions, difficulty finding charging stations, or receiving vehicles that are not fully charged.
- Shortages of technicians and independent repair shops qualified to fix EVs could increase repair and warranty costs for drivers, according to a report in Reuters.
- CNBC reports electric roads which allow drivers to wirelessly charge vehicles while in motion could emerge as a potential solution to supplement static charging.
- China’s Gotion will build a new $2 billion EV battery manufacturing plant in Manteno, Illinois.
- As part of an expanded agreement, Hilton will install Tesla Universal Wall Connectors at up to 2,000 Hilton hotels and properties in North America beginning in 2024.
- The pace of deploying charging infrastructure in California is insufficient to support the state’s transition toward zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, according to views from the California Trucking Association featured in Transport Topics. The article notes the construction of charging stations in the state can average 2-5 years or longer.
Automated, Autonomous or Connected Vehicles Technologies
- Passenger vehicles are described as the worst consumer product category for data privacy in a study by nonprofit Mozilla Foundation. The analysis indicates that 84% of the 25 car brands in the study share or sell consumer data, and it was not possible to confirm minimum security standards for any of the brands.
- Tyson Foods will use Gatik autonomous trucks to move certain products to its distribution and storage facilities in northwest Arkansas.
- Former Argo AI founders are launching a new autonomous trucking startup, Stack AV, with backing from SoftBank Group.
Market Trends and Regulatory
- The U.S. Treasury Department intends to provide guidance by the end of 2023 on the Inflation Reduction Act’s Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit. The tax credit is intended to incentivize domestic production in areas including EV batteries.


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Huawei has recently launched a mobile phone with a large battery capacity in overseas markets – the Huawei nova Y71, which uses a water drop screen design.
Huawei’s overseas official website shows that Huawei Nova Y71 is equipped with a 6.75-inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 1600 × 720; provides 8GB of memory + 128GB of storage space, supports Micro SD card expansion (up to 512GB); built-in 6000mAh (typical value) battery, supports 22.5W fast charge.
In terms of imaging, Huawei Nova Y71 has a rear 48-megapixel main camera (f/1.8 aperture), a 5-megapixel 120° ultra-wide-angle lens (f/2.2 aperture) and a 2-megapixel depth-of-field lens (f/2.4 aperture), and a front-facing 8 million Pixel selfie lens (f/2.0 aperture).
It is worth mentioning that the processor model of this phone cannot be found from Huawei’s official website, and it is expected to be an entry-level processor.
Currently, Huawei Nova Y71 is already on sale in South Africa, priced at 4999 rand, available in black and gold.


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It’s not only ‘near beer’ anymore, sales of alcohol-free drinks surge, so do choices
Jan 17, 2023, 5:17 PM
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — Qatar was a controversial choice for the World Cup in November, but it was also big news when the country announced it would not allow beer sales at the stadiums that hosted games.
The move was the latest sign of the tension of staging the event, which is not just a sports tournament but also a monthlong party, in the autocratic country where the sale of alcohol is heavily restricted. It was also a significant blow to World Cup beer sponsor Budweiser and raised questions about how much control FIFA retained over its tournament.
But then Budweiser made the proverbial lemonade out of lemons by heavily promoting its new product ‘Budweiser Zero’, a brew with no alcohol.
“Near beer” as it is sometimes called, is not the only choice these days. Companies have released near-zero whiskey, alcohol-free rum and gin as well as zero-proof margaritas reported the NPR newsletter Planet Money.
“Younger Gen Z consumers are less interested in drinking alcohol than previous generations,” according to NielsenIQ.com, a global information company. “But there has also been a wider wellness movement taking place throughout society, with more people from every age and stage of life trying to take better care of themselves.”
The website also said between August 2021 and August 2022, total sales of non-alcoholic drinks in the U.S. was $396 million, a year-to-year increase of 20.6%.
NielsonIQ.com said non-alcoholic beer accounted for 85.3% of those sales. Non-alcohol wine accounted for 13.4% and non-alcoholic spirits the final 1.3%.
“In the past year to date, sales of non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits accounted for 0.47% of total alcohol sales in the U.S. While this is still a small figure, this percentage share has steadily grown over the past 5 years,” the website said.
NielsonIQ broke it all down this way:
- In 2021: it was 0.39% of total alcohol sales
- In 2020: 0.30% of total alcohol sales
- In 2019: 0.26% of total alcohol sales
- In 2018: 0.22% of total alcohol sales
For those who consume non-alcoholic drinks, this does not mean that they are going sober. NeilsonIQ said 82% of the people who buy non-alcoholic beers, wines, and spirits also indulge in drinks that contain alcohol.
More than 70 new alcohol-free products were released in the past year NielsonIQ’s Kaleigh Theriault told Planet Money.