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ScalaBlockchain, hereby, presents you the weekly roundup of news and events happened in the blockchain industry in the past week. This gives you an overall idea about what’s happening in the blockchain space and don’t want to miss-out an evolution. People who saw the potential of dot com are now Tech Giants. Blockchain may be another dot-com revolution. So, here’s what happened in the past week.
Baidu’s Launch of Blockchain App:
It seems china’s crackdown on cryptocurrencies just strengthens their view on blockchain. Baidu launched a Quiz app powered by blockchain technology. They are in compliance with the laws since blockchain has not been banned. The app started quiz activities and made it align with the football world cup opening mostly targeting football fans all over the world. China leads the most number of blockchain patents over the last consecutive years.
South Korean Banks to Verify Customer ID with Blockchain
Replacing the 20-year old traditional customer ID verification systems which are both inefficient and complex, south Korean banks will start verifying customer ID with the help of blockchain technology. They are just a few weeks away from using the system in south Korean banks. Korea Federation of Banks revealed that they are going to use Nexledger, developed by Samsung SDS. The test phase which they’ve conducted on April this year was a success and they’re eventually rolling out in banks this July.
Banks Spent 1.7 Billion Dollars on Blockchain
According to Greenwich Associates, banks spent a whopping 1.7 billion dollars on blockchain last year. This ensures the fact that they don’t want to be left out of the tremendous potential of blockchain in finance sector. This is a sign of them embracing the so-called revolutionary technology. The allocation of funds to Blockchain by financial sector has seen a 67% growth compared to the previous year.
Walmart’s Bet on Electric Bill System
Walmart is analyzing ways to fix with inefficiency with the energy being used by each household. With blockchain technology, the users can cap the cryptocurrency limit for the each appliance and hence strive for efficiency. The public ledger allows the users to control how much electricity to be allocated to each appliance. Walmart reportedly drafted and files patents for this last october. They also have plans for blockchain based shipping solutions to counter their rival Amazon. With small business to big corporates racing towards the blockchain only makes it stronger day by day. Remember how dot-com struggled in 2000s and made a huge comeback, blockchain may be next dot-com. So, what are you going to do with blockchain?


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Scrapping Chinese apps: A bold and decisive move?
Updated: Jul 2, 2020
Following the India-China tensions on 15th June, the Ministry of Information Technology has decided to ban 59 Apps as it was a threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India. The MoIT has issued an order under the section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009. The decision comes in response to complaints filed by various sources to the government.
All internet providers will block these apps. While the ban impacts all those apps which require active internet connections, users will be able to use apps like CamScanner which do not require internet connectivity. However, the App Store and Play store would be restricting any further downloads.
Misusing and Stealing Data
According to the Government, The listed apps pose a threat to national security. It was reported that these apps are suspiciously transmitting data of the users to servers situated outside India. The data are being transferred without authorization.
According to a Singapore firm, after the Galwan valley face-off, Chinese hackers have been targeting India at a much larger scale. Chinese have seemed to be directly involved in cyber attacks. Previously, the Chinese operated through North Korean and Pakistani hackers. The hackers are now targeting to acquire sensitive information of customers and Government agencies.
The Internet Freedom Foundation has legally challenged the decision claiming that it is not a legal order under Section 69A. It has also requested to approach the issue case by case. However, many Indian companies competing against Tik Tok and other Chinese tech giants believe that it is an invaluable opportunity for Indian Companies to grow and protect the data security of the users.
The decision has created economic pressure on Chinese Companies as their market is heavily dependent on Indians. It will likely boost Indian startups and help them in the domination of the market.
Blow to China’s Digital Silk Road
The Digital Silk Road was initiated by China back in 2015 as a subset of the well known Belt and Road Initiative(BRI). The primary objective of the initiative is to develop a China-centric digital infrastructure that will allow China to access a large amount of data, expansion of Chinese tech giants. However, it is anticipated that the authoritarian government in Beijing would focus to curb human fundamental rights in the particular regions. This initiative would be used to curtail democracy and spread the rule of authoritarian governments.
It is aiming to strengthen its military and economic importance by improving satellite navigation systems, using Data, 5G Cellular networks, and the use of fiber optic cables. It has also created a digital free trade zone which boosts e-commerce as it reduces the cross border trade barriers.
With the recent government ban on Chinese tech giants, it is likely to affect the Digital Silk Road by and erode the valuation of companies. It might encourage other countries to pressurize China and restrict these apps too.
The key questions
Although the decision provides opportunities for Indian firms to grow, Companies like Byte Dance have employed a large number of Indians. Many Indians see these platforms as their only source of Income. The question is - Should the Government help Indian employees in finding other alternatives or Should it ignore the unemployment crisis in the name of National security?
Moreover, if these apps pose challenges to data security, Should the government make relevant changes and update their Cybersecurity laws such that it is not limited to Chinese firms but also to any other firm that has the potential to misuse and share the data of Indians?
RELATED ARTICLES: India china face off at Galwan valley

domain: news


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? LETTER: WHY NO Obama, Holder or riots in Amarillo? ("There have been no riots, no burning buildings and no protests in Amarillo.
Federal grand jurors want to know more about the Amarillo Economic Development Corp.'s $3.1 million purchase of the Commerce Building for a downtown West Texas A&M University campus.
Bell Helicopter will have a new ramp for testing its tiltrotors after the Amarillo Economic Development Corp. board of directors voted Thursday to give the company a $3 million construction grant.
Bell Helicopter began laying off 80 Amarillo employees Monday as shrinking helicopter orders forced the company to whittle its workforce.
Amarillo City Council members mostly dealt with money matters Tuesday after there were no comments during two public hearings, but they hit a speed bump when a language barrier stopped a condemnation hearing.
Hilmar Cheese in Dalhart will push its production over 1 million pounds of cheese per day when its newest expansion is finished. The plant processes almost 200 tankers of milk daily, and that will go up to almost 240, according to a news release.
Potter County granted today the final incentive necessary for the city of Amarillo to seal a deal to obtain property Coca-Cola occupies downtown for a future stadium venue.
What will start with a transformed Commerce Building could blossom into a four-block West Texas A&M University campus in downtown Amarillo. "The vision is we wouldn't stop with one building," WT President J.
About 150 companies have taken the initial step in the Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge, a competition in its 20th year of matching entrepreneurs with capital infusions.
The petition to rezone almost 18 acres near Soncy Road and Interstate 40 continues the strategy of calling what's coming "a big box retail user," but a public information request from Amarillo Globe-News to the city of Amarillo last week netted confirmation the plan is to build a Sam's Club there.
Amarillo Globe-News ©2013. All Rights Reserved.


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Riverina publicans are adding their voice to calls to slash the pubs and clubs' beer tax to help the sector recover from the COVID-19 hangover.
The Brewers Association has called for a 50 per cent reduction in the tax paid on beer in pubs and clubs.
The submission also states that if the government is unwilling to cut the excise on beer, it should, at the very least, freeze the rate where it is at the moment and stop the current automatic increases every six months.
Thirsty Crow brewer Craig Wealands said it would be a move he would wholeheartedly support.
"It would make a massive difference for us because, in the cost of production, about 30 per cent of that is the tax," he said.
"For us, as a small, very small brewery, it does not necessarily mean the money that would be created means we get more profits.
"We would like to be able to offer a cheaper product. We can't compete with the big production companies.
"To be able to lighten the cost would be great for everyone."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Mr Wealands said the recovery from the pandemic is "flatlining", and if the outlook remains as uncertain as it is now, he does not know if they would survive the next 12 months.
"We will try the best we can," he said. "We will continue to fight and continue to get the message out there that it is critical to buy local."
Mr Wealands said it's not just about beer, but all local independent businesses are the communities' lifeblood. He added the more that is made, bought, sold locally, the better for Wagga.
For a small to medium-sized pub which buys around 15 kegs a week, a reduction of 50 per cent in the excise rate on draught beer could mean a $465 saving in beer tax each week.
Illabo Hotel publican Tony Espinosa said his business has been struggling after all the hurdles thrown at the sector by COVID-19.
"I have not passed on the tax to my customers in two years," he said. "But, I told my regulars the other day, I had no choice. If they cut it or didn't hike it all, then I wouldn't have to."
Mr Espinosa echoed calls for Riverina residents to support their local businesses. He encouraged people to jump in the car and visit smaller pubs for a feed and a drink.
"We've started doing pizzas which have been popular, but it's still slow," he said. "Any way people can support local means businesses like mine can survive."
The Brewers Association CEO, John Preston, said a significant cut in the beer tax bill for pub and club owners and their customers would help the hospitality sector recover.
"Beer anchors pubs and clubs, and these businesses need a break," he said.
"Given more than 85 per cent of beer consumed in Australia is made in Australia, reducing beer tax should also be a priority to support the 100,000 jobs.
"Our modelling has found that a 50 per cent reduction in beer tax applied to draught sales would cost the Government $150 million out of total current beer tax revenue of $2.5 billion."
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One of Britain’s largest casual dining operators has filed its intent to appoint administrators at the High Court.
Casual Dining Group, (CDG) the company behind restaurant chains including Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas, has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators. The notice provides the group with 10 working days’ protection from creditors.
The group runs an estimated 300 restaurants across the UK, employing around 6,000 staff. Much like the rest of the hospitality sector it’s restaurants have been hit by the coronavirus lockdown that has seen restaurants pubs and hotels throughout the country closed since late March.
CDG has hired advisory firm Alix Partners to allow it to assess its options, including a potential whole group administration, the administration of weaker chains or deals with landlords to close some outlets. CDG is controlled by private equity firm KKR.
Reports suggest that it will launch company voluntary arrangements (CVAs) for two of Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas, with the third being put into administration. The group’s smaller chains, which could be most at risk in a restructuring, include Belgo, Huxleys and Oriel. CDG sold off its tapas chain La Tasca earlier this year.
A CDG spokesperson said: “As is widely acknowledged, this is an unprecedented situation for our industry and, like many other companies across the UK, the directors of Casual Dining Group are working closely with our advisers as we consider our next steps.”
“These notifications are a prudent measure in light of the company’s position and the wider situation. These notifications will also protect the company from any threatened potential legal action from landlords while we review the detail of the government advice and formulate a plan for the company in these difficult times.”
Richard Williams, a specialist licensing and regulatory partner at Keystone Law, said:
“News that the Casual Dining Group has filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators is further evidence that many restaurant and leisure chains are reaching financial breaking point as a result of extended closure. Despite the Government’s help with business rate holidays, relief against forfeiture and furloughing of staff, rents remain payable and many businesses will not have the financial resources to cling on.
“It’s now clear that the hospitality business will be one of the last to re-open and that opening from 1st July 2020 is optimistic. Even when pubs, bars and restaurants are allowed to open up, trade will be severely impacted, with extra costs involved in serving lower volumes of customers and with many people still too scared to go out to socialise. It’s regrettable that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that many more leisure businesses will have to go through some form of insolvency procedure over the next few months, particularly around the 24th June quarter day, when rents are payable.
“The insolvencies coming to light now relate to businesses that may have already been struggling before Coronavirus hit. It is likely that there will be a second wave of insolvencies when businesses re-open and realise that social distancing measures will severely impact their revenue.”
Richard and his colleague Niall McCann at Keystone Law are currently advising leisure operators in relation to their restructuring options and would be happy to answer any questions or be interviewed on the topic.


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The Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular gaming consoles in the world, news regarding the release of Nintendo Switch 2 has been making rounds on social media. It was speculated whether Nintendo will be able to keep up with PS5 and Xbox Series X after official information regarding Nintendo Switch 2 was released, fans are positive that the new model will be able to compete with specs of PS5 and Xbox Series X this fall.
The Switch 2 is also referred to as the Nintendo Switch Pro, this is the advanced version of Nintendo’s hybrid console. The new model features improved internals and other gaming qualities. The powerful Switch will assist Nintendo in competing with other consoles being released by the end of this year. According to rumors, it is likely that the new Switch console will come with special features including potential dual-screen support.
A report compiled by Economic Daily News revealed that the new Nintendo Switch 2 will have several improved features than the previous models of vanilla and lite variants. It is likely that the new console will also feature upgraded interactivity along with a better quality display. The report also cites hardware manufacturers behind the Nintendo Switch 2 responsible for its flash storage and Joy-Con controllers.
Nintendo Switch 2 release date
According to officials at Nintendo, the Nintendo Switch 2 will probably not be officially released this year. The company published a financial note this January where it stated explicitly that the company had no current plans of officially launching the new console during this year. This news was met with disappointment from fans as they had hoped the release of the new Nintendo Switch 2 this year would mean that the year ended on a good note despite the COVID-19 crisis.
The company officials have stated that the Nintendo Switch 2 would be launched in the first quarter of 2021. A report by the Edge markets, the Taipei-based news company, the new console is confirmed to arrive by early 2021. The exact date is still unknown.
The well-known tipster, Jeff Grubb has revealed that the next massive Nintendo Direct could fall on August 28. It is highly unlikely that Nintendo will reveal any hardware news at this show, fans eager to listen about the future of Switch might still want to tune in for exciting bits of news. The last major Direct by Nintendo took place in March 2020, so the next one in the future could reveal some major details about the company that Nintendo has probably been saving to reveal at the E3.
The pattern of release that every model of Switch has followed is as follows. 3 March 2017 marked the release of the Nintendo Switch. August 2019 marked the release of the Nintendo Switch, the upgraded battery model. 20 September 2019 was the day Nintendo Switch Lite was released. Fans proficient at drawing parallels between these lines might be able to decipher the release date of Nintendo Switch 2. The four-year anniversary of Switch is also around the corner, it is possible that Nintendo Switch 2 is released on the same date as the anniversary.
Nintendo Switch 2 Specs
Much of the information available about specs of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been compiled from different reports circulating online. Some analysts have claimed that the new version will feature a modest upgrade, others say that the new version is likely to come with a significant power boost.
A 4chan post (now deleted) revealed that some major changes will be made to the upcoming Nintendo console, this will include custom Nvidia Tegra Xavier processor, along with a 64 GB SSD. The features do not end here, the post further uncovered that the Switch 2 will also feature 4K video support and two USB-C ports. The post also suggested that the Switch 2 would have a TV-only console and will not support portable play mode. The authenticity of this post is being questioned since it was soon deleted from the platform.
Clien, a Korean website hinted that the Nintendo Switch 2 is unlikely to feature a huge generational development. The poster suggested that Nintendo is collaborating with Nvidia to create a custom Tegra processor. The processor will be based on Nvidia’s Volta architecture. It is likely that the processor will not include the Tegra X1+ chip that is expected to be featured in the console. Subsequently, 4K support might not be ideal for the Nintendo Switch 2.
According to reports circulating online, it is likely that the Nintendo Switch 2 will allow the players to play in TV, handheld and tabletop modes. Nintendo patents have recently suggested some interesting features that might also be incorporated in the new model making it a complementary device.
A health tracking device has also been patented by Nintendo. This unique device will have the ability to track sleep, monitor mood via microphones and sensors and even have the ability to alter the scent in the room. According to news reports, this device is likely to come with its own dock and is created to complement health-related games. At this stage, it is unknown when this device will hit the markets. Nevertheless, this fitness device has captured the attention of many fans.
The official price for Nintendo Switch 2 is still unknown. However, tipsters have concluded that it is likely that the game will exceed the $299 benchmark. This is considerably more than Nintendo Switch Lite which was priced at $199. Serkan Toto, the Japan-based game’s consultant who has correctly predicted the prices for many games in the past, revealed in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz that the Nintendo Switch 2 is likely to cost $399


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ASHLAND, Massachusetts—Using Internet of Things (IoT) data to predict machine failures could reduce costly spare parts inventory stock by up to 10 percent.
Joint research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) and OnProcess Technology also points to a shift from static to more dynamic inventory planning and the favorable impact that systematic machine data collection and monitoring could have on a company’s post-sale profitability.
“Inventory planning has long been a static, ‘review-and-stock’ endeavor. It hasn’t accounted for variabilities resulting from failures of parts in the field. As a result, it’s often inaccurate and leads to overstocking, which is expensive for business, and under-stocking, which hurts customers,” said Dan Gettens, chief analytics officer, OnProcess Technology.
“The new, dynamic, IoT-based inventory model developed as part of the MIT research is incredibly promising, as it provides a way for companies to anticipate and accommodate for failures. We believe it will also require a seismic shift in the way supply chain practitioners view service parts inventory planning.”
Many companies have started taking steps to leverage IoT data. However, data collection, which has primarily been designed to respond to signal failures, is often haphazard and subject to the willingness of buyers to participate.
More systematic collection of machine data provides a sound baseline for analyzing machine performance and predicting failures, and ultimately improves quality of service and profitability.
By improving data collection, businesses can reduce average inventory requirements and increase service levels. Simulations showed a reduction of four to to 10 percent, which could translate into tens of millions of dollars in cost savings.
“We found that even relatively weak signals that are not strong predictors of individual machine failure could provide useful and significant information when aggregated,” added Chris Caplice, executive director of MIT CTL.
“These insights could be used to improve the inventory levels and positioning for service and repair networks.”
To learn more about the OnProcess/MIT research and how it can affect IoT data collection and inventory planning, attend the complimentary webinar “How New IoT-Based Models Could Reduce Service Parts Inventory” on February 22, 2017 at 11:00AM ET. Click here to register.


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Press coverage about Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) has been trending positive this week, according to Accern Sentiment Analysis. Accern identifies positive and negative press coverage by reviewing more than 20 million blog and news sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Walgreens Boots Alliance earned a media sentiment score of 0.26 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media stories about the pharmacy operator an impact score of 45.3989047325224 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the next several days.
Here are some of the news articles that may have impacted Accern Sentiment Analysis’s rankings:
- Walgreens to revise Rite Aid stores deal for antitrust approval: Bloomberg (finance.yahoo.com)
- Walgreens to tweak Rite Aid deal to get FTC signoff (seekingalpha.com)
- Walgreens to revise Rite Aid stores deal for antitrust approval – Bbg (feeds.reuters.com)
- Walgreens Said to Tweak Rite Aid Deal to Clinch U.S. Approval (bloomberg.com)
- Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Buy” from Brokerages (americanbankingnews.com)
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) traded up 0.12% on Monday, reaching $82.60. 6,117,199 shares of the company traded hands. The stock has a market capitalization of $88.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.86 and a beta of 1.26. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $81.35 and a 200-day moving average of $81.89. Walgreens Boots Alliance has a 1-year low of $75.18 and a 1-year high of $89.69.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, June 29th. The pharmacy operator reported $1.33 EPS for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $1.30 by $0.03. Walgreens Boots Alliance had a net margin of 3.69% and a return on equity of 17.34%. The company had revenue of $30.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $29.72 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.18 earnings per share. Walgreens Boots Alliance’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Walgreens Boots Alliance will post $5.00 EPS for the current year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 12th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 18th were given a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 16th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.94%. This is a boost from Walgreens Boots Alliance’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. Walgreens Boots Alliance’s dividend payout ratio is presently 40.30%.
Walgreens Boots Alliance declared that its board has approved a share buyback plan on Thursday, June 29th that authorizes the company to repurchase $5.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the pharmacy operator to reacquire up to 5.9% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.
Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Needham & Company LLC set a $94.00 price objective on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 17th. Pivotal Research set a $85.00 price objective on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 2nd. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Monday, July 3rd. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $77.00 price objective (down previously from $89.00) on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Wednesday, June 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $95.00 price objective on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance in a research report on Monday, July 3rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the company. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $91.81.
COPYRIGHT VIOLATION WARNING: “Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) Earning Positive Press Coverage, Analysis Finds” was reported by StockNewsTimes and is the sole property of of StockNewsTimes. If you are viewing this news story on another website, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of US & international copyright legislation. The correct version of this news story can be viewed at https://stocknewstimes.com/2017/09/19/walgreens-boots-alliance-wba-earning-positive-press-coverage-analysis-finds.html.
In other Walgreens Boots Alliance news, Director William C. Foote sold 2,736 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $79.79, for a total value of $218,305.44. Following the transaction, the director now owns 19,151 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,528,058.29. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 13.50% of the company’s stock.
Walgreens Boots Alliance Company Profile
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc (Walgreens Boots Alliance) is a holding company. The Company is a global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Walgreens Boots Alliance operates through three divisions, including Retail Pharmacy USA, Retail Pharmacy International and Pharmaceutical Wholesale. The Company’s products are marketed under a number of brands, which include No7, the Botanics range, Almus (generic medicines), Boots Pharmaceuticals and Soap & Glory (bathing and beauty brand).
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"You will be able to access the TV series and movies available on Netflix in that country," a Netflix spokesperson said via email (the italics is theirs).
Speaking on stage at CES, Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings said the expansion is "the birth of a global Internet TV network," per the report. Basically, you can access Netflix almost everywhere in the world, except for places like China, Syria, North Korea, and Crimea -- for some pretty obvious reasons -- although it did say it's looking into coming to China some day. Considering its new "global TV network" and Netflix's huge success with creating original shows and movies that leave you paralyzed in front of your screen for hours, it's hard not see, well, world domination.
Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.


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Postal News Roundup
ECommerceBytes: Could Ads on Packages Subsidize Shipping Costs?
“Shipping boxes may be a good place to sell advertising, and the USPS and Amazon have already tried out the concept. In a recent article, RetailWire said beauty brand Revlon paid to have 10 million Amazon shipping boxes branded with its name as part of a campaign dubbed ‘the Love Project.’ The marketing experts with whom the publication spoke thought it was great idea, as long as it wasn't done to the point where customers begin to tune out the ads."
Digital Skills Critical For Last-Mile Delivery Companies: Accenture
“Posties have some work to do when it comes to digital. According to a report from Accenture, shipping and delivery of goods purchased online is not nearly as digitally enabled as in other industries and lacks the investment required to keep up with the changing consumer. The report, The Value Game-Changer: Digital Performance in the Post and Parcel Industry, examined the digital performance of 31 post and parcel organisations to understand how digital technologies could help generate revenue on pace with a booming ecommerce marketplace. It found improving digital performance at post and parcel organisations is critical to successfully capturing the revenue potential created by the explosive growth of ecommerce and to compete effectively in an increasingly crowded delivery landscape…”
Baltimore Post-Examiner: Trump looking to dump Dodd-Frank
“Is another 2008 financial crisis in our future? President Donald Trump met Tuesday at the White House with top CEOs from some of America’s leading corporations. He boasted: ‘We are doing a major elimination of the ‘horrendous’ Dodd-Frank regulations. Keep some obviously, but getting rid of many.’ The cozy CEO clique of twenty honchos belong to something called ‘The Strategy and Policy Forum.’ Tax reform was also on their agenda. You better believe that any so-called ‘tax reform’ will benefit the 1% Gang more than any member of loser Hillary Clinton’s long forgotten and unfairly-maligned ‘deplorables…’”
International Business Times: Airbus signs deal with Singapore Post to trial drone package delivery in 2018
“Singapore's postal service has signed a major deal with French aerospace manufacturer Airbus to trial drone package deliveries in 2018. Singapore Post (SingPost) and Airbus' civil and military helicopter manufacturing arm Airbus Helicopters have formed a partnership to research and develop the safe use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for delivering and dropping off packages and parcels in urban environments…”
Millennials and Their Love for Direct Mail (Intl Article from UK)
“Millennials, also known as Generation Y, are the group of people born between the periods of roughly 1982 to 2004. This means that they are more prevalent with their use of sending tweets and using hashtags for marketing rather than direct mail, right? Millennials actually have a great love for direct mail…”


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The pandemic has led to people spending a lot more time at home and outdoors on their rural properties. That has led to increased demand for small tractors for use on hobby farms and large yards.
“I would say the increase is about 30 per cent,” said Michel Poirier of Carriere and Poirer Equipment in Alfred.
Poirer said the biggest challenge is getting the products for the customers. Carrier and Poirer sells Kubota tractors. Compact Kubota tractors are manufactured in Georgia in the southern United States, but the engines for them are manufactured in Japan and shipped to Georgia. Larger Kubota tractors are all manufactured in Japan.
Poirer said the pandemic has also led to shipping delays.
“It’s all related,” he said.
The amount of time a customer must wait for a new tractor varies, depending on the model. Poirer said the normal amount of time used to be four months.
“Now it can take eight and 12 months.”
Poirer said some attachments are also more difficult to get right now.
He said that anyone hoping to have a new compact tractor for the fall of 2021 should order now.
Poirer said that even though demand for small tractors is high, the price has not increased on the actual main-line Kubota products, but increased steel costs have led to higher prices though on some after-market machinery items.
“In the short-term, it shouldn’t affect the main lines,” said Poirer.


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When Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza restaurant celebrated its Commack grand opening on Wednesday, the 3,500-square-foot space in the Peppertree Commons Shopping Center at 6401 Jericho Turnpike marked the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based chain’s fourth Long Island location.
The restaurant has three more locations poinsed to open soon in Bohemia, Great Neck and Greenvale, but that’s not all.
Anthony’s owner and Franklin Square-native Anthony Bruno, who opened his first restaurant with his father next to the Fort Lauderdale airport in 1980, is looking to grow.
The chain now has 37 locations nationwide and this year Anthony’s will also open restaurants in South Beach, Fla., Altamonte Springs, Fla., and McMurray, Pa.
There will also be more Anthony’s restaurants here on Long Island. Bruno is currently seeking prime sites in several areas, including Bay Shore, Smithtown and Hauppauge. The ideal size: About 3,000 square feet.
All of the restaurants are corporate owned – former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino is a partner – because Bruno said franchising the concept could upset the chemistry that makes Anthony’s feel like a neighborhood joint.
“We want to preserve the soul of the restaurant,” Bruno said. “We work very hard to make it not feel like a chain.”
The average Anthony’s restaurant seats between 80 and 100 people and employs about 40. Plain pizza is the company’s best seller, though roasted cauliflower pizza is second most popular, followed by its coal oven roasted chicken wings.
“We’re doing very well,” Bruno said. “It’s not every day a pizza restaurant from Florida comes to New York. Usually it’s the other way around. It makes me proud to come up here and succeed in the capital of the pizza world.”
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NIO Stock – Why NIO Stock Dropped Thursday
What happened Many stocks in the electric vehicle (EV) sector are actually sinking these days, and Chinese EV developer NIO (NYSE: NIO) is actually no exception. With its fourth-quarter and full-year 2020 earnings looming, shares fallen almost as ten % Thursday and stay down 7.6 % as of 2:45 p.m. EST.
Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI)
So what Fellow Chinese EV developer Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) noted its fourth-quarter earnings nowadays, although the results shouldn’t be unnerving investors in the sector. Li Auto noted a surprise gain for its fourth quarter, which can bode very well for what NIO has to point out in the event it reports on Monday, March 1.
however, investors are knocking back stocks of those top fliers today after extended runs brought huge valuations.
Li Auto noted a surprise positive net earnings of $16.5 million for its fourth quarter. While NIO competes with LI Auto, the businesses provide slightly different products. Li’s One SUV was designed to serve a certain niche in China. It includes a small fuel engine onboard that can be utilized to recharge the batteries of its, allowing for longer traveling between charging stations.
NIO (NYSE: NIO)
NIO stock delivered 7,225 vehicles in January 2021 as well as 17,353 in its fourth quarter. These represented 352 % and 111 % year-over-year profits, respectively. NIO Stock just recently announced its first luxury sedan, the ET7, that will also have a new longer-range battery option.
Including present day drop, shares have, according to FintechZoom, by now fallen more than twenty % from your highs earlier this season. NIO’s earnings on Monday could help soothe investor anxiety over the stock’s high valuation. But for today, a correction is still under way.
NIO Stock – Why NYSE: NIO Dropped


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Ride-hailing huge Uber try generating a greater force into economic companies.
The company launched on saturday the synthesis of a fresh section labeled as Uber Money to accommodate its work, as well as an online budget and upgraded debit and cards. The importance, initially, shall be growing Ubers effort to offer their 4 million-plus driver and couriers around the world accessibility a mobile bank account for them to get money after each and every drive, as stated in Peter Hazlehurst, who may lead model department.
Most of us wished to assist all know that theres a whole new part of Uber thats dedicated to monetary companies and this offers a mission of supplying folks entry to whatever financial companies they certainly were left out from, Hazlehurst explained in a cell phone interview.
Under pressure to show a return amid challenge from latest ride-sharing entrants across the world, Uber is definitely wagering that by building away its monetary environment, it would possibly continue motorists and riders devoted to their program. The corporate topped 100 million month-to-month energetic owners in 2012. Quite a few need credit cards to purchase adventures and provisions commands. Foreseeable items could pull expenses linked to economic middlemen or establish new profits avenues.
In Summer, CNBC was first to state that Uber ended up being ramping in the creation of financial loans by choosing technicians for a fintech outpost in New York.
Uber is coming away worldwide a debit cards with an enhanced quick pay services it’s been assessing inside U.S. and a few more markets. The function has had switched off in U.S, with well over 70percent of driver payments generated using instantaneous pay, as mentioned in Hazlehurst. It really is in essence a no-fee bank account, making use of the debit cards for the U.S. https://1hrtitleloans.com/payday-loans-mi/ linked with a merchant account provided by Green mark.
Not only do you get access to your investment returns instantly, they doesnt amount to anything to retain the revenue indeed there understanding devote they whenever you want to, Hazlehurst claimed.
These amount inventions identify the fact that many in the gig economic situation are actually fighting to help ends see. Another prominent ability, free $100 overdrafts, facilitate cash-strapped motorists pay money for petrol to kick-off an operating night. Truly, but a option than high-interest payday advances.
Ubers dreams could put people in to the world of electronic fund in parts of the world just where wealth is king, like Pakistan and Bangladesh. About 40% of most Uber trips globally become settled utilizing paper money, Hazlehurst explained, and Uber are desperate to take that number straight down.
After equipping vehicle operators with automated bank account — echoing the style of alleged challenger banking institutions like sound and Varo — would Uber 1 day expect render their a lot of millions of riders with a free account, also?
I reckon so, Hazlehurst claimed. The reality is that specifications individuals business partners within the U.S. and Brazil and Melbourne as well as India echo in many ways the requirements of consumers as well, especially in the cash-heavy economic climates. While the opportunity we have today is always to expand helping all of those individuals have access to economic companies.
One positive aspect Uber provides over various other brand new newcomers into bank is actually the significant degree, enabling the corporate to consult better relates to suppliers, he mentioned. Most people do not have to use the conventional cost revenues unit to work these types of services, Hazlehurst mentioned.
Tech is coming
Ubers transfer is the most current indication that technology giants wish to create inroads into fund. Apple just recently founded a credit card with Goldman Sachs, and Amazon.co.uk was offer small company lending products to their vendors for a long time. Twitter launched an ambitious approach this current year to help remake international funds featuring its libra cryptocurrency, although that energy shed push after some company couples deserted your panels.
Among new products Uber ended up being set-to unveil at a funds gathering in vegas had been a digital savings labeled as Uber Wallet that cyclists and people could use to keep dollars, monitor their unique exchange records and then make electronic repayments. Piece of fruit afford and online cover shall be added aided by the services ahead of time next year so motorists can immediately devote their revenue, actually without an actual debit cards, Hazlehurst stated.
Uber just recently interviewed U.S. people about whether theyd want to consider having smallest financial products from organization, Hazlehurst believed, guaranteeing a study from Recode. Their too early to express if theyll make this happen in U.S., in numerous countries including Brazil, Indian and Peru, Uber already provide micro personal loans to vehicle operators, the man believed.
For competitors, Ubers bank card, a joint merchandise with Barclays, is going to be reintroduced with richer rewards for payments within Ubers travel and delicacies sending service.
In its quick efforts as an open corporation, Uber offers have now been battered by doubt over its outlook and a wider switch in investor sentiment favoring profits over increases. The companys regular was dealing significantly more than 25per cent below their $45 May IPO value. Uber stories third-quarter listings on Nov. 4.


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Communications Customers Want the Total Package
The number of U.S. households that subscribe to bundled communications services is expected to reach 85.4 million by 2010, double the current tally, according to new research from IDC. "U.S. Multiplay Bundled Services 2006-2010" predicts convenience and competitive pricing will create more demand for package deals of voice, video, broadband, and mobile wireless.
"Our survey information is pretty overwhelming in terms of why customers are taking bundles," says Matt Davis, research director at IDC and report author. Convenience and low cost make double- and triple-play packages very attractive to consumers, which in turn makes offering the packages that much more important to providers.
This trend will have considerable influence on the high tech and telecom verticals beyond simple growth. "The impact of bundled services on network convergence, device integration, and cutting-edge variations of bundles will be more disruptive than reduced churn and [average revenue per unit]," Davis says. "The speed of transition to bundled service will require an enormous amount of collaboration across the separate service divisions within companies and [this] extends to their hardware, software, and professional services partners."
The majority of bundles in homes today (82 percent in 2005) are double plays, bundles with two communication services. Broadband Internet is the cornerstone, both for cable companies and telcos; cable attributes 92 percent of its package deals to video/broadband bundles, while the phone companies cite broadband in 66 percent of bundles. Wireless mobile makes up 27 percent of two-service bundles.
However, IDC is forecasting a significant drop off of double-play service over the next five years, falling to 42 percent of total subscriptions by 2010. Standalone services from the cable companies and telcos will likewise lose more than half of their current standing, giving way to triple plays and even four-service bundles.
Another interesting shift is in who provides the services. "In past surveys consumer preference for bundled services was very strongly with the telcos," Davis says. "Today, everybody wants cable packages." Telco broadband penetration lags, because they haven't been as successful penetrating their phone base as cable has been with its video subscribers. "For example, a company like AT&T has 22 percent penetration, but Cablevision is over 50 percent--they're really leveraging their subscribers."
Cable operators have increased the market for their voice products, and will continue to cut into telco local voice market share, according to the study. Telcos, however, will increase ARPU by upselling existing customers. This will speed up once they have broad implementation of facilities-based services like video over fiber, and have strengthened their relationships with satellite companies.
Davis believes this trend toward service consolidation will be with us for the long haul. "We're getting to the point where all communications offerings will be bundled, and consumers will evaluate which package best fits their needs and price range," Davis says. "It's already happening in Europe."
Call Your Mother
Wireless carriers' family calling plans are increasingly popular with customers; pricing is an important factor.
Connecting With Consumer ISPs
Households Fancy One-Stop Communication Shops


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10 May 2013
Puma has created an online tool called Dance Dictionary to promote its Sync range of fragrances. The campaign, by Grey London, sees Puma collaborate with freestyle dancers to compile a dance lexicon. People can use the dictionary to create messages and share them through social networks and e-mail....
02 May 2013
Cuprinol, the AkzoNobel wood-care brand, has released a ten-second ad to run across TV and online. It shows a garden chair throwing a tantrum and crying, only to be soothed when it receives a coat of paint from the Cuprinol Shades range. The spot, which was created by 18 Feet Rising and is part of...
29 Apr 2013
Nivea has launched a global campaign to promote its Active Age range of men s facial products. The activity, which was created by DraftFCB, is being rolled out across multiple channels including TV, digital and point-of-sale. The TV ad opens with a man staring at his reflection in a mirror before revealing...
26 Apr 2013
Johnson Johnson is launching a campaign by TBWA\Chiat\Day. The TV spot, which first airs in the US on 6 May, shows families caring for each other while a voiceover talks about love. It was written by Michael Yagi and Gage Clegg, and art directed by Carolina Labi. Jeffery Plansker directed the spot...
25 Apr 2013
ber has released an online ad to promote its range of beauty products. The spot was created by Superstructure London and shows a young man waking up in bed next to a woman with an old body but young face. The video is being seeded across hair and beauty websites, as well as sites such as Mumsnet. It...
Marie Claire, the monthly women's magazine owned by IPC, is carrying a video ad for a Dolce and Gabbana fragrance in the pages of some copies of its October edition.
An online video ad for Durex, the Reckitt Benckiser-owned condom brand, has been cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), after it received complaints about its sexual content.
Technology convergence is set to dramatically change how people consume media and the best ways for marketers to try and reach them, according to Keith Weed, global chief marketing officer of Unilever.
24 May 2011
| by Jeremy King
Media Week Awards' co-chairs Dominic Carter, News International trading director, and Lindsay Pattison, Maxus CEO, discuss the importance of the awards to the industry and being asked to lead the judging panels.
Unilever brand Lynx has used augmented reality "angels" on digital outdoor sites in London and Birmingham, as part of a campaign for its brand Lynx Excite that stars Kelly Brook.


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Genshin Impact developer miHoYo (now known as HoYoVerse) has revealed its newest game Zenless Zone Zero and it looks super stylish.
Announced via a fast-paced trailer, the upcoming action-RPG is a brand-new IP from the Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail developer and is set in a post-apocalyptic metropolitan city.
The game also features a futuristic art style, unique characters, and action-orientated combat system. According to a press release from HoYoVerse, players will take on the role of a "Proxy" and embark on an exhilarating adventure alongside a group of partners to conquer mysterious enemies and unravel the mysteries of 'New Eridu' - the last shelter for urban civilization.
Following a supernatural disaster known as the "Hollows", strange monsters called the "Ethereal" have begun spawning across the city and it’s your job to take them out.Read more on gamesradar.com


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Components & Peripherals News
The 10 Hottest Semiconductor Startups Of 2023 (So Far)
These semiconductor startups could benefit from the hype around generative AI that has some companies looking at alternatives to GPU powerhouse Nvidia and better ways to architect systems. Some of these young companies are working on foundational or adjacent technologies that could improve the way AI work is computed in the future.
Founder, CEO: Ramin Farjadrad
Eliyan thinks its chiplet interconnect offering can best advanced packaging technologies from chip giants like Intel and TSMC to enable the next wave of high-performance chip architectures.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based startup last November disclosed that it had raised a $40 million Series A funding round from investors, including Intel Capital and Micron Capital, to develop and ramp up production of its NuLink die-to-die interconnect technologies.
In May, the company unveiled the availability of its NuLink PHY technology, which is manufactured using TSMC’s standard 5nm process to transport data at high speeds between chiplets without the drawbacks of advanced packaging technologies.


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Security company ID Analytics has uncovered 10,000 identity fraud rings in the U.S. The company found the rings after studying 1.7 billion credit card and cell phone account applications and finding similar names, addresses and email addresses. ID Analytics provides the engine behind the LifeLock data protection service for consumers and was recently bought by LifeLock.
The surprising aspect of the analysis is the fact that most fraud rings operate from rural areas and they appear to be groups of families. People with good credit standing beware: Your ‘friendly rural neighbor’ may be ‘borrowing’ your identity.
Source: ID Analytics Press Release


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What does appliance design have to do with sustainable eating? What is sustainable eating, even? These are questions the Electrolux Design team realized it needed to answer when the company decided to take its sustainability approach in a new, maybe unexpected direction. The result – to be unveiled in 2021 – could be a kitchen that is the first of its kind.
This, however, is not the story about the solution, but about the journey, which began in 2019. Electrolux, already considered a sustainability leader in the appliances industry, then celebrated its 100th birthday by setting new 2030 targets that went beyond its products and operations to focus on consumer behavior. One of these targets was to make sustainable eating the preferred choice. Electrolux also put its money where its mouth was by committing to fund the Electrolux Food Foundation with 100 million SEK.
Now the company’s consumer experience teams “only” had to figure out how to achieve these new targets. The design team in particular – with its Human Touch approach requiring foresight through an understanding of emerging trends – set out to tackle sustainable eating.
“We already knew that that the food industry is one of the biggest threats to our climate, and we did a quantitative study to understand people’s attitudes, behaviors and barriers when it comes to sustainable food practices,” said Pernilla Johansson, Head of Electrolux Group Design. “This helped us uncover some ‘green gaps’, meaning the difference between sustainable intentions and actual actions. But it wasn’t enough – we needed a more detailed and richer understanding of the topic. That’s why we undertook our maybe most ambitious research project ever.”
Observations – more than a cherry on top
In addition to immersing itself in the wide array of available desktop research on the sustainability of the global food system, the design team connected with multiple experts around world. From NGO representatives to renowned chefs and experts on key topics like agriculture and packaging, the team developed new layers of understanding on topics such eating, food waste and nutrition.
To dig even deeper, the next research phase was contextual interviews. For example, a visit to Bocuse d’Or winner Mathias Dahlgren in his lacto-ovo-vegetarian restaurant Rutabaga reinforced the understanding that food preservation and storage are crucial in any plant-forward kitchen.
Finally, understanding early adopters of sustainable eating would prove to be an important ingredient in the design team’s research. And it went a lot deeper than interviews.
“Surveys and desktop research could only take us so far. We used a home diary and a photo journal to document their eating and cooking week. Then we conducted contextual interviews, through cook-a-longs at their homes. By talking to them and observing them in their natural context during a longer period, we could study intuitive and authentic behaviors, that are difficult to capture in a normal interview,” said Pernilla. “Then a few of the early adopters participated in co-creation sessions with our design team, and we asked them for feedback on some early ideas.”
The conclusion? There’s a wealth of different types of “sustainable eaters” and an even broader range of topics to focus on. The learnings from the desk research, the trend analysis, the expert interviews and the early adopter research were synthesized into 15 themes, to be fodder for solutions for the future. How these insights will come to life remains a closely guarded secret at Electrolux, but followers of the company should keep an eye out during 2021.
“Our observations have unlocked new insights about the link between diversified eating and sustainability, and about the role that appliances can play in the zero-waste kitchen. For some, the blender isn’t just a blender. It’s a food upgrader, unlocking new value in what used to be food scraps,” said Pernilla. “This project has reinforced our belief that the kitchen and related solutions will be important enablers as society moves towards a more sustainable food system. We’re exploring this through design and look forward to sharing our first concepts shortly.”


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Commonwealth Games Gold Coast 2018 organisers in Australia are to put 100,000 tickets back on sale next week.
Last month, tickets were taken off sale in order to allow the organisers to carry out an audit for availability before the final push this month.
All tickets in the final major ticket sale will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis for the event, which will take place in April 2018.
There are seats at some of the Games’ most prestigious events, including the opening ceremony, basketball finals, beach volleyball, cycling and diving.
There will be about 2,000 opening ceremony tickets up for grabs, along with 1,000 to the basketball finals, 5,000 to the beach volleyball, more than 2,000 to the cycling and 3,000 to the diving as part of the sale.
The audit identified as many additional seats as possible through the completion of venue seating plans, temporary structures and television camera positions, along with tickets returned to the general sales pool from Games partners.
More than one million tickets have already been sold via official partner Ticketek, with an additional 100,000 to go on sale next week.
Organising committee chief executive Mark Peters said the sale would also include 200,000 tickets to other sports and preliminary sessions that went unsold during previous releases.
“We were so overwhelmed by the initial call to purchase that we’ve done as much as we can… to find more seats,” he said.
“It’s all because of the design finalisation of the stadiums, which we knew would take us some time.”
Peters said partners such as City of Gold Coast and Games sponsors had also returned some of their tickets.
“Every possible avenue we’ve had to pick those tickets up and put them into the central pool has happened,” he said.
“It’s not about subscribing (to purchase tickets) anymore and going on a reserve list. You go online, buy the ticket and as soon as they’re exhausted, the (sale) will close.
“We will have a lot of happy people and a lot of disappointed people because we know there’s going to be a rush.”


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Egypt opened. Slightly
MFA of Russia recalled its advice against travel to Egypt which had been in place since January 28. The resolution published on the ministry’s website touches on “the prime Red Sea resorts” of Hurghada and Sharm-el-Sheikh, where the conditions are “considered normal”. In this connection MFA recommends Russian tourists that are going for holidays to Hurghada and Sharm-el-Sheikh should exercise caution and abstain from travel to other regions of Egypt. “We also recommend group trips to Egyptian resort areas rather than individual ones, and they should be booked through reputable and reliable tour operators that are featured in the Unitary Federal Register.
The latter phrase may be considered to be an official recommendation to citizens to travel to Egypt only via travel companies, which is actually good for the travel sector. On the other hand it is not clear if it’s been allowed to come to “not prime” Red Sea resorts e.g. Dahab or Taba. As for the sightseeing trips to Cairo they have been definitely banned. But it’s not a problem, the sea and the sun – that’s what the Russians come to Egypt for.
Anyway the tour operators were ready to start the flights “even tomorrow” if all the aviation formalities have been settled. In reality the Head of Pegas Turistik company Ms. Anna Podgornaya expects to send two Orenburg Airlines flights to Hurghada and Sharm-el-Sheikh on April 2. Tez Tour, according to the company’s general representative Mr. Alexander Sinigibsky, gradually resumes the flights to the same resorts starting from April 3 and hopes to operate daily flights from April 15.
Coral and Intourist look up to Transaero. The airline’s Press Secretary Mr. Sergey Bykhal revealed to RATA-news that the flights were to be resumed on April 8 – 7 services a week to Hurghada and Sharm-el-Sheikh. Next week the tickets will be released to general public.
Tour operators anticipate their Egypt-bound flight programs to be completely resumed within 2-3 weeks. As for the occupancy rate the travel companies count on deferred demand or as Mr. Sinigibsky puts it “waiting” demand. Many travel companies have provisional waiting lists for customers wishing to fly to Egypt “as soon as possible”. These very tourists have been contacted by Pegas’s agents in order to fill two Saturday flights, carrying 220 passengers each.
Generally speaking in terms of weather Egypt remains a perfect option for beach holiday. Neither Turkey, nor Europe can offer “amounts” of sunshine that Russians are so desperate to come by. But on the other hand during of “the blockade” the demand partly switched to other destinations, some have already spent their vacation in other countries, so not all travel companies are confident about the volume of sales that can be considered acceptable. So everybody count on Egyptian prices.
Today a trip to Hurghada or Sharm-el-Sheikh can be bought for 20-30% less than in last April, mostly thanks to hotels’ pliancy. As likely as not the hotels of Taba and Dahab, that haven’t been mentioned in MFA’s resolution, may offer even lower prices to attract Russian tourists. One way or another Egypt has only 4-6 weeks. Usually after the May holidays the tourist flow to Egypt weakens significantly as the Turkish and the European resorts start to be regarded as competitors. But Egypt still has a chance to keep up with them. If it stakes on summer season and offers “surprisingly” low prices trying to win on extra services, the tourist flow may easily take a turn towards Egypt.


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Bangladesh is considered one of the fastest-growing LPG markets globally, and LPG experts of Bangladesh create diversified sectors of consumption in this small country. In Bangladesh, LPG is mostly (about 98 percent) import-based and in 2020 Bangladesh imports about 1.2 million MT whereas seven years back it was only 80,000 MT. LPG is cheaper than any other traditional vehicle fuels like petrol and octane in Bangladesh, and this is the biggest opportunity for the exponential growth of autogas in Bangladesh.
Government of Bangladesh encourages people to use environmentally friendly fuels instead of these traditional ones and has been promoting autogas for use in motor vehicles. Also, increasing per capita income makes people of the country interested in using private vehicles, which opened up the growth line for the indifferent horizon.
In 2006, Bangladesh market saw autogas for the first time in a tiny scale and till 2015 there were only 12-15 autogas stations around the country. But if we look into the current market trend, currently more than 200 autogas stations running successfully in Bangladesh and 50 Autogas conversion centres are converting a vehicle from traditional fuel to LPG. To keep pace with the increasing demand of autogas, Bangladesh's government has already approved nine LPG operators to set up 2050 autogas stations in Bangladesh and set "LP Gas Operational Licensing Rules and Regulation, 2017".
The number of autogas conversion is increasing gradually. Every day, about 200-300 vehicles choose autogas conversion instead of Compressed Natural Gas/CNG/NG, which is the favourite fuel in vehicles in Bangladesh. Earlier for the vehicle's fuel conversion, consumers chose CNG as the CNG price was very low in Bangladesh.
It is to be noted that CNG grid line only covers 33 percent of the country whereas 67 percent of the country's fuel network, especially in the northern and southern part of Bangladesh, are still marked by patrols and diesel. This huge gap makes the autogas market more lucrative, and the most vehicles of the northern part in Bangladesh converted their vehicle from traditional fuel to LPG. These days' peoples of Bangladesh pick LPG over CNG due to its safety, less tank's weight and less conversion cost.
According to statistics, around 30,000 vehicles are currently running with autogas and the market volume is about 72,000 MT per year in Bangladesh whereas it was only 6,000 MT per year in 2015. It is obvious that the market is increasing rapidly and the prospects of autogas are very high in the coming years and expected to reach 250,000 MT by 2025.
Apart from all, the Government of Bangladesh is encouraged to use LPG instead of traditional fuels. Leading LPG companies in Bangladesh named Bashundhara LP Gas Limited, Omera LPG, and BM Energy Beximco LPG have decided to invest $150 million in this sector to make autogas popular rapidly. Along with that state-run fuel marketing & distribution companies those supplying traditional vehicle fuels (Petrol, Octane, Diesel) named Padma oil ltd., Meghna oil ltd., Jamuna oil ltd. have already signed an agreement with most of the LPG operators to assist this initiative. These three state-run companies hold more than 1900 fuel stations and work hand to hand with LPG operators to spread autogas all over the country.
As this marketing is growing and operators, as well as the government both, are working together to make a steady market, there are still some challenges. Taking NOCs from various govt. departments, developing safety rules are the biggest challenges of this industry. Besides safety distances, traffic rules (for delivery at day time) in Bangladesh's biggest cities make this industry more critical. As well as cross filling, cylinder refilling and third parties' involvement are also making this market more unstable.
The demand for autogas in Bangladesh market has been increasing continuously since 2017. So, it has a clear upward graph. Market investors project that demand for autogas will expand 7 to 8 times because autogas stations are expanding all over the country, and expect that within the next three years 1,500 autogas stations will be in operation.
Talking about the price, recently, the price of autogas is $0.5/liter worldwide, which is about 50 percent cheaper than other fuels in Bangladesh like Petrol and Octane, which is $1/Liter. LPG investors and experts of Bangladesh assume that prices of autogas may fall with the market growth as transportation cost for the road tanker will become cheaper than recent times with the progress of our infrastructure.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.


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Sony has recently released a new firmware update for its Xperia smartphone line up, the Xperia P, U,and Sun. The update will generally improve the stability of the system and fix some bugs and add some important features.Thanks to the suggestions of the community the Japanese manufacturer was able to intervene on several software features that returned some problems users by filling out the following changelog.
- Improved performance and overall stability.
- fix a problem with WiFi.
- fix a problem with the Tethering / Hotspot.
- correction of a problem with the camera in shooting mode and playback.
- fix a problem with the data sharing via NFC.
- fix a problem with the Messaging application.
Although you do not specify precisely which devices are affected by the changes described individual, Sony continues to maintain a high attention also for its mid-range device, a few days ahead of the first official information on what will be the first devices that will be updated the latest version of Android Jelly Bean .


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- Lexus' first electric vehicle sold in the U.S.
- A small crossover roughly the size of an NX and based on the Toyota bZ4X
- 225 miles of all-electric range
- Launches the first RZ generation for 2023
Lexus has been lagging in the electric space. Since Lexus and its parent company, Toyota, sell hundreds of thousands of hybrids a year, you'd think these automakers would be all over electric vehicles, but that hasn't been the case until now. Toyota's bZ4X broke cover late last year, and now it's that car's more posh sibling turn to take a bow. Meet the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e, the brand's first globally available EV.
The RZ 450e rides on the same e-TNGA platform that underpins the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, but in true Lexus fashion, it aims to elevate the level of comfort and luxury offered by those two. Unlike the Toyota and Subaru, which have exterior and cabin designs distinct from other vehicles in their respective automakers' lineups, the RZ looks like a typical Lexus SUV — it just happens to be electric. It has an hourglass-shaped grille, squinty headlights and proportions that are quite similar to those of the recently redesigned NX, but it's slightly longer, lower and wider overall.
Lexus is clearly taking on the Tesla Model Y with its new premium EV crossover. But it will also have to face the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Audi Q4 e-tron, Volvo XC40 Recharge and the upcoming electric Porsche Macan in the battle for small luxury EV supremacy.
The RZ 450e features two electric motors, one on each axle, that are powered by a 71.4-kWh battery pack. Lexus says the RZ's front motor will make 201 horsepower and the rear motor will produce 107 hp. That's a major step up from the bZ4X and Solterra, which use twin 107-hp motors in their all-wheel-drive configurations.
As for range, Lexus says the RZ will go 225 miles on a single charge, as long as you opt for the smaller 18-inch wheels. The larger 20s will likely sap more range and bring that figure down a touch. If 225 miles on a single charge seems like a middling figure in 2022, you'd be right. There are half a dozen other EV crossovers from the likes of Ford, Kia, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Tesla, Volkswagen and Audi that will cover more ground than this Lexus. However, as our real-world EV range tests have proven time and again, EVs often go farther than their EPA estimates suggest, so maybe the RZ 450e will be an overachiever. We'll find out when the electrified Lexus goes on sale toward the end of the year.
While the RX 450e has a passing resemblance to the NX on the outside, you might be struck by déjà vu on the inside. The RZ's cabin is almost a carbon copy of the NX's, featuring the same instrument cluster and 14-inch infotainment screen. The biggest difference between the two crossovers will come at some unspecified date later this year, and it's the RZ's new optional steering wheel.
Like the Tesla Model S and Model X, the RZ will be available with a yoke — a steering wheel without an upper section — but Lexus says its approach is different to Tesla's. This yoke will have a much higher steering speed, made possible by a steer-by-wire system. Essentially, smaller inputs will result in bigger movements from the front tires, hopefully eliminating the hand-over-hand flailing we've experienced in the new Model S. However, this is the second time an automaker has literally tried to reinvent the wheel, and we can only hope Lexus' solution is better executed than Tesla's in real life.
It's about time Lexus got in on the EV game, but we aren't sure if the RZ 450e will be more appealing than a Model Y or any of the other EVs that are already on sale from other legacy automakers. Stay tuned for our full driving impressions and whether the RZ 450e is worth taking over its competition.


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MetLife announced it has agreed to buy Versant health, which will expand its network and bolster its foray into vision-care benefits for its members.
The deal is for about $1.68 billion in cash. MetLife will buy Versant from an investor group that includes Centerbridge Partners and FFL Partners.
Versant Health owns the well-established marketplace brands Davis Vision and Superior Vision. Davis Vision and Superior vision provide a range of vision-care benefits, including coverage plans for employers. Overall, Versant has roughly 35 million members, and MetLife’s existing customers will gain access to Versant’s provider network.
The transaction will strengthen and differentiate MetLife’s vision benefit offering with one of the industry’s broadest networks of providers and plan options. Additionally, the acquisition will make MetLife the third biggest vision insurer in the U.S. based on the number of members.
The deal puts the company behind EyeMed Vision Care, who has 159,000,000 members, and VSP Vision Care, who has 54,767,6761.
“This transaction furthers our goal of deploying capital to the highest-value opportunities. We are pleased to welcome Versant Health, a well-run and well-respected leader in vision care, to the MetLife family. In Versant, we have found the right strategic fit with our group benefits business. We expect this combination to accelerate revenue growth while delivering greater value for our customers and shareholders, ” said MetLife President and CEO Michel Khalaf.
Currently, MetLife is a market leader in the U.S. Group Benefits space. The company has an estimated market share of 15 percent. MetLife’s Group Benefits business offers over 35 group products and services, which is the most in the industry, and serves approximately 41 million U.S. employees and their dependents.
“We are confident this acquisition will make our market-leading group benefits business even more attractive. The addition of the strong Davis Vision and Superior Vision brands will immediately establish MetLife as a leader in managed vision care. We look forward to offering our customers the exceptional member experiences that Versant provides,” said Ramy Tadros, President of U.S. Business for MetLife.
The target date for completing the deal is somewhere before the fourth-quarter, although it is unclear exactly when. The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the acquisition is expected to add to its adjusted earnings on a per-share basis.
The agreement is part of the company’s diversification push that could see MetLife turn it into one of the largest vision insurers in the U.S.
Once the acquisition goes through, it will build on MetLife’s recent expansions of its product suite. The expansion includes forays into pet insurance, digital estate planning, and health savings and spending accounts.
“This transaction will build on MetLife’s recent expansions of its product suite into pet insurance, digital estate planning, and health savings and spending accounts,” said MetLife.
According to Business Wire, the deal will help strengthen the company’s role as the partner of choice for employers across the country.


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Within January 2012 Russian mills produced 55.6 thousand m3 of plywood. It is around 2% more than within the same period of 2011 year
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INTERBUDEXPO, the major event of Ukrainian building and construction industry, will be held from 27.03.2012 till 30.03.2012 in Kiev.
From 20.03.2012 temporary axle load restrictions for heavy-weight trucks are imposed on the territory of Belarus. Maximum permissible load for one axle is 9 tons
International specialized furniture exhibition MEBLE POLSKA 2012 will take place on March 05-08, 2012 in Poznan, Poland. It will be a meeting place for European furniture producers and buyers. New industry trends and developments will be presented
In January 2012 Belarusian forestry exported up to 60% more (15.2 thousand cu. m) of saw timber than in January 2011. Belarusian manufactures continue to retrofit installation in order to meet requirements of the whole world consumers
Within 2011 year Spain imported up to 1.4 % more of tropical plywood and up to 14% more of non-tropical plywood. The main non-tropical plywood suppliers in 2012 year were Finland, Chile, Latvia and Russia


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Extension Gallery - a marketplace for web design agencies/freelance PHP developers
In mid-October, we will release a new SCHLIX CMS version 2.2.1-x with a new marketplace integration application called Extension Gallery. With the new Extension Gallery, website owner can easily install/uninstall extension without having to download a ZIP file manually from our current Extension Gallery. If you're a PHP web agency or a PHP freelance developer, you can submit a SCHLIX CMS plugin (application/block/macro) and get more exposure. It's free and this is a great opportunity to showcase your solutions. Both commercial and open source extensions are accepted.
The extension submission process is already open and we're hoping to get more developers to use SCHLIX CMS.


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While United States businesses were embroiled in trade wars, Japan advanced The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2018 without participation from the U.S. (TPP-11). Now, Japan and the European Union are celebrating the new EU-Japan Trade Agreement, which came into effect on February 1, 2019. Under this agreement, the EU and Japan reported that they have now become the largest open trade zone in the world.
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker commented:
"Europe and Japan are sending a message to the world about the future of open and fair trade. We are opening a new marketplace home to 635 million people and almost a third of the world's Gross Domestic Product, bringing the people of Europe and Japan closer together than ever before. The new agreement will give consumers greater choice and cheaper prices; it will protect great European products in Japan and vice-versa, such as the Austrian Tiroler Speck or Kobe Beef; it will give small businesses on both sides the chance to branch out to a completely new market; it will save European companies 1 billion euro in duties every year and turbo-boost the trade we already do together. More than anything, our agreement shows that trade is about more than quotas and tariffs, or millions and billions. It is about values, principles and fairness. It makes sure that our principles in areas such as labour, safety, climate and consumer protection are the global gold-standard. This only happens when you work with the most natural of partners, separated by thousands of kilometres but united in friendship and values."
This new free-trade agreement (Japan/EU FTA) and the ratified TPP-11 are viewed as keys to stimulating growth for the Japanese economy. The Japan Times reported on February 1 that the Japanese government estimates these initiatives will boost the economy by over $130 billion. The trade deal was also touted as a rejection of digital protectionism, encouraging the free and secure cross-border flow of data. Countries may operate in other member countries without risking mandatory disclosure of trade secrets. “Ahead of the G20 summit tomorrow, I believe Japan and the EU are demonstrating our strong political will to fly the flag for free trade against a shift toward protectionism,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe commented at a news conference.
On February 7, 2019, the U.S. Congressional Research Service commented, "As the EU-Japan FTA is implemented, the United States will be under increased stakeholders' pressure to secure comparable access to these important markets…The FTA not only has implications commercially for the United States, but also for the U.S. role in shaping debates over trade rules in areas central to U.S. competitiveness." Without such arrangements, U.S. industries could face competitive disadvantages or lost market share.
Among many EU free trade agreements, the Japan/EU FTA is also the latest agreement to bring an increasingly large number of countries under EU FTA rules. Such agreements may impact the United States' ability to influence world trade, as these FTAs set precedents far and wide.
It remains to be seen whether U.S. efforts with Japan to address new subsidies and state-owned enterprise rules and efforts on digital trade will strengthen the U.S. position, but there is no doubt that both the EU and Japan are quite enthused about their new agreement. They will convene meetings in April to assess the agreement's implementation and continue negotiations in March in other related areas such as rules relating to investment protection.
Foster Garvey’s International practice group comprises a cross-disciplinary group of attorneys practicing in areas ranging from business transactions, immigration, maritime, government regulatory work, transportation and logistics and estate planning. The group members include bilingual and multicultural attorneys who are well-versed in handling these subject matters in a cross-border context. A number of attorneys have been actively practicing in the international arena since the early 1970s.


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In the latest years, big data seems to have taken the business world by storm. It provides an ever-growing array of new sources of revenue and marketing opportunities. However, cyber-crime is also on the rise and the potential fallout from a hack is significantly larger for a company that relies on big data, so security concerns are more important now than ever before.
One of the most current security issues in this day and age revolves around connected cars. With more and more autonomous cars being manufactured and sold on a daily basis, it is clear that security concerns are taking a new direction nowadays. The self-driving car timeline means that these cars are currently not road-ready.
However, data about their design, features, and test results would be extremely valuable to industrial competitors. In the future as these vehicles become available, there are more potential applications that could make auto companies big targets.
One of the first marks that artificial intelligence has left in the auto industry has been with the 1971 Chrysler Imperial, which was one of the first cars of its generation to include an electronic sensor system that was able to lock brakes. According to Gartner, the production of connected cars will surpass 60 million in the next four to five years.
While these technological advancements make it easier for the regular driver to navigate and will also ease many of the processes used in businesses such as rental companies, these will also lead to an increase in cybercrime and leave the average user at risk for potential security threats.
Big auto companies are taking this matter seriously, by conducting their own extensive research and building upon their car security measures. Volkswagen, for instance, announced back in September their plans to create a cybersecurity company run by Yuval Diskin, the former chief of Israel’s security agency.
According to James Hines, research director at Gartner, the more cars become connected, the more this increases the complexity and diversity of technologies involved in their functioning, such as cameras and radar systems. In order for vehicles to have autonomous control, this means their responses will need to be more sophisticated. They will rely heavily on image detection so that they can identify and classify objects in their vicinity to properly avoid collisions and adapt their cruise control.
When it comes to delivering this kind of digital data and service, automated cars make use of bidirectional wireless communication, which leaves plenty of room for cyberattacks.
Small-time hackers might try to learn when people are away from their houses by tracking their cars’ location. Others might harvest tracking data to find potentially compromising data or try to sell them to marketing firms. The criminal uses of stolen data are just as varied and lucrative as the legitimate ones.
For that reason, companies of all sizes need to do more than just buy security. They also need to create a plan of action for what to do if a hack does occur, treat it just like a natural disaster: an unstoppable force that can do damage and for which you must prepare in advance to minimize the cost. Just as you make plans for what to do in case a hurricane strikes, make a plan for hacking.
It seems like this matter of car data security is not only on companies’ minds, but also on consumer ones. In a KPMG survey released on July last year and performed on 449 car-owners, it was revealed that 70% are worried about the possibility of their car being hacked within the next five years, with personal safety being their chief concern (with stolen personal data and financial information falling on lower positions).
In light of all of this, the U.S. Department of Transportation has also issued a set of guidelines for automated and self-driving cars, which includes a number of security recommendations.
Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of drivers, engineers will need to resort to a multi-layered security strategy that prevents malicious cyber breaches and make sure that any data collection is done with the utmost transparency.
A mix of security and encryption can help because hackers are looking for easy targets. Security acts as a deterrent that indicates to any hacker that it will be too much work to break into that system. If they do, the encryption makes the data they find that much harder to use.


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British car sales at highest for decade: trade data
[LONDON] British new car sales accelerated last month to the highest September level for a decade, lifted by demand for the latest number plates, industry data showed on Monday.
New car registrations rose 5.6 per cent last month to 425,861 vehicles compared with data for September 2013, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said in a statement.
That was the highest level for the month since 2004.
"September's strong performance underlined the continuing robustness of the UK new car market," said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.
"Demand... has been boosted by intensifying confidence in the UK economy, with consumers attracted by a wide range of exciting, increasingly fuel-efficient, new cars," he added in the statement. - AFP


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Global Village achieves Guinness World Records title with “the Largest Cup of hot Tea in the World”
Global Village, the region’s largest and first multicultural festival park, and family destination for culture, shopping and entertainment, has achieved Guinness World Records title for preparing “The Largest Cup of hot Tea in the World” in the world. It surpassed the earlier record set last year for the biggest cup of tea in the world in Shanghai.
The title “Largest Cup of Tea in the World” is now registered by the Guinness World Records as achieved by Global Village, Dubai, UAE, on 25th January 2018. The tea cup has a height of 3.66 meters, a top inner diameter of 1.42 meters. The height of the ruler for the volume of 5000 liters in the cup was 3.66 meters. The tea cup has been on display at Global Village from 23rd January and guests can view it there till 1st of February 2018.
Bader Anwahi, CEO of Global Village said: “It is a special moment for us to have achieved Guinness World Records title with this singular achievement. Tea drinking is an integral part of our culture in the UAE. We are proud of achieving this new record which shows our drive to be the best in the world, and another achievement for UAE, and we are passionate about being the best family destination for culture, shopping and entertainment in the world. With every season, we extend our capabilities in order to make our guests happy”.


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Free taxi rides, tows offered on New Year's Eve
Toasting a glass of Champagne means good luck on New Year’s Eve.
But some revelers might partake of a little too much good cheer via Champagne and other alcoholic beverages.
Luckily, New Year’s Eve revelers will have some backup.
The city of Wichita Falls will be running its standard bus routes Dec. 31, according to John Burrus, director of aviation, traffic and transportation, and will not offer any special transportation for New Year's through its bus service, FallsRide.
However, he said local taxicab and share ride services will do the same thing they have done on past New Year's -- give free rides to anyone who can't make it home because they have celebrated too much.
David Ford, general manager of Skylark Taxi & Airport Express, said the company will offer free New Year’s rides from midnight to 2 a.m. from “a bar to home only; no pitstop.”
Ford said Skylark has been offering the free ride service on New Year’s Eve since it opened.
“It’s one of our busiest weekends,” Ford added, with the business getting 500 to 700 calls for rides that night, most of them paid-for rides.
It’s not uncommon for Skylark to receive prebookings for taxi cabs that night, a good idea considering how busy the business will be.
Providing free rides on New Year’s is “the only time we do that,” Ford said.
Wichita Falls' new share ride service, Tride, will be doing something a little different. Instead of offering free rides to New Year’s revelers, it will concentrate its efforts on businesses.
“We are giving away -- to businesses -- like $20,” Tride business developer Gary Farris said, and those businesses will use their discretion on what to do with that money, though the thought is that those businesses might use it to pay for a ride for customers who might not be able to make it home because they have been drinking.
Farris said anyone also can use a promocode, timeswf, for a $10 discount on their first ride. It's for anyone who has downloaded the Tride app for the first time.
Another business, Big Daddy’s Wrecker Service, will offer free New Year’s tows from midnight to 2 a.m. from an nightspot or other establishment to a residence in town.
In 2015, the business estimated it towed about 30 cars. The service is something Big Daddy’s has offered ever since the business started, according to owner Jody Wade.
Burrus said, “If someone is going to enjoy themselves, I hope that he/she is responsible enough to find safe transportation opportunities to get home safely.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this time of year is a prime time for drunk driving incidents. Each December, there is a spike in drunk-driving crashes. In December 2013, for example, 733 people lost their lives in crashes involving a drunk driver, reported the NHTSA.
Follow Times Record News senior editor/reporter Lana Sweeten-Shults on Twitter @LanaSweetenShul


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After a bleak 2020 and a lockdown of 2021 for more than half of the year, what will the Malaysian industrial market look like in 2022?
Will the various industry-related measures in the 2022 budget in late October bring incentives to the industrial market as expected?
Nanyang Siang Pau visited developers and a number of multinational industry consultants to explore the market for next year.
The rise and fall of the industrial market has always been closely related to the overall economy, which can also be said to be one of the ups and downs of the overall economic trend. Similarly, when the overall economy is doing well, the industrial market is also doing well.
In fact, since the third quarter of this year, the domestic industrial market has been out of the bottom, gradually into a good trend.
In both the number of units and the value of transactions, industrial transactions increased in the third quarter from previous quarters, when they had been on a downward trend.
NAZA TTDI, one of the leading local developers, expects Malaysia’s economy to recover next year and the industrial market to continue on the road to recovery next year.
|Source: Spark Trader Limited|


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by Mark Barley
Far Cry 3 Gets Confirmed Release Date
Ubisoft have released a new cinematic trailer for their upcoming title, Far Cry 3, confirming the game's launch date.
The new video reveals September 6 as a release date. You'll be able to pick up for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.
Watch it before it gets taken down!


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The German Parliament said Tuesday that the European Commission's controversial Data Retention Directive may be illegal.
Nokia will outsource its Symbian software activities to Accenture, transferring 3,000 employees to the company in the process, as it moves its focus to making phones running on Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system.
Barnes & Noble announced a major update to its Nook Color tablet Monday that includes access to a new app store, including an email app for organizing Web mail accounts. The upgrade also has Android 2.2 (Froyo) with Adobe Flash Player for video v...
Given how much confusing and often contradictory information has been filling the media over the last week, it wouldn't surprise me if some iPhone users were calling in priests to exorcise the demons of privacy invasion.
The latest Appcelerator/IDC mobile survey has uncovered a growing well of frustration among Android developers, with underwhelming tablets, OS fragmentation and multiple app stores cited as the main worries.
Let's say you scored a boondoggle to Los Angeles for a business conference, and instead sneaked off to nearby Disneyland with the family for a vacation on the corporate dime. Or maybe you simply told your boss you were meeting a client, but hit the g...
T-Mobile USA has suspended Bobsled, its free voice calling service for Facebook, less than a week after it was launched.
Nobody expects the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to sell as well as the iPad 2. Still, Research in Motion seemed to take an especially measured approach with its PlayBook launch, which started Tuesday in stores such as Best Buy and Radio Shack.
AT&T is taking a second shot at deploying its high-speed U-Verse service in San Francisco, and on Tuesday afternoon it will once again face activists who oppose its plan to place hundreds of U-Verse equipment cabinets on the city's sidewalks.
An Indian government report has recommended that interception of telephone calls by government agencies should be limited to situations when there is a "public emergency" or "public safety" is at stake.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission can take new steps to encourage broadband deployment, including an awards program for local governments that make it easy for providers to install infrastructure, an advisory committee to the agency said Mon...
China is on the verge of becoming the first country in the world to have more than 900 million cell phone users, according to government statistics.
Contention and biases among technology and business factions can derail the deployment of unified communications systems that are efficient, cost-effective and simple enough to use so they actually get adopted by end users, according to a Forrester R...
SanDisk and its partner Toshiba announced this week a 64Gbit NAND flash memory chip using 19-nanometer (nm) technology, a process one size smaller than the memory chip Intel and Micron announced last week.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday received a request to transfer T-Mobile's licenses to AT&T, one of the first steps the companies are making in the potentially lengthy approval process of AT&T's proposed acquisition of the small...
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Some Bank of Ireland customers can not use their debit cards for online and contactless payments today as the bank has imposed restrictions on the cards due to fraud concerns.
The bank said that customers can still use their existing debit card in ATMs or in shops using their four-digit PIN.
In a statement, the bank said that while it understands this is an inconvenience, it said that it is a temporary measure and has been implemented in order to protect the customer from fraud.
Bank of Ireland said that as part of its "proactive customer care approach" - when it suspects that a debit or credit card may have been put at risk of fraud - it takes precautionary measures including issuing new cards.
However, it stressed that even though a customer's debit card may have restrictions imposed on it, it does not mean that the card has been used fraudulently.


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The Indian Unit of Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer, Yamaha Motor has said that it will now offer its FZ, FZ-S and Fazer motorcycle models in new colour schemes for 2013.
The customers in India will now be able to buy the three models in black, blue and red with revised graphics on the fuel tank. The FZ-S model will come with an additional golden paint scheme while the Fazer will have one additional shade of red colour. The changes made to the popular FZ-range are only cosmetic and no modification have been made to the appearances.
The company is only offering new colours and the mechanics of the motorcycles will remain the same. The company claims that the motorcycles’ four-stroke, 153cc air-cooled engine with five-speed gearbox generate maximum power of 14bhp at 7500rpm and peak torque of 1.38kgm at 6000rpm.
Jun Nakata, Yamaha Motor India Sales, said, “Our FZ Series and FAZER bikes have gained immense popularity over the past few years. We have launched the FZ Series and Fazer bikes in new looks in terms of color and graphics. There are no changes in the product features, but we are confident that these variants too will be an instant hit amongst the biking enthusiasts.”
The company said that the new FZ will come with a price tag of at Rs 70,250, the FZ-S will be priced at Rs 72,280 and the Fazer will cost Rs 77,380 in Delhi.