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The anti-trade rhetoric in our industry has almost ceased to exist. I don’t find that surprising, as I always considered it nonsensical. However, the industry was a lot more receptive to demagogues when profitability and margins were tight.
Recent USDA data illustrates not just how important exports are to our industry, but what an important role they will play in our future. Exports have been up, with key markets like Mexico and Asia up by 10% or more. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) estimates that beef exports were up 12% in March and 17% in value. Meanwhile, beef exports accounted for 14% of total production and 11% of muscle cuts, which were both up by about 2% compared to a year ago. Every fed animal for beef was $271.57, up nearly $50 from a year ago. To put that number into perspective, take away exports and every 550-lb. calf would be worth approximately 50¢/cwt. less than it is today!
Back in the anti-trade days, the bulk of economists, universities and cattlemen’s groups stressed that the trade numbers were being misinterpreted and misunderstood by those advocating closure of our borders to the world. Of course, the message had a populist appeal, and spawned a new cattle organization with an anti-trade, anti-free market message.
One thing you can say about cattlemen is that they aren’t fooled for long. The anti-free market, anti-capitalism, anti-big are messages with staying power, but the anti-trade message has been so thoroughly refuted at this point that it has largely been abandoned. Thankfully for the anti-trade groups, they have been able to survive by morphing into other issues.
I think mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL), for instance, will be one of those issues that people will look back on in 20 years and wonder how it could have consumed so much industry energy. And it will make no sense unless one understands that labeling wasn’t the issue per se; it was about industry politics and competing world views as organizations fought for survival and their membership.
I’m sure it is still possible today to find those who will argue against trade. In fact, an online poll posted on beefmagazine.com this week asked: “how important are exports to beef prices?" Of the respondents, 99% said they were “somewhat important” to “essential,” while just 1% said they were “not at all important.”
Yes, the facts have come to overwhelm the demagoguery today. And that’s usually the case with populist appeals that aren’t aimed at some inherent human weakness; eventually their message falls away, to be resurrected when a new generation and a supportive climate allow them to spring forth again.
The opinions of Troy Marshall are not necessarily those of beefmagazine.com or the Penton Farm Progress Group.
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Inbev UK’s high-profile chief executive Richard Evans is stepping down after 14 years with the company. He leaves with immediate effect without a job to go to.
Evans’ departure comes as the Belgian brewer struggles to stem a heavy year-on-year decline in volume sales of its flagship brand, Stella Artois.
Evans will be replaced by the former Inbev UK take-home director Stuart MacFarlene, who is currently Inbev global director of customer standards. He is based at the company Belgian headquarters but will now return to the UK.
Evans was appointed president of Inbev UK and Ireland in 2006 having previously held a range of positions covering brands, marketing and commercial strategy. He held the position of vice-president commercial strategy and subsequently vice-president brands from 2003 to 2006, where he was responsible for the development of Inbev’s global sales and marketing.
Last month, he appointed the marketing director of its German division, Andreas Hilger to the same role in the UK to replace Devin Kelly (MW January 31).

domain: news


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The logistics world is addicted to wood.
The most recent industry report published by the United States Department of Agriculture revealed that in 2011, 15.6 per cent of all timber in the US was used for pallet shipping purposes, second only to residential construction! It seems obscene, but Phil Araman, researcher for the US Forest Service calculated that there could be over 2 billion wooden pallets in the US alone – not including the millions that are sent to landfills each year.
Mr Araman alleged that only a quarter of the half-billion pallets binned each year are actually recovered, with around half a billion new wooden pallets constructed annually.The level of waste is surprising but also unnecessary when there are more environmentally friendly options available.
Plastic pallets are tipping the scale
A 2015 report from the Freedonia Group suggests that demand for all types pallets in the US will increase on average 1.7 per cent annually as economies around the world develop and begin to increase their export industries. But there is some good news.
Demand for plastic pallets will increase far more rapidly than demand for pallets in general, Freedonia asserting that the environmentally friendly option is the fastest-growing alternative in terms of market share. But this is not the only reason Eco Pallets are the better solution.
Some lesser known advantages of plastic pallets
Each plastic pallet is 20 to 30 kilograms lighter than its wooden counterparts, so shifting to Eco Pallets can procure greater fuel efficiency. Considering that around 50 pallets can fit on a 16-metre truck, using Eco Pallets could reduce the gross load for every domestic Australian shipment by over a tonne, reducing fuel costs by 1 to 2 per cent annually.
Second, when shipping across borders, Eco Pallets do not need to be treated. They are a totally dry and inorganic product resistant to insect infestations, unlike their wooden counterparts that must either be fumigated or heated to fend off unwanted insects hitching rides.
Finally – and this is a big one – Eco Pallets last 10 times longer than the average wooden pallet – that’s up to 10 years as opposed to one! This is great in its own sense, but it also means that Eco Pallets can theoretically be listed on your balance sheet as a depreciated investment. Who would have thought that you could use pallets to reinforce your tax shield?
If you’re not sold on the environmental and economical benefits listed here, there are plenty more advantages of plastic pallets. If you want to know more, get in touch with the Eco Pallets team.


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Accessible tourism is gaining ground worldwide. It is a type of tourism inspired by the need to provide destinations, products, and services accessible to all people regardless of age, gender or disability. While there are millions of travelers with special needs, they still face numerous obstacles on the road.
The origins of accessible tourism go back to the 1980s when the whole industry expanded its horizons by combining elements related to business opportunities. It was also the time that favored the economic and technological development and social inclusion of people with disabilities.
A key study to understand the obstacles of people with special needs was the World Report on Disability (WRD), published in 2011 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, which recognized the existence of more than 1 billion persons in the world with some form of disability.
Back then, the number corresponded to 15% of the world’s population, with almost 200 million people experiencing very significant difficulties in functioning.
In the coming years, Margaret Chan, who served as Director-General of the WHO at that time, and Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank, highlighted that disability will become a much pressing concern due to population aging.
Given the seriousness of the situation, both directors called for immediate action, requesting the empowerment of those with disabilities and the removal of barriers that prevent them from taking part in their communities so they can receive a quality education, secure decent jobs and have their voice heard.
Accessible Tourism, an Attractive Market
In order to assess the economic impact of travelers with special access needs in the tourism industry of the European Union (EU), the European Commission (EC) carried an investigation between 2012 and 2013. The study found that more than 50% of those with disabilities in the EU traveled during the 12 months between mid-2012 and 2013, with an average of 6.7-day trips, and 6.7 overnight stays, mostly in Europe.
In total, the report stated that these people made 170 million day trips with a similar number of stays within the EU, compared to a slightly lower number of individuals who are 65 years or older and made more than 225 million day trips and 217 million trips with a longer stay.
The research concluded that by 2020, the demand for accessible tourism in the EU would amount to 862 million annual trips.
From an economic point of view, both people with disabilities and the elderly spent 80 euros a day per trip within the EU, 700 for trips made in their countries of origin and 1,100 in member countries of the regional integration organization.
Physical and Attitudinal Barriers
In the planning phase of the trip, the study identified that having little to no information available on accessible services is the main barrier, in particular for individuals with mobility, sensory and mental impairments.
Once travelers have made the decision to travel and transportation obstacles have been overcome, the discontent of the travelers focused on obstacles on board of the plane, such as the difficulty of access and use of restrooms.
The research found numerous physical barriers in transport, rooms, food services, recreational areas and activities, although the ones that those with special needs commonly face are attitudinal ones.
In 2014, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) referred to these subjective obstacles in its ‘Manual on Accessible Tourism for All’, when it called for a change of mentality and the way tourism services are provided.
The UNWTO stated that tourism needed to work in five areas to achieve universal accessibility: drafting of laws and regulations against discrimination in access to facilities, products and services; staff awareness and training; research on the current situation of accessibility and future trends; marketing with the goal of promoting sales initiatives and strategies to encourage consumption in terms of accessible tourism; and management to maintain the measures adopted in such a way that they are long-lasting and assessable in terms of quality.
While the number of destinations accessible to tourists with disabilities is gradually increasing as well as the amount of information provided on the internet to potential travelers, the range of services on offer is still insufficient.


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Lone Star unveils Mexican-style lager with a 'unique' Texas flavor
Lone Star Beer on Tuesday unveiled Rio Jade, a Mexican-style lager "inspired by the appreciation for Texas’ diverse lands and waterways."
Lone Star said Rio Jade will have a "flavor unique to Texas" and will be available throughout the state starting in late April, with full distribution in May.
“We’re excited to launch the Rio Jade Mexican Style Lager as it gives us a chance to honor our heritage, but also celebrate the Texas of today,” said Lone Star Brand Director, Emily Hoyle.
Rio Jade six-packs available at a suggested retail price of $7.99. The six packs will be available for a limited time until the end of summer.
The lager will come in bold turquoise cans, the first beer label designed by Burnt Nopal Creative Director and Texas-based artist Cruz Ortiz, Lone Star said.
"Lone Star’s first seasonal beer will inspire all drinking-age generations to be proud of what Texas represents. Like the ever-flowing waters of Texas, Lone Star Beer is here to ensure no one goes thirsty," Lone Star said.
"The new beer, which translates to 'River Jade,' was inspired by the love of the land of Texas and the color and design is reflective of the natural beauty found in the waters of Texas and Mexico. From natural pools, to running rivers, everyone can find their oasis in Texas with a Rio Jade in hand."
Lone Star said Rio Jade has an ABV of 4.5 percent.
"This crisp, Mexican-style lager is locally brewed in the Hill Country of Austin with the finest ingredients Texas has to offer, including award-winning malt from Blacklands Malt, the first malt house to use Texas-grown barley."
“The beer perfectly represents what we value at Lone Star: connecting to the land and people of Texas, providing new and refreshing ways to enjoy our great state, and above all else, making delicious tasting beer for Texans everywhere," Hoyle said.


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Contributed by Simon Dowling,
Director of Close International
Asset Management Limited
RECENTLY, the value of the US dollar has weakened significantly against the pound, the euro and most other currencies. While the US administration publicly continues to confirm its commitment to a strong dollar, its actions and policies suggest otherwise. US Treasury Secretary, John Snow, on a recent visit to Europe, reiterated support for a strong dollar. However, it is widely accepted that the administration is happy for a gradual and controlled depreciation.
Investors and confidence
This apparent contradiction between action and words should not come as any great surprise. The US administration is unlikely to promote a policy of a weakening dollar in case it would cause any loss of confidence in the currency. After all, to service its twin trade and budget deficits, the US needs continuous investment from abroad. This will only continue if foreign investors have confidence in the dollar. In the short-term, a weaker dollar is in US interests and will help stimulate the economy, boost exports, create jobs and increase tourism figures.
The monetary policy of reducing interest rates over recent years has meant less attractive returns for foreign investors and this has contributed to the fall in demand for the dollar. One way to counteract a fall in foreign investment is to increase yields on government bonds, but this may have an inflationary side effect. The current administration’s policy of tax reductions will help stimulate the economy but may add to the federal budget deficit with increased demand for imported goods. This, in turn, may lead to a further depreciating dollar. In order for the dollar to remain strong during times of twin trade and budget deficits, there has to be strong foreign investment in US bonds and equities to exceed the outflow of dollars from the economy. This has not been the case in recent years.
Exports and imports
Recent figures suggest that the weakening dollar is beginning to have a positive impact on US export figures. This increase in demand abroad for US goods will inevitably lead to an increase in employment figures. Exactly what degree of impact the falling dollar will have on import figures is hard to predict. The US imports a large amount of essential raw materials and goods, which it will continue to import, despite rising prices that may contribute to inflation as well as the trade deficit. While running large trade and budget deficits in recent years, it could be argued that what the US has been doing recently, in part at least, is borrowing abroad to pay for imported goods, a situation that cannot continue long-term.
Oil makes up a large portion of all US imports. Oil is priced in dollars and the falling dollar will mean falling profits for OPEC producers. Oil producers are paid in dollars but have outgoings and expenses that need to be met in other currencies. Because oil is priced in dollars then most of the major currency areas will now benefit from cheaper oil.
China has been bank rolling a substantial portion of the US deficit in recent years, with the Chinese Central Bank holding billions in US treasury bonds and dollars. However, this is unlikely to continue in the long term, as China needs to spend considerably to expand and update its infrastructure. This leaves Washington in a precarious position should China sell substantial dollar holdings, which will weaken the dollar still further. In addition, Chinese goods are now more attractive to import because of the pegged currency – a situation that will only increase the already large trading deficit the US has with China.
The impact of a depreciating dollar on individual US firms can vary considerably, with some firms benefiting from increasing export opportunities to Europe and Japan. US corporations with overseas subsidiaries will see the profits remitted from these offices increase in value. On the other hand, firms who import essential raw materials will see their costs rise and face a choice of either trying to pass this price rise on to the consumer or absorbing the cost.
Economists generally agree that the dollar does not look likely to strengthen anytime soon. If this is the case, then what are the implications for Europe and the rest of the world? In the long term, European companies who are dependent on the US market may begin to consider relocating some parts of their operations to cheaper locations thus causing a rise in unemployment. The European Central Bank would be slow to either drop interest rates or attempt to devalue the single currency by entering the currency market.
A weak dollar generally means that imported goods become more expensive in the US and may result in some of these goods being substituted for cheaper home produced goods. Countries like China, whose currency is pegged to the dollar, should see an increase in demand from the US for their products.
For the consumer, the implications again vary depending on where you live. Travelling to the US is now more attractive than anytime in the past, whereas Americans will now be more reluctant to travel outside the US. Finally, with American saving at record lows, it is heavily reliant on foreign borrowing for capital investment – a thriving Europe will help provide this capital. Only a fairly valued dollar will provide long-term stability and an environment for economic prosperity for all.


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IT SERVICES FIRMS
KPIT acquires auto engineering services firm in Germany
Product engineering and IT consulting firm KPIT announced that it has completed an agreement to invest in a Germany-headquartered automotive engineering services company.
Lesson learnt: Edutech firms to offer more personalised services
They dream to create anything from ‘digital learning assistants’ to augmented reality products, creating teams to explore the next big thing in education.
Microsoft, IBM among 11 firms selected for govt cloud service
Under cloud services, companies provide storage, softwares, computing capability through remote location generally on pay as per use model.
48 firms including Kotak Bank, TCS to become service providers for GST Network
“All the industry big names have come forward and we are will make sure that people of proven track record and technical competence are chosen,” added the official.
IT services firm Globant sets up India operations
Globant focuses on creating solutions around emerging technologies for brands that bring together engineering, design and innovation.
Jugnoo in talks with leading ecommerce firms for delivery service
The Chandigarh-based company uses its auto fleet for the deliveries as well and already has partnerships with florists, restaurants and grocers for this service.
Government firm on multiple rates and cess on luxury goods under goods and services tax
The proposed tax structure has been criticised for being complicated and one that defeats the purpose of a single neat GST.
IT Ministry's plan to rope in private firms for cloud services faces flak
Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted a news report that suggested that private companies such as Microsoft, IBM and others may be roped in by the IT ministry to provide cloud services to government departments.
Freecharge partners with ICICI Merchant Services
"ICICI Merchant Services enables businesses across India to securely and conveniently accept electronic payments through its secure and advanced POS terminals and its state-of-the-art payment gateway," said Swarup Choudhury, managing director of ICICI Merchant Services & First Data India.
Samsung Electronics says bought cloud service firm Joyent for $170 million
Samsung disclosed the acquisition price in a regulatory filing for its first-half business results. The tech giant announced the acquisition in June but did not disclose the financial terms at the time.
Firms innovate to beat cash blues
Large organisations like Jubilant FoodWorks, which has a huge strength of frontline staff, transfer salaries directly into the accounts of all their employees.
Banking services will go digital: State Bank of India
'Demonetisation is the biggest push. The biggest beneficiary is digital banking," State Bank of India MD Rajnish Kumar said at the two-day Inclusive Finance India Summit.
Weakening rupee positive for firms with an export focus
CLSA in a report on Wednesday said higher interest rates in the US, a stronger dollar and lower domestic rates will lead to rupee falling further.
Pakistan firm develops advanced drone
The Arrow drone, which was on display at the defence weapons exhibition IDEAS 2016 that started today, can be operated via remote control.
It will be quarter of adjustment for firms: Aditya Birla group
We clearly see this quarter will be a quarter of adjustment for many companies because the cash flow still has not got back to normal, Chief Executive said.


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Toyota will have its luxury MPV, the Alphard on display at the upcoming Auto Expo. The mega MPV will be used to gauge public response and gather feedback for a potential introduction at a later stage.
Speaking to Autocar India, a company official confirmed that the Japanese automaker is keenly evaluating the Alphard for a possible market introduction here and also studying the segment, itself. “We are checking the feasibility of such a segment," the official said. "People are importing plenty of Hiaces and Alphards through different routes for tours and traveller segments, so they do have a good market here.”
Apart from studying the model viability, the carmaker is looking at ways to overcome challenges that need sorting, like the fitting of speed limiting devices and governors for such class of vehicles.
The mega MPV has a length of close to 5m and comes with a choice of powertrain options for the international market including a hybrid. However, it is not known which version will be on display at the motor show, this week. The Alphard also has a slightly different version called the Vellfire – the two are now in their third generation and are primarily sold in Japan, apart from a few other markets, around the world.
Toyota Yaris sedan to make India debut at Auto Expo 2018
Why many automakers are giving Auto Expo 2018 a miss


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Two more companies have recently joined the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA), which represents the business interests of UK and Irish supplier of liquid pumps and related equipment across domestic and international markets.
The newest company to join the association is Stafford, UK-based Altecnic. Founded in 1987, the company, which is now part of the Caleffi Group, manufacturers and supplies a wide range of plumbing and heating components, as well as heat interface units.
Packaged Pump Systems (PPS) has also joined the BPMA. The company manufactures pump stations and offers specialist installation services for the domestic basement market and the light commercial building services and facilities management sector.
Commenting on the new members, Steve Schofield, director and CEO of the BPMA, said: “I am thrilled to welcome these two companies into the BPMA and afford them all of the support services at our disposal. Their diverse product and service offering, dovetails nicely with that of other members, and we look forward to a developing strong and mutually rewarding relationships with each of them over the coming months."
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The selling rate of the UAE’s Dirham remains unchanged at Rs. 98.62 today, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka reported.
However, the selling rate of the Kuwait Dinar has increased to Rs. 1,185.92 and the Qatar Riyal has increased to Rs. 99.34.
The rupee has slightly appreciated against the Saudi Riyal, with the selling rate dropping to Rs. 96.43. (NewsWire)


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The biggest long-term threat to the iPhone isn’t Android, Samsung Electronics Co. or China’s bevy of cheap phone makers. Instead, it’s a deceptively simple idea: Apps work better if you embed them in a single program, rather than let them proliferate across your home screen. WeChat, China’s leading social media app, just launched a new platform with exactly that idea in mind. It has the potential to reconfigure smartphones as radically as anything since the first iPhone was released.
The company calls the concept “mini programs,” and the idea is that users can call up useful features from third parties — photo filters, language tools, ride-sharing services — within the WeChat app and use them instantly, with no downloading or installation required. Although that sounds like a modest innovation, it solves two crucial problems plaguing the app model.
First, the average size of an app has been increasing as developers pack in more features and media to take advantage of better screens and hardware. That’s not a problem if you have unlimited data and a brand new iPhone 7. But in emerging markets, where smartphone use is growing quickly, consumers tend to use capped data plans and older phone models with less memory. So big apps aren’t just inconvenient — they’re less likely to be downloaded in the first place.
The second problem is one shared by users worldwide: Registering an app is annoying. E-commerce apps, in particular, require usernames, passwords, payment information and e-mail addresses before they’ll work. Inputting all that is aggravating on a small screen, and worrisome at a time when identity theft is rising (especially in China). And how often do you really use that pizza-ordering app that holds all your personal info?
Mini programs, by contrast, aren’t found in an app store. Users get links to them from friends or groups in a chat, or by scanning a QR code in real life (at a restaurant, say). Because they operate from the cloud, there’s no bandwidth-eating downloads. Because they accept payments from WeChat’s wallet, there’s no need to register or divulge payment information. Even better, on Android the mini programs can be pinned to the home screen. They work just like regular apps, in other words, only without all the hassle.
WeChat isn’t the only service to experiment with mini programs, but it’s better positioned than any other to succeed. For one thing, it has 768 million daily users, half of whom spend at least 90 minutes per day on the service. It’s increasingly synonymous with the internet in China: Drop into a subway train and everyone you see is using it.
Those users aren’t just chatting or sharing vacation photos with friends. They’re also interacting with “official accounts” run by companies, which appear in a user’s timeline and push news and merchandise. WeChat facilitates payments made to those accounts through its wallet. (Unlike with Apple Pay, it doesn’t require a phone with a fingerprint reader.) Users get access to promotions, products, services and even tools to pay their utility bills, all in a format that makes commerce an inherently social activity. That convenience, in turn, makes WeChat a powerful shopping destination — even a lifestyle — which keeps users in the ecosystem.
WeChat had already morphed beyond its roots as a chat service to become a one-stop app for everything, from banking to shopping to dating to dining. With each new feature and service it adds, users have fewer and fewer reasons to leave it, or to download other apps. Mini programs may eliminate the need altogether.
In short, WeChat is starting to look quite a bit like a mobile operating system. As it becomes more powerful and self-contained, Chinese phone consumers will stop asking what phone and operating system they should buy, and start contemplating what phone best runs WeChat. That’s a long-term threat to iOS and Android, as well as any company that makes phones to run them.
Apple Inc. isn’t taking this development lightly. It even prohibited WeChat from using the term “app” as applied to mini programs. But the challenge to the App Store might be the least of Apple’s worries. For now, WeChat is changing smartphones in China. One day soon, its impact will be felt worldwide.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
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Thank you for our support. 2017 (12th) China International Exhibition on Papermaking Chemicals, Technologies and Application (PAPER CHEM+TECH) is going to be held on November, 20-22, 2017 at E3 Hall, Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC).
The visitor online register has been close today. I hereby inform you that the official online pre-registration platform of PAPERCHEM 2017 has closed the registration channels. You can go to Entrance One (South Hall), Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) to register and visit the site.
Venue: E3 Hall, Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), NO.2345, Longyang Road, Pudong.
Looking forward to your visit!
PAPERCHEM 2017 Project Team
For more on the highlights of the expo, please pay attention to the official WeChat:


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Burger King will be opening a vegan outlet in Bristol later this month, following the success of its London plant-based restaurant.
The store, which follows the success of its meat-free restaurant in Leicester Square earlier this year, will operate in an entirely vegan environment.
The pop-up eatery marks a milestone in Burger King’s plan to become 50 per cent meat-free and reducing carbon emissions by 41 per cent, by 2030.
Vegan Burger King
Among the 24 items on the all-vegan menu, Burger King will be launching the Bakon King for the first time.
The burger will feature a veggie patty as well as Violife vegan cheese and La Vie vegan bacon.
Another menu item is the store’s Vegan Royale, 100 of which it will be giving away in celebration of the takeover.
To be in with a chance of scoring one of the free sandwiches, customers will need to head to Burger King’s website and show this landing page to restaurant staff.
The news of Burger King's new fully vegan restaurant in Bristol follows the success of its first meat-free restaurant in Leicester Square earlier this year. Image credit: Vegan Food & Living
In a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living, Katie Evans, from Burger King UK said the company is excited to bring the meat-free concept to Bristol following its success in London.
She added: “We’re incredibly proud of our meat-free menu; it delivers big taste with no compromises and reflects our ongoing commitment to serving a diverse and innovative range of products.
“Following the success of the Leicester Square takeover in London, we are looking forward to bringing this range of delicious meat-free menu items to our customers in Bristol.”
The restaurant will be located at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, BS10 7SR, and will open on October 26.
The full Bristol meat-free takeover menu includes:
- Bakon King Single
- Bakon King Double
- Vegan Nugget Burger
- Vegan Royale
- Vegan Cheeeze & Bakon Royale
- Vegan Cheeeze Royale
- Plant-based Whopper
- Plant-based Cheeeze Whopper
- Plant-based Cheeeze & Bakon Whopper
- Plant-based Whopper Jr
- Plant-based Cheeeze Whopper Jr
- Plant-based Hamburger
- Plant-based Cheeezeburger
- Plant-based Double Cheeezeburger
- Plant-Based Double Whopper
- Plant-based King Jr Hamburger Meal
- Plant-based King Jr Cheeezeburger Meal
- Vegan King Jr Nugget Meal
- Vegan Fries
- Vegan Nuggets
- Vegan Chilli Cheeeze bites
- Plant-based Onion RingsBen & Jerry’s Cookie on Cookie Dough Non-Dairy Ice Cream
Don’t live near Bristol?
Here are all the vegan Burger King options you can find at outlets across the UK.


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Let’s look at the individual models as well. The initial smartwatches’ price and specifications did not really match up together. The LG G Watch was your typical plastic looking watch, which wasn’t suitable to wear at parties or functions.
Unlike last year, Samsung is getting a tough competition from LG. Fighting over its premium devices is nothing new in Mobile World Congress. Last year, Samsung Galaxy Edge had a fight with LG which were launched at the same time in the same event.


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Thurles Mart gearing up for Ireland’s first ever sale of buffalo calves
The first ever sale of buffalo calves in Ireland will take place in Thurles Mart in Co. Tipperary tomorrow (Wednesday, September 3).
Originally, herd owner Johnny Lynch, based in Macroom, Co. Cork, planned to sell just two of the animals in Thurles.
However, following a massive response on social media – and some 400 people registering to bid for the calves on the online mart sales service Mart Eye – Johnny has decided to bring six more, for a total of eight.
Check out this video (below) of Johnny’s herd.
Speaking to AgriLand, Jamie Nolan of Mart Eye said: “This has just gone bananas. Our phones could not stop ringing.”
Four of the calves are five months old, while four are a year old, Nolan explained.
“I think they’re going to make stupid money. They would be ideal for a pet or something different,” Nolan said.
He also said that the calves are far more docile than one might expect.
“They’re pure docile things… They’re as docile as dairy,” Nolan added.
He also described how Lynch phoned him up and said: “I’m going to have to bring more”, such was the massive interest in the two original calves that were set to be sold.
The sale is at 4:00pm tomorrow. Due to social distancing, there will be a limited number of people actually physically around the ring, but interested buyers can register to bid on Mart Eye, which will broadcast the sale.


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The end of the year is approaching and with it, the opportunity to reflect on how our business has changed this year. The last 12 months has seen our organisation grow and evolve as we continue in our mission to make our brands matter to more people. Here are just some of our highlights from 2018:
- We welcomed Scottish cycling brand Endura to the Pentland family
- We started a new joint venture footwear partnership with Lacoste Chaussures
- We celebrated Speedo’s 90th anniversary, 28 years of which have been as part of the Pentland family
- We launched our new brand building academy – Brand Building the Pentland Way
- We unveiled ellesse’s My Style My Rules campaign with a huge out-of-home advertising initiative, and launched ellesse footwear in the US
- We announced Canterbury as the official sports apparel supplier of Rugby World Cup 2019 and Mitre’s three-year football supplier partnership with Football Association
- We appointed four new brand directors: Nicola Mathews (Fashion), Simon Breckon (ellesse), Charlotte Cox (Canterbury & Mitre) and Kevin McFadyen (Berghaus).
- We launched Berghaus’ biggest ever advertising campaign, ‘Time To Get Out’, with an installation at the London Design Biennale at Somerset House in London
- We established a footwear license partnership with international fashion retailer Karen Millen, with the first collection to launch in AW19
- We launched our new strategy for corporate responsibility, expanded our Diversity and Inclusion networks, and announced five new global charity partnerships working in support of five incredible causes
We create brands that matter, by people that matter, and we wouldn’t have achieved any of this without the hard work of our people and partners. 2018 has been an exciting year and we’re looking forward to everything that 2019 will bring.
For now, Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year!


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June 28, 2017
Fox Sports’ VR app has a new social feature allowing people to watch live games in virtual reality with Facebook friends. The feature will allow you to watch with up to four friends.
The post VR and chill: Fox Sports VR now lets you watch games in VR with Facebook friends appeared first on Digital Trends.
Source: Digital Trends VR


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TownNews.com's network of sites stands to benefit tremendously by creating a more interactive experience for its viewers and advertisers
Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) March 9, 2009
VMIX, the fast-growing digital media management SaaS provider, has been selected by TownNews.com to enable its newspaper customers to feature sponsorable video-on-demand on their websites. Founded in 1989, TownNews.com is the largest company in North America providing online solutions for newspapers.
"TownNews.com's network of sites stands to benefit tremendously by creating a more interactive experience for its viewers and advertisers," noted Greg Booras, vice president of sales at TownNews.com. "The VMIX video solution allows our newspapers to offer advertisers the product they need to engage online consumers. Plus, the VMIX platform supports a variety of desirable advertising options, including overlay and sponsorship opportunities."
"VMIX provides a great way to extend the reach of the newsroom by having the ability of accepting user-generated content via a computer, camera or a mobile phone," said Booras. "They also provide fresh content topics relevant to readers, which in turn will prompt more visits and time spent on newspapers' sites."
"Providing both a world-class video platform as well as the best practices to drive significant revenue growth are VMIX core competencies," said VMIX President & CEO Mike Glickenhaus. "We are very excited to further build on our success in this field by partnering with an industry leader like TownNews.com."
The VMIX client roster currently includes such media outlets as Tribune Company newspaper and broadcast sites, McClatchy, Lee Enterprises, Black Press, Raycom, Lin, Post Newsweek TV Stations and others.
"Newspapers in every size market have a great opportunity to further engage and interact with their site visitors by creating a compelling and entertaining online experience," continued Glickenhaus. "We offer a simple, turnkey platform that is affordable and easy to use for uploading and managing videos and photos, whether it's in-house content, third-party feeds or user-generated content."
VMIX (http://www.vmix.com) is a leading provider of Software as a Service (SaaS) video and digital media management solutions. The VMIX online video platform makes it easy for website publishers to engage their online audiences, increase ad revenue and grow their business. The company is the trusted partner of news, entertainment and enterprise companies like Tribune Company, McClatchy Company, Lee Enterprises, and Warner Bros/Telepictures.
TownNews.com, based in Moline, Ill., is majority owned by Lee Enterprises (LEE), a premier publisher of daily, weekly, online and specialty publications. TownNews.com hosts more than 1,500 online publications, and offers a wide variety of products and services to U.S. newspapers. For more information, visit http://www.townnews.com.


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Northern Ireland businesses ‘did not have plan for Brexit’
An overwhelming majority of Northern Ireland businesses say they had no plans on how to deal with Brexit leading up to the referendum, a new survey has shown.
Around a fifth of Northern Ireland companies say they now expect to decrease their level and speed of planned investment, according to IntertradeIreland’s quarterly business survey.
And it’s the hospitality sector which is most pessimistic about a negative impact caused by Brexit.
Questioned in the days after the vote on June 23, 84% of companies said they were expecting a downturn.
That was higher than the other sectors, with around half of manufacturing, construction and services firms saying they were expecting a slowdown.
A quarter of firms in Northern Ireland said they think Brexit will have a negative impact on cross-border sales.
However, in the Republic, more than double that number — 57% of businesses — said cross-border sales would fall as a result of the UK’s vote to leave the EU.
Around two-thirds of Northern Ireland businesses said they wanted to keep access to the single market, along with the free movement of people.
Aidan Gough (below), strategy and policy director at InterTradeIreland, said it is “evident” in the latest survey that the outcome of the EU referendum has “caught many businesses on the hop and introduced a large degree of uncertainty into the marketplace”.
“Clearly businesses will need support particularly in the provision of timely and relevant information to assist them to adjust to any new trading relationships that emerge from Brexit negotiations,” he said.
“In the short term, while companies will still trade under the same rules and regulations, we would encourage them to hedge any exposure their business may have to volatile movements in the sterling and euro exchange rate.”
In Northern Ireland, more than half of companies said their businesses were “stable”, with 31% saying they were growing and 13% suffering a decline.
Concerns among businesses have also changed since the previous survey, with 14% more businesses questioned saying exchange rates were an important issue, along with energy costs, overheads and a lack of skills.
Other issues, including cash flow, new competitors and access to finance remain important to many firms, but dropped significantly in importance, according to the report.
“We encourage businesses, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, to continue to exploit the cross-border market, taking a planned approach to export development or supply chain management,” Mr Gough said.
“We may see uncertainty continuing in forthcoming quarters while companies adjust to changing realities. However, it is encouraging that almost two-thirds of businesses on the island state that they have ambition to grow in the immediate future.
“Resilience in the face of any adversity remains high and this can be seen across each of the sectors.”


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The 45-year-old who dreamed of being a dressmaker steps down as social media industry becomes ever more competitive
Last modified on Mon 29 Nov 2021 21.54 GMT
Jack Dorsey likes to keep things simple, at least for a 45-year-old multibillionaire. He eats one meal a day, fasts at weekends, and tries to meditate for two hours daily. The post that launched Twitter, and ultimately a million pile-ons, was equally austere: “just setting up my twttr”.
just setting up my twttr
Dorsey was born in St Louis, Missouri, in 1976 and was a self-taught computer programmer, using a Macintosh computer that his father bought for him. In 1999 he dropped out of New York University and moved to California, where he dreamed up the idea of a Twitter prototype while co-founding an online courier and taxi dispatch firm. The company later failed.
The Twitter story began to take shape when Dorsey was hired as a coder at Odeo, a podcasting startup run by a future Twitter co-founder, Evan Williams. This is where Dorsey appears in Sarah Frier’s award-winning history of Instagram as one of the peripheral figures in the story, trying to make his way in Silicon Valley like so many others.
“Dorsey, a 29-year-old New York University dropout with an anarchist tattoo and a nose ring, considered himself to be more of an artist. He would sometimes dream, for instance, about becoming a dressmaker. He was an engineer, but only as a means to an end – to create something out of nothing, with code. Also, so he could pay rent.”
There was enough hard-edged business sense within Dorsey, however, for him to co-found Twttr – soon renamed Twitter – with Williams, Biz Stone and Noah Glass in 2006. Dorsey became chief executive for the first time in 2007.
Indeed, Dorsey’s artistic mindset was cited, pointedly, when he was removed as chief executive for the first time in 2008. According to Nick Bilton’s book Hatching Twitter, Williams said to him: “You can either be a dressmaker or the CEO of Twitter. But you can’t be both.” Dorsey would apparently intersperse his chief executive duties with breaks for hot yoga and sewing classes.
Dorsey came back as executive chairman in 2011, having set up payment company Square – today worth $100bn – in the meantime. Twitter struggled in the wake of its 2013 flotation, which made Dorsey a billionaire, and he replaced Dick Costolo as chief executive in 2015 while relinquishing the executive chairman role.
Dorsey leaves the company with 210 million daily active users and annual revenues of $3.7bn. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he is worth $12.3bn, ranked 174th among the ranks of the world’s super-wealthy. He still owns 2.3% of Twitter.
But unrest had been building about Dorsey’s priorities. In 2019 Dorsey surprised staff and investors by announcing plans to move to Africa for up to six months a year. Announcing the move during a month-long trip to the continent, he tweeted, from Addis Ababa: “Sad to be leaving the continent … for now. Africa will define the future (especially the bitcoin one!). Not sure where yet, but I’ll be living here for 3-6 months mid 2020. Grateful I was able to experience a small part.”
Dorsey, who remains a cryptocurrency enthusiast, dropped the plan after coronavirus arrived. But it wouldn’t have dissuaded the activist investor firm Elliott Management from its view that Twitter was a business in need of more focus at the top. Elliott took a stake in Twitter last year and is still the 13th largest shareholder in the business, according to the financial data company Refinitiv, with a stake of just over 1%. At the time of the stake-building move, Elliott’s billionaire owner, Paul Singer, was reported to have been concerned by the fact that Dorsey had two chief executive jobs, at Twitter and Square.
By the end of last year it appeared that Dorsey had survived the pressure. In November a committee of Twitter directors said it had “confidence in management and recommended that the current structure remain in place”.
Much of the innovation shown by Twitter under Dorsey’s leadership in recent months has been more to do with safety than making money, however. It has launched trials warning users that they are about to enter a heated conversation and is testing a “safety mode” that blocks accounts for seven days if the tech firm’s systems spot them using harmful language or sending repetitive, uninvited replies and mentions. In the context of Frances Haugen’s Facebook revelations and the upcoming Online Safety Act in the UK, social media companies know they have to focus on protecting users.
On the money-making side, in the US the company launched Twitter Blue, a product that for $2.99 a month offers a range of services including a 60-second grace period to amend a tweet before it is fully posted. Expect more money-making initiatives under the new boss, the chief technology officer Parag Agrawal, who has to hit ambitious targets: to increase the company’s daily average users by more than 50% to 315 million, and more than double revenue to $7.5bn by 2023.
According to one California-based analyst, now is a good time for Dorsey to leave, with the social media industry becoming ever more competitive.
“Dorsey is a pillar of the social media world,” said Dan Ives, the managing director of the investment firm Wedbush Securities. “These are big shoes to fill.”


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Fashion Scoops: Trading Sides … Cafe Society … Face Off …
TRADING SIDES: Boy George, ablaze in metallic blue face paint and a colorful bottlecap-laden poorboy cap, grooved in the front row of the D&G runway show Thursday in Milan. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana made the kitschy hat especially for the pop...
TRADING SIDES: Boy George, ablaze in metallic blue face paint and a colorful bottlecap-laden poorboy cap, grooved in the front row of the D&G runway show Thursday in Milan. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana made the kitschy hat especially for the pop music icon, who plans to take his London musical, "Tabu," to Broadway within the next few months. A usual fixture and DJ at Versace shows, Boy George played down the fact he was jumping ship for D&G. "I don’t see this at all as an act of a traitor," Boy George said. "Darling, it’s only fashion — it’s only clothes."
CAFE SOCIETY: When Chloé takes over Café de Flore in Paris next Thursday for its 50th anniversary party, the Left Bank landmark will have something new on the menu: entertainment. Word has it that pop goddess Kylie Minogue, a fan of Chloé creative director Phoebe Philo, will be on hand for a surprise musical performance.
FACE OFF: Never mind Milan Fashion Week. Modeling agencies in the U.S. and abroad are scrambling to get their top girls invited to Lancôme’s launch of its new skin care line, Résolution, Monday night at the Plaza Athénee Hotel. Sources say that Lancôme’s senior vice president and general manager, Dalia Chammas, who’s throwing the dinner and party with the house’s current spokeswomen Mena Suvari and Devon Aoki, is looking to sign a new face to a lucrative contract. But the models will face some stiff competition for face time with the cosmetics guru from expected guests, including Lauren Bush and a smattering of hometown socialites. Headed to the bash are Eleanor Lembo, Marisa Brown, Hilary Dick, Blaine Trump, Serena Boardman and her sister, Samantha, who just wrapped her first ad campaign as one of the faces of Chanel’s fragrance Allure.
AMERICA’S MOST-WANTED MODELS: When the U.S. armed forces aren’t training for Operation Enduring Freedom, they’ve got one thing on their minds: fashion models.
According to an e-mail that was dispatched from "confidential whereabouts," a team of military operatives deployed overseas for possible combat has come up with an interesting parlor game to keep themselves occupied in the interim. Through a satellite feed, the soldiers have been watching 24-hour-a-day Fashion TV, and "we have all chosen a model from one of the many shows and the first person to receive an e-mail from their model is the winner."One soldier was able to identify his favorite, Ana Beatriz Barros from Women Model Management, by contacting Carmen Marc Valvo’s Seventh Avenue offices on Wednesday. An autographed picture is in the works, although its eventual destination will have to be classified.
NEW RINGY-DINGHIES: Ernestine, Lily Tomlin’s nasal-pitched operator character from the variety show Laugh-In, lives again, most recently on television and radio ads for WebEx’s online conferencing software. What’s changed is her wardrobe. Tomlin paid a visit to Los Angeles designer Peter Cohen, known for minimalist styles, at his boutique off La Brea Avenue to update the character’s puffed-sleeve shirt. "She came by six to eight times — she was fastidious and very concerned about the details," Cohen said. A Cohen fan for six months, Tomlin selected a burnt orange bias-cut, four-ply silk dress and ivory piqué jacket for her spotlight. "The combination was off — you wouldn’t normally pair them together," said Cohen, noting that his designer tie-in isn’t exactly a coup others crave. "Some people may not think it’s flattering, but it’s another feather in my hat."
A SCENIC SIGNING: Steven Cojocaru is going on display at Barneys. On March 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the People magazine fashion scribe will sit in the window at the Madison Avenue store and sign copies of his new tome, "Red Carpet Diaries: Confessions of a Glamour Boy."
"He connects fashion to regular people, he’s not an elitist," said Simon Doonan, Barneys’ creative director. "Plus, we’re putting him in the window where everyone can see him. He’s a raving exhibitionist, but he can also make fun of himself, so this is the perfect venue for him."
In yet another fashion show shuffle, @elleryland is moving its show in sync with the Paris couture calendar — though the brand is still keeping one foot on the city’s ready-to-wear schedule. Their runway show in January will coincide with the launch of a new strategy: designing two main collections each year instead of four, which will then be released in four drops. “As we all know, the system needs to change. We need to show sooner to give time back to artisans and designers to do what they do best — create,” said founder Kym Ellery. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @kukukuba)
@maxmara’s classic 101801 coat was the cornerstone of its pre-fall 2018 collection. The design team expanded the traditional double-breasted, kimono-sleeved style into a trapeze coat, lean belted styles and a peacoat and presented them in monochromatic looks – like the camel one pictured here. #wwdfashion #prefall18 (📷: George Chinsee)
The @cfda has shifted the dates of #NYFW, with Men’s showing on February 5 through February 7, and Women’s will directly follow, running from February 8 through 14. The preliminary schedule will be released on the CFDA’s web site in the next few days, but Mark Beckham, VP of marketing for the CFDA, revealed that @rafsimons will be back to close the men’s-specific part of the week with a show on February 7 #wwdfashion (📷: Kelly Taub)
@ferragamo is introducing a new space dedicated to the development of women’s and men’s leather good samples. The laboratory, which is created eco-friendly materials and designed to reduce the environmental impact of the manufacturing processes, will allow the company to expand its accessories offering through traditional artisanal approaches. #wwdfashion (📷: @aitorrosasphoto)
How does a “regular, degular, schmegular” girl from the Bronx, N.Y., become a Grammy-nominated artist with a certified platinum record in less than a year? Call it the @iamcardib come up. The 25-year-old has become a musical sensation, and the fashion world is taking note. “If I could describe her style I would say drama. She’s really into the dramatics,” says Cardi B’s stylist @kollincarter. See how Carter styles her bold and out there looks with the link in bio. #wwdfashion
“There is no formula. There is no guideline. I can watch Ted Talks all day, but there is no one who can advise me on exactly what it is I should be doing,” said @ronniefieg, CEO of @kith, in an interview with WWD’s @ariahughes at the brand’s new SoHo office in Manhattan. Head to WWD.com to see how Fieg went from hanging out in shoe stockrooms at 13 to building his own business. #wwdfashion (📷: @weston.wells)
@fearofgod and @maxfieldla have teamed up on a pop-up installation. The store, located in the gallery space across from Maxfield’s Melrose Ave location, is the site of the brand’s House of God pop-up in which Fear of God founder @jerrylorenzo has created a church-inspired installation. A dozen vintage church pews sit in front of an LED screen playing 90s gospel singers in an effort to re-create an environment akin to a Southern Baptist Church, Lorenzo explained. Read more about the pop-up on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: Jennifer Johnson)
Known for his sleek, sophisticated American glamour, Norman Norell is the subject of an upcoming exhibition at @fitnyc. “Norell: Dean of American Fashion,” which runs from February 9 through April 14, will feature approximately 100 ensembles and accessories. His best work is exemplified by the designer’s glittering “mermaid” gowns frosted with thousands of hand-sewn sequins – like the one pictured. (📷: William Helburn) #wwdfashion
For pre-fall 2018, @balmain didn’t let go of the glitz. A crystal embroidered baseball jacket priced at around $40,000 hangs in the “couture” section of the brand’s first men’s pre-collection. Sporting the words “Balmain Army” across the back, the item took around two months to make. “When it was completed, it was like Christmas, it was like, ‘It’s done, it’s exactly what I wanted,’” said Balmain’s creative director @olivier_rousteing during a tour of the collection in a Paris showroom on Monday. #wwdfashion


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Utah's Skin Cancer Rates Highest Across The Nation
Using newly released 2016 Center for Disease Control data, the insurance comparison company QuoteWizard surveyed which states had the highest skin cancer rates and Utah was number one for the most new cases. Adam Johnson was the survey’s research analyst.
“You would think that more exposed states like California, Texas, Arizona where folks are outside with a higher exposure to the sun would have a higher rate of melanoma, but it was actually quite the opposite," said Adam Johnson, a research analyst. "We did see that sunburns are one of the leading causes of melanoma and residents of the southern states are more protective of their skin given that they are out in the sun more frequently. They’re more apt to wear sunscreen and protective clothing, whereas folks in northern states are not as exposed to the sun but when they do get out in the sun that skin protection of wearing sunscreen and clothing really isn’t as top of mind."
Johnson said factors such as climate change and elevation were only minimally significant. But something they did find was a significant disparity between skin cancer frequency in men compared to women.
“Men have a rate of 28.4 melanoma cases per hundred thousand people, and that’s compared to 17.7 per hundred thousand people," he said. "We did see the CDC had some survey data that found that fewer than 15% of men reported sunscreen use, compared to 30% of women. Folks just not protecting themselves from the sun tend to have the higher rate of new melanoma cases."


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Honda of the OzarksDennis Revell
opened Honda of the Ozarks on June 6 at 2055 E. Kerr St., near the Interstate 44 and Glenstone Avenue intersection. Earlier this year, Revell’s DR Motorsports LLC built a $1.7 million, 20,700-square-foot store to house the Level-5 Honda Powerhouse dealership, a certification issued by American Honda Motor Co. The dealership sells new and used Honda motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, generators, water pumps and lawn mowers, said Revell, who employs 15. The facility also includes a showroom, administrative offices and a service/parts department. Revell said scooters run about $2,000, ATVs retail for up to $8,000, and motorcycles range between $3,000 and $28,000 for the Gold Wing touring bike. Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Phone: (417) 862-4686. Web: HondaOfTheOzarks.comSteak-Out
Steak-Out franchisee James Medlock
on May 24 bought out business partner Jeff Prantl. Medlock is now sole owner of the delivery and carry-out restaurant at 550 E. Chestnut Expressway. In the deal, Medlock said he purchased Prantl’s half of managing company JNP & JDM LLC for $40,000. Medlock and Prantl were Steak-Out managers when they came together about five years ago to buy the franchise rights from Bill Brandt, who brought the Atlanta-based franchise to Springfield in 1992. Medlock said he plans to get back to the restaurant’s basics by simplifying the menu and emphasizing quality service with his staff of roughly 14. Medlock and Prantl had been subcontracted to serve Steak-Out food in a College Station comedy club before those plans dissolved in the wake of a drug possession charge against its organizer, Travis Dibben. Hours: 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Phone: (417) 873-9400. Web: WeDeliverSteaks.comCJR Tri-Lakes
Minneapolis-based HomeServices of America Inc., the parent company of Carol Jones Realtors, acquired Branson-based Tri-Lakes Realtors on June 5, resulting in a merged entity known as CJR Tri-Lakes. The new firm serves the lakes-area region with offices in Branson West, Ridgedale and Shell Knob. Rick Witeka, formerly president of Tri-Lakes Realtors, now serves as general manager of CJR Tri-Lakes, leading more than 40 sales associates who join more than 180 other agents under the banner of Carol Jones Realtors. Hours: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment. Phone: (417) 883-6666 Web: CarolJones.com
. Send new business info to firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Consumer reports' latest tests show some vacuums do a great job picking up pet hair, while others let the fur fly.
Samantha Boege wouldn't trade her dog, Rugby, for anything, but she could live without his shedding hair.
Boege, pet owner said, "Dog hair is everywhere, but it's just something that we have, we put up with."
Experts at consumer reports say you don't have to. Testers recently evaluated more than 100 vacuums, including uprights and canisters, bagged and bag-less.
Bob Markovich of Consumer Reports said, "Pet owners want to know two things about a vacuum, how well it sucks up hair and how much of that hair goes clear into the vacuum, rather than getting stuck on the brush."
To size up performance, testers go to great lengths. First, they measure exactly five grams of pet hair and spread it over a piece of carpet. Then they use a weighted roller. Next, testers weigh the vacuum, and then vacuum for 14 strokes.
After that, the vacuum gets weighed again, so testers know exactly how much hair it picked up. They also check the carpet for any hair left behind.
"We also measure how much hair gets stuck to the brush. Constantly having to manually clean out your brushes isn't much fun," Markovich said.
Even more expensive vacuums, like a $500 model that was tested, couldn't pull in the hair. In the end, one of your best deals is a $130 Hoover wind tunnel T-series rewind. This bag-less upright offers impressive cleaning and superb pet-hair pickup.
With a little knowledge on vacuums and Consumer Reports' tests, pet owners like Samantha Boege won't have to put up with a hairy household.


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Ginkgo may be the most scrutinized supplement to ever hit health store shelves. There have been hundreds of ginkgo studies, including many classic rats-in-a-maze-type investigations and dozens of human trials. According to Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at UCLA and a spokesperson for the Society for Neuroscience, the bulk of these studies point in the same direction: Ginkgo probably can help improve thinking, but not by much. "It won't make you a genius," he says.
Read the entire story here.


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Richard Branson’s Virgin Bride store is to become a one-stop shop for weddings a year after it started selling wedding dresses.
The move follows the appointment of an events co-ordinator, Debbie Dwek. She will head a new division which will enable couples to order everything including the venue, flowers, wedding list services and even the honeymoon.
Couples can choose any number of the services or, alternatively, provide a budget and allow Virgin Bride to organise the entire day.
When Virgin Bride opened its first store it always intended to be a one-stop shop but until now it has concentrated on dresses.
The idea came from a Virgin employee who recognised the market potential after organising her own wedding. If the idea takes off, there are likely to big financial rewards. There are over 300,000 weddings a year in the UK, which cost on average 8,500 each.
Virgin has one store in central London but plans to open more across the UK by next year.


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January 21, 2014
Blast From The Past: HP Promoting Windows 7-Based PC Systems
redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports - Your Universe Online
The public’s somewhat tentative adoption of Windows 8 has spurred at least one US computer maker to once again begin promoting its predecessor, claiming that laptops and desktops featuring the older version of Microsoft’s operating system are “back by popular demand,” according to various media reports.Palo Alto, California-based HP’s website is currently featuring a special on Windows 7-powered systems, offering discounts of up to $150 on custom PCs. Furthermore, clicking on the homepage link leads to a list of computers being marked between 13 percent and 20 percent off.
“The move is clearly designed to position Windows 7 over Microsoft’s touch-centric Windows 8 operating system,” said Tom Warren of The Verge, calling the wording of the promotion “a clear knock towards Windows 8 which has struggled with perception issues thanks to what some see as a confusing mix of desktop and tablet-style computing.”
“The fact that HP's website is now openly selling Windows 7 PCs to regular consumers, well over a year after the launch of Windows 8, may hint that the company thinks offering the older OS on some of its systems might be a better selection than Microsoft's newest software,” added Neowin’s John Callaham.
According to Callaham, HP currently appears to be the only US-based computer maker actively promoting systems running on Windows 7, stand-alone retail sales of which ended on October 30. While Acer, Dell and Lenovo allow customers to have the older version pre-installed on their computers, it is said to be somewhat hidden on their websites and typically focused to business clients, not home or home office users.
As for HP, Warren said that anyone browsing desktop PC models in HP’s home section will be “presented with Windows 7 machines by default as no Windows 8 PCs are listed until you start customizing the section using optional filters.” While Windows 8 devices are featured in the laptop section of the website, he noted that it “also prominently advertises a Windows 7 laptop.”
Since Microsoft no longer sells Windows 7 by itself, it might seem odd that companies such as HP can still use it on customized computers they sell. However, according to Charles Arthur of The Guardian, these companies can do so but would “almost certainly have to pay the same licensing price to Microsoft as it does for Windows 8.” Likewise, businesses that purchase Windows licenses can also “buy the right to ‘downgrade’ them to an earlier version such as Windows 7.”
PC sales fell by 10 percent last year, and Arthur said that the move is an attempt by HP to help improve the company’s own slumping sales. Global intelligence firm IDC told The Guardian that HP’s year-on-year PC sales dropped 12.3 percent in the last quarter, and the company has been toppled as the top PC maker by Lenovo – both of which, Arthur said, have apparently triggered the decision to promote Windows 7 system.


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Hub Shop Inc., an online medical cannabis marketplace that helps cannabis patients access their medicine in a safe and speedy manner, this week announced their online platform is officially live.
Aiming to provide patients with consistently superior quality in everything from CBD oil and Indica to Sativa flower, the Ottawa-based company wants to simplify the process of obtaining medical cannabis.
“The medicinal potential of the cannabis plant has been woefully under-utilized in modern medicine,” said Hub Shop founder Richard Hughes. “After I underwent larynx cancer radiation in 2017, I was in such immense pain that I could not work – until I discovered CBD and THC cannabinoids. I was able to regain my strength, sleep, appetite, and I am now cancer-free today.”
Hughes was astounded by the lack of medical cannabis marketplace options years ago when only a few reputable sources were available for medical cannabis. The sites were overly confusing, inspiring him to organize a team dedicated to providing accessible and top quality cannabis and related products to all Canadians.
To use Hub Shop, individuals must complete the online form and book a video consultation with Coverleaf Clinic. Once the medical document is approved by a Coverleaf health practitioner, the patient can register as a Hub Shop customer. They can then shop a variety of medical cannabis products in a fraction of the typical time.
By working with Coverleaf healthcare practitioners directly, Hub Shop assists customers in obtaining the medical approval required by arranging virtual telehealth consultations.


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13 March 2008 17:31 [Source: ICIS news]
LONDON (ICIS news)--Vienna-based polyolefins producer Borealis aims to be a significantly more profitable company in five years’ time, said CEO Mark Garett on Thursday.
The company planned to continue its “value creation through innovation” strategy and would build on significant new low-cost feedstock capacity increases in ?xml:namespace>
The CEO’s announcements come in the wake of a 74% fall in fourth-quarter operating profits, announced on Wednesday, though its earnings for the whole of 2007 were 28% higher year on year.
The Borouge joint venture in which the company has a 40% stake was adding 2.1m tonnes of polyolefins capacity, due on stream in 2010, which Garrett said would produce significant cash flows.
Borealis would see profits from the venture flow directly to its bottom line, he added.
The new Borealis CEO - he took over in January - said that scrap and build with incremental capacity underpinned the strategy for
“You might see a Borealis that has a similar sales line but a very different profits line [in a few years],” he said.
“We have to continue to support the significant investment in
Borealis expected increased market volatility in
It brought a 330,000 tonne/year Borstar technology PP plant on stream in Burghausen
In its base chemicals business it has lifted phenol and other product capacities in
“Productivity gains are endless,” he added, with projects at the local and group-wide level.
The considerable need for infrastructure replacement in western Europe and new demand in eastern Europe would help drive demand for Borealis products in segments like wire and cable, he said.
Borealis makes much of the fact that it produces more specialised polypropylene (PP) and PE products, although less than 50% of its turnover is derived from these more performance-oriented materials.
Garrett stressed, however, that the Borealis wire and cable offering was all about purity in production and compounding.
The polymers are produced “almost in clean room conditions”, he said. This is especially important for materials used in high voltage conditions, he added.
PP continued to replace polycarbonate in automotive applications, he said, adding that in pipe it was a question of making sure the standards are maintained.
“I think Borealis’ reputation for product quality combined with our ability to bring new products to the market through our [research and development] R&D centres is the story,” he said.
Garrett said he expected the significant new capacity additions at Ruwais in
Borouge was using, as yet, not fully proven dimerisation technology to produce propylene feedstock for the 500,000 PP plant planned in Ruwais. The technology, however, was being tested in a pilot scale unit in
The personnel on the Schwechat unit would transfer to
Borealis is still developing its strategy for its new base chemicals businesses that comprise the firm’s cracker-based operations, phenol and acetone, melamine and plant nutrients lines. A six-quarter “transformation” programme is designed to help integration and lift profitability.
In June last year, Borealis raised phenol capacity at its plant in
Phenol is tight in
Garrett said he believed that one of the keys for the market was that phenol should no longer be priced the traditional way and that the link to feedstock benzene may no longer be logical.
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Uniqlo aiming for 200 UK stores
DESPITE battling sagging profits and vicious competition in its home market in Japan, the Uniqlo fashion stores chain is to triple its investment in Britain and push ahead with an aggressive expansion programme.
Uniqlo's parent company, Fast Retailing, aims to raise its capital in the UK from £10m to £30m and is standing by plans to open up to 50 stores in Britain within three years.
Although the company was reported to have slashed its expansion plans in Britain, Fast Retailing now says it will continue to open new stores and its target is eventually to have around 200 casual clothes shops here.
Uniqlo, which launched its first outlet in September last year, now has 12 in Britain following the opening of three new stores in the Midlands in March. The company might even be prepared make acquisitions to speed up the expansion, president Tadashi Yanai told reporters in Japan last month, although no moves are planned for at least three years.
While Uniqlo claims demand in Britain remains strong, it admits there has been a slowdown after the initial publicity fanfare and analysts in Tokyo estimate that the UK operations will lose up to £16.5m in their first year.
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VI Takes Home Gold and Silver at AMBIT Awards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
KANSAS CITY (April 13, 2017) – VI Marketing and Branding took home silver and gold AMBIT awards recognizing excellence in direct marketing, creative and results, at Kansas City’s AMBIT Awards Gala earlier this month.
VI scored gold in the search engine marketing category for Examinetics with objectives to increase qualified leads through web submissions and phone calls. The campaign produced a 53 percent increase in requests from submissions, a 45 percent close rate, and a potential revenue increase of 64 percent in 2016 compared to 2015.
Also in the category of search engine marketing, VI claimed a silver medal for its work with Orlando, Florida-based DataBank, who needed to generate qualified leads for its corporate scanning and software services. In year-over-year comparisons, VI’s campaign increased paid search lead form submissions by 135 percent, increased the click through rate by 68 percent, increased the lead form submission rate by 28 percent, and the conversion/lead rate by 17 percent.
“We are honored to be recognized for the results that our campaigns are producing for our clients,” said VI President Tim Berney. “We are extremely proud of our award-winning creative, but every campaign we launch is driven by strategy to achieve results. Awards like the AMBITs are a testament to the commitment of our staff to drive those results each and every day.”
This is the third consecutive year VI has been honored at the Kansas City AMBIT Awards.
About VI Marketing and Branding: VI Marketing and Branding is a full-service marketing communications firm with expertise in developing marketing programs, strategic planning, branding, public relations, social media and digital media, in addition to the traditional creative and media services of advertising agencies. The 28-year old firm has offices in Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Colorado Springs. For more information visit www.vimarketingandbranding.com.


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Annie Yi Is Taking Legal Action Against Netizens For Calling Her 3-Year-Old Daughter “Cross-eyed” and “Ugly”
It’s time to take a stand against cyber-bullying.
For the past few years, Taiwanese singer-actress Annie Yi, 50, has been focused on her e-commerce business, like her own brand of probiotics that she’s been promoting on Weibo. In a recent post, Annie revealed that her three-year-old daughter Milly has been taking the product for a while, which raised the suspicions of some netizens.
It wasn’t long before their comments took a turn for the nasty with some netizens calling Milly “cross-eyed and stupid-looking” and “silly and simple-minded and ugly”, and adding that she’s this way because she’s been taking the probiotics. So rude right? And may we remind everyone that Milly is only three?!


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Apple will launch Apple Watch Series 6 in 2020
Apple launched it’s Apple Watch Series 5 earlier this year, and the smartwatch had features including an always-on display and water resistance. At present, we can see rumours regarding the 2020 iPhone models rolling over the internet along with the information on next year’s Apple Watch models.
Recently, Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known Apple analyst predicted that the upcoming Apple Watch models would not only provide better performance, but they will have improved water resistance along with faster network speeds for both Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
Our news sources have reported that Ming-Chi Kuo in his latest research note claimed that Apple would use liquid crystal polymer (LCP) for the flexible circuit boards instead of polyamide (PI) in its upcoming Apple smartwatch models. Apple used the polyamide (PI) in its Series 5 models. Apple is scheduled to launch Apple Watch Series 6 in the second half of 2020.
While the S5 chip used for the 5 series models provided a small performance improvement over Series 4, a significant performance increase is anticipated in the next year’s Apple Watch, according to the latest research note provided by Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple Watch Series 6 should feature better water resistance and will be equipped with more water-based fitness activities.
Apple has a number of AR and VR apps confirmed that are expected to be launched by 2020. In the first half of next year, Apple will also launch a new iPad Pro model. Besides this, a new module with two sensors, and a small hole for a new 3D platform that supplies the AR and VR applications and contents of the next generation are to be added to the new model. The updated 3D sensing modules will also be available in the selected iPhone models that Apple will launch in 2020.


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UK 'faces gas hike after Spanish takeover'
THE creation of an overarching national energy champion in Spain via Gas Natural's £15bn takeover of its largest electricity generator, Endesa, will have dire consequences for competition in the EU power market, leading to higher UK household bills.
That is the warning from the UK's biggest residential energy group British Gas, whose parent Centrica is this week demanding the European Commission block the deal.
Centrica is telling Brussels competition officials that, unless it rules the deal out of bounds, it will set the European Union on a course of consolidation within national boundaries which in turn will continue to keep prices artificially high, forcing up bills for an ever more gas import reliant UK.
Heading a lobby of UK energy interests, Centrica finance director Phil Bentley told Brussels officials: 'It is critical for the economic competitiveness of Europe that full competition in energy markets is implemented swiftly and energy costs for industry and consumers are lowered.'
Citing Gas Natural's hostile approach to Endesa, which follows E.On's takeover of Ruhrgas in Germany, Bentley continued: 'We simply can't afford to allow large national champions to be further strengthened in the markets where they are already dominant, before competition has even been properly established, where we have yet to see material new entry or competition in energy supply.
'It is time for change, for the era of monopoly suppliers to end. We need to see the German and French governments set an example by following the UK and taking real steps to liberalise their markets.'
Centrica argues rising UK energy prices are largely the result of high prices on the Continent because there is no competition there at the residential supply level, meaning suppliers can carry on indexing their gas charges to the high oil price.
With North Sea output winding down, higher continental gas prices are pushing up purchasing costs for the UK's household suppliers.
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Australia auto sales in March increased 7.4%, surpassing spending in the retail sector.
According to the Australian Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries auto sales last month reached 97, 400 units, compared with 90,218 vehicles sold in February. Sales adjusted for seasonal factors were up 4.7%, according to the report. In March 2012 sales dropped 0.2%, the main reason being that last month had three fewer selling days, which means that auto sales per day were up 11.1% compared with last year’s March.
During the first three months of the year sales increased 5% compared with the same period last year, setting the annual pace growth at a record 1.155 million vehicles. Demand for SUVs remained high, up 6.3% from March 2012. The auto sales strength surpassed the retail spending, as consumers were drawn by low interest rates on vehicle loans.
Toyota took the first place in sales with a 19.2% market share, followed by Mazda with 9.4% and Nissan and Hyundai on the third place with 8.6% each. GM’s Holden units reached an 8.5% market share and Ford had a poor performance with 6.6%.
Details of the VFACTS report in original terms. Sales for March:
Passenger Vehicles -2,432 -4.8
Sports Utility +1,720 +6.3
Light Commercial +417 +2.5
Heavy Commercial +79 +3.1


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End of EU of trade controls for Chinese solar panels sparks fears of glut on market
Chinese solar panels will no longer be subject to trade controls such as minimum prices in the European Union, the European Commission announced in its official journal. The trade restrictions, introduced in 2013 to shield the European Union’s solar power market from cheaper Chinese imports, expired on 3 September, the Commission said. According to news agency Reuters, European renewable power expansion goals are one of the rationales behind lifting controls. While the Chinese government welcomed the move as an example of successful trade diplomacy, European solar panel producer lobby group EU ProSun said the change in policy would devastate the continent’s industry. While European solar power companies that import and install panels hope the cheaper products will boost their business, solar panel manufacturers are considering taking legal action at the European Court of Justice against the lifting of measures.
See the CLEW article Last major German solar cell maker surrenders to Chinese competition for more information.


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BASF, the world’s largest chemical producer noted in a statement that the launch marks a milestone in the company’s US$10 billion investment project announced in July 2018.
The first plants will produce engineering plastics and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to serve the increasing needs of various growth industries in the southern China market and throughout Asia, noted BASF.
“By utilizing the latest digital technologies and applying the highest safety standards, the new Verbund site will be a role model for sustainable production, contributing to the development of a circular economy in China,” added Brudermüller.
BASF said that by 2022, the new engineering plastics compounding plant will supply an additional capacity of 60,000 metric tons per year in China, bringing the company’s total capacity of these products in Asia Pacific to 290,000 metric tons per year.
BASF plans to implement a comprehensive smart manufacturing concept at the Verbund site based on cutting-edge technologies.
The new site will utilize automated packaging, high-tech control systems, and automated guided vehicles.
The company also revealed that the project will contribute to the advancement of the local community by forming strategic partnerships with several local technical institutions to develop young technical talents.
Integrated Site (Guangdong) Co. Ltd, BASF’s new wholly-owned subsidiary, has also been officially formed and will oversee the operations of the new Verbund site.
The Verbund site in Guangdong would be BASF’s largest investment in recent times and is estimated to be worth US$10 billion upon completion.
The integrated facility will connect upstream and downstream plants from basic chemicals to more consumer-oriented products and solutions, serving growth sectors like consumer goods and transportation.
Once complete, the verbund site would ultimately be the third-largest BASF site worldwide, following Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.
The first plant producing engineering plastics compounds is expected to be operational by 2022, and the whole Verbund site is planned to be completed by 2030.


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BEIJING: Ray-Ban, the premium eyewear brand, is enhancing its ecommerce capabilities in China, reflecting rising demand for goods and services among the country's web users.
The Luxottica-owned range has created an official store on Taobao Mall, one of China's leading internet retail sites.
Alongside selling established offerings, this digital hub is set to stock lines targeted specifically at local customers, like Ray-Ban Asian Fit and Asian Design.
Moreover, some items will be available to Chinese buyers exclusively via this route, with the Ray-Ban Tech: Light Ray collection only to be sold in such a way until July.
"Ray-Ban speaks to a broad audience of consumers, from young trendsetters to specialists interested in premium products and in search of innovation and technology," said Sara Beneventi, global brand director of Ray-Ban.
"We are excited to collaborate with Taobao to launch our online store and offer Chinese consumers an additional channel to shop the Ray-Ban brand."
Given that China's internet population is largely comprised of youthful, affluent people, it makes sense for fashion labels to adopt such a model.
The hardening willingness to complete transactions through the web, and Taobao's impressive user base, means Ray-Ban is particularly optimistic about the potential of this approach.
"Our e-commerce strategy in China is grounded in the continued and growing strength of online retailing in China, and Taobao Mall offers unparalleled reach and market penetration across the country," Beneventi said.
"In the future we will continue to build upon our brand awareness in China by leveraging Taobao's 370m-plus consumer community."
Taobao Mall stocks 30,000 domestic and international brands, covering categories from electronics to footwear.
Among the site's best-known clients are apparel retailers Uniqlo, Gap and Levi's, as well as sportswear manufacturers adidas and Li-Ning.
"We believe this new Taobao Mall store will provide Ray-Ban with the opportunity to satisfy its consumers with enhanced access to the company's authentic, high-quality products," said Peng Ye, general manager, Taobao Mall.
"[This is due to] the combination of the rise of online shopping in the major cities across China and the fact that Chinese consumers are growing increasingly fashion-savvy."
Data sourced from Ray-Ban; additional content by Warc staff


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That was exactly my thoughts after driving the 2021 Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge for a couple of days.You get
rsquo;s reveal of the exterior of the Geely Preface, some people can’t help but notice the whole Volvo
If you’ve ever thought of switching to a plug-in hybrid, the 2021 Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge might
Volvo Cars welcomes former Mercedes-Benz designer Claudia Braun and former Facebook web designer Thomas
Hot off the launch of the 2021 Volvo S90, Volvo Malaysia rolls out yet another update, this time on the
Volvo Car Malaysia today paved a new path for customers with the launch of its 360 total-care used car
Volvo’s Android-based infotainment system that first made its debut on the Volvo XC40 Recharge
Volvo Cars have just announced its biggest global recall ever.
Though Hari Raya this year will continue in the same vein as 2020, Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) is determined
Seeing that Volvo is under Geelys ownership, it makes sense for the Swedish marque to take advantage
Volvo credentials in safety need no further introduction.
That’s exactly what Volvo has done in their recent crash test – by dropping off ten Volvo
Germans at their own game of compact executive sedans and after weeks of teasing, the all-new 2019 Volvo
Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has just launched the 2021 Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge in Malaysia.
Rs now hug new lightweight, forged-alloy 10-spoke wheels that come with titanium wheel nuts to shave off
- Volvo S60 T8 takes the cake Performance Comparison BMW 330e Volvo S60 T8 Engine
Volvo is intent on walking the talk when it comes to phasing out internal combustion engines (ICE).
Volvo Car Malaysia has partnered with E-waste Recycling Through Heroes (ERTH) to provide E-waste Green
will drive home a Civic 1.5LHonda Malaysia has announced that they will be collaborating with Astro Radio
From dropping its cars from the air to implementing a 180 km/h speed limit, Volvo Cars has been always
had a long standing history with Bell, dating back to the 1960s for the licensed production of the HU
from the teaser photos, the new sedan will bear a very similar silhouette to its Swedish cousins, the Volvo
Hot on the heels of the introduction of the 2021 Volvo XC40 T5 Recharge PHEV on our shores, one cant
Is Volvo a true rival to Mercedes-Benz and BMW? Can Volvo take the spot currently occupied by Audi?
wheels; which makes this Volvo 480 just plain bonkers.
Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has officially launched the locally-assembled (CKD) 2020 Volvo S60 T8 PHEV R-Design
Volvo Malaysia has just refreshed their best selling large SUV, the 2020 Volvo XC90.
But really, if you put all of them side by side, the Volvo S60 T8 will triumph.Really?
Meanwhile, the Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Plus goes for RM 391,150 (without SST).Volvo XC90We’ve
Volvo S60Volvo Car Malaysia will launch the locally-assembled (CKD) version of the Volvo S60 T8 R-Design


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Apple sure seems to move fast. On Friday, it was rumored that the company was in talks to purchase online music site, Lala. A couple of hours later, The New York Times was reporting that the deal had been closed. Now, according to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is already looking to take advantage of that deal--by moving iTunes online.
According to the paper, Apple is, "exploring an overhaul of the way it sells and stores music that is aimed at extending its influence to the Web, according to people briefed on the strategy."
The article adds,
Where Apple's iTunes requires users to download music onto a specific computer, Lala.com lets users buy and listen to music through a Web browser, meaning its customers can access purchases from anywhere, as long as they are connected to the Internet.
Apple is considering adopting that same model for songs sold on iTunes, a change that would give consumers more ways to access and manage their iTunes purchases--and wouldn't require them to download Apple's software or their purchases.
The changes, The Journal adds, could come as early as next year.


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The latest on Miru, our partners and our industry.
VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 5, 2020 /CNW/ – Click Materials, a Vancouver-based smart window company, has unveiled a new logo and company name, Miru Smart Technologies (Miru), following the completion of
Industry experts selected Click as a top 5 e-mobility company in the Energy Tech Summit’s New Energy Challengers Initiative.
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) will provide $4.6M to support the development and scaling of Click’s next-generation smart window technologies. The SDTC project will help
Click has launched a development partnership with Cardinal Glass Industries, a top producer of premium windows. This new partnership will help propel Click’s smart windows
Click Materials was selected as one of 22 Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada finalists. Click will deliver a final pitch in January to top clean technology
Plug and Play Tech Center, the early stage investor and corporate innovation platform, shortlisted Click Materials as a top 100 company in their New Materials
Click Materials successfully completed the CDL program and participated in their annual showcase. The event generated investor interest that led to Click closing a round


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Transsion Holding subsidiary, Tecno, popularly referred to as “King of Africa” has released two phones in a bid to try cement its market share in the continent.
Tecno Camon 15 and Camon 15 Pro are the smartphone maker’s first devices to pack a 48MP quad shooter camera setup.
The two smartphones are also the first devices of the brand to come with Andriod 10 and plenty of AI features from out of the box.
As of now, the two new phones are only available in India with a launch in Kenya expected soon. That said, it’s worthy to note that since entering the Indian market, Transsion group has really focused market, which is understandable because of the sheer market size. However, the African market is what gave Transsion its name and as it starts drifting to the East, thanks to the exclusive launches there, some smartphone brands have recognized the opportunity and the growing African market.
Tecno Camon 15 and Camon 15 Pro are affordable mid-range smartphones with some flagship features to give the consumer the ultimate experience at a relatively affordable cost.
Tecno Camon 15
Tecno Camon 15 features a 6.55-inch display with a punch-hole. The phone has a16MP selfie camera and a 5,000mAH battery
Tecno Camon 15 Pro
Tecno Camon 15 Pro packs a 6.53-inch display with a full HD+ resolution. The device comes with a 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage and is powered by a Helio P35 chipset. The phone has a 32MP pop-up selfie camera and at the rear, it packs a 48MP quad-camera setup.
Tecno Camon 15 comes in three colors, Shoal Gold, Fascinating Purple and Jade and will be priced at approximately Ksh 14,000. On the other hand, Camon 15 Pro comes in Ice Jadeite and Opal White color options priced at around Ksh 21,000


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Bitcoin Wallet Electrum has released a beta version of Electrum 4.0, which supports the Lightning Network.
Bitcoin Future： electrum cash org
Qtum Electrum Tutorial Qtum Electrum Light Wallet.
Write a contract using the adapted chainx-org/ink. Chainx-org/ink fork self-paritytech/ink, the main change is the introduction of DefaultXrmlTypes instead of DefaultRrmlTypes to suit ChainX's runtime.
The new version of the wallet will also include undersea switching, which allows BTC to pass from the Bitcoin blockchain to the payment channel network LN. For this novelty, Electrum is based on Boltz technology. Electrum will charge a commission for this service.
Google has canceled 49 cryptocurrencies pocket browser extensions after security researchers discovered they had stolen non-public keys. These Chrome extensions are aimed at customers with encrypted wallets, similar to Ledger, Trezor, Jaxx, Electrum, Myetherwallet, Metamask, Exodus, and Keepkey.
Bitcoin desktop wallet client Electrum has released a 4.0 beta version, adding several important updates, including support for the Lightning network, nearly a year after the previous version of Electrum, 3.3.8 (last July). In the 4.0 beta version, Electrum mainly added features such as PSBT (partially signed Bitcoin transactions), Lightning Network, watchtowers (暸 watchtowers) and Submarineswaps (subliminal switching). (Github)
Electrum Wallet is one of the most popular Bitcoin wallets and has been around for several years. However, Electrum wallet users often rely on electrum servers, which presents some security and privacy trade-offs. If you use an Electrum personal server, Electrum wallet users can connect locally to their own private servers, enjoying the convenience of Electrum without any trade-offs.
if(tx<0||tx>=WINDOWC|| ty<0||ty>=WINDOWW|| isHit(tx,ty,me. Type))
Electrum's ElectrumX performs better than a personal Electrum server and includes a P2P exploration protocol that enables the wallet app of the average user to automatically find and connect to the server. These features make it a great solution for setting up public Electrum servers.
Qtum Electrum synchronously updates electrum-related code.
"Bitcoin or Bitcoin, no matter how others fork!" said Wu Gang, CEO of Bitcoin Wallet Platform.
If someone's Electrum wallet is connected to one of these servers and tries to send a BTC transaction, they will see an official message telling them to update their Electrum wallet, as well as a scam URL.
Electrum was launched in 2011 with a lite version of Bitcoin wallet with an open source code under MIT licenses.
Unlike most Bitcoin forks, BTCP is well thought out. The project has a good development team and has done a lot of testing on the underlying code. Also, the fork date has only recently been announced, and BTCP still has time to fully test the BTCP wallet. It's too early to say, but the rhett-creighton-150-by-150 project looks promising. By contrast, many recent Bitcoin fork projects Github and Wallet have had problems. The BTCP team wants to avoid repeating the mistakes of fork projects such as Bit Gold.
Earlier this month, Electrum detected a DoS attack on its network, allegedly launched by a malicious botnet with more than 140,000 machines, designed to provide Electrum to users.