text:
Vida Taco Bar is a ‘farm to taco’ concept that has three Maryland locations in Annapolis, Baltimore, and a residential neighborhood between the two called Severna Park.
From six feet away, Bar & Restaurant sat down with Andrew Fox, one of the owners, at the Severna Park location to see how they have gone all-in on their popular cocktail delivery program. As Andrew puts it, “We’re not surviving, we’re thriving in this market.” The success was clear in the busyness of a supposed shutdown restaurant. Where tables and chairs normally would be, sat crates of food-grade beverage containers, self-sealing lids, dozens of cases tequila and triple sec, insulated coolers, and industrial-size juicers.
The staff, clad in PPE, was spaced out as half prepared orders for the latest round of margarita orders while others bagged nacho chips for their food market opening up in a few hours. In the middle of it all, sat Andrew at a laptop, sorting through orders by neighborhoods and calling out names and addresses with his niece and General Manager of the shutdown Vida Annapolis location, Colleen Fox, as they cross-checked their delivery route for the evening.
This is Vida’s second or third burst of innovation fueled by necessity to survive. When Governor Hogan shut down restaurants in rather vague press announcements, Andrew Fox and his partners John Miller and Josh Brown thought they would have to close completely. “Within 5 minutes we were getting texts on clarifications that they didn’t want us to close completely, and wanted us to continue to serve the community”, says Andrew Fox.
First Pivot- A Mini-Mart with Cocktails To-Go
“We had to change our business plan overnight and then overnight again and then overnight again, recalled Andrew, “I was on the phone with partners multiple times a day based on laws being changed or guidance being updated”.
Executive Chef, Josh Brown, saw how hard it was to get staple items from the grocery stores after trying to fulfill a list his wife sent him out with. The team huddled and created a mini-mart with vegetables, meat, eggs, and other necessities for the community.
The Severna Park Vida mini-market is convenient as people do not have to enter the location and they have a large patio to sell off of. By executive order from the state of Maryland, it was deemed that visitors could also take cocktails to-go with their order.
“Once we did the supermarket, we knew people wanted alcohol. And we started pushing for alcohol to-go because that clarification didn’t come immediately. Once that was allowed, doing tacos and margaritas to-go in three sizes was very easy,” says Andrew.
Second Pivot- Margarita Truck
With the mini-mart up and running five days a week, the Vida team looked at delivering alcohol next. The executive team's line of thinking was, “let's sell margaritas off the back of a truck, this is going to be fun. It’s like everybody’s dream to run the ice cream truck of alcohol and ring the bell to sell to your neighbors."
“We thought if we could set up shop in one of our friend’s driveway and if we get 100 people to show up, that would be a great day. But then 200 people showed up, and then 300 people showed up. It was incredible and if I could do that, I would do that for the rest of my life. We can generate a lot of revenue in a little bit of time with mass batching,” expressed Andrew.
Between the selling margaritas from the truck and the mini-market, we did more sales than our best week at this location.
He continued, “It’s like everybody’s dream to run the ice cream truck of alcohol and ring the bell to sell to your neighbors. The very first week we were delivering off of a truck, we did 2.5 times the normal revenue we did in a week [before COVID-19]. Between the selling margaritas from the truck and the mini-market, we did more sales than our best week at this location. Just stupid numbers.”
Vida had planned on continuing this for a month or six weeks and thought they were going to be able to pay all of their bills for all of the restaurants no problem.
However, the popularity not only attracted all of the neighbors, it also brought the attention of the police department. The county shut Vida down because people were buying margaritas directly from the truck and said this was not allowed. Vida then had to deal with the liquor board and the health department who serves as the enforcement agency.
Andrew vocalized their position, “If you aren’t reading hundreds of pages of these releases, the specific guidance has been very raw, and everybody operates differently. The information out of the state and out of the Fed has been mixed and match and we understand it’s a pandemic. So we’re balancing both legal and ethical things to do during a pandemic.”
When asked if the government and health department were flexible in finding a resolution, Andrew said, “They totally worked with us because we were doing it right. We had spacing and masks and were sanitary. So they were actually learning from us as they were telling us we couldn’t do it. Per normal, we were moving way faster than the government moves.”
Third Pivot- Cocktail Delivery Program
Vida made their case to the county that if they follow the protocols laid out by the state, they are allowed to deliver alcohol. The county granted them permission under the following model:
- paying online (contactless transactions)
- age verification
- has to be delivered to their property
After getting shut down, Vida knew they had to focus on delivery and didn’t want to use third-party services for both fees and legal issues. While many states do not allow mixed cocktails, Maryland has been more lenient.
John Miller, Vida's other owner and head of their fresh cocktail production program commented, “We get distilled booze in, we mix it with fresh produce the state approves and then seal it in a food-grade container. We produce in a health department approved environment that they inspected and signed off on.”
Since then, Vida has worked on picking off small neighborhoods at a time to service them with margaritas to-go in a limo bus that drives around for the deliveries.
“We’re in the hustler factor right now. We’re trying to target as many people as we can without sacrificing the quality of the product. Our first go around, we didn’t have route-routing software and we weren’t populating orders the right way and it took 1.5 hours for 22 stops. It drove me bonkers and we dug deep into the technology side of the business. We mashed them all together to be efficient between geo-zones by day and using an app that maps our stops”, says Andrew.
Last week, with only 24-hours of promotion, Vida was able to secure 107 orders and was able to execute them in three hours and 10 minutes, cutting their average delivery time in half to under two minutes per stop.
A 16-oz cocktail sells for $15 on their site that is enough for roughly two and a half servings. A six-pack can be purchased for $80 which is the equivalent of $10 off for the six-pack. They have two options - margarita or ‘purple drink’ which is half margarita and half sangria. The minimum order is $30 which helps keeps it the number of orders more manageable and Andrew estimates their average order is around $55.
When asked why he believes their program is so popular, Andrew offered a few of his thoughts, “Anyone that knows Vida, knows that we batch our margaritas as often as possible. We make them every day. Sometimes you may be getting a margarita that was made three hours ago. There is nothing as fresh that you can get other than maybe a cocktail kit but you have to make it yourself. This is the closest product you can get that is identical to the margarita that they would be having at the bar. The cost is also very consumer-friendly at about $6.50 per drink. We didn’t change our base tequila that is a very high-quality tequila. People see it’s just not a novelty, the value is there. It’s the same product they get in the restaurant. We’re also hustling. We’ve been outside our market several times. We’re at a 15-mile radius of our market and tomorrow we’re going 39 miles away from this location to serve the Baltimore market where our other store is located but is currently shut down. Last week we ordered 96 cases of limes, normally we are ordering about 30 cases in the summer months”.
Vida estimates they are hitting over 20k people on social media every day due to quarantined people posting their latest delivery on Instagram and Facebook.
Andrew claimed, “We’re not surviving, we’re thriving in this market. That being said, we have two locations out of four (their fourth location Fox's Den- a gastropub pizza concept) that are shut down. The numbers are doing well but it’s not full retail numbers for all four locations.
Andrew says, "We’re a small company, we only have 10-15 people working right now out of our normal employee payroll of 120 people. The law might change where we have to stop immediately if they disallow the deliveries of alcohol. If that happens, we'll look at reopening or whatever we have to pivot to next".
When asked what Andrew would like as support from the government moving forward, Andrew stated, “This shut down has shown that people can innovate. Business is not going to be as usual. The old stigmas that have been around forever have shown that they are not hurting anyone like alcohol delivery or cocktails to-go. I’m a huge proponent of protecting the local businesses and the local restaurants. The government should let the innovation happen because this industry has changed over the last ten years between cuisine and price points; they have to let the innovation happen or we will see restaurant shutdowns like we have never seen before. And that will trickle down into the commercial real estate market and they don’t want that.
Slow-rolling a restaurant is a death sentence. If we’re going to focus on slow-rolling the restaurants, I would rather focus on margarita deliveries. If you’re going to open, if only have 25% capacity, you still might need three cooks because you have three stations. A lot of people are going to choose to not to open until we get back to normal.


text:
#CINEMATICEVERYTHING Ep. 55 | The Mobile Threat
June 19, 2013 | Share: |
#CINEMATICEVERYTHING Ep. 55 | The Mobile Threat from Indirap Productions on Vimeo.
Shot by Mr. Indirap…
Bellycard Head of Mobile – Chris Ingebrigtsen explains why optimizing your web content for mobile will no longer be an option if you want to be successful online.
Follow The Movement @ INDIRAP.com
Well, right now about 30% of web traffic in North America is on a mobile device; iPads, Android phones, iPhones, whatever.
I’ve seen estimates that say next year, 2014, they expect that to be up to 50%. So, about half of your users will be on a mobile device instead of a desktop computer.
So, right now, anybody who isn’t already mobile-y optimized is already falling behind. But next year you’re going to miss one out of two people if you’re not ready for that.

domain: news


text:
Recently, a new bug was found in iOS that causes iPhones to crash. The bug is not a major one and is unlikely to affect most users. The issue is linked directly to Apple Control Center. So far, the bug has been found in iPhone 5s, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. This bug is also restricted to only those iPhones that run on iOS 10.3.1. Interestingly, there have been no reports of this bug affecting the Apple s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus or iPads for that matter. Also Read - New iPhone SE to be the most affordable 5G phone from Apple, to launch in 2022Also Read - iPhone 13 launch date and more details tipped as part of new leaks
The bug was first brought to light through a YouTube video, and it affects the iPhones when the Control Center is open. On opening the menu, you find buttons for clock, calculator, camera, Night Shift and AirDrop. If you press all these buttons together, the phone freeze for a few seconds, and restarts. If you want to replicate it, ensure the timing of the three button presses are perfect. Though we would strongly advice against trying this at home. Also Read - iPhone 12 Mini reaches end of production already, say rumours
In some cases, the phones would not turn on or resume working normally and had to then be rebooted or taken to Apple Service Centers. The chances of the bug affecting your device are extremely slim as this seems to be a result of someone being bored . ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy On Nxt 2017 Edition launched, priced at Rs 16,900: Specifications, features
It s a miniscule bug and chances are iPhone users have been using their devices for years before coming across the bug. This is not the first time iOS devices have suffered bugs and while some bugs have definitely been serious, this is more of a fun attempt or experiment users might try with their device or someone else s device. It is unclear if Apple will acknowledge the tiny matter and issue an update for the same.


text:
Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller told a jury on Thursday that the iPhone was a "bet the company" kind of product. The marketing executive testified in the retrial for damages in a patent infringement victory trial against, where he said that all of Apple works on iPhone today in one way or another.
Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller
Apple and Samsung are re-arguing the damages portion of a guilty verdict that found Samsung guilty of willfully infringing on several of Apple's design and utility patents. The original jury awarded Apple US$1.05 billion, but the judge struck down $450 million (later reduced to some $410 million), and ordered a retrial for that portion of the damages.
In coverage of the retrial, CNet reported that Mr. Schiller took the stand with just 11 minutes left in Thursday's session, essentially just enough time to be introduced to the jury. He also began painting the picture of what a big investment Apple made in figuring out how to do a touch interface correctly.
"There were huge risks [with the first iPhone]," Mr. Schiller said. "We had a saying inside the company that it was a 'bet the company' product...We were starting to do well again in iPod...Then here we're going to invest all these resources, financial as well as people, in creating this product."
In a separate article, CNet reported that Mr. Schiller argued that copying one feature was as damaging to Apple as copying 50, saying, "At the end of the day, there's a cumulative effect of doing all of this that's incredibly damaging."
"This was an incredibly important time," he said. "As this [infringement] has been occurring, it's harder for us to get new customers and bring them into our ecosystem."
Throughout the trial Apple has argued that figuring out how to make a touch interface intuitive was very difficult, and that by copying Apple's patented inventions, Samsung was able to skate to billions of dollars in revenue and profits. In the damages retrial, Apple has been arguing that it is entitled to damages for lost profits, as compensation for profits Samsung earned, and for royalties.


text:
Mobile commerce finds strong growth in mobile applications
Mobile applications are beginning to play a major role in mobile commerce. These applications are starting to serve as adequate replacements for NFC technology, allowing more consumers to participate in mobile commerce than ever before. Canalys, a leading market research firm, has released a new report highlighting the growth of mobile applications and the role they are beginning to play in the adoption and expansion of mobile commerce. The report suggests that mobile commerce could come to replace traditional online shopping methods in the near future.
Report highlights performance of mobile applications
According to the report, downloads of mobile applications grew by 11% in the first quarter of 2013. Approximately 13 billion apps were downloaded during that quarter. Many of these applications offered mobile commerce services or some kind of in-app purchase opportunity. Together, these applications accounted for $2.2 billion in paid downloads and in-app purchases during the first quarter, a 9% increase over the previous quarter. The report suggests that the growing popularity of mobile applications, as well as their increasing value, is largely due to the convenience these applications offer, especially in regards to mobile commerce.
Mobile everything is becoming the favored solution for consumers
More consumers are showing favor for using their mobile devices for daily activities, such as online searches, shopping, and engaging in social networks. Mobile services typically offer consumers a range of opportunities to make in-app purchase, either by unlocking additional features for an application or simply purchasing a product through that application. Canalys estimates that the growing popularity of these applications will push the download mark to over 20 billion by the end of this year and that these applications will account for $3.1 billion in revenue.
Mobile commerce still facing several challenges
Canalys notes that the mobile commerce market is still immature and is difficult to measure accurately. There are several challenges that mobile commerce faces that could put a damper on the markets promising future. The most significant of these challenges is security, which is growing more important as consumers begin to understand how much their financial information could be at risk. The continued growth of mobile commerce will also be largely dependent on the social and economic impact it will have. A negative impact will cause the support for mobile commerce to all but evaporate, while a positive impact will encourage more consumers to get involved.


text:
Plunging Bitcoin prices and an economic downturn are causing cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase to cut 18% of its staff.
In a Tuesday blog post(Opens in a new window), Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said he was making staff cuts on the belief the economy is entering into a recession, which could lead to a “crypto winter.”
“In past crypto winters, trading revenue (our largest revenue source) has declined significantly. While it’s hard to predict the economy or the markets, we always plan for the worst so we can operate the business through any environment,” he wrote.
In an SEC filing(Opens in a new window) on the same day, the company said it was laying off about 1,100 employees. Armstrong explained that the company “over-hired” last year when Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies soared to new highs. This also included Coinbase spending a reported $14 million to air an ad during the Super Bowl.
But in recent months, many cryptocurrencies have seen a steep decline in value. Bitcoin, for example, was at $45,850 in April, but has since then dropped to $22,180.
“Our team has grown very quickly (>4x in the past 18 months) and our employee costs are too high to effectively manage this uncertain market. The actions we are taking today will allow us to more confidently manage through this period even if it is severely prolonged,” Armstrong added.
This comes after Coinbase rescinded more than 300 employment offers, Vice reports(Opens in a new window).
Coinbase is holding on to 5,000 employees, which is up from the 1,250 staffers it employed in early 2021. And despite the downturn, Armstrong noted, “Coinbase has survived through four major crypto winters, and we’ve created long-term success by carefully managing our spending through every down period.”
Still, the layoffs signal plenty of hurt is coming for the cryptocurrency industry. On Monday, cryptocurrency trading service BlockFI also announced(Opens in a new window) it was cutting staff by 20%. “Like many others in Tech, we’ve been impacted by the dramatic shift in macroeconomic conditions, which have had a negative impact on our growth rate,” BlockFi’s CEO wrote.
Get Our Best Stories!
Sign up for What’s New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
Source By https://www.pcmag.com/news/coinbase-cuts-18-of-staff-amid-cryptocurrency-dive


text:
0139 GMT July 20, 2019
According to Yonhap News Agency, the nationwide festival is scheduled to kick off on Sept. 29 for a 33-day run and will involve three themes: Two bargain sales events for domestic and foreign shoppers, according to the website.
The culture festival section, which runs from Oct. 1-30 across the country, will include 52 cultural events involving Korean pop culture as well as provincial governments.
Manufacturers and retailers in the fields like home appliances, cosmetics, clothing and food will join the shopping sections to provide bargain deals, according to the website.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy are co-hosting the shopping and tourist festival.
This year's festival was rebranded from the name used last year, which was ‘Korea Black Friday’.


text:
Nick Atkinson spoke to FPO in a personal capacity on the current state of the UK and global economies, Brexit, the labour market and the prospect of interest rate rises. Nick has decades of experience in global Equity and Debt markets, Finance and Banking, having worked for some of the major global institutions such as PWC and his current role with MUFJ (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group).
An edited summary of one of the key parts of his interview is available in the video above. In the full interview Nick provided a unique personal analysis on the development of global markets and centres of production, consumer markets and the demographic challenges facing the UK and Europe in particular.
One of the key drivers of economic growth is access to labour, particularly younger workers who are prepared to migrate to key centres of existing (or potential) economic activity. In this respect, the challenge facing the UK is to balance the will of people who voted for Brexit while meeting the needs of the economy, especially for workers in sectors such as agriculture, hotels and catering, the retail sector and lower-skilled jobs. In his interview Nick highlighted why the UK economy wouldn’t function properly without a steady supply of workers from other EU member states and from outside of the EU.
In the first part of his vide interview, there was an interesting discussion on interest rates, the equity and debt markets and the prospects for a shift in the value of equities as interest rates rise.


text:
Regulator Ofgem says it will also force companies to tell customers if they could save money by switching to a cheaper tariff.
Alistair Buchanan, Ofgem chief executive, said: “Our plans will put an end to consumers being confused by complex tariffs and will usher in a simpler, clearer, fairer and more competitive energy market for all consumers.”
The move comes as Labour looks to capitalise on the row caused earlier this week when David Cameron pledged energy companies would be forced to offer their lowest tariff to customers – only for a minister to later attempt a U-turn.
On Wednesday it aims to force a Commons vote on its plans to automatically switch customers aged over 75 onto the cheapest energy tariffs.
The Labour package also includes plans to break up the “big six” energy companies and allow new players to enter the market. Both moves follow inflation-busting price hikes from British Gas, Npower and Scottish and Southern.
Our plans will put an end to consumers being confused by complex tariffs and will usher in a simpler, clearer, fairer and more competitive energy market for all consumers
Ofgem’s proposals include banning complex multi-tier tariffs and enforcing transparency in the market to make it easier for users to understand deals, which have been welcomed by consumer groups.
Angela Knight, the chief executive of Energy UK, said: “What they have here is a pretty challenging set of requirements on the companies and we will work with Ofgem and others, once we have got the detail, to get what is in the best interests of our customers.”
But Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Focus, warned: “Vulnerable consumers are hit hardest by price rises, are less likely to shop around and are more likely to be on the most expensive rates.
“Extra steps should be made to alert vulnerable households if they could be on a better deal.”


text:
In 1997, David Kronick, Vice President and CIO of CD&L Inc., a $175 million distribution and logistics company based in Hackensack, N.J., went to his CEO and asked for money to beef up the company's infrastructurea legacy of 11 independent firms. Kronick wanted $200,000 to connect all the locations with a frame-relay network. The CEO's reaction? "He literally laughed at me," Kronick says.
Things have changed since then. Over the past two years, the company has spent $1.75 million on its IT infrastructure. That included a new data center and network bandwidth throughout the company. Yet despite a new financial system the CFO wanted, and plans for a hot, redundant data center for disaster recovery, to date, Kronick doesn't think the spending has had any real ROI.
That's in contrast to the 80 percent of respondents to this month's survey on infrastructure who say that top management believes recent infrastructure spending has yielded tangible business benefits. But conversations with a number of CIOs and experts make clear that companies buy infrastructure for many reasons, and that ROI depends on how you view the world.
Consider disaster recovery: Some CIOs, such as David Mikelson, vice president of IT at Altadis USA Inc., a $545 million manufacturer and distributor of cigars, can pinpoint a definite value in disaster-recovery investments. Every one of the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based company's branches, including a Tampa distribution center, connects to the firm's single data center, so downtime means no shipments and no income. A few years ago, a fire in the building that housed the data center kept everyone out of work for four days. At its current size, downtime would cost about $240,000 an hour, or close to $2 million a day. So last year, the company spent $60,000 on hardware, with another $2,500 a month to lease space and additional telecommunications, for a hardened site in Orlando, Fla.
Then there is Stratex Networks Inc., a provider of wireless transmission systems based in San Jose, Calif., that has upgraded several enterprise software packages and replaced end-of-life Solaris servers with Intel-based Linux machines (saving between $80,000 and $100,000 over the cost of Sun Microsystems Inc. hardware and software). Part of the change involves adopting disaster recovery recommendations. Prior to the switch, a full outage would have required 48 to 72 hours for recovery, compared with fewer than four hours now. At almost $54,000 per hour in estimated costs to the company, attributing ROI to improved reliability would seem easy. But the company has seen no downtime in nearly five years, so touting millions in annual savings through better uptime would be disingenuous. "I pessimistically put in a factor that we may be down one hour a year," says CIO B. Lee Jones.
Pinpointing the value of infrastructure is hard because companies make decisions for many reasons, ROI being only one. According to Rebecca Wettemann, vice president of research at Nucleus Research Inc., a Wellesley, Mass., consultancy, the problem with understanding payback on technology is not a problem for the CIO alone: "Some 60 percent of companies don't have any consistent way of evaluating the ROI of a technology project."
So it should come as no surprise that many CIOsand their companies' top managementsimply treat most infrastructure spending as a cost of doing business. Since Moore's Law has allowed companies to get what they need for ever-dropping costs, CIOs can offer to either drop savings to the bottom line or invest it in additional capabilitiesan effective tactic, since management was prepared to spend that money anyway.
Otherwise, CIOs must show how new infrastructure opens possibilities unavailable with older technology. Bellevue, Wash.-based North Coast Electric Co. is moving from a legacy database for its inventory and sales to a relational database. Management has already been able to find problems in the pricing received by each of its 12,000 customers. "We were able to put one-quarter to one-half a percent to the bottom line by making sure our prices were at the right levels at the right time," says CIO Les Johnson. That has translated into between $500,000 and $1 million in pre-tax dollars, significantly more than the $350,000 the upgrades have cost so far.
While justifying infrastructure by improvements to the business would seem reasonable in theory, in practice companies have started doing this seriously only in the last year or so, according to Judith Hurwitz, president of IT strategy consulting firm Hurwitz & Associates of Waltham, Mass. "Prior to that, there were pretty silly ROI metrics, like doing transactions a quarter of a second faster, which meant needing one less server over the next four months." Hurwitz also notes that virtually no one looks back the following year to examine whether the expected return actually came though. Which can only make infrastructure investments look even more attractive.
This article was originally published on 10-01-2004


text:
The robot Buddy is the innovation made in France full of technology that we can consider as “pet robot”. It was thought in Paris and will be made in Bretagne to be released for Christmas 2017 in French homes. It’s about a robotics project that rallied a lot of people since it’s not less than 300 developers who contribute to it.
I don’t know if we can consider Buddy as toy robot or educational robot but what is sure is that it has more than one trick in the bag. Actually, it predicts to offer its owners playful educational, domestic applications. What let the robotics in house offer a little more recently tends to simplify greatly our lives.
During a television program, Bruno Bonnelle expressed himself on this new French robot. For those who don’t know him, he is CEO of robolution capital, which continuously invests in new robotics products and companies in France.
He affirms that this robot was designed for leisure, education and friendliness but it was not yet a humanoid robot as seen in movies. According to him, these robots who can take care of people or bring you coffee independently and efficiently will only come to the market in several decades. You need to be patient!
Here we talk about the new robot Buddy but it’s one of numerous robotics projects of the same type in France: they build jobs. Even though this robot isn’t like those in movies, it can still respond to its name, understand when we talk to it and even offer games, educational or domestics programs in association with other Ubisoft, Nathan or Somfy.
It is planned to produce for this moment 10 000 copies in France for the end of the year, but it could be necessary to look for other production sites in case of more production, according to Bruno Bonnell.
If you want to know more about this robot Buddy, I suggest to you listening to the CEO of Blue Frog Robotics on his initiative. For information, the robot will measure 60 centimeters for only 5 kg.


text:
Tesla Inc cut the price of its sport utility vehicle Model Y by $3,000, just four months after its launch, as the US electric carmaker seeks to maintain sales momentum in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The reduction follows price cuts in May on Tesla’s Model 3, Model X and Model S.
The company headed by Elon Musk this month posted a smaller-than-expected fall in car deliveries in the second quarter, resilient results despite the pandemic that hit the global auto industry.
The Model Y now starts at $49,990, down nearly 6 percent from its previous price of $52,990, according to the carmaker’s website.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The company started deliveries of the Model Y in March, promising a much-awaited crossover that will face competition from European carmakers like Volkswagen AG rolling out their own electric rivals.
In April, Tesla had said the Model Y was already profitable, marking the first time in the company’s 17-year history that one of its new vehicles turned a profit in its first quarter.
Tesla CEO Musk’s fortune up by $6 bln, net worth above Warren Buffett’s, says reportElon Musk’s net worth soared past Warren Buffett on Friday as the chief executive officer of Tesla Inc became the seventh richest person in the world, ... Economy
Tesla, county official resolve clash, allows automaker to reopen US plant next weekTesla Inc and officials in California have resolved their acrimonious clash over safety procedures at the automaker’s sole US assembly plant with ... Coronavirus
President Trump says Elon Musk should be able to reopen Tesla plant amid coronavirusUS President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Tesla CEO Elon Musk should be able to restart a company factory in California, in defiance of local ... Coronavirus


text:
LONDON, 29 November 2021: The World Travel & Tourism Council and Trip.com Group have launched ‘Trending in Travel’, a new report that provides an outlook on the shift in traveller behaviour and future booking trends in the wake of Covid-19.
WTTC, which represents the global travel & tourism private sector, joined forces with the global travel service provider Trip.com Group and its major consumer brands that include Trip.com, Ctrip and Skyscanner, to analyse consumer trends shaping the recovery of the travel & tourism sector.
WTTC’s latest projections show strong growth in international spending for 2022 and beyond, projected to overtake domestic spending in 2022, as more destinations around the world ease restrictions and as vaccination rates continue to rise.
Following a 69.4% decline in 2020, global international spending is set to rise by 9.3% in 2021 and significantly by 93.8% in 2022.
The inaugural report also reveals how severe and inconsistent travel restrictions around the world have resulted in a significant rise in domestic tourism, with a surge in domestic hotel bookings by more than 200% on Trip.com’s platform this year compared to 2019.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, continued mobility restrictions have hindered international travel and, although domestic travel will provide a much-needed boost to the sector, WTTC says the return of international travel is critical to rebooting the global economy.
The report focuses on booking trends, consumer considerations, and consumer profiles and also features examples of markets whose resilience has provided a platform for the recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector.
The report shows how Covid-19 has changed the way people travel, from younger generations being the first to return to travel to increased demand for longer stays, the importance of fee-free cancellations, and enhanced health and safety protocols.
Due to ongoing travel restrictions, travellers are increasingly seeking secondary destinations as their destination of choice. According to Trip.com’s hotel booking data, Abu Dhabi (UAE), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Doha (Qatar), Florence (Italy), and Frankfurt (Germany) were the most popular secondary destinations in their respective countries in 2021.
The report goes on to show that, according to Ctrip data, bookings for the great outdoors will predominate in the short and medium-term, for example, in China – one of the world’s largest travel markets – nature-related attraction bookings have increased by 265% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
The pause in travel has also heightened consumers’ eagerness to travel more sustainably, with more than eight in 10 (83%) of global travellers saying they would make sustainable travel a priority in the future.
Reinforcing this long-term trend, since its launch in 2019, the report shows 68 million travellers have opted to book a “Greener Choice” labelled flight on Skyscanner, a comparatively lower-carbon flight choice.
According to the report, 70% of travellers in many major countries such as the U.S., Spain, the UK, Canada, and Japan plan to spend more on travel in 2022 than they have in the last five years, including 2019 – one of the best years on record for travel & tourism.
WTTC president & CEO Julia Simpson said: “It is clear that the wanderlust for travel remains. After almost two years without being able to travel freely, consumers are eager to explore, but they are aware of the impact their travel habits have on the world, and their preferences, needs and demands have changed.
“As the Travel & Tourism sector adapts to these emerging trends, sustainability must remain front and centre of everything we do.”
Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun added: “Travellers around the world have shown their eagerness to travel, whether limited to domestic travel or able to cross borders, we see a huge amount of pent-up demand steadily being released.
“To better evolve with the recovery we must understand travellers, and as an industry adapts to emerging trends.”
The latest WTTC research shows the global recovery of the Travel & Tourism sector is picking up pace, with the sector’s contribution to global GDP projected to rise by 30.7% in 2021 and 31.7% in 2022.


text:
20th July 2010, 10:13 PM
Rob Galbraith: 24-70 light leak "not a problem with normal shooting" says Nikon USA
Nikon USA's stance on a possible distance panel light leak affecting the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED is that it's "not a problem with normal shooting." The company also says that any U.S. owner of the lens may request to have it inspected and "if deemed necessary Nikon will take the appropriate steps to address the issue." These are the highlights of a statement given in response to questions we posed to Nikon USA last week about the matter, which has been a hot topic on photography forums lately and which prompted several readers to ask for more information.


text:
September 14, 2020
By O.A. Cleveland, Consulting Economist, Cotton Experts
USDA rewarded my two-week-old price flip-flop with Friday’s release of its September world supply demand report. While both world and U.S. stocks were lowered, the reductions came from the supply side of the price equation.
We often comment that bull markets are built on demand factors, not supply factors. Yet, the report was viewed as bullish as world carryover stocks were lowered. Yet, there is still much work to be done.
While certain country adjustments were major, the final world carryovers stock estimates were accounted for simply by adjustments to historical data, not new monthly adjustments.
So, the bullish response will be limited, at least for now. The chance for the market to climb to 69 cents awaits more demand, likely from China, and a further reduction in world cotton carryover.
The weekly market close was unchanged from the pre-report close. Thus, my so-called bullish report, must for now be in name only. However, it does reverse a series of seemingly bearish reports that did, in fact, lead to lower prices.
I continue to suggest, just as I did two weeks ago, that the 67-69 cent level must wait until at least the November time period. Why?
Our contention is that China will continue to import U.S. cotton, a contention that we did not recognize until just a few weeks ago.
Where The Bales Went
Weekly export sales were a net of 126,700 bales. China was by far the major purchaser at 79,100 bales while Vietnam took a net of 20,200 bales. Sales to all other countries were minor. Likewise, total shipments were 230,500 bales, with shipments to China totaling 90,400 bales.
The other major receiving countries were Vietnam, 35,600; Turkey, 27,100; Bangladesh, 14,900; Indonesia, 11,700; and Pakistan, 11,200 bales.
What is becoming apparent is that China is the major weekly buyer. Vietnam and Turkey are generally major buyers but down the list. Then come some combination of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mexico and Malaysia representing a third level of buyers.
China is either the largest or second largest buyer. However, total U.S. export sales are lagging to countries other than China and Vietnam, based on historical norms. On the other hand, sales by Brazil to other countries are increasing. Thus, the U.S., in the absence of some promotion, is facing a decline in its share of the world cotton trade.
More Confirmation On China’s Labor Practices
A number of organizations and institutions did validate our story of two weeks ago that the U.S. was now stopping Chinese slave labor/child labor textiles from entering into the U.S. Some of these included Reuters and the National Cotton Council.
While their analysis did not include my bullish contention that this action would lead to increased export sales to China, their news material nevertheless, confirmed that the U.S. was finally beginning to impose sanctions on China for its use of slave labor and child labor.
Both the U.S. and European markets, as we laid out, are beginning to hold China responsible by blocking Chinese textile imports from the province of Xingjian. Xingjian is the center of cotton production in China. Additionally, it is home to China’s most modern and technologically efficient textile mills.
However, the world is turning away from those products due to the slave/child labor. Thus, Xingjian cotton and textile products must now be used for local Chinese consumption and China must import cotton for its hard currency textile production.
USDA Crop Estimates More In Line With Sentiment
The USDA September supply/demand report did confirm what many growers had been saying, “the U.S. crop is smaller than most think.”
USDA lowered its September estimate 1.0 million bales, now down to 17.1 million. I am of the opinion that the final crop size will be as much as 400,000 bales lower.
In its September report USDA lowered production in each of the four-producing regions of the U.S. Exports were lowered to 14.6 million bales, down 400,000 from last month’s 15.0 million.
Domestic consumption, considerably overestimated at 2.7 million bales last month was lowered to 2.5 million this month. We feel it faces another 200,000-bale reduction in the coming months.
Ending stocks in 2020/21 were projected at 7.2 million bales, down 400,000 bales from the August estimate of 7.6 million. The stocks-to-use ratio was estimated at 42 percent.
USDA world cotton projections include lower beginning stocks, production, consumption, and ending stocks relative to last month. However, total general changes were small. Yet, some country-by-country estimates changes were significant.
Beginning stocks were lowered in India, more than offsetting increases for China and Brazil. Production was higher in China, India, and Australia, but lower in the United States, Pakistan and Turkey. Consumption was lower in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil.
World trade in cotton was projected higher, but with the U.S. losing market share. Brazil, Australia and India are expected to take share from the U.S. World ending stocks was projected at 103.8 million bales, 1.1 million bales lower than in August, but 4.4 million bales higher than the last year. This suggests our bullishness extends only into the very low 70s.


text:
AG Mobile, a local cell phone brand, is embarking on an expansion drive into Africa’s biggest economy – Nigeria – after being successful in Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. By Gugu Lourie
CEO Anthony Goodman, who founded the company 10 years ago and has grown it to provide feature phones and smart phones in most parts of southern Africa, outlines the expansion plans.
AG Mobile supplies mobile phone operators and retailers such as Ackerman, Pep Stores and Edgars with feature phones, smartphones and tables.
The company recently teamed-up with South African hip-hop artist Cassper Nyovest to sponsor his recent Fill Up the Dome event.
AG Mobile signed a partnership to produce an exclusive Casper Nyovest-inspired smartphone brand. In the past it has used other musicians such as Kabelo Mabalane and DJ Fresh to promote its brand.
AG Mobile may use the same strategy in Nigeria to quickly build its brand among Nigerians, who love their music.
The company is planning to sell its phones in Nigeria before Christmas.
“We now have started our business in Nigeria, which is coming on 1 December 2015. We have identified a trade partner and an exclusive distributor in Nigeria, who has been in distribution for a long time,” says Goodman.
AG Mobile has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Ringo, a Nigerian telecommunication service and solutions provider, which has its headquarters in Ikeja in Lagos State.
“Ringo, supplies the operators. They also have their own stores,” Goodman says.
“Nigeria is an open market and we will have an online strategy with Jumia. We will be doing extensive marketing in Nigeria.”
About tackling the ‘tough’ Nigerian market, Goodman says: “We are ready. It’s tough in certain respects, but I don’t believe it’s tougher than South Africa.”
The Nigerian market is a gateway to the West African region, in which AG Mobile doesn’t have a footprint.
Asked if AG Mobile will use Ringo to expand into other parts of West Africa such as Ghana and Senegal, Goodman says: “We haven’t discuss that. We’ve got a Nigerian strategy with Ringo. We definitely have a West Africa and other African countries strategy, whether is aligned with Ringo I can’t give you a clearer answer”.
“Certainly will look at Jumia to go to West Africa market and other markets where Jumia has presence. Obviously, once we found some success with Jumia, which I am confident of that will lead us to all the countries they have an online presence.”
Jumia is Nigeria’s No.1 online retailer.
AG Mobile also works with Taiwanese chipset supplier MediaTek to design its own feature phones and smartphones.
“AG Mobile are in Nigeria to establish a brand and deliver quality,” says Dominique Friedl, a director of corporate sales in South and sub-Saharan Africa for MediaTek.
Friedl suggests that AG Mobile could leverage on the popularity of Nollywood and musicians in Nigeria to grow AG Mobile’s brand.
He praised AG Mobile for opting to work with local partners to enter the Nigerian market instead of following global brands that operate from either the Middle East, China or Europe to distribute its products in Africa’s most lucrative market.
“I think it’s fundamental to have a local partnerships. That’s the nature AG Mobile has decided to launch in Nigeria.”
taking two new smartphones – the Zoom and the Boost to entice Nigerian customers.
Goodman believes that these handsets would differentiate AG Mobile in the Nigerian market.
The Nigerian market is really tough and the customers are tech savvy.
“I believe the Nigerian market is mature and despite the price we think we will attract customers by virtue of having good products (smartphones),” says Goodman
AG Mobile – which was the first to launch its own brand of phone in South Africa in 2007, and has since launched over 50 other devices – guarantees replacement of any faulty device for the lifetime of the phone, and three years after the phone has been discontinued.
The warranty includes the replacement of two cracked screens – at no charge. While AG Mobile pride itself on swopping out a high percentage of its phones, the lifetime warranty and screen replacement refers exclusively to AG Mobile flagship device the Ghost.
Goodman wouldn’t be drawn into commenting on the numbers of smartphones the company is planning to sell in the first month in Nigeria.
“We haven’t entered the market and is difficult to provide a clear indication of how many phones we will sell a month in Nigeria. We are going to be aggressive and market our brands in Nigeria aggressively,” says Goodman
Moving into Nigeria may give AG Mobile’s business a fillip for its smartphones and make it one of the biggest African-based smartphone manufacturer.
“It’s fantastic to enter the Nigerian market. Our next entry into real growth and we are very excited of prospects being able to give Nigerians what we have been giving South Africans – a well-priced, quality product,” says Goodman.


text:
Keep up-to-date with precious metals news and analysis from our team at The Perth Mint.
Investor news categories
The latest Super Pit 5oz and 1oz Gold Bullion Coins offer investors an opportunity to acquire gold mined exclusively from one of Australia’s oldest and most prolific mines.
Why hold gold in a portfolio?
For millennia gold has been sought after for both its beauty and its functionality.
Metals pull back after strong rally
A widely anticipated interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve wasn’t enough to stop precious metal prices from easing in September, with the price of gold falling back below AUD 2,200 and USD 1,500 per troy ounce.
Early release of iconic Australian Kangaroo silver bullion coin
We are pleased to announce that the 2020 silver kangaroo bullion coin is available for sale from The Perth Mint today, Friday 20 September.
Who owns the world’s gold?
The estimated market value of all the gold ever mined, just over 190,000 tonnes, based on an end of August 2019 gold price of USD 1,528.40 per troy ounce.
Why do investors turn to gold in low interest rate environments?
More than 45 years of market history tells us gold has typically delivered strong returns when real rates have been low.
The centenary of the first London gold price
12 September 2019 marks the centenary of the first gold price, or what is now known as the LBMA Gold Price.
Precious metal prices continue to climb
August was another solid month for precious metal investors, with the price of gold rising by just over 7.5% in USD terms.
2020 Australian Bullion Coin Program new designs and special releases
A world leader in precious metals for investors, The Perth Mint is delighted to unveil the 2020 designs for Australia’s renowned bullion coin program.
Why central banks are buying more gold
Central banks are major players in the global gold market owning more than 33,000 tonnes of gold -- the equivalent of 17% of all gold ever mined.


text:
5 Products That Will See the Biggest Black Friday Discounts in 2018
16 Oct 2018
On Black Friday, practically everything goes on sale. That makes this Friday after Thanksgiving a bargain-hunter’s dream come true, but it can also be overwhelming. To help you focus your efforts, here’s a list of the specific product categories that will see the biggest price drops this year.
Pay close attention to the Instant Pot in particular. This popular kitchen gadget has a huge following, and Walmart and Amazon have been locked in a two-year price battle to capture new customers. Last Black Friday and this most recent Prime Day saw two of the most popular six-quart models (the DUO60 7-in-1 and LUX60 6-in-1) plummet in price, and both fell below $60 on Prime Day 2018.
Expect the same heated competition – and price drops of $30 to $50 on Instant Pots – this Black Friday weekend through Cyber Monday. While you’ll find discounts from many retailers, such as Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond and Kohl’s, Walmart and Amazon are known to be particularly aggressive with their Instant Pot pricing.
Smart Home Assistants
There’s a big (and perhaps unsettling reason) consumers see so many great Black Friday deals on smart home assistants. The makers of these devices, including Google, Amazon and Apple, want to be in your home, facilitating and monitoring your search and purchase behavior.
But if you’re interested in the convenience that comes from inviting in a new Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod into your life, Black Friday is a fantastic time to find deals. Last year, shoppers saw the lowest prices ever on the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Google Home and Google Home Mini. The prices on the Echo products all dropped even lower during Prime Day 2018.
Plus, Amazon just released new versions of its Echo lineup this fall, and the Google Home Max experimented with some bundled deals this summer. So consider the pump primed for Black Friday smart home deals.
Gaming consoles have a well-established reputation for Black Friday discounts.
What makes this year particularly exciting is that there’s been a dearth of new consoles the past couple years. The Xbox One S and PlayStation 4 Slim are now battle-tested Black Friday veterans and are entering their third Black Friday. Both dropped below $200 last year. Expect a repeat performance, plus rich bundle deals with games and possibly retailer gift cards thrown in.
The Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch, meanwhile, are entering their second Black Friday. These newest consoles saw very few bundle deals last year and no discounts. But now that all the hardcore fans have bought their consoles, Nintendo and Xbox might offer sweeter bargains this year, aimed at anyone who is on the fence.
And don’t forget about virtual reality gaming systems. The Oculus Rift system is entering its third Black Friday and has an established pattern of offering discounts in the neighborhood of $50. It offered those prices during last Black Friday and Prime Day. HTC also released a new Pro version of its virtual reality headset, and its original Vive VR system has dropped to $499, which is $200 less than it was last Black Friday. It will likely drop even lower this Black Friday weekend to compete with the Oculus Rift.
At-Home DNA Kits
DNA-testing kits, which reveal insights into your ancestry and ethnicity, are a popular holiday gift. But at around $100 for the most popular options from 23andMe, AncestryDNA and others, they’re not exactly affordable stocking stuffers.
Start looking for discounts and buy-one-get-one specials around Thanksgiving. If previous years are any indication, you’re sure to find plenty.
Black Friday 2018 is the ideal time to upgrade to a new phone. Apple, Samsung and Google have established a pattern of releasing new phones in the fall. Carriers and retailers then follow with Black Friday deals on those phones to tempt buyers into upgrading. You’re likely to see buy-one-get-one deals or gift cards – often hundreds of dollars worth of them – with purchase on this year’s new crop of phones. The older-generation phones that were replaced will drop in price, too.
Suffice it to say, no matter which phone you’re looking to buy, Black Friday is a great time to find one.
Source: U.S News


text:
So that no one is left out
Lately, ‘payment banks’ have been a lot in the news. What exactly are these ‘banks’ and are they going to be any different from the regular banks? Who are their primary target customers? What is their future likely to be in the banking system? Will they be allowed to stay independent (unlike in the case of Bharatiya Mahila Bank, which is rumoured to be headed for a merger with State Bank of India after only a couple of years of existence)? This article is an attempt to find some clues and answers.
For the first time in the history of India’s banking sector, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is giving out differentiated licenses for specific activities. The country’s central banking institution expects payment banks to target India’s migrant labourers, low-income households and small businesses, offering savings accounts and remittance services with a low transaction cost. It is hoping that these banks will enable poorer citizens (who transact only in cash) to take their first step into formal banking. It could be uneconomical for traditional banks to open branches in every village: against this backdrop, mobile phones for wide coverage are a promising low-cost platform for quickly taking basic banking services to every citizen. The innovation is also expected to accelerate India’s journey into a cashless economy.
-About 40 per cent–50 per cent of India’s 1.2 billion-strong population are eligible to open a bank account but are still unbanked, according to KPMG.
-In all, 390 million of the country’s approximately 937 mobile subscribers are from rural areas, according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). A majority of them do not hold a bank account.
-A CRISIL report projects that the current Rs 80,000 crore to Rs 90,000 crore domestic-remittances market will grow at 11 per cent to 13 per cent CAGR in the next few years, based on an assessment of remittances to the low-income migrant population. This segment is expected to be among the early users of payment banks. Transactions done through mobile wallets have also tripled over the last two years to Rs 2,750 crore, according to this report. The reason is that it is cost-effective and easily accessible. It is used largely by urban people to remit money to family and relatives living in rural India.
-Payment banks can play a crucial role in implementing the government’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, where subsidies for healthcare, education and gas are paid directly to beneficiaries’ accounts.
-Financial inclusion is most likely to be achieved when banks find it to be a scalable and viable business.
How Are They Going to Be Profitable?
As of now, payment banks are not allowed to extend credit. The fact, though, is that banks earn their income from lending or extending financial credit for a wide range of activities. We also know that banks pay us interest amounts for keeping our money with them. So, when payment of deposit interest is expenditure for banks, how will they survive without making profit? They will also have to incur expenses on recruitment and deployment of staff, rent for branch premises, maintenance charges for water and electricity, setting up computer hardware/software, and so on. Let’s look at the available options.
a) Volume of banking transactions and charges on services provided: A lot will depend upon the volume of business. The expectation is that a high number of people will sign up and use payment banks primarily to keep a savings account. These banks are expected to be aggressive in opening bank accounts of hitherto-ignored sections of people in small urban areas and towns as well as places where bank branches are yet to penetrate. They may also offer quick money transfers. These services are chargeable and will be the mainstay of their income. A small fee of one per cent to two per cent on a large volume can be lucrative on normal cash transfers.
Depending on volume also means that the model should focus on being cost-effective and technologyenabled. The customer acquisition and servicing cost structures of payments banks may not follow those of a traditional bank.
b) Income from investments in government securities: The revenue model will also depend on returns on investment in government securities.
c) Extended services through mobile/Internet banking: Payment banks floated by telecom companies are expected to come up with innovative schemes of mobile banking through mobile apps that can be extended to their own subscribers. They may also expand the scope of Internet banking to include multiple money-transfer systems, bills payment and other transfers. There may be a small surcharge payable for such services, which are presently outside the scope of RBI control. It is to be noted that overall profitability of payment banks will be determined by the extent to which they are able to promote and incentivise adoption and usage of mobile channels to customer segments.
Impact on Customers
“They (payment banks) will change the way people think, change the way they keep the money, where they keep their money, the way they pay,” India’s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has predicted.
There is no doubt that payment banks will alter the way transactions are carried out. While there are divergent views on how things will pan out, at the moment the potential for innovating and reaching out has put the spotlight firmly on this new way of banking.
a) Competition with existing banks While payment banks are unlikely to be big disruptors in the near term, they may make things just a tad difficult for existing banks. Let’s not forget that the penetration of telcos is far greater than that of banks. This in itself presents a great opportunity. Payment banks will essentially rely on technology to reach payment services to all customers, using mobiles as the vehicle of banking. Existing banks must build digital platforms to be able to retain customers and their savings. Else, their growth may stagnate. They will also have to relook at the way they offer services and the cost at which they offer these services. There may be aggressive marketing by payment banks, by way of reducing cost of service while offering higher interest rates (through schemes like unfixed saving deposit).
b) Availability of new products and services
Besides offering basic deposits and remittance services, payment banks are likely to introduce new products and services in response to changing market trends and demands. There may be innovative
schemes attracting deposit; debit cards/credit cards can become thematic or product-specific; expansion of service can be related to one’s profession or studies; and so on.
c) Expand mobile/Internet platforms
While banking transactions are expected to become more electronic-based, the challenge will be to familiarise the larger Indian population of first-time users with the world of technologyenabled banking services. Mobile companies functioning as payment banks can harness their existing infrastructure and capabilities to link up their subscriber base to the banking services they are offering. Eventually, mobile banking will create the conditions for cashless banking. The mobile phone will then perform the same role as credit and debit cards, cutting out the need for too many cash payments.
Whatever the view or the point, the journey towards financial inclusion has begun and it is expected that the lessons picked up along each step will feed into the next stage. In September, RBI granted 10 entities in-principle licenses to open socalled small finance banks, in another definite move towards expanding access to financial services in rural and semi-urban areas. These banks will offer basic banking services, accepting deposits and lending to unserved and underserved sections including small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries, and entities in the unorganised sector. Thus, unlike in the case of payment banks, the small finance banks will be allowed to lend. In fact, eight out of the 10 entities granted the inprinciple approval, which is valid for 18 months, are microfinance institutions. So, these banks will now be able to provide secured and legal loans to small and medium enterprises and small businesses, bringing them under the ambit of the financial system.


text:
Disney+ UK has confirmed that you will be able to stream the first 19 seasons of The Simpsons in their original aspect ratio from 28 May.
Matt Groening’s animated sitcom was produced and broadcast in a 4:3 aspect ratio (for old style televisions) until the end of 2009 when it was changed to a widescreen 16:9 format, part way into the 20th season.
However, when you stream the early 4:3 seasons on Disney+, they are cropped to 16:9 so you don’t see the full picture and many of the great sight gags, punchlines, and wider context of crucial scenes have been cut from the picture.
Read more: The best classic Simpsons episodes
However, as of Thursday 28 May, that will no longer be the case as the older seasons will be available on Disney’s streaming will be available in their boxy 4:3 glory.
Disney has also revealed that it had to make extensive changes to the Disney+ service in order to add the 4:3 versions alongside the 16:9 ones, so users can switch between which aspect ratio they prefer to watch.
“To support both the original 4:3 aspect ratio and the 16:9 versions of The Simpsons, we needed to challenge prior assumptions and rethink how content for streaming is packaged and delivered,” explained Joe Rice, Vice President of Media Product at Disney+.
“We introduced a new Disney+ app feature today that not only gives fans a choice in video viewing formats, but also opens up a number of exciting opportunities for novel ways of presenting content in the future.”
There was outcry in North America when Disney+ first launched with the cropped episodes of the The Simpsons on 12 November, and just four days later Disney issued a statement explaining it had launched with the cropped version “in order to guarantee visual quality and consistency across all 30 seasons.”
Read more: Mind-blowing The Simpsons trivia
“Over time, Disney+ will roll out new features and additional viewing options,” a statement said. “As part of this, in early 2020, Disney+ will make the first 19 seasons (and some episodes from Season 20) of The Simpsons available in their original 4:3 aspect ratio, giving subscribers a choice of how they prefer to view the popular series.”
Series producer Al Jean revealed the news via his Twitter account last week, with Disney+ following suit and we can now confirm this is a global rollout.
The Simpsons is streaming now on Disney+.


text:
Apple is opening up its TV ecosystem to rivals, bringing iTunes content and AirPlay to Samsung TVs, and AirPlay and HomeKit to others. “Take Control of Apple TV” author Josh Centers explores what this move could mean for the Apple TV.
The Arlo Baby security camera is officially a souped-up baby monitor. But look beyond its marketing and you’ll find a quality—if pricey—security camera with broad appeal. Though HomeKit is not yet fully integrated, other capabilities help make up for its limitations. Just ditch those animal ears.
The latest entry in the Wyze Cam line, the Wyze Cam Pan, can cover an entire 360-degree area for an absurdly low price. It’s well worth checking out if you’re looking for an interior security camera, but sadly, it doesn’t support HomeKit.
If you’ve ever worried about losing food due to a freezer breaking or a refrigerator door being left open, the Wireless Sensor Tags system could save your bacon by monitoring temperatures and reporting significant changes on your iPhone. Other available features include motion detection, moisture monitoring, light sensing, and even locating lost items.
Belkin’s Wemo Mini has gained HomeKit support in a software update, making it the first home automation device to do so and paving the way for a larger Apple home automation ecosystem.
Hardware maker Elgato is going all-in on HomeKit home automation and to that end is changing its name and selling its gaming division.
Looking for a security system controller that not only integrates with HomeKit, but also turns all your connected security devices into HomeKit accessories? Look no further than the Honeywell Lyric Controller.
Dark Mode leads the list of new features in the evolutionary macOS 14 Mojave. But, while most of the changes are small, many of them will be welcome.
If you’re skeptical of robotic vacuums, but tired of dealing with dirty floors, the affordable Ecovacs Deebot N79 and N79S are worth your consideration.
Josh Centers is back to smartening up his home with a smart thermostat, the Ecobee 4. But it may be more than he bargained for and way more than he needed.
Rich Mogull shares the lessons he’s learned over a decade of home automation and how the new “Take Control of Apple Home Automation” book compresses many of them into a neat package.
A Wi-Fi security camera for $20? What’s the catch? Josh Centers shares his experiences with the unbelievably cheap WyzeCam. It’s well-built, has a decent app, works in the dark, and even provides limited cloud storage for free. There’s only one minor problem.
We’ve had the HomePod for a weekend, and for the most part, it has been a success when it comes to music, thanks to excellent audio quality and Siri spinning Apple Music tracks with aplomb. Siri on the HomePod has been less useful as a fount of general knowledge, or perhaps we just don’t have the right questions.
Apple has announced a shipping date for the HomePod smart speaker, and you can preorder it now. But should you? Josh Centers expresses some doubts.
Apple’s HomeKit home-automation ecosystem has been growing slowly but steadily, and numerous companies took advantage of CES 2018 to announce new HomeKit-compatible devices. Explore the most compelling new devices with HomeKit expert Josh Centers.


text:
If you happened to miss the launch of the Kenworth Legend SAR at the Brisbane Truck Show, here are a few opportunities for an up-close and personal look at this much anticipated truck.
The Kenworth Legend SAR 50th Anniversary Edition stole plenty of limelight at the PACCAR stand at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show.
The Legend SAR is the third in the brand’s Legend series of special-edition trucks, this time commemorating Kenworth’s 50th anniversary of truck manufacturing in Australia.
As with the other trucks in the Kenworth Legend series, this one is very much a Limited Edition and it will certainly sell fast.
Interior of the much anticipated Kenworth Legend SAR.
“As per previous Legends, there will be a one-day sale – on July 8 we will open the order book, and the number of sales will determine how many trucks we will produce. We’re very confident this truck is going to be very popular and a great way to commemorate this special year,” said Brad May, Director Sales and Marketing at PACCAR Australia.
During 2021 The Brown and Hurley Group, Kenworth’s biggest dealer network, is celebrating its 75th year in business anniversary through open days at its dealerships and other events, and the company will have a Legend SAR on display.
Throughout the month of June, at selected branches, the Legend SAR and other significant trucks will be on display. So here’s your chance to get a good look.
Jim Hurley with the 70,000th Kenworth built in Australia.
Kicking it off is Kyogle on June 5, here you will get to see great trucks on display there including two historic trucks, Kenworth’s 70,000th truck produced, as well as the Kenworth Legend SAR.
Following that, the Legend SAR will be on display at Farm Fest Toowoomba from Tuesday June 8 to 10.
After its stint at Farm Fest, the Legend SAR will be appearing at the following Brown and Hurley dealerships:
- Kyogle – June 5
- Toowoomba – June 12
- Caboolture – June 15-16
- Rockhampton – June 19
- Townsville – June 26
- Darra – June 29
- Yatala – June 30


text:
UK-based private equity house Bridgepoint has acquired Turkish packaged dried fruit snacks producer Peyman for an undisclosed sum.
Established in 1995, Peyman is a one of the leading players in the Turkish dried fruits, nuts and seeds market estimated to be worth over €2bn a year in the country.
Bridgepoint said Peyman has a “well-established brand presence in independent convenience stores and a growing presence in supermarket chains”.
The investor said: “Peyman has built brand awareness through innovative product initiatives, such as introducing zip-lock packaging, thereby contributing to a consumer shift from unpackaged, bulk product to branded package consumption in the DFNS [dried fruit, nuts & seeds] segment.”
Peyman exports its goods to more than 30 countries, primarily in the Middle East, Balkans and central Asia.
Martin Dunn, the partner responsible for Bridgepoint’s investment activities in Turkey, said: “Peyman is a rapidly growing market leader capable of transforming into a larger and broader snack brand. With fresh capital and additional consumer expertise from Bridgepoint, Peyman will be able to accelerate growth, both in its traditional convenience store marketplace and by developing new brands and innovative products.”
Bridgepoint highlighted Turkey’s attractiveness for fmcg investments, noting the size of its economic, growing population, increasing disposable incomes, growing middle class and the growth of healthy snacking.
Advisers involved in the transaction included OC&C, PWC and Stamford Partners.
Bridgepoint’s current food and drink investments include Polish biscuits company Dr Gerard, ASK Italian and Zizzi owner Azzurri and Pret a Manger.


text:
Campbell Soup Company outlined its strategies to drive growth in a rapidly-changing food landscape at its annual investor day. Led by President and CEO Denise Morrison, the company declared its goal to be the leading health and well-being food company. Executives detailed plans to strengthen Campbell’s core business and expand into faster-growing spaces through four strategic imperatives:
Morrison said, “In the last six years, we’ve made significant progress activating our Purpose, ‘Real Food that Matters for Life’s Moments,’ and transforming our portfolio toward faster-growing spaces. Our intention has been to move Campbell in the direction of health and well-being. We are committed to accelerating those efforts and strive to be the leading health and well-being food company because we recognize that real food and healthier food is better for our consumers and better for our business.”
Today, Campbell has approximately $1 billion in annual net sales from fresh products and its portfolio provides nearly 15 billion servings of vegetables and more than 2.4 million tons of whole grains to consumers annually. The company’s organic portfolio is in the top 10 in the industry and growing at double digits.
In response to changing consumer needs around health and well-being, Campbell has taken deliberate steps to reshape its portfolio through internal innovation, changes to its recipes and a series of acquisitions, including Bolthouse Farms, Plum Organics, and Garden Fresh Gourmet, as well as the pending acquisition of Pacific Foods, a leading producer of organic broth and soup.
Morrison said, “Campbell‘s goal to lead in health and well-being is attainable, but we will need to redouble our efforts by extending the real food credentials of our current brands and adding more brands that resonate with consumers; improving our rate of innovation; and increasing our distribution capabilities in new channels. Some of this we can build ourselves, but in other instances we will have to leverage external development.”
Ed Carolan, President – Campbell Fresh, discussed the division’s portfolio role to accelerate CPG sales growth and expand into new categories, as he outlined plans to return the division to growth through a combination of increased beverage capacity, improved customer service levels, more effective agricultural strategies and higher levels of marketing, with continued focus on innovation and quality standards.
Building Trust Through Real Food, Transparency and Sustainability
Campbell unveiled an agreement with The Sage Project to partner on digital disclosure of ingredients using Sage’s food data platform. Combining technology with design, Sage is creating online food labels for the digital world, making information about calories, nutrition, ingredients and attributes open, accessible and easy for consumers to understand. Campbell’s Well Yes! soup varieties are the first products to bring The Sage Project’s SKU level transparency to Campbell’s platforms.
These efforts complement Campbell’s commitment to its real food philosophy with an ongoing investment of $50 million over the next several years in the core business to evolve its products to more closely align with consumer wants and needs.
Mark Alexander, President – Americas Simple Meals and Beverages, outlined steps to reinvent the center store with the division’s focus on making real food available to more people. Campbell plans to complete the transition of all soups in the US and Canada to non-BPA lined cans for the upcoming soup season and expects to convert to chicken with no antibiotics for all soups in its portfolio by the end of the calendar year.
Accelerating Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Efforts
Alexander also highlighted Campbell’s plans to accelerate the company’s digital and e-commerce capabilities by forming an e-commerce unit in North America. Campbell has a goal of generating $300 million in e-commerce sales over the next five years.
Alexander said, “We’re investing in digital and e-commerce across the enterprise with a goal of building industry-leading capabilities and relationships that will drive innovation in this space.”
To support these efforts, the company announced it has hired Shakeel Farooque as Vice President and Head of Digital and E-Commerce to lead the unit. Farooque’s background is in retail, where he leveraged data to understand consumer behaviors and build omni-channel capabilities for Kohl’s, eBay and Amazon, Inc. The company also outlined its plans to partner with leading e-commerce companies, such as the recently announced $10 million investment and strategic partnership with online meal kit company Chef’d, and steps it is taking to create a more flexible distribution system to serve e-commerce channels.
Broadening the Lens of the Faster-Growing Snacking Category
Luca Mignini, President – Global Biscuits and Snacks, highlighted Campbell’s opportunities in the increasingly attractive area of snacking, as 90 percent of consumers snack multiple times a day and more than 50 percent of all US eating occasions are snacks.1
Mignini outlined the division’s growth plans in fiscal 2018 to expand the division’s footprint: drive the snacking portfolio in US Biscuit and Bakery and Australia; and pursue expansion in developing markets.
Carlos Abrams-Rivera, President – US Biscuits and Bakery, discussed Campbell’s opportunity to leverage brands across the Campbell portfolio to penetrate snacking occasions beyond its core cracker and biscuit business, which includes icon brands Goldfish crackers, Milano cookies, Kelsen biscuits and Arnott’s baked snacks. He outlined Campbell’s goal to make snacks with real food ingredients accessible to all consumers and an enterprise-wide snacking strategy designed to accelerate the company’s efforts.
Campbell anticipates adding approximately $200 million in sales across its three divisions over the next five years by broadening its snacking business beyond cookies and baked snacks to include soup, mini meals and fresh snacks, with a focus on mindful kids snacking.Related Articles:


text:
Arsenal has become the first major football club to sign a deal to promote a crypto-currency.
The club has reached an agreement with the gaming company CashBet, which is planning to launch its own currency CashBet Coin.
It will see CashBet Coin advertised at Arsenal’s Premier League home games.
But one crypto-currency expert has questioned whether the club is wise to promote what can be a very risky investment.
CashBet is a Californian online gaming business formed in 2012, which is now launching an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). It aims to raise $40m by getting investors to buy CashBet Coins which can then be used to bet on its various online games.


text:
Samsung’s stunning new Galaxy Z Fold2 5G phone will soon be out and about.
Available from September 25, it packs a powerful “Hideaway Hinged”, foldable screen – full front 6.2-inch and folding inner 7.6-inch – which allows for quick and easy transformation from smartphone to a theatre-like experience. Hey, it shouldn’t be all about business! Even if it is, the extra screen real estate allows for multiple apps to be displayed simultaneously.
As well as featuring full 5G support, the Galaxy Fold2 also boasts an all-day 4500mAh battery and packs serious camera options. For example, you can frame a shot via the main screen, and the front screen will show your subjects whether they’re looking hot – or not.
Find out more about this amazing phone now at JB Hi-Fi – and purchase before October 11, 2020 to receive a bonus pair of Galaxy Buds Live.


text:
Learn How This OGX Bottle Celebrates Pride Month
Pride is not canceled.
Pride might look a little different this June, but that doesn't mean that celebrating is canceled. OGX announced they're giving a rainbow touch to a number of their bottles from now until July 11. Special bottles of the brand's best-selling scents: Argan Oil of Morocco, Liquid Pearl, Teatree Mint, and Coconut Miracle Oil are hitting Target shelves to help celebrate Pride.
The rainbow-clad bottles feature colorful designs and hearts that liven up your bathroom and deliver the same delish fragrance and quality you know and love from OGX.
But these limited-edition designs are more than just cute bottles. They're a reminder of OGX's continued support of the Johnson & Johnson CARE WITH PRIDE® initiative. The org has partnered with a number of LGBTQIA+ non-profits such as Family Equality, PFLAG, Trevor Project, and others to raise more than $1 million. While we appreciate good packaging any day of the week, we're more imporessed by a brand supporting meaningful causes and making donations to back it up! If you're curious how you can get involved, check out the CARE WITH PRIDE® initiative to learn more and make a different beyond the bottle!
How are you showing your support of Pride this June — and every month after?! Share below. And stay tuned to Influenster as we bring you more ways to celebrate and support Pride.


text:
In today’s celebratory profile of our Women in Media winners, we pick the brains of Sales champ Kate Day, who is the director of commercial strategy, CREATE, at Nova Entertainment, and a great coffee date too!
No challenge is too big or small for Kate Day, who leads Nova Entertainment’s branded entertainment team, CREATE, including over sixty of the industry’s most diverse talents across multiple disciplines.
These disciplines incorporate content development and production, strategy, sponsorships, design, research and analytics, digital campaign operations and trade marketing.
Promoted to the newly-created role of director of commercial strategy in late 2015, Kate and her team work directly with the Nova sales team, clients and partners to produce industry leading strategic media solutions that deliver results and grow both broadcast and non-traditional revenue streams.
In 2015, Kate created and launched a ground-breaking new trade engagement platform, ‘Let Us Tell Your Story’. The core idea was simple – behind every great brand is a great story.
The antithesis to the traditional media ‘upfront’, Kate didn’t roll out high profile talent to predictable all-agency presentations, but rather focused solely on proving Nova Entertainment’s superior story-telling credentials in one-to-one meetings with agency partners.
The response from both sales team and agency partners has been overwhelmingly positive; over 1600 ‘Story’ appointments have been executed with agencies to date, with over $9 million revenue directly generated as a result.
Leading Australian market research data brand, RDA Research, provides actionable consumer intelligence to help businesses inform decision making and growth strategies. RDA Research wanted to make its unique consumer data available for addressable digital targeting and required a data onboarding partner to help activate their data in an online environment.
Storytelling agency Enthral has appointed Channel 7 reporter and sports presenter Sean Sowerby as its new senior PR and content manager in Melbourne. Sowerby (pictured) started his award-winning career at 3AW before spending more than 15 years in television. Enthral founder and manager director, Cameron Smith, spoke of the significance of Sowerby joining the agency. […]
This week Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa are celebrating 10 years of their iconic radio show and plenty of famous faces have weighed in on the feat! For Fitzy & Wippa’s 10-year anniversary show they were joined by a bunch of special friends who shared their messages and favourite memories over the last decade. The guys […]
Ever since Google first announced it would be getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, digital advertising businesses have been actively sharing their plans for life after cookies. And now programmatic advertising company Blis might have come up with the most creative way to get the message across, in a new video which sees company […]
Integrated Melbourne agency Icon has taken top honours in the 2021 SABRE Awards, winning the coveted Australasian Consultancy of the Year for 2021 along with a host of category and craft awards. Icon led a large field of Australian agencies with a total of three major and seven minor awards, including gold in the cause-related […]
Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both founded Reactive, a digital agency, which was bought by Accenture in 2016. Following the deal, O’Neill and Fouhy ended up leading the company’s digital marketing arm, Accenture Interactive before […]


text:
Evidence has suggested that Volkswagen has been fitting its vehicles with emissions-test cheating devices. What could this mean for the automotive industry?
Autonomous vehicle technology is coming on in leaps and bounds, with the first driverless shuttle set to hit public roads in Europe.
More fuel efficient vehicles can save businesses money in the long term, but replacing a raft of cars, vans and trucks at once just isn’t cost effective.
A truly adaptable, transforming car could soon be a real prospect, thanks to innovative technology being developed by Mercedes-Benz.
Anyone who has towed a trailer will be well aware of the blind spots that are presented, but an innovation from Land Rover could be set to remove them.
Autonomous vehicles have been touted as the way of the future. So, what issues are stopping them from entering the mainstream?
In-vehicle entertainment systems are growing more encompassing and complex, but are drivers really using them when behind the wheel?
Long live the king: Can Toyota continue to dominate the world of hybrid vehicles with the release of the latest, more drivable and easy to use Prius?


text:
Ferrari to push the boundaries of exclusivity Already ubiquitous with rarity and prestige, it seems that Ferrari couldn’t resist pushing the envelope a little further with its latest last-word-in-luxury.
Already ubiquitous with rarity and prestige, it seems that Ferrari couldn’t resist pushing the envelope a little further with its latest last-word-in-luxury. After releasing its latest supercar (the V12 hybrid-powered 950-horsepower LaFerrari) back in March, Farrari is upping the exclusivity of their models once again.
Following their announcement that only 499 of the current model will be built, Ferrari has now said that a lighter, more raw version of the LaFerrari is currently in the works, and they only plan to run 10 of these.
With prices estimated to be between $4.5 million and $7.5 million, Ferrari says that the reduced curb weight of 2,200 pounds down from 2,766 pounds in the current LaFerrari model is not all buyers can expect. Alterations to the exterior, including some “especially beautiful,” design proposals have been saved for this new and no doubt highly sought-after piece of supercar history.
Source: Left Lane News


text:
The eighth richest man in Europe was once an orphan.
Leonardo Del Vecchio, the founder and chairman of Italian eyewear maker Luxottica, was born to a mother who could not afford to care for him. At the age of seven, Del Vecchio, whose father died five months before his birth, lived under the care of nuns in an orphanage.
As a teen, he supported his family with the earnings he made as an apprentice to a tool manufacturer in Milan. Then, in his mid-20s, Del Vecchio moved to Agordo, the eyewear capital of Italy, where he started his own glasses company.
Now Luxottica is the world’s largest manufacturer of eyewear and the owner of more than 6,000 retail stores worldwide, including the Sunglass Hut and Lenscrafters chains. That's made Del Vecchio, 77, the 74th richest man in the world.
The eyewear empire, which did over $8 billion worth of sales in 2011, took off in the late ‘80s, when Del Vecchio approached Italian designer Georgio Armani with a seemingly new concept for fashionable spectacles.
“[Del Vecchio] understood that glasses were so critical for vision. But on the other side, they were part of our personality; they were part of us," Luxottica's CEO Andrea Guerra tells "CBS 60 Minutes" in an interview that aired Sunday.
Armani and Del Vecchio's relationship has been rocky over the years. In 2002, their brands called off a long-standing licensing deal. But both men have since rekindled their companies' partnership, signing an exclusive agreement earlier this year to manufacture and distribute Armani glasses beginning in 2013.
Watch Guerra reveal Luxottica founder Leonardo Del Vecchio's secrets to success in the video above.


text:
Harvey Nichols says this is because its shoppers are, er, less "price sensitive" than most. Yesterday's results proved the point, even if they were more solid than unspectacular. Half-year profits were flat at pounds 6m, with like-for-like sales in the last nine weeks up by 1.4 per cent. Sales growth has accelerated in the past month, the company says, which makes the share price fall to 179p yesterday look odd.
The lack of discounting, together with supply chain efficiencies, saw margins increase by 0.8 percentage points. The figure was also helped by a greater contribution from the higher margin restaurant business.
The group's Leeds store raised its contribution to profits, and a new pounds 20m store will open in Edinburgh in 2002. Stores are planned for either Manchester or Newcastle, although sites have yet to be identified. Harvey Nichols is even starting to dabble overseas with its first international licensed store, scheduled to open in Saudi Arabia.
Going forward, much will depend on whether the company can continue to stand above the discount battle. On analysts' full-year profit forecasts of pounds 14m the shares trade on an inexpensive forward p/e of 10. But after such a good run there seems little point in chasing them now.Reuse content


text:
If true, it may be the first confirmed exploitation of the Shellshock vulnerability, as at least two Yahoo Games servers have been breached due to an outdated bash version.
“This breach is very serious, and jeopardizes every consumer that uses Yahoo! in any manner, from shopping to email, and even game playing,” said Jonathan Hall of Future South Technologies.Â “Iâ€™ve notified both Yahoo! and the FBI New Orleans field office of the infiltration, but in my eyes, they really arenâ€™t seeing the severity and danger of this situation, and really are not reacting quick enough.”
Romanian hackers seem to be the perpetrators to blame for infiltrating Yahoo’s servers, as they were “working on further infiltrating the Yahoo! Network.”
The two Yahoo servers found by Hall compromised are “dip4.gq1.yahoo.com” and “api118.sports.gq1.yahoo.com” while he didn’t rule out others being compromised.
At first, Yahoo responded that, as soon as it became aware of the Shellshock bug, it began patching its systems and started closely monitoring its networks.
“Last night, we isolated a handful of our impacted servers and at this time we have no evidence of a compromise to user data,” a Yahoo spokesperson told Security Week.
Later, Yahoo CISO Alex Stamos stated that three servers of Yahooâ€™s Sports API had â€œmalicious code executed on themâ€ targeting possibly Shellshock-vulnerable servers.
â€œThese attackers had mutated their exploit, likely with the goal of bypassing IDS/IDP or WAF filters,â€ Stamos said. â€œThis mutation happened to exactly fit a command injection bug in a monitoring script our Sports team was using at that moment to parse and debug their web logs.”
Yahooâ€™s servers were only used to serve live game streaming on Yahooâ€™s Sports front-end and had no data stored on them. Yet we can be certain of one thing; Shellshock or no Shellshock, its servers have been compromised.


text:
UIIC Unveils UIC Token: Paving the Way for a Decentralized Digital Future
In a groundbreaking move, UIIC, a prominent player in Web3 investment banking, is thrilled to announce the official launch of the UIC Token, marking a significant stride in redefining the global digital economy. The UIC Token, recognized as “UIIC Coin” with the symbol “UIC,” stands as a testament to the company’s commitment to forging a secure, transparent, and decentralized digital ecosystem.
Key Features of UIC Token:
“Innovative Tokenomics for Sustainable Growth”
The UIC Token boasts a limited supply, capped at 21,000,000, ensuring scarcity and fostering value preservation. The Proof of Burn (POB) mechanism is a distinctive feature where computing power produces 15,000,000 UIC, with unproduced parts upon expiration being eliminated, thereby creating deflationary pressure to bolster its value. The allocation strategy encompasses venture capital investments, liquidity pools, market value initiatives, and rewards for the UIIC Foundation, ensuring a balanced and robust ecosystem. The trading tax model introduces a buying and transferring tax of 3%, facilitating real-time mapping of weighted dividends across the network, coupled with a selling tax of 3%, leading to the direct destruction of the tokens.
UIIC’s Economic Model:
“Sustainable Ecosystem for User Benefit”
UIIC’s economic model centers on creating a sustainable ecosystem that benefits all users. The aggregate computing power facilitates a mining economic model, adjusting issuance and circulation to ensure constant token availability and infinite destruction for scarcity. Regular repurchasing and destruction of UIC, with 70% of UI DVC investment income, are earmarked for ecological construction, enhancing the token’s intrinsic value. The entire UIIC infrastructure and ecological applications are strategically designed to develop, empower, and return value around UIC, solidifying its position as a pivotal economic token in the ecosystem.
The launch of the UIC Token signifies a pivotal step in actualizing UIIC’s vision for a digital future society. It aligns seamlessly with the strategic layout to construct a secure digital ecosystem, facilitate efficient free circulation of digital assets, incubate high-quality seed projects, and foster collaborative community governance for sustainable prosperity.
Commitment to Security:
“Ensuring Safe and Compliant Operations”
UIIC is unwavering in its dedication to ensuring the security and compliance of UIC Token transactions and operations. Rigorous checks and tests are conducted regularly to ensure adherence to standards set by regulators. This proactive approach aims to create a safe and stable environment, prioritizing the safety and trust of all users.
In conclusion, the launch of the UIC Token underscores UIIC’s commitment to pioneering advancements in Web3 investment banking, heralding a new era in the global digital economy. With its innovative features and a strategic economic model, the UIC Token is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the decentralized digital future.


text:
Several months before the September 2022 keynote, the iPhone 14 series leaks continue to make headlines in the specialized press. We recently learned that Apple is going to redesign the Pro models. The iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max would be covered with a pill-shaped screen. For the first time, the brand would ignore the notch.
In an article published on Monday March 14, 2022, our colleagues from 9to5Mac disclose new information on the future iPhone range. Citing unnamed sources, the media outlet claims that Apple should decline the iPhone 14 in four different models.
As expected, Apple would release an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Following the catastrophic sales of the mini model, the firm would have decided to stop the costs and to focus on smartphones with a large screen.
The standard iPhone 14 would therefore be available in two models: a version with a 6.1-inch screen and a Max model with a 6.7-inch panel. The screen resolution is said to be similar to the iPhone 13 Pro launched last year. On the other hand, the slab of the iPhone 14 Pro would be slightly larger than that of their predecessors to adapt to the double hole.
iPhone 14 leaks: A15 chip, 4 different models and satellite connection
Gizchina News of the week
The iPhone 14 and 14 Max models would be powered by the A15 Bionic chip, the same processor as the iPhone 13. To everyone’s surprise, Apple would reserve its new A16 Bionic chipset for high-end models. This is not a first for the brand. Apple had done this with the iPhone 5C.
Apple could use the high-end version of its A15 Bionic chip in the entry-level iPhone 14 models, as 9to5Mac also heard from our own sources that all this year’s iPhones will have 6GB of RAM. The company could even rebrand the chip as “A15X,” as it has done in the past with the 2020 iPad Pro’s A12Z chip – which is essentially the A12X chip with an extra GPU core.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple could however use a slightly revised A15 chip on its iPhone 14. The brand has two versions of the chipset, including an edition with an additional GPU. Moreover, all models would have 6 GB of RAM to support the SoC.
Finally, the media claims that Apple is still working on a satellite connection for its iPhones. Last year, a rumor came out that the group is working on a feature that will allow you to make calls and send emergency messages by connecting to satellites.
Rumor had it that the option was integrated into the iPhone 13. It was not. Nevertheless, 9to5Mac ensures that Apple continues to work on this satellite connection. For now, we don’t know if the technology will be ready for the arrival of the iPhone 14.


text:
Conn’s Inc. (NASDAQ: CONN) dropped nearly 31% on Tuesday following an announcement that the company is lowering its forecast. The company furniture, appliance, and electronics retailer also reported that 8.7% of its outstanding customer financing balance is more than 60 days late.. The new 52-week low is $31.00. Share volume is about 17-times the daily average of around 720,000. The stock’s 52-week high is $80.34.
Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (NYSE: DO) dropped about 2.5% today to post a new 52-week low of $42.85 compared with the stock’s 52-week high of $65.62. The offshore drilling company had no news today. Volume is about 35% below the daily average of around 1.4 million shares traded.
Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. (NASDAQ: MPEL) dropped more than 7% today to post a new 52-week low of $26.28. The stock traded more than double the average daily volume of around 3.8 million shares and the 52-week high is $45.70. The casino and resort operator trades down on the August report that Macau gambling revenue is down for the third month in a row. Shares are down nearly 30% for the year to date.
Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: NUS) dropped about 7.2% today to post a new 52-week low of $41.50. Volume is nearly 4-times the daily average of around 1.3 million shares. The multilevel marketing firm had no news today but was slipping last week as well. The company’s 52-week high is $43.99 and the sock is down 67% in the first seven months of the year.