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Bing proved to be the little search engine that could, at least for the first year of its existence.
In summer 2009, many of the tech industry's higher-ups expressed little public hope that Bing-originally code-named Kumo-could endure for long in the search engine arena dominated by Google. At its outset, Bing's competitive differentiator from its behemoth rival was the ability to quickly drill down, via a set of tabs on the homescreen, into specific search categories such as Videos, Shopping, News, Maps and Travel.
Soon after Microsoft announced Bing's imminent release in May 2009, at the seventh annual D: All Things Digital conference in California, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer attempted to downplay the search engine's role in the company's overall strategy. "I spend more of my time on talent than trying to be 'the search guy,'" Ballmer told an audience during the conference.
According to a transcript from the event, Ballmer offered some of the rationale behind the engine's peppy name: "I'm not the creative guy, here ... short mattered ... people like to 'verb up' ... works globally, doesn't have negative connotations."
Ballmer added: "It's not a substitute for innovation, but we need to build brand equity in addition to technology equity."
The company planned to deploy Bing on June 3, 2009, but ended up jumping the gun by two days, releasing it widely on June 1.
At the Bank of America and Merrill Lynch U.S. Technology Conference in New York, in June 2009, Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz seemed to dismiss Bing's marketplace chances. "They're not going to get scale," she predicted, adding that interest in the search engine would be "temporary."
Google CEO Eric Schmidt also, understandably, dismissed Bing. "It's not the first entry for Microsoft," he said during a June 9 interview on Fox Business. "They do this about once a year. From Bing's perspective they have a bunch of new ideas and there are some things that are missing. We think search is about comprehensiveness, freshness, scale and size for what we do. It's difficult for them to copy that."
Some analysts, however, thought differently.
"Today most advertisers buy search ads just with Google and Yahoo because Microsoft has a measly ... share of searches-not enough reach to make buying search ads with MS worth the trouble," Shar VanBoskirk, an analyst with Forrester, wrote May 28, 2009, on the Forrester Blog for Interactive Marketing Professionals. "Forrester expects Bing to change that."
Bing's market share grew in fits and starts over the following months. In what could be construed as a bit of irony, considering Carol Bartz's earlier comments (unless said comments were a deliberate attempt at misdirection), Microsoft and Yahoo announced an agreement that summer that would see Bing power back-end search on Yahoo's sites, while Yahoo would handle worldwide sales duties for both companies' search advertisers.
If Yahoo's current U.S. search engine market share transfers to Microsoft with no attrition, then Bing's share would rise to somewhere just south of 30 percent. The deal effectively eliminated Yahoo's presence in the U.S. search market, casting search as a battle between two players, Google and Microsoft. (With one caveat: Under the terms of the 10-year agreement, Yahoo can escape the deal if Google's RPS, or revenue per search, query rate becomes higher than the combined RPS rates of Microsoft and Yahoo; Yahoo can also terminate if its RPS rate in the United States is less than a certain percentage of Google's estimated RPS on a 12-month average.)
In fall of 2009, Microsoft announced that Bing would integrate results from Wolfram Alpha, a computational engine that provides a definitive numerical answer to a search query, into its search features, as well as Twitter and Facebook.


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Home prices in the United States will continue to fall as foreclosures increase over the rest of the year, though commercial real estate prices have bottomed out, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.
Speaking at Moody's Corp.'s investor day, Zandi said he expects home prices to fall 5% from the first quarter of 2010 to the first quarter of 2011 as more homes go into foreclosure and are subject to short sales.
Those low-price sales will not be offset by much of an increase in regular home sales, he predicted.
Home prices would have fallen further had it not been for the administration's Home Affordable Modification Program, he said. Zandi said he expects home prices to return to late-2008 levels in late 2012.

domain: news


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This Summer, still stifled by the COVID-19 pandemic, Tomorrowland was determined to put on Tomorrowland Around the World, a virtual festival that featured 60+ acts including Martin Garrix, Armin van Buuren, Katy Perry, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and others over eight new and familiar virtual stages. And on New Year’s Eve, the infamous international event brand is poised to do it again.
Billboard revealed the online music festival cost approximately $10 million to finance (including fees for the lineup and its massive technical production) but Tomorrowland’s co-founder Michiel Beers said the budget was closer to €5 million ($5.9 million) with partnerships, sponsorships and media deals factored in. What matters most, however, is that the festival sold nearly 140,000 digital festival passes, plus 30,000 party packages, and 30,000 through media deals.
Never discouraged, Tomorrowland will bring the virtual concept back for a second time in 2020/2021 to celebrate the new year. “We believe that digital will exist next to live,” Beers stated. “We also believe that we have to create moments that people really want to see [us] livestream in a special way, and really see it as a small event.”
Watch this space for updates on the New Year’s Eve celebration and check out the virtual festival’s after movie below.


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Amazon launches Instant Pickup, a massive donation from Bill Gates
This is CNET, and are the stories that matter right now.
Amazon has launched an instant pickup service that will allows users grab essential items within two minutes of placing an order.
There's a catch though, it's only currently available in five cities, Atlanta, Berkley, College Park, Columbus, and Las Angeles, and even still, it only makes sense for customers that live close to the locations.
Bill Gates has made a massive donation, giving away 5% of his fortune in the form of Microsoft shares.
That's 64 million shares to be exact, the gift worth $4.6 billion.
Though the Recipient is currently unspecified, the majority of Gates' donations have been to his philanthropic foundation.
And finally, Uber is attempting to further protect its user base, by agreeing with the FTC to form a privacy program that will submit regular audits for as long as 20 years.
These issues go back as far as 2014, when the FTC first believed the company did not closely enough monitor How employees access user data.
You can save the day with the latest by downloading CNET Tech Today app in the Apple or Google Play store.
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There was a lot of hype surrounding the impending launch of Valve’s Steam Machine platform, but much of the excitement dissipated when the first wave of machines were delayed until 2015. Now, Alienware is going in alone, and shipping its own consolized gaming PC.
After a few months of closed testing, Valve has released a public beta version of Steam with In-Home Streaming enabled. In-Home Streaming allows you to stream any game from a host PC to a client (a Mac laptop or wimpy Windows netbook, for example). This will eventually be a key feature that allows for cheap, low-power Steam Machines in the living room that can stream games from a more powerful gaming PC. Read on for our hands-on impressions, and a video demo of me streaming Dark Souls 2 to my laptop while sitting on the toilet.
Since SteamOS was first released in December 2013, Valve has been quick to squash bugs and add much-needed functionality. It still isn’t clear when Valve will launch the final version of SteamOS (hopefully later this year), but it took a big step forward recently by releasing an ISO version that includes an easy-to-use Windows installer and dual-boot functionality. SteamOS also recently gained support for AMD and Intel GPUs.
At CES 2014, Valve unveiled 14 new Steam Machines that will (probably) be released in 2014. These machines, produced by over a dozen manufacturers, span the gamut when it comes to hardware specs — from the beastly Origin PC Chronos with two Nvidia GTX Titans, all the way down to some console-like boxes priced at $500, with mid-range CPUs and graphics cards. With so many price points and hardware variations, it’s fairly hard to work out which Steam Machine gives you the best bang for the buck. Fortunately, the folks over at Futuremark have got us covered.
Yesterday when CES 2014 began, Valve revealed 12 hardware partners that are going to help make its Steam Machine dream come true. We also got a look at a new third-party Steam Machine by CyberPowerPC that began at a price of $499. Now, just a day later, Valve has unveiled 13 Steam Machines, in all shapes, sizes, specs, and prices.
Those dastardly devils at iFixit have managed to get their mitts on one of Valve’s 300 Steam Machine prototypes and, of course, torn it down. Inside is a quad-core Haswell Core i5-4570, a Zotac GTX 780 graphics card, 16GB of Crucial Ballistix Sport (PC3 12800) RAM, and a 1TB 5400 RPM Seagate hard drive. If you wanted to build your own SteamOS-powered doppelganger, it would set you back around $1300 to match Valve’s Steam Machine part-for-part.
Late on Friday, December 13, Valve released the first public version of SteamOS. As you would expect, SteamOS is currently very rough around the edges — it is essentially just a version of Debian 7.1 (Wheezy) that has Steam pre-installed. If you’re interested in Valve’s latest machination, though, and toying with what might be the future of gaming, it’s well worth installing SteamOS in VirtualBox. Here’s guide on how to do just that.
The time for Linux gaming is finally almost upon us! Valve has confirmed that SteamOS will be released tomorrow, December 13. On the same day, 300 prototype Steam Machines and Controllers will be sent out to participants of the Steam Machine beta test. With sorrowful catch in its throat, Valve says that the hardware beta test will only take place in the US, due to the “regulatory hurdles” of sending prototype hardware out of the country — everyone and anyone will be able to download SteamOS to make their own Steam Machine, however.
Valve has been kind enough to reveal almost every detail regarding its upcoming attempt to bring PC gaming to the living room, the Steam Machine. The company has revealed the specs of various beta models that will be shipped out for testing, so we know the types of Machines we’ll be getting down the line. However, the one detail Valve has yet to reveal is the price. A third-party Steam Machine was recently revealed by iBuyPower, and with it, the price — an affordable $500.
Whether or not Valve’s Steam Machine changes the way we play PC games, the box is more or less a traditional PC that’s about the size of a large game console. The Steam Controller, however, is anything but traditional, as it removes analog sticks in place of circular touchpads and adds a Wii U-style touch screen in the center for good measure. All of the prototypes Valve created on the way to the Steam Controller are even weirder than the final product itself.
Ever since Valve announced its three-tier approach to bringing PC gaming to the living room — Steam OS, the Steam Machine, and the Steam Controller — people have been divided on whether or not its a sound idea. John Carmack, a man who changed the face of PC gaming, thinks the Steam Machine’s odds of succeeding are “a bit dicey.”
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Distruptions in 3D Secure authentication process during card payments
The 3D Secure service disruption at Mastercard has apparently been resolved. We will continue to monitor the bank card payment flow and check for any resurfacing problems.
A global service disruption has been identified at Mastercard, which impacts all issuers. Mastercard is working on fixing the issue. We are currently awaiting updates.
Disruptions reported during card payments when performing 3D Secure authentication. The process on the payment gateway is reportedly stuck without any error message. We are investigating the issue.


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AMD's 760 Chipset: DDR for the Athlon is hereby Anand Lal Shimpi on October 30, 2000 5:29 AM EST
- Posted in
A little more than a month has passed since we first offered our preview of DDR SDRAM on the Athlon platform. Back then we concluded that the move to DDR SDRAM would provide, on average, a 5 – 20% boost in performance. Supported by the data in our preview, the AMD Athlon was set to be even more competitive with the Pentium III however it didn’t seem as if the performance improvement would be great enough to challenge Intel’s upcoming Pentium 4.
As we mentioned continuously throughout that preview, the article was nothing more than an indication of the minimum level of performance to expect from forthcoming DDR solutions for the Athlon. Today, AMD is providing us with the means to discover what the final shipping performance of the first DDR solutions for the Athlon will be as they will officially launch the AMD 760 chipset, the world’s first DDR solution for the Athlon platform.


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Sports car maker Porsche has announced that its incredible hybrid 918 Spyder has crashed the lap record at the famous racetrack Nurburgring. The Porsche is able to make a lap and 6 min. and 57 seconds. A single lap of the track spans 20.6 km.
The 918 Spyder’s lap time shaved 14 seconds off the previous record. The record had stood for four years and was reportedly broken during the first attempt in the test drive on the morning of September 4. Porsche hired three professional drivers to break the record and all three were quicker than the previous record lap. The drivers included Former European Rally Champion Walter Rohrl, Porsche test driver Timo Kluck and Porsche factory driver Marc Lieb.
Porsche used a pair of 918 Spyder models and did under 7 min. repeatedly. The average speed was 179.5 km an hour. The fastest lap was put down by Marc Lieb at 6 min. and 57 seconds. Both cars used in the test had the optional Weissach package.


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Photo: Charles Smith/Flickr
Following the hot summer sales months, market activity typically decline in the fall and winter months. However, according to the new National Housing Report by RE/MAX, US home sales recorded the most homes sales in any November of the last eight years.
Last month, US home sales were just over 19 percent higher than November 2015, and 1.4 percent above October’s sales. It was the largest year-over-year sales increase seen so far in 2016.
In fact, sales were so good nationwide that all but one of the 53 markets tracked by the RE/MAX National Housing Report increased year-over-year in November. Additionally, half of the markets recorded sales at least 20 percent higher than 2015.
And with only one month left in the year, 2016 is already on pace to exceed what was a strong market in 2015. Every month so far this year has recorded year-over-year price increases, while nine of eleven months have seen sales increases.
The median sales price in the 53 markets included in the report rose almost 9 percent from November 2015 to $220,000. National inventory recorded its 11th straight month of declines in November, falling 17 percent year-over-year. Supply was at four months in November, down from last November’s five month supply. Homes were on the market an average of 59 days compared to the 65 days recorded last year.
“The continued decline of inventory and talk of rising interest rates may have contributed to November’s surge of home sales,” said RE/MAX CEO Dave Liniger in a release.
Liniger added that over the past 11 months, the majority of markets have seen home prices return to their pre-recession levels. “2016 has been the best year for the housing market since the recession,” he said.
Click here to read the full report.


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There are a ton of influencers on social media, and the influencer community has grown a lot in recent years. Data from Influencer Marketing Hub found that the industry is set to grow to approximately $16.4 billion in 2022, and last year, the global number of influencer marketing-related services or companies who help creators grow their brand grew by 26%.
There are a lot of major players here, including social platforms, advertisers, influencers and agencies that manage content creators. As the industry is growing in value, different platforms are working in different ways to compensate influencers fairly for their content. Influencer agencies say micro-influencers someone that has between 10,000 and 50,000 followers can make anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 a year. Big time celebrity influencers like Charlie DAmelio, Addison Rae and Bretman Rock make way more. One way they make money is through brand deals.
On platforms like Instagram, a picture of an influencer holding or wearing a product and endorsing it can bring in a decent amount of cash. Someone with 1 million followers may charge brands up to $10,000 per post, according to influencer agency Viral Nation. Within the last two years, Instagram rolled out new monetization features where creators could make money directly through the app instead of just from brand partnerships. They introduced their affiliate program where creators can share products with their followers and earn a commission from purchases, and they made it easier for creators to sell their own merchandise Influencers can also earn money from IGTV ads, but Instagram acknowledges more can be done.
By the end of 2022, they plan to invest over $1 billion in programs that give creators new ways to earn money. The sponsored content and ad revenue is something YouTube does, too. Creators can have sponsored content within their videos: Usually they take a few seconds to explain why they love a product, and according to the Federal Trade Commission, they must explicitly say its sponsored content. They also receive money from the ads that run on their videos. This is because of the YouTube Partner Program.
A YouTuber must have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours a year to partake. Longtime Youtuber Hank Green has several YouTube channels, like Vlog Brothers, Crash Course and Hanks Channel just to name a few. Across all channels, he has over 25 million subscribers. In a recent video, Green gave a little background on why this program was started. He explained that in 2007, when potential YouTube competitors started popping up and trying to get creators to move to their platforms, YouTube created the partner program where about half of ad revenue goes to YouTube and the other half goes to the creator.Last year, YouTube made over $28 billion in ad revenue, and half of that went to creators. Green says about a third of a YouTubers revenue comes from these ads alone.
TikTok also has a pay structure for creators called the Creator Fund, which YouTubers have called out as being unfair. Its a pool of money thats distributed based on a creator's share of the platform's overall views. TikTok says creators will need at least 100,000 authentic video views in the last 30 days to be eligible to join the Creator Fund.While ads on YouTube run on videos, ads on TikTok run between them, so no one creator can claim an ad was seen because of their content. This is why they have to share the money. TikToks U.S. Creator Fund was started in 2020 with $200 million, and they say itll grow to over $1 billion in the next three years. But, thats a static amount of money that doesnt change if TikTok makes more or less money.
As TikTok grows and becomes more successful, the Creator Fund does not. The apps parent company grew 70% in 2021. Because that fund is distributed evenly in the community, as more creators join the fund, creators make less money per view. One British tech TikToker, Safwan AhmedMia, said he made just over $150 for 25 million views.
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January 27, 2020
Georgina Bingham of Vestergaard to share about innovations in commodity warehousing in sub-Saharan Africa
In partnership with the Post-Harvest Loss Innovation Lab, the Department of Entomology will host Georgina Bingham's seminar, "New technologies for age old problems, changing the face of smallholder postharvest commodity warehousing" from 4-5 p.m. Jan. 28 in 231 Waters Hall.
Bingham serves as the senior technical advisor and global partnerships manager of the food security business at Vestergaard. In this role, she has successfully brought two new food security products, under the ZeroFly brand, from development to launch. Georgina has more than 15 years of experience working in developing regions including sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, and holds qualifications for project management and good clinical practice. She is also a fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and adjunct associate professor at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Information about streaming the seminar is available online.


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22 OCTOBER 2012
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BAA Ltd has dropped its old title, which was created in 1965 as the British Airports Authority, and becomes Heathrow Airport Holdings Ltd, a company majority-owned by Ferrovial of Spain.
Colin Matthews, Group Chief Executive, summed it up: “The BAA name no longer fits”. Heathrow Airport Holdings will soon become just Heathrow, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports, still easily the UK’s largest airport group. What the rebranding will cost has not been stated but the original yellow style of its signage became synonymous all over the world with airports, not just BAA. Mr Matthews says that Heathrow represents more than 95% of the business. Headquarters of the newly named group is The Compass Centre, which overlooks Heathrow’s northern runway.
What remains unanswered is whether the owners might in time sell off the three smaller airports and just stick with Heathrow? www.heathrowairport.com
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
No one has commented yet, why don't you start the ball rolling?


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Three state attorney generals have filed lawsuits against the maker of the 5-hour Energy drink that reportedly sells an estimated $1 billion of the little 2-oz bottles. The attorney generals claim that the seller falsely states that its non-caffeine ingredients give people extra energy and alertness and that it lied when it said that physicians support its use. But there’s more to this story than some allegedly overzealous state attorneys targeting an energy drink. The drink has been mentioned in at least 90 filings with The Food and Drug Administration and is suspected of being linked to 13 deaths over the years. Another energy drink, Monster Energy, has also been suspected of contributing to serious injuries and death, although most energy drinks contain the same basic ingredients: sugar, caffeine and Vitamin B Increasingly, these “energy drinks” are being viewed as a health hazard.
When many people need an energy boost at the office, at home or before a workout, they turn to the energy supplement 5 Hour Energy. The 2-ounce energy shot contains a combination of caffeine, B vitamins and amino acids, along with some flavorings and preservatives. Energy drinks, like 5-Hour Energy, are also used by many teens and adults as a chaser after consuming large amounts of alcohol…..resulting in a frightening lot of of caffeine-jolted inebriates behind the wheel. Thirteen deaths have linked to the 2-oz bottles of 5-Hour Energy , with an additional 33 hospitalizations. It’s no surprise that the federal Food and Drug Administration has called into question the safety of this supplement.
One of the more common side-effects of 5 Hour Energy is what’s known as a niacin flush. According to University of Maryland Medical Center, this reaction normally occurs when 50 milligrams or more of niacin are ingested. The original 5 Hour Energy contains 30 milligrams of niacin, and the extra-strength version contains 40 milligrams. A niacin flush is caused by increased blood flow to the skin and can include burning or tingling sensations in the face and chest and red-flushed skin. One way to reduce this symptom is to take an aspirin about 30 minutes before taking niacin.
The New York Times reports that from 2009 to late 2012, the FDA received some 90 filings of serious injury and 13 reports of death that cited the possible involvement of 5 Hour Energy. While an incident report filed with the FDA is not conclusive proof that a product was responsible for a death or injury, it does speak to the unknown nature of the possible effects of 5 Hour Energy. Dr. Brent Bauer, Mayo Clinic director of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, is quoted as saying, “These energy shots have over a dozen ingredients all together, and consumers are ingesting them at very high doses, but there is no research of how the ingredients react all together.”
One of the advertised benefits of 5-Hour Energy is that it contains no sugar or net carbs. Instead, 5-Hour Energy contains sucralose, an artificial sweetener that is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar. (editor’s note: Sucralose belongs to a group of chemicals known as organochlorides, some of which are poisonous to plants and animals). However, sucralose is generally considered safe for human consumption and has not been shown to accumulate in the body and cause toxicity like other chemicals from this group. It also claims to provide more than 8,000% of the recommended daily intake for B12. Sorry, but you don’t need three years’ worth of vitamin b12 in one shot. Some other ingredients in 5-Hour Energy includes the preservative EDTA which is actually used to make lighter fluid……..you can figure out the rest.
All three states’ attorneys general are seeking a permanent injunction prohibiting 5-Hour Energy’s allegedly deceptive marketing practices, as well as civil penalties and restitution to consumers. A number of other states are expected to file similar suits in the coming weeks. If you happened to be seized by the urge to down one of these $3 boost bombs, you might want to put just a smidge more thought into what you are doing to your body and to the profitability of one of our modern snake-oil merchants.


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The new NFT marketplace NFT STARS marks its debut with successful celebrity drops, one after another. On 3rd of July, NFT STARS released the artwork “Singularity” by an anonymous artist who was inspired by Dutch advancements in the sphere of blockchain, quantum computing and AI. The NFT was sold for 229 ETH (~$509,067).
NFT STARS is a new multi-chain NFT marketplace that marked its launch with several celebrity drops, including “Singularity” by an anonymous artist. The art piece titled “Singularity” was inspired by Constantijn van Oranje, Prince of the Netherlands, who was chosen as the face of the art. The artwork explores a future where humans merge with Artificial Intelligence to become a super-intelligence. The singularity between humans and technology is depicted as an evolution that unlocks new possibilities and brings further advancements.
The artwork went live on 3rd of July at 10:00 UTC and attracted a lot of attention from the NFT STARS community and other users online. The anonymous personality of the artist further sparked the discussions. The bidding process lasted 24 hours and the final price reached an impressive 229 ETH (~$509,067).
“The ‘Singularity’ artwork has a deep meaning and provides a fresh outlook on the future co-existence of humans and technology. Our team is happy with the outcome of the auction and we congratulate the buyer who has now enriched their collection with this unique work” – Dan Khomenko, CEO of NFT STARS.
About NFT STARS
NFT STARS is a new multi-chain NFT marketplace with an ambitious goal to shift market focus from NFT speculation to art appreciation.
The marketplace follows a strict selection approach: every creator featured on the platform was either chosen by the executive board or voted for by the community. By selecting only a few artists, the NFT STARS team is able to provide them with truly special treatment. Artists enjoy Gas-free minting; NFTs are minted at the time of the purchase and the buyer covers the costs. Creators can collaborate via collective NFT ownership that creates a framework for the fair distribution of proceeds. NFT STARS also enables every artist to create an AR room in which to display their works and host the first show. The AR gallery is available to all on the screen of a smartphone.
In the future, NFT STARS will expand its operations to Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche and other blockchains to support cross-chain NFT liquidity flow. The marketplace also plans to expand its suite of products and introduce unique services for artists, investors and startup founders. The NFT STARS team is preparing to launch a 24/7 NFT radio station, fractional NFT trading, an NFT pricing scanner and introduce an Initial NFT Offering service.


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Closure of 100 Macy's stores falls in line with shift to online shopping
The news that Macy’s Inc. will close 100 locations throughout the United States is hardly surprising to retail experts, who say online stores have undercut traditional modes of shopping and will do so for years.
Consumers want the easiest shopping experience possible, they said, and brick-and-mortar stores like Macy’s can’t provide that. People would rather shop at home in their pajamas than wander through an endless maze of clothing.
Macy’s, which has 10 stores in Indiana, has not announced which locations it plans to shutter. Three Macy’s stores are located in the Indianapolis area. There are also stores in Lafayette and Muncie.
The retailer employed 1,800 people in Indiana as of January 2015, according to its corporate website. The company does not release specific financial information about individual store performance.
“When you think about the impact of Macy’s closing, it’s not going to be very dramatic in an area like Indianapolis,” said Michael Hicks, an economic expert at Ball State University. “The challenge will be in areas like … Terre Haute, where people will have to travel to shop.”
Hicks said the days of big-box shopping are ending. Large stores thrived in the ’80s and ’90s because they faced little competition. Today, companies such as Amazon, which made its name without opening a physical location, are the norm.
The Indianapolis market has seen its share of store closures, particularly among department stores such as Macy’s. Indy staples such as L.S. Ayres & Co., whose Downtown store closed in 1992, and Lazarus are distant memories.
Macy’s attempted to make department stores a staple again in the mid-2000s. The store used customer research to tailor stores to consumers’ tastes, such as by stocking specific brands at certain locations.
That push did not deliver the long-term results the store executives hoped for.
The 100 Macy’s closures represent about 15 percent of the company’s 675 full-service locations and account for about $1 billion in annual sales.
Macy’s pointed to competition from the internet as one of the main reasons it is streamlining its operation.
“We operate in a fast-changing world, and our company is moving forward decisively to build further on Macy’s heritage as a preferred shopping destination for fashion, quality, value and convenience,” said Terry Lundgren, Macy’s chairman and chief executive officer. “This involves doing things differently and making tough decisions as we position ourselves to serve customers who have high expectations of their favorite stores, online sites and apps.”
Macy’s plan follows a long trend of retailer consolidation. In Indianapolis, for example, Circle Centre mall has struggled to keep clothing and retail stores. Nordstrom, which was one of its anchor locations, closed in 2011.
Abercrombie & Fitch, the Gap and Johnston & Murphy have closed their stores at Circle Centre this year.
“Certainly, I have to say that most of it is some migration of consumers to online businesses,” said John Talbott, associate director of the Center for Education and Research in Retailing in the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. “Macy’s historically has seen migration from their own stores to their own online business. We’re seeing changes in terms of where consumers are preferring to shop.”
According to a June 2016 survey released by United Parcel Service of America Inc., more than half of all consumers would rather shop online than go to a store. It was the first time in the survey’s history that more people would rather shop electronically than in person.
“Avid online shoppers, who make two or more purchases online in a typical three-month period, are leading a retail revolution,” the survey stated. “These consumers are shopping more with their smartphones and demanding a more seamless experience between virtual and physical stores.”
Mary Phillips, an Indianapolis resident who was shopping at the Glendale Macy’s on Thursday, said Macy’s is the “only department store left.”
“It has everything you can buy. It’s got furniture, it’s got clothing and shoes, and it’s got a good selection,” she said.
Phillips, however, said she wasn’t surprised Macy’s plans to close 100 stores because Macy’s tends to have several locations in close proximity. If one of Indy’s three Macy’s stores closes, no one would notice a difference, she said.
Talbott said going to a store can be a cumbersome experience and people would rather have their goods delivered to their door. As consumer behavior shifts toward that mindset, retailers will continue to close stores and fine-tune their operations.
Hicks agreed, saying stores like Wal-Mart have taken notice and are beefing up their online presence to prepare for the future. The company acquired online retailer Jet.com for $3.3 billion this week in order to maintain a competitive edge in the digital age. Jet.com allows people to buy everything from laundry soap to living room furniture.
“Almost all of the challenges for retail right now come from online,” Hicks said.
Call IndyStar reporter Kris Turner at (317) 444-6047. Follow him on Twitter: @krisnturner.


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Mike’s Consignment to sell marine gear to Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara boaters
A new marine gear shop has opened its doors on California’s South Central Coast.
Mike Trussell officially opened Mike’s Consignment Marine Supply, offering pre-owned marine gear items to Oxnard, Santa Barbara and Ventura boaters.
Mike’s Consignment Marine Supply, or Mike’s CMS, officially opened its doors in May 2017. The storefront is located on Harbor Blvd. near Spinnaker and close to the Ventura Harbor entrance.
The new store, according to Trussell, features a huge selection of pre-owned marine gear, including all sail boat and power boat hardware from refits or upgrades in additional to sails, winches & handles, anchors, chain, props, BBQ’s, solar panels, fenders and much more.
Items not found in the storefront might be available at the business’s warehouse.
Trussell will be hosting a Grand Opening Happy Hour every Friday in July. Live music, a taco bar, free t-shirts and raffle prizes will be available to anyone who visits the store between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. each Friday in July.
Call 805-477-9881 or email firstname.lastname@example.org for more information. The store’s website is located at mikescms.com.
Mike’s Consignment photo


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Screenvision, one of the country's leading sellers of cinema advertising, has issued the results of a study that says cinema advertising works. Conducted by the independent research firm TNS, the study says consumers are more likely to consider and choose a brand when in-cinema advertising is part of the overall media mix. Moviegoers who saw in-theatre ads are 44% more likely to remember the ad than consumers who saw it on TV, according to the study. The same moviegoers are 70% more likely to correctly identify the advertised brands. Up to one week after seeing a commercial at the movies, nearly half of consumers could name the specific brands they saw advertised. Moviegoers are also more likely to exhibit increased interest in the advertised brands, have a better opinion of the brands and talk to others about a point brought out in the ad. The study tested ads from brands across various categories including packaged goods, automotive, consumer electronics, apparel and quick service restaurants and used TV as a benchmark. | Office supply retailer Staples will sponsor next week's task in NBC's The Apprentice, in which candidates invent a new office product for the company that is designed to make desk organization easy. The task will promote the Staples Invention Quest, a nationwide search for office product ideas that gives people a chance to win $25,000 plus royalties.
Have a news tip? Contact the editor: Marc Graser, 323-370-2438 | [email protected]


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Retail bakery foods: Controlled intake
Temptation is everywhere, and sometimes everyone needs a little guidance. At least that’s the idea behind the MTV reality TV show “Parental Control,” in which parents who disapprove of their teenager’s romantic interest have the opportunity to set him or her up with a parentally approved date. At the end of each episode, the teenager ultimately gets to decide to (A) stay with his or her significant other or (B) trade up for the mom-and-dad-approved suitor.
Similarly, when it comes to refrigerated and frozen bakery foods, processors seem to think consumers need a little guidance in choosing what - and how much - to eat. This year, several processors came to market with portion-controlled packaging and healthier products. Of course, here too, the decision ultimately is up to the consumer.
One thing is clear - in both cases, the recipient is a willing participant. In fact, Sara Lee Corp., Downers Grove, Ill., reported that ready-to-eat sweets sales climbed to $16.6 billion between September 2006 and September 2007. And Information Resources Inc. (IRI), Chicago, noted that frozen cookie dough sales were up 36.1 percent in the 52-weeks ending Jan. 27, 2008.
Still, health and portion-size concerns have consumers wanting to make better choices and processors have taken note. For example, this year Schwan’s Bakery Inc., Suwanee, Ga., (a division of The Schwan Food Co., Marshall, Minn.) added to its lineup of frozen pies, cobblers and cakes with Mrs. Smith’s Reduced Sugar Pie Slices with Splenda brand sweetener. The pie slices have 60 percent less sugar than the brand’s traditional pie slices and also have no trans fat. The fruit-filled pie slices are microwaveable and come in two-slice packages. Varieties include classic Apple and Mixed Berry varieties.
"Consumers get full flavor and texture as with a traditional Mrs. Smith's apple or berry pie -[ with less sugar,” said Mike D'Addieco, Mrs. Smith's Bake and Serve brand manager, in a statement. “Plus, the twin pack keeps portions small. It's a perfect sweet snack or dessert that's fast, easy and delicious."
Still more single-serve sweets came in the form of Cheesecake Bites launched by Sara Lee in February. These frozen bite-size desserts have 20 calories per bite and are packaged in containers of 30 bites. Sara Lee says the bites offer portion control and portability and come in three varieties: Original, Chocolate and Strawberry.
Said Sara Lee Marketing Director Carl Gerlach, “Sara Lee Bites will give families a contemporary grab-and-go version of the desserts that have made Sara Lee synonymous with sweets.”
Also offering easy dessert solutions to families this year is Pinnacle Foods Group LLC, Cherry Hill, N.J., with its Duncan Hines Oven Ready! Homestyle Brownies. These frozen brownies come prepackaged in an oven-ready pan. They bake in less than 30 minutes and leave behind no dirty dishes, Pinnacle says. Varieties include Chocolate Fudge and Chocolate Chip.
Also saving consumers time this year is new refrigerated Pillsbury Brownie Batter from General Mills Inc., Minneapolis. Traditional Chocolate Fudge and Triple Chocolate Chunk varieties come in 16.5-oz. refrigerated tubes and can be spread in a pan, baked and ready-to-serve in minutes.
Sweets aren’t all the refrigerated and frozen bakery category has to offer. In fact, IRI data indicate that dollar sales in the frozen fresh baked bread/roll/biscuit subcategory were up 1.7 percent during the 52-weeks ending Jan. 27, 2008. Meanwhile, refrigerated bread/roll dough and refrigerated pastry/dumpling dough also saw dollar sales increases this year.
Here, as with sweets, fast preparation times are part of the consumer appeal, says R&FF’s sister publication Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Retailer (RFFR). Rhodes Bake-N-Serve CEO Ken Farnsworth Jr. told RFFR, “That is why our AnyTime rolls have become so popular. Consumers can have homemade quality in 30 minutes. Our new multi-grain rolls are also selling well as more consumers look for whole grain options.”
Late last year, Rhodes also added garlic butter pull-aparts and sticky buns to its lineup. These new offerings come frozen in an aluminum pan - ready to bake.
New savory products from Pillsbury include Place ‘n Bake Crescent Rounds. Launched last summer, the rounds come in a refrigerated tube and bake into eight dinner rolls in 10 to 12 minutes.
During the past year, Pepperidge Farm, Norwalk, Conn., also rolled out new products that include premium frozen toast varieties, reports R&FF’s sister publication Snackfood & Wholesale Bakery (SF&WB). This product comes in Roasted Garlic, Romano and Herb and Cracked Pepper Parmesan varieties.
Tim Hassett, senior vice president and general manager of the fresh and frozen bakery business for Pepperidge Farm, told SF&WB Editor Dan Malovany that the company has been very pleased by the incremental sales of its premium frozen toasts. He added that they also have been impressed by consumer response to its frozen artisan bread and rolls, which are available in select retailers.
“We have received a large volume of unsolicited praise from consumers on these products,” he said. “People really love them.”
The artisan products come in Hearty Wheat Dinner Rolls, French Demi-Baguettes, Sourdough Petite Loaves and Rosemary Olive Oil Petite Loaves.


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Here's some good news for developers and AI enthusiasts! OpenAI, the leading artificial intelligence lab, has recently announced some exciting changes to its models and pricing.
Firstly, they've significantly reduced the price of API access. This move is particularly beneficial for developers who frequently interact with GPT-3.5 Turbo, the popular model behind ChatGPT. OpenAI has slashed the input prices by a whopping 50% and output by 25%, making it even more cost-effective for users.
Why the price cut, you ask? Well, as more users experiment with text-intensive applications, like analysing entire papers or books, the tokens (units of text processed by the model) can quickly pile up. To ensure customer loyalty and keep up with the increasingly competitive open-source or self-managed models, OpenAI is strategically lowering its prices.
But that's not all! GPT-3.5 Turbo is also getting a new model version, 0125, that includes "various improvements". While OpenAI has been a bit hush-hush about the specifics, any update is a step forward, right?
Now, let's talk about the 'lazy' GPT-4 Turbo. OpenAI has released a new preview model, also 0125, designed to complete tasks like code generation more thoroughly. This update aims to reduce instances of 'laziness', where the model doesn't complete a task. It seems like the AI was picking up some bad habits from us humans, eh?
For those eagerly waiting, GPT-4 Turbo with vision (GPT-4 V) is set to launch to general availability in the coming months.
In addition to these, OpenAI has released new and improved text embedding models for the tech-savvy users and an updated version of its free moderation API, which identifies potentially harmful text.
So, what's next for OpenAI? We'll have to wait and see. But one thing's for sure - it's an exciting time to be in the AI space!
Made with TRUST_AI - see the Charter: https://www.modelprop.co.uk/trust-ai


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Sumber: Reuters | Editor: Wahyu T.Rahmawati
KONTAN.CO.ID - MOSCOW. Russia's central bank said on Saturday a slight easing of foreign currency restrictions on banks that took effect this week would boost the supply of cash dollars and euros on the local market.
Under current rules, banks have only been allowed to sell foreign currency cash that had been bought from individuals after April 9.
But since the start of this week, they have been permitted to sell cash dollars and euros obtained from other sources, financial news outlet Frank Media reported on Saturday, citing a letter sent by the central bank to credit institutions.
"This is an additional tweak to the measures already in place, which allow for the increased supply of cash dollars and euros on the Russian market," the Bank of Russia said on Saturday, in response to an emailed request for comment.
The change marks an easing of capital controls that have buttressed the rouble in recent months. It will put downside pressure on the local currency and could ease concerns among Russian households about the supply of foreign currency.
With the exception of dollars and euros, Russian banks have been permitted to sell citizens foreign currency without restrictions since May.
Curbs on dollars and euros are set to remain in place until March 9, 2023.
Cek Berita dan Artikel yang lain di Google News


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New York Toys "R" Us Inc. agreed Saturday to award a Chinese-American infant a $25,000 prize in New Year's baby contest, a reversal after the company came under fire for disqualifying the girl because her mother was not a legal U.S. resident.
Chinese-American advocates said they were infuriated by Toys "R" Us, which opened its first mainland China store less than a month ago, and launched an e-mail campaign on the issue.
The company responded by awarding each of the three babies in the grand prize pool of the "First Baby of the Year Sweepstakes" a $25,000 savings bond.
Toys "R" us is the parent company of Babies "R" Us, which sponsored the contest.
Yuki Lin was born at the stroke of midnight at New York Downtown Hospital, according to hospital officials.
The Wayne, N.J.-based company had said the prize would go to the first American baby born in 2007.


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Honor has launched a new Android smartphone, the Honor Play 20 and the handset comes with a 6.51 inch LCD display that features a HD+ resolution.
The handset is powered by a Unisoc T610 processor and it comes with a choice of 4GB, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, there is also 128GB of storage.
If you need some extra storage then there is a microSD card slot which can take up to a 512GB card, the device also comes with a 5000 mAh battery and 10W fast charging.
For cameras there is a 13 megapixel main camera and a 2 megapixel depth camera and it comes with a front facing 5 megapixel camera for Selfies and video calls.
The handset will be available in four colors blue, white, black and a silver pink colors and it will retail for CNY 899 which is about $138 at the current exchange rate.
Source GSM Arena


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Spartanburg, SC (WSPA) – Halloween is a multi-million dollar business. People are usually focused on candy and costumes, but law-enforcement also wants them to consider their safety.
Halloween is a very festive time of year for many. Obviously no expense spared at this home, a lot of creative designs and decorations.
We’re in a popular neighborhood in the Spartanburg area where kids will line up and down the streets looking for candy in order to celebrate Halloween.
For Carly Spencer and her children, Halloween is fun family time.
“I have a pink skirt and a black belly shirt and I have long brown boots,” said Ellie Spencer, Trick or Treater.
Ellie plans to dress as Arianna Grande and Michael will dress up to look like the Joker.
While their costumes will be fun, mom and law enforcement wants them to stay safe.
“I don’t let them jump out and run door to door. I go with them. Especially this one cause he’ll run out,” said Carly Spencer, Mother.
That’s exactly what law enforcement says parents should do, along with a few other suggestions.
“We ask that you stay in groups, be mindful of cars a lot of times cars are not going to see them,” Lt. Doug Harwell, Spartanburg Police Department
So when walking down the street, be sure to cross at the cross walks and not from the middle of the sidewalk.
Lt. Harwell says there are things parents can do to help kids stay safe.
“Face paint could take the place of a mask, that way their vision is not obstructed as much,” said Hartwell.
That’s something Carly took into consideration.
“We made her’s out of things we had at home and his the same way, we didn’t go buy any costumes,” said Carly.
With so many kids on the streets along with cars, Lt. Harwell encourages WI trick or treaters and even parents to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street.
“Children need to pay attention to what’s around them, not be walking and texting, but paying attention to what they’re surroundings are,” said Hartwell.
Be sure to check with your municipality to find out times children will be out trick or treating.


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There is an inevitable decline in the volume of transactions through Australian ATMs as alternative, mainly non-cash alternatives bloom.
Data from the RBA shows the volume of ATM cash withdrawal transactions has fallen by 15% over 3 years, whilst the gross value has slipped a little (and fallen in post-inflation adjusted terms). Debit card transactions are more than taking up the slack. But there is also more going on here.
We had the chance to discuss this on Perth radio and coverage in an article in the Herald-Sun.
There is a generation shift in play as digital natives continue to adopt smartphone based payment options, from Applepay, to NFC transactions in shops, or apps like paypal as well as the move to debt. Even digital migrants are using electronic mechanisms, such as smart phones, internet banking, contactless payments and Bpay is also a popular option.
We are approaching a tipping point where the economics of ATMs will not make sense, other than at a few high traffic locations, as there a fixed costs relating to installation and maintenance (including the cash top-up) and income is linked to volumes. There was a proliferation of third party ATMs in for example retail sites in the 1990’s, but these are getting less use too. So we think the number of machines will fall.
Meantime the ubiquitous smart phone is set to become your personal finance assistant, your electronic wallet and electronic credit card. Just do not loose your phone!
As a result, traditional channels such the the branch, ATM and even plastic are all under threat. Cash will become less important in every day life, but it will remain, used perhaps by people less comfortable with the technology, or in the black economy. It would not surprise me if down the track larger bank notes started to disappear under the guise of migration to digitally based more cost-efficient payment solutions, which just happen also to be easier to track.
Meantime, the ATM just got out-evolved by the smartphone.


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11/18/2016, 03:11 pm
The Promenade at Communications Hill in San Jose, Calif., will be the first HomeKit-enabled community, featuring built-in Apple-connected smart home connectivity for prospective buyers.
11/03/2016, 01:11 pm
Smart home accessory purveyor iHome is shipping the iSS50 5-in-1 SmartMonitor, allowing users to monitor not just motion like most sensor packages, but humidity, temperature, and more, enabling complex HomeKit actions based on a variety of environmental conditions, all detected from one device.
11/03/2016, 09:11 am
After teasing the product at a trade show in September, HomeKit device manufacturer Elgato has officially unveiled its motion sensor, the Eve Motion.
10/26/2016, 12:10 pm
Accessory maker Elgato on Wednesday launched the Eve Light Switch, which it claimed is the world's first standalone switch with support for Apple's HomeKit.
10/22/2016, 01:10 am
A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that on Friday severely impacted internet access for many U.S. web denizens was found to be in part enabled by a botnet targeting unprotected "Internet of Things" devices. For Apple, the revelation vindicates a controversial walled garden approach to IoT borne out through the HomeKit protocol.
10/19/2016, 09:10 am
Looking to speed up adoption, Apple is partnering with various U.S. home builders to get HomeKit-ready technology installed in some homes from the start, a report said on Wednesday.
10/17/2016, 11:10 am
Ecobee on Monday launched the Ecobee3 Lite, a new version of its flagship thermostat that's cheaper than the original while retaining most of its core features.
10/11/2016, 12:10 pm
Netatmo on Tuesday released the Healthy Home Coach, an indoor climate tracking system with support for Apple's HomeKit platform.
09/27/2016, 12:09 pm
Honeywell has announced the Lyric T5, a new Wi-Fi-connected smart thermostat with support for Apple's HomeKit platform.
09/19/2016, 04:09 pm
iDevices has grown its HomeKit-compatible home automation line with a kit comprising three light bulb adapters, seven electrical plugs, and added concierge service for priority support access.
09/16/2016, 12:09 pm
After users upgrade devices to iOS 10, they won't be able to take full advantage of some new HomeKit-related features on older, third generation Apple TVs.
09/05/2016, 09:09 am
Elgato appears to be growing its stable of home automation devices, with the the first HomeKit compatible motion sensor spotted, called the "Eve Motion."
08/29/2016, 10:08 am
Philips has introduced several new products to its Apple HomeKit-capable Hue lighting system, most notably the Motion Sensor, which can be used to trigger different actions based not just on movement but the time of day.
08/16/2016, 11:08 am
Following several months' delay, Hunter on Tuesday launched the Signal, the first ceiling fan on the market with support for Apple's HomeKit platform.
07/11/2016, 01:07 pm
The Siri-friendly iDevices stable of smart home gadgets has now been enhanced with Amazon Alexa compatibility, giving users more flexibility in voice control options.
06/22/2016, 12:06 pm
Even though it was first announced in 2014, Apple's HomeKit is only now starting to establish a solid foothold in the home automation market. The platform should make some real strides towards the end of 2016, not the least because of new kinds of supported accessories and control options.
06/17/2016, 12:06 pm
Answering a long-running demand, Apple has introduced a dedicated Home app with iOS 10, giving people a central location to manage and control their HomeKit accessories.
06/14/2016, 09:06 pm
Apple is getting serious about HomeKit. Two years after introducing the automated home platform on iOS 8, the company this week announced new support for a host of connected appliances, as well as a forthcoming iOS 10 setting that turns iPad into a smart home hub.
06/13/2016, 02:06 pm
Apple introduced a dedicated "Home" iOS app at its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, finally introducing a manual control interface for HomeKit accessories to iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
05/18/2016, 02:05 pm
The smart home battle between Apple, Google and others continues to heat up, with Google on Wednesday announcing Home, a new voice-activated hardware kit that brings the Google assistant service to any room in your house.


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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – A University of Tennessee shop is bringing to life the T-shirt design of a young Florida Vol fan with all proceeds going to charity.
However, the VolShop is now warning buyers to beware of other stores selling the design to make a profit off of it.
Last week, an elementary school teacher in Florida posted a photo of her student’s homemade Vols shirt for their College Colors Day. That post said he was bullied for his hand-drawn logo.
Vol Nation immediately rallied behind him. VolShop created a T-shirt based on the student’s original design.
“Everyone can relate to the story and that makes it even that much more important,” said Tommi Grubbs, marketing manager at the VolShop.
The VolShop says the response to the shirt has been overwhelming.
“It’s been so great that it’s crashed our website,” Grubbs said.
Proceeds from the sales go to an anti-bullying campaign called “STOMP Out Bullying.” But the VolShop officials warn that not every seller has that intention.
“We’re seeing pop-up shops all over the internet, Facebook and Twitter of just in-your-garage people are printing t-shirts and they’re trying to make money,” said Grubbs. “We have approval from the mother, that is the only one that has received allowance to actually print the designs.”
The VolShop says that for them this isn’t about anything more than serving as a channel to spread some good.
“Hopefully, with all this attention, people will be a little kinder and show more love,” Grubbs said.
Grubbs told us the interest in this story and project has now expanded to foreign countries.
The VolShop is opening up international shipping for the shirt, something they typically don’t do, because of the outcry of people wanting it in other countries.
Anybody wanting to buy a shirt, can purchase on UTVolshop.com.
They say the website is up and running but is slow due to high demand, with the shirt on pre-order for a late September delivery.


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Despite the Android platform being one of the best mobile operating systems, there’s one area it has been lagging for a long time. If you use a Google phone, chances are you have never experienced the problem of updates. But the rest of the Android realm has to wait to for up to a year to get new updates. This is because there are many manufacturers of smartphones that use the Android operating system. In the recent past, Google has taken measures to ensure shorter periods of delays by the introduction of programs such as Project Treble and Android One.
But still, not every manufacturer is catered for in the above programs. Still, there are delays, and at the end of the day, some smartphones only get one security update. This is worrying given that Google releases an update especially patches at the end of every month. Good news is, the delay is about to become shorter. A popular news and media network operated by Vox Media obtained a contract that obligates smartphones manufacturers to install updates in their devices regularly. But there’s a catch, the contract applies for popular smartphones, and we’ll tell you more about that.
During this year’s Google I/O, Google’s head of Android security, David Kleidermacher said that Google has agreed with its partners to roll out updates regularly, especially security updates. In the contract, it’s stipulated that Android device manufacturers should push at least four security updates within the first year of the device launch. The contract also requires updates to be pushed for at least two years and in the second year, security updates should also be mandated alongside other updates.
Also, in the contract, there’s a specific time frame that manufacturers are supposed to patch flaws identified by Google. The timeframe – covered devices should be protected at the end of each month against all vulnerability identified in a period of 90 days. This means the devices won’t go more than 90 days without updates. Newer devices should also be launched with the current security levels. Failure to adhere to the contract agreements, manufacturers’ approval to release future phones will be withheld.
Here’s the catch
The contract covers devices that were launched after January 31st this year. And as we said earlier, the devices must be popular. In the contract, a device is popular if more than one hundred thousand users have activated it. But this is not a hard to reach target as most devices have international sales. In a nutshell, this means almost every device that is covered by the contract will get regular updates. While there’s no way of knowing what devices are covered in the contract, we can still take a guess. It’s probably the most popular devices in the market or the ones that have not been updating their devices.
Regardless of the contract being good news, the fate of non-Google devices receiving updates is not yet known. Following the EU ruling, the contract won’t have the same pressure on non-Google devices.


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“One of the main assets of a retailer in the future will be the data assets at its disposal and the ability of the retailer to exploit those to its advantage,” Guillaume Bacuvier told the World Retail Congress Asia Pacific event in Hong Kong.
“Having an exhaustive cross-channel data set about what customers do is a huge competitive advantage, and very few people have that,” he said. (For more details, read WARC’s report: The future of retail success in Asia is data integration.)
Though effective use of e-commerce data is a hot topic among marketers, Bacuvier emphasized that offline retail data is also critical – after all, physical stores still see the bulk of transactions, especially in Asia. Using that customer data to make marketing communications more personalized is key.
“Are you using your understanding of customers to its full extent to make sure that every touch point you have with a customer is driven by data and data science?
“Move away from mass promotions to personalized promotions making sure that every ad campaign is as personalized as possible,” Bacuvier recommended.
While many retailers have plenty of data about their customers, they may not have the specialist knowledge to make the most of it, he added.
According to Bacuvier, creating a data-centric company culture – including hiring the right specialist talent – is the key to future success.
“You need to have a company that, from bottom to top, is focused on using data to make every single decision – and that is probably the hardest thing to build,” he said.
Sourced from WARC


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Unibet Group has agreed to acquire the online gambling arm of British bookmaker Stan James.
Headquartered in Malta, Unibet have agreed an acquisition price of £19m, subject to regulatory approval, with completion of the deal expected in the third quarter of 2015.
Stan James will retain control of the UK shops operated under its brand, of which there are over 80.
Under EU rules on business acquisition, Stan James’ 150 Gibraltar-based employees will transfer their employment to Unibet upon completion of the takeover.
Unibet CEO Henrik Tjärnström said: “We have been looking at strengthening our position in the UK online market.
“Stan James as an operator is one of the most well respected in the UK market with particular strengths in horse racing and other sports.
“Over time we see a significant potential to increase the breadth of the Stan James product range, such as like streaming, casino and improving the mobile offering.”
Denis Kelly, CEO of Stan James Online, said: “We are delighted to join the wider Unibet group.
"There is substantial market opportunity in the UK following re-regulation.”
In the first five months of 2015, Kelly oversaw Stan James Online’s generation of £10.5m in gross wagering revenue, with EBITDA of £1.4m after deduction of UK point-of-consumption tax.
Kelly added: “Through the combination of Unibet’s expertise in marketing and financial strength, together with Stan James’ high quality sports and racing betting offering aimed at the UK market, I am confident that we can increase substantially the combined group’s market share in the UK.”


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President Director of VKTR Gilarsi W. Setijono said this strategic partnership was to create an electricity-based transportation ecosystem by combining the competencies and resources of each party
PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM) deployed 143 luxury cars with battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology, the Lexus UX-300e, as part of the official vehicle for members of the delegation from the G20 Summit (KTT).
The implementation of green economy is part of an economic transformation.
Local Electric Motorcycle Gesits Eyes Australian, Philippine Markets
TheIndonesia.id - The producer of Indonesia’s locally developed electric motorcycles Gesits is studying possibilities to market the vehicles in Australia and the Philippines in an effort to expand the business and introduce the products to international market.
Gesits’ manufacturer PT WIKA Industri Manufaktur (WIMA) confirmed that it has sent the products to a number of countries to try and get into the markets.
“We’ve been working to enter countries like Australia and the Philippines, and we’ve also sent product samples there. Hopefully, in the near future, we can enter their markets,” WIMA’s director of finance Irsal Shaleh Matondang said on Monday, May 2, as reported by Antara.
Currently, Gesits has exported 38 units of electric scooters to Senegal while WIMA has received orders for 200 and 250 units to Senegal and Nigeria, respectively.
According to Matondang, Gesits continues to develop and improve the products, including by installing battery management system (BMS) that can prevent overcharging and short circuit on batteries.
An app has also been launched to help owners analyze and maintain their vehicle’s health.
And in a grander scope, Matondang said Gesits continues to collaborate with other stakeholders to improve the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem in Indonesia, including by working to add the number of battery swapping stations (BSS) to attract more customers to shift to EV.
Lastly, he added the popularity of electric motorcycles is growing among Indonesians, and the positive trend shouldn’t be halted due to limited supporting infrastructures.
“Therefore, WIMA continues to contribute in developing the EV ecosystem. When it’s ready and available in different regions, I believe the public will be interested to use electric motorcycles,” Matondang concluded.


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Alibaba Group Holdings, the Chinese e-commerce firm that has caught the attention of U.S. investors, taps the markets today with a listing expected to raise $21.8 billion US.
TransCanada Corp. says costs for its long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline will likely balloon to as much as US$10 billion, up from US$5.4 billion.
Nordstrom Canada president Karen McKibbin, left, and Chinook Centre Store Manager Shelia Wooldridge, in the retailer's vast shoe department.
The Toronto stock market was lower Friday, despite a rise across most global markets following Scotland's historic decision to remain part of the United Kingdom.
CALGARY - Penn West Petroleum Ltd. said Thursday it has boosted oversight and training of its finance and accounting staff after an internal review flagged hundreds of millions of dollars in improperly classified expenses.


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July 27, 2015
Weil’s Antitrust team is representing Allergan plc, a leading global pharmaceutical company, in the recently announced sale of its global generic pharmaceuticals business to Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., a transaction valued at approximately $40.5 billion. “This transaction will accelerate Allergan's evolution into a branded Growth Pharma leader,” said Brent Saunders, CEO and President of Allergan, in a press release.
Weil previously served as antitrust counsel to Allergan in its approximately $2.1 billion acquisition of KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals Inc. In addition, Weil served as antitrust counsel to Actavis plc in its approximately $70.5 billion acquisition of Allergan, the combined company assumed the Allergan name.
For more information on the transaction, view Allergan’s press release.


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Germans increase fruit and veg spending
Amid cold weather and shortages right now in Europe, Fruit Logistica has kicked off in Berlin with one very encouraging statistic.
In a release provided at the event's opening press conference, consumer research specialist Helmut Hübsch of the Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung (GfK - Association for Consumer Research) said private households in German increased their food and beverage spending by 1% last year.
In contrast, GfK reported the increase in spending on fruits and vegetables (including potatoes) was up by just under 6%.
"This means that fruit and vegetables once again belong to the most important categories in the retail trade," Hübsch said.
"Households purchase fruit and/or vegetables an average 86 times per year: 86 times in 52 calendar weeks means that households buy fruit, vegetables, or both more than once a week."
GfK said vegetable sales at the retail level in Germany are expected to have risen by almost 5% to €6.9 billion, which mainly reflects higher prices as purchase volume rose by just 1%.
The higher price is due in part to "real" price increases for comparable products and also due to "trading up" within product ranges, demonstrating a growing preference for more highly-priced goods.
In fresh fruit, a retail sales record was set by rising 5% to €7.2 billion, with purchase volumes remaining 'constant at best'.
The group said sales in fresh potatoes rose dramatically by 11% to €1.1 billion, despite purchase volumes falling by 4%.
Germany's Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI) said data would probably show a continued slight increase for fresh fruit imports in 2016 to reach almost 5.4 million MT, with tropical fruit as the "main factor".
"The market for fresh fruit and vegetables is heavily influenced by weather conditions. It is impossible to control all of the production conditions for these natural products, even when they are grown under cover," AMI said.
"The recent frosts in Italy and Spain illustrate the impact of weather conditions on produce. In contrast to dry foods, fluctuations in supply and price are unavoidable.
"This is less a sign of non-transparent manipulation than it is of a functioning market."
European produce harvest
According to AMI, the EU fruit harvest in 2016-17 was expected to be down 3% at 38.2 million metric tons (MT), while the vegetable harvest was up 1% at 63.5 million MT.
With the exception of citrus, all fruit crops were down slightly in the EU, with a 5% fall in stonefruit, pears down 9% and even a 2% drop in apples, albeit down on a very high year in the previous season.
"After a marked increase last year, EU table grape production fell slightly again," AMI said.
"Although there was a pause in the upwards trend in soft fruit for 2016, this does not indicate a reversal. Production capacity, particularly for blueberries, continues to increase."
The group added that poor kiwifruit harvests in Italy meant the crop for that fruit was down by 13%, while Spain was set for a "considerably larger" 2016-17 citrus harvest.
"But excessive rainfall in mid-December 2016 and frosts in mid-January are likely to affect the stability of goods," the group added.
In vegetables, the slight increase was driven more by onions, cabbage varieties and carrots, which are more important in central and northern Europe.
"Poland in particular reported a good harvest," AMI said.
"The larger vegetable harvests in northern and eastern EU member states was primarily a result of a larger area under cultivation, and to higher yields.
"The EU potato harvest rose by 5% to around 57 million tonnes."
Encouraging stats for Fruit Logistica itself
As industry event Fruit Logistica heads celebrates its 25th anniversary, the event has cracked the 3,000-exhibitor mark with 3,107 stands.
Event organizers are expecting 70,000 trade visitors from more than 130 countries, of which 86 nations will have stands.
Italy continues to have the most stands with 516, followed by Spain (367), the Netherlands (318), Germany (283) and France (249).
"Fruit Logistica was launched in 1993 in response to an industry demand and has seen impressive development ever since," said Messe Berlin GmbH CEO Christian Göke.
"We started the first year with 100 exhibitors. In 2017, for the first time, the number of exhibitors will top the 3,000 mark. As a leading global trade fair, Fruit Logistica is a don't-miss event for players across the entire value chain.
"Not only does the trade fair offer outstanding business opportunities, it has also gained a solid reputation as a platform for information and innovations."


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Mashable reports that Verizon has announced the release of three new Droid smartphones.
The newest entrants to the sleek Droid lineup were announced by Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of product management at Motorola Mobility in New York. The new Droid lineup will be called the Droid Ultra, the Droid Maxx and the Droid Mini. They'll carry a pricetag of $299, $199 and $99 respectively with two-year Verizon contracts.
As for the specs, resolution for all three phones clock in at 1280 x 720. The 5-inch Ultra will be the world's thinnest 4G LTE smartphone. Similar to its older brother, the Maxx will be the same but with a thicker battery. The Mini will have many of the same moving parts but with a smaller 4.3-inch screen.
And the bragging rights? The nation's largest mobile carrier says that they can run roughly two days on a charge. Take that, Apple!
Also, the new Droid family comes with some ultra protection. Each phone will be housed in a kevlar backing.
Available for pre-order online today, the Ultra and Maxx will be available in Verizon stores August 20. The mini will be available on Aug. 29.


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Qualcomm has launched a new chip aimed at premium handheld gaming devices. The company took wraps off the all-new Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform on the second-day of Snapdragon Tech Summit 2021 in Hawaii. The new gaming chip from the company is designed to create a new category of dedicated gaming devices.
The new chip is designed to offer a seamless gaming experience by offering good thermal solutions, better connectivity, cross-platform support, better display and battery life.
It's a first of its kind chip from Qualcomm and it takes advantage of the company’s expertise in mobile gaming to offer the best possible handheld gaming experience.
The Snapdragon G3x Gaming Platform brings together Snapdragon Elite Gaming features and technology to allow users to play a huge library of Android mobile games and also supports cross-platform gaming allowing players to stream titles from PC, cloud and console.
Qualcomm says that the new platform and the developer kit will enable developers to create custom handheld devices with improved performance, thermal efficiency and offer a large, high frame rate screen.
As already mentioned, the chip also takes advantage of Snapdragon Elite Gaming and technologies. In terms of features, the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform brings support for controller, stereo haptics, improved audio, an exclusive Adreno GPU capable of handling 10-bit HDR for gaming and 144 frames per second.
The Snapdragon G3x chip also comes with FastConnect 6900 Mobile connectivity that includes support for 5G mmWave and sub-6 for ultra-fast, lag-free cloud gaming while streaming the most bandwidth-intensive games from services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Steam Remote Play.
Apart from that it also includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity options.
Snapdragon Sound Technology, just like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, announced yesterday, also comes onboard on Snapdragon G3x for optimsed quality and reduced latency while gaming,
Other features includes AKSys support which allows precise touch to controller mapping technology to enable use of the built-in controllers across a wide array of games.
The Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming platform and Snapdragon G3x Handheld Developer Kit will be first available to developers that will allow them to explore the full potential of the gaming platform and then build titles based on that. Going forward, OEMs can create gaming hardware based on that taking advantage of the new Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 chip for consumers.
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Qualcomm unveiled its first dedicated chip for a handheld gaming devices, here’s everything you need to know have 630 words, post on www.gadgetsnow.com at December 2, 2021. This is cached page on TechNews. If you want remove this page, please contact us.


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Additional WABC green stories and resources
The following are more WABC7 stories related to the local green movement:
Eco-friendly toys offer safer alternatives for kids
NEW YORK -- Many toys have been recalled because of toxic ingredients like lead. So how do you know if your kids are safe?
Green gym helps both health and environment
NEW YORK -- When you head to the gym, you're probably thinking about improving your health, not the environment.
East Harlem green soup kitchen
HARLEM -- There is a soup kitchen in our area that's doing its best to serve fresh, organic foods.
East Village school sets 'green' standard
EAST VILLAGE -- A school in the East Village is at the forefront of the green movement.
Eco-friendly beauty without breaking the bank
NEW YORK -- A new wave in beauty products can help you look good without being harmful to mother nature.
Eco-friendly and cruelty proof clothes in New York City
NEW YORK -- There are thousands of different clothing stores in New York City, and among them, a unique store that offers a very natural approach to clothing and accessories.
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Recently, it has been a hell of a ride on Diablo 3 (literally). For those unaware, its latest patch 1.0.8, which was released almost 48 hours ago, provided a lot of neat updates for the game like buff to co-op mode and related stuff but it also unleashed a big ruckus as several individuals found an exploit that enables them to dupe gold to the nth level. We’re talking about hundreds of billions of gold that equates to corresponding dollar value if you’ll sell it to the game’s ‘real money auction house’.
Today, we can already see its effects as several players voiced out their concerns since Blizzard decided not to put a rollback (to offset those duplicated gold) and just pushed through a decision of simply suspending AH (auction house) while they are tracking those accounts that duped gold.
Lawsuit Threat From Players
One player from this thread, which is now one of the hottest post from Diablo 3 forum, explained how the community can file a lawsuit charge against Blizzard. Just to give you a gist about the complaint, the player believes gamers will have a strong-case against Blizzard if they’ll file a lawsuit because D3 is concentrated with items, and these items have their own gold value which corresponds to real money. Since there was a dupe exploit, it also mean the company can be charged for negligence of not coding the game properly, letting its system hacked so other people can ‘steal money’ out from gamers’ pockets.
For those unaware, this is not the first time Blizzard was threatened by a lawsuit charge. A few weeks when Diablo 3 debuted last May, players from South Korea and other countries from Europe have voiced out their concern and filed a formal lawsuit complaint of not being able to play the game because of Blizzard’s laggy servers. This forced the company to fix the situation or suffer the consequence of paying each players that will return the game due to this issue.
Gravity of the Problem
As for the problem itself, another player has voiced out his concern that by not rolling back the server (which was the original solution anticipated by the community), Blizzard is creating a huge mistake as there are a lot of hackers who managed to transfer these dupe golds into dummy accounts, some have even bought several hundreds of gems from the AH, then resell them again to make the gold appear ‘clean’ making it very difficult for Blizzard admins to spot the culprit.
So what do you think should Blizzard do to clean out this mess? Show your comment below.
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Story by pinoytutorial


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A new Newk’s Eatery location will open in Buford on Monday.
The restaurant — a “fast casual” chain that offers hand-crafted salads, sandwiches and pizzas — will be located at the intersection of Georgia Highway 20 and Plunketts Rd. in the Mall of Georgia corridor. The 4,371-square-foot restaurant in Buford can accommodate 134 guests and also features a 400-square-foot patio with seating for an additional 22 guests.
The opening of the Buford restaurant will mark the second Gwinnett County location for the brand, including the restaurant located off Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road and Georgia Highway 120 in Lawrenceville.
“At Newk’s we strive to serve meals that make a difference,” Brent Cann, franchisee of the Newk’s Buford restaurant, said. “As a family restaurant that cares about our local community, we’re proud to offer fresh ingredients and wholesome meals for everyone.”
There will be opportunities to preview the food before the official opening. Newk’s in Buford will host private preview tastings for lunch and dinner beginning Wednesday through Friday. Guests may register online for a complimentary meal and will have the opportunity to donate in support of ovarian cancer research and education. All funds collected will be donated to Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) on behalf of Newk’s Cares, the ovarian cancer awareness movement founded by Newk’s Eatery.
Newk’s will host a “Dozen-Layer Cake Cutting Ceremony” Sept. 16 at 11 a.m. Guests can receive 20% off catering orders throughout the opening week and take advantage of additional promotions.
“We’re thrilled to begin serving the Buford community as we continue our growth in Georgia,” Michelle Spohnholz, VP of Marketing said. “At Newk’s, we take a hands-on approach to every meal and go the extra mile to get the finest ingredients. We take personal pride in the details – cooking with house-roasted garlic and house-infused olive oils, as well as hand-chopping 20 fresh produce items daily. Our founder Chris ‘Newk’ Newcomb develops our scratch-made recipes, which come from the Newcomb family and have been perfected over generations.”


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Northern Territory residents are being hit harder than their interstate counterparts when it comes to soaring fresh food and fuel costs, as inflation rises at the fastest pace in more than two decades.
- Darwin saw the fastest price increase for fuel and vegetables in the country last quarter
- Local charities are "struggling to keep up" with increasing demand for their services
- The NT Opposition has proposed legislation aimed at keeping inflated petrol prices down
Consumer prices rose 6.1 per cent for the year to June, with housing construction, furniture and fuel contributing most to the rising costs over the quarter.
"Inflation is high and rising, it will get tougher, before it gets easier," Treasurer Jim Chalmers warned yesterday.
The latest official data shows the cost of filling up at the pump rose faster in Darwin than anywhere else, with "automotive fuel" up by 6.2 per cent — well above the capital city average of 4.2 per cent.
Vegetables in Darwin also surged in price by 9 per cent — behind Sydney which rose by 7.7 per cent. It's an increase Kerry Hayman has felt acutely.
The Palmerston resident, who works in a grocery store, said when she came out of COVID-19 isolation, she noticed the prices of everyday food, including fresh fruit and vegetables, had gone up.
"There's a lot of prices I do know, and I noticed they had all changed," she said.
"It does hit the back pocket."Loading...
With her weekly shop increasing from roughly $140 to nearly $200 a week, she said she might have to give up on plans to go on a road trip around the territory.
"I've bought myself a caravan which is still on its way," she said.
"And I'm thinking, by the time it gets here am I even going to be able to afford to travel anywhere?"
Overall, prices in the Northern Territory capital for everyday items rose by 2.1 per cent last quarter — the highest in the country alongside Brisbane and Adelaide.
'We are struggling to keep up'
Peter Chandler from Foodbank NT said the increase in fresh food prices was being felt acutely by the hunger relief charity.
"It is seen right across the board but particularly with fruit and vegetables, and it's the one thing we are asked more and more to help with," Mr Chandler said.
"We are struggling to keep up and get enough fruit and vegetables."
Mr Chandler said the cost of transporting fresh food to the Top End exacerbated the cost increases being seen across the nation, which became even worse for remote parts of the territory.
"If you think it's amplified in Darwin, it's even more amplified in our remote areas," he said.
Anglicare NT CEO David Pugh called for more federal government support for not-for-profits at the frontline of the cost of living crunch, with funding allocated on need, rather than population.
"Services in the NT are really under-resourced compared to nationally," he said.
"We have 13 times the rate of homelessness in the NT compared to the funding we get from the federal government.
"The fuel increase is such that people who have to go to remote communities to attend funerals can no longer do that and are coming to seek support."
Fuel price legislation proposed
Northern Territory Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro gave notice in parliament sittings on Tuesday of the Country Liberal Party's Fuel Price Disclosure Bill 2022.
"More needs to be done to bring down those prices and bring some transparency into how retailers are charging Territorians for fuel," she told media on Tuesday.
"We know the ACCC have recommended to government that if you require retailers to disclose their profit margins, then that will then drive down the price of fuel."
Fueltrac General Manager, Geoff Trotter said fuel prices in Darwin were still the highest of all the capital cities in the country.
"As we speak today, the unleaded terminal gate price in Darwin is $1.70/L for unleaded and $1.98 for diesel, so pick a service station — they're making about 32, 33c/L profit on unleaded and 34 on diesel roughly," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.
"Most other capital cities make no more than about 15c/L."
In a statement, Treasurer Eva Lawler said the government would "continue to keep a close eye on petrol prices to make sure Territorians never pay more than they should".
Ms Lawler also said the NT Government would work with the federal government to address cost of living pressures in the NT, noting existing measures such as government subsidies for childcare and power.
Mr Chandler said Foodbank was bracing for increased demand on their services in the coming months as cost of living continues to rise.
"We really can't see this going away in the near future. If anything it's going to get worse in the next little while," he said.
"We think there's a good 18 months, maybe two years, of uphill battle here before we see the light at the end of that tunnel."


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By Lisa Wang / Staff reporter
Qualcomm Inc expects global shipments of 5G smartphones to more than double to between 450 million and 550 million units next year from this year, driven by increasing 5G network deployment worldwide and broader adoption of 5G technology beyond smartphones, a company executive told a virtual news conference yesterday.
The San Diego-based company said that more than five times more telecoms have commercially launched 5G services in the first 18 months of the 5G era, compared with wireless technology transitions to previous generations.
The momentum is to pick up speed in 2022, with the shipment volume of 5G-ready smartphones projected to reach 750 million units, Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon told reporters following the release of the company’s latest flagship 5G chip, Snapdragon 888.
Photo: Vanessa Cho, Taipei Times
To address the growing market, Qualcomm would build a broad product portfolio of end devices at prices between US$250 and US$1,000, the company said.
There are more than 700 5G designs that have thus far been launched or are under development based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, Amon said.
A majority of them supports the sub-6 gigahertz band, he said, adding that Qualcomm’s strength goes beyond millimeter Wave (mmWave) technology.
Qualcomm is positive for the deployment of mmWave networks, as 5G technology is getting more broadly adopted in Japan, with more mmWave-based services to be offered next year, Amon said.
Qualcomm also has high hopes that China would build mmWave networks for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, he said.
Asked whether Qualcomm might be able to resume shipping 5G chips to Chinese customers, as US president-elect Joe Biden might take a more rational stance in the US-China trade dispute, Amon did not directly answer.
Chipsets have been driving 5G growth in China, and that would likely continue, he said.
Qualcomm’s business model of forging cooperation with Chinese customers creates more business opportunities, Amon said.
The company is pleased to see the emergence of new industry participants such as Honor (榮耀), he added.
Honor was originally a budget smartphone brand of Huawei Technologies Co (華為). Huawei last month sold Honor to a consortium formed by the Shenzhen Smart City Technology Development Group Co (深圳智慧城市科技發展集團) in a bid to refute a US ban.
Qualcomm did not disclose whether it would switch its foundry partner for the production of the new chip to Samsung Electronics Co, using the South Korean firm’s 5-nanometer technology.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) produced Qualcomm’s previous generation of 5G chip, Snapdragon 865, using its 7-nanometer technology.
Qualcomm said that it takes about three years to design and develop premium chips until production can start.
The company in the past started talking to its foundry partners about two-and-half years prior to production, it said.
Fourteen mobile phone makers have shown their interest in Qualcomm’s latest premium chip and Xiaomi Corp’s (小米) new flagship smartphone, Mi11, is to be one of the first devices powered by the Snapdragon 888.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making waves in various industries, and the online casino industry is no exception. In the Philippines, online lotto Philippines and casino software providers are integrating AI into their systems to improve user experience and enhance security measures.
One of the main ways AI is being used in the online casino industry is through personalized recommendations. With AI algorithms, online lotto and casino software providers can analyze user behavior and preferences to suggest games that a user might enjoy. This not only improves user experience but also increases engagement and loyalty.
Another way AI is being used in the online casino industry is through fraud detection. With millions of transactions happening every day, it can be challenging to identify fraudulent activities. However, with AI algorithms, online lotto and casino software providers can analyze patterns and detect anomalies that might indicate fraudulent activities. This helps prevent fraud and ensures a safe and secure gaming environment for users.
AI is also being used to improve customer support in the online casino industry. With chatbots powered by AI, online lotto and casino software providers can provide instant support to users, answering their queries and resolving issues quickly. This not only saves time for users but also reduces the workload for customer support representatives.
In conclusion, AI is transforming the online casino industry in the Philippines and around the world. By improving user experience, enhancing security measures, and providing better customer support, AI is helping online lotto and casino software providers stay ahead of the competition. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative uses of AI in the online casino industry.


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Daihatsu has celebrated the fact that it has achieved record sales this year, saying that its appeal to customers is now "stronger than ever".
So far this year, the Japanese manufacturer has experienced 53.3 per cent growth in sales and there are no signs of demand slowing.
Some 1,464 Daihatsu cars have been sold so far this year, with 1,024 registrations made in March alone â€“ a 61 per cent increase on the 637 units registered in March 2006.
Paul Tunnicliffe, managing director of Daihatsu Vehicle Distributors, described this record as "even better news than it first appears", owing to the limited stock that some dealers have had to work with this year.
He added: "With ever-rising motoring costs and greater emphasis on environmental issues, Daihatsu’s appeal as a value-for-money, fuel-efficient manufacturer is stronger than ever."
Operations director Paul Hagerty also set out the company’s ambitions for the future, saying that it plans to work in close partnership with its dealer network to foster further growth and profitability.


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At a mere 28 years old, Trinity Mouzon Wofford, CEO of Golde, a vegan, superfood, wellness and beauty brand was name one of Black Entertainment Televisions (BET) next generation of leaders. Since starting her entrepreneurial journey with her partner in 2017, Wofford has been on an unstoppable mission to make the often pretentious and ultra-luxe industry of wellness and superfoods more approachable, fun, and inclusive to people of color.
When Wofford started launched Golde, she was only 23 years old, with no previous entrepreneurial experience and only one signature product, a turmeric latte blend that they sold from their modest 1-bedroom Brooklyn apartment.
Today, Golde sells everything to do with wellness, from superfood packed smoothie kits to papaya face masks. Wofford’s life changed forever when she became the youngest ever black woman to have her products sold by beauty industry giant Sephora, catapulting her small labor of love into a full-scale national business. Today, Golde’s products are sold by several other top retailers including Urban Outfitters, Goop, and Target.
Reminiscing on her remarkable journey, Wofford has now made it her mission to encourage and mentor other women of color who want to launch a business. “There’ve been so many lessons. Entrepreneurship is really just a series of failures and learnings just over and over and over again.”