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Iveco and SMET launch a strategic partnership for the supply of 330 low environmental impact vehicles
Iveco has delivered 10 Stralis trucks powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to logistics services provider SMET. Thanks to a three-year agreement with Iveco for a total of 330 trucks, the company will be able to rely on a renewed fleet to provide increasingly sustainable transportation.
Iveco will deliver 330 Stralis trucks to integrated logistics provider SMET under a three-year agreement to supply low-environmental impact vehicles. At least 25 percent of the vehicles will be powered by LNG.
The first 10 LNG-powered Stralis (AT440S33T/P) were presented to SMET at a delivery ceremony which took place on Friday, 11 March at the Iveco ARA dealership in Parma. Pierre Lahutte, Iveco Brand President, and Domenico De Rosa, SMET Chief Commercial Officer, were present.
Pierre Lahutte, Iveco Brand President, said: “Today's delivery is testament to Iveco's far-sighted outlook. For more than 25 years, the company has focussed its investments on technological solutions with a low environmental impact, with particular attention to natural gas, which is currently the best alternative to diesel. Our vehicles powered by natural gas are also 100 per cent compatible with Bio-CNG and Bio-LNG, so they are capable of providing carbon-neutral transportation. This is why Iveco and CNH Industrial are actively supporting the development of bio-methane throughout Europe, and particularly in Italy, where all the necessary conditions for this revolutionary fuel to become available in the near future are in place.”
The 10 vehicles that have been delivered – all powered by LNG – are equipped with a 330 hp Iveco Cursor 8 C-LNG Euro VI engine, a 510-litre cryogenic LNG fuel tank and four 70-litre CNG tanks that ensure a range of more than 750 km.
Using LNG-powered vehicles has many advantages in terms of environmental sustainability and profitability for customers. They reduce particulate emissions (down by 95 percent compared to diesel), and cut NOx to a minimum (down by 35 percent). LNG-powered vehicles also limit vehicular emissions of carbon dioxide by 10 per cent – or by up to 100 per cent when bio-methane is used. The noise level is notably lower – on average by 5 dB(A) – and fuel costs cut by at least 10 per cent compared to diesel engines.
SMET’s focus on environmental protection led to Iveco’s selection as the company’s ideal partner for sustainable transport. This agreement was facilitated by Iveco’s Mecar dealership in Nocera Superiore (SA).
Noach Dror, CNH Industrial Transport Logistics Vice-President, added: “For the fifth year running, CNH Industrial has been confirmed as industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for Europe and the world. For us, sustainability is an essential element when making business decisions, since it also has an impact on the environment, on our people and on the communities in which we operate. CNH Industrial is pursuing the strategy of implementing solutions with reduced emissions in all the main logistics routes by 2018. From April onwards, SMET will use the Stralis LNG to supply the Suzzara factory from within the Turin area: this is the first strategic implementation in Italy”.
The other key player in Iveco’s agreement with SMET is the AS440S48T/P-model Stralis truck, which are traditional drive and outfitted with a 480 hp Iveco Cursor 11 Euro VI engine and the state-of-the-art HI-SCR catalytic reduction system. This exclusive technology ensures excellent engine combustion, as only air is introduced. Emissions control is guaranteed by the after-treatment system, with no need for exhaust gas recirculation. The exclusive HI-SCR system – a result of Iveco's technological experience – offers a simple solution to the challenge of reducing polluting emissions set by the Euro VI standard without adding complex components, without chemically polluting the engine and systems connected to it, and without reaching excessive temperatures. The added advantages are lower weight and greater system reliability.
In economic terms, HI-SCR is very advantageous for Iveco operators, as a reduction in the total cost of ownership generates a rapid return on the capital investment in the Euro VI technology.
Turin, 16 March 2016
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The government issued a paper Friday attacking an annual trade barrier report released earlier this month by the United States Trade Representative that accuses Tokyo of carrying out unfair trade practices.
Brushing aside the allegations, the paper counters by accusing the U.S. of violating international trade rules by threatening countries with unilateral sanctions.
Shotaro Oshima, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s Economic Affairs Bureau, handed the paper Friday to Lawrence Greenwood, minister counselor for economic affairs at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sadaaki Numata later told a news conference it was inappropriate for Washington to have used the verb “press” in several places in the report, calling it a “one-sided expression.”
“Because every country is on an equal footing, it is inappropriate for one nation to say it is ‘pressing’ others,” he said.
On April 1, the USTR released its 1999 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, which covered 54 sectors in nine industries regarding Japan. The sectors include automobiles, auto parts, flat glass, steel, rice, government procurement and insurance.
Numata, citing the USTR report’s descriptions of restrictions on the market share of U.S. products in Japan, argued that market share mostly depends on supply and demand and that the U.S. accusations are misplaced.
The Japanese paper responds with: “Adopting a results-oriented approach is not consistent with international rules based on free trade.”
The paper underlines Japan’s regret over the recently revived Super 301 trade clause — a powerful provision that allows Washington to impose retaliatory sanctions on unfair trade practices by foreign countries.
In the USTR report, Washington suggests it may invoke the punitive provision in a bid to open up the Japanese insurance market.
Underlining the need for “two-way communication” in the trade dialogue between Japan and the U.S., Numata said Washington has yet to introduce the metric system widely and to reform the management of its anti-dumping measures. “It is regrettable that the U.S. has made little progress in this regard,” he said.
The government’s move Friday was made following Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura’s comment earlier in the day that the USTR report on foreign trade barriers was “inconsistent with international trade rules.”
The report, compiled annually by the USTR for submission to the White House and Congress, serves as the basis for applying Super 301 and other retaliatory trade low provisions.
On April 1, U.S. President Bill Clinton signed an executive order reinstating Super 301 retroactive to January enabling the U.S. to slap sanctions on countries believed to be maintaining serious trade barriers against U.S. goods and services.
The USTR is scheduled to issue a report later this month identifying those countries and trade practices eligible to be targeted by Super 301.

domain: news


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SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- SsangYong Motor Co. said Monday its sales rose 7.8 percent last month from a year earlier on robust domestic sales.
SsangYong Motor sold 13,030 vehicles in November, up from 12,082 units a year earlier, helped by strong local demand for the Rexton Sports SUV, the company said in a statement.
Domestic sales jumped 18 percent to 10,330 units in November from 8,769 a year earlier. But exports fell 14 percent to 2,844 units from 3,313 during the same period, it said.
From January through November, the maker of the flagship G4 Rexton and compact Tivoli SUVs sold a combined 127,818 vehicles, down 1.3 percent from 129,477 a year earlier, the company said.
Indian carmaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. owns a 72.85 percent stake in SsangYong Motor.
BOK has room for rate cuts but will likely save for later
Seoul-Tokyo ties tipped for deeper rift after Japan's expanded export control: experts
Trade row with Japan, another headwind for Korean economy
Japan hides true intentions, leaving export curbs unjustified
Boycott of Japanese goods to intensify as Tokyo expands export curbs


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Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC may be readying the Aria, yet another Android smartphone after the just announced Wildfire., one which is bound for the US market, at least for now.
Aria has been described by some as the smallest Android device and follows the recent trend by HTC of downsizing popular models. First the Desire was shrunk to become the Wildfire and now the Legend went through the same process to become the Aria.
Details are scarce but from what Androidguys (opens in new tab) has published, the device will come with Android 2.1 Eclair (rather than Froyo) with HTC's proprietary Sense UI plus a 5-megapixel camera with Flash.
Other goodies include a microUSB slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an optical trackpad and a smallish (2.5 to 2.8-inch) screen which we suspect is the same as the Wildfire which means that it will display 240x320 pixels.
The phone is said to be unveiled next Monday, June 7th, which is the day when Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference starts and is the day when the iPhone 4G is expected to be launched.
Aria is likely to land in the UK in the second half of 2010 and will focus on the lower mid range of the market, facing the likes of the Nokia X6. Expect it to be available on £20 per month contracts at launch.


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Gamers in Japan must have found themselves hungry while playing games from the Resident Evil franchise because now Capcom is set to open up a Resident Evil-themed restaurant in Tokyo on July 13. The horror-themed dining area will be called, Biohazard Cafe & Grill S.T.A.R.S. I guess nothing makes you hungrier than a bunch of dead things consuming the flesh of the living–am I right?
The Friday the 13th grand opening will take place in Tokyo’s Shibuya Parco Part-1 Department store. The restaurant is clearly inspired by the hit zombie game series and will include limited edition items as well as appearances from S.T.A.R.S. team members.
The establishment will open just in time for the next installment in the game series, Resident Evil 6, which is set to release for consoles in October.
Capcom, please open one of these restaurants in the US, preferably my hometown of Dedham, which is pronounced DEAD-ham–it fits perfectly with the theme of the series, don’t you think?!


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One of the most biggers SUVs on the market CR-V could be soon dethroned. The facelifted 2021 Honda UR-V crossover SUV is coming and from the latest information, it could be more significant than the CR-V. The current Honda crossover UR-V officially started on the Chinese market in the first quarter of 2017, while its restyled version will arrive later this year.
From the first photos, the new SUV looks refreshed and more sporty. The changes compared to the previous variant includes modified grille, redesigned bumpers, LED taillights, new alloy wheels, and a couple of added colors.
2021 Honda UR-V Is Looking More Sporty
The facelifted variant 2021 Honda UR-V looks refreshed and improved. First impressions are positive and we can say that Honda did a great job adding new design language. Besides, this SUV is looking compact and the manufacturer boosted its look compared to the previous variant.
Front of this SUV dominates across the line with a new modified grille and redesigned bumpers. Like on the famous CR-V model, we can see that the same shape of headlights is present. However, looking at this SUV behind, we noticed more upgrades. The rear is stylish and now featuring adjusted LED taillights. New UR-V also hosts elegant alloy wheels that give a sportier appearance.
The upcoming 2021 Honda UR-V will be improved inside. Like before, this model features the same layout. Comfort is one of the best and Honda added more standard equipment.
As we mentioned, this model from the latest information will sit on the extended CR-V platform. That means more room for all passengers. According to latest leaked news, the new 2021 Honda UR-V standard equipment includes leather seats, three-zone automatic air conditioning, a head-up display, panoramic roof, rear camera, as well as blind-spot system.
2021 Honda UR-V Powertrain Options
The all-new 2021 Honda UR-V is the SUV that will be powered by two engine options. According to the manufacturer, the base model will use a 1.5-liter turbo engine that will be capable of delivering 193 horses. From what we heard, this UR-V base model will come exclusively with CVT transmission. On the other hand, if you need more potent powertrain, than an optional is a real choice.
This powertrain consists of a powerful 2.0-liter K20C3 turbo that provides a fantastic output of 272 horses. Unlike the first engine, this one will be connected to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Both models come with front-wheel drive as standard, while you can also get an optionally all-wheel drive.
Release Date and Price
The new 2021 Honda UR-V has been officially revealed in China. As we mentioned, this SUV is a bigger version of the famous CR-V model. It looks attractive and it wears the latest Honda design language. Besides great exterior styling, this model also offers a spacious and techy cabin.
There is no word if the Honda UR-V will reach India soil, and we think its highly unlikely. The all-new SUV will be available to purchase in China in the coming months. However, we can expect its price to be revealed soon after its release.


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The online auction site says the acquisition will let it use Hunch's technology to make the shopping and selling experience a bit better for its customers.
She did Flickr. Then Hunch. Now she's launching Pinwheel.
A seemingly silly game that predicts your answers to questions based on your Twitter network is actually a look at what's next for start-up Hunch.
Hunch, a buzzy start-up that answers questions using crowdsourced recommendations, has lined up at least $10 million in funding, according to sources.
Our beloved gadgets are turning us into a generation of hunch-backed invalids, according to the British Chiropractic Association.
A study by Hunch suggests that Android users are far more likely to live in the country and slightly more likely to be pessimists. While iPhone users have more income and are more likely to be female.
Co-founder of Flickr and Hunch and an investor in companies like Etsy, Caterina Fake says she's now working on a new consumer-facing, social start-up.
Apple users are better educated than PC users. They're also more popular and make more money, according to personalised recommendations Web site The Hunch.
A survey of more than 388,000 people conducted by Hunch suggests not only that those with Macs are more educated, but that they are younger and eat more hummus.
On today's show, the iPhone is apparently storing your location data even when you've turned off the location tracking services. And law enforcement agencies and a cottage industry of iOS forensics companies have been taking advantage of these logs for years. Nevertheless, Steve Jobs appears to insist in an email to a customer that Apple is not tracking anyone. Really. Hunch shows you why you love both hummus and Macs, even if you don't love Apple. Plus, Sony is rebuilding its PlayStation Network security after its now five-day outage, and an innocent man is accused of child pornography because it's still just too damn hard to put a password on a WiFi network. --Molly


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INDIA: Khoday India bullish on expansion
Khoday India Limited (KIL) is on an aggressive expansion drive with plans to launch a raft of new liquor brands, investing over US$250m over the next two years.
At the launch of blended malt whisky 'Red Knight' in the southern city of Bangalore last Friday, company COO Satpal Chaudhry, said: "We expect to take the brand to new heights. Khoday brings about the finest quality brewing and fine liquors across the spectrum.
"There are no (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) players in the brandy and vodka segments as of now and we plan to create a market for this."
Red Knight has been available in the north Indian market for four decades with annual sales of 600,000 cases.
KIL also announced plans to invest US$50m to acquire an Australian winery as domestic wine consumption is growing at 25% at present. The company declined to specify which Australian winery it is in discussions with.
"We have set aside US$250m for acquisitions and expansion over the next two years," said L Srihari, managing director of KIL's parent company, Khoday Group of Industries.
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Malt whisky continues to outpace the growth of blended Scotch and its leading brands are putting in stellar performances. But as a new report from just-drinks explains, a closer look reveals a categor...
Whisky brand Scottish Leader has announced it is now the fourth-largest Scotch in the UK, thanks mainly to the brand's involvement with Scottish football clubs....
Absolut Vodka has announced the launch of its first TV commercial in the UK, as part of the vodka brand's global 'In an Absolut World' campaign....
Central European Distribution Corporation has seen profits soar in its first quarter, according to figures released today (1 May)....
Scotch whisky export value and volume reached record levels last year, according to industry figures released today (30 April)....
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In a major boost to the British automotive industry, Ola plans to invest £100 million in the UK to open a research and development facility for an electric vehicle.
With a recent road-going scooter and a planned electric car, Ola launched its taxi app that competes with Uber in cities such as London, Birmingham, and Cardiff in 2018.
Coventry is the traditional centre of the UK automotive industry of the West Midlands. More than 200 jobs will be created in design and engineering. Research on battery technology will also be conducted at the plant.
In 2010, Bhavish Aggarwal founded Ola, which now claims to be the world’s third-largest ride-hailing app. In this week’s funding round, the company’s electric vehicle arm, Ola Electric, raised $200m at a reported value of $5bn (£3.7bn). Previous investors have included Softbank, the Japanese technology giant. The company also plans to float on the stock market to raise as much as $2 billion.
Ola said the new UK facility, dubbed Futurefoundry, will work closely with the company’s Bengaluru headquarters to produce its scooters. Although India’s wages are significantly lower than those in the UK, the company did not specify where its electric cars will be built.
Investment in the UK automotive industry will likely be seen as a vote of confidence after years of underperformance as big firms awaited clarity on the crucial trading agreement with the EU.
Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi became the latest traditional carmaker to announce major investment plans on Thursday. Over the next five years, the alliance plans to spend €23 billion (£19.2 billion) on new electric models, including a new Nissan compact car built at a Renault factory in northern France that will replace the Micra.
Despite its relatively late entry into the electric automobile market, Ola has primarily targeted its home market with its scooters, which are dominated by cheaper models.
According to Ola’s Aggarwal, the Futurefoundry will enable us to tap into the UK’s fantastic automotive and engineering talent to develop the next generation of electric vehicles. Our headquarters in Bangalore, India, will work closely with Futurefoundry to help us build the future of mobility as we make electric vehicles affordable for all.“
As a former Jaguar and Geely designer, Wayne Burgess leads the company’s UK vehicle design efforts. In his interview with Burgess, he said Ola wanted to create a “world-class team with global sensibilities”.
According to him, the company will explore “two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and other form factors.”
Photo by:- theguardian.com


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Burger King Corp. is now serving up almond chicken, chop suey and sweet and sour pork.
However, don`t expect to roll up to a Burger King restaurant drive-through and get chopsticks.
They can be found at Quik Wok Inc., a San Antonio, Texas-based chain acquired by Miami-based Burger King on June 19 for an undisclosed sum.
The Oriental fast-food purveyor, which has $4 million yearly in sales, eight restaurants in San Antonio and one in Fort Lauderdale, will help Burger King diversify, said Kyle Craig, president of Burger King`s new-concept group and Quik Wok`s new president.
Oriental food was chosen for diversification because the market isn`t as crowded as franchises for other ethnic foods, such as Mexican and Italian, he said.
Burger King`s parent, Pillsbury Corp., based in Minneapolis, already owns a pizza chain, Godfather`s Pizza; an ice cream chain, Haagen-Dazs; a restaurant/bar chain, Bennigan`s; and a variety of general restaurants, Steak and Ale, JJ. Muggs, Luther`s (specializing in barbecue) and Chart House.
``We obviously have researched the Oriental restaurant business and think it has tremendous potential,`` Craig said. ``Our first emphasis will be learning more about the concept and continuing to improve and refine it before we go on a major expansion program.``
Quik Wok had been using the Fort Lauderdale area ``to demonstrate our ability to operate this concept at a distance,`` Neil Ostman, Quik Wok`s controller, said in an interview last year.
However, an outlet at 437 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach, was closed in February.
The problem was low volume, most likely because nearby older residents didn`t acquire a taste for Chinese fast-food, said Joe Andrzejczyk, manager of the Fort Lauderdale Quik Wok, 201 W. Oakland Park Blvd.


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Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is easily one of the most anticipated motorcycle launches of the decade.Continue reading “Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Ride Review | Winner Of IMOTY 2019”
Royal Enfield would launch a new model on the 26 th of March. Called Royal Enfield Bullet Trials, the bike has already been spotted testing in December 2018. The bike would be made available in two variants – Bullet Trials 350 and Bullet Trials 500.Continue reading “Royal Enfield Bullet Trials Launch On March 26”
The Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 would be launched on 14 th November in India by Royal Enfield. Both the bikes have already been launched in the US. While in the US, both the bikes carry a price tag of over Rs.4 lakhs if the price in dollar is converted to Rupees.
The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X will get dual channel ABS and will be sold at Rs.1.63 lakhs – almost Rs.7000 more than the standard version of the bike. The bike has already reached dealerships across India.
Watch this video to know the latest bikes to be launched in the final quarter of 2018 in India. Do let us know which on would you be interested in.
After launching the Classic Signals ABS a few days back, Royal Enfield is now gearing up to launch the Himalayan with ABS. We have learned that the Himalayan with ABS would be priced at Rs.1,80,669 – Rs.11,000 more than the standard Himalayan version.
In homage to the Indian armed forces, Royal Enfield has launched Classic Signals 350 ABS at Rs.1.62 lakhs. The Classic Signals 350 comes in Indian Air Force and Indian Army colors and costs Rs.15000 more than rear-disc brake equipped non-ABS Classic 350.
The Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus will be launched in India on the 30th of this month. The 500 Pegasus is a limited edition model and only 1000 units will be sold globally. From these 1000 units, 250 units have been reserved for India. The bike will only be sold online and not in any Royal Enfield dealerships.
Even imagined an Enfield with 1140cc engine? It’s a reality now. Royal Enfield has restored a 1938 KX with the biggest and the baddest engine ever seen in an Enfield – a massive 1140cc V-twin L head engine mated to a 4-speed manual transmission.
The upcoming Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 have been unveiled in Australia. Down under, the bikes have been priced at 10,000 and 10,400 Australian dollars respectively.


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The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) incurred a loss of Rs. 5.4 billion from the sale of kerosene oil in 2017, the Government told Parliament yesterday, but expects sales to reduce with more low income houses being added to the power grid.
According to Petroleum Resources Development Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, the CPC incurs a cost of Rs. 93.79 per litre. “The cost is borne by the Government and sold at reduced cost to the consumer. A production tax of Rs. 7 per litre is applied,” he confirmed. As a result, the CPC bore a loss of Rs. 5.4 billion from kerosene sales alone in 2017.
Rejecting the possibilities of artificial price control on kerosene, the Minister stated that the pricing formula and the committee will decide the selling price based on the world market. “The pricing formula will decide the selling price as per the world market fluctuations.
There is a committee appointed for this purpose as approved by the Cabinet,” the Minister said.
There are two types of kerosene sold in Sri Lanka; Lanka Kerosene, which is red in colour and used for domestic purposes, and Industrial Kerosene, which is colourless and is used in factories. According to research, the consumption of kerosene, which had been expected to decline with more homes being connected to the electricity grid, had actually gone up in the past three years. The total kerosene use, which stood at 138,505kl in 2014, has gone up to 198,090kl in 2017 due to increased use by factories and other industries.


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Despite the recessions in many European countries, demand for luxury travel this winter is higher than it was in the corresponding 2019 period before the pandemic, TUI says. Strong revenue might help TUI attract a new shareholder, which it's looking for.
Travel giant TUI (TUIGn.DE) reported on Friday a boost in demand for luxury holidays, driving sales for the winter 2022/23 period higher than they had been in the corresponding 2018/19 period, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit international travel.
“Demand is currently particularly strong,” said Steffen Boehnke, director of air tours, TUI’s luxury travel segment, in a statement.
Sales for the summer 2023 period were above the level seen last year following strong bookings in the first weeks of January, according to the statement.
“Our guests are booking more high-quality and for longer,” said Boehnke, adding that trips were two and a half days longer on average and that around one in four travelers were choosing accommodation with villas or suites with a private pool.
TUI is open to a new major shareholder after Russian billionaire Alexey Mordashov has been sidelined by European Union sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Chief Executive Sebastian Ebel said on January 17.
(Reporting by Klaus Lauer, Writing by Rachel More, Editing by Maria Sheahan)
Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch
Photo credit: The five-star hotel TUI Sensimar Caravel Resort & Spa. Source: TUI Group.


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Workers in Hazmat suits offload a Tesla car from a car carrier in Yantai Port, East China’s Shandong … [+] province, April 25, 2022. Photo by CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Future Publishing via Getty Images
The coronavirus lockdown in Shanghai is having widespread impact on carmakers from China and Japan to America, forcing many to halt or delay production of vehicles. Supply chain disruptions caused in part by the ongoing pandemic and in part by parts procurement issues due to the war in Ukraine, combine with staffing and semi-conductor issues that lead to a critical situation for carmakers.
Production at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai, which builds cars for the China market and is also an important export base, has been halted since late March after the government launched a two-stage lockdown that saw millions of residents, and thousands of auto workers confined to their homes for weeks on end. The U.S. automaker had originally planned to only stop operations for four days, but was forced to prolong the stoppages after the authorities extended tight citizen movement restrictions in the eastern half of the city.
The current stoppage is one of the longest since the factory started production in late 2019. Tesla makes 6,000 Model 3 and 10,000 Model Y models a week at its Shanghai plant. Volkswagen, Toyota and General Motors, who have major joint ventures with China’s huge SAIC Motor, were forced to scale back production and ask their local workers to sleep on site to isolate them from the pandemic.
Economists are concerned that the slowdown in Shanghai could affect growth in the world’s second largest economy.
Operations in nearby Japan have been affected too due to delays in parts procurements from suppliers in Shanghai. Mazda was forced to shut down two plants in Japan for a total of eight days in April, while Mitsubishi suspended operations at a major factory in central Japan for five days from mid-April.


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Founded in 2016 by Amit Naik and Kewal Vargante, MetaMorphoSys is a SaaS-based low code platform preconfigured with benefits, coverages, rules and vocabularies to help insurance companies launch innovative products across categories such as motor, travel, property, life, and health.
“The insurance industry is accelerating investments in digital platforms. We are thrilled by the trust of our customers and investors as we continue our journey to streamline the insurance ecosystem,” said Naik, cofounder of MetaMorphoSys.
The company, whose services are being leveraged by insurance entities across India, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam, will use the capital to expand and invest in innovative solutions.
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Mercedes-Benz announced on Friday that its comprehensive insurance will include coverage of home-charging equipment, cables, and batteries. The policy includes risk coverage up to € 10,000 ($10,900) related to theft, vandalism, “overvoltage damage,” short circuits, and even bites from animals and rodents.
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Some Tesla owners are reporting that insurance companies are not listing the proper trim level of their Model S, which can result in a higher premium depending on the situation. The issue was first brought up yesterday by Youtuber KmanAuto, but other Tesla owners have since reported similar problems. expand full story


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NEW YORK — Target believes American consumers are feeling more upbeat — and is planning an aggressive push for the holidays to make sure they stay that way.
“If you look at consumer sentiment, it’s ticked up,” Gregg Steinhafel, Target Corp.’s chairman and chief executive officer, told WWD at its second annual Media Day here. “Postelection, there will be less uncertainty. We work on a bipartisan basis and hope a [fiscal] compromise will be reached.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


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In its first-ever, the Chinese steelmaker Nanjing Iron and Steel Company expressed it has accomplished an iron ore commerce on the blockchain.
The metal firm obtained a $16.87 million payload of steelmaking components from the three way partnership between the international mining group Rio Tinto and Hancock Prospecting Pty. Ltd. The payload enclosed 170,000 tonnes of Australian iron ore fines and lump.
According to Reuters, the dollar-denominated dealing was supported by Singapore-based DBS Bank and the commerce finance platform Contour.
This Marks yet one more blockchain-based commerce settlement by the world’s second-largest mining group Rio Tinto. In May, China Baowu Steel Group extraly sealed a yuan-denominated buy with the mining large.
Digitizing tinny commerce
Blockchain know-how is well illustrious for its potential to digitalise commerce finance and cut back enchiridion paperwork. Rio Tinto’s vice chairman of gross revenue and advertising, Simon Farry, expressed that their push in the direction of conducting paperless offers on blockchain is a part of the corporate’s long-term plan for blockchain adoption. With this, it goals to convey the mining trade closer to cross-border digital commerce sooner or later.
The CEO of Contour, Carl Wegner, expressed that they’re seeing elevated curiosity from Mills and miners in blockchain know-how. He extra added that utilizing this know-how has made processes comparable issuance letters of credit 90% sooner.
Blockchain in commerce finance
Trade funding can also be seeing elevated disruption in its processes via blockchain tech. In June, ?bank grew to become the primary Turkish business institution to settle a global commerce finance deal on the dispensed ledger know-how.
Earlier in May, the People’s Bank of China together with different government our bodies projected a blockchain-based commerce finance platform.
The world’s largest mining firm BHP extraly recently settled a $14 million iron ore commerce with the world’s largest steelmaker, Baosteel.


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At the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) technology exhibition that is taking place in Las Vegas, USA, LG shows its newest rollable TV set that can be rolled up.
If believed, the OLED panel TV with a size of 65 inches 4K resolution is similar to a projector screen that is commonly found in tight spaces. Moreover, this device can also be installed on the ceiling of the house.
Citing The Verge, because it can be rolled (rollable), the TV screen can be pulled down when you want to use it, and then rolled up again when done. However, it is uncertain whether this rollable TV by LG will be sold commercially or not.
In addition to the rollable TV set, LG also exhibited a number of other OLED panelled TV sets at the CES 2020 event.
One of them is a TV that can be mounted on an aircraft wall, to maximize user comfort.
Some of these include a 55-inch OLED TV designed for aircraft cabin walls, a 65-inch OLED TV with adjustable curves on both sides, and a transparent 55-inch OLED TV that can be inserted as a partition in the aircraft cabin.


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AJEX Logistics Services (AJEX), MENA’s express logistics, distribution, and shipping solutions firm, announced the launch of two new services as part of its expansion strategy. AJEX is a joint venture between Ajlan & Bros Holding and SF Express.
The newly launched services are: the AJEX international e-commerce express (ICX) and AJEX international express service (IXS) will provide businesses in China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Bahrain with a portfolio of express cross-border delivery services for B2C and B2B.
“Introducing ICX and IXS services in China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Bahrain is an important enhancement to our service portfolio, driven by our customers’ requirements for speed, reliability, and transparency. Saudi Arabia is the largest e-commerce market in the Middle East, and the end-consumers expect flexibility, late-night deliveries, and ease of payment, with Cash-on-delivery representing more than 30% of e-commerce. Our expertise in delivering residential areas in the Kingdom has made our services very attractive to our Chinese and international customers,” Nathalie Amiel-Ferrault, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, AJEX, said.
The ICX service will enable B2C customers to ship their goods from China to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Bahrain in four to seven days, whether for single-piece or multi-piece shipments up to 30 kg per parcel.
The IXS service will provide B2B customers with a fully integrated service from China to Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Bahrain in four to seven business days, with exact transit time depending on origin and destination locations.
If you see something out of place or would like to contribute to this story, check out our Ethics and Policy section.


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James Johnston OBE, Chair of the Malt Whisky Trail gives his views on the new U.S. tariffs imposed on exports of Single Malt Whisky and what impact it will have on the industry.
Exports of single malt Scotch whisky to the U.S. are now subject to a 25% tariff following a ruling by the World Trade Organisation. The duty is part of a raft of measures being imposed by the U.S. in retaliation against E.U. subsidies given to aircraft maker Airbus. Other goods targeted include cashmere sweaters, dairy products, pork, olives, biscuits, books, and some machinery.U.S.E.U.
Commenting on the ruling, James Johnston OBE said; “This ruling is unwelcome, but the quality, consistency and character of the Speyside malt defines the uniqueness of a product which will continue to stand up in economically challenging situations.
“The Scottish food and drink sector has grown three times faster than the rest of the Scottish economy over the past decade and is responsible for over half of all manufacturing jobs along the Malt Whisky Trail. It is particularly concerning to see that this judgement will also impose a tariff on cashmere given the fact that Johnstons of Elgin is another major employer in the region and specialises in fine cashmere clothing.
“However, the remarkable growth of the sector is down to its success in opening up new overseas markets, underpinned with unquestionably high-end products. Keeping it all in context, while the U.S. may impose new tariffs, sales to new markets such as China and the Middle East are booming.”
The Malt Whisky Trail is partnered with seven whisky distilleries in Speyside producing single malt whisky. Two of the seven are among the world’s best selling single malt brands, Glenfiddich and The Glenlivet. Both of these are extremely popular in the U.S.
Last year Scotch whisky exports to the U.S. were worth $1.3bn (£1bn).
For more articles on Scotland’s whisky industry, click here.


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Boku recently launched a global partnership with DAZN, the world’s first pure-sport live and on-demand streaming service, to allow subscribers to sign up and pay for the service using their mobile phone, broadband and pay TV accounts.
Through this partnership, Boku enables payment capabilities through internet service provider (ISP) and traditional broadcast TV billing systems, significantly extending DAZN’s global audience reach via direct carrier billing and carrier bundling payment options for DAZN customers.
DAZN's customers can now pay for their DAZN subscription directly via their mobile phone bill, their ISP bill and their broadcast television bill, in 9 different markets: Austria, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, United States, Spain and Brazil, with more coming soon.
This response to increasing fragmentation in consumer attention and the media landscape, translates into flexibility and ease-of-use for DAZN's customers, which significantly impacted their customer experience and fueled revenue and user subscription growth.
“DAZN has shifted the sports streaming paradigm with their diverse programing and global appeal,” said Jon Prideaux, CEO, Boku, Inc. “Boku is thrilled to work closely with DAZN to bring innovation to the OTT industry and to simplify the way that viewers can access sports content, regardless of how they decide to watch.”
“One of the fundamental principles of DAZN is to allow sports fans to watch their favourite sport on their terms – however, whenever and wherever they want. By partnering with operators and Boku, we are now extending that flexibility and ease-of-use by allowing subscribers to choose to seamlessly sign up and pay via their existing billing mobile, broadband or Pay TV bill,” said Ben King, SVP Global Distribution and Business Development, DAZN. “Carrier billing and bundling represents the first step of our extensive new DAZN for Operators program that we will be expanding during the course of 2019.”
Boku's partnership with DAZN will be proved to be a key move in acquiring and retaining happy customers worldwide.


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- Council of Fashion Designers of America—For giving the fashion industry a conscience.
- Refinery29—For publishing fashion coverage that everyone wants to read.
- Editd—For using big data to analyze the whims of fashion trends.
- Farfetch—For creating a one-stop shop for browsing high-end boutiques around the globe.
- H&M—For branching out of the crowded chic-for-cheap space.
This liquid solution makes all gloves touchscreen friendly. Kickstarter loves this stuff. Would you use it?
"There really are two kinds of food entrepreneurs," says venture capitalist Paul Matteucci, who encourages and connects food-tech upstarts through his not-for-profit, Feeding 10 Billion. “There are the ones that hang around Berkeley or Brooklyn, and build businesses mostly for the end consumer. Then there is a whole different group of highly technical people who are building robotics for the field, sensor-based technology, automated watering systems, new food-packaging technologies, and big-data-related inventory control to reduce waste.” These, he says, are “the people who are going to solve the big problems.”
A raft of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists made their money in tech, and now want to do something with an even longer-lasting impact. Meet the Silicon Valley companies trying to fix our broken food system
"Every year the editors of Fast Company pick 50 of the world’s Most Innovative Companies. We pick them not just for financial reasons, these aren’t just good businesses, but because we think they’re changing the way we live.”
"DeepMind raises the possibility of allowing robots to self-train by observing humans or other robots and possibly do the job even better."
Gamers and developers are scrambling to fill the void left by Flappy Bird…
- Q: How did you get to be the face of the Venmo campaign?
- A: Mostly luck; I was just in the right place at the right time. Iqram, one of our cofounders, spotted me making coffee for myself in the morning after an uninspiring meeting with an ad agency and had one of those moments of clarity. Apparently “Lucas uses Venmo” has a good cadence.
Q: Do you regret your facial hair choice?
A: I didn’t have a choice. We shot the ads during Movember.
The photos are in from this week’s San Francisco party celebrating the Most Creative People in Business 1000! We had a blast. Wanna learn more about these people (you should), check out the full list.
“This is a big deal for us,” says Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley. “If anything, this [deal with Microsoft] will illustrate how companies can improve existing products with Foursquare data. It’s a starting point.”
Getting around San Francisco just got easier, at least if you don’t mind a little bit of wind in your face. The Scoot Network and its fleet of electric-powered scooters just announced that it was expanding, adding five new locations for riders around the city for a grand total of 17 Scoot hubs.
What is Scoot, exactly? Think a CitiBike or ZipCar membership but for green-friendly, Vespa-like mopeds. Since launching 16 months ago, Scoot claims its members have treaded over 50,000 miles, and have kept 62,000 pounds of CO2 out of the environment.
Over the last few weeks, we collected a number of awesome tips to post on social media that didn’t quite all fit together. So we thought, why not creating a list of unique tips, that might not have that much in common, but are hopefully still very useful for you!
So, here we go, a list of six rather random social media tips to help you improve your marketing today.


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Khris Middleton donates $25,000 to COVID-19 relief funds
Bucks star Khris Middleton has donated $25,000 to the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation’s COVID-19 Relief Fund.
The $25,000 will be fully matched by the Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Trust Fund.
According to a Milwaukee Bucks press release "Together, the two gifts will provide nearly 2,500 supply kits for students and families, filled with cleaning and hygiene products and academic supplies."
The press release also added that the donation will "provide MPS students with approximately 2,500 supply kits for distribution in late April. Academic kits will include academic books and games, arts and crafts supplies, playing cards, board games, and puzzles. Hygiene kits will include laundry detergent, hand soap, and a variety of cleaning supplies. "


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News & Media
Stay updated on the Pregno world
30 November 2020
Pregno celebrates 50 years
Extra 30% off on all products from October 30th to November 30th...
20 November 2019
New website now online
A few days ago, we launched our new website and new image online...
25 September 2019
New Hangzhou project
Pregno realizza un vero e proprio esempio di progetto "chiavi in mano"...


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Cablevision is charging their Tri-State customers the highest monthly service fees in the entire United States, according to International Business Times.
According to the IBT article, area wide Cablevision customers pay $152.72 per month. Comcast charges the next highest average monthly fees at $137.24, and Verizon FIOS customers pay the third-highest average monthly fees at $122.57.
Cablevision fees increased by 5.5 percent last year, which is more than twice the rate of US inflation.
Cable TV Bills Outpace Inflation And Cablevision Is Nation's Highest http://www.ibtimes.com/cable-tv-bills-outpace-inflation-cablevision-nat…


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For the past few days, the promotion of Paytm Cricket League is being shown continuously on Paytm. The company claims that customers can win crores of rupees by taking part in it.
The policy of Google Play Store in India says that since gambling is not legal here, the apps related to gambling cannot be uploaded on the Play Store.
Actually IPL2020 is starting and before this, Paytm’s standalone Paytm First Game app has also been removed from Google Play Store.
According to a report by Tech Crunch, Google has asked the Disney + Hotstar app to show Warning before running the advertisement of Fantasy Sports App.
Paytm has released a statement after the app was removed from the Google Play Store. The company has said in a tweet that Paytm has been temporarily removed from the Google Play Store. This app will be back soon.The company has said that the users’ money is completely safe and the Paytm app will continue to work in mobile as before.
Images Source : Google Search.


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Raising important questions on trade, economic impact, business and workplace rights, it was a useful attempt to shift the debate to some of the specifics of Brexit and, as promised, underline “the sheer scale of uncertainty facing Scotland and the rest of the UK”.
However, the section on personal finances was notable only for its brevity, being comprised of three distinctly vague questions that felt crowbarred in as an afterthought.
One was about security of jobs, mortgages and the economy “if Scotland were to be pulled out of the EU”, another questioned the impact on defined benefit pension funds, and the third on affordable housing. It was a token effort, at best.
But sympathy is due to whichever adviser was tasked with putting this document together. The full list of Brexit concerns around our household and personal finances is a long one, yet the SNP’s failure to mention any of them reinforces the suspicion that no-one knows or understands what they are – which is a dangerous state of affairs.
While the costs and benefits of EU membership to consumers have never been properly quantified, it’s undoubtedly strengthened our protection in financial services. The most obvious direct examples are the EU directives setting out standards that all member states must meet. Most recently they include the Payments Accounts Directive, which forces the UK’s major banks to offer basic accounts to eligible customers. The Consumer Rights Directive (which strengthened our protection when it comes to repairs, replacements and cooling-off periods), the Consumer Credit Directive and the Unfair Contract Terms have also been beneficial to most of us at some time or another.
Those rules are now enshrined in UK legislation, although other changes, such as flight delay compensation and the ban on mobile phone roaming charges, apply across all member states. That will also be the case for data protection rules being fully implemented in 2018 and which will significantly bolster rules in areas such as data breaches and privacy.
There’s also Mifid 2, which will allow savers and investors in the UK to finally see how much they’re paying for investments and what they’re actually paying for.
That’s just a handful of examples. Quantifying the effects of EU legislation on our finances is problematic because of the difficulty in separating out the direct impacts from the indirect.
Much of the legislation derived from the EU is now part of UK law and so isn’t dependent on remaining in the EU. There’s an argument that some of it could be made more relevant to UK consumers in a post-Brexit world. But Hard Brexit increases the likelihood that companies, trade bodies and politicians will push for a bonfire of regulations, a slashing of the mythical red tape that will leave us all worse off.
The loss of single market status could pose serious risks to consumer protection. Those wanting a roll-back of EU law and a watering down of consumer rights are already in full lobbying mode. They’ll get what they want too, unless we better understand what needs to be preserved.


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Business opportunities at the British & International Franchise Exhibition 2012
The British & International Franchise Exhibition is one of the UK's leading international franchise events and, according to the organizers, will be packed with ideas to interest potential franchisees. More and more people are turning to franchising: more than half a million people currently work in the industry which generated £12.4 billion for the UK economy in 2010.
As always a large number of franchise businesses from a variety of sectors including food and drink, property, finance and travel will be taking part in the exhibition to present their concepts.
Furthermore, numerous speakers have been invited to share their experiences of franchising. An extensive conference has been organized with experts from the bfa, members from the legal and finance professions and business advisers as well as both franchisors and franchisees and seminars are being held throughout the event. These will be covering topics such as high-level investment franchising, franchise re-sales, executives in franchising, families in franchising, growing your own business, hands-on franchising and international franchising.
Moreover, free features will provide visitors with further guidance, advice and support to develop a career as a franchisee. This year's British & International Franchise Exhibition is being held at Olympia in London next week on Friday, 16 March, and Saturday, 17 March. (kbp)


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Bitcoin was the first digital currency in the world, and this has given it a leg up in the competition.Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money.SegWit is the process in which blocks in the blockchain are made smaller by extracting signature data from transactions.XRP Cryptocurrency Market Maker Rialto Will Use Ripple Technology and the XRP Asset.The majority of his work focuses on Bitcoin, blockchain, and financial technology.
Miners use computers to process Litecoin transactions, which are presented as algorithms the computers must solve.One of the aims of Litecoin was to provide a mining algorithm.GPUs and ASICs are forced out of the equation by making the hash inefficient to.
It is quite an interesting project, but one that has set the bar quite high for itself.The main Bitcoin algorithm that we will refer to is the. and then quickly making another purchase.OptionsCity specializes in electronic trading and market maker software for.
On Friday, the SEC rejected the much anticipated Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust ETF.
3 Best Dash Mining Hardware ASICs 2017 (Comparison)
In the world of digital currency, the number of coins that can exist is finite.Such detection through algorithms will help the market maker identify large.
Is Bitcoin mining profitable. and boosted the market value of Ether coins, making it the most.By using FDSOI technology not currently present in any other chip on the market,. news and evaluation on bitcoin miner and.Briton Ryle explores these questions and more in light of the Bitcoin and Ethereum surge.
And now, a hyped up digital currency public has some questions.Money was sent from Zurich to San Francisco in under a second.
While cryptocurrencies are inevitable, this one is just the first, not the best.This gives you complete freedom when it comes to purchasing the currency.Just a fraction of bitcoins issued so far are available on the exchange markets.See how your strategy would work over different market condition by.
blockchain - bitcoins can use different algorithm, how and
GPU Miners For the New Lyra2RE Algorithm Now AvailableEven more telling, 4% of those customers paid more just to round the price.
We published this report to talk about one of the most promising: Litecoin.


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Bitcoin has surged to $44,000 after the US Consumer Price Index data shows that the inflation rate was 7.8% in December, the highest since 1982.
BTC was oscillating between $41k and $43k on Wednesday before the US Bureau of Labor Statistics made the report public.
Earlier speculation by @coinbureau revealed that 53% of its 580,000 followers expected the inflation estimate to surpass the 7% mark.
The inflation rate has been on a plunge since the pandemic before starting to gain to the current 7% level.
The high inflation rate has raised concerns in the developed economies, with the 7% rate remaining the highest ever recorded in the US in about 40 years.
The S&P has jumped by about 0.36%, while bitcoin rose by 2.8% in the early hours following the announcement.


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What began as a modest commercial print shop in 1992 has grown to become North America’s most progressive printers, and a proud ECHOtape partner for the past six years.
Pazazz Printing specializes in integrated, cross-media marketing solutions, as well as UV offset printing up to 56 inches wide, digital printing, wide-format printing, labels and packaging. And last year, they became the first printer in Canada to gain Pantone certification for colour printing.
With so much versatility under their roof, we are proud to supply Pazazz with a few key specialty adhesives (AT-K7110, OV-G5211 and PV-V6501) that keep their systems flowing seamlessly and allow them to continue to serve their clients every day. Plus, earlier this year, we proudly partnered with Pazazz and EMCO to donate and deliver a full pallet of duct tape to help rebuild Fort McMurray after the devastating wildfires this spring.
Adhesive Specialist Michael Pavlik recently spent some time at their state-of-the-art print shop. Take a look:


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Uber could avoid harsh penalties over latest cybersecurity intrusion
Despite a high-profile 2016 data breach and a $148 million settlement, Uber’s latest public cybersecurity incident may not face significant penalties if it remains transparent and no personal data was exposed.
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Johnsonville recalls about 95,000 pounds of jalapeño cheddar smoked sausages
About 95,000 pounds of Johnsonville’s ready-to-eat jalapeño cheddar smoked sausages were recalled due to the potential presence of “extraneous material,” U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials announced Friday.
The agency’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said that it found hard green plastic in the meat, according to a news release.
Fourteen-ounce packages with a “best by” date of June 9 are part of the company’s recall and have the establishment number “EST. 34224,” the FSIS said.
Consumers should check their refrigerators or freezers for the sausage packages because the agency expressed concern customers might be storing them.
“The problem was discovered when the company notified FSIS that they received a consumer complaint regarding green hard plastic in the product,” the news release said.
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At this point, “there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions,” the agency said, adding that anyone with the recalled packages shouldn’t eat them. Consumers should either toss them out or return them, the agency said.


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On the 23rd of June, Atlanta based rap collective, Traplanta shall host their first pop up shop in London. With pop ups in ATL and Lagos, in the past, this will be another opportunity to engage with supporters. The Traplanta Summer 18 collection is set to be released at the pop up and it’ll be the first opportunity to see or shop pieces from it.
We’ve gotten a sneak peek and can guarantee there’s a tee on there for everybody.
Get ready, June 23rd, DJ Timi on the decks!


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NPD Group - News, Features, and Slideshows
Apple's decision to cater to Watch buyers with reservation-only sales and personalized in-store appointments worried one retail analyst, who wondered whether it signals a sea change in how the Cupertino, Calif. company leverages its nearly 450 outlets.
Microsoft's strategy in giving away one-year Office 365 subscriptions to many of its tablet- and notebook-making partners is all about matching not just the price but also the functionality of Chromebooks and cheap Android tablets, an analyst said today.
Apple sold a record 5.75 million Macs in the quarter that ended December 31, an increase of 19 per cent that beat the overall industry by a wide margin, according to IDC.
U.S. retailers will mark down Apple's iPad with steep discounts this Black Friday, according to store circulars and a retail analyst.
Apple today added a new entry-level iMac to its line, pricing it 15% lower than the previous cheapest model but dramatically scaling back the all-in-one's performance/
While Google and Microsoft are using large amounts of free cloud storage to sell inexpensive consumer notebooks, Apple has stood above the fray.
Chromebooks had a very good year, according to retailer Amazon.com and industry analysts. And that's bad news for Microsoft.
- How Greenstone is uniting IT/marketing in the name of audience management
- Rakuten Marketing chalks up rapid Aussie digital advertising growth
- Paid endorsements get Xbox One marketer in trouble with FTC
- Report: Big data analytics delivers revenue dividends
- CMO Interview: Unleashed's Anthony Mordech on the software marketing evolution


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Sony is feeling the pinch in the US following Microsoft's recent spate of Xbox 360 price slashing and needs to reduce the cost of the PlayStation 3 before Xmas 2008, according to latest analyst reports.
EDAAR analyst Jesse Divnich claims that the PS3 is "too steep" in price for a mainstream market, urging Sony "to consider a possible hardware price cut this holiday season."
"We should note that if Microsoft's first-party titles perform significantly better in quality and popularity than Sony's this holiday season, we could begin to see a considerable amount of potential PS3 owners, who may be waiting for a PS3 price cut, to choose the Xbox 360 over the PS3."
Xmas of war
Divnich goes on to predict that Epic's Gears of War 2 (exclusively developed for Microsoft's Xbox 360) will be the biggest selling game in the US this coming Christmas holiday season.
While the Microsoft Xbox 360 Arcade system now costs under $200 in the US, the PlayStation 3 cost of $399 over in the States "is simply too steep to entice the casual and mainstream markets, regardless of how great Resistance 2 and LittleBigPlanet may be," adds the analyst.
Divnich estimates that there were 320,000 Xbox 360s sold in September in the US compared with 215,000 PlayStation 3, but also notes that "if September hardware sales fall below our estimate (under 200,000 units), it could be an indication that the Xbox 360 price cut played a bigger role on hindering PS3 sales than what we originally expected."
"The surge in Xbox 360 sales likely came from the mainstream and casual markets who were enticed by a sub-USD 200 Xbox 360 SKU," he added.
TechRadar has contacted Sony for further comment on the matter.


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Tag: IRF survey
IRF's Incentive Travel Programs—Expectations & Challenges survey says staffing and service levels are top site selection considerations.
A new IRF study looks at how to attract and retain the next generation of industry professionals.
A study by the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) into destination preferences has shown that enthusiasm for incentive travel remains high.
A new Incentive Research Foundation white paper finds that safety is a top priority for post-pandemic programs. Results of a research study published last month...


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10,000 people are expect to lose their job in India as McDonald’s is shutting down 169 stores across the country. The popular restaurant is terminating a 23-year-old agreement it’s had with Connaught Plaza Restaurant. The bad news stems from a breach of franchise agreements. This of course is terrible news for India which already has a massive unemployment problem.
To get a better idea of how this will affect the people in India, keep in mind that each restaurant (depending on the size) hires between forty and sixty workers. Those are just in store worker, let’s not forget about the people who work in the corporate offices, the suppliers and the farmers who grow all the vegetables. This shutdown is going to put a lot of people in a financial tailspin.
McDonald’s, the company that has a strong presence in over 115 countries, has over 430 stores in India alone. Half of the corporations stores are ran by Connaught Plaza Restaurant in the North East and the other half is ran by Hardcastle Restaurants in the South West areas. The country is basically going to lose a chunk of their McDonald’s stores. McDonald’s India sent out a massive email telling people to hold tight while they smooth things out and look for a new partner.
McDonald’s and Connaught Plaza Restaurant has had their issues in the past. Connaught Plaza Restaurant had been revealed to have been misusing their supplied funds. Now they had breached an agreement by not getting the mandatory health licences for their stores. This just the excuse McDonald’s needed to separate themselves from them and it’s happening rapidly. 43 stores were already closed as of June.
Within fifteen days of the final termination notice, the once McDonald’s of India will no longer be able to use the chains logo, branding, trademarks or recipes. Surely these are chaotic times for McDonald’s India.


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While cannabis is known for its relaxing effects, a new study has found that cannabis-consuming parents are harsher with discipline than parents who don’t consume cannabis.
A study of 3,000 California parents found that those who consumed cannabis were more likely to discipline their kids in a variety of ways, ranging from timeouts and spankings to even harsher physical abuse. Researchers randomly selected parents of children 12 or younger and asked their recent and past use of alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamines and other drugs in addition to asking about their disciplinary habits
Findings from the study revealed parents who used cannabis or alcohol were more likely to discipline their children than non-users and the more substances used, the more likely they were to use all forms of discipline. The study was unclear as to whether the substances make parents more intolerant or if they just don’t want their buzz ruined.
“It appears that users may be quicker than other parents to react to minor misbehavior,” said Bridget Freisthler, co-author of the study and professor of social work at Ohio State University, said. “We can’t tell from this study, but it may be that parents who use marijuana or alcohol don’t want their children to spoil the buzz they have, or bother them when they have a hangover.”
As cannabis legalization spreads across the United States, the stigma surrounding cannabis is starting to dissipate and more people, including parents, are using cannabis. Not all parents that use cannabis are strict disciplinarians, as some mothers have claimed consuming cannabis makes them a better mom and cannabis helps cope with stressful family situations.
“We don’t know sequencing in drug use in parenting,” Freisthler said. “The question for us is what comes first and how are they related to each other—what can we do to help these people to maybe parent differently and help them cope?”


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Fort Collins Brewery (FCB) has expanded distribution into Wisconsin by exclusively partnering with Brennan’s Market.
Full times and seasonals, including Major Tom’s Pomegranate Wheat and Black Sheep, Black IPA, will be available in four-packs and six-packs. The first beers will arrive to Brennan’s Market locations in early July.
“Wisconsin has a vibrant beer scene, and we’re excited to be dipping our toes into the southern part of the state while introducing craft beer fans to the FCB brand,” said FCB’s National Sales Logistics Manager, Paul Richter.
FCB’s exclusive partnership with Brennan’s Market allows for the brand to only be sold at the market’s five locations: Oconomowoc, Brookfield, Madison — Central, Madison — Far West and Monroe.
Frank Brennan and family started Brennan’s Market in 1942, specializing in buying directly from farms, orchards and factories to ensure the highest quality and experience for consumers.


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Bernard Matthews announces 90 new jobs
Turkey giant Bernard Matthews has announced plans to create 90 new jobs at its Great Witchingham site in Norfolk.
The company revealed that with year-round business continuing to grow, it is looking to run its South Site operation on a permanent basis.
Rob Burnett, CEO of Bernard Matthews, said: “We are delighted to be announcing the creation of these 90 new roles, which is not only good for the business it’s also great news for the local economy.
“Over the last few years we have set ourselves the challenge of returning to profitability and a key part of this is growing the demand for our products all year round - not simply at Christmas. This strategy has begun to bear fruit and we will be effectively and profitably utilising the capacity at our Great Witchingham site.”
Bernard Matthews employs 1,850 people across Norfolk and Suffolk, producing both branded and own-label poultry products for UK retailers.
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Peacock to stream all Harry Potter movies
August 6, 2020
NBCUniversal’s Peacock has announced that all eight Harry Potter films will soon be available to stream on its platform. The movie adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s famed fantasy series are ranked as the highest-grossing film franchise in history.
“The Harry Potter franchise is beloved by people of all ages and represents the caliber of quality entertainment customers can expect to find on Peacock,” said Frances Manfredi, President, Content Acquisition and Strategy, Peacock. “We’ve built a world-class collection of iconic movies and shows, and we will continue to expand the film library with treasured titles from NBCUniversal and beyond that will surprise and delight Peacock customers time and time again.”
The Potter films are currently streaming on HBO Max but are set to leave the service on August 25th. As a result of various entangled streaming rights, when the Harry Potter franchise arrives on Peacock in October, it’ll only be available for around a month before heading to NBCUniversal’s linear broadcast and cable TV channels, before returning back to Peacock again in 2021.
Peacock launched in the US on July 15th and is currently available on Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD; Google platforms and devices, including Android Android TV devices, Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices; Microsoft’s Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X; and VIZIO SmartCast TVs, Sony PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro, and LG Smart TVs.


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Panasonic is Helping Cities Get Smarter and Cars Go Greener
What products come to mind when you think about Panasonic Corporation? There’s a long list to choose from, and you might easily pick televisions, audio equipment, or home appliances. But in addition to being a consumer electronics company, a big part of Panasonic’s business is delivering solutions to companies and organizations around the world.
Yasu Enokido, President and COO of Panasonic AVC Networks Company, can even put a number to it. “Panasonic is a well-known consumer brand, but we’re about 60% B2B today,” he says in a recent video.
That percentage really shouldn’t surprise you. Panasonic has been making some very big news this year with business-to-business ventures involving customers in both the public and private sectors. Do the City of Denver and Tesla Motors ring any bells?
Living Smarter Among the Internet of Things
At the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this January, Panasonic kicked off 2016 by announcing a formal partnership with the City and County of Denver, Colorado to help make this metropolitan region a more sustainable place in which to live, work, and visit.
The plan includes deploying Panasonic “smart city” solutions such as in-home monitoring and control, power infrastructure, smart street lighting, and remote tele-health capabilities. The initial epicenter of the project is the area around Peña Station on the new rail line that connects downtown with the Denver International Airport.
A Panasonic post describes the potential of the project: “By implementing a responsive infrastructure that taps into real-time analytics, leverages big data, and lives among the Internet of Things, the possibilities are virtually limitless.”
Driving Greener on Battery Power
Then there’s the buzz around Tesla Motors’ recent announcement. In June, Tesla revealed that Panasonic will be the exclusive battery supplier for the electric car company’s much-anticipated Model 3. At a starting price around $35,000, the Model 3 will be the automaker’s first mass-market vehicle. This could prove to be a lot of batteries. Almost immediately after introducing the prototype on March 31st, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the company had booked about $7.5 billion in pre-orders in the first 24 hours.
Panasonic executives have been onboard with Tesla for some time now. At the beginning of the year, Panasonic confirmed plans to invest up to $1.6 billion of its own money in joint funding for ‘Tesla Gigafactory 1.’ The new $5 billion lithium-ion battery factory built on the outskirts of Reno, Nevada is expected to be officially inaugurated later this summer.
Providing Customers a Seamless Experience
Panasonic business solutions cover a wide range of markets – from automotive and energy to video and office technology. And as head of one of Panasonic’s larger business units, much of Yasu Enokido’s attention these days is directed at expanding the company’s already booming B2B business.
He has a solid legacy from which to draw both inspiration and insight.
“Even as our B2B transformation continues, Panasonic business solutions benefit from our nearly century of experience in the consumer space,” Enokido told attendees at the CES. Enokido points out that whether you’re talking about B2C or B2B, the fundamental business principles remain the same.
“The market is changing very rapidly, the customer needs are changing rapidly,” Enokido observes. “It’s about providing customers a seamless experience.”
And please follow me on Twitter @JohnGWard3.
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Black Gold grows potatoes all over
05/14/2014 11:23:34 AMBlack Gold Farms has begun its 2014 red potato harvest, which boasts locally grown spuds beginning... Read more.
UC program promotes Zumba fitness to farmworkers
05/12/2014 3:23:37 PMThe University of California, Davis, has begun a new worksite-based health program designed to lower... Watch Video.
HLB multi-agency group puts $1.5 million toward biocontrol
05/08/2014 5:05:36 PMThe U.S. Department of Agriculture's Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination Group has allocated more than $1.5 million... Watch Video.
California desert growers report ample water supplies
05/08/2014 8:59:44 AMIf you need water in California these days, you may have to go to the desert. With growers struggling... Read more.
Smartphone app helps diagnose pests remotely
05/06/2014 11:12:44 AMA smartphone application developed by Purdue University could help growers nationwide to submit pest samples... Read more.
UPDATED: Martori perfects its hot wash system for cantaloupes
04/25/2014 5:47:13 PMMartori Farms has finalized a three-year process of switching to a method of cleaning its cantaloupes... Read more.
- Web seminar focuses on potato fungicide resistance management
- California implements new olive oil standards
- Spud and citrus production down, value up
- Fire ravages Phillips Farms packinghouse
- FFVA meeting focuses on produce sales, health care
- California enacts citrus psyllid quarantine around Bakersfield
- UPDATED: California governor signs groundwater management bills
- Florida citrus growers get USDA assistance
- Pesky bagrada bugs expand northward in California
- Florida citrus nursery tree production levels off
- Trials find many products don’t curb bacterial spot in tomatoes
- Vance Agribusiness names 40 Under 40 honorees
- Consumer acceptance of biotech produce growing
- CORRECTED: Potato industry prepares for GMO offering
- UC study pegs California ag drought costs at $2.2 billion
- University of Arkansas releases thornless primocane blackberry
- Vine-ripe Tasti-Lee tomato creates a buzz among consumers
- Most California produce in 2013 had little, no pesticide residue


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Who Got Rich When Facebook Bought Instagram? — Dollars and Sense
News broke on Monday that Facebook had acquired the popular photo-sharing service Instagram for the princely sum of $1 billion in cash and stock.
It’s the biggest purchase in the history of the world’s largest social network, and it made new multimillionaires of Instagram’s chief executive and the company’s handful of employees.
According to reports, CEO Kevin Systrom owns 40 percent of Instagram, so he netted the tidy sum of $400 million for himself. Co-founder Mike Krieger holds about a 10 percent stake, so he got $100 million. Venture capital firms that funded the company owned another 38 percent, garnering them a total of approximately $380 million.
That leaves a little over $100 million in the pool, which will be shared by Instagram’s 13 full-time employees, doled out by how long each person has been with the company.
In the two years since Instagram was founded, it’s amassed a user base of over 30 million on Apple devices alone. And in the first 12 hours after an Android app was released last week, another one million people signed up.
“This is an important milestone for Facebook because it’s the first time we’ve ever acquired a product and company with so many users,” Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page.
Addressing people concerned the acquisition would mean the end of Instagram as they know it, Zuckerberg added, “[W]e’re committed to building and growing Instagram independently … Millions of people around the world love the Instagram app and the brand associated with it, and our goal is to help spread this app and brand to even more people.”


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‘Ride-sharing’ services gaining traction in Nashville
The new “ride-sharing” services in Nashville — Lyft and Uber — do not regard themselves as taxi operators, but the city’s cab companies disagree, as do a growing number of state and municipal transportation regulators nationwide.
Using smartphone apps, both services connect riders with private, personally owned cars and drivers, and even collect fares — and tips — by credit card through the apps.
But the cars that pick up the paying customers aren’t licensed taxis, and their drivers aren’t licensed taxi drivers, either, except in the case of some drivers who might leave the cab companies to join the cadre of vehicle owners now offering rides through Lyft and Uber.
“All of the Nashville cab companies are upset,” said Melinda Grant, manager of Green Cabs, who has been working to get the licensed taxi operators organized to fight Lyft and Uber. “They came in here under the radar, through some back door, and set up taxi businesses that are in direct competition with our licensed cab companies.
“So far, they’re being allowed to operate without restriction,” she said. “They apparently do not have to be licensed by the city’s Transportation Licensing Commission like we do; in fact, they’re not regulated at all. Their cars are not inspected; we don’t even know if they have insurance.”
Both Lyft and Uber contend they conduct criminal background and driver safety checks on all drivers.
In terms of insurance, both companies say drivers must have at least the minimum insurance required by law; in addition, Lyft provides drivers with $1 million in liability coverage above and beyond any personal coverage.
The story has been similar nationwide in the dozens of cities where the services have already set up shop.
The services are bankrolled by millions from Silicon Valley companies and tech investors such as Google, who insist that these are technology companies merely connecting empty cars and idle drivers with people who need rides, said Alfred LaGasse, CEO of the national Taxicab, Limousine and Paratransit Association in Rockville, Md.
“We would argue that they do have to be licensed, as they are a for-hire vehicle service,” LaGasse said.
“If people call, they deliver a vehicle and the people pay for the service — it’s a taxi. But there are some things that make them different. There are no FBI criminal background checks of their drivers, … no requirement to have their vehicles inspected, no requirement that they carry commercial liability insurance.”
Without any of those requirements, LaGasse said, “it’s frustrating for us. Most communities regulate the taxi industry for the public’s benefit, but some are allowing these newer players to operate by a different set of rules.”
The two companies, along with a third one that isn’t yet in Nashville — SideCar — are already in at least 26 U.S. cities, and about 60 cities worldwide, and are being allowed to operate mostly without any interference from regulators, LaGasse said.
Local regulators ‘gathering data’
So far, they’ve had no resistance from Nashville’s taxi and limousine regulators, either. Lyft has been operating about three weeks, Uber about two weeks (Uber has two versions — a black car version and a lower-cost option for everyday riders called UberX.)
“The city’s position for now is that we’re gathering the data about these services, and we want to understand it before we make any kinds of rulings,” said Billy Fields, director of the Metro Transportation Licensing Commission, which regulates taxi and limousine services in Nashville.
“We want to make sure we’re dealing in a fair and balanced way.”
Are they cab companies that need to be regulated by the city?
“Frankly, we don’t know yet,” Fields said. “Because it’s different, it doesn’t fit anything we already have. We’re trying to completely understand their operational model before we take any further steps. When these (transportation) ordinances were written, nothing like this was anticipated.”
Fields said he knows the companies are operating in other cities, and “we’re trying to talk to some of those cities to get more information. But these companies do not own or control any cars. They are a software app on a smartphone. And we want to be a city where innovation is appreciated. But we also want to make sure the public is safe. That’s why we exist.”
The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce has taken no position on whether the new services should be regulated but is concerned about a shortage of transportation options in the city, chamber President Ralph Schulz said.
The city has about 800 cabs but needs more, tourism officials have said.
“We just wrote a letter to the taxi commission saying we’re in favor of expanding tourist access to transportation, especially as the convention center begins to hit high gear,” Schulz said.
“There is not a sufficient number of taxis right now. While we never take a position on a private company or approach, we do look at problems, and we’re concerned about the availability of transit.”
California, where the services began, already has issued a set of regulations that allow these companies to operate under a new category of business, called “Transportation Network Companies.”
Regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, which also governs limousine and bus services, a Transportation Network Company is defined by the agency as “an organization, whether a corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, or other form … that provides prearranged transportation services for compensation using an online-enabled application (app) or platform to connect passengers with drivers using their personal vehicles.”
The commission’s rules supersede municipal taxi regulations and require that each operator — but not the individual drivers — obtain a state license, provide commercial liability insurance of at least $1 million per accident, conduct criminal background checks on the drivers, put cars through a 19-point safety inspection, establish a driver-training program and “implement a zero-tolerance policy on drugs and alcohol.”
Conceding that the new ride-sharing services are innovative — something California prides itself on — the commission’s ruling also says:
“The commission is aware that (Transportation Network Companies) are a nascent industry. Innovation does not, however, alter the commission’s obligation to protect public safety, especially where, as here, the core service being provided — passenger transportation on public roadways — has safety impacts for third parties and property. The commission is familiar with and confident in its ability to protect public safety in the face of rapid technological change.”
Uber spokeswoman Nairi Hourdajian said the company decided to follow Lyft’s lead and offer its Uber ride-sharing service in Nashville after seeing no apparent opposition from local regulators.
“A ride-sharing service (Lyft) started in Nashville, and the city seemed to give its passive approval,” she said.
“That opened the door for us. We haven’t heard any reports of the city cracking down on Lyft. Wherever we go, we look to the cities for cues on what kinds of services they want, and in Nashville, it looks like they are open to ride sharing. To us, it’s all about consumer choice. But we only launch services according to what the local regulations allow or when the local authorities express an interest.”
Taxi driver lured by income guarantee
While the Nashville cab companies are taking exception to the new services, at least one taxi driver has already quit and gone to work driving for Uber, lured by the company’s Facebook posts and Craigslist ads promising $20 an hour.
Sheila Clifford said she gave up her Checker cab last week and now is driving her own 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix full time for Uber — and getting, at least for now, a guaranteed $15 an hour when she’s on duty.
“I’m doing pretty well, so far,” Clifford said. “Most days I’ve been slammed. People love it, and some of my passengers have said they will never take a cab again. They love the pure convenience of it. They just push a button on their app and see where the nearest available car is, and it’s there in minutes. No cash changes hands.”
For now, Uber is paying her to carry its customers, who are riding free through the end of the month as part of the company’s introduction of the service to Nashville, Hourdajian said.
After that, the drivers will get 80 percent of the fares collected by Uber, and the company will keep the rest.
Clifford believes the city needs the new services, especially with the Music City Center now open.
“This city has millions of visitors coming in every year, and there just aren’t enough cabs,” she said. “Having something like this is a necessity. I’m thrilled that we’re progressing like the bigger cities and allowing services like these.”
Contact Tennessean automotive writer G. Chambers Williams III at 615-259-8076 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
AT A GLANCE
» Founded: 2009 in San Francisco
» Cost: UberX has a base fare of $2.50, with rates of 25 cents per minute when traveling less than 11 miles per hour or $1.60 per mile at faster speeds.
» Number of cities: More than 65
» Founded: 2012 in San Francisco
» Cost: Lyft offers you a recommended travel fare (determined by the time and distance traveled), which is estimated to be 20 to 30 percent less than a traditional cab ride.
» Number of cities: 19


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Stifel Sees Possible Yum! Brands, Inc. China Spin-Off
Yum! Brands Inc.'s (NYSE: YUM) expected 13 percent drop in second-quarter same-store sales for its China unit could drive a spin-off of the operation on the Hong Kong stock exchange, an analyst said Thursday.
Yum's fast-growing China division produces about half of Yum's total revenue and includes 6,200 restaurants, mostly KFCs and Pizza Huts.
The company said that bad publicity in June about two Chinese suppliers' food-handling fax pas has led to a rough patch for the business.
Stifel's Paul Westra said volatility in China operations heightens the chance it could separate from Yum with a listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Citing the recent deal to acquire Tim Hortons by Burger King Worldwide Inc., Westra added that an activist shareholder or management "will next view Yum's $6.5 billion-plus of borrowing as an easy value-creating debt-to-equity swap opportunity."
Westra called Yum's China unit "one of the best retail businesses on the globe." Even with the negative food-scare impacts, Westra expects the unit's return on equity for 2015 will be more than 22 percent and equal to that of Starbucks.
Westra reiterated a Buy rating and $110 target on Yum and expects China comps will turn positive by the middle of the fourth quarter.
Yum opened sharply lower, but had largely recovered by late morning, trading recently at $71.11 a share, down 0.5 percent.
Latest Ratings for YUM
|Mar 2017||Evercore ISI Group||Upgrades||In-Line||Outperform|
|Feb 2017||Longbow Research||Downgrades||Buy||Neutral|
|Oct 2016||Credit Suisse||Upgrades||Neutral||Outperform|
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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- Apr 12, 2001
Ireland's coalition government has agreed to appeal the European Commission's ruling that it must collect 13 billion euros in back taxes from Apple, according to Reuters. A motion will come before the country's Parliament on Wednesday seeking an endorsement of that decision, a government spokesperson said.
It was always expected that both Apple and Ireland would appeal any adverse decision, as insisted by the country's finance minister Michael Noonan, but Ireland's cabinet members became divided on the matter following the ruling. After meeting on Friday, however, the cabinet has seemingly come together and agreed to join Apple's fight against the European Commission.
Earlier this week, the European Commission ruled that Apple received illegal state aid from Ireland, following a three-year inquiry into the company's tax arrangements in the country. The investigation's results showed that Apple allegedly paid between 0.005% and 1% in taxes in Ireland between 2003 and 2014, compared to the the country's headline 12.5% corporate tax rate.
Apple CEO Tim Cook called the findings "total political crap" and described the lower end 0.005% tax rate as a "false number." In an open letter, Cook said Apple is confident the decision "will be reversed," but the appeal process could take several years in European courts. Apple has previously said it fully complies with international tax law and is the largest taxpayer in the world.
Cook also said that Apple has "provisioned several billion dollars for the U.S. for payment," and he forecasted that it could repatriate that cash next year. Europe's competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager previously said that Apple could lower its Irish tax bill by paying appropriate taxes in other countries, or by increasing R&D payments to its U.S. operations.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Article Link: Ireland Agrees to Appeal European Commission's Apple Tax Ruling


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Upcoming autograph signings, player appearances, sports memorabilia sales and promotions.
Search This Blog
2013 NBA All-Star Weekend Autograph Signings
As part of a special promotion from Panini America, a local Houston card shop will host a FREE autograph signing for star NBA players. The Knights Lance will announce the players on February 7th. The autograph signing will take place on February 14th.


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A digest of important news from sources selected by our local editors. Delivered weekday mornings.
Stein Mart Inc. reported a total sales decline of 9.3 percent and a comparable store sales decline of 7.2 percent for November.
During the four-week period ended Nov. 28, the company reported total sales of $107.8 million compared with $118.8 million during the same period in 2008. Stores in the West performed the best and stores in the Southeast and Gulf Coast had the weakest performance.
“Our two key November events - the 14-hour sale and Black Friday - were much stronger than last year, but could not offset the general softness in the month,” said President and CEO David Stovall, Jr.
Men’s sportswear and ladies’ social occasion clothes performed the worst during the month while ladies’ casual sportswear and boutique and costume jewelry performed the best.
Jacksonville-based Stein Mart (Nasdaq: SMRT) operates 267 discount fashion stores around the country.
The company’s stock closed at $10.26 Dec. 3, down from $10.48 the day before.
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Valve has announced that, despite the imminent arrival of its new console, they will never produce exclusive content.
Other than being the producers of some incredible games, Valve is also a big supporter of video game culture; representatives insist that they encourage gaming across all venues and platforms, the steam OS will just be another stage through which players can engage in a different reality.
This sort of business model seems relatively unheard of within the console/pc world. Players compete for the adoration of others and companies fight tooth and nail for a spot in the light. It’s all competition. Yet Valve, an outlier, stands at the edge and states simply “Hey. We just love games.”
This is good news for those devoted to their PlayStations or Xbox’s as it simply means that if and when say, Half Life 3 is released, they will have the opportunity to play the game as well.
The representatives went onto mention, during an interview with IGN, that “Whenever we talk to third-party partners, we encourage them to put their games in as many places as possible. Including not on our platforms.”
Also discussed was how they know their customers are broad and far-spread, and they simply want to get the games to wherever the customers are.
So we’ll wait with baited breath behind the controllers of our chosen platform awaiting Half Life 3’s release.


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Thursday, February 19, 2009
Borrego Solar Sells Residential Solar Installation Business
El Cajon-based Borrego Solar Systems, a installer of solar power systems, announced Thursday that the firm is selling off its residential business and will focus exclusively on its commercial and government customers. The firm, which is fresh off a $14M round of funding, said it is selling its residential business to fellow, venture-backed solar installer groSolar. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed. Vermont-based groSolar is venture backed by NGP Energy Technology Partners, SJF Ventures, and Calvert Social Investment Fund. According to Borrego, its commercial and government projects represented more than 75 percent of its new revenues last year, which totaled $60M. Borrego said it sold its residential business because it expects those markets to outpace the residential market.


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Data software companies Cloudera and Hortonworks have combined to take on Amazon, according to a report from CNBC.
Both companies were rivals vying for market dominance and hemorrhaging cash as they tried to attract businesses and outdo each other, but now they can focus on taking on the online giant itself.
Cloudera and Hortonworks are two popular vendors of Hadoop open-source software, which can analyze, store and process a lot of different data. When the merger was announced in October, it was valued at $5.2 billion. However, the new company, which will be called Cloudera, is worth $3 billion.
Stock prices dropped in the fourth quarter during a market sell-off. The main concerns were whether Cloudera had the clout and backstory to take on Amazon and its web services. In 2018, Cloudera shares dropped 33 percent and Hortonworks' shares slid 29 percent.
Cloudera CEO Tom Reilly said he was singular in his vision for the future of the company. He has run Cloudera since 2013 and took it public in 2017.
"The big competitor for us is Amazon, with their house offerings," Reilly told CNBC in an interview last month. "We're gearing up to take on Amazon."
Open source was a big buzzword in 2018, as many technology companies invested in the tech. IBM purchased Red Hat, an open-source cloud company, for about $34 billion. Microsoft bought GitHub for $7.5 billion and Salesforce acquired MuleSoft for $6.5 billion, to name a few.
The big advantage for Cloudera as it takes on Amazon is that it works in corporate data centers and with multiple clouds, while for years Amazon Web Services delivered software from its own data centers. Although Amazon recently announced it would also do so, Cloudera has a way to let companies use its products on Google- or Microsoft-operated clouds, while Amazon does not.
"Amazon will never be able to deliver multi-cloud," Reilly said.


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Market Commentary and Intraday News
Business events scheduled for Friday
262 days ago
By The Associated Press
Major business events and economic events scheduled for Friday:
WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases factory orders for July, 10 a.m.
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. _ Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gives speech in Wyoming's Jackson Hole during Fed's annual meeting.
TOKYO _ Japan releases industrial production and unemployment data.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.