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For the Second Year in a Row HG Insights Makes the Inc. 5000 List
HG Insights, the global leader in go-to-market Technology Intelligence, announced its inclusion in the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America list. The award recognizes the top 1% of privately held companies in the nation and provides a unique look at the most successful companies within their markets.
“On behalf of HG, we are grateful to be included again on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list. This accolade reflects our employee’s daily hard work to provide our customers with the best insights for their long-term success,” said HG Insights CEO Elizabeth Cholawsky.
HG’s position as the authority in Technology Intelligence and its commitment to its customers—by helping them to accurately size markets, efficiently allocate resources, target the right prospects, prioritize the right accounts, and increase revenue—has helped the company rise to the top of the highly competitive sales and marketing account intelligence sectors.
The prestigious ranking provides a data-driven look at the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment — its independent, entrepreneurial businesses. Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other household name brands gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. HG Insights is honored to be mentioned alongside these global giants.
“Running a business has only gotten harder since the end of the pandemic,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “To make the Inc. 5000 — with the fast growth that requires — is truly an accomplishment. Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that are building our future.”
Companies on the 2023 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2019 to 2022. The Inc. 5000 class of 2023 represents companies that have driven rapid revenue growth while navigating inflationary pressure, the rising costs of capital, and seemingly intractable hiring challenges. This year’s Inc. 5000 companies have added 1,187,266 jobs to the economy over the past three years.
HG’s recent industry awards further solidify its position as an industry leader:
- G2 names HG Leader in both Sales Intelligence and Marketing Account Intelligence Solutions
- HG Named “Easiest To Do Business With” by G2
- HG won two awards — for Business Intelligence Innovation and Marketing Intelligence of the Year — at the Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Awards
It’s a great time to be at HG Insights – Join us and be part of an inclusive culture where individuality thrives!
About HG Insights
HG Insights, the provider of data-driven insights to 75% of tech companies in the Fortune 100, is your go-to-market Technology Intelligence partner.
We use advanced insights into Technology Intelligence — on IT spend, technographics, cloud usage, intent signals, Functional Area Intelligence, contract details, and AI maturity — to provide global B2B companies with a better way to analyze markets and target prospects. Our customers achieve unprecedented results in their marketing and sales programs thanks to the indexing of billions of unstructured documents each day with insights into product adoption, usage, spend data, and more to build high-resolution maps of activity across an organization’s entire digital infrastructure to power business decisions with precision and confidence.
Inc. Business Media is the leading multimedia brand for entrepreneurs. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of the community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating our future. Inc.’s award-winning work reaches more than 50 million people across a variety of channels, including events, print, digital, video, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. Its proprietary Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to rank the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States.


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December 14, 2020
Catalog mockumentary “The Office” makes its exclusive bow on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service on Jan. 1, 2021. It’s a big deal since “The Office” has ranked among Netflix’s most-popular programs on a weekly basis since Nielsen began tracking SVOD programming.
With NBCUniversal outbidding Netflix for exclusive streaming rights, the media giant is set to make available for free the first two seasons (2005-06) of the series about the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, and featuring an ensemble cast headed by Steve Carell, Jena Fischer, John Krasinski, Mindy Kaling and Rainn Wilson, among others.
Subsequent seasons, in addition to the “Superfan Episodes” will be available on Peacock Premium for $4.99 monthly with ads; $9.99 with out ads. The “Superfan Episodes” offer unseen footage, extended cuts and deleted scenes.
“Having ‘The Office’ back in the [NBCUniversal] family opens up access to a lot of extra content that we originally shot,’ Greg Daniels, creator of the U.S. version of the show, said in a statement. “I went back into the dailies with the original [show] editors … and found some never-before-seen footage that was cut for time, but is still fun to see.
Viewers can either watch the classic version of the show, or the ‘Superfan’ cuts with new footage and other scenes Peacock will gradually begin rolling out, starting with the third season.
Episodes will be available with Spanish audio and closed captions. In addition, the series will have video clips categorized by “pranks,” “best office romances,” and “office words of wisdom,” among other genres. Peacock is also streaming a channel called “The Office Zen” featuring “ambient noise devoted to the sights and sounds of the office for anyone working at home.”

domain: news


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Yay, a new way to read Valleywag! According to this press release a friend forwarded me (score one for internal communication), Mobileplay now offers Valleywag on a free subscription basis. It's "highly scalable" and "fast and easy" (except the bit where you register, opt out of alerts, and download an app).
But, um, I have no idea how good it is. It's not available for normal phones, or for my T-Mobile Sidekick. But those of you with Blackberries can try it out and report back — or petition for a real mobile version of Valleywag. Wait, actually —
Full press release after the jump.
Gossip Goes Mobile
Mobileplay Delivers Valleywag to the Small Screen
SAN FRANCISCO, CA. - April 18, 2006 — — Mobile content delivery pioneer Mobileplay today announced the addition of Valleywag to its growing list of Gawker Media mobile sites. With Mobileplay, Gawker fans enjoy easy access to pure, unfiltered gossip from five of Gawker Media's wildly popular blogs: Defamer, Gawker, Gizmodo, Wonkette and now Valleywag, from their handheld device.
From L.A. to D.C., Gawker Media sites have become compulsory reading for millions of people who enjoy keeping tabs on the activities of the boldfaced names in their industry. From pill popping habits of Hollywood heavyweights, to the petty peccadilloes of media titans, Gawker Media sites keep their readers in the loop. Valleywag gives readers the inside scoop on technology industry notables. Mobileplay's mobile application enables fans to enjoy Gawker Media no matter where they are. Gawker Media mobile users can also forward tantalizing tidbits to friends via their handheld device. The mobile application for all five Gawker Media sites is available at www.mobileplay.com.
"Gawker Media is pleased to make Valleywag content available to mobile device users," said Gaby Darbyshire, director of Gawker Media. "Gawker Media fans, and Valleywag readers in particular, are heavy users of the latest mobile devices and services so bringing our content onto the small screen was a key strategic decision for Gawker Media."
"Since 2002, Gawker Media blogs have set the standard in the bloggesphere," said James Ryan, Mobileplay founder and CEO. "By extending its brand and content to the small screen, Gawker Media continues to pioneer the new media frontier. With the addition of Valleywag to Mobileplay's service, Valley denizens can now download Valleywag content directly to their beloveld moblie devices for fast, easy access to the 411 on technorati sex, greed and hypocrisy, whether they're in bumper to bumper traffic on 101, lunching in South Park or sitting in a parking lot on Sand Hill Road."
Mobileplay is the first service of its kind bringing advertising-supported news, weather, stock updates, sports scores, blogs, games, trivia, movie and travel information to some 80 million smart mobile phone and PDA users. The company's highly-scalable content delivery platform creates an opportunity for content developers to quickly and cost-effectively generate advertising revenue while delivering content to an audience of sophisticated, tech savvy consumers.
Mobileplay is a free, ad-supported content delivery platform for smart mobile devices. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Mobileplay's turnkey mobile solution enables content developers to generate revenue from their news, reference, game and infotainment content. The proprietary solution includes targeted delivery, tracking and reporting. Mobileplay content partners include: USA TODAY, About.com, Astrology.com, AP Digital, BusinessWeek Online, CinemaSource, Fodors, Gawker Media, Nerve.com, Volvo, PC World, The Sporting News, Weather.com, Wired as well as game and application developers including Crimson Fire.


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Frankfurt Book Fair happens every year, and this, its 73rd year running, is no exception. The fair is a chance for publishers, agents and authors to gather and connect over literary works. In 2020, plans for an in-person fair came to a screeching halt and the fair was digitised at the last moment. As a result, 2021’s fair will be nothing like those that came before, which only serves to make it more exciting.
Yet, many of the biggest publishing houses in the world will only be attending virtually, and the focus of the fair has shifted to a hybrid event. Here are a few names that will be missing from the roster:
- Penguin Random House
- Nosy Crow
However, do not let that fool you; Frankfurt will be bustling. Jürgen Boos, Frankfurt’s director, estimates 1,500 companies form 70 countries will be making their way to the fair, with more being added every day. Understandably, this has raised many safety concerns with Covid-19 hardly contained. In The Bookseller’s coverage of Frankfurt’s development, they highlighted that ‘Boos is not sure how many people will attend but he says his team is preparing for up to 25,000 daily fairgoers, as it has a special permit from the government.’ The uncontrolled number of people travelling across the globe is worrying and some have been openly critical of the high attendance. Sam Missingham, founder of Lounge Marketing, tweeted her exasperation with the 70 British and Irish companies still planning on going, asserting that it ‘requires enough people to make it world wide.’ As more companies solidify their decision to attend, more follow suit.
Perhaps Frankfurt should follow London Book Fair’s example and remain wholly online for 2021 until it is safer to travel. An online event would also ensure better inclusion, being more affordable for smaller companies and allowing a global reach. Boos has confessed that not many South American or US delegates are appearing because of the pandemic, and an online event would overcome this exclusion.
Aside from publishing houses, many agents have been vocal about not going, including Curtis Brown and David Hingham Associates. Literary scout Lucy Abrahams explains her reasoning for not going, ‘most people have already decided they’re not going, so is it worth it for a handful of meetings?’
For some, these ‘handful of meetings’ are the precise reason for going. Social interactions are necessary in publishing, which thrives on networking to build strong relationships between publishers, agents and authors. As a pillar of the creative industries, relying on sharing perspectives and ideas, many crave what a face-to-face Frankfurt offers. Rebecca Folland believes that ‘all of that will bring us new ideas, energy and knowledge,’ emphasising the reinvigorating power of in-person events. Boos himself said that ‘in-person interactions cannot be replaced by digital venues.’ The Bookseller has expressed their support for in-person book fairs as they will be attending Frankfurt and publishing their Book Fair Daily magazine, stating that their physical presence is ‘crucial’ to re-establishing trade fairs.
Frankfurt is a tough choice for individuals, who have to weigh further damage to their business and social standing against the risk to global health.


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Future Publishing takes axe to 400 posts following £35.4m loss
Future Publishing has announced the loss of more than 400 posts as it undergoes a major restructuring exercise after racking up a £35.4m loss in the year to September.
The jobs cull comes as the publisher seeks to reposition from print to digital, which now accounts for 63 per cent of its total ad revenue under the auspices of new chief executive Zillah Byng-Maddick.
Future is now left with just 577 of its original team of 980, representing a 40 per cent in the organisations total workforce behind a suite of popular websites and magazines including Gizmodo, Total Film and T3.
Byng-Maddick’s hand has been forced by a 20 per cent drop in revenues from £82.6m to £66m as print sales and advertising plummet. Print revenues were particularly hard hit, collapsing by 26 per cent from £52.2m to £38.7m whilst even digital and diversified revenues fell slightly, from £30.4m to £27.3m.
Commenting on the restructure Byng-Maddick said: “We have now largely completed the transformation programme. Our property portfolio has been rationalised, non-core businesses sold, our balance sheet strengthened and the cost-base materially reduced.”


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It just has been announced that corporate messaging firm Slack is launching its IPO. For those working in tech or media, like here at Wiredelta®, Slack is the go-to workplace messaging tool. So, how is Slack going public and why?
How exactly is Slack going public?
According to their S-1 filing, the company plans to make $100 million worth of shares available for the public. Although, this is likely a placeholder figure, Slack is the second company to try out this new strategy of going public. Known as a direct listing, this strategy means selling existing shares to anyone who wants to buy them, on opening day, just as Spotify did last year. In contrast, the traditional method revolves around selling shares to a Wall-street insider, days before the official launch.
Slack going public by direct listing is more risky due to it being more of a B2B product. First of all, Slack does not enjoy the hype that a household name like Spotify has. Secondly, financiers consider it conventional wisdom that direct listings make more sense for brands like Airbnb, Uber and of course Spotify. Clearly, Slack is confident that enough people are aware of their product, to back their venture during its stock market launch.
There’s noting Slack about its growth!
Originally, the company started out as a gaming startup called Tiny Speck, founded by Stewart Butterfield, but sadly, failed. However, Butterfield’s organisation reinvested the savings they had left into developing the platform we today know as Slack. This forced the messaging infrastructure Tiny Speck used internally to be re-configured for workplace use. Since its launch in August 2013, Slack has prospered tremendously.
In 2017, Slack registered $140.1 million net loss and $220.5 million in revenue. The next year, the company’s loss was around $139 million, but their revenue doubled, reaching $400.6 million.
Today, Slack counts an astonishing 10 million active users, across more than 600,000 businesses and organisations. So, as one of its users since 2015, who relies extensively on this messenger platform, we here at Wiredelta are excited to see Slack going public.


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Another 2.3 million households were facing higher energy costs after ScottishPower announced its prices will rise by an average 7%.
The increase, which takes effect from December 3, means a typical monthly direct debit customer will see their average annual dual fuel bill rise to £1271.
SSE, which trades as Southern Electric, Swalec and Scottish Hydro, also increased its tariffs by 9% on Monday.
British Gas and npower announced plans on Friday to increase their charges.
ScottishPower blamed the price hike on increased costs, especially for transporting gas and electricity to customers' homes and the cost of energy efficiency programmes.
Neil Clitheroe, chief executive of retail and generation, said: "We work hard to protect our customers and we regret that we've had to announce a price increase today."


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Although details for her upcoming eighth album is still under wraps, Rihanna covers the “Music Issue” of British magazine i-D.
For the cover, the pop star rocks box braids and a Céline top, which was shot by photographer Paolo Roversi in Paris.
“She really is one of the most creative, talented and inspiring women I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,’ says i-D’s fashion director Alastair McKimm. “The energy and enthusiasm she brings is intense. She’s the ultimate icon of our time.”
The issue is on newsstands now.


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The global cannabis market is ripe for the taking, and the Canadian company Canopy Growth is prepared to conquer New York and the world beyond.
The post Canopy Growth Expands Global Presence by Acquiring New York Hemp License appeared first on High Times.
Cura Cannabis Solution's former CEO resigned after anonymous social media accounts began publicizing past sexual assault allegations against him. Now, Cura is suing the alleged company behind those accounts.
The post Cura Cannabis Solutions Sues Competitor Bloom Farms appeared first on High Times.
And, they're an all-female-run business.
The post OM Edibles Makes History Receiving First-Ever State Annual License in California appeared first on High Times.
Forget turning water into wine. It's all about turning wine into weed.
The post House of Saka Wine Blends Cannabis, Grapes, and Feminism into a Bottle appeared first on High Times.


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Krogner Denies Esprit-Roberto Cavalli Deal in the Works
Although Esprit remains on the luxury acquisition trail, the lifestyle company said Roberto Cavalli isn't in its sights - and the Milan fashion house also vigorously denied speculation it is in talks with Esprit.
While when it comes to matters of fashion, most of the focus of "the Kennedy style" has always been on Jacqueline Kennedy, but her husband’s version of New England preppy has been equally influential over the decades. Today, on what would have been his 100th birthday, WWD looks back at JFK's impact on men's style. See link in bio for more.


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The BOJ got nothing on market risk aversion last week! Can yen bulls extend their momentum with this week’s potential catalysts?
Household spending reports
There aren’t a lot of top-tier reports scheduled from the world’s third-largest economy this week, but a series of lower-tier releases should give us a picture of how household spending is faring.
Average cash earnings and household spending numbers are up on August 6 at 12:30 am GMT.
Both reports are expected to reflect weaker annualized figures for the month of June, with the former seen at -0.8% after May’s 0.5% decline while the latter is expected to only gain by 1.3% after May’s 4.0% increase.
Remember that market players aren’t as worried over weaker export demand for Japan because domestic consumption is expected to pick up the slack in the economy. If this week’s household spending figures paint a different picture, then we could see the yen lose pips to its major counterparts.
Preliminary GDP (Aug 9, 12:50 pm GMT)
The last preliminary GDP release showed the economy rising by 0.5% in Q1 2019, as net exports contributed positively for the first time in four quarters. Heck, exports contributed the most to economic growth!
The report was later revised to reflect a 0.6% growth (instead of 0.5%) for the quarter.
This week analysts expect the economy to take hits from weakening export demand and a slowdown in consumption. They only predict 0.1% growth after last quarter’s 0.6% increase.
A much weaker than expected growth would put more pressure on the BOJ to be more aggressive in its easing policies, so keep your eyes glued to the tube for significant hits or misses!
Missed last week’s price action? Read JPY’s price recap for July 29 – August 2!


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As the global automotive industry copes with the effect of the supply-chain disruption caused by Japanâ€™s devastating March 11 earthquake, analysts debate whether Chinese suppliers could fill the gap. â€śItâ€™s no doubt a disaster for Japan, but a great opportunity for the Chinese,â€ť says Benjamin Wey, president of the New York Global Group advisory firm, which also has headquarters in Beijing. The Chinese National Development and Reform Commission, the official economic-development arm of ...
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For WardsAuto.com pricing and subscription information please contact
Lisa Williamson by email: email@example.com or phone: (248) 799-2642


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GHANA:MTN wages war on Mobile Money fraud
Mobile Telecommunications giant MTN has declared war on Mobile Money fraud in Ghana.
MTN, according to the General Manager Mobile Money Limited, Eli Hini, has over the years experienced a few setbacks related with fraud and that they are customer related.
Some of these fraudulent cases have been categorized under phishing, advance fee scams, overcharging by merchants, identity theft and cash out theft.
“This is serious cause for concern for us,” said Mr. Hini Wednesday at a Mobile Money Capacity Building for Media Organizations in Accra, an initiative between MTN Mobile Money and E-Crime Bureau with an assurance that the network is working very hard with the police service and E-Crime Bureau “to bring the situation under control.”
Wednesday’s workshop is the third and according to Mr. Hini it would be extended to the Northern sector in a few weeks.
MTN, he added, has trained the security personnel of the Ghana Police Service and some members of the journalism fraternity on how to tackle the menace.
MTN in 2009 launched the Mobile Money services to provide efficient means of making financial transactions through mobile devices—over time inculcating more innovative services to the platform including payment options (school fees, bills etc.), the international remittance service, card less ATM withdrawal option, wallet to bank account, quarterly interest payment among others.
Growing to become a household name, it has a subscriber base of over 9million and merchant points of over 63,000 across the country.
This feat had been achieved through constant education and engagement with “our stakeholders to accept Mobile Money as the safest and fastest means of undertaking financial transactions,” said Mr. Hini, but that is being threatened by the activities of fraudsters.
On his part the Principal Consultant at E-Crime Bureau, Albert Antwi-Bosiako said the situation demands that “we assess our cyber infrastructure as a counter mechanism.”


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Belgium to have 64% online penetration, Netherlands to reach 75% by 2010
More than 50% of Belgian households have a PC, compared with 75% of Dutch households, Forrester research says. Only 46% of Belgian households were online in 2004, 25% lower than in the Netherlands. And although Belgium will reduce the gap and by 2010 will have 64% online household penetration, above the European average of 62%, the Netherlands will move to 75%. By the end of 2004, broadband penetration in the Netherlands and Belgium reached 32% and 29% of all households, respectively.


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Car supermarket group Trade Centre UK will open its first West Midlands outlet this weekend, creating 200 jobs in the process.
The group's first car superstore in England will open a 12-acre site in Darlaston Road, Wednesbury, on Friday on the site of the old Carcraft facility.
The facility has undergone a multi-million pound investment to transform the space ahead of the launch, with a team of 90 people working around the clock for three months to give it a complete make-over.
Chief executive Andy Coulthurst said: "We're so excited to be finally opening our doors to customers in the West Midlands.
"We want to play a positive role in the community in which we operate which is why we are actively looking into ways in which we can support local sports teams and other organisations.
"Meanwhile, we are confident that our first store in England will be appreciated by value-driven car shoppers and we look forward to establishing and growing our brand throughout the UK."
The new jobs are in sales, administration and vehicle preparation and the site will act as both the retail operation and central preparation facility for additional stores the group hopes to establish in the West Midlands region.
Headquartered in South Wales, the business was established as The Trade Centre Wales in 1999 and has three existing retail sites in Neath, Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff.


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Students create device for hearing impaired
Americas, April 15 2011
Terre Haute, Ind. : The hearing impaired get some help from a new invention by Rose Hulman students.
Students at the school created an indication system that helps those with hearing loss to know when somebody is calling.
The electronic system makes a lamp flash when the person receives an incoming call.
The students created the helpful product for a senior project.
“This is a thorough project where we get a lot of feedback from a lot of different people and just finally seeing it all work in the end and seeing those lights flash for the first time was really exciting for us,” says senior Daniel Giranda.
Polycom is the sponsor for the device.
All of the senior projects will be featured in the department’s senior symposium.


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What’s on in Web3 this week?
It’s been an exciting week in Web3 — the Super Bowl has entered the metaverse, crypto markets have seen some welcomed upward activity and the Australian Treasury has opened submissions for feedback on the token mapping framework.
On the event side, much was announced this week, and if you’re a budding BUIDLer, there’s a chance at receiving some hefty cash for your startup. Let’s crack on.
What’s on in Web3: Friday (tonight!): AFTR HRS with DJenerates
OSHI Gallery is Victoria’s first IRL gallery for blockchain, crypto and NFT enthusiasts to bridge the digital disconnect and create a hub for curious newcomers, passionate collectors and industry thought leaders.
Oshi Gallery runs a range of curated exhibitions, collaborative events, workshops, artist launches, art activations, artist talks and information masterclasses, with a beer garden in the heart of Collingwood.
Tonight, Oshi runs a party with DJenerates, a party featuring live DJs with reactive audio visuals and drinks. Attendees can expect to see art installations, interactive performances, with DJ sets from Jamie Stevens, Hipworth, NDT and Dundo.
When: Friday the 3rd of February
Time: 8pm – 1am
Where: Oshi Gallery, 386 Smith Street, Collingwood
Ticket link can be found here.
Tuesday: Blockstars 4th Web3 Community Meet-up
Taking place in Surfers Paradise, Blockstars Technology — a blockchain tech hub with a team of 70+ devs spread across Queensland, are running their Web3 meet-up an Innovation Pitch Night.
Founders in the Web3 space can pitch their ideas to three investors, with selected ideas receiving “five-figure investment” and mentorship from business leaders. But you don’t have to have a business pitch to join — the meetup will feature keynote speeches for industry experts, as well as interactive panel discussions and networking opportunities, and chats around finance, supply chain and digital identity.
When: Tuesday, February 7th
Where: 3128 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Surfers Paradise
Event link here.
Just Announced: Bitcoin Alive Conference
Announced this week, the Bitcoin Alive conference will bring together the Aussie community for a day of all-Bitcoin content from those in the Australian ecosystem plus special guests from abroad.
Speakers including author Knut Svanholm, James Check from Glassnode, Pete Winn from Fedi, Andrew Page from Strawman.com, Steven Nelkovski from Perth Heat Baseball Team and Andi Pitt from Ego Death Capital.
Conference themes include discussions around how Bitcoin can stabilise electricity grids and incentivise the build-out of renewable energy, the history of money, as well as Bitcoin fundamentals and self-custody.
When: Saturday the 15th of April
Time: 9am – 6pm
Where: Roundhouse UNSW, Kensington, Sydney
Access tickets for the event here.
What’s on in Web3: Always on: UNDRGRND Gallery, Sunshine Coast
UNDRGRND Gallery is Australia’s first permanent IRL NFT gallery and Web3 events space. NFT founders can hire the event for NFT launch parties or hold exhibitions. The gallery was launched by Meta Collect, a community comprised of NFT projects including Finney, The Crunks and the Mongs.
The crew also feature artists in a weekly curation, adding art to their collection or as a feature in the physical gallery, as a way to help support artists in the community.
When: Every Saturday
Time: 10am – 4pm
Where: Unit 11, 9-13 Matheson Street, Baringa, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Keep updated with their exhibitions here.


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Just a couple of days ago we reported that IUGO’s Daisy Mae’s Alien Buffet game was pulled from the App Store as part of Apple’s new policies blocking adult-themed content.
It seems Apple had a change of heart, as the game was quietly reinstated today — without any changes from the original version. We emailed IUGO’s Sarah Thomson who says they have gotten no contact from Apple explaining the return of the game. Surprisingly enough, Apple has even featured Daisy Mae in their game section — perhaps as a nod for the mishap.
So, if you kicked yourself for missing out, or are wondering what all the fuss is about, here’s your chance.
App Store Link: Daisy Mae’s Alien Buffet, $1.99


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- Real GDP fell by an ancestral 9.6% in a second entertain (32.9% annualized), led by declines in spending on services as a economy sealed down in Mar and April.
- The tumble was low though short. Spending rebounded in both May and June. Consumer spending rose 5.2% in June, with all vital categories saying improvement.
- Income supports go a prolonged approach in explaining a resurgence in consumer spending. The expiry of extended UI advantages during a finish of Jul puts this during risk and represents a transparent and benefaction risk to a mercantile recovery.
- This week’s GDP news showed that a Canadian economy strictly returned to expansion in May, expanding by 4.5%, with another 5% indeterminate benefit forecasted in June.
- Gradual easing of restrictions continues to pierce a acquire use to many business owners conflicting a country. As a result, a CFIB business barometer softened for a fourth uninterrupted month in July, rising to 61.3.
- While a misfortune of a pestilence appears to be behind us, there is still a prolonged and unsure liberation ahead. The handling sourroundings for many Canadian firms stays tough, and a CFIB estimates that one in 7 businesses could tighten as a outcome of a pandemic.
U.S. – Historical Decline in GDP As Virus Struck in Q2
It was an ancestral week in mercantile information as a Bureau of Economic Analysis reliable a largest pullback in mercantile activity in a story of a quarterly array (data going behind to 1947). Real GDP fell by 9.5% in a second entertain (or, as it mostly reported, 32.9% annualized).
This was a singular mercantile decline. Falling consumer spending on services done adult scarcely 70% of a dump in GDP in a quarter. Typically in recessions, services spending is comparatively unscathed. Amazingly maybe in a health crisis, spending on medical done adult scarcely a third of a altogether decrease in GDP. The pullback reflects a well-developed resources brought on by a pathogen and a remarkable lockdown of a economy in a final weeks of March, including non-essential medical procedures. The gait of decrease was fastest in April, a initial month of a second quarter. Spending rebounded in May and Jun as a economy re-opened.
Indeed, Jun income and spending data, also expelled this week, showed consumer spending flourishing by 5.2% in a month (non-annualized), with all categories saying gains. Spending increases were led by products categories, generally durables, that rose 8.8%. As of June, products spending was scarcely 5% aloft than a pre-crisis level, with durable products spending 9.5% above a Feb level. Services spending, however, still has a approach to go, down tighten to 12% from a pre-pandemic level.
The strength of a spending miscarry is attributable to a income supports supposing by a sovereign government. As a outcome of one-time support checks and stretched stagnation insurance, genuine disposable personal income (DPI) grew by 9.6% in a entertain (non-annualized), notwithstanding a tumble in GDP. Importantly however, income showed a conflicting settlement of spending, with clever expansion in Apr when one-time support checks went out, followed by declines in May and June.
This speaks to a significance of mercantile supports in progressing a mercantile recovery. Negotiations in Washington on a subsequent call of support are ongoing though stalled this week. This as extended stagnation advantages lapsed on Jul 31st. As a outcome of a expiry, income will tumble serve in Aug for a tighten to 30 million people now receiving this life line. Without additional supports, spending will retrace a alleviation seen in May and Jun and set a liberation back.
In fact, warning signals that a mercantile liberation is tapering off in Jul continued to build in other indicators this week. Weekly jobless claims rose in a week finale Jul 25 for a second true week. There is an critical premonition to this information – it is seasonally practiced to simulate standard Jul patterns, that might be reduction accurate in a stream environment. Unadjusted, claims fell in a week. However, even here, a alleviation appears to have stalled during a turn still unchanging with a low mercantile contraction. The arise in COVID cases and slack in mercantile swell has not left unnoticed. Consumer certainty pulled behind in July, descending 6 points to 92.6, relocating it serve divided from a arise of 132.6 in February..
Canada – GDP Shows First Signs of Recovery
Equity markets were choppy this week amid Q2 GDP information display a harmful impact that a pestilence had on a economies conflicting a globe, as good as news of rising infections and tightening restrictions in some countries. This also weighed on appetite prices, with a benchmark WTI oil cost behind next $40/barrel. Despite this, a SP/TSX index looked set to finish a week aloft during a time of writing.
COVID-19 box depends have also ticked aloft in several Canadian provinces in July, however, infections and hospitalizations have so distant remained manageable, gripping informal reopening skeleton mostly on track. Indeed, this week a populous Toronto and Peel regions in Ontario got a immature light to pierce to Stage 3 of a reopening process.
With a mercantile engine being gradually switched behind on, many timely mercantile indicators have been signaling a miscarry in activity, bringing a acquire use to many business owners. The CFIB business barometer, a magnitude of tiny business expectations and confidence, softened for a fourth uninterrupted month. The index rose to 61.3 in Jul – a best reading in over a year.
While this is an enlivening sign, it needs to be interpreted with caution. Other index components advise that business sourroundings stays distant from normal. For example, usually 63% of respondents have pronounced that business conditions are good or satisfactory, down from an normal of scarcely 90% before to a pestilence (Chart 1). Furthermore, a sizeable apportionment of businesses were no longer responding to a survey, suggesting they might have closed, potentially biasing a Jul total upward.
Still, a misfortune of a pestilence strike is now behind us. This week’s GDP report showed that a Canadian economy strictly returned to expansion in May, expanding by 4.5%, with another 5% benefit forecasted by Statistics Canada for Jun (Chart 2). These strong advances still leave mercantile activity in Jun 10.4% next February’s reading, indicating to a prolonged and unsure liberation still ahead. Evidence from other countries shows that a risk of a second call is real. Complicating a outlook, many puncture support measures will start to hurl off this fall.
A apart CFIB news also echoed this, estimating that 158,000 (or one-in-seven) of tiny businesses were during risk of shutting due to COVID-19. Not surprisingly, a figure is significantly aloft for businesses handling in liberality and humanities distraction industries, where scarcely a third could close. Regionally, a top suit of businesses during risk were in Alberta (at scarcely 20%), followed by Ontario and Saskatchewan (at 16% each).
Without a doubt, even with new improvement, a handling sourroundings for many Canadian firms stays tough due to heightened tellurian macroeconomic uncertainty, low appetite prices, remaining restrictions, and a intensity for a renewed pullback in mercantile activity if cases continue to rise. This is why, as we note in a new report, a expansion of business activity indicators has been reduction strong that those of households. This tells us that as companies navigate these risks, a mercantile liberation is doubtful to be even, with many sectors feeling a pain for some time.
U.S: Upcoming Key Economic Releases
U.S. ISM Manufacturing Index – July
Release Date: Aug 3, 2020
TD Forecast: 54.0
Regional surveys indicate to another arise in a prolongation ISM index, even with a second call of COVID cases; a arise has been signaled by a already expelled informal surveys. The news will approaching especially simulate information for a initial half of a month. Meanwhile, ceiling movement is being threatened by a second COVID wave. Timely indicators for a economy broadly have been display a vanishing of ceiling momentum.
U.S. ISM Non-Manufacturing Index – July
Release Date: Aug 5, 2020
TD Forecast: 54.5
Fallout from a second COVID call has substantially been larger for services firms than prolongation firms, and we design a non-manufacturing ISM index to be down this week even as we design a prolongation index to be up. Markit’s services PMI was adult in early July, though it was still low relations to a non-manufacturing ISM index. (It rose to 49.6 in a peep news from 47.9 in June.)
U.S. Employment – July
Release Date: Aug 7, 2020
Previous: nfp 4.8mn; stagnation rate 11.1%;
TD Forecast: nfp 0.5mn; stagnation rate 11.1%;
Consensus: nfp 1.5mn, stagnation rate 10.5%;
The second-consecutive swell in sell sales is approaching to be mirrored in a broader consumer spending series, nonetheless some-more new high-frequency information advise slowing, starting in late Jun (TD: +5.5%). The negligence is approaching due to a vanishing of support from impulse payments as good as fallout from rising COVID cases. Income approaching fell in June, even with practice adult strongly (TD: -0.8%). PCE acceleration approaching picked adult on a m/m basis, though not by adequate to equivalent new weakening; a 12-month change in core prices substantially hold during 1.0%, that is down from 1.7% in Q1.
Canada: Upcoming Key Economic Releases
Canadian International Merchandise Trade – June
Release Date: Aug 5, 2020
TD Forecast: $1.0bn
The general trade change should pull into certain domain in Jun with TD looking for a $1.0bn surplus, as a pointy boost in trade activity will be partially equivalent by aloft imports. Motor vehicles exports should lead a allege on a lapse to normal prolongation levels while a poignant boost in wanton oil prices should accelerate favoured appetite exports. Non-energy exports (excluding engine vehicles) should see some-more medium gains, unchanging with a solid alleviation in tellurian prolongation conditions. Stronger imports should equivalent most of a trade growth, with engine vehicles and tools approaching to make a vast contribution, nonetheless softer import expansion is a risk that would supplement to a trade surplus.
Canadian Employment – July
Release Date: Aug 7, 2020
Previous: 952k, stagnation rate: 12.3%
TD Forecast: 350k, stagnation rate: 11.5%
The gait of employing is set to delayed in Jul with TD forecasting pursuit expansion of 350k, down from 953k in June. This reflects a mediation in a rollback of puncture measures and if satisfied would leave a stagnation rate during 11.5%. Mobility trends and other high-frequency indicators have continued to urge by a month, despite during a some-more medium gait than June, and CERB claims have continued to trend lower. Like June, we design a hardest-hit industries conflicting a use zone (retail, accommodation, food services) to lead pursuit origination while Ontario and Quebec should outperform on a informal basis. Hours worked will be closely watched in further to a title imitation for discernment into mercantile activity for July.


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This article first appeared in Vogue India on October 7, 2022
This celebration in Blévy married the colours of India with the joie de vivre of France
There are love stories that are as much about places, as they are about people. In the case of newlyweds Naïna de Bois Juzan and Vincent Sadoulet, the quaint French village of Blévy was a pivotal protagonist. After all, it was where the bride grew up, where the couple first met, where they got betrothed and ultimately married.
Bois-Juzan, born to a Punjabi mother and French fashion designer father, was previously behind India’s first French fine dining restaurant, Le Bistro du Parc in New Delhi. She is now a key account director for international event group GL Events in Paris while also serving as the director of events at the iconic Parisian department store La Samaritaine.


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BERKELEY, Calif., May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EnChroma – the company bringing color to the color blind – today announced a campaign to raise awareness of color blindness in honor of Father's Day. One in 12 men are color blind. EnChroma glasses are designed with a special spectral-filtering technology to help red-green color blind people see an enriched spectrum of color – without compromising color accuracy or balance.
EnChroma seeks dads to volunteer to try on EnChroma glasses for the first time between May 19 and May 28, 2016 and be willing to be interviewed by the media. Applicants will be selected based on a representation of geographical locations nationwide and their potential to benefit from EnChroma's color-enhancing lens technology. To apply please visit www.EnChroma.com.
"About 13 million men in the US have color blindness," said Andrew Schmeder, CEO of EnChroma. "I can't think of a better way to surprise a color blind dad on Father's Day than to give him EnChroma glasses that could help him see more color."
EnChroma also announced today that from May 19 until June 19 customers will receive $50 off their purchase by using the following code: fathersday16. One in 12 men (8%), and approximately one in 200 women (0.5%), have some form of color vision deficiency (CVD). While color blindness is often considered a mild disability, studies estimate that two-thirds of the 300 million people with CVD feel it's a handicap.
EnChroma glasses have been covered by major media worldwide including the Today Show, CNN, The New York Times, The Discovery Channel, PBS NewsHour and many others.
How the Glasses Work
EnChroma emerged from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) SBIR study on the feasibility of correcting color vision deficiency, and over ten years of R&D. EnChroma glasses contain a special optical filtering technology that selectively removes the wavelengths of light where the red and green cone cell response overlaps the most for the red-green color blind. The result is that the glasses re-establish the correct balance between signals from the three photo-pigments in the eye (red, green and blue). Once the correct ratios entering the eye are re-established, the color blind are better able to perceive and recognize certain colors.
EnChroma glasses are an optical assistive device only and do not cure color blindness. EnChroma glasses are estimated to be effective for four out of five color blind people. Over 25,000 color blind people around the world benefit from EnChroma eyewear. To test your color vision visit EnChroma.com/test.
EnChroma is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of the estimated 300 million people worldwide with color vision deficiency. EnChroma has developed a robust line of innovative eyewear products with cutting-edge optical technology for men, women and children. Based in Berkeley, California, EnChroma emerged from a National Institutes of Health SBIR grant designed to study the feasibility of helping people with color vision deficiency (CVD). To reach us please call 510-497-0048, email firstname.lastname@example.org or visit enchroma.com.
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enchroma-seeks-dads-to-try-color-blind-glasses-for-fathers-day-300271445.html


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It will be welcome news to anyone who has found themselves struggling to fit their vehicle into a tight space - the self-parking car, which will be on the market within two years.
An automatic parking assist system was unveiled by the German electronics company Bosch at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Drivers will not even need to be in the car to use the app which can be operated with a few swipes on a smartphone.
Sensors in the vehicle then do the rest.
Car users will be also be able to make hands-free calls and enter driving directions using their voices, while sensor technology will also let them stay in lane on motorways.
Werner Struth, the Bosch chairman, has…


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Will Disney Buy Univision?
Is the Disney shopping spree over? Only time will tell, but right now some folks believe that Univision should be on the company’s list after Fox and Hulu.
Univision: A Growth Opportunity?
Anecdotally, Univision Communications should have suitors lining up to kick its tires since it announced July 3 that it is for sale. After all, Hispanic Americans are 20 percent of the U.S. population and the nation’s second-fastest growing segment, according to Claritas, a marketing firm. Each Hispanic household will spend $2.5 million in a lifetime, about $539,000 more than the average white household, a statistic that whets the appetite of savvy advertisers.
The U.S. Hispanic audience “represents one of the very few certain growth opportunities in today’s media,” Univision crowed in its July 3 statement confirming that its board “is reviewing strategic options.”
Nonetheless, a deeper dive into Univision’s financials might indicate it will be difficult for its private investors — including Thomas H. Lee Partners, Providence Equity Partners, and Madison Dearborn Partners — to make much of a profit on their $12.3 billion purchase in 2007.
Some analysts believe that Univision would be an excellent purchase for Disney.
“Easily the most logical and sensical of the purchasers of Univision would be Disney,” says Jimmy Schaeffler of the Carmel Group. Univision’s audience “will not only buy your content wares but will attend your theme parks, especially in Spanish strongholds, such as Florida and Southern California.”
Univision, in fact, recently moved its headquarters from New York to Miami where the bulk of its 4,000 employees work.
“Univision By Disney would be a brilliantly strategic move on the part of the folks in Burbank,” says Schaelffler. “No other potential buyer has quite the gravitas combined with quite the need.”
Not So Fast
But others believe it’s just too soon after the Fox/Disney marriage for the company to adopt any other outlets.
But Disney is still digesting its $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox so it might not have the appetite for Univision. Thus, Saban might have more luck with Shari Redstone…
Disney CEO Bob Iger is said to be joining some of the most influential people in media and technology for a retreat in Sun Valley, Idaho.
So, do you think Disney should keep shopping? Is Univision the right buy? Let us know in the comments.


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Using influencers has become the new form of marketing. From pushing hashtags to creating awareness and even brand endorsements, digital marketers are using influencers to achieve it all. The use of celebrity influencers has been on the rise, as it is believed that fans of these celebrities are likely to desire a brand that their “idols” are associated with.
Well, when it comes to pushing a certain brand, it is common practice that said influencer is prohibited from using competitors products lest this waters down the whole campaign. This little fact seems to always get missed by the influencers. In the past, brands have always brushed off instances where their influencers are caught using competitors phones but Samsung seems to have gotten tired of this.
Russian TV personality Ksenia Sobchak, doubles as Samsung’s brand ambassador but that title was snatched from her and a lawsuit placed in its place. Ms Ksenia, was photographed using an iPhone X during a TV interview. Despite her attempts to hide the phone from the cameras using a paper, anyone with an eye was able to pick out that its an iPhone. Sources indicate that this is not the first time she has been caught using the iPhone. Apparently, the iPhone X is her personal phone and she prefers using it over the phone she’s been paid to use and endorse.
Samsung did not take this betrayal sitting down, the company has reportedly sued Sobchak for an equivalent of $1.6 million. There are no details regarding the lawsuit but such a move sets precedence and serves as a warning to celebrity influencers on the kind of products they agree to push.


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’90s FPS-RPG now available on the eShop.
Nightdive Studios may have recently delayed its remaster of Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition until next year, but the developer has just put out Strife: Veteran Edition on Switch and discounted its remasters of N64 classics Turok: Dinosaur Hunter and Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, to boot.
Strife is a First-Person Shooter/RPG hybrid from 1996 running on the DOOM engine which was originally developed by Rogue Entertainment. While it didn’t blow contemporary critics away at the time, it’s gained something of a cult status and is seen by some as a precursor to RPG-style shooters like Deus Ex. Nightdive’s enhanced version originally released for PC back in 2014 and holds a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam, so it’s nice to see it on Switch.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com


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In a survey by the Ponemon Institute of the Facebook users soon after its CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony last year during the Congressional hearings revealed that despite the company's oft-repeated commitments to privacy in the public, actually the users mistrust the company to the extent of 79 percent. In fact, Facebook users' confidence in the company had plunged by 66 percent after the Cambridge Analytica furore a year before.
To address the issue, Facebook on Tuesday announced that it has updated its "Privacy" options with a new feature that will help stop users from being tracked. The latest update comes as the first big privacy-related move of Facebook in 2020 but finally the company seems to have confirmed that they do track users everywhere, and anytime.
Facebook has more than two billion users around the world and it appears to focus on allowing the everyday user more control over what info they share. According to the company, users will receive a prompt over the next few weeks, which will surface in each user's Facebook News Feed. It will send the user to the freshly-updated "Privacy Checkup" tool that will allow users to control who can see their posts and private information, turn on login alerts and and review the information that Facebook shares with third-party apps.
In addition, the company announced a new "Off-Facebook Activity" tool that will allow the user to see what kind of information Facebook obtains from third-party companies about them. Such information is typically used to show targeted ads, but now users can see what kind of information Facebook has collected and clear that data from the account if they want.
Facebook Login often lets users sign in to other apps and services, like games and streaming platforms, using their Facebook account. If the "Login Notification" option is switched on, the notifications will alert the user when they use Facebook Login to sign in to third-party apps to keep track of how the account is being used.
However, these updates don't necessarily mean that Facebook will never track the user by any service ever again.The number of items on the "What You Can Do" list in the "Settings" option gives an idea of the intricate nature of the tracking business of Facebook. Thus, users should always be mindful of the privacy notifications in the coming weeks.


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The Switch to Electric
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by Economic Sector in the United States, responsible for up to 28% of total emissions.1 The University owns and operates a fleet of vehicles used to transport materials around campus, monitor campus safety and respond to emergencies, and transport faculty, staff, and students locally and regionally for university business. To further reduce our emissions while still upholding vital operational needs, Notre Dame is actively implementing an electrification plan for university-owned vehicles.
EVs Currently on Campus
Sustainability and Transportation Services have collaborated for the last year and a half to address the changing landscape of transportation on campus and bring electric vehicles (EVs) to the University’s operational fleet. This partnership has resulted in electric vehicle adoption within the motor pool and Parking Services thus far. “As a Sustainability Team, we collaborate alongside our operational partners to identify strategic sustainability opportunities and then work together toward a common goal,” says Geory Kurtzhals, Sr. Director, Sustainability. “Our collaboration with Transportation Services represents an essential component of Notre Dame’s decarbonization journey.”
Around campus, you will find the new Ford Lightning sporting the Parking Services logo. "The Lightning handles our tough jobs on a daily basis. We're thrilled with its performance, specifically throughout the colder months, and eager to continue testing its limits," says Katie Arnold, Parking & Credentialing Services Manager.
In Transportation Services, four new EVs have been added to the motor pool, which includes: the 2024 Chevy Blazer, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6, the 2023 Nissan Ariya, and the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E. These vehicles are now available to rent for University-related business. Electric golf carts are also available for inter-campus commutes. Transportation Services Manager, Cory Thompson, says, “The Transportation Services team is 100% engaged in transitioning to EVs on Campus. We have done a lot of research on owning and maintaining an EV, such as attending car shows focusing on electric vehicles. Motor Pool staff has started introducing EV fleet as an option for a rental vehicle. Local dealerships have offered a lot of insight on the future of EVs.”
EV Performance and Reliability
EVs are quickly becoming a viable option for everyday driving purposes. As with any new and emerging technology, there are challenges to overcome. Two commonly cited challenges are operating in cold temperatures and range anxiety. Transportation Services Manager, Cory Thompson reports that, “When talking about EVs to individuals around campus, I always get this common question: How does an EV perform in the cold weather? I respond with, “just as good as a vehicle with an ICE [internal combustion engine] engine.” EVs should be kept plugged in as much as possible in cold weather. Each EV has a battery warmer that keeps the batteries warm when plugged in. If the EV is not plugged in, it will still start and perform. The only difference you may see is that the battery may drain a little quicker. We have had our electric vehicles sit out in the cold weather without being hooked up to the charger and have had no issues.”
Charge anxiety is a common concern for folks who are interested in trying out an electric vehicle, but feel they may not have the capability of easily accessing a charger, depending on their destination. Thankfully, charging infrastructure is rapidly being developed to accommodate the growing market of EV drivers. In fact, the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG) received a $4.2 million grant to develop charging stations in more rural areas of our region. And throughout the country, communities and organizations investing in EV infrastructure may see financial incentives, courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Complete fleet electrification for the University will be a gradual process, with many variables that will affect the transition. As charging infrastructure increases and University vehicles near their end of life, vehicles will be evaluated for replacement and electric vehicle options will be prioritized. “We are excited to introduce more electric vehicles to campus as this project advances,” says Brian Fremeau, Sr. Director of Operations. “And we are particularly excited that so many team members across the university will be able to actively participate in this sustainability effort knowing that their daily work in a new electric vehicle is having an impact on our carbon emissions reduction goals.”
Originally published by green.nd.edu on February 05, 2024.at


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Home > News > Community
Friday April 12, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Thursday April 25, 2013 MYT 11:45:42 PM
THE opening showcase of Gurney Plaza’s Lux Aestiva fashion month in Penang was a sparkling affair.
Celebrities Jojo Struys and Josiah Mizukami, both actors, models and TV hosts, sashayed around the U-shaped runway showing off the latest Tag Heuer watches around their wrists.
They joined other professional models showcasing pieces from the Swiss watchmaker’s Heritage, Carrera, Link, Aqua Racer and Formula One Steel and Ceramic collections.
According to Tag Heuer retail manager Cynthia Voon, the watches ranged in price from RM8,900 to RM20,400, and epitomised the company’s 150-year history of quality craftsmanship.
“The timepieces are designed to be sleek and sporty, making them versatile enough for various occasions,” she said.
Speaking after the event at the mall’s New Wing Atrium on Saturday, Kuala Lumpur-based Struys and Mizukami both said they were delighted to be in the Pearl of the Orient.
“I come up here quite often just to enjoy the amazing food,” said Struys whose food programme ‘Chalk and Cheese’ was shot in Penang.
Mizukami likened Penang to his birthplace of Hawaii, and said, “Island life goes by at a more relaxed pace. The people are more humble and friendly, and there is just so much to see and do here.”
On Sunday, two runway shows featured the Spring Summer 2013 collections of jewellery by Pandora and footwear by Clarks. The models also wore outfits from Eclipse and FCUK.
The jeweller highlighted 40 pieces in 14-karat gold and sterling silver. The sophisticated designs were inspired by delicate cherry blossoms.
Pandora Malaysia managing director Datin Zarida Noordin said, “All women have their own stories, different personalities that they want to celebrate, and moments that have made a difference in their life.
“We give individuals a way to tell their stories through jewellery, as the pieces can be mixed and matched to express one’s personality.”
Clarks showcased 14 pairs of footwear for both men and women, along with handbags, under the ‘British Holiday’ theme.
They drew inspiration from city, beach and countryside landscapes, reflecting the change of seasons.
The Lux Aestiva (Latin for summertime) fashion showcases continue this weekend.
The Timberland, Braun Buffel and Desigual brands will be featured tomorrow at 3pm, 4pm and 7pm respectively.
On Sunday, Swarovski, Roxy and Quiksilver will unveil their latest collections in runway shows at 3pm at 5pm.
Another event during the mall’s annual fashion month is the Green Fashion Remix and Revamp at 3pm on April 20 where old apparel will be transformed into new outfits.
On April 27, also at 3pm, fashion design students of Equator Academy of Art will be putting on a show to exhibit their amazing couture creations.
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【China,to,be,Partner,,Country,of,2012,Hannover,Fair】 be of help to
来源：音频视频 发布时间：2019-03-11 03:48:56 点击：
A cooperation signing cer- emony was held between Germany and China in Bejing on July 14, stating that China will become the partner country of the HANNOVER MESSE ( Hannover Fair) in 2012.
Deutsche Messe AG and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) signed the agreement. CCPIT, with the entrust of the Chinese government, will be the organizer of the event on the part of China.
The two sides believed that this event will offer rich opportunities for fostering and intensifying bilateral economic and trade relations.
“As China becomes the partner country of the 2012 Hannover Industrial Fair, we will have a partner full of vigor and strong in economy. Both politically and economically, we are seeking for multi-level cooperation with China,” said Mr. Oliver Frese, Senior Vice President of Hannover Deutsche Messe AG, adding that “Since our partner has professional organizational structure, we believe Chinese enterprises and relative organizations will actively join in the event.”
More than 500 Chinese exhibitors participated in the show in 2011. In the coming year China is expected to present various government-funded research projects in the area of energy efficiency ranging from power generation and smart grid systems to eco-friendly road vehicles.
“As the organizer, we are planning for the exhibitions of the fair,”said Wang Jinzhen, Vice President of CCPIT. “Especially, there will be an exhibition center of China at the fair, with the support of CCPIT and the Ministry of Industry and Information.”
In 1987, China once became the partner country of the Hannover Fair.“In the past days, China has always been attending the fair. With over two decades passing by, the content at the fair will surely be richer thanks to the soaring Chinese manufacturing,” he added.
China has launched an extensive program aimed at restructuring its economy along more ecological lines. This will stimulate strong demand in sectors outside China’s classic exporting industries, such as in transport infrastructure, power generation, mine safety, environmental protection and healthcare. Alongside its traditional industrial technology highlights, the 2012 Hannover Fair will focus on green solutions. Next year there will be the premiere of the new trade show “Industrial GreenTec”. The fair will cover all the issues of key relevance to the Chinese market.
Germany is China’s largest European trading partner. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business(APA) have spoken out in flavor of a partnership of equals in connection with China’s Partner Country presentation at the fair.
On June 28, German and China signed a cooperation agreement in Berlin, honoring China as official Partner Country at 2012 Hannover Fair, in the context of German-Chinese government consultations.
The fair is a pivotal platform for technology transfer and a driving force behind innovation. At the Hannover Fair 2011 in April, some 6,400 exhibitors from 60 different countries presented their products, systems and services.
The fair, the world’s leading showcase for industrial technology, will take place in Hannover from 23 to 27 April 2012. Eight flagship fairs will be staged under the umbrella of the fair: Industrial Automation, Energy, MobiliTec, Digital Factory, Industrial Supply, CoilTechnica, Industrial GreenTec and Research& Technology. In 2012 the spotlight will be on industrial automation, energy technology, industrial subcontracting and services, as well research and development.


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Apprentice finds job of her dreams thanks to Amazon
An apprentice is calling on others to pursue the career they have always wanted by considering an apprenticeship pathway.
Carla Bernardino, 45, from Great Sankey is a process automation engineering apprentice working at Amazon in Warrington.
Carla started her apprenticeship with Amazon in 2018 and is working towards a qualification to become a process automation engineer after four years of training study with Amazon and Trafford College, Manchester.
This week, Amazon is announcing that it will create a further 1,000 new apprenticeships in fulfilment centres and development centres across the UK, including 38 new apprenticeships in Warrington.
Speaking about the Amazon Apprenticeship Programme, Carla said: “It’s been fantastic and inspiring to work with such experienced and knowledgeable people and I’m excited for what the future has in store.”
For anyone thinking of applying for an Apprenticeship, Carla has some advice.
She said: “If this is your thing, then there’s no better place to do it. Don’t look back, look forward. Put some effort into your application and go for it. You won’t regret it.”
Contact Stockport College’s dedicated Apprenticeship Team, START on (0161) 886 7461 to find out more about apprenticeship opportunities.


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Posts Tagged «mpaa»
DOJ is investigating Apple over attempts to kill free Spotify music streaming: Report May 5, 2015 at 12:13 pm
The DOJ is reportedly gearing up to investigate Apple over allegations that the company is trying to convince the music industry to kill free streaming ahead of its own paid service launch.
New Australian bill could outlaw VPNs in bid to stamp out Hulu, Netflix ‘piracy’ April 24, 2015 at 4:35 pm
The Australian copyright industry is backing a bill that could be used to shut down VPNs and other services, all in the name of protecting copyright.
Leaked Sony emails show MPAA’s opposition to fair use, confirms users are viewed as thieves April 17, 2015 at 3:55 pm
The MPAA has often claimed it favored free use despite operating more like a mustachioed villain from an old movie serial. Documents from the Sony leak show otherwise.
MPAA’s plan to break DNS in the name of fighting piracy – exposed by the Sony hack December 17, 2014 at 10:01 am
New details from the Sony hack have shown that the MPAA hasn’t learned from years of defeat over DNS blocking. The organization is still investigating whether it can compel this kind of action — despite technical opinions that doing so would compromise the Internet’s function.
The Pirate Bay raided, shut down by Swedish police – and it may never return December 10, 2014 at 6:29 am
The Pirate Bay has been raided by Swedish police and shut down — possibly forever, according to its co-founder Peter Sunde. According to some initial reports coming out of the Sweden, Stockholm police seized computers and equipment belonging to The Pirate Bay, and have detained ‘at least one man connected to the site.’
Megaupload shutdown led to higher digital sales, film rentals March 8, 2013 at 2:26 pm
A new study has found a link between Megaupload’s shutdown and increased digital sales afterward. The impact is modest overall, but this is one of the first studies to examine digital revenues rather than focusing on physical products.
Thanks to ISP/Hollywood ‘six strikes’ rules, I’m now using a VPN November 29, 2012 at 1:30 pm
The six strikes policy agreement between Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Verizon, Cablevision, and the RIAA/MPAA should have started today for AT&T customers. Rather than sign on for such monitoring, I’ve opted to use a VPN service. Not because I pirate, but because I don’t trust the entertainment industry to uphold its end of the bargain.
‘Six Strikes’ programs from ISPs & MPAA ignites in nine days: Here’s what you need to know November 19, 2012 at 11:17 am
Starting November 28, five of the largest ISPs in America will begin monitoring and notifying customers if they infringe on copyrights. Here’s what the plans look like, and what your options are.
Verizon to throttle pirates’ download speeds November 16, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Court was where the battles between pirates and copyright organizations were held. Thankfully, that is becoming more of a rarity. However, copyright enforcement is moving to the venue of ISPs, and that might be even worse.
Microsoft’s new Kinect patent goes Big Brother, will spy on you for the MPAA November 6, 2012 at 2:18 pm
Microsoft has filed for a patent on a system that would monitor the number of people watching a movie at home — and prompt them to buy more licenses if a few friends came over.


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Exotel, a full-stack customer interaction platform based in Bengaluru, has secured $40 million in a series D round headed by Steadview Capital. In the previous 15 months, Exotel has raised about $100 million in numerous financing and equity transactions.
Exotel has created a name for itself in 2021 by being the largest and only “full stack” customer engagement company in emerging regions, after combining with Ameyo, a contact centre platform, in June and acquiring Cogno AI, a conversational AI platform, in November.
The new funds will be utilised to invest further in the Middle East and Southeast Asia markets for potential acquisitions that bring additional omnichannel and full-stack capabilities, as well as to develop the future of customer engagement.
Commenting on the investment Shivakumar Ganesan (Shivku), CEO & Co-founder of Exotel said “Enterprises want to unify their customer journeys to deliver connected experiences across touchpoints like web chat, co-browsing, video, etc., This involves bringing together disconnected channels, bots, applications with siloed customer data across teams. For the first time we are enabling this over the cloud with our full-stack platform,”


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British labor unions on Thursday agreed to support a boycott of some Israeli goods in response to the offensive in Gaza.
The boycott, approved at the annual conference of the Trades Union Congress, calls for a ban on importing goods produced in some Israeli settlements, an end to arms trading with Israel and disinvestment from some companies.
Union officials said the boycott would target products including dates, herbs, fruit and vegetables grown on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
"We will support a boycott of those goods and agricultural products that originate in illegal settlements through developing an effective, targeted consumer-led boycott campaign," the TUC said in a statement.
The TUC is the umbrella organization of 58 British labor unions, representing about 6.5 million workers.
Members of the group's general council held often fractious talks on the motion, originally tabled by the Fire Brigades Union, at an annual conference in Liverpool, northern England.
The boycott was proposed in response to the December-January offensive in Gaza, in which about 1,400 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, and 13 Israelis, including four civilians, died. Israel said it was seeking to stop rocket fire by Gaza militants on southern Israeli towns.
Two years ago, Britain's largest union of college teachers attempted to organize a boycott of Israeli universities, which would have led to a halt on funding, visits and conferences with Israeli institutions.
The University and College Union was forced to abandon the plan because it breached discrimination laws.
Israel's Foreign Ministry said in response to the boycott, "Israel condemns the UK unions' extreme, one-sided announcement. We assume that such political statements do not have an adverse effect on trade between Israel and Britain."
The ministry added that the timing of the boycott announcement, a day after a UN report said the IDF committed war crimes during its offensive in Gaza, was not coincidental.
"This is another expression of hostility against Israel within the framework of a coordinated campaign," said the ministry.
MK Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) lauded the UK for its boycott of all Israeli goods. "This decision and the similar decision made by the Norwegian government contribute to the peace process," he said. "This trend should be encouraged throughout the world in order to cause the freezing of settlements and their dismantlement."


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The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased more than 22% in 2019 and is already up 2.2% through three weeks of 2020, but it is about to face its biggest test of the young year, and potentially many years.
Nearly half of the 30 Dow DJIA, -0.58% components are scheduled to report results from the holiday season in the coming week, which will be by far the busiest week of the earnings season.
There are 14 Dow companies expected to report, the most companies from the blue-chip index to report in a single week since at least 2014, a group that includes two trillion-dollar market caps in Apple Inc. AAPL, -0.29% and Microsoft Corp MSFT, -1.01%
Plenty of non-Dow companies will throw their numbers in as well — 141 of the S&P 500 companies are expected to report, including Facebook Inc. FB, -0.83% , Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, -1.22% and Advanced Micro Devices Inc AMD, -2.63%
The 85 members of the S&P 500 that have reported results thus far have seen net income fall by 0.3% on average from a year ago, though Credit Suisse Chief U.S. Equity Strategist Jonathan Golub said it’s tough to make broader inferences from early reports given different sectors tend to post results at different parts of the earnings cycle. More than a third of S&P 500 that have reported so far sit in the financials sector, which could skew those results.
The FactSet consensus currently calls for net income to fall by 1.9% for the S&P 500, based on a blend of reported results and analyst projections, which would mean the current earnings recession would swallow all of 2019’s results.
Here’s what to watch for in the week ahead.
The wave of Dow components
Apple is in a much different position than it was last time it had to report holiday results. The stock is trading at all-time highs as investors give the company more credit for its services efforts and look ahead to the expected launch of 5G iPhones later this year. The Tuesday afternoon report will include the first full quarter of availability for the iPhone 11 line and the new Apple TV+ streaming service, but a different star will likely shine when the numbers come out: Apple’s AirPods are said to have been strong holiday sellers.
Apple earnings preview: A year after holiday misfire, Apple is worth twice as much
Boeing is bracing for another uncomfortable report Wednesday morning, as the company recently delayed the return of its troubled 737 Max jets to mid-2020 from an earlier goal of the spring. The focal point of the earnings report and subsequent call will be Boeing’s outlook for the year as it manages the Max fallout as well as a working-capital crunch.
Boeing earnings preview: Growing debt and 737 Max doubts cloud results
Microsoft officially ended support for its Windows 7 operating system in mid-January, and that looming deadline might have helped the company toward the end of 2019. Both Gartner and IDC pointed to a pick-up in overall PC shipments for the fourth quarter, citing “vibrant business demand for Windows 10 upgrades” and predicting that the momentum could continue in geographies that have yet to upgrade. The company’s Wednesday report and outlook should provide more clues about that trend, while also focusing on the growing Azure cloud business.
Microsoft earnings preview: Analysts see nothing but blue skies for cloud business
Fellow Dow components 3M Co. MMM, +0.23% , Pfizer Inc. PFE, -2.19% , and United Technologies Corp. UTX, -0.40% are on Tuesday morning’s earnings docket, while Dow Inc. DOW, -3.50% and McDonald’s Corp. MCD, -1.02% report Wednesday morning. Coca-Cola Co. KO, -0.26% and Verizon Communications Inc. VZ, -0.38% post results Thursday morning, while Visa Inc. V, -0.74% follows in the afternoon. Caterpillar Inc. CAT, -1.66% , Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM, -0.67% and Chevron Corp. CVX, -1.11% round out the week Friday.
McDonald’s earnings preview: Chick-fil-A is fast-food giant’s biggest competition in U.S.
The energy results will be of particular interest as the sector has been a heavy contributor to the earnings recession, with lower crude prices pressuring industry profits.
Tons of tech
Apple and Microsoft aren’t the only Big Tech names to report: Facebook, Amazon and AMD results are also looming.
Facebook decided to forgo its plans to pursue advertising on WhatsApp, but the company continues to plug away with other ad opportunities. One focus will be how Facebook is monetizing the increasingly popular “stories” format on Instagram and its core app. Investors will also be looking for information about how political ad spending is panning out and the impact that events like the U.S. presidential election and the Summer Olympics will have on the full-year forecast.
Facebook earnings preview: Ready for another strong quarter
AMD’s biggest rival, Intel Corp. INTC, +8.13% , reported a strong quarter last week, buoyed by positive trends in the cloud. One analyst suggested that Intel’s results had less to do with the company’s own performance and more to do with strong data-center spending environment that’s providing an industry-wide lift. If so, AMD likely benefitted as well, perhaps even more so as the company’s focus on execution has been helping it take share from Intel. The company’s Tuesday afternoon report will mark the first big test of the year for AMD, which saw its shares more than double in 2019, the biggest gain in the S&P 500 for the second consecutive year.
AMD earnings preview: Intel’s data-center surge will be a tough act to follow
The holiday quarter is always huge for Amazon, but with growing scale and ambition comes more logistical complexity. Shares took a hit three months back after the company’s spending on one-day Prime delivery and other initiatives drove its first year-over-year drop in profits since 2017. D.A. Davidson’s Tom Forte said investors will once again be watching for the impact of investment spending on Amazon’s profits, both in the latest results and the company’s forecast. Amazon is on the calendar for Thursday afternoon.
GE earnings preview: If 2019 was a ‘reset’ year, what will CEO Culp call 2020?
Other S&P 500 components on the weekly docket include Starbucks Corp. SBUX, -1.83% and Harley-Davidson Inc. HOG, -0.06% on Tuesday; AT&T T, -0.34% , General Electric Co. GE, -0.51% , Mondelez Intl Inc. MDLZ, -0.63% , PayPal Holdings Inc. PYPL, -0.77% and ServiceNow Inc. NOW, -0.66% on Wednesday; and Eli Lilly & Co. LLY, -1.52% , Amgen Inc. AMGN, -4.02% and United Parcel Service Inc. UPS, -0.23% on Friday.
Tesla Inc. TSLA, -1.29% already cleared its first big hurdle of 2020, but Wednesday offers one more. The company posted better-than-expected delivery numbers earlier this month, pushing the company to a surprise beat on its annual target. With shares up 33% over the past month and 88% over three months, the next question is whether the momentum has remained, and Tesla’s outlook should give investors a better picture of how production and factory projects could play out in the coming months.
Tesla earnings preview: Will results help keep the rally alive?


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Convergys Corp. (NYSE: CVG) reported third-quarter revenue of $508 million, up 3 percent from the same period a year ago, as the company saw strong seasonal volume and high demand for live-agent services.
Total net income declined sharply to $28 million. Net income from continuing operations was $30 million, up 30 percent from adjusted net income of $23 million in the same period last year. Prior-year adjusted net income excludes the $168 million impact of downtown Cincinnati-based Convergys’ sale of interests in cellular partnerships and information management-related costs.
Earnings per share from continuing operations were 26 cents, in the year-ago quarter. Analysts had predicted, on average, 21 cents.
“We delivered our sixth consecutive quarter of revenue growth and profit improvement,” said Andrea Ayers, Convergys’ incoming CEO. “As a well capitalized market-leader in customer management, we are in a unique position to invest in what matters most to our clients.”
The company raised its full-year earnings-per-share guidance to 89 cents to 92 cents from previous predictions of 80 cents to 85 cents.
Convergys is a customer management company with about 75,000 employees at call centers throughout the world.
Incoming executive chairman Jeff Fox noted in a press release that Convergys paid a 5-cent cent dividend and repurchased $57 million of its stock in the third quarter.
- Revenue: $508 million, +3%
- Net income: $28 million, -87%
- Operating income: $39.1 million, +39%
- Selling, general and administrative expenses: $118 million, -4%


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How corrupt is your air cargo business?
BRIBERY and corrupt practices are thriving within the global air cargo and logistics industries whose managers continue to shy away from even acknowledging its existence.
Across the world, airfreight contracts and agreements are being sealed with ‘sweeteners’ and ‘oiled-palms’ behind closed doors, particularly in Africa, India and in the Far East.
The guilty companies turn a blind eye to the unspoken, hidden crisis in air cargo – despite a major report’s revelations that a company employing strict anti-bribery corporate governance measures is more likely to enjoy enhanced profitability, writes Thelma Etim.
The ‘old school’ bribery culture – something from which the flagging air cargo business suffers given its ponderous approach to new technologies, for example – is largely to blame, reveals international law firm Eversheds, author of anti-bribery and corruption report Beneath the Surface.
‘..you have to pay bribes, otherwise you are going to be unsuccessful’
Some 500 board-level executives of large organisations across 12 countries took part in a survey of how businesses are responding to bribery and corrupt practices in 2016.
“You often hear lots of old-school people saying: You know what, if you are going to work in certain countries you have to pay bribes, otherwise you are going to be unsuccessful,’’ Neill Blundell, a partner at Eversheds and a highly experienced fraud and regulatory lawyer, reveals in a BBC News report.
“But actually what the study has shown is the companies with good anti-bribery systems and controls, companies that minimise their risk, are more likely to be successful: 14 per cent [revenue] growth over three years in high-risk jurisdictions in comparison with 12 per cent [growth] over the same period [within companies without the same measures in place],” he says.
So why does corruption remain omnipresent in air cargo dealings? Blundell lays the blame at the globalisation of trade and fresh opportunities in new, immature markets. “Companies are moving into new jurisdictions. We see very exciting opportunities in Africa, for example, and in South America, and companies are having to go in and deal with different jurisdictions, regimes and ideas amongst the local people who work for them as well,” he observes.
Businesses are operating unlawfully in emerging economies
“But they need to bring that ethical message into the new jurisdictions to make sure they are behaving in the right way, and actually if they do they are more likely to be successful because that is borne out by the statistics,” he insists.
Blundell’s observations about air cargo and other businesses operating unlawfully in emerging economies are corroborated by expansive research conducted by USA, Annapolis-based, anti-corruption business association TRACE International.
The non-profit organisation has created a global business bribery risk index, called the Trace Matrix, which names a number of major air cargo markets as high risk areas. These include Nigeria, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Venezuela.
Global air cargo logistics supply chains remain especially vulnerable to becoming embroiled in corrupt practices, ranging from illicit financial flows – illegal movements of money or capital from one country to another through trade mis-invoicing – to locally-paid enticements and inducements masquerading as hospitality, gifts and favours.
Russian lawyer Katya Lysova, an associate at TRACE, asserts in her blog for aircargoeye.com that the companies operating in the supply chain should train their front-line staff on how to resist bribery and corrupt practice demands.
“Logistics and freight forwarding services are a high-risk industry from an anti-bribery compliance standpoint due to their frequent interactions with foreign government officials in ports, airports, Customs and immigration,” Lysova warns.
Increased scrutiny against corrupt practices
She notes that since Swiss forwarder Panalpina’s 2010 case, logistics and freight forwarding companies have been under increased scrutiny by both enforcement agencies and their own corporate clients.
Panalpina admits that between 2002 and 2007, it paid thousands of bribes totalling at least US$27 million to foreign officials in at least seven countries, including Angola, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Russia and Turkmenistan, on behalf of many of its customers in the oil and gas industry.
More recently the UK’s Serious Fraud Office’s investigation into F H Bertling, a UK-based subsidiary of the Germany-headquartered Bertling Group, has resulted in seven individuals being charged with bribing an agent of the Angolan state oil company Sonangol, to further F H Bertling’s business operations in that country. The alleged activity occurred between January 2005 and December 2006. The case is pending before the UK’s Southwark Crown Court.
Since transparency and frank discussion almost always ushers in progress, why has corruption and anti-bribery never been on the agendas of the prolific revenue-generating air cargo conferences and exhibitions which take place around the world?
Why is bribery not on the conference agendas of industry organisations, such as those of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA)? Maybe TIACA’s self-focused website exists as a metaphor for how it prioritises key issues.
And apart from a document from the World Customs Organisation on standards, there is no mention of the work that organisation is doing to stamp out this pernicious menace.
Similarly, airline association IATA’s website proffers only a training course on business ethics, targeting managers, general counsels, human resource professionals and entrepeneurs. Those who decide to undertake ‘24-hours of instruction’ delivered by an IATA instructor will learn how to ‘manage cultural attitudes towards bribery and corruption’ are among aspects listed.
However, forwarder association FIATA’s logistics academy at least recognises the existence of the scandal. It goes much further, proffering a course entitled Preventing Bribery and Corruption in a Global Economy and another on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for its freight forwarding members.
A quick search for material related to corruption and bribery on the Airports Council International website lands nil results . . strange given the untold global media reports, which reveal how many airports around the world are clearly struggling with this issue.
Read Katya Lysova’s blog here


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It has been almost a year since rumours started floating around a smart TV from OnePlus, falling by an official confirmation of the same. Today, the company took to its blog to make the name of the TV official. Any guesses what it will be called? The OnePlus TV (we all expected that). OnePlus officially confirmed the name and revealed the logo of the smart TV.
The OnePlus TV, as we have been calling it so far, will be OnePlus' first venture into the smart TV experience. With all smartphone brands now jumping in the smart TV category, OnePlus could officially be the first smartphone brand to launch a smart TV this year. In India, OnePlus will be the second phone brand to bring a TV after Xiaomi's Mi TV that came early in 2018.
In the blog, OnePlus has only talked about the name and logo of the TV. No information has bene given about the specifications or features of the OnePlus TV. OnePlus also hasn't shed any light on when can we expect the TV to hit our markets.
However, OnePlus is still sticking to the same phrase it has been using since last year for the TV - it will offer a smart connected home experience. The company will continue to work on the TV in the future to evolve it into a smarter product.
While OnePlus is unwilling to speak anything about the OnePlus TV, leaks floating on the web have been suggesting that we could expect the OnePlus TV to hit the market by the end of September or early October, just before the festive season begins. The Bluetooth SIG certification site recently passed the remote controller for the OnePlus TV and it hints at an imminent launch.
Another certification listing also suggested all the screen sizes the OnePlus TV will be available in the global markets. India is expected to get an exclusive 43-inch screen size which won't be available in other markets. The other sizes will include 55-inch and 65-inch, and these will be also coming to India. A massive 75-inch size will also be available but only for the US and China markets.
As for the prices, nobody knows how much this TV will cost. However, given that OnePlus usually goes for the flagship killer tag, these could compete with Xiaomi's Mi TV 4 series.


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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Li Qin, board secretary of BYD, said on December 9 that the company has started to sell its battery products to other companies. The company’s battery products had been for in-house needs for a long time.
According to Li, BYD Company Limited will expand its sales business in the coming years. And with good sales performance, the company may split its battery business from the whole group.
Currently, BYD has been expanding its production capacity of power battery. According to the data released by the company in November, the company’s total power battery production capacity will reach 16 gigawatt-hours (GWh) by the end of this year. Its lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery production will be up to 10 GWh while the rest is NMC/NCA battery. Besides, the company plans to add another 10 GWh NMC/NCA battery and the total expected capacity will be up to 26 GWh.
In May this year, it is said that BYD had spun off its battery business and the decision has been implemented inside the company, which means the company will abandon its vertical production and sales mode and that it will supply battery products to the whole new energy vehicle market.
Gasgoo not only offers timely news and profound insight about China auto industry, but also help with business connection and expansion for suppliers and purchasers via multiple channels and methods. Buyer service: firstname.lastname@example.org Seller Service: email@example.com
All Rights Reserved. Do not reproduce, copy and use the editorial content without permission. Contact us: firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Machine Learning's Role in Windows 10 Upgrades
In a blog post this week, Microsoft data scientists Archana Ramesh and Michael Stephenson detailed how the company uses machine learning algorithms to ensure Windows 10 feature upgrades are rolled out successfully.
Microsoft has explained before that it uses PC "telemetry" information and machine learning to assess the readiness of PCs for Windows 10 feature upgrade releases, which arrive twice per year. A Windows 10 feature upgrade essentially replaces the underlying operating system's bits with a new OS version. The process is called an "in-place upgrade." However, there are lots of potential issues that can arise with each OS upgrade, given the variations in hardware, drivers and software that exist, as well as flaws that may be present in the upgrade itself.
Some Windows 10 upgrade releases have been minor disasters. For instance, some Windows 10 version 1809 users experienced data losses after getting that upgrade. Microsoft responded at the time by halting the update's delivery more broadly after the data losses had become known.
Microsoft recently became more active about publishing information about known issues concerning its feature updates and cumulative updates, which can be found in this "Windows Message Center" page, although it lacks an RSS feed. As of Sept. 26, the Message Center indicated that Windows 10 version 1903, the "May 2019 Update," is now "ready for broad deployment for all users via Windows Update." Arguably, Windows 10 version 1903 was supposed to be ready when it was released back in May, though.
How Machine Learning Is Used
Ramesh and Stephenson explained that the use of machine learning algorithms to estimate the success of a Windows 10 feature upgrades first started with Windows 10 version 1803. Microsoft has since improved the process, they indicated, and its algorithms now check "35 areas of PC health" before determining if a machine can successfully run a new feature upgrade.
PCs get "nominated for updates" via this machine learning approach, they explained. Microsoft uses upgrade information from "early adopters" (Windows Insider Program testers and those "seeking" Windows 10 upgrades) to predict which machines will have a good upgrade experience, and that information gets used in the algorithms.
PC upgrade readiness is assessed based on the success of "similar hardware configurations that have successfully updated." Microsoft took that approach because of the "unique diversity of the Windows ecosystem," with its various hardware and software configurations.
Microsoft's previous approach with assessing upgrade readiness had been more manual, Ramesh and Stephenson explained:
Historically, compatibility issues were detected via laborious lab tests, feedback, support calls, and other channels. While these channels are still used, applying ML to the diagnostic data from the PCs in our broad ecosystem enables us to identify the patterns (in hardware characteristics, drivers, applications, etc.) that are most correlated with any update-related disruption.
Microsoft has been improving this machine learning process. More work will be done to ensure that it's "more automated, and agile enough to catch issues in a few seconds rather than hours," the data scientists promised. The machine learning model was built using the Microsoft Azure Databricks service. Microsoft Power BI is used to further clean the data, Ramesh and Stephenson added.
Need for Telemetry
The blog post didn't describe the ongoing quality assurance issues Microsoft has had with its OS upgrades and cumulative update patches. Possibly, Microsoft may not be getting all of the telemetry information it needs, especially from organizations, to fix issues before releasing Windows 10 feature updates.
This week, Microsoft announced that it is facilitating access to Windows 10 previews for organizations using the Windows Server Update Services management solution with System Center Configuration Manager. Possibly, it'll make it easier for organizations to send back test information to Microsoft, thereby improving the quality of OS upgrade releases.
By design, consumer users of the Windows 10 Home edition are still deemed "guinea pig" testers of new Windows 10 upgrades by Microsoft. Unlike organizations, they have few options for deferring upgrade releases to avoid early problems.
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.