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As the UK contactless limit is set to increase, Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland are set to grant consumers heightened control over their spending limits.
The trio of financial firms are set to allow users to determine their own contactless spending limits via mobile applications.
Lloyds Banking Group’s Philip Robinson, commented on the move: “When the contactless limit increases, our customers will be able to use new tools in our mobile app to switch contactless on and off and also set their own transaction limit.
“We’ve listened to customer feedback to introduce this option which will allow them to make the most of the £100 limit in a way that works for them.”
Users will also have the ability to remove contactless payments altogether – in a bid to further deepen their transactional control and alleviate fears over the threat of fraudulent activity.
The contactless limit in the UK was increased from £45 to £100 as contactless engagement grew significantly throughout the pandemic and the UK was no longer impacted by EU regulations following Brexit.
The decision to raise the limit from £45 to £100 was made by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and HM Treasury, based on public constitutions and discussion with both retail and banking, and was publicly revealed as part of the Spring Budget in March 2021.
UK Finance, the banking and financial services trading body, has outlined its hope that the new limit will ‘give customers more flexibility when shopping instore’. Customers can either ask in store or follow the prompts on a card payment machine when making a transaction to check if a retailer has updated to a new limit.
At the time, Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, remarked: “Increasing the contactless limit will make it easier than ever to pay safely and securely – whether that’s at the local shops, or your favourite pub and restaurant. As people get back to the high street, millions of payments will be made simpler, providing a welcome boost for retailers and shoppers.”


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Samsung’s Galaxy S8 will not launch until April 2017, with the Korean company planning to reveal the device at a special event in New York.
Sources involved at Samsung’s global strategy meeting in Korea claim that the company is delaying the launch, which was initially slated for late February at the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in Barcelona.
Launching at MWC would see Samsung having to fight for coverage with big players like LG, as well as upstart mobile makers.
There has long been talk of a Galaxy S8 delay. Some sources, including one in Samsung’s own engineering team, have apparently said the hold up is down to ensuring the device’s battery is safe for release.
Samsung was forced to discontinue its Galaxy Note 7 due to exploding batteries. It’s thought that the debacle has hit its bottom line, especially with Apple’s iPhone 7 being judged as a critical and commercial success.
The Galaxy S8 is said to come with a dual lens camera, improved display and Samsung’s first ever virtual assistant tool.
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First Look podcast: Wal-Mart, 10th SBAs Wal-Mart goes big ServiceMaster joins MiLB sponsor roster Holograms produce real results in sports Logano driving off-track studio concept Lefton Report: Pepsi challenge Toyota first in-ice sponsor of Knights Etihad renews MLS deal, plans content More NBA teams sign jersey sponsors Emirates to sponsor USA Rugby series
SBJ/Jan. 24-30, 2011/Marketing and Sponsorship
New packages sell for Winter X
Published January 24, 2011, Page 8
Winter X Games 15, which begins Thursday in Aspen, Colo., will feature 25 partners across five categories. A year ago, it had 17 partners across two categories. Two years ago, it had 10 sponsors across three categories known as gold, silver and bronze.
|Winter X 15 Sponsors|
Source: X Games
"We're very happy with the traction we've been able to get in the marketplace, considering the shift in overall sponsor packages and our approach to event sponsorships," said Chris Stiepock, X Games vice president of content and sponsorship development. "This list shows that we've been able to listen to sponsors and tailor packages more in line with their preferences."
ESPN developed five categories for this year's X Games: official partners, multimedia sponsors, TV-only sponsors, digital-only sponsors and sponsors.
Official partners get rights to the X Games marks, on-site activation, on-site signage, and a fully integrated media buy across ESPN's TV, digital, print and radio platforms. Multimedia sponsors will receive on-site signage and activation rights and TV and digital advertising.
The TV- and digital-only partners will receive no on-site rights, while X Games sponsors will receive exclusively on-site rights and no media exposure.
ESPN sold out of its suite inventory at the base of the superpipe, where it has six suites, and sold enough guest passes to its VIP room to be at capacity. ESPN developed both the suite and hospitality programs in the last two years as a way to drive additional revenue around the event.
"We recognize that our event is a good place to do business even if you're not a sponsor," Stiepock said.


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India Ports Reverse Trade Mission
Dates: September 24-28, 2012
Locations: Washington, DC/Baltimore, MD; San Diego and Los Angeles, CA
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is sponsoring a Ports Reverse Trade Mission (RTM) to the United States to familiarize ten Indian public and private industry representatives with U.S. technologies and services in the ports sector. The group will be visiting with U.S. equipment, technology and service providers in Washington, DC; San Diego and Los Angeles, CA.
A Business Briefing will be held in San Diego, CA on September 27, 2012.
For more information about meeting with the delegation, please contact Andrea Klein at the Meridian International Group at firstname.lastname@example.org or (202) 939-5899.
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Trendsetters: The Return of the Oyster
If you’ve perused a restaurant menu lately looking for Georgia-grown oysters, you’ve been out of luck. But now, thanks to the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service, local oysters on the half-shell will be a reality by next winter.
“Everybody is trying to get back in touch with where their food comes from,” says Tom Bliss, director of the extension’s Shellfish Research Lab, which has found a way at its Skidaway Institute to convince local oysters that usually attach to each other in clusters to go it alone. “We get calls from restaurants wanting to know where they can find Georgia oysters.”
Wild oysters grow throughout 157,000 acres of intertidal saltwater marshes along the coast. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources limits harvesting of wild bivalves to fewer than 20 licensed oystermen to maintain quality. The oyster shells vary in size and are hard and brittle, so while they are often sold locally for private roasts, restaurants don’t typically put them on the menu.
“People in the coastal area just love their clumped oysters, but being able to provide single oysters opens up additional markets for our growers,” Bliss says.
Oysters are nothing new here; in fact, the state was a hotbed of oyster cultivation in the early 1900s. Back then, canned oysters were hugely popular, and the state harvested more oyster meat than anywhere else in the country – some 8 million pounds a year.
However, there were no regulations on the industry, so in the attempt to meet diners’ appetites, local oysters were plucked from the water one too many times and the industry dried up.
“They did overharvest certain areas, and then interest in canned oysters started to tail off. So it was a two-fold thing,” Bliss says. By the 1960s, the last of the shucking houses along the Georgia coast were gone.
Off the coast of Skidaway Island, researchers have now established a hatchery that “sets” oyster larvae – called spat – so that they will grow one by one rather than in clumps. Then researchers give them to local oystermen, who carefully tend their crops for the next 15 months before harvesting and selling them to seafood distributors. In return, the oystermen share their experiences and data with the scientists to continue to perfect the system.
“It takes more labor to [grow single oysters], but the value of the oyster goes up considerably,” Bliss says. While wild oysters sell for $35 to $60 for a bag of several hundred, a single oyster can be sold for anywhere between 35 cents and $1.
This year, the hatchery provided 300,000 to 600,000 spat. By 2018, when the hatchery is well established, it will be producing between 5 million and 6 million spat per year – about $1.6 million worth. Eventually, the hope is that a commercial hatchery will set up shop and grow the industry to an even larger capacity.
Much like the way the dirt grapevines are grown in affects the flavor of a wine, how oysters taste is in part determined by the water they live in.
So while Moon Shoals oysters grown along Cape Cod have a citrusy, almost vanilla-like flavor and Miyagi oysters from the West Coast have a buttery and mineraly taste, Georgia’s oysters tend to be salty and almost sweet with what some locals describe as a hint of lemongrass.
“Oysters take on the flavors of the waters that they’re in, and Georgia oysters are always a little bit saltier,” Bliss says, adding that the single oysters can be sold far beyond Georgia’s state lines. “There’s a lot of people who like tasting that regional difference. Some of the higher-end raw bars, they might carry 12 varieties and each one is from a different location.”
When Dave Snyder, owner and executive chef of St. Simons Island restaurants Halyards and Tramici, is asked if he would put single Georgia oysters on the half-shell on his menu, his reply is an enthusiastic “Heck yeah.
“There’s nothing comparable when you have something coming out of the ocean that’s only one or two days old,” Snyder says. “That’s worth paying for.” – Christy Simo


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Industry insider news for Australia's technology resellers
These search results are from across the Techday network of sites
Chillisoft signs Sophos IT expert
Shirley Wigley has joined Chillisoft as Major Accounts Manager to focus on enterprise and government interests.
Sophos gives away Mac anti-virus
No charge, no time limit and no registration. So what's the catch?
Adobe PDF insecure, experts say
Security experts say Adobe’s PDF standard, the widely used platform for exchanging and viewing large documents, should be scrapped because it is inherently unsafe.
US extends spamming lead
The USA has extended its lead as the world's top spamming nation.
Sophos tightens cloud security
New antivirus solutions launched into the cloud to defend against fake anti-virus and targeted malware threats.
Scammers use iPhone 4G as bait
The promise of a free next generation iPhone being used to gather email addresses and other personal information.
Apax acquires majority interest in Sophos
Sophos has reached an agreement to sell a majority interest in the company to Apax Partners.
Sophos strengthens data protection strategy
SafeGuard Enterprise 5.50 is a multi-layered endpoint data security encryption and data leakage prevention solution.
WatchGuard names NZ territory manager
Clive Donde (pictured) has been appointed the company's first NZ Territory Manager.
Bootlegged software users urged to get patches
Microsoft is urging people whose computers are running with pirated Windows software to install official Microsoft security patches – and promises not to punish them.
Tech site hacked twice
Popular technology news Web site
Users stray away from IE
With France and Germany suggesting that users abandon Internet Explorer for other internet browsers, Sophos warns of the complications of temporarily switching browsers.
Time to change your password?
Email-based scams are the current attack of choice for phishers, and have prompted widespread warnings about being too casual with your passwords.
Infected iPhone? Duh!
Another iPhone worm has surfaced in the wake of the recent
New iPhone malware steals online banking credentials
A new piece of malware based on the recent Ikee worm has the ability to steal online banking credentials from jailbroken iPhones.
iWorm ikee: Sex and Drugs and Rick and Roll
The iPhone, it seems, is under siege: a recent worm exploits a known (and previously exploited) vulnerability that affects the owners of ‘jailbroken’ phones on which OpenSSH has been installed.
Rick roll worm for iPhone users
Some iPhone users in Australia have been on the receiving end of the first in-the-wild virus for Apple’s iPhone, which changes the phone’s background photo to one of 1980s singer Rick Astley, a technique commonly known as Rick rolling.
FaceTime integrates Sophos AV
The company has licensed a virus detection engine from Sophos that will be integrated into its Unified Security Gateway (USG) 3.
Base2 holds 'Lunch and Learn' series
Held last week in Auckland, Base 2 held the inaugural event in its "Lunch and Learn" series, which will be held every few months.
Twitter users have become the focus of a wave of attacks targeting social networks.
Emphasising value above cost: IT & the education vertical
The education vertical can be divided into three key segments – K-12, K-12 private and tertiary – each with its own list of needs, issues, challenges and constraints.
Integrated security solutions
Microsoft forefront security for exchange server
Server security and management are converging.
Mobility: eight business opportunities to explore
* F-Secure Although it’s been in the security business for 20 years Wellington-based Scientific Software and Systems (SSS) has only recently stepped into the mobile security market.
WIN - Small business sales by talking their language
With the majority of New Zealand businesses falling into the small to medium enterprise (SME) category it makes sense to start working to meet the needs of this diverse group.


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The city of Mississauga has a lot to celebrate this year as it’s been recognized as the second Most Loved Travel Destination in Canada, and among the Top 100 Most Loved Travel Destinations in the world, according to the Tourism Sentiment Index (TSI).
In a press release announcement, Mississauga credits its win to “hundreds of restaurants serving up a diverse variety of cuisines” and “the resiliency of [its] local restauranteurs and a tremendous outpouring of community support.”
The TSI’s ranking is based on sentiment analysis on millions of conversations and content posted publicly online. In Mississauga’s case, the analysis showed that the city is loved for its plethora and quality of its dining and takeout options.
“We’re proud that the positive feedback being shared online is helping to shine a spotlight on the amazing amenities Mississauga has to offer,” said Tourism Mississauga CEO Victoria Clarke. “Mississauga’s ranking in this index reinforces the love that both locals and visitors from across Canada have for our city. We’re extremely grateful to our community for continuing to support our restaurants and our tourism sector overall over the past two years. It’s that support that makes it possible for local businesses to continue to offer a world-class experience.”
The Tourism Sentiment Index for Canada ranked Mississauga second out of 50 Canadian cities and 42nd out of 100 cities globally. In its analysis, Mississauga was also lauded for its convenience when it comes to travel.
“Convenience is a big part of Mississauga’s popularity, both for fun getaways and business travel. Mississauga is known for its urban centre, offering a wealth of shopping, culinary, sports and entertainment options, but there’s also so much more to discover,” added Clarke. “What some people may not realize is that we have over 500 parks, and we also have a growing arts scene that’s steeped in our diverse Canadian culture.”
For more details about everything Mississauga has to offer, visit the Tourism Mississauga website.
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Fabric from old Metrodome roof to be sold as duffel, shotgun shell bags
With the welcome demolition of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Mall of America Field) looming as the Minnesota Vikings embark on the assumed final season at the old, rickety stadium before the team plays a few seasons at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus as it awaits the construction on its brand-spanking-new stadium to be completed, two entrepreneurs are ratcheting up the salesmanship in a bid to profit off the decision to purchase a huge hunk of the old roof after it collapsed in spectacular fashion during a blizzard in December, 2010.
According to a report from Charley Walters in the Pioneer Press, two Twin Cities-based businessmen, Jim Cunningham, the Twins’ game management voice, and Tim O’Phelan, son of late Twins physician Harvey O’Phelan, purchased three acres of the dilapidated, weather-stained roof for $4,000.
Cunningham and O’Phelan reportedly cut and cleaned the chunk of teflon by hand and made a deal with Duluth Pack, an outdoors apparel/gear business conveniently based in Duluth, Minn., to manufacture duffel bags and oddly, shotgun shell bags out of the refurbished material. The two entrepreneurs will receive a cut of the profits.
Said Cunningham: “We kept it out of a landfill,” adding, “And there’s a lot of history under that roof, including the 1987 and 1991 World Series championships. It’s historical memorabilia.”
Indeed it is. Folks in the Minnesota area can take a gander at the Metrodome roof bags at the State Fair in a few weeks.
This isn’t the first time someone has attempted to profit off the roof collapse. In April of 2011, anyone who was interested could have moseyed up to the Metrodome and bought a hunk of it for $4. What a deal.


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The mammoth wave of entrepreneurial activity in India has fuelled the dreams of umpteen grandmothers who wanted to prove their mettle by fulfilling their dream of running their own ventures. These five women entrepreneurs defied age to prove that it is never too late to start something new.
- Harbhajan Kaur
95-year-old Harbhajan Kaur began her entrepreneurial journey five years ago. Backed by her daughter, she started her sweet brand called ‘Harbhajan’s-Bachpan yaad aa jaaye’ under which she makes organic besan ki barfi sold at the organic mandi in Chandigarh.
What drove her to do so? According to her daughter, she wanted to taste financial independence once in her lifetime which drove her to take the entrepreneurial plunge.
“Life is all about evolving. You will do new things only when you learn new things,” she said in an interview.
2. Urmila Jamnadas Asher
Urmila Jamnadas Asher was quite upset when her grandson met with an accident and lost his job which shattered his confidence. She knew she had to do something to cheer him up and support him financially. That’s when she started her snack business at 77 with the help of her grandson. The menu included pickles, thepla, dhokla, Puran poli, farali and other Gujarati snacks as well.
Within a year, their revenue touched Rs. 45 lacs. The duo then hired more people and expanded their business as well. She is also a TEDx speaker now and keeps travelling to various cities sharing her story with others and motivating them to never give up in life.
3. Sheela Bajaj
Sheela Bajaj, a 78-year-old grandmother based in Delhi, started a knitting business called Caught Craft Handed along with her granddaughter. The latter then created an Instagram page during the pandemic to display the knitting designs and sell them from there. The various products Caught Craft Handed sells includes crochet earrings, bags, scrunchies, toys, warmers, and home decor items.
4. Usha Gupta
87-year-old Usha Gupta lost her husband to COVID-19 last year. A few weeks later, she started a pickle business to lessen her pain as well as the pain of thousands of families who were struggling financially due to COVID-19.
She started with three flavours – khatta aam, grated mango chutney and gulabi meetha achaar. The initial orders came from friends and family. Gradually, she started getting a lot of orders through Instagram. Within 2 months, she was able to raise close to Rs 20,000 by selling pickles which she donated to the needy.
In an interview with SheThePeople, she said, “We can’t escape suffering–The only way to deal with it is by connecting with other people, empathising with them and helping them ease their suffering. I am sure my husband is watching me from above and is proud of what I am doing.” Watch her full story here.
5. Veena Malhotra
64-year-old Veena Malhotra established Veena Ji’s Hair Oil in 2021 as a solution to the unusual amount of hair fall she was experiencing after suffering from chikungunya and undergoing a knee surgery. With an initial investment of just of Rs 10,000, the business today sells over 30 bottles of hair oil every month which include herbs like ashwagandha (Indian ginseng) shankhpushpi (morning glory), methi dana (fenugreek seeds), kalaunji (black caraway), kala til (black sesame) and amla powder (gooseberry).


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LONDON -- The FTSE 100 is still looking pretty glum, having dropped a further 2% to close at 6,525 points today despite a general uptick for the mining sector. With companies like Tesco and ARM Holdings falling, the overall trend was down.
But even on a day like today, we still saw some rises across the various indexes. Here are two that are looking positive.
Associated British Foods
Associated British Foods shares gained 1.4% to reach 1,837 pence after the firm's wholly owned British Sugar subsidiary announced that it is to redeem some of its debt financing. The firm will repay its entire £150 million, 10.75% redeemable debenture stock 2013 on July 2, with all interest accrued to that date.
The boost has helped the Associated British Foods share price to reverse from recent minor falls -- but it's still up more than 60% over the past 12 months.
Looking to a much smaller company now, the wonderfully named Bango saw its shares pick up 3.8% to 204 pence. Today's boost came when the mobile web-payments and analytics company announced that it has signed an agreement with Mozilla to offer Bango as an option for content paid for via the Firefox Marketplace app store -- it should be launched this year.
The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but it's a big win for Bango's technology and services.
Finally, if you're looking for investments that should take you all the way to a comfortable retirement, I recommend the Fool's special new report detailing five blue-chip shares. They'll be familiar names to many, and they've already provided investors with decades of profits. But the report will only be available for a limited period, so click here to get your hands on these great ideas -- they could set you on the road to long-term riches.
The article Why Associated British Foods and Bango Beat the FTSE 100 Today originally appeared on Fool.com.
Alan Oscroft has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Associated British Foods. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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ITALY: Asia drives Armani growth
Rapid growth in Asia and aggressive retail expansion fuelled record revenues of EUR1.43bn (US$1.73bn) in fiscal 2005 for fashion and luxury goods powerhouse The Armani Group.
Consolidated net revenues rose 10% for the year ending 31 December 2005, while EBITDA was up 10% to EUR263m and EBIT increased 18% to EUR191m.
The strong figures came at the end of a year which saw Armani open 41 new stores around the world, the launch of the Giorgio Armani Privé couture collection and a new joint venture for the worldwide expansion of the A/X Armani Exchange brand.
Mother brand Giorgio Armani posted sales growth of 5%, Armani Collezioni was up 12%, Emporio Armani increased 8% and Armani Jeans rose 9%.
The company said Greater China now represented 3% of wholesale revenues, thanks to rapid expansion with 35 stores and 28 shop-in-shops by the end of the year.
Globally, direct retail sales were up 9%, with the highlights a 24% hike for China, an 11% rise in Japan, and increases of 10% in the EU and 3% in the US.
"In this record-breaking year for the Armani Group, we have many achievements to celebrate," said Giorgio Armani, president and chief executive.
"With nearly EUR5bn in retail sales, one of the world's most powerful brand names, significant internal resources to fund organic growth and a clear vision for expansion based on a uniquely successful multi-brand fashion and lifestyle strategy, we can look forward to the future with great optimism and confidence."
- Under Armour Lighthouse will disrupt production
- Will new Vietnam wage hinder competitiveness?
- How TAL Apparel is staying ahead of the game
- Digitisation to drive new apparel-making models
- Ethiopia violence undermines sourcing strategies
- Marks & Spencer top for modern slavery reporting
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- Apparel (GLOBAL) - Industry Report
- Global Sports and Fitness Wear Market 2016-2020


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Check out how Legends' mechanics translate to a handheld environment.
Rayman Legends confirmed for PlayStation Vita
Barbara as AC3: Liberation's Aveline? Sweet.
New character Barbara attempts to navigate the oddities of Rayman's universe.
It's available for free.
Wii U owners get some Rayman Candy early on
Ubisoft expands the range of platforms for their delayed platformer.
Wii U gets Challenge Mode later this month
To allay fans' frustrations, of course.
The publisher is adamant on releasing all three versions together.
Can of worms.
Decision motivated by desire to cater to more Rayman fans.
Everything you want to know about the game.
The armless creature who could is finally coming to Europe.
Japanese gamers will be able to experience Ubisoft's exclusive courtesy of Nintendo next Spring.
Check out these screenshots from Rayman Legends.
One of the best launch games ever.
The Wii U loses a launch title
Ubisoft taking the time to create a game that lives up to the hype.
ZombieU announced as launch title.


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HIMS Inc. Releases New Pocket-sized Media Player that Gives Blind and Visually Impaired Near-instant Access to Printed Text
Blaze EZ Multi-player is the first digital book player to give the visually impaired near-instant audio playback of printed materials and single-button access to Wi-Fi, documents, books, music and more.
Austin, TX (PRWEB) May 29, 2014
Blaze EZ, a new device available from Austin, Texas-based HIMS Inc. is likely to become a favorite among those with visual impairments. Those who are blind now have independent and fast access to printed materials from a digital book reader without the need for a laptop, camera, scanner or personal assistance from a relative or friend. This new device, aptly described by its makers as a ‘multi-player’ is about the size of a deck of cards, and in addition to OCR text-to-speech access to printed text has the capability to read and/or play a host of digital document and media formats including eBooks, DAISY books, Word documents and PDF files, music, internet radio and more.
This new device was announced just this spring at the CSUN International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference in San Diego, California yet already the Internet and assistive technology (AT) community are buzzing with anticipation. Teachers of the visually impaired (TVI’s) and occupational therapists (OT’s) have been very vocal about their excitement about what this could mean for their …..
Read more: http://www.prweb.com/releases/blindness-low-vision-tech/HIMS-Inc/prweb11897781.htm


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The Mobile World Congress (MWC) the annual phone show event that brings the largest and most popular brands of the phone industry at one place. Held in Barcelona, Spain, this year’s MWC show will be starting on February 27 and will last for the next five days, until March 2nd.
As usual, the most famous names in the mobile industry will be participating to showcase their newest and upgraded mobile devices and technologies. MWC will be the hottest technology show of 2017 and will be hosting the introduction of a couple of flagship devices that will become the face of their respective companies until the year ends.
Samsung, Huawei, Sony, Nokia, and LG will be among the top-notch brands that will be making Barcelona home of their products. Other popular brands will be there, but these can be considered as the hottest names.
What you can expect from MWC 2017, the biggest mobile industry trade show of the year is the introduction of flagship phones, wearable devices, tablet computers, new innovative technologies, and even futuristic foldable phones.
- 1 Quick Dive
- 2 Samsung
- 3 LG G6
- 4 Huawei
- 5 Sony
- 6 Motorola
- 7 Nokia
- 8 ZTE
- 9 LeEco X10
- 10 Meizu Pro 7
- What is it? MWC is the biggest trade show for mobile technologies of 2017
- When is it? MWC 2017 will start on February 27 and will last until March 2.
Samsung is the company that will disappoint no fan and goes head-first in Barcelona to showcase everything they have. The hottest Samsung product to have its announcement during the MWC is the Galaxy S8.
Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+
Samsung’s event at the MWC will be held on February 29 where the company will introduce the Android top dogs, Samsung Galaxy S8 phone in 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch versions. Launching as the first phone to run the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, it is rumored to be sporting QHD or 4K screen, have up to 8GB of RAM, and sport a dual-lens 12MP camera and curved edge design for both models.
Other rumored features of the Samsung Galaxy S8 consist of the support of a new Samsung Assistant called Bixby, Samsung DeX, Iris scanner, and even an S-Pen.
The Galaxy S8 has been part of numerous of online leaks, it is expected to run on a 3,000 mAh battery for the 5.8-inch version and a 3,500 mAh for the 6.2-inch Galaxy S8+ edition. Pricing of the Samsung’s 2017 flagship is expected to start at $860.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
Samsung will be soon releasing an Apple iPad Pro rival. The alleged tablet is rumored to be the Galaxy Tab S3 that will come in 9.7-inch size and sport a touchscreen display resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, run the Snapdragon 820 chipset with 4GB of RAM, and sport a 12MP camera on the rear combined with a 5MP snapper at the front. The new Samsung tablet is also rumored to be sporting the Stylus S-Pen.
More products by Samsung
Other Samsung devices that may exhibit an introduction at the MWC show are made up of a low-end Samsung phone with MediaTek processor, and the introduction of the company’s technology that will result in foldable phones.
LG will also be announcing its flagship at the MWC phone show in Barcelona. The G6 was rumored to be the first phone with Snapdragon 835 chipset out of the box, but this results in being impossible because Qualcomm has it impossible to provide needed chipsets for the Galaxy S8 and LG G6. To avoid a postpone in launch date, LG decided to give its flagship a lower Snapdragon 821 alternative. Maybe the company will release an LG G6 with Snapdragon 835 at a later time.
The LG G6 will be sporting a 5.7-inch QHD display, have up to 6GB of RAM, support wireless fast charging and might launch alongside the LG G6 Compact edition and other surprise LG devices.
Huawei is another top-notch name in the mobile industry that will be introducing multiple leading Android mobiles in China at the MWC. Including its Huawei P10 flagship. But that’s not all, Huawei will most likely partner with Google to announce the Android Wear 2.0 that will be housed on the 2nd generation of Huawei Watch.
Huawei P10 and P10 Plus
Huawei P10 and P10 Plus will be the face of the company for the whole year. The handsets are said to be sporting 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch respective displays with QHD resolution, but the larger Huawei P10 Plus will have it featuring the curved edge design.
The 5-2inch P10 edition will be running the Kirin 960 chipset while the curved Huawei P10 Plus will have an improved version of it, the Kirin 965. Both versions will be having 4GB and 6GB of RAM versions; the P10 will be sporting its fingerprint on the back side while the P10 Plus will have it mounted on the front-facing Home button.
Features and specs of the Huawei P10 leaked a couple of days ago, pricing of the P10 will start at $507 while the cost of P10 Plus will be a bit more expensive and begin at $725. Both versions of the Huawei flagship for 2017 will be sporting a dual 12MP camera on the rear made by Leica and 8MP selfie snapper on the front.
Huawei Watch 2
Huawei may debut Google’s latest operating for wearable devices with the upcoming smartwatch for Android, the Huawei Watch 2. The watch made its appearance on company’s VP Weibo account having “Made for free spirits” moto. Suggesting that the watch will be offering extended support in activity tracking.
Huawei 10,000 mAh power banks
Alongside Huawei P10 and Huawei Watch 2, Huawei will also be introducing three new versions of 10,000 mAh power banks that support quick charge technology. Huawei products will be introduced on February 26. But before that, Huawei will be announcing the Honor V9 on February 21. You just can’t get enough of Huawei!
Sony is reportedly set to launch five new phones at MWC 2017 and also a tablet computer. On the line upcoming Sony phones side phones running Snapdragon 835 chipset. The news was firstly announced by PhoneArena.
This is an unbelievable phone because of its specs. It is rumored to be sporting a 5.5-inch 4K display, Sony IMX400 camera, Snapdragon 835, and up to 6GB of RAM.
Another alleged 5.5-inch Sony phone that shares most of its DNA with the Yoshino version but has QHD resolution.
Sony Keyaki (zelkova)
A 5.2-inch Sony phone with Helio P20 and 1080 p display that sports a 23MP main camera and 16MP secondary selfie camera. This device matches with the Sony G3221.
Sony Hinoki (cypress)
This is the 5.2-inch low-end phone that leaked yesterday on GFXBench under the name of Sony Pikachu.
An unknown mid-range phone that has only the pricing publicly known, it is said to cost $350.
Lenovo’s Motorola main devices set for a launch at MWC will be the, Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus low-cost mobiles.
Motorola Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus
Motorola’s 2017 flagship remains to be a mysterious phone. All that is known regarding the handset consists of a 5.2-inch size for the Moto G5 Plus and the featuring of the 12MP Sony IMX362 primary camera alongside the 5MP OmniVision OV5695 selfie snapper. Processor of the Moto G5 and G5 Plus is rumored to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625.
After divorcing Microsoft, Nokia returned into being a major player in the mobile phone industry. The Finnish company announced the Nokia 6 at CES and is joining the MWC 2017 with the new Nokia 8 that runs Snapdragon 835 chipset.
Nokia 8 will be a 5.7-inch hi-end device that sports a QHD resolution and 24MP main camera along with a 12MP selfie snapper. The phone is rumored to be having up to 6GB of RAM and has leaked multiple times, twice to show its camera design.
ZTE will be holding a press conference at the MWC as well. Some of the hottest products that may come from ZTE might be the company’s first phone with curved screen, some low-range phones, and a running smartwatch device called ZTE Quartz.
ZTE Blade A520
ZTE might introduce the 5-inch Blade A520 low-end phone with FHD resolution. The device appeared on January on FCC.
ZTE Blade A602
The ZTE Blade A602 had its specifications and features cleared after appearing on the Chinese certification site, TENAA. Another low-end phone with 5.5-inch HD display, 8MP main camera, 2MP secondary camera, Android 6 and up to 3GB of RAM.
Unknown ZTE Nubia phone
An unknown ZTE phone belonging to Nubia line of devices appeared on leaked renders sporting a front-mounted fingerprint. The ZTE Nubia phones have all their fingerprint mounted on the back, we might see the multifunctional Home button on Nubia phones in the near future.
LeEco might be present at the MWC and introduce the new X10 phone that features four cameras. The alleged LeEco X10 appeared on a benchmarking site featuring dual cameras on both sides.
Meizu Pro 7
Meizu will be announcing the first phone with 4K display very soon. The phone will be bearing the brand of Meizu Pro 7 and will be a 5.7-incher that sports a display resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. Most of the Meizu Pro 7 specs and features have leaked and we’d be lucky to have it on the MWC.


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AirMap and Skyward Bring Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) to Commercial Drone Operations
Near real-time processing of FAA airspace authorizations now available on the DroneDeploy App Market
If you’ve ever been faced with flying a mission near a controlled airspace, you know the frustration. The lengthy FAA authorization form. The 90-day backlog. Drones are supposed to streamline your operations and give you real-time data, but there’s nothing streamlined about a 90-day wait period just to fly within five miles of an airport.
The good news: this frustrating backlog is finally coming to an end. DroneDeploy users can now skip the 90-day wait and apply for near real-time airspace authorization from directly within the DroneDeploy platform.
This month, DroneDeploy partners AirMap and Skyward are bringing this new capability to the industry, allowing you to take full advantage of LAANC — the FAA’s new Low-Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability initiative. (More on LAANC in a minute.)
Partnering closely with AirMap, DroneDeploy is one of a handful of early adopters to make the move ahead of the announcement. So what does all of this mean for DroneDeploy customers and the larger drone ecosphere? And what do you need to know to take advantage of it?
DroneDeploy Users Say Goodbye to FAA Backlogs at Airports
This much-anticipated move has been in the works since late 2017, when the FAA first launched its Low-Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) initiative. LAANC, which is in its BETA phase, allows drone operators to request digital airspace authorizations near selected airports.
AirMap and Skyward are already industry go-to’s for pre-flight airspace advisory checks, and they are some of the first platforms to be approved by the FAA to provide LAANC services. But they understood that for something like LAANC to really move the needle in the commercial drone industry, it had to be available to as many drone operators as possible.
“Based on customer feedback, we know most of their jobs are in controlled airspace and getting access to fly in these areas is one of their largest business pain points,” said Skyward co-president Mariah Scott. “Operators have had to wait 60–90 days to receive authorization under the existing system. Now, with Skyward and LAANC, enterprises can get approval to fly in just two clicks. With this hurdle gone, we can expect to see substantial adoption of drone technology at the enterprise level.”
AirMap’s Digital Airspace Authorizations are a Huge Step forward for DroneDeploy Customers
Needless to say, all of this is a game changer for many commercial drone operators. The three month wait period has been a major barrier for companies wanting to use drones in their operations. No project can just come to a screeching halt while the FAA slowly turns its bureaucratic wheels.
Under the old system, unless a company did some serious planning ahead, projects in controlled airspace were often forced to forgo UAVs altogether and move forward without the benefit of drone data.
Now, DroneDeploy customers not only get to skip the lengthy backlog, but they can do it all without ever leaving the DroneDeploy platform via AirMap’s app thanks to their innovative deep linking integration.
Timeline for the Nationwide LAANC Rollout
As of right now, LAANC is still in its early stages, and it is only available at 46 airports across the US. But the FAA has made a commitment to launch it nationwide by the end of the year.
“With the LAANC beta launching nationwide by the end of the year, [this feature] will bring digital authorization to an entire community of U.S. drone operators and developers eager to reach new heights,” said Ben Marcus, CEO of AirMap. “Thanks to LAANC, more airspace is open for business, and commercial drones have more opportunities contribute to our economy and benefit our daily lives.”
To stay up-to-date on the list of participating airports, check this listing on the FAA’s website.
If you are fortunate enough to work within range of one of these airports, getting started is as easy as adding the AirMap app to your DroneDeploy dashboard.
For everyone else, you’ll have to hold tight for a little longer, but the wait will be worth it. The FAA’s effort toward streamlining airspace authorization is about more than just eliminating a paperwork backlog. It represents a shift toward a landscape that is increasingly responsive to the business needs of commercial drone users. And for those of us who plan to operate drones for years to come, that’s music to our ears.
Where to Learn More
- Read more about AirMap’s LAANC authorization on their blog. Even if you don’t need an airspace authorization, the AirMap app is a great on-the-go tool to check for nearby airspace advisories before each flight.
- Read Skyward’s tutorial for syncing your DroneDeploy flight logs and getting LAANC authorization here. Or watch the tutorial video here. To get started, install the Skyward Sync app in the DroneDeploy App Market.
- Explore more of our top recommended software tools for drone mapping in this post.
- Construction is one of the industries most affected by airspace regulations. If you are a construction professional new to drones, read up on 3 Ways to Improve Communication on Your Job Site with Drones.
Get Started with DroneDeploy
Want to learn how DroneDeploy can help your business? Visit www.dronedeploy.com to start your free trial or request a consultation with one of our team members. The DroneDeploy mobile application is available for free download for both iOS and Android devices.


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Ichiro Suzuki thanks Iwata, past Nintendo executives following trade
Posted on July 23, 2012 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News
A big trade went down in baseball today. 10-time All-Star Ichiro Suzuki was traded to the New York Yankees after spending his entire MLB career with the Seattle Mariners.
In a press conference following the trade, Suzuki expressed appreciation for three past and present Nintendo executives. He thanked former CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi, current CEO Satoru Iwata, and ex-Nintendo of America CEO Tatsumi Kimishima.
Suzuki and Nintendo have fairly strong ties to each other. Some of you may be aware that Nintendo is the majority owner in the Seattle Mariners. In 2005, Yamauchi apparently gifted Suzuki with 5,000 shares of Nintendo stock.
For those wondering, Suzuki is batting eighth for the Yankees tonight.


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There’s a new place in Lynnwood off 164th Street Southwest where you can get your game on if you like tabletop adventures.
MeltingTop Games will be opening its doors to board game enthusiasts and casual players alike this week, joining a booming community of gamers in the Pacific Northwest. The new store, located at 1120 164th St. S.W., Ste. H, will offer all things cardboard and dice in the middle of the one of the county’s fastest growing areas.
The specialty shop is the maiden venture of Mukilteo resident Daniel Kim, who made the decision to turn a lifelong hobby into a full-fledged business. “I was doing a lot of trading of games on the side, rare and out of print ones. Then, over the winter I decided, you know what? Let’s do this and see what happens. It was very spur-of-the-moment,” Kim said.
Specializing in a broad range of modern games, from European titles focused on resource management, to American war games and Dungeons and Dragons style role-playing, MeltingTop will offer something for everyone. Classic games, like chess or checkers, aren’t the focus here, but those are more than welcome too. And of course, it wouldn’t be a game shop without offering Magic: The Gathering, a massively popular and long-running collectible card game from Renton-based publisher Wizards of the Coast, which encourages weekly organized play among its wide base of players.
Even for complete newcomers to the world of chits and counters, there will be a welcoming environment aimed at encouraging converts to the world of cardboard gaming.
“We’ll have events to introduce people to certain games,” said Kim. “There will be learning sessions so you can play with other people and see if it’s something you’d like to get into.”
For the seasoned dice-throwers out there, the store will host tournament leagues and official events for various titles throughout the year, along with regular weekly and monthly game groups. Local gamers are even encouraged to suggest ideas for new events they’d like to see, which they can do through the store’s Facebook page.
In an age of smartphones, video games and Netflix, it’s easy to take real human interaction for granted, which is what has made the burgeoning hobby of tabletop gaming in recent years a breath of fresh air. “I definitely prefer the face-to-face interaction,” Kim said. “Even with digital versions of boardgames, I don’t enjoy playing them, it’s just not the same. You’re not as engaged. Just having that personal connection is important, and a lot of times it’s teaching each other as well, by helping and giving advice on moves.”
Even the name itself–a play on “melting pot” and “tabletop”–is meant to encourage people of all experience levels and backgrounds to mix together for the fun of the game, a reflection of the hobby’s global reach. And it is exactly that sense of community and camaraderie Daniel hopes to foster in his new shop, and why he has made it a focus in the layout itself.
With more than half of the store’s floor space dedicated to a gaming area of tables there is plenty of room for walk-ins to sit down for a casual game any time during store hours. Players can bring their own boardgames or try out one of the many freely-available copies in the store’s library. For those who prefer trying new games in the comfort of their own home MeltingTop offers a rental option as well.
The shop held a soft opening on Monday, March 12 to get the doors open to the public and start attracting regulars and curious newcomers alike while building up a healthy inventory. An official grand opening will be held the Saturday, April 7 with special game events being planned for the occasion. An activities calendar can be found on the store’s website, along with a list of games currently available to rent or try out on the spot.
1120 164th St. S.W., Ste. H, Lynnwood, WA 98087
–Story and photos by Brett Reistroffer


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Barry Callebaut China managing director George Zhang (left) believes there is strong room for growth in China if companies combine chocolate with local flavours. © FBIF
There exists an “enormous” potential for growth in the Chinese chocolate market, according to the managing director of Barry Callebaut China, George Zhang.
Speaking at the Food & Beverage Innovation Forum in Hangzhou, Zhang detailed the cocoa producer’s strategy in the country, as it aims to take advantage of shifting consumer tastes.
While chocolate consumption per capita in China is relatively low compared to other economically developed countries, Zhang believes there is strong room for growth if producers combine chocolate with local flavours.
“We’re not expecting Chinese to all of a sudden be eating as much chocolate as the Swiss,” he said. “Having said that, chocolate, if combined with local food, has a lot of potential. Pairing with bakery, cakes, pairing with ice creams, with all the local food together, chocolate does give you a lot of potential to grow.”
Last month, Barry Callebaut opened a new chocolate academy in Beijing in a move to extend distribution to second-tier Chinese cities, which the company views as “key growth areas”. The facility will enable the firm to better save the tastes of Chinese consumers.
Zhang said: “China and this part of the world have some unique preference of how chocolate would appeal to them. First of all, Chinese doesn’t have as sweet mouth as some other countries. Chinese does like things less sweet. That’s one part of it. The other side of the issue is Chinese are very tuned into the chocolate flavour together with nuts. Pairing with nuts is a great popularity here in China. Of course, also Chinese like some non-traditional ways of chocolate taste. Chinese are very open to white chocolate with different flavours, but at the meantime Chinese, particularly premium consumers, really go for dark chocolate.”
Barry Callebaut is also planning increased promotion of ruby chocolate in China over the coming months and is looking into a developing an ice cream made with the chocolate.
Since launching in late 2017, ruby – which is described by Barry Callebaut as the fourth type of chocolate and “the biggest innovation in the chocolate industry in the past 80 years” – has been used for a range of applications such as Nestlé’s KitKat and Les Recettes de l’Atelier bars. The chocolate was made available for the Chinese foodservice industry in September last year.
“We see a lot of excitement,” said Zhang about the chocolate variant. “There is an awful lot more potential to be explored with ruby. Even ourselves, we’re learning how to work with this type of chocolate.”
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2022
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Last week, Nintendo announced they won their latest patent case. The case began in 2009, when Wall Wireless claimed the Nintendo DS and DSi infringed on their patent. The court dismissed the case on May 19, 2014, when the US Patent and Trademark Office canceled all patent claims from Wall Wireless that was related to this case.
Nintendo Defeats Non-Practicing Entity in Global Patent Fight
US District Court Dismisses Case
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo has won a patent infringement case in a U.S. District Court in Texas. The case was brought in February 2009 by Wall Wireless, LLC, which claimed that the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems infringed a patent. Wall Wireless is a company whose primary business is enforcing patents. The court dismissed the case on May 19, 2014, after the United States Patent and Trademark Office canceled all the patent claims Wall Wireless was relying on in its case.
This dismissal follows a decision by the Japanese Patent Office, which also found that Nintendo’s products do not infringe Wall’s Japanese patents.
“We are very pleased to see the U.S. case dismissed, and also to have the Japanese Patent Office confirm that Nintendo does not infringe Wall’s Japanese patents,” said Richard Medway, Nintendo of America’s vice president and deputy general counsel. “Nintendo vigorously defends patent lawsuits and other proceedings when we believe we have not infringed another party’s patents. It does not matter where such cases are filed or if it takes more than five years to vindicate our position. Nintendo continues to develop unique and innovative products while respecting the intellectual property rights of others.”
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U™ and Wii™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.2 billion video games and more than 670 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™ and Wii systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.
[PR Email from Nintendo of America]


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He started out in the business world armed with a digital camera and a lot of determination. He made his first buck charging high school learners R10 to take their photograph. He saved what he made from that and bought his first computer – a second hand HP tower, monitor and keyboard from a store in Stanger.
Today he is runs a thriving Internet Café – the first on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast – out of a strategically located container at Groutville High school and employs five people. Meet small business man Bheki Buthelezi joint winner of last year’s ‘The Entrepreneur’ competition.
Run by the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce on the back of sponsorship by African Bank and Enterprise Ilembe, ‘The Entrepreneur’ competition provides mentorship and guidance to North Coast small business owners.
“The objective of ‘The Entrepreneur’ is to take people who are already operating a small business, who show potential but need essential skills, give them this through intensive training, guidance and support to kick start their business to reach a higher level, “ said Ilembe Chamber chief executive officer Trenley Tilbrook.
This year’s competition was launched recently on the back of news that two other Chambers in other parts of the country will be running the same competition and the final three winners will compete against each other at a national final in Gauteng.
Three additional sponsors a Dutch engineering company called Royal Hanskoning DHV, King Shaka International Airport and the University of KwaZulu-Natal also announced their participation in this year’s competition.
Meanwhile back at Buthelezi’s Internet Café all the computers are occupied. It is lunch time during a working day. The users are busy surfing the Net, posting comments on Facebook, learning computer skills, looking for work and registering for tertiary level and college education.
Buthelezi’s Internet Café is bringing the outside world to Groutville and through its location learners are able to get connected for a small discounted fee. Bheki in turn pays the school a small fee to rent the space which is fully fenced and security tight. It is open from 8am to 5pm weekdays and afterhours for classes should the need arise.
“We opened here in April and for the first six months I am giving students a special deal for surfing the Net,” said Bheki.
In addition to the more obvious aspects of his business, Bheki offers website and Facebook hosting, graphic design, printing as well as video recording and photograph taking at special occasions at private functions and more.
He also runs a similar operation out of a Vodacom supplied container in Etete, just about five kilometres away, the place where he first started out. Without the support of his parents, Bheki said after finishing matric in 2009 he tried to study computer science and later business administration but lack of funds forced him to quit without completing the minimum requirements.
He said he entered the competition by chance after he saw a box advertising it and calling for entry forms to be filled out at the Stanger library. He said he could not believe his luck when he received the phone call from Chamber CEO Trenley Tilbrook. He was sitting in a taxi on his way to Empangeni and had to cancel his trip.
He said winning was like a dream come true. Bheki and Cindy Gien both won R50 000 in prize money as the top two winners of the 2012 “The Entrepreneur” competition. The rest of the prize money was shared by the other three finalists.


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Vitamin D talk
The benefits of vitamin D will be up for discussion at the Celebrating Women, Celebrating Life Auckland Health Expo this weekend.
There will also be leading experts in osteoporosis, menopause, bladder control, breast health and cervical screening.
The expo will be held on Saturday at Hopetoun Alpha, 19 Beresford Square in the city from 10am to 3pm.
To register online go to www.wons.org.nz or phone 846-7886 ext 0 for a registration form.


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12-year Duke Nukem pre-order may end in disappointment
http://img.qj.net/uploads/articles_m...nth.jpg?628168When Slash000 paid US 10 to pre-order Duke Nukem Forever through his local GameStop, little did he know that he would have to wait 12 years to wait for an answer. Unfortunately for him, the answer might be a disappointing "no" now that 3D Realms has run out of money and can no longer continue the game's development.
Ironically called Duke Nukem Forever, it has practically taken forever for the game to come out. It has been in development for 12 years now, and has even received top honors at Wired Magazine's Vaporware Awards for seven years out of the last eight, becoming somewhat of a running joke in the industry.
In spite of the long wait, 3D Realms was able to produce screenshots and trailers for the game, making it look like there was still hope. But now that 3D Realms has closed down, things are looking bleaker than ever.
"It would have been nice to see another Duke Nukem game, but given they had more than 12 years it's just incompetence of the highest order," Guardian Games writer Steve Boxer told BBC. "Sadly, Duke Nukem Forever was the most aptly named title in the history of games. Now, it's just Duke Nukem Never."
Take Two still owns the publishing rights, but there's no word on finding Forever a new team to develop it. On the other hand, Duke Nukem Trilogy (PSP, DS) development is still continuing, or so they say.
Duke Nukem Never:


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Belize is proactively dating Americans to buy property in the nation marketing their excellent coastlines, tax obligation plans, and English fluency. BTG Wallet has a whole lot extra expanding to do, and it needs to drink preconceptions. Chile is thought about by the Heritage Structure to be # 1 in financial flexibility in Latin America. Trading the Chilean Peso might be a deserving undertaking for those wanting to take benefit of the lug profession versus countries/economic areas that have very reduced passion prices such as the United States, European Union, and Japan. These nations are not dealing with robbery breakouts, contest toilet tissue; neither do they have leaders that are attempting to intensify activity versus one more nation. AMD gained $71 million last quarter on profits of $1.64 billion. What’s even more, AMD improved its full-year profits development projections from mid- to high-teens to over 20%.
Why did AMD supply dive about 20% after such an excellent record? Since the business claimed that fourth-quarter profits would drop 15% sequentially (despite the fact that that’s still a 20% rise year-over-year). Once more, all of it boils down to an illogical degree of deal searching, and an extra of psychological trading. You are in good luck! This psychological tornado has actually left AMD trading at a substantial price cut … and rather a deal offered its significant development possibility – AMD is anticipated to see sales expand concerning 17% following year, contrasted to 12.3% for Nvidia and also a pitiful 2.3% for Intel. The supply has greater than 30% advantage via the following year. The number of various other huge businesses apart from bitcoin gold exchanges. Can you claim that regarding? Disregard the cryptocurrency buzz and emphasis on AMD’s core items and also it’s possible with leading innovations like AI and information. I will not assure you a smooth flight; however, it needs to be fairly a rewarding one.
Bitcoin’s BTG Electrum Fork Effect on State-Oriented Economic Climates
In all of these state-oriented economic climates, there are money controls. Brazil’s federal government impact in the economic climate stems from their extreme impact, feasible corruption problems, and also inflationary problems. Bitcoin and crypto currencies will satisfy the demands of lots of that have accessibility to the net. Venezuelans will be able to purchase bathroom paper from international resources without having to make use of money that is being blatantly debased. Venezuela has actually not filtering system the web simply yet and also buying Bitcoin is much a lot safer than holding onto Bolivar.
Bitcoin use might take the federal government’s limited hold on the economic situation away by making its existence ineffective by embracing the personal money. Much less tax obligation incomes can be accumulated, a people that are armed monetarily and perhaps actually (you might have gotten anything on Silk Roadway), and also reduced impact from politicians and enforcers as cryptocurrency use ends up being viral bitcoin gold hard fork. This believed procedure could be put on Venezuela-lite in Argentina, which is an economic situation with a great deal of capacity. Reduced purchase prices, money knowledge, and also citizenship uncertainty with Bitcoin clients will aid Brazilian companies looking for to do company outside of Brazil.
Bitcoin’s Duty in Economic Development for the Pacific Countries
With a huge increase of vacationers and business-people coming to Rio de Janeiro and also São Paulo, the approval of Bitcoin and also various other cryptocurrencies will get rid of the obstacles of having to transform money and involve in protected acquisitions. For the state-oriented economic climates, BTG Electrum Fork and also its rivals provide higher flexibility, financial protection, entrepreneurship chances, deal protection, and personal privacy. Avoidance of seizure of properties by maintaining them in an electronic purse in the cloud is much a lot safer than maintaining funds in a financial institution controlled by the Venezuelan federal government.
Bring in the company from Europe, Canada, and the United States would be simpler with reduced exchange and deal charges. Credit report cards and PayPal position purchase charges on individuals desiring to make worldwide deals and also this cost would be minimized. Latin American outsourcing can experience development as telephone call facilities, advancement and also layout companies, and also independent specialists have the ability to not competitively bid as they do currently, yet they would have the ability to approve bitcoin gold windows and various other cryptocurrencies, and this will drive in even more service. It is not a trend; it refers to making a less complicated and less costly deal. Much fewer obstacles to making the acquisition will make the sale, and it will assist Latin American organizations to have the ability to be international, which can cause Equity capital development.
Do You Dream For The Future?
Bitcoin will lead to better global company purchases for Latin America and allow financial development. Entrepreneurship, contending internationally, reduced deal charges, transactional protection, affordable bedding, enhanced financial growth, and also transforming assumptions are all advantages of taking on coinomi cryptocurrencies in these nations. Customers win also in these nations as they would get acquiring power since some things are a lot pricier in their residential markets than international markets. Ex-pats and also immigrants can send out a loan to a relative in their indigenous nation in an easy, cost-effective, fast, and protected style. This can aid enhance neighborhood economic situations. Bitcoin and various other cryptocurrencies aid make the globe a smaller sized area similar to the means flight, the web, telecoms, and also social networks have actually done. Cryptocurrencies advertise globalization and also Bitcoin will assist give that possibility to Latin America, which aspires to complete and also expand in the worldwide industry.


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The Outlook for the U.S. Economy in 2023: The Faster Inflation Falls, the Milder the Recession Will Be
January 10, 2023
Larry DeBoer, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics
Will there be a recession in 2023? Wall Street thinks so. The yield curve has inverted, which is a reliable indicator of recession in the near future.
Interest rates on long-term bonds are almost always higher than on short term bonds. Lenders expect a premium for tying up their money for a long time. This reverses when a recession is expected, as lenders try to lock in higher yields by lending long term. The difference between the yields on the 10-year and 2-year Treasury bonds inverted before each of the past six recessions (even for a few days in August 2019—did Wall Street really anticipate the 2020 pandemic?). It inverted in early July 2022 and is more negative now than it’s been in 40 years. The probability of a recession is high.
Calling a recession is tricky, though. Real GDP fell for two consecutive quarters in the first half of 2022, yet it was not a recession. Employment continued to grow, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.5%, tied for the lowest reading in 50 years. It’s not a recession without rising unemployment.
Consumers increased their spending by 2.1% above inflation over the past year. Consumers are pessimistic. According to the University of Michigan’s survey of consumer sentiment, consumers are more pessimistic now than during the worst of the COVID recession. Pessimistic consumers usually cut their spending.
The pessimism shows in the spending data. Consumer spending grew rapidly in 2021 but has tailed off in the second half of 2022. Still, manufacturers’ orders for consumer goods have been rising over the past year. Goods orders are a leading indicator of consumption spending. Businesses think consumers will buy.
Higher interest rates, continued inflation and uncertainly about employment may restrain consumer spending growth further. But consumers still have a lot of savings left over from federal COVID aid, so maybe businesses are right. Expect consumer spending growth to be a little slower in 2023 than in 2022.
Business investment fell in the second and third quarters, and is barely higher now that it was a year ago. Construction of business buildings is 9% lower now than a year ago. The pandemic trend to work-at-home has reduced the need for office space, which must be contributing to the drop in construction. Conversely, business equipment and software purchases are up 5% and 8% respectively. With employees hard to come by, businesses turn to automation, which requires new equipment and the software to run it.
With interest rates higher and work-at-home continuing, structures investment is unlikely to turn upward. The labor shortage will lessen with the turn toward recession, so equipment and software investment growth should slow.
Home construction is the industry first affected by rising interest rates. The mortgage rate rose from 3.1% last December to 6.4% now. As a result, housing starts dropped by 21% from April to November. Building permits are down too, indicating less construction in the near future.
Interest rates will continue to rise at least through mid-year. Slowing sales will cause businesses to pause their expansion plans. Investment spending is likely to fall in 2023.
The federal government’s budget is much less expansionary now than it was a year ago, simply because there was no big COVID aid package in 2022. The budget deficit fell from 18% of GDP in the first quarter of 2021, to 4% of GDP in the third quarter of 2022. The deficit will likely grow somewhat in 2023 with slowing income tax receipts, rising Social Security and other transfer payments, and possibly added defense spending. But it will still add much less to spending than was true in 2021.
State and local governments are still flush from the post-COVID revenue boom. Indiana, for example, expects to have almost $5 billion in the bank at the end of fiscal 2023 this coming June, which is double the highest pre-COVID amount. Slower growth in incomes and sales, and falling inflation, will slow revenue growth, but spending should continue to grow.
Exports are likely to fall, and imports rise. Rising U.S. interest rates are raising the exchange value of the dollar, which makes U.S. exports more expensive and imports cheaper. Europe and Britain may already be in recession, which will also reduce U.S. exports. The trade deficit likely will grow in 2023, which will be a drag on GDP growth.
Consumer spending grows more slowly, investment spending falls, government spending holds steady and the trade deficit expands. This adds up to near-zero growth for real GDP in 2023, with a couple of quarters of decline, and a couple with modest growth.
To be called a recession, though, unemployment must rise. Labor force participation has not fully recovered from the pandemic, and labor is scarce. As of October there were 10.3 million job openings and only 6 million people looking for work, a labor shortage of 4.3 million people.
Job openings have been dropping, by 7% over the past year. The number of job searchers—that is, unemployed people—bottomed out in April and has edged upward since. Initial claims for unemployment insurance have increased. Yet the unemployment rate has barely budged. It was 3.7% in November, up from 3.5% in July and September. This makes sense. People who lose their jobs soon find another, even if they collect unemployment insurance while they’re looking.
The slowing economy will reduce the 4.3 million employee shortfall. The number of job openings will fall as businesses cut their expansion plans. Job searches will take longer, and some unemployed people will not have the skills needed for the open jobs. Construction workers may be unemployed; job openings may be for nurses. If GDP doesn’t grow the gap between job openings and job searchers will close. With the number of openings nearly equal to the number of unemployed people, the unemployment rate will rise to 4.5 percent by the end of 2023.
A rise that big activates the “Sahm Rule.” Economist Claudia Sahm found that when the unemployment rate rises by 0.5 percentage points compared to its low the previous year, a recession has begun and the unemployment rate will continue to rise. This is because of the “negative feedback loop” or “vicious cycle.” People lose their jobs and spend less. Businesses see their sales fall, cut back on production, and lay off employees. Those people cut their spending, businesses cut more employees, and the recession is on.
Two factors may interrupt the negative loop this time. It will take time to eliminate the labor shortage, so newly unemployed people may find new jobs quickly. They won’t have to reduce their spending. And, a study by the Federal Reserve found that households still have more than a trillion dollars in extra savings left over from federal COVID aid. If newly unemployed people can’t find new jobs, their savings may sustain their spending. This time, the unemployment rate may rise eight-tenths of a point to 4.5%—but not much further.
The inflation rate is going to fall. The question is how much and how fast. The all-items consumer price index rose 7.1% from November 2021 to this November. This is down modestly from the 12-month rate in June, which was 9%. Still, this is the highest inflation in 40 years.
Prices of durable goods like cars and electronics rose rapidly at the onset of inflation, peaking at 18% in January 2022. People shifted a trillion dollars in spending from services to goods, to avoid the face-to-face contract and crowds required to buy many services. Goods producers couldn’t meet the demand, especially with the famous pandemic supply chain problems. Prices spiked upward. Since then durable goods inflation has dropped, to 2.4% in November. While consumers have kept buying goods, supply chain problems have partly cleared. The New York Federal Reserve’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index peaked in December 2021 and has declined in most months since, indicating an easing in transportation costs and manufacturing shortages.
Non-durable goods inflation is dominated by oil prices. The COVID lockdown reduced demand for motor fuel and gasoline prices dropped below $2 in April 2020. The rapid recovery took oil producers by surprise, pushing the U.S. average price to $3.52 in February. Then the war in Ukraine disrupted supplies. The average gasoline price peaked in June, at $4.93. It’s come down since then, averaging $3.69 in November.
Inflation in services has not fallen yet. The 12-month inflation rate was 7.2% in November, near the highest rate in 40 years. The services price index is closely related to housing rents and service employee wages. Rents have been rising with increased demand for space from the work-at-home trend. The labor shortage has pushed up wages. Rent inflation may come down as some people return to in-person work and leases expire. Wage growth may slow with rising unemployment. There’s no sign of these trends yet though.
Higher interest rates and slower growth will reduce the demand for goods and services. The stronger exchange value of the dollar should reduce the prices of imported goods. Supply chain problems should continue to clear. If oil prices don’t spike again, by next June the 12-month gasoline inflation rate will show a 25% decline from the 2021 price peak. Expiring leases and rising unemployment should begin to cut service price inflation. Look for the inflation rate to be 3.5% by this time next year. Most of the drop should occur in the first half of 2023.
The Federal Reserve will increase interest rates in 2023. Again, the question is how much and how fast. At the start of 2022 the Fed’s policy interest rate, the federal funds rate, was near zero. Inflation was unexpectedly high, so in March the Fed began raising rates. Inflation continued to increase and the Fed got serious, with four enormous three-quarter point increases starting in June. With December’s half-point increase, the federal funds rate stands at 4.3%. This is among the most rapid rate increases in the Fed’s history. The Fed is slamming on the brakes.
The Federal Reserve’s economists themselves predict that the Federal Funds rate will be 5.1% in 2023. This means only three more one-quarter point increases. These are likely to take place in the first half of the year. If inflation falls as expected, and recession threatens, the Fed might even reduce rates a little towards the end of 2023. If inflation refuses to fall the federal funds rate will rise more.
Short term Treasury interest rates usually move in lock-step with the federal funds rate, so expect the 3 month Treasury bill yield to be 5.1% in the second half of 2023. The 10-year Treasury bond yield is 3.7% in mid-December. Long-term Treasury rates tend to rise by less than the federal funds rate, so the 10-year Treasury bond yield should be 4.2% in the second half of 2023. The yield curve inversion will continue for a while.
A recession is likely. If the unemployment rate remains below 5%, it would be the mildest recession in the post-WWII era. So mild that it might not even be marked as an “official” recession. Durable and non-durable goods inflation will fall—assuming no new spike in oil prices—so a drop in all-items inflation is nearly certain. But reaching the Fed’s 2% target rate requires service price inflation to fall, and that is less certain. If it doesn’t fall, the Fed might decide to raise interest rates more than expected, and then an official recession is much more likely.


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Shanghai aims to become world leading manufacturing city by 2020
Shanghai has implemented a three-year action plan to become a world leading manufacturing city by 2020, the city government announced today.
By 2020, the city aims to establish two world-class industrial clusters, and for added value of strategic emerging industry to account for more than 20 percent of Shanghai's gross domestic product. The action plan also envisages that the manufacturing output of the strategic emerging industry to take up one third of the city’s total manufacturing production.
From 2018 to 2020, the city also plans to establish leading brands, enterprises, professionals and demonstration zones in manufacturing. The government seeks to have three manufacturing companies on the list of the world’s top 500 enterprises.
“For Shanghai manufacturing, the city needs to master key technologies, establish high-end industry clusters and focus on high-quality products," Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang said.
"The city will strive to become a hub of strategic emerging industry and high-end manufacturing industry. Efforts will be made to apply latest technologies such as Internet, big data and artificial intelligence.”
Shanghai's manufacturing focus will include advancing emerging industries such as healthcare, artificial intelligence, and quantum communication. The city plans to accelerate development of strategic emerging industries in information technology, intelligent manufacturing, new-energy vehicle and intelligent and connected vehicle. Shanghai will not neglect its traditional industries such as automobile, iron and steel and chemical by encouraging their upgrading.
“Shanghai has a strong industrial base and advantages in terms of manufacturing industry," said Wu jincheng, deputy director of the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Informatization. "The city also has advantages in domestic and foreign resources allocation (and) has the ability to achieve the goal of building itself into a world leading manufacturing base.
Shanghai manufacturing is one of the four city brands initiated by Li during a municipal government meeting at the end of last year. The other three are Shanghai services, Shanghai shopping and Shanghai culture, and together they aim to accelerate the city’s high-quality development, technology and innovation, industry transformation and upgrading.
Under the action plan for Shanghai manufacturing, the city will accelerate the development of industrial parks to better distribute resources. An example is the construction of a chip industrial park in Shanghai Jiading Industrial Zone last month.
The park aims to cluster 100 chip companies with a total investment of 500 million yuan (US$78.6 billion). The park will facilitate research and development, design, assembly, testing and training.
The city will also focus on the development of intelligent and connected vehicles. Shanghai-based automaker SAIC Motor Co unveiled its intelligent vehicle, Roewe Marvel X, last month at the Beijing auto show. The vehicle is equipped with intelligent functions including augmented reality technology and can park automatically. The company is also testing its intelligent and connected vehicles on public roads in Shanghai.


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In a tweet, OPPO India announced that it's going to launch the OPPO F7 in India on March 26 with an "awesome notch screen".
Moreover, Oppo is also teasing its brand ambassador for the phone and asking users to guess the cricketer holding the phone. The design shown in the teaser shows how the phone will have a Full View display, but there will be a notch on the top to accommodate the sensors, earpiece, and the front camera.
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is all set to launch its next flagship smartphone dubbed as Oppo F7 in India on March 26.
Besides Oppo, the other smartphone manufacturers like Huawei, OnePlus, Asus and others are also planning to launch smartphones embracing iPhone X like launch.
Trump tariffs: United States chided over duties on steel and aluminium imports
We have a deficit with China of at least Dollars 500 billion. "The U.S.is acting swiftly on Intellectual Property theft". Relations between India and China are not just important bilaterally, but also have regional and global significance.
The OPPO F7 will be successor to the OPPO F5 that was launched in India just last November.
Until now, we haven't heard anything of this upcoming Oppo F7 smartphones as we all were busy with the Oppo R15 phones which are gearing toward their official announcements in the technology market.
As far as the specifications of this phone are concerned, the new Oppo F7 Selfie Expert smartphone to sport a 6.2 Inch FullHD+ display with an aspect ratio of 19:9.
The F7 is also expected to pack a 25 MP front camera with AI capabilities that enhance the quality of selfies. The Oppo F7 will retain the 3.5mm headphone jack and micro USB port.
HDR, improved Beauty Mode, and AR stickers. However, we could expect to hear more from the company regarding this phone in the coming days.


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Car rentals are up and inventories are down
“They were expensive! We were only here in March and the saving to compact (the cars) was $ 30, now the cheapest we found was $ 50, ”said Mary Saldana, a visitor from California.
To avoid this queue at the front desk, AAA said to try to make all your reservations in advance.
“We heard that you need to book early as there was a shortage of rental cars that you couldn’t walk out the window and get the car you want, and we are traveling with a family of five, we so booked early and got what we wanted, ”said Boston visitor Ann Marie Condon.
They said it’s best to be flexible with your travel dates, weekly rentals tend to be cheaper than overnight bookings, and some rental companies may offer you a refund for the days. unused if you return the vehicle earlier.
“The various car rental companies have a shortage right now, and it’s a shame because people want to go out and travel, and that’s a limiting factor for families,” said Richard Schroeder, a visitor to the ‘Illinois.
Another tip offered by AAA was to consider the location outside the airport.
AAA said it was often cheaper than renting at the airport, but to be sure to ask for the location’s hours of operation and if they have airport transportation.


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Zoopla has announced a new long-term portal agreement with LSL, the parent company of brands including Your Move, Reeds Rains and Marsh & Parsons.
As part of the new agreement LSL, with over 500 estate agency and lettings branches, will continue to advertise all of its property listings for five years.
The agreement follows similar ones with Countrywide and Connells, the UK’s largest and second largest agents.
It was announced in September that Countrywide is to list on the Zoopla sites for three years as from January.
In October, it was announced that Connells Group has also signed a long-term marketing agreement with ZPG.
Ian Crabb, group CEO of LSL, said: “We are happy to have agreed a long-term extension of our existing relationship with ZPG.
“We have worked closely with the team at ZPG for a number of years and they continue to deliver a great service to our brands and customers.”
Alex Chesterman, founder and CEO of ZPG, said: “LSL are an important customer for ZPG and we are delighted to be extending our relationship with them for the long term.
“We look forward to continuing to ensure that LSL’s brands and customers get the best exposure for their properties and LSL has access to the most effective services in the market.”


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In 1988, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky (TMMK) produced its first vehicle, a Toyota Camry that remains on display at the plant to this day. Now, 26 years later, TMMK has produced its 10 millionth vehicle, also a Camry.
The plant’s success in just over a quarter of a century is nothing short of impressive, and it is largely attributed to the employees’ dedicated team work to build quality vehicles for customers.
“Many people may be surprised at our growth and the success the past 26 years; I am not,” TMMK President Wil James said. “We have the best, most dedicated work force in the world. It is all about family, working together to make the best product for the customer.”
Not only do the TMMK employees work together to fulfill production orders for the Toyota Camry, Avalon, and Venza models, but they also work with a strong sense of ownership.
“The exciting part is seeing a vehicle you worked on rolling down the street,” said Jovonda Williams, a seven-year team member working as an engineer in Quality Control. “I feel like I partly own that head-liner.”
These are the lovingly crafted vehicles, and vehicles built at plants like TMMK, that we at Hurlbert Toyota have the privilege of offering to our valuable customers each and every day.


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Itchy dogs and cats are on the rise, but so are treatment options. According to current statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association, pet allergies, like human allergies, have been on the rise. This means that more of our furry loved ones are doing a lot of excessive scratching— a common sign that an
An article came out in USA Today on March 3, 2021 that raised many pet owner’s concerns about the safety of Seresto flea and tick preventative collars. In an effort to keep our Harmony family informed, we are sharing the article link, as well as, addressing the issues it presented. While the information in the article
Fleas and ticks are more than just an itchy nuisance. Left untreated, these pests can actually make your pet sick and even endanger his life. For example, fleas can cause anemia and tapeworms, as well as flea allergy dermatitis, a serious skin condition that leads to severe itching and scratching, hair loss and potential infections.
According to the American Heartworm Society, virtually 100 percent of dogs and up to 90 percent of cats exposed to mosquitoes carrying the infective larvae will become heartworm positive. Fortunately, heartworm prevention can help you protect your pet from the damage heartworms can do. Treatment of established heartworm disease is not only expensive but
By Jodi Reed, DVM It's that time of year again when spring flowers start poking up through the still-cold ground, first buds on trees start blooming, and seasonal pet allergies start kicking in. But while their humans get stuffy noses, watery eyes, and achy heads, our pets experience a different type of reaction to


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SHARP dressing at the May Racing Carnival has won two fashionable Warrnambool women a $250 shopping spree.
In an online poll, readers selected Marcia Miller from The Standard’s top 20 May Racing Carnival outfits, claiming 55 per cent of 2055 votes, while Katrina Hoye received 33 per cent of 743 votes in the People’s Choice award, chosen from images submitted via social media.
For their efforts, both women received a $250 voucher from Mix and expect to put it towards a new winter coat.
Ms Miller, a Deakin University teaching student, attends the races each year and earlier this month finished second in the Fashions on the Field contemporary section.
“It was a fun day. I loved it,” she said. “I sourced the outfit from Cue in Melbourne and Sharon Wilson made my hat in Warrnambool.
“I was trying to pick something weather-appropriate — that’s why I had long sleeves on.
“I chose it because it was classic but unique with heaps of bright colours.
“My advice would be to go out there and wear something a bit unique.”
The 22-year-old expects to pick up a winter coat for the chilly months ahead with her voucher.
“It’s very exciting (to win). I’ve studied fashion design in Geelong so it’s a hobby of mine.”
Mrs Hoye looked outside Warrnambool for her outfit, finding her dress at Camperdown’s Clobber Shop. “It matched my bag and fascinator, which I’d got from Glam Girl in Warrnambool,” she said.
“I’ve been to the races the past three years but put a bit more effort in this time because it was my first time in the ladies’ marquee.”
Mrs Hoye has her sister Adele Griffin to thank after she posted the photo on Facebook for the People’s Choice competition.


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When it comes to plastic toy guns, two names tend to come to mind: Nerf and the
Wii Zapper clones aren't exactly new. Nyko's Perfect Shot offers a satisfyingly gun-shaped alternative to the Zapper, and CTA Digital's give even more choices. Nerf's Wii blaster puts a new spin on the Zapper by making it double as a functional Nerf dart gun. The Wiimote can pop into the Nerf-themed gun grip to function as a game controller, or you can pop in a Nerf blaster module to fire foam darts at your friends and enemies.
The Nerf N-Strike games and blaster are scheduled to ship in fall 2008. Hasbro will likely unveil more details about the games at next week's Toy Fair in New York.


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El Segundo, Calif. – U.S. flat-panel TV shipments are projected
to dip for the first time on an annual basis this year, ending an unbroken
string of growth since the market began, according to a new report from
Shipments in 2012 of flat-panel TVs into the American market are
forecast to decline to 37.1 million units, down 5 percent from 39.1 million
units in 2011, the firm’s U.S. TV Market Tracker reported. This follows a 1
percent growth last year from 38.6 million units in 2010.
Shipments of LCD TVs, plasma TVs and rear-projection TVs are
projected to continue to weaken for the next three years, until at least 2015.
“The U.S. flat-panel television market has never declined on an
annual basis, even at the height of the recession in 2008 and 2009,” stated
Lisa Hatamiya, IHS TV research analyst. “The decline starting this year
suggests that demand may have crested for the mature U.S. TV market. Sales in
the United States now are being driven by consumers who are replacing their
older flat-panel sets with new models boasting more advanced features. This
contrasts with developing regions of the world where vibrant, untapped markets
remain for buyers making their first-ever purchase of flat-panel sets.”
The declines will result
from a long-term maturation of the U.S. television market, in addition to “specific
supply and dynamic developments that occurred in 2011,” iSuppli said.
The firm also blamed television brands being too optimistic last
year in believing that consumers were finally ready to buy new TVs as they
increased first quarter 2011 shipments. A negative chain reaction that lasted
through the year then ensued, iSuppli said, with sets being very aggressively
priced toward the third and fourth quarters to make up for the first half.
The price cuts dug deeper into already weak profits across the
board for most vendors.
As a result, brands will be very cautious in 2012, iSuppli predicted.
“Manufacturers will attempt to control new shipments into the
U.S. market, so that prices remain steady and won’t drive as much demand as
last year,” iSuppli said. “The attempt to rein in pricing could also prove
dicey, possibly risking the ire of a purchasing public used to discounting or a
pattern of gradually lower prices. The overall effect will serve to inhibit
shipments this year.”
Due to the supply declines, the industry should become more profitable,
with less discounting bringing in more revenue, according to the report.
LCD TVs with LED
backlighting should become the dominant display technology in the United States
for the first time, iSuppli said. U.S. shipments of LED-backlit sets will reach
23.7 million units, compared with 8.7 million for CCFL models.
Last year, CCFL claimed higher shipment numbers, at 18.8 million
units, against 14.5 million for LED sets, iSuppli reported.
LED-backlit sets are expected to see rapid double-digit growth in
the upcoming years as brands focus on marketing this feature and making
LED-based models standard in their lineup. The technology will proliferate in small-
to medium-sized TV panels measuring 40 inches and smaller.
While U.S. flat-panel TV shipments are projected to move down, manufacturers
will continue to drive sales of TVs with increasingly more advanced features,
In other trends outlined in the study, LCD TV sales will continue
to transition to larger sizes. There will also be higher refresh rates (from 120Hz
refresh rates to 240Hz and 480Hz), FullHD 1080p resolution, embedded Internet-connectivity,
and increasing use of 3D features based on passive 3D glasses technology.


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Social distancing is difficult to maintain while protesting. Fortunately, there are various ways to support the Black Lives Matter movement from home.
Indigo Hippo, Pull Club Studio, and Longfellow are among the local businesses providing protestors with resources, supplies, and support.
Harmony Plant Fare in Findlay Market takes its inspiration from deli classics, but their versions are plant-based.
Getting food to people in need during a pandemic—when there are more people looking for support—takes a heroic effort.
Newly appointed members Betsy Sundermann and Jan-Michele Kearney offer fresh perspectives—and cooperation—on Cincinnati City Council.
Despite the property damage and looting that occurred in conjunction with protests Friday night, local business owners support the ongoing movement to combat racially motivated police brutality.
The Cincinnati Zoo remains closed, but the annual Zoo Babies event can be enjoyed virtually from the comfort of your home.
Sew Masks 4 Cincy provides local hospital, nursing home, school, and grocery store workers with homemade masks to be used as personal protective equipment.
Hideki Harada’s College Hill ramen joint Kiki fully satisfies your comfort food craving.
Thousands of Cincinnati demonstrators joined those across the U.S., taking to the streets to protest systemic racism and voice their outrage at the death of George Floyd.
These events transformed Cincinnati from the “most anti-gay” city in the country to a beacon of progress.
Supporting black-owned businesses isn’t a cure-all to the problems at hand, but it’s an easy, direct action you can take today. Here are 25 to get you started.
Artists, pastors, lawyers, activists, historians, educators, social workers, journalists—these 20 LGBTQ advocates have their hand in Cincinnati's future.


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UK: Asos head of women's wear buying departs
Online clothing retailer Asos has confirmed that Moriamo Oshodi, head of buying for trend brands, branded accessories and beauty, has stepped down after 12 years with the company.
Separately, Asos revealed that international sales director Matt Hiscock will be moving to the firm's US office to take on the role of country manager.
However, the retailer denied reports it has created a marketing director role in the US to accelerate growth in the country. "Asos has not created a US marketing director role," a spokesperson for the company told just-style.
Hiscock will not take on the role of marketing director, she added.
Earlier this month, Brian McBride was appointed as non-executive chairman, replacing Lord Waheed Alli.
The retailer will release its full-year results for the year ended 31 August on Thursday (25 October).
Apparel sales in the Asia Pacific region are continuing on a golden growth trajectory despite a slowdown in China. Domestic brands are continuing to hold their own, and foreign brands intent on making...
Featured reports from just-style's research store this week include a look at chemical protective clothing, digital strategies at Asos and Oasis, and two reports on world markets for textile machinery...
The online and luxury segments are set to provide a silver lining in what is an otherwise gloomy outlook for Australia's fashion industry, according to research released by IbisWorld. ...
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- Kanati pulls production out of Pakistan
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- Management briefing: Outlook 2015: Apparel industry issues in the year ahead


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By Ben Fox Rubin
Alico Inc.'s (ALCO) largest shareholder, Atlantic Blue Group Inc., agreed to sell its majority stake in the citrus grower to 734 Agriculture and Arlon Group for about $138 million -- a discount to Thursday's closing price -- ending Atlantic's effort to divest its Alico ownership.
Atlantic Blue, a Florida-based real-estate management company, in January said it was planning to pursue a sale of its stake in the company due to tax-code changes, and urged Alico to explore a possible sale of the entire company.
The all-cash sale of 50.5% of Alico to investment firms 734 Agriculture and Arlon is for $37 a share, a 14% discount to Thursday's closing price. Shares were halted premarket.
According to FactSet, Atlantic Blue owns about 51% of Alico.
The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter and will result in a new chief executive at Alico. Clay G. Wilson, a third-generation citrus grower, is expected to replace J.D. Alexander as chief executive. Mr. Wilson currently serves as CEO of 734 Citrus Holdings LLC and Silver Nip Citrus, companies also owned and controlled by 734 Agriculture.
Alico's current chairman, Ramon Rodriguez, is expected to remain on the board, but will be replaced as chairman by Henry Slack, former CEO of Minorco and former chairman of Terra Industries.
Based in Fort Myers, Fla., Alico is an agribusiness and land-management company. Its principal lines of business are citrus groves, improved farmland including sugar cane, cattle ranching and resource conservation. The company is one of the largest private landowners in Florida, owning about 130,800 acres in five counties. It has about 11,000 producing acres of citrus.
Write to Ben Fox Rubin at email@example.com