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All mentions of support for HDR10+ video coming to the TV app with iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura have been removed from Apple’s website.
- Apple’s removed all mentions of the TV app getting HDR10+ support from its website, suggesting the promised feature has been delayed or pulled indefinitely.
- Before, all three pages for iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura on the company’s website had advertised this feature.
- The development could mean that Apple may not release a new Apple TV model this year after all even though the current model lacks HDR10+ support.
Apple removes all mentions of HDR10+ support
Preview pages for iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura included the following line:
The latest generation of high dynamic range technology is now supported in the Apple TV app.
But as mentioned, an Apple website update has removed all mentions of this feature.
Why HDR10+ support isn’t coming to the TV app
One simple reason why Apple wouldn’t add HDR10+ support to the TV app this year: There’s currently no Apple TV capable of outputting HDR10+ video. The current, second-generation Apple TV 4K supports HDR video in the following formats:
- Dolby Vision (HEVC, Profile 5)
- HDR10 (Main 10 profile)
- HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)
The device supports outputting 4K resolution at sixty frames per second in any of the aforementioned HDR standards. So it makes perfect sense not to implement software support for HDR10+ until new Apple TV hardware is ready. The fact that Apple is no longer advertising HDR10+ support for the TV app is yet another indication that the next Apple TV will probably arrive in 2023, not 2022.
Which HDR standards does the Apple TV app support?
The current version of the TV app supports HDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision as the three main standards for high dynamic range video (implementations of the app on smart TV platforms, however, vary from one TV manufacturer to another). HDR10 is considered the most basic format of the three. Dolby Vision and HDR10+, on the other hand, are the most advanced HDR iterations in commercial use today. TVs that support both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are still in the minority, with most of the models supporting either Dolby Vision or HDR10+ Read: Where is that on Apple TV?
HDR10+ support for the TV app is probably coming in 2023
Apple wouldn’t remove all mentions of HDR10+ support unless the feature wasn’t pulled. Noteworthy, there’s no label saying “Available later this year”, “Available in 2023” or some such on the iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura preview pages. Looks like HDR10+ support, for whatever reason, definitely isn’t coming to the TV app in 2022. If we were to speculate, we’d guess that HDR10+ support is a feature that will probably arrive as part of next year’s iOS 17, iPadOS 17, tvOS 17 and macOS 14 updates. Read: Easy steps to set up your Apple TV the right way


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By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
Pretend you’re pregnant.
You’re careful about every morsel you put into your mouth, exquisitely conscious about the potential impact on your growing baby’s development.
But there is a catch: No matter how careful you may be, the food you eat and the beverages you drink likely contain one or more of some 10,000 chemicals allowed to be added to foods — some of which are known endocrine (hormone) disruptors linked to developmental, cognitive and other health problems in babies and adults.Yet the agency charged with protecting our food from unsafe chemicals — the US Food and Drug Administration — hasn’t been doing the job Congress intended when it passed the 1958 Food Additives Amendment, according to a citizen’s petition filed Wednesday and provided exclusively to CNN in advance.”The FDA never considers the overall effect of these 10,000 chemicals on people’s health, which is what Congress was after,” said Tom Neltner, the chemicals policy director for the Environmental Defense Fund, a key signatory of the petition.”And it’s not simply one plus one equals two. We know that synthetic chemicals that harm hormones have what we call additive or synergistic effects,” said Dr. Leonardo Trasande, co-author of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement on the potential harms of food additives and packaging, which is part of the citizen’s petition.
The additive effect of low levels of different chemical exposures can impact a baby’s IQ and therefore his or her ability to excel in school and contribute to society at large, said Trasande, who is director of environmental pediatrics at NYU Langone Health.
“We’re talking about each child losing roughly 2% of her lifetime economic productivity on average with the loss of one IQ point, or $20,000,” Trasande said. “You multiply that across four million kids born each year and that’s a lot of zeros and a huge impact on our economy.
“So this is more than a mom and baby story. This is really about the future of our ability to compete in the global economy.”
Consider the cumulative effect
Scientistsused to think that it was a baby’s thyroid hormone level that was important to brain development. Studies have now shown that a shift in an expecting mother’s thyroid hormone, “even if it’s so subtle it doesn’t show up on a clinical test,” can have consequences to a child’s future development, Trasande said.It’s all too easy for a pregnant woman or parent to tip the scales into toxic territory. Take, for example, a dinner of organic vegetables stored in plastic wrap, steamed in nonstick cookware with tap water as a beverage.
The plastic wrap cancontain chlorine, the nonstick cookware is made with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the vegetables and drinking water may contain nitrates from fertilizers, which often leach into ground water, especially in agricultural areas.All three of those chemicals are known endocrine disrupters. A review of the last five years of research by Trasande found an “explosion of evidence” about the negative impact on our health of such chemicals in agricultural pesticides and plastic or other containers used in manufacturing that touch our food.The dangers extend beyond pregnancy. Any negative impact of food additives will be much worse for children of any age, said Dr. Margaret Cuomo, author of “A World Without Cancer,” a book that explores environmental impacts on cancer risk.”Children are always the most vulnerable especially when it comes to the endocrine disrupters,” Cuomo said, “because their endocrine, neurological and reproductive systems are just developing. And so these chemicals have a much higher impact on their little bodies compared to adults.”
It’s the FDA’s responsibility to step up and remove the responsibility of avoiding such dangers from consumers, said Dr. Aparna Bole, chair of the AAP’s Council on Environmental Health, who worked on the petition.
“The reason we are asking for greater regulatory support is that it’s really too much to ask a typical parent or pregnant person to purchase their way out of a very confusing system,” Bole said.”For the average consumer to worry ‘If I purchased this I risk that exposure, and if I store it in this I risk a different exposure. …’ I feel like it’s a landmine.”Neltner of the Environmental Defense Fund agreed. “We can’t expect every person to become a chemist. We want theFDA and industry to do the job and to think about that core issue. That’s why Congress gave the burden to FDA and industry, right?”
CNN reached out to the FDA and the American Chemistry Council for comment.”The FDA is reviewing the petition and will respond directly to the petitioners,” said Courtney Rhodes, a media spokesperson for the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, via email.The American Chemistry Council provided the following statement: “FDA regulations are comprehensive and science-based. In addition, through FDA’s ongoing food monitoring, they ensure the safety of the food supply.”
Regulate the class of chemicals
The way the FDA approaches its regulatory job contributes to the problem, experts say.Take PFAS chemicals, which have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, asthma and thyroid disease, as well as liver damage and decreased fertility. Called “forever” chemicals, because they do not degrade in the environment, PFAS are so widespread that levels have been detected in the blood of 97% of Americans, according to a 2015 report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even more concerning during the coronavirus pandemic, PFAS chemicals have also been linked to a reduction of antibody responses to vaccines and less resistance to infectious disease.
While two of the most ubiquitous PFAS — perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) — were removed from consumer products in America in the early 2000s, the industry continuously spawns new versions. More than 4,700 types of PFAS existed in 2018.
The same thing happened with the infamous bisphenol A that was used to create baby bottles, sippy cups and infant formula containers until frightened parents boycotted those products a decade ago. Today there are more than 40 BPA replacements in the marketplace.Despite the fact that these new products appear to impact the same biological receptor or mechanisms in the body as those that were banned, the FDA does not regulate the entire class of PFAS or BPA chemicals — only one specific chemical at a time.”The regrettable thing that can happen is we get rid of item A, and then replace it with item A1,” Bole said. “That’s what one of the things this petition is trying to accomplish — for the FDA to look at classes of chemicals as well.”
Pushing chemicals through a loophole
Another part of the problem, according to the petition, is that the agency allows companies to use a loophole in the law called GRAS — “Generally Recognized As Safe.” Written into the original 1958 amendment, it was meant to save companies from FDA review if the new chemical or additive was known to be safe.
“But they were referring to salt and vinegar and oil. They weren’t referring to brand new synthetic chemicals,” Neltner said. “And this little exemption was stretched beyond recognition so that now, almost any new chemical added to food goes through the GRAS loophole.”An Environmental Defense Fund analysis of public records found that in the last 23 years, just under 900 GRAS proposals have been voluntarily submitted by companies, Neltner said. A closer review of those 900 of those found only one company had considered the cumulative effect of different chemicals on the body. When it came to the other submissions, “we saw no evidence that FDA raised concerns about the notifier’s failure to include the legally mandated information,” the petition states. And even when the FDA does find concerns, the company can withdraw the GRAS submission and proceed with the use of the chemical, Neltner said.”We’ve documented cases where the company has gone ahead and used the chemical, despite the withdrawal in the face of agency concern, because the company was convinced it was still safe.”
No added sugar for babies, US advisory panel recommends, as it launches early feeding adviceNot only that, but the agency has even interpreted “that hole in the law to allow companies to make safety determinations in secret without ever telling the agency,” Neltner added.In fact, a review of agency documents by the Environmental Defense Fund found “about 1,000 chemicals have been added to food or food packaging without the agency’s knowledge,” Neltner said.”It takes a long time to reverse these decisions that the companies get so easily,” he added. “Sometimes it takes five to ten years to resolve.”The Environmental Defense Fund has taken the FDA tocourt overits interpretation of the GRAS rule, and is currently awaiting a decision by the court.
How can this be done?
Just how can the FDA address a decision that impacts some 10,000 chemicals that are allowed in food or products that touch food?”The agency actually has a database that it developed back in the ’80s, where it identifies all the health effects for the chemicals it has already approved,” Neltner said. “So it has a starting place.”By law, the FDA has 180 days to approve, deny, dismiss or give a tentative response to any citizen petition, but that could be simply, “We need more time.”
The agency will need additional funding to accomplish this goal, experts point out. Compared to the drug approval side of the FDA, the food safety and nutrition divisions are chronically underfunded.”The executive branch and Congress must recognize the agency cannot carry out the kinds of advances this report has identified without ensuring that it has sufficient authority and resources to do so,” said Cuomo, who is the sister of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.”When you’re a public servant in an agency like the FDA, the last thing you want to do is hurt people,” Cuomo added. “And I mean that in all sincerity. We have to show a little respect for the people who dedicate their lives to this kind of work — it’s backbreaking.”In the end, the process of considering this petition could take years, experts say.”The first step to fix this problem is to ask the public what they think,” Neltner said. “And to hear from groups like the heart, diabetes, kidney and cancer associations, because they’re the ones that are seeing increases in kidney disease, diabetes and cancer due to these chemicals.”The petition is currently supported by the Environmental Defense Fund, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, the Center for Food Safety, the Clean Label Project, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, the Endocrine Society, the Environmental Health Strategy Center, the Environmental Working Group, and Healthy Babies Bright Futures.
Getting swifter action is up to consumers, Cuomo agreed.”I cannot overstate the impact and the influence of US public opinion,” she said. “I’m not sure that creating documents like this is going to be effective without a huge public outcry.”
What you can do
While the regulatory process churns on, the AAP suggests consumers do the following to lessen the risk of exposure to food additives.Prioritize consumption of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables when possible, and “try to use a variety of fruits and vegetables,” Bole said. That’s one way to minimize the risk in case one type of fruit or veggie is more exposed to food additives.Avoid processed meats, especially during pregnancy. Sodium nitrite and potassium nitrate are key ingredients in curing meat.Never run plastics through the dishwasher as that can cause leaching, Bole said, and avoid microwaving food or drinks in plastic (including infant formula and pumped human milk). Use alternatives to plastic, such as glass or stainless steel, when possible.
New FDA limits on arsenic levels in infant rice cereals don’t adequately protect children, critics sayDon’t avoid breastfeeding because of concerns over plastic, however.”Breastfeeding and pumping and feeding is the best, no matter what,” she said. “And remember you can store breast milk in glass, you can feed in glass. It can be convenient because you can pump right into the glass, freeze it and then thaw, heat and feed from the same glass container.”Look at the recycling code on the bottom of products to find the plastic type, and avoid plastics with recycling codes 3 (phthalates), 6 (styrene), and 7 (bisphenols) unless plastics are labeled as “biobased” or “greenware,” the AAP says. Those labels indicate the plastic is made from corn and does not contain bisphenols.Always wash hands before handling foods and drinks, and wash all fruits and vegetables that cannot be peeled. “I even encourage washing any food before you peel it,” Bole said.These tips are particularly focused on food additives, Bole pointed out, and don’t address concerns such as arsenic in rice cereals or pesticides in foods. But there are easy tips parents can use to address those issues, too.
“Fortified cereals can be a healthy first food, just make sure you use a variety of whole grain cereals, not just one,” she said. “For families who eat a lot of rice, be sure to wash the grains first, which helps remove arsenic. And know that brown rice, because it still has the hull, contains more arsenic than white rice.”Keep all things in perspective, Bole recommended. An exposure to food additives will not be life threatening, and may be a better choice in some situations.”The bottom line is, I’d rather you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whatever they’re stored in,” she said. “That’s going to be a better choice than more processed food items that are also bad for your health.”
Correction: A prior version of this story misstated the full number of GRAS proposals.

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On Good Friday, the Mayor of Didcot opened Mountain Mania Cycles’ new 2,500 sqft shop in the town.
The new Didcot shop is jointly branded ‘The Road Room’ and ‘Mountain Mania Cycles’, catering for both markets as well as offering commuters and childrens’ bikes. Special promotional offers for Easter Weekend were in effect.
Jamie Lynn, owner and MD, started Mountain Mania Cycles eight years ago at the age of 21. He started from a bedroom selling via the internet (trading as Balfa UK). Now the company employs 14 full time employees across a four-store network.
Lynn said the knowledge and commitment of its employees, coupled with high customer service levels had helped the growth of the retailer.
All the shops offer Scott, Trek, Cube, Yeti, Orange, Foes, Enigma, Cove, De-Rosa, Ritte, Brompton and Pashley. Other branches can be found in Goring-on-Thames and Tring.
www.mountainmaniacycles.co.uk; www.balfa.co.uk; www.roadroom.co.uk


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Analysts in Japan are predicting a resurgence for the worldwide semiconductor industry in the second half of the year, despite a tough first quarter.
Semiconductor shipments will grow 5.4 percent globally in 2007, according to analysts from Nomura Securities in Tokyo.
The firm's research department revised its earlier prediction of 9.6 percent growth after Flash memory and DRam prices plummeted in the first quarter.
Microsoft's Windows Vista, despite being slow to gain traction so far, will contribute to PC shipment growth of 11.3 percent, up from 9.5 percent last year, Nomura predicts. PC shipments have a strong correlation with higher chip sales.
Vista requires more memory than previous versions of Windows to run smoothly with all features turned on. DRam sales will therefore see a partial recovery in the second half of the year.
However, consumers will still benefit from an average DRam price reduction of more than 30 percent during 2007 as more advanced manufacturing techniques bring prices down.
Nomura is positive about profits at two leading Japanese DRam chip makers, Elpida Memory and Toshiba.
Both firms are notable in Japan for their ability to remain afloat on a tide of outsourcing to Asian manufacturers in Taiwan, China and elsewhere.
While still manufacturing higher margin products, Elpida outsources the majority of its PC DRam production overseas.
"With semiconductor demand shifting to non-Japan Asia, Japanese semiconductor makers' market share is in structural decline, a trend to which we largely attribute the Japanese semiconductor makers' status as laggards in the unfolding recovery," wrote Nomura's researchers in a recent monthly report on the semiconductor industry.
The analyst also expects higher demand for chips used in phones and digital consumer electronics. Products of this nature will contribute to a recovery in Nand Flash memory chip prices.
Global chip market on the way up
By Simon Burns on Apr 18, 2007 2:50PM


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We review a lot of TVs here at CNET, but the list below represents only the best.
Lenovo is dipping its toes into the 4K monitor pool with the competitively priced ThinkVision Pro2840m display.
Lenovo's ThinkVision 28 4K display is an impressive package, and not just because of its screen. The multitouch display not only boasts a 3,840x2,160-pixel resolution, it also doubles as an Android all-in-one device.
That's $100 off the regular price of this nicely appointed 20-inch desktop. Plus: a $99 Chromebook!
While other vendors are fretting about an uncertain economy, Lenovo executives are confident about the company's prospects.
Chinese electronics giant reports $265 million in net profit in the third quarter on shipments of 15.3 million PCs.
Motorola's recent smartphones are good, but Lenovo has the chops to make them truly great.
Lenovo's newest touchscreen Windows tablet is more expensive than Asus' £300 effort, but it's a classier bit of kit altogether.
The X220 convertible machine will join the X220 notebook in featuring Intel's Sandy Bridge chip--and sharp increases in battery life.
We go hands-on with business and consumer Yoga systems, plus a tabletop PC, a new line of semi-hybrids, and more.
As befits its name, the Yoga bends itself into different shapes -- you can use it as a conventional laptop, bend it backward into a tablet, or prop it up into a "tent mode" to act as a display.


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You would be udderly surprised to encounter a Simmental or Braunvieh running up the steps of New York’s One World Trade Center or Shanghai’s equally tall World Financial Center.
PETA is at it again. It has rolled out Carly the cow to US schoolchildren, telling them of the complex emotional lives of cows and their suffering at the hands of dairy farmers and the wider industry.
A new audit of plant-based milk alternatives in Australia shows the category has grown by 58% in several products in two years, but health professionals are alerting Australians that not all ‘mylks’ are nutritionally equal.
It's amazing what people can find to moan about these days.
Fonterra farmer shareholders will this week receive voting papers for the 2018 director election.
OPINION: I can now say with confidence that the conversation on agricultural emissions is in for a huge shake-up.
OPINION: Here's a question: one of these things is not like the others; it just doesn’t belong; which is it? Google HQ, Apple HQ, Amazon HQ, Fonterra HQ.
OPINION: Fonterra has delivered more real value to me than the other processors would have.
Why is Fonterra in a pickle? Is the death of democracy and a blob of arrogance in Fonterra to blame for the current crisis?
The sound of milk bottles is set to return to Marlborough.
Fish & Game took umbrage at a Milking It story on farmer Dean Rabbidge and his tweet. It says contrary to the report, F&G actually worked with Rabbidge on this wetland creation.
Here's a pitch that will have the greenies seeing red. Intensive, high-yielding farming may be the best way to meet rising demand for food while conserving biodiversity, a new study has found.
Not a good look for Fonterra as media report on a junket by 200 European staff to a California resort town.
We all know how important it is to get eight hours sleep, and while cows have different sleep patterns from us, they do need to spend a similar amount of time lying down.
No one could ever accuse the Productivity Commission of not being productive.
Drought-stricken dairy farmers in Australia are turning to consumers for support.
Almond milk, if we can call it milk, is being touted as the next-best thing to cow milk.
US President Donald Trump’s trade tiff with China has hit American farmers in the pocket as China’s retaliatory tariffs on US exports start to bite. Soybean farmers are the hardest-hit.
Fish and Game NZ’s continuing attacks on water quality on farms prompted a Southland farmer to take to Twitter.
This month, Fonterra marks the one-year anniversary of TIAKI – our sustainable dairying programme that helps farmers make their operations more environmentally compliant.
Farmers are unhappy and confused with the NAIT changes rushed through Parliament into law.
If you enjoy a breakfast of milky cereal and tea, then today is your lucky day.
As the movement away from plastic accelerates, one wonders if plastic milk bottles will be next.
With Manuka honey selling for $200/kg all beekeepers must be swimming in cash, right?


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#ItsYourThing! A Behind-The-Scenes Look At SlimFast's New Ad Campaign That Hollywood’s Using To Lose The Pounds — And Keep Them Off!
With summertime weddings, reunions and bikini outings oncoming, models and celebs have a secret to shedding those extra pounds or losing that baby weight: SlimFast!
And in image-conscious Hollywood, the rich and famous are well-aware of SlimFast's weight-loss shakes, which are low-cholesterol, gluten-free and a great source of fiber. The nutritious shakes -- which dozens of studies have endorsed as a great way to lose the weight, and keep it off -- contain 20 grams of protein and 24 vitamins and minerals.
The convenient, on-the-go shakes are perfect whether you’re getting ready to walk the red carpet or pick the kids up from camp.
And now, SlimFast is taking things to a new level with their electric new “It’s Your Thing” campaign, which encourages users to get into shape while having fun! And OK! is taking you behind the scenes of a high-energy, V.I.P. commercial shoot behind-the-scenes of the new campaign.
The spot, which was shot at Chelsea Studios in New York City last month, features models, dancers, a production crew, and hair and makeup professionals, set to the upbeat tone of a revamped version of the Isley Brothers classic “It’s Your Thing.”
The inside look well represents the high-energy attitude of the “It’s Your Thing” movement, which is perfectly tailored to the busy lives of everyone from first-time moms to athletes to college students.
Watch the video on OKMagazine.com!
Kamini Chinloy, a beauty who SlimFast helped shed 60 pounds after she gave birth, boasted of the brand’s modern innovations.
“I now know I can take it with me anywhere and get real protein and fiber,” Chinloy said, “and I love the taste!”
Laura Petersen, a new mom who’s also featured in the spot, said that SlimFast perfectly meets her fast-paced needs of balancing motherhood and her career.
“Not only does SlimFast taste great, it’s definitely getting the job done,” she said. “The weight is finally slipping away!”
For more info on this, check out SlimFast.com or on social media under the hashtag, #ItsYourThing.


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Vuzix, the supplier of smart glasses and AR technologies and products, reported its fourth quarter and full year financial results for the year ended December 31, 2022.
“In 2022, Vuzix made critical investments in staff, core technology and infrastructure to expand our capabilities and global footprint to meet the demand for our products, components and services,” said Paul Travers, President and CEO. “We made significant advancements in our core technology and our waveguide manufacturing technologies. We also kicked off upgrades and expansion of our waveguide manufacturing capabilities and entered into a lease for additional manufacturing space. Both are helping to uniquely position Vuzix to play an important role in the expected multibillion dollar AR market. Furthermore, we also entered into a series of agreements with Atomistic, a France-based firm related to the development of next generation microLED technology. We successfully developed and integrated miniature AR imaging systems and transferred this technology from the R&D lab into the industrial design and product assembly of the Vuzix Ultralite smart glasses OEM platform. We acquired Moviynt, a revenue generating SaaS solution provider that supports SAP and traditional handheld hardware used in warehousing, as well as Vuzix smart glasses. On the operational side, we invested in staff and infrastructure to help our company scale and take advantage of the opportunities at hand in the market.”
“2022 as a whole was a challenging year to navigate with supply chain issues, uncertainty caused by Covid, geopolitical tensions and darkening macro-economic forces. Despite these headwinds, there were segments of our business that accelerated, such as our OEM business group, which delivered year-over-year revenue growth of 250% fueled by new customers and follow-on programs from existing customers. During 2022, we also witnessed accelerated smart glasses adoption by key accounts, especially in warehousing and logistics in the form of larger orders to support expansion into additional warehouses and distribution centers. Additionally, in 2022 we continued to expand our global sales channel and strategy within select markets to provide end-to-end smart glasses-based services to end customers,” said Mr. Travers.
The following table compares condensed elements of the Company’s summarized Consolidated Statements of Operations data for the fourth quarters and years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Full Year 2022 Financial Results
For the full year ended December 31, 2022, total revenues were $11.8 million, a decrease of 10% over the comparable period in 2021. The decrease in revenues for the year was due to lower sales of smart glasses, which resulted from a combination of higher average sales discounts due to larger volume reseller sales, negative foreign exchange comparatives and, to a smaller degree, a decrease in overall unit sales. Sales of engineering services for the year ended December 31, 2022, were $1.3 million as compared to $0.4 million in the same period of 2021, an increase of 250%.
There was an overall gross profit of $1.5 million or 13% for the full year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to overall gross profit of $1.6 million or 12% for the same period in 2021.
Research and Development expense was $12.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $11.7 million for the comparable 2021 period, an increase of 9% largely due to a $0.6 million increase in external development expenses related to the Shield and Blade 2 and a $0.4 million increase in salary and benefits expenses due to additional personnel.
Selling and Marketing expense was $8.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $6.1 million for the comparable 2021 period, an increase of 32% that was largely due to a $1.7 million increase in salary and salary benefits related expenses.
General and administrative expense was $21.0 million for the full year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $22.5 million for the comparable 2021 period, a decrease of 7%. The decrease was largely due to a $1.3 million decline in non-cash stock-based compensation and decreases in legal expenses.
The net loss for the full year ending December 31, 2022 was $40.8 million or $0.64 cents per share versus a net loss of $40.4 million or $0.66 for the same period in 2021.
Net cash flows used in operating activities for 2022 was $24.5 million as compared to the prior year’s total loss of $27.0 million.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company maintained cash and cash equivalents of $73 million and an overall working capital position of $76 million.
Fourth Quarter 2022 Financial Results
For the three months ended December 31, 2022, total revenues were $2.9 million, a 13% decrease over the prior year’s period. The decrease was due to lower sales of smart glasses products, partially offset by higher engineering services sales.
There was an overall gross loss of $0.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022, as compared to gross loss of $0.01 million for the same period in 2021.
Research and Development expense was $3.1 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022 versus $3.3 million for the comparable 2021 period.
Selling and Marketing expense was $2.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2022 versus $1.8 million for the comparable 2021 period.
General and administrative expense for the three months ended December 31, 2022 was $5.7 million versus $5.8 million for the comparable 2021 period.
“We expect 2023 will be an exciting year for Vuzix and its shareholders. We entered 2023 in a position of strength and are focused on execution of our business plan to leverage and monetize the critical and prudent investments that were made throughout 2022. Thus far, our first quarter of 2023 is off to a strong start. Based on current shipments in Q1-2023 and purchase orders being processed for shipment in Q1-2023, we should outpace our reported total revenues for every one of our 2022 quarters. For the full year, we have a strong book of business with identified opportunities, large deals and cornerstone customers on the enterprise and OEM side of our business that we expect to come in over the course of the calendar year. As a result, we expect to achieve record overall revenues in 2023 fueled by stronger sales of core smart glasses, SaaS solutions and OEM products and engineering services,” said Mr. Travers.


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Austin, Texas -
AUSTIN -- Longtime tourism industry professional Jerry Holt of Traders Village was named the 2014 recipient of the Gene Phillips Hospitality Award from the Texas Department of Transportation.
Highly respected among his tourism colleagues and peers, Holt is renowned for his professionalism and volunteer work. He has 40 years of experience in Texas tourism, including his current role in sales, tourism and promotions at Traders Village in Grand Prairie. Traders Village is considered the largest weekly flea market, shopping and vendor marketplace of its kind in the U.S., and attracts thousands of people every weekend to its DFW-Metroplex location alone.
Throughout his career, Holt has been a regular fixture on committees and boards for the Texas Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, Texas Tourism Industry Association, Panhandle Days in Austin, the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation, the Tourism Advisory Council for the Office of the Governor Economic Development and Tourism, and many others.
“Throughout his distinguished career, Jerry Holt has been the kind of worker who represents the best of the Texas tourism industry,” said Margo Richards, director of TxDOT’s Travel Information Division. “He remains a consummate ambassador for the state and is a perfect fit for the Gene Phillips Award.”
The award recognizes Holt’s career-long contributions, involvement in legislation and work that specifically impacts Texas’ $65.7 billion travel and tourism industry.
The award was presented during the 59th annual Texas Travel Counselors Conference.
Panhandle Notches Sixth National Championship at College National…
Last day to submit an application is June 30, loan repayment could…
4 days ago


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Campaign to export East Anglian produce to China ‘set to step up a gear in 2018’
PUBLISHED: 11:28 18 December 2017 | UPDATED: 11:28 18 December 2017
A campaign to promote East Anglian food and tourism to China looks set to step up a gear in 2018, organisers say.
LinksEast, which promotes trade between small and medium-sized East Anglian businesses and China, organised an event in Southwold in December as part of the campaign. It said exports to China are on the increase.
Delegates to the lunch event, which included invited guests from local hotels and restaurants and a delegation of post-graduate Chinese students from the University of East Anglia (UEA), heard from a series of speakers about the high quality food and drink on offer in the region.
The lunch was hosted by Adnams at its newly-refurbished Swan Hotel in Southwold on Friday, December 15, and builds on Chinese film star and former University of East Anglia (UEA) student Jiang Shuying’s visit to Norwich in September.
That visit was part of the UK’s government’s Spirit of Youth campaign launched in Beijing in July by the actress along with the Princess Royal and British ambassador to China Dame Barbara Woodward. The China-wide campaign aims to promote deeper collaboration and exchange between the UK and China.
The Southwold lunch heard from speakers including Bradley Adnams of Southwold brewers and pub and hotels group Adnams. Delegates also heard from Thinley Topden, deputy regional director at the Department of International Trade, Chris Cotton regional director of the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), Tiptree-based jam maker Wilkin & Sons’ Chinese brand ambassador Tingting He, and Clarke Willis, chairman of LinksEast.
“With the increasing trade in this region to China and the close collaboration between UEA supporting this initiative, 2018 looks set to have even closers links for Suffolk/Norfolk with China,” LinksEast said.
LinksEast hosts the LinksEast Forum, a series of round table discussions at the House of Lords, where invited guests from specific East Anglian market communities meet with representatives of the UK and Chinese governments to discuss how to export to China.
The forum forms the basis of a ‘self help’ exchange of knowledge and ideas, with regional meetings.
The lunch event was sponsored by Blockslegal LLP.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the East Anglian Daily Times. Click the link in the yellow box below for details.


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Fiat Chrysler appoints Kevin Flynn as head of India operations
"Flynn will be responsible for strengthening the overall sales of the Fiat brand in India and the new brands that will be introduced in the country."
NEW DELHI: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles India today announced the appointment of Kevin Flynn as its new President and Managing Director for India operations with immediate effect.
Flynn replaces Nagesh Basavanhalli, who left the company to pursue other interests.
"Flynn will be responsible for strengthening the overall sales of the Fiat brand in India and the new brands that will be introduced in the country," Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) India said in a statement.
Fiat will be introducing the Abarth brand in 2015, which will have its own brand identity.
His role also includes the management of service, parts and customer care across more than 132 dealerships in 98 cities across 24 states in India, the company said.
"With his breadth of experience and focus on customer experience, we are confident that Kevin will drive FCA India into the next phase of growth," FCA Vice President and General Manager, APAC Operations, John Kett said.
Flynn, a veteran with around 30 years of experience in the auto industry, joins the company from Jaguar Land Rover, where he served as Managing Director South Africa & Sub Sahara Africa.


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Mountain View, Calif, Amsterdam, June 15, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – CleverTap, the all-in-one engagement platform, further strengthened its compliance in the EU region, through data centers hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) an Amazon.com, Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN). These are aimed at enhancing the protection of personal data belonging to EU residents and citizens.
“Whether it be with respect to our core product offerings or compliance with local data regulations, maintaining the highest standards of safety has always been a top priority for us at CleverTap. Coupled with adept on-ground go-to-market teams consisting of sales, customer success, product development and technical support, the local deployment of our platform within the EU will further enhance the CleverTap experience for our European clientele”, said Pravin Laghaate, Vice President, Europe CleverTap. “The local deployment serves as a testament to our commitment towards not only delivering strong growth and Return on Investment (ROI) to our customers but simultaneously ensuring their data is safe and compliant”, he added.


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London Heathrow Airport has announced a deal with Colombia’s national airline Avianca to provide the UK with its first direct connection to Colombia for nine years.
As part of the Star Alliance, from July, Avianca’s passengers will be offered four flights a week through Heathrow’s new second terminal, which will open this June.
Although initial discussions between Heathrow and Avianca took place in 2009, it took about five years for the deal to be established due to a connectivity crunch.
Avianca waited for the availability of suitable take-off and landing slots from other airlines before it was able to secure the slots it needed.
UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "Colombia is one of the world’s most promising economies and the deal will help the UK meet its new bilateral trade target of £4bn by 2020."
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Heathrow CEO Colin Matthews said: "The world’s economic centre of gravity is shifting and Britain needs to capitalise on links to fast growing economies like Colombia.
"We would like to welcome more flights bringing trade and jobs to the UK but a lack of hub airport capacity means we are less well connected than we could be."
Avianca CEO Fabio Villegas said: "The new Heathrow-Bogota route will be a huge boost to trade and tourism between the UK and Colombia."
Columbia belongs to a new group of growing economies called ‘CIVETS’ (Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa) that are characterised by high prospects for growth in the coming decades.
Image: Avianca’s passengers will be offered four flights a week through Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 from from July 2014. Photo: courtesy of Heathrow Airports Limited.


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With cannabis legal in most US states at least for medical purposes and for recreational purposes in a growing number, there has been much talk of taxing the profits to the extent that some people fear it will be taxed to death. Casinos in Native American territories are big business, raking in $28.9bn in 2014, and cannabis could be the same. Anthony Rivera, a founder of CannaNative, which works alongside hundreds of tribes that are leading the way on cannabis matters, believes that the Injun cannabis industry will “far exceed” the gambling industry as time goes on.
This follows the case of California v Cabazon Band of Mission Indians in 1987, when the Supreme Court ruled that if a state permits gambling, gambling was permissible on Native American lands and unaffected by state regulation. Something similar could happen with cannabis: outside of Injun country, companies which produce or retail cannabis are unable to subtract business expenses from their federal taxes, but Native American tribes are free of federal income tax on activities conducted on their land. Leslie Bocskor, who founded Electrum Partners, a consultancy leading the way for states and tribes seeking to enter the cannabis industry, spoke of a profit margin of as much as 85 percent compared to non-tribal enterprises.
Vincent Sliwoski, an attorney in Portland who represents companies which deal in cannabis, explained that states have permitted cannabis since 1996, with California leading the way and legalising cannabis for medical reasons, since which enforcement has been “sporadic.” A guidance memo from the Department of Justice in 2013 allowed states to cultivate and sell cannabis with no prospect of prosecution by the feds, with the limits that the drug can’t be grown in public land, sold to children or sent to states that regard it as illegal. Tribal governments received similar guidance months later. Per Sliwoski, the risk is that the federal government might change its mind.
But the government disapproves
Some tribes have been leading the way and attempting to penetrate the cannabis market, but these attempts have mostly been curtailed. One example was in July of 2015, when federal agents struck at two northern Californian reservations, accusing them of producing too much marijuana to be legal, which was denied. It was three months after when agents seized hemp plants – cannabis for industrial uses such as clothing, oil, food and construction materials – from the Menominee Nation of Wisconsin, charging that the plants featured impermissibly high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, the element of cannabis that gets you high, in the face of which “confused and alarmed” Injun leaders asked that the government subject the plants to testing and offered to eradicate any that got you too stoned. In view of this, the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe set its crop afire to avoid receiving the same treatment. There are tribes, one of which is the Oglala Sioux of South Dakota, which continue to prohibit cannabis. Sliwoski imagines that certain local attorneys have been “more zealous” than others, so “enforcement has fallen disproportionately upon tribes for that reason.” But some tribes have been leading the way and established successful retail businesses.
Why change could happen
Almost 30 percent of Injuns lived in poverty in 2014, as measured by the Census, the highest rate of any race. But after centuries of being ripped off by the government, the unique status of tribal homelands could give them a critical advantage. These are sovereign nations and can make and enforce civil and criminal laws and regulate activities. So anyone leading the way and setting up a cannabis operation will find it much easier, being free of the city, county and state governments that control non-Injun territory.
One is the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon, which was in 1855 obliged to relocate 80 miles from the Columbia River on which it depended, and access to that was cut when the government commenced construction of the Bonneville dam in the 1930s. Now, it is one of the most economically depressed places in the state.
The tribe now wishes to find itself leading the way and grow cannabis and sell it elsewhere in Oregon, which legalised recreational cannabis in 2014. A 36,000-square foot greenhouse is being built, and the product could be sold by 2018.
Residents are all for it. In a recent referendum, 1,252 people voted in favour with but 198 against, and turnout was high in spite of a snowstorm. Let’s hope the government allows it.


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Freesat, the UK’s free-to-air digital satellite television provider today launches its slick new white <free time> box.
Freesat’s white box, manufactured by Humax, is the latest product with the <free time> service built in. As well as offering a great choice Continue reading Freesat launches its first ever white set-top box
Following our report that Humax would launch a new software update towards the end of March, they have pulled out all the stops to release the software today.
The software will resolve a number of major bugs that customers have experienced Continue reading Software update for Humax HDR-1000S available from today
If you are a frequent visitor to sites like this and the forums, it won’t have gone unnoticed that the new Humax HDR-1000S <free time> receiver has a few glitches, mainly linked to recording and hard drive re-formats.
Having tried for weeks to get a firm Continue reading Software update for Humax HDR-1000S due end of March
Following the launch of the Humax HDR-1000S Freesat+HD <free time> receiver there has been an extensive number of bugs/glitches reported which Humax/freesat have been working on.
Humax have today announced that the first revision of the software (version 1.00.16) Continue reading New software for Humax HDR-1000S
Launch: October 2012 | Price: £279 (rrp)
The Humax HDR-1000S is the very first of the second generation Freesat receivers with <free time>, a service designed to offer the user a more seamless experience in accessing the content you want to watch. Continue reading Review: Humax HDR-1000S Freesat+ HD <free time> Receiver
The first of the next generation Freesat <free time> boxes launches this week, with Humax leading the way. The HDR-1000S will be available in-stores from tomorrow as well as available to buy online.
The new product with more focus on interactive services, including the 7 day Continue reading Humax release first Freesat <free time> box
It would appear from the comments on Joinfreesat and on the satellite forums that many of you are experiencing problems trying to record the 24 additional Olympic channels added on Monday.
We have contacted Freesat to find out more information on this and had the following response from Emma Scott Continue reading Updated: Recording the Olympics on Freesat
After a long time of waiting (literally!) for the “please wait” issue to be fixed, it appears Humax will launch a new software version (1.00.17) on the 14th October according to DTG.
The new version will automatically download on to your receiver (usually at 3am) providing you have updates set to auto within the menu. The update is exclusively to resolve the EPG problem: Continue reading Humax FOXSAT-HDR “Please Wait” Fix
As many of you have found owning the Humax FOXSAT-HDR, a recent software update has caused a significant delay in accessing the TV Guide (EPG), confronted by a “please wait” message usually for around 40 seconds, but in some cases minutes.
There has been some talk about whether this is a Humax or Freesat fault, and Humax have kindly responded to us today with the following: Continue reading Humax FOXSAT-HDR “Please Wait” Issue
Humax have announced they will release an important software update for both the FOXSAT-HD and FOXSAT-HDR on 1st June 2011.
The update is expected to resolve a number of the bugs which have been apparant on the receivers since launch.
The software will automatically update on your receiver (if you have it set to do so from within the menu) or alternatively you can download now from the Humax website and self-install. Continue reading Humax Release Important Software Update


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Funding Rundown brings you a quick wrap of all the deals closed in the startup space
Here are the top deals from the startup space.
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Prime Venture Partners closes fourth fund at $120 mn, to invest in new areas like EVs, B2B, Web3
Early-stage VC fund Prime Venture Partners has marked the final close of its fourth fund at $120 million. According to the venture firm, the fund was oversubscribed and has exceeded its target of $100 million in commitments. With this, the total capital raised by all of Prime Venture’s funds has risen to over $250 million.
From the new fund, the company aims to invest in disruptive technology startups across sectors like Fintech, Edtech, Healthtech, Consumer Internet and SaaS. In addition to this, the company will also invest into new areas such as EVs, Web3 and Gaming infrastructure platforms.
Prime Venture’s fourth fund was backed by International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, a top-tier university endowment, a top tier Fund of Funds and several global technology entrepreneurs, along with its existing investors.
Prime Venture Partners have incubated startups including ZipDial (acquired by Twitter), Ezetap, SmartOwner, Synup, HackerEarth, happay, Vidgyor, Maya, KredX, MoneyTap and NiYO.
Niyo raises $100 mn Series C funding led by Accel & Lightrock India
Neo-banking startup Niyo, has raised $100 million in its Series C round of funding led by Accel & Lightrock India with participation from Beams Fintech Fund.
Existing investors Prime Venture Partners, JS Capital along with others, also participated in the funding round. Avendus Capital was the exclusive financial advisor to Niyo on the transaction
The company said it will utilise the funds for product innovation, marketing and branding, increasing its distribution footprint, and hiring top talent across functions. Niyo is also looking to provide comprehensive financial services to over 30 million users through both organic and inorganic expansion, it added.
The startup recently launched a fully digital salary account this month and is in the process of launching personal loans, credit cards, integrated forex and other banking products in the next three months.
Incepted in 2015, the company currently serves around 4 million customers across its banking and wealth management products with over 10,000 new users added daily to its platform. Niyo claims to have processed over $3 billion worth of transactions.
bitsCrunch raises $3.6 mn in a private funding round
Blockchain analytics firm bitsCrunch has raised $3.6 million in a private round of funding from lead investor Animoca Brands with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Crypto.com Capital, Polygon Studios, and others.
The round also saw participation from Borderless Capital, Bison Funds, Mapleblock, Morning Star Ventures, Shima Capital, GravityX, Thykeblock Ventures, and Spark Digital Capital. Angel investors from Ex-CxO Huobi, CxOs of Biconomy, Frontier, and experts from JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and Facebook also pitched in.
The company will use the fresh capital to expand the team and it also plans to have dedicated teams for our securing services like Scour, Liquify and Crunch DaVinci.
Fintech startup for gig workers KarmaLife receives $2.2 mn in pre-series A round
Fintech platform for gig workers, KarmaLife, has received $2.2 million in pre-series A round, led by Artha Venture Fund (AVF). Netgraph Investment, LV Angel Fund, Singularity Ventures. This is AVF’s 16th investment from its $33 million micro-VC fund.
Angel investors including Abhinav Sinha (CDC Group PLC), Amit Jain (CEO -Global Equity London), Balesh Sharma (MD -Vodacom South Africa, Ex-CEO Vodafone Idea), Vamsi Udayagiri (Founder Hesa), Vikram Kailas (MD & CEO Mytrah Energy) and Prateek Agarwal (ex-CBO BharatPe), also participated in the round.
The startup plans to utilize the funds for further product development, team expansion, and employer partnerships, it said in a statement.
The company claims to have access to 130,000+ users and is eyeing a 10-fold user growth in the next 12 months. It is also clocking a 40% MoM growth in credit disbursement since July 2021 and will surpass Rs 500 crores in disbursals by the next fiscal.
KarmaLife said it plans to scale its business by partnering with 150+ new employers and will be launching various innovative financial products such as liquid savings and micro-insurance customized for this segment.
Lightspeed India invests $2 mn in Bhanzu
Edtech startup Bhanzu has raised $2 million in a seed funding round led by Lightspeed India.
The round also saw participation from notable angel investors such as Nitin Gupta (CEO of Uni), Maninder Gulati (Global Chief Strategy Officer at OYO), Ashish Gupta (exHelion MD), Gaurav Munjal (CEO of Unacademy), Kunal Shah (CEO of Cred) and Biswa Kalyan Rath (stand-up comedian) among others.
According to the startup, this funding will be utilised to scale Bhanzu’s live classes in USA, Canada, the UK, and the Middle East. Bhanzu will also use the funds to accelerate hiring specialised tech and product teams.
Bhanzu is a math-learning focused edtech platform founded in November 2020 and currently has over 30,000 students and parents, while clocking 1 million+ teaching hours.
Nithin Kamath, Kunal Shah & others to invest $1.7 mn in edtech firm Kalvi
Edtech startup Kalvi is in the process of raising $1.7 million in its seed funding round which will be led by over 30 founders of unicorns and global corporate leaders.
The on-going round saw participation from Nithin Kamath (Zerodha/Rain Matter), Sujeet Kumar (Udaan), Kunal Shah (Cred), Rahul Chari (PhonePe), Ankit Bhati(Ola/Amnic), Dr Kumar Muthuraman (University of Texas, Austin) and Anupam Mittal (People Group).
Founders and CXOs from startups like Haptik, Byju’s, Unacademy, 1Mg, Rapido, Zolve, Rupeek, INCREFF, Bright Champs, Yellow.ai, iZooto, Onsurity, OYO, among others also pitched in.
Global leaders from Microsoft, Google, Flipkart also joined this funding round.
Kalvi supercharges the traditional computer engineering degree construct using their proprietary and instructional design called 'Quadrangle'.
Y Combinator backs bitcoin rewards platform GoSats
Bitcoin rewards platform GoSats has been accepted into the accelerator Y Combinator programme.
The startup will be part of the Incubator’s Winter 2022 batch and will be receiving $125,000 in funding as part of the program, it said in a statement.
“As we embark on the next phase of our growth, with the imminent launch of our Bitcoin rewards card, we are thrilled to partner with Y Combinator at this stage. We were looking forward to applying and being part of the YC family,” said Roshan Aslam, CEO & Co-founder at GoSats.
GoSats was also a part of the first cohort run by Accel Atoms program. The company claims to have created 100,000 Bitcoin users and is growing at 40% Month on Month.
Social Alpha and LetsVenture invests in Accelero Vehicles
EV startup Accelero Vehicles has bagged Rs 1.7 crores in a seed funding round led by Social Alpha and LetsVenture.
The investment will support the company’s growth through product development, pilot opportunities, enhancing production capacity, expanding to new geographies, and strengthening the sales and marketing team, a statement said.
“We aim to make electric mobility accessible to every household, especially to the underprivileged. With robust build quality, patented technology, financing options and life time customer support, we believe we are uniquely placed to scale rapidly in the coming years,” said Anant Jain, the founder of Accelero.
According to Smita Rakesh, Vice President and Partner, Social Alpha, “Accelero will also use the rapid prototyping lab and other facilities at Social Alpha’s Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC) in Delhi. Social Alpha is also supporting Accelero in market access in new geographies and achieving scale rapidly.”
Accelero Vehicles has operations in multiple cities & plans to have a pan-India footprint in 3 years.
D2C brand ‘Label Shaurya Sanadhya’ raises undisclosed sum from Velocity
D2C fashion clothing brand Label Shaurya Sanadhya has raised an undisclosed amount from revenue-based financier Velocity.in.
“The funds raised from Velocity.in will be used to expand our product line as well as generate more brand awareness." says Shaurya, Founder, Label Shaurya Sanadhya.
According to reports, the apparel industry in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% to reach $118 billion by 2028. Label Shaurya Sanadhya said it plans to tap this sectoral tailwind and grow exponentially by leveraging its unique, designer apparel and high-quality social media content.
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Google could bring Facial Recognition Support with Android Q:
Android Q could bring facial recognition bolster, screen recording, new warnings the board. In the coming Google’s I/O 2019 designer gathering, the organization may report the Android Q beta adaptation. The new Android adaptation may get facial acknowledgment, screen recording and more highlights.
The Google’s I/O 2019 engineer meeting will be hung on May 7 this year. At the occasion, Google may declare the most recent Android Q form close by a large group of other new highlights. Another hole has indicated at some up and coming highlights in Android Q form like it might convey local help to facial acknowledgment highlight and framework wide screen recording device as that present in iOS.
In spite of the fact that few cell phones like Huawei Mate 20 Pro figured out how to give facial-acknowledgment on their cell phone by intensely altering the Android to help, presently the most recent Android refresh may actualize a facial acknowledgment highlight which implies independent of the gadget Android clients will get facial open framework. A large group of handset producers right now offer facial acknowledgment, however it isn’t given locally by Google. Android Q could


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Fans of Mafia Wars on Facebook would be glad to know that Zynga, the game’s developer has just enabled full mobile access features. Â Whereas previously, the game’s mobile feature only allows users to receive updates of what was happening with their games, the new mobile features now allows you to do more activities.
To register for this feature you need to register from the Mafia Wars Facebook app page. Â The SMS Mobile feature link can be found from the HELP option on the main Mafia Wars page. You need to sign up your mobile phone number. And right after registration you can start sending “MAFIA” plus action commands such as “FF” for fighting your last opponent, “J” for doing a job and other available SMS commands. Â Send your SMS to the number (623-42). To get a list of commands, simply send “? to the said number.
Now, while this might seem an honest move on Zynga to inrease the engagement level of Mafia Wars players, this may also lead these members to purchase virtual good via their mobile phones.
What I’m not really sure is how Facebook will take this mobile feature as it will certainly take away valuable site eyeballs on Facebook.com. Of course, since you will be using your mobile phones, be reminded that those SMS messages will entail charges on your end. Â But if you don’t mind spending on SMS just to play Mafia Wars via text, then check out the new Mafia Wars Mobile feature.
For those of you who are into fantasy sports league, specifically Fantasy Baseball, you might be interested to know that Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball ’10 has just been chosen as the official fantasy baseball game of MLB.com. This means that Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball ’10 will now be promoted on MLB.com as well as on its online properties.
With the support of MLB.com, Yahoo’s fantasy league hopes to deliver the most compelling experience for fantasy baseball players, or gamers seem to be the more appropriate term. Â The deal would incude integrated in-game and post-game video highlights of the action on the Major League Baseball directly from the player’s homepage.
Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball ’10 gamers can now purchase MLB.com’s new Fantasy Highlights package which would give them an opportunity to watch customized, in-game and post-game video highlights direct from their homepage. Â MLB.com’s fantasy highlights package will be available for free-trial during the first two weeks of the MLB regular season. Â The full season of MLB will be available for $9.95.
In addition, Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball ’10 will provide new live online auction draft application and free live scoring as well. Â This will give MLB fans the ability to view live stats as well as instant scoring for teams or match ups. Users will also get real-time league standings straight to their homepage.
MLB.com senior vice president for business development, Kenny Gersh said that this product will suit fantasy baseball players’ growing appetites.
“Integrating this new highlights package with Yahoo!’s industry-leading fantasy baseball game will take fans beyond the box score to watch the performance of their fantasy roster as it unfolds on the field,” said Kenny Gersh.
With MLB.com’s support, Yahoo now has three fantasy sports game which have been blessed by the game’s official league administrators. Â Yahoo also has fantasy games for NHL and PGA.
Possibly not wanting to let Xbox Live one up them, Sony has officially announced support for Facebook. Â The announcement was made via a post at the official Playstation blog about the latest PS3 firmware (v3.10) update. Â One of the new features of the firmware updates is of course “partial” support to Facebook.
Partial support meaning if you are a Playstation 3user, you can have the option to let your PS3 automatically updates your Facebook news feed with your game trophies as well as purchases at the Playstation Store. But to do this, you need to link your Playstation Network to your Facebook account first. Similar perhaps to the process of allowing third party apps to connect to your Facebook account. More →
If you’re on Facebook (who isn’t anyway?), Â don’t be surprise if you receive a notification coming from FishVille. It’s not a typographical error since FishVille is not FarmVille. It’s actually a new game from Zynga, makers of Mafia Wars and FarmVille, Â two of the widely played Facebook game apps. More →
Electronic Arts Inc. announced the robust online and community offerings to The Sims 3 PC and Mac game, the highly-anticipated flagship game from the best-selling PC franchise The Sims. In addition to the town included in the game, a second town, Riverview will be available for download from The Sims 3 product website at launch. TheSims3.com also will allow players to create and share their own movies, manage their online content and purchase additional in-game content. The game is set to launch worldwide on the PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod touch and mobile devices starting June 2, 2009.
Childrenâ€™s Hospital Bostonâ€™s Generation Cures movement, (www.generationcures.kid.org), where kids change the world through fun and games, launched the countryâ€™s first â€œGame for Goodâ€ game-a-thon. The groundbreaking two-month competition lets tweens use their gaming powers for good to fuel the discovery of cures and treatments for serious childhood diseases.
As more and more kids turn to the Web to make a difference, the Generation Cures â€œGame for Good/Make it Betterâ€ Challenge puts tweens in the giving driverâ€™s seat. Just like they do in traditional fundraising initiatives like walk-a-thons, kids raise money by securing sponsors to reward their efforts in support of a good cause. However, with the game-a-thon model, kids can change the world right from their own homes as adult sponsors support their progress in an educational-adventure game on the Generation Cures site. While they have fun and learn, tweens are making a big difference for peers who are facing serious health issues.
Kids can enter the Generation Cures Game for Good challenge by registering for free on the Generation Cures site. Once registered, kids can reach out to parents, relatives and family friends, asking them to sponsor their game play by making a â€œGame for Goodâ€ pledge of any dollar amount.
How do you score massive player adoption while adding more than a million new games to your immersive online environment in just one month? CartoonNetwork.com discovered the secret by inviting fans to help build the content themselves.
As of May 30, Ben 10: Alien Force Game Creator fans had created more than 1 million brand new custom games to share with friends and fellow CartoonNetwork.com visitors. This milestone occurred less than a month after the launch of Cartoon Network New Mediaâ€™s newest game, the first to combine user-generated content, gaming and one of kidsâ€™ best loved franchises online. Those fans have played the Ben 10-themed games more than 77 million times in the same time period.
On May 5, Cartoon Network New Media launched the tools and animations fans need to build their own action-adventure game featuring the new series Ben 10: Alien Force. The Ben 10: Alien Force Game Creator lets users easily build their own online games and share them with fans everywhere. Players choose their own hero from four of Benâ€™s new aliens â€” Swampfire, Humongousaur, Jetray and Spidermonkey â€” each of which has unique powers and abilities that impact game play. Completed games can be shared with friends and sent to CartoonNetwork.comâ€™s game gallery for other fans to play and rate.
Sohu.com, China’s leading online media, communications, search, online games and mobile value-added services company, announced that in response to the announcement by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China of a three-day national mourning for earthquake victims from May 19 to May 21, Sohu suspended its online game services on May 19, and will resume at 1:30AM on May 22.
Based on the latest operational trend of its online game business and taking the 3-day services suspension into consideration, Sohu estimates online game revenues for the second quarter of 2008 to be between US$43 million to US$45 million, unchanged from the company guidance issued on April 28, 2008.
“The Mist” is rolling in with Blockbuster Inc. by launching a free online game inspired by the Stephen King film. The game pits players against the predatory “Mist” creatures from the movie and highlights that Blockbuster will have exclusive rentals of The Weinstein Company film when it is released on DVD on March 25.
Now through April 8, “The Mist” game will give gamers a chance to live the movie. Players must defeat a series of predators, battling their way through three levels based on scenes in the film. Those who escape the mist and win the game get a sneak peak of an exclusive interview with Stephen King and director/screenwriter Frank Darabont.
Donâ€™t discriminate us! Thatâ€™s the cry of many European online gambling companies hurt by the decision of US in 2006 to bar American banks and credit card firms for transferring payments to online betting companies operating outside its territory.
According to a news article, the powerful 27-nation European Union is investigating the Internet US gambling laws for any sign of violation under world trade rules. This probe could lead to a formal lawsuit at the World Trade Organization. More →


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"Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?" Lily Tomlin would use this line whenever she would play her character Ernestine the telephone operator on the classic TV comedy show "Laugh-In." But to the thousands of financial institutions that operate call centers, the question of whether their customer service representatives are talking to an actual customer is no laughing matter.
In a recent report on call center phone fraud, Pindrop Security cites a number of alarming statistics based on their clients' actual experiences: one in every 2,500 calls to a call center is fraudulent; the average fraud loss per call received is $0.57; and the average potential loss to an account from phone fraud is more than $42,000. It seems that the call center has become an increasingly attractive target for fraudsters.
A call from someone not authorized to access the bank account in question may not directly result in a financial loss on that call. In fact, Pindrop's research indicates that it takes an average of five calls before the fraudster gathers enough information to strike. They use those preliminary calls to gain account or customer information that will help them subsequently to generate a fraudulent transaction, whether it's through the call center or another channel. Some of the calls are from criminals who are simply trying to get account information such as credit and debit card information that they can sell to others. Some of the calls attempts to change account settings such as statement mailing address or call-back phone numbers. With a simple address change, the criminal can gain more information about the accountholder and also keep the victim from being alerted to fraud on their account. Often, a call that results in a direct loss occurs when the fraudster obtains sufficient account credentials to generate a fraudulent wire transfer or ACH transfer from the targeted account.
While these criminals might be looked at as "low-tech hackers" compared to the sophisticated hackers who probe computer systems or worse, the evidence from law enforcement shows that these groups are just as well-organized and sophisticated. They are often based outside the United States, which makes investigations and prosecutions difficult. Sometimes they use technology to change their voice or to show a fake phone number on the bank's caller ID system. The fake phone number helps the fake caller avoid suspicion when the call is coming from outside the customer's area of residence.
To address this growing attack vector, financial institutions are adopting new technology to help them detect potentially fraudulent calls. Voice biometric technology can detect altered voices or even compare the caller's voice to a database to verify the caller's legitimacy. In addition, phone call and device "fingerprinting" gathers enough information from the caller's device to allows the call to be scored, just like a card transaction, on how likely it is to be fraudulent.
It is clear that criminals are attacking all physical and virtual channels of banks, sometimes using information obtained through one channel to carry out fraud in another channel. Portals and Rails believes it is important that you approach your fraud mitigation strategy from a cross-channel perspective. Please let us hear about your challenges and successes with such efforts.
By David Lott, a retail payments risk expert in the Retail Payments Risk Forum at the Atlanta Fed


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ronstik - stock.adobe.com
Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG) has added Northamber to its list of UK and Ireland distributors as it looks to widen its channel reach.
Northamber joins Tech Data and Arrow and will be offering the vendor’s range of servers, storage and solutions products, with a brief to reach out to those partners that serve the small and mid-size customer bases.
“This year, we are evolving Lenovo’s distribution strategy,” said Ian Jeffs, general manager at Lenovo ISG. “Our existing distributors support some of the UK’s biggest blue-chip companies, public sector organisations, and AI [artificial intelligence] and solutions specialists. Working in collaboration with Northamber, we can collaborate with even more partners supporting growing businesses throughout the UK.
“Lenovo ISG’s ambition is to become one of the UK’s top three IT infrastructure solution companies. Evolving our distribution strategy will allow us to support the channel better and help more partners access our technology solutions,” he added.
For Northamber, the relationship will bring on board a heavyweight hardware brand and give it the opportunity to offer the vendor’s products to a well-established reseller base.
Ian Jeffs, Lenovo ISG
“Northamber is delighted to be working with Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group. Northamber’s heritage was built on distributing server and storage into SMBs and the mid-market; the addition of Lenovo’s portfolio and its clear commitment to the SMB channel will allow us to bring an exciting new offering to this space through our loyal partners,” said Northamber managing director Alex Phillips.
Elsewhere in the channel, the theme has been around security, with Nuvias and Tech Data adding to their vendor portfolios.
“Supporting emerging technologies aligns with Nuvias’s extended area of focus and intercepts growth opportunities to the benefit of both vendors and partners. The cyber security market holds a lot of promise in terms of growth and innovation, and we are committed to supporting both in collaboration with Deep Instinct,” said David Harvey, vice-president of vendor alliances at Nuvias Group.
Graham Howton, channel and MSSP manager at Deep Instinct, said it was looking to build a loyal and robust channel across Europe. “We’re 100% committed to the channel model and are certain that Nuvias, with its deep cyber security experience and pan-European reach, is the ideal partner for us at a time of meteoric growth in our business,” he said.
Over at Tech Data, a freshly inked relationship with Proofpoint sees the distributor taking its email security products out to existing partners and managed service providers (MSPs), as well as helping expand the partner base.
Alison Nixon, business unit director for security at Tech Data, UK and Ireland, said the Proofpoint products would help partners protect customers as they deal with increased remote working and a greater number of threats.
“With hybrid working dominating the agenda, organisations need to tighten control over email and user behaviour. They need to keep a close eye on messaging and equip employees to spot the danger signs and take appropriate action. Ideally, the customer wants someone to take all that off their hands – and that’s especially true of SMBs,” said Nixon.
“With the expertise and support of our security team, and Proofpoint’s solutions, MSPs can help their customers counter all potential email-borne cyber threats. It’s an exceptional combination and an excellent opportunity,” she added.
Warwick Lawson-Syer, director of channel sales at Proofpoint, said: “Tech Data has a thriving security business practice and tremendous penetration of the SMB-focused reseller community. As such, it is ideally placed to reach out to more MSPs and resellers and support them in getting enabled while delivering first-class protection to address the needs of businesses facing a fast-evolving threat landscape.”


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Articles by Rob Fahey - Page 3
Rob Fahey, Contributing Editor
Rob Fahey is a former editor of GamesIndustry.biz who spent several years living in Japan and probably still has a mint condition Dreamcast Samba de Amigo set.
Recent articles by Rob Fahey
With weak sales, bad word of mouth and almost zero marketing support, Konami's first attempt at a post-Kojima Metal Gear suggests a tough road ahead for the franchise
Smartphone games are proving to be a challenge for Nintendo - and the problems are more basic than a failure to embrace F2P
The recent boom in remastered games isn't just business as usual; it signifies an underlying shift in how consumers value older games
The mobile gaming landscape is filled with giant companies living off the back of a single, enormous hit title - but how many are planning effectively for when that title starts to decline?
Monster Hunter was perhaps the best example of a big in Japan game - until Capcom's persistence and confidence finally paid off this week
Adding new games to Xbox Game Pass at launch is a bold move that says more about Microsoft's determination to keep hard on Sony's heels than its long-term strategy
Regardless of the truth of the allegations of harassment and toxicity at Quantic Dream, many in the industry will have found the claims all too familiar
After a decade of decline, Japan's console market growth challenges the long-standing idea that the smartphone sector was responsible for its woes in the first place
Controversy over monetisation of games isn't going away, and it's likely to reach the corridors of government sooner rather than later
It may not have been a superb year overall, but expectations were defied and challenges overcome with creativity and passion in 2017
A lack of recognition of the games industry's needs from government have created concerns over hiring and trade that will continue into next year
Dealing with abusive behaviour and trolling in games is an old problem, but rarely has the issue been so serious, or the responses so lacking, as in 2017
Consumer annoyance over micro-transactions doesn't change the fact that every major publisher is shifting business model wholesale in that direction
The IP powerhouse values protecting that IP over any business relationship - as firms working on those properties would do well to remember
Data-led strategies have left many companies trying to squeeze revenue from the same small but lucrative market segment - it's not an approach with a bright future
The most powerful console ever built has an understated launch week - but Microsoft's strategy makes sense, and signals that it's in this game for the long haul
Developers have learned to deal with violence and difficult themes intelligently and respectfully in recent years - it's time for marketing teams to catch up
As many top studios focus on multiplayer, service-based games, does the business case for narrative-driven single-player titles still add up?
Exiting the EU is one of the biggest challenges the UK games sector has ever faced; the industry desperately needs its access to skilled staff to be protected
Business model innovation is necessary despite the friction it causes - but the industry needs to recognise when it's overstepping a line
On the rocks just five years ago, Final Fantasy is back to being one of the industry's top franchises - courtesy of some bold risk-taking from Square Enix
The risk posed by PewDiePie's outbursts isn't confined to his career; Google won't tolerate a sector that keeps dragging down YouTube's commercial prospects
Once the biggest company in mobile gaming, the Angry Birds creator now plans an IPO far more modest than its past ambitions
With strong partnerships and control of the Windows ecosystem, is Microsoft positioned to win the VR/AR race in the long run?
Mismanaged since poor decisions on Mass Effect 3, one of EA's big franchises has bowed out for now. How did such a well-loved series decline so fast?


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As news broke that Stuff was closing or selling 28 print mastheads, wire service BusinessDesk called it the start of the endgame for the business – a reference harking back to the ominous 2016 warning of Fairfax group chief executive Greg Hywood that the company would struggle should the Commerce Commission block the merger with New Zealand Herald owner NZME.
"We don't have the capacity of deep pockets of private money to subsidise journalism," Hywood said at the time.
"There are many proprietorial models where wealthy individuals and families, for social and political influence, own media companies, but we have shareholders and they demand that these publishing businesses stand on their own feet."
Unless the merger was allowed, "it becomes endgame", he said.
Notwithstanding the merger appeal is still to be determined, Fairfax has decided to shake off some paper weight and bet big on digital.
Notably, this move comes shortly after New York Times chief executive Mark Thompson gave print journalism an expiration date of about 10 years.
As loathsome as chess references might be, Fairfax's move looks a lot more like a classic sacrifice than an endgame in light of the diminishing future of print. It's a case of the company giving up some well-loved pieces to give it a better position as the game moves on.
In business, as in chess, timing is everything. Make your move a little too early or a little too late, and everything that follows becomes that much harder.
Fairfax NZ's financial figures show that 17 per cent of the company's $160 million in revenue came from digital and non-print revenue.
This grew 33 per cent year-on-year to $24m, but this still has a long way to go before it overtakes print revenue. The question then is whether the timing of Fairfax's sacrifice of 35 per cent of its print titles – albeit smaller names – is right.
Hywood thinks it is. His statement said the move will deliver additional earnings and "bring forward the time when increases in digital revenue outweigh declines in print".
Alongside Stuff and Neighbourly, the company has expanded into numerous other industries, including fibre, online entertainment and energy.
However, many of these are saturated markets with a number of powerful players and it's questionable whether Fairfax will be able to make a meaningful impact as it goes toe to toe with them.
That said, Fairfax has been strategic in its choices, establishing ventures that can be run by lean teams with relatively modest budgets – a significant departure from the resource-heavy strain of producing daily news.
And although I'd argue it's a stretch to call Stuff's print sell-off the endgame, a mistimed sacrifice has been known to move that along rather quickly.


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Ironwood Studios’ Highly Anticipated Game D07a5755e18b04086b4d8570475cd4b79 Set for Release in February 2024
In a recent update from Ironwood Studios, the highly anticipated game D07a5755e18b04086b4d8570475cd4b79 has been pushed back to an “early 2024” release date. This decision comes after initial concerns about the game’s longevity and has left fans wondering about the studio’s motivation.
The announcement has caused quite a stir within the gaming community, with some speculating that Ironwood Studios may be either “really stupid or very confident” to delay the release of the game. However, a new trailer released by the studio has revealed that D07a5755e18b04086b4d8570475cd4b79 is set to launch on PC and PS5 on February 22nd.
This release date places D07a5755e18b04086b4d8570475cd4b79 in a highly competitive month, as it will be going head-to-head with other highly anticipated titles such as Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Persona 3 Reloaded, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Helldiver II, Outcast: Ghosts of New Eden, and Skeletor “Heads and Bones”. It will be interesting to see if D07a5755e18b04086b4d8570475cd4b79 can stand out in such a crowded month.
Fans of the game have expressed mixed feelings about the news, with some expressing excitement for the upcoming release while others remain skeptical about the game’s potential success in the competitive market. With the release date now set, all eyes will be on D07a5755e18b04086b4d8570475cd4b79 as it gears up for its official launch in February 2024.


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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Greetings from the distant future of 2013. We stand in a basement of a wasteland once known as "New York City," to deliver you tales of the impending Robopocalypse.
Samsung made a bold move when it announced the Galaxy S III mini. Here was an Android phone with the potential to take the iPhone 5 head-on.
Apple's thoroughly re-engineered iTunes is now ready for you to try. The desktop download includes a new MiniPlayer for playing tracks in a widget-sized window...
Microsoft confirms Surface with Windows 8 Pro pricing: starting at $899 for 64GB version, shipping in January
Details on the Pro variety of Microsoft's Surface tablet have been hard to come by since the company first announced it back in June, but it's filled in some big ones today.


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An additional 23 banks have joined 's consortium toadopt a single platform capable of processing domestic and foreign moneytransactions using blockchain technology.
The company said Oct. 3 that the total number of consortiummembers has reached 38. The new members include ,Chugoku Bank Ltd.,North Pacific BankLtd. and YamagataBank Ltd.
The company in August announced its intention to create the consortium. Itaims to use fintech company Ripple Labs' technology to build its platform andin May set up a joint venture, SBI Ripple Asia.


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As Armistice day is upon us many people open their hearts and donate what they can to mark the occasion by wearing a poppy.
Remembrance Sunday takes place on the second Sunday of November. This year it will take place on Sunday, 12 November.
Many locals, young and old, have bought a poppy to remember lives that were lost during the first World War.
“I buy a poppy every year, we need to remember the people that died in the war.”
Josh Mann, Student
The symbolic flowers are being sold inside the INTU Victoria Centre, and various coffee shops in Nottingham.
There are no set prices, you simply donate what you can to the Royal British Legion. The old one pound coins are also accepted.
Josh Mann, 19, a student from Nottingham said: “Remembrance Day is important, it marks the day that the world changed. I buy a poppy every year, we need to remember the people that died in the war.”
However, some people have decided not to buy a poppy this year.
“I haven’t bought a poppy because I don’t believe I should. Buying a poppy would mean that I agree with young people giving up their lives and participating in War.” Said Amanda McDonald, 47, a shopper in Nottingham.
Remembrance Sunday is on Sunday 12 November.
Over 16 million people died during World War I.
Poppies are being sold in the INTU Victoria Centre, Nottingham.
The UK holds a two minute silence at 11am every 11 November.


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BRITISH electrical engineering firm Spectris has agreed to buy privately held Omega Engineering for $475m (£291m) to strengthen its industrial controls business.
Surrey-based Spectris, which serves various industries including mining, pharmaceuticals and transport, said it would finance the deal from its existing cash and bank facilities.
Spectris expects the acquisition to add to adjusted earnings per share in the first full financial year of ownership.
Connecticut-based Omega, which makes products used to measure temperature, pressure, humidity and conductivity, had sales of $168m in 2010 and employs around 700 people, Spectris said.
“We expect the acquisition to complete in the fourth quarter on satisfaction of customary closing conditions including US and German antitrust clearances,” Spectris said in a statement.
Spectris’ industrial controls business makes barcode scanner and decoders, as well as digital and analogue panels.
Shares in Spectris closed up 4.3 per cent at £14.07 yesterday, faring better than the broader FTSE 250 index.
City A.M. Reporter


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Super Retail reports solid start to 2012/13PUBLISHED: 22 Oct 2012 14:55:03 | UPDATED: 22 Oct 2012 14:55:03PRINT EDITION: 22 Oct 2012
Super Retail Group has made a solid start to 2012/13, with sales across its automotive, sports and leisure businesses up in tough trading conditions.
Managing director Peter Birtles said like-for-like sales growth at its auto stores through the first 16 weeks of 2012/13 has risen 5.8 per cent.
He says like-for-like sales were up four per cent for leisure retailing and had improved 8.9 per cent for Super Retail's sports unit.
Super Retail is the company behind retail brands Supercheap Auto, BCF, Ray's Outdoors, FCO and Goldcross Cycles.
It also completed the acquisition of Rebel Sports and Amart All Sports in October last year.


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With over $1 trillion in annual purchasing power, WEConnect members are vital to supplier development and helping businesses win more supplier contracts
Phoenix, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/22/2018 -- September 10, 2018, Kimberli Lewis will conduct an eye-opening interview with Maggie Berry, European Director of WEConnect International on VoiceAmerica's Leadership Beyond Borders . The interview addresses how women owned businesses can better position themselves to be awarded company and government supplier contracts.
Even with the number of women owned businesses on the rise, they are still not getting their share of supplier contracts. This interesting and thought- provoking interview with Ms. Berry will air on 11 September at 3:00 PM PT and be available to stream at that time.
WEConnect International , is a global network that connects women-owned businesses to qualified buyers around the world.
WEConnect Europe is based in London, England. Maggie Berry has been integral to the growth and expansion of its European chapter, which is part of the WEConnect International Network worldwide, and currently boasts over 1,000 women owned businesses across Europe.
WEConnect International educates, trains, assesses and connects women-owned business to elevate them to be on par with their male counterparts in the supply chain markets around the world, affording them the same opportunities to do business with multinational corporations worldwide.
In this interview on Leadership Beyond Borders, Ms Berry discusses supplier diversity programs, and the moving trend of many multinational organizations to implement, manage and support supplier diversity.
The episode discusses the legislation and lack thereof, supporting women owned businesses. Surprisingly, some legislation does exist in unexpected markets and geographies, but many corporations are considering staying ahead of the mandates. The fact is that only 1% of all supplier contracts go to woman-owned businesses and this has become a focus point for multinationals and the driving force behind change.
Kimberli Lewis, aside from hosting Leadership Beyond Borders, is the founder of the Women's Leadership Academy 2020 , and has benefited from the participation in WEConnect International and understands the opportunities and challenges.
Pulling from first-hand experience, the two women enter into a lively discussion about the challenges women owned businesses face in a traditionally male-dominated space. They both see that the tide as shifting, and present well thought out points on how to tip the scales instead of just waiting for legislation to dictate the path forward.
Ms Lewis has built a loyal listenership over the past 18 months in part due to the high-variety of informative business guests.
Leadership Beyond Borders airs every Tuesday at 3:00pm Pacific Time. The Maggie Berry episode will air on 11 September, 3 PM PT on Leadership Beyond Borders on VoiceAmerica Business Channel.
For more information on this press release visit:
Media Relations Contact
Email: Click to Email Jeff Spenard


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OTTAWA—Ontario’s commitment to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour has more to do with raising earnings for the province’s most marginalized than the move’s potential impacts on teenaged workers or small mom-and-pop shops.
The vast majority of workers who will benefit from a higher minimum wage are over the age of 20 and they work for big companies (those with 500 or more employees), says a new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The study comes as the Ontario government consults the public about its decision to raise the minimum wage to $15 by January 2019.
“Nearly all teenagers will see a raise, but they represent a small proportion of the overall group of low-wage workers who would benefit,” says CCPA Senior Economist David Macdonald. “In fact, 15 per cent of workers who are getting a raise are over 55, which means baby boomers are about as likely as teenagers to get a raise from a $15 minimum wage.”
Three industries dominate low-wage work: retail, accommodations and food services, and business, building and other support services. They represent 23 per cent of Ontario workers but 57 per cent will benefit from a $15 minimum wage:
- 55 per cent of retail workers and 71 per cent of accommodation and food workers would see a raise from a $15 minimum wage.
- Big companies prevail in the retail and food and accommodation industries. Among those employees who will get a boost in wages in these two industries, 59 per cent work for a company with more than 500 employees.
- Only 17 per cent of those who will get a raise in those two industries work for a small business with less than 20 employees.
“In other words, someone getting a raise in retail, food, or accommodation jobs is three-and-a-half times more likely to work for a big box store than for a mom-and-pop shop,” says Macdonald. “Overall, a broad and diverse swath of workers will benefit from a $15 minimum wage including contract, seasonal, and casual workers, part-time workers, women, and immigrants.”
Ontario Needs A Raise: Who Benefits From a $15 Minimum Wage is available for download on CCPA's website:www.policyalternatives.ca.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Alyssa O’Dell, Media and Public Relations Officer at [email protected], 613-563-1341 x307 or cell 343-998-7575.


text: Start-up helpline for Odisha youth BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Wednesday launched the Start-up Odisha Helpline to offer hands-on assistance to youths aspiring to be entrepreneurs(उद्यमियों). Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik officially unveiled the helpline -18003457100 - which is aimed at providing a platform to youths, incubators and other stakeholders in the start-up eco-system to get easy redressal (निवारण) of their queries related to policy, fund raising, company incorporation and idea validation. An MoU was also signed on the occasion between Invest India, an agency of National Investment Promotion and Facilitation(सुगमता), Ministry of Commerce and Industry and MSME Department of the State Government. Principal Secretary to MSME Department LN Gupta and MD and CEO of Invest India Deepak Bagla signed the agreement. On the occasion, Naveen said the Helpline has been launched while carrying forward the start-up initiative. ‘’I am sure the partnership between Start-up Odisha Initiative and Start-up India Hub run by Invest India will help us achieve the Mission 1000 Start-ups by 2020 and help youths realise their dreams,’’ he said. Bagla said the initiative would help provide critical foundation for development of the entire start-up eco-system. Invest India looks forward to closely work with the State Government, he added. The MoU will also facilitate networking between Odisha start-ups and global start-up ecosystem. Invest India will also extend knowledge support for development in MSME sector with focus on food processing, agro-processing and spices. Young minds from Start-up India such as Abheet Dwidevi and Navpreet Randhawa will bring their experience of global start-up eco-system to help the State Government. Both Managers with Invest India, the duo will assist in knowledge support which includes start-up policy advocacy, operating guidelines(दिशा निर्देशों) and setting up of the start-up portal. The portal will be a single platform for all stakeholders of start-up eco-system including the Government to interact. Global best practices which can be emulated(नकल करते) in the State would also be brought in.


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News and recent developments
- November 2010: Friends of Solar Cooking Yokohama Japan was featured on BS Asahi television across Japan. Five segments of 5-minutes each aired on a weekly "green cafe" program: Segment 1, segment 2, segment 3, segment 4, and segment 5.
- May 2009: Membership is now at 10, with 12 volunteers. Events such as lectures and demonstrations occur most months.
Fumi Oshimi, Representative