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They could be your dream ride next time. Greener. Safer. Electric even.
Local start-up S Dreams has teamed up with Shenzhen-based automaker BYD (Build Your Dreams) to wheel out an all-electric commercial car fleet to be used for popular ride-hailing service Uber.
Seven of BYD's e6 cars are expected to hit the roads here next week, with the fleet having up to 30 more cars by year end, and ramping up to 1,000 by 2018.
S Dreams general manager Jeremy Ng is confident that his fleet will be attractive to drivers, unfazed by the estimated tens of thousands of private-hire cars in the market.
While other fleet owners rent out private-hire cars for a fee, S Dreams will pay its drivers a fixed salary. But it will collect all the fare revenue a driver makes through Uber.
Under a one-year contract, drivers will earn a basic monthly wage of $1,800, which can go up to $3,000 through incentives for fulfilling more trips, driving safely, and good customer service.
"Drivers who work with us save on petrol, which is one of the highest overhead costs for Uber drivers... Our incentives also encourage our drivers to generate more revenue," Mr Ng said.
Drivers can charge their cars for free at S Dream's office in Ubi Avenue 4. The e6 can run up to 400km on a complete charge, which takes up to two hours.
Mr Ng said its cars are also equipped with free Wi-Fi for passengers, and a collision avoidance system to boost safety.
BYD Singapore general manager Nancy Mao hopes that as the fleet grows, there could be an option in the Uber app for customers to choose a BYD car. Currently, Uber customers can ask for cars based on only size and whether they want a limousine or a saloon model.
SIM University senior lecturer Park Byung Joon said it would be a challenge for an electric-car fleet business to compete with other companies using petrol-driven cars. "Although electric cars may have lower operating costs, the upfront costs of buying the cars are really huge," Dr Park said.


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White Friday: Get a 100LE Discount on Souq.com with Cairo 360!
The biggest sale of the year is all but upon us! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Souq.com’s White Friday has arrived and with it comes a flurry of too-good-to-be true offers on the Middle East’s most popular online shopping destination.
From electronics and home appliances, to fashion and beauty products, hundreds of items will be reduced by up to 70%, making this something of an early Christmas for shopaholics across Egypt.
To help you along the way, Cairo 360 has teamed up with the good folk at Souq for a rather sweet deal. You can get a 100LE discount on purchases by simply using the promo code Cairo360-WhiteFriday2016 and then – well, that’s actually it. That’s an extra 100LE in your pocket for, let’s face it, minimal effort, because, you know, life is complicated enough as it is.
While discounts have been running since Wednesday 23, and will do so till Saturday 26, White Friday is set to be a veritable extravaganza of shopping – the biggest of its kind, with shoppers set to save thousands of pounds across everything from smartphones, laptops and tablets, to high-end fashion and accessories.
Think we’re exaggerating? Take a look for yourself – and remember to use the promo-code! Only the first 26 lucky shoppers can use it. It’s game time.

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South Korean bitcoin exchange Korbit has cut a deal to accept bitcoin for one of the biggest media and entertainment companies in Asia, Bitcoinist reported on Monday (Dec. 1).
The Vingo video-on-demand service, which is owned by giant Korean business conglomerate CJ Group, will be accepting bitcoin initially just for the online video service, which will let Vingo users pay for content with bitcoin across multiple devices. To promote the new payments, Korbit is giving away 6,000 Korean won worth of bitcoin (about $5.40) to the first 1,000 users.
But the deal, which makes CJ E&M the first listed company in Korea that accepts bitcoin payments, may expand to include other CJ media lines of business. "Large enterprises in Korea are typically conservative in their approach to assimilating cutting-edge technologies, but with Vingo's adoption of bitcoin we can innovate on a larger scale," said Tony Lyu, CEO of Korbit. "We hope Bitcoin fuels CJ E&M's growth in the global market."
Korbit, which was founded in 2013, has more than 25,000 user accounts and has signed up 500 merchant accounts, mostly small and medium-sized businesses. The company has financial backing from investors including Tim Draper, Barry Silbert, AngelList CEO Naval Ravikant and Pantera Capital -- and the Korean government helped arrange some of the meetings with investors, although the government has yet to provide a clear regulatory outlook for Bitcoin or guidance on how the cryptocurrency will be taxed.


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JCB partners with EVO to boost merchant acceptance in the UK and Ireland
JCB International Co., a Japanese payments company, entered a partnership with EVO Payments Inc. to allow merchants in the U.K. and Ireland to accept payments from JCB, according to a press release.
The partnership will help increase JCB acceptance by small-to-medium sized merchants, according to JCB, particularly those utilizing integrated payments. The agreement also grants JCB additional access to independent software vendor providers that are active in the U.K. and Ireland.
"Our partnership with JCB will allow the more than 130 million JCB card members to make payment at all EVO merchant sites across the U.K. and Ireland that are part of the JCB network," Darren Wilson, president, international, at EVO Payments, said in the press release.
The expansion into Ireland and the U.K. follows a 2017 trial program in Poland where JCB gained access to EVO merchants.


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I’ve briefly touched on cooking with CBD in one of my previous blog posts, in my next two articles I want to discuss how CBD is making it’s way into two of my favorite vices, craft beer and ice cream.
In part one we’ll explore CBD infused beer and how it could actually become a thing.
“While it may seem like a strange blend, adding CBD to beer actually makes perfect sense; hemp and hops are genetically related, which means they share numerous characteristics such as medicinal qualities, aromas, and flavors. Also, since CBD is classified as a ‘dietary supplement’ in most states, it is legal for sale and brewers are taking full advantage.” (-Marijuana Break)
“CBD has the potential to create new subsections of craft brewing. It would invite new and unexpected flavor profiles for brewers to experiment with, anyone who has visited a craft brewery knows how brewers love to experiment. For brewers to experiment with CBD, they have to do so in a state where the compound is legal, and then they have to jump through myriad regulatory hoops to get their recipes approved.” (-Marijuana Break)
Jumping Through Hoops or Hops?
Tom Hogue, the congressional liaison for the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), tried to explain the labyrinth of regulations. “There are three layers — at least two, but potentially three,” he said. “Federal law, state law, and you may have local ordinances.”
Brewers are required to submit all beer formulas to the TTB for approval, and if there’s a question of safety, Hogue said, it has to be vetted by the Food and Drug Administration. From there, the path to commercial viability gets complicated further. “Let’s say I produce a beer here in Virginia. I brew it here, I sell it here, it does not leave the state,” he said. “I don’t have to have a label that’s approved federally to get it out in the market. If I’m selling it outside Virginia, I need federal approval.”
FDA approval of regular beer recipes has become standardized, but according to Hogue, hemp-derived beers are scrutinized much more closely. The TTB has to reconcile these formulas with not only the FDA, but the Drug Enforcement Administration as well because cannabis is a controlled substance. If the beer meets the standards of all three bodies, the drinks can be sold in the states where they’re made. (-The Ringer)
A hand full of breweries have accepted the challenge of CBD infused beer.
- Coalition Brewing
- Dads and Dudes Breweria
- Northern Brewer (Provides a CBD extract kit for the home brewer)
Unfortunately to find a brewer in your area you’ll have to “Google it” and more than likely it will only be on tap, but all that being said, this is an exciting time for CBD users and craft beer lovers alike. I for one love trying new craft beer flavors and will definitely be on the look out for a CBD infused beer. These are interesting times we live in. Until next time be well… – Will Upshur


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The Pink Pumas, a team of moms from the Redmond Ridge neighborhood, will hold a giant rummage sale to fight breast cancer, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 1. The sale will take place in the gym at Rosa Parks Elementary School, 22845 NE Cedar Park Crescent.
Expect to find furniture, sporting goods, outdoor items, clothes and more at the sale, as well as a raffle. All proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day event.
Pink Pumas spokesperson Deb Knaus described the fundraiser as “a true community event,” with contributions of sale items from many neighbors and teachers from Rosa Parks, Evergreen Junior High and The Goddard School. In addition, Rosa Parks custodian Mike Keefer is donating his services that day so that the sale can be held inside the school.
Several businesses from the Marketplace at Redmond Ridge have also pitched in. KUMON Learning Center, Loyal Companion Animal Care and Himitsu Teriyaki gave cash donations. Thrive Fitness offered raffle items and the QFC on Novelty Hill Road contributed raffle items, allowed the Pink Pumas to fundraise outside the store and will provide doughnuts at the rummage sale. Duke of All Trades contributed both cash and raffle items.
The Pink Pumas first participated in the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk back in 2008, raising $7,500. A former team member and breast cancer survivor has since moved to Wisconsin but is coming back to Redmond to be part of this year’s 3-Day Walk, Sept. 24-26. Knaus’ sister is also traveling from California to walk with the team.
It’s a 60-mile walk, about 20 miles per day, but the ladies said it’s really no sweat because it changes so many lives in so many ways.
If you can’t make it to the rummage sale, but want to support the Pink Pumas, visit their fundraising page at


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iGaming at the G2E conference in Vegas
The eyes of the gaming world will be watching closely for new developments at the G2E conference in Las Vegas shortly. In particular, they will be watching the iGaming area for new developments to take the gaming world by storm. Any development to will be even more important for the new breed of online casinos such as the 'Metro Play' casino. To read more about the iGaming area of the conference in particular please visit the Global Gaming Expo site.
In order to reach a broader crowd casinos have started making more games to play online with prizes to be win, which is why the conference will be watched with keen eyes for the gambling industry. Companies such as Metro Play casino will be looking at the new game trends in order to expand their reach and become involved with a wider reaching audience, drawing a new crowd to their doors.
The conference itself runs from the 23rd to the 26th September in Las Vegas and is a chance to meet and network with industry professionals. The iGaming industry section is a chance to meet the top suppliers from the online gaming industry and presents to opportunity to hear talks from experts and learn about the up and coming trends.
The iGaming section is guaranteed to be busy at the G2E conference, especially with the global internet gambling industry set to grow more than 50% in the next five years. No wonder more and more online casino companies are growing interested in the gaming world. With trends already sweeping the industry, such as high profile competitions and the rise in gambling games based around popular culture, it looks set that the online gambling industry is reeling in a new audience.


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- Shadowgate now on GOG at 20% off, with ringtones and other extras
- Destiny gets The Vault of Glass raid, more content coming next week
- Persona 4 Arena Ultimax trailer deluge – story, systems, characters
- Activision bringing Chivalry: Medieval Warfare to 360, PS3 this fall
- Grand Theft Auto V for next-gen console, PC dated, media released
Fancy A Date?
Daily Archives: May 2, 2014
Activision has released a new trailer revealing the next entry in the Call of Duty franchise, Advanced Warfare. Kevin Spacey makes his series debut in the teaser, lecturing adherents on the iron fist he intends on wielding to sway the people. The sci-fi leanings of the previous entries are brought to the fore with the appearance of combat suits and futuristic aircraft.
NIS has released a new batch of character screenshots from the upcoming Compile Heart- and GCrest-developed role-playing game Mugen Souls Z. The follow-up to 2012’s Mugen Souls will feature the return of Chou-Chou and her friends in a quest to assist the goddess Syrma, along with an increased level cap, new galactic attacks, and new G-Castle battles.


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GoogleHome Activating Burger King Ad Outrages All
Burger King’s slogan is “Have it your way” could soon be changed to “We are living in a capitalistic dark dystopic future where your home will market you our disgusting hamburgers”, and I know what you’re thinking, why would Burger King call their own hamburgers disgusting? It might be the only aspect of this story that seems the least bit unlikely as Burger King has been accused of violating technological privacy of many viewers after airing an ad that activates Google Home to talk about the Whopper.
The content of the ad includes a cashier saying that the ad is only fifteen seconds long, so he couldn’t possibly have time to list all the ingredients of the Burger King Whopper, so the cashier goes “Okay Google, what’s in the Whopper”, activating GoogleHome and giving details of what exactly is in this inhuman sandwich. People have seen this ad as a breach of privacy, including Google, who has not worked with Burger King to make this ad happen, and have recently made it so GoogleHome can’t be activated when it hears this ad.
This isn’t the first time GoogleHome has played advertising, as many viewers have complained about a Beauty and the Beast advertisement into their daily schedule.
Is this why the 90’s BK Kids spokesman had a cyclops like visor? To see unholy visions of the future!? And check out that commercial — Z-Bots! What happened to Z-Bots? Hold on let me do a block quote. I love doing block quotes.
“And what happened to Z-Bots?” – What’s Trending Blogger
What do you think of this bizzare invasion of the advertisements? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @WhatsTrending.


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Cold brew coffee is often associated with a brewing process that takes many hours or even a day to be performed, so the Ronnoco cold brew coffee dispenser has been created as an alternative solution to change this. Developed by Ronnoco Beverage Solutions for the convenience store sector, the coffee maker utilizes a premier brewing technology to rapidly craft coffee in just 60 to 75-minutes. This is a far cry from the 12 to 24-hours that are usually needed and will enable retailers to keep freshly prepared cold brew on hand for patrons seeking out a pick-me-up.
The Ronnoco cold brew coffee dispenser is expected to start hitting retailers starting in 2022 and will also highlight recipe cards to encourage consumers to mix up their own flavored beverage.
The Ronnoco Cold Brew Coffee Dispenser Quickly Crafts Fresh Drinks
Michael Hemsworth — October 13, 2021 — Business


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Pet retailer Natural Cornish Pet is supporting a relief effort to get pet supplies out to the people of war-torn Ukraine, and is calling on the rest of the UK pet industry to join in.
The retailer, based in St Erth, Cornwall, has teamed up with Somerset business The Dog Groomery to provide pet supplies as part of an organised group travelling to the Ukraine border to help animals in need. They will be travelling in a convoy piloted by rescue charity Dogbus – Transporting paws, Saving Lives.
The first van full of supplies leaves tomorrow (Wednesday) and organisers hope to make six trips in total.
Maddie Peck, marketing head at Natural Cornish Pet said: “As we know, the Ukrainian people and animals are desperate and in need of help. Families are fleeing to safety with their pets with very few belongings and supplies. We can’t even imagine how scary life is for these people and pets right now and what uncertainties they might be facing. Many of us locally have wondered how we can help; now you can.
“The team will leave on Wednesday and meet their convoy at the euro tunnel to drive across Europe. One of the team’s vehicles will cross into Ukraine taking in supplies from the van. Please donate to this fundraiser, we want to aid in filling future vans and help with the raising of the funds to enable the team to get there.
“They are mainly asking for large bags (12-15kg) of dog/cat feed, which will go directly over the border into shelters. The other vehicles are taking smaller food bags to help families on the move feed and keep safe their beloved pets.
“We’d like to thank Kate & Clint from the Dog Groomery in Paulton in inviting us to be part of aiding our friends in Ukraine.”
To Donate Online, visit:
Or via the Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/199YKP68AN4O5.
In addition, any manufacturers wanting to send supplies can do so by emailing Maddie at [email protected] or by phoning Natural Cornish Pet on 01736 317123.


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While they might conjure up visions of preening country western stars, Buff Orpington and Silver Laced Wyandotte are actually breeds of chickens that may roost in a henhouse down the street.
What started as a clandestine group of backyard chicken farmers is budding into a growing movement in Madison. Chicken raising went legit with the passage of a city ordinance in 2004, and the number of urban poultry-raisers has been rising since.
"At the beginning we thought it would be really great to get fresh eggs," said Karen Bassler, who is raising Peep, Penny Pretty, Jemima Puddle-Chicken and Shirley with her family at their home on the east side. "But once we got into it, it was the chickens themselves."
Bassler's not alone. Madison isn't overrun with chickens yet, but coops rising like mini condos are sprinkled around the city, neighborhood pet shops report that urban chicken farmers are seeking supplies for their broods, and the movement has even attracted a couple of filmmakers who are documenting the trend.
Officially, provisional City Treasurer Jo Ann Teresa reports that the number of casual chicken farmers is growing. In 2005, 29 chicken licenses (one per household) were issued in Madison, and that number grew to 43 the following year. In the first few months of 2007, the city has already issued 37 permits, so Teresa expects that the numbers will "definitely be higher than last year."
Those who raise the birds say it's nice to know their eggs are coming from well-cared-for hens. Oftentimes the feathered friends become like family pets, delight children and are generally welcomed by curious neighbors.
Bassler describes the hens as "very Zen." She likes to come home from work and watch them putter around the yard or take dust baths. "It's very relaxing and peaceful," she says.
At the same time, the birds have no sense of humor and can be fussy, to the family's frequent amusement. "The egg production has been less than stellar, so it's good that they're providing us with entertainment as well," Bassler said. At peak laying time, the family could count on three eggs a day. Now, in total, the hens produce about four eggs a week.
Ben Anton's family has three chickens: two gold Buff Cochin varieties named Rosie and The Colonel, and a Dominique breed of hen named Princess, who has black-and-white speckled feathers.
Anton has had the chickens for about a year and likes the simplicity and self-sustainability of raising hens. Plus, he thinks the hens will help teach his 3-year-old daughter about where her food is coming from, and the care of live animals.
"City kids don't get to learn about life and death in the same way a farm kid would," Anton said.
Together, the hens provide about a dozen eggs a week, which they sometimes share with their neighbors.
Not everyone in the family is as enthusiastic, however.
"My wife blesses their presence but does not partake in their raising," Anton said with a chuckle. "She washes her hands of it."
Madison's ordinance grants citizens permission to keep up to four hens, but no roosters. The birds must be housed in a covered enclosure at least 25 feet from a neighbor's residence and cannot be slaughtered in the city. The coops are spread throughout the city and not concentrated in any particular neighborhood, Teresa said.
Anyone who wants to keep chickens must pay the $10-per-year license fee on the first of the year, or within 30 days of acquiring the birds. Chickens must be registered with the Department of Homeland Security, too, so they can be tracked in case of any disease outbreak.
CHICKENS 101: Pam Karstens, one of the veterans of the Mad City Chickens group that worked to pass the chicken ordinance, is offering a class called City Chickens 101 to help novices get started. The next class is April 21 and costs $10, which helps pay for the group's website, www.madcitychickens.com.
She says the chickens help promote a sense of community.
"In terms of bringing people together, all you need to do is get a chicken on the scene," Karstens said. She said families out for a stroll in the evening frequently stop by to see her birds.
"It's kind of an extraordinary thing in the city." The hens also proved to be a useful bartering tool: One of her neighbors did Karstens' taxes in exchange for fresh eggs.
Sonja Sullivan keeps chickens at her home in the Vilas neighborhood and took the class before getting chicks last summer. Previously, the only experience she had with chickens was also in a city, as a young child living in Manhattan.
A grocery delivery person gave her family a few chicks, and the birds lived in the family's apartment for several months.
Her hens Charlotte, Holly and Nariko are pretty self-sufficient, Sullivan said. She lets them out of their coop in the morning, and they wander around the fenced-in yard, eat bugs and worms and come when called, like a dog.
"They'll follow you around the yard," she said. "They each have their own distinct personality."
She was a little worried about them during the winter because of the extreme cold, but they managed fine. The two Cochin chickens have feathers on their legs, which helps keep them warm during the winter. The hens drink out of a heated dog dish so the water doesn't freeze.
The bitter cold weather froze the first egg the hens laid, however. "It was a little egg popsicle," Sullivan said, but was still edible when cooked.
Several weeks ago, the family's fourth chicken met a gruesome demise by a raccoon when the coop's door wasn't tightly closed. Chicken advocates say the nocturnal animals are more of a concern than cats or dogs.
NICE DIGS: Many of the urban chicken farmers build their own coops to house their hens, with models varying from converted sheds to custom-made miniature houses bedecked with flower boxes.
Karen Bassler's husband, Daniel Mortensen, used recycled building materials from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, plus a friend's discarded door, to construct the coop. An old real estate agency signpost holds the chickens' water and food.
Ben Anton built his coop from leftover cedar siding and spare building materials, and bought tin for a roof. He had to add more wire to his chicken coop when the hens learned to fly. Sonja Sullivan custom-built her coop, tailoring it to her hilly yard, making sure it didn't interfere with a playhouse and swing for her kids.
Dennis Harrison-Noonan, a handyman by trade and part of the original "chicken underground" (before the coop law passed), has built four coops in Madison. He said materials cost around $350 and labor can run anywhere from $700 to $1,500, depending on the trim details.
He bought his chickens (he has a Buff Orpington, a Black Australorp and a Maran mixed with another breed) from a farm in Iowa, which were sent through the mail as chicks. The chicks can live for 48 hours without food or water, he said, and are shipped 25 at a time for warmth. The birds were divvied up between him and other Mad City Chicken people.
The peeps are kept inside with a heat light on them until they are old enough to go outside.
Harrison-Noonan says the chicken craze is growing globally. He created a side business for himself selling his chicken coop plans, photos and directions in a "how-to" package for $25. He's sold several hundred of his coop plans to people all over the world through eBay, and posted a short video tour of the coop on YouTube ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULvlZ94aZN4).
The chicken movement has been observed at neighborhood pet stores as well.
"I get a request to carry organic chicken feed and grit or gravel probably once a week," said Liz Perry, owner of Nutzy Mutz and Crazy Catz, a natural pet products store on Lakeside Street. "People say it would sure be nice to have something in the neighborhood" so they don't have to lug huge bags of feed from larger stores like Mounds.
Perry, who opened her shop in December, said she's looking into the possibility of adding chicken-related supplies to her inventory: "It sounds like there's a need for it in this neighborhood for sure."
A CHICKEN IN EVERY POT?: Still, as the chickens age and produce fewer eggs, the inevitable question arises about whether to, well, eat them.
That's Anton's plan.
"Someday we'll have them for dinner," he said. "It will be a special meal."
Others say they can't imagine eating their backyard friends.
"There's a distinction between something that's been a pet and something that's been raised for food," Sullivan said. "I think my children would have a real problem having Holly on the dinner table."


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A Meridian plant in Strathroy, Ontario, is one of those sites that will temporarily create lightweight parts for the Ford F-150 and Super Duty pickups, in addition to the Expedition, Navigator, Explorer, Flex and MKT utility vehicles. It's a key profit generator for Ford.
(Recasts, adds Ford possible resumption date) May 11 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co could resume production of its best-selling F-150 pickups as early as Friday, May 18 in Dearborn and Kansas City, according to a source familiar with the automaker's plans. That includes some larger trucks than the F-150, although the F-150 makes up the overwhelming majority of those sales.
Ford only has two plants that build the F-150.
"The company doesn't know when or for how long we will be down", wrote Burkie Morris of the UAW in a letter to members. Ford says it is working with Meridian and others to get parts.
Ford has about an 84-day supply of the F-Series truck in dealers' inventories, so the company never expected a shortage that would impact clients or dealerships. "But when you have a vehicle that comprises a quarter of your company's sales, any production disruption is going to cause some consternation". Meanwhile, the automaker ended April with almost a quarter million trucks on the ground at dealerships, a high percentage were F-150 models.
Ford isn't the only automaker that's had to shut down production due to the fire.


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Two water-saver hydroponically-farmed water-based trays were sold on eBay for $150,000.
The trays feature plastic bottles that are sealed and can be reused when you need them.
The bottles can be recycled into water or used to fill up a glass water bottle.
The auction went on for more than a month and sold for $160,000, but only two trays sold.
The seller had hoped to have two tray sales in a row, according to The New York Post.
One of the trays is a “water-based” hydropons, meaning it contains water from the water that comes from the ground.
The other hydroponite is an “aerogenerated” hydrate.
The seller, who goes by the name of Rachael Lasker, told The New Yorker that the hydroponyes are “really great” and have been growing for several years.
She says the seller used the water she collected from her own garden to grow the tray.
She also says the trash bags have been recycled.
The second hydroponer is a combination of both water and anaerobic bacteria, according the auction listing.
The auction notes that “the mixture is a blend of water and aerogenerates.”
The seller told The Guardian that she plans to sell the trayer to an organic farmer, who will use the manure from the trayed water to fertilize his land.


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Evolution Gaming, one of our favourite software studios when it comes to live dealer casino gaming, has found a way to expand their live dealer suite beyond the virtual walls of the standard online casinos.
Evolution has signed an exclusive deal with the Ritz Club, one of London’s most prestigious land based casinos, in order to offer the option of live dealer games to Ritz Club members who would prefer to play at home. The deal will expose Ritz Club gambling to the masses, although membership is still required and comes with a pretty price tag, so it remains accessible only to those who can afford it.
As well as hosting the standard Evolution live dealer games that stream from the developer’s high-end casino studios in Latvia, Evolution will also host an exclusive Dual Play Roulette table directly from the Ritz Club premises.
The Dual Play Roulette game will be streamed from the main casino gaming floor, with the intention of replicating the genuine experience of playing within the walls of the upscale Ritz Club. You can expect to see Ritz Club branding on everything from the game lobby to the tables, with games hosted by attractive and professionally trained croupiers.
Fredrik Osterberg, chief strategy officer of Evolution Gaming said the brand is thrilled to form a partnership with the Ritz Club, which he says is “a name synonymous with exclusivity, luxury and the very essence of fine gaming.”
The Ritz Club live dealer offering is set to launch later this year.
The deal forms the second London casino partnership for Evolution Gaming, who recently secured a partnership with the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square. While Aussies can already play Evolution live dealer games at several of our recommended casinos, these partnerships provide an interesting insight into what’s to come for the future of online gambling. If the collaborations between live dealer game studios and land based casinos take off in popularity, we can expect to see more casinos taking advantage of this product to broaden their offering to online punters.


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– Premium beers are taking the European market by storm as consumers continue to dig deep into their pockets for a drink which offers them a little more than the standard brew. But this is not the only segment showing growth.
Total beer consumption in Europe rose by less than 3 per cent last year, but both the premium and super-premium segments grew more than 10 per cent, despite an overall downturn in consumer spending.
But the success of premium brands is not necessarily the only driver of growth in Europe, the report claims.
The fastest growth of recent years has been seen in Russia, where premium and super-premium products now account for 55 per cent of sales. But more than 87 per cent of Russians continue to spend their beer money on discount and mainstream brands.
Canadean?s report shows that across Europe as a whole, more than half of beer volumes are now accounted for by mainstream brands, while one third is taken up by premium and super-premium products and one sixth by discount beers.
The market in eastern Europe continues to grow, while sales in the west are shrinking. Only one of the top ten players ? Spain – is in western Europe, while the worst performers – Denmark and France – lost 2.3 per cent of volume over the period 1998-2002.
While the market for imported beer remains buoyant across the continent ? growing by 10 per cent last year – much of the trade was intra-regional and accounted for by only a handful of markets. For example, the largest importer – the UK – took most volume from Ireland and Germany. Exports, which also grew, were more global with the main suppliers – the Netherlands and Germany – sending large volumes to the US. The lowest import and export levels are found in east Europe where only the Czech Republic and Ukraine export more than 1 million hl.
Europe’s beer market remains fragmented, with only the top two players, Heineken and Interbrew, having more than 10 per cent each of total sales. With the consolidation of its volumes in Russia and its purchase of Austrian brewer BBAG this year, Heineken’s pole position is assured, while Interbrew is continuing with its policy of acquiring local breweries and brands. These leading positions are being challenged by Carlsberg, Scottish & Newcastle and SABMiller, all of which have been pursuing fairly aggressive expansion policies in recent years.


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Full Moon Bar-B-Que opens its doors in Madison
MADISON, Miss. (WLBT) - Full Moon Bar-B-Que is now open for business in Central Mississippi.
Monday, they opened their first shop outside of Alabama, with a grand opening at their new shop in Madison.
The BBQ spot is open at 1935 Main Street, between Chicken Salad Chick and Academy Sports.
The restaurant serves up their ribs, pork, brisket and turkey at 17 locations across Alabama.
“Although we are new to Mississippi, it already feels like home,” co-owner David Maluff said. “We want to know our community, serve our community and be a place where people come to eat a great meal with great people.”
Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.


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Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) recently lent an i-MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) unit to Visayan Electric Company (VECO) for demo purposes.
VECO is the second largest electric utility in the Philippines. It serves the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay, Naga and four municipalities of the greater part of Metro Cebu - Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla and San Fernando.
Under the demo program, VECO will study and evaluate the behavior and performance of Mitsubishi Motors’ zero emission pure electric car , the i-MiEV, via actual usage on Cebu roads. This will also enable VECO to make an assessment on the power requirements including cost and other technical related issues.
In addition, this cooperation also aims to provide better knowledge, awareness, and appreciation on the EV technology.
“We are pleased to cooperate with VECO on the evaluation of our i-MiEV, pure electric car,” said MMPC First Vice President for Marketing Froilan Dytianquin.
He added that VECO will be able to use the car and understand its performance and charging requirements. We are also hoping that we can include VECO as one of our partners in raising awareness of the public that pure electric vehicles — in addition to being environment friendly — can be viable for daily use.
The i-MiEV is a compact eco-car which was launched by Mitsubishi Motors in 2009. With its zero carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions, the i-MiEV makes a valuable contribution to climate protection which also made it the recipient of the “Environment Special Grand Prize” at the 25th International Automobile festival in Paris.
According to the company, the i-MiEV is now available in many countries and regions all over the world, including Japan, Europe, Hong Kong, Australia, Estonia, United States and Canada.


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OCM, wholeheartedly supported and continues to support all the para-athletes who participated in various events in the Tokyo Paralympics Games, scheduled between 24 August and 5 September 2021.
India fielded its largest ever contingent this year with 54 Paralympic athletes participating across nine sporting disciplines including Javelin, Shooting, High jump and Badminton; and has won a whopping 5 golds, 8 silvers and 6 bronzes, totaling at 19 medals – the highest ever for the Indian contingent.
Vikram Mahaldar, MD & CEO – OCM says, “We have been so proud to encourage and motivate the athletes, right from before they left the Indian shores to cheering them on for their respective matches in Tokyo. Their stellar performance has made the nation so proud, and we are extremely thrilled in celebrating all their victories.”
Dr. Deepa Malik, Padma Shri Khel Ratna Arjuna Awardee & President PCI says, “OCM had been keen to encourage and motivate our para-athletes representing India at Tokyo with OCM products. We’re proud to have them as our Gifting Sponsor.”
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Apple is reportedly testing new screen technologies for the iPhone at a secret lab in Taiwan
But even if Kuo is right, it doesn't mean that Apple isn't hard at work testing out new materials for the iPhone's display. According to Bloomberg, Apple has opened a secret lab in Northern Taiwan where at least 50 engineers are working on new panels for Apple's iconic smartphone. The engineers' task is to build a lighter, brighter screen that is more energy efficient than the current glass employed on the iPhone and iPad.
Interestingly, today's report claims that the lab is first working on ways to build a better LCD screen before it starts moving on to OLED panels. Apple is looking to develop fresh techniques for producing a new screen, so that it can stop relying on technology developed by big display houses like LG Display, Japan Display, Samsung and Sharp.
Instead, Apple is hoping to eventual outsource its production technique to a smaller company like AU Optronics and Innolux. Apple is throwing money and manpower at this project; the company does have some job postings on LinkedIn, looking for more engineers to work at the display panel facilities.


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Early this year, Google has released a new Android update to the Sony Google TVs. This update runs on version 3.2 Honeycomb.
Some of the additions are a new capability for 3D Blu-ray playback as well as some tweaks that enhance the performance of Google Chrome. The update has a total size of 260MB and will be available in several stages. Thus, users who are not getting it at the moment should expect to receive the update shortly.
There are also several changes in the system that improve the latest Plex for Google TV Android app. These changes give added functionality to the popular media server.
The main enhancement that was done is an improved support for HTTP Live Streaming or HLS. This means that the new version of the Plex client (188.8.131.52) may now transmit transcoded video from the user’s server.
This works even if the video is in a format that Google TV does not recognize, that is, if there are required codecs to enable its playback. Users thus get access to channels that were disallowed before by HLS.
Another enhancement is subtitle support, which again opens up new material for users to view. Other updates include multiple audio stream selection as well as several tweaks regarding video playback bugs.
This updated Plex for Google TV Android app is currently available for 99 cents.
Via: The Verge
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Qualcomm fined €242 million in European antitrust case
The legal battles keep piling up.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855 Plus chip is built for gaming and VR
It's a rare mid-cycle speed boost to a flagship phone processor.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 215 CPU brings modern features to budget phones
Think taller displays and dual cameras.
PC makers are getting better at copying smartphone innovation
Unique colors, new design materials, foldable screens, 5G and more.
Qualcomm made a headset to remind the world it has an AR chip
It delivers movement, hand and eye tracking with 2K resolution per eye.
Mediatek's 5G chipsets are ready for cheaper next-gen phones
It should pop up in lots of low-end smartphones.
Lenovo's Project Limitless 5G laptop makes a lot of promises
Big caveat: It’s not fully ready for prime time yet.
Federal judge rules Qualcomm violated antitrust rules
The company plans to appeal the decision.
Intel, Qualcomm and other chipmakers cut off supplies to Huawei
This could have a devastating effect on Huawei's business.


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E-mobility sector largely cheerful with government's focus on green growth in Budget 2023-24
Indirect taxes, taxes on compressed biogas down, Rs 19,700 crore allocated for Green Hydrogen Mission, five million tonne target for green hydrogen production by 2030, reduction on duties of electric vehicle battery parts, no change in GST norms, SKD/CBU duties get bumped up.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget has brought optimism and relief to the Indian automobile industry’s green players. The Budget has funded numerous programmes for green energy, green farming, green transportation, green equipment and energy efficiency policies across multiple economic sectors. Reduction in taxes and duties of several sectors associated with e-mobility and relief in income tax resulting in more consumer spending power augurs well for the sector.
The electric two-wheeler industry will be one of the biggest gainers as cuts in income tax will put more money into the consumer's pocket. Jeetendra Sharma, Managing Director and Founder, Okinawa Autotech said, “The reduction of indirect taxes from 21 percent to 13 percent as well as relief in personal income tax will improve consumer confidence and purchasing power in the country.”
After eight hikes in CY2022, which took the price of Compressed Natural Gas to an all-time high of Rs 89.50 per kg, CNG users are likely to see some price reductions. The 2023 Budget has reduced taxes on compressed biogas that is blended with CNG. There is an allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for compressed biogas plants which is expected to ease the high CNG prices in the country.
During the Budget 2023 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “To avoid cascading of taxes on blended compressed natural gas, I propose to exempt excise duty on GST-paid compressed biogas contained in it. To further provide impetus to green mobility, customs duty exemption is being extended to import of capital goods and machinery required for the manufacture of lithium-ion cells for batteries used in electric vehicles.”
Society for Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles, Director General Sohinder Gill welcomed the FM's move to extend the custom duty relief for lithium-ion cells and exemption in customs duty for the machinery required to manufacture batteries. He also lauded the FM for increasing the duty on SKD/CBU as it will incentivise local suppliers because of the relative price advantage. “There are still many parts of electric vehicle (EV) componentry such as lithium cells, permanent magnets for electric motors, semiconductors, etc that will need to be imported. We expected rationalisation of customs duty on such essential imports to help keep the EV prices in check.”
Gill added that the continuation of the customs duty-free status for machinery used to produce lithium-ion batteries could result in some stabilisation of battery prices and will thereby help to reduce the prices of EVs in the long term.
Samrath Kochar, CEO and Founder of battery manufacturer Trontek says the Budget is pragmatic and has taken the right steps toward advancing green mobility adoption in the country. “Removal of customs duty on imported machinery used for manufacturing Li-ion batteries will bring down the cost of EV batteries thereby reducing the cost of EV adoption. Going forward, we are certain that the government will also look at bringing a PLI scheme for battery pack manufacturers and also reduce GST on batteries to benefit the many MSMEs operating in the EV sector.”
Rajeev Singh, Partner, Deloitte India said that from an auto sector perspective, the increase in outlay and the focus on Green India should also assist in transitioning of Auto Industry to Clean Mobility.
As part of the government's hydrogen push, the finance minister rolled out Rs 19,700 crore towards the government's Green Hydrogen Mission to lower carbon intensity and reduce fossil fuel use. She also announced a five million tonne target for green hydrogen production by 2030 along with a ‘Green Credit Programme’ to promote behavioural change.
Sulajja Firodia Motwani, Founder, and CEO, of Kinetic Green, welcomed the FMs shift towards hydrogen fuel-powered mobility. “The Union Budget 2023 is positive for the auto sector and has reinforced the government’s commitment to accelerating the EV and green mobility eco-system in India, especially the extended outlay given for the adoption of the nation’s hydrogen programme.”
Executive Vice Chairman of two- and three-wheeler maker Greaves Cotton, Nagesh Basavanhalli applauded the government’s plan to use clean power in component and vehicle manufacturing. “There is a great opportunity to build the requisite clean tech infrastructure for EVs. The investments in ‘Made in India’ EV components, besides product and innovations will give us better control of the entire carbon chain,” he said.
An official from another three-wheeler manufacturer, Reliance-backed Altigreen, while welcoming the FM’s move to provide relief in custom duties for battery makers, said that they hope the government will extend these for three years to provide a stable policy environment for the industry.
Rudra Pandey, Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas, said that the Budget could become a lucrative avenue for passenger car EV makers. “These much-needed incentives will boost demand for EVs in India and encourage foreign investments in the Indian EV sector,” he said.
Battery swapping major Sun Mobility said the government’s decision to announce viability gap funding for battery storage solutions and scrapping of old government vehicles is good for the EV Industry. Co-founder and Chairman of Sun Mobility, Chetan Maini, said he had hoped that the FM would rationalise GST rates from 18 to five percent on EV batteries as it would have added further to the green growth agenda. But that didn’t happen.
'EV makers must factor in delivering end-to-end solutions based on customer needs': Prasad Telikepalli of Matter
The Co-founder and Group CTO also spoke about how EV conversations have shifted from just powertrain and energy to becom...


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Finmax scams have been active since at least 2016 with various websites and domains in Binary Options, Forex, and CFDs. Various regulators and review sites have already issued numerous investor warnings. Nevertheless, the scam is currently active with at least two websites FinmaxFX (www.finmaxfx.com) and FinmaxBO (www.finmaxbo.com). The two Ukrainians, Olena Vakulenko and Oleksandr Vakulenko, coordinate the scams through various legal entities in Lithuania, Vanuatu, Seychelles and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. To date, despite all scam warnings at FinmaxFX, Praxis Cashier with the Spanish Redsys and Comercial Global Payments as payment processor is active.
The payment processors
A test deposit on FinmaxFX last conducted on March 1, 2021, shows that credit and debit card payments there are processed through Praxis Cashier and forwarded to Redsys (www.redsys.es) and Comercial Global Payments (www.comercialglogalpayments.com).
On the final payment screen, after some nice routings, Comercial Global Payments lists the Spanish digital marketing agency LIVADAKI 2004 S.L. d/b/a livaplay as the merchant to which client-victims of Finmax are making their deposits.
The other payment processors that were included a few weeks ago (see this report) are currently no longer active.
The beneficial owners behind the Finmax Scam are believed to be two Ukrainians Olena Vakulenko and Oleksandr Vakulenko. We currently do not know how the two are related.
- Olena Vakulenko is the registered founder of Max Capital Limited in Vanuatu and CEO of Lithuanian Softcast UAB d/b/a Media24 (www.bluemedia24.com). This company is located at the same address as Gatelinas UAB in Vilnius, which is presented as the owner of Finmax websites in email signatures.
- Oleksandr Vakulenko was the beneficial owner of Morris Processing Ltd, registered in London, United Kingdom, in 2015. Until 2017, IK Partners Ltd, registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was also registered as the beneficial owner. The German regulator BaFin issued an investor alert against Morris Processing and IK Partners in January 2019.
Max Capital Limited was registered by the VFSC with company number 41072 in February 2019 with a capital of $2,000. The VFSC authorizes the company to engage in the banking business as defined in the Financial Institutions Act and the International Bank Act. That is what offshore regulators do and what their regulation is worth – nothing!


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Boost for bushfood and Aboriginal businesses
Posted: November 3rd, 2021
A new opportunity has emerged for Western Australian Aboriginal businesses looking to break into the bushfoods industry.
Developed by the State Government in partnership with Outback Academy Australia, two guides have been developed highlighting the risks and opportunities for Aboriginal businesses, as well as promoting best practices for industry in the bushfoods sector.
The industry is highly lucrative, with the Australian bushfoods industry being valued at $21.5 million at the farm gate in 2019, but with Aboriginal businesses only accounting for 15 per cent of the industry.
The guides are available at https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/aboriginal-business-development-0


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Activision's board of directors has approved bonuses to be paid to CEO Bobby Kotick, and co-chairman Brian Kelly.
Kotick was awarded a bonus payment of USD 3,079,798 and Kelly's bonus payment was USD 2,996,556. The two execs were said to have "exceeded target" in relation to their stated goals.
Activision announced a merger with Vivendi games unit - the parent company of Blizzard - to become the world's largest videogame publisher last year. The merger of received approval from the EU and is set to complete on July 8


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However, Vodafone Idea spurted nearly 30 per cent to Rs 12.88 per share after reports said the US wireless carrier Verizon and e-commerce giant Amazon may invest over four billion dollars in the beleaguered telco.
At the closing bell, the BSE S&P Sensex was down by 839 points or 2.13 per cent at 38,628 while the Nifty 50 lost by 305 points or 2.62 per cent at 11,342.
Chinese blue chips firmed by 0.7 per cent after surveys showed Chinese services jumping a full point to 55.2 in a hopeful sign of reviving consumer demand.
Among stocks, Tata Motors accelerated by 5.3 per cent to Rs 127.65 per share while Eicher Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra gained by 2.2 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively.
Banking majors Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank advanced by 3 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent respectively.
Speaking on the collaboration Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, BSE, said “Through this association with i-HUB, (Government of Gujarat) we believe we can offer a favourable ecosystem for the startups to raise capital and succeed.”
However, State Bank of India gained by 3.8 per cent to Rs 202.45 per share. Adani Ports and auto majors like Eicher Motors, Hero MotoCorp and Mahindra & Mahindra traded with a positive bias.
At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was up by 291 points or 0.76 per cent at 38,473 while the Nifty 50 gained by 77 points or 0.68 per cent at 11,347.
Chinese shares started lower with the blue-chip CSI300 down a shade and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index falling 0.2 per cent.
Among stocks, HCL Technologies slipped by 1.3 per cent to Rs 695.85 per share while Infosys was down by 1.1 per cent to Rs 959 per unit.


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Save $69.99: The Echo Show 5 and Blink Mini bundle is back on sale for over 50% off as of Jan. 12. Get both together for $54.99 — just $5 more than the Black Friday price.
Aside from having a new year to fudge up while writing checks, 2021 hasn't changed much.
We still have to think in terms of video calls and weird work and school schedules. A few pieces of smart home tech can streamline this novel way of operating that we've been perfecting since March. If you missed it on Black Friday, the stellar Amazon Echo Show 5 and Blink Mini bundle is back down to just $5 over its November price. That's still over 50% off, copping both items for $54.99.
At this point, every home needs a smart speaker with a screen. We're willing to die on that hill. A simple Alexa command can splash movies, TV shows, a video call with family, news, recipes, Spotify, or the weather across the screen — handy when your hands are full or covered in pizza dough. With an Echo Show, bored isn't an option: Alexa's 80,000 skills go beyond daily requests with the ability to play Jeopardy!, show step-by-step origami videos, or relax with Headspace.
Adding the Blink Mini to the mix lets you keep an eye on the kid's room or front door via the Echo's display. When you're not at home, Blink footage can be pulled up on an app on your phone. Parents who go into work but have kids doing school from home can check in on progress or make sure they're home safely. The Blink Home Monitor app will also alert you to any weird motion detected.


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After 18 years on the board of directors of Blue Diamond, 16 of those years as chairman, Howard Isom has announced he will step down from the board this year.
“After 18 years it’s time to back out and do something else,” Isom said.
Already he is chairman of the newly formed Golden Valley Bank, which was started through local investments and has the backing of some of the communities most successful business people.
An alumnus of Chico State University, Isom has an impressive host of accomplishments including building his accountancy firm Matson and Isom Accountancy Corp. from a two-person partnership to a firm that employs about 100 people.
After becoming successful with accountancy, Isom decided to invest in local farming, specifically almonds.
He hooked up with farmer Fred Montgomery and others and put in 500 acres of almonds in 1969. At that time the orchard was the largest in the area to have solid set irrigation. The investors signed up to make deliveries to Blue Diamond.
At their peak, Isom was partners in 1,400 acres of almonds and walnuts.
When Montgomery stepped down from the board of Blue Diamond in 1988, Isom replaced him.
The industry has grown tremendously since then, Isom said.
In 1988 statewide production was 300 million meat pounds. The last two years the state has produced more than 1 billion pounds, and the key is the industry has been able to sell them, he said.
Use of new technology has helped the cooperative succeed. In 1988, when there were significantly fewer almonds delivered to Blue Diamond than today, and the company had 3,200 employees during peak production. This year they’ll have 750.
He said back in the day there wee rooms full of people picking through the batches of almonds. Now they have electronic eyes sorting the nuts.
“In the early years people didn’t think we could market that much worldwide,” Isom recalled. But with the marketing efforts of Blue Diamond and the research showing the health benefits of almonds, those people were proved wrong.
“The almond business has been really good all those years.”
As far as helping guide Blue Diamond, Isom said the cooperative has worked hard to continue to improve efficiency and develop new products for the market.
Recently introduced new products include Almond Breeze, and almond milk drink, and Nut Thins, a cracker made with rice and almonds.
Some cooperatives lately have chosen to change to a public stock ownership, Isom said he believes a well-managed cooperative is in the best interest for growers.
“Blue Diamond started in 1910 by farmers trying to control their destiny. The need for Blue Diamond growers today is just as important as it was in 1910” (when it started), he said.
The almond industry has 115 handlers. “That’s why it would be chaotic if it didn’t have a strong leader.”
Isom said with less responsibility to Blue Diamond, and turning over the day-to-day operations of his accountancy corporation to staff, he’ll have more time to spend with his family and on the golf course.
He’s also involved in a technology consulting company, for which he is chairman of the board. That company does Web site design and computer server installation. He’s also a member of Chico Rotary and Butte Creek Country Club.
Isom has served on numerous boards of directors and community organizations such as the Chico Chamber of Commerce, Chico Camp Fire Girls, Kiwanis and Toastmasters clubs.
He has also been honored with many awards, most recently 1999 Co-op Farmer of the Year by the Agricultural Council of California and Farmer Cooperative Director of the Year in 2004 by the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.
Staff writer Heather Hacking can be reached at 896-7758 or email@example.com.


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Google’s Wear OS platform has supported iOS from the beginning, but future support of Apple’s platform was in question with the debut of Wear OS 3. Now, we have an answer.
IPhone Stories June 28
IPhone Stories June 1
eSIM support has been expanding for a few years now, with Google and Apple at the forefront. This week, Verizon is opening up support for BYOD users to get their service going on Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and iPhones with an eSIM instead of waiting for physical delivery.
IPhone Stories April 8, 2021
Samsung launches ‘iTest,’ a new web app for turning your iPhone into a Galaxy device
Samsung is increasing its efforts to win over iPhone customers. The smartphone maker has launched a new website called “iTest,” and it allows iPhone users to “get a little taste of Samsung” through a web application that simulates the Android experience.
IPhone Stories February 11, 2021
YouTube users on iPhone or iPad can again access picture-in-picture mode on all browsers when visiting the video-sharing mobile site when running the recent iOS 14.5 beta.
IPhone Stories November 19, 2020
Apple’s tough enforcement of its App Store policies has led to a sad lack of a playable version of Google Stadia on iOS. That is set to change very soon as public testing of a dedicated progressive web app is set to start within “several weeks.”
IPhone Stories October 26, 2020
IPhone Stories April 29, 2020
Google shares zero-click vulnerabilities that affected all iPhones, Apple hardware
Google’s Project Zero security team shared their findings of a series of zero-click vulnerabilities that affected the iPhone and other Apple hardware.
IPhone Stories March 5, 2020
IPhone Stories March 4, 2020
You can actually jailbreak an iPhone w/ a rooted Android and checkra1n [Video]
Rooting your Android phone might be reasonably easy but jailbreaking an iPhone is still more of a cat and mouse affair. Tools like QuickpPwn made it easier to jailbreak back in the day, but more recent options like checkra1n make it possible for iPhone users to get root access on their iOS 13 devices.
IPhone Stories January 3, 2020
According to a new report, more than 90% of all smartphones sold at the major US carrier brick-and-mortar stores in December had either an Apple or Samsung logo.
IPhone Stories November 29, 2019
In this Android Basics guide, we’re going to show you how to transfer your data from your iPhone to your shiny new Android phone.
IPhone Stories November 12, 2019
Google Stadia will be available starting next week and now, the official app has just arrived on iPhone. However, there’s a catch to its availability.
IPhone Stories July 8, 2019
Chrome OS to add support for USB tethering from iPhone in a future update
A fairly obvious Chromium commit this week has revealed that Google is working on a feature that most people probably already assumed existed. In a coming release, Chrome OS will be able to use USB tethering with iPhones.
IPhone Stories May 23, 2019
IPhone Stories November 7, 2018
OnePlus Switch application now supports iPhone data transfer
The OnePlus Switch application makes the often frustrating process of swapping or upgrading your phone a bit more simplified. But until now, those switching from iPhone to a OnePlus device couldn’t switch as conveniently. Now, a new update today changes that. iPhone users can now download the OnePlus Switch on their phone and use it to transfer contacts, photos, videos and even messages.
IPhone Stories October 28, 2017
You can now use Apple Music with Google Assistant on iPhone
While most would argue that Google Assistant on iPhone is inferior to Siri in a lot of ways, it’s still a fairly handy tool for those using Google’s services. Recently, Google has given Assistant on iPhone a bit of extra functionality with Apple Music integration.
IPhone Stories September 12, 2017
In case you somehow missed it, Apple today took the wraps off of its latest generation of iPhones, including the kind of bezel-less iPhone X. You can find out more about the launch over at 9to5Mac, but there was one interesting thing to note in both the iPhone X and iPhone 8 — their chipset.
Apple’s latest chipset isn’t just beating out the Android competition, but it’s blowing them out of the water, by a lot. At least in benchmarks, that is…
IPhone Stories June 28, 2017
OnePlus 5 first Android phone to beat the iPhone in speed test … kind of [Video]
IPhone Stories June 26, 2017
Samsung revamps Smart Switch website as it tries to tempt owners of competing devices
IPhone Stories September 15, 2016
In case you somehow missed it, Apple made the iPhone 7 official last week. While we’re fairly happy with what the company brought to the table this year, many – including some diehard Apple fans – weren’t too impressed…
IPhone Stories August 29, 2016
Remember when HTC closely examined an iPhone 6‘s shell and decided that a more flattened home button and their very own logo were enough to rebrand it as “One A9” and call it a day? If you do — and are among those who ridiculed the company for such a blatant and shameless copy of what arguably is the most popular phone around — you’re in for some fun.
Apparently, the Taiwanese company did everything but a 180 in regards to the A9’s successor, and actually followed Cupertino’s footsteps even more closely…
IPhone Stories June 17, 2016
The battle between Samsung and Apple for the first spot in the consumer electronics world seems to be never ending. As products get increasingly better it becomes progressively harder for brands like these to win the customers’ hearts (and wallets), but at least for 2016, Asia has spoken…
IPhone Stories June 15, 2016
Samsung’s top marketing exec says ad campaigns mocking Apple were ‘relevant, bold and right’
Samsung’s executive VP for global marketing Younghee Lee has told AdWeek that its ad campaigns mocking Apple products were ‘relevant, bold and right.’
IPhone Stories June 7, 2016
IPhone Stories June 2, 2016
There are a number of things that need to be considered when trying to properly evaluate a device. Beyond mere specs and real life performances, for instance, customer satisfaction is indeed an important metric.
For years, Apple has boasted the iPhone as the number one choice for consumers, but as per the last American Customer Satisfaction Index, Samsung seems to have overthrown the Cupertino giant with its own Galaxy Note 5…
IPhone Stories May 24, 2016
During a trip to South Korea earlier this year, Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt was caught using an iPhone 6s to take pictures of Google’s AlphaGo AI system playing the world Go champion. At the time, this led many to wonder if Schmidt was always an iPhone user or if he just got caught red handed in a slip up. Speaking at Startup Fest in Amsterdam today, however, Schmidt admitted that he does in fact use an iPhone 6s.
IPhone Stories May 12, 2016
With the announcement of the Apple Watch‘s “Force Touch” first and the iPhone 6s‘ 3D Touch after, Apple introduced a new, intriguing way to interact with our screens, matching interesting software features with the pressure-sensitive panel behind the actual display.
Predictably, despite some devices like Huawei‘s Mate S or ZTE‘s Axon Mini already supporting some sort of similar, proprietary technologies, Google was rumored to be working on a system-wide implementation for all Android OEMs to use. However, as Recode reports, the support for such a feature seems to have been put momentarily on hold…
IPhone Stories April 27, 2016
Google Calendar update lets you ‘find a time’ for a meeting with your coworkers
The Mountain View company has today launched a new feature for its Calendar app that lets you find the perfect meeting time that works for everyone. After adding the people who are attending the event, the new “Find a time” option analyzes schedules and suggests a time with no conflicts…
IPhone Stories April 21, 2016
Supply-chain report says Xiaomi, Huawei & other Chinese brands being hit hard by iPhone SE on home turf
While Xiaomi and Huawei may be battling it out for the top spot in China, both brands are reportedly being hit hard by Apple’s cheapest-ever iPhone, the iPhone SE.
It was previously reported that third-party retailers in the country received 3.4M preorders before the iPhone SE went on sale, and now a supply-chain report says that Apple is taking market share from local brands.
IPhone Stories April 6, 2016
Local brands help Android take market share from iOS in key urban China market
The prosperous urban regions of China – where almost all the emerging middle class are to be found – is a key market for premium smartphone models, and the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel suggest that local Android brands are taking market share from Apple.
The latest smartphone OS data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech for the three months ending February 2016 shows that Android increased its sales share in urban China to 76.4% from 73% in the same period a year ago. In the US and EU5, Android continued to make year-on-year gains.
Apple saw the iPhone’s market share drop 3.2% in the same period.
IPhone Stories April 5, 2016
Reuters last month reported that Google has been bolstering its self-driving car team as of late, and now as April rolls in, we’ve uncovered some more information on new hires as the team continues to expand. In one case, Google has added an ex-Apple global supply manager for the iPhone and the Apple Watch to the self-driving car supply management team…
IPhone Stories March 29, 2016
Waze app will now alert you when driving over the speed limit
Now when you’re using the Waze app to navigate, you’ll automatically see a visual warning (pictured above) if you go over the speed limit, and you can also manually set audio warnings for reaching the limit or hitting 5, 10 or 15% over.
IPhone Stories March 24, 2016
You can now change themes, filters & layouts in updated Google Sheets and Slides for iOS
Google is updating its Google Sheets and Slides apps for iOS today with new features that allow changing themes, filters and layouts on the fly from within the mobile apps.
For Google Sheets, the update brings the ability to view and change existing filters applied to a spreadsheet.
IPhone Stories March 22, 2016
Yesterday morning, at a relatively low key event without much fanfare and following the almost ritual avalanche of leaked schematics and what have you, Apple officially announced the iPhone SE. With a chassis virtually identical to that of the iPhone 5s – and 5 before it, for that matter – the smaller-sized iPhone came back in all of its four-inch glory, and not without raising eyebrows.
According to the company’s claims, however, about thirty million people bought a 4-inch iPhone last year, amounting to almost 8% of all Apple phones sold. Considering the massive marketing push made to advertise the four bigger-screened iPhones introduced in the past couple of years, that certainly is no small feat, indicating that there indeed still is interest for smaller devices, a market the Cupertino giant would be naive to ignore.
Sure, the much more variegated Android landscape has offered a few notable options in years past, but those were either afterthoughts, less powerful ‘mini’ versions of established flagships, or devices explicitly designed to be sub-par when compared to their siblings. The iPhone SE may lack 3D Touch and newer-generation Touch ID, but the rest of the package is clearly inspired by the iPhone 6s’ spec-sheet, and nothing says that this smaller sibling isn’t here to stay.
And that begs the question of how this is going to impact the Android landscape. Are Android manufacturers going to follow suit the coming years, or instead pray for the SE to be a one hit wonder (or a complete dud) – and thus something less to worry about?
IPhone Stories March 10, 2016
Eric Schmidt is in South Korea this week to witness Google’s AlphaGo AI system completely destroy the world Go champion at his own game. Sedol lost the first game yesterday, saying then that he was “very surprised”. Today he lost again. “It was a clear loss on my part,” he said. He had predicted before the matchups began that he would win the five-game series 5-0 or 4-1 “at worst.”
But while the Alphabet Executive Chairman is in South Korea to witness the monumental battle, the Korean press (OSEN, in this case) is clearly focusing on something else. As you can see in the pictures below, Schmidt was caught at a press event this week taking pictures with an iPhone…
IPhone Stories March 3, 2016
So, you’ve managed to get early delivery of a shiny new Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, what’s the first thing you do with it? Try your best to destroy it is the answer from a couple of YouTubers out there.
JerryRigEverything put the device through scratch, burn and bend tests, while EverythingApplePro pitched the smartphone against Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus to see how it fared when submerged in water and dropped on the ground …
IPhone Stories February 26, 2016
Facebook Live enables you to share your experiences and perspectives in real time, with the people who matter to you – whether you’re someone who wants to broadcast to friends and family, or a public figure who wants to connect with fans around the world. Live videos on Facebook are authentic and exciting, and we’re seeing people tuning in and engaging directly with broadcasters in the moment.
The company says that people spend more than three times longer watching a video when it is live …
IPhone Stories February 23, 2016
Coca-Cola could easily equip just about everyone in the country with a free Google Cardboard-style VR viewer if the above experiment turns into reality.
IPhone Stories February 18, 2016
Following Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s vague series of tweets yesterday, Hiroshi Lockheimer, senior vice president of Android, Chrome OS and Chromecast, has come out and offered his own opinion on Apple’s battle with the government on national security versus user privacy. Earlier this week, a U.S. judge ruled that Apple must help the FBI obtain data from a passcode-locked iPhone 5c used by one of the gunmen in the fatal San Bernardino shooting. Apple CEO Tim Cook then responded by posting an open letter on Apple’s homepage saying that Apple would not comply with the court’s request.
Although Lockheimer’s responses are just as vague as Pichai’s, he does seem to agree with Cook and Apple…
IPhone Stories February 17, 2016
Update: A new hands-on video shows the $4 iPhone clone in all its glory (embedded below).
We told you earlier today about the insane $4 Freedom 251 phone, and now at least one publication has managed to get their hands on the device. Initial impressions aren’t great, and it looks like this phone — unsurprisingly — is just a mess of copyright infringement. Not unlike many other low-end offerings from dozens of overseas manufacturers, the phone pulls a lot of “inspiration” from the Cupertino company’s smashing successes…
IPhone Stories February 10, 2016
According to the latest U.S. smartphone market share numbers from Parks Associates, Apple is still well in the lead compared to competing manufacturers, holding a beefy 40% of the smartphone market. But the latest figures also show that Android OEMs are gaining ground on the dominant Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker. Now, Samsung holds around 31% of the market and LG is next in line with 10%…
IPhone Stories January 29, 2016
Google finally launches an AdWords app for iPhone and iPad
Google has finally launched a full-fledged iOS app for users of its AdWords advertising service. The AdWords app arrives today as the first official iOS app for the service and it’s available for both iPhone and iPad users now.
IPhone Stories January 28, 2016
Yahoo Mail Android app gets customizable swipes & other enhancements in latest update
IPhone Stories December 18, 2015
This is one of the best deals yet on our favorite all-in-one home security system and air quality detector.
Just in time for the holidays, get $20 off Canary. That brings the price down to $179 from the regular $199. Better yet, you can save a total of $50 off regular price when purchasing the Canary Two-Pack.
This Wi-Fi, smartphone connected security system does a whole lot more than the webcam style security cameras gaining popularity recently, and it does it all with gorgeous industrial design and slick companion apps for Android and other mobile devices… expand full story
IPhone Stories December 10, 2015
ASUS and LG mock Apple’s ‘bumpy’ iPhone battery case
Earlier this week, Apple launched its very first official battery case for the iPhone 6/6s. It’d be an understatement to say that it got some attention on social media, mostly from people who couldn’t believe the design-focused company released something so hideous. In fact, you’ll be hard pushed to find someone who has something good to say about the way the case looks.
Not to miss a good marketing opportunity, ASUS and LG were among those mocking the battery case and using it to sell the benefits of its own products. ASUS was keen to point out that, even with the battery case attached, the iPhone 6 is still no match for the ZenFone Max. ASUS claims its 5000mAh battery-powered smartphone can handle 2 hours more video playback, 2 hour more internet use and 12 hours more talk time than a case-equipped iPhone.
[tweet https://twitter.com/ASUS/status/674561517639958529 align=’center’]
Meanwhile, LG took a slightly different line with the V10, ribbing the Apple case’s ‘bumpy’ design. Incidentally, LG’s V10 has a 3,000mAh battery which you can fast-charge up to 50% in just 40mins. :
[tweet https://twitter.com/LGJordan/status/674631588894806016 align=’center’]
It’s no surprise to see the companies exploiting a weakness in Apple’s armor to fuel their own marketing efforts, and the Cupertino-based company could certainly have tried to make it a little harder. Right now, the humped battery case is an easy target.
One thing no company has mocked is perhaps the one thing that has impressed all of us: iOS integration. When an iPhone has a Smart Battery Case attached, it displays both the phone and case’s battery levels in the notification drawer’s ‘Today’ view. What’s more, it charges the iPhone automatically and charges via Lightning cable. Those are some convenient features, for sure. Whether or not you’d want a ‘bumpy’ case in your hand to gain those features is another matter entirely.
IPhone Stories December 8, 2015
I’ve been an iOS user since day one — back when it was called “iPhone OS” — and haven’t had any reason to leave Apple’s camp. Each day, I use iOS devices and apps, and for the most part, they “just work.” You could offer me a cheap Android phone or tablet and I wouldn’t have much use for it.
Or so I thought. Just in time for the holidays, 9to5’s publisher Seth Weintraub sent me an unexpected gift: a $99 Motorola Moto G (2nd Gen), also available on Amazon. That price isn’t a typo — for under $100 (half the price of the recently released sixth-generation iPod touch), Motorola is selling a full-fledged smartphone with a larger, higher-resolution screen than the $199 iPod, and for that matter the old iPhone 5c I decided to replace it with. You’ve probably heard that Amazon is trying a similar tactic with its $49 7″ Fire Tablets, which so radically undercut the price of Apple’s iPads that you can buy five for the same price as an entry-level iPad mini 2… and still have change left over. Since these products were developed by well-established companies, they’re budget-priced, but not junk.
I wanted to see whether the Moto G would have any value in my life, and how it would stack up against lower-end iOS devices. What I found was exactly the reason Apple leads the cellular industry in profits yet continues to lag behind Android in market share: the Moto G offers a more than “good enough” alternative at a price that anyone can afford. From my perspective, the existence of a good $99 smartphone is precisely the reason the iPod family has all but disappeared, and why even iPad mini pricing is arguably unsustainable…
Update: Just like the multiple account support that disappeared mere hours after it appeared, this awesome 3D Touch feature is now gone.
Instagram for iOS has had 3D Touch features for quite a while, but it looks like the Instagram team wanted to experiment with bringing some of these to Android as well. While the latest version for Android obviously doesn’t take advantage of force sensitive hardware (which doesn’t really exist of this side of the mobile space anyway), it does add a nifty new pop up for quickly liking, commenting, and sharing posts…
IPhone Stories December 3, 2015


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Almost a year after Khloe Kardashian and her brand Good American were named in a headline-making trade dress infringement and fraud lawsuit for allegedly copying the design of the bodysuits upon which d.bleu.dazzled has made its name, the parties have settled their legal squabble. According to the notice of settlement that counsel for dbleudazzled, LLC lodged with the California Superior Court in Los Angeles last month, the parties have come to a confidential resolution, prompting d.bleu.dazzled to voluntarily dismiss the $10 million fraud and deceit, common law trade dress infringement, misappropriation, and unfair competition case that it initiated against Kardashian and her 5-year-old brand in late May 2020.
In the complaint that it filed in a California state court on May 29, 2020, Los Angeles-based d.bleu.dazzled alleged that between 2016 and 2017, Kardashian – by way of her team – “purchased and borrowed numerous pieces of [d.bleu.dazzled ] clothing, under the false pretense that the clothing items were for [the 36-year-old star’s] personal use.” The problem? Instead of actually wearing the garments, as her team had led d.bleu.dazzled to believe would happen, Kardashian copied them for the clothing brand that she was secretly working on at the time and that she eventually launched in September 2016 to allegedly sweeping success.
Leading up to the debut of the brand, whose product lineup primarily consisted of denim offerings and has since been expanded to include an array of ready-to-wear, d.bleu.dazzled asserted that “Kardashian and Good American decided to create a line of women’s bodysuits.” But in lieu of “creating their own bodysuit designs, Kardashian and Good American decided it would be easier to knock off the proven designs of d.bleu.dazzled,” which has garnered a growing pool of uber-famous fans, including “A-list celebrities,” such as Beyoncé, Serena Williams, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and even Kardashian-Jenner family member Kylie Jenner, among many others, since it was founded in 2011.
“From November 2016 through May 2017, Kardashian, through her assistants, repeatedly contacted [d.bleu.dazzled founder] Destiney Bleu Lewisand others at d.bleu.dazzled to order at least sixteen made-to-measure garments,” the brand argued in the suit. “At no time did [Kardashian or Good American] disclose to anyone at d.bleu.dazzled that [they] were planning to create their own clothing line with similar designs.” In fact, “Had Ms. Lewis been advised of [their] secret intent to steal her designs, she would not have sold or lent any garments to them.”
Fast forward to June 2017, and d.bleu.dazzled claimed that Good American began offering up “bodysuits bearing [a] striking resemblance” to its own signature offerings,” which consist of nude and black bodysuits embellished with crystals. To make matters worse, “After Ms. Lewis and numerous members of the public pointed out the blatant copying” by Good American, rather than “properly acknowledge and compensate Ms. Lewis for the designs,” d.bleu.dazzled claims that Kardashian and Good American responded by “sending a cease and desist letter in an attempt to silence Ms. Lewis.”
With such “misappropriation and infringement” in mind, d.bleu.dazzled stated that it had “no choice” but to file suit “seeking damages that it has suffered” as a result of Kardashian and Good American’s conduct. As for what exactly d.bleu.dazzled claims it maintains trademark rights in, the company characterizes its trade dress as “a unique design and placement of crystal rhinestones on intimate garments made of form-fitting materials (such as Spandex, Lycra, and nylon) with a sheer or semi-opaque look (such as mesh, micro-mesh, lace, and fishnets).”
An Anti-SLAPP Battle
The settlement comes on the heels of the court shutting down the special motion that counsel for Kardashian and Good American filed in an attempt to get the California Unfair Competition Law (“UCL”) claims that d.bleu.dazzled lodged against them dismissed from the case on the basis that they fall within the bounds of the state’s anti-Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (“SLAPP”) statute, and thus, should be tossed out in order to protect the defendants’ “constitutionally protected speech.”
In a decision in late December, Judge Elaine Lu of the California Superior Court in Los Angeles sided with d.bleu.dazzled, holding that statements made by the reality mega-star and Good American concerning their own lookalike bodysuits – including an official statement from Good American, asserting in a June 2017 article published by Cosmo that “under no circumstances did Good American or Khloe Kardashian infringe another brand’s intellectual property” – are exempt from the protections of the state’s anti-SLAPP statute.
(The second “statement” came from three Instagram Good American posts of images of Cher, Diana Ross and Britney Spears in crystal embedded tops along with the language, “Important to know your fashion history #nofrauds,” “Vintage Diana Ross. Showgirl vibes. #inspo” and “Britney in Toxic #inspo,” all of which were in reference to allegations that the designs were inspired by/infringed dbleudazzled’s trade dress in embellished bodysuits. And in the third statement, Kardashian suggested in a June 2017 Instagram post announcing the launch of the Good American bodysuit collection “that she came up with the designs for [her allegedly infringing] bodysuit over the course of almost a year, when in reality,” d.bleu.dazzled claims, “she spent several months ordering [d.bleu.dazzled’s] bodysuits and copying those designs.”)
Because d.bleu.dazzled’s UCL claims were based at least in part on the unprotected activity (i.e., the defendants’ infringement of its trade dress), as well as on three specific statements made by Kardashian and/or the brand, the court ultimately held that “the defendants’ special motion to strike the UCL claims in their entirety is denied.” Even if the court were to find that any of the statements at issue were not exempt from the protections of the state’s anti-SLAPP statute, Judge Lu found that Good American/Kardashian’s motion failed because d.bleu.dazzled met the “minimal merit” standard – or in other words, Lewis’ brand established that its case has at least some merit. (More about the anti-SLAPP proceedings here.)
As for the terms of the settlement, those remain confidential, but very well may include a monetary component. It is worth noting that the bodysuits in question no longer appear on Good American’s e-commerce site. Although, they may have been pulled prior to dbleudazzled, LLC’s May 4 notice of settlement and request for dismissal.
The case is dbleudazzled, LLC v. Khloe Kardashian and Good American, LLC, 20STCV20510 (Cal.Sup.).


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Soy in clothing isn’t exactly new. Motor magnate Henry Ford talked of it in the 1940s and was photographed wearing the first known soy suit and tie. Soy fibers largely disappeared until recent developments brought soy back to the fashion plate. Now, soybean protein fiber is being touted as a ‘vegetable cashmere’ – an eco-friendly luxury textile offering the properties today’s consumers demand.
Report for International Market News in Hong Kong from special correspondent Tania Casselle, New York.


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|“Zombie Driver Ultimate Edition.”|
While summer typically sees a lull in high-profile game releases, that’s definitely not the case with new games for Xbox One, writes Major Nelson. In addition to “EA Sports UFC,” a new Transformers title and “Valiant Hearts,” the past 10 days have seen a half-dozen new titles come to Xbox One via the ID@Xbox program for indie developers.
Among the games: “Zombie Driver Ultimate Edition,” “Outlast,” “Sixty Second Shooter Prime,” “R.B.I. Baseball 14,” “Another World 20th Anniversary Edition” and “Contrast.”
To learn more, head over to Major Nelson’s blog.
You might also be interested in:
· 4 new ID@Xbox games, including ‘Contrast’ and ‘Zombie Driver’ now available for Xbox One
· Xbox One Achievements and other requested features coming next week to Xbox.com
· Bobby Moynihan threw out a video game when it scolded him
Microsoft News Center Staff


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Limited Brands Profit Drops 66% in 3Q
Columbus, Ohio Limited Brands Inc. reported that its third-quarter profit dropped 66% as sales fell amid the struggling state of the economy.
The company reported earnings of $4.17 million, down from $12.1 million a year ago.
Last year, Limited sold majority stakes of its Limited and Express apparel chains to focus on its Victoria's Secret and LaSenza lingerie stores, its Bath & Body Works stores and others.
Revenue fell 4% to $1.84 billion from $1.92 billion, while same-store sales fell 7%.


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The LG Q6 was officially announced in July and until now, the handset was only available for sale in the company home country South Korea.
The all new LG Q6 is set to launch in India on August 10th, and will be exclusively available in the country through Amazon.
Unfortunately, the listing on Amazon didn’t mention the pricing of the handset, but it’s just a few days away and we’ll find out about the complete pricing details for the handset.
As for the specifications, it comes with a with a 5.5-inch display sporting a resolution of 2160 by 1080 pixels, a Snapdragon 435 processor paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage coupled with a microSD card slot which supports upto 256 GB of expandable storage. There’s a 13MP main camera for photos and videos, a 5MP front-facing camera, a 3,000 Mah battery and ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat as its operating system.
As for other global markets, the handset is expected to launch in Europe on later this month. Rumors suggest Germany will get the handset on August 21st, but if that turns out to be true, we can expect other European countries to get the handset later this month also. We’ll update you as soon as we get any information about the launch of the handset in other markets.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.


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TCL, the China-based company that makes BlackBerry-branded smartphones now, will be launching a new handset in the near future. The company has been working on the successor to the BlackBerry KeyOne and it’s going to be called the BlackBerry Key2. It has already been confirmed officially when this device is going to be announced and the handset has now made its customary stop at the Federal Communications Commission for certification before its release.
Not much is known about the specs of the BlackBerry Key2 at this point in time. Some reports have suggested that it features a Snapdragon 660 processor from Qualcomm with 6GB of RAM. It may even have a dual camera system at the back which would be a first for any BlackBerry-branded smartphone.
It’s going to ship with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and may also include a USB Type-C port and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. The BlackBerry Key2 has already picked up many of its required certifications from the Bluetooth SIG, WFA, and TENAA. It has now been certified by the FCC in the United States as well.
BlackBerry Mobile, the TCL division that makes and sells these devices, has already confirmed that the official launch event for this device is going to take place in New York on June 7th.


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Is the new T-Mobile worth switching to? (The Daily Charge, 7/29/2019)
Today on the Daily Charge, 5G is everywhere, maybe even on the next iPhone.
Apple's unveiling their quarterly earnings and maybe even a product lineup, and the Justice Department blesses the T-Mobile Sprint merger.
Good morning, welcome to CNET's Daily Charge, it's Monday, July 29th.
I'm Roger Cheng.
I'm Alfred Ang.
Let's look at today's headlines.
Noise around 5G is everywhere with networks and Android phones constantly launching with the next generation technology.
But you won't see a 5G iPhone quite yet.
Now there's word from analysts and Apple leaker Michiko that all three of 2020 iPhones will come packed with 5G, Excited offer?
No because I assume the five G stands for five grand.
Have you seen iPhones getting much more pop, expensive.
They're probably gonna charge a hefty fee for that wasn't a Galaxy S Thats ten 5G version also way more expensive.
Yes, it was like an extra hundred $200 more.
Keep in mind though and what I like about this is the rumor points to all three iPhones getting five G's, meaning that the sort of the standard technology as opposed to like a 5g verint that's way more expensive
If I wait five years from now that where everything is a 5g variant and not, you know, way more expensive We are five years from now for sure but it's nice that in I guess Apple's first round of five your iPhone they'll all get.
But Yes reportedly they'll all have fun.
All right speaking of Apple the company is set to post its fiscal third quarter earnings results tomorrow.
Well we'll be hearing about the 2020 iPhones.
We should hopefully get some hints about this years upcoming line up.
This is gonna be like eight cameras, right.
Like that's the biggest hailing point on it.
We are hearing rumors of three cameras in this relaly large lack box that sits on the back of your iPhone which I don't know, I feel like Steve Jobs would like kind of turnover [UNKNOWN] seeing like how aesthetically displeasing this [UNKNOWN]
[UNKNOWN] aren't there anymore-
Right, he's probably checked out.
Yeah, I predict that all of the new stuff will just be even more colors, I mean that seems to do really well for them.
[UNKNOWN] that's iPhone 10R had more colors and seem to be pretty good fit for them.
All right, now, for our main story T Mobile sprint cleared a big hurdle after the Justice Department blessed to scale.
The companies were able to achieve this by getting Dish Network involved.
The satellite TV company will spend $5 billion on sprint prepaid business and spectrum which ablaze will,
Will catapulted into the wireless business.>> This is a joke right?
Like this dish network like really, I'm betting that I'm not gonna be able to call my friends when it's like cloudy or raining out on this.>> So keep in mind what's happening is dish is basically getting access to the T Mobile sprint network.
They're getting that prepaid business so their game boost Virgin Mobile and sprint prepaid.
And for a while, they'll be able to ride on Sprint and T-Mobile's network while they build out their own one.
I get that Justice Department's concern about this when the merger was first being proposed where they said it could create lack of [UNKNOWN]
Competition is Dish Network and these networks really a viable competition?
A network just based off pre-paid networks.
I think that's the million dollar question.
T-Mobile CEO John Ledger was on the call earlier on friday where he said Emphatically I think three or four times called dish a credible competitor.
But there are a lot of skeptics about this.
Yeah, it almost seems like the guy who has the most benefit off of this will just say anything to get it to the pass through.
And yes, dish has four years hoarded spectrum radio frequencies that are necessary to build a wireless network.
But they haven't done anything with it.
Technically speaking, they were suppose to build a wireless network by next year.
As a result of this whole deal, they actually got the extension, they got the government to extend their deadline to 2023.
So yeah, there are a lot Lot of folks who go dish, am I a really serious as a wireless competitor?
And what does this mean for like T Mobile Tuesday's, if this merger goes through.
Am I still getting all that free stuff for?
T Mobile Tuesday's most likely will still remain and I got the sense that T Mobile is gonna rock the boat too much in mind.
There's already a three year price lock that they put in as a guarantee for a contingent for the steel to go through.
So imagine for TMobile customers not a lot of changes for sprint customers though it's probably gonna be a lot of incentive to move over
Yeah that three year price like seems like an interesting you know condition that they had but I mean who's to say that you know after three years like those price will will just skyrocket after that
That's a really good point.
I think all bets are off after those Those next three years, first three years and what they didn't really answer is whether or not that price lock applied to sprint services which are more which are cheaper than T Mobile.
So my guess is like Sprint customers may end up having to pay a lot more but get up to that T Mobile level.
Cool, Dish Network thank you.
The deal charger Roger Chang.
I will earn 5 bucks for doing that now.


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The Feb. 19 Wall Street Journal article on the anti-aging industry was spot on. It’s about time the false claims perpetuated by these billion dollar companies be exposed for what they are: complete lies.
Our society is so obsessed with youth, consumers will buy anything that boasts it can turn back the clock. From well-known brands to celebrity-endorsed creams, it’s a shame the claims they make just to make a buck.
Wake up, America! This article should be required reading starting in high school.


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Restaurant sales and job losses are widespread across segments
The restaurant industry and its employees have been devastated by the economic fallout caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In communities large and small, restaurants are shuttered and employees are out of work. To assess the economic impact of the coronavirus to date, the National Restaurant Association conducted a survey of more than 6,500 restaurant operators* nationwide April 10-16.
Not surprisingly, the vast majority of restaurant operators reported plunging sales in recent weeks. Looking specifically at the period between April 1 and April 10, 97 percent of restaurant operators say their total dollar sales volume was lower than it was during the same period in 2019. Overall, sales were down 78 percent on average.
Based on these results, the National Restaurant Association estimates that the restaurant and foodservice industry will lose more than $50 billion in sales in April, if the current trends continue through the end of the month.
Sales losses were widespread across segments during the first 10 days of April. Ninety-eight percent of operators in each of the three tableservice segments reported lower sales during the period between April 1 and April 10. On average, sales were down more than 80 percent in each segment.
While nearly every limited-service operator also reported lower sales, the losses were somewhat less severe. This is because most of these operations were already well-equipped to handle off-premises traffic, which is the only option available throughout most of the country where mandated dining area closures have been implemented.
Quickservice operators reported an average sales decline of 57 percent during the first 10 days of April. Fast casual sales were down 64 percent on average, while operators in the coffee and snack segment reported an average sales decline of 73 percent.
As a result of the dramatic sales losses in recent weeks, restaurant operators across the country were forced to cut staffing levels. Eighty-eight percent of restaurant operators say they laid off or furloughed employees since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in March. On average, these operators cut 83 percent of their restaurant’s total staff. Forty-one percent of these operators laid off or furloughed 100 percent of their staff.
Based on these results, the National Restaurant Association estimates that more than 8 million restaurant employees have been laid off or furloughed since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in March. This represents more than two-thirds of the 12 million employees that were working at the nation’s eating and drinking places* in February.
Job losses were most pronounced in the tableservice segment. More than nine in 10 operators in each of the three tableservice segments say they laid off or furloughed employees. In the fine dining segment, the 96 percent of operators who cut jobs reduced their staffing levels by an average of 89 percent.
While still significant, layoffs were somewhat less common in the limited-service segment in recent weeks. Fifty-eight percent of quickservice operators say they laid off or furloughed employees – with an average staffing reduction of 67 percent. Three in four operators in the fast casual and coffee-and-snack segments cut staffing levels in recent weeks.
*This survey was conducted among owners/operators of eating and drinking places, which employ 12 million out of the total restaurant and foodservice workforce of 15.6 million.
Read more analysis and commentary from the Association's chief economist Bruce Grindy.