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Microsoft's latest Windows 10 Insider Preview is now available for both PCs and phones on the Fast ring. Build 14361 includes a handful of new features... but there doesn't seem to be much for phones.
...of Microsoft money, ARM's acquisition, and Windows 10 updates
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge Lens Cover
Expanding mobile photography with Aukey's wide-angle lenses
JESBOD QY13 sports Bluetooth earphones
Time is running out to claim your free Windows 10 upgrade
windows 10 upgrade
Insider build 14393.3 for PC and Mobile released to Fast ring
Ten months ago, Microsoft announced that TV DVR functionality would be added to its Xbox One in 2016. Today, the company says it's no longer developing the feature, as it's focusing instead on gaming.
uTorrent's forums have been hacked, and it says users should consider their passwords "compromised" - but it doesn't appear that the company is actually contacting users to notify them of the breach.
Microsoft slashed 17% off its flagship phones this week, and some retailers are now offering them for even less - but there's a good reason why it might still be best to buy from the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft is rolling out driver updates aimed at improving performance and reliability of the cameras and Windows Hello on its Surface Book and Pro 4 - but only for Insiders on the Fast ring for now.
Building on its $300m investment to develop Spark "as a type of 'analytics OS'", IBM's new offering promises "an interactive, collaborative, cloud-based" development environment for data scientists.
Microsoft is inviting Insiders to design a T-shirt "that captures the excitement" of the Windows Insider Program. The winning design will be sold around the world on Microsoft's Company Store.
Eight months after its rollout began, Google's latest figures show that Android 6.0 Marshmallow has finally passed the 10% milestone, but the release of Android 7.0 is fast approaching.
The new head of the Windows Insider Program, Dona Sarkar, says her team is "hustling some *really* interesting things for you late this week & next week" - both for Windows 10 PC users and for Mobile.
Twitter has unveiled the latest version of its Android app, featuring a new look in line with Google's Material Design language, and an updated user experience, including a 'floating action button'.
Samsung's latest addition to its vast selection of Android devices is the Galaxy J3 Pro, a lower-mid-range handset with a Snapdragon 410 processor, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera...and an old version of Android.
Buyers from the Microsoft Store can currently get £100 cashback on a Surface Pro 4 Core i7, £30 when buying a Lumia 950 or 950 XL, £30 on one-year Office 365 subscriptions, and more.
In early March, Bank of America said that its new Windows 10 app would be "coming very soon, in the next few weeks". Three months later, the app - for PCs, tablets and phones - is finally available.
The executive said that many sales of the Priv were to BlackBerry loyalists who disliked Android and later returned it, adding that the high price also contributed to weak demand for the device.
Samsung is believed to be working on two devices with bendable displays - including one with a 5-inch form factor that opens up to become an 8-inch tablet - and they may be unveiled in early 2017.
The company said today that it's "announcing an extensive commitment for Spark to power Microsoft's big data and analytics offerings including Cortana Intelligence Suite, Power BI, and R Server."
Microsoft says its new teamwork tool for Office 365 has reached general availability today. Microsoft Planner will roll out worldwide over the next few weeks, with new features already in development.
The rugged version of Samsung's Galaxy S7 flagship features a shatter-resistant 5.1-inch display, a generous 4000mAh battery, and IP68 dust- and water-resistance, along with many other high-end specs.
Microsoft has announced details of its Anniversary Update for the Xbox One and Xbox app - but it seems it will actually be split into two updates, the first of which will arrive this summer.
Several people from the HoloLens and Surface Hub teams left Microsoft for perceptiveIO, a start-up that plans "to build user experiences that radically shift the way people interact with computers".
Back in April, Samsung rolled out Marshmallow to the version of its Galaxy S5 with a Snapdragon processor in India - but Android 6.0.1 is finally available for those devices with an Exynos chip too.
The company said in November that it would update its OnePlus 2 to Marshmallow in Q1 2016. Now, eight months after Google released Marshmallow, it's finally making its way to the OnePlus flagship.
Microsoft has again reduced the prices of its Windows 10 Mobile flagships. Along with what appears to be a permanent 17% price cut, buyers can also get a free Display Dock and Office 365 Personal sub.
Microsoft's entry-level Windows 10 Mobile handset, the Lumia 550, went on sale in the US in January for $139. It's currently available with $40 off - but you may want to think twice before buying it.
From holo-pursuits and virtual thrills, to plants that talk back, iPads unbricked, bizarre Band 2 pricing, and lovely/creepy robots, it's our regular roundup of the week's top tech news.
Those who enjoy getting early access to new features in apps may be interested to know that Google has launched a 'testing program' for its Maps app on Android, with a preview available now.
Over two months after Microsoft first began upgrading some of its Windows Phone 8.1 handsets to Windows 10 Mobile, the new version of the OS is finally available for its Lumia 640 on AT&T.
Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider Preview build 10586.338 for both phones and PCs on the Release Preview ring this week, and it has now published details of what's included in that build.
Huawei's Honor brand is hosting a "virtual launch event" later this month, where it says it will unveil a new product that delivers "a new definition of fast, robust and affordable, all in one".
UK buyers can currently get £120 cashback when purchasing a Surface Book with an Intel Core i7 processor from the Microsoft Store, in addition to a free Surface Dock and Pen Tip Kit, worth £175.
A significant outage hit many of Apple's services yesterday, including the App Store, iCloud and Apple TV - but while the company says its services have since been restored, the cause remains unclear.
Microsoft seems to be revising its Windows 10 upgrade prompts again, no longer giving users the option not to install the OS, and making them choose between deferring for a few days or upgrading now.
Apple pulled the iOS 9.3.2 update for its 9.7-inch iPad Pro last month, after some users reported that it had bricked their devices. Over two weeks later, it seems Apple has finally fixed the issue.
Microsoft says it hopes its latest Skype Mojis and emoticons will offer "a positive representation" of powerful women enjoying their lives in a variety of professional settings and leisure activities.
Samsung apologized after a support rep told a customer whose wireless card wasn't working after upgrading to Windows 10: "We don't suggest installation of Windows 10 to any Samsung laptop or PC."
'The Division' racked up around $330 million in worldwide sales in just five days, and it seems Ubisoft is keen to capitalize on the game's huge popularity, by turning it into a movie.
Following its release of Windows 10 Mobile build 10586.338 to the Release Preview ring earlier this week, Microsoft is now rolling out the same build to PCs on the RP ring too.
Microsoft's latest offer of a free Surface Dock and Pen Tip Kit - worth a total of £175 - when purchasing a Surface Book or Pro 4 was due to end on June 1, but the company has now extended the deal.
Almost eight months after Google released Marshmallow, Verizon has finally begun to roll out Android 6.0.1 for Samsung's Galaxy Note 4, including support for Wi-Fi Calling and Android for Work.
While Microsoft continues to sell the Band 2 for £150 in a two-month 'special offer', you can currently get the wearable device for even less in the UK, saving 30% on its regular price of £199.99.
Microsoft says SQL Server 2016 is now available, promising an "unmatched value proposition" that delivers superior security and performance to Oracle "at less than one-tenth of the total cost".
Microsoft has announced new Advanced Security Management features for Office 365, including threat detection support, granular activity and security policies, and new app discovery and insight tools.
Nadella will reportedly meet with government officials in China during his visit this week, as an antitrust investigation - which began in 2014 with raids on Microsoft's offices there - continues.
Satellite radio service provider SiriusXM has started sending out invites to some of its subscribers, encouraging them to test a beta of its new Windows 10 app for PCs and tablets - but not phones.
OnePlus says it will launch its new flagship phone on June 14 in a virtual reality experience, with the first two hours of sales exclusively via VR - and its unloved invite system is finally dead.
The first HoloLens headsets are already in the hands of developers, but Microsoft's Terry Myerson says he expects its partners' Windows Holographic headsets to become available in 'months, not years'.
Microsoft has announced the release of the new Viber for Windows 10 beta app, saying it's been "built from the ground up" for phones, tablets and PCs, with responsive design and many new features.
Microsoft has offered a 'sneak peak' at a new Windows 10 2-in-1 coming later this year from an unnamed OEM in partnership with Porsche Design, with a 13.3-inch display, stylus, and Windows Hello 2.0.
Two weeks after it said that ISOs of Windows 10 Insider Preview build 14342 for PCs were "coming soon", Microsoft has now released them, with five versions available in multiple languages.
Microsoft has cut $50 off the price of its console - but while the discount is only available "for a limited time", the timing lends credence to rumors that a new Xbox One will be announced in June.


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It feels like only yesterday that Apple revealed the iPhone 15 to us at its annual WWDC conference earlier this year. However, for those inside Apple Park, the success of the brand's latest smartphone lineup is the culmination of years of hard work and planning.
It's that foresight and long-term planning that ensures the iPhone remains a success for years to come, and we're already beginning to come across information about Apple's future smartphone releases in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
A lens to the future
According to one industry analyst, Apple's latest plans for the iPhone include some major upgrades to its camera array which could further bolster its place has a solid companion to the upcoming Vision Pro headset, even if that device is seen by many as the Cupertino brand's first steps into a post-iPhone world.
As reported by MacRumors, a research note focusing on Largan Precision, the worlds premiere manufacturer and supplier of smartphone camera lenses, has seen analyst Jeff Pu claim that Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature an upgraded 48-megapixel (MP) Telephoto camera. This is a massive upgrade considering that the iPhone 15 Pro's Telephoto option is limited to just 12MP.
While this refresh would bring the Telephoto lens in line with the iPhone 15's main shooter, it would leave the iPhone's ultrawide lens trailing behind at a lower resolution. That is, if earlier in the year we hadn't already heard about the iPhone 16 Pro's 48MP boost in that area also.
With the way iPhone upgrades are incremental improvements, there's a real claim that by the iPhone 17, the Pro Max model could be outfitted with a triple camera array, with wide, ultrawide and Telephoto all being 48MP.
This wouldn't just be good news for iPhone owners either, as the even 48MP spread would also make good for Vision Pro owners too. We already know how Apple is making use of the smartphone's main and ultrawide cameras to record side-by-side 3D video, so the bump in resolution will only further improve the results captured and lead to even more vivid results within the headset itself.
It seems incredibly early to be hearing word about these models. But as mentioned, an Apple product is the result of years of planning and prototyping before it's ready to take a seat on store shelves.
Still, that prototyping leaves times for plans to change, and this could change too. However, according to Pu, Apple are currently expecting this to be the roadmap for the iPhone camera array for at least the next two major releases – and that still leaves room for the main shooter to receive a healthy boost also. Though, how much of a limit Apple place on its main lens would remain to be seen.
Either way, to see this plan play out in its entirety, we could be waiting until Sept. 2025 to see the full 48MP array arrive to iPhone 17 Pro models. That's some time off, and leaves plenty of room for Apple to switch things up.
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Rael Hornby, potentially influenced by far too many LucasArts titles at an early age, once thought he’d grow up to be a mighty pirate. However, after several interventions with close friends and family members, you’re now much more likely to see his name attached to the bylines of tech articles. While not maintaining a double life as an aspiring writer by day and indie game dev by night, you’ll find him sat in a corner somewhere muttering to himself about microtransactions or hunting down promising indie games on Twitter.

domain: news


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The media strongly affects many young people. One of its largest influences is on body image. Body image is how a person feels about his or her physical appearance. There are both, people with a positive and a negative body image. Many people with a negative body image take extreme measures such as plastic surgery, experiment with extreme diets or develop eating disorders in order to maintain a “socially acceptable” look. Plastic surgery is slowly becoming a very popular fix to many women’s physical insecurities.
There are many teenagers that are now undergoing breast augmentation and receiving lip-fillers, in hope that this will improve their self-esteem. Because of the rising occurrence of teenagers receiving non-essential plastic surgeries, many doctors are pushing to make the legal age for such unnecessary surgeries 18. Cosmetic nurse, Matty Samaei, claims that it is “extremely common” for high school girls to receive lip-fillers as a reward for graduating high school (Carroll 11).
Mirror Essay Example
Susan Austin, a cosmetic surgeon, has stated that it is physiologically damaging for young adults “to have their lips done or their parents to buy them fillers” (Carroll 16). Body Dimorphic Disorder, or BDD, has been linked to non-essential surgeries done on young adults, and is also encouraged by social media. Many actresses can be linked to incredibly extreme dieting in order to remain such slight statures, and recently it seems many teens are taking notes from their playbook.
Tina Ferraetto explains that many of these fad or extreme diets “eliminate important food and nutrients,” because they are designed for rapid weight loss, as appose to healthy weight loss (Walsh 11). She says that you may see short-term weight loss, but these diets are “very unsuccessful at achieving long-term” results (Walsh 10). So why are these diets so popular among teens and high profile Hollywood figures? Because they produce a quick fix. However, the side effects of these diets range from fatigue to heart attack. The most commonly seen action taken by young adults, in order to lose weight, is the development of an eating disorder.
There are many kinds of eating disorders, but the most common are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa is classified as the unwillingness to eat. According to Dr Veena Luthra, a consultant at the American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, anorexia is fatal and causes “the body to shut down and [slows the heart]” (Ulherr 10). Bulimia Nervosa is classified as “binge eating”. People who suffer from bulimia will eat a large amount of food and then “compensates by making [themself] vomit , exercise a lot, or ingest as much as 20 laxatives in a day” all in order to lose weight (Ulherr 12).
Dr Luthra goes on to explain that this kind of “binge eating” can cause bleeding in the stomach lining. Anorexia and bulimia is being seen in young girls as early as age 11, and because of the stigma placed upon said diseases, most cases go untreated. Many young adults strive to be as beautiful and slender as the models and actresses seen in magazines, but this poses the question, is it really worth it? All of the health and psychological risks by extreme alteration of the body are very serious and can be fatal.


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Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge smartphones at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, bringing several features to the devices that were missing from the S6 and S6 Edge.
As expected, the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge look near identical to their Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge predecessors with the same high-end metal and glass design and front-facing fingerprint sensor.
However, this year’s models come with the added bonus of ‘pint protection’ as Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S7 series with water resistance in the form of an IP68 rating.
The Galaxy S7 hasn’t received much of an improvement in the display, using the same 5.1in 1440x2560 AMOLED offering as last year’s model. The Galaxy S7 has a 5.5in screen, bigger than the 5.1in display on last year’s model, but this retains the same QHD resolution.
Like the newly announced LG G5, the Galaxy S7's display offers always-on functionality, which means that owners can check the time and notifications without having to pick up the handset. Unlike LG's phone, third-party widgets can be downloaded for the always-on screen.
The Edge display on the Galaxy S7 Edge has been given some added functionality too. You can swipe over the edge to view the home screen, for example, and create your own shortcuts to display on the curved panel. What's more, Samsung opened the SDK to developers last month, so expect more functionality soon.
Samsung is aiming the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge squarely at gamers, saying that the new processor, which is 30 percent faster than that seen in the Galaxy S7, and the bigger 3,000mAh and 3,600mAh batteries and support for the Vulkan API ensure longer playing time, while the internal cooling system keeps the device from overheating.
There's a 12MP camera on the rear of the Galaxy S7. It uses a larger 1.4um pixel size than the 16MP camera on the Galaxy S6, and is the first to use 'Dual Pixel' technology which Samsung claims delivers brighter and sharper images in low light.
The smartphones will be available in blue, silver and black colour options, and with 32GB or 64GB of storage.
On the software side, the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will run Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Samsung's TouchWiz UI on top. Samsung Pay will be included, and the firm announced that the mobile payments service will come to the UK next month.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are available to pre-order and Samsung will throw in a free Gear VR headset for early orders. Carphone Warehouse will be one of the first UK retailers to offer the handsets.
Exact UK prices haven't yet been announced, but keep an eye on our Galaxy S7 price, release date and specs roundup for all the latest details as we get them.
Latest Tesla news: Tesla stock price tanks amid reports of 'widening probe' by SEC and claims the base Model 3 loses money
SEC 'probe' takes its toll on Tesla as new research suggests that Tesla loses $6,000 on every $35,000 Model 3
10nm Cannon Lake Core i3-8121U CPUs make a rare outing with Intel's NUC mini PC
'Notorious' Australian child hacker thought he had executed 'flawless' hack
The former employee says that Tesla fired him for bringing the accusations to management internally


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CoinZoom Disrupts the Remittance Landscape With 0% Commission And Cryptocurrencies
Remittances are an essential way of supporting domestic economies in regions where financial hardship remains relatively common. Several regions worldwide rely on these money transfers, yet the COVID-19 pandemic is causing an issue. Sub-Saharan countries are at risk of losing even more remittances from migrants.
The Current Remittance Landscape
Sending money back home to friends and family is a way of life for many migrants who seek their fortune elsewhere. In Sub Saharan Africa, remittance flows are a crucial aspect of the local economic growth. Without that money coming in from migrants, many people would face significant financial hardship for an extensive period.
As most African migrants attempt to work in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, they are now at financial risk. Many migrants lose their work or face pay cuts due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, leaving less money in their pocket to send back home. Whereas remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa tallied up to $48 billion in 2019, that number may have declined to under $38 billion in2020 due to COVID-19. An expected decline, as global remittances, fell sharply in 2020.
Making matters worse is the high cost still associated with sending money. Even though these costs decreased from 2011 to 2018, they remain over 9% of the amount sent to Sub-Saharan Africa. Other regions have to deal with remittance fees of 6% to 8%, and Latin America and the Caribbean even noted an increase in average costs. Paying an arm and a leg to move money across borders is no longer acceptable in this modern day and age.
Are Cryptocurrencies The Solution?
On paper, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin can provide a significant improvement over traditional remittance solutions. It is a cheaper option to move money anywhere in the world, and one can receive the money through any internet-connected device without having to leave the house or owning a bank account. More importantly, the recipient of the funds will be in full control of the funds, assuming they hold the private key to their Bitcoin wallet.
There is also the aspect of removing the need for any intermediaries. With cryptocurrencies and blockchain, all transactions take place between sender and receiver directly. Not only does this remove friction, but it also creates a more efficient system.
Even though Bitcoin gets flack for being a “slow” network, transactions often take an hour or less to confirm fully. With remittances, it is not uncommon to wait days or even a whole week until the money arrives from the other side of the world. Efficiency-wise, cryptocurrencies offer many benefits, even though they might not always be too user-friendly for novices.
CoinZoom Offers A Solution
To change that narrative, more intuitive services and products are needed for remittance solutions. CoinZoom provides a lot of useful functionality in this regard. Its Zoomme service is dubbed as the “Venmo for Crypto”, making it easy to send or receive money to and from anyone else in the world without having to pay any fees. As a peer-to-peer crypto and fiat remittance system, all CoinZoom customers can send USD or crypto internationally right away.
ZoomMe gives an extra purpose to cryptocurrencies and does so without charging any commission or introducing hidden fees. It is a very simple and straightforward system that doesn’t require special permission to use. The limits of how much money one can send through ZoomMe depend on how many ZOOM tokens one holds. Several different tiers exist, each of which has its own requirements.
Unlike traditional remittance providers, CoinZoom can provide a frictionless and feeless money transfer solution globally. It has done so by embracing blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, two forms of technology that any company can incorporate into its service today. The big question is whether traditional remittance providers will explore this option or continue to charge exuberant fees for moving funds digitally from one account to the next.
Being able to send money around the world at no extra cost and without relying on centralized infrastructure can make a world of difference for millions of people. Even in Sub-Saharan Africa, there are plenty of people with a computer or mobile device capable of accepting cryptocurrency transactions. ZoomMe empowers all of these individuals, regardless of their current access to financial products and services.


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Posted Thursday, December 22, 2016 9:32 AM | Contributed by Curtis J. Riley
Atari has just released RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic, a "new" game for mobile based on the Atari-produced theme park sims. Classic takes its cues from the original RTC and RTC2, offering a more simple take on park design, construction and management than more recent titles in the series. It's also the first RTC game for mobile that isn't stuffed full of microtransactions.
Read more from Engadget.


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Automotive technology is constantly evolving and changing in the US, as manufacturers are increasingly turning to technology to boost productivity and profits. Automotive suppliers are increasingly turning to the Internet of Things for data gathering and analysis more and more car models are embracing electric propulsion, autonomous driving is becoming a reality, and vehicle electrification is set to take off on the global stage as automakers compete with one another to meet forthcoming pollution and fuel economy regulations by using new technologies. The internet of things is also creating opportunities in the auto industry as a key supply chain link between automakers and aftermarket players. The adoption of the Internet of Things is expected to drive cost reduction, accelerate decision making and improve efficiency in the automotive industry.
The smart technology embedded into cars provides an opportunity for auto manufacturers to be able to implement a new sales outlook and increase revenue. The Internet of Things also provides an opportunity for auto manufacturers to be able to make more accurate forecasts of future sales and profits. The Internet of Things is expected to improve the quality of data collected from vehicles. Digital solutions will become critical for businesses seeking to implement strategic processes that require responsiveness and immediate action such as forecasting, logistics, fleet management, and customer relationship management. All-new Bentley Flying Spur features world’s first three-dimensional wooden panels on rear door
What Are the Future Technologies in Automotive Industry?
The Internet of Things (IoT) has already driven dramatic changes in the way that products and services are designed, developed, distributed, and sold. The pace of change is expected to accelerate as the IoT moves from anchoring vehicles to becoming a pervasive part of our daily lives. The emergence and adoption of IoT technology for automobiles is especially critical as it will allow automakers and other auto-related manufacturing stakeholders to access valuable information that was previously inaccessible. Here are some future technology trends in the automotive industry:
Increased Manufacturing of Electric Cars:
The rise of electric cars is expected to continue as the auto industry is driven by several key trends that have generated significant demand for electric vehicles. The recent introduction of Tesla in 2011 and the increasing adoption of BYD Auto, which has been expanding rapidly over the past few years, underscore the importance of alternative propulsion options such as battery-driven cars and hybrids. The electric car market is expected to grow significantly in the next 10 years.
Online Car Buying:
Online car buying has become a rapidly growing phenomenon due to the fact that buyers can shop 24×7. The growth rate of online sales channels is expected to increase rapidly in the future as more companies embrace technology and adopt the internet as a key distribution platform. Online shopping channels are becoming more popular among customers. In order for online shopping to reach larger numbers, the need for an online marketplace is becoming crucial for buyers and sellers alike.
Wireless technology is expected to play a major role in accessing information that was previously difficult or impossible to access. Wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Near Field Communication (NFC), will allow people to connect, interact, share and transfer information without any restrictions. Wireless technology is also expected to play an important role when it comes to safety in the automotive industry.
Autonomous driving technology is expected to arrive on the mass market in the next few years with the more widespread use of autonomous cars and computer-generated simulations. The rise of autonomous cars will create an entirely new market for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), independent software suppliers (ISVs), and other players in the auto industry. The use of Autonomous Cars will lead to significant changes in the way vehicle sales are conducted, as well as in other aspects of the auto industry.
Cybersecurity concerns are expected to emerge as an important challenge in the future. Cyberattacks on vehicles could give car thieves a new way to steal cars. Hackers could potentially steal information about drivers’ whereabouts and control systems, which would allow them to disable signals like two-way radios, GPS, and other tracking systems. Connected vehicles can also be used as phishing platforms for hackers looking to disseminate malware through smartphone apps that owners use to manage the features of their vehicles. Legislation is being introduced in many states to authorise the use of remote tracking systems that may ultimately make vehicles less secure.
Personalization is an important trend for automotive manufacturers as they deliver tailored experiences to increase customer satisfaction. Personalised experiences are now becoming the norm in the world of ecommerce, but they have not been implemented on a large scale in the automotive industry. The rise of personalization technologies will be driven by the increasing use of automation and artificial intelligence within products, services, and manufacturing processes.
The auto industry is currently at a crossroads as it tries to find the best path forward. It’s difficult to predict how the industry will evolve in the future. The radical changes being introduced by new technologies are making it difficult for auto-related stakeholders to find their place in the manufacturing process and complete transactions online. The industry is also facing stiff competition from other industries that are embracing disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3-D printing, blockchain, and cloud computing.


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Pete wonders what you’re thinking
DENTON, Tex. — To help learn its customers’ opinions and expectations regarding the EPA mandated 2002 engine emission standards, Pete has added a new online survey to www.peterbilt.com.
“There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the impact the 2002 emissions-compliant engines will have on our industry. The online survey is a way for Peterbilt to gauge how its customers perceive the various issues and their expectations on how those issues should be resolved,” says Nick Panza, Peterbilt general manager and Paccar vice-president.
“As Peterbilt continues to work closely with its engine suppliers, the information we learn from the survey results will be useful in helping ensure our customers continue to get maximum overall value from their investment in a Peterbilt vehicle.”
The survey includes twelve questions and explores topics such as if the new engines will accelerate or delay the decision to purchase a new vehicle, how the pre-owned market will be effected, and how the engines will affect vehicle weight, durability and cost.
To take the survey, visit www.peterbilt.com and click on the “2002 engine survey” banner ad in the lower-right portion of the Web site. Peterbilt says it is offering a free keychain to all North American survey respondents.
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Ford's U.S. sales fell 21 percent in September while Chrysler and Toyota experienced slimmer declines and General Motors held steady. Despite a 4 percent decline in September, Toyota's sales lead over Ford widened for the year.
General Motors Corp. said Tuesday its sales were flat compared with last September. The company got a boost from its new lineup of pickups as well as the new Cadillac CTS, which posted a 73 percent sales increase.
Honda Motor Co.'s U.S. sales rose more than 9 percent, while Nissan Motor Co.'s sales gained 7 percent on strength of record Altima sedan sales.
But Chrysler LLC said its U.S. sales fell 5 percent, although retail sales were up and fleet sales were down compared with the same month last year.
Ford Motor Co.'s car sales dropped 39 percent compared with last September, while its truck sales were down 5 percent. Sales of Ford's F-150 pickup, long the best-selling vehicle in the United States, fell 21 percent as newer pickups from GM and Toyota Motor Corp. stole its thunder.
Ford said a 62 percent reduction in sales to rental car fleets partly was to blame. Ford has been trying to cut back on rental sales, which can hurt brand image and profits.
Ford's overall sales were down 13 percent for the first nine months of the year. Ford hasn't seen a month when sales rose since October 2006, according to Ward's AutoInfoBank.
George Pipas, Ford's top sales analyst, said Ford is on track to cut sales to daily rental fleets by more than its original goal of 30 percent this year, or 135,000 vehicles.
"At the very beginning of the year, we said planned reductions in daily rental were of such a magnitude that we expected a sales decline every month this year," Pipas said in a conference call with investors and media. "What has transpired has been in line with what our expectations were at the beginning of the year."
Toyota's September sales decline was led by its trucks, which were off 5.7 percent. Car sales were down 3.5 percent versus a best-ever September 2006.
Toyota outpaced Ford for the month and for the first nine months of the year, continuing its drive to replace Ford as the nation's No. 2 automaker in sales after GM. Toyota had sold 28,654 more vehicles than Ford as of the end of September.
GM saw its car sales drop 4.4 percent, but its truck sales were up 3.6 percent. But Chrysler experienced the opposite with car sales up 18.8 percent and trucks down 11.4.
Honda bucked the negative trend thanks to a 7.2 percent rise in car sales, while truck sales were up 12.5 percent. Honda Motor, which includes Honda and the Acura luxury brand, said its Honda division reported a record September. Its new Accord sedan and CR-V crossover vehicle helped fuel the increase, the company said.
Many analysts predicted that jittery consumers put off big-ticket purchases in reaction to the credit crunch, high gas prices and the troubled housing market. Last week's two-day strike against GM by the United Auto Workers wasn't expected to have much impact. Wall Street analysts predicted overall sales would be down 4 percent for the month.
The Associated Press reports unadjusted figures, calculating the percentage change in the total number of vehicles sold in one month compared with the same month a year earlier. Some automakers report percentages adjusted for sales days. There were 25 sales days last month and 26 in September 2006.
Ford's shares were up 33 cents, or 4 percent, to $8.56 in afternoon trading as investors anticipated a new contract with the UAW that could help Ford. GM shares rose $1.16, or 3.22 percent, to $37.21.
NATO has no plans to deploy troops on the Ukrainian territory, Jens Stoltenberg said. French President Emmanuel Macron earlier did not rule out a possibility to send Western military forces there


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AMSTERDAM—U.S. pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson JNJ 1.22 % said Wednesday it has reached agreement with Crucell NV on its offer to buy the Dutch biotechnology company for around €1.75 billion ($2.42 billion), despite the concerns of some major Crucell shareholders who think the bid is too low.
Johnson & Johnson holds about 17.9% of Crucell shares, and the €24.75 per share offer is for the outstanding shareholding. The two companies said in September they were in advanced talks on the deal, and that the offer of around €1.75 billion represented a 58% premium.
The companies said in a joint statement Wednesday that J&J expects to issue an offer memorandum by the end of November and that the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011.
J&J wants full control of Crucell so that it can better develop and commercialize the Dutch company's pipeline of vaccines against diseases such as hepatitis, influenza, typhoid and cholera. Vaccines have strong appeal for the pharmaceutical industry because sales are growing faster than prescription-drug sales and they face limited competition from generics.
Underpinning this trend, Sanofi-Aventis SA is targeting U.S. biotech company Genzyme Corp., partly to boost its sputtering drug pipeline. The French company Monday launched an $18.5 billion hostile takeover bid for Genzyme, which has consistently rejected the offer as being too low.
Analysts say J&J's bid for Crucell makes perfect sense strategically and that the offer represents an excellent premium, thereby reducing the chances of a bidding war. However, some major shareholders in Crucell have voiced doubts about the proposed offer in past weeks, saying that it doesn't reflect the true value of the company, one of the few remaining independent vaccine makers. They argue that Crucell, with its strong cash position, manufacturing facilities and successful product pipeline, is worth more and that J&J's bid doesn't reflect the company's future potential.
Crucell reiterated Wednesday that J&J's bid is in the best interests of the company and that both its management and supervisory board recommend it. The Leiden-based company said it will organize an extraordinary general meeting to inform shareholders, although the date has yet to be confirmed.
Delta Lloyd Asset Management, Crucell's third-largest shareholder with a stake of between 4% and 5%, said in a first reaction that it will study the offer and discuss it further with J&J in coming weeks. "We're not celebrating yet", Jack Jonk, head of equities at the asset manager, said.
Van Herk Groep, Crucell's second-largest shareholder after J&J, has spoken out against the offer but wasn't immediately available for comment. Around two weeks ago, Van Herk Groep raised its stake in Crucell over the 10% threshold, forcing it to disclose its holding. Analysts say the move indicated that the investor won't easily give up on its shares.
J&J said that if it manages to acquire 95% of Crucell shares, it will start a squeeze-out procedure to compulsorily buy the rest. If less than 95% but at least 80% of the stock is tendered, the company said it was prepared to use "all other available legal measures" to acquire full ownership.
Write to Maarten van Tartwijk at email@example.com


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UNIGLOBE Travel International has announced the 2019 recipients of its performance and service awards. Winners were announced at the organization’s Global Rendezvous in Vienna, Austria to an audience of travel management companies (TMCs) from 25+ countries.
UNIGLOBE founder and chairman U. Gary Charlwood and president and chief operating officer Martin Charlwood presented the awards. Says Martin Charlwood, “UNIGLOBE is a family company, and the spirit of family defines our approach to customer service, supplier relationships and international operations. We congratulate all winners and thank them for their commitment to UNIGLOBE and our clients worldwide.”
The John L. Henry, Whatever It Takes Award, went to Laura Koreman, UNIGLOBE Travel Holland and Andrew Burroughes, UNIGLOBE Preferred Travel, United Kingdom. “John had a unique gift for bringing people together, showed great integrity and went above and beyond for UNIGLOBE and this industry,” says U. Gary Charlwood.
Contact for interviews and media inquiries: firstname.lastname@example.org


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BUSINESS MAVERICK 168
Cybercrime: How to protect yourself from SIM-swap fraudsters
Information leaks by shady hackers, increased use of online banking and a rise in e-commerce activity could lead to a rise in SIM-swap fraud – although South African banks say they’ve already recognised the threat.
First published in the Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper.
A user from a low-level hacking forum published the personal data of hundreds of millions of Facebook users online earlier this month.
This massive information leak could lead to an increase in SIM-swap fraud, says Pieter de Swardt, country manager for global fintech company Entersekt.
“One of the spin-off effects of Covid-19 has been the increased use of digital platforms, not just banking but also e-commerce. Entersekt encourages clients, not just banks but also commercial websites, to move away from the use of SMS one-time pins [OTPs] as a means of verifying a transaction. An out-of-band solution is preferable because you don’t have to type any information back into the channel… Typically, an OTP has to be typed back into the site you are transacting on or, if you opt to do an instant EFT, you have to type in your online banking details,” he says.
Banks seem to have recognised this threat and are moving away from the use of one-time pins. Both Absa and Standard Bank downplayed the threat of SIM-swap fraud, with Absa saying that bank fraud relating to SIM swap fraud in the past financial year was less than 3%. Carolina Reddy, head of fraud risk management at Standard Bank, said less than 1% of fraud losses in the past year were related to SIM-swap fraud.
Yet the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) 2019 annual report, the most recently published report, shows that bank fraud related to SIM swaps increased from 1.9% in 2018 to 9.1% in 2019. And, given that online commerce has grown significantly in the past year, it would make sense that SIM-swap fraud would also have continued its upward trajectory.
Trish Ramdhani, First National Bank’s head of fraud, says data breaches can pose a significant threat – particularly when it comes to emails. Cybercriminals can take control of your email and intercept financial information, such as bank statements and OTPs. “SIM-swap [attacks] are another reason we have chosen to migrate to secure [communications] on our platform,” she says.
FNB recently moved from using SMS one-time pins to verify transactions to requesting verification via the client’s banking app. The FNB app, Ramdhani says, is not susceptible to SIM swaps or vulnerability from the data breaches on third-party email providers.
“Our multilayered security approach on the FNB app makes it a safer and a more secure option than both email or SMS communication. Online Secure is a unique service FNB offers to protect cardholders against unauthorised use of their FNB card for online purchases and it was released to add an extra level of protection. Online Secure allows you to verify your purchase by approving it on your FNB banking app, instead of using a four-digit OTP sent to your phone.”
Ramdhani says the bank has seen a reduction in fraud losses since implementing the online secure authentication method.
“This, paired with our recently launched virtual card, which has dynamic CVV, means our clients’ security when shopping online has been significantly enhanced,” she says.
Ulrich Janse van Rensburg, head of fraud strategy at Absa Retail and Business Bank, says when you transact online the bank initiates a two-factor authorisation control driven through either the Absa banking app or via unstructured supplementary service data (USSD).
“Customers who adopt the Absa mobile banking app have free access to our digital fraud warranty, signalling our confidence in the security of our app as the safest way to bank,” he says.
Standard Bank customers still use OTPs to verify transactions, but Reddy says the bank is “on the journey” of adopting two-factor authentication, such as biometrics, and is migrating away from OTPs.
Nedbank was not able to respond before DM168 went to press.
What to do
When you realise you are no longer connected to your network, you may be a victim of a SIM swap attack. If so, De Swardt says it is vital that you contact your bank and your mobile operator immediately.
FNB recommends cancelling your bank cards because your card details will have been compromised.
Clients can also temporarily block cards and/or their banking profile on the banking app when their cards have been misplaced. “But we advise that this be used only as a temporary measure that can be corrected once the client has found the card or determined if it relates to fraud, in which case it must be cancelled,” Ramdhani says.
Sabric says you can protect yourself from SIM-swap fraud by:
- Informing your bank if your cellphone number changes so that your notification contact number can be updated;
- Registering for your bank’s notification service so that you are alerted to activity or transactions on your accounts; and
- Regularly crosschecking your cellphone transaction notifications with activity on your account. DM168
This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper which is available for free to Pick n Pay Smart Shoppers at these Pick n Pay stores.
Daily Maverick © All rights reserved


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What started as a project to help provide feedback to diabetic patients who’d lost sensation in their feet became a brand-new footwear concept for healthcare workers.
Monash University and Blundstone Australia put their heads together to design footwear for nurses and healthcare professionals, advancing their safety and comfort while working.
High-tech sensors in the shoes analyse various parts of the foot and send feedback to a smartphone app which allows the wearer to monitor their activities throughout shifts.
Doctor Rowan Page from the Monash Health Design Collab said there’s a need to improve footwear and increase safety for nurses considering the lack of appropriate regulations.
“We identified that healthcare workers had quite a high level of risk,” Page told Nursing Review.
“They are on their feet a lot and are lifting heavy loads – they perform many similar activities you might see in high-risk occupations, but they don’t have any regulations or specific safety footwear.
“So we saw a great opportunity to dive into healthcare and see if there are other options to improve the experience of their footwear.”
On a 12-hour shift, a nurse walks roughly four to five miles – double the distance of the average Australian.
To create footwear that can prevent injuries before they occur, the researchers designed the sensors to identify different postures, variations in walking gait and weight lifted throughout a shift.
They also inform the wearer where they might experience high body pressures, identifying personal risk areas.
“It shows how active you were, but also whether you were active in a safe way and not lifting too much,” Page said.
“The information can guide people towards those healthier behaviours during work.”
During the concept design, the researchers noticed a high amount of variability in what people wore, ranging from sneakers to rubber clogs.
They asked healthcare workers what they thought were the essential features of their footwear.
“They were interested in materials that were easy to clean, effortless to take on and off, more comfortable and lighter weight,” Page said.
“So we wanted to create something that’s a boot, but with more of a sneaker-style midsole, so it’s quite lightweight.
“We also looked into new materials that made the shoes more manoeuvrable.”
The shoe has parts made of non-leather material and parts of microfibre material, so it has antibacterial properties and breathes well.
“We’ve made the elastic section on the boot a lot larger than your typical elastic – it’s an engineered net, so it’s got a variable kind of elasticity to it making it easier to take on and off,” Page said.
“We didn’t want laces because they were difficult to clean.”
Page said the technology could be improved to highlight other health indicators such as injury risk and fatigue.
Shortlisted for the Designers Australia Awards 2022, the team hopes the concept will inspire other footwear producers to improve shoes for healthcare workers.
They emphasised that the shoe is still a concept and unlikely to hit the Australian markets soon.
“We hope the concept will inform future footwear coming onto the market,” Page said.
“So, unfortunately, it’d be hard to put a timeframe to being able to buy something like this.”


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The Greenbrier hotel’s new casino is going to take more time, money and space than originally projected, but the resort’s owner promises it’ll be worth the wait.
“It’s going to be spectacular,” Jim Justice, who bought the Greenbrier out of bankruptcy last year, told the Charleston Gazette Monday.
The gaming facility, originally set to open in April, is now set for a July 2 debut. Meanwhile, the cost of constructing the facility has risen to $80 million, more than four times the initial estimate.
But Justice suggested that the steep price tag and construction delays are a small price to pay for the underground complex, now projected to span 102,000 square feet, as opposed to the initial 50,000 square feet blueprint. The gaming facility, which the hotel says will bring a little bit of Monte Carlo to West Virginia, will serve up table games and slots amid “refined, tasteful décor,” according to its website. The complex will also play host to shops and restaurants, including some new additions currently in the works, Justice said.
Also as part of the expansion, the Greenbrier announced 400 new job openings. The new employees will bring the Greenbrier’s total staff up to 2,000 – the most in recent history, the Gazette reported.


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source- The Cut
In a celebration of diversity and cultural richness, preschools across New York City recently concluded their exploration of the vibrant world of fashion. The culmination of this unique educational journey was marked by a spectacular preschool fashion show hosted by the students of Friends of Crown Heights on Friday.
Boimh Sayway, the Education Director at Friends of Crown Heights, emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating, “It’s about celebrating the diverse culture we have here. We just want to make sure we appreciate the background of everyone.” The preschoolers not only learned about different styles but also actively participated by showcasing their understanding in a fashion extravaganza.
The young students confidently walked the runway adorned in an array of cultural garments, including lungis, sarees, and various traditional attires representing their families’ heritage. The fashion unit aimed to educate the children about the significance of fabrics and traditional clothing in countries around the world. It provided insights into why specific fabrics are used and the cultural significance attached to the traditional garments observed in their respective households.
Dr. Kara Ahmed Celebrates Cultural Diversity Through Preschool Fashion Show
Dr. Kara Ahmed, the Deputy Chancellor of the Division of Early Childhood Education, expressed the broader message conveyed through this fashion exploration. “From Bangladesh, to Puerto Rico, to Santo Domingo… It says that we see you, we celebrate you, and we honor you. Every single child and all of their family,” she remarked. The event not only celebrated fashion as a means of expression but also underscored the importance of acknowledging and respecting each child’s unique background.
Preschools play a crucial role in shaping a child’s worldview, and initiatives like these contribute significantly to fostering an inclusive and accepting environment. By incorporating elements of cultural diversity into the curriculum, educational institutions aim to instill values of respect and appreciation for differences from a young age.
Fashion, as a form of expression, holds a universal language that transcends boundaries. It allows individuals to express their identity, heritage, and creativity. By integrating fashion into preschool education, educators are not only teaching about clothing and styles but also imparting valuable lessons about the richness of global cultures.
Preschool Fashion Show Celebrates Different Cultures
The preschool fashion show at Friends of Crown Heights serves as an inspiring example of how early education can go beyond traditional boundaries to embrace the colorful tapestry of cultural diversity. As these preschoolers confidently showcased garments representing their heritage, they sent a powerful message of unity in diversity.
In a city known for its multicultural fabric, the celebration of cultural identity through fashion in preschools reflects a broader commitment to nurturing understanding, tolerance, and a deep appreciation for the myriad backgrounds that make up the community. This innovative approach to education not only equips children with knowledge but also cultivates empathy and respect, laying the foundation for a harmonious and inclusive society.


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BMW has released images that show the upcoming i4 electric sedan undergoing cold-weather testing alongside the upcoming iNext and iX3 electric SUVs. The iX3, based on the latest X3, is due to launch in 2020, followed by the standalone iNext, a year later, and the 4 Series-based new i4 a year later.
BMW has said that the tests taking place at its cold-weather testing facility in Arjeplog, Sweden, are set to determine the durability of the models' batteries, electric motors and suspension systems. The carmaker's rival to the Tesla Model 3 has a claimed range of over 600km and a 0-100kph time of 4sec with a 200kph top speed.
There is a direct visual link between the i4 and the latest 3 Series; and it will share much of its design with the upcoming second-gen 4 Series sedan. A side-on view of the electric sedan reveals that it seems to be higher off the ground that the current-gen 4 Series, both in terms of roof height and ground clearance. This suggests a raised floor to accommodate a sizeable long-range battery. Other tell-tale signs that this is the i4 include a blanked-off front grille, fake 'exhausts' in the disguise and legally mandated 'electric test vehicle' stickers.
The i4 has been scheduled to be built on the same line as the standard 3 Series models at BMW's factory in Munich, Germany. To ensure a smooth production process alongside existing petrol, diesel and hybrid models, the German car manufacturer is already running assembly tests with pre-production versions of the model.
Talking about the i4, BMW AG chairman and CEO Harald Krüger said, “The leading factors that will set it apart are fantastic design, which is very different to anything else on the road, and the fact that it is lighter and therefore more dynamic than anything we see on the market today, thanks to the materials we will use. Couple that with the connectivity technology we are constantly developing and we are confident it will lead the market.”
Sources suggest that BMW i4 is being considered for two drivetrain options for the i4. The first is one that uses a front-mounted electric motor in combination with a fixed-ratio gearbox and an electric propeller shaft to channel drive to the rear wheels. This layout would give the i4 traditional BMW traits and, according to one source, the best possible weight distribution. The second, and more costly option, uses two electric motors – one driving the front wheels and a second within the rear-axle assembly that drives the rear wheels.
Similar to the system set to appear on the iX3, the i4 offers the choice between front and four-wheel drive, depending on the drive mode that is selected. To achieve performance targets similar to those of the current 335d, BMW is banking on a total output for the electric motor set-up of the i4, whether as a single unit or dual units (front and rear) of approximately 355hp.
At a board meeting held earlier this year, BMW’s top management initiated an accelerated development of both long-range plug-in hybrids and electric models in anticipation of stricter emissions norms in the EU by 2030. At the 2018 Paris motor show, in conversation with our sister publication, Autocar UK, Krüger confirmed the altered i-division plan. The new plan now plans to offer more electric cars than any rival premium brand in the short term, and calls for the introduction of up to five dedicated i models by the end of 2021. After this, tentative steps will be taken to expand to 12 electric models within the whole BMW Group – including Mini and Rolls-Royce – by 2025. Krüger has also green-lit 25 new plug-in hybrid models to be introduced by 2025.
Among the models at the centre of BMW’s electrification strategy lies a further-developed version of the constantly evolving i3, the Mini SE, the iX3 and the i4. BMW will follow that with a more advanced range of premium electric cars employing solid-state batteries and autonomous driving features – as previewed on the recently shown iNext concept car.


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33% of some consumers will not buy more until the end of the pandemic
While the largest portion of all consumers say health concerns are their number one reason for worrying about COVID-19, consumers who are struggling from paycheck to paycheck are more likely than those who are worried about COVID-19. others say the financial impact is their biggest concern about the pandemic.
According to Reality Check: The Paycheck-To-Paycheck Report, a PYMNTS report and Loan Club collaboration.
In comparison, 29% of consumers who live from paycheck to paycheck but are comfortable, and 25% of those who don’t live from paycheck to paycheck, say financial worries are their main concern. main concern.
The latter two groups are more concerned about the social effects of the pandemic.
More than half of paycheck-to-paycheck-to-paycheck consumers also said the possibility of another outbreak and lockdown is a concern. Other key issues include avoiding the spread of the virus, loss of social contact and the risk of death; more than a third of consumers live paycheck to paycheck, saying these are reasons to worry about COVID-19.
When the crisis is finally over, many of these consumers expect to buy more, both online and in stores. Among consumers living paycheck to paycheck, about a third say they will buy in-store more often than before the pandemic, about a quarter say they will buy online with home delivery more often, and about a fifth say they will make it buy online with curbside and in-store pickup.
These results indicate that the end of the pandemic will significantly boost consumer confidence and encourage many shoppers to buy more, both in person and online.


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In a post-pandemic world, Matt Ephgrave, managing director at Just Eat for Business, explores the responsibilities companies have when catering for their hybrid workforce.
Rewind to 2020 – large businesses ordered food to cater for their employees and clients, and deliveries were frequent. But we knew there was more to do when it came to catering sustainably.
It's hard to imagine that world now. We've become so accustomed to remote working that long gone are the days when we'd eat with real people, in a real office. However, as business leaders plan their strategy for their return to the office, they should also make room to assess other business priorities.
Eighty-five per cent of office workers want to work in a hybrid environment, placing responsibility on business leaders to make employees' working experiences seamless, both at home and in the office. However, with that comes challenges for catering. Employees will often be spread between the office and working remotely at the same time, which means there are two groups to cater for simultaneously, increasing delivery numbers and packaging to various locations nationwide, with some sent even further afield.
Employees will often be spread between the office and working remotely at the same time, which means there are two groups to cater for simultaneously
Looking back at our own journey at Just Eat for Business, we have been taking steps to become sustainable since we began, but the pandemic has no doubt accelerated our focus and influenced how we operate.
Pre-pandemic, in 2018, we partnered with eco-friendly compostable catering company Green Man Packaging to ensure vendors had sustainable containers. In September 2020 we launched recyclable cardboard delivery boxes with the aim of cutting down on carbon emissions.
Noticing the real environmental impact that constant deliveries can have, we made the decision last year to partner with pedal- powered bike delivery service Pedal Me, allowing mass meals to be provided to larger companies at once – the bikes can hold the same capacity of food as a van. We also partnered with walking courier Urb-it to reduce our carbon emissions further.
Speaking from our own experience as a business, here are some points business leaders and office caterers could consider when looking to feed their workforce.
Strategically organise deliveries
Your workforce will be dispersed across the country, so larger businesses can think strategically about which employees receive catering and when. Staggering deliveries and clustering them to those who live or are working close by could reduce your carbon footprint – as long as this is communicated to all employees so they know what to expect.
Think wisely about packaging
Getting an understanding of vendors who use sustainable packaging is important. The world we live in is more dependent on individual packaging to meet hygiene standards and keep employees feeling comfortable, but it's about striking a balance between safety and excess packaging. Ensure the vendors you work with are putting this at the top of their agenda.
Avoiding leftover waste should remain a priority for businesses post-pandemic. Due to strategies being put in place to monitor when and who will be coming into offices, office managers, business leaders and caterers will have a more precise picture of how many they need to cater for and should only order as much as is required.
The pandemic has brought with it a trend of shopping locally. Vendors across the country will benefit greatly from local support, and this will also reduce delivery journey time and length, ultimately benefiting the environment.
As businesses, we're all just at the start of the post-pandemic journey, but how we plan for a sustainable future is ultimately up to our business leaders. It's our responsibility to make sure initiatives are in place to make our contribution.
Photo: 2019 SFIO CRACHO/Shutterstock.com
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5 Years Later, Panera Bread Stafford Twp., NJ, Finally Opens
More than five years later, the planned Panera Bread location on Rt. 72 in Manahawkin became a reality today.
We told you to be patient, but we had no idea you would have to be this patient.
As we reported before, Tapinto.net pointed out that the Stafford Township Planning Board first considered the plans to open this franchise at 434 Route 72 Manahawkin in October 2017.
Yes -- 2017.
Over five years have gone by that I've waited for a new go-to spot for my favorite Panera Bread soup.
In 2019, the Asbury Park Press wrote that Parsi Inventments, Inc. had submitted applications to build a Chick-fil-A restaurant and a Panera Bread restaurant on a 5-acre parcel of land on an Rt. 72 site was once home to a bank and an office complex but has now been sitting empty for several years.
The proposal called for the construction of a 5,262-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant with 114 seats and a 4,833-square-foot Panera Bread restaurant — both with drive-thrus.
Chick-fil-A opened on March 17, 2022, and, today, Panera Bread is open for business in Stafford Township
So, what took so long? That explanation isn't easy to find, but suffice it to say that the pandemic didn't speed things up.
Regardless, Panera Bread officially opened today, with drive-thru service, dine-in, and delivery available.


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“This page lists news items posted at the wiki. Anybody may post news items which are related to...News
This category has only the following subcategory.
- [×] Wiki news digest (4 P)
Pages in category "News"
The following 113 pages are in this category, out of 113 total.


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SAN FRANCISCO — “Are we in the metaverse right now?” I ask the man in line behind me. We’ve been waiting about 30 minutes to be outfitted with holographic glasses that will make 3D digital images appear in rooms that, to the naked eye, look empty.
We’re at Verse, an art exhibit where nothing is nailed to the walls and visitors can walk right through the digital images before them. It’s held at the Mint, a stately building in downtown San Francisco. In the 1870s, the Mint was said to have housed nearly one-third of the nation’s wealth. The vaults that once held gold are now bare, and the brick-walled space is a backdrop for weddings, haunted houses and tonight’s display of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs.
Peter, who’s waiting patiently in line behind me, says that yes, we’re in a version of the metaverse. He declines to use his full name because he works at Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, which is working hard to convince the world that this next version of the Internet will be awesome.
The term metaverse was coined 30 years ago by novelist Neal Stephenson, who imagined a science fictional universe where avatars inhabit a virtual world similar to our physical one. Peter’s boss, Meta co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, calls the metaverse “an embodied Internet where you’re in an experience, not just looking at it.” Like walking through an exhibit of 3D art, going to virtual concerts or conferences.
In the metaverse, paper money is replaced by cryptocurrency, which you need to buy the art dancing before your eyes at the Mint. Each NFT costs between $25 and $250,000, though they’re priced in various cryptocurrencies.
The NFT craze has already ensnared Melania Trump (she is selling 10,000 NFTs for $50 each to celebrate moments during her husband’s presidency), Paris Hilton and the descendants of Pablo Picasso (who created a digital spinoff of the Spanish artist’s work). An NFT of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden sold for more than $5 million last year.
But wandering through the Mint, Sari Stenfors is skeptical.
Everyone is talking about the metaverse, Stenfors said, “but not so many people are actually visiting it.” A self-described “futurist” from Berkeley, Calif., she stands in front of a television screen that projects fiery wings off her back. Stenfors thinks she resembles a heavenly creature or something from hell — she’s not sure which. “I keep feeling like I’m at Burning Man, but I want to touch and interact more,” Stenfors said. “Touch is needed. I’m sure it’s going to come. Smells. We’re going to get it all.”
Later she straps on a HoloLens2 — a bulky $3,500 pair of glasses from Microsoft — and tries not to bump into anyone. Being transported to another world is uncomfortable. For my maiden voyage, the HoloLens is screwed on too tight and leaves a mark on my forehead that’s visible hours later.
Before a Verse attendant sends me to explore on my own, she asks whether I can see the ballerina pirouetting down the hallway. When I reach my hand out in front of me, its shape is rendered in multicolored polygons, twisting as I turn my hand this way and that. Instead of a traditional art exhibit with plaques on the walls, at Verse, attendees point the cursor in their HoloLens toward a square icon to reveal who made the NFT, its price and a little about the artist’s intention in creating it. This is about commerce, after all.
Sure, it’s cool to be immersed in a forest or walk past glowing lotus flowers, but navigating it is difficult. The glasses call for precise movements, and most Verse attendees are still learning. I aim my HoloLens at a specific icon, and if I move my head just a smidge, the display vanishes. There’s so much to absorb that it’s easy to forget to blink or feel nauseated.
A banner in LED lights beckons attendees to ponder “What Is Real?” as they wander from one hologram to the next, potentially missing a huge artifact in plain sight: A stamp mill from the late 1800s, used to pulverize quartz so that gold could be extracted. Advanced technology for its time that’s now obsolete. At one point, I reach out and touch an empty brick wall to remind myself that the physical world exists not just as a container or a backdrop. Tiny grains of brick dust fall to the floor.
Wandering through Verse reminds me of the thrill and disorientation that came with the early days of smartphones. Accessing email while out and about instead of seated at a desktop at home, looking up maps while en route from point A to point B, sharing pictures of your lunch on social media before you’d taken a single bite, or Googling facts about an old building as you were sitting on its steps. That was the information overload circa 2007.
The newer version on display at the Mint is even more dizzying. It’s like having a million tabs open in your brain and walking right through them splayed out in front of you.
Learning to use a HoloLens is akin to learning to use a mouse and cursor for the first time, explained Ray Kallmeyer, the start-up founder behind Verse. “We find usually, after 30 to 60 minutes, that people are pretty solid with it,” Kallmeyer said.
“Hop off, because I think you being on my shoulders is messing with my vision,” 32-year-old Aaron Jones said to his daughter, Kaelyn, 6. He gently deposits her on the ground, where she spins alongside the ballerina and paws at the other creatures surrounding her. The dragon is Kaelyn’s favorite; “I think it’s majestic,” she said, before telling the creature to “get out of my face!”
Jones and Kaelyn have played around with virtual reality before, he said, but before they set foot in the Mint, Jones introduced a new concept: art. “I was trying to explain to her that art can be money and can be traded,” Jones recalled.
Summer Lindman, a 32-year-old marketer in San Francisco, showed up at Verse armed with the cryptocurrency Ethereum she bought about six years ago, when it was $11 a coin. (It was hovering around $2,500 early this week.) She had never seen an NFT in the real world and was curious. One artist’s work caught her eye — “that looks like real art,” she said of an animated illustration of a reclining woman taking a selfie. But she wasn’t convinced.
“In covid, we’ve constantly been on screens, and I’m craving more of a physical experience,” Lindman said. Though her journey through the metaverse did involve leaving the house, she still felt disconnected from those around her. “Would I want to go to a gallery to see a bunch of NFTs in the future?” Lindman asked herself. She’s not so sure.
Xiaochen Yang, a 32-year-old San Franciscan who works in art and design, has traveled to the metaverse before, when the HoloLens was in a rudimentary state. Though the technology has evolved, and her walk through Verse is “pretty vivid,” she still feels like she’s wearing a shield and heading off to battle. People go to galleries for people-to-people interactions, Yang noted, and wearing heavy glasses adds “an additional layer of friction between humans and the art.”
“As an artist, I’m not convinced this is the route,” Yang said. “Most people thriving in this community, they’re investors, not artists.”
Are the images on display at Verse art, money or both? Kallmeyer freely admits that some NFTs — like the Bored Ape Yacht Club’s primate illustrations, two of which are on display at Verse — are not aesthetically pleasing. “I don’t think anyone is looking to put a Bored Ape in their bedroom,” Kallmeyer said. Owning a Bored Ape NFT, which can set you back $235,000 to $2.8 million, is more about the status that comes with it (like being part of a virtual country club, Kallmeyer said) than the visual appeal. Kallmeyer likens the popular BAYC to the Dutch tulip mania of the 1630s. Eventually the bubble will burst.
The NFT enthusiast at the Mint will essentially be taking home the rights to a one-of-a-kind piece of digital art. Verse has sold almost $40,000 in NFTs since opening in early February, Kallmeyer said, with 300 of the exhibit’s buyers making their first NFT purchase. Since each piece is unique, it can be bought and sold like a collectible.
For some potential buyers, the fact that NFTs can only be displayed digitally (on a phone, on the Web or viewed through a virtual-reality device) causes them to pause. “I don’t know if I’d want this,” said Jorelle Jones, 40, “it’s not the same as my art on the wall.” Jones likens his night in the metaverse to the experience of playing Atari as a child in the 1980s versus what it’s like to play video games now. He’s waiting for the technology to advance. “It’s cool now,” Jones said, “but it’ll be cooler in 50 years.”
Kallmeyer sees the metaverse as the evolution of the Internet. And yes, he created an NFT, called “Nature,” to depict that progression: A chrome-colored man, hunched over and lumbering on all fours like a primate. He considers the work, which sells for 1.5 Ethereum or around $4,000, as a comment on humanity’s role on Earth. “Are we part of nature or separate?” Kallmeyer asked. “If a human makes a building, a hologram or the Internet, are those part of nature too? I would say yes. Most of our lives are enabled by the parts of us that are in the cloud.”
Stenfors, the futurist, would like to see the metaverse used to facilitate more personal connection. Maybe her activity tracker would notify friends that she’d only had five hours of sleep, so they’d know why she’s cranky while sitting down to coffee together, without her having to say so. “We could share a lot more than in real life,” Stenfors said.
But do we want to render the question “How are you?” obsolete?
Being in this altered state is taxing, even for digital natives like 6-year-old Kaelyn. Before her 30 minutes with the HoloLens is up, Kaelyn pronounces herself done. “I have a bigggg headache,” she said.
Her dad removes her glasses. For the young girl, the dragons and ballerinas are out of sight, though still spinning, breathing and up for sale for those of us wandering through the metaverse with cryptocurrency to burn.


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San Diego’s Glow & the Dark has released a brand new single along with a limited edition coffee via Dark Horse Coffee Records. The song, entitled “I Don’t Want to Skate,” is a quick and quirky track of angst against the toxic masculinity of some of the “skater kids.” The solo project of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter AJ Peacox, Glow & the Dark released their debut album, a self-titled six song EP earlier this year via Dark Horse.
AJ had the following to say about the new song:
“Jordan & I knew we’d be gone playing with Oso Oso for almost twi months, so we wanted to release this song to hold people over until we got back to record more. The most exciting part of this release is that we got one of my favorite local artists LOSER HEAVY to do the artwork. It looks awesome on the new bags of coffee we’re releasing along with it!”
Stream “I Don’t Want to Skate” below and make sure you grab your bag of limited edition coffee to go with it!


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Business Survey Gave Reopening Advice To Missouri Governor
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson received advice from business leaders as he was considering reopening plans following a coronavirus shutdown.
Email records provided to The Associated Press under the state Sunshine Law show the Associated Industries of Missouri provided the results of a business survey to Parson's top staff on April 21.
It showed about two-thirds of respondents reported a significant decline in business. Though some urged a gradual approach, more pleaded with Parson to reopen the economy as soon as possible.
The governor announced on April 27 that all businesses could reopen May 4, as long as they followed social distancing guidelines. Confirmed COVID-19 cases have surged this summer.


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As more and more of our video viewing habits shift online, here's a question worth asking: should online political video ads be treated the same way as ads on TV? Because they're not right now. That's because the US Federal Election Commission (FEC), the agency in charge of regulating campaign financing in this country, decided back in 2006 to exempt people who post politically opinionated material online from having to file reports on how much they spent to create their content and from having to post detailed disclaimers saying who was paying for it. Meanwhile, the people and groups who make political ads for TV that cost over $10,000 must file expenditure reports and run audio disclaimers over their ads. This is how the so-called "internet exemption" was born, and nonprofit groups have been taking advantage of it ever since to post political ads online without disclosing who exactly paid for them, let alone how much they cost.
Now some of the FEC's leaders are saying that the internet exemption was a mistake, specifically when it comes to online video ads: last week, the three Democratic commissioners in charge of the agency voted in favor of investigating a nonprofit organization called the Checks and Balances for Economic Growth, The Hill reports. Checks and Balances For Economic Growth produced two video ads that were posted on YouTube during the 2012 campaign — ads that railed against President Obama and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, respectively (see them below). The group was accused of airing the ads on broadcast TV in Ohio, spending over $800,000 on them, and not including full audio disclaimers. "As nearly everyone now knows, you can watch TV on the Internet," wrote Democratic commissioner Ann Ravel in a statement. "So why hasn't the [Federal Election] Commission re-evaluated its approach to keep up with the changing times?"
However, Checks and Balances for Economic Growth responded saying that it spent the money in question on a third ad on TV and that the two ads posted to YouTube were never aired on TV (despite having "TV ad" in their names on YouTube). The three Republican commissioners on the FEC voted in favor of the group, and the tie means that the rules will remain the same for the time being. But as The Hill notes, Ravel vowed to bring up the matter again next year, and the debate is likely to only heat up ahead of the 2016 election. If even one of Republican commissioner decides to back the Democrats, the rules for political ads online could soon be a lot stricter.


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Large Comet 3 Times The Size Of Mount Everest Has Violently Exploded And Is Now Racing In Course Of Earth, Scientists Say
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every single day. Reuters offers business, financial, national and international news to professionals through desktop terminals, the world’s media organizations, business occasions and directly to consumers. As a end result, companies are adopting new Cybersecurity technologies, such asArtificial Intelligence improvement, to safeguard and monitor their organization’s community against hackers. Moreover, cloud-storage corporations are implementing end-to-end encryptions for information transfer and on-line storage. Currently, owned by VOX media, Recode gives the most updated impartial technology news, evaluation trends, and evaluations from the most respected and knowledgeable journalists in addition to bloggers in media and technology.
Move Over, Umami! Scientists Have Found A Sixth Fundamental Taste Detected By The Tongue
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- Jay-Z's Marcy Venture Partners has invested in spatial LABS (sLABS), a tech incubator founded by Ghanaian tech brain, Iddris Sandu
- The rapper and music executive made the news public in a statement while heaping accolades on Sandu
- sLABS is a tech incubator that has a major interest in metaverse and blockchain-based products
Rapper Jay-Z's Marcy Venture Partners has invested in spatial LABS (sLABS), a tech incubator founded by Ghanaian entrepreneur and technologist, Iddris Sandu.
Spatial LABS is a tech incubator with a focus on metaverse and blockchain-based products, according to Billboard.
Sandu, 24, develops algorithms for companies like Uber, Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram.
According to Complex, Marcy Venture Partners and sLABS will work in tech, culture, and humanity.
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Diamond Platnumz discloses he bought zero kilometre Rolls Royce in 2021, vows to buy private jet in 2022
Working with celebrities
Apart from Jay-Z, Sandu has worked with a tall list of celebrities. In 2017, the Southern California-raised genius helped hip-hop artist/entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle set up his Marathon Clothing store, a venture that is said to be the world's first “smart store''.
Sandu has also worked as a technical consultant for Kanye West and partnered with Jaden Smith. His work has received wide recognition from several macro-influencers, including the likes of Mayor Eric Garcetti and Barack Obama. He has also worked with Beyoncé's Ivy Park and Rihanna's Fenty line.
Statement by Jay-Z
He mentioned that partnering with Sandu on this journey and others is very exciting.
Sandu gained prominence when he developed a mobile software that earned him the attention of former US president Obama and an invitation to the White House, where he received the honorary presidential scholar award while in high school.
Sandu was born and raised in Harbor City, California, with parents from Ghana.
Watch the video below:
JayZ and Beyonce pose inside megayacht as they vacation abroad
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Beyoncé and Jay-Z casually rented a megayacht to sail around at a rate of N1.6bn ($4m) per week.
Sharing pictures of their bougie vaycay, Beyoncé made it clear that on a boat like this, dapper outfits are mandatory.
The singer's fans took to the comment section of her multiple posts to make it known that they are loving the content she is delivering.


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Grayson, Holt and their team invest in companies operating in and around the manufacturing, transportation and logistics sectors, which, they say “represent over half our country’s GDP and have not been tech-enabled.”
To put it in perspective, much of this has been driven by consumer demand of the past couple of years, from food delivery, a $150 billion market, to e-commerce in general, which is a market pushing $1 trillion in value within the decade. Both are being quickly adopted thanks, in part, to the pandemic.
In turn, that has caused a bottleneck in the supply chain and highlighted “cracks already in the foundation,” so to speak. Not to mention factories and large manufacturing companies dealing with shortages of both materials and labor. Grayson says the future of the supply chain might actually be more of a “hub-and-spoke” kind of thing versus a bonafide “chain.”
She also notes there isn’t a better time than now to invest early in the right building blocks and infrastructure to drive the next generation of technology companies.
“These are areas that have been chronically under invested in,” Holt added. “Given the recent economic climate, the pandemic and the geopolitical situation have only highlighted the importance of us building a tech infrastructure in these spaces so that they can be more agile and more responsive to where consumers are going, not where they have been.”