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Customers are more satisfied with social media as news sites fall behind, according to new data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Only a year ago, social media ranked among the worst industries in the Index, but now climbs 4.2 percent to a score of 74 on ACSI’s 100-point scale, overtaking Internet news and opinion websites.
Meanwhile, customer satisfaction with search engines and information websites is down 5 percent to 76.
“Today’s consumers practically live on their smartphones, and mobile compatibility is increasingly important to customer satisfaction,” said Claes Fornell, ACSI Chairman and founder in a statement.
“Social media has made strides in improving the mobile experience, particularly through mobile apps that can be optimized by operating system to ensure better compatibility with various screen sizes.”
The ACSI report, which is based on 5,400 customer surveys collected in the second quarter of 2015, is available for free download at www.theacsi.org/news-and-resources/customer-satisfaction-reports/reports-2015/acsi-e-business-report-2015.
Facebook Posts Strong Gain Among Social Media Sites
Facebook registered the most improvement in the social media category, soaring 12 percent to an ACSI score of 75, ahead of the industry average. Its stock is also up more than 15 percent since the start of the year, and shares have returned more than 35 percent to investors over the past 12 months.
“Facebook outranks the websites of many of the largest news organizations for customer satisfaction,” said ACSI Director David VanAmburg.
Pinterest led for the second year in a row and continues to improve with a 3 percent increase to an ACSI score of 78.
In second place, Wikipedia rebounds 4 percent to an ACSI score of 77. The online encyclopedia leads the category for ease of navigation and site performance, but has yet to fully recover from a fall in user satisfaction a year ago.
Instagram makes its first appearance in the Index with an ACSI score of 76. The mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing, and social networking site leads the category for ease of use on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
YouTube leaped 4 percent to 76, and viewing time is up 60 percent.
Users more satisfied with privacy protections
Google+ is up 6 percent to 75, but users are no longer more satisfied with Google’s social networking site than they are with Facebook.
Twitter reached its highest ACSI score to date, rising 3 percent to 71. In the opposite direction, the average of “all other” social media sites, including Reddit and Snapchat, droped 3 percent to 71.
Near the bottom of the category, microblogging platform Tumblr posts its first ACSI score at 69. LinkedIn remains at the bottom despite a 1 percent uptick to 68.
ACSI data suggest that social media users are more satisfied with privacy protection – or at least less concerned – than they were a year ago. Also, users seem more accepting of advertising year-over-year and relative to other e-business websites.
Google Exceeds Other Search Engines Despite Slip
Customer satisfaction with search engines and information websites slides 5 percent to 76, reversing last year’s gain. The decrease is due in large part to a drop for the company that defines the category. Google remains the undisputed leader despite receding 6 percent to 78, and its market share, at 64.4 percent, is still more than double its nearest competitor.
Mobile searches now exceed those from desktop, but the rise of the mobile platform has proved slightly more difficult for search engines than for social media or news and opinion websites.
News and opinion sites fall
“Most website content was created for the desktop browser first, but as consumers continue to shift more of their Internet activity to mobile devices, companies need to optimize for different screen sizes, mobile browsers and operating systems,” says VanAmburg.
After Google, the race for second place intensifies with only 3 points separating Bing, AOL, MSN and Yahoo! The aggregate score for smaller niche-like search engines is down 3 percent to 75. Yahoo! climbs 6 percent to 75, while MSN is up 1 percent to 74. AOL ties MSN after a 6 percent gain. Bing gains in market share but slips in user satisfaction, down 1 percent to 72. New ACSI entrants About.com (71) and Answers.com (67) make up the category’s bottom.
User satisfaction with news and opinion websites dipped 1.4 percent to an ACSI score of 73. Stagnant at 76, FOXNews.com no longer holds the advantage over NYTimes.com, which jumps 4 percent to 76 following its largest website redesign in seven years.
“According to users, news websites are falling behind social media in a number of key areas,” says Fornell. “Not only are people looking to social media instead of news for fresh content, but news and opinion websites are the lowest-ranked e-business sites in terms of ease of use on mobile and tablet devices.”


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The message from Barco at CinemaCon 2017 is that the company is delivering the future of cinema today, powering immersive entertainment experiences from the lobby to the auditorium and beyond. Featuring the brightest RGB Flagship and smart laser projectors, immersive digital lobby experiences, a unique panoramic storytelling platform, and lifelike 3D sound, Barco raises the bar for memorable movie experiences.
Barco and Vision Media Management have formed a strategic alliance to offer studios and exhibitors a single-source system for in-theater media marketing. The companies will jointly offer innovative digital products for cinema lobbies designed to enhance the movie going experience while driving customer engagement and loyalty.
Allure, a Christie Company, has opened a product innovation center at its corporate headquarters in Atlanta. Envisioned as a place where digital signage, point-of-sale, creative and analytics solutions are brought together to represent the market verticals Allure serves, the recently launched center offers an immersive tour of engaging place-based technologies
The Santa Rosa Entertainment Group has incorporated the Barco Lobby in its Plaza Stadium 14 theatre in Oxnard, installing a network of animated box office, concession and menu boards, way finding displays and movie posters and a custom multi-screen movie trailer presentation system.
Brenden Theatres has signed an exclusive digital advertising contract with Allure and the Christie Experiential Network. The network now covers 76 percent of the Top 25 DMAs including San Francisco, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Sacramento.
ArcLight Cinemas has unveiled a massive video wall in the lobby of its Sherman Oaks theatre in Los Angeles. Called the ArcLight StoryWall, the nearly 50-foot wide feature was installed and is being managed by Cinema Scene Marketing.
A highlight of the Christie booth at the Beijing International Radio, TV & Film Exhibition currently taking place at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing is the Christie Cinema Corridor.
UniversalCityWalk, Los Angeles' landmark urban entertainment complex that ushered in a generation of similar open-air destinations, is undergoing an elaborate revitalization as the pop cultural mecca embraces change to remain contemporary and fresh. Christie RGB Laser projection, Dolby Atmos immersive surround sound and Christie Vive speakers will be the technology at the heart of the revamped complex.
At this year’s CineEurope in Barcelona, June 20-23, Barco will showcase how its cinema solutions offer moviegoers a unique cinema experience and provide exhibitors with a strong return on investment.
Allure, a Christie Company, has launched a new set of out of the box video wall packages designed to make implementation easier, quicker and more cost effective, all while offering a choice of top quality displays, warranties and installation services.

domain: news


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Plastic bags, straws, disposable plastic cutlery, and disposable masks – we are so used to them that it is difficult to imagine how the European Union will be able to implement the recently adopted directive ending the use of single-use plastic products. Disposable cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, plastic handles for ear sticks, balloon sticks, sanitary ware (cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers, balloons and sticks for balloons, food containers, cups, etc) are prohibited. Traders are obliged to switch to the sale of such products to more recyclable materials. Retailers who have purchased and stored disposable plastic products in their warehouses can use them until they are exhausted.
Two questions need to be answered:
- How much will it cost businesses to cope with the transition from disposable plastics to bio and other alternatives?
- How will the market for alternative materials and products, which have existed and progressed for years, develop?
There are several possibilities.
The impact of COVID-19 – Masks all over the place
86% of beach waste in the EU is disposable plastic products, and particles of it are also found in marine life. According to the EEA briefing ‘Impacts of COVID-19 on single-use plastic in Europe’s environment single-use plastic‘ from July 2021, the COVID-19 situation has led to an increase in the use of plastic products. Of course, this applies mainly to masks, but not only. The EU’s domestic production of plastic packaging decreased rapidly during the first months of the pandemic and then bounced back by October 2020 when restrictions were lifted in many countries. During the lockdowns, restaurants shifted to take-away and deliveries, increasing the use of single-use plastic food containers. However, the same measures may have reduced overall sales of on-the-go snacks, reducing the need for plastic for that purpose. Therefore, there is no clear answer to the question of whether we use more or less disposable plastic, but the challenge of using residual quantities wisely and allowing enough alternatives to enter remains.
A game of Monopoly
20 companies produce 50% of the world’s disposable plastic, according to a recent study by the Minderoo Foundation – Plastic Waste Makers Index. According to data today, single-use plastics account for over a third of plastics produced every year, with 98% manufactured from fossil fuels. Unsurprisingly, single-use plastics also account for the majority of plastic thrown away the world over: more than 130 million metric tons in 2019. And if growth in single-use plastic production continues at current rates, they could account for five to 10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
In the top five manufacturing companies, banks with stakes in such companies and investors are business representatives in the US and Asia, such as ExxonMobil, Dow, and Sinopec, Indorama Ventures, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, There are no European companies among them, but the countries of Southeast Europe are among their largest markets, as well as the most common destinations for disposal of this type of waste – Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia, for example. Therefore, Turkey has announced its intention to ban the import of polyethylene plastic waste. But these are not the only challenges under Southeast European countries.
READ MORE >>> Takeaway packaging accounts for 44% of all plastic waste in the ocean <<<
Fragmentation of the market
Eco-activists and representatives of the business related to the production of products from plastics, argue about the effectiveness of the measures but agree on one thing: due to the different levels of the actual and planned implementation of the directive in the Member States, neither traditionalists nor producers of eco-alternatives can count on clarity in the market in which they operate.
The Single-Use Plastic Implementation Assessment evaluates top performers and Member States lagging behind in implementing the mandatory EU measures to curb plastic pollution. Estonia, France, Greece, and Sweden are examples of countries on a strong track for the implementation of the Directive, while Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia are just some of the many Member States that need to urgently scale up their efforts. Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia are in the yellow zone, which means that only partially transposed the measures of the Directive, and for which the level of ambition remains average overall.
In short, this means that in a grace period for the full implementation of the measures, two different approaches to the problem collide and this will create unfair competition.
Therefore, PlasticsEurope – the European professional organization of plastic producers, with more than 100 member companies, called on the EC not to allow market fragmentation, citing the example that some countries will remain with the target of 30% of recycled content in plastic drinking bottles by 2030, and others will set bolder goals. The result could be that some manufacturers might have to produce different products for different countries, which would not be economically viable, the organization said.
The organization also cites the first data on the production and demand of plastics in the world and in the EU in 2020. Worldwide plastics production reached about 367 million tons, a slight decrease of 0.3% compared to 2019. China and North America increase or maintain production rates, due to higher consumption, and in Europe production decreased by more than 5% compared to 2019 to 55 million tons to 15% market share in 2020. The decrease in production is due to the change in consumption in two sectors: packaging and automotive production.
Growth in the market for eco-alternatives
In March 2021, Reportlinker.com presented the report “Plastic Alternative Packaging Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact And Recovery“. The report reveals that the market for plastic packaging alternatives is estimated at $ 61.23 billion (EUR 51.89 bln) in 2020 and is expected to reach $ 71.08 billion (EUR 60.23 bln) this year.
North America is the largest market for eco-friendly solutions, according to this study, but others cite Europe as the largest and most competitive market for biodegradable products, according to data from 2019. According to “Biodegradable Plastic Market by Biodegradable Plastic Type (Polylactic Acid [PLA ], Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate [PBAT], Polybutylene Succinate [PBS], Polyhydroxyalkanoates [PHA], Starch Blends, and Others), and Biodegradable Plastic Application (Pa), the main players in the plastic alternative packaging market are Amcor Limited, Tetra Pak, Sealed Air Corporation, Plastic Suppliers Inc., Kruger Inc., Mondi, International Paper Company, Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, DS Smith PLC, and Klabin SA. In the past years, the market in Southeast Europe is developing and is far from lacking competitive offers.
What is new on the horizon?
Zero Wave – Bulgaria
Blazhka Dimitrova is a Bulgarian entrepreneur and environmental activist who is working on the idea of a zero-waste lifestyle in several areas. She opened the first zero-waste restaurant in Bulgaria and is part of the team behind the idea of cutlery and disposable utensils. Together with Deminir Dimitrov, Founder and CEO of Zero Wave, they work on technology for the production of biodegradable containers made of malt – the best product of a beer. Their company Zero Wave received an investment of BGN 20,000 (EUR 10.220) by Rіnker Youth Challenge rartnerѕhіr program in 2019.
Soma Bioworks – Serbia
Soma Bioworks is a Serbian startup that works in an already known direction – the production of packaging materials based on mushrooms or Biosporin. Mushrooms are already a known alternative to styrofoam (polystyrene). Biosporin is completely degraded and produced from food scraps and byproducts. Nikola Stanojević, the company’s co-founder, told Emerging Europe: “In most cases, changing the business model, redesigning, taking a new market approach, or innovating in logistics contribute a lot more than disruptive new technologies ”.
READ MORE >>> Sustainability Ventures In Bulgaria To Keep An Eye On <<<
Packaging of tomatoes from Slovenia
A few days ago came the news that the Ljubljana-based The Pulp and Paper Institute has developed and presented corrugated cardboard made of papers whose raw material is tomato stems. Tomato stems were locally sourced and represent an agro residue that has been processed into liner and fluting papers suitable for incorporation into the corrugated boards. Corrugated cardboard was also made in Slovenia in test production and is completely recyclable, biodegradable, and safe for food contact. The institute plans to develop its own CIP brand of papers and boards.
Several funds and accelerator programs in Southeast Europe are ready to support startup projects to develop alternatives to disposable plastics.
ClimAccelerator Black Sea
ClimAccelerator Black Sea is a program to accelerate and fund eco-innovation solutions that contribute to environmental sustainability and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. The program is implemented by a Romania-Bulgaria consortium, with a leading partner Impact Hub Bucharest and in partnership with Climate Vertical and Innovation Starter Accelerator. ClimAccelerator Black Sea is funded by the public-private innovation partnership EIT Climate-KIC of the European Union.
Cleantech Bulgaria develops programs for entrepreneurs in the field of clean technologies, innovation, and sustainable development. We connect SMEs and large enterprises, experts, NGOs, entrepreneurs, government, and international institutions – which is the mission of the organization. Clean Tech for Europe is another organization that leads projects on a European level.
The European Commission also presents a detailed calendar of events and opportunities for the exchange of experience and partnerships in the field of the circular economy and the search for eco-alternatives to plastics. The most recent event is The 2nd International Conference on Circular Packaging that took place on 9-10 September in Slovenia.
Green Alley Award
The Green Alley Award of the Landbell Group offers a chance to network and prize money of € 25,000 to companies in the field of the circular economy. Only startups no older than 5 years that are located in Europe can apply for the Green Alley Award. Out of all applicants, a total of six startups will be invited to our Grand Finale in Berlin. Five of the six finalists are selected by a committee, the sixth is nominated by a public vote. You can apply for the program from September 14 to November 23, 2022.
READ MORE >>> JA’s Gen-E 2021 brings together 180 startups from across Europe <<<


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In late October, Rockstar Games announced that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City would be heading to iOS and Android devices this year to celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary. Today, the company announced that GTA: Vice City is scheduled to hit the App Store on December 6th at a price of $4.99. They did almost the exact same thing this time last year with the 10th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto 3 ($4.99), and the landmark open-world game translated pretty well to the touchscreen. It was quite a marvel that the whole thing could be taken around wherever you went.
GTA: Vice City is the second installment of the 3D open-world Grand Theft Auto series, and it’s literally dripping with sweet, neon-soaked ’80s nostalgia. It’s also a big improvement over its predecessor in just about every way, adding motorcycles into the mix and tweaking some of the rougher parts of the combat and controls from GTA 3. It’s still an all-around clunky system, but damn if it isn’t still a blast to run around and cause havoc in Vice City.
The 10th Anniversary Edition of GTA: Vice City will include some improvements over the original console game according to Rockstar, including “updated character models and lighting effects, new and more precise firing and targeting options, a fully customizable control layout and native support for Retina display devices."
They’ve also announced what devices it will be compatible with, and good news if you’re an iPhone 4 or 4th generation iPod touch owner who’s been feeling left out in the dust with some of the current releases: those two models are the base target for compatibility, so as long as you’re rocking 4th generation equipment or better you should be good to go. Also, it appears all models of iPad will be supported. Oh and hey, if you’re an Android device owner wondering about compatibility, you’ll need to check out the full list on Rockstar’s blog, because there just isn’t room to get into all that here.
I’m very excited to dive into GTA: Vice City again, as are a ton of gamers in our forums, so keep on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks and get ready for the game to hit the App Store early next month.


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It seems The Odyssey at EPCOT is returning to its restaurant roots with its soon-to-be-expanded menu, as well as new tables and chairs throughout the newly reimagined space.
The Odyssey Pavilion was fully gutted and refurbished back in December 2018, when it re-opened just in time to host a Festival of the Arts booth (The Painter’s Palate) in 2019. It then closed again and reopened as a preview center of sorts with “Walt Disney Imagineering Presents The Epcot Experience” in October 2019, but it seems the park’s flex space has yet to find its footing, as it seems it is being turned into a (possibly temporary) quick service location.
When the EPCOT Experience opened last October, the space offered a variety of craft beers and light snacks, including the full selection of gourmet popcorn from the cart out by the Imagination! pavilion. According to internal plans, this area was meant to be a Starbucks, but the idea was apparently scrapped in favor of the stand-alone kiosk, Traveler’s Cafe, which opened recently.
Since the start of the 2020 Festival of the Arts, many have noticed an increase in tables and chairs throughout the photo booth display areas.
These tables and chairs are in place to accommodate the upcoming debut of an expanded menu at the EPCOT Experience, simply known as Eats at the EPCOT Experience. The expanded menu, which was hinted at inside the new Festival of the Arts 2020 Guidemap, will feature flatbreads, salads, chicken nuggets, and desserts.
It is unknown when this new menu will be rolled out to the location, but it is expected to debut alongside the Taste Track Burgers and Fries kiosk once The Electric Umbrella finally closes for remodeling in order to meet guest demand for quick, counter service dining.


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Vladivar vodka is to get its second rebrand in two years with a return to the original 1959 blue bottle and double eagle crest.
Following its last re-brand the vodka had lost its way, admitted Nick Gaskin, UK marketing director for brand owner Whyte & Mackay.
"The previous strategy had been to target an urban, cool consumer and as a result we were aligning the brand with very niche events and trends," he explained. "Now we are moving back to the mainstream market targeting 24 to 34-year-old consumers."
The company has invested £1.5m in the revamp and the new design is the first of a number of activities for the brand this year.
"The refreshing new design is just the tip of the iceberg in relation to the exciting plans we have to come for Vladivar, including above the line and online campaigns due to break in the autumn," Gaskin said.


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Researchers find a way bypass the iOS activation lock
Two researchers claim to have found a way to bypass the activation lock feature in iOS that’s supposed to prevent anyone from using an iPhone or iPad marked as lost by its owner.
The first report came Sunday from an Indian security researcher named Hemanth Joseph, who started investigating possible bypasses after being confronted with a locked iPad he acquired from eBay.
The activation lock gets enabled automatically when users turn on the Find My iPhone feature via iCloud. It links the device to their Apple IDs and prevents anyone else from accessing the device without entering the associated password.
One of the few things allowed from the activation lock screen is connecting the device to a Wi-Fi network, including manually configuring one. Hemanth had the idea of trying to crash the service that enforces the lock screen by entering very long strings of characters in the WPA2-Enterprise username and password fields.


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29 June 2020
Apple is rumored to launch many new hardware this year, including a new iPad Air as well. Apple stays tight-lipped on its upcoming products and we also do not get to see many leaks around them but still, some market watchers and keen-eyed sleuths manage to abstract at least something for followers like us. Speaking of which, we now have a morsel of information on the upcoming iPad Air as well.
According to the report from MyDrivers, some unnamed Apple suppliers have said that upcoming iPad Air will feature an 11-inch display and have Type-C connector, instead of the Lighting port. The report further claims that the new iPad Air 4 will have a design similar to the current 11-inch iPad Pro with slim bezels.
Apple increases the display size of new iPad Air with every new iteration so the new tip does make sense or in fact, mentions a known fact.
The report goes on to state that the Apple iPad Air 4 could feature the Apple A13 Bionic chip as well as found on the current iPhone 11 lineup and new iPhone SE.
Several reports have been making rounds on the internet and stating the same thing that Apple could choose to bring its new products between the later half of this year and the beginning of 2021. There are reports from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg and some active tipsters as well who claim we may see them coming sooner. The long list of new products also includes new MacBook Pro, HomePod Mini, and they all are rumored to launch by 2021.
Let’s wait for more information to come on the upcoming iPad Air.


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Sony Semiconductors Solutions has joined hands with Light, a U.S. digital photography company, to build multisensor design for smartphones.
Being a pioneer in the camera software industry, Light came out with its 16-lens camera namely L16. Initially the company’s multi-camera approach appeared to be unreasonable to fit several cameras into a single device.
But now it has been becoming a new norm in the industry specially the mobile phones when industry giants like Huawei and Samsung are also coming up with their new flagships devices with three or even more cameras in a single device like recently launched Mate X and Galaxy S10 whereas Light earlier had partnered with HMD Global and resulted in five cameras in newly launched Nokia 9.
Google is also putting more of its focus on use of AI learning or other related technologies to get the most out of a single lens.
Light has also announced a partnership with the Chinese phone maker Xiaomi for its similar efforts to introduce camera technology in smartphones that could take picture up to a quality similar to that of DSLR.
Now Sony and Light have been collaborating to include the Light’s multi-camera array to be integrated with the Sony’s image processing system to make such apps that will be utilizing the combination to be used in those apps.
Sony is leading the market with unmatched image sensor technology and now looking for of computational imaging solutions to be integrated with its sensors to develop new designs with addition of more cameras.
With number of camera, which is likely to be four or more on its upcoming series of mobile devices, Sony is seeing partnering with Light to be helpful to get to the mark of multi-lens devices by using its appropriate algorithms and tuning of hardware with software while taking care of other related parameters.


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Facebook seems to be running out of supporters after the intense backlash it received from governments and regulators. The Libra Coin could be in jeopardy after four companies announced their decision to abandon the Libra Association just a week after PayPal confirmed its departure.
According to Bloomberg, Visa, eBay, Stripe and Mastercard have all announced their decision to drop out of the Libra Association. The stablecoin pledged to a basket of cryptocurrencies and promoted by Facebook has been scrutinized since the moment it was announced, with every single milestone it achieved being criticized by regulators and governments worldwide.
Unfortunately, it appears pressure achieved its goal with many companies now announcing their decision to leave the Libra Association in an attempt to not be related to the Libra coin, therefore alleviating potential sanctions it could face if launched.
According to the statement made by Stripe:
Stripe is supportive of projects that aim to make online commerce more accessible for people around the world. Libra has this potential. We will follow its progress closely and remain open to working with the Libra Association at a later stage.
It’s not all bad news for the social media giant. The company still has the support of other companies and major US-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. Brian Armstrong, CEO and Co-Founder of the crypto exchange commented on the events saying:
… the way the U.S. government reacted it’s like they almost want to be left behind…. The way for countries to remain relevant over the long term and continue to have high economic growth is to invest in science, technology, and innovation. If the government can help here, even better. But first, it needs to do no harm…
Facebook is having a very hard time gathering the support it needs from regulators in order to successfully launch its stablecoin in key regions. If the company fails to convince governments to accept the Libra coin, then most likely it will continue losing support over time, making it more difficult for the company to achieve its goal of creating a decentralized token.


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Intel has announced that it will use Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018 to conduct the world's first 5G New Radio (5G NR) over-the-air interoperability public demonstration with Huawei, using the new 3GPP 5G NR non-standalone (NSA) standards set at the end of last year.
"It will be a fully compliant connection, and that's important because since the standard was just voted on in December, obviously there's only so much time to be able to develop a solution that can support and be fully compliant to every feature in the specifications," Intel GM of 5G Advanced Technologies Rob Topol told media.
"We are, if it's not obvious, a company that does the primary work of our field testing outside the lab. We take our assets, our prototypes, our products into real-world conditions -- in Korea, we're in subzero temperatures. We're supporting 5G millimetre-wave based lengths, providing connectivity," he said.
"We take our solutions out of the lab and focus on field testing, we see that as the most important way to make sure that those solutions are ready. And it also gives consumers, partners, OEMs, [and] networking infrastructure vendors opportunities to also test and work together. And our efforts have been broad across network, cloud, and clients."
According to Topol, Intel can rapidly prototype and trial its solutions thanks to being a single vendor that can offer everything from the cloud level, down to the device level.
"We expect to see not only significant traffic up through core networks and cloud, but we do expect a high amount of machine-to-machine communication and communication that happens just on the edge of the network. And that's why at Intel we've been actively pursuing trials, prototyping, product development in all of these segments," he said.
Huawei had announced partnering with Intel on interoperability trials based on 3GPP standards back in September.
The companies used Huawei's 5G base station prototype and Intel's third-generation 5G Mobile Trial Platform to test 5G NR across the sub-6GHz spectrum band -- including the C-band between 4GHz and 8GHz -- and the higher-range millimetre-wave (mmWave) spectrum bands.
President of Huawei's 5G Product Line Yang Chaobin had previously said that the networking company has already tested C-Band, mmWave, and downlink-and-uplink decoupling 5G technologies in Beijing.
Huawei has also previously worked with Intel on delivering cloud and network function virtualisation (NFV) solutions to enable telcos to upgrade while laying the foundations for 5G.
Disclosure: Corinne Reichert will travel to MWC in Barcelona as a guest of Huawei
Intel has been trying to reduce its dependence on the PC business by moving into data-centric businesses such as the Internet of Things, which includes automated driving. These made up 47 percent of revenues in fiscal 2017, so in the next few years, the PC could become a minority.
Mobile devices offer convenience and flexibility for the modern workforce-but they also bring associated risks and support issues. This policy establishes guidelines to help ensure safe and productive mobility.


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As Chick-fil-A continues to dominate the restaurant food cain and crush its competitors, many liberals find it necessary to increase their hatred to another level.
The left apparently loves to eat Chick-fil-A’s delicious food, but they have no problem discriminating against Chick-fil-A and their “values” as a company.
They hate late founder, S. Truett Cathy, more than any conservative businessman because he lived his values not just talked about them.
Truett supported traditional marriage, a major crime in liberal America. He closed the chain on Sundays to observe the Sabbath, another move the liberal heretics hated. The chain still honors its founder decision and closes on Sundays.
Now libs are even more distraught after a recent decision by Jeff Glover to continue to pay 50 of his employees during a 5 month renovation of an Austin, Texas restaurant.
Reported by allenbwest,
You know how AWFUL Chick-fil-A is as a company, right? How the late founder, S. Truett Cathy, raised the ire of many because he was unabashed in his opinion of traditional marriage (practically a crime nowadays in the U.S. of A.) and the company proudly closes on Sundays to observe the Sabbath (a quaint, obsolete idea to many).
Besides Chick-fil-A is a corporation, and corporations are evil, greedy, money-hungry monsters, right?
Okay liberals, how do you explain THIS one?
A Chick-fil-A owner recently had to shut down his Austin, Texas restaurant for five months for renovations, according to the Business Insider.
Instead of temporarily laying off his 50 workers, Jeff Glover shocked his staff by continuing to pay them during the entire five months the restaurant would be closed, ABC affiliate KVUE reports.
Glover even gave them a $1-per-hour raise for sticking with him.
“It would be a real financial crisis for the 50 families represented by the workers here to have to go five months without a job,” Glover told the station.
Good guys do finish first after all. According to QSR magazine, Chick-fil-A dominates fast food, generating more revenue per restaurant than any other fast-food chain in the US.
And they have darn tasty food.


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Dan Carter will be giving people an insight into how he expresses himself off the rugby pitch in his role as New Zealand brand ambassador for Philips electric shavers as part of Philips’ broader Male Shaving and Grooming Express Yourself Every Day campaign.
While people tend to associate the star first five-eighth with his rugby, in the coming months Philips’ campaign will reveal something extra about Dan Carter.
“It’s great to be working with an iconic company like Philips and to be involved in the new campaign. Although I obviously play a lot of rugby, like everyone I have other interests and hobbies and this gives me a chance to show people another side of me,” said Dan Carter.
Philips is a global leader in electric male shaving and grooming products and has been innovating male shaving and grooming since their first electric shaver, the ‘cigar’, in 1939.
“We’re very excited to be working with Dan Carter. He’s an inspirational New Zealander but also incredibly down to earth, and including him in our new campaign as we launch a number of exciting shaving products is going to be a great opportunity for us to engage with people through our Express Yourself Every Day campaign,” says Nick Perry, Marketing Manager, Philips Consumer Lifestyle.
For those eager to get a glimpse of how Dan expresses himself, the new advertisements will appear in August.


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Elon Musk Unveils Tesla Model 3: Accelerating Sustainable Transport Is ‘Important for the Future of the World’
— Tesla (@Tesla) April 1, 2016
The Tesla chief immediately jumped into the big questions during the big reveal: Why does Tesla exist? Why is Tesla doing this? Why are we making electric cars? Why does it matter?
“Because it’s very important to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport,” Musk said, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
“This is really important for the future of the world.”
He then presented slides on the record levels of carbon concentration, increased global temperatures as well as the 53,000 deaths a year in the U.S. that can be attributed to auto emissions.
“It’s very important to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport,” said Musk.
Musk said Tesla’s newest EV will be priced at $35,000 (about half the cost of its predecessors), and delivery to customers will start at the end of 2017.
As for the car’s specs, it has a 5-star safety rating, 215 miles of range, goes 0-60 in less than 6 seconds and all versions will have Tesla’s famed autopilot and supercharging capabilities as standard features.
Supercharging, Musk said, “gives you freedom of travel,” boasting that Tesla’s vast, global network of high-speed charging stations means “you will be able to go virtually anywhere.”
The cars come in black, silver and red and fits five adults “comfortably” since a lack of a combustion engine moves seating closer to the front of the car, and an all-glass roof allows for more headroom, Musk said. It can even hold a 7-foot surfboard in the car’s interior.
By any estimation, it looks like the Model 3 is already a success. Fans stood in long lines in front of Tesla stores around the world ready to put down their deposits to reserve the car.
You know you're onto something big when people line up overnight for a product that won't be delivered for ~2 years https://t.co/F2GldLtEiX
— Jeff Weiner (@jeffweiner) March 31, 2016
Model 3 order day starting in Australia pic.twitter.com/T6aUnG5BCv
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2016
Tesla aims to produce 500,000 of these vehicles a year with the aid of its massive lithium-ion Gigafactory in Nevada, which will cut costs of the car’s battery pack and enable a lower-priced car.
Musk said during his presentation last night there were already 115,000 pre-orders in the first 24 hours, meaning their goal of selling 500,000 cars a year is already a fifth of the way there. He also plans to increase Tesla’s storefront locations, service stations and supercharging stations to prepare for new Tesla’s new drivers.
“Almost no matter where you are … you’d be able to buy a car and get it serviced,” he envisioned.
The multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, who is also involved in space exploration and solar power industries, has said many times before that the electric vehicle market plays an important role in a sustainable energy future. At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last year, Musk said the trend is toward electric: “The price of gasoline at any one time is irrelevant,” and electric vehicles are the future.
After the unveiling, Musk teased on Twitter that this was only the beginning: “Thanks for tuning in to the Model 3 unveil Part 1! Part 2 is super next level, but that’s for later …”
Thanks for tuning in to the Model 3 unveil Part 1! Part 2 is super next level, but that's for later…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 1, 2016
Watch the full presentation here:
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COLORADO SPRINGS — Although the pandemic has hurt many businesses, some stores are seeing a surge, such as video game stores and bike shops across Colorado Springs.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. I kinda compare this time to Christmas because of how busy it is and how many sales we’re getting and how many people are coming in,” Game-On General Manager Keenan Southlal said.
Game-On, a local video game store, sells online and they buy used games and consoles.
Bike stores are also seeing a surge, and running out of stock, such as ProCycling, a local bike store in Colorado Springs.
“Anything under two grand, anything affordable, is pretty much sold out.” ProCycling Store Manager Randall Smits said.
Smits says warehouses are not providing enough product.
“Product wasn’t being made and products weren’t getting processed and products weren’t getting delivered so I think it’s gonna be a good month or so before that comes back around,” Smits said.
Bike service is also taking anywhere from weeks – to a month across the area, according to Smits.
Video game store Game-On is purchasing used products such as video games and consoles.
“We have to buy to keep up with the customers,” Southlal said.


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Read the latest Ascensos news, announcements, and industry opinion pieces on our blog.
Born local, grown global. Ascensos is growing local once again, as our latest expansion creates ‘Motherwell Campus’
We are delighted to announce a significant investment into a Cape Town-based technology business following our recent expansion into South Africa.
We are thrilled to share the news of our continued expansion with the launch of a new contact centre operation in Cape Town.
Stranraer is the first of six local hubs, which will create 100 new jobs over the next three months, bringing high-quality digital, work from home jobs to rural communities.
Our game-changing partnership, with UK DIY-retailer Wickes earns Ascensos Isle of Wight gold at the South West Contact Centre Awards.


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With its popularity and beer sales on the rise, Flatland Brewing Company was poised to grow in 2020. The owners of the Elk Grove brewery and tasting house, launched in 2016 as a one-barrel brewing business, had recently ordered new equipment and bigger beer tanks and were expecting to brew at least 1,000 barrels this year.
“We were getting ready for a really good year,” says co-owner and brewer Andrew Mohsenzadegan. “Then this hit.”
In March, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, seeking to slow transmission of the coronavirus, ordered residents throughout the state to stay home except when engaging in essential business and activity. Activities such as exercising outside and shopping for groceries were allowed; eating and drinking out were not, and restaurants and breweries were abruptly limited to takeout service and delivery. As of press time in mid-May, the state began to allow a phased reopening of some businesses.
While the shelter-in-place measures have helped slow the spread of COVID-19, they have taken a huge economic toll and have been devastating for breweries, especially small breweries that once relied on sales for consumption in their taprooms. Many are scrambling to sell enough beer just to survive.
Mohsenzadegan says his business is “still revenue-positive” but just barely. Before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic in March, Flatland sold 97 percent of its production volume across the bar, mainly for on-site drinking but also in crowlers, 32-ounce cans filled on-site for takeout orders. Now the brewery is relying mainly on online orders for curbside pickup and delivery.
Because beer sold by these channels goes for significantly less money than beer sold in pint glasses for on-site consumption, Flatland is now teetering on a razor-thin profit margin. “As long as we don’t go negative, we can do this for a while,” Mohsenzadegan says.
At Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse, profits have taken a steep dive, challenging the Sacramento brewery and restaurant to find a sustainable path forward. Since opening in May 2018, nine of every 10 pints of beer produced has been served on draft, over the bar, according to co-owner and brewmaster Peter Hoey.
But with those sales totally nixed, Hoey says he has ramped up the use of crowlers. He has also been distributing more of his canned and bottled beers to grocery stores. Overall, he says, volume sold is about half of what it was prior to the shelter-in-place orders.
As of press time, Sacramento County was expected to give the go-ahead for restaurants to reopen for dining before the end of the month. “The requirements for service are very specific and require retraining of our staff to be sure that we are satisfying the new requirements, so rushing to open would potentially lead to failures in procedure,” Hoey says. “We need time to provide proper training of our staff to ensure their safety and the safety of our guests.”
People are still buying beer, though it seems unclear whether they are drinking more or simply filling their fridges. While supermarket beer sales have reportedly spiked in recent months, many breweries distribute little or none of their beer to the retail market. “Those stories about increased beer sales are very misleading,” Hoey says. “They don’t capture the impacts to the small breweries like us.”
Most small breweries only sell from their own location. “That portion of the industry is really going to take a hard hit,” says Tom McCormick, executive director of the California Craft Brewers Association, a trade group in Sacramento. McCormick notes the popular urban myth that people drink more alcohol during recessions. “But this is different — there’s no socializing,” he says.
Flexibility will be the key to survival in the new era of social distancing, and Moksa Brewing Co. in Rocklin, in Placer County, is one brewery that seems to be successfully adapting. Moksa has sold 90 percent of its beer over its own bar, mainly for consumption on-site but also in crowlers and 64-ounce growlers, since opening in February 2018, says head brewer Derek Gallanosa.
Even with sales for on-site consumption temporarily cut to zero, Moksa has done well given the circumstances, says Gallanosa. The brewery has maintained an even pace of production and sales, but this has involved a transformation of the business from a bar into a takeout and shipping service. “This has been a big adjustment,” Gallanosa says. “We had to retrain our bar staff. They’ve shifted from bartending to packaging and shipping.”
“This has been a big adjustment. We had to retrain our bar staff. They’ve shifted from bartending to packaging and shipping.” Derek Gallanosahead brewer, Moksa Brewing Co.
While the beer continues to sell like before, there is significantly less revenue flowing in for Moksa, which is known for its rotating selection of stouts and India pale ales. Gallanosa says a 16-ounce pint of IPA served on-site at the bar might run $7.50, whereas the to-go four-packs garner roughly $4.50 per 16 ounces.
“So we’ve lost that much profit margin,” Gallanosa says. He adds that the new model of canning beer — and often shipping it — requires extra cost and work. “It’s more labor-intensive, because we have to get the cans and the labels and ship the beer out, rather than just pour it into a glass from a faucet.” Moksa reopened its taproom in late May at half capacity, as part of the phased reopening of some businesses throughout California.
At Flatland, Mohsenzadegan says the forced closure of on-site service prompted him to put more beer into four-packs of cans for to-go sale and at a few local liquor stores. “As soon as we heard the news that they were shutting bars and restaurants, we called up The Can Van,” Mohsenzadegan says.
The Sacramento-based mobile beer-canning company cans hundreds of Northern California breweries’ beer for retail distribution. In high demand even before the coronavirus became a household term, The Can Van is now providing a vital service for the region’s struggling craft beer industry. Co-owner Lindsey Herrema says breweries that have never sold beer in stores have called on her business for help. This service is especially critical for breweries that don’t have crowler canning machines.
Moksa Brewing already relied on The Can Van for packaging retail beer but has doubled its order since March, according to Gallanosa. This canned beer is mainly being sold at the brewery as to-go orders, with just a small amount going to liquor stores and other third-party vendors. (Gallanosa says such outlets pay breweries a wholesale rate for their beer and that selling directly to consumers is more profitable.) Urban Roots and Flatland have also increased their standard Can Van orders.
But the spike in demand for The Can Van hasn’t exactly been a boon to business. Herrema and business partner Jenn Coyle pay in advance for most of the beer cans they use, counting on client breweries to repay them later. Some might not be able to. “This surge in business has meant a lot of cash out the door,” Herrema says.
Moreover, since their business serves — and essentially relies on — breweries, “if they don’t weather this storm, we won’t either,” Coyle says.
Meanwhile, spiking demand for crowlers is beginning to outpace supply. Such a shortage could cripple already limping breweries. “All the chatter on the local brewery message boards is about who’s got crowlers,” Hoey says, adding that delivery times for the cans used for crowlers have slowed from about four weeks prior to the health crisis to 10 weeks now. Mohsenzadegan says the prospect of running out of the cans is “terrifying.”
Federal relief dollars are helping breweries scrape by. Some, such as Urban Roots, have received Paycheck Protection Program loans. Others, including Flatland, have received Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
Even as officials begin to allow the food and drink service industry to fully reopen before a vaccine coronavirus is ready — expected to take 12-18 months — it’s likely people, wary of strangers, will continue the newly adopted social distancing protocols, a social shift that will threaten breweries like Flatland. “We really rely on that face-to-face interaction,” Mohsenzadegan says.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to clarify that Flatland Brewing Company is a brewery and tasting room, not a brewpub.
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Thanks to a temporary relaxation of Alcoholic Beverage Control laws, most California breweries have pivoted to curbside and delivery business. But how much longer local breweries will survive — and what the long-term effects of the pandemic on the Sacramento-area beer scene will be — remain unknown.
In March, the escalating coronavirus pandemic prompted California state leaders to shut bars and force restaurants to provide only takeout food. Now, breweries that once thrived on over-the-bar service are scrambling to sell enough beer just to survive.
The coronavirus quarantine has devastated the Sacramento restaurant scene. We talked to several prominent local restaurateurs to see how they are handling the situation.
Though restaurants are among the businesses hit hardest by the coronavirus, local restaurateurs have pooled their resources to help seniors, low-income families and others access food.


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The major Asian stock markets have opened the session on a mixed note with markets in Japan (up 1.07%) and Hong Kong (down 0.07%) leading the gains. US and European stock markets have closed the session on a positive note. The rupee is trading at 63.97 per US dollar.
Stocks in the telecom space are trading on a mixed note. As per an article in Business Standard, Bharti Airtel is in course to launch its 4G wireless data service across 44 cities. The service is now available across 20 cities and is in a trial phase in the rest of the cities. The 4G services are priced at par with its present 3G offerings. The company is also looking at offering the services bundled with handsets that could be priced as low as Rs 4000. For existing customers, a SIM swap facility is available which allows a customer to switch to the 4G services in 10 minutes without any disruption. Stock of Bharti Airtel is trading up by 1.21%.
FMCG stocks have opened the day on a mixed note. As per an article in Livemint Nestle India reported its first quarterly loss in more than 15 years. It reported a loss of Rs 644m in the three month ended 30th June as compared to a profit of Rs 2878m in the year earlier. The firm withdrew about 30,000 tons of Maggi from the Indian market. The net sales fell 20.1% to Rs 19,338m. Net sales worth Rs 2884m has been reversed during the quarter in relation to Maggi noodle stock already sold and withdrawn from the market. Stock of Nestle is trading down by 1.2%


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There was a time when tech giant Microsoft derived most of its income from the Windows operating system; these days, the Microsoft Office business productivity suite is the company’s biggest earner, accounting for 28 percent of its revenue. For this reason, it is not surprising to learn that Microsoft is doing everything possible to ensure that its Office products can be accessed from just about any platform, including Chromebooks.
On November 27, owners of Chromebook laptops that support the Google Play store noticed that three Microsoft Office apps suddenly became available. Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Excel can now be installed on devices powered by updated versions of Chrome OS; however, the option to save documents and edit attachments is only available to those who pay for Office 365 subscriptions, which start at $7 per month for personal use.
Over the last few months, Google has been working on porting over the Play store and its millions of Android apps to Chrome OS. Earlier in 2017, owners of newer Chromebooks noticed that their systems had been upgraded to access the Play store, but not all apps were available, and some of them look awkward on the larger display. This is not the case with the Microsoft Office apps for Chrome OS, which look great on full screen mode and are actually superior to the equivalent Google Drive apps.
Early reports of users trying out the Microsoft Office apps on their Chromebooks have been very positive. The apps feel much better than the web version of Office 365, which are optimized for the Microsoft Edge browser but not so much for Google Chrome. Being able to work on Word or Excel offline documents will certainly be a motivating factor for many individuals to purchase Office 365 subscriptions, which is what Microsoft is focused on at this time.
Interestingly, Microsoft has also started to offer Android smartphones that are optimized for use with Office apps and with other mobile products developed by the company. This decision was made after Microsoft decided to stop development and production of the Windows 10 Mobile operating system, a decision that left many users of Microsoft smartphones feeling left out.
Some tech analysts believe that Microsoft is concerned about the Chrome OS platform increasing its reach; to this effect, the release of the Surface laptop with Windows 10 S, a restrictive operating system similar to Chrome OS, is proof that the company will not let Google gain too much market share.


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WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump eased trade pressure on top U.S. allies Monday, giving the European Union and some nations outside the bloc more time to negotiate deals that would exempt them from U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs.
The White House said broad tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum—already in effect against China, Russia, Japan and others—won’t take effect for the EU Tuesday as previously planned. Instead, Europe will have an additional month to keep talking with the U.S. about a new pact to avoid the tariffs.
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(CBS4) - Fifteen years after rabies was eliminated in the U.S., it has now resurfaced in many states including Colorado, where some rescues have become multi-million dollar puppy retailers that appear more concerned about selling dogs than saving them.
Last year alone, rescues and shelters in Colorado imported nearly 37,000 dogs, most of them puppies that sell for $500 on average.
While Colorado is one of the few states to regulate rescues -- making sure kennels are sanitized and treatment records up to date -- dog imports are largely unregulated and state regulators say it has led to disease outbreaks like the one at New Hope Rescue in Colorado Springs.
Animal Control officers raided the rescue in September. They say several dogs were in the advanced stages of distemper. Five were euthanized including Billy, who began having seizures shortly after Shelby Elliot brought him home.
"They told me he'd been checked by a veterinarian and he was perfectly healthy," said Elliot.
Investigators say the rescue's owner Joann Roof -- who had no comment -- imported dogs from a New Mexico shelter where she knew there was a distemper outbreak.
"You're not rescuing these dogs, you're abusing them and neglecting them," says Elliot.
Nick Fisher, who is in charge of regulating pet care facilities in Colorado, says more dog imports have meant more disease outbreaks.
"We are starting to see some serious stuff," Fisher said.
In one case, he says, a rescue dog exposed 25 people to rabies.
Fisher says the rescue industry has changed "to more of a business model where animals are being imported into the state from shelters outside of Colorado."
He says the puppies come not only come from pet overpopulated states like Texas but pet-friendly states like California and provide rescues here with a puppy pipeline that's largely unregulated.
Elizabeth Coalson, with National Canine Advocacy Group, says rescues benefit from what she calls the halo effect.
"They are pet stores without the stigma," said Coalson.
She has tax filings that she says back it up. A forensic accountant, she analyzed the tax returns of Colorado's 15 largest rescue organizations and found between 2017 and 2019 the nonprofits reported more than $24 million in revenue. Nearly a third of it, she says, went to salaries and benefits, which is almost double what they spent on vet services.
She says one even reported buying dogs, "I was most surprised by the volume."
She says the 15 rescues took in nearly 70,000 dogs over the 3 year period. 80% of them, she says, were imported from out-of-state and 70% of them were puppies. Some were sold right off transport vans. CBS4 went to adoption events where they were priced $600-$700 each, even more if you want a rabies shot and spaying and neutering, which rescues are required to do by law.
"There's at least one rescue who you have to pay them to return your dog," said Coalson.
She says some rescues operate more like retailers, building inventory by what she calls "puppy bundling" -- they agree to take a few older dogs, she says, in exchange for more puppies, "And the adult dogs very often end up in boarding."
One of the rescues, she says, spent nearly $440,000 on boarding.
Fisher says some dogs are kenneled so long they literally go crazy, "We don't have any regulation against that." He's considering new rules that would require larger enclosures and exercise.
Coalson says what the dogs need is to be rescued not warehoused by organizations calling themselves rescues, "The animals suffer in all of this and so do the consumers."
Shelby Elliot says it's time state lawmakers took notice and took action,"No dog should go through this. No family should go through this."
More regulations, she says, are needed to save the next dog like Billy, "I'm just glad that at least he had some kind of home and some kind of love."
State lawmakers have demanded more accountability for pet stores but have treated rescues differently. Fisher is considering changes through rule-making including requiring any imported dog to undergo a thorough exam by an in-state veterinarian before it's sold. Rescues and shelters account for 70% of all dogs sold in Colorado and while the state is widely considered a model for pet care regulation, it has just 8 people to police 2,300 pet care facilities.
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Centrally located in Yountville, this 13-room inn is within walking distance of the town’s holiday decorations, festive shops, and standout restaurants. Enjoy the inn’s complimentary wine and seasonal hors d’oeuvres each afternoon with cranberry-chocolate scones and carafes of hot cocoa. And since you’re in wine country, be sure to celebrate the holiday season by taking a tasting tour at some of the top vineyards in the country—some are in walking distance from the hotel. Doubles from $150/night.
In the season of giving, nothing is more satisfying than knowing your gift is appreciated. Now, Andaz Hotels are ensuring online shoppers that their thoughtful presents will bring smiles near and far with the first-ever Andaz Holiday Bazaar. The boutique hotel group has partnered up with local artists from around the world (think trendsetting cities like New York, London, and Shanghai) to create an eclectic collection of items for purchase on Joyus.com. Not only will your loved one take pride knowing that the hip-hugging Alexander Campaz dress you bought them is one of a kind (seriously—only one was made), but you can take solace that all proceeds from the sale will be donated to Women for Women International (WfWI), a nonprofit organization helping to rebuild the lives of women in war-torn countries like Afghanistan and Rwanda.
Where are you going for the holidays? We recently asked a panel of travel experts in an Airport and Holiday Travel Twitter Chat, and the answers ranged the gamut.
The Weather Channel is having a “Staycation #HomeForTheHolidays.” T+L International Editor, Mark Orwoll, has a similar plan—he said, “Turns out everyone’s coming to MY house this year. Now I guess I have to invite all of you too, to avoid hurt feelings.” What’s for dinner, Mark? We’re not about to turn down that invitation!
Going home for the holidays? Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel days of the year and to prepare, we'll be discussing airport and holiday travel strategies, tips, and advice this Wednesday, November 13th from 2-3pm EDT.
Ask our panel of insiders for their expert advice!
Mark Orwoll, T+L International Editor, @orwoll
Jennifer Flowers, T+L Travel News Editor and Trip Doctor team member, @TLTripDoctor
Among the many words used to describe the holidays, for me, "exhausting" somehow supercedes all that giving and thanks business. As much as I enjoy the tradition of it all, there’s part of me that wants to run far, far away. This is because a) The hours and hours of shopping and re-shopping and clean up and re-clean up and b) Thanksgiving means I have exactly 28 days left to get my act together for Christmas. This year, I'm going to my husband's parents house...again. But there's no harm in daydreaming, right? Here's where I'd take my kids if I ever get the courage to say no to the family mafia.
Avalon, Catalina Island Biking. Kayaking. Lying on the sand doing absolutely nothing. Catalina Island, off the coast of California, is a postcard-perfect beach escape for families. Make Avalon your base and rent a cottage or waterfront villa for the long weekend. In town, Seaport Bistro and Villa Portofino restaurants are both serving traditional Thanksgiving meals, but you could always hole up in your house and skip it altogether.
KAYAK recently announced that it will be expanding its travel search site to eight new markets in the coming weeks. Having already launched in Australia and the Netherlands, the Priceline-owned company also plans to set up in Belgium, Ireland, Mexico, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Back in the US, KAYAK continues to help us find great deals on airfare and hotels—especially useful as the holiday season sneaks up. The site released their Holiday When to Book & Travel Guide, which breaks down travel tips by each holiday—and warns against waiting to book. According to KAYAK's guide, which is based on millions of queries conducted on the site last year, the cheapest flights can be found between September and mid-October. After mid-October, airfare prices skyrocket 17% for Thanksgiving, 51% for Christmas, and 25% for New Year’s Eve. These numbers hold true for domestic flights—unfortunately, international fares saw no low period during the season.
Join T+L and our Senior Editor, Jacqueline Gifford, for a Holiday Travel Facebook Chat with QVC’s Lisa Roberston tonight, October 18, from 10-11pm ET on Lisa’s Facebook page.
Find out how to avoid flight delays, where the best hotels and destinations are for affordable, all-inclusive, or seasonal travel, how to pack and squeeze in that extra pair of shoes, tips on getting last-minute hotels deals, and more. Lisa will be ready to answer any holiday shopping or gifting questions that you may have as well.
The hotels are celebrating their 10-year collaboration with BedHead Pajamas, the go-to sleepwear source for the Hollywood set, including fans such as Jennifer Aniston, Mariah Carey, Oprah Winfrey, and Cher.
To commemorate their decade-long partnership together, the three brands are offering limited edition holiday pajama sets for adults and children, online and at the hotels, while supplies last.
Getting excited for one last hurrah this Labor Day? You’re not alone. Far from it, in fact.
According to travel club AAA, 34.1 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the holiday weekend. That’s up 4.2 percent from last year, and is the highest number since 2008, when a staggering 45.1 million took a vacation.
An “increasingly positive economic output and optimism in the housing market” are the main factors of this year’s higher numbers, says AAA president and CEO Robert Darbelnet. With home prices improving across much of the country, “more families are feeling comfortable about traveling.”
While we all love to travel, there’s no denying the perks to living in the land of red, white, and blue. From Texas barbecue to New Orleans jazz music, America’s melting pot continues to stir up some of the tastiest and liveliest traditions around. So when it comes to our nation’s biggest bash—the Fourth of July—celebrate by seeing all America has to offer while getting your dose of hot dogs, fireworks, and flag t-shirts.


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Scooter sales grew by 25.61 percent in FY 2023 with almost all models on the top 10 list posting YoY growth except for the Hero Pleasure and Ray ZR
In an earlier post we have covered best-selling cars and top 10 two wheeler sales sold during the FY 2023 period. Here we look at how scooter sales have performed during the past financial year. Top five products – Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter, Suzuki Access, TVS NTorq and Honda Dio constituted 85 percent of sales on this list.
TVS iQube, the only electric scooter among the top 10, showed the maximum YoY growth at 797.19 percent, while sales of the Hero Pleasure and Yamaha Ray ZR fell into the red. Top 10 scooter sales stood at 45,32,985 units in FY 2023 up 25.61 percent as against 36,08,899 units sold in FY 2022. This was a volume growth of 9,24,086 units.
Top 10 Scooters FY 2023 – Activa No 1
Honda Activa was the best-selling scooter in the past financial year. Sales in FY 2023 stood at 21,49,658 units, up 25.84 percent over 18,08,305 units sold in FY 2022. Volume growth stood at 4,41,353 units with the Activa commanding a 47.42 percent share on this list.
At No. 2 was TVS Jupiter with sales growth of 44.59 percent YoY to 7,29,546 units in FY 2023 from 5,04,567 units sold in FY 2022. Newer models, latest features and class leading technologies have kept this scooter ahead of competition.
Next up was Suzuki Access with sales of 4,98,844 units in FY 2023, up 8.30 percent from 4,60,596 units sold in FY 2022. This was a 38,248 unit volume growth to command an 11 percent share on this list. TVS Ntorq was next on the top 10 scooter sales list in FY 2023 with 2,90,539 units sold in the said period, up 16.55 percent from 2,49,277 units sold in FY 2022.
Honda Dio scooter also posted increased YoY sales in FY 2023 by 13.85 percent to 2,53,467 units, up from 2,22,632 units sold in FY 2022. This was volume growth of 30,835 units with a share of 5.59 percent on this list. A YoY de-growth was seen for the Hero Pleasure by 5.54 percent in FY 2023 to 1,69,984 units, down from 1,79,961 units sold in FY 2022. Volume de-growth stood at 9,977 units.
Scooter sales below 1.5 lakh
Hero Destini scooter sales posted an 84.11 percent YoY growth to 1,27,682 units in FY 2023, up from 69,351 units sold in FY 2022 while sales of the Suzuki Burgman improved by 20.50 percent to 1,20,439 units in FY 2023.
Outstanding sales growth was seen in the case of TVS iQube by 797.19 percent YoY to 96,654 units sold in FY 2023 from just 10,773 units sold in FY 2022 relating to a volume growth of 85,881 units. Trailing the list was the Ray ZR with a 7.07 percent YoY de-growth to 96,172 units in FY 2023 down from 1,03,491 units sold in FY 2022.
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Some DU-area businesses thrive during debate, others hurt by hoopla
Businesses around the University of Denver said it was either feast or famine for spillover business from the crowds at the first 2012 presidential candidates debate.
Many restaurants, bars and quick-serve eateries said they got lots of extra business, mainly on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 2-3.
But other businesses, such as banks, tanning shops, shipping stores and convenience stores, said they suffered financially, as commuters avoided the area and many regular customers stayed away onOct. 3, debate day.
All the banks on the corner of University Boulevard and Evans Avenue closed at 3 p.m. that day.
But overall, most businesses within walking distance of the campus said on debate day that they were optimistic that business would be good, especially that night, and they welcomed the national exposure.
Steffens estimated her sales were up 20 percent, helped by having a booth at the Debate Fest site. Like most businesses, the couple loaded up on extra inventory and boosted staff on debate day, just in case.
Mustard’s Last Stand Manager Stuart Rubin said they anticipated a lot of walk-up traffic (University was closed) from media covering the event.
“They said there was 3,000-4,000 reporters here, and they’re going to close this area off [to traffic], so they have to eat somewhere, right?,” Rubin said. “We expect to have a full floor. ... Plus we have the best patio on the block.”
Dennis Huspeni covers real estate and retail for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "Real Deals" blog. Phone: 303-803-9232.
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- The 15% tariff on EU wine exports to Japan, worth around €1 billion, is scrapped as of Friday.
- The deal comes amid fractious relations in global trade triggered by Donald Trump's trade war against China.
- "It will protect great European products in Japan and vice-versa, such as the Austrian Tiroler Speck or Kobe Beef," President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said.
Shoppers at Tokyo supermarkets are as of Friday able to scoop up French and Italian wines for steep discounts.
That's because it's the first day of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement — representing 635 million people, and one-third of global GDP — which opens European markets to Japanese car firms, and Japanese markets to European food exporters.
The "cars for cheese" deal, the largest ever bilateral trade pact, will "turbo-boost the trade we already do together," President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement. "The new agreement will give consumers greater choice and cheaper prices; it will protect great European products in Japan and vice-versa, such as the Austrian Tiroler Speck or Kobe Beef."
The pact comes amid fractious relations in global trade triggered by Donald Trump's trade war against China. The two sides are in talks to put a permanent pause on the dispute that has seen tariffs slapped on $360 billion worth of goods sent between those two nations.
The 15% tariff on EU wine exports to Japan are scrapped as of Friday, and the EU is also removing 30% duties on Gouda and Cheddar. Pork and beef duties are also being removed, as are those for EU products such as pasta, chocolate, biscuits, and tomato sauce.
EU firms, which export over €58 billion in goods to Japan every year, will save €1 billion in duties a year. Annual trade between the parties could increase by nearly €36 billion once the agreement is implemented in full, the EU said.
In what the Financial Times calls a prize secured by Tokyo, EU duties on vehicles and parts will be phased out over seven years.
Not are all enthused: "Now that the agreement is concluded, part of the economic leverage that could have been used to pressure Japan into stopping its allegedly scientific whaling campaigns is gone," says the Euro Group for Animals.
Here's a map of the anonymized company locations in towns and cities across the EU that export to Japan:


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The proof is in the pudding, and boy, we sure have a lot of pudding around here! Each week I gush to yall over how funding is pouring into Austin, and of course you trust me whole heartedly, but let me give you some numbers to back it up. In Q2, local companies raised $1.5B in venture funding, up from the $921.5M in Q1. So let’s put this into context, Austin has been on an incredible growth trajectory since Y2K, and yet somehow, we’ve discovered a new gear over the past 10 years, culminating in venture funding eclipsing $2B in 2019 ($2.34B to be exact) for the first time in history. A feat which we conquered in 2020 as well. And would ya look at that, it only took us 6 months to shatter all previous records. I might not be Jeff Bezos or Richard Branson, but looks like we all have a ticket on this rocket ship!!
Austin Financing Activity
Elevate Brands, an Austin and New York-based company which acquires Amazon third-party businesses, landed $250M in new funding from the company’s prior investors and newcomers Novel TMT, FJ Labs, and several angel investors. This brings Elevate, which already has 25+ brands in its portfolio, to $317M in total funding.
Foundry, an Austin-based company that acquires and operates online brands, announced its launch and $100M in equity funding co-led by LightBay Capital and Monogram Capital Partners. Foundry plans to spend the money acquiring omni-channel brands, in addition to scaling out their team and developing their platform.
Austin M&A Activity
Other Texas Deal Activity
LiquidFrameworks, a Houston-based mobile field operation management software, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by ServiceMax, via its financial sponsors Silver Lake, General Electric Ventures and Salesforce Ventures, for $145M. The company was acquired by Luminate Capital Partners in 2019 for an undisclosed amount.
Apty Inc., a Frisco-based digital adoption platform which offers on-screen guidance, analytics, and insights for other companies’ platforms, raised a $7.5M Series A round led by 645 Ventures with participation from Companyon Ventures and Reformation Partners. This brings their total funding to $13M.
Charlesbank Capital Partners agreed to invest in symplr, a Houston-based healthcare governance, risk management, and compliance software company. Financial terms weren't disclosed.
Springdale Ventures, an Austin-based, women-led venture capital firm that invests in transformative, early-stage consumer brands, announced the appointment of Marissa Epstein as its third General Partner. Epstein brings expertise in health, wellness and nutrition plus a wide network in the consumer and technology industries.
Austin's Best CFOs revealed for 2021
Austin set subsequent startup funding records in Q1 and Q2 after raising $921.5M and $1.5B in venture capital during those quarters, respectively. Local companies have already raised more in 2021 than the $2.26B they raised through the entirety of 2020. Homeward’s $371M Series B round and Workrise’s $300M Series E round led the pack of Austin companies in VC funding this year.
Samsung applied for tax incentives from Taylor ISD north of Austin, as it considers where in the US to build its proposed $17B semiconductor plant. The company, which has also applied for similar incentives in Travis County, is also considering locations in Phoenix and upstate New York. Samsung has a market capitalization of $469B.
Our major league soccer team Austin FC is now valued at $575M per a survey released by Sportico. Austin FC is backed by Anthony Precourt & lead local investor Eduardo Margain’s Pixiu Investments.
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Turkey's leading smart building brand Interra carries out the biggest KNX Smart building project with the Tema Istanbul 2 residential project, which will include 2280 apartments and 70 villas with 39.780 pcs KNX devices.
According to the results of the Informatics 500 Research which Turkey's largest 500 IT companies were evaluated in their own lane; Interra picked as the second one in the category of Turkey Based Manufacturers .
We are at the “ISE Preview 2022 - KNX Highlights” digital event organized by KNX Assoc. on April 26. Our GMM "Mert Sesli" will be on air to make you a great presentation about our upcoming products and solutions..


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[Update: Fixed by Factory Reset] Some Google Pixel 2 Owners are Reporting a Bootloader Unlock Bug
The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are flagship devices meant to showcase the Google software experience. But the phones have had their share of issues, ranging from the Pixel 2’s inability to flash factory images and OTAs and high-pitched earpiece noises to the Pixel 2 XL’s display burn-in and audio recording issues.
Unfortunately, the problems haven’t stopped there. Some Pixel 2 owners who purchased their devices from the Google Store are reporting an inability to unlock their phones’ bootloader.
The problem stems from the OEM Unlock setting in Developer Options. The toggle is greyed out, making it impossible to enable. Affected devices show a prompt to connect to the internet even when the phone has an internet connection, or suggest that the user contacts a service provider.
Google customer service representatives were unable to confirm whether the problem was a hardware or software issue.
Only a small fraction of users have reported the issue, so it doesn’t seem to be widespread. Curiously, though, most ordered from the Google Store and had their Pixel 2 delivery postponed by as many as three weeks. Some speculate that Google inadvertently shipped bootloader-locked Verizon models to these customers.
There isn’t a do-it-yourself fix outside of returning your phone back to Google and asking for a replacement. Users report that factory resets and flashing factory images using ADB sideload had no effect.
If you are experiencing the issue, head to the Google Bug Tracker to star it and add a comment.
Update 11/21/2017: This issue has now been fixed. All it takes for users to now unlock is factory resetting the phone and connecting it to the internet for the initial setup.
Marked as Fixed. Please factory reset your device and make sure it connected to the internet during setup as this issue has been resolved.Factory Reset: Settings -> System -> Reset Options -> Erase all data (factory reset).
Thanks to XDA Senior Member bunklung for the tip!


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Trojan announces new management positions
By Lindsey Anderson28 October 2008
Trojan Battery Co. has announced a new COO and vice president of Renewable Energy and New Business Development. Jeff Elder, currently chief financial officer, was promoted to chief operating officer and will be responsible for all departmental functions within the company. Elder has been with Trojan for over three years working most recently with finance, operations and strategic planning.
Bryan Godber, currently Trojan's director of new business development, has been promoted to vice president of Renewable Energy and New Business Development. Godber has been with Trojan for eight years, working for planning and purchasing, customer service and new business development.
"These changes will enable Trojan Battery to expand on the abilities of some proven leaders within our company and allow Trojan to move forward in some new strategic directions," said Rick Godber, chief executive officer for Trojan Battery.
Godber will continue with his role as president and CEO of Trojan.
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Dubai: Two mobility focused companies drove their way to the top of the rankings in LinkedIn’s top startups in the UAE for 2023. The apparel brand, The Giving Movement, placed third, while HubPay and Pure Harvest Smart Fams were fourth and fifth.
It’s been a good phase for mobility tech enterprises, with ekar’s subscription services continuing to find traction as the debate of buying vs. renting a car gets intense. Cafu, which delivers point-to-point delivery of petrol to its subscribers, has been expanding its reach.
"These startups are keeping up with the rapid digital transformation that started during the pandemic and have continued the momentum," said Dana Moukhallati, News Editor at LinkedIn, the platform for professional networking. "The UAE is clearly a hub for some of the most diverse and progressive startups."
It's been a good run for UAE - Saudi and Middle East - startups, with funding taps turned on to turn the next big concept into a winning business formula. This is why fintechs retain their dominance in the LinkedIn listings for the year. And 'some even making an appearance for the second year in a row such as the BNPL (buy now pay later) platform Tabby," says the statement. Other fintechs included are YAP, a digital banking app with services provided by RAKBank, and NymCard, a payment-issuing and processing platform.
The rankings are based on LinkedIn data tracking where professionals want to work as well as other metrics. "It’s based on billions of actions taken by the 950 plus million members on LinkedIn," the statement said. The list's metrics include employment growth, engagement with the company and its current employees, job interest and attraction of top talent.
Who scores in Saudi Arabia
In the Kingdom, the customer experience and social listening platform Lucidya placed tops, while the peer-to-peer vacation rental marketplace Gathern came in seventh. At number two is Tamara, the payments platform, and third placed in Zid, which is into e-retailing.
“KSA’s Top Startups List 2023 is a snapshot of the startups and VC landscape in the Kingdom, while also offering insights into the latest economic trends," said Dana. "The startups featured on this list are those that prevailed in the face of economic challenges and excelled in meeting their clients' needs.”


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Cinzano’s, a staple of Fairfield’s restaurant scene for three decades, has gone out of business.
Located at 1920 Black Rock Turnpike, the family-owned Cinzano’s offered an old-school Italian restaurant style, complete with white tablecloths and colorful murals of the Tuscan countryside. But over the past several years, Fairfield saw a new wave of grab-and-go franchises and fast casual eateries emerge and Cinzano’s began to look like a relic from a bygone era. In an August 2016 interview with the Fairfield Citizen, restaurant owner Robert Santangeli acknowledged that his establishment did not change with the times.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle,” he stated. “It’s a little outdated. People don’t want fine dining with white tablecloths anymore. We used to have a line out the door — not anymore.”
Cinzano’s location is being taken over by Ole Dog Tavern, a Connecticut chain with restaurants in Stratford and Oxford.


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Flex – Now More Organic
Written by Bwog Staff
Another chain from south of the triple digits border is now accepting Flex: according to Student Services, the Whole Foods at 97th and Columbus will also be accepting Flex by the start of the fall, following close on the heels of CVS (yes, that’s a Chicago Whole Foods in the picture – blame Flickr). Now you can show your support for the country’s “most humane grocery store” with your parents’ cash. Yet be warned: the trek may be good exercise, but the food may not be any healthier.