text:
Three decades ago, when Classic Travel of Naperville was just starting out, netting a corporate customer was as easy as spreading the word.
"My mother met the controller for Honeywell through a corporate bowling league and got the whole Honeywell account," said Jackie Ceren, a certified travel consultant and owner of the agency. Old-fashioned word of mouth, coupled with reliable service, was all the mom-and-pop agency needed.
But a lot has changed since then. In recent years, the Sept. 11 attacks, the war in Iraq and a persistent soft economy have paid the corporate travel industry no favors, but the downturn had started long before then.
"We used to be all corporate years ago. But when large travel agencies like American Express started to pop up, promising large corporations they could save them money, we had to focus more on vacation travel in order to survive," Ceren said.
Still, Classic Travel kept many smaller accounts, which the megatravel management firms weren't interested in. Until, that is, Internet travel agents such as Orbitz and Expedia entered the scene with gusto.
"Now, smaller accounts think they're getting a better deal online, even when our fare is cheaper 9 out of 10 times," she said.
But the Internet agencies don't charge $25 or more to issue a ticket like most brick-and-mortar agencies and travel management companies do. Indeed, though Internet agencies are the latest threat, what set the ball rolling away from the mom-and-pops was the change in the industry's fee structure, said Barbara Jesilow, manager of Carlson Wagonlit Chez Fare Travel Service in Skokie.
Back when the airlines paid agents a commission for selling tickets, Chez Fare didn't charge corporate customers for issuing a ticket. Now, it charges $25 for a round-trip ticket. In addition, it used to offer corporate customers rebates of 1 percent to 2 percent, which added up, Jesilow said. Those days are long gone, and so are most of Chez Fare's corporate customers.
In the mid-1980s, corporate customers generated 70 percent of the company's business. Now, the business is 20 percent corporate sales and 80 percent leisure.
And the marketing tactics that help draw in consumers don't necessarily work for business customers. A targeted direct-mail piece may spur consumers to start thinking about their vacations, but many cost-conscious businesses have cut back on incentive travel and eliminated all but the most necessary business trips.
With so little to gain, many small agencies have eliminated most marketing efforts aimed at the corporate customer, relying strictly on word of mouth.
Meanwhile, their former corporate customers have been lured away by the Internet's low fares or by larger travel management firms that promise to be more than ticket issuers. They pledge to save companies money by helping to design corporate travel policies, keep track of a company's travel expenditures and negotiate corporate discounts with vendors. In turn, the corporate customer pays a fee for their services.
With bigger volumes, giant travel-management firms like Navigant, American Express Travel and WorldTravel BTI can offer corporate customers more bang for their buck, putting the smaller player at a disadvantage, experts say.
Indeed, the competitive climate has become so tough, many small agencies have quit the business or abandoned the corporate sector, preferring to focus on leisure travel, where tour companies, cruise lines and resorts offer more generous commissions.
Still other independents have adopted an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" outlook and have been acquired by the megafirms. Navigant International, a $5 billion company, has grown largely through acquisition, said Kelly Kuhn, president of Denver-based Navigant's North Central region. In 1997 alone, it made 40 acquisitions, she said.
By joining Navigant, small firms gain expensive technology and its 24-hour operations system. In many cases, the acquired agency's personnel stay on.
Meantime, Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia are marketing new corporate travel programs aimed at duplicating many of the services that larger travel management companies offer, so the smaller agency is being squeezed again.
As a result, small agencies focusing on corporate travel are "few and far between," said Richard Copland, president of American Society of Travel Agents in Alexandria, Va.
"A small agent trying to do any type of business travel--why would you want to do that? Show me where the money is," he said. "It can't be done effectively unless you're really good at it."
Besting the big boys
But not everyone agrees.
"Consider the revenue," said Don Buynack, president of Des Plaines-based Options Travel, a nationwide travel management firm with annual sales of between $20 million and $40 million. With an average ticket-issuing fee of about $24, plus commissions from hotels and car rental agencies, an Options agent's revenue stream can easily exceed $100 an hour, he said.


text:
After 48 weeks of turning Asian cooking on its head, rogue chef Elliot Moss is bringing Punk Wok to an end following service on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Last winter, after abruptly leaving Ben’s Tune-Up, the James Beard-recognized chef began taking over MG Road’s kitchen on Mondays and Tuesdays to host his own pop-up dinners — […]
There was a time when people didn’t generally consider downtown Asheville as a dining destination. ASAP, which launched in 2000 as a local food campaign to help reverse the loss of farms in Western North Carolina during the decline of the tobacco market, has been integral to that transformation.
It’s easy for a foodie to get spoiled in Asheville. Whether grabbing dinner downtown or shopping the tailgate markets and grocery stores for the makings of a homemade feast, the smorgasbord of choices is vast, diverse and endlessly innovative. It hasn’t always been this way, of course.
When Laurey Masterton opened her restaurant and catering company storefront, Laurey’s, in 1990, most of Asheville was still degenerate. Barley’s wouldn’t start slinging pizzas until four years later, but Laurey’s sandwich shop paved the way for an entire section of Biltmore Avenue to be revitalized. “Cooking was a big part of their family, and that […]
It’s Saturday morning, and Blue Ridge Food Ventures is redolent with the sharp scent of fresh-cut ginger. Located on A-B Tech’s Enka campus, the big industrial space has become the base of operations for roughly 60 entrepreneurs at any given time. Open 24 hours a day, the kitchens are used for everything from rolling raw […]
Since 2012, the Asheville Street Food Coalition has rented and managed The Lot at 51 Coxe Ave., where assorted food trucks dole out delectable edibles to several hundred customers a week. But as of Oct. 1, Johnny and Susan Robinson, who own the lot along with Johnny’s two siblings, have taken over its management. The […]
John Swann has no problem admitting his aversion to big business. “I’m not a good corporate guy,” he says. “I’m way too entrepreneurial.” Katuah Market owner Swann has had his hands in natural foods since the early 1970s, when he worked with the famous Food Conspiracy Co-op in Tuscon, Ariz. and later managed the Mountain […]
One of the most notable aspects of Asheville’s culinary community is its focus on camaraderie rather than competition. Tangible proof of this phenomenon is the success of Asheville Independent Restaurants, an organization formed in 2002 by a group of local chefs and restaurant owners who joined forces to create a united front for the betterment of Asheville’s […]
The highly anticipated openings of two doughnut destinations — Vortex and Hole — are finally upon us. First to officially open, Hole began serving customers on Thursday, Oct. 16. Located in a new building on Haywood Road with a small parking lot, the bright blue truck with its logo is easy to spot. “Eight months ago this […]
Great coffee is no different from any other art form: The quality of the final product depends both on material and process. “We can make really great green coffee taste terrible; we can make really great green coffee taste great. But we can’t make bad green coffee taste good: We can only work with what […]
Living in a self-proclaimed Foodtopia like Asheville, one can often go one of two directions. You can either go broke eating out every night, indulging yourself on local fare, or you ignore the restaurants, bunker down in the farmers market culture and just cook for yourself. Fortunately, two local authors have put together a book […]
The HardLox Jewish Food & Heritage Festival will schlep its annual “challahbaloo” of klezmer and knishes to Pack Square on Sunday, Oct. 19. Challahbaloo! is the theme for this year’s festival, now enjoying its 12th anniversary, and as always, guests can expect to find a host of traditional Jewish delicacies for their noshing pleasure. Some […]
Patrick O’Cain has chosen a kitchen co-conspirator for Gàn Shān Station, his new venture on Charlotte Street. On Tuesday, O’Cain, owner of the soon-to-open Asian-themed restaurant, announced that Charleston, S.C., chef Chris Hathcock will join him in the role of co-executive chef at the eatery, which is slated to open later this year in the old gas station at […]
By now, Jim Klingel is accustomed to the misconceptions that the name Oyster House Brewing Co. yields. On a regular basis, the restaurant’s chef hears that his brother Billy’s brewpub is owned by The Lobster Trap (it’s not, though its roots began there), that all of the beers are made with oysters (only the stouts […]
When Peter Affatato was growing up in Flushing, Queens, his grandmother — his nona — would take him to Long Island farms to buy pumpkins. “She bought them because they were cheap,” says Affatato, owner and chef at Nona Mia Italian Kitchen in West Asheville, “and then she would cook them with everything.” That’s how Affatato came up with Peter’s pumpkin pizza, a pie customers begin calling to ask about as soon as pumpkins start bronzing the fields.
Pumpkin-spiced lattes, pumpkin Oreos, heck, even pumpkin croutons: If you can eat or drink it, someone is trying to make it with pumpkin. When it comes to beer, pumpkin ale tends to elicit a love-it-or-hate-it response. Some order a seasonal beer for the only time all year while others scoff at the style. Wherever you […]
Ginger Frank is about to open a business that her kids can really get behind. The East Asheville mother of two is launching Poppy, Asheville’s first popcorn shop, in Merrimon Square this week. Poppy will offer 15 regular flavors to start, both savory and sweet. Her Chicago mix is a rich blend of caramel and cheddar […]
At the farm-to-table Feast hosted on Monday, Sept. 29th, a hundred guests, including local farmers, bakers, chefs, restaurant and market owners, food activists and stakeholders in the local food economy, gathered at The Hub in West Asheville. Feast, inspired and organized by Rebecca Friedman, owner of Farmer’s Daughter Catering, was an invite-only occasion designed to […]
My wife and I visited Portland, Ore., earlier this year. While we could only hit a small fraction of the city’s 50-plus breweries, we made sure to stop at Cascade Brewing, a legendary producer of sour beers, and Hair of the Dog Brewing Co. At Cascade, we found no fewer than a dozen sour beers […]
A dinner with author Robin Rose Bennett at Over Easy Café, new tabletop grills at Korean House, changes in the food-truck scene, a class on the science of cooking with Mark Rosenstein and a coffee IPA tasting event are all in the news this week.
A new Mediterranean restaurant opens this week in the downtown space at 130 College St. that previously housed the Arcade dance club. The Twisted Laurel Eatery and Lounge opens to the public on Wednesday, Oct. 1, offering a large menu of pizzas, subs, salads, pastas, traditional Greek specialties, desserts and more. The remodeled 6,400-square-foot space features […]

domain: news


text:
U.S. Manufacturing PMI Falls to Nine-Month Low
Manufacturing activity in August fell to a nine-month low despite an increase in output and new orders, according to a report released Tuesday.
The final reading of the IHS Markit U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index for August was 54.7, down from the July reading of 55.3.
IHS Markit said August’s reading signaled “the weakest improvement in operating conditions since last November.”
IHS Markit said employment and backlogs saw solid increases, while rates of inflation in input prices and output charges fell.
“Exports remain the key source of weakness for producers, with foreign orders barely rising in August after two months of modest declines,” IHS Markit Chief Business Economist Chris Williamson said in prepared remarks. “Tariffs and trade wars were also commonly cited as factors behind companies building safety stocks of inputs to ensure supply or lock-in lower prices, exacerbating supply shortages and also driving prices even higher.”
Almost two-thirds of companies surveyed reporting higher input prices blamed tariffs as the cause of increased costs, Mr. Williamson said. Almost one in three cited tariffs as the cause of having to raise prices to customers, he said.
Source: THE WALL STREET JOURNAL


text:
Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA) has reported stronger than expected earnings and revenues for the fourth quarter of 2021. The beauty store chain also provided guidance for fiscal 2022.
At $2.7 billion, fourth-quarter net sales were up 24% from the prior-year period, and above the consensus estimates. Comparable store sales increased 21.4% during the three-month period.
Net income moved up to $289.4 million or $5.41 per share from $171.5 million or $3.03 per share in the fourth quarter of 2020. Analysts were looking for slower growth for the latest quarter.
“Our fiscal year ended with better-than-expected performance, reflecting excellent, enterprise-wide execution against our fourth quarter plans as well as stronger consumer demand and the strength of Ulta Beauty’s differentiated model,” said Dave Kimbell, chief executive officer of Ulta Beauty.
Shares of Ulta Beauty have gained 19% in the past twelve months. The stock traded slightly lower early Friday.
Looking for more insights on the earnings results? Click here to access the full transcripts of the latest earnings conference calls!
JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) reported fourth quarter 2022 earnings results today. Total operating revenues increased 32% year-over-year to $2.4 billion. Net income amounted to $24 million, or $0.07
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) announced fourth-quarter 2022 financial results on Thursday, reporting a sharp increase in revenues. The company turned profit from a loss last year. Total operating revenues
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) on Thursday announced financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022, reporting a net loss and a double-digit increase in revenues. Total operating revenue was


text:
A study by JWT India on the global Indian through an Indian proprietary tool, Brand Chakras, reveals the centrality of ‘work is worship’ and identifies hot Chakra Payoffs that brands across categories can use.
The overriding finding is that for the global Indian, work will be clearly
worshiping at the altar of fame and money and will be a stepping stone to
playing god, some day soon. Conversations with consumers spanned key areas like work, money, relationships, lifestyle, technology and media.
Mythili Chandrasekar, Senior VP, Corporate Initiatives, JWT, and originator of Brand Chakras, said, “Brand Chakras is the first Indian strategic planning tool that applies the 2,000-year old chakra system as laid out by Patanjali, to consumers and brands.”
She added, “This original system of understanding human behaviour based on the seven major nerve/energy centres in the human body has never been used in brand planning, and is an initiative of strategic planning at JWT India.”
Looking at Indians through the seven chakras that drive and determine all human behaviour, the report titled ‘The Power and the Glory’ reveals that the global Indian today is largely driven by Manipura: the drive for power (solar plexus); Vishuddha: the voice of creative expression - in search of truth and higher creativity (throat); Ajana: desire for transcendence – active intelligence (third eye). Further, 16 ‘payoffs’ were identified for this global Indian segment, out of a total of 60.
Commenting on the study by JWT, Colvyn Harris, CEO, JWT India said, “We are very pleased at the depth of insights that this new Indian way of looking at brands and consumers has generated. This is something we, as the leading Indian advertising agency can give the world”.
He further said, “The global Indian symbolises and drives Indian optimism today and we are the first to study this leading edge target group. The findings are applicable for brands across categories and have a basket of insights for creative to dip into.”
The study identified different segments of Work is worship, Globalness, Relationships, Money, Social give-back, Spiritual liberation, Experiences, Technology and Masculinity.
The insight mining exercise was done among men and women between 25 and 45 years of age, in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, who are frequently interacting with the world. They included people who have returned to India after stints abroad as well as Indians currently living abroad. The study also draws from media monitoring and blogging.


text:
Puma will release a new color option of the Clyde Hardwood which comes highlighted in a ‘Natural’ color scheme.
This Puma Clyde Hardwood features some earth-inspired heat while keeping the PUMA Hoops tech that brings the shoe from the street to the court. Specs include ProFoam and forefoot webbing, coupled with a silky-smooth colorway.
Puma Clyde Hardwood Natural Release Details
You can expect the Puma Clyde Hardwood ‘Natural’ to release at select retailers including Puma.com on January 15th. Retail price is set at $120. Below you can check out more photos for a closer look.
PUMA Clyde Hardwood Natural
Release Date: January 15, 2020


text:
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Swig, Home of the Original Dirty Soda™, announced that Utah icon the Larry H. Miller Company (the LHM Company) has acquired a majority stake in Swig from Savory Fund, a leading private equity firm focused on emerging food and beverage concepts. Savory Fund purchased the beverage brand in 2018, and in the last two years, it has more than doubled its footprint. Savory Fund, Swig founder Nicole Tanner, and partners Chase Wardrop and Dylan Roeder will each retain significant minority stakes in the business. Arlington Capital Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to Swig in the transaction.
Read full press release here
has sold a majority stake to


text:
"Positive information benefits us emotionally, physically, and mentally. It contributes to a happier, healthier life."
By Good News Network Tuesday, August 28, 2012
With more demand for environmentally sustainable vehicles on the island nation, an eco-friendly motorbike powered by poop was unveiled in Japan last week.
It runs on biogas fuel, which is processed from livestock manure and household wastewater provided by Kobe city and surrounding areas.
To help attract attention to its green-fueled bike, the company, called TOTO, has attached a decorative toilet seat onto the large 3-wheeled motorcycle.
(READ the story from the UK Metro)
|Civics and World|
Are we supposed to be boosters or promoters? What are we supposed to be? Not destroyers of community; not extinguishers of hope. We need to think about our impact. We tend to say we don't have one; we just pass along the news. Readers say otherwise.


text:
Mizoram to boost palm oil produce
Read more below
- Published 7.10.14
Silchar, Oct. 6: Mizoram is now forging ahead with palm oil cultivation as a part of the state government’s co-ordinated bid to create more avenues for the rural population to earn a livelihood.
According to sources in the agriculture and horticulture departments in Aizawl, the government has a target of expanding the reach of the farming of the palm plants by another 5,700 hectares this year.
Mizoram has now 17,588 hectares of area under palm tree cultivation.
An official source in Aizawl said both the agriculture and horticulture departments are expanding palm cultivation with the aim of distilling oil from the palm fruits in the three plants being set up in the state by Maharashtra and Gujarat-based industrial units.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 7.4 crore for the setting up of the three plants.
Sources said the 10,800 families living in 225 villages are now engaged in the farming of palm plants.
According to an agreement signed recently between the farmers and the three industrial houses, the entire lot of the palm fruits to be produced in Kolosib and Mamit districts will be purchased by the Mumbai-headquartered Godrej Agrovet Company. The firm has already set up a palm processing factory at Bukvahnel village under Kolosib district, about 120km from Aizawl.
The company has started processing the palm fruits in the beginning of this year even as the output is now very low.
Sources said palm fruits from farms in Aizawl, Serchip and Saiha districts would be purchased by Gujarat-based 3F Oil Palm Agrotech Pvt Ltd and those harvested in Lunglei and Lawngtlai districts would be processed and marketed by another Gujarat company, Ruchi Soya Industrial Ltd.
The palm oil fruits will be purchased by these three companies at Rs 5.50 per kg and the farmers’ bank accounts will be credited within one week from the date of buying, it added.


text:
July 29, 2015 - Product News
Eaton is introducing the Rebuilder Bulk Pack line of transmission components with several new Fuller transmission parts for aftermarket rebuilders.
Tags: Eaton, Aftermarket Parts, Transmissions
July 27, 2015 - Industry News
TruckPro has completed the purchase of Power Train Service, a provider of heavy-duty aftermarket truck parts, fleet maintenance, remanufacturing, and mobile repair services.
Tags: Aftermarket Parts, Mergers & Acquisitions, TruckPro, Parts and Service, Remanufacturing
Truck component manufacturer Accuride achieved record profitability in the second quarter of the year and a big improvement from the first quarter.
Tags: Economy, Accuride, Earnings, Wheels
July 23, 2015 - Product News
Mack Trucks has activated its GuardDog Connect integrated telematics solution in more than 25,000 models since the product launched in 2014.
Tags: telematics, Mack Trucks, Diagnostics
July 22, 2015 - Industry News
Out of service brake violations dropped slightly this year during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's annual, unannounced brake check day.
Tags: Brakes, CVSA, Out of Service Violations
July 21, 2015 - Industry News
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has announced that this year's Brake Safety Week will take place from Sept. 6 - 12.
Tags: Inspections, Brakes, Brake Safety Week, CVSA
July 17, 2015 - Industry News
Contracts worth C$725 million include more than 1,500 heavy 8x8 trucks, 300 trailers and 150 Armour Protection Systems.
Tags: Canada, Military, Mack Trucks
Because 7,750 engines were not fully assembled in 2009 but in 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency says Navistar should have obtained an exemption in the form of a certificate of compliance, but didn’t.
Tags: Navistar, Diesel Emissions, EPA, Engines, EPA 2010, Litigation
July 17, 2015 - Product News
Peterbilt's new SmartLinq remote diagnostics technology is in production, a factory-installed system on all trucks equipped with Paccar MX-13 engines.
Tags: Peterbilt, Paccar MX Engine, Remote Diagnostics, Paccar
July 13, 2015 - Industry News
The weekly program covers issues involving maintenance, inspection and specification of brakes, on-board vehicle electronics and electrical systems, engines, seating, tires and more.
Tags: Technicians, Satellite Radio, Technology & Maintenance Council, Sirius XM
July 10, 2015 - Industry News
The Goodyear Commercial Tire & Service Network is expanding with the opening of three new locations.
Tags: Tires, Retreads, Service Center, Goodyear Tire & Rubber
July 7, 2015 - Industry News
American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council will hold its 2015 Fall Meeting TMCSuperTech technician skills competition on Sept. 21-25 at the Walt Disney Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Fla.
Tags: ATA, TMC, Competition, Awards, Events, TMCSuperTech
July 6, 2015 - Industry News
Wheel-end parts manufacturer RevHD has launched a free wheel-end training course on its website for training and certifying mechanics on wheel-end repairs.
Tags: Technician Training, Wheels, Wheel Ends, RevHD
July 2, 2015 - Product News
Noregon Systems’ Truck Check Up is an interactive, fuel-island based truck diagnostics station designed for use in heavy-duty trucks.
Tags: Noregon Systems, Truckstops, Diagnostics
July 1, 2015 - Press Release
Stemco, an EnPro Industries company, completed its previously announced acquisition of the maker of Goodyear air springs, as well as Super Cushion and Spring Ride air springs, from ContiTech, a division of Continental Corporation.
Tags: Mergers & Acquisitions, EnPro Industries, Air Springs, Stemco
June 18, 2015 - Industry News
Terex Utilities held its annual Service School from June 9-11 in Watertown, S.D., hosting 71 people representing 38 utility companies.
Tags: Terex, Utility Fleets, Technician Training, Technicians
June 12, 2015 - Product News
Kenworth is offering a selection of all-position Yokohama tires for Kenworth heavy- and medium-duty conventional trucks.
Tags: Kenworth, Yokohama, Tires
June 11, 2015 - Industry News
A recall covering nearly 105,000 Kenworth trucks will address the potential for water leaks that can lead to wiper motor malfunction and raise the risk of an electrical short.
Tags: Kenworth, Paccar, Recalls, NHTSA
June 8, 2015 - Industry News
BestDrive, a commercial tire retreader and distributor owned by Continental Tire, opened a new 60,000-square-foot facility in Taylor, Mich.
Tags: Continental Tires, Tires, Retreads
May 8, 2015 - Industry News
OEM powertrain integration will ultimately positively disrupt the telematics industry, according to Matthew Pfaffenback, director of telematics, Daimler Trucks North America, speaking at the ALK Transportation Technology Summit.
Tags: OEM, ALK Transportation Technology Summit, telematics, Daimler Trucks North America, Diagnostics
May 7, 2015 - Industry News
Jim McGeehan, Consulting Scientist for Delo engine oils, has elected to retire from Chevron effective June 30, 2015, according to Chevron Products Co.
Tags: Chevron Lubricants, Chevron Delo, PC-11
May 6, 2015 - Industry News
The U.S. Postal Service could reduce its maintenance costs by $21.8 million a year by improving oversight of its mechanics and right-sizing staffing at vehicle garages, according to finding by the U.S. Office of Inspector General.
Tags: USPS, Maintenance Costs
April 30, 2015 - Industry News
HDA Truck Pride named Davenport and Willingham the 2014 Truck Service expert of the year at the HDTA Truck Pride Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
Tags: Aftermarket Parts, Awards, HDA Truck Pride, Technicians
April 29, 2015 - Industry News
Wabash National announced a five-year agreement with Aurora Parts & Accessories to be the exclusive supplier of aftermarket parts the company's trailers and brands.
Tags: Trailers, Aftermarket Parts, Supplier, Wabash National
April 9, 2015 - Product News
Dossier Systems has announced the release of Dossier v.6.4, the latest version of the software with cloud-based features.
Tags: telematics, Zonar, Cloud-Based Technology, Dossier
We offer e-newsletters that deliver targeted news and information for the entire fleet industry.
The expert, Mark Betner from CITGO, will answer your questions
The expert, Brian Fletcher from Eaton, will answer your questions
Meritor Updates Front Axle Product Catalogs
Purkeys’ Tool Tests Liftgate Charging System
TopKit Aero System Improves Fuel Mileage Without Big Components
Gabriel Shocks Reduce Oil Escape for Longer Life


text:
Play X1 In Your Browser
Microsoft is working on the ability to stream Xbox One and Xbox 360 games through a web browser, a report claims.
Tech site Neowin claims to have a source that says Microsoft is optimising a new cloud-based streaming service that will enable players to stream Xbox games at close to 60fps on a browser.
According to the alleged source, the service could offer “the full 360 experience”, including the Xbox 360 dashboard, on a PC by streaming it in a similar way to PlayStation Now or OnLive.
The source also claims this is not restricted to Internet Explorer and has also been tested on Google Chrome.
Furthermore, it is claimed that Microsoft is using speculation technology to reduce latency and reach video playback of 60 frames per second in some games. We’ve contacted Microsoft for comment on the report.
Microsoft Research released a report in late August which detailed the company’s experiments using speculation to reduce latency lag when streaming game footage.
The report details how up to 250ms of latency can be masked by predicting a number of possibilities for what the next frame could be in a game and then sending the correct one to the user.


text:
The Indian Broadband market is expected to expand almost exponentially over the next five to six years according to a report published recently and it would appear that the use of WiMAX (short for World Interoperability for Microwave Access) is leading the charge with usage expecting to rise to over 21 million users by 2014. WiMAX where installed correctly is designed to provide greater efficiency, development and utilisation of broadband services.
This echoes further additional reports that confirm that the Indian economy is flourishing and the demand for telecommunications networks and services has finally outpaced the availability provided for by what are euphemistically described as conventional legacy wired telecommunications.
It would appear that within the Indian marketplace that vendors, operators and system integrators are all coming together to engineer a bandwidth revolution, the like of which has never been seen before.
Leading the charge in this particular telecommunications sub sector would appear to be Reliance Technology Ventures; the VC (Venture Capital) subsidiary of Mumbai based Reliance AD Group.
One of reliance technology ventures sister companies reliance communications is at present one of India's largest CDMA (code division multiple access) suppliers and is now serving its intention to move into the GSM marketplace.
It has achieved this by its recent funding of a large undisclosed investment in E-Band, a San Diego based manufacturer and designer of multigigabit wireless communications systems.
Given the current rate of growth within the Indian marketplace industry experts are predicting with current levels of investment and expansion we may be at the beginning of what could possibly be one of the world's top three WiMAX marketplaces.
At the forefront of this expansion have been major carriers such as Reliance Technologies who are already running commercial WiMAX services in Bangalore. Should these initial tests prove to be successful and if you want to go on initial criteria and that would certainly be the case, they are predicting that by 2014 the accumulated WiMAX subscriber base in India alone will reach 21 million.
Partly because of its rapid expansion equipment costs the general market costs are dropping whilst revenues are rising. Costs in India are being driven down faster than in any of the major worldwide marketplace.
At present industry analysts state the penetration of broadband throughout India at present lies at an extremely low figure of .2%. With the new technologies and investment rapidly being made available for the industry, experts are predicting the market to double within the next couple of years.
It cannot be denied that globally, investment in emerging wireless technology services such as WiMAX is growing certainly more than any other similar mobile technology.
It is one of those things that you can get a rough estimation of how mature technology marketplace is when you sit back and analyze the number of hardware equipment manufacturers who are prepared to "jump in with both feet," desperate to claim vital market share.
Elsewhere in Asia, WiMAX is expanding and it would appear that from other marketplaces, certain Asian telephone companies are planning to run controlled tests of these services based on WiMAX technology in the United Kingdom next year.
Certainly it would appear that the initial WiMAX tests run by Reliance WiMAX in Bangalore are going well and that the costs of the Reliance Data Card are expected to drop accordingly.


text:
Windows 10 Your Phone app now compatible with all Android phones, can make and receive phone calls
Mac users with an iPhone have long enjoyed the harmonious sync between macOS and iOS. Now Android users will get to enjoy many of those same benefits… provided they have a Windows 10 PC.
Microsoft announced that the Your Phone app in Windows 10 is now able to make and receive calls from any synced Android phone. The feature was previously available to a select few Android handsets, mostly Samsung Galaxy devices. However, the Calls feature in the Your Phone app is now compatible with all Android phones.
While Microsoft announced that Your Phone is compatible with all Android devices, it is slowly rolling out the update. As such, not all users can sync their phones or make phone calls through the app just yet.
It should also be noted that this is just the calling feature. Text messaging and the Phone Screen feature (which allows users to control their phone in Windows 10) are still limited to a select few handsets. Microsoft has yet to announce when these features will be broadly available.
If you’re an Android user with a Windows 10 PC, have you seen the Calls feature appear in the Your Phone app? How is the overall experience? Let us know in the comments.


text:
If you think your bottled water is gathered directly at the mouth of pure mountain spring—think again. What you’re most likely drinking is tap water. Even more shocking is that the water you get out of your own kitchen faucet is probably just as “pure” as what you’re drinking from the bottle.
Recently, Pepsi Corporation’s Aquafina, the leading brand of U.S. bottled water, came under attack for presenting a false image of its water source. Aquafina labels depict snow covered mountains and carry the slogan, “pure water, perfect taste.” No where on the label does it state that the water is nothing more than tap water.
Pepsi isn’t the only bottled water company that been leading consumers astray. Corporate Accountability International (CAI), which has been pressuring beverage companies to disclose their water sources, claims that up to 40 percent of bottled water brands use nothing more than tap water.
In 2006, U.S. consumers spent $11 billion on bottled water, paying thousands of times more money for the same quantity of beverage drawn from the tap. But that’s not all we’ve been paying; bottled water comes with a high environmental cost, as well.
To quench America’s thirst for bottled water, the beverage industry guzzles over 1.5 million barrels of oil each year in the production and transportation of its products. To add insult to injury, our environment is also being polluted by harmful greenhouse gases emitted by water delivery trucks—a harm that could be undone if we simply used the pipes that carry tap water directly to our home.
Don’t be fooled. Health doesn’t have to come at a high price. Drink plenty of water, eat fresh produce, exercise and keep your body functioning at optimum capacity by making chiropractic adjustments a part of your healthy lifestyle.
[Source: Article in Consumer Affairs, July 28, 2007]


text:
Anti- theft locked appeal items with customer support button at Walgreens drug store, Queens, New York.
Lindsey Nicholson|Universal Images Group|Getty Images
A variety of sellers are once again blaming diminish as one of the factors they saw another quarter of uninspired revenues.
But a few of those business have actually begun to provide more information than ever on just how much diminish, or products lost to elements like external or staff member theft, damage or supplier scams, is cutting into their bottom lines.
At the exact same time, specific sellers drew back on their contention that arranged theft is a main reason for losses, as examination grows over claims about just how much criminal activity adds to their battles.
During second-quarter incomes reports in August and September, almost 2 lots sellers stated diminish has actually continued to weigh on revenues. But the information each business supplied, and the descriptions they provided for losses, differed extensively.
Many of them stated that diminish is at an all-time high and stated the market is having a hard time to manage it. Still, it’s challenging to compare the losses to previous years due to the fact that the majority of the business have actually never ever formerly revealed just how much diminish cost them.
Generally, the stock losses are just a little portion of the sellers’ net sales. They likewise pale in contrast to other elements squeezing margins, such as extreme discounting and promos, according to a CNBC analysis of their balance sheets. While diminish is growing for some business, losses are usually in line with the retail market requirement of 1% to 1.5% of sales– indicating the issue might not be as alarming as specific sellers and trade associations have actually recommended.
When they reported second-quarter outcomes, some business like Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods used hints into just how much diminish is costing them and directly blamed theft. Target lost about $2195 million to diminish throughout the 3 months ended July 29, while Dick’s lost about $271 million throughout the exact same duration, according to a CNBC analysis.
Meanwhile, Ulta and Foot Locker, which both blamed “organized retail crime” for losses in May, did not discuss theft throughout their newest outcomes. They just utilized the term “shrink” when talking about how it squeezed margins.
Lowe’s has a few of the greatest diminish numbers amongst the business evaluated by CNBC. It has actually blamed a series of elements for the losses. Sometimes it has actually stated arranged retail criminal activity cut into revenues, however in other cases, it blamed weather-related damages.
During its 2nd quarter incomes call with experts, the business stated diminish remained in line with the year-ago duration. But its yearly securities filing used more information: the merchant exposed that its diminish in financial 2022 swelled to $997 million, up from $796 million in financial 2021.
Other business, like Walmart, kept in mind that diminish isn’t constantly associated to retail theft when reporting second-quarter incomes. It stated it stays concentrated on other reasons for stock losses that are “more controllable.”
Over the last couple of quarters, increasingly more sellers have actually called out diminish as a drain on revenues and blamed theft for those losses. But they have actually used couple of information about just how much stock losses are in fact costing them. Experts have stated some business might be utilizing criminal activity as a reason to sidetrack from other functional obstacles that drive diminish, such as bad stock management and staffing concerns.
Companies that have actually revealed diminish numbers and described to financiers how they’re working to fix it reveal that they have a grasp on the issue, Sonia Lapinsky, a partner and handling director with AlixPartners’ retail practice, informed CNBC. Others that loosely blame diminish and theft for dropping revenues without offering a lot more description might be attempting to obfuscate internal concerns, statedLapinsky
“Are you clearing way more inventory because you mis-planned it and you mis-bought it and that’s what’s really getting a bigger profitability hit?” statedLapinksy “But because everybody’s saying ‘let’s just blame the theft that’s increased and that’s out of my control,’ let me tell the Street that that’s why it’s happening and not disclose what’s really going on in operation.”
CNBC evaluated securities filings, incomes calls, news release and other openly offered records to attempt to measure just how much diminish is costing sellers and how it compares to losses from other elements, such as extreme discount rates.
No merchant clearly revealed their second-quarter diminish. Some exposed stock losses as a portion of sales, while others stated just how much they grew compared to the previous year. Using those hints, CNBC computed diminish price quotes for 7 business.
Here’s just how much diminish is costing those sellers, based upon a CNBC analysis.
- Fiscal 2022 yearly diminish loss: $997 million
Lowe’s has actually been mentioning diminish as a drag on incomes for several years– well prior to other sellers began referencing it throughout incomes calls and news release– and has actually called out theft as a motorist.
However, theft didn’t appear to sustain lower revenues at Lowe’s throughout its newest quarter endedAug 4. During an incomes call, the house enhancement merchant kept in mind that diminish remained in line with the prior-year duration, when it reported a 0.1 portion point struck to its gross margin “largely due to live goods damaged by unseasonable weather.”
On a yearly basis, Lowe’s diminish has actually been progressively increasing at a rate that’s out of proportion to its earnings boosts. Between the endedFeb 1, 2013 andFeb 3, 2017, Lowe’s yearly diminish regularly represented about 0.6% of its net earnings, according to an evaluation of the business’s yearly securities filings. However, that pattern started to alter throughout financial2017 By completion of financial 2021, the hit to revenues reached $796 million, or 0.8% of sales. During financial 2022, it increased to $997 million, or 1.03% of sales.
The stock losses are still in line with the market requirement of about 1% to 1.5% of sales and tend to be less than revenue drains pipes from other elements.
For example, diminish throughout financial 2022 hit Lowe’s gross margin by 0.2 portion points and was $201 million greater than the year-ago duration. But high transport expenses and costs connected with broadening its supply chain network squeezed revenues by 0.3 portion points. When taken as a portion of sales, those expenses was available in at about $291 million.
- Second quarter diminish expense: $2195 million
Shrink bit into Target’s gross margin by 0.9 portion points throughout its financial 2nd quarter ended July 29, the merchant stated in a securities filing. When taken as a portion of sales, that total up to a hit of about $2195 million. For the very first half of the year, diminish expenses have actually reached about $444 million.
Target formerly exposed it is on rate to lose more than $1 billion this from diminish, up from $753 million last .
Target’s diminish losses in financial 2022 represented about 0.7% of its overall sales. They faded in contrast to just how much revenue the merchant lost from liquidating excess product and taking other stock actions throughout the year.
The business kept in mind in its yearly securities filing that “merchandising” struck its gross margin by about 3.4 portion points, which totaled up to about $3.66 billion slashed off of revenues. Those expenses consisted of all of the promo and markdowns Target required to clean out excess discretionary product, plus greater item and freight expenses.
Target’s margins have actually enhanced this year from less markdowns, lower freight expenses and rate boosts.
- Second quarter diminish expense: $112 million
When the outlet store reported quarterly outcomes for the duration ended July 29, it published a bottom line of $22 million, or 8 cents per share. During a call with experts, Macy’s executives stated diminish minimized incomes per share by 4 cents.
That would total up to a loss of about $112 million throughout the quarter, based upon the 279 million diluted shares it had at completion of the duration. Those expenses are after-tax.
On the other hand, a downturn in charge card earnings made incomes 11 cents per share less than what Macy’s had actually predicted for the quarter, which totals up to about $307 million.
During the previous quarter, Macy’s minimized its yearly outlook in part due to the fact that it anticipates greater expenses from diminish. The merchant minimized its anticipated incomes per share by almost a dollar to $2.70 to $3.20, below a previous series of $3.67 to $4.11
The merchant associated the slashed outlook to “heightened macro pressures” however likewise an anticipated 12 cent effect from “increased [shrink] relative to our previous expectations.” That would total up to a predicted diminish loss of about $335 million for the year.
During an interview with CNBC’s Courtney Reagan last month, Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette stated that diminish hit record levels in 2022 and it’s “going to be higher in 2023.” He associated the uptick mainly to “the change in organized theft.”
During Macy’s fourth-quarter incomes hire March, Gennette blamed the diminish boost on a sales channel shift from digital back to shops, in addition to increased theft.
- Fiscal 2023 diminish expense: $150 million greater than the year prior
The off-price merchant informed experts it anticipates diminish to be flat throughout its financial 2024, which is anticipated to end in January 2024.
While it did not lay out the anticipated stock losses, TJX formerly revealed that diminish decreased its financial 2023 gross margin by about 0.3 portion points compared to the prior-year duration. When taken as a portion of sales, diminish had to do with $150 million greater throughout its previous compared to the year prior. Those figures are anticipated to stay constant throughout its existing .
Meanwhile, TJX’s 2023 full-year outcomes took a 1.2 portion point struck due to the fact that of “incremental freight costs and higher markdowns,” Chief Financial Officer John Klinger stated throughout a February call with experts. Taken as a portion of sales, that total up to about $599 million.
- Fiscal 2022 diminish expense: $7146 million greater than the year prior
The makeup giant stated diminish throughout financial 2022 was 0.7 portion points greater than the previous year. When taken as a portion of sales, diminish had to do with $7146 million greater than in 2021.
Contrary to other sellers, diminish was the biggest drag on Ulta’s incomes throughout financial 2022, according to a securities filing.
In May, it minimized its full-year outlook for its operating margin by 0.2 portion points “primarily” due to the fact that of diminish however likewise due to the fact that of the “increased promotional environment.” Based on predicted net sales of $11 billion to $111 billion, Ulta is considering about an extra $22 million in losses from diminish and promos for the . The business decreased to inform CNBC just how much of the 0.2 portion points was associated with diminish and just how much was connected to promos.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Second quarter diminish expense: $271 million
For the very first time in almost 20 years, Dick’s last month discussed diminish as a drag on revenues throughout its incomes call and news release. During the quarter ended July 29, Dick’s stated its gross margin fell by about 0.8 portion points due to the fact that of theft-driven diminish. When taken as a portion of sales, that total up to a hit of about $271 million.
Efforts to liquidate excess stock from the business’s outside classification likewise cut into Dick’s gross margin by 1.7 portion points, the business stated. When taken as a portion of sales, liquidation expense Dick’s about $548 million in the quarter– about double the result of diminish.
Dick’s minimized its full-year outlook in part due to the fact that of diminish. It anticipates sales of about $1268 billion to $1292 billion will be minimized by 0.5 portion points, which would lead to full-year revenues having to do with $634 million to $646 million lower for the year due to diminish.
It’s now anticipating incomes per share of $1133 to $1213, compared to a previous series of $1290 to $1380 The minimized outlook takes into consideration the merchant’s second-quarter outcomes, increased diminish and greater selling, basic and administrative costs, that includes products like payroll and marketing.
- Second- quarter diminish expense: a minimum of $8784 million
In its newest quarterly securities filing, Dollar Tree kept in mind that diminish had actually minimized its gross margin by 0.6 portion points for the very first half of the year. Based on sales of $1464 billion for the very first 6 months of financial 2023, diminish expense the business about $8784 million. It’s uncertain if that was the overall quantity of diminish Dollar Tree saw or simply just how much it increased compared to the previous year duration.
Meanwhile, margins for the very first half of the year were minimized by 2.2 portion points due to the fact that individuals purchased more lower-margin products and the business saw greater expenses, to name a few elements, according to a securities filing. Taken as a portion of sales, that cut into revenues by about $31475 million.
Dollar Tree likewise factored diminish into its complete year success outlook. It’s anticipating incomes to be 55 cents per share lower than formerly anticipated due to the fact that of diminish and classification mix, Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey Davis stated on a call with experts onAug 24.


text:
BANGOR, Maine — Patrons soon will be able to shop around the world without the price of a plane ticket as Mexicali Blues employees are setting up shop at 1 West Market Square.
“We’ve had a few people wander in from off the street wanting to know what’s going on. We’re excited,” said store manager Julie Baker-Leaden.
The work has progressed from construction, painting and electrical work seven weeks ago to decorating and installing racks and displays Thursday. A “soft opening” of the store is slated for April 15 and a grand opening, built on some kind of event, will follow.
“For the last three weeks, they’ve been redoing the floor and cleaning the walls, with a little electrician work,” Baker-Leaden said. “This past week is when we’ve started receiving some of our merchandise, and we started unpacking things and putting some things on racks and hangers. Nothing’s set in stone as far as displays and stuff yet.”
This is the sixth — and northernmost — store for the Maine-based franchise owned by Maryland natives Pete and Kim Erskine.
Mexicali Blues’ merchandise and atmosphere will be similar in many respects to the former tenant, The Grasshopper Shop, but is anything but a carbon copy.
“They’re both nice boutiques, but our mix is a little bit different with imported goods from around the world and good price points,” Baker-Leaden said. “It’s not just clothing. We have jewelry, home decor, accessories, mirrors, incense.”
Mexicali Blues CEO Topher Mallory had a more succinct description.
“I would say we pack it full of goods just like the opulent marketplaces we buy from,” he said.
According to the Mexicali Blues website, a love of music and travel is what sparked the start of the business. The first store opened in Portland in 1988. The business’s name was taken from a Grateful Dead song, and while the store does offer a lot of “hippie clothing” and “hippie accessories,” that represents just one segment of the merchandise as well as the clientele.
“Our demographic for our clientele is really broad. It’s everyone from children straight through to retirees,” Mallory said. “We have conservative and we have wild and wacky.”
That diversity in merchandise and clientele also is evident with the store’s staff.
On Thursday, Mallory was one of several people helping out with merchandise unpacking and computer systems setup. He also assisted general merchandiser Steve Hawks in organizing the store.
“We all jump in to do whatever needs to be done, from computer systems to whatever,” he said. “We all wear a bunch of different hats.”
Store officials see its busy corner location as a plus and aren’t too concerned about parking.
“I think the parking locally is fine,” said Baker-Leaden. “The garage is a hop, skip and jump from us and the first two hours are free, so I don’t see that as a deterrent to people.”


text:
Prince William and Kate Middleton have come a long way since first meeting as fresh-faced students at the University of St Andrews in 2003.
Giovanni Buttarelli was instrumental in overseeing the introduction of General Data Protection Regulation in Europe.
'If you're seeing a meme claiming Instagram is changing its rules tomorrow, it's not true,' Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, said.
This adorable baby dugong went viral when it was rescued in Thailand. Now it's dead after ingesting plastic.
Marium was orphaned in April and nurtured by Thai conservationists. The dugong went viral and was branded 'the nation's sweetheart.'
Elon Musk dusted off his theory on nuking Mars on Friday, which he hopes will make the surface of the red planet habitable for humans.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has met Trump at least 5 times in a year in a desperate bid to keep him on-side amid the trade war
Apple CEO Tim Cook and Donald Trump sat down for dinner on Friday while the president is on a working vacation at his golf club in Bedminster.
Amazon, Facebook, and Google come out swinging after being slammed with an 'unjustifiable' new tax on their sales
Donald Trump has warned France that if it proceeds with the tax reforms, he could hit back with his own measures — namely taxing the country's wine.
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki says she takes her 5 kids' phones away during battles over their screen time
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said she wants her kids to be responsible for how much time they spend on their phones and learn 'self-control methods.'
Huawei officially unveiled a new operating system that could replace Android if the firm's US nightmare continues
Harmony OS could end up replacing Android on Huawei's mobile devices should the Chinese firm remain blacklisted in the US.
Samsung spent years trolling Apple in commercials. Now it's cloning an iPhone feature it mocked and has deleted the ads.
Samsung's Note 10 does not feature a headphone jack, falling in line with other manufacturers in phasing out the onetime industry standard.
It follows a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching an AMOS-17 communications satellite at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Tuesday.
Tinder's former marketing chief is suing the firm, claiming its ex-CEO groped and kissed her without consent
The legal action is separate from a $2 billion lawsuit Rosette Pambakian co-filed last year in which she claimed IAC purposely undervalued Tinder.
The 'cesspool of hate' message board 8chan was taken offline after being linked to 3 mass shootings this year
Cloudflare, the security firm that protected 8chan from cyberattacks, terminated support for 8chan, but 8chan is back online after changing firms.
Peter Thiel's arguments are likely to play well with President Donald Trump, who has been thunderous in attacking America's big tech firms.
Jeff Bezos just cashed in $1.8 billion worth of Amazon shares, in what could be his biggest stock sell-off ever
Jeff Bezos' sale of 965,612 shares represented 1.6% of his total holding in Amazon, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Facebook's humbling deal with the FTC is the biggest assault on Mark Zuckerberg's power in the firm's history
Facebook must establish an independent board, a move meant to remove Mark Zuckerberg's 'unfettered control' over decisions affecting user privacy.
Big tech's antitrust wipeout: $33 billion erased from the value of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google after DOJ announces probe
Wedbush's Dan Ives said the Justice Department investigation would be an 'overhang' on the stocks of firms like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google.
The Instagram star who went viral for selling her bathwater has had her account shut down after people reported her
In what appears to be a coordinated reporting campaign, people complained that Belle Delphine's Instagram account featured 'nudity or pornography.'
Facebook's most important new hire wrote Mark Zuckerberg a bruising letter saying he had 'sullied political and public trust'
Nick Clegg told the New Statesman that he called out Facebook following the giant Cambridge Analytica data breach last year.
2 days after an Instagram star's brutal killing went viral, YouTube is still hosting images of her body
Business Insider identified five videos that used a photo of Bianca Devins' body in the thumbnail. Together, the videos have more than 200,000 views.


text:
Pure Theatre has been able to achieve ‘perfect, smooth black' borders for its projector screens thanks to ‘brilliant' support from ...
When Jodie Comer’s pop-art-pyjamaed character, Villanelle strode through suburbia in episode one of the hotly anticipated second season of the BBC’s Killing Eve, viewers took to social media in
Leading supplier of CNC machining solutions, AXYZ Automation Group has redesigned and upgraded its well-known three-in-one AXYZ PANELBuilder machine.
Chris Broadhurst, former General Manager of the Graphic Systems Division in the UK promoted to a senior European role as Head of Offset, with former National Sales Manager Andy Kent announced as
Epson UK is proud to announce that Birmingham City University (BCU)’s Facility of Arts, Design and Media student, Priti Patel, is this year’s recipient of its ‘Outstanding Use of Print’
Peter Black was established in 1947 but is always looking ahead, with an investment in the most cutting-edge UV-LED printing technology from Roland DG helping to support its continued success
Originally launched in 2018, the CRN Women in Channel Awards celebrate a positive shift towards a more equal gender balance within the technology industry.
To join its portfolio of carefully selected technology, including three Roland roll-to-roll printers – two Versacamms and one Soljet Pro 4 XR-640 – Essex-based cross-media print & graphics
Research commissioned by the UK sign and graphics industry’s leading trade association, the ISA-UK powered by BSGA, has revealed that, despite the uncertain political times, optimism is high in
The arrival of an Epson SureColor SC-S80600 large format printer has opened up a new dimension to Smith Sign & Display that will significantly enhance the company’s trade print offering.
Epson has revealed that it will use The Print Show 2019 to demonstrate new technology in the UK for the first time, with the digital print giant saying the event offers “huge opportunities” for
Solopress has become the latest new customer for Agfa UK, investing in two new Agfa Anapurna hybrid UV LED printers to satisfy their rapidly growing wide format area of the business.
Acrylic display specialist Floreeda Fabrications chose a new ...
After 35 years in print as a journalist and PR consultant Diana Thompson, managing director of Plus Point PR, has decided to take a break. She is stepping down from the Epson account this month
A leading retail display, print and signage company has unveiled the latest addition to their range of printers.
In early 2019, VGL implemented Vism, an easy-to-use project management software system specifically designed and built for the signage, graphics and installation industry. Vism was selected to
Quality Print Services (QPS), a wide-format print specialist, key reseller for Roland DG and the main UK
Guildford, UK-based Digital Sign Services has purchased two EFI VUTEk 5r+ LED superwide roll-to-roll printers from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. within the past six months.
T-shirts and windows and walls, oh my! If you want to make your creative mark you need the right kit. Luckily a new guide from Roland DG shows just how easy it is to grow a business with a vinyl
The Westcoast Group of companies are pleased to announce that they have acquired Colourgen Ltd, the long-established wide format print distributor. The acquisition by the Westcoast Group
Southend-based print firm Solopress, have signed a deal with Agfa for two Anapurna H2500i LED hybrid wide-format presses. They will be driven by Agfa’s Asanti Production workflow.
Earlier this month, Harrods launched Fashion Re-told, London’s most luxurious charity pop-up, raising vital funds for the NSPCC.
Digital Textile Printing offers the established print service provider an incredible opportunity for expansion, as the marketplace for digital textiles continues to grow at a phenomenal rate.
Pureprint Group continue to invest in its large format print division Imprint and have recently spent £2.5 million on two new Inca Digital Onset x3 presses. They have also taken on new talent
To help keep vehicle wrappers at the top of their game William Smith, part of the William Smith Group 1832, has partnered with Arlon to host three free vehicle WrapShops towards the end of
Leading supplier of high-performance digital flatbed and roll-fed cutting plotters, Graphtec GB has added the latest Flexi 19 design and production software to its product portfolio.
The Print Show will celebrate its fifth anniversary year with a brand new feature – a book signing and meet-and-greet with three famous celebrities.
Exclusive UK and Irish Mimaki distributor, Hybrid Services has added three new staff to its sales and technical teams as it continues to expand its reseller and end user support capabilities.
At Roland DG, we get very excited when we launch new devices and why wouldn’t we? It makes us proud when our investment in research and development results in ground-breaking new solutions. It’s
The Xaar 1201 printhead is proving instrumental in helping Nottingham-based research organisation, Added Scientific, establish the suitability of inkjet printing in the manufacture of
Spandex, the one-stop supplier of innovative solutions to the sign, graphics and display industries is offering its customers the chance to win a two-person trip to any European capital city with
Zünd is bringing to market new, DLC-coated router bits. The coating reduces friction and increases wear resistance, thereby delivering very high-quality results as well as better performance and
Global leaders in the design and manufacture of industrial print drying and curing equipment - Nottingham-based Natgraph - have been recognised for outstanding performance in the export of their
The leading trade organisation for the UK sign industry, the British Sign & Graphics Association (BSGA), has entered a new chapter in its history: with a new name and a new president and
Following successful completion of a major rebrand and restructuring initiative, the recently constituted AXYZ Automation Group has announced the first of a planned series of new product
Lloyds Autobody, a specialist in body and paintwork repairs for premium and luxury cars, says it has relied on a ...
The leading UK manufacturer of LED lightpockets has announced it will no longer use solvent inks in the manufacturer of its core product ranges after 30th April 2019. Instead it will switch to
Sign & Digital UK, which ran from 2 to 4 April at the NEC, welcomed over 5,095 unique visitors* to its annual event this year, with 340 attending for more than one day.
Sabur has announced it has been signed up as a distributor of Drytac products. With access to the full product line of Drytac solutions, Sabur will be holding comprehensive stocks in its
Zünd UK Ltd returned to Sign & Digital at the beginning of April with a showcase of its precision cutting solutions. The company demonstrated a number of ...
As the curtains close on Sign and Digital UK 2019, the team at Roland DG have had a chance to reflect on what they’ve learned over the three-day exhibition.
Frazer Chesterman and Marcus Timson today (April 8) announce the launch of FM Future, a new independent strategic marketing consultancy designed to help inkjet and digital printing technologies
Wide-format print specialist Quality Print Services (QPS) successfully returned to Sign & Digital UK last
Antalis brought an après ski feel to this year’s Sign & Digital UK event by welcoming visitors to a stunning Alpine inspired stand showcasing some of the latest media trends, hardware
Drytac, a leading international manufacturer of self-adhesive materials for the large format print and signage markets, is
Spandex has broadened its extensive wrap film range with the introduction of Arlon Fusion Wrap, a cost-effective solution for wrap applications with simple to moderate curves requiring short to
PressOn, one of the UK’s leading large format digital printing companies, has just taken delivery of the latest HP R2000 Series hybrid printer. The new generation machine prints on both rigid and
Wide-format print specialist Quality Print Services (QPS) has announced that it will be adding the full range
In a bid to provide its customers with an innovative solution for heavy-duty and power sport applications William Smith has added Arlon’s new high performance overlaminate to its ever-expanding
Page 2 of 10
Large Format Review provides daily breaking news on digital print technology as used for commercial production of print for wide-format sign and display, packaging and industrial applications. We also cover 3D print and additive manufacturing.


text:
The wait is over for Android users.
Instagram for Android is here.
The popular social photo app that Apple IOS users have been enjoying for over a year is finally available to download on Google Play.
Instagram is a quick and easy way to share photos with the world. Think Twitter but for images. Users can shoot away and upload pictures within seconds to a feed sent to their "followers".
If users want, they can even make their snaps look more beautiful with a selection of editing functions.
An assortment of nifty digital filters can transform any dull and average photograph into a striking effect reminiscent of an album cover from the '70s. Critics cannot deny that the app is highly addictive. It's also free.
Instagram has been quite popular on Apple's Iphone, attracting 30 million IOS users since its debut on Apple's App Store in 2010.


text:
Firms in the service sector, which accounts for around three-quarters of gross domestic product (GDP), are hiring more staff and feeling at their most optimistic since records began in 1998, according to business group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
Its recent survey found that business owners in the consumer and professional services sector were increasingly happy about the economic situation in the UK but were experiencing difficulties in finding employees with the right skills, which could constrain their growth over the coming year.
Businesses in the consumer services sector, such as bars, pubs, restaurants, travel and leisure firms, were reportedly seeing levels of business that were “comfortably above normal”, while firms offering professional services, such as accountants, lawyers and marketers said that their business levels were above normal for the first time since November 2007.
A spokeswoman for the CBI said that the strengthening economic recovery was encouraging consumer and business-focused services firms to take on more staff and invest in training and information technology.
However, she added that a rising number of firms, particularly in business and professional services, are having problems finding the right staff and warned that the skills gap could act as a growing constraint on business expansion in the sector over the year ahead.
The UK’s economy is growing faster than that of any other in the G7 group of countries and the Bank of England is watching closely for signs of inflationary pressure coming from the labour market. So far, wages are growing at close to the rate of inflation but are expected to pick up more strongly as the year goes on.


text:
Guinness US brewery releasing mystery beer on New Year's Eve, celebrating on Ireland's time
Fox News Flash top headlines for December 30
Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.
What’s better than mysteries and getting drunk?
New Year’s Eve is a big night for drinking, which likely is a statement that will still ring true in the countdown to 2021. But while the pandemic is causing many venues to alter or scale back their New Year’s Eve celebrations, some places are finding unique ways to make the holiday special.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Guinness Open Gate Brewery US (@guinnessbreweryus)
AUSTRALIAN WOMAN WADES THROUGH FLOODWATERS TO RESCUE BEER KEGS DURING EXTREME WEATHER, VIDEO SHOWS
The Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore will be releasing a new, mystery beer on New Year's Eve, the brewery confirmed on its Facebook page. The brewery also revealed that it would be celebrating New Year’s Eve in a very Irish way this year: According to its post, New Year’s Eve celebrations will begin at midnight, but not midnight in Baltimore — midnight in Ireland. Due to the difference in time zones, this means the Open Gate Brewery's "midnight" will take place at 7 p.m. in Baltimore.
The brewery will be closing at 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, making its Irish New Year's plans understandable. The facility will open again the following day at 10 a.m. for brunch.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS
"2020 is almost over," the post says, "and we can’t wait to celebrate! To mark the occasion, we’re releasing a new mystery beer on New Year’s Eve that’ll be available to take home through curbside pickup or in our retail store."
The post continues, "If you’d like to join us here at the brewery, we’ll be counting down to 7 p.m., or midnight in Ireland, with the special beer and a complimentary toast. Cheers to 2021!"
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Baltimore's Guinness Open Gate Brewery is the first Guinness brewery to open in the United States since 1954.


text:
U.S. shopper costs didn’t rise in July because of a pointy drop in
the price of gasoline, delivering the primary notable signal of aid
for Americans who’ve watched inflation climb over the previous two
years, Trend reviews
as regards to Reuters.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was unchanged final month after
advancing 1.3% in June, the Labor Department stated on Wednesday in a
intently watched report that nonetheless confirmed underlying
inflation pressures stay elevated because the Federal Reserve mulls
whether or not to embrace one other super-sized rate of interest hike in
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.2% rise in month-to-month
CPI in July on the heels of a roughly 20% drop in the price of
gasoline. Prices on the pump spiked within the first half of this 12 months
as a result of warfare in Ukraine, hitting a record-high common of extra
than $5 per gallon in mid-June, in keeping with motorist advocacy
But the Fed has indicated that a number of month-to-month declines in CPI
progress will likely be wanted earlier than it lets up on the more and more
aggressive financial coverage tightening it has delivered to tame
inflation presently working at four-decade highs.
U.S. shopper costs have been surging because of quite a lot of
elements, together with snarled world provide chains, huge authorities
stimulus early within the COVID-19 pandemic.
Food is one part of the CPI that remained elevated in July,
rising 1.1% final month after climbing 1.0% in June.
In the 12 months via July, the CPI elevated by a
weaker-than-expected 8.5% following a 9.1% rise in June. Underlying
inflation pressures, which exclude unstable meals and power
elements, additionally confirmed some encouraging indicators.
The so-called core CPI rose 0.3% in July after climbing 0.7% in
June, however elevated 5.9% within the 12 months via July, the identical
tempo as in June.
Inflation in the price of lease and house owners’ equal lease of
main residence, which is what a home-owner would obtain from
renting a house, held nearly regular final month. Shelter prices
comprise about 40% of the core CPI measure.


text:
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Fire engine maker American LaFrance on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing inventory problems and a depressed market for emergency equipment.
In a filing submitted to U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, the South Carolina-based company said it had problems changing from a unit of Freightliner, which ran the company from 1995 through the end of 2005, to its new owners.
Freightliner provided accounting, inventory and payroll services to American LaFrance through June, the court documents said. When American LaFrance went to a new system, there were inventory and customer data problems.
The company was also unable to finish many vehicles on order, according to documents filed in bankruptcy court. The documents also cited new emission standards that the company said will require vehicle design changes.
The company, which employs about 1,000 workers in six states, has more than 1,000 creditors and more than $100 million in liabilities. American LaFrance's Chapter 11 filing protects it from creditors' lawsuits while it reorganizes its finances.
A company spokesman did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment Monday.
The company furloughed about 100 workers in December, saying some of the layoffs would be permanent and other employees wouldn't be called back until March. A spokesman said at the time the furloughs gave the company time to update inventory after moving last year from Charleston County to a new $62 million plant in Berkeley County.
The company employed about 500 workers locally before the furlough.
American LaFrance operates facilities in South Carolina, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania as well as sales and service operations in California and Oregon.
The company is one of the oldest fire equipment makers in the country, tracing its roots to a company founded in 1832.


text:
Expect more bankruptcies in 2019, particularly on the retail front.
One value investor, who kept a close watch on holiday sales, said conversations with retailers indicate there’s likely more trouble ahead. And he said the trouble cuts across the board, from smaller retailers to larger ones and includes names that would either be first-time filers to those that have filed before, leading them into the so-called Chapter 22 for the second-timers.
Another investor, one on the distressed side who has experience in retail investments, similarly concluded: “I see a lot of 22’s in fashion. In the past month I have been contacted by over a dozen retailers looking for investors. These are [sizable] retailers who are going to file again or for the first time. They were holding off, grabbing what they can from holiday sales. [This year] will be busier than last year.”
While many retailers have said online sales have risen and helped to offset the sales decline at brick-and-mortar stores, the distressed investor emphasized that the missing ingredient for most retailers is the drop in impulse buys when consumers walk the aisles. He explained that shopping online isn’t as profitable as in-store sales because consumers tend to target specific items or categories instead of browsing the site. The addition of promotions and free shipping further pressures the profitability of those sales. This investor declined to name names, due to non-disclosure agreements that he’s signed, but he did disclose that he’s inked about 10 of these NDAs.
A report in December from credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings Inc. has nine retailers on its Top Loans of Concern and Top Bonds of Concern lists. Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus Group is the largest name by debt amount, with $2.8 billion of institutional term loans and $1.8 billion of high-yield bonds outstanding. Other retailers on the Top Loans of Concern list include footwear firm Toms Shoes LLC, at $299 million; brand management company Iconix Brand Group Inc., $170.9 million; jeans brand NYDJ Apparel LLC, $100 million, and women’s specialty chain Charlotte Russe Inc., $90 million.
According to the Fitch report, liquidation is often the outcome for bankrupt U.S. retailers. A Fitch analysis of 46 retailers that have filed for bankruptcy since 2003 shows that nearly half, at 21 retail filings, were resolved only via liquidation.
That reflects the end game for many retailers that filed in 2017. But last year could turn out to be an exception. There were fewer fashion and apparel bankruptcies in 2018. One notable retailer that filed, David’s Bridal, is slated to exit bankruptcy proceedings later this month. And Sears Holdings Corp., which filed its Chapter 11 on Oct. 15, is still awaiting resolution. Some believe that chairman Edward S. Lampert could get his way and buy the company out of bankruptcy through his hedge fund ESL Investments, similar to how he bailed out Kmart Corp. in 2003. ESL affiliate Transform Holdco LLC on Friday submitted a $4.4 billion bid. The offer is awaiting “qualified” bid status in order to move to the next stage, which is the Jan. 14 court-approved auction, where it is expected to meet with competition from liquidators.
One company on the radar for a possible bankruptcy filing is children’s wear chain Gymboree Group Inc. The retailer said on Dec. 5 it was conducting a “comprehensive review of strategic operations” that could include the sale of the firm. The company also said it was closing its Crazy 8 stores and would “significantly” reduce the number of Gymboree stores this year. Gymboree operates 900 stores. The retailer over the last few weeks is said to be considering a bankruptcy filing, which would translate into a second tour of bankruptcy duty. Gymboree filed a Chapter 11 petition in June 2017, and exited bankruptcy proceedings a few months later in October.
Other names that have been bandied about for the past year or so as stressed companies include 99 Cents Only, Stein Mart, Stage Stores, Shopko and J. Crew Group Inc. How bad it will get will depend on results from this past holiday season.
Also on the watch list is J.C. Penney Co. Inc., which has about $4 billion in debt. There’s no immediate concern, but the retailer is one that factors and other financiers say they are keeping tabs on because of uncertainty over whether new chief executive officer Jill Soltau will have the time she needs to affect meaningful change to turn the business around. She joined the company on Oct. 15.
One investor said much of the buying was in place for the first quarter, as well as holiday, meaning that the earliest Soltau will have any impact in terms of inventory and other strategic changes could be late in the second quarter. If holiday was bad, you’ll begin to see pressure building for the first and even second quarters, this person said. He also said Penney’s needs to make a hefty investment in digital and its e-commerce site, which it might not be able to do as quickly as needed because of its debt load.
And in early December, Debtwire had a report that Payless ShoeSource Inc., which exited bankruptcy proceedings in August 2017, could be on the fringe again as earnings have fallen short of forecasts. The report noted that first-lien lenders could be in the early stages of organizing due to fears over the balance sheet.
Martin R. Wade 3rd joined the value-priced footwear retailer as ceo when the company came out of bankruptcy. He’s been leading the charge to drum up attention to Payless’ “We’re back” marketing campaign, which has included the opening of a fake luxury store called Palessi in Santa Monica and the introduction of new categories and brands, including Martha Stewart Everyday.
There is one concern for some financiers regarding 2019 raised by ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service over a year ago. The matter is connected to stressed retailers that placed assets into subsidiaries and how that could put their secured lenders at risk of a possible impaired recovery should the retailer file for bankruptcy. For many retailers, their most valuable asset is their intellectual property. Transferring the IP asset to a bankruptcy-remote entity allows them to then borrow against the relocated asset. The newly issued secured debt typically has a superior claim to the transferred assets, leaving existing lenders further down on the food chain even though the transferred assets had been relied on as collateral for the original loans.
Neiman Marcus was one stressed retailer that did such a transfer with its Mytheresa asset, along with three stores. The move is now the subject of legal claims and counterclaims between Neiman’s and investor Marble Ridge Capital. Another retailer often mentioned on the stressed retailer list is J. Crew, which transferred 72 percent of its U.S. trademarks, valued at $250 million, into a new subsidiary out of the reach of lenders.


text:
Don’t worry, the endless slew of Mortal Kombat 1 trailers is soon coming to an end. With the fighting game’s release day fast approaching, we’ve received the official launch trailer, showing off more of the roster and Kameo fighters. Of particular interest is Shang Tsung, with a rather ominous look at his fate in light of Liu Kang’s re-envisioned reality. Check it out.
Plenty to sink your fists into, both for new and returning fans. NetherRealm and Warner Bros. have spent a lot of time hyping up the release of the Mortal Kombat reset entry, but we don’t have much longer to wait, with early access players tearing into the roster on the 14th of September. For the rest of us, we’ll just have to hold on a bit longer, with the full release being the 19th.
As a welcome addition, Mortal Kombat 1 will launch with a variety of accessibility options including audio descriptions and cues for on-screen actions. Accessibility has received a lot of focus in recent years, so it’s pleasing to see this new entry providing greater opportunities for more players to get involved.
Mortal Kombat 1 is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) on the 19th of September 2023. Playable fighters Quan Chi, Ermac, and Takeda, along with guest fighters Peacemaker, Omni-Man, and Homelander will be featured in the post-launch Kombat Pack, which is available now for pre-order as part of the Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition and Kollector’s Edition.
Source: Press Release.
For more News click here
If you enjoyed this article or any more of our content, please consider our Patreon.


text:
Polaroid has initiated the first off-site testing of its Heliosdry-processing medical imaging camera at the New England MedicalCenter in Boston, according to Leonard Aberbach, director of Polaroid'smedical systems group. Full beta testing should begin in
Polaroid has initiated the first off-site testing of its Heliosdry-processing medical imaging camera at the New England MedicalCenter in Boston, according to Leonard Aberbach, director of Polaroid'smedical systems group. Full beta testing should begin in the secondquarter and OEM qualification trials in July.
Polaroid hopes to begin commercial sales of a Helios systemproducing 8 x 10-inch transparencies in October. A camera producing14 x 17-inch images should be available a year later, Aberbachsaid.
The majority of Helios sales are expected to go to OEMs, althoughPolaroid believes there is a retrofit market for cameras purchasedby end users separately, he said.
The company will create a dedicated sales force for the systemand film on a region-by-region basis. Dedicated Helios personnelwill also provide technical support to OEMS.
Polaroid chose to market the Helios with 8 x 10-inch imagesfirst because there are no existing laser cameras in this niche.These images are used in ultrasound, nuclear medicine and C-armapplications. There is a clear segmentation between this marketand that for 14 x 17-inch transparencies used in MRI and CT, hesaid.
"We will be offering something that no one else is offeringor showing signs of offering to that community," Aberbachsaid.
Polaroid first showed the non-silver-halide laser camera asa works-in-progress at the 1989 Radiological Society of NorthAmerica meeting (SCAN 1/17/90). The system requires no chemicalsor liquids to process images.
Although a proprietary media is used with Helios, Polaroidplans to offer it at a price equal to standard film. The cameraitself is expected to retail for about $40,000, with additionalinterfaces to multiple scanners costing $5000 each, he said.
This price will place the unit above the cost of the CRT systemsbut below that of other laser imagers, he said.


text:
On the occasion of Cop26 in Glasgow, the prototype of an Envision Virgin Racing open-wheel racing car will be on display until 12 November 2021. Carbon fiber shell, two seats and a high-density lithium-ion battery with ELno “cathode” technology, developed by Johnson Matthey
An open-wheel racing car with two seats and a fully electric powertrain, equipped with batteries with innovative technologies. An absolute novelty in the panorama of track cars signed by Envision Virgin Racing, in collaboration with Johnson Matthey, exhibited in Glasgow (Scotland) on the occasion of Cop26, the United Nations Conference on climate change staged in the Scottish city until 12 November 2021.
THE ELECTRIC TWO SEATER PROJECT
A prototype that aims to highlight the potential of electric powertrains between the curbs and, by expanding the range of action, to enrich with new topics the international discussion on the energy transition that is affecting the sustainable mobility sector, even on the urban roads traveled. every day by the citizens of the world. With these premises, the two-seater electric car exhibited in the Blue Zone of Cop26 in Glasgow was born. An electric car part of the “Race Against Climate Change” program of Envision Virgin Racing, a British team that was already a protagonist of the Formula E world championship.
HIGH DENSITY BATTERY: HOW IT’S MADE
The characteristics of the prototype of the two-seater electric car? They should be sought in particular in the latest generation powertrain. In detail, the car is equipped with a lithium-ion battery that exploits the technology of the “cathode” signed by elno, developed by the Johnson Matthey company. The eLno technology (which will be ready for commercialization for road cars from 2024) allows the battery to reach a density of 20% greater than the most common lithium-ion batteries: this density is equal to about 200 Wh / kg, with a total battery capacity of 47 kWh, an output of 585 volts, and a maximum power on the wheel of 250 kW (about 339 hp). The prototype of this car signed by Envision Virgin Racing is thus able to reach a maximum speed of 240 km / h and sprint from 0 to 100 miles per hour (about 96 km / h) in 3.2 seconds. In addition to dynamic performance, the technology in question allows you to take advantage of faster recharges and improve overall autonomy.
“The two-seater car was designed to test and push battery performance to the extreme – said Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of Envision Virgin Racing – The technology of this battery is something we have never seen before.” The electric two-seater is not an exercise in style: “Trying to put it to the test on the track will give us accurate indications on how the battery could perform in commercial use – added Filippi – This new generation of batteries has the potential to revolutionize diffusion. massive in the public of electric vehicles “.
FORMULA E, 2022: STARTING FROM SAUDI ARABIA
And on the occasion of the international event that brings together many leaders of the most influential countries in the world, the Formula E electric car series will present season number 8 (starting in January 2022 from Saudi Arabia; the scheduled Rome E-Prix April 9), an event staged in the Green Zone, the one that includes activities and exhibitions open to the public.
November 3, 2021 (change November 3, 2021 | 20:13)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
We want to give thanks to the writer of this write-up for this awesome material
Envision Virgin Racing, the electric two-seater car with a “super” Cop26 battery


text:
Samsung is the latest firm to launch a big-screen tablet in the shape of the Galaxy TabPro S, a Windows 10 device with a 12in screen and a full-sized keyboard cover that enables it to be used like a laptop, making it a potential rival for Microsoft's Surface Pro and Apple's iPad Pro for professional users.
Unveiled at the CES show in Las Vegas and available globally from February, the Galaxy TabPro S has been designed to appeal to "high-efficiency users" seeking to maximise their productivity at home, in the office or on-the-go, according to Samsung.
The new tablet weighs 693g and is just 6.3mm thick, and has been designed to be easily carried around all day, while the inclusion of a keyboard cover with touchpad enhances the device's usefulness as a productivity tool.
In recognition of this, Samsung will ship the device with a choice of Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro, the latter providing business users with the ability to join the device to their corporate network domain.
The TabPro S is Samsung's first Windows 10 tablet, but it blends PC capabilities with design features and aspects from the firm's popular Android-based Galaxy tablet devices, such as a Super Amoled display.
"Galaxy TabPro S balances the best of Samsung's Galaxy Tab with the wealth of features on the Windows 10 operating system for the most advanced tablet experience on the market," said Dongjin Ko, the newly appointed head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business.
Ko added that Samsung was "thrilled to be working with Microsoft to deliver a 2-in-1 tablet that truly allows people to enjoy productivity and connections that matter most, through a seamless mobile station designed for all purposes".
Samsung claims that the tablet's 5,200mAh battery provides enough charge for all-day use of up to 10.5 hours, and can be fully charged in about 2.5 hours through a fast charging capability.
The Galaxy TabPro S features a Skylake generation dual-core 2.2GHz Core M processor with 4GB of memory and 128GB or 256GB SSD storage. As well as WiFi, the device will be available with a mobile broadband option supporting LTE Cat 6 for download speeds up to a theoretical 300Mbps.
Samsung has not detailed the ports or whether the Galaxy TabPro S features a slot for flash storage cards, but a multi-port adapter (HDMI, USB Type A and C) will be available as an option, along with a Bluetooth Pen.
The 12in display and Windows 10 Pro potentially make the Galaxy TabPro S a rival in the professional tablet market for Microsoft's Surface Pro 4, as well as Apple's iPad Pro, especially as it comes with a full keyboard as standard, even if this is just a keyboard cover and not a keyboard dock that would make it a true 2-in-1 convertible.
The Surface Pro 4 appears to have more configuration options, including more powerful processors, larger memory and higher capacity SSDs, but price may be a factor, and Samsung has yet to disclose how much the Galaxy TabPro S will cost.
Samsung also announced that its Galaxy S2 smartwatch, released last year, will be updated with iOS support in 2016. Unlike devices which run the Android Wear OS, which can pair with both Android and iOS smartphones as standard, the Tizen-powered Gear S2 is currently only compatible with Android handsets; this is set to change with the updated functionality, which will allow it to pair with Apple’s iPhones as well.
The Gear S2’s long-delayed support for Samsung Pay was also confirmed to arrive early this year, though initially only in the US. The Korean firm’s mobile payment system has yet to launch at all in the UK, however, and no further details regarding its launch were given.
Instead, Samsung revealed two new top-end Gear S2 models: one dipped in 18 karat Rose Gold, the other coated in platinum. Both are due to launch in March with pricing to be confirmed.
'We'll keep fighting to fight to keep the web free and open,' claim EFF
Breached in March by the same attackers, claim 'insiders'
And all for less than £150, according to Keith
Chambers joined Cisco in 1991 after leaving ailing Wang Labs


text:
February 10, 2019
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Border crossings into and out of China during the Lunar New Year holiday rose 11 percent to 12.53 million this year from the same 2018 period, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday as the week-long holiday drew to a close.
More than 6.2 million arrivals were recorded, an increase of 9.5 percent, while there were over 6.3 million exits, up 12.5 percent, it said, citing data from the State Immigration Administration.
Chinese residents crossing the border for personal reasons made a combined 7.22 million entries and exits, an increase of nearly 16 percent over the previous year, Xinhua said.
The growth in border crossings during the country’s biggest holiday underscores the rise of Chinese tourism and comes in spite of a slowing economy.
Top overseas destinations for Chinese residents this Lunar New Year were Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, Xinhua reported.
In 2017, Chinese people made 143 million international tourist trips and were the world’s biggest spenders on international tourism, the United Nations World Tourism Organization said.
The Lunar New Year holiday is one of China’s longest breaks and over 400 million people – more than a quarter of the population – had been expected to travel domestically for family reunions, according to Chinese travel agency Ctrip.
(Reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Neil Fullick)