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Many gamers and not just the last generation, are eager to see how you can use for Windows Kinect then connected to a standard PC.
Kinect Software Developer will be available in early months of next year, allowing it to receive many interesting applications, provided they are updated and improved drivers for Kinect who had been released a few months ago.
The Kinect SDK will provide developers with software drivers PC Kinect needed to make available to applications of the new platform.
applications not only for fun!
Kinect was not created solely by Microsoft only to control the game, but to be integrated into a variety of commercial applications including marketing, so that more than 200 companies have agreed to participate in a pilot project to figure out at 360 degrees how to exploit the full potential of the new controller without hands.
release of the new operating system Windows 8 will Kinect to play an important role by expanding the possibilities with respect to Windows 7, but for now Kinect was the best-selling electronic device in the last year, competing with industry giants gaming as Nintendo, Sony and Sega: the big chunk of introti is tempting to Microsoft.
So much so that the Xbox Live will be integrated directly into Windows 8. and this possibility has already attracted much interest, but the node will be important to the success of the operation precisely the availability of drivers for the PC Kinect will open a series of almost infinite possibilities for new applications that will concentrate without the use of hands, a little ‘as the hands-free phones in the.
would not be the first time that hardware clean, then they have had problems from the software side that have the potential compromise, or have come too late in a field where the output speed is increasingly essential.
Download Smart Driver Updater the best software for your PC


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Friday, July 29, 2022
Can I get a whoop whoop? Because it’s Friday in the Trend Trader Daily Nation.
That means slinging words takes a backseat to flashing pictures, so I can quickly convey an important investment insight or two.
Quick is important, especially today, since I’m trying to enjoy the last days of summer vacation in Nicaragua with my three kids before we return to the United States tomorrow and they return to school on Monday.
So let’s get to the charts…
This week, I’m dishing on the steady return to normal, pre-pandemic life for the airline sector and the problems it keeps causing.
Then, it’s onto the fraudulent promise that frictionless services (and stocks) like ride-hailing and food delivery would be profitable.
I’ve been taking flights through the entire pandemic. That means I witnessed airports turn into apocalyptic ghost towns.
That’s not the case anymore.
As you can see, we’re essentially back to pre-pandemic passenger levels, based on foot traffic through TSA checkpoints.
To say it’s encouraging to see a return to normalcy for this unabashed travel junkie is an understatement.
And while it’s also good news for all of us looking to take a long overdue vacation, it’s mixed news for airline executives.
Why? Because the aftermath of the pandemic includes notable and persistent headwinds for the sector, including runaway fuel prices, staffing shortages, and crazy weather patterns wreaking havoc on flight schedules.
Against such a backdrop, consistent profitability and stock price increases promise to be elusive.
Add it all up, and although I was previously optimistic about the potential for the U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS), which provides instant access to a portfolio of 40 airline and airline-related stocks, I think it’s best to avoid all airline investments right now.
There’s more turbulence and more unprofitable times ahead.
Speaking of unprofitable…
I’ve long contested that the problem with the ride-hailing sector and “frictionless” economy is simple: the economics just don’t add up.
For too many years, this reality has been obscured by investor capital essentially subsidizing massively money-losing businesses.
I previously exposed the fraudulent promise of consumer convenience services translating into investment profits for the ride-hailing industry here.
The same is true for food delivery services, which shouldn't be a surprise, since the restaurant and grocery industries are notoriously low margin.
And vindication (finally) cometh!
As you can see, the share price performance for the major food-delivery and ride-hailing companies can only be described as a complete disaster.
The takeaway: As I shared last week, don’t treat the peak in bearishness in the markets as a signal to buy up every beaten down segment and stocks. Plenty deserve to be cheap and are going to get cheaper still.
How cheap? When it comes to the frictionless economy, I’m convinced that it’s a race to zero. So the only way to profit from these companies is to bet against them.
Ahead of the tape,

domain: news


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The China Pakistan Economic and Business Council (CPEBC) in collaboration with Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized the first World Digital Trade Summit in Islamabad, which was attended by Pakistani and Chinese businessmen.
Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani was the chief guest, while Senator Mian Muhammad Atiq Sheikh was the co-host. Muhammad Ahmed Waheed President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Saboor Malik President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce & Industry and others were present in the summit.
Speaking on the occasion, the president, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said Prime Minister Imran Khan had recently launched “Digital Pakistan Vision” for digitalization of the economy and reiterated that ICCI in collaboration with CPEBC would play role for promoting digital economy in the region.
He said digital economy was the future of Pakistan and it would enable start-up companies and young entrepreneurs to go global.
He said Pakistan had a vast pool of IT professionals and growth of digital economy would create many new avenues for them to grow in digital businesses.—APP


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When it comes to online reviews, foodservice operations often seem to be elbowing their way to a more prominent place at the table. As consumers feast on restaurant review sites, online reputation management is placed high on the menu of must-dos.
According to survey data from the travel website TripAdvisor, diner decision-making is driven largely by online reviews. Ninety-four percent of U.S. survey participants cited online reviews as a determining factor in which restaurants they choose to visit.1 What’s more, 60% reported that online photos influence their dining decisions.1 And up to 79% of surveyed consumers in some global markets rely on their mobile devices to research restaurants on a regular basis.1
TripAdvisor reports that its app, which features more than 245,000 reservation-taking restaurants and over 65,000 establishments with food delivery, exceeds 450 million downloads globally from consumers who use their mobile devices for research.1
Given the online review feeding frenzy, it’s no wonder that 90% of restaurateurs surveyed intend to make developing their online presence and reputation over the next couple of years a top priority.1 Foodservice operators may want to leverage their websites, mobile apps and social media to step up their interactions and engagement with existing and potential guests, especially among the digitally-driven millennial dining market.
Google data shows that nearly 60% of millennials search for a restaurant within an hour of going out to eat, and within the last month, 40% of millennials have researched about their food while in the restaurant.2
Foodservice Consumers Go Ga-Ga for Google, Seek Help from Yelp
With over 24 million restaurant reviews since its inception, Yelp is one of the most popular review platforms in the industry.3 Michael Franks, owner of Chez Melange in Redondo Beach, California, attributes the success of his restaurant in part to the exposure it has received on Yelp. “It’s part of the way we do business now and you have to embrace it,” he explained. “It is a powerful tool for the customer. It will make you better and it will frustrate you.”3
Yelp is one of a power elite of online review platforms, which include TripAdvisor, Google and Facebook. According to ReviewTrackers, a platform for tracking online ratings and reviews, Google leads the pack. Before deciding on visiting a business, over 63% of surveyed consumers are likely to refer to reviews on Google, followed by Yelp (over 45%).3
While Google and Yelp are among the most high-profile review platforms, there is a feast of restaurant review sites for recommendation-hungry consumers to sample.
Alex Bates, guest services manager for the Ocean Prime restaurant chain, checks upwards of 200 review sites daily for feedback on all 14 locations.3 “We used to see them and not do anything about them, then we started looking for trends,” said Heather Buck, the chain’s director of training and guest services, “and finally a few years ago we started monitoring and responding to every one.”3
In addition to manually checking sites, restaurant operators have a variety of options for monitoring online reviews. Yelp, TripAdvisor and others offer free instant email notifications whenever a review is posted. Google Alerts is another way to keep track of reviews and other feedback. Simply go to www.google.com/alerts and create an alert about any restaurant. Google will email you whenever it finds a match. There are also many paid services which provide deeper and more comprehensive monitoring, including Heartbeat, Main Street Hub and Sprout Social.
To help ensure reviews of your foodservice operation are positive, the right product selection and culinary ingenuity are critical. Reach out below to learn how Mondelēz International can provide the trusted brand ingredients and menu innovation expertise to help turn reviews into raves.


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The tourism sector has experienced an unprecedented crisis following the Covid-19 emergency. Finally, now we are beginning to see the first signs of recovery, but not everything will be the same as before. As in other economic sectors, tourism has been at the center of analysis and reflection on how it will have to re-propose, re-adapt and reinvent itself in the post-Covid era. The key word that will involve the sector for its future is: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
Tourism operators are called to grow their projects with this vision, not only out of a sense of responsibility in the face of climate change, pollution and environmental protection. Sustainable development will in fact be a key to relaunch also in economic terms: national and European institutions are investing many billions of euros on this, which will go to sensitize consumers in their choices, and to support companies or associations that will believe in sustainability, updating themselves on new models of tourist offerings to be launched in the market and proposing their ideas.
For these reasons has been launched the Mediterranean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (MAST), a project funded by UfM for Employmen Promotion that has among its promoters our partner MACTT Ngo, along with other partners from Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Morocco.
The project is aimed at companies, professionals, teachers, young people and students working in the world of tourism. All of them are immediately offered a free one-hour online course to keep updated on the dynamics of the tourism sector in the post-Covid era.
The course is already available, free of charge after registration, through this link.
The next steps of the project foresee the opportunity, for those who attended the course, to submit a project or a business idea related to sustainable tourism models to be relaunched in the near future: contributions can be submitted by December 31, 2021, and the best proposals will receive a special prize!
The third and last step concerns the construction of a new community of entrepreneurs, professionals and tourism operators: a community aware of the importance of sustainable development and ready to benefit from it both economically and in terms of image.
So let’s start with the course “Sustainable tourism post Covid 19”: at no cost, to update and grow together!


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In case you haven’t heard, Pantone recently announced that emerald is the color of 2013, which means couples will be searching for their “something emerald” instead of their “something blue.” Here are three ways to incorporate a green color scheme into any upcoming wedding:
1. Table Decor: Place emerald accents throughout the tables in your glassware, menus or plate settings.
Photo: Nancy Ray Photography
2. Bouquet: Steal the most abundant hue from Mother Nature to fill your bouquet.
Photo: Floressence Flowers
3, Cake: Choose a cake that has an emerald ombre effect.
Photo: Maxie B’s
Photos (from left to right): Sugar(ed) Event Design & Planning and Christa Elyce Photography
Pantone revealed Emerald, “a lively, radiant, lush green,” as its Color of the Year for 2013 on Thursday.
“Green is the most abundant hue in nature–the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, in a press release. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”
Not only will Emerald translate into both fashion and home interiors but also weddings. We’ve already seen a few weddings incorporate this hue into their bridesmaid dresses, decor, tablescapes and florals, but will you incorporate this hue into your nuptials in 2013? Let us know in the poll below.


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Ever since China announced in August it is cracking down on wealth distribution, European luxury-makers have seen shares drop amid a market that is showing signs of a slowdown.
If alarm bells haven’t sounded off before, Kering and LVMH saw their values fall by 3.5 percent on the stock market as China foresees growth to tumble from 7.9 percent per year to 4.9 percent.
The slowdown is a result of the global energy prices, the economic cost of a post-pandemic future, supply chain issues and the real estate crisis of China’s Evergrande.
The impact on European luxury brands is inevitable, with companies investing heavily in China as it emerged as the first country out of the pandemic, wooing the next generation of Chinese shoppers.
Mostly it is the supply chain issues that are making Western companies wary, with many moving production closer to home and nearshoring and buying up components. For the past two decades Asia has been the center of the fashion industry’s manufacturing sector, allowing for lower cost production and thus cheaper goods. But the ‘silk road’ route seems to have disrupted global trade, starting with the Suez Canal blockage, leaving a scenario made up of half-empty warehouses, delays in deliveries, a shortage of chips, expensive transport and factories plagued by blackouts and coronavirus outbreaks. It is a crisis that affects the entire supply chain, and thus the world at large.


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SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here are the top stories from ICIS News Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 17 January 2020.
Asian petchem markets take a breather ahead of
Lunar New Year
Asia’s petrochemical markets have slowed down ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday as manufacturing activity dwindles, limiting trade activity in the region.
China petrochemical futures fall; markets shrug
off trade deal
China’s petrochemical futures markets fell on Thursday, largely shrugging off the signing of the US-China phase one trade deal, which will not lead to an immediate rollback of prohibitive tariffs between the two economic giants.
Asia petrochemical markets lukewarm on US-China
Petrochemical players in Asia do not expect the US-China phase 1 trade deal to translate into better market conditions in the near term, as tariffs on most products were not lifted.
China crude import expected to grow at slower
pace in 2020
China is expected to import 530m-540m tonnes of crude oil in 2020, a growth of a much slower pace of around 7% from the previous year as weak fuel demand may restrain refinery throughput, based on ICIS forecast data.
China Dec exports growth sparks hopes of ‘20
global trade recovery
China's export growth in December 2019 may have signaled the bottoming out of the global trade downturn amid a US-China trade truce.


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The number of accounts that banks and credit unions informed federal regulators they are maintaining for cannabis businesses dipped slightly at the end of the last quarter, according to new data. But that seems to be primarily related to revised reporting requirements for financial institutions servicing hemp-specific businesses following that crop’s federal legalization, rather than a decline in the number of marijuana companies with bank accounts.
Under guidance issued by the Obama administration in 2014 that remains in effect, banks and credit unions are required to submit suspicious activity reports, or SARs, if they elect to provide financial services to marijuana businesses. As more states have legalized marijuana, the number of cannabis-related SARs filed has consistently increased, though it began to level off late last year, a federal report released this week shows.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reported that SARs for marijuana businesses declined from 747 as of November 2019 to 739 by the end of the following month.
While the overall number is higher than was reported in the previously quarterly data (723), the recent dip appears to coincide with updated guidance to financial institutions that FinCEN and other federal regulators issued at the beginning of December.
Those memos clarified that because the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, banks are no longer required to automatically submit SARs for businesses that produce, process or sell the crop and products derived from it.
Some in the industry expected to see a sizable spike in the number of banks that work with marijuana firms after the House of Representatives passed a bill last year that would protect financial institutions from being penalized for doing so by federal regulators. Even though the legislation has stalled in the Senate and has not yet been enacted into law, the bipartisan margin of support it got in the House has ben seen as a signal that formal federal changes are likely on the way.
While the new data doesn’t show that expected big increase, that could be partially explained by the change in hemp’s legal status.
Of the 739 depository institutions servicing marijuana businesses, 203 “indicated that they were providing banking services to hemp-related businesses,” the agency said. Based on the language of the SARs, FinCEN said it was likely that 61 financial institutions provide services to companies that exclusively market hemp and not marijuana.
As more banks and credit unions become aware of the updated guidance on hemp reporting standards, it’s possible that fewer institutions will issue SARs for what FinCEN defines as a “marijuana-related business.”
The agency also said that short-term declines in overall numbers “may be explained by filers exceeding the 90 day follow-on Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) filing requirement.”
All that said, if Congress passes the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, the number of financial institutions working with marijuana firms will likely increase substantially, as banks would then have the security of a codified law to protect them against adverse actions.
“Hemp-related reductions in filings aside, I think these latest FinCEN numbers continue to show that most banks are extremely hesitant to work with cannabis businesses in the absence of clarifying legislation,” Morgan Fox, media relations director for the National Cannabis Industry Association, told Marijuana Moment. “I would imagine that this problem still exists for hemp producers given the relatively small drop in banks filings SARS that is attributed to changes in filing requirements for hemp-related activity.”
“This level of banking access does not come close to fulfilling the needs of regulated cannabis businesses or their employees, and ensures that issues we are seeing with public safety and lack of access to capital for small businesses will continue,” he said. “The Senate must act now to remedy these problems, and it can start by holding a markup on the House-approved version of the SAFE Banking Act in the Senate Banking Committee as soon as possible.”
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), a lead sponsor of the bill, said last week that he expects the Senate to take it up within months and revealed that lawmakers are “close” to reaching a compromise with Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID), who has proposed several restrictive changes to the House-passed legislation.
Missouri Launches Medical Marijuana Sales At State’s First Dispensaries
Less than two years after Missouri voters approved a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana, dispensaries made the state’s first cannabis sales to patients on Saturday.
N’Bliss Cannabis opened the doors of two separate St. Louis County locations, in Ellisville and Manchester.
I was honored to watch Larry, a cancer survivor, and his wife Sue, an RN, make the state’s first legal medical cannabis purchase this morning in St Louis. @mocanntrade @NewApproachMO pic.twitter.com/rCudrkdbfI
— Jack Cardetti (@jackcardetti) October 17, 2020
“Missouri patients have always been our north star as we work to implement the state’s medical marijuana program,” Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said in a press release. “We greatly appreciate how hard everyone has worked so that patients can begin accessing a safe and well-regulated program.”
Officials have touted the speed with which they have gotten the voter-approved cannabis program off the ground, saying it is “one of the fastest implementations of a medical marijuana program in the United States.”
“A tremendous amount of work has occurred by the licensed facilities and our team to get us to this point, and we continue to hear from more facilities that they are ready or almost ready for their commencement inspection,” Lyndall Fraker, director of the Section for Medical Marijuana Regulation, said in a press release. “We look forward to seeing these facilities open their doors to serve patients and caregivers.”
— Mo Health & Sr Srvcs (@HealthyLivingMo) October 17, 2020
The impending launch of sales on Saturday was first announced by the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association on Friday and reported by The Springfield News-Leader.
The wait is finally over! Tomorrow morning at 9am @NBlissCannabis will open the doors to their Ellisville and Manchester locations for the first medical marijuana sales in Missouri! Congrats to the whole N'Bliss team! The #MOMMJ industry is up and running! pic.twitter.com/wyZIcoyLBv
— MoCannTrade (@mocanntrade) October 16, 2020
The state, which has so far licensed 192 dispensaries and expects most of them to open their doors by the end of the year, posted an interactive map that tracks the status of approved medical marijuana businesses.
For months, regulators have been caught up in lawsuits and appeals challenging their licensing decisions, with revenues that would otherwise go to supporting veteran services instead being allocated to covering legal costs.
Missouri isn’t the only state to see medical cannabis sales launch this weekend. Virginia’s first medical marijuana dispensary also held its grand opening on Saturday.
Meanwhile, recreational sales of marijuana rolled out in Maine last week—four years after voters there approved a legalization ballot measure.
Illinois Continues Record-Breaking Marijuana Sales Streak, New State Data For September Shows
For the fifth month in a row, Illinois is again reporting record-breaking marijuana sales, the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation announced on Monday.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois has seen escalating cannabis sales month-over-month. In September, consumers purchased more than 1.4 million marijuana products worth a total of nearly $67 million. Almost $18 million of those sales came from out-of-state visitors.
In August, the total sales reached about $64 million—the previous monthly record. The new adult-use sales figures don’t include data about purchases made through the state’s medical cannabis program.
This latest data seems to support the notion that the state’s marijuana market is “recession-proof” and “pandemic-proof,” as a top regulator said in August.
State officials have emphasized that while the strong sales trend is positive economic news, they’re primarily interested in using tax revenue to reinvest in communities most impacted by the drug war. Illinois brought in $52 million in cannabis tax revenue in the first six months since retail sales started in January, the state announced in July, 25 percent of which will go toward a social equity program.
“We were not doing this to make as much money as fast as we possibly could,” Toi Hutchinson, senior cannabis advisor to Gov. J.B Pritzker (D), said. “We were actually doing this for people,” with a focus on supporting communities most impacted by the drug war.
In May, the state also announced that it was making available $31.5 million in restorative justice grants funded by marijuana tax revenue.
That said, ensuring an equitable market as promised hasn’t been easy. Regulators have recently faced lawsuits after dozens of would-be social equity licensees were denied an opportunity to participate in a licensing lottery over alleged problems with their applications. The state said it would approve 75, but only 21 ultimately qualified—and critics complain that the resources it takes to submit an acceptable application creates barriers for the exact people the special licenses are supposed to help.
The governor announced last month that new procedures would be implemented allowing rejected applicants to submit corrected forms. But on Monday, three investors who are finalists from the initial round filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging that the administration’s decision to permit resubmissions was politically motivated and illegal.
For now, the out-of-state sales data seems to support Pritzker’s prediction during his State of the State address in January that cannabis tourism would bolster the state’s coffers.
Prior to implementation, the pardoned more than 11,000 people with prior marijuana convictions.
Over in Oregon, officials have been witnessing a similar sales trend amid the global health crisis. Data released in August reveals that the state saw about $106 million in medical and recreational cannabis sales, marking the third month in a row that sales exceeded $100 million.
California Governor Approves Changes To Marijuana Banking And Labeling Laws
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a handful of marijuana bills into law on Tuesday, making a series of small adjustments to the nation’s largest legal cannabis system. More sweeping proposals such as overhauling the state’s marijuana regulatory structure will have to wait until next year, the governor said.
Among the biggest of the new changes are revisions to banking and advertising laws. With many legal marijuana businesses are still unable to access financial services, Newsom signed a bill (AB 1525) to remove state penalties against banks that work with cannabis clients.
“This bill has the potential to increase the provisions of financial services to the legal cannabis industry,” Newsom wrote in a signing statement, “and for that reason, I support it.”
Democrats in Congress, meanwhile, have been working for months to remove obstacles to these businesses’ access to financial services at the federal level. A coronavirus relief bill released by House Democratic leaders on Monday is the latest piece of legislation to include marijuana banking protections. Past efforts to include such provisions have been scuttled by Senate Republicans.
In his signing statement on the banking bill, Newsom directed state cannabis regulators to establish rules meant to protect the privacy of marijuana businesses that seek financial services, urging that data be kept confidential and is used only “for the provision of financial services to support licensees.”
Another bill (SB 67) the governor signed on Tuesday will finally establish a cannabis appellation program, meant to indicate where marijuana is grown and how that might influence its character. The system is similar to how wine regions are regulated.
Under the new law, growers and processors under the new law will be forbidden from using the name of a city or other designated region in product marketing unless all of that product’s cannabis is grown in that region. Similar protections already apply at the county level.
For outdoor growers, the new law recognizes the importance of terrior—the unique combination of soil, sun and other environmental factors that can influence the character of a cannabis plant. For indoor growers, it provides a way to represent a hometown or cash in on regional cachet.
Most of the other new changes that the governor signed into law are relatively minor and will likely go unnoticed by consumers. One, for example, builds in more wiggle room on the amount of THC in edibles (AB 1458), while another would allow state-licensed cannabis testing labs to provide services to law enforcement (SB 1244).
The bills were approved by state lawmakers earlier this month, as the state’s legislative session drew to a close.
Other pieces of cannabis legislation passed by the legislature this session were met with the governor’s veto. On Tuesday, Newsom rejected a proposal (AB 1470) that would have allowed processors to submit unpackaged products to testing labs, which industry lobbyists said would reduce costs. Currently products must be submitted in their final form, complete with retail packaging. Newsom said the proposal “conflicts with current regulations…that prevent contaminated and unsafe products from entering the retail market.”
“While I support reducing packaging waste, allowing products to be tested not in their final form could result in consumer harm and have a disproportionate impact on small operators,” Newsom said in a veto statement.
Those changes to testing procedures should instead be considered next year, Newsom said, as part of a pending plan to streamline California’s cannabis licensing and regulatory agencies.
“I have directed my administration to consolidate the state regulatory agencies that currently enforce cannabis health and safety standards to pursue all appropriate measures to ease costs and reduce unnecessary packaging,” he wrote. “This proposal should be considered as part of that process.”
Newsom also last week vetoed a bill (AB 545) that would have begun to dissolve the state Bureau of Cannabis Control, which oversees the legal industry. In a statement, the governor called that legislation “premature” given his plans for broader reform.
“My Administration has proposed consolidating the regulatory authority currently divided between three state entities into one single department,” Newsom wrote, “which we hope to achieve next year in partnership with the Legislature.”
Earlier this month, the governor signed into law one of the industry’s top priorities for the year—a measure (AB 1872) that freezes state cannabis cultivation and excise taxes for the entirety of 2021. The law is intended to provide financial stability for cannabis businesses in California, where taxes on marijuana are among the highest in the nation.
The state’s leading marijuana trade group, the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA), applauded the governor’s moves. All the bills approved by Newsom this week had the industry group’s support.
“We thank Governor Newsom for prioritizing these bills, which seek to reduce regulatory burdens, improve enforcement, expand financial services and enhance the state’s cannabis appellation’s program,” CCIA Executive Director Lindsay Robinson said in a message to supporters on Wednesday. “Like so many, the cannabis industry has faced a series of unexpected challenges and setbacks in 2020. We look forward to continuing to work with the Newsom Administration, and the Legislature, as we pursue a robust policy agenda in 2021.”
Image element courtesy of Gage Skidmore


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Anshul Dhamija, The Times of India
Bangalore, July 22, 2013
International retail brands will increase prices in the upcoming Autumn-Winter season, with the rupee depreciation having raised costs for them.
The rupee has depreciated by 12% against the dollar since February.
The new season for shoppers, which would begin in the second week of August, is expected to see most international brands raise prices by at least 10%.
German sports lifestyle brand Puma has seen costs escalate by 30% since January this year. "So far, we haven’t passed on the burden to consumers, but this Autumn-Winter season we will increase prices by about 10%," said Rajiv Mehta, MD, Puma India.
He said if the company passed on the entire cost increase to consumers, sales would take a beating. Puma’s India business has been growing at a cumulative annual growth rate of 37% over the last six years.
International apparel and accessories brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Mango, Promod and Zara are expected to revise prices as their high percentage of imported content does not allow them to absorb the costs entirely.
Mukesh Ambani’s fashion business Reliance Brands, which has franchise agreements with premium to luxury brands Kenneth Cole, Paul & Shark, Diesel and Ermenegildo Zegna, among others, is also said to be looking at a price revision for the upcoming full-price fashion season.
On the other hand, Daniel Hechter and Manchester United, part of Kishore Biyani’s Future Group-owned Indus League Clothing, which have a 10% exposure to imports, are unlikely to increase prices. Benetton and M&S are the other international brands that won’t be impacted by the dollar due to a high percentage of local sourcing.
Pinakiranjan Mishra, partner and national leader (retail and consumer products) at consulting firm Ernst & Young, says that since brands are already offering huge discounts, any steep price hike in the next season could dampen consumer spending. "It will be difficult for consumers to accept anything above a 15% price increase," said Mishra
For franchises of ultra-luxury international brands, the problem could be particularly acute. Genesis Luxury – which markets and distributes labels such as Armani, Jimmy Choo and Paul Smith – has been advertising large discounts to revive waning sentiments of luxury shoppers. And this elite segment has the option to buy at neighbouring shopping hubs such as Dubai and Singapore.
"International brands that operate on a franchise model in India, where the local franchisee has a high exposure to currency fluctuations through imports, will definitely have to go in for a price increase," said Devangshu Dutta, CEO of retail consultancy Third Eyesight. He added that international brands that have set up JVs in India might look to absorb the increase in costs, with a view that the situation is a short-term phenomenon.
At present, both domestic and international brands are riding high on the year-end sale season, as consumers are lapping up discounts ranging between 30% and 50%. These are expected to further deepen to as high as 70% with the sale season entering its final leg. Dubai-based Landmark Group’s multibrand retail store Lifestyle has already reported 50-60% growth in sales over last year’s end-of-season sale.


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SALES OF WOMEN'S APPAREL TO DEPRESS KMART EARNINGS
Published: July 10, 1997
Slow sales and heavy markdowns in its women's apparel division will depress the Kmart Corporation's earnings for the second quarter. The nation's third-largest retailer, based in Troy, Mich., said yesterday that strong sales in other merchandise areas, such as outdoor furniture and its Martha Stewart home line, were offset by weak results in women's apparel in June. Floyd Hall, the company's chairman, said the retailer was looking for new management for its women's division and hopes to turn that business around in the second half of the year. In the second quarter last year, Kmart earned $34 million, or 7 cents a share.


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|NY Guild Rep. Anthony Napoli makes a purchase from new Guild member Yanil Astacio at the May 30 grand opening of the combined Hudson News-Dunkin' Donuts shops at Penn Station.|
Friday, June 15, 2012
You’re racing through New York’s Penn Station with just enough time to grab coffee and a doughnut. Speed walk your way right past that other national chain and head into one of two – soon to be three – Hudson News stores with new full-service Dunkin’ Donuts shops.
You’ll be buying pastry with a union label – more specifically, treats and sandwiches baked and sold by 60 of the newest members of The Newspaper Guild-CWA.
“To the best of our knowledge, these are the only unionized Dunkin’ Donuts stores in the entire country,” said Bill O’Meara, president of the New York Guild, which organized the city’s Hudson News newsstand employees 12 years ago.
The local represents about 240 Hudson retail and warehouse workers at Penn Station, Grand Central, the Port Authority and other New York City locations. But hard copies of newspapers and magazines don’t sell as well as they once did, with so many readers getting their news online.
Last year, Guild-represented Hudson workers told the union about a rumored deal to build Dunkin’ Donuts counters in space Hudson no longer needs. “We had a meeting with Hudson about it, and they said, ‘Yes,” they would be willing to negotiate those jobs under our existing contract,” O’Meara said.
The Guild has built a cordial, cooperative relationship with Hudson News, and managers acknowledged as much when it came to discussing the Dunkin’ Donuts workers, he said.
It wasn’t always that way, though. Management successfully defeated organizing drives in the late 1990s, the first by another union, the second by the Guild.
But on a third try in 2000, workers voted for Guild representation. Since then, O’Meara said, contract negotiations and other issues have been handled fairly smoothly. “We’ve only had one arbitration in all that time, and we won - - the worker got his job back.”
Creating the combined stores took away some of Hudson’s newsstand space, but none of the newsstand jobs, O’Meara said. Even when the stores were off-limits for construction of the Dunkin’ Donuts counters, there were no layoffs.
With the permission of Amtrak – Penn Station’s primary tenant – Hudson was able to open temporary newsstands. Had Amtrak balked, O’Meara said, “We’d told Hudson that we’d lobby for them if they needed us to, that we’d make it clear that the union was very interested in making sure its members stayed employed. Management was very appreciative of that.”
The newly combined stores at Penn Station are just the first for Hudson’s New York group. Ultimately, there could be dozens, each one staffed by Guild members. The first two Hudson-based Dunkin’ Donuts already employ 60 workers.
Like Hudson’s Guild-represented employees, the Dunkin’ Donuts workers are fully covered by the union contract, and are accruing vacation and sick leave, have access to medical plans and to CWA’s 401(k) plan. Bargaining begins this summer for a new contract for all the Hudson-Dunkin’ workers.
O’Meara encouraged all locals to look for opportunities to “follow the work,” organizing employees who may have only an ancillary link to traditional Guild jobs. “Even Hudson News was ancillary for us, but the link was that they sell the newspapers our members work for,” he said.
Adding Dunkin’ to the mix makes for a Guild trifecta: Waiting for your train at Penn Station, he said, you can “read a story written by a Guild member, in a newspaper rung up by a Guild member, while having coffee and a doughnut sold by yet another Guild member.”
Dunkin' Donuts Workers Join TNG-CWA
If you're passing through New York's Penn Station, be sure to stop for a doughnut with the union label — specifically The Newspaper Guild-CWA.
The Guild's New York local now represents workers at two, soon to be three, new Dunkin' Donuts shops that are located inside Hudson News stores at Penn Station.
For more than 10 years, the local has represented Hudson News retail workers at Penn Station and other locations in New York City. Because e-readers and other digital media are cutting into sales of magazines and newspapers, Hudson management decided to turn some of their space into Dunkin' Donuts outlets.
New York Guild leaders heard rumors about the combined stores last year, and laid the groundwork to ensure that TNG-CWA would represent the Dunkin' employees.
"We had a meeting with Hudson about it, and they said, 'Yes," they would be willing to negotiate those jobs under our existing contract," said New York Guild President Bill O'Meara, adding that he believes the new members are the only unionized Dunkin' Donuts workers in the United States.
The Guild has built a positive relationship with Hudson News, which managers acknowledged when it came to discussing the Dunkin' Donuts workers, he said. The new combination stores at Penn Station are just the first for Hudson's New York group, with the potential for dozens more, O'Meara said. Sixty people have been hired already for the first two stores.
Like Hudson's Guild-represented employees, the Dunkin' Donuts workers are fully covered by the union contract, and are accruing vacation and sick leave, have access to medical plans and to CWA's 401(k) plan. Bargaining begins this summer for a new contract for all the Hudson-Dunkin' workers.
Read more about the Dunkin' deal on the TNG-CWA website at www.NewsGuild.org.
Posted by Robert Daraio at 10:05 AM


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Fast-growing Frontier Airlines takes delivery of 100th Airbus
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Despite the pandemic ravaging the aviation industry, there are still airlines in growth mode.
Frontier Airlines said on Wednesday that it took delivery of the 100th aircraft to its all-Airbus fleet. The milestone aircraft: an A320neo from Airbus’ assembly line in Mobile, Alabama.
The Denver-based carrier’s milestone comes as the company is adopting a bullish approach compared to its other competitors, especially many airlines worldwide are electing to retire their aircraft. Frontier is welcoming this new jet despite planning to fly about 80% to 90% of what it planned pre-pandemic by the end of 2020.
Recent new routes announced by Frontier include new service between Miami (MIA) and Providence (PVD) that will start Dec. 17 and nonstop flights between Las Vegas (LAS) and Long Island’s MacArthur Airport (ISP) that will launch on March 18, 2021. Frontier also hoping to increase the number of flights it offers from Cincinnati (CVG) and Orlando (MCO).
The airline has reasons to be hopeful despite the potential of the ongoing pandemic. Unlike the Big Three airlines, Frontier targets leisure flyers as its main customer base, and it’s that segment of the market that has helped drive a modest rebound in passenger traffic this summer. The carrier is expecting its flights to be 70% full for June.
“We’re pretty pleased with the recovery so far,” Frontier CEO Barry Biffle told TPG’s Edward Russell in an exclusive interview.
Still, there is concern that Frontier and other U.S. carriers may struggle to hold on to any positive momentum from the summer. Leisure travel typically decreases after Labor Day and few expect business travel to fill the void as it does in normal years. For now, Frontier has tried to entice travelers by running flash deals with fares as low as $11 for one-way flights.
More broadly, Biffle also believes the carrier’s coronavirus strategy has helped to retain customers. From becoming the first carrier to screen flyers’ temperatures to introducing enhanced cleaning procedures for its planes, Frontier tried to address concerns that flyers would have about coronavirus — messaging that Biffle believes paid off with an uptick in business.
In the meantime, the airline still has 160 more A320 jets still in order until 2027. The airline is planning to take jets more slowly than originally planned because of temporary closures of Airbus assembly lines. The carrier is hoping to take nine A320neo deliveries for this year, which is six fewer than what executives had planned last year.
As plane taken by Frontier this week, there’s also a question of what animal is gracing the plane.
Frontier, of course, is known for painting animals on the tails of its plane. It’s milestone jet features “Chinook the Gray Wolf,” which the carrier says “was a female wolf-dog hybrid that was rescued in 1993 hours before she was to be put down because of the ‘wolf-hybrid’ label.”
Frontier says Chinook died in 2007, but became the impetus for the creation of the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. Now, she also lives on as part of Frontier’s 100th aircraft.
Featured photo by JT Genter / The Points Guy
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The BMW 8 Series will make a comeback next year after a 20-year break - and has been previewed by a bold Concept 8 Series design study.
The luxurious new two-plus-two coupe is planned to return to the BMW line-up in 2018 after an almost two decade hiatus as part of what company bosses describe as the biggest model offensive in the company’s history. The Concept 8 Series is being displayed this weekend at the Concorso d’Eleganza on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, and is the first in a series of ultra-premium cars from BMW.
Speaking at the Concept 8 Series unveiling, BMW board member Ian Robertson said: "We want to bring more cars into the upper luxury segment. We have already announced we are in the development phase of the X7. We are working on other products as we feel there is a lot of opportunity there. The new 8 series is part of this. In the next couple of years we will see the most comprehensive change in the history of BMW."
Set to challenge the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe at the very top of BMW’s current 12 model strong line-up, the reborn 8 Series will indirectly replace the existing third-generation BMW 6 Series, which is due to cease production in coupe and convertible guises after being superseded by a new fourth-generation liftback model in the form of the upcoming 6 Series GT later this year.
“The 8 Series will be the next model in the expansion of our luxury car offering and will raise the benchmark in the segment,” explained BMW chairman Harald Krüger. “It will demonstrate that razor sharp dynamics and modern luxury car go hand-in-hand, in the process strengthening our claim to leadership in the class.”
Alongside the bullish coupe variant of the new model previewed by the Concept 8 Series, BMW also has plans for a plush open top version of its new range topping two-door. Set for introduction in 2019, it eschews the folding hardtop arrangement favoured by BMW for its convertible models in recent years for an automatic multi-layer fabric hood.


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By Mike Senecal
August 29, 2023
In a Nutshell: Starting adult life with a meager credit history or a low credit score is never an advantage. But there are financial pitfalls when parents try to get the ball rolling for their children ages 14-25 by adding them to their accounts as authorized users. FreeKick is a secured savings product from Austin Capital Bank that replaces the complexities of credit authorization with a structured deposit account that can build a lasting credit history for children without financial complications. FreeKick helps young people emerge into adulthood with a clean credit profile and a strong credit score.
A catch built into the credit industry puts children and young adults of the Gen Z generation at a disadvantage over more well-established consumers: you need credit to get credit. Lack of significant credit history or a credit score on the higher end of the scale can mean substantially elevated costs for millions of Gen Z consumers moving into financial independence and poised to make milestone credit purchases like homes and cars.
Many parents want to help their children get a healthy financial start to adulthood. The best-known approach to assisting children in building credit is for parents to add them to their accounts as authorized users.
Unfortunately, that comes with several pitfalls that can adversely impact family finances and even put children further behind at a crucial time in their financial life. And that makes the authorized user tradition ripe for disruption.
FreeKick, a secured savings product from Austin Capital Bank, is doing just that by replacing credit authorization with a set-it-and-forget-it deposit account that automatically builds a lasting credit history and a higher credit score for children without risking anyone’s finances.
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With Android KitKat, now Google really is the Chocolate Factory
As tech news days went, yesterday was probably one of the biggest in a long time.
First, Redmond announced that Microsoft was acquiring Nokia’s products, services and patents for $7.4bn, with Nokia CEO Stephen Elop rushing to the top of the bookies’ list as red hot favourite for the Microsoft CEO berth.
It was huge news yesterday morning, but now seems like ages ago.
In the afternoon, Cupertino...
Are we in the middle of the latest Google update?
By Amy@BubbleJobsJust like anyone else working in SEO these days, part of my job consists of keeping an eye on our rankings for particular keywords and the rankings of our some of our biggest competitors. Now, with things like personalisation and local results, these days that’s definitely easier said than done… but more often than not, it is possible to get a good idea of your progress and overall position and, apart from the normal shuffle, things have been pretty steady-ish in the SERPs for a while...
Why it’s about time you jumped on the Schema bandwagon
By Amy@BubbleJobsIf you’ve got a website, you might think you’ve got the on-page SEO sussed. You’ve spent ages doing keyword research, you’ve carefully tweaked your H1s and title tags, you’ve been sure to make the most of every last character in your metadescription and you’ve expertly handwritten countless landing pages… now you can relax, kick back and do a bit of off-page activity to reinforce all your hard work… after all, you’ve got everything covered,...
Google Glass: What will it bring to businesses?
We’re sure you’re all in the know about Google Glass by now, but have you considered the effect these specs might have on your business? The techno-enthusiasts at Google HQ have designed and implemented a whole new way of browsing and using a computer with an innovative optical head-mounted computer in the form of glasses; the headset is...
Why you should audit your backlinks following Penguin 2.0
High rankings in the search engines for competitive keywords in your industry are extremely valuable. You can practically guarantee a steady stream of targeted visitors to your offer and convert that traffic into new customers for your business.
But actually getting those rankings is a completely different story.
Search engine rankings
Google continues to have...
Getting less traffic from Google? Here’s why it may not matter soon
If you’re one of many business owners experiencing a drop in search traffic from Google, here are 3 important changes you need to know about.
I’m also going to explain why I believe Google search traffic could be of less importance to your business soon.
The first change: Google changing the...
Guest blogging: Worth the risk?
Since Penguin 1.0 first exploded onto the scene last April, I think it’s fair to say that guest blogging has become the link building method of choice for many SEOs and online marketers in the industry. The process of creating (what should be unique) content and posting it on other people’s blog, guest blogging has two major benefits for any site; it helps to drive valuable traffic to the site and it also helps to up the number of links (and unique IP addresses) feeding back into the site.
Google Glass is “the next iPhone” says analyst, prime for marketing?
Wearable computing has taken headlines by storm recently; from wrist-based such as the Kickstarter-success Pebble, to those sitting on your nose like Google’s Glass. Amid concerns and “fashion” issues; many wondered whether these devices would take off, alongside privacy concerns.
Well it looks like it will, it looks like it will be big, and due to the popularity we’re left thinking how it could be great for some innovative marketing.
According to a new report by...


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Two Dallas dudes – Alex Treece & Christopher Brown, are gearing up for the US launch of their crypto bank Zabo, and are all set to dig in and reap in the benefits of the FinTech industry.
The startup claims to combine the bank with cryptocurrency. The crypto bank will offer Bitcoin (BTC), and Ether support at its initial launch. Zabo in its latest funding round received $1 million from Blockchange Ventures. The startup aims to be a regular full bank account, providing checking, savings, debit card, direct deposit, and more facilities along with Bitcoin and Ether wallets, and Cryptocurrency exchange platform to buy and sell crypto within the bank account. The idea behind the startup was to allow cryptocurrency exchange from a bank account. The startup already is receiving sign-ups in early 2019.
Zabo is a FinTech startup headquartered in Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Southern US, with Christopher Brown, Alex Treece, and William Dias as founders. Alex Treece is also the President at Zabo, and Christopher Brown, the CEO. Both Treece and Brown are experienced in blockchain development, lecturing, and consultancy work.
Together with Zabo, they own another firm – Modular Banking, a digital asset solutions provider for the banking sector.


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Salem Chick Fil A was busy with herds customers dressed in cow gear on Friday, July 13 – painted faces, spotted shirts and pants, cow ears and tails, costumes ran the gamut of household items and inventiveness.
“Our customers aren’t chicken. I’ve seen lots of creative cow costumes today,” said Vanessa Miles, the store’s community director.
Today, July 13, is the chain’s “Cow Appreciation Day,” where customers can get a free meal by dressing like a cow “from head to hoof.” Dressing partially like a cow can earn a customer a free entree.
For more information, visit the website.


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What: A specialty coffee shop that employs homeless youth to help get them off the streets
Where: 2962 Welton St., Denver
Neighborhood: Five Points
When: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Walking into Purple Door Coffee in Five Points, it would be hard to distinguish from the many specialty coffee shops that have made their homes in and around Denver. Supplied locally by popular roaster, Corvus, and catering to a young, up-and-coming crowd, Purple Door’s youthful vibe is familiar. This place is different though, and very special, especially to those who call it home. Founded by Madison Chandler, Purple Door Coffee opened their big purple door in 2013 with the sole purpose to create a place to employ homeless youth and give them a chance to leave life on the street behind.
“We don’t have a ton of advertising about what we do in the space,” said Chandler. Most often, people who come into Purple Door, don’t even realize all of the work that they do. “We wanted to create a business that could compete with other local coffee shops, specialty local coffee shops and we also wanted to create a new space for our employees,” she said. “It’s more like this is a new identity.”
Purple is the color of royalty and the history of the café’s namesake is not lost on Chandler. “We wanted to paint all of the doors a certain color so we could create this space that when you walk into it there’s an equal playing field and everyone is equally treated like royalty,” she said.
How It Works
Purple Door Coffee still relies on donations to keep its door open, and each year fundraise about one-third of their annual budget, because of the effort that they put into their employees. “I’m not sad about this, but we have to do so much training, so much training,” she said. “We hire people who have never been able to hold a job anywhere else, so the training involved is intense and it’s not lucrative.”.
“…None of the ones that have graduated the program have gone back to homelessness.”
Initially, the goal of Purple Door was to be self-sufficient, but overtime, Chandler and her team have realized that may not be possible. In the time to come, Chandler said that she is trying to get that number down to 20 percent, so that 80 percent of the budget will come from the café.
In the two and a half years that the purple door has been open, Chandler and her team have hired 12 people and five have graduated from their one-year program, with two about to join the ranks.
Chandler has stayed in touch with all of the graduates and does her best to set up meetings once a month. She said that everyone has done differently once leaving the program, and it’s not a fix-all. She tries to remind graduates that even people with jobs and homes have their struggles and question their place. But they all have one thing in common, she said:
“The cool thing is that I can for sure say that they have all held jobs and they have all been able to provide for themselves and none of them, none of the ones that have graduated the program have gone back to homelessness.”
The Future: Roasting Coming Soon
Even with the achievement that Chandler has garnered, there is still more to her dream for Purple Door. “The coffee shop is everything we have right here and we can offer about 4 jobs a year if people stay in the program,” said Chandler.
That’s not enough, at least according to Chandler. Also, the things required of a coffee shop job can automatically disqualify some who are looking to leave homelessness behind.
“This can be really high stress in here and you have to be able to read and write and do math here.” Though, the problem is not without a solution; Chandler and her team are looking to create job to offer everyone. “So we decided we wanted to open a roaster,” she said, “so we would be able to offer jobs to a different skill level.”
In addition to creating more jobs for at-risk and homeless youth, Chandler explained that this would also help them get closer to their goal of 80/20 because “we would be cutting out the middle man of the supplier,” and allow them to fundraise less and focus on job training more. It also helps that Chandler and her team are crazy about coffee, so the idea of opening a roaster is really exciting.
After a successful fundraising campaign, Purple Door was able to raise $72,000 (online and off) of the $100,000 they need to open the doors of their new location. Chandler wants the roaster to stay close to the cafe, but it all depends on whats available. With what they have done so far, Chandler said that they plan on ordering the machine within the next few weeks, and spending the next few months trying to fundraise the rest. If all goes according to plan, they hope to be open in April of 2016.
All photography by Glenn Ross.


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The Boston Globe has a business article from the Associated Press, by Adam Geller, Consumers turn to their DNA for answers, about, you guessed it, DNA testing and its uses, and its growing market. While they focus on one genealogist, Art Thomas, and mention quite a bit of detail about what all is involved when it comes to DNA testing and genealogy, they also focus on what is apparently a booming business. They also mention some of the other uses (genetic diseases, paternity, etc.).
Excerpt from the article:
Last fall, Thomas, a retired information technology manager in Springfield, Ohio, turned to his body for answers. He scraped a cell sample from inside his cheek, mailed the swab to a test lab and waited for science to supplement his extensive genealogical research.
Thomas’ quest to unlock the secrets of his own DNA is far from a solitary one. A small, but fast-growing number of consumers are paying for a proliferation of partly self-administered genetic tests, hoping to determine everything from paternity to their propensity to develop certain diseases to their own ancestry
I didnt’ realize that Target sold DNA kits. Who new?


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In the News
In The News: A Jewel Heist In Sweden, Sweden’s Tallest Peak Melting & Celebrating The Impact Of ‘The Sign’August 3, 2018
In what seemed liked something you’d see in a movie, thieves in Sweden stole gold and jewel-encrusted crowns dating to the early 1600s before escaping by speedboat.
According to The Associated Press, the thieves carried out the robbery at Strängnäs Cathedral in broad daylight, riding bikes from the scene to a nearby lake and leaving the scene in a speedboat.
Just wondering, has anyone heard anything from Danny Ocean?
Also in the news…
Sweden’s tallest peak melting away
Kebnekaise is the highest peak in Sweden…for now. NBC News reported that Kebnekaise’s height dropped 13 feet in July as Sweden’s heat wave continues. With warm temperatures expected to continue through early August likely will result in more melting and Kebnekaise could lose its title of tallest peak in Sweden.
Celebrating ‘The Sign’s’ impact on music history
The year was 1994, and Ace of Base’s “The Sign” became a mega-hit. Billboard chronicled the impact of “The Sign,” stating that the song “led pop into a new era, putting Sweden on the map as a credible hitmaking hub, pushing electronic production closer to the forefront of popular music and helping ignite a collaborative approach to songwriting that has become an industry standard.”
Rebecca Ferguson’s star continues to rise
Deadline broke the news that Rebecca Ferguson, currently sharing the screen with Tom Cruise in the latest “Mission: Impossible” installment, has landed two more big roles. The Swedish actress will have a big role in a new “Men In Black” movie and star as Rose the Hat in “Doctor Sleep,” a movie based on a Stephen King novel.
Swedish startup MatSmart reducing consumer waste
Business Insider Nordic brings us a Swedish startup to watch. MatSmart launched in 2014 as an online shop that offers consumers a chance to buy discounted products that otherwise would have been discarded. The company increased revenue by 130 percent in 2017 and already has expanded to Norway and Finland with an eye on spreading throughout Europe.


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The government is frequently seen as one of the most important enablers in assisting a country’s adoption of new technology. This time, the focus appears to be on assisting in the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) throughout the country through a soon-to-be-announced EV battery swapping policy. The technology is green, which simply implies that it is healthy for the environment as well as for end-users wallets. The nice aspect is that this drive coincides with several business opportunities.
- The central government has stated that EV battery swapping policy will be implemented within four months. The policy’s goal is to hasten India’s adoption of electric vehicles.
- Heavyweights like Tesla have shown out battery-swapping technologies in the past, but none of it has yet been commercialized.
- OEMs/brands may be hesitant to share their battery technology, battery management system, or software with other manufacturers for fear of losing their competitive advantage.
The prospects are in the billions of millions, whether it’s designing hardware, developing software, appointing new dealers or service channels, or simply acquiring the raw materials needed.
According to recent research by Avendus Capital, electric vehicles in India might be worth INR 5000 crore by 2025.
EVs have shown to be a rising category, even though mass adoption is still a long way off. India sold 311,339 electric vehicles in 2021, more than double the 119,654 sold in 2020.
One of the pushing drivers for EV uptake has been the central government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme (FAME 1 and FAME 2). Furthermore, each state in India has implemented its EV policies. However, since India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman hinted at it during her budget speech for 2022-23, the yet-to-be-launched battery swapping program has become the talk of the town.
The policy, according to the Finance Minister, would push the private sector to develop creative and sustainable battery solutions, which will improve the efficiency of the EV ecosystem.
Drivers and consumers of electric vehicles can swap their depleted batteries for fully charged ones at a swap station, as the name suggests. The government hopes that this would help to alleviate the issue of range anxiety and accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.
Will Indian Consumers adopt battery swapping or fast charging?
Although Western countries are frequently seen as early adopters of new technologies, the concept of battery swapping has yet to gain traction in the United States or Europe.
As early as 2013, Tesla demonstrated a battery swapping technology. The business claimed that the technology could switch batteries in as little as 90 seconds. Even in 2022, the corporation does not provide this service in any of its markets. On the other hand, Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has already deployed over 700 battery swap stations across the country.
While both Tesla and Nio produce electric vehicles, two-wheelers and three-wheelers are seeing greater popularity in India. During the period April 2021 to November 2021, JMK Research believes that roughly 1.37 lakh units of high-speed electric two-wheelers were sold, followed by electric three-wheeler sales, and finally electric autos.
As we progress beyond three-wheelers, battery switching becomes less viable since the cost of putting up battery swap systems for four-wheelers and larger commercial vehicles will skyrocket. Because the battery packs utilized in such vehicles are heavier, success may necessitate the usage of robotics with a dash of automation.
It’s worth noting that batteries account for around 40% of the cost of an electric vehicle. Swapping stations can assist OEMs in lowering costs for both consumers and themselves in the long run. An electric vehicle that costs INR 1 lakh has batteries that cost Rs 40,000.
However, if brands and OEMs do not include the cost of fixed batteries upfront, the total cost of ownership will be lower. They can use a battery-as-a-service concept or switch instead of fixed batteries. “Once the subsidies are removed and we start selling EVs without batteries, the cost is virtually the same as it is now with fixed batteries,” Tomar explained, stressing that switching does not increase end-user costs.
If we see the total electric vehicles from the top 5 companies including Hero Electric, Okinawa, Ather, Ampere and PURE, its close to 1,15,000 units but non of them have the battery swapping feature.
The battery swapping strategy, according to the originator, may not work in the Indian market due to the high CAPEX. Furthermore, due to the complexity needed, building a robotic system to swap the batteries is not feasible for a startup.
Data Sharing & Standardisation
Each city will need at least 80,000 to 1 lakh electric vehicles from the same manufacturer or with suitable batteries to make battery swapping practical and economically sustainable, according to Singhal. Consider the issue in terms of printer cartridge replacement. Cartridges come in a variety of forms and sizes, depending on the maker.
This might pose a significant difficulty for brands and OEMs, as they would be required to follow standardized battery manufacturing forms, while EV battery standardization in the country has yet to take place.
The other approach is to compel standardization, but the issue is that brands and OEMs employ battery technology to set themselves apart from the competition. If all-electric vehicles have the same range and battery capacity, the competition boils down to pricing. Isn’t it true that OEMs and brands would lose a significant portion of their competitive advantage?
International corporations are building consortiums to standardize electric vehicle battery manufacture, but no such consortiums are being formed in India.
Even if battery packs were to be standardized, OEMs would be hesitant to give third parties access to data from their BMS and battery packs. Hackers and data miners will be able to exploit the connection of battery switch stations to monitor charging status.
Consumers may observe lesser mileage as battery capacity decreases, and there are no promises that a fully charged battery switched into the car would last as long as the previous battery.
Pros and Cons of Battery Swapping
To Swap Or Not To Swap?
When it comes to battery switching, the opportunity for EV businesses could be in battery-as-a-service business models, which could range from monthly, yearly, or daily memberships. It’s also unclear whether manufacturers and OEMs would coordinate and work on the same sort of battery to support the impending battery switching regulation.
The terms and conditions of the yet-to-be-released battery swap program will be crucial in this situation. Mr. Reddy, Eride’s CEO, feels that no OEM would wish to share their technology with others to create a universally interchangeable technology like batteries. This system will not move forward unless the government insists on all EV manufacturers using the same battery design and setting battery specifications.
Battery swapping promises a two-minute range extension for an electric vehicle, but it will have OEMs and brands answering problems about standardization, data sharing, and other issues. EV fast-charging stations, on the other hand, have begun to give up to 80% of battery recharges in 10 to 15 minutes. Because just charging standards must be synchronized, not the entire BMS or battery maker, fast charging has essentially answered problems about battery compatibility.
In all likelihood, the government will promote both fast charging and swapping, leaving it up to the market to decide which of the two will win out.
So this was all about the on going debate in the Indian EV market regarding the adoption of Battery Swapping V/S Fast Charging. What do you think about is debate, share your thoughts with us.
The content of this article is taken from INC24
1 thought on “Fast charging or battery swapping which one is better?”
Pingback: India needs to grow its Battery Swapping Network to support the EVs - All India EV


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According to a survey commissioned by a group associated with the ruling Conservative Party, almost 50 percent of Britons support the legalization of cannabis.
Cannabinoid is a compound found in hemp plant, a cannabis genus plant, which has non-psychoactive and anti-inflammatory properties. The compound is widely popular for its health claims. It is known to reduce stress, depression, anxiety, irritation, inflammation, acute pains, aches and also treat severe ailments such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s or even cancer.
Though there is a long way to go for cannabinoid to fully become accessible and safe for regular consumption, people have already started relying on it. They are using CBD as an alternative to regular prescription drugs and over-the-counter opioids. Many people have reported that they found significant improvements in their sleeping patterns and mental health after taking CBD for a few days.
CBD is a non-psychoactive drug which implies that it doesn’t produce mind altering chemicals that could make people hallucinate. Contrarily, THC or tetrahydro cannabinoid is another compound found in hemp plants that is responsible for causing the “high” when people smoke weed.
Legalization is supported by 48 percent with only 24 percent opposed, based on a YouGov poll carried out for the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group. The support is found to be the highest amount 18-24 year olds at 54 percent and lowest among people of the age 65 or older at 39 percent. Nevertheless, the number of supporters is more than the oppositions and it clearly stands out as to what people want.
A separate YouGov poll in 2018 revealed that 43 percent people supported cannabis legalization while 41 percent opposed it. After the U.S. federal government legalized hemp derived cannabinoid in December 2018 under the Farm Bill Act, perceptions about the drug has also changed globally.
The U.S. government now allows CBD based products with a maximum of 0.3% THC per unit. It has also removed CBD from the list of Controlled Substances. This has led to a major CBD wave in the U.S. market with companies producing CBD infused products. Right from healthcare to beauty, medical to food supplements, lifestyle to makeup, CBD can be found in a gamut of products.
The FDA is forming a regulatory framework for CBD infused edibles to control the unregulated products in the consumer market. As of now, when no stringent rules surround CBD, retailers, companies and consumers are in a grey space where they do not know if selling, possessing or consuming a CBD product could land them in trouble.
The agency issued warning letters to 3 different companies for marketing their CBD products as a cure to cancer. Till the time complete research and in-depth analysis is done, the FDA prohibits any form of CBD edible except Epidiolex. It is a drug which is known to treat two rare forms of severe epilepsy in children.
Young kids who suffer from diseases like epileptic fits, Tourette’s and brain damage are found to be relieved by CBD. But nobody knows how long it can prove to be effective or work efficiently without producing any side effects.
In the U.K. the latest results illustrate the broadening space between the staunch decade-old policies of cannabis prohibition and the progressing attitude of millions of voters, said Rob Wilson, a former Tory minister, currently serving as the chief executive officer of the CDPRG.
Pot has paved its way through legalization in Canada and many U.S. states already, fuming a wave of investments in cannabis stocks and exchange traded funds. The global market for cannabis industry was estimated at almost $11 billion in 2018, as per Jefferies Financial Group.
According to a report by Cowen & Co. the CBD market would skyrocket to a whopping $16 billion by 2025 in the U.S. alone. As for the beauty industry, Jeffries pointed out that with the large-scale consumer base and intensive marketing campaigns, CBD beauty products would market at $25 billion globally by 2029.
All these predictions seem to be holding true as CBD is one of the most trending ingredients on a global platform, sprawled across various verticals. The U.K. legalized medical marijuana in 2018. According to the Financial Times, the Church of England said in June that it would consider investments in medical cannabis industry.
CBD is moving on a slow pace in the U.K. as compared to other countries such as U.S. or Canada. This might be due to concerns over long term health impact of CBD or unresolved theories of the compound that are yet to be explored.


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|Workers of Tien Giang Food Company load rice from farmers. Rice export activities will see changes in the future to assure the sector's competitiveness. — VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue
HA NOI (VNS)— Deputy Minister of Finance Hoang Anh Tuan has asked relevant agencies to speed up a draft decree on rice exports so that suggestions from relevant ministries can be submitted to the Government for approval.
One of the key tenets of this draft decree is to re-organise rice exporting activities, so that market competitiveness can be assured.
To deal with difficulties in rice exports, Tuan urged the Import-Export Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Viet Nam Food Association (VFA) to focus on assessing and analysing market issues, according to the news website Chinhphu.vn.
According to VFA, in April alone, the country's rice exports are estimated to reach 807,000 tonnes, worth approximately US$340 million. In the first four months of this year, rice exports were estimated to have reached 2.38 million tonnes (an increase of 7.6 per cent) with an export turnover of more than $1 billion. Many rice export contracts were signed in the first four months of 2013, but the export value had remained low.
During the first four months, rice exporters were contracted to ship 4,231 million tonnes of rice, an increase of 9.92 per cent over the same period last year, but they failed to deliver on time.
Director of the Import-Export Department Phan Van Chinh said the rice export price fell for most countries due to excess global supply, as Thailand sought to clear its stockpiles of at least 12 million tonnes. In addition, India and Pakistan had bumper crops which helped them to improve on previously poor rice export figures. Myanmar has also entered the export market, adding further to the supply chain and thus lowering rice export prices.
Chinh pointed out that Vietnamese rice export prices had never been higher than Thai rice. Furthermore, Vietnamese rice was less competitive in Africa compared to Pakistan and India, due to higher transport costs.
He added that weaker Vietnamese rice exporters often offered low rice prices for export to quickly return their capital and being hit by high lending rates. Meanwhile, the winter-spring crop this year is expected to harvest between 3.7 million to 3.8 million tonnes of rice.
To handle difficulties for farm produce and seafood products in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will meet with local authorities to review the difficulties and seek solutions to eradicate them. — VNS


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Target has announced plans to open a new store in Lawton, Okla., in July 2013.
The new store will be on Northwest 82nd Street at the Lawton Marketplace shopping center.
Target has announced plans to open 13 Target stores in 2013.
The Lawton store will be about 135,000 square feet, and will employ about 200-250 team members.
Target will host job fairs about two months before the new store o pening.
Candidates may also apply online at Target. com/careers or at in-store kiosks in all Target stores approximately three months before the new store o pening.


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In a year of bad news for traditional retail, July shone a hopeful light on the department store struggle. Business Insider estimates that 6,700 US department store, fashion and other retail branches closed down as of August 1. Simultaneously, year-over-year department store spending has shrunk by 4.1%. However, with July showing a 1.8% of month-over-month increases, are we seeing a turn-around in the department store struggle? More importantly, what are they doing to change their fortunes and what can retail broadly learn from it?
Standouts in the Department Store Struggle
Consumers still vote with their feet. Why do they walk into some department stores more in the last few months to buck the overall trend?
Analysts point to different winning strategies. Nordstrom’s loyalty programs, and a savvy investment in eCommerce integrated with its relatively small fleet of 116 full-line stores made a difference.
Then there’s Kohl’s efforts to rationalize retail space across its 1100 branches. As Kohl’s bumps up its eCommerce game, it will reduce floor space for products in half its locations. The company will reduce the number of products available in store and encourage customers to buy online for in-store pickup or home delivery.
Efforts by Kohl’s and Nordstrom resulted in higher operating profit performance, analysts say.
They also point to three concepts all retailers should keep in mind.
Integrate eCommerce and Physical Retail
Winning strategies in the department store struggle include integrating online and in-store experiences. In general, this means turning multi-channel into omnichannel and providing consistent customer experience. Customers should know exactly what products are available and expect fulfillment options such as buying online and picking up in store or buying online or home delivery.
Loyalty Programs Work
Nordstrom Rewards single-handedly brought in 56% of the company’s sales in its most recent quarter, up from 48% last year. Clearly, when customers like you, they’ll spend more with you, especially if you reward them with points on purchases and early access to special sales.
Optimize Inventory for Every Channel
You could argue that the most critical element to all this is proper inventory management. In the department store struggle, inventory management entwines with optimizing real estate and integrating eCommerce. In fact, all multichannel retailers must ensure their products don’t collect dust on the shelf or in the warehouse. They have to carry the right amount of stock to meet demand from every channel, without sitting around sucking up cash in storage and warehouse costs.
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Customers are changing, the drinks portfolio is changing, and sommeliers will need to embrace these changes, too. That was the stark message from Sommelier Wine Awards’ head of judging, Christine Parkinson at a recent workshop for the competition’s senior judges in London.
Parkinson was talking specifically about the rise in non-drinkers and its impact on the restaurant offering. Or, more accurately, the lack of it. Despite a huge social shift in consumption trends, restaurant wine lists have barely changed. Low- or non-alcoholic wine is an area where sommeliers often don’t feel comfortable or, frequently, ignore it completely.
‘Most sommeliers don’t put any effort into finding the good products,’ she said.
Low- or non-alcoholic wine is an area where sommeliers often don’t feel comfortable or, frequently, ignore it completely
A survey of the senior judges backed this up. Few offered much in the no and low space at their venues, while most had no 0% abv wine products at all.
‘We tried listing a zero alcohol sparkling in January, and even though it was clearly marked at the bar it didn’t work at all,’ said ETM group’s Guillaume Mahaut. ‘It tasted more like Appletiser.’
The patchy quality of what’s on offer was borne out by a mixed range of no- and low-alcohol wines. Some were reasonable, others were strange, and some were undrinkable. It was clear that the existing production technique of creating an alcoholic wine, removing the alcohol then adding other products to put back body and texture is incredibly hard to get right.
‘So perhaps the answer is to consider something very different,’ said Parkinson, who backed up her point by serving our panel (blind) a sample of Nine Elms No 18.
Initial scepticism at its spicy, vermouth character gave way to pleasant surprise when the drink was tasted. Structurally, if not flavour-wise, it was closer to behaving like wine than a de-alcoholised Tempranillo that was also in the line-up, even though it had no grape juice in it at all.
‘I’ve tested it with food and it’s brilliant,’ said Parkinson. ‘We are definitely going to be seeing more products like this.’


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- Cholula Hot Sauce today is hosting what it calls the world's biggest virtual "Taco Tuesday" on Instagram Live, bringing together people who can't celebrate Cinco de Mayo at bars and restaurants during pandemic lockdowns. The brand also is running a "Tacothon" with celebrity guests to raise money for restaurants facing financial hardship, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
- The livestreamed event starts at 7 p.m. ET on Cholula's Instagram account, while celebrities will co-host the celebration from their respective handles on the social network in one-hour blocks. NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo and chef Christina Tosi will host the first hour, followed by actress Sophia Bush and chef Tom Colicchio at 8 p.m. and chef Aaron Sanchez and retired NBA All-Star Dwayne Wade at 9.
- Cholula will donate $1 for every viewer who watches the livestream to the Independent Restaurant Coalition, a nonprofit formed to help save local restaurants affected by the pandemic. Cholula pledged a minimum $50,000 donation and as much as $100,000 to the group, per its announcement.
Cholula's virtual "Taco Tuesday" seeks to entertain consumers on Instagram Live while raising money for a good cause. With millions of people stuck at home and unable to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, either with a large gathering at home or at bars and restaurants, the hot sauce brand can help to lift the mood and reach younger consumers who use Instagram to stay in touch with the outside world.
About 80% of U.S. adults would rather watch a livestream from a brand than read a blog, while 82% prefer live video from a brand to social posts, per a survey by Livestream and New York magazine, making video a more compelling format for a brand like Cholula. The popularity of livestreaming underpins a similar effort by tequila brand Patrón, which today will host its own event on Instagram Live for Cinco de Mayo at 5 p.m. ET.
Cholula's celebration also has a serious undertone in its effort to raise money for ailing restaurateurs who have borne the brunt of lockdowns on large gatherings during the pandemic. A cause-driven campaign is more likely to appeal to younger consumers who want brands to show how they're helping others during the crisis.
Tostitos is using the same approach in its Cinco de Mayo campaign on Instagram Live, which will compete with Cholula for viewers in the 7 p.m. time slot. The PepsiCo-owned snack brand is hosting free livestreamed salsa dancing classes directed by actor Mario Lopez while raising money for COVID-19 relief. Pepsi, Buffalo Wild Wings and Verizon also have sponsored livestreamed events to raise money in recent weeks.


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Having made a commitment to bridge the digital and economic divide with its purpose led agenda, Vodafone Ghana in an industry first, completely waived charges to any network via Vodafone Cash.
And to broaden financial inclusion, bring relief to clients, increase volumes and frequency of monetary movements across networks, Vodafone Ghana’s Legal and External Affairs Director, Geta Striggner-Quartey believes government and policy makers must engineer policies that will cause a “quantum shift and drive massive participation in the digital eco-system.”
“We urge government to lift barriers to significantly drive increased usage and acceptance across board,” she said adding “having a universal wallet system which makes it possible for customers to access funds from every mobile agent will be a game changer,” she said.
Vodafone’s External Director held that such a dispensation will usher in an era of real universal digital financial inclusiveness for the populace.
Ms. Striggner-Quartey speaking at the second edition of the Telecoms Chamber’s Mobile Technology for Development (MT4D) programme called on government to consider bringing down the cost of owning a mobile device in the country.
“Government can collaborate with smart phone manufacturers and operators as to make more smart phones reach nearly every adult’. Additionally, government can drive usage and adoption by waiving VAT on mobile devices,” she added.
Ms. Quartey noted that at Vodafone Ghana, they reckon everyone must be connected, to reap the benefits of a digital transformation and be part of the digital economy.
Held on the theme, ‘The Rise of Africa: Promoting Africa’s Sustainable Digital Ecosystem,’ Vodafone Ghana’s legal mind said the role of innovative technology solution and partnerships had played a key role in cushioning the human impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The economic repercussion of the pandemic has also widened the digital divide. The more reason why Vodafone Ghana’s Pan-African initiative Africa. Connected seeks to harness the power of technology to accelerate “our efforts to build a better, more resilient, inclusive and green Africa.”
The two-day event which involved presentations, panel discussions and speeches from various stakeholders also saw Madam Geta Striggner-Quartey make the case that there was the need for the movement to liberalise the Mobile Money (MoMo) platform to make digital payments more active through the eco-system and at merchant points.
Also, in session for the Telecoms Chamber’s Mobile Technology for Development (MT4D) programme was Vice President-Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Communications Minister-Ursula Owusu – Ekuful, Bank of Ghana Governor-Dr Ernest Addison, CEOs and members of the Telecoms Chamber, Vodafone Ghana executives and the media.


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At an event in San Francisco today, Arm announced its latest generation of premium CPU, GPU and video cores for mobile applications. As Arm is an IP company that licenses out its designs to SoC vendors, it will not be building or selling any chips with these cores for any purposes other than verification. However, companies like Huawei Technologies, MediaTek , Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics are expected to use some or all of them in their next generation chips inside of devices out in 2019. While Apple has the highest performance CPU cores, Arm has successfully set the volume standard when it comes to mobile processing cores, especially on the CPU with some of the most consistent performance improvements with each generation. Arm’s work with the Cortex A72, A73 and A75 have shown that the company is interested in going after different markets with the same architecture. However, with all the major improvements it's made with each generation it’s more able to address multiple markets with a single CPU.New premium CPU, GPU, video processors The new CPU and GPU cores Arm announced today are the Cortex A76 and Mali G76, bringing Arm’s processors to naming parity. While the names themselves are arbitrary, they do indicate where Arm believes they lie in the stack of its CPUs and GPUs (at the top, for premium experiences). In addition to its CPU and GPU, Arm introduced its new video processor, V76, which represents a performance level unseen before from Arm. Arm Cortex A76 CPU With the new Arm Cortex A76 CPU cores, Arm has focused on achieving peak performance and efficiency for its architecture, with laptops being the highest tier of performance targeted. Arm is projecting huge performance improvements of around 30% and efficiency improvements of up to 40% over the A75, which are mostly coming from architectural improvements and partly from going from 10nm to 7nm on the process node. This is a huge announcement. The reason why these CPU improvements are so important is that they will help to improve Arm and its partners’ overall performance relative to competitors like Intel in the low power PC segment and the new Always Connected PC (ACPC) market. While the first generation ACPCs impressed with battery life, portability, and LTE connectivity, it still begged for more performance in performance-hungry workloads. Arm Mali G76 GPU In addition to the significantly faster A76 CPU cores, ARM announced the Mali G76 GPU. The G76 is also focused on improving efficiency; ARM is claiming an improvement of 30% from the G72. It additionally boasts improvement to performance density, which means that Mali accomplishes more performance in less space. This is crucial for SoCs where every few square millimeters matter. The Mali G76 is still going to be the go-to GPU for ARM’s SoC partners like Huawei and Samsung, but I suspect that its A76 CPU will get even more traction because of its ability to address both high-end smartphones and large screen premium compute like laptops and convertible tablets. Arm is also focusing on AI and ML performance with the Mali G76, projecting up to 4x improvement in performance for edge AI and ML. This is important because even today, lots of AI and ML inference algorithms run on the CPU because it’s the most consistent architecture on most smartphones and tablets. Sure, there are dedicated AI and ML processors like GPUs and DSPs, but those require more work to implement and developers have to have access to them. This strategy is very similar to Qualcomm’s in that it is leveraging many different, heterogeneous cores. Arm Mali V76 video processor Last, but certainly not least, ARM announced its new video processor, the Mali V76. This new processor also features major improvements to efficiency. One of the key features that ARM is touting though is support for 8K 60 FPS video. Today that might not sound like a big deal, but it will be down the road for VR. I firmly believe that the future of 360-degree video will be 8K and to be able to play that back smoothly, you need a good video processor like the ARM Mali V76. Additionally, this VPU can be used in future 8K TVs when SoC manufacturers start building chips for them. The V76 also enables support for 4K video using fewer video cores than the previous generation allowing for less area use and potentially lower power. Wrapping up These new premium Arm chips represent not only a step up for smartphone workloads to improve AR, VR, modular workspace, and gaming experiences, but also an opportunity to go after the revenue and margin-rich Windows 10 PC market. Arm already has an incredible software ecosystem, security infrastructure, and scale, so by adding the performance element, this is going to be a much more interesting, more competitive future for larger format devices like personal computers. Note: This blog contains contributions from Patrick Moorhead, Moor Insights & Strategy founder, president and principal analyst.
Copyright © 2023 Moor Insights & Strategy. All Rights Reserved.


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Independent mobile growth & monetization platform Digital Turbine, announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Google. The strategic partnership accelerates Digital Turbine’s product and growth strategy to support the Android ecosystem by enabling a billion devices with intelligent app discovery.
To rapidly enhance and expand globally while broadening growth and monetization solutions for its partners, Digital Turbine will work with Google Cloud premier partner SADA. Digital Turbine has been a longtime supporter of the Android ecosystem. With this partnership, it will utilize Google’s advanced cloud and enterprise infrastructure to expand support of its value-added mobile experiences to end users around the globe.
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