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UK: Decline in exports dents hope for recovery in manufacturing
- Credit: Anthony Prior
Britain’s manufacturing sector edged ahead in July, official figures showed today, but a worrying fall in exports dented recovery hopes.
A 0.2% month-on-month increase in manufacturing built on strong growth the previous month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), although UK factory output remains well behind its pre-recession peak.
But separate trade data from the ONS showed the deficit in goods increased from £8.2billion to £9.9bn, reflecting a 9.3% fall in goods exports excluding oil compared to June.
The mixed figures suggest that while manufacturing appears to be sustaining gains from earlier in the year, slowdown in growth in the world’s emerging economies is sapping demand for British products, economists said.
David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The larger-than-anticipated increase in the trade deficit is a reminder of the obstacles facing the UK economy as it starts to recover.”
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The ONS manufacturing figures showed that while output was up 0.2% in July compared to June, it was behind 0.7% compared to July 2012.
Month-on-month improvements were seen in various sub-sectors including repair, machinery and equipment as well as computer, electronic and optical products. Pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment and chemicals fell.
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Total production in July was flat compared to June, with the decreases in energy and increases in water supply attributed to the heatwave.
The weak level of growth in manufacturing output, shown by the official ONS figures, contrasts with recent survey data elsewhere indicating a surge in optimism.
Concerns about exports were highlighted by the trade figures showing that the overall deficit more than doubled from £1.3 billion to £3.1 billion - with the higher shortfall in the balance of goods traded partly offset by a surplus in services.
A breakdown of the goods figures showed sales to outside the EU fell by 15.8% from £14 billion to £11.8 billion.
It comes amid fears about the performance of the so-called BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and others like them, after indications that the buoyant performance of recent years has stuttered.
A fall in the value of currency in many of those economies - as investors pull back amid fears of a withdrawal of central bank support in the US - has seen UK exports become less competitive.
Samuel Tombs of consultancy Capital Economics said it suggested further falls in sales to those regions may be in store.
“Today’s trade figures could be an early warning that the economy cannot depend on the strong support that it received from net trade in the first half of the year for much longer,” he added.
Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight said the latest data made it less likely that third quarter growth for the UK could reach 1%, as some have been hoping for after the 0.7% improvement in the second quarter.


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Mario Ramos thought he got a pretty good deal on his electric dryer.
"It had a dent in it, they were selling it at a discount, you know just cosmetic," said Ramos.
Because of that dent, he got it for a discounted price of about $850 at a Sears outlet store. But the dent wasn't the only problem.
"Since the day I bought it, it's never worked right," said Ramos.
The dryer didn't dry his clothes. Sears sent out a technician who put in some new parts. But there were still soggy clothes, and numerous technicians.
"Twelve times they tried to repair it for the same exact problem and it's never been fixed," said Ramos.
Seven years later, Mario's dryer still wasn't doing the trick, so he called 7 On Your Side. We contacted sears and within weeks, Mario had a brand new model.
"There's no comparison. I put the same amount of load, it is 20 minutes and it's dry," said Ramos.
Sears said it provided a new dryer as required under his service warranty, since his old one needed new parts more than four times in a year. Sears strives to provide the best customer service and apologizes for inconvenience.
"You guys were my last hope and you guys helped me and I really appreciate it," said Ramos.
The lesson here? Even if you get merchandise at a discount, you should still be able to get a warranty, as Mario did in this case. So always check and see whether you're covered if something goes wrong.

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Honeywell’s annual market forecast for civil turbine-powered helicopters released yesterday predicts flat to slightly higher deliveries in the next five years compared with the previous five-year period, but there are caveats aplenty. The forecast calls for delivery levels this year to remain near 2008 levels before declining next year. The sharpness of the drop and how long it lasts is largely unknown, forecasters noted, “due to the uncertainty of the global economy.” The trough could last until 2012 and perhaps longer, they said. Measured customer purchase expectations for the period are down 21 percent worldwide. Medium- and intermediate-twin helicopters posted the biggest anticipated drop, down 43 and 49 percent. Only expectations for turbine singles and light twins rose, but a good portion of this demand appears to be triggered by fleet attrition and operators who say they will trade down to smaller helicopters.
Honeywell Forecast Hedges Market Bottom
- February 23, 2009, 4:49 AM


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Coronavirus testing might look a lot different in crowded areas if this trial project is successful: Scientists from the UK are looking to see if dogs can recognize patients by a particular smell.Dogs have already been trained to sniff out other medical conditions, including cancer, malaria, and Parkinson’s.Dogs able to recognize a particular smell for COVID-19 patients could help authorities prevent transmission in crowded places and prevent future outbreaks.Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.
Extensive testing for the novel coronavirus is a crucial weapon against the pandemic, as seen in countries like South Korea, which was able to significantly flatten the curve, and Germany, which is testing an average of 500,000 people a week. COVID-19 screening can help authorities get a better picture of the number of active cases in hot zones, and provide early care to everyone testing positive, especially the elderly and those with preexisting health conditions.
The problem many countries have to face is that there aren’t enough test kits to go around. But what if dogs could sniff out people who are infected and pinpoint them in a crowd?
The charity Medical Detection Dogs partnered with Durham University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) on a trial to see if dogs can sniff out COVID-19 patients.
The charity has trained dogs to spot malaria, cancer, and Parkinson’s patients, as each disease has its own scent, BBC reports. LSHTM head of disease control Professor James Logan said that research proved dogs could detect malaria infections by odor with a level of accuracy “above the World Health Organization standards for a diagnostic.”
That doesn’t mean good boys will be as good as recognizing a particular smell for the novel coronavirus, of course. But if they are, they could be used in all sorts of cases to sniff out potential carriers within large groups of people. The dog test would then be confirmed by an actual COVID-19 test.
The dogs could be ready in six weeks, assuming the trial yields positive results. However, this method of testing will be of limited use, considering it can’t be scaled to meet current needs. But the dogs might be useful down the road to prevent the reemergence of COVID-19 and catch future outbreaks early.
The charity is studying ways to “safely catch the odor of the virus from patients,” according to its boss, Dr. Claire Guest. It’s not just safety for humans, but also from dogs. A 17-year-old Pomeranian tested positive in Hong Kong. Initially, it wasn’t clear whether the dog had the disease, but successive tests showed he developed antibodies for the infection. The dog was released back home after testing negative, but then died of old age.
Separately, a French medical body urged per owners to wash their hands after petting them, as the risk of catching the new coronavirus from animals has yet to be ruled out.
Image Source: Jeff Chiu/AP/Shutterstock
Chris Smith started writing about gadgets as a hobby,
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Huawei was one of the first companies to adopt Android – the U8220 was unveiled just months after the T-Mobile G1. But for this article we wanted to focus on one of the phones that laid the groundwork for what Huawei phones are today (and if you want to know more about the company’s history, we recommend this Counterclockwise article).
Huawei Ascend P6 official pictures
The Huawei Ascend P6 was the thinnest mass market smartphone when it launched in June of 2013. It wasn’t the thinnest, of course, there was a model from a little-known company called “vivo” that was even thinner.
Still, the P6 was striking, it measured only 6.19mm. And this was before camera humps were the norm, so that’s as thick as the phone got. Its aluminum frame made it sturdy despite its slender build and we liked the brushed metal finish on the back.
Huawei Ascend P6 next to an iPhone 5
The phone was so thin that even the 3.5mm headphone jack (which was on the bottom left side) seemed like a large opening. Huawei did something clever here – it plugged the jack with the SIM ejector tool to keep dust out. The issue was you needed to be careful not to lose the ejector when you take it out connect a pair of headphones, but if you did that often you could always just leave the ejector at home.
The 3.5mm audio jack was plugged with the SIM ejector tool
The slim body meant that there wasn’t much room for the battery, but the 2,000mAh power cell did quite okay, delivering a 46h Endurance rating (just a couple of hours short of what the HTC One managed, for example).
In some ways the Huawei Acend P6 was a year late. The 4.7″ IPS LCD was bright, had great contrast and viewing angles. Still, 720p was a 2012 resolution and we were living in 2013’s world of 1080p phones. Well, aside from the iPhone.
Huawei Ascend P6 4.7″ IPS+ display
In other ways, it was ahead of the pack. Above that screen was a 5MP selfie camera, which was a big deal at the time. The Galaxy S4, HTC One, LG G2, Xperia Z1 and others had 2MP snappers.
The 8MP camera on the back produced photos with excellent levels of detail with nice colors and reliable auto-exposure. The autofocus was a bit wonky, but overall it was a good camera. Of course, this was before Huawei’s partnership with Leica, that started with the Huawei P9.
An impressive 5MP selfie camera • 8MP camera on the back • A nice brushed metal texture
The phone launched with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean styled with Emotion UI 1.6 (the original name of EMUI). It was still quite new, Huawei released v1.0 just months before, offering files on its website that users could download and install on the Ascend P1.
The Brain.fm app offers something a little different from the norm, generating a limitless playlist of algorithmically tuned sounds to boost productivity, to help you relax, or to get you to sleep more easily. You can pick from a variety of sounds and themes—natural, classical, cinematic and more—then set the time duration and hit the play button.
Diving into your favorite streaming app of choice is of course a good way to get your mind out of the confines of the same four walls, but how do you know what’s good? Enter JustWatch, which can tell you which streaming service you can find your favorite movie on, and lets you jump straight to the newest and most popular stuff too.
When it comes to video calling apps, you’ve got plenty to pick from, but Google Duo checks most boxes: It works on Android, iOS, and the web, and is free to use for video chats of up to eight people. You get a few cool filters and effects to play around with, and you can send recorded video messages to friends and family if a live video call isn’t possible.
Houseparty is also based around video chat, but in a less formal, more fun way—almost like a real houseparty. You can quickly see who’s around and who isn’t, and if you’re online then you can jump straight into calls and group chats with no waiting. Add in an engaging mix of games and diversions, and it’s easy to understand the app’s growing popularity.
You can use the Peloton app without a treadmill or bike—there are still plenty of live classes and on-demand routines available at a tap that you can do at home and in the park with just basic equipment. What’s more, in these coronavirus-affected times, Peloton has extended the free trial period to 90 days, so you can see whether the app works for you in the long run.
Aaptiv is another polished, high-quality personal training app you can use to guide your own routines at home. It’s not cheap, but you do get a wealth of audio-led workouts, covering running, strength training, flexibility, yoga, treadmill work, and more. The app is also really good at keeping a training diary and showing your progress over time.
Dropbox has been less alluring to some Mac users than iCloud in part because of its limited syncing. Where Apple’s service can sync your desktop and Documents folder, you’ve had to be content with syncing a special folder with Dropbox’s service. You might have reason to give it a second look in the near future, though. The 9to5Mac team has discovered that the latest Dropbox beta for Mac (sadly, not easy to grab) has the option of syncing your desktop, Documents and Downloads.
The move comes just weeks after Dropbox reworked its core sync engine to make it easier to maintain and improve reliability.
Like with iCloud, this only really makes sense if you subscribe to one of Dropbox’s paid tiers (2GB is woefully inadequate). Even so, it could be very helpful if you want cloud storage that serves more as a seamless backup for common files than a place to upload specific files.
Africa is two to three weeks away from the worst of the coronavirus storm and needs an emergency economic stimulus of US$100-billion (R1.8-trillion) to bolster preventative measures and support its fragile healthcare systems, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Almost half of the funds could come from waiving interest payments to multilateral institutions. That would give countries the fiscal space needed to impose social-distancing measures, widen social safety nets and equip hospitals to treat the sick ahead of an expected surge in infections, UNECA executive secretary Vera Songwe said by phone from Washington.
“If we want to have a fighting chance, we need it immediately,” she said. “In the next two to three weeks, if we act really decisively, we may be able to flatten the curve and then when the storm comes it will be not be as brutal as we see in Europe.”
If there is one African country or one country anywhere in the world that still has the coronavirus, the whole world has it
One measure that can provide some immediate relief is the creation of the special purpose vehicle requested by African finance ministers through which interest payments on sovereign bonds could be sequestered and provide all countries on the continent, regardless of income level, with support, she said.
A lack of resources and staff means authorities must work fast to limit the spread of the disease on a continent where hospitals have an average of just 1.8 beds per thousand people, UNECA data show. While Africa accounts for 1% of global health expenditure, it carries 23% of the disease burden, including hundreds of thousands of deaths each year from malaria, HIV/Aids and tuberculosis.
“Our hospital systems are so weak and so stressed already that another stress on them is going to break them,” Songwe said.
3 000 infections
There are more than 3 000 Covid-19 infections in 46 countries across the continent, according to the Addis Ababa-based Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The continent has never experienced a crisis of the scale and magnitude caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Songwe said. While its impact is likely to be felt for 12-18 months — with a loss of lives, jobs and businesses as economies grind to a halt — the potential loss of health-care providers and schooling would also weigh on the continent’s health and education sectors for years to come, she said.
A coordinated global effort is required to assist countries and businesses, and support the recovery of economies across the world, she said.
“If there is one African country or one country anywhere in the world that still has the coronavirus, the whole world has it. We’ve seen the speed of contamination and how quickly it can re-spread,” Songwe said. — Reported by Prinesha Naidoo, (c) 2020 Bloomberg LP
South Africa may approach the International Monetary Fund for the first time ever to help with funding to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, the Sunday Times reported, citing finance minister Tito Mboweni.
While the minister isn’t currently considering an emergency budget, he also advocates asking the World Bank for assistance, the newspaper said.
“In a conversation with the Reserve Bank and the treasury, I indicated that we should proceed and speak to the IMF and the World Bank about any facility that we can access for health purposes,” he said, according to the newspaper. “We take no ideological position.” — Reported by Antony Sguazzin, (c) 2020 Bloomberg LP
Telecommunications operators and Internet service providers are working to find alternative routes after another break in the West African Cable System (Wacs) — the third this year — threatens to slow down Internet access in South Africa.
The cause of the cable break, which took place between the UK and Portugal in the early hours of Saturday morning South African time, is not yet known. India’s Tata Communications is responsible for the section that is broken and must now begin the process of sending out a team to effect repairs.
In the interim, other undersea cable operators are making plans to carry the traffic along diverse routes to minimise the impact of the break.
The services that Angola Cables provides to its customers remain operational across the 11 Wacs cable contact points
Angola Cables, a member of the Wacs consortium, is, for example, providing alternative routing on the South Atlantic Cable System (Sacs), a new system that connects Angola and Brazil, with an onward connectivity to the US.
“The services that Angola Cables provides to its customers remain operational across the 11 Wacs cable contact points on the west coast of Africa,” the company said.
“Data connections and access to global content and services continue to be provided given the robustness and redundancy of the Angola Cables network. As a top priority, Angola Cables and the consortium of Wacs partners are working to restore the cable’s full capacity to impacted customers as soon as possible.”
Seacom working normally
Meanwhile, Seacom, which operates a cable system along the east coast between South Africa and Europe and South Africa and India, said that while the repairs on the Wacs system are being planned, many Internet service providers will need to reroute their traffic.
“As a result of the Wacs cable system issues, customers may experience increased latency (network round-trip times) as alternative routes are implemented,” Seacom said.
“Seacom is aware that due to issues on the Wacs cable system on Africa’s west coast, many African ISPs and their customers could be experiencing unstable or slower speeds when using the Internet,” it said.
“Seacom’s network platform is also affected by the Wacs issues, but as the Seacom cable system on Africa’s east coast is continuing to work normally, we will endeavour to provide ISPs that rely heavily on Wacs with diverse capacity.”
Pan-African operator Liquid Telecom said it has access to five cable systems providing international Internet connectivity in South Africa.
“The loss of the Wacs capacity is unfortunate, especially when demand has increased so significantly (due to the work-from-home rules associated with South Africa’s Covid-19 lockdown). In our network, due to our resilient architecture, the loss of the Wacs capacity does not impact our ability to service our customers’ Internet demand.”
Due to our resilient architecture, the loss of the Wacs capacity does not impact our ability to service our customers’ Internet demand
Liquid Telecom said its traffic is automatically rerouted when such outages occur.
“While we continue to monitor the situation, we do
It’s that time of the year again – Huawei is pushing mobile photography forward with the launch of its new Leica-equipped P40 family of phones. The company even unveiled its own voice assistant, video chat and Cast protocol, but the question remains – would you buy these phones and leave the Google ecosystem behind?
Huawei P40 • Huawei P40 Pro • Huawei P40 Pro+
First, let’s consider why it’s so tempting to do so. The Huawei P40 Pro brings the brand’s first high refresh rate display (90Hz) and reworks the complicated hardware above the screen – the IR face scanner, ToF and gesture sensor are still on board, but they now live in a pill-shaped punch hole that’s way smaller than the Mate 20 Pro notch. The addition of autofocus to the 32MP front camera does much to improve selfies.
However, the best cameras are on the back. The 50MP 1/1.28″ sensor is the largest of any modern smartphone and has upgraded phase detection. The 5x telephoto periscope cam (125mm) has a higher resolution sensor than the P30 Pro, 12MP. Huawei did much to improve its ultra wide Cine camera too – more details in our full review of the Pro model.
The Huawei P40 costs €800, saving you €200 compared to the Pro. But is it worth it? You lose the 90Hz refresh rate, the charging is parred back too – 22.5W wired (down from 40W on the Pro) and no wireless (unless you buy a case). Oh, and no IP68 water proofing on this one.
And while the main camera on the back uses the exact same 50MP sensor, the telephoto cam is fairly standard with 3x magnification (80mm) and 8MP sensor, same for the 16MP ultrawide cam. You can read our thoughts on the P40 in our hands-on review.
The Huawei P40 Pro+ is the ultimate flagship. It’s the first to introduce 40W wireless charging, as powerful as its wired charging. Even reverse wireless charging is insanely quick at 27W. This phone is water proof too and Huawei built it out of ceramics, which are as durable as sapphire (says the company).
Better yet, Huawei reworked the periscope to nearly double the focal length – 240mm gives you about 10x magnification. Better still, there’s a second zoom cam with a traditional 80mm lens (3x), so that the jump between wide and tele isn’t so jarring.
The plus model comes with 512GB of storage, which is plenty. The other two have 128GB (P40) and 256GB (P40 Pro), which some might find limiting. They will have to get a NanoMemory card to expand the storage, which isn’t ideal (at least they can still use dual SIM functionality as the phones have eSIM built in).
The Pro+ price tag is pretty spicy, however, €1,400. And it will only be available in June. Is it worth the wait? Is it worth it at all, when some apps just won’t work?
Launched in November 2014, Cape Town-based Disrupt Africa is a one-stop-shop for all news, information and commentary pertaining to the continent’s tech startup – and investment – ecosystem. The company’s Research arm also releases in-depth reports on various aspects of the African tech startup ecosystem, from funding to fintech.
While undertaking this vital and detailed work over the last six years, the Disrupt Africa team has built up a vast database of African tech startups, a contact list that spans the continent, and deep expertise across a number of markets and verticals.
Having worked with dozens of corporate entities, investors and accelerators in various ways in the past to help them source startups for various initiatives, the company is now packaging this offering and making it available more widely via its new service – Disrupt Pipeline.
Through Disrupt Pipeline, customers will be able to enlist the help of the Disrupt Africa team to connect with relevant startups. Be it corporates looking for tech solutions to business challenges, investors seeking to widen their portfolios, or accelerators looking for applications to their programmes, Disrupt Pipeline provides access to the most innovative companies on the continent.
Combining the Disrupt Africa database with the team’s expertise and knowledge of the continent’s startup ecosystems, customers will be provided with recommendations and connections to suggested startups and entrepreneurs for their initiatives, as per their requirements. This service can also be combined with advertising campaigns via the Disrupt Africa platform to widen the net where necessary.
“We have worked with a host of different entities in all manner of ways over the last few years, connecting them with relevant startups and entrepreneurs, and been receiving more and more requests for such services. All the launch of Pipeline does is formalise this offering and make it available to all,” said Disrupt Africa co-founder Tom Jackson.
“Through Pipeline, we hope to offer an additional, very personalised service to our customers looking to connect with African startups within strict parameters. Given the wide pool of contacts we have within the startup world, we’re keen to take a more hands-on role in making the right connections, strong partnerships and great investments happen,” said Gabriella Mulligan, co-founder of Disrupt Africa.
At the same time, Disrupt Africa is reformatting its Research division to allow it to offer bespoke research and data to clients on a project basis. Launched in 2016, the company’s Research arm has released a number of detailed reports on the continent’s growing tech startup ecosystem, including the annual African Tech Startups Funding Report and the biennial Finnovating for Africa.
Companies, organisations or governments will now have the opportunity to commission bespoke research reports from the Disrupt Africa team, opening up the company’s database and expertise to external clients.
The most common reason to pick it over the Redmi Note 9 Pro seems to be the camera, though many appreciate the faster charging as well. The small price difference between the two models may have condemned the 9 Pro to be a distant second best to the 9 Pro Max.
Just over a fifth of voters are not happy with either Redmi Note 9 Pro option, usually because there’s no high refresh rate screen. Many wished for a telephoto camera instead of the depth sensor (though some bokeh fans did come to its defense).
A lot happened since the poll was published just last week. The Indian release of the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max was delayed, the Redmi Note 9 Pro proceeded as planned. However, the phone is now out of stock on Mi.com, Flipkart and Amazon, so if you missed the initial sale you’re out of luck.
Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 9S, the global version of the Note 9 Pro, was unveiled with plans to sell globally through AliExpress and Gearbest as well as locally through retailers like Lazada and Shoppee in South East Asia. If all goes well, it will be available starting on April 7.
The next few months are going to be especially hard on business owners, many of whom are more or less helpless right now since they may not have a customer base to speak of — we’re all at home quarantining ourselves because of the continued spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.The current welcome bonus being offered to new signups from The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is 75,000 Membership Rewards points, just one of the many reasons this card remains one of the best for business owners that’s on the market right now.Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.
BGR has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. BGR and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.
Please note: the offers mentioned below are subject to change at any time and some may no longer be available.
One of the best business credit cards on the market is The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, thanks largely to its unparalleled premium benefits. This card is an excellent fit for business owners, especially those who frequently travel and charge thousands of dollars in monthly expenses to their cards. Even better, the card sits on your business credit line instead of your personal credit report and gives you substantial purchasing power.
If you’ve been considering whether to add a new business card to your wallet, it’s worth giving the Amex Business Platinum some consideration right now, which would allow you to take advantage of a welcome bonus that includes 75,000 Membership Rewards points.
To get the entire bonus, your business will have to put a large amount of spending on the card in a short period of time. That requires spending $15,000 within three months of account opening — which might sound like a lot, but this is a business card, remember, and it’s entirely feasible for a small business to have that or much more in expenses over the course of three months.
There’s also a sweetener: That spending requirement has been reduced by $5,000 from the previous spending requirement, so the bonus is now more attainable than before.
Besides the bonus, meanwhile, there are plenty of additional perks that make this card worth of consideration. The Business Platinum also offers access to many of the same popular perks as the personal version, with both cards including such benefits as:
1.5x points on purchases of $5,000 or more (up to 1,000,000 additional points per year) A 35% rebate when you Pay With Points for a first or business class ticket on any airline, or an economy ticket on one airline of
Russia tends to turn a blind eye to some fraudsters and hackers, but it just clamped down on a particularly large group. Investigators have charged at least 25 people involved in a credit card fraud ring that included a notorious hacker. While Russian authorities didn’t provide a formal list of those caught in the bust, records and security blogger Andrey Sporov have revealed that one of those arrsted was Alexey Stroganov, also known as “Flint.” As a Krebs on Securitysource said, Stroganov apparently had a stake in “almost every major [card] hack” from the past 10 years, and sent “hundreds of millions of dollars” through the seized cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e.
Stroganov was caught back in 2006 and sentenced to six years in prison alongside his associate Gerasim Selivanov, but the two were set free after two years. Selivanov was also arrested as part of this week’s bust.
While it’s unclear why officials chose to act now, cybercrime discussion forum members believe Stroganov and
Realme 6i didn’t get to participate in the launch eventof the Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro, but that has more to do with strategy than with its shortcomings as a phone. In India, where the event was held, the 6i will be called Realme Narzo 10 and will get its own announcement, once the COVID-19 lockdown is over. As luck would have it we got unit and as is the norm we will share some early impressions before we begin work on the full review. The Realme 6i’s predecessor – Realme 5i – is just three months old, but the rate at which Realme is evolving means we are still getting plenty of…
The FDA has scrambled to allow numerous COVID-19 tests in a bid to control the pandemic, but one of the latest may represent a big step forward in technology fighting the disease. Abbott has received emergency use authorization for a variant of its toaster-sized ID NOW lab-in-a-box that can provide positive results in as soon as five minutes, and all-clear results in 13 minutes. On top of this, it’s one of the few tests of its kind that can be used outside of a hospital, such as at a clinic.
The key is its use of molecular testing that looks for a small section of the SARS-CoV-2 virus’ RNA and amplifying that segment until there’s enough to detect. Other testing methods can take hours or days to produce viable results.
Abbott is in the midst of ramping up production and expects to deliver 50,000 of the tests per day in the US as of next week. However, one of its greatest advantages


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Apple may launch foldable iPhone by 2023, says analyst
According to a report by MacRumors, analysts Ming-Chi Kuo has said that Apple is working on a foldable iPhone offering an 8-inch display. The resolution of the screen is said to be QHD+ and it is expected to be an OLED display. Not only that, Kuo also said that in its first year itself, Apple is expected to ship 15-20 million units of this first of a kind iPhone.Gadgets News – Latest Technology News, Mobile News & Updates
The post Apple may launch foldable iPhone by 2023, says analyst appeared first on Planotech Media House.


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The public bathroom at Beijing's Temple of Heaven Park now has a toilet paper dispenser outfitted with a camera and facial recognition technology to prevent toilet paper theft. From the New York Times:
Before entering restrooms in the park, visitors must now stare into a computer mounted on the wall for three seconds before a machine dispenses a sheet of toilet paper, precisely two feet in length. If visitors require more, they are out of luck. The machine will not dispense a second roll to the same person for nine minutes.
At the Temple of Heaven Park, one of Beijing’s busiest tourist sites, many people said on Monday they were pleased by the new machines.
“The people who steal toilet paper are greedy,” said He Zhiqiang, 19, a customer service worker from the northwestern region of Ningxia. “Toilet paper is a public resource. We need to prevent waste...”
I agree with park visitor Wang Jianquan, 63: “The sheets are too short."
"China’s High-Tech Tool to Fight Toilet Paper Bandits" (NYT)
Trump says Google wants to rig the 2020 election.
Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google (Alphabet) will testify next week before a House congressional committee at a hearing on the power held by online platforms, and whether government should be regulating it.
GrubHub is buying up thousands of restaurant web addresses, and “also appears to publish shadow pages without owners’ consent—sometimes in direct competition with real websites,” reports The New Food Economy. Why would the app-based restaurant delivery service do such a crazy thing? It looks like the reason may be — shocking, I know! — predatory […]
Whether you’re using them for next-level selfies or steady tracking shots, gimbals are a must for anyone who wants to maximize the potential of these powerful smartphone cameras we’re all carrying around. But those smartphones are also supposed to be portable, and let’s face it: Gimbals tend to offset that advantage. Weighing in at just […]
It’s too hot for yard sales, but hey: The internet is here for you. Here are the top ten deals on some of the Boing Boing Store’s best gear, just in time for summer. It’s everything from grills to security cameras to MacBook Pros, and they might be as low as they’re ever going to […]
When it comes to getting stats and ideas across quickly, there’s still nothing like a good slide presentation. But the critical word here is “good” – not 20 slides all thrown together with the same stock PowerPoint template. Whether it’s a crucial pitch for a new business or a quarterly report, Slideshop can be a […]


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49th General Assembly of the InterAfrican Coffee Organization (IACO)
23 November 2009
The 49th General Assembly of the InterAfrican Coffee Organization (IACO) took place in Accra, Ghana, from 23 to 27 November 2009. The Opening Ceremony was chaired by Hon Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, accompanied by Hon Ms Hannah Tetteh, Minister for Trade and Industry, Ghana. The Secretary-General of IACO, Ambassador Josefa Sacko opened the proceedings and the Executive Director, Mr NÚstor Osorio, spoke at the inaugural session and gave a presentation at a workshop on Coffee Research and Statistics in Africa held on 23 November. The ICO Chief Economist, Mr Denis Seudieu, also participated in the event and made a presentation on the role of statistics in market analysis and transparency. In his presentation, the Executive Director reviewed the current market situation, focussing in particular on coffee production in Africa and the need to develop rehabilitation and replanting programmes to improve coffee productivity and quality. IACO has 25 Member states, representing 12% of world coffee production.
|ICO Indicator prices
(US cents/lb) 17/09/2019
1 October is #InternationalCoffeeDay
Every year on 1 October, the world comes together to celebrate coffee and recognise the millions of people across the globe - from farmers, to roasters, baristas, coffee shop owners and more - who work hard to create and serve the beverage we all love.
This year we're on a collective mission to help coffee farmers around the world receive a fair, living income. But to do it we need your help, find out more at: International Coffee Day
Latest ICO Studies & Reports
• National Quality Standards (Published September 2018)
• Gender equality in the coffee sector (Published September 2018)
• Maximum residue limits (Published September 2018)
• Country Coffee Profile: Ghana (Published September 2018)
• Mixtures and substitutes (Published September 2018)
• Gender equality in the coffee sector (Published April 2018)
• Development of coffee trade flows (Published April 2018)
• Value addition in the African coffee sector (Published September 2017)
• Assessing the economic sustainability of coffee growing (Published September 2016)
• Coffee in the Russian Federation (Published August 2015)
• Coffee in China (Published August 2015)
• The impact of the price of oil and the US dollar exchange rate on coffee prices (Published August 2015)
• Sustainability of the Coffee Sector in Africa (Published August 2015)
ICO Coffee Library
The ICO has a unique Library containing an international reference collection, built up over 40 years of more than 13,000 monographs (books, reports, theses, pamphlets) and over 200 periodical titles covering all aspects of coffee.


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According to Destructoid, fans of Suda51 should tune into this afternoon’s Nintendo Direct, hinting at some sort of news or presence from the game designer.
In an article about an interview Goichi Suda (commonly known as Suda51) had with The Nintendo Force, Destructoid ends by telling readers, “And be sure to tune into today’s Nintendo Direct if you’re a fan of Suda’s. You won’t be disappointed.”
What this means is unknown — whether new information on the upcoming Nintendo Switch-exclusive No More Heroes III (which Suda51 is working on) will be shared, if a brand-new game will be announced, or if Suda will simply make an appearance during the broadcast.
If you’re a fan of Suda51, you’ll probably want to do as Destructoid says and watch today’s Nintendo Direct, which goes live at 2 p.m. PT.
Thanks goes to Twitter user @Adrian_E_Comeau for the tip!Leave a Comment


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Alcohol Sharpens Your Brain, Say Researchers
"It is news guaranteed to raise a cheer among those who enjoy a glass or two: drinking half a bottle of wine a day can make your brain work better, especially if you are a woman.
Research to be published tomorrow by academics at University College London has found that those who even drink only one glass of wine a week have significantly sharper thought processes than teetotallers." MORE->
Quick, get me a glass and a corkscrew!


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Lourd Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 29,577 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after buying an additional 1,011 shares during the period. Apple makes up about 0.5% of Lourd Capital LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Lourd Capital LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $5,854,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. CX Institutional lifted its holdings in shares of Apple by 483.2% in the fourth quarter. CX Institutional now owns 8,724 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $1,376,000 after purchasing an additional 7,228 shares in the last quarter. Sanders Morris Harris LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 2.1% in the fourth quarter. Sanders Morris Harris LLC now owns 14,052 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $2,216,000 after acquiring an additional 291 shares during the period. Beech Hill Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 1.1% in the fourth quarter. Beech Hill Advisors Inc. now owns 54,768 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $8,639,000 after acquiring an additional 595 shares during the period. Columbus Macro LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Columbus Macro LLC now owns 37,685 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $5,944,000 after acquiring an additional 946 shares during the period. Finally, Stony Point Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 16.2% in the fourth quarter. Stony Point Wealth Management Inc. now owns 10,289 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $1,623,000 after acquiring an additional 1,436 shares during the period. 59.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
AAPL stock opened at $201.74 on Friday. Apple Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $142.00 and a fifty-two week high of $233.47. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $203.69 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $191.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 1.47 and a current ratio of 1.50. The company has a market capitalization of $944.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 1.25.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th were given a $0.77 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 9th. This represents a $3.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.53%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio is currently 25.86%.
Apple announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, April 30th that authorizes the company to buyback $75.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the iPhone maker to purchase up to 7.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.
A number of research firms have recently commented on AAPL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Apple from $239.00 to $243.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on Apple from $160.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 1st. ValuEngine lowered Apple from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. Piper Jaffray Companies lifted their price objective on Apple from $230.00 to $243.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, BTIG Research lifted their price objective on Apple to $234.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twenty have issued a hold rating, twenty-four have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Apple currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $216.11.
In other news, insider Chris Kondo sold 4,376 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $217.47, for a total value of $951,648.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Arthur D. Levinson sold 17,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $214.02, for a total value of $3,745,350.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,150,783 shares in the company, valued at $246,290,577.66. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 39,376 shares of company stock worth $8,226,574. Insiders own 0.05% of the company’s stock.
Apple Inc designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication and media devices, and personal computers. It also sells various related software, services, accessories, and third-party digital content and applications. The company offers iPhone, a line of smartphones; iPad, a line of multi-purpose tablets; and Mac, a line of desktop and portable personal computers, as well as iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS operating systems.
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The UK finally introduces AVS, meaning we’re ready for +18 Ads!
Now that the U.K. has given age verification systems the green light, age verification for adult sites is becoming increasingly important. This matter has been a significant concern at Playamedia from the very beginning of our operations as the German law and its Youth Protection Act prohibits the display of any adult content to minors. We believe these protective measures are crucial for ensuring minors’ wellbeing.
Recently, the House of Commons in the UK have agreed on final necessary regulations to introduce age verification for adult websites. According to the U.K.’s Digital Economy Act, commercial adult sites will be obliged to present that they are verifying that their users are over 18. Failure to do so could result in being prohibited from taking credit card payments or even getting the site blocked by UK internet service providers.
This means better and more precise protection of minors but also a more customised advertisement to match the users’ interest and show them more relevant ad content. Therefore, in the past two years, a handful of age-verification firms have started offering third-party solutions to verify users’ ages.
Thankfully, Playamedia already has the know-how and experience in the age verification system. Because similar regulations have been effective in Germany long before, we’ve ensured that our users on Poppen.de, Fetisch.de and Gay.de are able to see adult content only after they’ve proven their legal age.
We’re now able to take this advantage by offering better solutions to our advertising clients. Targeting only our age-checked members, who can be exposed to adult content, is possible in the U.K. for advertisers.
We hope many other countries follow suit and the free age verification system becomes an industry standard. Not only in countries mandating it but worldwide.


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Analysis If you'd like to see the personification of happy, then look no further than an AV product or service vendor in the middle of a viral pandemic.
You might think that during the MyDoom outbreak even industry insiders would lose at least little sleep over the lack of progress there has been in stemming the flood of malicious code attacks. Not so.
Look at me, I do AV!
In fact, a flood of viral-generated email guarantees that security vendors will be thrust into the spotlight. MyDoom might be a threat to users, but the virus sparked off the biggest marketing boom for vendors since 2003's SoBig-F. Better still, MyDoom spread even faster than Sobig-F, making it the worst mass mailer ever.
In the rush to be the first to tell the world about how their products and services are the most vigilant and capable on the market, security vendors have more or less abandoned any attempt to agree common names for viral code. MyDoom-A is also known as Mimail.R, Novarg.A, Shimg, W32.Novarg.A@mm, W32/Mydoom@MM by various vendors, despite calls from high profile end-user group AVIEN for the industry to standardise viral nomenclature.
This, in itself, is a recipe for confusion but users' despair is compounded when vendors give wildly different advice about both the scope of a viral attack and the best way forward in combating mass mailing worms and other viral nuisances.
Lies, damn-lies and AV statistics
In the case of MyDoom, as with other virus outbreaks, such marketing activity is often backed by questionable statistics.
Our old friends mi2g, for example, claimed at the start of February that MyDoom caused $38.5bn of economic damage worldwide. VMyth's Rob Rosenberger has pointed out that this guesstimate is 1.6 per cent of the US federal budget proposed for next year or 40 per cent of the damage to New York City on 9/11.
Predicting the damage caused by anti-attacks is a notoriously inexact science, but that hasn't stopped mi2g coming up with a figure running into the ten of billions and "correct" to three figures. Meanwhile, other vendors equally confidently dismiss the whole MyDoom epidemic as a storm in a tea cup.
Sophos used to specialise in posing as the voice of sanity in the industry, but now other vendors have caught the debunking bug. After all you get almost as much free publicity - and enhance corporate credibility - by exposing hype-laden cybergeddon predictions as false, as you do by making them in the first place.
Trend Micro, for example, reckons that MyDoom has been "over sensationalised" by the industry and that from a user perspective it is not that much of a worry. The statistics used to scare PC users are figures generated by those firms analysing the number of these emails in the wild, not actually hitting users, according to Trend Micro's Raimund Genes.
Jack Clark, technology consultant with McAfee Security, agrees with him: "The recent MyDoom-A is a successful flash in the pan: in a week or so it will drop off the charts, the denial of service attack will end and the author - if he has any sense - will hide under his bed until the hype is over."
According to Jay Heiser, chief analyst at TruSecure, the "biggest problem for the Internet as a whole is that the mail service is burdened with an extra load of junk mail, not only from the worm itself but also from perimeter scanners that automatically bounce-back infected messages to the apparent sender. Virtually all mass-mailer malware uses spoofed sender addresses, so it is way past time for administrators to turn off the bounce back feature."
TruSecure reckons MyDoom has caused less physical and financial damage than half-a-dozen other viruses.
Rival approaches create confusion
Minutes after MyDoom was first spotted on 26 January we received the first of scores of emails giving various vendors' opinion on the best way to combat mass mailers like MyDoom. This marketing tsunami hasn't stopped yet - almost a month later.
Say what you like about them: security vendors have never been slow on jumping on a bandwagon. And MyDoom is the Mother of Marketing Bandwagons, or should that be opportunities?
It used to be the case that AV fighters competed not in terms of technology but in terms of providing a more efficient service in a market with little product differentiation. That's changed over time, so that now there are a number of rival approaches competing for attention and end-user mind share.
First up are the email filtering firms such as MessageLabs and Avecho, which argue that the spread of MyDoom illustrates the shortcomings of the traditional AV scanner approaches. Virus should be filtered out from email traffic on the Net before they get anywhere near corporate boundaries.
Host-based intrusion prevention firms argue the opposite. Firms like Cisco, Prevx and others have been in touch to say that malicious code should be thwarted at the desktop using various types of behaviour-blocking technologies.
A third approach comes from all-in-one security appliance vendors, like ServGate, who reckon that MyDoom style attacks are best neutralised by appliances placed at the edge of the corporate network.
All these vendors - along with Websense's Client Application Manager, GFI's Trojan and Executable Scanner and Finjan Software's enterprise security software - blocked MyDoom proactively without the need for AV signature updates, we're assured.
That's a claim conventional AV firms can't make, not that it put them off seeking attention during the MyDoom epidemic, naturally. Traditional AV vendors, such as Panda Software, have been relegated to offering standard safe computing advice.
While it is fair enough to advise people to update AV signatures and to avoid opening unsolicited attachments, this message obviously isn't getting through to everyone. It takes only a small percentage of infected machines before the rest of us are drowning in spam.
Despite the transparent failure of the scanner approach, license sales from traditional AV vendors remain buoyant. History shows that sales - and share prices - of AV vendors rise on the back of high profile epidemics.
Now there are whole raft of alternative approaches, that market reaction might change. However, uncertainty over how these products fit in with company's existing security infrastructure could hold back progress. Services from filtering firms complement traditional AV protection, whereas intrusion prevention is often pitched as an alternative. The picture is far from clear and we expect the fog of marketing wars will hang over the industry for some time to come.
This might suit the industry - but it doesn't help users one little bit. ®
MyDoom dies today
MyDoom assault forces SCO.com off the net
Worms pour through MyDoom back door
Sobig-F is fastest growing virus ever - official
And now we are One. Many unhappy returns to SoBig
Virus writers outpace traditional AV
The trouble with anti-virus
Anti-virus industry: white knight or black hat?


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There’s at least one emoji in 35 percent of all branded Instagram captions, which shows how much emoji marketing is booming. Here’s how to do it right.
When Oxford Dictionaries announced its Word of the Year last December, emotions were mixed. There was confusion. Amusement. People laughed so hard they cried.
Wait, no. That was just the “Tears of Joy” emoji.
The emoji was chosen by Oxford University Press as the winning “word” because it embodies “the ethos, mood, and preoccupations of 2015.” But it also reflects a shift in how we communicate with each other online.
Swyft Media reported last year, that nearly three quarters of U.S. consumers use emojis, stickers, or emoticons on a regular basis. That amounts to about 6 billion emojis per day. Tears of Joy is among them. Mobile tech company SwiftKey partnered with Oxford University Press to assess its popularity, finding it to be the most-used emoji in 2015.
“Emojis are no longer the preserve of texting teens,” Oxford Dictionaries wrote in a November blog post. “Instead, they have been embraced as a nuanced form of expression, and one which can cross language barriers.”
Their voyage doesn’t end there. In recent years, emojis have migrated from consumer communications to marketing messages. Mobile marketing automation company Appboy recently studied 9,359 campaigns that used emojis, and found the use of emojis in marketing messaging increased eightfold – or by 775 percent – year over year. The occurrence of emojis in email marketing alone has grown by more than 7,100 percent since last year.
Retail, food, beverage, and gaming brands have all upped their emoji output since the start of 2015. The greatest incidence of them was during the holidays.
Emojis may be the marketing accessory of the moment – 35 percent of brand captions on Instagram (Read more...) them – but using them effectively isn’t without its challenges. If you, like many digital marketers, plan to employ more emojis this year, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Make sure they add value…
Think of emojis as the buttercream on the cupcake: they’ll enhance your marketing message, but can turn a customer’s stomach if they’re all you’ve got to give. Incorporate them in a way that complements your offer, but remember that the message is what counts.
Consider your product, the season, and time of day, and choose emojis that mirror them.
— Dunkin' Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) March 20, 2016
— L'Oréal Paris USA (@LOrealParisUSA) April 14, 2016
Cater to your followers
Get to know your users and their own emojis of choice. Featuring these in your future messages can help you attract their attention.
If it’s applicable to your campaign objectives, try targeting your emojis by country, state, or social network. The most-Tweeted emojis of 2015 were Tears of Joy, the while the heart was most popular on Instagram. The face with hearts in its eyes was number two on both platforms.
Don’t overuse them
Emojis can help your message stand out and even evoke a stronger response, but if you find yourself peppering every message with emojis, adopt a more discerning approach.
Appboy notes, “Too frequent or improper use could desensitize your audience to this powerful messaging format and potentially impair your brand’s image and relevance.”
Instead, be thoughtful and play up your product.
#WednesdayWisdom Behind every great woman, is a great shoe closet. 💁🚪👠👢👡👟
— DSW Shoe Warehouse (@DSWShoeLovers) April 13, 2016
Maneesh Sah, head of marketing Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa at Aon Hewitt, says marketing in the digital age is having a credibility crisis.
As we've seen in the digital age, any industry can be disrupted at any time. But those with obvious inefficiencies are the most vulnerable.
The most important point about bridging traditional and digital marketing is that marketing is ultimately about retention, not acquisition.


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Netflix has launched three new video games on its platform for Android. The addition of Wonderputt Forever, Knittens and Dominoes Cafe now takes the variety of whole video games to 10. Previously, the video streaming platform provided Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, Teeter Up, Asphalt Xtreme and Bowling Ballers. Just just like the earlier video games, the brand new ones can even be obtainable to obtain and play at no further price for Netflix subscribers. Netflix could launch these new video games on iOS quickly.
The addition of those video games was first spotted by Android Police, and Gadgets 360 was capable of affirm them independently. The new video games Wonderputt Forever, Knittens and Dominoes Cafe could be downloaded by way of Play Store. You also can discover Bowling Ballers and Asphalt Xtreme video games that have been reportedly added “less than two weeks ago”.
Android customers who need to play the brand new video games can decide them by the devoted video games row or video games tab obtainable on the Netflix app for cell gadgets. They also can use the classes menu on tablets, after which obtain the chosen video games by way of the Google Play retailer. You also can search for the sport on the Play Store and set up it from there. Once downloaded, the video games will likely be obtainable for entry instantly by the Netflix app.
As talked about, the Netflix subscribers are free to obtain and play. Netflix isn’t charging any further charges for providing cell video games on its platform.


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PITTSBURGH, Sept. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DICK'S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the official sporting goods retail sponsor of Team USA, announced today its roster of winter U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Contenders that are being supported by the Company through flexible employment or sponsorship agreements.
Headlining the roster of 41 U.S. Winter Olympic and Paralympic Contenders are Team USA hopefuls figure skater Ashley Wagnerand women's hockey goalie Alex Rigsby. In addition to serving as an ambassador for the Contenders program, Rigsby is employed as a DICK'S Store Associate as she trains for Team USA in the lead up to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. Rigsby credits the Contender program as the first job that has provided the flexibility to accommodate her intense training schedule, and hopes the program can generate awareness of the financial need of many U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls.
"This program provides an amazing opportunity to athletes like me who need assistance to fund our dreams of playing for Team USA," said Rigsby. "I've really enjoyed working at DICK'S Sporting Goods and helping customers select the gear they need to enjoy the sports they love. It's been a really rewarding experience."
The Contenders are offered flexible work schedules and competitive compensation, allowing them to devote the necessary time for training to be part of Team USA at future Olympic or Paralympic Games. For the winter 2017-2018 season, 41 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from ten different sports are participating in the program, currently working in 24 stores across 17 states.
"As a longtime supporter of athletes at all levels, DICK'S is extremely proud to support U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls in a way that makes a truly meaningful difference in their ability to pursue their Team USA dreams," said Scott Hudler, Senior Vice President and CMO, DICK'S Sporting Goods. "We know that flexibility in work schedule that gives our Contenders the time and funding to train and compete is critical to their ability to represent our country at the highest level, and we are incredibly happy to be able to provide that."
DICK'S announced the Contenders program in February 2015, and to-date has employed or sponsored over 300 Contenders training to make Team USA. In 2016, more than 15 percent of athletes enrolled in the Company's program went on to represent Team USA at the Olympic or Paralympic Games in Rio. Those 42 athletes brought home a total of 23 Olympic and Paralympic medals (11 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze).
"DICK'S Sporting Goods' commitment to Team USA through their sponsorship of the USOC and the Contenders program is making a real impact for those striving to achieve their Olympic and Paralympic dreams," said Lisa Baird, USOC Chief Marketing Officer. "We are thrilled that this program continues to grow and we are proud that DICK'S is a part of the USOC family of partners."
A current roster of the Team USA Contenders working at DICK'S Sporting Goods stores across the nation includes the following winter-sport athletes:
About DICK'S Sporting Goods Founded in 1948, DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of July 29, 2017, the Company operated more than 700 DICK'S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a blend of dedicated associates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Lodge/Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DICK'S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as DICK'S Team Sports HQ, an all-in-one youth sports digital platform offering free league management services, mobile apps for scheduling, communications and live scorekeeping, custom uniforms and FanWear and access to donations and sponsorships. DICK'S offers its products through a content-rich eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides customers with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront. For more information, visit the Press Room or Investor Relations pages at dicks.com.


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MILLIONS of Brits say they have had to change their lives to cope with soaring
An exclusive survey for The Sun reveals today that 41 per cent of motorists
are using their car less to save cash.
Twenty-five per cent are spending less money elsewhere — in a huge threat to
the economic recovery.
And five per cent — one in 20 people — have bought a smaller car to manage
their fuel bill.
The shock findings in a YouGov poll came as the number of people who have
signed our Keep It Down petition rose to 61,670 yesterday.
We are calling on Chancellor George Osborne to freeze fuel duty or bring in a
fuel stabiliser — fulfilling the Tories’ election pledge.
Last night supermarket giant Asda added its support to our campaign to win a
fair deal for drivers at the pumps.
Commercial director Phil Briggs said: “It’s costing families up to £10 more to
fill their cars than a year ago. Anything that can be done to soften the
blow has to be good.”
Our poll reveals 68 per cent of people want fuel duty to come DOWN and
60 per cent believe fixing it is more important than tackling Britain’s
Some 73 per cent support a fuel stabiliser — where duty would fall when oil
prices rise to “smooth out” pump prices. Worryingly for Mr Osborne, support
for this is strongest among Conservative voters.
More than half of Brits (52 per cent) want the issue sorted before the Budget
Experts say the planned April 1 duty hike of 1p plus inflation could push pump
prices up by as much as 4.5p.
The cost of petrol is rising at its highest rate for ten years.
Last night the AA said unleaded had hit a new high — averaging 128.38p per
litre across the UK. Diesel is 132.92p.
Combined petrol and diesel sales for the first nine months of 2010 were
1.27billion litres fewer than that period in 2007.


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Drive Type: -
Model: Model A
Sun City, California, United States
Ford has done it again. Like in April of 1964, there is once again an all-new Mustang Convertible sitting on the observation deck of New York City's Empire State Building. This has been in the making for a little while, with the first report that Ford would recreate the sky-high publicity stunt coming out a few weeks back.
The process of getting the Mustang up there wasn't exactly easy. A Troy, MI-based company chopped up the new droptop, a necessary evil to get the Mustang on the Empire State Building's only freight elevator that runs to the 86th floor observation deck. But it was slightly more involved than just taking the car apart. The company, DST, built a mockup of the ESB's freight elevators, and then practiced its cuts on a second pre-production Mustang Convertible (measure twice, cut once).
The result of all this work are the images you see above. Yes, sitting in the crisp, morning air of midtown Manhattan, over 1,000 feet up, is this brilliant, Triple Yellow Mustang. Take a look up top for our gallery of images from today's event. You can also scroll down for videos and images of the process leading up to the ESB debut.
The attractive new 2013 Ford Fusion has done wonders for the brand in the highly competitive midsize sedan segment - the vehicle is up nearly 22 percent compared to last year. But that sales momentum may soon hold steady due to low inventory levels of the new Fusion across the United States.
According to a report in The Detroit News, citing automotive data and Ward's Auto, Ford currently has a 39-day supply of the Fusion. That might sound fine, but a normally healthy average is about a 60-day supply. If Ford were to stop production on the Fusion today, there would only be enough vehicles available to get through another five weeks of sales, according to the News.
Currently, Ford produces the Fusion at its three-shift assembly plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, and will add production at its facility in Flat Rock, MI later this year. A Ford spokesperson told The Detroit News that when Flat Rock production comes online, the automaker will need to rush new stock out to the regions with the most demand for the Fusion. Ford has doubled its coastal retail market share, with huge amounts of growth in areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami, the News reports.
Now that we've poured over the 2015 Ford Mustang in its standard form, it's time to look ahead. We already knew (and heard - literally) that Ford was working on a higher-performance version of its 'Stang to replace the Shelby GT500, and earlier reports have stated that it will simply be called the GT350.
We don't have a ton of detail to go on, but this latest set of spy photos clearly shows a hood-mounted air scoop, which suggests a forced-induction powerplant is under the hood. However, this disagrees with earlier reports that the GT350 will be all motor, using a naturally aspirated engine to send massive horsepower to the rear wheels. Our spies also point out the functional vent aft of the front wheels to allow for better airflow, and the massive quad exhaust pipes can be seen, clear as day.
Expect to see the Mustang GT350 in April, when it debuts at the New York Auto Show in conjunction with the Pony's 50th anniversary. In the meantime, have a look at our gallery above to see the latest shots of the hot Mustang out testing.


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Inflation concerns haven’t been enough to deter Americans from spending, a new study found, they are just using credit card rewards to cushion some of the blow.
Nearly half of credit cardholders are leaning on their rewards to offset rising costs of everyday purchases, according to a recent Wells Fargo study, with two-thirds of millennials reporting so. Nine in 10 of the more than 2,000 U.S. adults surveyed said they were concerned about inflation, and almost two-thirds of rewards cardholders cared about their rewards now more than ever.
The results underscore how hard Americans have been hit by rising prices, currently running near 40-year highs, though softening a bit in July, with credit cardholders using their rewards for basic expenses to ease their cash flow, the report said.
“It’s not surprising to me that across all segments of our portfolio [millennials] rely on their credit card rewards to offset some costs of everyday purchases,” told Krista Phillips, executive vice president and head of branded cards and marketing for Wells Fargo. “They make up a big cohort of customers… and we know these little redemption items really alleviate some of that extra expense when it comes to inflation.”
The pressure of inflation has pushed many Americans to take on more credit card debt.
Credit card balances increased $46 billion in the second quarter, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a 5.5% increase from the first quarter. While balances remain below their pre-pandemic levels, the 13% year-over-year increase marked the largest annual gain in more than 20 years.
“Americans are borrowing more, but a big part of the increased borrowing is attributable to higher prices,” researchers for the New York Fed said in a press statement.
The Wells Fargo study reflects that pattern.
About 45% of those surveyed said they increased their credit card use during the pandemic as prices jumped across the board. The top expenses rewards credit cardholders used their earned points on included groceries (62%), gas (51%), restaurants (43%), and travel or transit (30%).
After travel and transit expenses, more than a quarter of cardholders used their rewards to cushion emergencies, followed by entertainment and home improvements and bills.
Still, not all used their credit card benefits to their full advantage. Just over half of rewards cardholders said they focused on high-value ticket items when they used their credit card and 38% said they had not cashed in on all of their available rewards this year.
Additionally, some 13% of rewards cardholders didn’t have a full understanding of how their rewards program works.
To make the most of your rewards, you should look into all of your credit card redemption options, “accelerator categories” and cashback programs when choosing a rewards card, Phillips said. There are specialized rewards cards that allow you to save on everyday expenses, while others focus on travel.
“Customers are choosing their card products for the earnings,” Phillips said. “In general, customers love rewards and the idea they can pay themselves back, and they do add up.”
Despite higher prices, many Americans are still eager to travel. Approximately, 63% are ready to travel again in the next six months despite any challenges, with a third (34%) saying they plan to “go big” on their next trip.
“I personally took my first vacation a couple of months ago to the Bahamas with my husband, which was long overdue, so I’m not surprised that people are planning a vacation even though they are tightening their belts due to inflation costs,” Phillips said. “They’re just looking for ways to make their credit card rewards spending go a long way to be more cost effective.”
But not all Americans can afford to, even if they have rewards to lean on. A third of those surveyed said high gas prices forced them to cancel a road trip this summer, while 37% said they are not planning a vacation at all. A fifth of respondents said they are planning a staycation to avoid expensive travel costs altogether.


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Chinese electronics manufacturer, Hisense acquires Toshiba unit for $114m
Chinese electronics manufacturer, Hisense has acquired 95 percent shares of Toshiba Visual Corporation (TVS), the television business subsidiary of the Toshiba Corporation at a cost of 12. 9 Japanese Yuan, about $114 million. A statement said this acquisition includes Toshiba TV productions, brands and operations service worldwide.
The statement said the Toshiba Corporation management would however retain 5 percent of the business total shareholding.
Until this development, the statement said Toshiba dominated the global television technology and market shares for 142 years and boasts an incredible shares across Asia, America , Europe and Latin America.
Lin Hongxin, CEO, Hisense Group, in the statement lauded the major acquisition and assured all stakeholders of the company’s determination to optimize Toshiba’s resources in research and development, supply chain and global sales channels and support each other in display technology to provide competitive content, operation services for Smart TVs in the global market as well as to accomplish sustained fast-growth and hold on to the Japanese market.
The statement further said that in the last 12 months, Toshiba had ranked number 3 in the Japanese market while Hisense’s TV’s market share is the highest among all foreign brands.
“In Nigeria, Hisense has been equally visible with product sales and services nationwide through its proxy Fouani Nigeria Limited. Only recently, it opened it showroom in Port Harcourt while other outlets are billed for opening in Kano, Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja soon.
Hongxin further said that Hisense with the benefit of Toshiba acquisition will develop and enlarge its international strategy for TV business for research and development, branding and marketing by operating other multiple brands. “The cooperation between Hisense and Toshiba will surely drive fresh innovations in the picture of TV business globally”, he said.
Big Read |


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Nuts Look Like a Miracle Food In February 2013, one of the largest dietary clinical trials ever published showed that eating fat could protect you from heart attacks and strokes. How did the researchers find this out? By making people add nuts and olive oil to their diets.
- The randomized controlled trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was called PREDIMED (for Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea), and it was one of the biggest and most rigorous nutrition studies ever conducted.
- In the study, researchers from Spain assigned nearly 8,000 overweight and diabetic (or otherwise at risk for heart disease) people to follow a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either nuts or olive oil. A third group, the control group, followed a low-fat diet.
Those in the nut group were told to eat a large handful of walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts daily, in addition to the standard Mediterranean diet. The other Mediterranean group was instructed to consume a liter of olive oil each week. The trial was designed to run for many years, but it was stopped early, after just five years, because the benefits of eating nuts and olive oil became so clearly enormous it would have been unethical to force the control group to stay on the low-fat diet!
Those who ate nuts every day reduced their risk of having a heart attack by 30 percent. Any drug that could produce that effect would be a blockbuster. In fact, eating nuts slashed the risk of a heart attack as much as taking a statin—but without any of the side effects (or expense).
In later studies that further analyzed the PREDIMED data, scientists found that compared to the low-fat diet group, the subjects who ate nuts lost more belly fat and had greater reductions in blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and inflammation.
Another clinical trial published in the journal BMJ Open in 2014 compared people assigned to eat a low-fat vegan diet with a group of people who were instructed to eat a high-fat vegan diet that included nuts, avocados, and olive oil. The group that consumed more nuts and other high- fat foods lost more weight and saw greater improvements in their cholesterol and other heart disease risk factors.
Read More About: [pii_email_37f47c404649338129d6]


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The iPhone 5 is a mythical device that supposedly boosts the fortunes of any carrier lucky enough to offer it. T-Mobile was only just recently allowed to the carry the sacred device, and now Virgin Mobile is the latest to offer it.
Virgin Mobile announced today that it will be offering the iPhone 5 starting June 28. As the carrier is pre-paid only, consumers will have to pay the full price of the device. The 16GB iPhone 5 will be sold online, in stores and at Radio Shack for $550. The larger 32GB and 64GB iPhone 5s will only be available via Virgin Mobile’s Web site for $650 and $750 respectively.
You might not like the idea of paying the full price of the phone upfront, but at Virgin Mobile’s service is pretty cheap. All iPhone 5 users on Virgin Mobile will be enrolled in the carrier’s Beyond Talk plan. For $35 a month, consumers will unlimited data and unlimited text. It should be noted, however, that the plan only gives you full speed 4G data for the first 2.5GB of data per month. After that, your speeds will be throttled.
With Virgin Mobile now on board, I think we can safely say that the iPhone 5 is now available on just about every major carrier. Now we can look forward to the iPhone 5 hitting the smaller carriers like TracFone. Wouldn’t it be fun to buy pre-paid data cards?


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Agriculture Minister Porozhanov Met with Moroccan Ambassador Zakia El Midaoui
February 19 (BTA) - Bulgarian Agriculture, Food and
Forestry Minister Roumen Porozhanov met with Moroccan Ambassador
Zakia El Midaoui on Tuesday, his ministry said. The two
discussed the European market, which Porozhanov defined as
primary for Bulgarian producers, and as strongly competitive.
The minister noted that for Bulgaria, relations with countries
outside the EU are just as important, and that local farmers and
manufacturers should have the opportunity to enter good markets
such as Morocco and North Africa.
The Ambassador noted that Morocco is a distribution centre of
goods for the rest of Africa and could be seen as a platform for
Bulgarian exporters, while Bulgaria, on its part, is a door to
the Balkans. A joint Bulgarian-Moroccan Chamber of Commerce will
be established to strengthen the commercial and economic
cooperation between the two countries.
Porozhanov noted that big investments in either of the countries
are a complex process but that mutual interest will make their
Midaoui invited Bulgarian firms to participate in the biggest
Moroccan agriculture exhibition which takes place on April
16-21. In 2018, there were representatives of over 70 countries,
23 of which African, and over one million visitors. RY/TH


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Industry insiders say ease of use is most important in frictionless checkout.
NATIONAL REPORT — Frictionless checkout, which allows brick-and-mortar customers to purchase items without having to go through a cashier system, is gaining momentum fast.
“Frictionless checkout technology is giving people the opportunity to stay in their bubble and not have to interact with others. They still have the opportunity to ask an employee for help if needed, but they do not have to interact face-to-face,” said Michael Jaszczyk, CEO of software company GK Software USA.
E-commerce giant Amazon is credited as being the first to bring frictionless checkout to the U.S. retail market with the January 2018 opening of its Amazon Go store in Seattle. The store’s “Just Walkout Technology” enables customers to grab items off the shelves and walk out without checking out. Customers merely need to scan their smartphone using the Amazon Go app upon entry, and are charged for the goods picked up during their shopping trip upon exiting.
Frictionless checkout recently hit the convenience channel when Ricker’s announced that it will roll out Skip, a hybrid of mobile pay and the Amazon Go concept, to its 58 c-stores throughout Indiana. Skip's technology reduces the speed of checkout from an average of 60 seconds to an instant pay-and-go action controlled by the customer.
The advent of true autonomous checkout technology is still in its early innings, according to Michael Suswal, co-founder and chief operating officer of Standard Cognition, a startup with its own artificial intelligence (AI) platform that allows buyers to grab what they want without having to go to a cashier.
“Amazon’s store in Seattle does a terrific job of showing what that experience will be like. That said, Amazon’s technology is not appropriate for other retailers and their varying retail environments,” he said. “Amazon has created a new store around technology it has developed, not technology for existing retail stores.”
Tracey Wiedmeyer, chief technology officer for InContext Solutions, a provider of enterprise mixed and virtual reality solutions focused on retail optimization and shopper engagement, agrees that frictionless checkout is a really new technology and it’s too early to say whose approach is best.
“Clearly, Amazon has been the leader here and since they have such a huge following, there’s a lot of trust in their decisions, so people are always excited to see what they’re going to do next. And there are others, like Walmart or Kroger, who are hot on their heels,” Wiedmeyer said. “…But while Amazon Go and some other players in the space are beta testing right now, there’s not been enough data or any true examples to compare yet.”
Requisites for SuccesS
Whatever the approach, Jaszczyk advises that ease of use is the foremost requisite for success.
“I heard of one grocer who implemented a mobile self-scanning solution and the consumer had to put weight-based items on scales in the store, type in a three-digit PLU code, print a sticker, put it on a plastic bag, and then scan it with the mobile app. This is not ease of use,” he said. “In an ideal world, the scale would use image recognition to identify the product and then use NFC to transfer the information to the self-scanning device.”
Those who leverage cutting-edge technologies to “train their systems” are going to be the fastest and most efficient, according to Wiedmeyer. He explained that any sophisticated machine-learning algorithm needs loads of training data to recognize real-world objects and relevant contextual actions with any degree of confidence and accuracy. And when applied to cashierless checkout scenarios, the problem set multiplies rapidly.
“You have to think about the thousands of SKUs in the store, the way they are placed, what it looks like when someone picks it up vs. puts it in their cart, and then what people look like and how they behave. It’s incredibly intricate,” Wiedmeyer noted.
One way to train algorithms is with video feeds or static images of real-life objects. A better way to do so, he believes, is with virtual simulations — that is, 3D digital versions of products and store environments that allow these computers to rapidly run millions of different scenarios.
Standard Cognition’s Suswal has a list of five must-dos he says are requisites to making any approach to autonomous checkout a viable market solution:
1. Privacy: Shoppers deserve a solution that serves their needs without compromising their privacy.
2. Scalability: Any autonomous checkout solution must be scalable without requiring long and complicated installations, including potentially shutting down the store.
3. Experience: Autonomous checkout must allow retailers to delight customers. Two of the biggest complaints most U.S. retailers receive from customers are long wait times in line and poor customer service.
4. Flexibility: Autonomous checkout should give retailers the ability to amplify their brand with their customers. The fewer hardware types used in autonomous checkout, the more flexible a store can be with its merchandising and brand experience. Payment flexibility is also important. A viable solution must accept cash, credit and other popular payment methods.
5. Insights: Retail analytics are valuable, but they must be seen through the lens of privacy. A lot of information can be gathered by retailers, but should have no connection to any specific individual.
Download our full report, “Frictionless Checkout Gains Traction,” by clicking below.


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Balaji Telefilms is poised to rake in a turnover of close to Rs 1000 million at the end of the current financial year. The seven-year-old production house, which specialises in hooking the middle class, middle-aged Indian woman to the small screen, is now eyeing youth and the entire family. Balaji plans to enter the arena of weekend programming shortly, directing house-bound families to even more soaps.
According to Sanjay Dosi, CEO of Balaji, the production house is not likely to deviate from its tried and tested formula of the tear-jerking family drama, which has reaped rich harvests for the company.
Balaji Telefilms Limited (BTL) is currently riding high on the wave of its successes, with talks doing the rounds of the industry that following the examples of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii on Star Plus, the company would be hiking the rates for Kkusum, being aired on Sony.
Balaji has recently put two serials, Kavyanjali and Kutumbam Oru Kodu on Vijay TV. On Star Plus, meanwhile, the soap Kasautii Zindagi Kay, touted as a musical love story, is poised to go on air from 29 October.
Balaji continues to do well on the stock exchange, making it the only media company which has had a successful year after launching its IPO in November 2000.
Balaji’s turnover has been jumping by leaps and bounds. From a turnover of RS 200.9 million in 1999-2000, it posted revenues of RS 489 million in the last financial year. And at a time where everyone seems to be revising their growth targets, the company is expecting a growth rate of 100 per cent this year.


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Walmart Changing Hours to Restock and Sanitize
If you've tried to go shopping over the past few days, you may have noticed that most stores are sold out of essentials like food, toilet paper and cleaning supplies. To help combat the overwhelming demand and to clean the stores, Walmart is changing their business hours nationwide to give staff a chance to clean and restock.
The change will go into effect starting today. Under the new policy, stores and neighborhood markets will open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Stores with shorter hours will retain their existing schedules.
Walmart US Executive Vice President Dacona Smith, in a prepared statement, says “I don’t think any of us have been through an experience like this.” Smith added that the change is to ensure “associates are able to stock the products” that are in demand.
Several other major retailers and businesses are considering changes to their policies to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus.


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Unmanned driving is tested on many roads in China. Smart malls are becoming more and more popular. Smart cities make life more efficient and convenient ... With the commercialization of 5G, artificial intelligence has been widely used and smart economy has become a new hot spot.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology proposes to strive to achieve 5G network coverage in all prefecture-level cities nationwide by the end of 2020. Industry experts generally believe that network optimization and upgrading will promote the rapid rise of the smart economy, and the curtain of a smart society is opening.
Smart economy accelerates its start
Automatically avoid pedestrians or obstacles, change lanes and overtake in dotted lines ... In some neighborhoods in Changsha, Hunan, these "actions" that used to require the driver to drive carefully can now be completed by smart connected cars. Not long ago, Baidu's self-driving taxis were put into trial operation on some test sections in Changsha. Beijing has also launched the first batch of self-driving man-carrying tests. Driverless cars are running on more and more urban roads.
Cars are smarter and roads are smarter. Nowadays, many cities have upgraded their infrastructure informationization, and explored the construction of intelligent transportation through big data guidance and intelligent sensor analysis. Research data show that only intelligent signal control can reduce traffic delay time by more than 20%.
With the optimization and upgrading of the network foundation, the application scenarios of artificial intelligence have been rapidly expanded, and the application scope has been rapidly expanded. In Wangfujing, Beijing, the “Smart Commercial Street Operating System” created by JD.com is expected to achieve intelligent management and control of security and drainage; in Xiongan, Hebei, Suning and shops jointly build a retail cloud store to allow full selection of locations, logistics, and services Intelligent; In Wuxi, Wuhan, Guiyang and other places, information technology accelerates operations to education, medical care, security and other fields, and smart cities have shifted from overall planning to comprehensive construction.
The "New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan" proposes that China's artificial intelligence industry will become a new important economic growth point in 2020, and the application of artificial intelligence technology will become a new way to improve people's livelihood. The scale of related industries driven by artificial intelligence exceeds 1 trillion yuan. As of June 2019, the number of artificial intelligence companies in China has exceeded 1,200.
"The digital economy has entered a new stage of the intelligent economy with artificial intelligence as its core driving force." Li Yanhong, founder of Baidu, believes that the rapid upgrading of information technology has promoted the rapid realization of intelligence in various industries. Data-driven, human-machine collaboration, cross-border integration, and co-creation and sharing have gradually formed an intelligent economic form.
5G injects more imagination
The high-speed ubiquitous 5G network allows more and more devices to be used without a screen, mobile, or remote. 5G is like a catalyst to accelerate the development and development of the smart economy.
Replacing perceptual experience with rational data, a broader field will enable intelligent management and decision-making.
What kind of "chemical reaction" will occur between intelligent technology and airport operations? JD.com gave the answer. At Daxing International Airport, JD.com uses big data to improve the efficiency of self-check-in, baggage checking, and business services. It also explores the "space-time interconnection" of hundreds of cameras and thousands of parking spaces in the parking lot, which is expected to achieve intelligent guidance and automatic Pay the fee.
Zheng Yu, chief data scientist at JD.com, said that the continuous improvement of 5G networks will support various vertical applications such as public safety, intelligent transportation, and smart energy, and build an open ecology for smart cities.
The traditional model is replaced by accurate and convenient services, and social life is more temperature-sensitive due to technology.
Entering the company address and commute time will automatically pop up the corresponding listings; after waking up, the home appliances will automatically run, and the lights will be intelligently lit before arriving at the house ... Not long ago, the smart upgrade plan was released freely, and CEO Xiong Lin said that he will use technology to provide young people more Warm lifestyle.
Using map push and big data analysis, as of January 1, 2020, the headline searcher found a total of 12,228 people, and the fastest search process was less than 60 seconds. Large-scale applications such as face recognition and intelligent hardware enable network platforms to pursue larger-scale public welfare.
"In the 5G era, intelligent technology will reshape the real world with a smaller granularity." Wang Zhiqin, deputy dean of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, said that high-speed and high-quality networks provide fertile ground for a smart economy. It is estimated that from 2020 to 2025, the total economic output directly driven by 5G commercial use in China will reach 10.6 trillion yuan, and the total economic output indirectly driven will be about 24.8 trillion yuan.
Create value with good data
In the age of intelligence, data is no longer a simple arrangement. It can affect travel, shopping, socializing, and it also represents countless possibilities and a whole new world.
Some analysts believe that by 2020, more than 50 billion machines and equipment will be interconnected, and more than 200 billion connected sensors will generate massive data. Data will bring greater "magic". How to use data scientifically and efficiently is vital to the development of industry and society.
Make data “flow” better. "The greatness of data lies in integration." Wang Zhiqin said that at present, China's data resources are still open and shared. The data quality is not high, and the data resources are not flowing smoothly. To realize the full potential of data, the first step is to break the barriers to use.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology proposes that it will promote the collection, integration, sharing and utilization of industry data resources, innovate cooperation models, and support telecommunications, Internet, and industrial fields to take the lead in developing cross-industry big data applications. With smart city construction as the starting point, Sharing is the way to promote integrated development.
Let the application return to the value itself. To make good use of data, we need to make data more efficient for the economy and more likely to improve people's livelihood. Establish a platform to share resources with ecological enterprises, promote inclusive values through algorithms, use information technology to help overcome poverty, and promote science and technology to become the industry's voice and industry development direction.
"Intelligent technology is infiltrating into various fields, and norms and feedback mechanisms need to be established." Zhang Qinkun, secretary general of the Tencent Research Institute, believes that the development of the intelligent economy requires the input and supervision of all parties. On the one hand, we should strengthen the prevention of deep-fake technologies such as AI face-changing, and curb traffic counterfeiting at the source. On the other hand, we must always put demand at the core, ensure information security from the institutional mechanism, protect the public's right to know, Right of participation and supervision.