text:
Inflation-Strapped Rideshare Drivers Get Cash Offer from Hyundai and Firefly. This is an IoT-meets-Advertising Startup Backed by Google Ventures. These types of cash offers will propel critical EV adoption and growth.
Gas Prices and Chip Shortages Push Costs
With gas prices reaching an all-time high and chip shortages pushing the cost of vehicles to stratospheric levels, the rideshare industry is fast approaching a crisis point. Unfortunately, the crisis’s point is amplified, ironically enough, by low unemployment levels, which often disincentive drivers with easy access to jobs paying competitive rates.
The cities most dependent on rideshare services will also feel this pinch when pulling the camera back.
Firefly — A Google Ventures-Backed Startup
One possible solution was just announced by Firefly, a Google Ventures-backed startup that’s not actually in the rideshare space. Instead, the company creates and manages high-res smart screens on taxis and rideshare services operating in cities across the US.
If you’ve ordered a Lyft or Uber in Los Angeles, New York, and other metro areas, chances are you rode with a driver partnered with Firefly, visible by the large cartop display screen. These screens not only display ads, but because they essentially have all the functionality of a giant iPhone, they can serve customizable ads.
Having customizable local area ads serves the entire local area with an audience that can bring in revenue if they choose. In addition, ads can cover current environmental conditions with relevant ads. For example, if it’s a cold and rainy day, you might see a cartop ad suggesting you try a nearby ramen joint.
Firefly is Digital Ads-Meet-the Internet of Things
So basically, Firefly is digital ads-meet-the Internet of Things. Over the years, rideshare drivers and fleet owners have used this option to earn extra income during their shifts. This new announcement, a partnership with Hyundai Motor America, takes this functionality to the next level.
“The idea is to leverage the revenue we already share with rideshare drivers to help finance new vehicles pre-integrated with our smart screens,” founder and CEO Kaan Gunay explained in a recent conversation.
Qualified Drivers Lease Options
Dubbed Hyundai Drive-by Firefly, the program gives qualified drivers the option of leasing a new Hyundai while earning cash benefits that can total up to $3,600 a year on the high end. That’s about enough to cover most of the monthly lease fee – and more than cover the recent increase in gas costs. The program also covers the car giant’s EV and hybrid vehicles line, which is very much by design.
“We’re thrilled that Hyundai Motor America shares our vision to totally reinvent the future mobility while using programs like ours to grow adoption of zero-emission vehicles,” Kaan tells me.
Good for the Environment
While EVs and hybrids are good for the environment, their high purchase price can be bad for many people’s wallets. State and federal tax rebates somewhat reduce that cost – at the high end, a California buyer can get a rebate of up to $9500 total from the state and feds – but even the most affordable EVs can have a starting price between $30,000-$40,000.
Kaan’s vision is not just to give advertisers a new way of connecting with consumers. Ultimately, he wants to help build the architecture for smart cities that are sustainably green, and digital ads subsidize public transportation.
To illustrate that goal, Kaan showed me slides from a recent vision for the future of mobility that Firefly created in partnership with Hyundai. These companies imagine cities where public transportation is powered by autonomous EV vehicles, which look very different from cars today, architected for comfort and mass transit, subsidized by dynamic advertising displays that wrap around the entire body.
Optimized Vehicle Traffic in Real-Time
Incorporated into a network that encompasses a whole urban area, location-aware technology like this can help create smart cities where vehicle traffic can be optimized in real-time. This trend can be further accelerated when vehicles reach a point where autonomous robotaxis can freely operate within cities.
The Hyundai/Firefly initiative suggests a path where robotaxis might eventually be offered entirely free to end-users, fully subsidized by advertising.
Transforming How We Live and Work
“We’re at an inflection point where IoT, mobility, and ad tech can come together to transform how we live and work,” as Gunay put it. “And the need to experiment with new ways to accelerate EV adoption is more crucial than it’s ever been before.”
While it’s too early to say how well this specific program will fare, it’s exciting to see an established automotive company working with an agile startup on new ideas like this. At the very least, it’s a significant test case for other IoT-powered collaborations which also seek to reinvent how cities can sustainably operate in the future.
Much Needed Revenue for Inflation Weary Drivers
In the meantime, the program offers much-needed revenue for inflation-weary drivers and owners of rideshare fleets. In the program’s first phase, Firefly is enrolling drivers and fleet operators who purchase new Hyundai vehicles through this program.
Participants can go here to request interest in the pilot program.
Image Credit: Mike; Pexels; Thank you!


text:
Editor’s Note: Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Greener newsletter. Our limited series of newsletters guides you on how to minimize your personal role in the climate crisis – and reduce your eco-anxiety.
Fish caught in the fresh waters of the nation’s streams and rivers and in the Great Lakes contain dangerously high levels of PFOS, short for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, a known synthetic toxin phased out by the federal government, according to a US Environmental Agency data study. USA. Protection Agency.
The PFOS chemical is part of a family of manufactured additives known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which have been widely used since the 1950s to make consumer products non-stick and resistant to stains, water and grease.
Dubbed “eternal chemicals” because they don’t break down easily in the environment, PFAS have seeped into the nation’s drinking water through public water systems and private wells. The chemicals then build up in the bodies of fish, shellfish, livestock, dairy products and game animals that people eat, experts say.
“PFOS levels found in freshwater fish often exceed a staggering 8,000 parts per trillion,” said study co-author David Andrews, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental health organization that analyzed the data. The report was published on Wednesday in the journal Environmental Research.
By comparison, the EPA only allowed 70 parts per trillion of PFOS in the nation’s drinking water. Due to growing health concerns, in 2022 the EPA recommended that the permitted level of PFOS in drinking water be reduced from 70 to 0.02 parts per trillion.
“You would have to drink an incredible amount of water – we estimate a month of contaminated water – to get the same exposure from a single serving of freshwater fish,” Andrews said.
“Consume even a single (locally captured fresh water) fish per year can measurably and significantly change blood levels of PFOS,” said Andrews.
PFAS family chemicals are linked to high cholesterol, cancer and several chronic diseases, as well as a limited antibody response to vaccines in adults and children, according to a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
“This is an important paper,” said toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program.
“Finding this level of contamination in fish across the country, even in areas not close to industry where you can expect heavy contamination, is very concerning. These chemicals are everywhere,” she said.
Read more: Doctors should test PFAS levels in high-risk people, report says
It’s nearly impossible to avoid PFAS, experts say. Manufacturers add the chemicals to thousands of products including non-stick cookware, cell phones, carpeting, clothing, makeup, furniture and food packaging.
A 2020 investigation found PFAS in the packaging of many fast foods and “environmentally friendly” molded fiber bowls and containers.
A 2021 study found PFAS in 52% of cosmetics tested, with the highest levels in waterproof mascara (82%), foundation (63%) and long-lasting lipstick (62%). Polytetrafluoroethylene, the coating on nonstick cookware, was the most common additive.
Read more: Makeup May Contain Potentially Toxic Chemicals Called PFAS, Study Finds
In fact, PFAS chemicals were found in the blood serum of 98% of Americans, according to a 2019 report using data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
“These chemicals are ubiquitous in the American environment. More than 2,800 communities across the US, including all 50 states and two territories, have documented PFAS contamination,” Dr. Ned Calonge, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health and chairman of the Academies committee that wrote the report, told CNN earlier.
Read more: Hazardous chemicals found in food packaging at leading fast-food restaurants and supermarket chains, report says
Environmental Working Group scientists used data from EPA’s own monitoring programs – the National River and Stream Assessment, which has been periodically testing stream conditions since 2008, and the Greater Human Health Fish Fillet Tissue Study Lagos, which tests lake water every five years.
“The analysis focused on wild fish caught by the EPA in rivers, streams, and the Great Lakes from 2013 to 2015, as that was the most recent data available,” Andrews said.
Contamination was widespread, affecting “almost every fish in the country,” he said. “I believe there was one sample with no detectable levels of PFOS.”
The EWG created an interactive results map with details for each state. Fish caught near urban areas contained nearly three times more PFOS and PFAS overall than those caught in non-urban locations, the study found. The highest levels were found in fish from the Great Lakes.
Analysis showed that PFOS were responsible for an average of 74% of contamination in fish. The remaining 25% was a mix of other PFAS known to be equally harmful to human health, Andrews said.
CNN reached out to the EPA for comment, but did not hear back before this story was published.
Based on the study’s findings, people who fish for sport might “strongly” consider releasing their catch rather than taking the fish home for a meal, Andrews said.
However, many people in lower socioeconomic groups, indigenous peoples and immigrants in the US depend on eating fresh fish.
“They need it to feed themselves or because it’s their culture,” Birnbaum said. “There are Native American tribes and Burmese and other immigrants who fish because they are who they are. This is fundamental to their culture. And you can’t just tell them not to fish.”
Read more: Water- and stain-resistant products contain toxic plastics, study finds. Here’s what to do
The predominant chemical in fish, PFOS, and its sibling perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, are known as “long-chain” PFAS, made up of an 8-carbon chain.
Read more: Plastics and pesticides: Health impacts of synthetic chemicals in US products have doubled in past 5 years, study finds
Manufacturers agreed in the early 2000s to voluntarily stop using Long-chain PFAS in US consumer products, although they can still be found in some imported items. Due to growing health concerns, the use of PFOS and PFOA in food packaging was phased out in 2016 by the US Food and Drug Administration.
However, the industry has reworked the chemicals into 4- and 6-carbon chains – today there are more than 9,000 different PFAS, according to the CDC. Experts say these newer versions seem to have many of the same hazardous health effects like the 8-chain PFAS, leaving consumers and the environment still at risk.
Many of these longer-chain PFAS can be stored for years in different organs in the human body, according to the National Academies report. Scientists are examining the impact of newer versions.
“Some of these chemicals have half-lives in the five-year range,” Jane Hoppin, a National Academies committee member, an environmental epidemiologist and director of the Center for Human Health and the Environment at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, told CNN. .
Read more: FDA must do more to regulate thousands of chemicals added to your food, petitioners say
“Say you have 10 nanograms of PFAS in your body right now. Even without additional exposure, five years from now you would still be 5 nanograms,” she said. “Five years later you would be 2.5 and five years after that you would be 1.25 nanograms. It would take about 25 years before all the PFAS left your body.”
That’s why it’s “no surprise” to find such high levels of PFOA in freshwater fish, said NYU Langone Health Director of Environmental Pediatrics Dr. Leonardo Trasande, who did not participate in the new study.
“These are really ‘eternal chemicals,’” Trasande said. “It reinforces the reality that we need to get all PFAS out of consumer products and people’s lives.”
#Locally #caught #fish #full #dangerous #chemicals #called #PFAS

domain: news


text:
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has said the firm is currently developing titles for current and next-gen systems simultaneously, and reiterated a 2013 release for Watch Dogs during a financial call to investors today.
According to Guillemot, costs for development on next-gen systems was not known, as the firm is working on the titles alongside current-gen systems offerings.
"For the first two years [of next gen development], because we are making our games on next gen and old gen at the same time, we expect the overall [development] costs will not increase," he said. "We don't know about the third year, when we will take full advantage of the capacity of the consoles."
Guillemot expects revenue per product to increase" and said the "lifespan of next generation games will be longer," due to new and current game elements such as microtransactions.
Titles in development for next-gen weren't mentioned, but for next year's slate, Guillemot re-confirmed Watch Dogs will release during 2013.
As for Wii U, Guillemot said Ubisoft is becoming "more and more positive" regarding the console's launch, and expects 6% of the company's sales during the second half of the current financial year to come from Wii U software sales.
"Wii U will drive the industry next year," Guillemot said.


text:
Connecting expert communities to the Forbes audience.What is this?
Post written by
CEO Frustum Inc., a consummate technologist and pioneer of functional generative design.
In 2017, additive manufacturing continued to push companies in new directions. From aerospace and medical to automotive and energy, additive manufacturing took center stage as companies sought to realize its potential innovation, financial and efficiency benefits.
While experimentation and early adoption have garnered attention and created a buzz about additive manufacturing this past year, the reality is that companies are still slowly finding their way. Boston Consulting Group noted in a recent study only 34% of U.S.-based manufacturing executives have implemented additive manufacturing practices within their companies. And, according to a UPS report, additive manufacturing represents only 0.04% of the global manufacturing market.
The reasons for the low adoption rates vary by industry, company size and product type. Initially embraced for rapid prototyping, companies now recognize the value in additive manufacturing for final production parts. A complement to traditional manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing is empowering companies to create products previously thought too complex. Primarily utilized for low-volume part production, additive manufacturing is increasingly becoming a valued part of the production process as its reliability improves daily.
Despite the progress, there are still challenges that must be addressed prior to widespread adoption, including financial considerations, certification, repeatability and a skills gap.
The upfront capital expenditures for machines and facilities necessary to support additive manufacturing are considerable. And companies must justify these costs against traditional processes such as milling or injection-molding machines.
Determining the appropriate time to invest in additive manufacturing requires consideration of where the costs will manifest themselves in the process versus traditional manufacturing processes (e.g., tooling vs. machining), as well as the entire cost structure. Any assessment must consider whether the volume and type of products being manufactured justify the transition. Decisions, however, should not rely solely on present manufacturing cost, as the long-term impact will be an entire shift in the supply chain, as discussed in my previous Forbes article, with the financial impact felt throughout.
To start, companies should consider a pilot program where costs can be contained and value can be clearly measured. This would allow the development of a business case and would likely depend on service bureaus to improve the odds of pilot success while reducing the impact of capital expenditures.


text:
The U.S. trade deficit shrank sharply in February as overseas customers snapped up American products and services, the latest sign U.S. factories are benefiting from global economic stability.
Continue Reading Below
The trade gap in goods and services fell 9.6% in February from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted $43.56 billion, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Imports fell 1.8% while exports grew 0.2%.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had projected a $44.6 billion gap.
The smaller deficit suggests the economy may have grown at a slightly stronger pace than previously thought in the first quarter and is positioned for stronger growth this spring.
After accounting for inflation, exports of goods--products ranging from tractors to pharmaceutical supplies--reached the highest level on record in February. Exports of services also grew healthily.
Overall exports have risen 7.2% this year compared to the same period a year earlier.
The decline in imports in February reflected reduced purchases of consumer goods, such as cellphones, and automobiles.
Economic growth remained sluggish overall in the first three months of the year, in part due to the persistent trade deficit. Private-sector economists estimate the economy grew at about a 1% annual rate in the first quarter, down from the fourth quarter's 2.1% expansion.
But growth is expected to rebound in the second quarter in part due to the recent increase in exports, which is leading factories to ramp up hiring and production to meet higher demand.
Other reports suggest U.S. factories are registering a pickup in business. The Institute for Supply Management said Monday its closely watched index of manufacturing activity expanded in March for the seventh consecutive month. Export orders rose to the highest level since November 2013.
The U.S. economy runs a trade gap because Americans households and companies buy many goods and commodities--including cars, oil and beef--from other regions like Asia, Europe and South America.
The U.S. trade deficit has gained political significance over the past two years with the ascendance of Donald Trump to the presidency. President Trump made the nation's trade deficit with China a key theme of his presidential campaign, accusing the Asian nation of manipulating its currency at the expense of U.S. exporters.
President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are set to meet Thursday.
Tuesday's report showed the value of imports from China declined at a record pace in February. However, that figure is not adjusted for seasonal factors and may have been distorted by the Chinese New Year.
The U.S. trade gap with China has fallen 4.9% this year compared to the same period last year. Still, the U.S.'s deficit with China is larger than it is with any other country.
The Commerce Department report on trade can be found at http://www.census.gov/ft900.
By Josh Mitchell and Jeffrey Sparshott


text:
For Immediate Release
Anna Ghosh, aghosh(at)fwwatch
USDA Records Reveal Political Pressure to Allow Chinese Chicken Imports
Food & Water Watch submits petition to remove China from list of eligible exporters of poultry products
WASHINGTON - Food & Water Watch today submitted a Citizen Petition asking the
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) to remove the People’s Republic of China from the list of
countries eligible to export processed poultry products to the United
Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Food & Water Watch
has found that the USDA’s process for approving a rule that would grant
China permission to export processed poultry products to the United
States has been flawed and serious mistakes were made due to pressure on
the agency to allow the imports to begin as soon as possible.
“In the long running saga of whether or not the U.S. should allow
poultry processed in China to enter the United States, we now have
evidence of instances where the USDA broke its own rules,” said Food
& Water Watch’s Executive Director Wenonah Hauter. “The USDA’s first
responsibility is to protect U.S. consumers from unnecessary food
safety risks – not rush through the process to help trade negotiators
open the Chinese market to U.S. beef.”
Food & Water Watch has been fighting for more careful scrutiny of
proposed Chinese poultry exports to the U.S. since 2005. Through a
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed with FSIS, the consumer
advocacy non-profit has uncovered several flaws in the process to
include China on the list of approved importers. Some of the most
troubling findings include:
- In its haste to get a final rule announced in time for a visit to
the United States by the Chinese President in 2006, USDA missed required
steps in the approval process and failed to send the rule to the USDA
Office of Civil Rights for review;
- USDA staff made incorrect public statements that consumers would be
able to avoid Chinese poultry imports, despite the fact that country of
origin labeling requirements would not apply to processed poultry
- Pressure on the USDA to approve the rule was based in part on U.S.
efforts to reopen the U.S. beef trade with China, which was banned after
mad cow disease was discovered in a cow in Washington State in 2003;
- FSIS provided different sets of data for the potential economic
impact of processed poultry imports from China on the domestic poultry
“China’s food safety system is virtually non-existent,” said Hauter.
“USDA needs to do a thorough evaluation of whether this is a country
that can safely produce processed poultry products for the U.S. market.
They shouldn’t rush through the process for political reasons.”
Download the Citizen Petition,
which includes details of Food & Water Watch’s FOIA findings and a
history of the FSIS rule to add the People’s Republic of China to the
list of countries eligible to export processed poultry products..
This is the world we live in. This is the world we cover.
Because of people like you, another world is possible. There are many battles to be won, but we will battle them together—all of us. Common Dreams is not your normal news site. We don't survive on clicks. We don't want advertising dollars. We want the world to be a better place. But we can't do it alone. It doesn't work that way. We need you. If you can help today—because every gift of every size matters—please do. Without Your Support We Won't Exist.
Please select a donation method:
Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challenge the corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transforming the public consciousness about what we eat and drink.


text:
The Italian designer Alessandro Enriquez reinterprets the brand of Felix The Cat in a new fashion collection that will be presented at the 93rd edition of Pitti Uomo, the leading international fashion trade show.
Thanks to the collaboration between CPLG Italia and designer Alessandro Enriquez, Felix The Cat will be among the protagonists of Pitti Uomo (Florence, 9-11 January 2018).
The theme of this edition of Pitti Uomo is Cinema. So could the first star of animated films miss the next January event? Obviously no!
Born in 1919 by a team of talented animators including Otto Messmer and Joe Oriolo, Felix The Cat appeared in over 100 films between the 1920s and 1930s. Today, Felix is considered by the teen-young adult market to be an authentic international pop icon that has become a lifestyle brand, thanks to prestigious collaborations in the fashion world of which it was the protagonist, among which are Castlebajac Paris, Coach, Scotch & Soda and more recent Fyodor Golan.
On the occasion of Pitti Uomo, Felix The Cat relives thanks to the ironic and Italian touch of Alessandro Enriquez on different garments including sweatshirts, t-shirts, knitwear and shirts, for an irreverent and joyful capsule collection. The collection will be presented as an exclusive preview at the 10×10 ANITALIANTHEORY stand – a brand created by Enriquez himself and of which he is also a stylist – and will be in store starting from September 2018.
Enriquez is also working on a limited edition t-shirts collection, which will be sold exclusively at the Milan boutique during the week of Valentine’s Day and whose incomes will be donated to charity in favor of Oxfam.


text:
As per a report published by VG247, game developers have been getting the new PlayStation 4 kits sent to them by Sony. According to VG247's sources, Sony's next generation console, the PS4 will have Blu-ray, and it will not be made in Japan.
Developers have been getting new versions of the Orbis kit. Sony has been using the term Orbis when referring to the machine. There has been no official record of the company calling it a PlayStation 4.
There are set to be four versions of the Orbis kit being shipped to developers. A previous version was essentially a graphics card. The newest version is a “modified PC”, and the third version will be the closest to the final specifications, and will be sent to developers in January.
The next console in the series may get an announcement soon
The Orbis, according to VG247, is based on the AMD A10 APU series. An APU – which stands for Accelerated Processing Unit – is a combination of a GPU and a CPU. The PS4’s hardware is “based on A10 system and base platform”.
One of the biggest changes coming to the system is in the form of the interface. According to the source, the new interface will allow you to go anywhere while playing a game. This is not possible in the PlayStation 3 as some options require you to exit the game before using them. An example given was buying DLC from the PlayStation Store in the middle of playing a game and then seamlessly returning to play.
Earlier this year, the developer kit for the next Xbox – rumoured to be named the Xbox 720 – was leaked. A supposed Xbox 720 'Durango' developer kit was posted on a developer forum, and was offered to the public for the price of $10,000. The developer kit resembles the traditional PC tower running a debug launcher, which caused many people to be cautious and sceptical about whether the prototype is authentic. EuroGamer’s Digital Foundry reached out to the source of the leak. After following up on the story with multiple developers who are working on next-gen projects, they came to the conclusion that the hardware was real.
The man who had leaked the shots, and uses the alias “DaE”, revealed to EuroGamer that Microsoft’s next-gen gaming console will feature an eight-core processor. The next generation console is also rumoured to include support for Blu-Ray, true 1080p and native 3D output, and is expected to be around six times more powerful than the current Xbox 360.
DaE suggests that the current devkits were sent to studios in Feburary and feature Intel CPUs and a graphics card from NVIDIA. He also claims that the Durango kit has more than 8GB of memory, and that the hardware is 64-bit in nature. It is also worth mentioning that developer hardware typically features double the RAM of retail hardware so that the former can accommodate debugging tools and other systems. No official information is available on Microsoft’s next console. Sony has also been keeping quiet about the possibility of a PlayStation 4.
Published Date: Nov 02, 2012 14:20 PM | Updated Date: Nov 02, 2012 14:20 PM


text:
India Art Fair
LAST UPDATED : Apr 09, 2021, 10:11 PM IST
- 'Indian toys gullel, lattu help kids learn science': PM Narendra Modi inaugurates virtual India Toy Fair 2021
Highlighting the salient features of 'Indian toys', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that Indian toys not only entertain but also teaches scientific theories. "Lattu teaches us gravity and balance, gullel teaches us potential and kinetic energy," said PM Modi inaugurating the virtual India Toy Fair 2021 via video conference. A jhunjhuna helps an infant feel the circular motion, he said.
- After banning Holi, Shigmo festivities, govt opens mega fair
A day after the state government cancelled the official Shigmo parades over concerns of rising Covid-19 cases, citizens have accused the state government of adopting double standards. They questioned why a major event such as Hunar Haat, where several hundred stalls have been set up, has been allowed to go ahead.
- PM Narendra Modi: Make eco-friendly toys, boost share in global market
Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted toy manufacturers to make eco-friendly toys to increase the share of domestic industry in the global market and assured all possible assistance for the development and promotion of wooden toys made in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi.
- Need fair-play and level-playing field: Huawei India CEO
Weeks after the government took steps to designate a ‘trusted source’ criteria for procuring infrastructure for mobile services, Chinese telecom major Huawei has approached top echelons of the government to get a “fair chance and level-playing field” in the Indian telecom sector, including participation in the 5G business.


text:
San Francisco, CA – December 22, 2009 – TERIS announced today that Jason Marandas has joined the company as Sales Manager for its San Francisco office. Marandas will lead the sales team as it expands its Electronic Discovery, Computer Forensics and related litigation support service provider offerings to law firms and corporations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Marandas has more than 12 years sales experience working with leading companies such as WebEx/Cisco, eUniversity and Corporate Express. He returns to TERIS, where he previously had served as Sales Manager in 2002, when the company was known as American Legal Copy. In his previous roles, Marandas set sales records, developed and helped close record deals and had the highest quarter ending bookings among a group of 17 sales professionals. He also successfully grew a sales team in the United Kingdom from five sales representatives to sixteen representatives, across London and Amsterdam offices while respectively increasing bookings quarter after quarter.
“We welcome Jason back to TERIS as we enter this exciting phase of growth,” said Stefan Wikstrom, Founder and CEO of TERIS. “We have evolved dramatically over the years, and find ourselves working with clients in eDiscovery, Forensic Services, Investigations and related IT issues. Jason’s success working for and with technology companies is a great asset for us as we continue to expand our growing list of clients in the Bay Area.”
Marandas joins TERIS after spending more than three years as Sales Manager for the United Kingdom SMB Division for WebEx/Cisco. He also served as a sales representative for the company, where he won Rookie of the Quarter and Presidents Club honors. Prior to WebEx/Cisco, Marandas worked in the sales group for eUniversity, where he set company sales records. He also worked as Sales Manager for Corporate Express for five years.
Marandas received a Bachelor of Science in Commerce –Finance from Santa Clara University.
Founded in 1996, TERIS is the leading full-service litigation support service provider in the United States. TERIS provides Electronic Discovery, Computer Data Forensics, Consulting and Project Management, Managed Review and related services to corporate legal teams and law firms across the U.S. and internationally. TERIS’ staff of over 300 was named one of the top 20 eDiscovery service providers by industry researcher Socha-Gelbmann in 2008. The company operates a free job board for the legal profession at www.discoverlegaljobs.com and has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, Phoenix, Austin, Dallas and Chicago. To learn more about TERIS, visit www.TERIS.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/DiscoverTERIS.
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
DKaufer (at) TERIS.com


text:
By Guest Author.
The recent warning from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made the bitcoin traders and enthusiasts in India concerned. RBI has asked the Indian citizens to be cautious about bitcoin trading, and mentions that such trading will be at their own risk. RBI has stressed that they don’t control bitcoin or bitcoin trading, like they do for traditional banking and trading systems.
RBI also warns about the potential fall in the value of this currency. That isn’t the only issue the Indian bitcoin traders are dealing with, though, as S Sridhar, a 36-years-old engineer working in an American IT company in Bengaluru, found out from his tax adviser. Sridhar sold about 20 bitcoins last Friday, and transferred the return to his bank account. His tax adviser is now trying to figure out whether this will be taxed, and at what tax rate. Sridhar is just one among many in India rushing to sell their bitcoin holdings.
There is also a need of clarity on the treatment of bitcoin returns whiling filing income tax returns. Experts are of the opinion that returns from bitcoin would attract 20-30% tax. Some experts feel that there is no need to amend income tax law. According to them, it’s clear that gain from selling bitcoin will definitely attract taxation. Jeenendra Bhandari, partner at tax advisory firm MGB, says that the tax would depend on the categorization of the return, i.e. business income or capital gains.
Tax experts feel that the Indian IT department could treat the money from selling bitcoins as business income. Amit Maheshwari, partner at Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP Chartered Accountants, believes that active bitcoin trading will be considered speculative business, thus attracting regular tax rates.
The IT department officers could also conceivably treat bitcoin returns as long-term or short-term capital gain. If the individual concerned had held the bitcoin for more than 36 months, it will be considered as long-term capital gain, attracting 20% tax rate. Holding bitcoin for shorter period will attract short-term capital gain tax at the rate of 30%.
Rush to sell bitcoins, triggered by the risk factors:
Saurabh Agarwal, cofounder of Ahmedabad, Gujarat based bitcoin exchange, Zebpay, informs that for the past two to three days, many Indians sold their bitcoins.
The rush to sell followed the most recent warning from RBI that the central bank has not authorized anyone to trade in bitcoins, and investors will need to manage their own risk. This happened to be the third RBI warning, the earlier ones being issued in 2013, and February 2017, respectively.
Incidentally, RBI is not the only one warning about bitcoin. Legendary investor Warren Buffet, and Jamie Demon of JP Morgan had also warned that bitcoin is a bubble. Fluctuation in bitcoin value can be seen from the fact that in early December, the value shot up to US $ 16,000 from US $ 1,000 in January.
Indian citizens also have an advance tax payment deadline on 15th December, since, starting 1st July 2017, Goods and Service Tax (GST), the one indirect tax for the whole nation making India one unified common market, has come into effect. This is an added factor to consider for the bitcoin investors and their tax advisors, since whether bitcoin trading will attract GST is not known. Tax experts like Bhandari of MGB feel that there will not be GST on buying bitcoins, since essentially this is buying forex, however the trading transaction fee will fall under the ambit of GST.
While some tax advisors have advised their clients not to transfer their bitcoin wallet money to their bank account after sell, that is, at best, a temporary solution. After 3 months the money will automatically be transferred.
Some new demand for bitcoin has been noticed, though. Agarwal of Zebpay has reported that since last Friday, a new set of buyers are active on the exchange. Perhaps, not everyone is concerned, after all.


text:
Beatport LINK is currently in its beta version and the company has released, alongside it, the beta of Beatport CLOUD – a service that offers Beatport’s loyal customers full track previews, an all-new My Library section and unlimited re-downloads of previously purchased tracks, as Mixmag reports.
”The launch of Beatport LINK exhibits our commitment to creating the best possible experience for our expanding ecosystem of DJs, and we can think of no better partner than Pioneer DJ for the services first software integration,” comments Beatports CEO, Robb McDaniels. “We are particularly excited to introduce the upcoming Offline Performance Mode, which firmly sets Beatport LINK apart from its competitors in the DJ market.”
Test out Beatport LINK here.
The post Stream Beatport’s massive music catalog into act software appeared first on Only Techno.


text:
The Government’s decision to introduce a mandatory living wage for workers over 25 has been described as “a reckless measure that will have a significant negative impact on the sector”, by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS).
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The introduction of a compulsory ‘Living Wage’ will have a devastating impact on thousands of convenience stores. This will lead to retailers having to reduce staff hours, work more hours in their business and ultimately cancel their investment plans. To introduce this measure with no consultation undermines the independent Low Pay Commission and is a reckless way to impose a massive burden on small businesses.”
The Budget document says: “The government will introduce a new premium for those aged 25 and over starting at 50 pence leading to a new National Living Wage (NLW) of £7.20 in April 2016. The government’s ambition is for the NLW to increase to 60% of median earnings by 2020, and it will ask the Low Pay Commission to recommend the premium rate in light of this ambition going forward. On OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility] forecasts, this means the NLW is expected to reach the government’s target of over £9 by 2020.”


text:
Retail Council of Canada (RCC) thanks the federal government for extending the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program to the end of August. This represents a continued step forward in helping our retail members remain viable.
We appreciate the government’s pledge to work with businesses to make important adjustments to the program. RCC has asked for a program that realizes that revenues will recover only gradually so that support is not denied to those who have made only a partial recovery of their former revenue levels. In addition, we are supportive of the signals from the federal government that it is considering changes to the CEWS requirement to show a 30% drop in gross revenue as this threshold has been a barrier for many who need support.
An extended and adaptable wage subsidy will help retailers large and small get back on their feet. If properly designed, this program will provide relief to an industry sector that expects a slow recovery – a sector heavily dependent on brick-and-mortar store revenue and discretionary spending.
Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada
For more information or to schedule media interviews, contact:
About Retail Council of Canada
Retail is Canada’s largest employer with 2.1 million Canadians working in our industry. The sector annually generates over $76 billion in wages and employee benefits. Core retail sales (excluding vehicles and gasoline) were $377 billion in 2018. Retail Council of Canada (RCC) members represent more than two thirds of retail sales in the country. RCC is a not-for-profit, industry-funded association that represents small, medium and large retail businesses in every community across the country. As the Voice of Retail™ in Canada, we proudly represent more than 45,000 storefronts in all retail formats, including department, grocery, specialty, discount, independent retailers and online merchants. www.RetailCouncil.org


text:
NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Scooter maker Razor USA has filed suit against 16 rival scooter makers charging patent infringement, the company said Thursday.|
The suit comes just as the holiday season heats up, with scooters likely to top out as the hottest-selling toy this year.
Razor received a patent on the MS130, B1, and A2 scooter models from the U.S. Patent Office on Oct. 31. The company Thursday filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against K2 Inc. and Gen-X Sports Inc., two popular sporting goods companies. The lawsuit also asserts claims against Asa Products Inc., Children's Place Retail Stores Inc. and H.L. USA Corp., among others.
"These companies are infringing our product, copying us on something we invented," said Carlton Calvin, president of Razor USA. "Our stand is that they simply don't have the right to do that. There are a lot of inferior products out there -- not necessarily produced by these companies -- that have the potential to cause injury, to cause people to associate scooters with a bad experience. By protecting out scooter design, we are ensuring the quality of the product."
Calvin added that Razor USA is actively "considering lawsuits against additional infringers -- that's for sure."
Scooters have become a trendy toy for children and teens. They sell at retail prices ranging from $99 to $149. Calvin says Razor USA plans to introduce a new series of scooters in spring 2000. Among the prototypes, an ultralight model weighing 4 pounds, a dual-suspension model, and -- for the grownups -- an electrized motor model.
Although there are no official industry-wide statistics on U.S. scooter sales,
Calvin maintains that Razor USA has, since the launch of the scooter line in June 2000, captured from 50 percent to 60 percent of the market share in the U.S. scooter market. Calvin projects that up to five million Razor USA scooters will be sold by the end of 2000.


text:
We’ve reported that the PS4 is selling out in New Zealand and Australia, but now it’s the UK’s turn.
KitGuru have reported that UK retailers Amazon, Game and Currys have run of of stock.
They noted that some bundled PS4 consoles with various games, but this is on the more expensive side. A bundle including a PS Vita console is also planned for the UK.
Still, it seems like you have to pre-order quickly and chances of receiving your console before Christmas is slim. As aforementioned, New Zealand and Australia are also experiencing a PS4 drought until more stock arrives in early 2014.


text:
CAPE TOWN - In the world, 3 billion people are online. In South Africa, users aged 16 and up have increased up to 65% which is up from 63% in 2016.
This is according to Google’s Connected Consumer Study for 2017, The study also reveals that the average age of South Africans online is lower than the global average, with 60% of them aged below 35 years.
The study also shows that the daily usage of the internet is at 42%. While behind the global average of 82%, South Africa is ahead of other African nations including Nigeria (63%) and Keyna (53%).
South Africans mostly use their smartphone to access the internet which is at 60% compared to using a computer which sits at 24% and a tablet at 12%. In SA, Smartphone usage for the internet in the last three years, went up from 47% of the population to 60% this year.
Data from an industry monitoring group showed that SA smartphone sales climbed by nearly a third in the third quarter of 2017. The study also revealed that online shopping is popular in the country. The growing market has seen 2.5 million South Africans reporting that they regularly buy goods from online stores.
According to the data, Sales increased to 28% year-on-year to 3million units during the quarter.
“Falling prices of smartphones, aggressive operator promotions and growing wi-fi/4G penetration are all helping to speed up the adoption of smartphones in South Africa,” Nikolay Dolgov, general manager, point-of-sales tracking at GfK said.
More facts that the Google survey revealed:
1. 61% of South Africans have shown that if they were given a task, they would prefer to do it digitally.
2. 66% use the internet as a primary resource for information
3. 71% of users pay high close attention when viewing videos online
- BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE


text:
What drove Rootwork to shut services inspite of making USD 50,000 a month and launch Hyve?
This is a story of the classic product-service dilemma that many technology companies face. Technologists start off as a services company to bring in revenues and this has a few possible outcomes - a) the startup runs for years to come as a services company b) the core team wants to build a product and focus on both (product and services) which, in many cases, yields unsatisfying results c) the company stops services and focuses completely on the product.
The startup in question here falls in the third category. Meet Rootwork. Started by six friends from NIT Allahabad, Rootwork has humble beginnings in Vadodara, Gujarat. Strong on technology, Rootwork did some good work with the Tizen platform and bagged big projects with the likes of Ola and Lenskart. Over time, the company was 25-people strong and it moved base to Bengaluru, where most of its big ticket clients were located.
“ Coming from product background, we did not take the regular 'hiring-and-training-freshers' approach to services business. Most of our hires were through referrals,” says Piyush Rawat, one of the cofounders. This strategy worked well in creating a boutique image for Rootworks and allowed the company to charge premium rates. By March 2015, Rootworks was making USD 50,000 every month. Starting from USD 8 per hour, it reached a point where companies were willing to offer more than USD 40 per hour for the startup’s services.
But then they decided to shut shop. Why? The product bug had bit the team.
“While services taught us the nuances of enterprise sales and gave us a mindset for running a profitable business, the model only scales at a linear pace. Having seen and built apps for some consumer mobile startups, we decided to take the plunge as well,” Piyush told me at YourStory’s MobileSparks conference held recently. “There is no dearth of consumer opportunities in 2015. As entrepreneurs, nothing would move us more than seeing our product being chosen by a customer because it solves a genuine problem in the best possible way. The personal redemption while one does anything, including starting up, always happens out there in the real world,” he adds and the entire team agreed to take the plunge.
Hyve is a mobile-only marketplace for beauty and wellness services. Even the founders were surprised at the choice of the segment. Before our meeting, Piyush shared over email: “Oddly, being a guys-only founding team, we surprised ourselves by choosing beauty as an area of interest. With Hyve, we're trying to build an internet consumer business in the beauty and wellness sector. The selection of the sector partly happened to us, and partly chosen after a bit of research.” The team looked at market size, consumer demand and feasibility of what it could build, and it looked like Hyve didn’t seem to be too out of reach.
The company has more than 1,200 business (salons and spa) listings in Bangalore. The app has 20,000 downloads, 5,000 user registrations and 600 booking requests every month. Salons and spas are just the start, says Piyush. “Think of all the tattoo artists and mehendi experts,” he adds. The idea with Hyve is to not just have independent professionals on the platform but also tie up with chains like Lakmé to enable brands to keep employees engaged and streamline processes.
Hyve is bootstrapped at the moment and has good cash reserves to last it a few months but monetising would be a long-term game. It requires funds to scale up operations and expand its offering. And the market is already getting crowded. I googled ‘book salon India’, and there are plenty of options to choose from: Vbooky, Bookmyspa, The Home Salon, Bellita, Purplle and others.
Globally, Rocket Internet’s Vaniday raised a big round last month, and players like UrbanMassage and Zeal have already been active. In India, Yuvraj Singh’s YouWeCan has backed Vyomo and VanityCube raised $250,000 this week. Hyve’s team has its work cut out but this is also the drive any entrepreneur seeks. Spirits at Hyve are high and the team is bent on making their business a success.
Note: Taking reader input into account, the headline of this article was changed from 'This technology startup shut shop despite making USD 50,000 a month. Here’s why' to the current one.


text:
FBI IoT Alert—But Have They Got It Right?
On August 2nd, 2018, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued the following Public Service Announcement: “Cyber Actors Use Internet of Things Devices as Proxies for Anonymity and Pursuit of Malicious Cyber Activities”
This announcement was one in a series of FBI alerts issued over the past three years that focused on the potential risks posed by the Internet of Things (IoT) to domestic American households.
IoT devices can be used as access points by cybercriminals, or “cyber actors” in their pursuit of criminal online behavior. IoT, or “smart” devices communicate with the Internet and can send and receive digital data. These smart devices include home automation systems such as lighting or air conditioning, security systems, medical devices such as heart pacemakers, smart appliances such as fridges and vacuum cleaners, and even garage door openers. The way that cybercriminals gain access to domestic networks is by accessing unprotected IP addresses associated with any IoT device.
Cyber actors are ideally looking for devices that possess weak authentication. Unfortunately, this includes most IoT devices out there, so the world of IoT devices is considered a fertile feeding ground for these online criminals. Weak authentication is evident in IoT devices where owners fail to upgrade firmware or install security patches making brute-force attacks by cybercriminals a piece of cake. This is particularly so when the users of IoT devices fail to change default user names and passwords.
However, the real challenge faced by organizations like the FBI and other homeland security agencies is due to the lack of consumer awareness of IoT device security issues and best practices.
FBI suggested IoT solutions
The FBI has suggested several measures that home IoT users can deploy including the regular rebooting of IoT devices, changing of credentials, disabling of port forwarding, and the isolation of IoT devices from central home networks.
The FBI’s warnings may be well-placed, however the IoT solutions that they propose fall short of the mark. Most home Internet users do not possess the security savvy required to perform even the most basic of protective measures. Surveys of IoT owners indicate that a significant majority of them rarely even change user names and passwords for their devices. And with the number of those devices set to increase exponentially, security vulnerabilities are set to skyrocket.
Helpfully, the FBI does offer a hotline for IoT inquiries, but with the projected proliferation of IoT devices in the next few years, it is unreasonable to think that the FBI has the required manpower to meet the inquiry demand. FBI “Beware” notices are fine and reassuring, but they may not be the best solution.
A more effective “catch-all” response to the issue of IoT device vulnerability is to move the locus of the responsibility away from the IoT device owner and onto the communications and Internet service providers who are in the ideal position to provide IoT security. Consumers can then relax in the knowledge that their home networks are protected “at source”, and that any cyberattack can be mitigated using the latest, cutting-edge cybersecurity defense. The alternatives are simple: manage the growing technological challenge of your IoT devices yourself, or put the full responsibility of your home network security into the experienced hands of your ISP for a couple of dollars a month. What would you rather do?
With a track record built on proven success with the world’s largest deployed network-based security service, Allot’s Home Secure provides security for home IoT, smart appliances, and home offices.


text:
In these days of corporate greed and huge golden parachutes comes a story of a CEO giving back …
Yuan Yuanqing, chairman and chief executive officer of fast-growing Lenovo, has not forgotten his roots nor has he overlooked the efforts of the people who have helped make the company the world’s No. 2 PC maker.
Having started at the bottom in Lenovo’s food chain as a salesman peddling PCs across parts of China from his bicycle and risen to the company’s top position, Yang decided to share a $3 million bonus he received for Lenovo’s increasing success with junior-level employees.
After being paid the bonus last month, Yang decided to present what has been called a “Yuanqing special award” – a check worth on average about $300.
Zhang Jing, an operator in a call center, told Media in China that she was “surprised and happy” when she received an email about the award. The Chinese website China.org said Yang wanted to recognize employees, ”crediting the strength of the company’s business performance to workers on the production line.”
In other words, he’s living up to Lenovo’s marketing slogan of “For Those Who Do.”
One third of Lenovo’s 30,000 employees received the checks.
The rewards came just a year after Yang invested $404 million of his own money in buying Lenovo shares. ”While the transaction is a personal financial matter, I want to be very clear that my decision to make this investment is based on my strong belief in the company’s very bright future,” Yang said.
Now he’s investing even more in his employees.
Ray Gorman, head of corporate communications, confirmed Yang’s “special awards” when contacted by WRAL News.He noted that U.S. workers at the Lenovo distribution center in the Triad were among the recipients.
Asked why Yang did it, Gorman replied simply: “To recognize the contributions of Lenovo employees.” Gorman also noted that other employees received bonuses directly due to Lenovo’s performance.
“Lenovo employees are eligible for an annual bonus program based upon the Company’s performance, as well as their individual performance. With another record-setting year, those employees who were eligible, did receive a bonus,” he said.
Lenovo’s profits for the fiscal year ending in March soared more than 70 percent with overall revenues topping $30 billion with Yang leading the charge as Lenovo struck a major partnership in Japan and bought a company in Germany. Those deals coupled with a tidal wave of new products and more aggressive marketing in North America as well as in China have vaulted Lenovo into No. 2 spot in global PC sales – just behind HP.
Yang has worked at Lenovo since 1989 when it was called Legend. He took over as CEO in 2001, replacing Chairman and founder Liu Chuanzhi. Liu and Yang led Lenovo’s acquisition of IBM’s PC division in 2005. Promoted to chairman, he later returned to the CEO role in 2009 as Lenovo reorganized. When Liu retired as chairman last November, Yang assumed both roles.
If Lenovo surpasses as HP and becomes No. 1 while at the same time growing revenues and profits in what is shaping up as a tough year for the PC industry, how might Yang reward the rank and file next year?
Yang has set a precedent that many employees hope he will repeat.
[LENOVO ARCHIVE: Check out six years of Lenovo stories as reported in WRAL Tech Wire.]


text:
Adobe has released a critical update to fix a vulnerability in the Shockwave player (CVE-2015-7649) that could be exploited by threat actors to compromise hundreds of millions of machines. The experts at Fortinet’s Fortiguard Labs have discovered the flaw in the Shockwave player and reported it to Adobe.
Adobe confirmed that more that nearly 450 million users are running the vulnerable platform and urge a manual update through the Adobe website.
The flaw belongs to the category of memory corruption vulnerabilities, it could be triggered to compromise Windows and Mac machines and gain remote code execution.
Adobe says Fortinet reported the hole, which is rated critical.
“Adobe has released a security update for Adobe Shockwave Player. This update addresses a critical vulnerability that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.” states the security advisory published by Adobe. “Adobe recommends users of Adobe Shockwave Player 22.214.171.124 and earlier versions update to Adobe Shockwave Player 126.96.36.199 by visiting the Adobe Shockwave Player Download Center. “
According to the Bulletin, every system running the latest version 188.8.131.52 and earlier is vulnerable, the problem affects Windows and Macintosh versions of the Shockwave player.
This is not a good period for Adobe, the critical vulnerability in the Shockwave player has been discovered after the company has released a collection of security updates and an emergency patch for popular Flash software that are actively being exploited in-the-wild.
(Security Affairs – Shockwave player, hacking)
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.


text:
Latest Apple Corp. Stories
Apple Corp could be pulling the plug on their famous "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" advertisement campaign, if comments made Wednesday by one of the actors involved in the commercial series are true.
Speculation that Apple Corp. will build a $1 billion data center in Maiden, N.C., is building momentum, The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reported Monday. Apple said this spring it was focusing on North Carolina as the site of a new data center.
- Of or relating to good digestion.


text:
Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Pillsbury is helping fans of baked goods get into the Christmas spirit by offering two limited edition "Ugly Christmas Sweaters."
The brand, owned by General Mills, said the sweaters are available in two designs that each feature the Pillsbury Doughboy enjoying the Christmas season.
The first sweater, titled "Let it Dough," features the Doughboy and come Pillsbury crescent rolls, while the other, dubbed "It's Lit," features the mascot with a decorated Christmas tree.
"Ugly Christmas sweaters have become a new tradition in recent years. As people celebrate Christmas, we wanted our Doughboy to join in on the fun!" said Cassi Dermody, marketing communications manager for Pillsbury.
The sweaters, available through the brand's website, are free, but customers must pay shipping.


text:
It’s not often you get three industry heavyweights in one room to talk about the Beer, Wine and Distillery industry in Oregon….but ….an event happening next month has brought them together. First we wanted to find out what makes Oregon’s Craft Beverage world so cool. I asked the Jamie Floyd, the founder of Ninkasi Brewery in Eugene.
In this day and age of cut throat competition, it was really nice to see these groups working together to become stronger. They are coming together on one special night, December 2nd, to showcase their special drinks. They’ll have samples and even sell items just in time for Christmas. It’s also a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club. Pretty cool!


text:
Seattle – January 21, 2020 – Donuts Inc., the global leader in high-quality, new top-level domains, is pleased to announce the appointment of Randy Haas as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”). Randy will lead the company’s finance strategy and oversee the company’s financial operations.
“We are very happy to welcome Randy to the company,” said Donuts’ CEO Akram Atallah. “His track record as a financial and strategic leader in the Internet and technology sector enables him to make an immediate and positive impact on Donuts’ plan for growth. Randy has vast experience solving companies’ growth challenges and we are confident he is the perfect compliment to our talented executive team.”
Randy joins Donuts from Rhapsody/Napster where he was CFO and led the company’s strategy transformation, raised capital, and significantly improved profit. Previously, Randy had a long career at Microsoft, including serving as General Manager/CFO of the Internet Advertising Business Group with over $4B of revenue. He also held senior leadership roles in Finance for the Sales and Marketing and internet platform areas. Randy holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time to join the Donuts team. The company has been well managed and I cherish the opportunity to help deliver even more growth in a profitable manner.” said Randy. “The Internet is still in its infancy, with millions of small businesses across the globe not yet transacting online. Donuts has the broadest portfolio of new gTLDs and is therefore best positioned to offer relevant, memorable domain names to entities seeking to create an effective online presence.”
Donuts simplifies and connects a fragmented online world with domain names and related technologies that allow people and businesses to build, market and own their digital identities. Donuts holds the world’s largest portfolio of new top-level domains and offers a wide variety of clear and meaningful names for use as business identifiers (such as .ltd, .company), navigation (such as .careers, .support), in vertical markets (such as .photography, .cafe, or .builders) or in broad-based generics (such as .life, .world or .live). Donuts provides its registrar / reseller customers with innovative services for the discovery, registration, usage and monetization of high-quality domain names. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Donuts, the registrar Name.com is one of the most admired brands in the industry. In 2017, Donuts was named Number 1 in the Deloitte Fast 500. Donuts’ headquarters are in Bellevue, WA.


text:
Hold the presses! News is circulating around the Internet that the new iPad 3 will be available on March 16. Also, there will possibly be yet another launch event in addition to the one everyone is excited about tomorrow, March 7.
According to 9to5Mac, an apparently “reliable Apple Store source” has revealed that preparations are being made for a big Apple Store event which will culminate on Friday, March 16. This could possibly mean that the brand new, shiny iPad 3 (or, perhaps iPad HD) will be in stores just nine days after tomorrow’s big launch event in San Francisco.
March 16 is also significant because it’s the day the Apple Store branch within London’s famed Harrods department store will open, but whether the two are related is yet to be confirmed. At the same time, the popular South by Southwest conference will be underway in Austin, Texas. But according to MacRumors, it’s unlikely that Apple will opening a special “pop-up” retail store at the event like they did last year.
We’ll bring you all the news about what gets revealed at the Apple event tomorrow, so stay tuned.


text:
ESAB News Archive
September 6, 2019
Building on Victor's "Rulers of the Flame" brand campaign, Victor, an ESAB brand, today launched its 2019 "Rulers of the Flame" student contest, which is open to students in cutting, welding and related programs (e.g., ag mechanics, metal art, engineering) at secondary, post-secondary, technical and vocational schools.
Ian Johnson Extends Role as Official ESAB Spokesperson, Ambassador to the Off-Road and Digital Welding Community
August 29, 2019
ESAB today announced that it has extended its relationship with off-road vehicle fabrication expert Ian Johnson as an official spokesperson for its welding and cutting products.
August 28, 2019
ESAB University, hands-on demonstrations and accessible expertise come together in booth B17087 to help visitors improve productivity and performance.
ESAB Digital Solutions Offers Seamless Customer Experience Across Suite of Online Data Management Solutions
July 11, 2019
ESAB Welding & Cutting Products announced that it has migrated all elements of its ESAB Digital Solutions offering to a unified platform powered by Microsoft Azure IoT and utilizing the ThingWorx Industrial Innovation Platform from PTC.
July 10, 2019
Thermal Dynamics, an ESAB brand, announced that its Cutmaster 58 handheld air plasma cutting system, a reintroduction of the Cutmaster 52, is now available and has been upgraded to include the industry-leading SL60 QD 1Torch™ as standard.


text:
Town council’s trading standards staff said a few of the products contained 5 times the authorized quantity of nicotine and e-liquid. Most essential to the tobacco trade, nevertheless, was that light cigarettes produced lower tar and nicotine levels when examined with the FTC’s smoking machines. Their sale from vending machines would even be banned. A ban would even be placed on the sale of products that do not meet the current security requirements in place within the UK relating to battery sizes, charging and temperature.
While some research conclude that plain packaging will make cigarettes much less engaging to youth, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has lobbied against the sale of plain packaged cigarettes-citing lack of evidence. Tobacco organisations as an alternative posit plain packaging will ease the flexibility of unlawful tobacco manufacturers to replicate official merchandise-resulting in greater incidences of illicit trade.
Department of Health and Ageing (2013) ‘Plain packaging of tobacco products’. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, vaping shop and Firearms (ATF), there is a “direct relationship between the rise in a state’s tax and a rise in unlawful trafficking.” That is true with all psychotropic substances and, indeed, vaping shop all forms of vice that may be desirable to individuals: the more the state and New Vapors (vapethrough.com) even the national government tries to repress the trade in any legal or illegal substance, the higher the costs, and with them the revenue margins, turn out to be-and Vape Shop the better the willingness of illicit marketers to meet the demand, and with it the willingness to commit different violent crimes to forestall the closure of the illicit markets, becomes.
Two retailers were discovered selling vapes with oversized tanks, Vape clearance with sufficient for Vapor Pens 3,500 puffs – the equivalent of smoking 280 cigarettes. Customs in Latvia and Ukraine additionally reported about thousands of confiscated packs of cigarettes from Belarus but on a much smaller scale. 9 million cigarettes with an estimated retail worth of 4.3 million euros had been seized when four men were caught transporting the shipment, vaping shop which arrived at Dublin Port, from Malaysia.
Beyond these conventional distribution channels, the resale of tobacco merchandise on the internet is being actively developed-enabling greater reach, extra discretion, and lesser probabilities of being caught.


text:
Enter our Summer Superdraw and you could win a brand new Ford Ka+!
Our Summer Superdraw is a fun and easy way to raise money for St Luke’s, and every £1 ticket you buy brings you closer to the prizes and enables us to help our patients live the life they can.
This year we are thrilled that our most dedicated long-term business supporters Cliff Dickenson & Son have once again donated a brand new 69 plate Ford Ka+ 1.2 Zetec 5 door for one lucky person to win.
1st prize a Ford Ka+
2nd prize £500
3rd prize £300
4th prize £200
Last year’s Summer Superdraw helped to raise more than £27,000 for St Luke’s. Mrs Cook from Nantwich drove away with the top prize of a brand new car. She said: “I never win anything ever, so to get the top prize is out of this world.”
St Luke’s Summer Superdraw will take place on Friday 6th September 2019. The lucky winners will be notified by phone or letter.


text:
Plans for a Scotland-wide smart travel card which will work on all public transport have been launched.
The Saltire Card will allow passengers to pre-load money to be used on trains, buses, ferries, subway and trams.
It is hoped it will lead to promotions such as cut-price travel for those using the card. The smartcard allows operators to collect more personal information about customers and increase their marketing opportunities.
On Monday, the plans were launched at Buchanan Bus Station by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
The Scotland-wide concessionary bus pass already makes use of a smart card, with around 7000 readers on the country’s 260 bus operators.
Ms Sturgeon said: "The Saltire Card will be a hugely exciting development for transport in Scotland and will help us achieve a truly world-class public transport network.
"It will make it easier, more attractive and possibly cheaper for people to get around using public transport and will help further connect our cities.
"While we are aware that there is still some substantial work to do on this proposal, we are now taking the first steps towards achieving this vision by launching a series of demonstrator schemes with a number of operators and public sector partners throughout the country.
"Bus operators are already smart card-enabled and many are already working in partnership with Transport Scotland to see how they can fully realise the benefits of the technology and how they can integrate with other operators to share those benefits with passengers."
But Green MSP Patrick Harvie said, although the Saltire Card was a "small step in the right direction", more needed to be done to encourage usage of public transport.
Mr Harvie said: "After years of pressure for a Scotland-wide public transport smart card, it's a shame all we're getting is a cashless payment card. While it's a small step in the right direction it won't deliver the huge benefits of a properly integrated ticketing system like London's Oyster Card where people can switch between different modes of transport without having to buy different tickets.
"If Nicola Sturgeon wants to make this work, she must make sure that all public transport services are included in the scheme, and she should add car club and bike-hire options too for a fully integrated scheme. And I would urge her to speed up the timescale, as the one envisaged by Transport Scotland suggests most of Scotland will be waiting a very long time to see any benefits."
Sustainable transport campaign group Transform Scotland has welcomed the announcement, saying it has been calling for a similar scheme for some time.
Calum McCallum from the group said: "A smart card would remove a key barrier to using public transport. With the completion of the national concessionary travel system, a lot of Scots are now familiar with smart cards, and many of us have used London's Oyster Card.
"The Saltire Card can bring the benefits of cashless travel to Scottish public transport users. Scots will now have the opportunity to travel across all of Scotland on one card.
"Commencing with a pre-paid ticket is a reasonable first step. However, we'll be keen to see the Saltire Card expand to incorporate season tickets. And a key first step will be a day-ticket for all public transport in Glasgow in time for the Commonwealth Games."


text:
Daily Court Reporter - News Consumer alert: Individuals posing as Premier Health Plan representatives to steal premium funds
Consumer alert: Individuals posing as Premier Health Plan representatives to steal premium funds
Ohio Department of Insurance Director Jillian Froment is warning Ohioans of an insurance fraud scam involving individuals posing as representatives of Dayton-based Premier Health Plan. Premier Health Plan, as of April 1, 2018, no longer offers health insurance products, but consumers from across the country are receiving numerous automated calls selling Premier Health Plan insurance. Some consumers have received “premium” invoices in lieu of a call, or have noticed unauthorized charges on their bank accounts.
This article is restricted per publishing limits. Soon we will offer the ability to buy the ability to read this content.
Date Published: August 10, 2018


text: American International Group's ongoing struggle to pay back its US$167.7 billion government bailout may be set to get a small boost from an unlikely source: strong demand in heavily sanctioned Iran for Chinese-made cars and motorcycles. AIG, now 80.6 per cent-owned by the US government, is poised to reap tens of millions of dollars in proceeds from the planned Shanghai stock market listing of a small mainland car company doing big business in Iran, according to a South China Morning Post investigation. For more than a decade, US trade sanction regulations have broadly prohibited American companies and individuals wherever they are located from doing direct or indirect business with Iran. AIG has a minority stake in Chongqing-based Lifan Industry Group, a small, private firm that exports motorcycles to Iran, and also has a licensing agreement with a local Iranian factory to assemble its cars from imported kits. Lifan, 13.5 per cent-owned by an AIG subsidiary, plans to raise at least 1.48 billion yuan (HK$1.72 billion) in a proposed Shanghai stock market listing that goes before a China Securities Regulatory Commission committee today for a preliminary approval hearing. 'AIG acquired and maintains a non-controlling and minority interest in Lifan,' AIG's New York-based vice-president of media relations, Mark Herr, said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. 'At the time of the investment, Lifan had a de minimis [minimal] amount of sales to Iran. The investment by AIG was not in violation of US law,' the statement said. Despite AIG's liquidity troubles, which it is also seeking to ease in an up to US$20 billion Hong Kong listing of its Asian insurance arm, AIA, the firm remains a giant of the US insurance and finance industries. The fact that AIG stands to profit, albeit modestly, from its indirect business ties to Iran while still being supported by US taxpayer dollars is likely to exacerbate the sensitivity of the issue on Capitol Hill, where next month's midterm elections loom large. And on America's Main Street, federal bailouts of Wall Street's fallen titans remain a bitterly contentious issue. Doing business with Iran is becoming increasingly sanctionable, not only in the US but also in the European Union, and the United Nations in June took up the issue. Enforcers tend to focus on blatant cases of illicit finance, trade in arms or nuclear technologies, but regulations, particularly in the US, appear to cast a wider net. With regard to AIG's case, a Treasury Department spokesman said yesterday the matter did not appear to be a violation of US sanctions. The department declined to elaborate. According to the Iranian Transaction Regulations of the US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control: 'No United States person, wherever located, may engage in any transaction or dealing in or related to ... goods, technology, or services for exportation, re-exportation, sale or supply, directly or indirectly, to Iran or the Government of Iran.' This and other aspects of the regulations could represent a potential Iran sanctions liability for AIG, Erich Ferrari, a Washington-based lawyer who focuses on US trade sanctions, said. What is clear is that pressure on Iran has grown in recent months with the introduction of new and tougher US and UN sanctions designed to help contain the Middle Eastern nation's nuclear weapons programme. The tougher sanctions are making more and more non-US firms wary about doing business with Iranian firms, regardless of where they are located. Among those who have recently cut or curtailed business ties to Iran are Japan's Toyota Motor Corp, South Korea's Kia Motors, Germany's Daimler and insurer Allianz, Britain's Lloyds and Royal Dutch Shell. But while much of the world may be backing away from business links to Iran, the tougher US-driven stance has also opened the Middle Eastern nation's door more widely to economic ties to the mainland, which does not unilaterally restrict trade with Iran. China's imports from Iran now exceed US$10 billion a year, with oil accounting for much of that total. Iran in turn looks to the mainland increasingly as a source of investment to help develop its vast natural resources, and as a key importer of basic manufactured goods like electronics and household appliances. AIG, by way of its stake in Lifan, appears to have been unwittingly caught in the middle of the mainland's warming economic embrace of Iran. In July 2008, just months before AIG was effectively nationalised in the wake of the global financial crisis, the insurance firm's investment arm paid 605.33 million yuan (HK$703.51 million) for a 13.5 per cent stake in Lifan, according to the firm's filings to the regulators. The deal made AIG the largest outside shareholder after Lifan's founder and majority owner, Yin Mingshan and his family, who still control 82.3 per cent of the firm. But it secured AIG a seat on Lifan's board of directors that was filled by a vice-president of AIG Global Investment Corp's Greater China direct investment team, Stewart Thong Kwee Chee, a Malaysian. Lifan had previously been an exporter of mainland-made motorcycles to Iran, but around the time of AIG's investment it was in the process of pushing deeper into the Iranian market with cars. In 2007, it signed an exclusive distributorship agreement with the Kerman Motor Company to import and assemble from kits of the budget Lifan 520 car, according to press releases on Lifan's website. In July 2008 - the same month AIG finalised its investment in the firm - Lifan and Kerman held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the start of sales that was attended by China's ambassador to Iran and local politicians. The two companies planned to sell 5,000 locally assembled cars in 2008 and 15,000 units last year, with capacity to reach a total of 20,000 units per year, according to the website. At the same time, the motorcycle business was growing. Iran did not rank among Lifan's top 10 motorcycle export destinations in 2008, according to its filings to the mainland securities regulator. But in 2009 four of the top 10 buyers of Lifan's motorbike exports were in Iran - together they bought 117.35 million yuan worth of bikes. Calls yesterday to Lifan's public relations department went unanswered. A person familiar with AIG's stake in Lifan said that in 2007 when it was conducting due diligence it was aware of the company's sales to sanctioned countries. The issue was keeping those sales from reaching a substantial level, but there is no clearly stated 'substantial' level in terms of sanctions law. Lifan currently exports to more than 70 countries and regions. AIG set a target of keeping Lifan's sales to sanctioned countries at or below 5 per cent of total revenue and that line has not been crossed, according to the person. As to the sensitivity of the matter given AIG's subsequent massive government bailout, the person said: 'AIG wasn't owned by the government when the investment was made.' AIG's stake in the mainland manufacturer is held via a British Virgin Islands (BVI) firm called Ideal Star Holdings, which in turn owns Hong Kong-registered Join State Limited, which holds the 13.5 per cent stake in Lifan, according to Lifan's regulatory filings and Hong Kong companies registry filings. In March this year, AIG sold part of its asset management business, now called PineBridge Investments, to Richard Li Tzar-kai's privately held Pacific Century Group for US$277 million. The sale to PineBridge included a minority stake in Ideal Star, and thus indirectly a share of AIG's Lifan stake. But AIG remains the controlling shareholder of the BVI firm, despite the fact that its appointee to Lifan's board of directors, Thong, now works for PineBridge, according to stock exchange filings by Tiangong International, another PineBridge portfolio company. Thong could not be reached for comment. So what does AIG stand to gain from Lifan's proposed stock market listing? The deal has not been priced yet, and AIG cannot sell the shares until one year after the listing date. But based on the Chinese carmaker's targeted listing proceeds, AIG should see at minimum a 24 per cent return on its initial investment, or a profit of at least 146 million yuan - which now must be partly shared with PineBridge. For a company on the hook to the US government for more than US$160 billion, that's not a lot.


text:
Stay up to date by allowing YallaMotor to send you browser notifications.
Late last year, Bentley Motors invited us to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and unveiled the all-new Continental GT in both coupe and convertible forms. The next step was to rework its sedan, the Flying Spur, which despite undergoing a naming alteration is, for all intents and purposes, the sedan-version of the Continental.
Six years after the release of the second-generation model, Bentley has dropped a few teasers of the all-new Flying Spur. While the good news is that it is slated to be launched later this year, the bad news is that the teasers don’t reveal much, apart from more chiseled bodywork and an illuminated retractable hood ornament to match its rival from Goodwood.
If the Continental GT is anything to go by, the all-new Bentley Flying Spur is set to be a phenomenal offering and is likely to be built on the MSB platform that was developed for the latest Porsche Panamera. Power is likely to be generated by the brand’s new 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12, with a V8 and potentially a hybrid version set to follow as well.


text:
Many SMEs and entrepreneurs are going online and adopting eCommerce operations for success. With more than 70% of companies being online or having a digital transformation strategy in place, and 96% of UK households with internet access, SMEs and start-up companies are interested in tapping into the new era of digital business and can increase profit margins and transaction speed by implementing contactless payments.
Digital transformation has helped smaller companies connect with customers online in an innovative way as they are able to provide them with alternative payment methods which automatically connect with their banking service. We have seen how larger corporations and SMEs are implementing similar strategies as they give their consumers the opportunity to pay directly by debit card, PayPal, Klarna, Clearpay, and Apple Pay.
From a consumer-focused perspective, the majority of people living in the UK now have access to the internet as they have invested in gadgets and devices which allow them to work effectively from home and be able to use this technology to invest in other products that will benefit their lifestyle.
According to findings made by the Digital PR team at Embryo, the amount of Britons using the internet on a daily basis has risen by almost 30 million people over the last decade, with just under 90 million internet users engaging daily social media and connecting with loved ones during the pandemic. People are having to use technology more than ever as they are unable to travel or access the shops due to Covid restrictions. We have seen that the hassle-free and speedy process of online transactions can benefit SME’s and entrepreneurs by providing an accessible customer journey, reducing transaction time, and uplifting company growth.
Other findings made by Embryo also revealed that the number of people shopping online has significantly increased, with just under 90 million people now investing in eCommerce and digital transactions. We have seen how SMEs have invested in online banking as it will help with their profitability, growth, and brand awareness as they are able to cater to people with different forms of cash-free payments. SMEs are also able to use this new form of financial management to help them monitor their cash flow, invoices, and stock levels, as logistic databases can now connect your ingoings and outgoings more effectively when managing a business in the retail, hospitality, maintenance, and trade work sector.
Along with seeing growth in the sectors which were hit the hardest by the effect of Covid-19, we have also been able to track how small businesses have performed during 2020-2021 in regards to how they’ve adjusted their business to suit government regulations by offering takeaways, online delivery and outdoor seating which means that they are able to facilitate their customer’s needs and ensure that their safety comes first. Along with abiding by socially distance guidelines, we have also seen how this digital transformation to a cash-free society will allow people to get their purchases much quicker due to the rise of more courier services offering quicker delivery and returns.


text:
Buying Bitcoin’ Like Investing in Google Early or perhaps Steve Jobs And Apple,’ Predicts Wall Street Legend And Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones.
Bitcoin has come a considerable ways inside the 10 yrs since it was created but, for many, it also can feel early.
The bitcoin priced, climbing to year-to-date highs this specific week and recapturing some of the late 2017 bullishness which pushed it to approximately $20,000 per bitcoin, has discovered fresh new support from wall Street and Traditional investors this year.
These days, Wall Street legend and billionaire Paul Tudor Jones, who produced headlines when he revealed he was buying bitcoin to hedge alongside inflation a bit earlier this year, has reported purchasing bitcoin is “like paying out with Steve Jobs as well as Apple AAPL -0.6 % or perhaps purchasing Google early.”
“Bitcoin has a great deal of attributes to be a beginning investor inside a tech company,” Jones, who is recognized for his macro trades and also particularly the bets of his on interest prices and currencies, told CNBC’s Squawk Box inside a job interview this week, introducing he loves bitcoin “even more” when compared with what he did when the first bitcoin funding of his was announced in May this season.
“I feel we are in the earliest inning of bitcoin,” he said. “It’s got much technique to go.”
Way back in May, Jones revealed he was betting on bitcoin as a hedge against the inflation he views originating as a direct result of unprecedented core savings account money printing and also stimulus methods undertaken in the wake of this coronavirus pandemic.
Jones in comparison bitcoin to yellow during the 1970s and also stated the BVI of his Global Fund, with assets well worth $22 billion under managing, may expend as much as “a minimal single digit fraction visibility percentage” in bitcoin futures.
“I’ve got a tiny single-digit investment in bitcoin,” Jones stated this week. “That’s it. I’m not a bitcoin flag bearer.”
Nevertheless, Jones stated he views potential which is amazing of people and bitcoin which are actually “dedicated to seeing bitcoin be a success in it becoming a commonplace shop of value, and transactional to boot, within an extremely basic level.”
“Bitcoin has this overwhelming contingence of really, sophisticated and smart really people who believe in it,” he said. “I came to the conclusion that bitcoin was the best of inflation trades, the defensive trades, that you’d take.”


text:
UPDATE 7/15/2020: The 2020 Elkhart RV open house/expo has been cancelled since the publishing of this story. Click here to read an up-to-date story on the event’s cancellation.
The 2020 Elkhart RV Open House is still set to continue as planned this September in Northern Indiana.
On Monday, event organizers and representatives from both Forest River and Thor Industries confirmed continued plans to hold this year’s Open House. The 2020 Elkhart RV Open House will take place Sept. 21-25 in the nation’s RV capital, Elkhart, Indiana.
A representative from Forest River said the company reached out to dealers and not one dealer indicated they would not attend. While some dealers irndicated they may not bring as many people. All informed Forest River that they felt looking at next year’s models was crucial to the continued success of their business.
Forest River CEO Pete Liegl announced the September dates for the event in January. The Open House was scheduled for the days immediately following the Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle & Camping Association’s Hershey Show, which was cancelled last week.
Bob Martin, president and CEO of Thor Industries, said his team is planning now for its displays and new vehicle launches at the event. He said as preparations continue event organizers are monitoring nationwide data regarding the pandemic and will continue to share information with industry leaders in the coming months. He said he meets every morning with local and state representatives via teleconference to ensure Thor has the latest information and can respond to new information.
The company created and released comprehensive best practice guidelines for RV manufacturing during the crisis to make sure the industry was able to ramp up production safely. Thor shared the 30-page document of best practices with suppliers and its competitors to help them take advantage of the company’s expansive resources, because Martin felt it was important for the industry’s continued health and safety.
“Right now, we’re planning on it and hoping nothing changes so we can do it,” Martin said. “We want to, but if something comes up that we can’t (host the Open House), we’ll deal with it.”
Martin said the various divisions of Thor are moving ahead with updating models and floorplans for 2021. With the 1 million square feet of outdoor space Thor occupies during the event, he is confident that if the event is managed properly and tweaked, social distancing guidelines can be safely followed.
Martin said the company is looking at a variety of ways to ensure the event is safe and CDC guidelines are followed. Specific details for Thor’s display and how to ensure employees and attendees are safe is still being finalized and may change in coming weeks.
Guidelines that may be incorporated may include mandatory masks, six-foot social distancing, recommendations to not shake hands or hug, expanded seating for dining and potential required appointments spread out over four days for dealers to meet with manufacturer sales representatives, cleaning RVs before each new person enters, among others under consideration.
He confirmed that a crowded concert with a national musical act will not take place at Thor’s display this year.
“It’s a tough call because we want to make sure everyone is safe and we want to responsible for both our employees and customers,” Martin said. “We also have to consider how dealers want to look at product before they buy and are indicating they intend to come.”
Martin said his management team is continuing to reach out to dealers to gauge interest attending Open House. The team is also adapting and changing how the event will be run as new information becomes available.


text:
“Android users can pre-register right now before the final version releases later this year.”
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite has finally entered the pre-registration phase on Android this week. The second augmented reality game from makers of the sensational Pokémon Go game, Niantic, will open up to players a world of magical creatures, spells, and dark wizards and fight evil spirits in a bid to save the Muggle world (those that aren’t aware of magic) from “The Calamity”.
As Niantic itself explains, an unexplained calamity has struck the Muggle world where magical artefacts are popping up out of nowhere. There is no known reason for these strange happenings and your task, as a Statute of Secrecy Task Force, is to look for magical traces of the calamity and find its true cause. Along the journey, there will be action-packed duels with powerful beasts, dark wizards, and a lot more. The quest for the cause of the calamity will lead players to various “Muggle locations” reminiscent of PokéStops in Pokémon Go.
Part of the gaming experience is similar to Pokémon Go in the sense that players navigate an AR environment with the help of a GPS. However, it’s also distinct enough to be entertaining as well. The game starts with the player creating an avatar of himself by taking a photo and dressing him in his wizard garb. There are different wizard professions as well – an Auror, Magizoologist or Professor – each has a specific set of skills and abilities and users can switch between these as they choose.
That’s not all. The game will have a multiplayer mode as well. Under that mode, different players will be able to group up to battle Death Eaters, Dementors, and a lot of other creatures. The pre-registrations are live now on the Google Play Store but hasn’t yet started for iOS yet. Also, a final release date hasn’t been announced yet but Niantic has said it expects a stable launch by the end of this year.