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By Tony Schinella, Concord Patch Editor
If you thought the future of Market Basket was settled after its Board of Directors agreed to a multi-million payout to the family members that own the company, think again.
Employees of the company and three board members are exchanging letters and memos about the future of one of the largest independently owned and operated grocery store chain in the northeast that have been shared on the Save Market Basket Facebook site and have made news in the Boston business press and the Lowell Sun.
Market Basket has a location in Stratham.
Earlier this year, a long-standing family feud between cousins who are heirs of the founders let to a move by one, Arthur S. Demoulas, to oust the other, the current CEO of the company, Arthur T. Demoulas.
Employees worried that new corporate leaders would cut their profit sharing and bonus structure plans while customers of Market Basket also worried that the chain would raise prices on consumers.
The battle ended with the Board of Directors deciding not to replace the CEO. A few weeks later, it was revealed that several members of the founding family would receive a payout of $250 million, with the board engaging in a search for a firm to look for a potential new executive for the company. The money to family members was met with more worries from employees and also articles, editorials, and online comments by media outlets decrying the "greed" of the family.
Employees on the Facebook site began commenting on the family payout, wondering what it meant for their futures as well as the profit sharing plan that now has around $550 million in it, according to press reports.
Commenters on the site began to target three members of the board—Keith Cowan of Atlanta, Ga., Ron Wiener of Park Avenue in New York City, and Nabil El-Hage of Weston, Mass.—wondering why they would want to find new corporate leadership when Market Basket was thriving as a company.
The online comments prompted the three board members to send a letter to all the chain's employees telling them that they would be making decisions that were in “the best interest of Market Basket” while maintaining the store’s “More for Your Dollar” philosophy and commitment to customers.
The letter noted that the board of directors had adopted new standards for policies and practices and would be focusing on better auditing, compensation, and governance over its real estate holdings and business decisions in an effort to make sure there were not conflicts of interest and the best decisions were being made.
“We, like you, all want the best for Market Basket and are firmly committed to seeing Market Basket continue to thrive as New England’s leading grocery chain,” the three stated.
Commenters on the Facebook site said the letter from the three members raised more questions than answers about the future of the stores, its workers, and their current compensation plans. Employees countered with a two-page letter of their own, questioning the news structure proposals and looking for commitments to employees.
“We respectfully request that you show yourselves,” the letter stated. “Come out of the shadows and tell us who you are and why you are on a board in what we believe to be the ruining of a great American company.”


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PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- Wyndham Worldwide Corp. said Wednesday its third-quarter earnings fell 9 percent as the impact of a stronger dollar and higher costs overshadowed improving revenue.
The company earned $159 million, or $1.11 per share, compared with $175 million, or $1.08 per share, a year ago. Net income fell while per-share results rose because the company had 18 million fewer shares outstanding in the most recent quarter. Taking out the effect of currency exchange, Wyndham said net income would have grown by 6 percent. When the dollar is strong, international sales translate into fewer dollars back at home.
Wyndham also said the 2011 quarter benefited from $22 million in favorable adjustments.
Revenue rose 4 percent to $1.27 billion. Sales in the company's hotel and timeshare ownership groups drove results. Revenue per available room, or revpar, for hotels open at least a year increased 2 percent, or 3 percent in constant currency. Domestic revpar rose 5 percent.
Expenses increased by 5 percent, Wyndham said.
Analysts expected a profit of $1.10 per share on revenue of $1.27 billion, according to FactSet.
For the full year, Wyndham raised the low end of its guidance range. It now expects to earn $3.15 to $3.20 per share, compared with a previous forecast of $3.10 to $3.20 per share.
It now sees revenue between $4.5 billion and $4.6 billion, up from a previous range of $4.43 billion to $4.6 billion.
Analysts expect earnings per share of $3.18 on revenue of $4.52 billion.
In morning trading, shares of the company slipped 65 cents to $52.65.

domain: news


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Three mobile telecommunication companies such as SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus, SGI Seoul Guarantee, and Korea Credit Bureau (KCB) have signed a joint venture contract to enter the professional personal credit rating industry.
This is the first time to establish a joint venture between the three telecommunications companies.
The company pledged to gather strength to realize the ESG management value, which has a joint venture contract at the SGI Seoul Guarantee headquarters and has a joint venture agreement on the afternoon of the afternoon.
In accordance with the revised Credit Information Protection Act, the joint venture utilizes non-financial credit rating services based on the telecommunications information of three telecommunication companies to revitalize the data industry.
The five companies expected to provide a wide range of financial benefits, such as increasing loan limit and lowering interest rates to students and financial weakened people who have limited financial services due to lack of financial history.
In addition, the company plans to create a foundation for revitalizing the data business, starting with the non-financing credit rating project, and to find new businesses to create new customer value.
Regarding the joint venture, three telecommunications companies will invest 26%of each shares, and SGI Seoul Guarantee and KCB are strategic investors in the direction of investing 11%of each shares.
Currently, the company plans to implement necessary procedures, such as the establishment of a preparatory subsidiary, recruiting CEOs, and applying for business rights after the establishment of a corporate combination screening for the establishment of a joint venture.
The five companies said, It is the first example of the three telecommunications companies to establish a joint venture. We will continue to make efforts.


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A THRIFTY mum has revealed how she manages to feed her 16 children on a budget, with one meal only costing £1 a head.
Jeni and Ray Bonell are the parents of Australia's biggest family, with nine boys and seven girls between the ages of 31 and six.
The busy mother often has her older children chip in and cook dinner, as it helps them develop new cooking skills and allows Jeni to have a night off from cooking.
Recently her eighth child, Sabrina, rustled up an affordable meal in the kitchen, cooking fried rice for the whole family. She whipped up 26 serves of fried rice with chicken, which worked out to be the equivalent of £1 per person.
The large family often on pantry staples, such as pasta and rice, to bulk out a dish while on a budget.
"Tonight is my night to cook and I'm making fried rice and chicken," Sabrina said in a YouTube video uploaded to the family's channel.
Her fried rice cost the equivalent of 30 pence a serve and two chicken drumsticks each is 70 pence a serve. This resulted in the meal costing only £1 for each serve.
To follow the recipe, you need long-grain white rice, short cut rindless bacon, soy sauce, salt and pepper, fresh or frozen stir fry vegetables, eggs and chicken drumsticks.
She recommends day-old rice for fried rice if you can, but said it doesn't matter if you didn't get around to making the rice in advance.
If you don't have old rice, you simply need to boil and drain the rice once it's cooked and let it cool, Sabrina suggested putting it in the fridge.
"Next we're going to dice our bacon up nice and finely. You can use any type of bacon you can even use ham, it just depends on your preference…we're just going to fry it up and cook it
Sabrina then diced up some vegetables. She used frozen as she said it was great for 'convenience'. Following this, she whisked up the egg in the frypan until it cooked.
FABULOUS BINGO: WIN A SHARE OF £250K
Finally, she combined all of the ingredients in a pan, adding soy sauce, salt and pepper, while the drumsticks were cooking in the oven.
Sabrina cooked up enough for 26 serves and added: "We are serving 12 people tonight, so whatever we haven't used, we'll put into containers to use at a later date."
This isn't the first time we've been offered a glimpse into how 'Australia's largest family' feeds themself on a budget, as the 51-year-old mother once revealed what it's like to make a mid-week dinner for her family.
Jeni – who spends an average of £240 ($450 aud) on groceries every week – prepared two boxes of store-bought beef lasagne and a side of salad.
"There's nothing wrong with not 'making everything from scratch'. If it's good value, tastes good, saves time, fills bellies, then it's ok with me," she wrote online.
But in order to feed the whole family, Jeni had to buy FOUR kilos of the pre-made lasagne.
Although the box says the "family-sized" lasagne will feed 10, Jeni says this just isn't the case in her household.
She added: "I'd say to get a good serving it's more like six serves, especially if you are serving teenagers or adults."
"Lasagne and pre-packed grocery store salads. Mumma's happy, family's happy."
Previously, Jeni gave fans a glimpse inside her whopping weekly shop – including 72 eggs, 36 litres of milk and 30 chicken drumsticks.
What's more, Jeni also has to buy 1.5 KILOS of spaghetti to make a bolognese as well as 1.5 kg of beef mince and 700 grams of own-brand pasta sauce.
For more food prep inspiration, a mum-of-two shares how she feeds her whole family for just £47 a month – and the recipes are so easy.
Plus mum feeds family-of-four for £1.50 each a day and shares her monthly meal plan so you can too.
And thrifty mums reveal eight tips that help them save £1400 a year on food including only shopping ONCE a week.
Source: Read Full Article


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Local merchants work hard to deflect supply chain hiccups
By TED POTRIKUS • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
Reports abound nationally that we can’t find the products we want or need, the result of a catastrophic break in the world’s supply chain that moves goods from manufacturer to distributor to retailer to consumer.
Otsego County merchants who know their customers’ needs are finding ways to plug the gaps wherever possible. From groceries and adult beverages to hardware, appliances, and cars, business owners are rallying to keep merchandise on hand.
Shoppers gearing up for Thanksgiving dinner should have no problem finding the food they want to prepare for their traditional feasts.
“This is our 90th year of business,” said Mona Golub, vice president, Public Relations, Consumer and Marketing Service for Price Chopper. Price Chopper’s markets in Cooperstown and Oneonta will be well stocked heading into the holiday season.
“We know what our customers are coming in to buy year after year,” she said. “We order our turkeys one year out and we have plenty on hand. We ordered staples in the spring. We’ll have everything that people want — sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, turkey, squash.”
“The story on the national level doesn’t always translate to the local markets,” she said. “We’ve built fantastic relationships with our suppliers so we can be sure we have what our customers expect.”
Local merchants cite pre-planning and hard work as good insulation against empty shelves.
“I’ve been doing this for 32 years,” said Sharon Wilsey, owner of Best Wine & Spirits in Oneonta. “We’re not immune from the supply chain problems, it’s happening everywhere. But we’re way ahead of this in so many ways.”
While she faces challenges when manufacturers run short on raw materials such as glass and aluminum, she has been able to keep popular brands in stock.
“For a long time, we’ve been one of the few places around where you can get popular items like Jim Beam flavored products,” she said. “We have a very good relationship with our distributors. We know what to suggest to our customers if we’re short on their favorites.”
John Thompson said he and Advantage Maytag co-owner John Elderkin pre-ordered more merchandise than their annual sales projection would otherwise have suggested. The Oneonta appliance store has stayed busy as a result.
“The pandemic kept more people at home, so they wanted and needed new appliances,” he said. “We’ve been able to fill those orders through good planning and good relationships with our suppliers. Our products come from Whirlpool, so around 90 percent of what we sell is made in America and isn’t getting jammed up at the ports.”
Advantage nonetheless faces a longer-than-usual wait for refrigerators and freezers.
“It’s higher tech with the computer chips that are tough to source,” Mr. Thompson said. “There’s a steel shortage, and the new ‘fridges take longer to manufacture.” He added that pending regulatory changes at the federal government level will change the composition of certain refrigerants, also slowing the process.
Knowing the local customer base arises as a common theme when addressing the supply chain crisis. Steve Munson of Munson True Value said his 56 years in the business keeps him ready for market hiccups.
“We’re good at knowing what we’re going to need,” he said. “Right now, we’re at about 95 percent of our usual inventory for everyday items. That has been a big improvement.”
“Windows, millwork, lumber — those are the things that seem to be getting worse,” he said. He cited challenges for manufactures — finding employees to make the products and sourcing the raw materials — as the primary culprits in the supply chain slowdown.
“It’s taking around three-and-a-half months for windows,” he said. “Don’t come in tomorrow and expect the windows the next day!”
And at Country Club Chevrolet, owner Tom Armao said his shop remains busy with customers for new and used cars.
“There are things I can’t control a lot of times,” he said. “But that means we change course and grow so that we can be here for our customers. We’ve got new cars on our lot and our used inventory is up. We can still fill the transportation needs that this area has. It takes hard work every day, but we know how to stay afloat.”


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iPhone 5 will be slimmer than iPhone 4S
The next iPhone or new iPhone that is expected to release this year is already under buzz. Earlier, it was expected to launch in June and now again it is claimed to be launched in October. Now, even the thickness of the device has started falling into the discussion.
A report states that Apple is working on a new technology that will reduce the phone's thickness by 0.44 mm. This will make the device only 7.9 mm in thick. It involves bonding the touch panel to the LCD panel. This way the iPhone can get slimmer.
The new in-cell touch technology will be implemented in the next iPhone. Currently, the touch sensor lies between the basic display panel and the covering glass. For this, Apple buys the three components separately and implements them together.
With this new technology, the touch panel and LCD panel are merged into one. This not only saves the thickness but also reduces the number of levels in the assembly process. There are many rumors about the iPhone 5.
It is rumored that the next iPhone will have a bigger display of 4.6 inches. It is also expected to house a larger battery that is powerful. Recently, we had mentioned about the home button of the smartphone. Only the launch of the device can confirm these rumors.
What do you think about this? What all features do you like the iPhone 5 to have? Will it be a complete redesign of the current model? Please drop your comments below.


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Nestle, the world's largest food company, brushed off fears of commodity price inflation and global slowdown to post an above forecast 15.8 percent rise in 2007 net profits sending its shares higher.
The Swiss-based maker of Nescafe coffee and KitKat chocolate bars sidestepped higher input costs such as for milk, coffee, cocoa and grains by raising its prices to boosted its underlying sales to an above target 7.4 percent and was confident for 2008.
Chief Executive Peter Brabeck expected continued global economic growth in 2008 to support his business, especially in emerging markets, while the recent record rises in commodity prices will start to cool off in the second half of 2008 with coffee and cocoa prices likely to go down rather than up.
"In general, 2008 will be another year of global growth. There will be important growth in 2008," he told Reuters in an interview after results. "I am a little bit optimistic."
But he would not commit to match 2007's pace of growth this year even with commodity price expected to wane and stuck to Nestle's medium-term outlook to see 5-6 percent underlying sales growth and a sustainable rise in operating margins for 2008.
Brabeck, who will pass the CEO baton to Paul Bulcke later this year and assume the chairman's role, has said the group has the wherewithal to weather an economic slowdown in the United States, where Nestle generates around 30 percent of its profit.
Chief Financial Officer James Singh added that its strong sales performance in 2007 had helped to shrug off raw material price increase and currency impacts. "We are in good shape and look forward to another successful year," he added.
Nestle shares rose 3.5 percent after outperforming the DJ Stoxx European food and beverage index by nearly 4 percent since the start of 2008.
"The overall picture of Nestle is excellent... Nestle is able to pass on rising commodity prices to consumers," said analyst Marco Gulper at ING.
While Alex Molloy at Credit Suisse added, "Nestle's early pricing action in 2007 mean that the increase in the raw material bill did not materially impact margins."
Nestle's Brabeck does not expect coffee and cocoa prices to climb further from their already high levels and should ease later in 2008, in line with the recent fall in milk prices.
"When I look at coffee and cocoa, those prices should come down rather than go up," he told a results press conference.
Coffee Futures at Record Levels
Coffee futures in London and New York are trading at around the highest levels in a decade and cocoa futures are at close to five-year peaks, driven higher by investment fund and speculator buying, as well as tight supplies and rising demand.
The group, which also markets Perrier bottled water, Buitoni pasta and Maggi soups, posted 2007 net profits of 10.65 billion Swiss francs ($9.7 billion) in 2007, fuelled by a 3 percent increase in prices that helped push overall group sales up 9.2 percent to 107.55 billion francs.
Net profit was seen rising 11 percent to 10.22 billion francs while annual sales were expected at 107 billion, according to average forecasts of 14 analysts polled by Reuters.
Nestle's underlying sales growth of 7.4 percent in 2007 was above expectations and beat rivals Danone and Unilever which saw 7.2 and 5.5 percent rises. The Swiss group's operating margins rose 50 basis points to 14 percent.
The company said it would seek shareholder approval for a 10-for-1 share split at its upcoming annual meeting and a dividend increase of 17.3 percent to 12.20 francs.
Asked about the future of Nestle's stakes in U.S.-based contact lens company Alcon and French cosmetics and beauty group L'Oreal, Brabeck told CNBC television that Alcon does not need Nestle anymore and vice versa, while there was nothing he wanted to do about its L'Oreal stake.
Nestle has a 75 percent stake in Alcon with a market value of around $34 billion and a 29 percent stake in L'Oreal with a market value of around $22 billion, according to Reuters data.
Nestle shares trade on 16 times forecast 2008 earnings, ahead of the slower-growing Unilever at 15.3 but behind the traditionally faster-growing Danone at 18.8 times.


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As we all know, the Nikon camera business is undergoing a major restructuring. And Nikon executives already confirmed that Nikon will “bringing in multiple mirrorless cameras at an early stage” and in the future Nikon will concentrate their resources on medium to high-end DSLR cameras and lenses as well as mirrorless cameras.
The Japanese newspaper Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun recently had an interview with Nikon’s President Mr. Kazuo Ushida and Mr. Ushida confirmed that they are working on a brand new mirrorless camera, which will be unique and different from other companies in terms of performance.
Here is the quote from the Interview from Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun: (Google translated)
Structural reform does not exclude all possibilities. In terms of product, you should also compete with medium and high-end SLR single lens reflexes. While targeting genre top, earn profits even if sales falls. With generations grew up on smart phones I will give out a “Nikonashii” mirrorless camera that made a difference to other companies in terms of performance. I want to overwhelm the performance of the lens by making use of industrial lens technology, but also need playfulness.
Full frame or APS-C format, currently we are still unknown…The Nikon’s 100th Anniversary will start on July 23 and maybe Nikon will show up a new mirrorless camera.
There are other rumors saying that Nikon will announce a new full frame mirrorless camera in the near future, which will be very small, about the same size as the Olympus E-M1. And Nikon has already patented several full frame mirrorless lenses in the past years.
Stay tuned for more info.


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The real estate consultancy firm, Cushman & Wakefield, has analysed the implications of the health crisis on various sectors of the national real estate market.
Office, retail, manufacturing and logistics, the hotel industry, residential and investment. What impact is the coronavirus pandemic having on the various sectors of the real estate sector in Portugal? According to the real state consultancy firm, Cushman & Wakefield (C&W), in the residential sector, "demand from international clients is expected to pick up first and international investors are still very interested in Portugal".
In the first edition of COVID-19 Portugal Market Update, a publication that analyses the implications of the pandemic in the various sectors of the national real estate market, C&W "summarises the most relevant government measures for the various areas of activity, giving an insight into current and future implications", says the consultancy firm, in a statement.
Let's have a look at the main conclusions from the publication, looking at each real estate sector:
Given the uncertainty about the real impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, most owners and tenants are adopting a cautious wait-and-see strategy. There are still no signs of an immediate impact on rental values for offices, which is in part due to the current lack of quality supply. However, tenants are expected to request incentives, including periods of reduced rent.
The pandemic is affecting all sectors of retail activity, except for consumer goods. Minimising losses and keeping the sector sustainable over the long term requires a constructive attitude from owners and tenants, as well as from banking and official entities. Recovery will depend on how long a return to normality takes and whether consumption patterns return to previous levels.
Some shopping centre owners have waived rent as long as shops have to remain closed. For other centres, and although the rental moratorium legislation offers tenants a temporary oxygen supply, case-by-case negotiations should be the rule in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Manufacturing and logistics
The exponential increase in online sales will bring new players to the market in the area of logistics that will come out of this crisis clearly benefiting. Portugal remains attractive and a continued interest in investing in the sector is expected, with developers resuming their projects, making up for the lack of quality space in the main logistics hubs of the country.
The hotel industry
The hotel sector is being hit hard by the crisis, but there is a widespread perception that the fundamental bases of tourism have not changed, and that activity will gradually resume once the current restrictions are lifted.
Domestic tourism and the Spanish market will play an important role in hotel demand. Operators have already accepted that the 2020 performance will be below expectations and are already focusing on the 2021 business plan. Investors in this sector are in some cases trying to adjust purchase prices.
In collaboration with the real estate company Porta da Frente, the publication concludes that the crisis will impact the demand for housing in the coming months. However, in the event of a rapid market recovery, a significant price adjustment is not expected, as there is still an imbalance between supply and demand in the country.
Demand from international customers is expected to resume first, as Portugal will continue to offer the same differentiating factors recognised by foreigners. The rapid and effective response of government and society to the pandemic reinforces this good reputation.
International investors continue to be very interested in Portugal. The good performance of the country's economy and the response to the COVID-19 outbreak has received international praise. There is some uncertainty regarding the medium/long term effects of the pandemic, but investors show intentions to close pending deals as soon as the market begins to return to normal.
Many investors are showing their willingness to close opportunistic deals at this time, while more conservative players are still waiting to see how the situation unfolds but are ready to invest in the near future.


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Biofect Innovations Wins Ontario Agri-tech Pitch Competition
The company is set to grow Ontario’s bioeconomy by bringing its potent sugar substitute from lab to market.
Biofect Innovations, maker of a potential sugar substitute, is the $10,000 grand prize winner of the inaugural Agri-Tech Pitch Competition held through the University of Guelph.
Event attendees selected Food Security Structures Canada as the People’s Choice winner to receive $2,500.
Held March 24, the pitch event hosted by U of G’s Research Innovation Office and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is intended to raise awareness of agri-food issues and showcase promising Ontario companies.
“Our government is proud to support this initiative through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance,” said Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Innovation such as this will drive our province’s agri-food sector forward and ensure that we remain competitive on a global scale.”
“The Agri-Tech Pitch Competition creates a tremendous opportunity for cross-pollination between key players — innovators, investors, food producers and entrepreneurs — who together can best catalyze the creation and adoption of technological advances for the benefit of Ontario’s agri-food sector,” said Dr. Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research) at U of G.
“This has been a phenomenal opportunity for the University of Guelph to share our passion and vision for innovation with the next generation of agri-tech entrepreneurs.”
Biofect Innovations, based in Toronto, created a proprietary fermentation process using microbes that turn industry by-products like starch into brazzein, a sweet-tasting protein 2,000 times sweeter than sugar.
“With this funding, we will develop intellectual property that allows us to establish southern Ontario and Canada as players in the growing bioeconomy,” said Dr. Ralph Christian Delos Santos, CEO of Biofect Innovations. “As a Canadian company, our goal is really to generate value and bring it back to Canada, and this is one of the first of many steps along the way.”
Five early-stage companies based in Ontario pitched their concepts for a chance to win $13,500 in cash prizes. Other pitch teams included Psigryph, Terra Optima and VETSon.
This event is an extension of the Gryphon’s LAAIR Program, funded through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between OMAFRA and the University of Guelph.
The event was sponsored by RHA Partners / 519 Growth Fund and AgExpert.
A recording of the event is available on YouTube.
Interested in getting involved in our innovation ecosystem? Email us at email@example.com.


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Branding is big in the booze biz. As New York once put it, “The man behind Grey Goose vodka understood that Americans want to pay more — You just have to give them a good story.” And a story in today’s Times makes it clear that even moonshiners from the Tennessee backwoods know the power of branding.
Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton was “probably the most famous [moonshiner] ever to work out of Cocke County, which long had a claim as the nation’s moonshining capital.” And, to be fair, the guy does sound awesome:
A North Carolinian by birth, Mr. Sutton learned to distill in Cocke County, where he was known as an affable rogue and a maker of potent but fine-tasting corn whiskey. He lived in a cluttered cabin on a wooded hill where he also built his stills, gave pistols to the incoming sheriffs and fathered so many children that no one has any idea of the exact accounting.
In other words, he was the prototypical moonshiner, complete with a scraggly beard and worn-out overalls. And, the Gray Lady notes, ol’ Popcorn had a flair for self-promotion: He wrote a memoir, starred in a moonshine documentary, and even printed up business cards, despite the fact that what he sold was illegal. In some ways, it sorta sounds like he was the Captain Morgan of moonshine, but with the added benefit of having once been a real person. But if you were in the business of selling corn whiskey — which is basically legal moonshine, and which has exploded in popularity over the last couple years — Popcorn would be exactly the kind of mascot you’d want to use. Lo and behold, that’s sort of what’s happened.
Back in 2008, Popcorn supposedly sold his moonshine recipe to a 29-year-old former motocross racer named Jamey Grosser. Popcorn killed himself in 2009, but Grosser has since partnered with Hank Williams Jr., (that Hank Williams Jr.) and is now selling a product called … Popcorn Sutton’s Tennessee White Whiskey, supposedly based on Popcorn’s original recipe.
This is a very good story! So good, in fact, that the country’s third-biggest newspaper has now relayed it to all of America — probably the best publicity that a tiny liquor brand from Tennessee could have hoped for.


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SEOUL, Korea, July 23 (Korea Bizwire) – Kia Motors unveiled its new more marketable and economical version of its top-selling compact SUV by holding a photo presentation of the ‘The new Sportage R’ at the Kia Motors building in Seoul on July 23. ‘The new Sportage R’ boasts luxurious interior design and exterior body, an enhanced driving experience, as well as affordable prices, and looks poised to prove its competitiveness in the compact SUV market.
This year’s new model has been upgraded in various aspects including high-quality interior design as well as a dynamic exterior body. ‘The new Sportage R’ has been carefully designed to make the driving experience more enjoyable for the driver and more comfortable for passengers.
Despite these added customer favorite options, Kia is also offering ‘The new Sportage R’ at a reasonable and affordable price. Car buyers can save up to 800,000 won even after choosing from a wide range of personalized options suited to fit each owner’s taste.
Kia Motors will be holding various promotions and events to celebrate the unveiling of the ‘The new Sportage R’. A Kia Motors official explained, “‘The new Sportage R’ has been reborn with greater value at reasonable prices. We are confident that as a leader in the compact SUV market ‘the new Sportage R’ will be able to expand with great influence.”
This past June, ‘The new Sportage R’ recently received the ‘Segment Winner’ award in the Sub-Compact CUV category in the Initial Quality Study (IQS) conducted by J.D. Power, an America-based global marketing information services firm.


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LAKEVILLE — Area residents are invited to visit the Lakeville Public Library at 4 Precinct St. for the annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Complimentary refreshments will be available all day. Visitors will enjoy listening to Jerry Gottschalk at the key board from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. as he plays old standards, show tunes, and seasonal music.
Last year's gingerbread workshop for children was so popular that it is being repeated this year. Join the fun in the activity room! Children's Librarian Teresa Mirra will be there to provide materials and assistance.
Homemade holiday cookies will be on sale along with homemade sweet breads. Visitors may want to drop into the Friends' book room where the books will be specially priced for Open House.
In the Great Ponds Gallery, everyone will be able to visit the booths of several Lakeville crafters who will be part of the Made in Lakeville Holiday Craft and Gift Sale sponsored by the Lakeville Arts Council. Other crafters will be at the Senior Center down the street.


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Infineon to expand with €1.6bn chip facility in Austria
Infineon Technologies AG, the German semiconductors has announced it will be investing €1.6bn (US$1.88bn) into a new factory in Villach, Austria.
The site will be a fully automated chip facility, used to produce 300mm thin wafers.
The power semiconductor factory will be located next to Infineon’s existing facility in Austria.
The project is expected to create 400 jobs, with construction launching in the first half of 2019 and the site becoming operational by 2021.
“Global demand for power semiconductors is soaring,” remarked the CEO of Infineon, Dr Reinhard Ploss.
“As the market and technology leader, Infineon is particularly sought-after by customers and is even growing more strongly than the market.”
“Growth is underpinned by global megatrends such as climate change, demographic change and increasing digitization.”
“Electric vehicles, connected and battery-powered devices, data centers or power generation from renewable sources require efficient and reliable power semiconductors.”
The sales potential from the factory is anticipated to reach €1.8bn ($2.11bn) annually.
“We recognized that trend early on and so are rapidly expanding production capacities for 300-millimeter technology at our Dresden location,” Ploss continued.
“The new facility at Villach will help us cater for the growing demand that our customers anticipate, and continue on our path to success in the coming decade.”
“Backed by the unique expertise we have built at our locations in Europe, we as a global company can strengthen our position on the world market long term.”
- Manufacturing news roundup: smart manufacturing & e-mobilitySmart Manufacturing
- European Chips Act to strengthen EU’s semiconductor supplyProcurement & Supply Chain
- Semiconductor chip shortage & the automotive industryTechnology
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd's Arizona factoryTechnology


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The Food and Drug Administration’s watchdog is warning that changes must be made to ensure the safety of American consumers when tainted food imports are recalled.
“Because FDA’s food recall guidance is nonbinding on the industry,” the inspector general concluded in a report, “FDA cannot compel firms to follow it and therefore FDA cannot ensure the safety of the Nation’s food supply.”
“It’s pretty damning,” says Tony Corbo of Food and Water Watch. He told iWatch News that the report should be a “wakeup call” for the FDA to take action quickly.
While the U.S. Agriculture Department oversees the safety of imported beef, chicken and pork, the FDA is responsible for the safety of virtually all other foods served on American dining tables.
Imported cheeses from Mexico and Italy, tainted with salmonella and listeria monocytogenes respectively, are among the 17 food recalls in 2007-08 that were reviewed by the FDA inspector general. The United States imported 356 million pounds of cheese in 2009, according to the International Dairy Foods Association, compared to more than 10 billion pounds produced domestically that year.
The report coincided with a special FDA report detailing the long-term challenges facing the agency in regulating imports of food, drugs and medical devices over the coming decade. Already, more than 10 percent of all food consumed by American households is imported, the FDA said, and nearly two-thirds of fruits and vegetables on the U.S. dinner plate are imported.
The special report concluded that the FDA must “substantially change its operating model” to handle the challenges it may face in the future when dealing a steady rise in imported food and drugs.
The FDA had lacked the power to initiate a food recall until January, when President Barack Obama signed into law the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Previously, all recalls had to be initiated by the company involved. But under the new law, the FDA can initiate a mandatory recall after first asking the company to voluntarily remove the product from shelves.
The inspector general’s office analyzed 17 of the 40 Class I recalls — a designation for recalls posing the greatest health hazard — that occurred in 2007 and 2008. An FDA spokesman told iWatch News that 2007-08 was selected because the audit began during that time period.
In addition to cheese, the reviewed products included cantaloupes from Honduras (salmonella) and dried fish from China (clostridium botulinim). Also included was a recall of Chinese beverage pitchers that had unacceptably high levels of lead.
Among the problems found were companies failing to promptly launch a recall; companies not submitting their recall plans to the FDA to check for adequacy; and companies failing to issue accurate information to their consignees about contaminated products.
In one case, the inspector general said a recall of contaminated mussel meat from New Zealand was not issued until 102 days after the FDA was first notified of the health hazard. The lack of communication went the other way as well, according to the report, which said the “FDA did not always follow its own procedures to ensure that the recall process operated efficiently and effectively.”
Corbo, of Food and Water Watch, says he is particularly disturbed by the fact that the FDA’s guidelines for recalls of imported food were not clear, calling it “inexcusable.”
In 14 of the 17 cases studied by the inspector general, the FDA failed to obtain complete information about the contaminated products. In 5 of the 17 cases, the FDA did not conduct any audits on the recall; in the remaining 12 situations the audits were “untimely and incomplete.”
The watchdog’s report ended with two simple conclusions: the FDA needs to include the results of their audit when considering how to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act, and the FDA needs to follow its own procedures when monitoring future recalls.
In a response to the audit, the FDA insisted that recalls initiated under the voluntary system have been “successful in removing these products from use and preventing harm to the public.” However, the agency also said it was conducting a study to “examine the current process and ensure that it protects the public health.”
These reports aren’t the first to convey concern about how the government regulates the food Americans consume.
Earlier this year, iWatch News reported a U.S. Agriculture Department watchdog warned about flawed E.coli testing in ground beef. That report concluded that the USDA’s method to screen for E.coli samples “is not designed to yield the statistical precision that is reasonable for food safety or to verify that plant controls or interventions are working as intended.”
Another USDA watchdog report, released after the nuclear disaster in Japan, suggested that the government may not be prepared to handle a similar widespread contamination of U.S. food.
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Article from Africa Business Pages
With 54 countries, Africa is a large continent with tremendous economic growth, investment, and rapidly rising living standards. Today Africa offers a host of opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses across the world as it marches towards a better economic future.
All across the African markets, national and regional economies are steadily accelerating their growth and attracting foreign investors from all across the world. This drastic change is driven by a number of factors, including more democratic and accountable governments; economic policies which increasingly favour and facilitate international trade; a new generation of policy-makers and business leaders; innovative information and communication technologies; an emerging spirit of entrepreneurship; and a growing middle class of relative prosperity with a taste for modern consumer goods.
As a matter of fact, six of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies are in Africa, and the ease of doing business in Africa is improving to the extent that a good number of countries (including South Africa, Ghana, Mauritius and Tunisia) now outperform China, India, Brazil and Russia.
FDI inflows to Africa have also registered year-on-year growth since 2010 and now amount to US$ 50 billion.
Forecasts by industry experts are leading to optimistic outlooks among those early movers who have already identified the huge potential of the African continent with its one billion people spread across 54 countries. It is time for enterprising businesses to seize the opportunity and look at the African markets seriously.
Population And Demographics
More than 50% of Africa’s population is under 20 years old, making it the world’s youngest continent – in comparison only 28 % of the population of China is under 20 years old
Almost 40% of the global population growth will be in Africa by 2050
500 million Africans are between the age of 18 and 24. By 2040, the forecast is 1.1 billion — more than in China or India
Markets And Consumers
Urban African consumers spend the largest share of their budgets (45%) on food and groceries –more than the average consumer in the BRIC countries
Consumer expenditure is set to rise from USD 600 billion in 2010 to nearly USD 1 trillion in 2020
More than half of all African households are projected to have discretionary income by 2020 – corresponding to almost 130.000 households
Consumer-facing industries (retail/wholesale, banking, telecommunication and tourism) in Africa are expected to grow by USD 400 billion by 2020, with apparel, consumer goods and food accounting for $185 billion
Average annual return on capital of African companies was 65-70% or higher than that of comparable companies in China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam GDP growth for the continent is forecast to grow at 5.4% in 2020 and 5.7% by 2025
6 of 10 of the world’s fastest growing economies are currently in Africa
FDI inflows to Africa have increased by 13.6% and FDI outflows by 55.6% in the last two years.
Doing Business In Africa
Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Botswana, Rwanda, Namibia, Ghana, South Africa, Liberia and Tunisia better than China and India in terms of the perceived corruption levels of public institutions
African Economies: Marching Ahead In 2020
Africa’s fundamentals appear strong, and the continent’s outlook remains positive. The belief remains unshakable among Africans that tomorrow will be better than today and that is the kind of infectious confidence in which investments thrive.
Many African governments are now embracing the right reforms and economic restructuring, building the right institutions, growing resilient economies and making the right policy choices, including diversifying their economies away from oil earnings, gas and mining to the massive job-creating promise held by agriculture and small and medium-size enterprise and business creation.
The global economy is to gain greatly from high-performing Africa that can be the next global growth pole and its next market. Global prosperity will expand if Africa grows and prospers. The message to any company or investor still not in Africa is that today is the day that business in Africa is made and it might already be too late tomorrow. Africa is the now, no longer the future.
The Africa train has already left the station. You are either on it or you risk becoming irrelevant. The time to get into Africa is now.


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The Motorola Razr 2019 will launch in India today. As is the norm these days it will be an online event that will be livestreamed. Below you can find the YouTube stream, but you can also watch on Facebook if you prefer. The event starts at 12.30pm local time – 7AM UTC.
The official shipping date and price should be announced at the event (and we’ll report on them as soon as they are revealed). The Moto Razr first became available in the US in mid-February after a delay. We spent some time with it, so you can check out our thoughts on the phone.
This is Moto’s first phone launch in the country this year, but it comes a few weeks after Samsung started shipping the Galaxy Z Flip in India (on February 26), so a foldable fight is brewing in the country.


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The Australian Commissioner of Taxation Chris Jordan has questioned claims by tech giants Apple and Google that their entire revenue from sales in the country is recognised for tax purposes.
During a public hearing on Wednesday, Jordan told the Senate committee inquiry into corporate tax avoidance that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) -- which he heads up -- had taken issue with and disputed some of the comments made by representatives of Apple, Google, and Microsoft at a public hearing by the inquiry earlier this month.
"Mislead is a subjective term, but we do take issue and dispute some of the comments that have been made," Jordan told the committee.
The ATO is contesting Apple's statement that all revenue from its Australian sales is recognised for tax purposes. Some profits are transferred to low-tax jurisdictions.
In the case of Microsoft, Jordan said the ATO is trying to determine whether its statement that profits from Australian business are primarily earned in Singapore -- around AU$2 billion, with AU$100 million remaining in Australia -- is the appropriate split of revenue.
"We further understand that much of this Singapore profit paid out as technology fees ends up in Microsoft Bermuda," he said.
The commissioner also questioned Google's statement that Australian revenue from advertising is booked and taxed in Singapore. The ATO believes that the majority of profits made in Australia end up in Bermuda, where no tax is paid.
It emerged during the Senate economics references committee hearing on April 8 that the ATO is investigating Apple, Google, and Microsoft over the amount of tax the companies pay domestically.
Google Australia managing director Maile Carnegie said during the hearing that the company made AU$58 million in revenue in 2013, and profits of just more than AU$46 million, but paid AU$7.1 million in tax. However, she conceded that the majority of the company's taxes were paid in the US.
"The US headquarters is where the majority of our costs are borne," said Carnegie.
Meanwhile, Apple's Australia managing director Tony King said that Apple Australia is entirely owned by Apple Ireland, but insisted that the company does pay tax in Australia.
He claimed to not know of the so-called "double Irish Dutch sandwich" process of shifting profits to low-tax countries -- a practice in which Apple has previously been accused of engaging.


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Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai. Unprecedented increase in the price of food items including tomatoes, has led an all time high retail inflation rate in July 2023 in last 15 months. This inflation rate has been recorded at more than 7 percent in last month while this rate was recorded at 4.81 in June 2023. However, the inflation rate in the month of July is within the tolerance limit of 6 percent fixed by the RBI. According to the data, the retail inflation rate in urban areas remained at 7.63% whereas, in rural areas this rate has been recorded as 7.20 percent. The Ministry of Statistics has released data on the retail inflation rate and according to these figures, it has been observed that there has been a huge increase in the inflation rate of food items. In June, this rate was recorded at 4.49 percent. This means that the inflation rate of food has doubled in a single month. This is the highest inflation rate since October 2020.
Vegetables prices soaring high
The rate of inflation of vegetables in the month of July was 37.34 percent, while in June 2023, this rate was minus 0.93 percent. This means that the inflation rate of leafy greens and vegetables has increased by more than 38 percent in one month. Inflation rate of pulses is 13.27 percent. In June it was 10.53 percent. The inflation rate for spices stood at 21.53 percent, as against 19.19 percent in June. Inflation rate of milk and related products has been recorded at 8.34 percent while it was recorded as 8.56 percent in June. The inflation rate of food grains and allied products is 13.04 percent, whereas in June, it was 12.71 percent.
No relief from expensive EMI
Only after the retail inflation rate crossed 7 percent in May 2022 last year, the RBI started raising the policy rate i.e. the repo rate. The repo rate was increased from 4 percent to 6.50 percent. In May 2023, when the retail inflation rate comes down to 4.25 per cent, there was hope of relief from costly EMIs. But again with retail inflation moving past 7 per cent, the hope of relief from expensive EMIs has faded for a while.


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Microsoft announced Halo Recruit for Windows Mixed Reality
Microsoft has announced a new game for headset Windows mixed reality Mixed Reality — Halo Recruit.
The project will be released on October 17 and will ship for free. The creators of the Studio 343 Industries, responsible for the Halo series. It’s not a full game, there will be no Master chief is just the first attempt to see how Halo would look like in virtual reality.
Gameplay Halo Recruit similar to Star Wars: Trials on Tatooine for HTC Vive, where you need to hit the shots the storm troopers laser sword.
Headset Windows Mixed Reality places the user in a mixed reality — so Microsoft calls their combination of virtual and augmented reality. Games are part of this environment, and the Corporation is well aware of — about a month ago she confirmed that it plans to support projects SteamVR on headsets Windows Mixed Reality.
© 2017 – 2019, paradox. All rights reserved.


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- Apple Will "Invent" Music Streaming
- Subscription Service
When it launched in 2006, the folks behind Lala knew one thing for sure: They wanted to revolutionize the way the online music industry worked. The site was originally formed as an online CD trading company, and when I met with founder Bill Nguyen prior to its beta launch, he proclaimed his devotion to the industry's ever-waning dependence upon physical product.
In the intervening year, Lala underwent something of an identity crisis, ultimately being reborn as a digital music service. Nguyen again traveled to New York to promote the site's re-launch. "I love the iPod," he told me at the time, praising Apple's elegant hardware design. iTunes, on the other hand, left much to be desired in Nguyen's opinion, some of which had much to do with Apple's continued support of DRM. Nguyen spoke of what he deemed the company's "secret weapon"—iPod compatibility.
The reborn Lala wasn't exactly a rousing success, however. Its innovative middle ground between iTunes and subscription services like Rhapsody and Napster—letting users purchase cloud-based versions of songs—didn't capture the imagination of the public as the company had hoped. It did, however, seemingly succeed in putting the site on the radar of Facebook and Google. In the past few months, both companies have struck up partnerships with Lala. Facebook incorporated Lala into its storefront. Google brought the site on as part of its Google Music initiative.
Those high profile deals, apparently, were finally enough to cause Apple to stand up and take notice. On Friday night of last week, the Cupertino-based company was reportedly in talks to purchase Lala. In a matter of hours, a number of publications—including, most notably, The New York Times—were reporting that the deal had closed.
The deal is important for several reasons, most importantly because as goes Apple, so goes digital music. Apple managed to keep its stranglehold on the world of online music for the better part of a decade, despite some predictions, in the early days of Rhapsody and Napster 2.0, that subscription-based music would ultimately serve as the death of iTunes. As was the case with his anti-DRM open letter to the record labels two years ago, Steve Jobs has long demonstrated his commitment to his company's status quo until it was no longer financially viable.
The evolution of .Mac into MobileMe was an acknowledgement by the company that the future of data is in the cloud—an evolution helped along by the runaway success of the iPhone, a product that has long since eclipsed the company's flagship music players in the hearts and minds of many fanboys and girls. No doubt Google's continued dominance in the space also did much to pique Apple's interest.—Next: Subscription Service >


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3rd Jul 2020
Clim8, a French intelligent thermal technology company, has announced to expand the leadership team, as it surges toward the North American market. Created in 2016, Clim8 launched a disruptive patented thermal technology with premium brands in Europe (Odlo, Ixon) and South Korea (K2 Korea), and are well-positioned to expand its North America efforts.
2nd Jul 2020
Lear Corporation, a US-based global automotive technology leader in seating and e-systems, announced that the company has been named a GM Supplier of the Year by General Motors during a virtual ceremony honouring the recipients of the company's 28th annual Supplier of the Year awards. This is the 19th time Lear has been named a GM Supplier of the Year.
24th Jun 2020
EU production of face masks, essential for tackling coronavirus, is set to rise 20-fold by November this year compared to pre-crisis times. This means that EU-based producers will be able to make the equivalent of 1.5 billion three-layer masks a month, according to figures released by Edana, a global association serving nonwovens and related industries.
24th Jun 2020
As part of the continuing journey to improve the sustainability of nonwoven products, Fibertex Personal Care, a Denmark-based manufacturer of spunbond/spunmelt nonwoven fabrics for personal care industry, has attained ISCC certification (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification ) enabling the Aalborg site to sell ISCC Plus certified...
23rd Jun 2020
Having already committed itself since March to grappling rapidly with the huge demand for face masks from institutions and public, Miroglio Group, an Italian manufacturing company, is continuing to pursue its intention to make its industrial know-how and experience available in order to combat the Covid emergency by starting to produce surgical face...
22nd Jun 2020
Magnum Venus Products (MVP), a global manufacturer of fluid movement and production solutions for industrial applications, has announced that the company is growing its international network with the addition of a new distributor, MVP Australia PTY. MVP Australia is well suited for this partnership with over 40 years of experience in the composites...
20th Jun 2020
Composites for Europe, previously Composites Europe, has announced that it is now also re-pitching itself in personnel terms. Dr Ing Hans-Christian Früh will become the new project manager of Composites for Europe, to be held as a business summit for composites in Stuttgart from November 10-12. The 35-year old Früh succeeds Daniel Schäfer.
20th Jun 2020
Lear Corporation, an automotive technology leader in seating and e-systems, has announced the appointment of Bradley M Halverson to the company's board of directors. Halverson currently serves on the boards of Sysco Corp as the lead independent director and audit committee chairman, and Custom Truck One Source, a privately held Blackstone portfolio...
17th Jun 2020
Archroma, a leader in colour and specialty chemicals towards sustainable solutions, has joined hands with Liberty Textile Mill Ltd, a leading producer in healthcare textiles to produce high quality personal protective equipment (PPE). Liberty will be benefitting from Archroma’s specialty solutions for hygiene protection, and in the area of medical...


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Should You Wait Until Spring to Sell Your Home? How the Pandemic is Affecting the Winter Markets
January 26, 2021
In the dullness of post-holiday winter, Canadian homeowners anxious to sell a property often start wondering if they should list now or wait until spring. The thinking tends to be that a winter sale could mean long weeks spent waiting for an interested buyer, lowball offers, and settling for a disappointing price. Of course, that’s a pretty grim outlook, and there are a number of reasons why a winter sale can work to your favour. But this winter, with strong selling conditions in many of the country’s major markets, the question isn’t should you wait until spring to sell your home, but rather, why wait?
More buyers, more sales
Since the first pandemic lockdowns disrupted the spring market and shook up our notions of “home,” markets across the country have seen an explosion of demand as droves of buyers go in search of more space, aided by historically low borrowing rates. Though sales did fall back somewhat from the dizzying heights seen earlier in the summer – a typical trend for the time of year while people focus on the holidays – national sales in December 2020 were up a stunning 47.2% compared to December 2019, setting a new record for the month by a margin of 12,000 transactions.1 The numbers don’t lie: demand is strong and homes are selling in many parts of the country.
High demand meets low supply
What’s really putting sellers at an advantage this winter is that inventory levels in most major markets are hitting all-time lows, leaving buyers to vie for a limited number of homes. After real estate activity effectively stalled out last March, new listings didn’t regain momentum as quickly as sales did, likely because sellers in the early days of the pandemic felt more at risk than buyers (read about COVID-19 safety tips for sellers). As a result, strong sales have been depleting inventory levels across the country – the national average came in at just 2.1 months’ supply at the end of December2 – bringing more balance to the buyer’s markets in Alberta and creating some of the tightest markets ever seen in Ontario and Manitoba. Sales are also happening faster than we’d expect for this time of year: in Alberta, our brokerage is seeing a high number of offers coming in ahead of the typically busy spring market, and in Ontario, we’re seeing many sellers accepting strong offers within a few days of listing.
More bang for your buck
According to the law of supply and demand, prices under these conditions should go up – and they have. In December, the national average price for a home was 17.1% above what it was a year ago,3 and the Purplebricks team has processed many deals with offers for over asking price and multiple offers (cue Pavlovian salivation!). As buyers try to outbid each other to get a piece of the pie, sellers have a firm upper hand.
With roaring demand, meager supply, and robust prices in many of Canada’s real estate markets, conditions don’t get much better than this for sellers. And, if 2020 taught us anything, it’s that there’s no telling what the future could bring. While each homeowner has their own unique set of circumstances to consider, many sellers are choosing to get while the gettin’s good this winter.
Those who choose to sell with Purplebricks stand to gain even more from their winter sales. Because we charge a low fixed fee, your commission savings increase when home prices are high. And you’ll never have to compromise on service: your local REALTOR® will ensure that your home is priced right while keeping your family’s safety a top priority. We’ve got your buying needs covered, too: when you purchase a home with one of our REALTORS®, we’ll give you $2,000 in cash back!* That’s the future of real estate. Call 1-855-999-9740 to learn more.


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Now that we know almost everything about the iPhone 15, rumors about the iPhone 16 are already spreading. Once again, Apple is reportedly planning major changes to the Pro models.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 16 Pro’s display will be “slightly larger” than the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, allowing it to get a periscope zoom lens. The periscope lens, which will reportedly provide 6x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom, is expected to arrive in 2023, but only on the iPhone 15 Pro Max; would need a size increase to make room for it on the 16 Pro. In comparison, the current zoom lens on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max has 3x optical zoom and 15x digital zoom.
Notably, the report Unknown21 on Twitter claims that the new periscope camera will require a repositioning of the cameras. As he explains, the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses have been swapped, meaning the telephoto lens is now on the right side. The iPhone 16 Pro will presumably get the same layout.
A previous report from DSSC CEO Ross Young claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will grow to 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively. These will be the largest Pro models since the line debuted with the introduction of the iPhone 11 Pro. Apple increased screen sizes from 5.8 inches and 6.5 inches to 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches when the iPhone 12 arrived, but kept the same dimensions for the 13 and 14 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro will reportedly the same size.
But with this latest rumor, the iPhone 15 Pro has suddenly become a lot less attractive. Rumor has it that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a few features missing from this year’s phone, including:
Solid state buttons: Apple is reportedly ditching the new buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro due to technical issues, but will bring them to the phone next year.
Face ID sensors under the display: We’re not sure if the entire camera array will fit under the screen yet, but Apple will reportedly put at least some of the TrueDepth camera components under the display to reduce the size of Dynamic Island.
Best battery life: As we saw with the Apple Watch Ultra, a few millimeters can make a big difference in battery life. We expect the iPhone 15 Pro to use the extra space to increase battery capacity and add at least an hour to our day.
So don’t get too attached to the iPhone 15 Pro this year. There’s a good chance you’ll want to upgrade as soon as the iPhone 16 arrives.


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Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) President Md Jashim Uddin asserted that Bangladesh is now a land of economic opportunity mentioning the reports by published by Boston Consulting Group and HSBC Global Research which claimed that Bangladesh will be a $1 trillion economy by 2040 and the world’s 9th largest market by 2030.
He also said that is the proper time to showcase the achievements and capabilities of the country to the world which Bangladesh unlocked in the last fifty years.
“In the fifty years of independence, the country has created ample investment opportunities after winning export targets as well as local consumers,” he added saying that it is high time to highlight these.
FBCCI President revealed it while speaking at a press conference on Thursday ahead of the Bangladesh Business Summit in the capital.
He also said that the country is prepared for foreign investments and companies like Walmart and Zara to expand their business here as the local consumer market in Bangladesh is growing alongside the country’s export potential.
“We have now 100 economic zones visible across the country and this capacity needs to be highlighted,” he added.
The Bangladesh Business Summit is expected to kick off on Saturday (11 March) marking the 50th founding anniversary of the FBCCI.
More than 200 delegates from 16 countries – including the public and private sectors – are going to attend the summit.
The participants will include CEOs and top level representatives of 12 world famous companies and the deputy director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The three-day summit will hold 17 seminars and three plenary sessions on different sectors of Bangladesh.


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Première Vision Preview Summit to Cover Sustainability From Fast-Fashion to Luxe
Model and actress Amber Valetta and representatives of Gucci, Eileen Fisher and the Council of Fashion Designers of America will be on hand to discuss sustainability issues across the supply chain at the upcoming July 22–23 run of Première Vision Preview New York in its new location at Pier 92 in New York.
Dubbed “Responsible Creation: Issues and Values for Fashion,” the event will cover responsible creation in the textile and fashion sector.
“We decided that it was time to provide the market more content on this subject, which is a serious subject but which in some cases is treated not as seriously as we wish in the Première Vision style,” said Guglielmo Olearo, Première Vision international exhibitions director. “Sometimes [sustainability is treated as] more of a marketing tool than a philosophy. Doing fashion in a more sustainable way is what’s important for us to highlight.”
Panelists include Valletta, who is founder of lifestyle brand Master & Muse and Yoox curator for a clothing, jewelry and accessories collection from environmentally responsible brands. This year, Valetta was also the face of H&M’s sustainable Conscious Exclusive collection. Other panelists include Rossella Ravagli, head of Gucci’s corporate sustainability and responsibility; Inka Apter, manager of fabric R&D at Eileen Fisher; Melissa Joy Manning, jewelry designer and member of the CFDA’s Sustainability Committee; Giusy Bettoni, chief executive officer and founder of C.L.A.S.S.; April Crow, global sustainability director at the Coca-Cola Co., which is developing a clothing collection made from recycled soda bottles.
The summit will be held at 5 p.m. on July 22, and registration is required in advance. Organizers are anticipating between 120 and 150 attendees, Olearo said.
This will be the third time Première Vision has organized the sustainability panel, which was first held last September at Première Vision Paris and then in October at Première Vision Shanghai, Olearo said.
“Now we consider it is the right time for the American market to talk about the evolution of the new materials and eco sustainability,” he said.
With the move from its longtime home at the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building, Première Vision Preview New York will have more than 300 exhibitors representing high-end European and international textile mills,” Olearo said.
“We are very proud to say we have the largest offer[ing] in terms of premium fabrics and design for the American market,” he said,
Première Vision’s textile print and surface design show, Indigo New York, will also be held at the same time at Pier 92.
In addition to trend seminars provided by Color Portfolio, Promostyl, Design Options, Fusion Kids, Meaningful Fashion, In Mouv, Trendstop and Esp Trendlab this year, Première Vision fashion director Sabine Le Chatelier will host a new seminar focusing on the colors of the season, as well as her presentation of Fall/Winter ’15/16 season highlights and influences, Olearo said.
For more information, visit www.premierevision-newyork.com.


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Rogers just unveiled a new unlimited data plan but Toronto isn't buying it
Rogers announced that an infinite data plan with no surplus charges is launching tomorrow, but this unlimited plan has limits and overage fees.
The plan starts at $75 for up to 10GB of full speed data per month, which means that the limit is 10GB.
Here is a more accurate headline: @Rogers gets rid of automatic overage on a select new plans targeted to high end users. Raises the price for 10GB data by $15 (25% increase). Does not disclose the speed in the plan ad, anticipating it will change in the future without notice.— Algis Akstinas (@AlsoKnownAs_AA) June 12, 2019
Customers that exceed the quota will have data at a reduced speed. People who want to access more high speed data need to purchase 3GB for $15 — a surplus fee.
Let's be real, it's $75 for 10 GB high speed, then lower speeds. Most people will use less that 10 GB. So this is $15 more than the $60 for 10 GB plan they had.— Zaptor999 (@zaptor999) June 12, 2019
A few months ago, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission launched a review to assess the choice and affordability of mobile wireless networks in Canada.
Since there are only three major cellular networks in the country – Bell, Rogers and Telus – there is a lack of competition, which drives up prices. Canada is notoriously known for high wireless network costs.
Waiting for bell and telus to magically announce their special version of the exact same thing— Jrod (@JrodTwitch) June 12, 2019
“While the wireless industry has grown and evolved over the last few years, progress has been slow in certain areas. We are concerned as to whether the needs of Canadians are being fully met," CRTC chairperson Ian Scott said in a press release.
"We want to ensure that all Canadians benefit from a robust and competitive mobile wireless market that provides a choice of affordable and innovative services.”
Congrats to @Rogers for introducing “Unlimited” plans starting at $75/mon.— Alan C (@ac_awesome) June 12, 2019
Maybe one day Canadian mobile providers will be as good as US carriers like T-Mobile, for almost half the cost: pic.twitter.com/6MrAHi7TGK
To combat the unaffordability of wireless mobile plans, the CRTC has considered requiring big wireless carriers to share their national networks with small competition.
Join the conversation Load comments


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LIVERPOOL will star in a £4m TV ad campaign that will offer access to a global market for its tourism businesses.
National tourism body VisitEngland’s GREAT 2012 campaign starts on March 8, and Liverpool is the only city region featured in its two 40-second, and 60-second, adverts to be screened on terrestrial and satellite channels until May 14.
Regional tourism body VisitLiverpool has commissioned its own 10-second showcase advert which will run on from the main ad throughout April, and will also be broadcast independently at various key times.
The adverts feature veteran TV and film actress Julie Walters who will champion the region.
Her career took off as a member of the Liverpool Everyman Theatre cast in the 1970s, and she has starred in many Liverpool productions, including playwright Alan Bleasdale’s milestone TV work Boys From The Black Stuff which encapsulated the grim economic reality facing the region in the 1980s.
Inward investment and tourism agency, The Mersey Partnership (TMP), says the campaign is a fantastic opportunity for national and international exposure to promote the region, and is urging tourism-related businesses throughout the region to get involved.
In addition to the TV advert, there will be online and social media activity to support the campaign and viewers will be directed to a special VisitEngland GREAT 2012 microsite with more detailed information.
Viewers will be able to go online to find special offers at the destination of their choice via aninteractive map and TMP is calling on the region’s tourism-related businesses to upload details of their special deals on accommodation, attractions and restaurants, all free of charge.
All offers and deals posted to the site will be live from March 8, through to December 31, 2012 – but they must be uploaded by Friday, March 10.
Duncan Frazer, TMP’s commercial and marketing director, said: “We are delighted that Liverpool is to feature in the GREAT 2012 television campaign.
“It’s going to generate huge interest in the destination.”
He added: “This is a unique opportunity for tourism businesses to get involved in a multi-million television campaign and we are delighted that we can offer this free of charge.
“I would encourage everyone involved in the city region’s visitor economy to support the campaign and help attract new and returning visitors by offering the best experience possible.”
Although the tourism authorities hope to build up more visits, including by overseas tourists, to England and its key cities and rural attractions, one of the other key aims of the VisitENGLAND campaign is to encourage more domestic consumers to shun their foreign short breaks and main holidays and stay and holiday in the UK this summer during what is planned to be a landmark year of events, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics.
Any city region tourism businesses wishing to take advantage of the campaign are encouraged to upload their special offers, free of charge, by visiting www. great2012offers.com/upload/


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Chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC) began mass production of its most advanced chips in southern Taiwan on Thursday and the company’s chairman said it would continue to expand capacity on the island. The long-awaited mass production of chips with 3-nanometre technology comes as attention focuses on the world’s largest contract chipmaker’s investment plans […]
The Asus Rog Phone 6 Pro is the latest upgrade to the rog phones family. A great gaming phone with loads of cool features and excellent screen fidelity lets us look closely and see what the fuss is all about. How Good Does It Look The Asus Rog Phone 6 Pro has an intimidating, rough, […]
The world of foldable phones keeps welcoming more additions to its roster. And it makes sense. The foldable phones are selling well even with their pricy asking point. Huawei’s latest foldable is the Huawei P50 Pocket. While it does many things right, it also has its shortcomings. We will take a deeper look at it. […]
Today, we’ll be reviewing the IQoo Z6 Pro 5G, that’s the pinnacle-cease version inside the new series. This is iQoo’s first Z-series phone to get hold of the Pro badging, and despite the name, its specifications and positioning indicate that it should be the genuine successor to the Z5. While the Z6 Pro 5G receives […]
Compared to other equally rated in-ear true wireless sports buds, JBL Reflect Flow True Wireless earbuds are a major player in the true wireless sports headphones niche. If you’re not looking for a set of sports in-ear headphones, the JBL Reflect Flow headphones, however, are excellent for real wireless sports in-ears, especially if you want […]
Chinese smartphone giant Realme is known for offering a myriad of devices and electronics spread across different price segments, with the company being one of the handful to take on Xiaomi, the biggest player in the Indian budget electronics segment. Now, the company has branched out into making speakers, and the Realme Brick Bluetooth speaker […]
Online consumption is constantly mounting with the continuous availability and deliverance of the internet. The margin of individuals going online to satisfy their shopping itch is increasing daily, and digital marketing has a massive role to play here. By promoting a particular brand, digital marketing creates a familiar ground between the consumer and the brand […]
The United States and European Union will announce a joint effort to avert a “subsidy race” as they scramble to boost production of scarce semiconductor chips, a senior Biden administration official said. The move will be unveiled at the second meeting of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), taking place on Sunday and Monday […]
China’s cyber regulatory body issued on Wednesday draft rules governing mobile apps, including a requirement for security reviews of apps whose functions could influence public opinion. The proposed regulations are part of a campaign run by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) over the past year to increase oversight of the country’s tech companies. The […]
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For the uninitiated, Boot Camp is a macOS feature that lets you install Windows 10 on your Mac and switch between operating systems when you restart your system. With this built-in utility, Mac owners could use their Apple laptops as personal notebooks and switch to Windows if a certain program (or video game) was required for work or school.
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Those who purchase an upcoming MacBook running on Apple's custom silicone won't have this option. The compatibility issue has as much to do with licensing as hardware. As reported by The Verge, Microsoft only licenses Windows 10 on ARM to PC vendors making "Always-connected PCs" or those with Qualcomm processors.
When asked by The Verge if Microsoft would allow an exception for Boot Camp, the company said “we have nothing further to share at this time.”
Microsoft knew about Apple's intentions of moving to a custom ARM-based CPU long before the move was announced at WWDC last week. The software giant has been working with Apple to get its Office apps running on the new chip architecture, and those programs will supposedly be ready when Apple ships the first ARM Macs later this year.
We can't rule out the possibility of Microsoft relaxing its Windows 10 on ARM licensing policy and extending it to Macs. But as The Verge points out, that would only be step one toward getting Boot Camp to run on an ARM Mac; Apple would still need to create new drivers from the utility, and it doesn't sound like it has any plans to.
“We’re not direct booting an alternate operating system,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, told the Verge. “Purely virtualization is the route. These hypervisors can be very efficient, so the need to direct boot shouldn’t really be the concern.”
Unless Apple changes its mind, Mac owners who want to run Windows on their laptops will need to rely on a virtualization tool, like Parallels or VMWare.
Parallels is widely considered the best way to run Windows 10 on a Mac, even more so than using Bootcamp. However, it won't be supported by the new Rosetta 2 binary translator tool so a complete rebuilt is required. Given the popularity of Parallels, we'd be surprised if this didn't happen. Still, there is no way to know when such a tool will become available.
Apple showed Parallels Desktop running Linux compiled for ARM using a virtual machine on a Mac, which is a good sign for those who use it. However, there was no sight of Windows 10.
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Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.


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Leading global maritime rope company, Lankhorst Ropes, has joined Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, along with leading industry partners, to launch a new coalition, known as CirculariTeam. The coalition aims to drive the transition towards renewable bio- and recycled based resources within its respective industry. CirculariTeam provides a common platform to share knowledge, resources, and technological solutions, with the goal of closing the loop on Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiberTM.
The cross-industry coalition consists of parties from across the value chain that use DSM’s Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, in their products. CirculariTeam aims to drive the transition towards renewable bio- and recycled based resources within its respective industry. This matches DSM’s vision and mission of enabling a circular economy and keeping materials at their highest value for the longest possible time.
CirculariTeam has identified seven focus areas: reverse logistics, recycle and reuse solutions, improved production efficiency (including waste reduction), separation of waste into material components, design for circularity, regulation, and information sharing. The parties have already begun collaborating on these topics and, by end 2021, CirculariTeam aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility of making new Dyneema® fiber from post-consumer waste. Throughout the coming years, the coalition will continue to reassess its ambitions and review its progress through regular summits and ongoing communication.
Roeland Polet, Co-Chairman of CirculariTeam and President DSM Protective Materials: “DSM is dedicated to securing the future availability of natural resources and maximizing the value from the limited resources available. CirculariTeam will serve as another opportunity to enable this, in line with our existing sustainability targets for DSM Protective Materials. Together with our partners, we can deliver solutions and growth that benefits both business and society at large.”
Wilco Stroet, Senior Vice President Global Maritime Lankhorst Ropes: "We are committed to the aims of the CirculariTeam coalition in the firm belief that it's our responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. Lankhorst Ropes has long seen sustainability as a key driver for growth and something we embrace wholeheartedly as part of our initiative to encourage circularity wherever possible."
James Kempston, CEO, NP Aerospace: “Dyneema® is a central component to NP Aerospace life-saving armor products and we use significant volumes year on year. We are pleased to be part of the CirculariTeam. It offers a much-needed forum for cross-industry collaboration on topics such as recycling and renewable materials. We have worked with DSM for over 15 years and it is clear that they are leading the way in manufacturing innovation and green initiatives. We are pleased to be collaborating on this coalition, it will not only enable us to better meet our customers’ growing demands for more sustainable, circular products, but we will be also be able to collectively build a better world for generations to come.”
For more information about the industry coalition, please visit the website.


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The post-harvest cum festival season in October and November has been associated with both lower price realisation and slower flow of credit
A theme which is played every year is the rural story. The rural economy is very important as it provides not just the supply of goods and services which we associate with agriculture output but also demand in the form of impetus to be received by other sectors as 60% of our workforce resides here. While roughly half the rural economy GDP comes from farming, the balance is in the SME sector of both manufacturing and services. Therefore, the state of this economy is important.
In the last two years, the rural economy was affected by demonetisation and GST and 2018-19 was expected to be better. While a lot has been said about the southwest monsoon this year, it ended up being short by 9%. The implication is two-fold. The first is that while overall output has been satisfactory, output of certain crops is expected to be lower than last year as per the first advance estimates of agricultural production which includes bajra, tur, urad, groundnut and cotton. The shortfall in rainfall in states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, northern Karnataka and parts of AP has caused stress in areas producing these crops.
The second is that these drought-like conditions in parts of the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka also imply that the rabi crop will get impacted due to lower moisture retention. The reservoir levels have been affected due to a weak monsoon in September and October this year and greater recourse to irrigation will be required. Crops like chana and mustard could be affected. The other issue relating to farmers is price realisation. This year the government announced fairly aggressive increases in the MSP for various kharif crops which were 8-10% higher than last year on an average basis. In fact, it was felt that these increases would actually add to inflation potential as, while this would enhance the income of farmers, the consumer would pay higher prices. Not surprisingly, this has also been a constant risk factor pointed out by RBI in successive monetary policy statements.
The picture on price realisation is quite mixed. As can be seen, the problem is with pulses and oilseeds, where prices are ruling lower than the MSP. In case of pulses, overproduction in the last few years has actually led to high levels of stocks being created. This has come in the way of market prices going up despite lower production levels. Farmers, in fact, have cut back on pulses cultivation due to low prices received last year. However, the carry-over stocks have created a glut leading to lower prices. The government has taken a positive step to ban imports, but unless there is active procurement at MSP, it is unlikely that farmers will get a higher price. Further, with higher prices of diesel during the sowing and harvest months, cost of cultivation, too, has gone up which has affected their net income.
In case of oilseeds, it still surprising because, while soybean production is higher this year, groundnut is expected to be lower. Yet, both their prices are ruling lower than the MSP. It is clearly the buyers’ market where imports coming at competitive prices have tended to compete with domestic output. Yet, with the rupee falling sharply in October, it would have been expected that the landed cost would be higher.
The lower income received by one section of farmers will definitely come in the way of sustaining the demand spiral which, prima facie, appeared to be visible at the national level in September and October when retail sales picked up sharply, especially through the e-commerce channel. Several FMCG companies, too, have reported healthy rural demand, and it will be interesting to see if this can be sustained. How about the non-farming segment? Here again there are two sections. The first is the SME producers. They have been impacted by the credit crunch due to the NBFC crisis. The flow of funds has tended to stagnate which has caused measures to be taken by both the government and RBI to improve this flow. Otherwise, with large industry doing well, the ancillary benefit has percolated to these units. Further, with exports, too, increasing at a healthy rate of 13% till October, there has been some impetus received which is good for them. But a credit squeeze will definitely come in the way of operations of some of these SME units.
The second part is rural demand in general from the credit route which is both banks and NBFCs. Here, this has been impacted mainly due to the NBFC issue where liquidity constraints have slowed down the flow of funds. NBFCs are a major source of funding for tractors, two-wheelers, consumer goods, etc. With there being constraints in terms of availability of funds with these institutions, there has been a tendency for overall demand to get affected. While this has not yet come out in the Q2 data, it may be expected that there would be a slowdown in demand from this segment in Q3 when the liquidity crisis peaked. What is interesting is that, with elections on for five states, affirmative action would tend to be taken in areas of prices for farmers, which is not too evident presently. Also, government expenditure should be more proactive at this stage within the confines of what was announced in the budget.
Data on both industrial production as well as credit for the months of October and November will be critical to form a view on whether, on balance, the rural economy has done better this year relative to 2017-18. The post-harvest cum festival season in October and November has been associated with both lower price realisation and slower flow of credit. This can impact the consumption cycle involving consumer goods which is the starting point of building strong backward linkages. For credit, it is still uncertain whether the liquidity issue with NBFCs has been substituted by banks. Banks, too, have been proactively vying for the retail pie as this is considered to be safer to corporate loans where the propensity to create NPAs is higher.
As of now the picture looks balanced with a tilt towards a recovery, albeit a gradual one. The straight path of more robust growth that was expected at the onset of the monsoon has, however, not played out.
The writer is Chief economist, CARE Ratings


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Hungarian companies are hampered in their growth by non-paying customers and credit debts, according to Intrum’s representative European Payment Report 2022 (EPR), which was released to MTI on Wednesday.
In the survey, 43% of Hungarian respondents reported that they are unable to hire new workers due to non-payments, and 41% are unable to make other types of new investments. In many cases, late payments also threaten the current operation of the company: 35 percent of managers said that late payments could lead to redundancies in their company, while 32 percent said that the very existence of the company could be at risk. Hungarian firms have managed to reduce losses due to outstanding payments to a lesser extent than the European average and than in other Visegrád countries.
Now in its 24th edition, the survey questioned more than 11,000 businesses in 15 countries. According to the survey, the proportion of firms in Hungary that increased their losses from non-performing loans, and those that reduced their loss of revenue from bad debts was the same last year (31 percent). This is a worse result compared to the European average, as the continent as a whole was characterized by a decline in credit losses in 2021. Hungarian firms also fared worse compared to the other Visegrád countries, with a much larger decline in losses in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and a similar decline in Poland, but slightly smaller than in Hungary.
Judit Üveges, Intrum’s sales director, said in the statement that Hungarian company managers said that liquidity problems were mainly caused by customers paying late. Despite the fact that Hungarian companies set relatively long payment deadlines compared to other countries, more than half of the respondents allow more than 20 days for retail customers to pay, and even longer deadlines are common for corporate counterparties.
According to most respondents, longer deadlines were mainly necessary to keep their customers, and in view of the worsening global economic trends, extending deadlines is safer. According to Üveges, customized payment solutions are less common in Hungarian business. In Hungary, the best-known default prevention measure is loan pre-financing, with 48% of respondents using some form of this solution.
Around a third of Hungarian managers only check their client’s creditworthiness, a similar proportion across Europe, with 23% using a credit guarantee contract and 15% opting for a bank loan guarantee. However, more than half of respondents are not satisfied with the solutions currently in place, with 54% saying that new legislation is needed to tackle late payments.
The European Claims Management Group produces its annual European Payment Report, for which it collected data from 11,007 companies in 29 European countries on their financial performance between January 14 and April 12 this year.
Featured image via Intrum’s website


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Microsoft has reportedly started rolling out Windows 10 Mobile OTA (over-the-air) update to its Lumia 535 in Latin America.
The report come just a day after the 4G-capable Lumia 640 purchased from T-Mobile carrier in Poland received the software update. Wmpoweruser reported, quoting T-Mobile Trendy website, that the update takes the device to Software number 02177.00000.15184.36002.
The Windows 10 Mobile update is now available to Lumia 535 devices in Latin America, and takes the operating system to version 10586.29 with CV LTA ROM, according to MicrosoftInsider (via WMPowerUser).
Microsoft hasn't officially announced the Windows 10 Mobile update schedule for its devices, but the software is expected to be made available to other Lumia devices and spread to more countries. There are also reports that T-Mobile will roll out the software in the Netherlands and Bouygues Telecom in France.
Microsoft has announced that its devices such as Lumia 430, Lumia 532, Lumia 535, Lumia 540, Lumia 640, Lumia 640 XL, Lumia 735, Lumia 830 and Lumia 930 will get Windows 10 Mobile update first. The software will also be rolled out to all Windows 8.0-based phones.
Windows 10 Mobile comes with features like full-size background image for Start, more quick actions in Action Center, Interactive Notifications, significantly enhanced speech-to-text capability and a more powerful Photos app.